• About Me
  • Supply Sites for Arthritis Friendly Nail Art
    • Disclosure Policy
  • The 31 Day Nail Art Challenge
  • Dumb Sh*t People Say: RA Edition

the Rite of Aging…early

~ Navigating Rheumatoid Arthritis through Beauty and Nail Art

the Rite of Aging…early

Tag Archives: Chanel

Nail-Art-A-Go-Go Day 2: Jewel Tones/FingerFood’s Theme Weeks: Birthday

02 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Chanel, Essie, freehand, Nail Art, Nail Art A Go Go, Zoya

I decided to kill two birds with one stone this weekend.

Yesterday was my birthday and the February birthstone is amethyst! Amethyst so happens to be my favorite jewel tone anyways so why not create a manicure that serves two purposes??

℅ http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Geode

I took inspiration from my favorite childhood pastime: breaking open GEODES! Seriously, I loved hammering away at those things…I was weird little kid.

 

Image

I used 2 coats of Zoya Payton as my base.

I then sponged and “water-colored” with Essie No Place Like Chrome, Chanel Gondola, Zoya Payton and Yara.

 

Generally, the insides of geodes are very muted and not all that shiny so I finished with 1 coat Essie Matte about You. Enjoy!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like it? Please Share!

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...

The Seven Deadly Sins of Make-Up Tag!

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by MonicawithRA in Just for Fun, Reviews, Skincare

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chanel, La Mer, review, seven deadly sins of makeup tag, skincare

The lovely Ginger from ginger loves make-up tagged me for this super-fun post! I love reading these tags but rarely answer them myself…but the 7 deadly sins? How could I pass on that??

Now on to the fun!

 

GREED: What’s your most expensive beauty item?

℅ cremedelamer.com
(I could not get a good photo on my own for the life of me!)

Creme de La Mer The Eye Concentrate…I adore this cream! It’s goes on smooth and absorbs quickly. Every time I shell out the $185 (…I cringe and I do cringe every time) I feel a little guilty. Of course, I can use a different, less expensive eye cream, heck, I do not really need one! But, I want to keep my eyes young and I hope this product will do just that.

Better yet, the 0.5-ounce jar lasts me almost a year!

Regardless of the price, I enjoy this product. Maybe it is the price, maybe it is the celebrity cult following, maybe it is the metal applicator but even after two years, I still look forward to applying the cream. I take my time rolling the cream under my eyes, around the orbital bone, under the eyebrow and next to the bridge of the nose.

It is my little ritual! Don’t we all deserve a little greed in our lives?

 

WRATH: What item do you have a strong love/hate relationship with?

DSCF6627_fotor_fotor

Eyeshadow. Eye FREAKING Shadow.

I love eyeshadow. I love every formula! I wear it every day. My favorites are neutral and shimmery. They brighten and awaken my eyes! My Urban Decay Naked I palette delivers all those things. I rarely stray from it. The colors highlight my skin tone, apply like butter, and blend beautifully. I cannot ask for more!

But…

Over the last year, my eyelids and eyelashes became very oily! How annoying! Even when I go through all the motions (oil blotting papers,  primer, setting powder) I barely get two good hours of wear before shadows crease or fall below the eye.

Thankfully, I do not mind washing my face and re-applying make-up!

 

GLUTTONY: What brand takes up most of your collection?

DSCF6516_fotorChanel. I love Chanel. I always loved Chanel. My mother’s perfume was Chanel No 5. I also wear it but only for interviews. (Not sure why I have such a specific association).

My first Chanel purchase was Le Vernis in Black Pearl. That was the beginning of my nail painting, nail art addiction. I loved that nail polish. And of course, my Chanel addiction snowballed out of control.

Linda-Evangelista2

Now on to my story!

Back in Fall 2012 I saw one and only one ad for the Limited Edition clear base tortoiseshell Chanel sunglasses. I was in the market for sun specs and these were the only ones that caught my eye. I did not delve farther, after all, they were limited edition Chanel! I never found another pair I wanted more.

