PolishMeHappy!!!!

OPI Warm and Fozzie - Swatches and Review

2012-01-20T21:33:00.000-08:00

OPI didn’t impress me much in 2011 I have to admit. I bought very few of them, and of those I only loved a couple. From The Muppets collection I bought only Warm and Fozzie but only wore it last week. The application was great – I used only 2 coats, and removal wasn’t hard either. I’m very picky with brown-toned polish because a lot of them are too warm for my skin. This is a beautiful polish but it didn’t look good on me. It happens!

Loreal Eiffel For You Review

2012-01-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

A little friend of mine named Olivia helped me pick up this polish and the shade reminded me of the colors used in Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride”’ I wish I had a paint pallete with all the hybrids of gray used in that film. I think I like Olivia’s taste because I love this putty looking polish on my fingernails. Olivia is my two year old buddy who loves to polish her nails pink!

I used 2 coats only for this manicure. My bottle was a little goopy but I managed and the payoff is really nice. Some might describe this polish as "mousy" but it has a sligh hint of lavender in it. I have to check this shade in the sunlight because it was hard to capture it indoors.

Even if a little strange I find this shade very feminine and elegant. With the right jewelry this would look very hip.

Colorama Hippie Chic With Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure

2012-01-17T20:59:00.000-08:00

My sister is a doll. Whenever possible she sends me nail polishes from Brasil. Sometimes I bug her over a particular shade every time I call home. She is used to me asking “did you find this and that polish? Save it for me pretty please!”

She sent me this adorable blue Colorama last year. It is a crème polish that applied beautifully but to add a little pizazz to it I topped it off with Sally Hansen’s Hidden Treasure (my first flakes nail polish). I must say I loved the result. This manicure lasted me 5 days without any chipping whatsoever. Under some lights it looks almost green, so I guess it is actually an aquamarine color.

Colorama nail polishes have been around in Brasil for a very long time. They are a drugstore brand that is easy to find even in smaller towns in the middle of nowhere. Colorama nail polish bottles are much smaller than what we are used to here in the US. I do have some old Coloramas made right here in the US and the size is the same as those made in Brasil. I can’t find Coloramas in the US very easily anymore. Once in a blue moon I’ll find some at Dollar Tree stores. More likely than not, Colorama was the very first brand on nail polish my mom allowed me to wear. Until this day I like them.

Thank you sis!!! I <3 you!!!!!

MAC Painterly Paint Pot Review

2012-01-16T21:44:00.000-08:00

I wanted to write this post to coincide with my review of Maybelline’s Color Tattoo eye shadow cream/gel on purpose. This is not a coincidence!

I’m not a brand snob. I’m not a die-hard fan of any one brand of cosmetics in particular. My taste is eclectic. I venture into unknown waters once in a while in search for the next holy grail item in cosmetics, but once I find one I treasure deeply I stick with it for a very long time and make no excuses for giving it praise when praise is due.

MACs Painterly Paint Pot is one of them. I was introduced to these paint pots by my daughter who is a cosmetician and a lover of all things girly. My pictures show an item that looks almost brand new but trust me I use this gem a LOT! This is a completely matte, natural nude crème shadow. It creates a perfect canvas on my eyelids.

I use it over my eye shadow primer as a base for my eye look of the day. It matches my skin tone wonderfully well and there is just something about this stuff that makes my eye lids a lot easier to apply color on. At my age the eyelids are not as taut as 20 years ago. It is a little trickier to apply eye makeup because the thin skin around the eye socket creases ever so slightly as you apply product on them. This stuff eases my pain!

MAC Painterly gives my lids an extra support for the rest of my eye makeup. It’s hard to describe exactly what I mean. It’s like support hose for your legs, except it’s a cream product on your eyelid! HAHA I know it is a strange way to put it but maybe, just maybe one of you will know exactly what I mean!

This stuff is wonderful in texture, in lasting power, and in performance. This little jar is a permanent fixture in my train case and I have a suspicion that it will be hard, very hard, to find a cheaper alternative to it anytime soon.

I was hoping the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 HR eye cream/gels would be a good substitute because it cost less, but you already know how all that went down in the previous post.

This little pot of “pantyhose” for my eye lids cost $17.50 at MAC Cosmetics, a much heftier price than Maybelline’s Color Tattoo, but it delivers well and it will never sit collecting dust in a black hole of cosmetics. Never!

I have not tried any of the brighter colored paint pots. I’m really happy with this one, but who knows maybe someday when I make a trip to the nearest MAC counters (one hour away from me) I will try others to see if it is love at first try.

Tell me your thoughts!

I so heart youuuuu!

Disclaimer: This product was NOT sent to me by MAC Cosmetics or PR agencies. This product was bought by me and myself alone :)

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 HR Cream Gel Shadow Review

2012-01-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

I’m a sucker for new drugstore makeup products, but I do a lot of pacing back and forth in front of the all seductive retail end caps before I pick something to buy. My pocket isn’t very deep so I debate a lot before giving in; we are in a recession after all. I heard a lot of hoopla about these Color Tattoo 24 Hour cream shadows so I decided to give them a try. I bought only 2 of them to test and review. I’m sorry to rain on anyone’s parade but these did not impress me at all. I did not find the colors to be super saturated as I did not find them to be all that smooth and creamy to apply either.

Both of the shades I bought applied “patchy” with one swipe of my finger. To make the swatches you see here I had to smooth it out a little to conceal the patchiness. The texture felt odd to me, definitely not as smooth as I expected. I was turned off even before applying this product on my eyelids. But to be fair I did it anyway. I expected “Tough as Taupe” to be a neutral taupe (of course!) and it is, but it leans too much to a shade of gray I did not find attractive against my skin tone. “Pomegranate Punk” looks lovely in the jar but it did not translate well on to my eyelids. This shade looks fine against my skin tone, but it wasn’t pigmented enough to my taste.

Once I tried these cream shadows on my lids and found myself disappointed with the payoff I decided to layer a powder eye shadow of similar shade over them to see if it would make things better which it worked. But then I had to ask myself “why use a colored cream shadow under a powder eye shadow just to make the cream shadow look more saturated when I can use just a well pigmented powder eye shadow and walk away with better results?”

I have combination, aging skin (I’m well into my 40s). My forehead, eyelids, and nose are oily, whereas my cheeks and chin are dry. I have to wear eye shadow primer on my eyelids so my eye makeup won’t crease within 4 hours of wear. I tested the Color Tattoos over Urban Decay Primer Potion and they lasted well so that is a plus. However the lack of better pigmentation and texture kept me from buying more.

Luckily I paid only $6.99 for each of these and was able to exchange them for stuff I could actually use. I couldn’t imagine buying all the 10 shades available to collect dust in a forgotten drawer somewhere. I work hard for my money, and I like to use (and use well) what I buy!

I was hoping these cream shadows would be a good alternative to MACs Paint Pots which cost twice as much, but they are not, at least not to me. Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, and that’s that!

