China Glaze Jungle Queen

   Jungle Queen is from the China Glaze On Safari collection for Fall 2012.  It's a dusty purple with a hidden brighter purple shimmer.

   The shimmer is VERY subtle and only shows in direct light.  Application was smooth and the consistency of the polish was nice.  The polish dries a bit darker than bottle color.  I used 2 coats of polish for full opacity with Finger Paints base coat and no top coat.

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   I like Jungle Queen, but I've seen it before.  I have a comparison to show you soon.

Disclaimer:  The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration.

A Couple Quick Notes

   Hey guys!  Just wanted to mention a couple things real quick. 

   First, as you may have already noticed, I have started allowing ads in the sidebar.  I may place them elsewhere in the blog as well as time goes on, but I haven't decided yet.  If you see any ad that is offensive or inappropriate, please let me know so I can block it.  

   The second thing is about comments.  I do not moderate comments before they are posted at this time.  Nor do I usually delete comments that are made.  HOWEVER, I will delete comments that are clearly spam or trolling, have absolutely nothing to do with the post, or include lots of profanity/personal attacks, either to myself or others.  I don't mean comments that dislike a color or a design et c.  Everyone is entitled to their opinions.  But please, as Wil Wheaton would say, don't be a dick.  I have deleted just a couple of comments so far, but if at any point this becomes a bigger issue, I will enable moderation for comments.  That is also why I disabled anonymous comments. 

   Have a great day everyone.  I leave you with a cute squirrel picture just because.

China Glaze Man Hunt

   Today I'm bringing you a lovely blue shade from the China Glaze On Safari collection for Fall 2012.

   Man Hunt is a deep royal blue in the bottle, but more of a navy once dry on the nail.  I'm going to call this one a creme jelly.  It has the feel and squishiness of a jelly, but the opacity of a creme.  Formula and application were good.  I, however, have issues and forgot to write down how many coats I used.  I don't think it was more than 2 though.  I used Finger Paints base coat and no top coat.

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   I really liked this polish.  It's great on its own, but would also make a great base for a lot of different layering polishes.  

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration.

China Glaze Elephant Walk

   Are you ready for fall yet?  I know I'm ready for the cooler temps, but not ready for the days to start getting shorter again.  The China Glaze Fall 2012 On Safari Collection has a lot of good colors to help transition between the seasons.  

   Elephant Walk is a green tinged grey with a subtle shimmer.  The shimmer is a mix of blue, pink, and silver.  The formula was ok, but you need to work quickly when applying Elephant Walk or you'll start to get polish drag.  This is almost a 1 coat polish, but I used 2 to cover a few thin patches from dragging.  I used Finger Paints base coat and no top coat in these photos.

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   The shimmer in Elephant Walk adds a lot to this polish in my opinion.  Most greys are cremes.  There's nothing wrong with a good grey creme, but personally I'm more likely to reach for a shimmer, even a subtle one, over a creme.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration.

Urban Outfitters Sea Dust

   Until recently I didn't live near an Urban Outfitters.  I kept hearing about fun stuff they had and brands that could occasionally be found there that weren't normally easy to find.  So of course now that there is one where I live I had to stop in.  Their house brand polishes were $5 each or 2 for $8.  So obviously I grabbed 2.  The polishes come in nice heavy square bottles.  I like how sturdy they feel and that they stack next to each other well.

   Sea Dust is a Sea Green metallic foil with small aqua hex glitter.

   The formula on Sea Dust was good, nice consistency, which lead to good application.   The color builds well and doesn't need a base color.  In the sun this is a VERY shiny and sparkly polish.  It was difficult to capture with my camera in direct sun, but I think you should be able to get the idea.

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   The indoor natural light shot gives you a good sense of the base color.  The color might look a little familiar to some of you.  That's because Sea Dust is EXTREMELY close to Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid's Dream polish.  They aren't exactly the same, the base colors are slightly different, but Sea Dust is close enough that I don't feel the need for Mermaid's Dream as well.  Especially with the $13 price difference.

   I was impressed with this polish.  If the rest of the Urban Outfitters polishes are this nice I will definitely be buying more.