So, in February 2013 I started searching…

I know I had no hope of finding limited edition Spring 2012 Chanel sunglasses in the Winter of 2013. But I had to try.

I called my local Chanel boutique and asked if they had any in stock. They only had the brown tortoiseshell version. The associate went above and beyond and searched in the database to see if there were any in stock, anywhere. Success! One pair was available in HAWAII and they could ship them to my neck of the woods! I said I would call back when I made up my mind…well…

The following day my dogs got into a horrendous fight and I nearly lost Affie. My father and I pooled our resources to pay for her surgeries and recovery. Affie is my dog and I felt guilty about my father paying for the entire ordeal so I helped out as much as I could. No Chanel for me!

6 weeks later, I still lusted after them. No other pair held a torch to those precious designer glasses. I tried one last time. I called the boutique. The glasses were no longer in stock. Since they were limited edition they would be extremely difficult to track down. The associate offered to do a little digging and see if he might find a pair in the system somewhere. My heart sunk. Maybe it was for the best. I spent most of my week in scrubs and I rarely went out, what would I do with a pair of fabulous sunglasses?

I searched online but nobody was selling the clear based ones I so badly wanted.

A few hours later, I received a call from the same sales associate. He told me the database showed one final pair in stock, but he could not find them anywhere! He checked the computers, he called the store which had them last, nothing! He took a last stab and checked his store’s inventory. Guess what???? The sunglasses were there!!!

Oh. My. God.

I immediately put them on hold and went the following day to pick them up.

These sunglasses have and always will have a special place in my heart. The fact I managed to find them nearly a year after they first came out, then had to give them up, and found them again at my nearest boutique??…just wow. Everything aligned for me!

Chanel-5220-13133P-Cloth-Transparent_Violet-Gradient-35

 

 

SLOTH: What product do you ignore the most due to laziness?

Foundation and the blending that goes along with it. If I do not have to wear a base, I won’t. If I have pigmentation I “spot” conceal. However, I am super lazy about blending it properly. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is my Holy Grail foundation because after it oxidizes it matches my skin tone perfectly…eliminating the need for blending. Oh Chanel, how you enable me!

 

PRIDE: Which product gives you the most confidence?

DSCF6644_fotor_fotor

There is a very specific product: Soleil Tan de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid.

This deep rose gold highlighter came out as part of the Summer 2013 collection. I had not yet found a highlighter I was fond of so I decided to give this a try.

Most days this is the only form of make up I wear. (I am so lazy about make-up it’s just sad! I actually high five myself in the mirror on the days I wake up and say “Damn I look good! No make up! Weeee!” – You can judge me if you wish 😉 ) It is completely multi-purpose. I wear it on the bridge of my nose, inner corners of my eyes, under the eyebrows, middle of the eyelid, over my cheekbones, forehead and chin and voila! I look totally put together…No mascara necessary!

Not only do I look put together but I also look healthy. If you have been following my blog for a while, you know skin dullness is my biggest concern. Unfortunately, it is a side-effect of my medical cocktail. It takes the luster out of my skin and more often than not, I look tired or plain sick. I apply this highlighter and I look more healthy!

 

LUST: What item is at the top of your list?

151720_a_LARGE

I have my eye on the 5-eyeshadow palette Ombres Matelassees de Chanel! I have the Urban Decay Naked I palette and keeping reminding myself they are extremely similar. I want to be good but I still lust after this product!

 

ENVY: Which makeup product/look looks great on others but not on you?

Lipstick. The darkest I can go is a sheer coral or peach in lipgloss form. I might be able to get away with a baby pink hybrid lip product. However, whenever I use lipstick I look ridiculous! I have a couple in colors I could not resist but I apply them by dabbing the color on with my fingers to get a sheer stain effect.

 

I tag anyone who would like to take part!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like it? Please Share!

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...

Chanel “Pearl Drop” vs. Revlon Parfumerie “Fresh Linen”

13 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by MonicawithRA in Reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chanel, review, Revlon

Ever since I got the Revlon polish I wanted to do a comparison post. I thought Revlon was a dupe for Chanel but I was wrong! Take a look!

