Summery Nail Polish from Zoya

Good morning/afternoon/evening!
A while back — a bit longer than I'd like to admit — I picked up a few Zoya nail polishes, including an LE "Pinterest Trio" that featured three {non-LE} mini polishes for FREE! So of course I took advantage of the offer and picked up two additional full-size bottles. I'll always favor pink on my nails, but I have been trying to diversify my collection in recent months. The polishes I purchased/received were Cheri, Zara, Zuza, Myrta and Kimber.

{Zara and Cheri}

{Myrta, Zuza and Kimber}

:::  Zoya Cheri looks a lot less like the color in the bottle {and on the nail wheel} than it does on my nails. It takes on an almost mauve-like tone, a dirty and deep pink. The shimmer looks gorgeous in the swatch, but it's much more subtle when actually worn. I don't hate it, but I wish it took on more of the qualities of the swatches.

:::  Zoya Zara, which is featured in a NOTD I did {HERE}, is a favorite of mine. It was one of the first non-pink polishes I gravitated toward, and I still keep it in the rotation. The golden glow of this medium lilac shade is simply unbelievable — you have to see it in person. 

:::  Zoya Zuza is described as a "deep, saturated, oceanic turquoise with gold and silver metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish." I can't disagree with any part of that description — it's right on. Very summer-appropriate!

:::  Zoya Myrta is a medium orange-ish coral that leans red. Another summer stunner, and an easy transition from all of the pinks that I usually wear.

:::  Zoya Kimber is on my nails right now, and I love it. It's pink. In fact, it's a near-perfect shade of magenta that's decorated with a gold shift, which truly makes it shine.

All of the polishes are easy to apply; I only needed two coats for complete opacity for all five of these colors. No streaking, pretty quick to dry, and almost all of them interact well with my base and top coats {Seche Vite for both}. The only exception was Zuza, which ended up with more shrinkage around the edges than usual. Could have been user error though. I also noted that all of these colors would be great for summer manis and pedis! What do you think?

Stay Fabulous!

Oh Yes, More Fyrinnae | Swatches

*All products purchased by me, and all opinions {as always} are entirely my own. This post contains NO affiliate links.*

It's no secret, I love me some Fyrinnae. Prices are more than reasonable, products are amazing, and despite the posted TAT being rather long, I've never waited more than 10 days for any order. Ever.

I've done a few Fyrinnae reviews in the past, so if you want a breakdown of pricing and shipping details, I recommend heading over to the Fyrinnae website. Everything is easy to find and thoroughly explained.

This post only shows the eyeshadows, but I did purchase the Oil Control Finishing Powder as well — one of my favorites for oily skin, tied with Detrivore Cosmetics' Pallor Mortis Dehydrating Powder {I'll have to do a review of my fave powders sometime soon}.

*All photos taken under an OttLite - click to make them bigger and see details. Swatches done over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy.*

{Described as: "A soft, satiny warm brown-taupe shade that
has subtle hues of rose. Very versatile."}

{Described as: "Intense, saturated metallic bronze-gold.
Glimmering, gleaming and rich."}

{Described as: "A flamboyant, eclectic dinosaur covered in glitter, perhaps.

Name is unrelated to shade...as usual. Dinosaur Plushie is filled with

multicolored sparkle, some of which can change hue in different light."

It's also noted that this should be used over a sticky base like

Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy, unless your goal is to look like a disco ball - which

could be a real possibility, I'm not judging...}

{*Important Note* - this color was renamed "Serendipity."
Described as: "A glowing iridescent copper highlight, almost ghostly, despite
how photos make it appear. A sticky base makes more color come through, but
it works well and "glows" over regular primers."}

{*Important Note* - This isn't currently part of their assortment, but I'm unsure
as to whether or not they'll bring it back. Described as: "Glimmering metallic
silver topped with pink sprinkles."}

