tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58218228148805684042024-03-13T13:09:17.106-04:00Refined and PolishedLife and Times of The PolishticianRefined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.comBlogger359125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-76773636112730402702012-10-31T12:34:00.001-04:002012-10-31T12:34:28.549-04:00Blog Updates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey dolls! I have some exciting news for you today. Some of you who follow me via facebook may have already heard that Refined & Polished has gotten a makeover. Along with the revamped look, R&P can now be found at <a href="http://www.refinedandpolished.com/">www.refinedandpolished.com</a>. I've owned this domain name for over a year, but I've finally come to a point to where I wanted to migrate from Blogger. Please change your bookmarks as necessary and check out the new site. I would love to hear your feedback. For those of you who follow via a RSS feed (i.e. Google Reader), you will have to subscribe again on the new site. Several posts have been made on the new site, so check them out. Hope to see all of you over on the new <a href="http://www.refinedandpolished.com/">site</a>!Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-46957953909166269312012-10-26T07:00:00.000-04:002012-10-26T07:00:09.589-04:00Zoya GiltyHey dolls! Over the last few days, I've been wearing a gorgeous combo - Zoyas Gilty and <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/07/zoya-designer-collection.html">Natty</a>. As soon as I heard that Zoya was putting out a LE gold leaf top coat, I immediately pre-ordered even though I wasn't sure that I would like it. I'm glad to report that I love it! Gilty is pretty dense, so I only needed one coat over Natty.<br />
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I love the way this pair looks together! I am looking forward to pairing Gilty with other cremes. I'm envisioning some great holiday looks. <a href="http://www.zoya.com/">Zoya</a> just announced yesterday that the Gilty trio is available again for a limited time. Head on over to get yours while they are still in stock!<br />
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/zoya_gilty_natty/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=61849944" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Zoya Gilty & Natty" border="0" height="369" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/C7hbrrWdXmniZSXm0aXQjA/cid/61849944/id/nzYv3UF1St_a5lSdL5rakQ/size/c500x369.jpg" title="Zoya Gilty & Natty" width="500" /></a></div>
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Have you picked up any of the gold leaf top coats yet?</div>
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Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-15378184816303536912012-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:002012-10-24T06:00:13.129-04:00Breast Cancer Awareness - SkittlesHey dolls! Today I have for you the BCA mani that I wore to my local Making Strides walk. This look was inspired by Marta of <a href="http://www.chitchatnails.com/">ChitChat Nails</a>. She always does the cutest skittles looks (where each nail is different) and I wanted to give it a try. I pulled out <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/03/pink-wednesday-barielles-elis-magic.html">Barielle Eli's Magic</a>, <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/02/barielle-cotton-candy.html">Barielle Cotton Candy</a>, <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/04/zoya-surf-collection.html">Zoya Kimber</a>, and OPI Excuse Moi. I received Excuse Moi as a surprise gift from my polish friend Lola over at <a href="http://www.burbbeauty.com/">Burb Beauty</a> (thanks doll). Two coats of Excuse Moi was used over one coat of Eli's Magic while two coats were used of the remaining polishes.<br />
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As Marta inspired this look, I had to take a few pictures with some BCA jewelry!<br />
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I loved the way this turned out! I finally got a chance to do the "saran wrap" marbled look. I started with a base of Cotton Candy, added stripes of Kimber and Eli's Magic, then dabbed with the saran wrap. I'm ready to try this look with other colors!<br />
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Here are a few pictures from the BCA walk. I have more, but they are with my high school mentoring group and I don't want to put them on the net all willy nilly. :)<br />
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Happy hump day dolls!</div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-38492876803135653422012-10-22T16:40:00.000-04:002012-10-22T16:40:36.449-04:00Reader's Choice Monday ~ China Glaze ImmortalHey dolls! The winner for this week was China Glaze Immortal with 42% of the votes. This is a gorgeous gray with flashes of blue glass flecks. The formula was pretty good. I haven't used a China Glaze in awhile, so I forgot how long and thin their brushes are. I used two coats for opacity.<br />
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I was secretly hoping Immortal would win! This color is perfection! But of course I couldn't stop with Immortal alone because I also picked up Make a Spectacle from that collection. Make a Spectacle is a topper that is filled with iridescent glitter. The glitter is very dense and I had no problems getting it onto the nail.<br />
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These two colors compliment each other so well! I've been staring at my nails all day at work as the light reflects off of the glitter. I totally recommend this duo while the Wicked collection is still readily available at Sally Beauty Supply.<br />
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For this week's poll, I have three Butter LONDON's for you that I added to my collection during the Ulta BOGO deal. Please take a second to vote dolls!<br />