 

All photos: Index & Ring – Chanel Pearl Drop; Middle & Pinky – Revlon Parfumerie Fresh Linen

1 coat over white

This is really interesting. Take a look at the next photos!

Image

3 coats

3 coats

 

Chanel Pearl Drop:

As with most Chanel polishes, it is on the thick side and streaky on it’s own. A sheer coat over another color eliminates the streakiness, though. Over white, it really resembles the look of a white pearl, however, by itself, it is more yellow!

 

Revlon Parfumerie Fresh Linen:

This polish is extremely sheer but not streaky – even after three coats I could still see my nail bed. Over white it appears more yellow.

 

Both polishes look awesome over white with one thin coat. By themselves, they do not look as polished.

Which one do I like better? I hate to say it because I have a unhealthy addiction to Chanel polishes but the Revlon looks better with my skin tone. It is the strangest thing. There is a yellow tone that does not match my skin color and Pearl Drop hits it right on the head.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like it? Please Share!

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...

Nail Art: Diwali!

05 Tuesday Nov 2013

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Born Pretty Store, Chanel, Color Club, Diwali, Orly

Happy Diwali all! In India, Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. It is a time spent with family, lighting fireworks, protecting against the evil spirits, and eating sweets! (Unfortunately, I seem to be the only Indian in the world who did not get the sweet tooth gene – I’d rather go for salt than sugar!)

 

Image

 

I used 2 coats of Chanel Le Vernis “Gondola” as my base.

I sponged Chanel Le Vernis “Peridot”, “Pearl Drop”, and Color Club “Poptastic” to mimic candles. 

I used a water decal from Born Pretty Store for my ring finger.

I used Orly Won’t Chip top coat to sporadically apply flitter flecks in Florentine Gold (gold), Fire Opal (orange), and Brownstone (copper) to mimic fireworks.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like it? Please Share!

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...

My Top 5 Nail Colors for the Summer-Fall Transition 2013

26 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by MonicawithRA in Reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chanel, Cult Nails, Nails Inc, review, Sephora by OPI

Sometimes, I just want a nice, simple color to complete my look. Below (with swatches) are the nail colors I love to cycle through during this crazy Eastern seaboard weather change.

 

Sephora by OPI “Mr. Right Now”

This is a great dark red. The formula is neither thin nor runny, however, when I apply it to the nail it streaks. Luckily, it dries to an even jelly finish.

I do not mind adding coats for full opacity. What I dislike about this polish is that even after three coats I have to “spot-treat” bald areas. The silver lining of this is that even when adding to those extra spots, the polish dries evenly.

Unfortunately, the polish remains sheer around the cuticles where I cannot perfectly overlap each coat.

3 coats. No top coat.

DSCF4324_fotor

SOPI "Mr. Right Now"

 

Chanel “Taboo”

This is a highly pigmented deep royal purple with red, purple and gold shimmer. In the bottle it appears purple with red shimmer or red with gold shimmer. Unfortunately, the red and gold combination does not transfer to the nail.

It does not dry very quickly and if the color bleeds onto the nail sans base coat it stains.

I only need one coat and it is unnecessary to apply more!

It was extremely difficult to photograph but I wanted to show the difference between the nail and bottle.

1 coat. No top coat.

DSCF4396_fotor

DSCF4485_fotor

 

Sephora by OPI “Metro Chic”

I love grey for fall. It is completely neutral and goes with every color.

Metro Chic is not a true grey. It has a purple tinge to it and the warm tone works well with darker skin tones.

The formula is not great. It is not runny but I need at least 3 coats to reach full opacity. Even then there are bald spots. Unlike Mr. Right Now, I have to apply one full coat to the entire nail, otherwise, it dries patchily.

Even though I adore grey for fall, I find it boring on my nails. The accent nail is Pretty Jelly “Dream Cloud” (a great silver holographic polish).

3 coats. No top coat.

DSCF4432_fotor

DSCF4445_fotor

 

Nails Inc. “London Town”

Before the magnet the polish appears as a high-shine frosty brown. After the magnet, the brown is clear and deep.