As usual, I wasn't disappointed with my order. Every single item was exactly as I expected it to be {sometimes more}, and seemed to match the site's descriptions spot-on. Some things to note:
:::  Dinosaur Plushie is a glitterbomb, for sure. For the best payoff, follow Fyrinnae's directions by using it over a sticky base like Pixie Epoxy. If not, be prepared for a glitter fallout of mass proportions.
:::  Gilded Wings looks best when foiled, but a simple dry wash over the lid has a really interesting effect. It's probably the closest to true gold that I own in an eyeshadow. On the opposite end, Calavera Cupcakes is a stunning silver that also looks best when foiled or used over a sticky base.
:::  Snow Leopard was a last-minute addition to my order, and it ended up being a pleasant surprise in how versatile it is. Any browns that lean toward red hues, or even pink, tend to make my eyes look rather unfortunate. Despite the description for Snow Leopard mentioning a subtle rose hue, I found that the overall color worked exceptionally well with my skin tone and eye color. It didn't lean red/pink/rose on me at all. I've used this one the most after Te Amo.
:::  Te Amo {now "Serendipity"} became a fast favorite after I wore it for the first time. A coppery brown with a red-toned glow. I've seen many a gorgeous EOTD featuring this color on different blogs, and even with my apprehension surrounding red/pink tones, this did NOT disappoint. When the description has the word "glow" in it — believe it. Amazing.
So that's it for this group of Fyrinnae eyeshadows! I have one more group to get through, including a pressed shadow, which I carry with me everywhere. :}

Stay Fabulous!

Eccentric Cosmetics - Review | Swatches

*Products featured in this post were provided, for my consideration, by a representative of the company. All opinions contained within this post are my own, and not affected by the receipt of said products.*

Hey lookie! I did something!
Sorry for the wait — I've finally put together a review and swatches of a nice selection of Eccentric Cosmetics eyeshadows. They're quite lovely!

Eccentric Cosmetics is run by Anna, who is based in Australia. The shop can be found on Etsy, and features a great selection of both neutrals and more bold eyeshadows that appeal to a wide variety of preferences. Full sizes are packed in 5-gram jars by volume, with the amount of product ranging between 1.5 and 1.8 grams. Eccentric Cosmetics also has pressed eyeshadows available, in your choice of any of her loose shadow colors! Additionally, there are samples available of eyeshadow primer in clamshells. Shipping will depend on where you're located; obviously less expensive for Australians, and more expensive for international shipping. I recommend checking out the shop details for more information. Current TAT is between 8-13 days, which is pretty quick.

Pricing {as of 5/15/13}: Full sizes are $6.08 USD, while you can also get five sample baggies for the same price, or 10 samples for $12.17.

:::  PICTURES  :::

*All swatches photographed under an OttLite, with the product patted onto Darling Girl Glitter Glue to show the amazing color payoff and sparkle. Click images to see them in all their detailed glory.*

{Extinction Revival is described as a "rich warm

red with metallic green sheen, filled with gold 

sparkles." Not lip safe.}

{Robot Takeover is described as a
"subtle silver sheen over a light navy blue base,
filled with purple sparks." Not lip safe.}

{Digital Love is described as a "light pink base
that changes to a deep pink, and a warm lilac purple.
The sparkling highlights change from aqua to green
depending on the lighting, and the angle." Not lip safe.}

{Oceanic Expeditions is described as a "navy blue
filled with gold and purple sparks." Not lip safe.}

{Galactic Era is described as a "warm brown with
scatterings of gold and silver sparks." Not lip safe.}

{Planetary Living is described as "light baby blue shifts
to a glowing green, then transforms to shimmering pink sheen,
depending upon the angle and how close to the
light the eyeshadow is." Not lip safe.}

{Biological Manipulation is described as a
"metallic coppery rose that shifts to a metallic golden
sheen over an olive green base." Not lip safe.}

{Higgs Boson is described as an "acid yellow base;
the highlights shift to a green/purple/aqua sheen depending
upon the lighting and angle." Not lip safe.}

{Artificial Intelligence is described as a
"purplish red that shifts to a coppery orange, transforms to
a golden green and filled with blue and green sparkles." This is lip safe.}

:::  MY OPINIONS  :::

I noted that all of the colors applied rather flawlessly; each one adhered well to bare skin, eyeshadow primer and glitter glue, with the glitter glue really bringing out the depth and sparkles in every case. Each of the shadows that I used in daily looks held up just as well {if not better} than any other indie cosmetics that I wear. They're smooth, pigmented and a great combination of neutral yet fun colors. A few of them really stood out from the bunch, and I have continued to use them frequently since I received them: Galactic Era, Planetary Living and Artificial Intelligence. Galactic Era is one of my new go-to shades for everyday, work-appropriate looks. Also, if you're a fan of yellow-hued eyeshadows, then I have to make a call-out to Higgs Boson — the green/aqua sheen and sparkles are amazing. While yellow tones make my pale skin look jaundiced, I know a lot of ladies who can {and will} enjoy the multifaceted look of Higgs Boson. Overall, I really love the products I received, and I can easily recommend Eccentric Cosmetics to anyone and everyone who is interested!

