Koji Dolly Wink Nail Colors #04 & 05

Koji added a new range of nail colors to their Dolly Wink makeup line not too long ago.
Dolly Wink is one of those super cute tiny brands that are so trendy right now... I quite like the liquid eyeliner from this brand actually =D
 
The nail colors come in very sweet small bottles containing anywhere between 5-10ml so there isn´t that much product inside. I like the polka-dot cap and ribbon, I think it´s really cute!

These nail polishes are really pigmented and pleasant to apply with the small flexible blush so the finish is absolutely smooth and bubble-free. Two layers are easily sufficient to give an absolutely opaque finish and these dry really quickly, too.

Wear time is very good! No nail polish lasts really long on me as I do so much with my hands all the time (3 kids!!) but the Dolly Wink varnishes stayed well over 4 days without any chips and minimal tip wear so this is excellent for me.
These nail polishes aren´t the cheapest (retail in Japan somewhere around US$6.50). I got the 2 on Sasa..I wanted that bright red but it was OOS =(

04 is a pretty black with an interesting satin but not matte finish. The satin effect is in no way dull, it´s actually really nice
05 is a hot fuschia with a highly glossy finish
Both colors have no shimmer at all

Overall these are great nail colors...the color lineup is quite basic though as there are not outstanding or unique colors in my opinion. 

Rating 4.5/5

Xmas 2010: Lunasol Nail Finish in EX27 Sheer Gold Red

Sorry for my lack of updates but I was ill the previous week... it turned winter here the previous days which often means I am getting a cold hehe =P

I think this is only my 2nd nail polish from Lunasol, the other one being the glittery one from the Party Coffret 2008. 
I don´t buy nail colors these days as I have quite all the colors I like and I just have too many anywa... but I couldn´t resist this pretty color from the Xmas collection that seemed to be a color I don´t have yet. 

Like all products from Lunasol the packaging is simple and sleek, the glass bottle contains 10ml and retails for 1575 Yen (= approx. 19). Not cheap for nail polish but still quite ok compared to other high-end brands.
I got mine in the color EX27 Sheer Gold Red on Adambeauty for US$16 incl. shipping which is quite a good deal, after all it´s below retail price =)

The Nail Finish nail polishes have a smooth fast-drying texture with a nicely lustrous and glossy finish. Lasting power is fine, about 3 days before first tip-wear starts to show.
EX27 is a gorgeous deep plummy red with golden iridescence. Even though the name says "sheer" it´s definitely not sheer, 2 layers are easily enough to give a fully opaque finish. Overall the result looks like rich red velvet with a golden sheen. Really gorgeous and a very festive color!
 
Rating 4.5/5

Xmas 2010: Kosé Esprique Precious Twinkle Story Collection coffret review

I received the Xmas coffret from Esprique Precious last week so I had time to play with the goodies and formed my opinion. Overall: I don´t like it that much.

On to the individual reviews... 
The Twinkle Story Collection coffret is the 2nd Xmas kit I decided to pick up this year (first and absolute favorite being Lunasol). I am not counting the Paul &Joe coffrets now as they came out so early that they didn´t feel like Christmas releases to me and to me P&J somehow isn´t a proper Japanese brand as it´s available in so many other countries (yea, call me weird, I know it´s made in Japan!).

Overall I didn´t really pick up so much Xmas stuff this year, very little actually compared to the past years... but I very much like what Kanebo offers us (Lavshuca and Lunasol! Though I also picked up some goodies from Kate that were very lame) and I also purchased some goodies from Shiseido (the perfume from Majolica Majorca and a few products from Integrate). From Kosé I got this coffret and a blush from Esprique Precious though I believe the new Gradation Layer Cheeks palettes aren´t actually an Xmas release.


The Twinkle Story Collection contains:
-Multi-Prism Palette, 6.8g
-Multi-Prism Palette case
-Pencil Eyeliner in BK001, 1.2g
-Aurora Crystal Lip Gloss SP002, 4.4g 
-Nail Color N in SP010, 5ml

As you see the palette is considered full-sized but the other items are smaller sizes.
Everything comes packed in a pretty dark box with a big booklet attached to the back (it includes pics and application tips). I am not posting pics of the application tips as I you can find the English version on Rouge Deluxe here!

The Multi-Prism Palette case is very pretty, it´s black with silver and holographic stars, much like the milky way.

The palette itself comes in form of 2 refills, one is the pan with the highlighter/eye base cream and the other with the 4 powder colors. There are also 2 applicators for the face and eyes as the Multi-Prism Palette is to be used on eyes and face.

This palette has a silky texture but is very sheer and shimmery. To me actually it´s a bit too shimmery to use it as a blush as my cheeks just look way too glittery with this one.
For the eyes the colors aren´t nearly as pigmented as I like them so the darkest plum color turns into a dirty pink on my eyes. I wished the purple would show up more true to the pan as this shade isn´t a color I particularly like on my eyes.
The silver shade is very sheer and glittery, a bit more pigment and metallic goodness wouldn´t have hurt either.