This is my funny polish. It always gets lost in my polish hoard but whenever I dig it out, I absolutely love it on my nails. Yet, I continue to forget it. 

The formula is nice and thick. It is not goopy and applies evenly and without streaks. I apply two coats then use the magnet while the second coat is still wet.

2 coats. No top coat. The pinky shows the polish without magnetization.

DSCF4502_fotor

DSCF4496_fotor

 

Cult Nails “Captivated”

For the colder days, I brighten my manicure.  During the seasonal change, I enjoy bright orange.

The base is coral-orange and the glitters are orange and gold. The color is a lot brighter in the bottle than on the nail but it is still very pretty.

The formula is chunky because of the glitter. It dries evenly and quickly. Top coat is needed to smooth the coats out.

I layered this over 3 coats of Urban Outfitters “Banana Hammock”  and Color Club “Wham! Pow!”.

3 coats of Banana Hammock, 1 coat of Wham! Pow!, 2 coats of Captivated. No top coat.

Banana Hammock

DSCF4579_fotorI am not sure why each nail came out differently but I really like the look.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like it? Please Share!

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...

31DC2013 Day 15: Delicate Print

14 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by MonicawithRA in Just for Fun, Nail Art

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#31DC2013, Bundle Monster, Chanel, freehand, indie polish, marbling, Nail Art, Orly, Pretty Jelly, Sephora by OPI, stamping, Zoya

I love love love how this came out. Unfortunately, the pictures do not do it justice.

I am really bummed that I have to take it off for tomorrow’s challenge.

Delicate Print

And another angle:

Image

 I started with three coats of Sephora by OPI “Mr. Right Now”. I finally found my red! It dries to a jelly finish so I need three coats for full opacity. The formula is awesome and does not streak.

I sponged Zoya “Cheryl” and Pretty Jelly “Plum In Love”. I love the Pretty Jelly polishes. The holographic ones are so pretty!

I used a small brush to apply Pretty Jelly “Dream Cloud” and “Plum In Love” to any bald spots.

I applied one coat of Seche Vite.

I marbled Orly “Won’t Chip” and Zoya “Adina” on my ring finger. This was a trial and I did not like how it came out. It totally masked the colors underneath.

I marbled Orly “Won’t Chip” top coat and Chanel “Taboo” on the rest of the fingers. The colors are so similar that it is difficult to capture the marbling in pictures. It is a shame because it came out so nicely! However, I do like the subtlety.

I waited for the polishes to dry before stamping Bundle Monsters plate “BM-314” with Urban Outfitters “Westside”.

I cannot contain my excitement on this manicure. I really really love it!

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like it? Please Share!

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...

31DC2013 Day 8: Metallic Nails

08 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by MonicawithRA in Just for Fun, Nail Art

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#31DC2013, Chanel, INM, marbling, Nail Art, Orly, Seche Vite, Zoya

I am finally getting the hang  of water-marbling!

For today’s prompt I decided to go with something very subtle. It took me forever to get a photograph that picked up the design.

Metallics Water-Marble

I applied two coats of Chanel “Peridot” and one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

I like adding a top coat before I water-marble because it really defines the design. This is especially important when the colors are so similar.

I used Orly “Bonder” and Zoya “Goldie” for the water-marble. Bonder spreads more evenly and thinly than the top coat I was using and does not dry as quickly.

I finished with one coat of INM “Northern Lights.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like it? Please Share!

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...
← Older posts
Newer posts →

Please subscribe to stay up to date on my RA journey. Join the Spoonie family today!

Follow the Rite of Aging…early on WordPress.com

Follow Me on Social Media!

  • View monicawithra’s profile on Twitter
  • View monicawithra’s profile on Instagram
  • View mysengupta’s profile on Pinterest
Living with RA: the Rite of Aging...Early

Archives

Categories

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    the Rite of Aging...early
    Join 126 other subscribers

    Have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.

  • the Rite of Aging...early
    View site in Reader
    Manage subscriptionsSign upLog in
    Report this content
    Collapse this bar
Loading Comments...
%d