Have you tried Eccentric Cosmetics yet? If so, which are your favorites? If not, which ones catch your eye?

Stay Fabulous!

Blog Every Day in May Challenge | Days 4-8

As a reminder, this is the Blog Every Day in May Challenge. So far they've been pretty good writing prompts!
Tomorrow or Saturday I'm hoping to change it up and throw a review/swatch post in the mix.

::: DAY 4: FAVORITE QUOTE AND WHY YOU LOVE IT  :::

{Source}

I'm a proud Beatles fanatic, so I could pinpoint a variety of different song lyrics that "speak" to me or have some special meaning in my life. For instance, the song "Good Day Sunshine" was a song that my good friend Tyler and I sang to each other, which was just an "us" thing. Tyler's life was cut short a little over a year ago, and I just recently found myself able to listen to that song again. It still hurts to hear it, but I'm trying to focus on the happy memories we made around that song.
Anyway, the quote in the image above, for anyone who can't see it, says "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." It's a beautiful, often heartbreaking concept, but it's something I try to remember on a daily basis. Kind of like the quote "You get what you give."

::: DAY 5: PUBLICLY PROFESS YOUR LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR ONE OF YOUR BLOGGER FRIENDS. WHAT MAKES THEM GREAT? WHY DO YOU LOVE THEM?  :::

As just about everyone else has said... there are too many to name! I know I'd forget about someone if I tried to list all of those special bloggers who have inspired me, so I won't bother. They're out there, and I hope they know who they are. If not - I'm not being clear enough in my outward adoration! :} I do want to call out Mandy at Prettymaking though. She's an amazing gal, absolutely beautiful, and the way she approaches her blog is exactly what I aspire to do with my own someday. She's also super sweet and very smart. If you don't already follow her, you're seriously missing out. And that pink hair — awesome.

::: DAY 6: IF YOU COULDN'T ANSWER WITH YOUR JOB, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION "WHAT DO YOU DO?"  :::

Considering my job is truly "what I do," I'm not sure how to answer this. Obviously blogging is just a hobby for me, and a sporadic one at that. I guess I would say that aside from my career, I'm also a writer and an actress. Not professionally in either respect, but they're the two things I love to do in my free time. They're also two very satisfying creative outlets that have helped me through many tough times in life. The writing I do is anything from blogging to poetry, while the acting is through a local theater ensemble that I'm blessed to be a part of.

::: DAY 7: THE THING(S) YOU'RE MOST AFRAID OF  :::

This also ties into my "uncomfortable" thing: open, deep bodies of water. I'm terrified of the possibility of drowning. I don't care how unlikely it may be — if I can avoid it, I sure as heck will. I can tolerate rivers, most lakes, and of course pools. But a big lake, like Lake Michigan, or the ocean...no thank you. Being stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean {even on a cruise ship} would be a living hell.

I'm also afraid of most bugs — have been since I was a little Jen. I don't care how harmless one might be. Take that even a step further, and I can say I'm even more afraid of dead flies. Like, the dead flies you might find on a window sill. Yeah, absolutely horrific. I won't try to self-analyze why this is. It just is.

Additionally, I'm afraid of something a bit more common: my friends or family being harmed in any way. I pray for the safety and happiness of my family/friends every chance I get. There isn't much I can do to control something like that, so if I can take some time each day to send some prayers out, then I feel a sense of comfort. The thought of something bad happening to someone I love makes me nauseous.

::: DAY 8: A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE FOR OTHERS  :::

{Source}

I couldn't say it any better. :} Surround yourself with the people who love you exactly as you are. I hate to use the old cliche that "life is short," but it's true. Too short to be around people who drag you down.

On that note... have a great night {or morning, depending where you are}!

Stay Fabulous!

Blog Every Day in May Challenge | Days 1-3

Since it's already May 8th {yikes!} I decided to compile all of the first seven days' worth of challenges into two posts, and will resume with Day 9 sometime tomorrow.

