Photography fun

I got up at the crack of dawn and spent three hours shooting mother nature in the face until I was exhausted.

I came home, took a nap and fell asleep. Woke up a good five hours later.

Anyhow, here's some of the shots from today. I'm getting to know my equipment a bit better, and I'm having a LOT of fun viewing the world through the lens of a camera.

December Challenge - Joy

I couldn't make up my mind as to what brought me most joy today.  (Yes, I know I'm an hour late, I got caught up crafting.)  So there are three photographs.

Wrapping presents. I love this.. and I always look for random excuses to do so. I don't know what it is about wrapping a present but I enjoy it a lot. It makes me smile and giggle like a school girl. I've been known to use Sunday funnies, regular printing paper, butcher paper, etc. The more -out there- the wrapping, the happier I get and the more I have fun with it. And I don't like to just *wrap* it, I like to get fancy with my folds. I was running out of paper and the one that I did have also had guidelines in the back so I couldn't do my usual folds. (I like to fold Vs along the paper and then put the bow where the folds meet. I'll have to photograph the next batch I wrap.) 

Funny story, I found out there was no Santa because of my fondness of wrapping paper. I threw a fit one Christmas and insisted on helping my mom wrap up the presents. It was her fault, she taught me the Nordstroms/Macy's folds (It was her first job waaay back in the day) and once Santa came at midnight... I recognized that wrapping paper. And the folds. And the bows. I was crushed. 

Maybe that's why I enjoy wrapping presents in funky wrappers. If there's contrasting colors, front and back, the more intricate I can get on the wrapping. And everybody KNOWS who the present is from just buy looking at the wrapping and folds. My favorite part of using undecorated paper is decorating it myself. 

I've been having fun wrapping presents for more than 18 years now and I *still* can't hold a candle to my mother.  

Crafting. 

I don't like to buy presents for people and I try to avoid it as much as I can. Sure, I can buy someone something magnificent and I could have put a lot of effort into the thought but nothing makes me more proud than to make something for someone and they enjoy it. This is the middle of a present for someone... or the beginnings of it anyway. 

I've already finished about 1/3rd of the presents I'm sending out on the Winter Swap for the LHC right now. (I won't post them here just in case someone gets sneaky and tries to see it!). I don't know what else to make and that's fine. Just because I don't like buying presents for someone doesn't mean I won't buy them. A store bought present is a surplus to something I have hand crafted. 

And while that red yarmulke wanna-be looks boring and unappetizing, I can assure you it is going to look awesome.  Should I have time I may make a similar thing in green and white. That's all the hinting anyone's ever going to get from me on that regards. 

Tending for the discarded and forgotten. This little sucker was left behind at my previous work place and was more than half dead. there was but a single leaf on it and I couldn't tell what the hell type of plant that is. While there is still damage (Thank you, Watson for the nibbles and travel damage from office to home! >.< ) it is doing so much better. And... I think Rand may be a pathos vine after all. 

And do not worry, gentle reader-- I made sure the cats loose their appetite to eating the toxic leaves/vine. I rubbed habanero oil on the leaves. Watson took ONE BITE and never touched it again. He hasn't even come close to it anymore.  Patches never bothered, simply because we'd already done this song and dance with Devil's Ivy except my punishment of choice at that time had been cayanne pepper. 

Disclaimer: the cats have running water at all times in the form of a water fountain. While I may rub spicy stuff all over my plants to keep them from being eaten, there is ALWAYS water and food to tempt the children away from said hot stuff. Regardless what the perpetually starved Watson may have to whine about. 

December Challenge - Red

I swear, this needs to be a meme. Something about not doing catnip very often but when she does, even Charlie Sheen gets jealous of the action.

December Photo Challenge

I got an early Christmas present from the hubby this year. He had me open it to check and make sure it was working, and since it is and there's a challenge going on for this month that pertains to said present, I might as well not pack up my new camera and wait until Yule.

I mean, I got to get used to what this baby can do and I figure taking a few shots here and there on my free time may get me better acquainted with my camera.

Now, while I edit my first two images (i.e. crop them to size and what not), I figure I'd post at least some of the ones I've taken so far. 

Featuring my favorite models in the existence of models, the ever sullen Patchers and the kitten that smizes like no one can, Watson 

I'm over the moon

About my moon from Ravenscroft!

I don't have much to say at the moment as I'm about to start house cleaning, but I had to share.

Moons and Nails

I just purchased a moon from Ravenscroft a few days ago and it dawned on me I have *never* posted a picture of it on the blog. -le gasp- how dare I? 

Anyhow, here ya go: 

I'll take a better shot of it when I get my new moon. I purchased this current moon off of a member from the LHC on the 3rd hand market. I *always* wanted a Ravenscroft moon and had been oggling the forks/sticks (Stork?) for years. Ever since... well, I can't remember when or how I stumbled across them. I think it was her Etsy page years ago when I was looking for a comb. I somehow got suckered into her page. 

ANYWAY, I'd been waiting, waiting, for years. Her moons are pricey for the size I need: 4+ inches as Slayer is down to my tail bone... and it is on the thicker end of normalcy. Pardon the bushy ass brow, I haven't groomed myself in a few weeks. Having a fever a few times a week, a cough that keeps you up all night and having laryngitis does that to some people. 

Where was I going with this? (The Night time medicine is starting to kick my ass here) Oh. yeah! I thought her store had been closed or something. Nope! IT JUST TURNS OUT THE MOONS SELL LIKE HOTCAKES. Like, ridiculously quick. 

