For Your Zombie Survival Pack...

I know these are old news, but I just got my hands on one. I was looking for a black cream shadow for going out looks, so I wanted to finally try one of Maybelline's Color Tattoo shadows.

I am not a huge fan of Maybelline, but I still had a hard time finding a good black cream anywhere else. (NYX was out at the moment of their black jumbo pencil) so into my hands this fell.

This is just over $6 for a pretty large pot of glittery black/grey cream shadow. I love the name -- Audacious Asphalt. I apologize for my obnoxious Avengers font. I love it, and if this truly does last 24 hours, then Black Widow could rock it right?

Well...sadly this wasn't the DARK black I wanted, but it is still pretty. It sets fast and has a lot of fun glitter. It truly is an 'Asphalt' color. Wow, read the label Margo... obviously.

I tested this baby out. I needed to know if it was super-hero worthy. It fell just short. It started dissapearing on my lids at the 18 hour mark. Sadness :(

Don't get me wrong, that is amazing wear with no primer, but not the 24 hour 'tattoo claim'. Hmm.

Final Thoughts: Nice color, and this could easily go in your end of the world zombie apocalypse bag. It will be going in mind.

Price: 9/10
Staying Power: 9/10 (only because of the 24 hour claim).
Packaging: 9/10
Color/Wearability: 9/10
Quality/Branding: 9/10

Total: 45/50 = A- = Pleased Panda

What would you have in your zombie bag? Any products that a superhero could easily wear? Inquiring minds want to know!

xo PrettyPanda

For Your Zombie Survival Pack...

I know these are old news, but I just got my hands on one. I was looking for a black cream shadow for going out looks, so I wanted to finally try one of Maybelline's Color Tattoo shadows.

I am not a huge fan of Maybelline, but I still had a hard time finding a good black cream anywhere else. (NYX was out at the moment of their black jumbo pencil) so into my hands this fell.

This is just over $6 for a pretty large pot of glittery black/grey cream shadow. I love the name -- Audacious Asphalt. I apologize for my obnoxious Avengers font. I love it, and if this truly does last 24 hours, then Black Widow could rock it right?

Well...sadly this wasn't the DARK black I wanted, but it is still pretty. It sets fast and has a lot of fun glitter. It truly is an 'Asphalt' color. Wow, read the label Margo... obviously.

I tested this baby out. I needed to know if it was super-hero worthy. It fell just short. It started dissapearing on my lids at the 18 hour mark. Sadness :(

Don't get me wrong, that is amazing wear with no primer, but not the 24 hour 'tattoo claim'. Hmm.

Final Thoughts: Nice color, and this could easily go in your end of the world zombie apocalypse bag. It will be going in mind.

Price: 9/10
Staying Power: 9/10 (only because of the 24 hour claim).
Packaging: 9/10
Color/Wearability: 9/10
Quality/Branding: 9/10

Total: 45/50 = A- = Pleased Panda

What would you have in your zombie bag? Any products that a superhero could easily wear? Inquiring minds want to know!

xo PrettyPanda

Lynderella and Nerd Laquer: My Thoughts

There is so much drama going on in the nail polish industry right now. It is so sad, because it is honestly just NAIL POLISH. I mean, I am a nail junkie -- but this drama is getting crazy.

(If this is your image, contact me and I will credit it. I found it on pinterest)

You may have heard of Lynderella polishes. They were the first  indie frankens to hit the market. And soon they were sold out, hard to get, and pretty soon after that people were paying upwards of $25 on Ebay for these polishes. Crazy.

Recently, Lynderella has been really shady. I came out that she had given her brother some of her polishes to sell online for huge amounts of money. She was argumentative to places that carried her polish, and just unprofessional. She also did not have the same quality in her polishes that she used to. The glitter would curl and bleed.

This is just unacceptable. I never got my hands on a Lynderella, but now I never want one.

image source

Nerd Laquer was an Etsy store with small collections sold on other geeky sites. I had been lemming many of Amanda's polishes for a while. Especially 'Shiny' because I am a Firefly geek, and 'Medal for Chewie' for my love of Star Wars. She had unique mixes at reasonable prices.

