Halloween 2015 | Black & Orange Dry Brush Nail Art

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RA-friendly nail art.

I am not keen on Halloween but I think I will a do a few spirited looks without going scary. The first is a simple, fast dry brush. I sometimes use a fan brush instead of the nail polish brush when I want a more precise, detailed look. I can add more colors and they look better on my shorter nails. I use polish directly from my work space without thinning it down with acetone.

This is a very simple technique that dries quickly and is easy on the wrists. I work the fan brush gently across the nail, both horizontally and vertically, until I am happy with the final look.

The bottle gets the sunlight in the photo but the nails are all color accurate! I hope you like it!

 

Halloween Dry Brush Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBaseColor Club Wham! Pow!

DetailsWet n Wild Black CremeUrban Outfitters WestsideBanana Hammock

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Blue Rhythm de Chanel Vibrato and Fortissimo | Les Vernis Review

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Purchased.

I first saw an advertisement for this collection in June. I couldn’t find it anywhere and thought it had already launched. I was devastated. Chanel made unique, beautiful nail polishes but there was something extraordinary about their blues. Remember Les Jeans collection from 2011? In August, I noticed a resurgence of Blue Rhythm reviews and my excitement boiled over. I hadn’t missed these two beauties after all!

I wanted to be financially conscious and only purchase Fortissimo but when I saw Vibrato in person I had to have it as well. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the swatches!

 

Chanel Les Vernis - Fortissimo and Vibrato | The Rite of Aging

(Chanel Les Vernis @ Macy’s)

 

2 coats, top coat

Chanel Les Vernis Swatch - Vibrato | The Rite of AgingVibrato is an extremely vibrant cobalt blue. I was skeptical that the photos were highly saturated but no, Vibrato is that just that intense. The formula is good. It is thin but not streaky. It applies easily without pulling and levels well. The polish dries quickly which can sometimes an issue with Chanel polishes.

 

2 coats, top coat

Chanel Les Vernis Swatch - Fortissimo | The Rite of AgingFortissimo is a bright navy with cobalt shimmer running through it. The gorgeous shimmer is prominent both in the bottle and on the nail. This dimension elevates the color from a traditional deep navy to a dynamic midnight blue.

Funny story: I wore this to class and all my students, even the little boys, complimented me on my nails because they were painted their favorite color!

On first application, Fortissimo‘s formula is sheer and streaky and quickly pools into the cuticles. The second coat evens out the color nicely making it an easy two-coater polish. It dries quickly and levels nicely.

I love both polishes and cannot recommend one over the other. They are both extremely unique and gorgeous. If you are like me and love collecting limited edition, one-of-a-kind shades I wouldn’t wait to purchase these. Nordstrom online is already sold out (a sales rep, at the counter, tried purchasing them online and the order was cancelled a couple of days later) but the Macy’s website still has them in stock.

 

Do you own one or both of these nail colors? What do you think? Love them or leave them?

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

#31DC2015 – Roundup Post

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Well, I feel like I should be really proud of myself because I got through the entire challenge but this month flew by and I never once felt rushed! For the most part I had really great looks! Of course, there were times I wanted to re-do some but I certainly didn’t have the time for that during the 31 Day Challenge! I finally embraced my autoimmune and focused on RA-friendly techniques which are pretty quick!

If you want to see all my looks click on the 31-Day Challenge tab at the top of the page but I compiled my favorites from this month below!

 

31dc2015 - faves

YellowBlue | PurplePolka DotsGlitterInspired by a ColorInspired by a SongInspired by a PatternInspired by the Supernatural

I am going to go out on a limb here and say my favorite techniques were sugar-spin and dots? Is that too much of a stretch? Heh!

I am going to spend the weekend catching up on Inlinkz and Instagram. I realized I missed a whole of posts as I looked through other roundup posts!

 

See you next week!

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#31DC2015 – Honor Nails You Love: Watermarble Decals

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This month went by surprisingly fast. I never felt rushed or uninspired like in previous years. I focused on fast, easy RA-friendly techniques. Watermarble decals fall into this category! I’ve been meaning to try these ever since I saw Sveta Sanders’ gorgeous accent nails.

She created a bullseye in the water, let the polish dry and applied it to the nail like regular decals.

 

I am really happy with how these came out. I unfortunately nicked my ring finger while applying the decal to the middle finger but other than that little snag (heh) these were simple to make and apply!

 

#31DC2015 - Watermarble Decals Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBaseOPI Lincoln Park after Dark

MarbleSephora by OPI Cover Me in PetalsOPI Lincoln Park after Dark

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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#31DC2015 – Inspired by a Splatter Tutorial

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For today’s prompt I used a video tutorial from Ohmygoshpolish! She did a cute splatter manicure for the fashion prompt a few days ago and I wanted to re-create it today! In the spirit of following the tutorial I used straws but I think I definitely prefer a brush.