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Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-12143936807710107502012-10-21T21:48:00.000-04:002012-10-22T13:45:58.391-04:00Zoya Ornate Collection<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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Hey dolls! I have an amazing collection for you tonight! Several months ago, the Zoya fairies posted on their facebook page that holos would be coming to us soon. Well, they are finally here in the winter collection! The Ornate collection consists of three scattered holos (which you all know I prefer over linear holos), a shimmer, a foil, and a bar glitter. The formula on the entire collection was great and all applied well. The Ornate collection is full of win, so let's get to the photos.</div>
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Blaze is a <span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>cool-toned medium mulberry red with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter</i>. I know I love a color when I'm constantly telling my hubby how pretty it is as I apply it. Two coats were used.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Storm is a </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-style: italic;">holiday black with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter.</span><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><i> </i>This color is absolutely stunning! You all know I've been into dark colors lately, so Blaze is right up my alley. Two coats were used.</span></span><br />
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Aurora is a <span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>medium sugarplum purple flecked with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter. </i>Holo lovers, this is the one you NEED! Once again, I was saying out loud how gorgeous this polish was. By this point, hubby was probably tired of hearing me say it! The sparkle is crazy in this polish. Aurora is not quite as pigmented as the rest of the collection, so I used three coats.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Electra is a </span></span><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>micro fine diamond holographic glitter mixed with large silver holographic bar tinsel in a clear base. </i>Oh Electra. I would have been perfectly fine with this collection if Electra was not included. </span></span><span style="color: #4d4d4d;">I'm sure those who like bar glitter will be pleased though. Electra surely provides the bling factor. </span><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit;">I am not a fan of bar glitter; especially bar glitter that is this dense. Only one coat was used over Aurora. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit;">Logan is a </span><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>yellow-toned forest green with dense, foil-like yellow-gold and blue-green duochrome shimmer</i>. This is one pretty green! I love how heavy the gold shimmer is. I didn't realize until I went outside that there was a little balding in some areas, so three coats (as opposed to the two I did) are needed for opacity.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ziv is a <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>y</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>ellow-toned metallic gold foil with silver highlights and warm gold flake glitter accents. </i>I adore Ziv! This gold foil is so complimentary to my skin tone. I love the depth that the flakes add, which makes this a really unique shade. Two coats were used.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Excluding Electra, I absolutely love the Ornate collection! The best thing about the three holos is that the sparkle is visible in all lighting. Zoya has really impressed me this time around! If you'd like to purchase any of these Zoya polishes, you can find them <a href="http://www.zoya.com/content/38/category/Zoya-Ornate-Winter-Holiday-Nail-Polish-Collection.html">here</a> for $8 each. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Which shades are you loving from the Ornate collection?</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/zoya_ornate_collection/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=61592905" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Zoya Ornate Collection" border="0" height="392" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/qdEWd4DSQtm9Y7EgdOVw/cid/61592905/id/fp49oVXFRyake6iPVYrVFw/size/c500x392.jpg" title="Zoya Ornate Collection" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Products featured in this post were provided by PR for review.*</span></span></div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-50529378079514062932012-10-17T22:16:00.002-04:002012-10-17T22:16:49.061-04:00Breast Cancer Awareness ~ Pretty & Polished You Are Beautiful + BCA<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/pink_khaki/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=61286693" target="_blank"><img alt="Pink & Khaki" border="0" height="378" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/3HnTAUPKsx3ioGgO5jpIg/cid/61286693/id/kZKupvZaSOmOIMI41PJ2Uw/size/c500x378.jpg" title="Pink & Khaki" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey dolls! I hope you all have had a great week so far. Tonight I have another extremely special breast cancer awareness combo for you all. Pretty & Polished has created a BCA duo where 100% (yes, 100%) of the proceeds will benefit a local organization called <a href="http://www.littlereddoor.org/">Little Red Door of Delaware County Cancer Agency</a>, which offers a variety of support for those who have cancer. This includes cancer screenings and detection, as well as client education and support. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first polish in this duo is You Are Beautiful, which is a light pink shimmer. The formula is somewhat thin, but not problematic at all. I would recommend applying You Are Beautiful with a careful hand to minimize brushstrokes. I used two coats for the photos below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other half of the duo is BCA, a gorgeous glitter filled with pink hex glitter and tiny purple glitter. The formula on BCA was great; it was the perfect glitter to base ratio. I was pleased with the amount of glitter on the nail after just one coat, so I left it with that. To make this look even more special, I pulled out my new Bundle Monster stamping plates. Using Color Club Hot Like Lava, I stamped on pink ribbons from plate 321. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VW0suQnspU4/UH9f9oX-qvI/AAAAAAAADHc/c1h1R4PDENI/s1600/DSCF9700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VW0suQnspU4/UH9f9oX-qvI/AAAAAAAADHc/c1h1R4PDENI/s400/DSCF9700.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I absolutely adore the way this turned out! I've always liked the way subtle stamping looks on others, so I decided to give it a go with this mani. Truthfully, I purchased the third set of BM plates specifically for this image. I barely use the second set, so I didn't think it made much sense to by the third. Luckily, I had a few Amazon gift cards from using <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-i-get-nail-goodies.html">Swagbucks</a>, so I got the plates for a good price. The <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrettyandPolished">Pretty & Polished BCA duo</a> will be available for the rest of this month so I hope you all will support her efforts.</span>Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-31144067933203744252012-10-15T21:39:00.000-04:002012-10-15T21:39:33.049-04:00Reader's Choice Mondays ~ ManGlaze Mink MittenHappy Monday dolls! The winner for this week was ManGlaze Mink Mitten with 45% off the votes. Mink Mitten is a pretty lilac matte that is filled with silver shimmer. The formula was extremely easy to work with and was opaque in two coats. Compared to some of the other ManGlazes I have, the silver shimmer is much heavier in Mink Mitten. The pictures below are without top coat.<br />
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I really can't get enough of ManGlaze mattes; the formula is great, fast dry time, and they wear well. Mink Mitten is super flattering. I wanted to add some polka dots to an accent nail, but I decided against it.<br />
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Up for votes this week are three more dark shades. I've already mentioned how I'm really into dark colors right now and I don't see that ending any time soon. Please take a second to vote before the poll closes on Friday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RMg7t44vLQ/UHy4hedl5VI/AAAAAAAADGg/pRH-y3jtcYs/s1600/DSCF9673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RMg7t44vLQ/UHy4hedl5VI/AAAAAAAADGg/pRH-y3jtcYs/s400/DSCF9673.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Immortal, Iris Jumbo Glitter, Dorian Gray</td></tr>
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<br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.easypolls.net/ext/scripts/emPoll.js?p=507cb6ffe4b06d9b5e35854f"></script><a class="OPP-powered-by" href="https://www.murvey.com" style="text-decoration:none;"><div style="font: 9px arial; color: gray;">online survey</div></a>Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-50914598064083957682012-10-12T18:58:00.000-04:002012-10-12T18:58:45.882-04:00Cult Nail Nevermore + CharlatanHey dolls! Today I'm wearing a great Cult Nails combo in celebration of their sale over the next week. Nevermore is absolutely the best black polish I have ever tried. The formula is just the right consistency and it is completely opaque in one coat. I then applied one coat of Charlatan, which is from the most recent Deceptive top coat collection. Charlatan is a sheer top coat with a magenta to violet color shift. The pictures below were taken outside in the shade.<br />
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Love Charlatan! The color shift is visible in all lights, which is awesome. I'm glad I picked this one up because I see it looking great over so many different shades. At the top of this post I mentioned a Cult Nails sale. You can get 20% off using the code <b>CULTOBER</b>. Happy weekend dolls!<br />
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<a href="http://cache.nebula.phx3.secureserver.net/obj/OTA4RjlFQkIyMEI0QzdDM0ZEMjA6YzExYWE5NTNmOGQ4ZjU2M2E2NjRiNGZhZWQxMzhjY2I6Ojo6" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://cache.nebula.phx3.secureserver.net/obj/OTA4RjlFQkIyMEI0QzdDM0ZEMjA6YzExYWE5NTNmOGQ4ZjU2M2E2NjRiNGZhZWQxMzhjY2I6Ojo6" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-86600538888961145902012-10-10T13:53:00.001-04:002012-10-10T15:27:42.769-04:00Barielle Facebook Sweepstakes!Hey dolls! I've just been informed that <a href="http://www.barielle.com/">Barielle</a> is hosting an awesome sweepstakes starting today at 3p EST on their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/barielle?fref=ts">facebook page</a>. You all know this is one of my favorite brands, so I'm always happy to share the Barielle love! Click the picture to enter!<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/barielle/app_28134323652"><img border="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/wildfire_production/banners/2021193/custom_banner_1350120640.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: purple;">Ten random winners will be selected for a prize package worth over $100.00. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The prize package includes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: purple;">Any two of our 5 pack Nail Polish collections</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One piece of Barielle’s Nail Strengthener Cream (full size)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One piece of Nail Rebuilding Protein Base Coat</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: purple;">One piece of Ultra Speed Dry Manicure Extender Top Coat</span></span></div>
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This is an awesome prize package, so make sure you head on over to their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/barielle?fref=ts">page</a>! The sweepstakes ends on 10/31/12 at 7a EST. Happy hump day dolls!</div>
</span>Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-31900354115803899742012-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:002012-10-10T08:00:08.034-04:00Breast Cancer Awareness ~ Glequins<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/zoya_flora/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=60714348" target="_blank"><img alt="Zoya Flora" border="0" height="367" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/uKiuXJzRMiA3IvmGH4atg/cid/60714348/id/shzXgwUJRjKa4eeXMT1o8w/size/c500x367.jpg" title="Zoya Flora" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! Today I have for you my first of several breast cancer awareness manis, which will take the place of Pink Wednesdays this month. Most of my long-term readers know that my mom is a two-time breast cancer survivor, so these looks are near and dear to my heart.<br />
