Wet n Wild Megalast Nail Color Leaf Me Be (Lost in the Wild Flowers | Summer 2016 Collection)

The HORROR... 

I'm very apprehensive of stained teeth and nails.  I avoid soft fizzy drinks as much as I can, but I do love tea and coffee, which I drink using a straw (even if the beverage is hot) to avoid contact of the liquid with my teeth (a suggestion made by my dentist).  Healthy and naturally white teeth and nails are important to me because I think that it makes one look clean and polished.  Honestly, if I ever see that my nails are getting permanently stained or weakened or damaged from nail polish wear, I will stop wearing nail polish.  Although I do love wearing nail colors, I often find myself happy with the naked-no-color manicure.  I'm horrified by the appearance of my nails after wearing Leaf Me Be for only one day!  Seriously, I had a panic attack.  I scrubbed my hands like crazy and even used my Crest Whitening toothpaste and brushed them.  I buffed them too.  A few days have past, but the stain is definitely taking its good 'ol time to fade away.  

Leaf Me Be is an unique, vibrant, neon, non-milky lime green in a jelly finish.  It reminds me of slime in kid's movies or Nickelodeon (hello 90's baby over here).  Given that it has a jelly formula, it required at least three coats to look opaque.  Even though I wore the Sephora Formula X base coat and top coat, the polish took time to dry down and got nicked on some nails as y'all can see in the last two pictures above.  I would have still kept it had it not stained my nails - it looks like I bathed my nails in turmeric.  I'm so surprised that I even thought about contacting Wet n Wild regarding this staining issue.  

The Wet n Wild Megalast line is one I usually like! I have had an especially good experience with the seasonal collections, which are fun, trendy, not compromised on formula, and affordable.  I returned this one immediately to Walgreens and didn't bother trying the other nail colors I had purchased from this collection.  On a positive note, visit my Instagram to take a look of other items I purchased from this collection in action, such as a Mega-Glow highlighter in Precious Petals and a Mega-Glow multi-stick in Carnational Anthem.  Spoiler... I love both! I guess you win some and you lose some, right! 

 

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♥ Yours Truly,

The Lipsticks-Ninja

Meesha ♥

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New Wet n Wild Megalast Salon Nail Color • Kiss My Mints and Lay Out in Lavender | Spring into the Wild!

Are y'all ready for Spring yet? Well, who isn't ready for Spring, unless where you live it is either not very seasonal or too hot during the Spring months.  The beauty and fashion retail world is surely ready.  I was visiting Walgreens with one of my beauty-loving friends - we were both searching for some new liquid lipsticks - when I came across this gorgeous display of new pastel nail polishes by Wet n Wild. 

Instantly, these new Spring into the Wild collection nail polishes reminded me of last Spring's pastel nail polishes from the Silver Lake collection by Wet n Wild.  In fact, the Spring into the Wild shades looked identical to some of the shades from Silver Lake. Anyway, the only reason I gave this new collection a second glance was because the current mint shade, named Kiss My Mints, looked less green (more blue) than last year's mint, named Tree Hugger. Also, I had returned Tree Hugger last year because it had an awful formula so I thought to give Kiss My Mints a try.  

Since purchasing Kiss My Mints and loving it, I am eager to buy the lilac/lavender one from this year's collection because that is another shade I do not have from last year's collection.  The word on the street... I mean Instagram is that the shades from this year are minutely (very subtly) different from their shade category (i.e., mint, lilac/lavender, cornflower/periwinkle blue) parallel from last year.  In other words, only a nail polish junkie (street name for nail polish collectors or connoisseurs) would notice the difference.  I am not one of those individuals as far as nail polishes are concerned.   

Y'all know that lipsticks are more my game!  In anyway, I firmly believe that bright orange nail polishes look the most flattering on my lanky hands.  Oh boy, way off tangent I go... 