I'm still in disbelief that I *managed* to buy one. I keep looking at my bank statement and the transaction on Etsy a few times a day and I still can't fathom my actually owning a piece of Ravenscroft.. from the first hand market. This new moon is mine, all mine... and no one, except maybe Shirl Ann herself if she feels compelled to test her Storks (Ficks?) and it just feels me with some silly flutterflies in my tummy. Its dumb, I know, since I already *own* a moon, but I'm not its first owner. 

And hair toys, like animals, are to be loved, cherished and held on to, forever. These moons have found their Forever home with me, for I intend to keep these babies, even if I had to chop all of my hair tomorrow. I mean, hair grows back, my babies will wait for me. 

Well, once I get the new Moon I will have to write a review about them, complete with fantastic, better-seen action shots. -nod-

Now, on to the Mani. 

I did a Navy Blue French mani on Sunday. (Oddly enough the polish from deb matches the blue of my scion perfectly, complete with the pearlescent shinies.) But... I got so used to having *some* form of nail art, I felt naked. So I added a few skulls and vines today. 

You know, to better emphasize my mood: I feel like death, but girly, flowery and I will be amazingly girly during my sickness. PERIOD.

I used a no-brand white polish and Sally Hansen's nail art pen. The only thing I noticed I really *hate* about those stinking pens is the tendency that the ink, if it dries too fast, cracks. Sometimes I just want a smooth, dark line without cracks, dengit! 

Oh well. A girl can dream. 

And with this, I am done for the day--er night-- as I'm starting to pass out at my desk, all the while getting more and more incoherent (as well as horribly finger tied. Srsly, it took me seven, SEVEN TRIES to spell 'more' correctly.) 

You know you're a longhair when...

You're sick as a dog and desperate to get your hair out of your face you.... reach for the nearest thing that is somewhat sturdy and use THAT to hold your hair up.

I've been known to use paper clips, binder pins, pens, pencils, chopsticks and even surgical calipers to hold my hair up. (Note: DO NOT do the calipers as the hinge bit can snag hair and its going to just, mreh.. it was badish. I lost a few little hairs on that one. I mean, c'mon, they're essentially SCISSORS, just without the cutting bits. What a dumb dumb!)

Anyhow, I was feeling beyond *meh*. I had completely lost my voice Tuesday of last week and because I am currently during the training process for a brand new job, I couldn't call out to get better. This was taken on Friday... I had a migraine and I had my hair loose. Eventually that grossed me out when I broke into a slight fever and ALAS, I had *nothing* to put my hair up.  (I lost my blue altoid can with my hair ties and bobby pins somewhere... now as I type this, I think I know where it is: my overnight bag. I shall check once I'm finished here.)

I checked my bag, there was no hair tie. No stray pins. Not even a pencil. As I was shuffling around like a zombie during my first break to go ahead and make myself some ramen, I spied the eating utensils. Now, my work place is far from cheap so the utensils were not the super bendy-I-will-break-if-you-look-at-me-wrong type and I decided to... use them.

I suppose its the Western version of using chopsticks in one's hair.

Don't mind the goofy face. I *was* (and sort of am still) feeling like poopie. 

Dwarf and Braids

I wanted to *be* the bearded lady. I wanted to have amazing make up, super girly dress and a fantastic, full beard.

Then I realized I was broke and all I could do was my make up.

But I wanted to dress up, damn it! Nothing was going to stop me, okay? I had gone FIVE YEARS without wearing a costume for Halloween now. FIVE.. not gonna happen, for I AM STUBBORN!


And so I remembered I still have my Gypsy's garb (I play one at Shadow Accord LARP), decided to omit the scarves and slapped on a bodice from my handfasting five years ago. Woot, now I looked like a bar wench.

But that beard, it called to me. So I decided to put my braiding gifts to good use, and figured out this beast during the work day.

I went through three incarnations-- the first didn't ahve much support and it had all of my hair pulled to the front. It was too hot and the more I talked, the more the stache fell down. I ended up with the gnarliest chin strap, ever.

Two, I pulled the stache over my ears and threaded only half my hair into this weird chin-strap, stripey Egyptian goatee thing with the odd fu-man chu tendrils. They came out more like sideburns, but I digress. I then braided the rest of my hair into side braids. Worked FANTASTIC... until it came to eating lunch.

I wound up inhaling stray bits all over the place.

So Idid the goatee a few times. I'd pull the hair loose, eat, and braid again. It was awesome and very, very comfortable. I know it looks like the braids were tight against my cheeks, but I assure you, my gentle reader, it didn't hurt.

Henna Inspired flowers

Besides for the difficulty level in working with henna into super long hair WITHOUT help, I am a huge fan of henna. (Hubby says it reminds him of baby poo and refuses to help me) I can spend hours watching it be applied into patterns onto the skin in a daze.

Last night I applied Essie's Fishnet's Stockings and China Glaze's Ruby Slippers (One of my ultimate favorite polishes!). It was a hasty application and not entirely even but it worked -- I was in a hurry, I only had 20 minutes before day time and I was presenting myself to a new job today. I didn't want completely trashed nails.  (I'm still using the Vinylux's weekly top coat. That stuff's amazing. Last week's mani made it to Sunday before it began to chip.) While the mani looked cute and classic, I wanted MOAR.

I have to admit I have gotten spoiled by nail art.

Anyhow, I wasn't ready to do the cameo nails yet, although I have been practicing with both my left and right hands. Yes, I am ambidextrous but my pressure control of the brush with my left hand is to be desired. I can do some lovely designs as long as they are of silhouettes or very basic swirls. The moment I want to do something more complicated, say, a fleur de lis, a filigree or more complicated scroll work, you can see the difference. I start panicking, my hand starts to shake.. the art is just not as solid.  I can hide it in some designs but in others, its just too obvious.