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I recently received a set of <a href="http://www.bornprettystore.com/colors-nail-shiny-glitter-powder-sheets-tips-tool-p-3103.html">loose glitter</a>, affectionately known as "glequins", from <a href="http://www.bornprettystore.com/index.php">BornPretty</a> to review and I knew immediately that I wanted to use them for a BCA look. I started with two of my favorite Zoya pinks: <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2011/10/pink-wednesday-zoya-gilda.html">Gilda</a> and <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2011/06/pink-wednesday-zoya-flora.html">Flora</a>. Three coats of Gilda were used and two coats of Flora for the accent. After Flora was dry, I applied the glequins individually by dipping a small dotting tool into top coat and placing them on the nail. I must admit that this process was extremely tedious. It took about 30 minutes to complete the accent nails.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ih2YDnJ8Pus/UHTZG6qpcaI/AAAAAAAADC0/hzkbz9h0nws/s1600/DSCF9592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ih2YDnJ8Pus/UHTZG6qpcaI/AAAAAAAADC0/hzkbz9h0nws/s400/DSCF9592.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Although this took way more effort than I expected, I love the final product! The glequins are small, but still very easy to apply to the nail. The pots are jam packed with glitter, so they are well worth the price. I barely made a dent in the glitter that was just stuck to the lid with this mani. This set comes with 12 different colors of glitter for $6.45. If you'd like to order <a href="http://www.bornprettystore.com/colors-nail-shiny-glitter-powder-sheets-tips-tool-p-3103.html">this set</a> from <a href="http://www.bornprettystore.com/index.php">BornPretty</a>, feel free to use my coupon code of <b>TPJ61 </b>for 10% off your order.<br />
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Ladies, please take the time each month to complete your self-examinations. Early detection is the key! For more information on breast cancer, how you can make donations, and to get involved locally, please check out <a href="http://ww5.komen.org/">Susan G. Komen</a> and <a href="http://www.cancer.org/Involved/Participate/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/index">Making Strides Against Breast Cancer</a>.<br />
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*BornPretty products in this post were provided by PR for review*</div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-37659768485456082152012-10-08T20:36:00.000-04:002012-10-08T20:36:41.932-04:00Reader's Choice Mondays ~ Cult Nails Power Thief<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cult_nails_power_thief/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=60637569"><img alt="Cult Nails Power Thief" border="0" height="381" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/aStGt0DCmG8fhCNXhdETJg/cid/60637569/id/Hj-W30l9TEqvZCAVPntz3A/size/c500x381.jpg" title="Cult Nails Power Thief" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! Hope your week is off to a great start. My birthday was on Sunday and I had a great weekend celebrating with hubby in Destin, FL. I didn't do anything special to my nails, even though I took polish with me. I ended up keeping <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/10/nicole-by-opi-just-busta-mauve.html">NOPI Just Busta Mauve</a> on the entire time, which was fine with me.<br />
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This week's winner of the Reader's Choice poll was Cult Nails Power Thief with 43% of the votes. Power Thief is a gorgeous brown filled with silver flecks. The formula was typical of Cult Nails awesomeness and I used two coats in the pictures below.<br />
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I've been in the mood for brown polish lately, so Power Thief was right on time. I love the silver glass flecks in this polish. Have you noticed yourself reaching for darker colors yet? I usually wear the shades I want at any time of year, but lately I'm reaching for dark shades.<br />
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For next week, I have three of my untried ManGlazes for you. Please take a second to vote in the poll below!
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<br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.easypolls.net/ext/scripts/emPoll.js?p=50736ae4e4b0584bebd82e7e"></script><a class="OPP-powered-by" href="http://www.objectplanet.com/opinio/" style="text-decoration:none;"><div style="font: 9px arial; color: gray;">surveys & polls</div></a>Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-783739529323652742012-10-06T09:25:00.000-04:002012-10-06T09:25:20.423-04:00Beauty Envy Bag Giveaway Winner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey dolls! The winner for the first Beauty Envy Bag has been chosen. The lovely lady who won entered through my blog and that person is....<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Janelle M. </span></div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/78879a8/" id="rc-78879a8" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
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Congratulations Janelle M! Please email leticia@cosmeticsaficionado.com using the same address you have affiliated with rafflecopter by Monday at 11:59p (EST) with your shipping address to claim your goodies!<br />
