Clinique - A Different Nail Enamel For Sensitive Skins Fall 2013

I've never had sensitivity issues from nail polish, but I was drawn to the new beige shades sitting atop the Clinique counter so I decided to test some out today while doing some shopping.

My plan: Paint my nails with the testers at the counter. Walk around the mall, window shopping while I decide which shades I have to have, go back and purchase some beautiful polish.

The short story is. I didn't purchase any of them. While I love all of the shades - they are flattering, beautiful and classy for all - this formula took forever to dry! I tried to be super careful for a good 10 minutes after applying the enamel but I sill ended up with smudges and scrapes everywhere! I really don't remember touching anything. It was really frustrating. I'm not sure what changes were made to make this "For Sensitive Skins" but I cannot recommend these to anyone who doesn't have at least 20 minutes to sit still, not moving their hands at all, while their nails dry.

If you're used to having reactions from nail polishes then maybe the $12.50 price tag is worth it to you. But I can get the same shades from Zoya for $8 and those suckers dry fast!

Edited to add: This stuff chipped like crazy about 24 hours after application. Definitely not worth $12.50.

Zoya Promo- Get the Color Lock System FREE with purchase

Check it out. Zoya is giving away their Color Lock System set for free when you buy 3 of their Fall or Pixie Dust Collection colors. I've got my eye on Sailor and Livingston.  And Chyna and Chita will be perfect for those holiday festivities that are fast approaching!

The more I look, the more difficult it is to choose. Ahhhh!

L'Occitane En Provence Cuticle & Nail Cream

I get dry cuticles and hangnails year around. My hands can look smooth and moisturised and STILL the area around my nails look crusty and gross. So, I picked up a tube of L'Occitane's Cuticle & Nail Cream  (0.5oz for $18) to try it out. I was getting a little tired of all the lemon cuticle butters out there. A lot of them work well, but I would rather my hands not smell of Lemon Pledge.

This comes in an easy to squeeze tube (I can tell I'll be able to get every last bit of product out without resorting to cutting the packaging apart) with a tiny opening for the product to come out of so it's super easy to control how much you get out. The cream itself is not greasy at all and has a beautiful soft scent. It's similar to baby powder without actually smelling like baby powder. It definitely smells grown up.

It absorbs pretty quickly so you can apply it before going out or going to bed without worried about smudging it all over everything you touch. Most importantly, it works almost immediately. My cuticles look better right after application and they're basically perfect after 2-
3 days of use. It's supposed to make nails stronger and less brittle, but my nails aren't usually brittle to begin with so I can't say if it works on that front. It definitely does its job on those cuticles though.

It contains shea butter, honey, apricot oil, sunflower seed oil, rosemary leaf extract, myrrh oil and bunch of other stuff.

Zoya Nail Polish - Kristen

Zoya has a huge color selection, but "Kristen" was my first Zoya product.
And I LOVE it!

This shade is a nice cool, neutral tone - mostly grey, with a hint of pastel blue and has a cream finish. It's a beautiful shade that can be worn in ANY season.
Opaque with just one application (just make sure you load up the brush)
Dries quickly.
Lasts for days on fingers without chipping at all. I can wear this on my toes for several WEEKS and it still looks perfect.

After this, I can't wait to try more of Zoya's polishes!