Ironically enough, my left hand is usually better in detail. Probably because I *do* slow down considerably. I just have to take a deep breath and relax. But when it comes to the more fluid designs, I panic and hence... the shakyness.

But I am fucking AMAZING with pencil. My writing with the left is almost indiscernible from the right when it comes to block letters and sometimes, print. The speed in which I work is pretty decent too as long as I don't try to get too loopy... which I almost always want to do since I'm a cursive writer with my non-dominant hand. -- tldr; I was born a southpaw but due to superstitions, I was forced a rightie. I do just about everything with my left except write or brush my teeth.... and the right half of my face when doing my make up.


So, just as when I was about to call it a blah mani week, I found my sally hansen nail pens.. VIOLA, I knew what to do.

And this was born:

I'm not too pleased with the scroll work, but the design is still pretty awesome. 

Kitty Kat Nails

Really, to give the name justice, they should be lions but, whatever. 

Part of this inspiration is my ever loving, and always singing cat, Sir Beartholomew Watson III and his potato sister Patches (She's a fatty and looks like a sack of potatoes. Poor thing!). 

I have two version s of this mani, one with all purple nails and the accent on the ring finger. Which, I wasn't feeling very well. It was very 'mreh'. 

Then today I was surprised by an amazing present from my hubby, a NAIL RACK. I guess he got tired of seeing polish everywhere and me complaining I can't remember what colors I have, ever. 

So as I'm organizing, I run across OPI's Riveting, which from what I understand, that was from last year's Halloween or Fall collection. I can't remember. My friend Darlene, another nail polish freak like I am, got them for me for Christmas last year. I don't care if a collection is past its season, I *love* polish. Bring it on!

Anyhow, I wound up redoing my manicure after only 24 hours, but damnit, I WANTED THAT ORANGE!

So here you go. 

It is still no 'Robin Moses' quality, but damn it, the kitty sillhouette saved my damned manicure. And it was so easy peasy... AND I think it saved the purple kitty because quite frankly, he was looking a little silly and more Batman and less Feline. 

Lets call him Bat Kitty. (His eyes glow, too!)

Items used: 

OPI - Riveting

Vinylux - Grape Gum (can you tell its my favorite?)

Vinylux - Weekly topcoat

Gellish -base on orange

Black acrylic, pictured. 

PS: if anyone knows why I said 'this manicure doesn't do the name Kitty Kat justice', your'e freaking AMAZING and I love you and I think we should have babies! 

PPS: also, I wasn't kidding when I said her videos *saved* my manicure. Not only did she save it and ensure I'm happy with my little digits for the rest of the week, a lovely tip of hers saved a whole nail. 

After putting the camera down, I banged my pinky nail against my bowl of flaming hot soup. Instead of cursing, almost crying, then starting all over (Hey, that gellish base coat takes forever to dry, okay? ) I dipped one of my fingers in the cold water I was using to clean my brush, then rubbed it over the ding. It smoothed it out instantly.  Cool tip! 

Fashion Show

I'm glad I was asked to join Cat last minute. It was an awesomely fun fashion show contest thing and I met some very lovely girls.

I also discovered I have a nack and desire for photography so we'll see where this goes.  Anyhow, I'm supre proud of myself as this was the first time I actually photographed another human being with an artsy setting. Usually I shoot plants, my cats and I like to catch my human friends candidly.  This is my first time getting artsy fartsy. Bwuahaha

I put my hair up in a simple nautilus bun myself. I had a bit of a panic attack and didn't know what to do with myself. lol

Anyhow, here are some pictures of what I did last night. I still have a ton more to edit, but alas, my PC has half the ram it usually runs on so everything is *super* slow.

The model is Torri Fry-- she's absolutely amazing. Thank you for letting me experiment with you, miss thang! 

I really can't wait to work with this woman again. <3

I just rather like the super contrast in this. I like playing with shadows and lights. 

+

Hairbow !!

Time to punish Slayer of Things, by twisting her into a mother flogging HAIR BOW.

YAH!

And in the process of doing this, she destroyed two bobby pins and almost snapped the hair tie. Damnit.

Don't mind the dorky look. I was trying to find a decent angle and concentrating hard. Brows are a mess, Slayer an oil slick and the center part fighting the bobby pin to a certain death. It doesn't look too great, but I think I can work with it. 

I'm trying to salvage my Halloween costume. I WANTED a beard. I was going to be the bearded lady, but alas, ran out of time and money so now I can't go get the hair laying stuff. And I work in an office... having Slayer bearded all over my face would make it difficult and hot. 

I don't know what I'll do come next Thursday, but I'll have it posted. :D 

Left in Stitches

Vinylux Grape Gum and topcoat, Sally Hansen Nail Pen in Silver
black acrylic paint

This look was done on Sunday night. It is now Thursday night going into Friday (currently, my clock says 10:07pm) and the only repair I had to do was on the index finger of this same hand. It would have lasted longer but the integrity of the nail itself was compromised. I am sure I could have accomplished almost day 6 or 7 without issues.

See, I have dry nails. Superbly dry and while not completely brittle, they are fairly thin. The condition of my nails, while not completely fubared, is pretty sad to the point that I cannot leave my nails bare or they start peeling. Like onions.

I found Nail magazine online and I found myself lost in the client health section and I found my nails there. Well, not *my* nails but one of a pair of hands with the same issue I do.

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/1264/diagnosing-different-nail-types
And yes, my nails HAVE been like the dry and brittle ones pictured.

Now, if you look at the middle finger and ring finger of the right hand, see how there is a bit of nail peeled off from the free edge into the nail bed? Yeah, that's what happens to my nails. The index finger of my left hand just suffered something like that. No amount of polish and miracle glue would keep my manis from chipping when the nail itself is broken. All I can do at this point is condition my nails, keep them painted and trim back the damage. 