In a nutshell, y'all need to buy Kiss My Mints.  I cannot mention a single downside to owning this gorgeous pastel, bluish mint shade, except that you will not want to remove it ever.  First, it is only $1.99.  Bargain. ✓ Second, as I already mentioned this is a nice balanced pastel mint (not too green, not too blue, and I am very picky about that). Trendy. ✓ Third, the staying-power was amazing.  I applied it last Thursday and removed it today (Wednesday).  It only began looking a tad shabby today because my nails have grown out and I started picking at the little chipped areas on my index fingernails.  For a $1.99, drugstore nail polish, to have such an excellent wear-time is note worthy. Thank you Wet n Wild for maintaining quality and trendiness, while keeping prices low. Solid wear-time. ✓ Lastly, the formula was as exquisite as the wear-time.  I applied two coats, allowing a few seconds for the first coat to dry down completely before applying the second coat.  I also sealed the deal with Essie's Good to Go top coat.  Dreamy formula. ✓ 

Yes, I am planning to go back for at least one or two more, like Lay Out in Lavender and Breeze On By.  Hope y'all enjoy my gallery below!  I added pictures of the shades from the Silver Lake collection I purchased last year.  Sadly, I didn't have a chance to share my swatches of the Silver Lake polishes or write a review about them because of some life stuff that came up around the time I had purchased them.  I didn't want to miss my chance this time around.  

Update (04/20/16): I purchased Lay Out in Lavender soon after writing the review above for Kiss My Mints.  Lay Out in Lavender is a pastel, slightly dusty lilac in my opinion.  I tend to describe pastel-purples as lilac if they lean less pink, slightly cool-toned, and lavender if they lean more pink, slightly warm-toned. And peri-winkle is a purple leaning more blue.  I blame my knowledge (in case I am wrong) on OPI's Do You Lilac It? and Lucky Lucky Lavender (if y'all know what I mean).  I don't know the "accurate" or "official" difference is between lilac and lavender in the purple color spectrum.  Lay Out in Lavender reminds me of the OG Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear shade Lacey Lilac.  

Lay Out in Lavender applied easily for a pastel shade.  I used two coats for an evened out appearance. The first coat is sheer so I was concerned that the polish will require three full coats, but the thinner formula and application were not an issue.  I did not apply my trusted Essie Good-to-Go top coat with this one and it did chip, especially on the index finger, slightly on the tip of other fingers, and overall had a dull appearance without top coat.  This experience sort of made me re-think the staying-power of Kiss My Mints, but I love that color, and honestly I still think the formula and application is a dream for the $1.99 price point.  Also, I appreciate that these polishes do not have the pungent chemical, paint-like smell that some cheaper / drugstore polishes tend to have.  For me Lay Out in Lavender was "meh" color-wise.  I did not love the color as much as Kiss My Mints.  When I first started purchasing/collecting nail colors a few years ago (during under-grad), I went through an intense pastel lilac/lavender phase, much like my current adoration for orange nail and lip colors.  So maybe that "phase" is to blame for my "meh" feelings towards Lay Out in Lavender at the moment.  

• • • • • 

Silver Lake (Spring-Summer 2015)

Wear Skinny Jeans

Warm Filter

A Latte Love

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♥ Yours Truly,

The Lipsticks-Ninja

Meesha ♥

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Essie Taj-Ma-Haul (Essie Resort Spring 2016)

Review... 

• Color: a yellow-toned, dusty orange.  
• Formula: a thin creme consistency.  
• Application: requires patience because you need three coats for an evened out appearance and must wait for the first layer to dry before applying another layer of polish; the polish has a tendency to run off the brush and flood the nail bed. 
• Staying-power: I applied Essie Good to Go top coat, which is my absolute favorite top-coat.  As long as the polish isn't cheap in quality, I get good wear-time (four-five days) using Good to Go. Personally, although I love wearing nail colors, I prefer my nails bare sometimes.  Also, my nails grow out fast. So if a polish lasts about four days for me, without chipping, I am "good-to-go". 
• Overall: I didn't end up keeping this one because I like my polishes to be low maintenance when it comes to application.  I can compromise on staying power (well not if the polish chips shamelessly 20 minutes after I applied it), but I do not like a runny consistency and slow drying time.  

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♥ Yours Truly,

The Lipsticks-Ninja

Meesha ♥

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OZ Naturals Super Youth Retinol Moisturizer Review and Demo

OZ Naturals Super Youth Retinol Moisturizer caught my attention at first glance because of its natural ingredients and practical packaging.  Spending lots of money on skincare products, especially products that have a luxurious appeal (i.e., intoxicating fragrance and fancy packaging) doesn’t necessarily mean that we can prevent or reverse aging.  Although aging is inevitable, we can surely delay the onset and process of aging. 