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Many thanks to all of you who entered! You really helped to make this venture a success and I'm already looking forward to the winter edition of the Beauty Envy Bag.Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-29445856599974452382012-10-05T10:35:00.000-04:002012-10-05T10:36:14.619-04:00Nicole by OPI Just Busta Mauve<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/nopi_just_busta_mauve/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=60332439"><img alt="NOPI Just Busta Mauve" border="0" height="464" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/zYD2gHEsRgEOfeoAMmSVQ/cid/60332439/id/AVRkeHdBTF_Zl-iLqfhBuA/size/c500x464.jpg" title="NOPI Just Busta Mauve" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! Today I'm wearing a shade that I've wanted since I first saw swatches last month. I try to stay away from Target as much as possible (their clothing section is the death of my wallet), but I made a special trip just for Nicole by OPI Just Busta Mauve. The formula was thin, but not problematic. Just Busta Mauve is so complex; it's mauve, brown, shimmery, and just hard to describe. Therefore, I'll just leave you with a bunch of pictures. Please click to enlarge these!<br />
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I just love everything about Just Busta Mauve, including the super cute name! This is the kind of shade that just stands on its own to me. I put this on earlier this week thinking the pink undertones were strong enough to use it as a part of my first breast cancer awareness look. I never got around to adding anything to it (which means there will be 2 BCA looks next week so I can catch up). Hope you all love this color just as much as I do!<br />
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My birthday is on Sunday, so hopefully I'll have time to come up with a fancy look for the weekend!</div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-65625172213561238192012-10-03T21:48:00.000-04:002012-10-03T21:48:13.885-04:00Mentality ~ The Metallics Collection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey dolls! I have a new indie brand to share with you called <a href="http://www.mentalitynailpolish.bigcartel.com/">Mentality</a>. The first collection from this wife and husband duo is called The Metallics and consists of five shades, described as <i>the colors of the rainbow meet the wealth of gold</i>. All of the pictures below are with top coat.<br />
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Envy is described as a <i>bright yellow green with gold undertones and flakes</i>. The formula was very pigmented and was almost opaque in one coat, but two coats were used for depth. I liked Envy in the bottle, but I'm not a fan of it on my skin tone.<br />
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Crave is described as a <i>light purple with gold and blue undertones and gold flakes</i>. This shade pulled very pink on me. Crave had the sheerest formula of all of the polishes in the collection, but it wasn't problematic. Two coats were used in the photos below.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Covet is described as a</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><i style="text-align: start;">blue green with gold undertones and flakes. </i><span style="text-align: start;">I had no issues with the formula and opacity was achieved in two coats. Covet is an interesting color; I like the way it looks on me.</span></div>
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Desire is described as a <i>golden orange with gold undertones and flakes. </i>You all know I like oranges, so Desire is fine by me. Two coats were used in the photos below.<br />
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Lust is described as a <i>coppery red with gold undertones and flakes. </i>Lust is hands down my favorite in this collection! The gold shimmer really stands out, which I adore. Lust reads more orange on me than red, so it's a winner in my book. I took so many pictures of this one! Two coats were used in the photos below and these were taken in my light box due to rainy weather. As a side note, I did have slight staining with Lust, so be sure to use a good base coat.<br />
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I like that Mentality is bringing us indie creations that aren't just glitters. If you are interested in learning more about this brand, please check out the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mentality/159030920887191">facebook page</a> and the <a href="http://www.mentalitynailpolish.bigcartel.com/">online store</a> where you can place your orders now. Full size bottles (15mL) are currently available for $6 each.<br />
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*Products featured in this post were provided by PR for review.*</div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-259513606488755162012-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:002012-10-01T08:00:17.025-04:00Reader's Choice Monday ~ Butter LONDON Victoriana<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/butter_london_victoriana/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=60056905"><img alt="Butter LONDON Victoriana" border="0" height="356" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/mK6BjqpyQMKc2OG1gC56Q/cid/60056905/id/PaC4NhL1RCy-HnJWrR3SCQ/size/c500x356.jpg" title="Butter LONDON Victoriana" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! Today's winner was Butter LONDON Victoriana with 75% of the votes. I bought Victoriana during Ulta's BOGO BL sale last year, which means this has been untried for over a year. Victoriana is a gorgeous dusty blue that is filled with silver shimmer. The formula was amazing! It almost applied itself. Two coats of Victoriana were used in the photos below.<br />
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Love Victoriana! This shimmer is gorgeous and it puts me in the same mindset of a more muted <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/01/zoya-true-fleck-collections.html">Zoya Skylar</a>.<br />
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For this week's poll, I have a couple of neutral/nude polishes for you to choose from. I haven't worn this type of shade in awhile. The poll will close on Friday as usual. Many thanks to all of you who take the time to vote!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power Thief, Gouda Gouda Two Shoes, Cruisin' Nude</td></tr>