I also didn't realize that while I've been doing all I can to combat the peeling, some of what I was doing was wrong. My nails are splitting because they are dry as fuck. God, if this isn't sign number 1002 that I am dehydrated to all hell, I don't know what is. (That's another subject for a different blog post. Let us just say that it is a recurring theme. Fine, Universe, I get it... I'm going to go sip on some water now. blergh.)

I *can* say that the fact that vinylux does bond to the keratin of the nail, it adds an extra layer of strength to my weak little nail beds so they're doing better. I got the tiniest sliver of overhang on some of my nails today and I scratched. I scratched an itch and they didn't hurt! (Sometimes my nails are so bendy they break doing this). 

Anyhow, follow the link (click on the example picture) and read on. It is SUCH a fascinating thing to read.

In fact, I blame Robin Moses but I kind of want to become a manicurist now. Sadly, I have me some weight to shed to help relieve my carpal tunnel. I had a nice chat with B from work today (she's the nail tech instructor) and she said that while I do have the passion and talent, my career will be short lived if I don't take care of my wrist now. 

Alright, Universe, reason 1001358u093.4 ^pie why I should do this health thing seriously. I'm the artistic sort and having a bum wrist (or in my case, wrists) is preventing me from having a fulfilling career. Being as heavy as I am I cannot be on my feet to warrant a 12+ shift in a kitchen... and I can't have a nice 8+ shift doing hands and feet either. Sonofabitch. 

While I still do not feel up to going to the gym yet, I will uptake my water intake (again) and start the walking thing. I've been cigarette free for a few days now... and come to think of it, I haven't had coffee in as much either. 

Baby steps, Demise, baby steps! Ya don't want to fail again, do ya?

Spooky mani

Spooktacular evening!

I did this mani, I kid you not, almsot four days ago. Nary a chip. WOO! 

I've been struggling to take a decent picture of the damned thing, so here you go. It isn't the best, but whatever. 

As you'll see later, I wasn't too happy with the witch so I re-painted her.  Anyhow, the mudflap witch is not very mudflappish but I tried. I blame Robin Moses for that one. LOL 

I'm only keeping this last one here because its the only one that shows the pinky.

USED: 

Vinlyx polishes in the following --

Thumb - Grape Gum

Ring finger - Gilded Pleasures

Rest of fingers - purple purple

Top coat: 

Vinylux Weekly Top Coat

Designs: 

Black acrylic paint painted with a trimmed up 00 brush. 

Battle of the Detangling Brush!

ETA: 10/22/13 I had pictures ready to load onto the blog but I had a computer crash. I lost all my blog pictures, my programs and meh. I'll just have to take new ones. Its not that difficult, I'm just in a lazy mood. It doesn't help that I'm in the process of selling an old desk and setting up a new dresser from Ikea, and my dishwasher broke. I'm telling you, GREMLINS.

Now, as far as any of my reviews go, I have [b] never been given any product directly from the manufacturer for the sole purpose of reviewing. [/b]. I work for a company that handles a lot of beauty products so I get free stuff for whatever reason.

Either we have excess, the item is discontinued or for some reason or another the product simply does not meet our standards. Too new, patent pending, marketing doesn't think it fits our demographic, its strange, what have you. 

So, here goes. I'm only taking off points out of 10

Round 1

The name. 

Tangle Teezer -- Okay, I get it. Its a pun on the 'tease' as in, easing something out. It tells me its suppose to be gentle on tangles and help ease them out instead of tearing through them. 

The "Wet" Brush -- Is it supposed to be a dry brush only, meaning as it only supposed to be used on dry hair or can it be used on wet hair too? The quotations are throwing me off as they are often use to mark a spoken conversation or at times, used to denote deadpan sarcasm. 

Score: Tangle Teezer (10), "Wet" Brush (10)

Round 2

Construction. 

The TT 

• While it is fatter, and therefore 'larger' than the 'The "Wet" Brush' (henceforth WB), it is hollow. It is composed of two piece of plastic, the top being the dome 'handle' and the bottom, being the bristles.
• The bristles are composed of one solid piece of plastic of different shape. You got long bristles and short bristles. 
• These bristles are firm but quite bendy so it pulls a knot on the hair. However, it bends backward before it actually tugs at the hair making the knot tighter. The longer bristles pull at knots toward the center of the section of hair. The shorter ones onto the surface knots. 
• The bristles are so pliable I can brush my hair the way a person intuitively uses a brush, even when my hair is wet and tangled. Meaning, I start from root to tip. It doesn't tug, pull or snag my hair.
• I have a tender head. Sometimes, when using firmer bristles I hurt my own head. Not with the TT.
• It takes about 2-5 minutes to detangle my TBL, m, ii/iii hair. (that is Tail Bone Length, medium strand, thicker than average but not super thick dense hair.) That's a feat as it can take about fifteen to twenty with my fingers alone and a good ten with a wide toothed comb. 

 - It doesn't have a handle so when my carpal tunnel is acting up really bad and I'm wearing my brace, I cannot use it. I *can* use it when I don't wear a brace in the instance I do lose it -- which is quite often. So I guess its a weird pro-negative. 

Wait, that's a wash isn't it? Not really a negative unless I've been stupid with the video games/drawing. 

- I cannot use it to brush my hair up into a bun/pony tail. The bristles are just not firm enough to carry all the hair from the scalp to the center of my head. I can sometimes make it work by re-brushing the underside (nape to ear area) until I can feel all the layers of the hair are laying flat against my scalp. But not so much when my hair is close to wash day. At that point my hair is just too thick and unmanageable.  (I wash my hair once ever 5-7 days. I start getting grease ball headed around day 5 or 6 depending how hot it is.)

