Review: Soludos

For such a long time I lusted over the Chanel espadrilles and I still do. I wanted a cheaper alternative and somehow I arrived at a brand called Soludos. When I first bought this pair I had never heard of the brand; I thought they were a small company that sold some shoes. But recently, in these past weeks I have seen so many other bloggers talk about Soludos. I was really excited because I bought them for only $20, on sale at Nordstrom. Now even the solid color pairs are more expensive (Also, I was pretty happy thinking I was hipster; having the shoes before other people even discovered them)

To start, if you are looking for durable shoes refrain from buying these. When I first saw them I knew these weren't lasting shoes so it wasn't really a disappointment; I was kind of waiting for them to break. As you can see from the photo above, I've started breaking through the toe area. And if you look at some of the pictures below you can see the fabric start to break away from the base (not sure if that's what it's called). Oh, I guess I failed to capture it, but in some places there are some loose threads. So as far as durability goes, it fails the test, but like I was saying, I expected this. (If you were wondering, I've had these shoes for a couple months now)

Now the reason I bought these shoes was because I was looking to buy some sort of closed toe casual shoe. I had seen espadrilles were gaining some popularity and decided to take the plunge. And as far as how they look, they are average. They definitely don't look super expensive, but they're okay.

Overall my opinion about these shoes are not the greatest. With the money, I would rather buy a cute pair of sandals. And, as far as if I would buy them again: no. If you have the money to spare and want to try out the espadrille style, feel free to buy them. They do come in cute patterns for spring/summer, so I'll give them that.

 

Dove Advanced Hair Series Oxygen Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner

Every time I run out of shampoo and conditioner, I go to the drugstore to find something new. I'm not faithful to any one product or brand because I find that most of them work in the same way.

 

However, this set has redefined the way I look at shampoo and conditioner. In the shower I didn't notice anything spectacular about either product. It was only after drying my hair did I find out how amazing these two products are.

 

I dried my hair and it was super soft. My hair had a weightless feel to it. (mind you that I have a lot of hair, and I always feel its weight) My hair was a little frizzy, but it always is after blow drying.

 

My favorite thing about the set is difficult to explain, but I'll try. I usually take showers at night, blow dry my hair on medium heat, use the cool shot to set my hair, and go to sleep. In the mornings, I always find that my hair has some texture in it; the bad looking texture that looks like extremely limp curls with a big crease near my shoulder. I believe the culprit is my pillow; I think my hair molds to the pillow and curls around it. 

Now, my natural hair is straight, so I hate it when I wake up and it is not that. The very first day after using the shampoo and conditioner, I found that my hair was, in fact, straighter in the morning. I hadn't done anything differently so I knew it was the shampoo and conditioner. But like any good experimenter, you can draw conclusion with one trial. I've been testing this shampoo and conditioner for about a month and my conclusion is that it does leave my hair straighter than usual with other brands. However, that first trial was the only time I was absolutely shocked. The times afterward, my hair was straight but not as straight as the first time.

 

Another conclusion is that I won't use the shampoo and conditioner every day. I don't know; I just found that they didn't work as effectively when you use it every day. (maybe try every other day or once a week)

 

At such an affordable price, I recommend you try these two products out. I believe on their site they are offering $1 off. Also, they have another set in the Advanced Hair Series: Pure Care Dry Oil. I can't wait to try out that line, especially because Dove says it has Macadamia Oil in it. As opposed to the Oxygen Moisture line, which gives your hair volume, the Pure Care Dry Oil line claims to make your hair silky and smooth without weighing the hair down. 



