STYLE BY EMMA

Essie Resort 2013: NOTD with Under Where?

Emma — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:09:04 +0000

Oh, Essie… you and your catchy product names. Under Where? is part of the current Resort collection for 2013. This pink toned lilac creme just glows. I had to have it. I picked it up this weekend at Ulta and immediately painted it on. That is, after also picking up a refill of Zoya Remove +, which I swear by. I was all out. Emergency status for those of us who change our polish every few days.

The formula is really fabulous: thin enough to make the painting process super fast, with full opacity after two coats. Not streaky at all– that can be a problem with some of the beautiful cremes. Not this one!

See what I mean? This color has such a beautiful pink base that makes it so much brighter than most lilacs. I compared Under Where? to everything in my stash, and nothing comes close. However, from other pictures I have seen, Under Where? looks like a dead on dupe for Butter London Molly Coddled, from their recent Sweetie Shop collection. I love both brands, so if they truly are as similar as they appear to be, go with the Essie as you can (almost) buy two of those for the price of one Butter.

Under Where? is a winner in my book.

xoxo, Emma

Shades of Spring: New Revlon Lip Butters!

Emma — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:05:01 +0000

Revlon lip butters are among my favorite lip products. They boast a creamy formula that my lips love, a color range that runs from neutral to vibrant and superb quality for a great price ($6-7 US a pop). All have a somewhat glossy finish, similar to what you’d expect from a MAC lustre lipstick. Many of you already know and love your lip butters, and like me, have been eagerly awaiting the release of new shades. This spring, Revlon offers up four: Wild Watermelon, Sorbet, Juicy Papaya and Pink Lemonade.

Left to right: Wild Watermelon, Sorbet, Pink Lemonade, Juicy Papaya

Wild Watermelon and Sorbet are both incredibly pigmented, and are excellent choices if you are into brights, but could do without the oft-associated fuss of precise application (these are effortless). Though Juicy Papaya is less saturated, it’s still gorgeous– my pick for everyday wear. I recommend Pink Lemonade to everyone who loves a nude lip.

Wild Watermelon: not quite red, not quite pink (watermelon sums it up nicely).

Sorbet: beautiful juicy fuchsia!

Pink Lemonade: slightly frosted, warm pale pink. Classic.

Juicy Papaya: orange in the tube, applies as a rosy coral on my lips. Slap it on and go.

I’m glad that I picked up each of these. They are all so very spring, don’t you think?

Which one is your favorite?

xoxo, Emma

Into the ocean with Essie Dive Bar

Emma — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:47:44 +0000

For the past few days I have worn Essie Dive Bar on my nails, a gorgeous shimmering deep green that reminds me of the depths of the ocean. Flecks of blue, emerald and turquoise swirl together to form a decadent color that applies like buttah. The color is dark enough to work for nearly any occasion without jumping out as an obvious green, and unique enough to deserve a second glance. If you love OPI Yoga-Ta Get This Blue!, know that you also need Dive Bar. This color is pure elegance. Mysterious.

I am slightly ashamed to admit that Dive Bar sat on my acrylic polish rack for months, unopened. Glad that I finally took her out for a spin. She will make a reappearance very soon, I assure you!

What are you wearing on your nails today?

xoxo, Emma

Review: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

Emma — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:49:32 +0000

Urban Decay’s first and second installments of the Naked palette are easily two of my top picks for eye shadow palettes. Ever. Complete with nearly every shade of taupe, gold and chestnut in a variety of finishes from satin to glitter, I reach for Naked and Naked 2 daily. With 12 full size shadows in each palette, the looks that one can create are endless. The only notable shortcoming, echoed by many fellow bloggers and editors, is the lack of matte options. The original Naked palette contains two: Naked and Buck, while Naked 2 boasts three: Foxy, Tease and Blackout.

Urban Decay heard our call, and on November 29, 2012 launched the Naked Basics palette featuring six full size matte shadows for $27.00 US.

Venus is a soft eggshell hue, the only shadow in the bunch that has a finish that leans satin or demi-matte. It’s absolutely perfect as an inner corner highlight. If you loved Virgin and Bootycall in Naked and Naked 2, you will adore Venus. It is slightly lighter than both, and packs higher pigmentation for a more pronounced look. Gorgeous.

Foxy is a warm pale yellow beige, back for a repeat performance– her first appearance was in Naked 2. A nice color to use for blending out richer crease colors or to use as a subtle brow bone highlight.

W.O.S (Walk of Shame) is one of my favorites in the palette; it’s a pink toned nude that is quite close to my skin tone, and works beautifully as a light pop on the lid in smokey looks.

Naked 2 is fabulous light mushroom shade, stunning in the crease. Works well paired with W.O.S and Faint. Lighter than Tease from the Naked 2 palette (I know, the names can begin to blur…) which is another personal favorite. Love pairing those together, too.

Faint is a gorgeous milk chocolate, darker than Tease. Versatile color that can be used as a simple outer corner color or built up in the crease.