WB

• It is super light. 
• It has a handle on the days when my carpal has gotten so bad I need to wear a brace. Basically it comes in super handy post video game binging.
• I like the material the back and handle is composed of. It is firm like plastic just soft like silicone. I want to say it is almost velvety. I sometimes sit there and run my fingers across the handle. I'm a highly tactile individual, so  I find this a total plus. 
• The bristles are long and super bendy.
• I can gather ALL my hair to the top of my head without either a) having to bend over at the waist or b) having to re-brush the nape to make sure the bottom isn't bent and gathered in places. 
• It is amazing with knots on dry hair! 

- It is composed of three parts : A handle, a cushion and bristles. This three-part construction means there are three places my hair can get caught in. In the seam between the handle and the cushion, in the area where the bristles poke through the cushion (though honestly, it is really well made in this point so I can see this only becoming a problem when it gets older) and where the ball tip is glued onto the bristle. Again, this last point only becomes an issue with wear and tear but quite frankly, for a brush this expensive, I expect it to last a LONG ass time and perhaps, not even need a replacement unless something happens to it, like.. I break it.

-Its handle is super thin and not ergonomically friendly like the TT. When I feel a flare up coming, this brush actually hurts me when I use it.

- While the bristles are forgiving, yet firm, they are all the same length. There is no real give when a knot happens to cross the path of the brush. Most of the time it detangles easy but sometimes... it pulls, the knot tightens and then it hurts. 

- I cannot, CANNOT, use this brush on my wet hair. Even if I start from the bottom and work my way up, it simply tugs too hard. It hurts my scalp and I end up shedding a lot more than I do with the TT. I don't have this issue when my hair is dry, though.

Score: TT (9), WB (5) 

Round 3

weight

TT & WB:  They're both super light. Heavier than a plastic barber comb and lighter than a goodie travel brush. 

They actually weigh the same. 

Score: TT (9), WB (5)

Winner:  TANGLE TEEZER 

ding, ding! 

October Haul!

Recently I was gifted a few things that I decided to give them a try, because, why the hell not? They were free. They are hair products and I like hair products.

Especially if i don't pay for them.

So, I got my grubby little hands on the following:

• The "Wet" Brush (I don't know who thought that was a good name. More on this tomorrow.
• Moroccan Oil (the treatment)
• Vinylux Polishes 
• Blondeshell toning shampoo and conditioner.  <-- This one I've had for a while but I forgot about them, just found them and tried them out today. 

I'd go into more details but it is 1 am and I'm entertaining the cats with string. 

Vinylux Results!

At first, I thought it was a total bust. I had two major chips today when I ran my hands through my hair. I had a tiny little incidental inbetween the swirls as well... I came home, fixed the chip and redid both nails. I just now logged onto the blog to complain about this, saw the date and had to do a double take.

I posted back on 10/09. Today is 10/15. That's 6 days. Though I can't confirm right now (LHC is being dumb and laggy for me. I think it may be my internet connection) but I may have put on the polish evening of the 8th.

Well, if that's the case, this polish lasted almost the full 7 days it promised it would. I'm sure it would have been fine if a) I had done a proper manicure (i.e. clean the cuticles and nail bed) b) waited on adding cuticle oil until AFTER I put on the polish. I did it first... then I remembered I bought polish and slapped it onto an oiled nail bed. Woops.

Anyhow, I'm glad I went back to the salon and bought two more colors. I've noticed I'm very into metallics this season. Interesting.

Anyhow, so what I thought was a bust, really was a must and for that, I am glad

Score : 9 out of 10.

Would be a ten if I had done proper application.

Damn.. I should've just put on a new color today...

I should blog

But I have been too busy doing this sort of thing lately. I have so much to write but I got this leech that sucks up all my attention.

I blame the heat. He holds all the heat and I adore my calenton con tripas.

:: curls up to the hubbyness :: 

I love the cold months; he can't push me away anymore as I'm finally cool enough for him to cuddle up with. HAHAHA.. I win! :D

Vinylux!!

How I adore thee. It has only been a few hours but you've already exceeded my expectations.

I knew I should have when Work Wife managed to last it six days. SIX... until she ruined the mani with fabric paint and a corner of it lifted. Her incessant need to pick beat the polish, but six days? That's crazy.. this is the same girl which regular polish lasts her a day, maybe two... and shellac about four days.

This is Gilded Pleasure by Vinylux polish from CnD. It has no base coat and I've been too lazy to put on the top coat. So far, it has survived cat hair, itching, (it dried faster than regular polish!), dings, a pedi and a round of dishes. No chips.

I have no dings.

Well, I did get a ding early on and I had to remove it. Suffice to say removal of this stuff is a lot easier than shellac or any other gel polish. Regular acetone on a cotton round did the trick, just like regular polish. Love this stuff! I mean, I have the feeling that I'll get the same--if not better-- than my diy uv-less gel mani I've been doing lately.  a) I don't have to wait as long for the damned thing to dry. b) I have even less chips than that mani for the same amount of work.

Update:

I figured I should make my nails less 3CPO and bling it out a bit.

It took some very, very slow work on my part to come up with some decent swirls on my right hand, and I am proud of myself. I may be ambidextrious but I'm not that great with a brush. I guess slow and steady does it. 

Robin Moses should be proud. ^.^ I took some of her tricks to make the swirls. (Ironically, my left-handed swirls are loopier than the right handed ones. LOL) 

Monday Mani Tip!

This entry is a bit of an after thought. I completely forgot to take pictures and the cam's out of batteries.