Pastels

With Easter approaching, I decided to pick out some of my favorite pastel polishes. In case you were wondering, the colors are:

Green: Essie Turquoise and Caicos

Lavender: Essie Lilacism

Pink: Revlon Temptress

I was apprehensive about showing this but I thought it might be helpful. I wanted to do something different, so I tried doing some stripes. If you've seen my past blog posts you know I love using tape to make a lot of designs. Well I used thin strips of tape and only one nail came out looking decent. As far as the others, the tape got stuck and broke. The problem was not the time it took because I tried all different times. I think the problem lies in the base color. The one that came out looking decent was with Revlon's Temptress as a base. The other ones with the Essie colors as a base didn't turn out well. This isn't a post to bash the Essie polishes but for the purpose of layering, I don't this these two polishes are good. Lesson to be learned: try out different polishes; consistencies of multiple brands are different. (It's all about trial and error right?)

Oh and here's the result of my attempt with stripes (on my right hand)

As you can see the only nail that came out looking decent is the pink+purple nail. The green+pink nail is okay but not up to my standards. And the purple+green nails are really bad; the tape just broke.

**Also this is my right hand so it is more messy considering I am right handed. These pictures were taken the same day I applied the nail polish. I usually clean up the edges in the shower because the hot water makes the nail polish on the skin remove easily.

Recent Buys

 

Here's another new type of post: recent purchases. This week I went into my first Gap store in years. The last time I remember walking through the Gap doors was when I was in grade school and their logo sweatshirts were a big deal. But I have since matured and now shop their other items.

 

If you want to know a thing about me it is that I LOVE stripes. My everyday bag is striped and when I wear a striped top it definitely clashes (and not in a 'mixing prints' type of way). Nevertheless, I still love stripes even if I look like a walking 'Where's Waldo' sans the hat & glasses.

 

So, when I saw multiple of my favorite bloggers wearing striped tees from Gap, I knew I had to check it out.

 

Having the 'Essential mini-stripe crew tee' in mind, I was quite surprised when it was the first thing I saw walking in. Lying in a neatly folded pile in the front table, it was either a coincidence or fate (I decided it was the latter).

In my basket it went! (actually there was no basket, but you get what I mean)

 

Although my main attention was on the striped tee, I my favorite buy was the small polka dot shirt. The shirt hangs on the body nicely. Not too structured and not to baggy. Great if you want a professional look or a casual outfit. I am also into the small little dots. They are very subtle and not too bold.

 

Shopping around I found a lot of things that caught my eye, but keeping my budget in mind, I put down some things. (which was really hard - there was one thing that I really wanted) Anyway, I walked out with 3 items; all under $100. I think Gap might be one of my all time favorite stores now.

 

The 4th item is a sweatshirt from Target. And like Gap, I don't really shop Target clothes. I usually go to Target to pick up some household items or cosmetics. But let me say, I will now be scouring their clothes department. This sweatshirt I picked up is amazing. It is surprising thinker than it looks and the material is heavy (in a good, substantial kind of way). I was slightly apprehensive about the crew neck buy after trying it on I love the crew neck. Also, another thing I love about the sweatshirt is the small quilted fabric; it gives the sweater detail and texture.

 

Overall, I am really happy with the items I picked up this week. I am really excited now because I found two new stores (at least to me) that I can shop at. And before this recent trip to the mall, I have kind of been in a shopping rut. I have gone into stores and walked out with nothing.

____________________________________________________________

Gap polka dot shirt ǁ Gap striped tee ǁ Gap colorblock striped sweatshirt ǁ Target quilted sweater

 

Classic with a Twist

 

Another tutorial today. I've been browsing Pinterest and found a pin similar to this manicure. I decided to recreate it and I think it looks very unique. I'm not entirely into this shade of grey; maybe a typical French manicure (with white tips) would look better.  

 

 

MATERIALS:

 

- main color (for the tips)

- assorted colors

- base coat & top coat (not shown)

- tape (not shown)

 

 

1. apply base coat

2. apply your choice of color

3. wait to dry completely

4. place the slightest bit of tape on top of the colored part of the nail

5. apply your main color

6. finish with a top coat

 

 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 



Let's Talk About: granola, nut allergies, my nail blog

Usually I like to publish posts over the weekend but I was in a rut --- Writer's block (even though I don't really consider myself a writer). Normally I have my posts planned out but not this week. I had wanted to post another nail post considering I haven't done one in the past, but I accidently hit my nail and broke it.