But she seems to have disappeared. Her Etsy site is closed. Websites have released statements saying they no longer carry her product. She hasn't answered her email in over a month. We all hope she is okay, but since she was not answering email a month ago but closed her Etsy site 2 weeks ago, something seems sketch. A lot of people have lost money from Etsy orders and it is just sad.

Bottom line: I want you to be informed. I also want you to make sure you check out any indie company (polish or otherwise) before buying. And if you own a indie company, take note!

How do you feel about this drama in the nail world? Thoughts?

xo PrettyPanda

Lynderella and Nerd Laquer: My Thoughts

There is so much drama going on in the nail polish industry right now. It is so sad, because it is honestly just NAIL POLISH. I mean, I am a nail junkie -- but this drama is getting crazy.

(If this is your image, contact me and I will credit it. I found it on pinterest)

You may have heard of Lynderella polishes. They were the first  indie frankens to hit the market. And soon they were sold out, hard to get, and pretty soon after that people were paying upwards of $25 on Ebay for these polishes. Crazy.

Recently, Lynderella has been really shady. I came out that she had given her brother some of her polishes to sell online for huge amounts of money. She was argumentative to places that carried her polish, and just unprofessional. She also did not have the same quality in her polishes that she used to. The glitter would curl and bleed.

This is just unacceptable. I never got my hands on a Lynderella, but now I never want one.

image source

Nerd Laquer was an Etsy store with small collections sold on other geeky sites. I had been lemming many of Amanda's polishes for a while. Especially 'Shiny' because I am a Firefly geek, and 'Medal for Chewie' for my love of Star Wars. She had unique mixes at reasonable prices.

But she seems to have disappeared. Her Etsy site is closed. Websites have released statements saying they no longer carry her product. She hasn't answered her email in over a month. We all hope she is okay, but since she was not answering email a month ago but closed her Etsy site 2 weeks ago, something seems sketch. A lot of people have lost money from Etsy orders and it is just sad.

Bottom line: I want you to be informed. I also want you to make sure you check out any indie company (polish or otherwise) before buying. And if you own a indie company, take note!

How do you feel about this drama in the nail world? Thoughts?

xo PrettyPanda

Revlon Rendezvous

I am scared of the color orange. I have recently dipped my toe into the "Pantone Color of the Year Pool" by wearing the color on my nails, but that was as far as I had gone...until now.

Revlon 'Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain' in Rendezvous is a pretty tangerine color. I decided to just take a leap of faith and try it out, because it is the hot summer color and all that jazz.

I was mostly interested in this product because of its resemblance to those cute Clinique chubby sticks that I have been eyeing. This is a cheaper version. It comes in a twist up tube that is sharpened like a fat crayon. Love.

This baby is $7. There are many more colors, and it is a mix between a lipstick and a colored balm. The 'Twilight' font on it is a little gimmicky though.

See swatches after the jump!

Hearts on hearts on hearts. This is sheer-ish but fresh. There is a slight minty smell that reminds me of the Tarte version of these.

YAY! It is flattering. Not too orange, but different and fresh. Summery. Unique. I like.

Me being silly :) But it is a good pic of how the color looks in natural light. This lasts about 2 hours on me, but leaves my lips quenched. Pretty standard for a balm with color. Very comfortable.

Final Thoughts: Check these out! I love this color, and the formula.

Price: 9/10
Staying Power: 9/10
Packaging: 9/10
Color/Wearability: 10/10
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 47/50 = A = Panda Approved!

Have you tried these? Are you loving or leaving the orange 'color of the year' thing?

xo PrettyPanda

Revlon Rendezvous

I am scared of the color orange. I have recently dipped my toe into the "Pantone Color of the Year Pool" by wearing the color on my nails, but that was as far as I had gone...until now.

Revlon 'Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain' in Rendezvous is a pretty tangerine color. I decided to just take a leap of faith and try it out, because it is the hot summer color and all that jazz.

I was mostly interested in this product because of its resemblance to those cute Clinique chubby sticks that I have been eyeing. This is a cheaper version. It comes in a twist up tube that is sharpened like a fat crayon. Love.

This baby is $7. There are many more colors, and it is a mix between a lipstick and a colored balm. The 'Twilight' font on it is a little gimmicky though.

See swatches after the jump!