 

China Glaze Ride the Waves

   Ride the Waves is the other blue from the China Glaze Summer Neons collection for Summer 2012. 

   This is a deep/royal blue jelly polish.  The formula is pretty thin and tends to run.  You'll need to use thin coats.  Dry time was slow and the finish is a bit dull once it is dry.  Not quite matte, but not really shiny.  I used Finger Paints base coat, 2 coats of Ride the Waves, and Sally Hansen Insta Dri top coat on my middle and index fingers.  I also used 2 coats of Sally Hansen Insta Dri Whirlwind White on my ring and index fingers.

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   As you can see, Ride the Waves is definitely brighter over white, but again is not a neon polish.  I think I prefer it on its own however.  I like the nice squishy feel of jellies.  I think the best use of this polish would be for a jelly sandwich.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were sent to me by the company for consideration.

Timeless Desire: An Outlander Love Story Review

   Happy Weekend everyone!  I hope you're all having a good one.  Last weekend I shared the press release for Timeless Desire by Gwyn Cready with you.  This weekend I'm sharing my thoughts and review of the book.  Now I have no clue what I'm doing so please stick with me as try to get my thoughts across in a logical manner without spoiling the book for anyone. 

Plot: First off, Timeless Desire is a time-traveling romance.  If you don't like romance novels or you don't like sci-fi/fantasy elements to your novels, this book is not for you.  I however enjoy both of these things, which is probably a good thing in this case.  The story starts in modern day Pennsylvania, but quickly switches to eighteenth century England, where most of the story takes place.  The hostilities between England and Scotland are at the core of the conflicts in this book.  Jamie is under house-arrest, accused of treason against England, and has to struggle between loyalty to country and saving innocent lives.  There's also family tension between Jamie and his father and half-brother, both Englishmen, as well as Jamie and his grandfather, a Scottish clan chief. 

Characters: The main characters are Panna, short for Pandora, a modern day young widowed librarian; and Jamie a soldier in the English Army living in a castle on the boarder of England and Scotland during the eighteenth century.  Both characters are well developed with back stories and believable personalities.  They interact with each other and other characters as you'd expect.  I hate reading a story, learning a character's personality and then suddenly the character acts completely differently than you've come to expect for no reason or with no explanation.  That is never the case with Panna and Jamie, or any of the other more minor characters.  The rest of the cast of characters are the expected friends, servants, co-conspirators, villains, and those that fall in-between.  Each has a unique voice and is given enough background that you don't question their actions. 

General Writing: The story moves along at a good pace.  I never felt like it was dragging or that I was being bogged down with too much unnecessary detail.  Nor was I left wanting, or needing, more detail at any point.  This is always a giant plus for me.  Plot and character development both followed a logical path.  I never had a mental head tilt of confusion about where a plot point came from or why an action took place.  There were no big, glaring errors that I noticed in the plot, though my European history isn't that great.  I was impressed with how few missed copy-edits I found.  In most books, even high profile best-sellers, I find a fair amount of small errors, doubled up words or phrases, referring to the wrong character, left out articles- a, the, it.  I understand that the author is not going to catch every tiny mistake, their brain won't let them see the mistakes, but editors should catch these things.  It's a bit of a pet-peeve of mine.  So only finding one or two of these errors in Timeless Desire caught my attention, in a good way. 

Final Thoughts:  I enjoyed Timeless Desire.  It's a fun, light read.  I was able to finish the book within 24 hours.  I started on a Saturday morning and finished Sunday morning.  I probably would have finished on Saturday, but my kindle died on me and the Olympics were on.  The downside of the book, for me, was that I never reached that point where I couldn't put the book down.  The story  was entertaining, but never fulling engrossing or attention grabbing.  If I needed to step away from the book for a little while to make something to eat or run an errand I could with no issues.  It wasn't a it's 2am and I have to be at work in 6 hours but I can't sleep til I know what happens book.  I would categorize it as a take to the beach or read on your lunch break at work book, not a curl up on the couch on a rainy Sunday with a cup of tea and read all afternoon book. 