Crave is a basic matte black, ever so slightly more brown than Blackout. I didn’t need another in my collection (see: Blackout), however, it’s quite convenient to have it as a component of this palette if it’s all you have on you or if you don’t happen to own Naked 2. Also worth noting, Blackout contains a (very fine) smattering of silver glitter. Crave is my favorite of the two for this reason.

As with all Urban Decay shadows, the texture is buttery smooth and all colors are highly pigmented. Value is high, as these are full size eye shadows. Urban Decay eye shadows retail for $18.00 US a pop when purchased in single pots.

Bottom line, I LOVE this palette, and have worn it non-stop since December. It pairs perfectly with its predecessors and performs very well as a standalone palette for daily wear. Naked Basics will work well for all ages, whether you’re just starting out with makeup or more mature and searching for a new wearable fool-proof look. As an aside worth noting (read: raving about) I recently picked up the NARS Kalahari shadow duo, and frequently pair it with Venus and Foxy. Stunning combo.

I highly suggest Naked Basics, so off you go to Ulta, Sephora or Urban Decay. You will thank me later.

Report back with your thoughts!

xo, Emma

Visions of sugarplums, danced on nail beds

Emma — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 03:52:54 +0000

Recently I picked up four sparkling bottles of polish from the Zoya Ornate Holiday Collection: Aurora, Ziv, Blaze and Storm. Aurora was the first shade that caught my eye, thanks to both its brilliance and abundance of rainbow holographic glitter. You know how I feel about holo.

Aurora is described as a cool toned medium sugarplum, flecked with micro rainbow holographic glitter. Application was effortless, with full opacity after only one coat, but I added a second for extra dimension and good measure. Something about nail polish with fine shimmer and glitter (particularly those by Zoya)… they always apply so beautifully. Minimal cleanup around the cuticles. I like how much the glitter stands out in Aurora, in both low light and in full sun. That can’t be said of all glitters. This one is truly exceptional!

I highly recommend Aurora– trust me when I say that you won’t be able to stop staring at your nails. I picked up my bottle of Aurora at Ulta, for $8. Zoya is also stocked at Beauty Plus, and of course, on Zoya.com.

To better demonstrate the holo effect, a blurred version with a bit more sun…

What do you think? Will you be picking up Zoya Aurora?

xoxo, Emma

Essie Fiji: that perfect pink.

Emma — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 22:44:48 +0000

You truly cannot go wrong with ballet pink nails. They are appropriate for every occasion, and complement every ensemble. Eternally girly and polished (no pun intended).

One of my absolute favorite pale pinks: Essie Fiji. Forever a classic, Fiji is a staple Essie shade that has been around for many years. Don’t be alarmed if the first coat looks a bit patchy– Fiji looks opaque and smooth after two coats.

Pictures were taken after three days of full wear and tear, including a wedding this past weekend. Clearly a winner in the longevity department, too.

Are you a Fiji fan?

xoxo, Emma

Lost in the Corn Maze: A Fall Outfit of the Day

Emma — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:31:54 +0000

On Saturday, we spent the day at a nearby farm, home of the best corn maze in the state (promise). We were lost for nearly two hours! Highly recommend the experience. While there, we took a few photos of what I wore– my fall uniform. Skinny jeans, cozy sweater, boots.

What I wore…

J.Crew heart sweater

Seven for All Mankind skinny jeans

Boots from Spool 72, by Glaze

Belt from Gap (Ancient. At least 12 years old.)

Pearls from J.Crew

Cole Haan sunnies

Coach bag

xoxo, Emma

The Girl with Nails on Fire

Emma — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:35:30 +0000

Fall is upon us, which means that there is an excellent chance you will find me clutching my pumpkin spice latte with nails painted to match. I love everything about September, especially the color palette. Rich jewel tones, earthy greige and olive– the deeper and murkier the better when it comes to fall nail color.

This weekend I chose a polish duo that I purchased quite a while back, when China Glaze released their Hunger Games color collection. (Sidenote: highly impressed with all four colors purchased from that launch. Impeccable formulation.) Not sure if you can find them any longer, but if you can, I recommend that you snap up both Riveting (rich, metallic orange shimmer flecked with gold undertones) and Electrify (red and gold glitter). Stunning colors. Should you venture out to Ulta or Sally’s: may the odds be ever in your favor.

I present to you, Nails on Fire.

Katniss would have rocked these.

Would you?

xoxo, Emma

Beautiful Weekend (ADK edition).

Emma — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 01:41:22 +0000

Last week we escaped to a beautiful lake in the Adirondacks with my family. I can’t begin to describe how much fun we had (or how much we needed that escape!).

Although the best pictures are definitely on mom’s camera, I thought I’d share a few of the ones I took, in between swimming and reading on the dock.

Enjoy.

(And obviously, I included a nail of the day, Zoya Apple.)

xoxo, Emma

Neutral Nails: Butter London Yummy Mummy

Emma — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:37 +0000

Butter London Yummy Mummy is a classic beige, with a bit of a gray undertone and a hint of opalescence. Application is effortless, and it goes with everything. A chic and simple choice.

Yummy Mummy looks lovely painted as a single coat, but I went with a two for a deeper color.

Butter polish is always a win in my book. Have you tried?

x Emma