Anyhow, I was reminded of a tip I learned from Robin Moses the moment I smudged my nail with the elastic of my sleep braid.

The nail was almost dry and I wound up with a smudged divot. NEVER FEAR, H2O is here!!

I just dipped a fingertip in water and smudged the polish back in place. Unfortunately I forgot about this tip and tried to fix it in place without water and made a bigger mess... so when I DID add the water it wasn't such a seamless fix. That's okay. I get to change my mani come Friday, my true mani day. :P

Other uses for Shampoo

Well, so far, I've only found one. I don't go through shampoo very much (I do stock up on conditioner, six bottles at a time) and there are a LOT of shampoos who have magnificent scents that I just can't use very well.  -- Scalp itch and all that.

So what do I do when I'm absolutely dying for a new scent of yesteryear. (Yes, I do get nostalgic for things I once used... like Suave's Ocean Breeze or Strawberry shampoo.) I use them to wash my delicates.


And boy, do they do such a fantastic job of it too! Proof positive that there are just a ton of surfectants that irritate my scalp.

So far, the one that gets my delicate whites the whitest is Herbal Essence's -- I got it in the Rose Hip scent. Every time I put on my boulder holder the scent wafts up to my nostrils and I'm reminded of my good days of youth. Y'know, before the depression got the best of me and I went down my self-destructive, emolicious goth path where I spent most of my free time being a hikkikomori and living life through a computer. Perhaps this is why I never snatched the guy of my dreams--- I was too busy being a melancholic teen. (With due reason, by I digress.)

Then again, it turns out the guy of my dreams really only existed in my dreams... and this realization, along with my uploaded life, allowed me to meet the man who WOULD be all that I ever asked for and more.

I get to tease him with the delicious smell of my teenage years when I give him hugs. And to me, that is much better than perfume-- which I'm also prone to develop headaches with.

I've also used Suave's Ocean Breeze and VO5's clarifying kiwi shampoo to cleanse my delicate whites but they're not as effective. They work, just.. lets just say, Herbal Essences is the Tide of shampoos. I don't know if that's entirely a good thing for my scalp, but it sure is for my lingerie!

(Believe me, I need all the help I can keep those suckers clean without destroying them in the wash. At about $60 a pop, I need to conserve!!)

Heat = Lethargy

We had a huuuge heat wave last week. I believe we got to like, 95 degrees with 54% humidity. All I did was lay in front of a bunch of fans in an attempt to cool off. In the end, I only felt like a piece overly salted chicken in a convection oven. It. Did. Nothing.

Even night time sucked. I think I slept about twenty hours Maybe a little bit more. With the majority of it done this past weekend.

So I got lazy in terms of hair care and style.  It was just too hot to do anything OTHER than wash my hair.

Believe me, I was thrilled to wash my hair an extra day in an effort to cool off. Nothing feels nicer on a hot day like a bare back covered in cold, sopping wet hair. Sadly, my hair -- which can take about six to eight hours to dry on average in this lovely part of the world -- dried in two. It sucked. Mucho cool-j. I mean, seriously, the PCs shut down from it being so hot.

I think at one point I did a super high lazy bun on top of my head and stuck two pieces of ice in it. That worked for.. like.. half an hour.

I was so lazy, I haven't even given myself a mani OR a pedi. I always have at a pedicure done. ALWAYS. Not last week. Not today even. Maybe I'll go do that once I'm finished with this blog. I want to wear sandals, its so flippin' caliente!

Despite the humidity and the heat and the overall lazyness that has taken over this household, we've managed to do some very deep cleaning despite everything.

And yes, I do know how to use an ironing board. I may not press the perfect seams but I think I do pretty damn well. Besides, I don't know how many of my friends at my age can say they know how to iron. Let alone do it in on a super hot day. (Mom, if you're reading this -- and I doubt you are, but IF you happen to find my blog -- I am in sheer awe at the amount of work  you did for our family. In absolute awe. I don't know how you did it, but I love you and thank you for it.)

Bonus: Awesome hair day. I don't know how I achieved this. I do not know how to replicate it, but by the heavens, I sure am documenting it!

PS: Hey, Mom? I know I was in the pain in the ass teenager. I know I threw unreasonable shit fits (sorry about the language) about doing chores, or waking up at a certain hour in the friggin day, but I want you to know that despite my grumbling or dragging my feet about it, I learned something. If my washing machine crashes, I wash by hand. If Jouji's shirt is missing a button, I know how to put one back on. If either one of us has an interview and we need something ironed : I KNOW HOW TO DO IT. And by god, if all I have is flour, chicken bullion, a few potatoes, a carrot and meat -- I figure out how to get two complete different meals out of it. I mean, seriously, I've no idea how you managed to get this tomboy to achieve such domesticity.

PPS: I still hate waking up in the morning though. I am nocturnal... and I begrudgingly join the land of the living.

L'Oreal Professional Paris -- Age Supreme

First off, let me begin by stating that I have not spent a dime on the products I will be reviewing unless otherwise stated. Let it be known that I actually work for a salon chain and we often get freebies. Chiefly samples of stuff that we've been given as a company to see if it will pique our interest and sell them in our stores.

These have not made the cut. Either they did at one point and we no longer carry them, or for one reason or another our CEO has chosen not to use them. That is not to say that we don't use the brand in general, these are just products that we've chosen not to use.

Such as L'Oreal Professionals Paris. We use their color line in our salons but the shampoos, conditioners and other bits have not made them. I think, I may have figured out why. Sort of. I'll explain.

I absolutely *Adore* the Nature line. It is low in sulfates and absolutely paraben and silicone free. But, that's not the review (I'll do that one tomorrow.)