   As I mentioned last weekend with the press release, here is a link to help you find the right copy of Timeless Desire for your ereader or a print copy if you prefer: http://astorandblue.com/timeless-desire-an-outlander-love-story/

   

Disclaimer:  A copy of this book was sent to me for review, but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

OPI & Mariah Carey Announce Collaboration

   Today OPI announced their next celebrity collaborator- Mariah Carey.  They have not shared many details yet aside from that the collection will be released in January 2013.  Please enjoy the following press release about the collection.  I will share more details as I receive them.

OPI Announces Collaboration with Multi-Platinum Selling International Superstar Mariah Carey

LOS ANGELES – August 10, 2012 – OPI Products Inc. announced a collaboration today with multiple Grammy Award winning and multi-platinum selling recording artist Mariah Carey. A five-time Grammy Award winning global superstar with over 200 million records sold worldwide and 18 Billboard No. 1 singles (more than any solo artist in history), Carey will be the inspiration for a line of OPI limited edition nail lacquers that will launch January 2013.

“OPI is thrilled to work with Mariah, an industry icon who loves nails and considers lacquer one of her favorite accessories,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “With her magnetic personality both on and off the stage, Mariah serves as a great inspiration for beautiful, bold colors.”

About Mariah Carey:

With a distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting and producing talent, Carey has defined the modern pop performance. As a singer/songwriter/producer, she has been recognized with five Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award, the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium,” and BMI’s “Icon Award” to name a few. Mariah has written seventeen out of her eighteen Billboard No. 1 singles and has two consecutive and unparalleled Billboard “Song of the Decade” titles “One Sweet Day” (with Boyz II Men) and “We Belong Together,” further marking her massive presence on the charts since her 1990 song debut “Vision of Love.” Mariah became the second artist in history and the first female performer to have a song debut at No. 1 with “Fantasy” (1995), the groundbreaking collaboration with O.D.B. of the innovative rap group Wu-Tang Clan. Carey’s original holiday classic “All I Want For Christmas is You” redefined its place in pop culture as one of the greatest holiday hits of all time when it reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 2011, seventeen years after its debut. Mariah’s influential and stellar contribution to the music industry spans multiple genres and is showcased through a multifaceted hit catalogue as well as a long list of diverse collaborations.

Carey's ongoing impact transcends the music industry and has left an indelible imprint upon the world at large. She recently made a substantial mark in film with her critically acclaimed role as a social worker in “Precious,” the 2009 film based on the novel “Push,” by Sapphire. A Congressional Award recipient, Carey has generously donated her time and energy to a range of domestic and international philanthropic causes near to her heart including The Fresh Air Fund/Camp Mariah (a retreat where inner-city children explore career development), Save the Music Foundation and Make-a-Wish Foundation among several others.

Mariah is currently in the studio, writing, recording and executive-producing her next album for Island Def Jam Music Group; the lead single "Triumphant (Get ‘Em)," is now available on iTunes. Recently Carey made worldwide headlines with the exciting news that she will join the judges’ panel of FOX’s American Idol when the series returns in 2013.

About OPI:

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

Splish Splash

   Splish Splash is another polish from the China Glaze Summer Neons collection for Summer 2012. 

   Splish Splash is a bright blue with blue shimmer.  Like Love's A Beach, this one dries to a satin finish without top coat.  The formula runs a bit if you don't use thin coats, but not too thin on the coats or the polish will streak.  Otherwise the application was good.  I used Finger Paints base coat, 2 coats of polish, and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat on my middle and index fingers.  I also used 2 coats of WnW White Creme on my ring and index fingers.  

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   The shimmer is very apparent in this polish.  But again, I would not call this a neon.  I do recommend the white base to make the polish pop more.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were sent to me by the company for consideration.

China Glaze Love's A Beach

   Summer is the season of neon.  On tips.  On toes.  On tweens in every mall causing bad 80's flashbacks for those of us old enough to remember those bad decisions the first time around.  China Glaze brought us their annual Summer Neons collection for Summer 2012.  

   First up is Love's A Beach.

   Love's A Beach is a bright pink with shimmer.  The shimmer is a nice touch that is uncommon in a neon and gives the polish a pearl-like finish.  Neon polishes are bright on their own, but pop even more over a white base.  I used Finger Paints base coat, 2 coats of Love's A Beach- over 2 coats of WnW White Creme on my ring and index fingers, and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat on my middle and index fingers.  The formula was good and application was smooth.  Like all neons this one dries matte, well really more satin because of the shimmer, but top coat will give you a nice shiny finish.  The shimmer is subtle, but still noticeable even without top coat.

