Sugar Coat Swatch & Review

Today I will be reviewing a new textured polish trend, Sugar coat. The polish I picked up is by Sally Hansen, and it was really hard to find! I checked three different stores before I found it at my local Walgreens. And even then there were only two left! I was tempted to buy both, but since they were the same shade, I figured I would leave one for another polish addict to find.

Sally Hansen Sugar Coat in Sweetie - $7

I purchased the shade sweetie, mostly because it was the only shade left and I was dying to try this texture, and also because I think the light pastel yellow is cute. It's a very sunny yellow, that doesn't have that unappealing mustard tone to it. It is a creme formula, and misleadingly thin.

In this picture you can see the "sugar" granules easily. I like the look of the bottle, the white decal is actually textured as well.
The brush is a bit squared off, but it didn't really effect application. My only grievance with the brush is that one of the bristles was bent at an angle, you can see it in the picture, so that was annoying. luckily, when the brush is coated in polish it aligns with the other bristles. Though when I'm applying the polish, I see the little thing slowly creeping out, creating lines in my fresh coat of polish!

Under a lamp.

The bottle states to shake gently, then apply two thin coats. I hate shaking polish, it creates bubbles. So I gently rolled the bottle between my palms.
Because the polish is such a pastel shade of yellow, I was worried about coverage, so I applied a base coat of white to help cover, and to make the yellow a bit more vibrant.
The funny thing about this polish is that it applies very glossy and the granules are not very visible, but once it dries for a second it becomes matte and very textured. The formula covers really well, the only problem I had was that the granules can clump, which then leads to bald spots, so I needed to apply three coats to get the coverage I was looking for.
I ended up skipping my top coat, I was afraid it would smooth out the texture too much. I'm glad I did, I love the look the polish created, and I love how gritty it looks and feels.
Another create thing about this polish is that it is so easy to fix chips! Because the texture is so bumpy, when I dab new polish into the chip, it blends in perfectly without getting that obvious line of demarcation.

With flash.

In sunlight.

I love this polish! It's very unique, and fun to look at. Though I prefer to spend a bit less, I'm working now so my budget isn't as strict as it once was. Also, this polish is totally worth the price. I love the look of it, and I've even been complimented on it. Everyone who notices it wants to feel the texture, and wants to know where I got it.
Sally Hansen has come out with a special edition collection of the Sugar coat line recently, and I have my eye on one called Red Velvet which is a gorgeous red shade. I also want it because I'm obsessed with all things red velvet cake related -Yum!-, so I am in the process of hunting it down now.
If you find this polish in your local store I would totally recommend buying it! And seeing how hard it was for me to find it myself, if you see it buy it!

Thanks for reading! To read all of my Swatch & Reviews click here.






Have you tried Sugar Coat? What do you think of the textured polish trend? Let me know in the comments!

This or That Tag

For today's post I decided to try my hand at Tags. I love reading them, and it finally dawned on me to do one myself. So I did some research and for my very first tag I will be doing the This or That tag, yay! My questions are from Youtube, by a user named R C L Beauty 101. Her tag was super cute, and all the questions are beauty related! If you want to see her tag answers you should visit her Youtube channel, it's really nice, with awesome DIY makeup tutorials.
I even made a little banner for this tag, in case you didn't notice. I think it came out pretty cute, if I do say so myself, I made it with Instaframe, and the vine image is from a background app on my phone.

Anyway! Time to answer some questions. My hope by doing this is to let you know a bit more about me, while also jumping on the Tag band wagon. Let's begin!