 

#31DC2015 - Green Splatter Recreation | The Rite of AgingBasesSephora by OPI I Come in PeasMetro Chic

SplatterSephora by OPI It’s Totally Karma

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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#31DC2015 – Phoenix Stamp and Sugar-Spin Nail Art

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Today’s prompt is always a difficult one for me. I do not really care for the supernatural or scary things in general so I always hit a creative wall.

I combed through my stamping plates and water decals in hopes of finding inspiration when I happened across a phoenix. They are gorgeous mythical creatures that represent life, death and rebirth. I decided to go with a cool silver scheme instead of the warm flames phoenixes are associated with.

I hope you like it!

 

#31DC2015 - Phoenix Stamp and Sugar-Spin Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBases: Serum No. 5 Sleepy HoloFormula X Nails Platinum Prime

StampingBundle Monster plate BM314

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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Monthly Favorites | September 2015

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Some links may be affiliate ones.

I decided to re-start my monthly favorites posts because even though they do not get a lot of traffic I love making them! I also really enjoy reading and viewing other people’s favorites. They are a great way to keep track of fun trends and products!

SEPTFAVES

The first items are actually all part of a new eye makeup look I have really been enjoying.

 

Chanel Imitation

(Chanel Illusion d’Ombre Long Wearing Luminous Eyeshadow)

I love shimmer so I have no qualms about applying this glittery number all over my eyelids. These eyeshadows do not have a lot of base pigmentation but they build up pretty well. The glitter is prominent but chic. Initiation is the perfect neutral color for me. It is a cool-toned bronze similar to my skin color. The texture is spongy but slippery so I always apply this over primer. As with most glitter it travels during application but once the shadow sets it does not budge. Initiation was discontinued but the more gold Mirage is very similar.

 

Milani Cosmetics - Bella Copper Gel Powder Eyeshadow | The Rite of Aging

(Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow)

I apply Bella Copper on the outer half of my lid. This shadow is spongy but dense and extremely pigmented. It is a deep warm gold that looks a little brighter once applied. There is no fall out and wears well without fading. These new “gel” shadows are a definitely step up from the old Milani eyeshadows. Bella Caffe and Bella Espresso are next on my list to purchase.

While the product is fantastic I have a serious issue with the packaging. It feels cheap and flimsy. I don’t know if it is just mine but the plastic lid popped out the first time I opened it. I pushed it back in so the product wouldn’t dry out but it falls out with every use. I know packaging can make or break people’s decisions to buy a product so I just wanted to make a note of it.

 

Clinique 'All About Shadow' Super Shimmer Eyeshadow - Black Honey | The Rite of Aging

(Clinique ‘All About Shadow’ Super Shimmer Eyeshadow)

To finish the look, I apply Black Honey on the outer V of my eye. The good quality of this shadow surprises me as I don’t typically associate Clinique with good cosmetics. I guess there is a reason why the Black Honey line is a cult favorite. The color compliments the skin well, ranging from a deep burgundy to cranberry color. The shadow, itself, is soft and blend-able. While it is not particularly pigmented, over primer the intensity builds up nicely. I noticed it doesn’t crease but it does fade after a few hours, a side effect of low pigmentation! This is not a huge deal for me as I have extremely oily eyelids. I am used to touching up eye makeup frequently during the day.

 

Hourglass - 'Ambient' Lighting Palette | The Rite of Aging

(Hourglass – ‘Ambient’ Lighting Palette)

I gave into the hype! I held out for a good while but in the end, couldn’t help myself to a new highlighter. I considered purchasing the single pan of Radiant Light but it was more expensive for not that much more product. I could not see myself hitting pan on either in my own lifetime and figured the palette was a better bang for my buck.

Even on my no-makeup days I find myself dusting all three shades over my face. Dim Light provides a matte brightening and blurring effect for my entire skin, Incandescent Light highlights my brow bone and inner corner of the eyes while Radiant Light lends a glow to the top of my nose, cheekbones and forehead. There is a slight shimmer in the second two powders but it is barely visible on the skin. These powders provide a subtle radiance to the entire face for healthy-looking skin but do not build up to a high intensity highlight.

 

Have you tried any of these products? Do you like them? Let me know in the comments!

And, if you purchase online and haven’t already, sign up with Ebates! Many sites like Nordstrom, Sephora and Macy’s have great cashback options! (I am not affiliated with Ebates but have a referral code that everyone who has an account gets).

Ebates

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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