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   Can you see the difference with the white base?  As always please click to enlarge the pictures for better detail.  You know I'm not a big pink person, but this might make an appearance on my toes before the summer ends.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were sent to me by the company for consideration.

Timeless Desire: An Outlander Love Story Press Release

   Hello lovelies!  Recently I've been receiving lots of new press releases in my inbox, mostly hair and body care related.  I haven't posted any of them because they weren't polish related, the main focus of this blog, and because the releases just didn't pique my interest.  But then  I received an email that intrigued me.  It wasn't polish related, it wasn't even beauty related in any way.  The email was however personalized to me and this blog, not just an impersonal bulk release sent out to any blogger the pr firm could find like the others I've been getting.  That alone made me pay more attention.  So what was the email?  It was an offer to do a book review.  If you've read my about me info in the sidebar you would notice that the second thing I say about myself is that I'm an avid reader.  So of course I investigated a little and thought about whether this was something that could benefit this blog, expanding and adding new dimension, or if it would be entertaining for me, but not for all of you. 

   I decided to give it a try once and see how it goes.  I'm sure lots of you enjoy the escape from reality of a good book just as much as I do.  And that like me are always on the lookout for new authors and titles or genres.  Today I have the official press release for you and will post my review next weekend.  I had intended to get the review up this weekend as well, but I got called into work for an extra couple of shifts this week and just haven't had time to get my thoughts in order.  Let me know if this is something you would like to see more of on the weekends, I will continue to keep anything non polish related to weekends only, or if you have no interest in future reviews of books, or anything else. 

Outlander Love Story a Time-Bending Treat

Quality Writing Marks Fresh New Addition to Beloved Genre

"Cready's writing is romantic and wickedly witty."
-- Rachel Gibson, NY Times Bestselling Author

“Cready is an author worth watching.”
– Publisher’s Weekly

"Gwyn Cready is the master of time travel romance."
-- Royal Reviews

After six successful novels, RITA Award winning author Gwyn Cready is back with her seventh, and most addictively delectable, romance so far: Timeless Desire: An Outlander Love Story. [ISBN: 978-1-938231-29-2 (pback); 978-1-938231-27-8 (E-book); Paranormal Romance; July, 2018]. Written in Cready’s signature style—in turns described as “delightfully original, fun” and “wickedly witty”—Timeless Desire provides plenty of twists and heart-touching moments to satisfy long-time paranormal romance fans. And, it provides enough fun and originality to entertain the casual reader who’s new to the genre.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two years after losing her husband, overworked librarian Panna Kennedy battles to distract herself from crushing grief, while she wrestles with yet another library budget cut. During a routine search within the library’s lower levels, Panna opens an obscure, pad-locked door and finds herself transported to the magnificent, book-filled quarters of a handsome, eighteenth-century Englishman. She soon recognizes the man as Colonel John Bridgewater, the historic English war hero whose larger-than-life statue loomed over her desk.

However, the life of the dashing Bridgewater is not at all what she imagined. He’s under house arrest for betraying England, and now looks upon her—a beautiful and unexpected half-dressed visitor—as a possible spy. Despite bad first impressions (on both sides), Bridgewater nonetheless warms to Panna, and pulls her into his escape—while both their hearts pull the other headlong into their soul-stirring secrets.

Very quickly Panna is thrown into a whirlwind of high-stakes intrigue that sweeps her from Hadrian's Wall to a forbidding stone castle in Scotland. And somewhere in the outland, Panna must decide if her loyalties lie with her dead husband, or with the man whose life now depends on her.

With wit, insight, and plenty of fun, Gwyn Cready produces yet another fast-paced thrill-ride of a time travel romance, the genre she has quickly come to master.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gwyn Cready is a RITA Award Winner (Best Paranormal Romance 2009) and the author of several beloved paranormal romances including Tumbling Through Time, Seducing Mr. Darcy, Flirting with Forever, Aching for Always and A Novel Seduction.