These questions are about makeup:
Blush or Bronzer?
I would say blush. I am Casper the Ghost pale, so while bronzer gives me a bit of color, I find blush works better with my pale skin, and gives me a Snow white feel... I love Disney, OK!
Lip-gloss or Lipstick?
Oh god, definitely lip-gloss. Every year I tell myself I am going to start rocking the bold red lip, and look all "artsy" and "effortlessly awesome", then I get lazy and return to my trusted rose pink gloss or balm. Maybe next year... I've also had an affinity for Lip-gloss since I was first allowed to use makeup. You don't want to know the insane amount of gloss I had, though I'm much better now, I think I own like, three... or four... or five...
Eye liner or Mascara
During my dark gothic teenage years - Don't ask.-, I  would have said eye liner without a doubt. But now that I'm older and wiser, I have to go with mascara. On my lazy days, a coat of mascara and some nice filled groomed brows, and I'm chic, put together, and ready for the day.
Foundation or Concealer?
I have to choose?! No! Since I suffer from annoying permanent under eye circles -Thanks genetics!-, I have to go with concealer. Without it I look like a zombie - To me anyway.-. "THEY'RE COMING TO GET YOU BARBRA!"
Neutral or Color eye shadow?
Now, as boring as this sounds, I have to go with neutral. I know! But I love neutral tones. You can do a nice smokey eye and not look like a loon, and neutrals are always work appropriate, unlike hot pink, or glitter... Sorry.
Pressed or Loose eye shadows?
Hmm... I don't really have a preference. But based on my eye shadow collection thus far, I seem to be drawn towards pressed more than loose eye shadow. I think I have one loose shadow, and it's never really been used.
Brushes or Sponges?
BRUSHES!! I hate sponges. The beauty blender doesn't count, I like that. But all other sponges must go away. I hate when I get a beautiful new palette, or foundation, and open it to discover a sponge applicator. Instant toss. It's like giving me trash, because that's where it's going. Rant over.

Next up, nail questions, my favorite!:
O.P.I or China glaze?
Honestly, neither one are in my top ten, polish wise. But since I have to choose, I choose O.P.I. While I only own one O.P.I, and numerous China glaze, the china glaze polishes were all gifts, and the O.P.I I bought myself. Also, I hate the chemical scent of China Glaze, and I think some of their decisions, shade wise, are poor...
Long or Short?
Depends. If you can't type on a keyboard without sounding like your using a Telegraph, then your nails are too long. I tend to let my nails grow a bit, since longer nails means more surface area for my nail designs, I still think shorter nails are great when I want to wear brighter polish, like red, without looking tacky.
Acrylic or Natural?
Natural! I hate acrylics. I tried wearing them once, second day in and I was trying to tear them off. Plus the bacteria in some nail salons really freaks me out. I'll pass on the nail fungus, thanks. The last time I went to a salon for a manicure the guy cut a bit of skin off! leaving me bleeding. Never again. I kept cleaning the cut, thinking I was going to die, or something. I'm so dramatic!
Brights or Darks?
I have 115 polishes. Asking me this is physically painful. Both have their pros and cons! So I will just pick whats on my nails right now, which is a mint color... And black stripes... Damn it! OK, I'll go with darks, because they look very chic and sophisticated.
Flower or No flower?
Flower! Hello?! If I can put a flower into a design, a flower is going into that design!

The next questions are body related:
Perfume or Body splash?
I own perfume, but I usually save it for the "special occasion" that never comes. I prefer body "splash", though I call it body spray. I like that it is not as strong, and I can use more, without worry of going crazy and making people's eyes water.
Lotion or Body butter?
I have never used body butter, sounds oddly delicious. I stick to lotion. Mostly strong, enriched, boring lotion, because I have very dry alligator skin on my elbows and knees. So no fancy, pretty smelling lotion for this girl.
Body wash or Soap?
People still use soap? No, I love body wash. The one I use currently has coconut in it, it smells so good!
Lush or Other bath company?
I've never used Lush, but have read many a beauty blogger reviews on their products. Maybe I'll give them a try one day. For now, I really have no company I choose over another. Maybe Dove sometimes, but no company really sticks out at me.