No, no, we're talking about the Age Supreme Integral line. More specifically, the shampoo.

First, let us go with the GOOD stuff.

• The line is meant for *aging* hair, so, for my Renegrays or ladies who color but find themselves suffering from gray-hair effect, such as porosity, dryness, kinkiness and stubborness, this shampoo (and conditioner, but more on that later) is for you.

 While my hair may not be porous nor kinky (and by kinky I mean a rather curly or uneven texture.) it is stubborn and prone to dryness. That is because it is naturally a 1b/c texture. Meaning, it is not quite straight but not quite wavy. I have some random places where I get some spiraling and well defined S waves but by no means, is it an even texture. (Gods, I feel another blog entry writing itself.) Anyhow, I digress. Because of my stubborn hair and dry nature, I figured "Its free. Why the hell not?"

So I grabbed a bottle, and two of my favorite.

• Because of its hydrating properties, it does promote amazing shine. Though I'm pretty sure the amodimethicone has something in it, as well as the glycerin. 

• After a single wash, I did notice my hair has amazing manageability. I can't tell a difference in the shine but that's because I take such good care of my hair to begin with, it is pretty damned shiny on it own. Hubby's hair did look significantly shinier. 

The bad stuff:

• High on Sulfates. 

 What does this mean to me? Scalp irritation. I've been low-sulfate to sulfate free for quite a while. I try to avoid these pesky things once I realized that upon my moving from SoCal to the PNW, my body went hay wire. The humidity and irritants in this area are horrendous. My already dry-prone skin just dries to the point of PAIN and flakyness. For the longest time I thought I had the most persistent case of dandruff. Turns out I just had really dry scalp. (Yeah, dandruff shampoos are pretty high up there on SLS. It just was a vicious cycle.)

As I was drying my hair, I saw flakes. They were a few, not terrible, but enough for me to see them stand out against my dark hair horribly. It was a kin to a single shake of a salt shaker on a black surface. Small, but white, and fucking irritating. -.-

Thankfully I didn't break into hives and persistent itching (Yes, I'm looking at you Kerastase. And no, we don't get that for free. This is just another entry on its own.)

•  It. Stinks. Holy Hell does it fucking stink. 

Again, back to my sudden Delicate Lily of the Valley constitution, I have been even more sensitive to smells than ever before. I think it has something to do with the humidity. Studies have shown that the 'rain smell' people love is not really a smell attributed to the water that falls from the sky itself, but to the fact that the moisture in the air makes the smell of the asphalt, grass -- the world, really -- more pungent. So the truth is your neighborhood smells the same way all year long rain or no rain, but the extra water in the air makes it easier for our 'blind' noses see the smells at long last.

So. Yea. I smell shit more keenly now. Figuratively and literally. Add this fact onto the fact that I also have more tastebuds than the average human being (yes, I am a mutant freak) and my olfactory nose is a double edge sword. In one hand, I am keenly aware of the scent that belongs to my husband and smelling his pillow or a shirt he's worn a day ago not only makes me feel like he's in the room with me, but make me feel all fuzzy inside. I can also crack recipes with the help of my nose. If I'm interested in a dish enough, I will make it a point to memorize the notes in both palate and nose then go home to replicate. I may not get it on the first, fourth or even seventh time at trying to prepare that dish, but by god, I'll figure it out. I have done so on many occasion and I shall continue to do so.

On the other hand, my shnoz is so sensitive that I can tell when milk is getting close to spoil, I taste 'weird stuff' -- particularly the sweet notes. Some of them are so strong in my palate that all I can taste is rubber cement. (No, I haven't actually licked it, but I've been around the stuff plenty of times to recognize the smell. Some smells are so pungent that it coats one's tongue and it is possible to 'taste' a substance. Rubber cement is one of these things.) This last bit is NOT fun to discover when I bring home a good bottle of dessert wine that cost a pretty penny. While *everyone else* gets to taste the delicious notes of apple, peach and honey all I taste is dirty socks and rubber cement.

Smells, particularly sweet smells make me sick. In various ways. One of those problems are migraines. The others is the urge to vomit. Usually the two come hand in hand. Something about Misery and Company...

Anyhow, hubby thought the stuff stunk. I thought he was exaggerating. I mean, the boy has the nose of a plant. I should've known better. While his olfactory senses are dull, he has his peculiar scents.

Yeah. I got a migraine. And as I was rinsing it out, I kept gagging. It has this horrid 'musty old lady' smell. Which is kind of sad, especially considering that this shampoo is geared for an elder demographic. You would think that out of sensitivity to their brand, L'Oreal would make sure their shampoos would not smell like rancid, musty perfume.  -- Now, I am willing to give them the benefit of the chance and believe that the shampoo could've been badly stored/stored so long the perfume went rancid. If anyone from L'Oreal would like to provide me a free bottle to contest this theory, go on right ahead. I don't shy away from free hair stuff.

The smell was so strong that it is still present two days after wash day. It is not as pungent, but pungent enough to bother me. While not enough to make me go wash my hair earlier than I should, it was enough for me to grab some perfume and spritz it into my hair.

• Texture. While my hair is soft and silky, perhaps moreso than usual, it is also heavier.

 Back to my usual low SLS or SLS free washes, my hair has a very floaty movement. While it is heavy in nature, it does have volume, bounce and depending on humidity, I'll have some super loose wave to a more pronounced S. I consistently loose and gain weight due to the level of wavyness. This is something I discovered during my length journey and have come to *love*.

Not with this shampoo. I blame the glycerin and amodimethicone. I could be wrong, but I have noticed that silicones tend to weigh my hair down more. Now, to me this is a negative. But if you have similar texture to my hair and you *like* the pin straight look, then by all means, this shampoo will give it to you!  This shampoo has made it more difficult for my hair to hold a curl.