Highly regarded by fans and peers alike, Gwyn has been called, "the master of time travel romance," and her writing described as “sexy,” “delightfully original” and “wickedly witty.” Timeless Desire is her latest foray into the time travel genre and men in kilts. She still finds both eminently satisfying.

Gwyn lives in Pittsburgh with her family.

If you already want to check this book out for yourself, here is a link from the publisher to help you find the right ebook version for you or a print copy.  I will also post the link after my review if you want to wait until then to decide about the book.  http://astorandblue.com/timeless-desire-an-outlander-love-story/

OPI Fall Collections Press Release- Germany and New DS Shades

   This Fall/Winter OPI is taking us back to Europe with their Germany collection.  They are also introducing two new shades to their DS line.  Please enjoy the following press releases:

Edgy Elegance

OPI Launches the Germany Collection for Fall/
Winter 2012

OPI embraces runway trends with the Germany Collection for Fall/Winter 2012. Drawing inspiration from Berlin, an exciting new fashion hub that blends classic looks with the avant-garde, the collection’s twelve shades offer a mixture of vibrant color, urban-chic neutrals, and reds in variations from light to dark.

“Designers showcased rich colors and striking textures for fall,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “The Germany Collection beautifully complements these looks, with standout shades in various hues of red and burgundy – the season’s ‘new black.’ Sapphire, black olive and lime yellow are married with creamy neutrals in honey, taupe and nude rose.”

“The overall feel of the Germany Collection is elegance with an edge,” adds Suzi. “The varied palette of colors adds another accent to the list of special touches – think beadwork, paneling, fur and embroidery – that walked the runways during New York Fashion Week. Wearing these shades on fingers and toes is a great way to accessorize a range of looks for the season.”

Germany by OPI includes the following shades:

Don’t Pretzel My Buttons
A haute honey-beige that can always make you smile.

My Very First Knockwurst
…and what a magical rosy-nude rendezvous it was!

Berlin There Done That
A traveling taupe that’s seen it all. (Yep, that too).

Don’t Talk Bach to Me
There’s nothing mellow about this sassy lime-yellow!

Nein! Nein! Nein! OK Fine!
A bodacious black-olive? We say “Ja! Ja! Ja!”

Unfor-greta-bly Blue
Everyone’s favorite Fräulein loves this über shiny blue.

Every Month is Oktoberfest
Prost! Here’s to the prettiest plum in the Biergarten.

Suzi & the 7 Düsseldorfs
The most beautiful bright purple of all.

Deutsch You Want Me Baby?
A self-assured shade of shimmering red-orange.

Danke-Shiny Red
You “Bitte” try on this ravishing ruby before it’s too late!

German-icure by OPI
The best burgundy shimmer in the business.

Schnapps Out of It!
Shake off the blues with a shot of fall’s must-have mauve!

Germany Collection nail lacquer shades contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

Germany by OPI will be available August 8, 2012, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($9.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

ABOUT OPI
As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

Indulge in Luxurious Lacquers!

OPI Launches New Diamond Dust-Infused
Designer Series Shades for Fall 2012

OPI releases two new high-shine hues – DS Indulgence and DS Luxurious – to join the Designer Series by OPI collection this fall. Fusing fashion and technology, the Designer Series lacquer formula is enhanced with real diamond dust, offering light reflecting, multidimensional color.

DS Indulgence, a radiant red-violet with a shimmering, golden finish,

will launch along with DS Luxurious, a captivating coral-red with a golden glisten.

With these two additions, Designer Series by OPI will offer 12 glitter-filled, highly-saturated, breathtaking colors.

“Red nails are the epitome of glamour, and this fall OPI is adding two dazzling reds to the Designer Series line,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “With vivid color and intense shimmer and shine, these lacquers create a bold, high-fashion accessory statement. DS Indulgence provides a deeper, classic red look, while DS Luxurious incorporates rich auburn pigments.”

Designer Series by OPI nail lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. DS Indulgence and DS Luxurious will be available beginning September 2012 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $12.50 ($14.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

ABOUT OPI
As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality
products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and
innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-
pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury
to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or
Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.
Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including
nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.