1. MUG SHOT: Look ma, no glitter! (Playing with Deborah Lippmann’s jellies and cremes)

   November 30, 2011 by pam

   It’s been my dream to fill a bathtub with nail polish. It’s a dream I will turn into reality, I keep telling Jill, even though her eyes usually glaze over at the use of the words “nail polish” and “bathtub” in the same sentence.
   
   So imagine the look on my face when I saw this on Deborah Lippmann’s Tumblr.
   

   

   The bathtub of my dreams! In real life!
   
   This bathtub was at the Lippmann event held recently for beauty editors. Eva Chen of Teen Vogue was there and she posted four pictures on Instagram (1, 2, 3, 4) – four pictures that will make your jaw drop if you are even the tiniest bit crazy about polish.
   
   A glitter party. Where you could mix your own Lippmann shade. Seriously. Someone wipe the drool off the floor.
   
   Now while I didn’t get the chance to mix my own Lippmann polish, I got my Lippmann fix by playing with the bottles Sol helped me haul from Nordstrom.
   
   Deborah Lippmann is famous for her glitter but I decided I needed these glitter-free shades in my life too.
   

   

   Lara’s Theme, I Know What Boys Like, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Call Me Irresponsible.
   

   

   They look so pretty all lined up – like candy for your nails.
   

   

   This is Girls Just Want To Have Fun.
   

   

   

   Named after the Cyndi Lauper song (which was remade by Miley Cyrus), Girls Just Want To Have Fun is described as “carefree coral.”
   

   

   This Spring/Summer 2011 polish has been classified as creme but I really think it’s a jelly.
   

   

   It’s crazy squishy.
   

   

   Even after three coats, you can still see my nail line. I don’t mind though, especially since the formula is nice and problem-free.
   

   

   I’ve seen this shade pull more orange on people with lighter skin. On me, it looks more pink.
   

   

   I like it, it reminds me of a cold glass of Strawberry Kool-Aid. (And yes, I just had some yesterday.)
   

   

   This is Lara’s Theme.
   

   

   

   Deborah Lippmann created Lara’s Theme with model Lara Stone and released it for Spring/Summer 2011.
   

   

   Lara is from the Netherlands and as an homage to her heritage, this shade is described as “double Dutch orange.” Orange is the color of the Dutch royal family.
   

   

   I love how intense this color is.
   

   

   It’s bold and bright without being a garish neon.
   

   

   The formula was fantastic. I used two coats.
   

   

   I love it. I love love love it.
   

   

   First Dior Aloha and now this – 2011 has been a great year for me and orange polish.
   

   

   This is Call Me Irresponsible.
   

   

   

   This Summer 2009 release was named after a song that was first written in 1962 and has since been sung by Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble, among others.
   

   

   Call Me Irresponsible is described as “vivacious violet.”
   

   

   Like Girls Just Want To Have Fun, this was classified as a creme but it really is more of a jelly.
   

   

   Look at that crazy squishiness.
   

   

   The bottle color is more intense than what you see on your nails. But it’s lovely, lovely, lovely.
   

   

   I have nothing like this purple jelly.
   

   

   Call Me Irresponsible is one of my longtime Lippmann lemmings. I’m so glad I finally pulled the trigger. Now I think I need It’s Raining Men so Call Me Irresponsible wouldn’t be lonely.
   

   

   And finally, I Know What Boys Like.
   

   

   

   Yes, I know what boys like but that’s not what I mean. This polish was named after a song by The Waitresses (and Vitamin C and Katharine McPhee).
   

   

   This Spring/Summer 2011 shade is described as “playful periwinkle.”
   

   

   And yes, that’s what it is.
   

   

   I Know What Boys Like is a creme.
   

   

   The formula was lovely, it was opaque in two coats.
   

   

   I like this one too. It’s really pretty.
   

   

   Deborah Lippmann’s polishes are available at Rustan’s. Most of the shades in this post will be available here early next year along with Lippmann’s Fall and Holiday 2011 shades.

   Category mug shot | Tags: call me irresponsible,creme,deborah lippmann,girls just want to have fun,i know what boys like,jelly,lara's theme,lippmann collection,swatches | 14 Comments

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2. MUG SHOT: Hitting the Ommorphia + Illamasqua jackpot

   November 26, 2011 by pam

   Last September, one of my favorite blogs turned one. And to celebrate its first birthday, Ommorphia Beauty Bar had awesome weekly giveaways for six weeks.
   
   On the fourth week, Eugenia and Illamasqua were giving away an awesome selection of products from the brand’s Theatre of the Nameless Collection.