I didn´t try the 2 pinks on my eyes, just on my cheeks for which they are too 
shimmery as mentioned above.
The shimmery cream base makes a nice primer and highlighter and the shimmer it contains is more refined than the one in the powder shades.

I actually was quite pleased with how my overall EOTD turned out but still not oustanding at all.

The Pencil Eyeliner is quite pleasant to use, after rubbing the tip a bit against the back of my hand it´s soft enough to use it on my lower lids and on the inner rims where it lasts quite well. The color is a black shade with fine silver shimmer but the shimmer isn´t really visible after application.

 

The Aurora Crystal Gloss is an excellent sticky and thick gloss with a mirror finish. It contains some fine flecks of glitter. What bugs me as usual is that this is a clear gloss. Meh, why do the Japanese brands think it´s cool to include a clear gloss with each coffret? Why not some universally flattering peach, pink or beige...or a daring red....but clear is BORING! Well, it´s handy to apply on top of lipstick for a more glossy finish and the quality of this product is very good anyway so for those who need a clear shimmery gloss this is perfect.




The Nail Color N is quite pretty, it´s a clear-ish base with very fine flecks of white and blue shimmer. When worn in 2-3 layers it´s a really pretty nail color as the shimmer is so fine and dense that the nail polish turns almost opaque which is a color that reminds me of glistening snow in sunlight. 
The formula is quite fast-drying the the polish lasts very well, I removed mine after wearing it for 4 days and there was just a little tip-wear.


Overall I am disappointed with the palette and certainly the palette is the main attraction of the coffret. The gloss and eyeliner are alright though not oustanding, the nail color is very pretty but doesn´t justify getting the coffret. 
The coffret is very suitable for younger ladies who like shimmer and soft pinks.


It gets a nay from me and a rating of 3/5.

My friend Iris from Rouge Deluxe has written this excellent review and has posted the application tips in English here!

Elizabeth nail colors (Nudebonbon, Pinkbonbon, Frenchbonbon) & Bonbon Top & Base

For some reason I love buying nail polishes even though I have 100s of nail colors here and I am not into wearing nail polish all of the time.

I found these cute little nail colors from Elizabeth on Adambeauty a while ago and ordered them back in September. I believe I paid US$6/each or so?

I got the Bonbon Top & Base, Nudebonbon in 4 & 6, Pinkbonbon in 3 & 4 and the Frenchbonbon in 4. The pics shows the nail polishes in this order from left to right.

The Top & Base is so-so. It´s a clear nail color with a shiny finish but it takes too long to dry. I am used to Rapidry or Seche Vite as they dry my polish within a few minutes but the Bonbon Top & Base needs at least 30 minutes and that´s just not interesting.


The nail colors aren´t much better either. They are sheer and dry slowly (not such a problem when using Rapidry). Some colors are a bit streaky or have a slightly dull finish. I quite like the Pinkbonbon in 3 and the Nudebonbon in 6 which is a beige with a greenish shine so it looks quite interesting. 
My main problem is the lasting power which is quite poor, 2 days without chipping tops. It´s not so obvious with the iighter shades though still it bugs me.

Overall a nay for them so my rating is:

Top & Base: 2/5

Nail colors: 2.5/5

Fall 2010: RMK Nail Color EX in P-21 Deep Purple Rose

There are 4 new Nail Color EX shades from RMK for fall 2010, nice rich colors perfect for this season. I haven´t tried RMK nail polish before but when I saw this post on Rouge Deluxe I had to get that same color P-21 Deep Purple Rose because it looked like an awesome autumn color.

I got this product from Gooddealer as his price was the best however if you include the shipping and handling fees it turns out to be a slightly pricey nail polish. I have to say it´s absolutely worth it as the texture/color etc. are just perfect. 

I am not much of a nail polish person even though I have 100s of colors but there are some points that are really important for me (and probably the majority of other ladies, too.)
Ease of application (brush, leaves no strokes), opacity (with such rich colors I am looking for a good opacity!), drying time (the faster the better) and wear (that the nail color stays glossy and doesn´t chip for at least 4 days which is something i only encounter with the P&J nail colors). Furthermore I generally don´t like chunky glitter in my nail polish or a color which dries to a flat finish or gets dull/scratched quickly.

The RMK Nail Color EX fulfills all the criteria above, it´s very pigmented, applies smoothly, dries quickly and leaves a wonderfully glossy shine for at least 4 days. There was no chipping until removed the color on the 4th day as I wanted to try out another color I just got. 

Overall this is an absolutely fantastic product and sometimes it´s just worth paying a bit more for great quality. I know the nail pro ladies will flame me but this wears way better on me than OPI or Chanel =P 
I used a base coat from P&J and the Rapidry top coat from OPI (which I like better than Seche Vite btw).
The color is a deep berry plum shade, just what I like right now.

Retail 1525 Yen for 12ml.

Sorry for my ugly NOTD, had to trim my nails as they were breaking (a problem I often have).