Nail Art Using China Glaze Nail Polishes

2012-01-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

Nail Art brought to you by KT

KT did this manicure for New Years eve. What a cool design! The holographic nail polish is from China Glaze's OMG collection and China Glaze Liquid Leather.

DEAR CHINA GLAZE, can you PRETTY PLEASE make another holographic collection????

I say all of us nail polish lovers/collectors send a letter to AII industries asking for more holos.... what do you all think???

Le Chat Dare to Wear Nailpolish

2012-01-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

I got a set of Le Chat Dare to Wear nail polish last year that really impressed me. I see this brand of polish in nail salons but never in stores so it was "new" to me until I got the "Bling it On" set online. I have worn all the polishes in the set again and again that is how much I love them. The formula is tough and it lasts on my nails for several days without any chipping. "Smokin Diva" looks so chic on the nails and I swear it goes with everything. It looks like a shade that should be coming out of a bottle of Chanel nail polish. Lavish and elegant. I'm truly pleased with the quality of these polishes. Le Chat polishes are available HERE to buy. I'm planning on buying the Metallic Shimmer collection as soon as my pocket allows me to.

For an earlier PMH post on Le Chat nail polishes click HERE.

Thanks for coming by PolishMeHappy and have a great week!

Holiday Nail Art For The Archives

2011-12-30T17:05:00.000-08:00

After one month of wearing holiday colors I got my fill of green, red, and gold nail polish, including glitter of course :) The veredict is still out for which green I liked the most.

Before the year is over I want to show you these cute and easy holiday nail art by KT the Pink . I want all of these on my nails next Christmas!

See you next year!!!

Click to Enlarge

China Glaze and Hunger Games - Colours From The Capitol Are Coming!

2011-12-24T07:27:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge

"This collection of 12 new nail polish shades is inspired exclusively by one distinct setting in The Hunger Games - the Capitol of the nation of Panem. Awash in lavish fashion, food, and entertainment, Capitol citizens enjoy extreme cosmetics and body modifications, bold wigs, and outlandish costumes."

China Glaze, as usual, about to knock your socks off (again) with this new Colours From The Capitol set to be released sometime in March 2012. It's no wonder I am a China Glaze addict. Year after year China Glaze bottles up the most fun and unique polishes ever (in my opinion anyway).

I have a feeling this collection won't gather dust on shelves so keep an eye out dear ladies because this is going to sell fast!

I'm already drooling all over this colour chart.... all of them look awesome but Smoke and Ashes keeps calling my name :) I can't wait! Which ones are you looking forward to?!?!

And oh yeah, there is a movie... I got sidetracked by the nail polish :)

How To Remove Glitter Nail Polish - Como Remover Esmalte Glitter

2011-12-23T16:26:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've done a nail related video so I filmed this today to share with you ladies. I'm still learning how to use my camera so I apologize ahead of time for the quality. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Remover esmaltes tipo "glitter" é um saco não é? Experimente usar este método usando papel aluminio. Fiz esse video as pressas e ainda estou aprendendo a usar minha camera então vão desculpando a qualidade ta bom? :) Espero que gostem!

Holiday Glitter Manicures

2011-12-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

China Glaze Mistletoe Kisses

I’ve been wearing glitter polish pretty much all month. Some stuck with me (literally) and some didn’t. I have used more cotton balls, acetone, and aluminum foil this month than at any other time of the year. What can I say, I love glitter season!

There were so many new glitters out on the market this season but I suppose that happens every year around the holidays, it is to be expected. I bought very few of them this year, most of them from drugstores. I also shopped my own nail polish collection for glitters of Christmases past for something not yet tried and tested. That’s when I came across my China Glaze Mistletoe Kisses. It was on the shelves last year but only now I made myself wear it. I’m still wearing this polish today (although I plan on changing soon). This green glitter polish is not all that unique in my opinion but it is very pretty, easy to apply, and it is lasting like iron on my nails. I’ve been wearing it for 5 days now and I don’t have a single chip going on. You all know I’m VERY fond of polishes that are tough and long wearing because I really don’t have time or energy to change my nail polish every other day.

I used only 2 coats for this manicure. I packed the glitter nice and thick on both coats and topped it off with a thick layer of Seche Vite Fast Dry Topcoat. The end result is a smooth surface even thou this is a medium glitter polish.

Icing Glamourous

I rarely ever go to Icing at the Mall. But I did this month. And to my surprise I found a couple of polishes I really enjoyed wearing and this is one of them. When I picked up the bottle I could tell immediately that this was the holographic, 3 D kind of glitter polish you don’t find very often. If anyone is familiar with Northern Lights Holographic Topcoat you will have an easier time picturing this polish in your head. The glitter particles are bigger and denser. It also reminds me of MAC’s 3D Silver Glitter (which I’ve used before to franken polishes with). I used 3 coats for this manicure and topped it off with Seche Vite as usual. To my delight this manicure also lasted me close to one week without any chipping. It’s no wonder I’m in love with this lady!

I found it really hard to take proper pictures of this nail polish. It looks simply amazing in the sunlight I promise you even thou I wasn’t able to capture a real good shot to show you. This nail polish has become my number ONE most favorite silver glitter polish and all for under $5!!!! I am seriously considering going back for a backup bottle if there are any left at the store. If not, I will be milking my bottle for a long, long time.

See all the light coming out of those glitter particles?! It looks exactly like this MAC 3D Silver Glitter

"Glamourous" looks gorgeous under any light, but it looks simply amazing under fluorescent lights and sunlight. In the shot below it looks sort of dull even thou it is far from it. I just could not do this polish justice.

I tried to get a good shot under the sunlight but failed miserably. The sun was so fickle on the week I wore this polish.

From all the nail polishes I bought and tried in 2011 this is the one that impressed me the most. Who would have thought? From a brand that is not well known outside the US at a very cheap price. I have not tried all brands of nail polish available here in the US but I have not seen a nail polish that is exactly like this anywhere in my vicinity or online for that matter. If you love glitter and want to wear something dazzling on your nails this holiday this is it. Your nails will not go unoticed!

As always THANK YOU for coming by PMH. I hope everyone is having a beautiful holiday weekend with your loved ones. Glitter on!!!

NYX Ice Glitter - My Glitter For The Season!

2011-12-02T07:36:00.000-08:00

NYX Cosmetics surprises me once in awhile. In fact, one of my most cherished nail polishes is an old NYX Gold Glitter that I bought many years ago at Walmart. Yes, Walmart! I had never heard of such brand, but it caught my eye and I fell in love with it. This time I took advantage of a NYX sales and brought home Ice Glitter. I'm so silly happy I did because I am loving this new girl on my stash and on my nails.

Here she is

I think all the sparkley goodness hypnotized me...

At first I was afraid to try but my daughter layered it over black and once I saw it my chin hit the floor

I wore this combination for 6 days! I know it wasn't the Essie red that was tough, chip-resilient. It was the Ice Glitter! I got so many compliments on my nails, from young little ladies to ladies many years my seniors. I LOVED it! I can't wait to try it over a creme dark green. It will be perfect for the season!!