   

   And because I’m an Ommorphia and Illamasqua fan, I joined.
   
   I didn’t expect to win, I’ve joined a few blog giveaways and I’ve never won before, but I still wanted to try.
   
   So imagine my surprise when I got this e-mail from Eugenia, one cold morning in Pennsylvania, the morning after Ver and Joel’s wedding.
   

   Pammy!!!
   
   I just received word from Illamasqua that YOU WON MY GIVEAWAY!!!

   Naturally, I freaked out. In a very good way.
   
   It was triply special because it was my first time to win a blog giveaway, I adore Eugenia and I love Illamasqua.
   
   A few weeks later, back in Manila, this package arrived. I picked it up from the post office.
   

   

   I love that even the mailing envelope fits the brand.
   
   I was so excited to get the package that I couldn’t resist – I had to open it in the car.

   

   There was a sweet note from Alex Cummins, Illamasqua’s Junior Brand Manager.
   

   

   

   As I reached into the envelope, I felt like a kid opening her Christmas present.
   
   Everything was so pretty.
   
   There was Illamasqua’s nail varnish in Vice.
   

   

   Powder Blush in Morale.
   

   

   Nail varnish in Taint.
   

   

   Powder blush in Ambition.
   

   

   And Illamasqua’s new Masquara, which I’ve heard great things about.
   

   

   And once at home, I couldn’t help it, I had to take more pictures of my prizes.
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   I love them.
   
   Taint and Vice are two of the four colors from Illamasqua’s Theatre of the Nameless Collection.

   

   Unlike your usual Illamasqua bottles, the caps on these are rubberized – to mirror the rubber finish of the nail varnish colors in the collection.

   

   This is Taint.
   

   

   Illamasqua describes this as “stone brown.”
   

   

   It looks deep taupe to me. The color reminds me of a nice thick chocolate shake.
   

   

   You know I have a thing for brown polish so yes, I love this.
   

   

   Also, for some reason, despite the difference in finish, the shade reminds me of Illamasqua Bacterium. Now I regret not buying it at Sephora when I had the chance. I must pull that trigger soon.
   

   

   I like Taint’s rubber finish, it sets it apart from my other brown polishes.
   

   

   The formula was great, just as we’ve come to expect from Illamasqua. I used two coats for full opacity.
   

   

   This is Vice.
   

   

   Illamasqua describes this as “deep cerise.”
   

   

   It’s a rich shade of berry.
   

   

   So pretty.
   

   

   I’ve seen it pull more red on some people but on my skin tone it looks very pink.
   

   

   I love it.
   

   

   The color reminds me of Chanel Fantastic – but the rubber finish gives it a sexy S&M edge.
   

   

   Once again, great formula. I used two coats.
   

   

   Love.
   

   

   Thank you, Eugenia. Thank you, Illamasqua. You rocked my November.
   
   Check out Ommorphia Beauty Bar and follow Eugenia on Twitter.
   
   Get your Illamasqua fix by ordering from the Illamasqua website. Yes, they ship internationally. Illamasqua is also available at Sephora. Find Illamasqua on Facebook, follow the brand on Twitter and visit Illamasqua’s official blog HERE.
   

   Category mug shot | Tags: eugenia,illamasqua,illamasqua taint,illamasqua theatre of the nameless,illamasqua vice,ommorphia,ommorphia beauty bar,swatches,taint,vice | 14 Comments

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3. POLICE FILES: Manna from Gaga and Petah (my polish elf strikes again!)

   November 24, 2011 by pam

   When I first heard about Lady Gaga’s Christmas Workshop at Barneys, I wanted to cry. I wouldn’t get the chance to see it – it was opening just weeks after I left New York.
   
   But I knew I wanted to see it through Petah’s eyes. He’s a Lady Gaga fan too, I knew he’d be excited.
   
   We pored over the workshop site, him in New York, me in Manila, and we were shocked by how expensive the press-on nails were. “$225! Exag!” we said.
   
   Days later, Petah sent me a message on Facebook, telling me that Lady Gaga was in New York to open the workshop but he wouldn’t be joining the mad crowd. “I’ll likely go on Wednesday to scout her digs,” he said.
   
   Last night, I saw a photo of a special Deborah Lippmann set that was created by Lady Gaga. I squealed. And again, I felt like crying. First there was the Marc Jacobs x NARS collaboration. And now this. Why were all these awesome limited edition goodies coming out after I left New York?
   
   I posted about the set on Facebook before going to bed.
   

   

   The next morning, I woke up to find an e-mail from Petah. Petah my polish elf. Petah who has brought me so much joy in the past with MAC Wonder Woman. And Les Jeans de Chanel. And, most recently, Dior Saint Tropez.
   