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Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-29943144110648745612012-09-26T18:09:00.002-04:002012-09-26T18:09:46.219-04:00Orly Preamp<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/orly_preamp/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=59732670"><img alt="Orly Preamp" border="0" height="372" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/YR9f1JZyzlnyOnL5SxamUw/cid/59732670/id/IsWvOlI3RHSrRfQMWin8rw/size/c500x372.jpg" title="Orly Preamp" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! Since I really wasn't feeling the jelly sandwich I posted yesterday, I was in the mood to change my nails to something simple and shimmery late last night. My girl Neeka from <a href="http://inthelifeofamilf.blogspot.com/">In the Life of a MILF</a> sent me Orly Preamp a few weeks ago and I finally got around to wearing it. Preamp is the only color that I've wanted from the last few Orly collections. It is a pinkish-purple base, that is filled with golden shimmer. The formula was great; it was not too thick or thin. I used two coats of Preamp in the pictures below.</div>
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I love the simplicity and femininity that Preamp brings! The shimmer is stunning and is completely visible in all lighting. After wearing lots of glitters, sometimes I feel like I need to make my way back to the simple things I love and Preamp definitely fit the bill.<br />
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Do you get tired of glitter?</div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-67766258802993281742012-09-25T22:34:00.001-04:002012-09-26T08:33:27.359-04:00Reader's Choice ~ NY Summer Hot Green & Cult Nails Happy EndingHappy <strike>Monday</strike> Tuesday dolls! I apologize for the reader's choice mani being a day late, but I spent the weekend back home in SC for my ten year high school reunion. I had lots of fun hanging out with old friends and didn't get back home until after midnight on Sunday. Needless to say, I struggled at work yesterday and did not feel like doing my nails until about 10pm. The good news is that <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/09/kbshimmer-dont-teal-anyone.html">KBShimmer Don't Teal Anyone</a> held up perfectly except for minor tipwear and visible growth at the cuticle.<br />
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Onto what I'm wearing now, NY Summer Hot Green was the winner of last week's poll with 55% of the votes. Hot Green is a bright, grass green jelly with a smooth formula. It dries a bit darker on the nail than the bottle, but I like the look. I haven't created a jelly sandwich in awhile, so I had all sorts of glitter combinations in my mind for this one. I decided on adding a coat of Cult Nails Happy Ending, a multi-colored shard glitter. The formula on Happy Ending was a little weird; it seemed to have a lot of base and I had to dab on the glitter. Because of the nature of shards, you have to make sure they are all flat on the nail. For the jelly sandwich, I layered one thick coat of Hot Green, a thick coat of Happy Ending, followed by another coat of Hot Green. I did a lot of typing at work today, so please excuse the tipwear in the photos below.<br />
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I love Hot Green, but I'm not crazy over the jelly sandwich. Happy Ending is cool, but it's not really my type of glitter. This combo definitely looks like something we would see on the indie market.<br />
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For this week's poll, I have three turquoises/teals for you. Please take a second to vote and the poll will be open until Saturday, September 29.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R25vrsKo9mk/UGJoEFGvimI/AAAAAAAAC30/4jhGonNlpas/s1600/DSCF9187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R25vrsKo9mk/UGJoEFGvimI/AAAAAAAAC30/4jhGonNlpas/s400/DSCF9187.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Velvet, Victoriana, Turquoise & Caicos</td></tr>
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<a class="OPP-powered-by" href="http://www.easypolls.net/" style="text-decoration: none;">web polls</a></div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-31295894731173437452012-09-21T15:45:00.000-04:002012-09-21T15:45:00.986-04:00KBShimmer Don't Teal Anyone<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/kbshimmer_dont_teal_anyone/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=59280878"><img alt="KBShimmer Don't Teal Anyone" border="0" height="454" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/ogRWLgQpOreLs7P9kPpOA/cid/59280878/id/IAOJn1_ZR_e32sUKN5fL9Q/size/c500x454.jpg" title="KBShimmer Don't Teal Anyone" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! Today I'm wearing a polish that I wanted as soon as I saw photos of it last month - KBShimmer Don't Teal Anyone. Don't Teal Anyone is described as a<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> d<i>eep teal base with gold, teal, blue, navy and fuchsia hexes in several sizes, and micro fuchsia bars. </i>I can't say that I noticed the micro bar glitter, which is a good thing since I don't particularly like bar glitter. The formula was good and two coats were used for the pictures below. These pictures were taken after a day of wear.</span></span><br />
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Don't Teal Anyone did not disappoint! I am so in love with this polish, I've been wearing it since Tuesday night (hence why there was no Pink Wednesday post). I still have it on and the tip wear is still pretty minimal.Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-33732267394402270822012-09-21T00:00:00.000-04:002012-09-21T09:36:56.590-04:00Giveaway ~ Fall Beauty Envy Bag<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 24pt;">Beauty Envy Bag<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Are you a beauty sample
subscriber? Never heard of the Beauty Envy Bag? That is because it is something
new the four of us beauty bloggers decided to put together. The Fall Edition is
the inaugural Beauty Envy Bag. This is what a beauty bag of goodies should look
like. Full sized items, deluxe samples (not tiny bits of product swiped onto a
card), and with a beauty bag so nice you can wear it on a night out. Luxe
brands fill this bag. This was a lot of fun for us to put together, choosing
items the we have used and love and being able to share them with one of you.