The application was great, it lasted forever, and look at that price? would you say wallet-friendly?

Dear NYX Ice Glitter, you are on my wishlist !!!Don't go away anytime soon ok?

Love,

Kat

Revlon Lip Butters - Pass More of That Butter Please!

2011-11-15T18:03:00.000-08:00

I’m a sucker for lip products and when I heard about these Revlon Lip Butter lipsticks on Makeupalley I had to try them and I’m not one bit sorry I did. The first one I bought was “Pink Truffle” and I have already used almost an entire tube (or stick?) of it. Walgreens enabled me by having them on sale so I went back and got a backup of Pink Truffle. The others followed me home and I’m not willing to send them back where they came from.

These babies feel very moisturizing and hydrating on the lips, like butter, no joke. This is the kind of butter I appreciate having. My lips always feel very dry and chapped. I often have to use my sugar scrub to make them look a little better before I apply lipstick. These lip butters keep me from having to do that all the time and they give me the color payoff I want. If I want the color to stay on a little longer I apply lip liner all over my lips and then a lip butter. It works like a charm.

Price - Very wallet friendly. $7.49 at your local Walgreens; even better when Walgreens has one of their fantastic sales of Buy One Get One 50% off.

Wear- Feels so amazingly moisturizing on my lips. I get the benefit of soft lips and good color in one. I have to reapply it more often than a regular lipstick but it’s totally worth it.

Buy it again? – BIG, LOUD YESSSS!!!! In fact… Revlon folks, if you are reading this would you pretty please pass it on that we really love this stuff and keep making it? :)

These are the only shades I own but there are 20 different shades to choose from

Here are some swatches with flash

And some swatches without flash

From left to right:

Sweet Tart

Candy Apple

Cotton Candy

Lollipop

Pink Truffle

Strawberry Shortcake

Have any of you ladies tried these? what do you think?

Thank you for coming by PMH and until next time! Peace and glitter <3

Whatever Happened to PolishMeHappy?

2011-11-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

Whatever happened to PolishMeHappy?

Hello everyone! Long time no see! I’m sure you have wondered whatever happened to PolishMeHappy, I’m here to tell you. But first of all I want to send a huge HELLO to all new peeps who are now following me on Twitter. I really appreciate your interest in my little blog.

I’m sure most of you heard (and read) about the EF5 tornado that hit my town almost 6 months ago (I can’t believe it has been that long, and yet it seems like it was yesterday). Everyone in this town was affected by what happened in some way. People can not experience or witness something of this magnitude without going thru some sort of change. I basically took some time off my “online” life to spend more quality time doing things with people I love. Old friendships were reconnected and relationships refreshed. During this time I also went back to some of my old hobbies, things I love doing but don’t have much time to do like reading, baking, learning something new, investing myself in self improvement. Life is short and unpredictable...we learned this truth in our town in less than one minute on 5-22-11, so it is a good idea to make time for those you love and on doing those things you enjoy doing but never made time for.

I finally made time to watch every single episode of ‘Dexter”, one of my favorite TV shows. I’m also learning a third language (Spanish) which is totally cool and good for the brain. But I miss PolishMeHappy and I think it’s time to reconnect with my blogging hobby. Although I have not blogged for awhile I have not stopped caring for my nails or drooling over nail polish. My obsession with nail polish (and all things girlie) continues to be the same. I have worn all sorts of different shades and formulas over the past few months but to be brutally honest very little has impressed me. My wallet thanked me.

When you are a nail polish collector (there is a difference between being a collector and a hoarder, I’m a hybrid of the two) it is really difficult to find nail polish you have not seen before. After awhile everything starts to look the same, after all how many red nail polishes can you have? So nowadays I’m extremely picky with the ones I buy. If it looks like a color & formula I have not seen before I buy it, if not I spend the money on lipstick!

From now on I don’t want to talk about just nail polish anymore because I got extremely bored doing just that. I want to cover all sorts of things that women love, so you will see an array of posts in the future, including posts on nail art done by my partner in crime KTthePink. If you have a suggestion or request please feel free to post a comment below, I would love to hear from you.

I hope everyone is doing fantastically well. As always thank you for visiting PMH and for sticking with me during good times and bad times. If it wasn’t for you readers and twitter followers I would have lost my incentive to blog once and for all a long time ago. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

See you back here soon!

Peace and glitter,

Kat

Chanel Mimosa and Nail Art by KT !

2011-07-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

Hello ladybugs!!!!

I hope everyone is having a great week so far! It's hump day!!!

Check out my new reading glasses for moi the vision impaired person :) These cost me very little mula and I think it is adorable! I would love to find one in pink!!!!

I'm no longer allowed to wear nail polish to the workplace, a rule we didn't have at our Hospital. Now I jump to my nails on my first day off work. This time I went for an untried and voila! I am in love with Mimosa. Yellow nail polishes are notorious from application issues. I've tried a gazillion of them and they are a pest to apply.

I had to use 3 coats for this manicure. The first coat is the most frustrating but, remember this girls, allowing the coats to dry a little in between layers allows the polish to spread and settle a little. My third coat applied like a dream and made it all make sense. I really don't want to take this awesome yellow from my nails :(

Here is another cool nail art by KT the Pink. Reminds me of the 80s for some reason. I really need to buy KT some chocolate so she can do this cool stuff on my nails!

The Artista

The author of awesome nail designs in KT the Pink

Thank you lovely people for coming by PMH. I adore having you here :)

XOXO Kat :)

Kat's Latest Tidbits - Favorites of the Month, Odd Review of the Month

2011-07-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladybugs!

It's been awhile since I last posted something and there is a reason for that. Ever since that "real bad thing" that happened here I have been re-connecting to old friends and loved ones, which is a blessing if I may say so. I've been sharing laughter, good meals, and an occasional margarita with those I hold dear to my heart.

But I missed PMH and wanted to come back to my blogging.

I've decided that in addition to babbling about nail polish I will also talk about, and review some of my latest favorite girly products :) So if you like this sort of thing please pull up a chair and stay for awhile.

I'm going to start by showing you my latest favorite lipstick. I have been raving about this one on beauty boards! Revlon's Demure goes everywhere with me these days!

I can apply this lipstick without a mirror...I know, a tricky thing to do if you don't want to end up with lipstick on your teeth and chin! "Demure" is a sheer lippie so it is safe to apply on-the-go. It has just the right amount of peach for my skin tone.

Yes I'm in love with this lady!

Kat's Lipstick of the Month :)

Kat's Face Product of the Month :)

I learned from GossMakeupArtist that it is better to use an oil-free moisturizer if my foundation is also oil-free because water and oil don't mix. He was right in his advice. I've been using this Biore oil-free moisturizer for the past 2 months and it works in harmony with my foundation. What a huge difference a simple trick can make!