I've worn my hair in a cinnabun for two days now, the first night, damp. It hardly held a wave. This is a bun that gives me lots of volume and uniform, deep waves when done on a damp set!


All in all, this shampoo is not for me.

The scalp irritation and the migraine/nausea combo just rules this out the window. The fact that the same size bottle I got for free retails for $16.19 on sale  in Amazon (Regular price $24.99), you bet your average-nosed, not so sensitive ass that I will not be buying this thing again.

In fact, the cheap bastard in me is thinking about keeping the bottle in the bottom of my bathroom cabinet for the day that I run out of shampoo (It happens. We go through a family  sized bottle of shampoo in six months. I can't say the same about conditioner. I stock one more than the other and next thing I know, we got no shampoo.) but the practical side of me hates this stuff so much I am willing to waste an expensive bottle of high end shampoo into the land fill before I use any more of this again.

Smell : -----
Consistency : ***-- (It lathered nicely, but it felt filmy afterwards)
Next day texture: **---
Price: *----
Over all score: YUCK

Ps: I just took my hair down from its bun. I got a headache again. I'm really, really, really tempted to break my schedule and wash my hair two days early and right before bed. Seriously. -.-

Of Buns and Honey

So far, I've seen results on the honey mask. At least on my face, where the spots are lighter. The texture of the bumps has gotten smoother. The only downside is that I end up *hungry* when doing this mask, as it smells oh-so- good.

I also discovered a new bun of sorts. It happened when I learned to crochet a braid with my hair, except I don't keep going to the tail end. I basically chain one and stop. I insert the toy of my choice in the loop formed by wrapping the tail end about the chain, and the loop by the first chain. Tuck in the tail and done. Here's what it looks like :

Onward to the masks and scrub! Honey Regimen day 3. 

I started with a dirty face. 

Note the darkness on my right cheek (left to you).
The darkness is only made darker with blush.

I cleansed my face with baby wipes. I was far too lazy to get up and wash my face with my MK cream cleanser. I'm so low I'm having to run a butter knife along the body to squeeze some out. I should be getting a new cleanser by tomorrow. (Thank you, Darlene! I miss you!! I hope you're having fun in Cali.)

I didn't realize my nose was still chapped from
the two week long snot fest. 

I then mixed my honey and lemon juice. Excuse the extra cinnamon. I didn't wash the dish from last night. LAZY DEMISE!!  Anyhow, note how it is much too drippy. You want to have a thicker consistency.

Apply to areas of concern. I went on to slather this stuff on my legs, my left elbow (I keep resting it on my desk at work and the constant rubbing of clothes and skin, or bare skin on desk edge has darkened my elbow horribly.) and face.

I AM A DRIP MONSTER!!

Let it sit for an hour and THEN, clean off with a warm towel. Or baby wipes. I'd stick to the warm towel. The baby wipes got super sticky really quick and I went through four. -.- (Learn from me, use them as a last cleansing effort to get rid of sticky residue.)

Mix fresh honey (or what is left from the mask) with ground cinnamon.

Apply to previously honeyed-body parts.

My honey mustache and beard are tasty!

Let it sit for five minutes. Rub it in for about a minute, then wipe off with a trusty warm towel.

Its 2 am. I want sleep!

And follow with your favorite moisturizer. Again, I'm too lazy to stand up and go to my bathroom and use my night cream so I'll just use my organic, home made body butter.

mmm.. ylang ylang coconutty goodness!! 

I rub it in, get distracted by another documentary and finally go to bed once I realize the damned thing has already been absorbed like.. an hour ago.


Next up: L'oreal Professional Paris review for the Age Supreme shampoo! 

Cinnamon, Lemon and Honey

Last May, I was eaten alive by flying/jumping leeches. I'm allergic to both mosquitos and fleas. I also have terribly sensitive skin and I scar easily. While my arms are easy to deal with and scars fade quickly there, they are an exception. A picked pimple on my cheek leaves a scar. A scratched itch virtually *anywhere* leaves a scar.


I've become so self conscious I'm having a hard time wearing short skirts or dresses. I asked for help at LHC and as always, someone had an answer.

Spook Sister (WE NEED TO HANG OUT DAMNIT!) advised me that a mixture of honey and lemon help fade scars and lessen inflammation. I knew about the honey, as I've used it on break outs and have had friends with acne use honey masks per my instruction and the cystic pain has gone away quickly, along with redness and swelling. I somehow forgot all about this over the last month.

Anyhow, here I'll show you my worst leg. The left one isn't that much better.

There are so many scars, not all of them are pictured.
Behind the knee, on the side of the calf, my foot, MY TOES. >.<

And my fugly face. As you can see I have a rather uneven skin tone (okay, perhaps not that well in this picture.) I have vitiligo on my brow and cheek, as well as hyper pigmentation right above the white spot on my cheek. I also have a few fresh break outs and a few pox marks.

I did not over tweeze/wax. Its a spot that
would frustrate Lady McBeth!

Use more honey and less lemon, so it'll be less drippy! I kept eating the drips that oozed onto my lips.

I didn't picture it, but after wearing this mixture for an hour, I slathered a bit of honey and cinnamon over the mask and rubbed it in. It smelled fantstic and while this one wasn't drippy at all, I couldn't help but lick some of it off as I washed the stuff off.

It looked rather tasty and brown!

Once I rinsed off the mask and scrub, I could feel a huge difference in the texture of my skin. The worst bites   are almost flush to my skin. The best ones are already flush and all that is left behind is the color of the scars.

I'm to keep this up for 30 days. We'll see how it goes. I'm rather hopeful.