This is something we hope to do quarterly, so look out Winter Edition!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Since some of you
reading this may not know all of the bloggers involved, we would love to
introduce ourselves:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lakeisha</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> is a nail polish blogger from<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Florida. She is obsessed
with polish,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">fashion, and merging the
two together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She is the blogger
behind<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/" title="Refined and Polished"><span style="color: blue;">Refined and Polished</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Latoya</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> is a beauty blogger from the East<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Coast of Canada. While
she loves all<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">things girly, she's
also a closet gamer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">and is a die-hard
Walking Dead fan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She is the blogger
behind<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://beauty-obsessed.com/" title="Beauty Obsessed"><span style="color: blue;">Beauty Obsessed</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Leticia</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> is a beauty blogger from the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pacific Northwest. She
is a dog lover,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">sci fi nerd, handbag
collector, and makeup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">junkie. She is the
blogger behind<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.cosmeticsaficionado.com/" title="Cosmetics Aficionado"><span style="color: blue;">Cosmetics Aficionado</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lola</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> is a Midwest blogger with a passion <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">for polish, science, and
music. She is the <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">blogger behind <a href="http://www.burbbeauty.com/" title="Burb Beauty"><span style="color: blue;">Burb
Beauty</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So what will be included
in the awesome beauty bag you might ask? First we will look at the full sized
items. These are to accompany the Calvin Klein red nylon wristlet with red
leather trim. You can click through each one to read the reviews:</span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/07/zoya-diva-collection.html" title="Zoya FeiFei"><span style="color: blue;">Zoya FeiFei</span></a> nail
polish (picked and reviewed by Lakeisha)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/07/zoya-designer-collection.html" title="Zoya Natty"><span style="color: blue;">Zoya Natty</span></a> nail
polish (picked and reviewed by Lakeisha)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/07/zoya-diva-collection.html" title="Zoya Suri"><span style="color: blue;">Zoya Suri</span></a> nail
polish (picked and reviewed by Lakeisha)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/07/zoya-gloss-collection.html" title="Zoya Frida"><span style="color: blue;">Zoya Frida</span></a> nail
polish (picked and reviewed by Lakeisha)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.burbbeauty.com/2012/09/givenchy-vernis-please-acoustic-purple.html" title="Givenchy Acoustic Purple"><span style="color: blue;">Givenchy
Acoustic Purple</span></a> nail polish (picked and reviewed by Lola)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://beauty-obsessed.com/2011/06/10/o-m-g-make-up-for-ever-aqua-liner-in-14/" title="Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner #14"><span style="color: blue;">Make Up
For Ever Aqua Liner in Shade #14</span></a> (picked and reviewed by
Latoya)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.cosmeticsaficionado.com/estee-lauder-pop-pistacio-pure-color-eyeshadow-review-swatches-photos/" title="Estee Lauder Pop Pistacio Pure Color Eyeshadow Review, Swatches, Photos"><span style="color: blue;">Estee Lauder Pure Color Vivid Shine Eyeshadow in Pop
Pistacio</span></a> (picked and reviewed by Leticia)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And here are the deluxe
samples that are also included with bag as extras:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Sparkling<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Details! Here is what
you need to know to enter:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Must leave a blog comment (just one
blog, doesn't have to be all four) letting us know what are your most
favorite and least favorite things about beauty bags.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Additional entries for following each
blog on social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Open internationally</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Must be 18+</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Giveaway closes on Friday, October 5
at 11:59p EST </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Good luck to everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-420425302831844042012-09-17T21:19:00.000-04:002012-09-17T21:19:52.377-04:00Reader's Choice Monday ~ SpaRitual Shooting Star & Revere<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/sparitual_shooting_star_revere/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=59113553"><img alt="SpaRitual Shooting Star & Revere" border="0" height="356" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/bMzS67zJ4WrS5MTh4Fvg/cid/59113553/id/18XpYOhoS9KzXH5mvs57CQ/size/c500x356.jpg" title="SpaRitual Shooting Star & Revere" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! For the first time, there was a tie in the Reader's Choice poll. Both SpaRitual Shooting Star and Revere received 43% of the votes. I didn't have time to wear them both separately over the weekend, so I decided to incorporate the two with some nail art. Shooting Star is a gorgeous purple that is filled with pink and golden shimmer. The formula was a little runny, so I had some pooling at my cuticles. Revere is a bright orange that is filled with golden shimmer. The formula was thin, but not problematic. Two coats were used of both colors. I saw this super cute <a href="http://www.chalkboardnails.com/2012/09/31dc2012-day-11-polka-dots.html">pyramid polka dot look on Chalkboard Nails</a> and I had to give it a try with these shades.</div>