Kat's Hair Product of the Month:)

I recently had my long hair highlighted which dried it badly. My hair is naturally curly which also means lots of tangles and ouchies in the shower. I must have tried at least 3 different conditioners to help me with the mess on my hair. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle is the one that finally moisturized my hair enought that I can run a comb thru it in the shower. This is a winner in my book and I'll stick with it for a long while!

Kat's Odd Review of the Month :)

Yes ladies you are seeing right. My odd review of the month goes to pantyliners. It's a girly issue right? haha!

Pantyliners. Not the best invention ever but one every girl is thankful for. Back when I was a kid there was no such thing (yes I'm THAT old!).

Pantyliners are getting better and better these days. I like the ones that are super thin and feel like nothing but I've learned the hard way that not all pantyliners are created equal when one of them fell off down my pants in the middle of a hot day in the Midwest. "Always" pantyliner can't stand the heat! (get your mind out of the gutter!). Seriously, the sticky back just melts as you move around. You know those super hot summer days when even your underwear gets hot! That's what I'm talking about...

"Carefree" pantyliner "sticks around" a whole lot longer ladies!

And you thought I would leave nail polish out?

China Glaze Senorita Bonita is a nail polish I will never forget. I will probably never wear it again but I will never get rid of it either. This is the manicure I had on May, 22nd when the monster tornado hit my town. This manicure lasted several days without a single chip so I was very pleased on how it wears. If I remember correctly application was a breeze and I used only 2 coats for this manicure.

You can click on any of the pictures for a larger image. As always THANK YOU very much for coming by PMH. I'm also sending big **HUGS** to all my new Twitter followers :) It's because of you my readers that I keep coming back :)

Much Peace and Light

Kat :)

We Shall Never Forget May 22nd, 2011

2011-06-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

It has been 10 days since an F5 tornado hit our town. Most of us town people are having a hard time remembering what day of the week it is, what day of the month it is. Everything seems to melt in our minds and a form of conscious amnesia is taking place. It seems it all happened yesterday and yet an eternity has gone by since then. How is that possible? Although we wish this was just a nightmare, it isn’t. It is as real and possible as anyone can imagine.

So much has happened since then. Our town has seen an outpouring of love from all over the country. Our people are not merely neighbors anymore; we are brothers and sisters instead. We all know someone who have died in the storm, or someone who has lost everything except for their lives, or someone who has been severely injured. The list of victims is long and very painful to accept. The Monster that came thru here did not discriminate; it destroyed everything in its path and took so many of our people away from us.

I drove by my old house on the south side of town where I used to live and saw it torn apart by the Monster. Incredibly enough, the closet I used to hide in every spring whenever the tornado sirens went off is still standing. This is something many of us have noticed in homes that have been destroyed, many closets still stand, some with clothes hanging inside as if a storm never went through. Those of us who live in tornado alley are used to sirens going off every spring. We are used to storms, strong winds, and the constant threat of being wiped away by twisters. But we have never experienced anything like this. This is something that will stick with us for the rest of our remaining lives. I have new respect for closets and bathtubs, as (almost) funny as that sounds. Closets and bathtubs saved many lives. Countless families walked out of their bathtubs covered in debris to see complete ruin all around them as far as the eye can see. Many families are alive today because of a bathtub.

This is a lesson many of us have learned. Never underestimate the sirens that are meant to save our lives. A good battery radio, and inside window-free closet, and a sturdy bathtub are your best friends.

The cameras will stop rolling soon and people will forget what they heard and saw on CNN soon enough. The world keeps on going and the clock keeps on ticking, it is just the way it is. As for us people of Joplin we will see and feel the scars of this horrific event for many years to come. We are not seeing the destruction on TV; we are seeing it, smelling it, touching it live. This horrific event will stay in our minds forever. Our sense of security is pretty much gone, knowing that at any given moment everything and everyone we hold dear to our hearts can be gone in a matter of seconds. Those of us who survived the path of the Monster will suffer, indefinitely, from survivor guilt. Why did God allow some of us to still have our homes and lives and not others? Why did God allow any of this to happen to so many people including countless children? Why Lord, have so many hearts been broken? These are questions that have no answers. Personally I don’t believe that tragedy comes from God. I am a Catholic Christian and I don’t believe God creates chaos and pain to punish His children. But I do believe that God tries His best to shelter us from storms, whatever they may be, and comfort us in times of pain and sorrow. It is to Him that we are turning to, to cradle our collective pain. Without faith in something greater and stronger than the Monster who hurt us so badly we can’t go on. Thanks be to God from whom all blessings flow. Thanks be to Him for being here, right in the midst of our people to comfort our souls. He is here taking some of the punches for us. I have no doubt in my mind that God knows we can’t make it on our own. He is here, pouring out His love. We are not alone.

Our Hospital (St. John’s Mercy) has done an outstanding job at getting all of us in the family back to work and helping the community in these times of troubles. The entire building (9 floors) took a direct hit from the tornado. A strong, sturdy building was blown apart, meeting the twister head on, but we are Mercy, building or no building we will be here to tend to the healthcare needs of our community. Those who worked on the day shift of May 22nd, 2011 experienced what is being described as a “bomb going off inside the building”. Miraculously all of our patients were evacuated in less than one hour to a safer place where the wounded and lost poured in all night long. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE regardless of degree or social class banded together to work together to help the wounded.

I rode in a van full of nurses to Memorial Hall to help in less than 2 hours after the tornado hit. There was chaos in the streets but somehow very few motor vehicle accidents. While in the van I saw injured people being taken to the hospital in the back of pickup trucks. One in particular stuck to my mind… an injured person (I don’t know if dead or alive) wrapped in the American Flag on a piece of wood board. There was a lot of blood and screams of pain at the makeshift hospital, but there was also a lot of love (and adrenaline) to do what had to be done. Every day since then I can’t help but wonder how the people I stood with during their time of sorrow is doing right now. The woman from Colorado with a broken femur, internal injuries, and lacerations all over her body, I can’t help but to think about her and how she is doing. Her fiancée, her best friend – all injured and in pain, I can’t stop thinking about them. The child I saw covered in blood and screaming – I can’t stop thinking about him. All around Memorial Hall there was blood and pain – I can’t stop thinking about that. At times like these we have to have courage in the heart in order to keep going to do what must be done. Thank God for giving so many of us courage to face these days of tears.

The air here is strange. It smells different. There is a lot of fiberglass, mold, even asbestos in the air. We still have people missing and as the week goes by I’m sure more people will be found among debris. The hope that some will still be found alive is still there thou. We can’t give up of that hope.

This is my daughter's High School in the background

I have to drive to the South side of town to work at the MMU (Our MERCY Emergency Medical Tents) tents at night. It hurts the insides to see the void there. Streets we used to drive on for over 20 years are now unrecognizable. All that there was on that side of town is now gone.

Our city is mangled, economically, physically, and emotionally mangled but we will recover from all of this and we will come back stronger than before.

I know this is an extremely long post and that my thoughts are a bit disorganized, but I needed to get on here to share with you a speck of insight from all that our people are going through. A disaster of this magnitude changes a person’s perspective of life forever. It makes one look in the mirror to evaluate what all in this life is really important and what matters most. It makes one analyze the soul to figure out a way to change what we like or don’t like about ourselves. Our sense of perspective changes and makes us stop to think about everything in this life.