   He had mixed feelings about the workshop.
   

   “So I went to Barney’s yesterday to check out what Christmas with Gaga is all about. As expected, it’s weird and salacious! It felt like Tim Burton and Gaga’s lovechild decided to dazzle us all to no avail – it was underwhelming.
   
   On top of that, the merchandise was ridiculously priced. It was fun to see and experience the ‘workshop’ but it ain’t Halloween anymore.
   
   I went there, for you of course, to scout the gazillion dollar nails that we saw online but they weren’t there for some reason. I did, however, see slightly cheaper (but still overpriced) nails and they were fantastic. I almost got you a pack but then there was this pile of boxes that was chanting your name – it was Deborah Lippmann’s Edge of Glory polish set for Gaga’s Workshop!
   
   And how is an elf supposed to respond to this? By indulging my sweet Pammy. Consider this manna from Gaga!
   
   Hope you enjoy it soon!
   
   love always,
   : – Petah
   

   My heart stopped.
   
   I felt like crying again – and this time out of sheer joy. I couldn’t believe Petah had gotten me the Edge of Glory box just a couple of hours after I saw it online. He really has magic powers.
   
   Petah sent photos so I could see Gaga’s workshop too.
   

   Neon sign at Gaga’s Workshop

   What greeted us inside – a whole floor was dedicated to her workshop

   

   
   Look at those nails!

   

   

   
   These nail decals were for sale!

   
   Giddy elf!

   I love that photo of Petah. He looked really excited to be holding the Edge of Glory box.
   
   The surprise really rocked my morning. I was blown away. I wasn’t expecting it at all. The truth is, while I wanted to get my hands on the set, it didn’t even occur to me to ask Petah to buy it for me. He’s done so much for me as my beloved polish elf – I just couldn’t ask for more. It was enough for me that he was going to see the workshop and tell me about it after. I certainly didn’t think I’d receive manna from Gaga.
   
   And that made the surprise even more special.
   

   

   

   Squeal.
   

   

   

   Now this is just a wild Gaga guess but I have a feeling the Edge of Glory set was used on these nails.
   

   

   I’m so excited to wear it.
   
   Thank you so much, Petah. You are amazing and incredibly sweet. It’s not just the polish, you reminded me that I have so many reasons to be grateful this Thanksgiving. Great friends, wonderful surprises, so much love, endless adventures, life. I love you, I really do.
   
   If you’re in New York or will be watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, you might just spot Petah – he’s one of the Pillsbury Dough Boy balloon holders. I will be watching – and when I spot him, you can be sure I’ll be squealing and blowing kisses.
   
   Deborah Lippmann’s limited edition Edge of Glory polish set for Lady Gaga’s Workshop is also available on the Barneys website.

   Category police files | Tags: barneys,deborah lippmann,edge of glory,gaga workshop,lady gaga,petah,polish elf | 12 Comments

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4. MUG SHOT: Firebird frenzy (or how I fell in love with RBL’s pre-fall collection)

   November 22, 2011 by pam

   Earlier this year, Rescue Beauty released the Firebird Collection.
   
   The four colors in the collection were inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s L’Oiseau de Feu and Hurricane Earl which Rescue Beauty founder Ji Baek witnessed while vacationing in St. Barts. I got such a kick out of that – only Ji would see beauty in a hurricane. (In the same way that only Ji would read about the wives of Henry VIII and think, “Ooh, this would be the perfect polish collection.” And it is perfect – which is why the Tudors keep coming back. We just refuse to let them go.)
   
   Ji described the inspiration behind each Firebird perfectly.
   
   “I envisioned my first color—Pizzicato— inspired by the gentle tiny taps of rain droplets as they hit the tin roof, reminiscent of plucked strings. A misty white with the faintest hint of lavender, Pizzicato has a shimmer that acts like prisms of light in a sun shower.”

   

   “When the wind picked up, I saw Poco a Poco, “little by little.” This is a shade that changes from moment to moment. It’s the stunning, sparkling pink of a fanning cloud when the red and orange rays of the sun are trying to burst through.”
   

   

   “Later, the ominous dark clouds bled into the sky with a fast-moving wind. Piú Mosso is an inky, blue-black that shoots through a flash of orange, the last glow of sunlight.”
   

   

   “At last, when the light left the sky and the wind started to roar, the sky turned into a shade beyond description—a dark greenish, blackish, brown, leading to a powerful Fortissimo, the finale chord of The Fire Bird.”
   