I first saw this challenge on Mandy's lovely blog, Prettymaking. I tracked it back to the original blogger, Story of My Life, and now I'm participating. :}

:::  DAY 1: THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE IN 250 WORDS OR LESS  :::

This is going to be more than 250 words, just to warn you. Anyway... I was born on a hot August day - my parents always say it was "the hottest day in history" - they're so dramatic, haha. I'll be the big "dirty thirty" this year. I have a brother who is three years younger than me. My parents have been married for 33+ years, and I had a relatively stable and happy childhood, with the usual hiccups along the way that can be attributed simply to "growing up." We lived in a suburb outside of a large metropolitan area, while most of my extended family {aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents} lived about 250 miles away — that was always the hardest part, as our family is extremely close, so I hated leaving them after seeing them over holidays. Cut to post-high school, and I chose to attend college closer to my extended family {though obviously further away from my parents and brother}. I've stayed in the same general vicinity ever since — about 11 years so far. Now my parents have retired and moved in town near me, and my brother just accepted a job as a District Attorney for the county and will be moving here next week! Suffice to say, things are headed in the right direction in regards to my home/family life. On the other side of life is work/school/professional adventures. I have a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science, and just recently graduated with my Master's in Business {MBA} emphasizing in Marketing {as of December 2012}. I worked as a Copywriter for about five years before moving into Marketing, where I am now. I'm currently the merchandiser for an online retailer's website, and for the most part I enjoy what I do. :} Beyond that...if you want to know anything else, just ask. I'm enjoying life as much as I can!

::: DAY 2: EDUCATE US ON SOMETHING YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT/ARE GOOD AT  :::

I've been trying to think of something simple enough for a blog post, but I'm coming up empty. Most of the things I could teach are a matter of perspective and conceptual thinking, versus concrete themes. Lots of literature topics, politics and business. I do know some things about photography as well, which I've learned from having a father who's a camera pro. With that said, how about I teach you how to take a fantastic picture of a lit Christmas tree using manual camera settings?

This is just basic, and may not apply to every camera out there — but it's more about the settings than anything else. Also, you don't have to own the most expensive equipment to be a great photographer; as I've learned over the years, some people have an "eye" for photography, while others couldn't capture those perfect moments in time with the most expensive camera available. There are plenty of "professional" photographers who lack that creative vision, while plenty of amateurs using point-and-shoots or even iPhones are out taking fantastic photos. And then there's the abuse of programs like Photoshop, iPiccy, etc, and tools like "blur" and "wrinkle eraser" and "shine remover" that make photos look really weird {sometimes terrible} and obviously edited. I think many of the offenders often misjudge their original photos, thinking they look worse than they actually do. Give yourself a little credit!

Step 1: Utilize a tripod. Especially when taking photographs in low light, you'll want your camera to be as steady as possible. As the shutter speed is reduced, there's more time for small movements to be picked up and subsequently ruin your photograph.

Step 2: Turn off all lights in the room, with the exception of the tree lights. Also make sure your flash is turned off. My pictures were all taken late at night, so there wasn't even a subtle light source other than the tree. You may have to adjust some of the settings depending on the lighting situation.

Step 3: For a camera in manual mode, change the ISO to the highest possible number. For me it was 3200.

Step 4: Again in manual mode, slow down the shutter speed to 1/30th.

Step 5: Change the f-stop to 1.8 {this could vary by camera, and you may need to play around with it until it looks good}.

Step 6: Take a few test shots. Often times the display will show an overblown image, but the shots themselves will turn out perfectly. If it doesn't work, play around with the shutter speed as well — you don't lose anything by trying out many different options! Once you find the combination that produces the best photos, start trying out other combinations, just to see how the changes affect the final photo. It's the best way to learn how to use the manual settings - once you understand what a change in any of the settings will do to your picture, you can do just about anything!

That's it! Here's one of mine from 2012 - the only things edited in this photo were the contrast {increased a bit} and the saturation {also increased a bit}. The lights, the glow on the wall - all straight out of the camera.

{Christmas 2012 - ISO 3200 | f/1.8 | ss 1/30th} 

::: DAY 3: THINGS THAT MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE  :::

Open bodies of water make me uncomfortable. Borderline terrified. I have a fear of drowning, so being near large lakes or the ocean...yeah. Not a great feeling. It's not a paralyzing fear, just makes me feel really uncomfortable. If I had to go out on the water in a boat, I'd guess it would escalate to fear.

Here's one that has come up many times recently, and is kind of random: being put into a one-on-one situation with someone who you just had a dream about the night before. As in, *that* kind of a dream. Whether I'm attracted to the person or not, it makes for an awkward situation. It's more uncomfortable because it's only uncomfortable for me — the other person is completely oblivious. And yes, as I said, it's happened quite a few times in recent weeks. Haha. So weird.

I can't think of anything else at the moment, so I'll leave it at that.

Thanks for taking the time to read all of my often long-winded responses. If you aren't already, please join the challenge! You don't have to go back and do all of the previous days — just start from today and enjoy giving us all a glimpse of the person behind the blog!

Stay Fabulous!