Material things are not as important as having one’s life spared. The love and compassion we have inside of us to share with everyone is what matters most. Love those close to you; hug a person today and every day for the rest of your life. Cherish everything around you and be thankful for your life and for the life of others. Praise God if you believe in Him. Life is such a huge gift and we take it for granted sometimes. Our lives, my life, your life is precious and I thank God for that.

Thank you everyone who is stopping by this blog. Thank you for your love, for your prayers and thoughts. May God Bless all of you and keep you under His wings.

**Some of the pictures shown here are courtesy of Laura T., a friend who came from Springfield MO to volunteer in cleanup efforts. Thank you Laura!

F5 Tornado Hits My Town

2011-05-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, May 22nd everything looked normal like any other day in our small city of Joplin MO. My youngest daughter's graduation ceremony was taking place at our local University when I started to hear about the severe weather heading our way. I have been living in tornado alley for 23 years now and as most people who live here I really didn't take too much heed about the weather news. Here in the Midwest we are used to severe weather every Spring. We hear tornado sirens every year but we move on with life like usual. This year things took a deadly turn and left our town in total devastation.

I got home from my daughter's graduation and got ready for work. I work at a local hospital from 7pm to 7am, so I changed, got my scrubs on and turned on the news to keep en eye on the weather. The skies looked bad as it slowly turned a very dark shade of green. My lights started flickering as reports started to pour in at our local radio station that a tornado was being witnessed on the South side of town. I did what almost everyone in this area does during tornado weather, I packed my bathtub with blankets, grabbed my dog Indiana, parked inside the bathtub and prayed that the tornado would "go away".

The tornado didn't go away. As I sat inside my bathtub I took a peek outside the window and the skies were black, the wind was blowing some debri in the yeard and the lights kept flickering. The roar that came from the skies was angry, loud, and violent. By 1800 an F5 tornado swept our town, destroying everything in it's path. People called the radio station to report what they were seeing, and as I sat inside my bathtub I kept thinking about all of my coworkers at the hospital since reports were coming in that it had taken a direct hit. I prayed and hoped (not knowing the magnitude of the tornado) that everyone at the hospital would be okay and that I could make it there on time to report for work and help with Condition Gray (an emergency strategy commonly used by healthcare facilities during bad weather).

The noise coming from the South side of town was incredible, something I simply cannot describe. Oncethe skies seemed to have calmed down a little I got in my car, heading towards the hospital to report for work, not prepared for what I was about to see.

The picture above shows some of what is left of my hospital which is the only building standing on that side of town. A trip that usually takes me less than 10 minutes from my house to work, took me 45 minutes on Sunday evening. The damage at our hospital was so extensive that everyone had to be evacuated. Patients were taken to a makeshift triage set up on Memorial Hall.

I jumped in a van full of medical personnel headed towards the emergency triage. As we made our way thru chaos I got to see Ground Zero. I stared out the car window, my brain tripping over all I saw. The devastation is so intense and hard to describe. The South side of our town is leveled, homes, bussinesses completely gone. Trees are stripped from bark and leaves; massive debri covers our streets that are now unrecognizable. People were trapped under debri, some alive, some dead.

This picture below speaks to my heart. We are a great country and we help one another in times of need. The whole Nation is pouring in, helping us recover from the most devastating disaster we have ever seen.

Trees like the one posted below were uprooted all over town, some thrown out and through homes and cars.

These pictures show a couple of rooms inside the hospital floor where I work.

As of right now electricity has been restored to parts of our town. Emergency workers are still out looking for missing people. So far the death toll has climbed to 122 confirmed dead, over 700 injured and scattered all over neighboring hospitals. We still have lots of people missing, including children.

Our town, a town that was unknown to the rest of America is now all over TV screens across the Nation. Our hometown, a place where people know your name, is virtually gone. An F5 tornado turned our lives upside down in a matter of seconds. We will never forget May 22nd, 2011. We shall never forget, but we will rebuild and recover because we are resilient and we are tough. We are the Heart of America.

Please keep us - Joplin MO, in your prayers and thoughts. If you want to help I'm am including links below with information on how you can help. I will keep you posted on how things are going in our neck of the woods.

May God Bless you all, and may God Bless America.

Links:

Via Huffingtonpost info

For Volunteers in the Health professions

On Facebook - Joplin MO Recovery Relief

Heart of Missouri United Way

State Emergency

Red Cross

Salvation Army

USA Today - How to Help

In Honor of our town:

Maraschino, Cupcakes, and Butterflies

2011-05-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Borghese Maraschino

Hello ladies! Long time no see! I have been burning the candle at both ends lately and working more than usual so I am, by necessity, sticking to nail polishes that wear well while on my nails. I need them to be tough, strong, and fun to wear at the same time. It's not relly a lot to ask and there are a lot of nail polishes out there that fit the bill.

BORGHESE MARASCHINO has been on my nails for 4 days straight and it is still going strong. I'm about to remove it only because I want fresh polish for the weekend.

MARASCHINO is one of Borghese's Rapido polishes, a fast-dry polish that follows a trend many other brands are offering. So far my favorite fast-dry polishes are by REVLON and Borghese. Revlon fast-dry polishes dry the fastest in my experience. Maraschinoo is a creme polish and two coats is all you need unless you are an incurable three coater haha!

This is supposed to the be the "End of the World" weekend. So I thought, "hmm, if things are going to turn to crapshoot I might as well go with a pink manicure and a pink cupcake stuffed with calories in my tummy. If the ground cracks I'll be ready!!!

Cupcake Manicure

A Cupcake manicure done by KT the Pink. How sweet is this? Too bad this manicure wasn't on my nails, it looks so adorable!!!

Butterfly Manicure

And Butterflies! also done by KT the Pink. I am yet to be brave enough to try nail art of my own. I adore nail art but I've come to the conclusion that I have to patience for it, nor the dexterity.

Now I am off to pick another manicure that will endure the next few days of a busy life. Maybe it's time to put one of the new China Glaze Summer 2011 to the test!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and thank you very much for coming by PMH!!!

PMD Microdermabrasion System - Microdermabrasion at home

2011-05-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hello girls! Today we are not talking about nail polish, instead I will talk about this little gadget you see pictured above. What you are seeing is a Personal Microdermabrasion System that allows you to perform a microdermabrasion at home as opposed to going to a skin clinic to have it done.

A couple of months ago one of my blog sponsors announced that the makers of PMD was giving away several units for folks to try it at home and to write a review about them. I then entered the contest and ended up with a PMD unit in my doorsteps, so I am here today to tell you my readers exactly what I thought about this new gadget.

What is PMD? I will quote what the makers of PMD state about the product:

"Stop being disappointed by microdermabrasion creams or scrubs. PMD Personal Microderm gives you the results of a professional microdermabrasion treatment in the convenience of your own home. PMD Personal Microderm is an at-home microdermabrasion system that reveals younger looking skin by the same aluminum oxide crystals found in the equipment at your doctor's office, but in a microdermabrasion home system.