   

   Thanks to Sol who organized a group haul, I ordered all four colors as soon as they were available. But they arrived while I was in New York (where they came from – so it’s really funny) so it took a while before I was able to see them.
   
   I finally did and let me tell you this – they are so worth the wait.
   
   Not just because they were perfectly wrapped.

   

   And not just because Ji’s autographs made me giggle.
   

   

   But because they are awesome.
   

   

   Seriously.
   

   

   I’m so in love with this entire collection.
   

   

   Love times four.
   

   

   Let’s start with Pizzicato.
   

   

   Check out that pretty sparkle.
   

   

   It’s crazy.
   

   

   I will be honest here. When I saw photos and early swatches of this collection, I didn’t think Pizzicato would be my favorite. Give me a group of shades too choose from and the chances of me picking the lightest shade as my favorite is slim to none. But that’s exactly what happened with Pizzicato.
   

   

   I love it so much.
   

   

   It’s white, it’s lavender, it’s pink, it’s all these colors and more.
   

   

   I love how light and clean it looks.
   

   

   The formula was nice and thick, smooth and not at all streaky.
   

   

   Two coats are enough for coverage but I decided to use three.
   

   

   I love how the sparkle really does look like raindrops.
   

   

   Next is Poco a Poco.
   

   

   Poco a Poco is a dusty pink with a hidden rosy gold sheen.
   

   

   I love this shade too.
   

   

   I love that it’s pink but edgy.
   

   

   I like that it’s feminine but not boring.
   

   

   And I love that it can look like two different colors depending on the lighting.
   

   

   See?
   

   

   I saw that some people have complained about the formula of Poco a Poco, that it’s not as easy to work with as your usual RBL shades.
   

   

   And I found that odd because the formula was great for me.
   

   

   It was super smooth. Two coats were all I needed for full coverage.
   

   

   And now, Piu Mosso.
   

   

   This deep blue is totally my kind of color.
   

   

   Check out that flash of copper.
   

   

   On the nails, the copper shimmer isn’t as obvious.
   

   

   You can see it at certain angles and under the bright sun.
   

   

   Piu Mosso’s formula is fantastic.
   

   

   One coat is enough for full coverage.
   

   

   It practically applies itself.
   

   

   This is one of the many RBL shades that make you think, “What the hell am I doing messing around with crappy formulas when it can be this perfect and this easy?”
   

   

   Piu Mosso is a killer.
   

   

   And we’re not yet done. This is Fortissimo.
   

   

   Fortissimo is a really dark brown with a hint of olive green.
   

   

   Another color that I feel was made for me.
   

   

   I love this shade too.
   

   

   You know I love sexy dark shades like Fortissimo.
   

   

   Again, fantastic formula. Two coats offered perfect coverage.
   

   

   Fortissimo is insanely glossy.
   

   

   It was so glossy that I thought the polish was still wet.
   

   

   It wasn’t wet, it was dry, it’s just incredibly glossy.
   

   

   I’ve already worn two of these shades. First was Piu Mosso.
   

   

   It’s a killer blue.
   

   

   Love.
   

   

   And my favorite, Pizzicato.
   

   

   I swear, I can’t stop staring at my nails.
   

   

   I’m still wearing Pizzicato now.
   

   

   The Firebirds have made me even more excited about RBL’s upcoming collections. 2012 will be huge for Rescue Beauty – Ji says she will be releasing the most number of colors in the coming year. I can’t wait.
   
   In the meantime, if you’ve been waiting for Scrangie, Mismas, Orbis Non Sufficit, Locavore, 360 and Anne to be back in stock, you’re in luck – the BIB2s are already available for order on Rescue Beauty’s website.

   Category mug shot | Tags: firebird,fortissimo,piu mosso,pizzicato,poco a poco,rbl,rbl firebird collection,rbl pre-fall,rescue beauty,swatches | 11 Comments

   ---

5. POLICE FILES: Friday surprise from Sol and Digital Traincase

   November 19, 2011 by pam

   Sol was the very first person I met through this blog and I am happy she ended up becoming my real life friend. We went to a Sally Hansen event together and started talking like crazy. From that moment on, our friendship was cemented.
   
   Back then, things were kicking off for her online store Digital Traincase and over the next months I got to witness her business grow. I love seeing how successful she’s become. Her loyal customers have multiplied, she’s bringing in more and more brands, she’s a regular at the country’s biggest bazaars and she now has a brick and mortar store where you can drool at all the cosmetics on display. (I should know, Tatin and I spent a fun night there playing with makeup).
   
   Digital Traincase is one of my favorite shops and Digital Traincase hauling has become part of the Polish Police life.
   
