Tag: notd

NOTD: River Styx (Mooncat)

Katie Jones3 Comments

Before I get to the swatches, allow me to wax poetic for a bit.

I miss going to Sephora in the late 2000s…

Sure, it’s still fun, but there was something magical about going there as a preteen. Laughing at the scandalous Too Faced eyeshadow names, smelling perfumes and dousing yourself with your favorite, and checking out the latest nail polish collection.

The Sephora by OPI line was a collaboration between the two companies that came to an end in 2013. Information online is a bit scarce, but I have fond memories of seeing the polishes in store and picking up a few.

right image from Orange County Register / left image from Women’s Wear Daily

My far and away favorite polish from Sephora by OPI, which (as far as I’ve been able to discern) landed in stores for the Summer 2009 release, is Mermaid to Order. In fact, one of my eyeshadow mainstays at the time was an Urban Decay shade that basically matched… middle school was quite an interesting time in my makeup journey. I still own this polish but it’s a bit gloopy and in need of some TLC at the moment.

All of this to say… I grabbed a few polishes while Mooncat was running their Lunar Sale a few weeks ago and the second I saw River Styx I knew I had to get it. While it’s not an exact dupe, it has the spirit of Mermaid to Order, and in the shade they’re nearly twins!

Here’s a closer look…

Mooncat does special effect polish really well and I love the handful of colors I have from them. I also picked up their Getting Even Nail Primer and it’s worked beautifully so far (this is a two-day old mani!).

River Styx is a glowing turquoise that has already gotten a few compliments out in the wild! It’s going to be a great summer color for my collection.

When the Sephora by OPI Collection was being discontinued and the remaining polishes were on mega-sale I snagged a few more. I vividly remember being on my laptop at 2am, watching Skins and ordering Sephora by OPI polishes – isn’t it funny the things you commit to memory? Maybe I’ll swatch those polishes someday…

Until next time,

Katie

An Ode to OPI’s Put it in Neutral

Katie JonesLeave a comment

After 17 years of collecting, I have found my perfect neutral pink. Nothing will ever compare.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, BUT I have to say I am so happy to have added Put it in Neutral from the 2015 Soft Shades collection to my stash this year.

It’s got that jelly, crelly, gel-like formula I love and the shade couldn’t be better. I feel so fancy and so put together wearing this one and my only regret is not finding it sooner. If I had to pick one nail polish to wear for the rest of my life, Put it in Neutral would be IT.

I wore this one to my sister’s wedding this past weekend and painted my mom’s nails to match. I’d been rocking OPI’s Pompeii Purple on my toes for a while but that finally got switched out as well.

So, Put it in Neutral, cheers to you!

Katie

NOTD: Swoon in the Lagoon (essie)

Katie JonesLeave a comment

I’m a sucker for a berry pink and I have more than a few in my collection. For the first part of this week, I decided to pull out Swoon in the Lagoon first released in spring 2022. This one is still available at most retailers that sell essie polish, but I got my bottle on eBay to get a better deal.

I figure by paying less than full price for most polishes through eBay I therefore have more funds for those grail polishes that cost a bit more. That’s some solid girl math, right? : )

Swoon in the Lagoon is opaque in two coats (though you could get away with one in a pinch!) and has decent shine on its own. I love that squishy jelly look though so you won’t catch me without a top coat.

Here’s how essie describes this shade:
love is in the air! trust your heart and make this mid-tone magenta nail polish with blue undertones the new object of your affection.

I almost always start my manicure with OPI’s Natural Nail Base Coat and finish up with essie’s Gel Setter Top Coat. The Tweezerman cuticle clippers and a nail file are on standby as well but I’m still developing my skills when it comes to those two. Also still developing my nail picture taking skills!

I hope you enjoyed this little post!

Katie