PMD Personal Microderm was created to give consumers an effective home microdermabrasion without having to schedule an appointment at the dermatologist. The science has been around for decades, but PMD Personal Microderm puts the results in your hands, making microdermabrasion at home a simple, convenient procedure. Embedded in the tip of this sleek tool are the same aluminum oxide crystals used by professionals. PMD Personal Microderm gives you a younger looking complexion by diminishing age spots and skin imperfections in a matter of weeks." (source:http://skincarerx.com/personal-microderm.html) .

"The system includes 1 personal microderm, 5 exfoliating discs (2 green and 3 blue), 1 electric cord (Standard U.S. Outlet), 1 facial cap, 1 body cap, 1 reusable filter, Instructional CD and Pamphlet.

For best results when using the Personal Microderm, use a cell renewal or gentle skin resurfacing cream in conjunction with the microdermabrasion tool, such as Boske Molecular Repair or M2 Skin Refinish. This powerful system for skin treatment combines some of the finest serums and creams for cell renewal and skin resurfacing on the market with the enhanced results achieved through microdermal exfoliation. One without the other will not give you the significant results that both combined do. Use either the M2 or the Boske products with this tool and see for yourself how powerful this combination is."
who it's for
"Ideal for those with age spots, skin discolorations, and other imperfections who want smooth, even-toned skin." (source: http://skincarerx.com/Personal-Microderm-System.html).

Picture shows flakes of skin trapped in the vacuum.

Now on to Kat's experience and thoughts about the PMD system:

I received my PMD unit in the beggining of April and carefully read the instructions to make sure I used it properly. It came in a box along with an instruction CD which I watched.
I chose the tip that seemed to be the best for my skin type and followed the process. My very first thought was that it was painful. The pain was similar to that of getting a small tatoo (if you have any tatoos you know what I am talking about), It makes sense since the crystal tip does scratch the top layer of the skin. I had never done any kind of dermabrasion or skin peel on my face so this was completely new to me.
As instructed I applied one of the creams that came with it ( M2 Skin Refinish) the NEXT day. Luckily I applied just a very small dot to my cheek before spreading it all over my face. I felt a very painful sting that scared me to death! I washed my face immediately but I could still feel the sting on my face. The day after that I had a small red spot where the cream burned my face.
After my first experience with PMD I decided to use it only once a week because I feared it would cause damage to my skin if I used it anymore than that. My first experience with it reminded me of an episode of Sex and the City when Samantha goes in for a peel right before Carrie Bradshaw's Book Opening party. Samantha showed up with a black veil over her face, covering all the irritation from her peel!

The second time I used PMD (one week later) I still experienced a lot of pain on my skin, almost as if I had been sunburned. I used a cold washcloth on my face to soothe the pain. I had to wait another week and a half to use it again, fearing the pain.

May 3rd marked one month since I started using the PMD system. I used it over my entire face only 3 times because my skin could not handle any more than that. I noticed some changes on my chin thou. I used to get blackheads around my lips and chin, and it looks like PMD has ameliorated some of this problem.

I think that it takes some "getting used to" to this product. Personally I don't think that this is a product that should be used "in a hurry" in order to review it within 4 weeks to please the manufacturer. People have different skin types and people react to chemicals differently as well, so to push for a review to be done within 4 weeks is like asking for a baby to be born in 3 months, if you get my drift.

I was asked to publish my review on this product within 4 weeks of receiving it which does not take in consideration the variables I mentioned above. I was also informed that if I did not publish a review of this product before the deadline that the manufacturer woul bill me for this item (which I supposedly "won" in a contest). Regardless of this small faux paux on the part of those who sent PMD systems to numerous people out there, I think this product has potential if used carefully and with respect. You (the consumer) have to take your skin condition in consideration before using a microdermabrasion system. People with sensitive skin should talk to a doctor first (this is an opinion by the way). This product promises better skin at a cheaper price, but sometimes seeing a doctor first can save you a lot more money on the long run.
My two cents are in :)

As usual ladies, THANK YOU for coming by PMH and for your support. I have a fun, makeup and nail polish related post coming up for you ladies soon :) Until then Peace and Light and lots of Love to all of you!

Happy Easter!!! - Kat's "Best & Worst" of the Month, Plus Tidbits!!!

2011-04-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Ladybugs,

I am back from Lent and its polishing time!!!

I’m going to share with you my “best & worst” polishes of the month as well as some of my tidbits including my daughter’s Prom manicure and some skincare news from my front.

Kat’s “Best of the Month” nail polish:

Without a doubt, Le Chat Dare to Wear “Bling It On” nail polishes. I recall seeing Le Chat polishes in salons but never really picked one from the rows of polishes salons display on their walls. It’s natural for me to reach for brands I am familiar with like OPI and China Glaze when I go in for a monthly pedicure and an occasional manicure, so I always ignored Le Chat, after all I didn’t know the brand.

Well, that has changed! I received the “Bling It On” collection from Le Chat last week and I’ve had a chance to wear 2 of the colors already. When I first saw the collection I thought to myself “hmmm, I bet these are all sheers…” but to my surprise they are all opaque with only 2 coats and (at least the ones I’ve tried) wear like iron! I wore Bold ‘n Bronze for 5 days without experiencing a single chip! On to pictures!!!

I wore "Bold 'n Bronze" for several days and really didn't want to take it off... my manicure still looked good when I removed it. Speaking of removal, this baby comes off easily with acetone or nail polish remover. The metallic/glittery finish is smooth and cotton-ball-friendly!

So far I have used just "Bold 'n Bronze and Hey Girl!", I refuse to just swatch the others. I HAVE to wear them longer than one day to see if they last as well as the two I've tried so far.

"Hey Girl!" is absolutely gorgeous and this is what I am sporting today (Easter Sunday). I have a feeling that this super bright metallic pink will look stunning under a crackle effect polish as well.

I am yet to wear these four. I have high hopes that they will wear as well as the others. Application of the ones I've tried was flawless, opaque in two coats. Not goopy, not runny, just perfect.

A good friend of mine came over during the week for lunch and she found my "Bling It On" collection on the table and immediately reached for the silver one (High Heal Heaven). I sat there watching as she happily polished her nails with it. It is fun to share my love of lacquer with my girlfriends sometimes!

There are 6 more colors in the "Bling It On" collection that I am dying to try. You can see them HERE . I also want to try the Doll House and the Disco Tech collections.

For more information on Le Chat nail polishes visit LeChat Nails !!!

I have every intention of checking out the other collections from Le Chat and from now on I will take one of these babies with me when I visit a salon again!

