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Daily Archives: 08/16/2013

Milani’s “Gems” vs. Deborah Lippmann’s “Happy Birthday”

16 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art, Reviews

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Deborah Lippmann, Milani

I have two lists: the must-haves and the lust-haves. One of the top lust-haves on said list is the Deborah Lippmann polish “Happy Birthday”. I can never justify buying $19 nail polish when I can buy Milani “Gems” for $6.

Well, as luck would have it, Sephora has a great nail polish sale on all their Sephora by OPI collection. 3 polishes for $10! On top of that, one of the 100 point rewards for Beauty Insiders is a sample size of “Happy Birthday”! I have no choice but to buy new polishes and “cash in” my rewards points. 😉

Below I compare the two polishes. Is it worth buying the full size version of “Happy Birthday”? We will see.

Milani’s “Gems”

Two coats of Milani’s “Gems” over Essie’s “Blanc” and Wet n Wild’s “Black Crème”. There are more large hex glitters than the smaller counterparts. They are mostly gold or silver with a few colored ones mixed in. The small glitters are blue, pink and purple and very sparse.

Deborah Lippmann’s “Happy Birthday”

Two coats over the same. There are fewer large hex glitters, in more colors, than the small hex glitters, also in more colors.

“Gems” on index and ring finger; “Happy Birthday” on third and pinky finger

There is very little difference when seen side by side.

There is a difference in formula though. The Milani formula feels thicker because of the amount of large glitter but it is still easy to mix in the bottle and does not clump. The Deborah Lippmann formula is thinner and easier to apply but on the flip side I do have to manipulate the brush to get more pieces.

Overall, I enjoy the Deborah Lippmann polish more because there is more color to it and the formula is better, but I have not decided yet whether I’ will purchase the full size since Milani is a great dupe for it.

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All in my Mind?

16 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by MonicawithRA in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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flare, pain, rheumatoid arthritis

My doctor tells me that I have a very interesting case of RA. Even during a flare, I do not show outward inflammation. We have talked about taking a MRI to measure the amount of inflammation but neither of us feel strongly about it.

I was never a hypochondriac. Part of me thought that because I was small, people would assume I could not take the same amount of pain or stress as someone larger than me. Because of that whenever I hurt myself I would not make a big deal of it. I would not take pain medication. I would power through. So when I started feeling RA symptoms I knew something else was going on. I sustained a wrist injury for many months before I was diagnosed, but my orthopedist knew that the emerging symptoms were not based on the injury alone.

Now, two years after the initial diagnosis, I can feel the slightest difference in my joints. Everything from my ankle does not roll as easily or I bend at the hips more frequently than at the knees.

This makes me uneasy. I know the difference between being out of shape or tired and a flare. Lately, though, everything feels like it causes a flare: climbing, going for a walk, cooking the dog food. I wonder if I am planting a seed of insecurity in my mind that tells me that I no matter what I do, I will flare. I hope not.

Whenever I flare up, I think:

Why do I think I am experiencing a flare?

Is it just based on pain?

Is it based on mobility?

I am basing this current flare on lethargy. I can tell this is a flare because I am uncharacteristically tired. All. The. Time. I nap twice a day and still sleep at night. I can not wake up in the morning which usually comes easily to me. It takes more energy to stir the dog food and carry the dog bowls. I feel strain climbing the stairs or bending down to pick up the pets. My fingers and elbows cramp up more quickly and my shoulders are more painful than usual. A morning does not go by that I am not dropping something. Two days ago, I nearly shattered the dog bowl and a handful of drinking glasses.

More often than not I feel like a hypochondriac but I have to remember that I can gauge a flare in concrete terms that hopefully put those insecure thoughts at bay.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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