   Which leads us to Friday afternoon.
   
   I knew a package was arriving from Sol. Earlier this year, she facilitated a massive Rescue Beauty group order and we also did a sweet little Nordstrom haul. She had posted on Facebook days before that our babies had arrived.
   
   I also ordered a few Models Own shades which her awesome shop has started selling and a few bottles from Depend, another new brand she now carries.
   
   So yes, I was expecting a package. But I wasn’t expecting a big package. I wasn’t expecting a bigger package attached to a smaller package, a crazy nail mail hybrid that had me hyperventilating.
   
   I tore into the smaller package.
   
   Well hello, Models Own.
   

   

   Raspberry Crush, Utopia and Champagne. These are my first bottles of Models Own. I was surprised by how big the bottles were. Models Own is a cruelty-free cosmetics brand from the UK. They don’t test on animals and offer a wide range of colors that are craaaazy.
   

   And there were the bottles of Depend.
   

   

   That’s when the surprises started. There were four bottles, I only ordered three.
   
   And it wasn’t just one extra bottle.

   

   There were a lot of extra bottles. Really pretty bottles.
   
   Depend is a brand from Sweden. Digital Traincase has a lot of colors in stock. I’m not kidding when I say A LOT. Check out this pic she posted while she was at the Mommy Mundo Bazaar in Rockwell. (She’ll be there tomorrow too – check it out!)
   

   

   And the awesome thing is the bottles are so adorably tiny that you won’t feel bad about stocking up on a lot of shades. And they’re just P200 each!
   
   Now I knew my Rescue Beauty order and Lippmanns were in the bigger package. But those were just eight bottles. This pretty box seemed too big.

   

   It was too big because it was packed with goodies.
   

   

   Holy crap.
   

   

   I was so happy to see that package of Poshe. Because here’s the thing – I’ve been having problems with my bottles of Seche Vite. I have several bottles that I’ve been using and they’re all freaking gloopy. I thinned one bottle with Restore and I feel like I thinned it too much because now it makes every single polish I wear really chippy. Nothing has been lasting on me more than two days – even shades and brands that normally wear like iron.
   
   I don’t think I’ve told anyone about my Seche Vite problems except Jill and Tatin. How did Sol know I needed a good top coat? Can she read my mind?
   
   And the best part is I’ve been wanting to try Poshe. I’ve heard such great things about it, I’ve heard some people love it as much or even more than Seche Vite. I can’t wait to try it.
   
   Then there was the bottle of Rainbow Connection from OPI’s Muppets Collection.

   

   This crazy glitter explosion was the bottle that jumped out at me when I was looking at promo pics and now, thanks to Sol, I don’t have to run around looking for it. And you don’t have to either. I hear Digital Traincase will have more stocks of the Muppets Collection coming soon.
   
   Then I zoomed in on the Illamasqua box. Insanity is insanity. I cannot wait to wear this bright orange.
   

   

   Sol is my Illamasqua fairy. She also gifted me with Illamasqua Raindrops recently and I love it so much.
   
   I was also really happy to see my new Lippmanns.

   

   Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Lara’s Theme, I Know What Boys Like and Call Me Irresponsible. They’re so pretty – like candy for my nails.
   
   And finally, my perfectly packaged Rescue Beauty order.

   

   I swear, I wasn’t breathing as I opened this.
   

   

   And when I saw the boxes, I started giggling like a little school girl.
   

   

   I had asked my rock star Ji to autograph my order and what she wrote cracked me up and made me giddy.
   

   

   The gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous Firebird collection.
   

   

   Shimmer, sparkle and sexiness. Love.
   

   

   Check out that fiery flash on Piu Mosso.
   

   

   Pizzicato and Fortissimo.
   

   

   Poco a Poco and Piu Mosso.
   

   

   I’m biased, I love all the Ps in these polish names.
   
   Thank you, Sol. I can’t wait to swatch and wear all these shades. Thank you for the solid polish fix and for making it feel like Christmas five weeks early.

   Check out Digital Traincase and get your own polish fix. Like Digital Traincase on Facebook. Follow Digital Traincase on Twitter. You can check out the Models Own shades Sol has available here. You can order Depend through this link too. Visit Digital Traincase at Eton Corinthian Cyberpod, across Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas.
   

   Category police files | Tags: call me irresponsible,champagne,deborah lippmann,depend,digital traincase,fortissimo,girls just wanna have fun,i know what boys like,illamasqua insanity,lara's theme,models own,nail mail,piu mosso,pizzicato,poco a poco,raspberry crush,rbl,rbl firebird,rescue beauty,sol,surprise,utopia | 11 Comments

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