 

I still wanted to write about something so excuse me if this is not the most interesting topic.

 

I love yogurt and I am always looking for things to spice up my plain yogurt. For a while, granola in yogurt was a big thing. Unfortunately I am allergic to many nuts and many of the companies out there sell granola with nuts. I finally came across Love Crunch by Nature's Path. It says it is "premium organic granola' with 'dark chocolate & red berries made with organic cocoa, flax, & coconut.' Super excited to see that it didn't have any nuts in it, I ripped open the bag and dug in.

 

I always like to read the label and see what other information there is to offer but I guess that happens only after I eat some. I read the ingredients and low and behold it reads "Contains soy, tree nuts, and wheat" WHAT? Tree nuts? I have lived my whole life (which isn't saying much because I am fairly young) believing that I was allergic to all nuts. I wanted a while to see if I had a delayed allergic reaction, but after 20 minutes of nothing, I cam to the conclusion that maybe I am not allergic to all nuts.

 

To some this may sound extremely uninteresting, but for me this was enlightening. Perhaps I am not allergic to all nuts (just peanuts; I definitely know I am allergic to peanuts) and can start experimenting with other nuts. My next goal: hazelnuts. (You don't know how much I want to try Nutella)

 

By the way, as far as the granola, it's pretty good. It is exactly what it says. Granola + a few red berries + a few chocolate chunks. It is definitely not life changing but a fun way to add some pizazz to plain yogurt. Here's a picture if you are interested. (I think it is from Costco but I'm not entirely sure)

 

 

 

Thanks for reading to the end if you did! This post explores more of who I am. I don't know if you guys like these types of things, but I am quite enjoying them lately. This blog started as a blog mainly about nail polish, but I have really been liking writing about other things. I think it is finally time to change the description from nail polish blog to lifestyle blog.

 

x Katherine

Review: Maybelline 'The Rocket' mascara

 

First makeup post! Well I guess it's kind of bittersweet because this review is not the happiest.

 

Maybelline is one of my favorite drugstore makeup brands and I love their

'The Falsies' mascara, but 'The Rocket' was not one that made my top list.

 

My biggest problem with the mascara was that it did not hold a curl. To my straight lashes people out there this is not the mascara for you. I personally have straight lashes and 10 seconds after applying the mascara, major drooping. It pretty much didn't even look like I curled my lashes.

 

The next problem was the formulation. I thought is was gloopy and watery. I went every where. It made my lashes stick together and look spidery.

 

On the plus side, there was a lot of length. My lashes are already pretty long so length is not something that I look for in a mascara but hey, more length is always better right?

 

Personally, the biggest thing I look for in a mascara is volume and separation, which is not what I got in this mascara. So verdict: I stick with 'The Flasies'

 

P.S. I still love Maybelline but this product was a bust for me.

 

P.P.S. I've heard that the waterproof version is good. I personally don't like waterproof mascaras but maybe I'll consider it.

 

 

Here's what the wand looks like

(the very small bristles at the end are on purpose - a tapered effect)

 

 

 

 

Simple & Classic

 

I wouldn't consider myself to have a specific style but classic and minimalistic seem to always come up. Anytime I'm running late or just feeling lazy and I need to quickly grab something to wear, I always choose a simple tee & skinny jeans or a blouse & skinny jeans. The are my ultimate go to, especially because it is hard to go wrong with the two combinations. They just always look good. I have recently found some websites that I haven't heard much about but I think are great for people that like simple pieces.

I first came across ARY; they recently launched their website and let me tell you, I want EVERYTHING! From their sweaters to their jeans, I love it all. I love how their jeans are super simple. No harsh fading, no crazy rips and tears, just denim.