Kat's "Worst of the Month" nail polish:

Illamasqua Scarab

I’m writing this review with a full understanding that I might get a bit of a backlash from Illamasqua lovers out there, but this is my opinion based on my experience with this polish. Illamasqua Scarab gets only a one thumbs up from PMH because I was honestly disappointed with how poorly it lasted on my nails. Scarab is a beautiful shade of metallic finish brownish red nail polish (hence the one thumbs up). The red in it is more noticeable on pictures than in real life. There is more brown to it than meets the eye. This isn’t the worst nail polish I have ever worn; it is just the worst of the month. Application wasn’t great (it was a bit goopy) but it wasn’t the worse either. My main complaint is that it didn’t last longer than 24 hours on my nails, and for $14 a pop I expected it to deliver better results. Sometimes a high end product doesn’t necessarily equal a good quality product. Advertisement, on most occasions, has more to do with the popularity of a product than the quality of the product itself.

Although it looks very pretty in pictures, chances are I will not wear this polish again. Most of the time I expect my manicures to last well since changing colors every couple of days is not convenient for me, so naturally I reach for nail polishes that have proved to last on my nails. The first time I use a nail polish is always a gamble because it’s a “try out” occasion. “Scarab” didn’t pass the try out phase for me.

Kat's Tidbits - My Daughter's Prom:

My youngest daughter Candace is soon to graduate from High School. Her Prom was last weekend. Her sister did her manicure, her hair, and her makeup. All of it turned out beautiful!!! (But then again I might be a little biased haha!). Here are some pictures of Candace’s nails, hair, and makeup:

Katie (my oldest daughter) used China Glaze Emerald Sparkle and Orly Luxe for this half-moon manicure. The colors she picked went well with Candace's overall look very well. Katie used "hole enforcements" cut in half for the half-moon pattern.

After I saw the end result of this manicure on my daughter I wanted it done on my own nails! Maybe someday I will try it with China Glaze Ruby Pumps and a white creme polish. Doesn't it look just gorgeous?!?!?! :)

Here is Candace's hairdo, also done by Katie (aka KT the Pink! ).

KT the Pink and Candace all dolled-up for Prom :) Candace's makeup looked flawless! I'm a mom :) I just HAVE to brag HAHA!

Kat’s Tidbits – Clarins Beauty Flash Balm – a How to Video:

I am smitten with this product. I first saw it being used by Lisa Eldridge and decided to give it a try. My appreciation goes to sales associates from the Clarins beauty counter who give their customers samples to try out. Because of a sample I am now hooked to this stuff! It really does brighten a tired, stressed-out skin, but there is a trick to applying it. Enjoy the video!

Thank you ladies for visitng PMH and for your support. I hope everyone is having a beautiful Easter Weekend!!!! Lots of love,
Kat :)

From Brazil With Love!!!! And a Bonus DIY Beauty Tip :)

2011-04-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

Hi sweet ladies and welcome back to PMH!!!!

I have recently received a care package from my mom and my sister from Brazil that just made my week! Actually it made my month!!! My momma sent me some of my most favorite chocolate from Brazil along with some delicious gourmet coffee. My dad sent me two novels in Portuguese (I miss reading books in Portuguese so much! I had been bugging my daddy to send me more books for a long time until he finally picked a couple for me:)

My sweet sister sent me some very cool nail polishes and a beautiful lipstick in a glorious sahde of wine. Pictured above are the polishes she sent me. Some are from Colorama (which is alive and WELL in Brazil) and some super bright neon colors from Impala (another favorite brand of nail polish from Brazil). I haven't worn all the polishes she sent me (which included a Matte topcoat that is divine), but I have worn two of them and I must say I loved them!

Pictured here are the novels my daddy sent to me :) I love you dad!!!! I'm almost afraid to start reading them and then run out of books in Portuguese to read. Silly, I know, but it isn't too easy for me to find good books in my native language here in the Midwest. I have even looked on Amazon but their selection is very limited.

On to nail polish!!!

Pictured here is Colorama's Garota Verão (Summer Girl) which is a beautiful, warm shade of orange red creme nail polish. So bright and so fitting for Summer. This polish would look fantastic on pedicures as well. Sizzling hot!! I wore this lady for at least 4 days without any chipping issues, a 5 star polish in my book!

Sometimes I wish Colorama was still a brand of nail polish easy to find in the US. Most of the ones I have I found at places like The Dollar Tree, but the selection is so limited!!

Garota Verão is definetly a keeper! This baby is staying with me until it is completely used up and enjoyed to the max :)

This beautiful green is called "Absinto" (Absynth) and I bugged my sister to get one for me for several months. I saw it on a Brazilian Blog and it was love at first sight. My sister then lovingly hunted it down and got me a bottle. I love you sis!!!

This Jade green has hidden shimmer just like Chanel's Jade I swear! And the best part is that it cost less than $3!!! A perfect dupe for a super expensive nail polish.

Holy egg beaters...I fell in love with this polish. I am STILL in love with this polish. I wore it for almost 6 days without any chipping at all. I don't know what it is with these Colorama polishes that make them last so well when combined with Seche Vite basecoat and Seche Vite Fast Dry Top coat. I got so many compliments on my manicure when I wore Absinto. This polish is right up there in my "Nail Polish Hall of Fame".

Unlike Milani's Dressmaker (anybody remember that one?) this Jade green didn't give me "lobster hands" at all. Some light green polishes make my fingers look unaturally red, but not this one. The hidden shimmer in it is adorable and VERY noticeable under most lights.

Can you tell how much I loved this polish by the amount of pictures I took! HAHA! The love is for real!!!

Once I have a cance to wear the other colors my sister sent me I will share with you guys too :) There is a dark denim blue one that looks great also (I swatched it on one finger), and the Matte top coat looks very promising as well. The Impala neons look HOT and perfect for hot summer days to come. I can't wait to try them ALL!!!!

Thank you mom and dad for the delicious treats, and for the books :) And thank you sis for all the lovely nail polish!! (my sis follows PMH too :) hehehe).

I love you all and I can't wait to see everyone this coming Fall!!!

And to all of you dear PMH readers: THANK YOU so much from the bottom of my heart for coming back to PMH and for sticking with me for the past 2 1/2 years :) I love you all too and as ALWAYS I'm grateful that you are here. For those of you who are not yet followers of PMH please support by subscribing and feel free to leave comments or questions below (in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and German!!!)

Much LOVE to ALL of you!

Peace and Light and Yours Truly,

Kat:)

Now for a Bonus DIY Beauty Tip here is a Youtube Video on how to make your own lip scrub/exfoliator for sexy, soft lips without spending a lot of money! I hope you enjoy it :) PS: Sorry about the goofy look on my face on the video still picked by youtube. I look like a dork! haha!

Cherry Blossom Pedicure & Flip Flop Fantasy Manicure by KT the Pink !!!

2011-03-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

It's time for pedicures ladies!!!! Time to bring out the sandals or walk barefeet on fresh Spring ground. I want to share with you this lovely pedicure done by KT the Pink (my guest!). Also check out her China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy Manicure .
On to pictures!!!!

Is this adorable or what?!?! KT used China Glaze For Audrey as a base color for this adorable Japanese Cherry Blossom pedicure.