Now it's time for fashion questions!:
Jeans or Sweat pants?
Jeans. Or a third option, leggings! With a long shirt of course, they're not pants! But they feel like pajamas. Or a fourth option, Pikachu onesie... Not that I ordered one from China, and am waiting for it to arrive or anything...
Long sleeve or Short?
Well, if it's 90 degrees I'm choosing short. If it's 20 degrees I'm going with long. I can't really pick one or the other. Who's wearing short sleeves in 20 degree weather?!
Dresses or Skirts?
Ooooh, tough one. I'll go with skirts. It was the first one to pop into my head, and skirts are more versatile. 
Stripes or Plaid?
Stripes can be very unflattering depending on the direction. And I'm enjoying the revived 90's girly grunge trend, so I choose plaid.
Flip flops or Sandals?
I HATE flip flops. Sorry mom if your reading this - She loves them.-, but I do. And they hurt my feet. Sandals look much more put together, and I love the gladiator trend.
Scarves or Hats?
Scarves. No question. I own too many already, and now that I work in a clothing store, I will be purchasing even more this fall, with my new discount!
Studs or Dangly earrings?
While I own some cute studs - I have ones that are little bees. Too cute.-, I usually wear my hair down, since it's in a bob shape at the moment, so dangly earrings are much more visible. Plus, they make any outfit feel much more fancy.
Necklaces or Bracelets?
I keep buying bracelets, telling myself I'll start wearing them, and I never do. They annoy me easily, especially bangles. I prefer necklaces. And I'm usually drawn to long pendant style ones, with weird, quirky animals and things. I have a large owl, koi fish, sail boat, and flowers.
Heels or Flats?
While I am quite vertically challenged, I like flats. I am also quite klutzy, and heels just mean a longer fall to the ground when I trip on nothing.
Cowboy boots or Riding boots?
I'm not really a country girl, and I LOVE riding boots, so this one is easy. Riding boots! I don't own a pair, yet, but give me time.
Jacket or Hoodie?
Jacket. I own acouple cute hoodies, but usually I just feel kind of slobby in them.
Forever 21 or Charlotte russe?
Having never shopped at Charlotte Russe, Forever 21 wins by default. Though I do love forever 21, they have great cheap jewelry, and a cute selection of clothes. I did receive a shirt from their web store with slash marks in it like it was in a fight with a tiger, but other than that, I like the store.
Abercrombie or Hollister?
Never shopped at either, and have no interest too, so I have no opinion. I'll pick Hollister because it's fun to say.
Saks 5th or Nordstrom.
Same as above. I'll pick Saks, because if I did shop there, I would feel very fancy. The name just sounds fancy to me...

Next up is hair questions!:
Curly or Straight?
On other people, curly, it looks so cute! On me, sadly, straight. My hair is naturally wavy, slightly curly, and mostly insane. So when I leave it alone to air dry, I may get some curl, but it's mostly on one side of my head, while the other side looks like I fell out of a tornado.
Bun or Ponytail?
I love the look of a slightly messy bun. But I am sick of the top knot, is that look over yet?
Bobby pins or Butterfly clips?
Neither. But if I have to choose, then bobby pins.
Hair spray or Gel?
Spray, definitely. I think hair gel feels gross.
Long or Short?
This is something I've asked myself on too many occasions. I was short, super short, and now I'm in that fun, aka evil, process of growing my hair long. My choice is long, but that will change probably.
Light or Dark?
Same as above, I can never decide. Right now I'm in a natural phase, and my hair is naturally a dark brown, so I pick dark.
side swept bangs or Full bangs?
Right now, I'm rocking the side bangs, so I pick side swept bangs.
Up or Down?
I am way to lazy to give myself an up-do. I pick down, just for sheer practicality.

Final group of questions! -Sorry if this was a bit long, I didn't realize the amount of questions.-
These questions are random:
Rain or Shine?
Not to sound like a Debbie downer, but I love when it rains. It's just so peaceful, and it gives me an excuse when I feel like sitting all day and reading, or watching a Lord of the Rings marathon.
Summer or Winter?
I love winter. I love the cold, and especially the snow. Lots and lots of snow. Except when I have to walk to work, then it's not so nice. But I'll just block that out and look at the pretty snow.
Fall or Spring?
Fall. Because spring just reminds me that the dreaded summer heat is right around the corner. Yuck.
Chocolate or Vanilla?
I only have two vices, Caffeine, and chocolate... And pizza... OK, three vices. But chocolate is the biggest one.
East coast or West coast?
This is a question? I don't know, or care. I have no preference. So through a random draw, I choose west coast.

That's it! Thank you for reading my very long This or That tag. I hope you enjoyed it, and learned a bit more about me. If you've done this tag on your blog leave me a link in the comments! I have a serious addiction to tags right now. I think I might do the autumn tag next, I forgot the questions, so if you've done it and want to tag me, let me know in the comments, or on twitter. My links on the side.

Wizard of Oz Nail Art

I'm pretty pleased with how these turned out. I know Dorothy doesn't look at all like Judy Garland, I'm still working on faces. I guess she's a representative Dorothy. I really love how the Tin Man turned out though.

Nail lacquer competition prize: a very girly mani!

My prize arrived very quickly with a cute little note, along with two additional nail art bows, which was a lovely surprise. I absolutely love the charms that Nail Lacquer attaches to her bottles, it really makes them stand out against other indie polish brands! With these pretty, girly treats, it made sense to create a VERY pretty, girly manicure...