Rating: 5/5

Summer 2010: Maquillage Little Glossy Nail

I have the strange hobby of accumulating nail colors even though I don´t use nail polishes that often. No manicure lasts long on me usually so the whole process is too much bother for me usually.

Right now I love wearing nail color, after all I have plenty of time here in my holidays so besides relaxing, reading, meeting people and other nice activities I have time to apply nail polish =P

Maquillage released a series of mini nail polishes called Little Glossy Nail for this summer which is always a great thing since minis are cheaper and still I usually get a good use out of them as I never really finish any nail color before it dries out. And besides that I can try more colors and don´t need to commit to a full-size I might not like in the end.


These nail colors promise to be glossy and quick drying. And to me they are both. I hate nail polishes that take eons to dry... I will always nick my nails (*cough* Orbis *cough*) and end up with ugly dents. And I dislike it when a pretty glossy nail color dries down to a dull finish which also happens quite often.

The Little Glossy Nail polishes really give a very glossy finish (the glittery shades don´t actually as the surface is too uneven to call it glossy) and they dry super quick, about 5-10 minutes for me. Sure every nail color needs a little longer to completely set but after 5-10 minutes I can start doing stuff without being afraid of ruining my fresh mani (unless I hit something with my nails really hard!).


Another thing I notice positively about these nail colors is that there are no bubbles forming in the color when I apply the 2nd coat. Just a pretty even color. Really fantastic!
The staying power is good for me, about 3 days without chips and the glossy finish just wears a little off. This is long for me, most colors show chips on the first day after the mani despite base and top coat!
The brush and handle are surely a bit small but not really a problem for me. I have small nails and usually wear them rather short so the brush is fine for me.

The opacity varies among the colors. I got 2 glitters (unfortunately...not a glitter polish fan) and 2 regular colors and the glitters are sheerer whereas the color offer better opacity. The darkest color is completely opaque with just 2 coats.
The glitter shades are as usual annoying to remove but the other colors come off easily.

The colors I got are:
81 (blue glitter), 84 (rusty rose glitter), PK107 (lilac-tinged pale pink with fine shimmers) and BK937 (deep black base with blue glitters...my absolute fave!).

I hope they might consider adding more jewel-toned colors later on.. the majority right now is either bright, pastel or glittery (or all). BK937 is the color that stands out in my opinion!
3.7ml retail for about 400 Yen. I paid US$6.50/each shipped from Adambeauty.

Shu Uemura brush roll & samples

I scored a nice GWP from Shu Uemura recently...no, I didn´t have the chance to go to a counter to actually qualify for any kind of GWP but instead I purchased it on eBay.
I honestly don´t mind paying for a nice GWP as long as the price still makes it a good deal. I like travel sizes and when there are smaller sizes of makeup instead of only skincare it usually works out to be a good deal when I pay a few $ for them (especially for a high-end brand like Shu Uemura!).


Anyway, for around US$13 plus a few bucks for shipping I got a seriously nice set on eBay containing:


-Brush roll (well, I have the cute ones from my darling Yumeko so I don´t really need this boring black pouch but I think it´s good for traveling as I don´t care if it gets dirty etc.)
-Deepsea Water Rose mist (13ml)
-High Performance Cleansing Oil Fresh (20ml)
-Gloss Unlimited WN283S (2.75ml)
-Nail Enamel Supplement Mineral Lilac (5ml)


The Deepsea Water Rose comes in a handy spray bottle and is a perfect treat for on the go. It smells like fresh roses and is nicely refreshing, especially now in this annoyingly hot weather (well, I am complaining about 28 degrees C, haha! I am made for cold weather, I don´t mind when it has below zero degrees but I can´t stand anything over 25! The summer in Egypt will be horror for me weather-wise hehe).


I haven´t tried the cleansing oil as I am going to use it when I travel but from the reviews I read it should be nice...we´ll see!


The 2 goodies that caught my eye were definitely the gloss and nail color.


To be honest I am not so much a fan of the Gloss Unlimited range as the colors tend to be so super sheer but WN283S looked very pretty and with more color so I was happy that this was included in the set.


The texture of this gloss is on the thinner and slick side so I don´t feel it´s sticky at all.


This gloss seems to be slightly fragranced but it´s easily tolerable for me
This specific color carries a good amount of fine shimmer and enough color to show up. It looks like a grayish muddy sort of purple in the tube but applies like a beautiful cool rose on my lips.
Overall I love this gloss as the color and texture are really nice to wear!


The Nail Enamel Supplement Mineral in Lilac is a very pretty pastel purple nail color with a very glossy but creamy finish (as in no glitter and only very fine miniscule shimmer).
This polish dries really fast and with about 3 coats I was able to achieve a very fresh even lilac color. This lasted without chipping for over 4 days and only lost a little of its glossy finish so I am really impressed as no nail color can last without chipping for more than 2 days on me usually (incl. OPI and other popular nail polish brands!). I am sure I will try to score more colors from this range as I love this formula!


I used a base and top coat btw (base from Maquillage and top from Coffret D´or)


Overall I am very happy with this purchase and love the handy travel sizes! I will take them all with me to Egypt =)