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This was the perfect week to have a tie because Shooting Star and Revere compliment each other nicely! I love the pyramid dots as well. Dots go so well with my nail art skills. :)<br />
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I have three NY Summer jellies for you to vote on this week. I haven't worn a jelly sandwich in a few weeks and I think I'm overdue. Please take a second to vote and as usual, the poll will close on Friday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R0f812PC9IY/UFfG6Wq7TeI/AAAAAAAACzY/dafzVBAoFMA/s1600/DSCF9096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R0f812PC9IY/UFfG6Wq7TeI/AAAAAAAACzY/dafzVBAoFMA/s400/DSCF9096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer Fun, Hot Green, Hush</td></tr>
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Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-35529844906768691732012-09-14T14:44:00.000-04:002012-09-14T14:44:41.774-04:00Maybelline Twilight RaysHey dolls! I was in the mood for something dark when I did my nails last night. I recently got Maybelline Twilight Rays from Rach of <a href="http://stuffiswatched.blogspot.com/">Stuff I Swatched</a>'s blog sale. Twilight Rays is a blackened base that is filled with goldish-green flecks. The formula was not problematic and I used two coats for the pictures below.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Afk6h0inOkM/UFKUj5RG2mI/AAAAAAAACxg/GO-n1I_U_6A/s1600/DSCF9024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Afk6h0inOkM/UFKUj5RG2mI/AAAAAAAACxg/GO-n1I_U_6A/s400/DSCF9024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm not really sure how I feel about Twilight Rays. It's okay, but it seems as if the flecks fall a little flat in the base. The flecks look much more apparent in the bottle than they do on the nail where it only looks like micro glitter.<br />
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What are your thoughts on Twilight Rays?</div>
Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-23010558253778477082012-09-13T21:43:00.000-04:002012-09-13T21:43:00.982-04:00Fall Trends ~ Military Metallics<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/military_metallics/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=58783605"><img alt="Military Metallics" border="0" height="438" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/VE6zNgiL79FhIE01lEElQ/cid/58783605/id/8qMCjTRwQAmhyRgJIIZyvg/size/c600x438.jpg" title="Military Metallics" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! The next trend for fall as noted by Refinery29 was <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/34424?page=4">Metallic Military</a>. I'm kind of on the fence with this trend. Not too many brands have put out these type of shades this season. I ended up choosing only a few recent ones and a couple oldies from last year. I actually like the military trend more for fashion then for polish. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford a Proenze bag like the ones above.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6iDfQm0qx-g/UE_vcpo5sLI/AAAAAAAACwc/Dj4MU_2TChs/s1600/DSCF8934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6iDfQm0qx-g/UE_vcpo5sLI/AAAAAAAACwc/Dj4MU_2TChs/s400/DSCF8934.JPG" width="346" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IHD9B6HhwCg/UE_vfRJ2W_I/AAAAAAAACwk/c26R3h5cQPc/s1600/DSCF8949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IHD9B6HhwCg/UE_vfRJ2W_I/AAAAAAAACwk/c26R3h5cQPc/s400/DSCF8949.JPG" width="366" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XH1BduRqi7A/UE_vZ45psEI/AAAAAAAACwU/hc6-0VcAz0A/s1600/DSCF8926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XH1BduRqi7A/UE_vZ45psEI/AAAAAAAACwU/hc6-0VcAz0A/s400/DSCF8926.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I really love Melonball! It's almost at my chunky glitter limit (you guys know I don't really do super chunky glitters). Mojito Madness was the perfect base color, but I do have a complaint. I got the most horrible staining I've ever had from Mojito Madness. It's extremely weird because I wore it last month and had absolutely no staining. I used a base coat both time, although I can't remember which one because I rotate between two. So weird! Has this ever happened to you?Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-62309540593220747982012-09-11T08:00:00.000-04:002012-09-11T08:00:04.500-04:00Fall Trends ~ Fall Foilage <div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/fall_foilage/set?.embedder=4580436&.svc=copypaste&id=58593736"><img alt="Fall Foilage" border="0" height="387" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/CKqIl749cNQWfDi74Su7w/cid/58593736/id/flE8C3v_Suqqv1l_qPQNiw/size/c500x387.jpg" title="Fall Foilage" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hey dolls! The next Refinery29 fall trend for this season is one I really love - <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/fall-nail-trends?page=3">Fall Foilage</a>. Since I live in Florida, we don't really experience fall like other parts of the country. One of the things I miss most about my hometown in South Carolina is seeing the leaves change colors. Back to polish...I find that golds, browns, and burnt oranges look so good on my skin tone. Here a few that I'm interested in.<br />
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Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821822814880568404.post-65209400345644915592012-09-10T17:40:00.000-04:002012-09-10T17:40:35.839-04:00Reader's Choice Mondays ~ Zoya CrystalHappy Monday dolls! This week's winner was Zoya Crystal with 60% of your votes. Crystal is a gorgeous metallic, wintery blue that is filled with gold flecks. The formula was sheer, but not problematic. I applied 3 coats for the pictures below.<br />
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I like Crstal! The gold flecks make it a unique color. It is similar to <a href="http://refinedandpolished.blogspot.com/2012/07/zoya-diva-collection.html">Zoya FeiFei</a>, but the base is lighter and doesn't include pink and blue flecks.<br />
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For this week's Reader's Choice, I have three SpaRituals for you to chose from. Please take a second to vote. The poll will close on Friday, September 14.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jjLEo_xeVh0/UE5d_KWxl_I/AAAAAAAACvg/QjjbC3WXfYc/s1600/DSCF9009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jjLEo_xeVh0/UE5d_KWxl_I/AAAAAAAACvg/QjjbC3WXfYc/s400/DSCF9009.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shooting Star, Deep, Revere</td></tr>
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Refined and Polishedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590850662407218854noreply@blogger.com6