NYX Aqua Shimmer Eye Pencil

Hey!

Summer is all about ocean tones. I love wearing them on nails and eyes for a pop of color that doesn't look too 80's or over-done if you stick to something darker and not frosty!

NYX eye pencil in 'Aqua Shimmer' fits the bill! It is a medium toned ocean blue with lots of silver sparkle.

You can see all the pretty glitter in the tip of the pencil. For $5, this is something that can be in your make-up wardrobe throughout the year.

The color is nice and opaque with one pass and the glitter gets caught up in the pigment and sandwiched in there to prevent fall out and it turns a pretty light blue shade. Nifty!

NYX products are always reliable, of good quality, and are cheap enough to try out a fun color like this without breaking the bank.

Final Thoughts: Add some splash to your summer make-up routine with this fun pencil!

Price: 10/10
Staying Power: 9/10
Packaging: 8/10
Color/Wearability: 10/10
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 47/50 = A = Pandamonium!

Have another favorite blue eye pencil? Share!

xo PrettyPanda

NYX Aqua Shimmer Eye Pencil

Hey!

Summer is all about ocean tones. I love wearing them on nails and eyes for a pop of color that doesn't look too 80's or over-done if you stick to something darker and not frosty!

NYX eye pencil in 'Aqua Shimmer' fits the bill! It is a medium toned ocean blue with lots of silver sparkle.

You can see all the pretty glitter in the tip of the pencil. For $5, this is something that can be in your make-up wardrobe throughout the year.

The color is nice and opaque with one pass and the glitter gets caught up in the pigment and sandwiched in there to prevent fall out and it turns a pretty light blue shade. Nifty!

NYX products are always reliable, of good quality, and are cheap enough to try out a fun color like this without breaking the bank.

Final Thoughts: Add some splash to your summer make-up routine with this fun pencil!

Price: 10/10
Staying Power: 9/10
Packaging: 8/10
Color/Wearability: 10/10
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 47/50 = A = Pandamonium!

Have another favorite blue eye pencil? Share!

xo PrettyPanda

Cynthia Rowley for Band-Aid

Designer Band-Aid's? Cool, right?

I think so!

For $5, you get 20 of the coolest bandages I have ever seen. They are mini works of art that you can place over your boo-boos. I am in love.

I opened one of them to show you all. This is a pretty black doily pattern and I am just in love with everything about these dumb little band-aids. How can band-aids make me go so crazy? I don't know.

I will probably hoard these forever and never use them. Look at the cute little CR right there! LOOK AT IT! I am in cute heaven.

What do you think of these? Love 'em or Leave 'em? Do we really need designer band-aids?

xo PrettyPanda

Cynthia Rowley for Band-Aid

Designer Band-Aid's? Cool, right?

I think so!

For $5, you get 20 of the coolest bandages I have ever seen. They are mini works of art that you can place over your boo-boos. I am in love.

I opened one of them to show you all. This is a pretty black doily pattern and I am just in love with everything about these dumb little band-aids. How can band-aids make me go so crazy? I don't know.

I will probably hoard these forever and never use them. Look at the cute little CR right there! LOOK AT IT! I am in cute heaven.

What do you think of these? Love 'em or Leave 'em? Do we really need designer band-aids?

xo PrettyPanda

Essie 'First Base'

Base coats are essential to having a perfect looking mani. It is a shame I am just figuring this out. Being a college student on somewhat of a budget (although I buy too often and don't eat instead) I cut corners when it came to base coats. I would use old ones or none at all. So sad.

I perused different brands but decided on Essie's 'First Base' base coat. It is an adhesive base and was about $9.

I really wanted to try a rubber based one. It was between this and Orly's bonder. I have had good experiences with Essie before, so I thought I would give this brand another shot since I have neglected their polish recently.

Overall, I have nothing bad to say about this! It has increased my polish wear time by about 2 days on average and chipping starts much later on in the week, instead of around 3 days -- more like day 5. This helps to prevent yellowing as well and dries in seconds. That was one of my main concerns because I didn't want to wait around while a clear coat dried.

Final Thoughts: Looking for a nice, reliable base coat? Essie sealed the deal for me. A good investment.