Before I begin my review, I would like to mention my personal skin-type, complexion, and skin concerns so you all can get an idea of how you might be able to relate to my experience with this moisturizer.  Until recently, my skin type was combination-oily, but now I think it is between sensitive to normal.  I do have occasional breakouts, very slight amount of redness near my nose and chin, and mild acne scarring.  My scars have become more evident when my skin is irritated or de-hydrated.   In the summer months, especially with the use of sunscreen, my t-zone can become slightly oily and face feels dewy, but I don’t mind that at all.  As I just turned 27 a couple of months ago, oh my, I treasure this dewiness.  Keeping your face hydrated and massaged means lesser wrinkles in the long run.  

OZ Naturals Super Youth Retinol moisturizer contains ingredients such as Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E, Vitamin B5, Shea Butter, Green Tea, Chamomile, Rose Hips, Sweet Almond Oils, Macadamia Nut Oil, Raspberry Seed Oil, Pomegranate Seed Oil, and extracts from various types of berries. Why are these ingredients good for you and why did they impress me? Vitamins are anti-oxidants, which slow down the process of natural aging, while preventing and fighting aging that is caused my sun damage.  Vitamin C along with the other vitamins helps reduce/fade scarring and sunspots.  The enclosed tube-like packaging of this moisturizer is crucial for keeping Vitamin C stable because this ingredient can easily oxidize and become unstable thus losing its effectiveness on your skin. Retinoic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid help in slowing down the process of aging, keeps skin tight, and resurfacing your damaged skin-cells.  Shea Butter, Green Tea, and Chamomile help to soothe, condition, and heal sensitive and dry skin.  For being a more natural product, this moisturizer has no discernable scent.  

I tested this moisturizer on both my face and hands – my hands have been looking and feeling quite dry over the past few months.  I tried it on a sunny, warmer day, and on a colder, gloomy day, pairing it with sunscreen when I left my home.  I tried it with base makeup as well as just a light amount of blush and it worked well both ways (I have posted a makeup look wearing this moisturizer on my Instagram - see link at the end of the post).

This moisturizer erased the dry, scales on my hands, especially near the knuckles, and made them feel so smooth, without any tackiness.  This moisturizer blends easily and absorbs quickly – both on my face and hands.  Its texture and consistency is very light, yet creamy.  I usually prefer gel moisturizers, but this one seems to be a perfect gel-cream hybrid.  A little goes a long way! I definitely needed to use less of this product in comparison to the other moisturizers in my skincare collection.  Even though this moisturizer contains various natural oils, I did not experience any major breakouts or development of excessive sebum. Additionally, I suggest wearing this moisturizer with sunscreen because using Retinoic Acid can cause extra sensitivity when exposed to direct sunlight.

Lastly, I would like to point out that this moisturizer is friendly to your wallet.  A 4 oz. tube retails for $28.99 (which comes to $12.32 for 1.7 oz.).  Although that might still seem expensive in comparison to drug-store moisturizers, let me give you both a drugstore and high-end comparison to consider.  One of my drugstore favorite moisturizers (“X”) costs $17.97 for 1.7 oz.  It is a gel-cream moisturizer with hyaluronic acid.  Even though I say that this drugstore moisturizer X is one of my favorites, I do have to use quite a bit of it (more than the amount I need of the OZ Naturals moisturizer) to feel the hydration.  OZ Natural’s moisturizer is actually cheaper than drugstore moisturizer X (comparing 1.7oz. for each).  Now let’s consider the price point of one of my favorite high-end gel-cream moisturizers (“Y”): $39 for 1.7 oz.  Again even though I do like this high-end moisturizer Y, it does take time to absorb into my skin and leaves the face feeling slightly tacky.  My blush etc. breaks down easily when I wear Y.  Like I mentioned OZ Naturals moisturizer absorbs quickly, blends nicely, and wears well under makeup. Well, in this later scenario you’re actually saving money without compromising on quality.  

Based on my experience, I think this moisturizer will suit a range of complexions and skin-types - normal, sensitive, combination-oily, and dry (mild-to-medium, not chronic dry skin).  I am so pleased with the face this makes my face and neck area feel soft and smooth.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank OZ Naturals and Brandbacker for providing press sample for this post.

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♥ Yours Truly,

The Lipsticks-Ninja

Meesha ♥

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