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy - One of my last summer's most favorite nail polishes. I have worn this shade on my own fingers and toesies more than once and I still love it dearly. This polish is hard to photograph. Although this is the perfect blend of peach-orangey creme goodness, it tends to show more orange than it really is on pictures. This is one of those creme polishes that even thou not carefree to apply, it is worth the trouble because it really is that much fun to wear!

Thank you everyone for visiting PMH!!!! Please support by subscribing to my blog and come by often! Write me a note or leave a comment too :) I am always thrilled to hear from my readers :)

China Glaze Summer 2011 - ISLAND ESCAPE Swatches and PRE-view

2011-03-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

It is Spring ladies! Time to bring out your Spring and Summer sandals and time to sport fun, bright colors to glam up under the sun! For right now all I have are PREview swatches but I will soon be able to wear these polishes in full manicures (and pedicures) and I'll be able to report to you on how well they last on my nails.

China Glaze Island Escape has six new shades to help you do just that!

Take an exotic island escape with China Glaze this summer with a tropical, shimmering rainbow of brilliant bright colors! Mix and match these hot hues to add a candy-like pop to that summer manicure and pedicure. Colors in the collection include:

Papaya Punch: Crème based vivid orange

108 Degrees: Flirtatious berry pink with specks of micro glitter

Senorita Bonita: Passionate purple shimmer with pink micro glitter

Blue Iguana: Bold and daring sparkly blue

Cha Cha Cha: Vivacious shimmer green

Electric Pineapple: High intensity crème based lime green

108 Degrees - this pink reminded me a lot of China Glaze Sass in a Glass, except a little lighter shade of pink. This is my second favorite of the collection. I used 2 coats for these quick swatches. I have a feeling that I will love to wear this polish and treasure it as much as I do Sass in a Glass and Strawberry Fields which are nicely tucked away in my nail polish stash. This picture doesn't do this polish justice. Once you see it in real life (and if you are a pink lover) it will be love at first sight.

PS: It was weird trying to take pictures of my dominant hand!

Blue Iguana - Blue lovers you will fall head over heels over this polish. This formula is a jelly base with lots of micro shimmer. So easy to apply (I used 2 coats here) and this lady is BRIGHT! Just perfect for either fingers and toes. It reminds me of Blue Sparrow but it doesn't dry semi-matte like Blue Sparrow does. This lady did stain my nails a little bit but I didn't wear basecoat for these swatches so that might be the actual culprit.

Cha Cha Cha - This carefree green stole my heart!!! This was the first bottle I grabbed and swatched when I received these samples. One look at it and I was hooked. I love green polishes but not as much as pinks and purples. But once in awhile I run into a green that I cherish and have loads of fun wearing. This shade and formula was very easy to apply. I used only 2 coats for these swatches. This is my third favorite out of the collection.

Electric Pineapple - a truly electric polish! This a yellow-leaning green creme polish that would look absolutely hot for a pedicure! Application of this creme lime green is not easy and carefree. It's a little tricky to apply (I used 3 coats here) like many cremes are, but the end result is so nice that you might forgive and forget that application is not a breeze. Remember Flip Flop Fantasy from last year? Not too easy to apply but so much fun to wear that all the trouble in applying it made it all worthwhile. Electric Pineapple falls in that category. This is definetly a nail polish that I will be sporting on my toes this Summer.

Papaya Punch - This creamy, lively shade of orange reminded me of Polo shirts that men wear on a golf course! It also made me hungry for some reason!

Papaya Punch, like Electric Pineapple, would also look very nice for a pedicure. I don't think I can wear this shade of orange well on my fingertips, but I will wear it on my toesies this Summer for sure. Application wasn't effortless with this polish. It is a creme, and like most cremes you have to work a little harder with the formula. I used 3 coats here and still had a little trouble making it look nice and smooth. The best way to apply these creme polishes is to allow each coat to dry in between layers. This orange stained my nails a little, but once again, I didn't use a basecoat for these swatches.

I saved the best for last!!!! Senorita Bonita - This is my FAVORITE of the six shades! I love, love, LOVE this purple with PINK shimmer! Out of all the six polishes in this collection Senorita Bonita will be the one I will do a full manicure with before all the others. I drooled over this one without shame :)

I messed up my swatch of it a little bit, but it's all good because I will post pictures of my full manicure with this lady at my fingertips :) Application was flawless and I used only 2 coats for these swatches.

As usual, China Glaze does it again! It is no wonder this is my most favorite brand of nail polishes. Year after year China Glaze always comes up with new shades and formulas that keep us nail-polish-loving ladies from boredom, helping us manicure our fingertips one fabulous color at a time.

Not only that, but China Glaze is also very affordable and easy to find online and offline. You don't have to break your pocket to buy a bottle of China Glaze and you don't have to go to a salon in order to sport one of their exciting new colors. China Glaze is for any and every woman :)

Which ones are your favorites? which ones do you think you will buy? Which ones do you think would look better on your fingers? and on your toes?

~~~~~//~~~~~

The China Glaze Island Escape collection will be available as open stock colors, 6 piece box collection, 6 piece counter display, 12 piece counter display and 36 piece rack.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.
China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and as always, THANK YOU for coming by PMH!!! Don't forget to subscribe and stay in touch for upcoming giveaways :)

Much Love to all of you,

Kat :)

(These nail polishes samples were sent to me for review by American International Industries)

私はあなた日本を愛します I Love You Japan

2011-03-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

It has been several days since I have posted anything on my blog. There is a reason for that. The devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan just broke my heart and I couldn't sit here, happily writting about nail polish when all I could think about was how devastated the Japanese people must be. To not post anything about manicures or nail polish at this time is sort of my "moment of silence" for Japan.
When things like that that happen I think of how lucky and blessed we are even if life isn't perfect on my end. It is so easy to take life for granted isn't it? Sometimes I complain about rent, of how high it is, never really being grateful that at least I have a roof over my head. Sometimes I complain about my food, of how I wish I could buy better quality food items, not really being thankful that at least I have food to eat. Sometimes I complain about my clothes, of how old and outdated they are, not really being grateful that I at least have clothes and shoes to wear. Sometimes I complain about my family, of how much some of my relatives get on my nerves, not really thinking of how much I would miss them if they were gone.
Thousands upon thousands of Japanese people have lost everything, and nearly everyone they love. I can't even begin to imagine how tragic something like that could be to me as a person, or to us as a country.
Yes I know, we can't fix all the broken hearts and all the sadness that is going around the world and life goes on. I guess all I want to say is that my thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people. I love you Japan and I pray that God will comfort your souls and give you strenght to move on. May He help you along the way. May He bring you a moment of laughter when all you want to do is to cry. May He send his angels to bring you a helping hand and a warm heart. May He hold you in His loving arms and whisper winds of hope in your breath. I love you Japan. My heart is aching for you, that is all I wanted to say.

日本に神の祝福を (God Bless Japan)
Donate - MercyCorps
Donate - Unicef
Donate - Red Cross