Price: 9/10
Staying Power: 10/10
Packaging: 10/10
Color/Wearability: N/A
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 39/40 = A+ = Pandamonium!

Have you tried this? Have any other ones you like? Let me know!

xo PrettyPanda

Essie 'First Base'

Base coats are essential to having a perfect looking mani. It is a shame I am just figuring this out. Being a college student on somewhat of a budget (although I buy too often and don't eat instead) I cut corners when it came to base coats. I would use old ones or none at all. So sad.

I perused different brands but decided on Essie's 'First Base' base coat. It is an adhesive base and was about $9.

I really wanted to try a rubber based one. It was between this and Orly's bonder. I have had good experiences with Essie before, so I thought I would give this brand another shot since I have neglected their polish recently.

Overall, I have nothing bad to say about this! It has increased my polish wear time by about 2 days on average and chipping starts much later on in the week, instead of around 3 days -- more like day 5. This helps to prevent yellowing as well and dries in seconds. That was one of my main concerns because I didn't want to wait around while a clear coat dried.

Final Thoughts: Looking for a nice, reliable base coat? Essie sealed the deal for me. A good investment.

Price: 9/10
Staying Power: 10/10
Packaging: 10/10
Color/Wearability: N/A
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 39/40 = A+ = Pandamonium!

Have you tried this? Have any other ones you like? Let me know!

xo PrettyPanda

Julep Maven Intro Box: Thoughts and Review

Hey :)

I just signed up for the Julep Maven program and got my intro box in 'It Girl' for one penny. I've been curious about Julep polishes for a while, since people rave about them. I have to report that I have mixed feelings.

This is what I received in my intro box. For one penny (seriously, that isn't a gimmick. I paid $.01, no shipping and handling with code COLOR12).

Toe seperators, Julep Lily, Julep Sasha, and Julep Daisy.

Let's take a look at Lily first. This is a fushia polish. Here it is two coats of a base coat, with Seche Vite as a topper. You really need a glossy top coat, because even though these are creams, they dry weirdly matte. I dislike that.

This is a very pretty summery color. It retails for $14. All Julep polishes are 3 free and not tested on animals. They barely have any noxious polish scent either.

Keep reading to see my thoughts on the other two!

I am going to give you the bad news before the good news. Sasha was a complete bust. The polish was goopy and gross and thick and for $14 (okay okay, one cent) it shouldn't be that way. This is high end polish! I will probably contact Julep to tell them. I think this was *hopefully* a bad batch.

It literally pains me to show you this. This is how it applied on my toes. I couldn't even get full coverage. it clumped and smeared and it is just gross. I am sorry for disturbing you, but you needed to be warned.

So I promptly removed that hot mess and painted my toes with Daisy. MUCH better. Pretty creamy yellow. This is one coat. I could probably do two, but after the Sasha debacle, I had no more patience. Sorry for showing you my freakishly long toes.

Final Thoughts: I am a little concerned. I hope Sasha was a fluke. I will probably only try one more box though.

Price: 8/10 (yay for the one cent box, neigh for $14 a pop polish)
Staying Power: 8/10
Packaging: 10/10
Color/Wearability: 9/10
Quality/Branding: 7/10 (There should be better quality control here).

Total: 42 = B = Pleased Panda

What do you think? Tried Julep? Had an issue with 'Sasha'? Have any reccomendations on other uses for rather useless polish? Tell me in the comments!

xo PrettyPanda

Julep Maven Intro Box: Thoughts and Review

Hey :)

I just signed up for the Julep Maven program and got my intro box in 'It Girl' for one penny. I've been curious about Julep polishes for a while, since people rave about them. I have to report that I have mixed feelings.

This is what I received in my intro box. For one penny (seriously, that isn't a gimmick. I paid $.01, no shipping and handling with code COLOR12).

Toe seperators, Julep Lily, Julep Sasha, and Julep Daisy.

Let's take a look at Lily first. This is a fushia polish. Here it is two coats of a base coat, with Seche Vite as a topper. You really need a glossy top coat, because even though these are creams, they dry weirdly matte. I dislike that.

This is a very pretty summery color. It retails for $14. All Julep polishes are 3 free and not tested on animals. They barely have any noxious polish scent either.

Keep reading to see my thoughts on the other two!