Somehow from there I found a similar site, Everlane. They also sell timeless pieces, my favorite their blouse. We have all probably seen those similar blouses for $150+, and at that absurd price I would never think about buying them. But with Everlane's less than $100 price tag, I think I might try some. They have a whole range of colors, my favorite being pine, truffle, and natural white (actually, I love them all!). What I like about their color range is that they aren't too over the top. They don't have crazy colors that are not practical. All of their colors are reasonable and are flattering on pretty much everybody.

And don't get me started on these sandals; they are perfect, everything I want (I don't have them, but I REALLY want them) in a sandal and more. The more part being that they are adjustable. I can't tell you how many times I have bought shoes online and they didn't quite fit right. With these I'm pretty sure they will accommodate for slightly smaller or slightly larger feet. As far as the style, they are great! Very practical for those that don't wear heels in their day to day life, but still want to look stylish (move over flip flops).

I'm not much of a ring person but I can tell you that this one is making me reconsider. A while back, a couple of years or so, I saw a ring similar to this in a magazine but the brand was not stated. I spent hours and days trying to find that ring but no luck. I had stopped looking for a while; then I saw this. I love the multiple band idea and I especially love that it looks like you are wearing 3 different rings. Unfortunately, at $253, it is safe to assume that I am not going to just casually add it to my cart, but hey it's okay to look, right?

P.S. This post is definitely a departure from my regular posts; do you like this better? I love beauty and fashion as well. Don't get me wrong, I'll still do nail polish posts, but I think I'm going to expand my range of topics that include beauty and fashion.

NOTW: Chinese New Year & Valentine's Day

 

I decided to paint my nails inspired by Chinese New Year (as well as the upcoming Valentine's Day - now passed) but didn't want to go super over the top. As you can see in the photo above, I went with dark grey nails and only a red & gold accent nail and overall, I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm not too happy with the dark grey as the main color but I do really like the gold and red together. I have to say though, the gold glitter does not like tape. It wasn't a catastrophe but it was troublesome. After removing the tape (my favorite nail art tool), I had to go back and fill in the part where the tape took off the glitter. Also, I don't know about you but the dark grey kept pulling tones of blue. It was subtle, but every time I looked at my nails I kept seeing blue.

 

Anyways, this post is kind of a miscellaneous post but feel free to write in the comments if you have anything that comes across your mind.  

Review/NOTW: Covergirl Copper Cappuccino

 

Let me first start off by saying Happy Chinese New Year! I actually have a 'sort of' festive manicure for Chinese New Year but that will be up next week. I wanted to put this post up before that one.

 

Okay, so this is a weird post because this polish is super old. I have had this polish for as long as I can remember. I actually think it used to belong to my mom, but I LOVE it! Because it is so old I was apprehensive about doing this post because I have searched near and far and can't find this sold anywhere. Nevertheless, I did want to post this because I want your input if there is any nail polish out there similar to this one.

 

To be honest, I'm not quite sure if it is in fact Covergirl. I assume the CG means Covergirl and I have looked all over the bottle and nothing.

 

   Review Time...

 

Consistency: very very good (especially for being years old)

 

Application: fantastic. For being really old, I didn't find that the polish was any thicker than my other newer polishes. Glides on like a dream, but the best part was that it was completely opaque in the first coat. I love polishes like this because I am not one to really enjoy the process. I know some people like this as a calming beauty routine, but I only like the finished product.

 

Color: another one that I was blown away with. The color is so multi-dimensional. There is shimmer in all the right places. Ranking just based on color, this polish is still one of my all-time favorites.

 

Longevity: good but not great. Lasted for a good amount of days but nothing spectacular.

 

How many coats: ONE!

 

Top Coat/Base Coat: Sally Hansen Mega Shine Top Coat / Julep Nail Therapy

 

7-Day Wear:  

 

 

Overall Grade: A+

 

Again, sorry if you had hopes to buy this nail polish. But if you have any recommendations of a polish similar to this Covergirl one, please let me know in a comment because I don't know how many more manicures I can get with the limited amount of polish left.