Deck the Nails, Part 3: Zoya Daul

The search is still on for a sparkly, glittery, festive, Christmas red nail polish. I actually, just last night, tried one that looked promising. It, um, wasn't. I'm going to give myself a little time to get over the initial shock of it before I photograph it and post it here. Maybe it will grow on me?

Anyhoo, I decided to take a break from the mission and play with a pretty purple. Here's Zoya in Daul:



Photo Credit: Zoya

None of these photographs can really do it justice. Daul has a stunning royal purple base that is generously infused with gold glitter. It's not quite Dual Chrome, but the color does vary depending on the light.



Sunlight

 This reminds me of one of my favorite Mardi Gras gowns. It's a goddess-style draped gown in this exact shade of purple, and the fabric was woven with tons of gold shimmer throughout. When you dance in this dress, you absolutely glow.



Shade

 I say all of that, not so much to tell you about a nice dress, but to drive home the point that this is a celebratory shade, and one that appears to carry its own spotlight with it. The shade is so delicate, the best way to describe it is "gossamer". It's unbelievably gorgeous, and I can't stress that enough.



Partial Sunlight/Partial Shade

 As for the formula, I have no complaints. The polish glides on, and reaches full opacity in two coats. I applied three, just to be safe. The consistency is not runny, and the polish dries in minutes. I've been wearing it for seventeen hours with no chipping or flaking. I know that's not a long time, but I've been shopping, fumbling through my purse, and typing for a good chunk of that time, and none of that is easy on your nails.



Indoors

 In my book, this is a keeper. If you're looking for an unexpected nail color this season, I highly recommend Daul. $8, zoya.com.

Final Verdict: 10 out of 10. Gorgeous color and gorgeous formula at a not too shabby price.

Deck the Nails: Sephora by O.P.I. Looks Like Rain Dear

This may not be a new nail polish, but it's new to me, and I thought it would be perfect for the holidays.

Direct Sunlight

Shade

This shade is called "Looks Like Rain Dear" by Sephora by OPI, and is described as an opaque gold with fine and chunky glitter. I call it one stop shopping. In one nail polish, you get the equivalent of a solid base coat, fine glitter polish, and a holographic sparkle top coat. This would make for a fabulous accent nail, but is neutral enough to be used as a primary polish. The above pictures show approximately two and a half coats: two full coats, and then a light coat applied just to the tips to seal them. I didn't bother with a clear top coat, and the manicure still lasted for about three days before slightly chipping.

My only gripe is the formula. It's extremely runny, so I suggest multiple light coats to ward off a mess. You could probably reach full opacity in one coat--which would be awesome--but the polish is too liquidy to allow it. Still, the pale champagne color is so gorgeous, it's worth the fuss. $9.50, Sephora.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10. This stunner is a little too pricey to be that runny.

All That Glitters

Ah, Vegas!  Where fantasies are reality, fortunes are made, and the ATMs are filled with gold! 

Okay, so one out of three ain't bad.  Seriously, though, Vegas actually has an ATM that dispenses 24kt gold bars and coins instead of cash.  It's located in the Golden Nugget casino, and while not the first of its kind, is the first and only one in the city.  There's another machine in the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton, FL, and several have sprung up across Europe. 

The machines, invented by Thomas Geissler and manufactured in Germany by Gold To Go, hold approximately 320 gold pieces of varying sizes.  A customer inputs how much gold they'd like to purchase, inserts either cash or card, and out comes the gold--neatly wrapped and sealed in a little black box.  Prices are recalculated every 10 minutes to accomodate the rapidly-changing market value.  The manufacturer claims that the machines are, "largely burglar-proof and tamper-resistant," and a great alternative to purchasing gold from pawn shops.  What will they think of next?

Photo Credit:  Chocomize.com

Speaking of weird places to find gold, how 'bout in a chocolate bar?  I don't know how many of you are fans of Rizzoli & Isles, but, apparently, there was a pretty gold-flecked candy bar featured in an episode.  Well, folks, you, too, can have one of your very own!  Chocomize is a custom candy bar company, and the creator of the confection used on the show.  Chocolate lovers can choose a base chocolate (milk, dark, or white), then pile on up to five of their individually-priced toppings, including 23kt gold flakes.  Or, if you're not into DIY candy, you can pick from their selection of most popular combinations.  The Spicy Special and S'mores bars have me intrigued.  $3.95 and up, Chocomize.com.

And now, how 'bout a gold-infused product review?  I thought I'd give Urban Decay Primer Potion in Greed a spin.  According to Sephora:

This primer makes color more vibrant and lasting without any creasing. Try a sexy glimmer applied at inner corners of eyes, or wear it alone to transform your eyelids into those of a fierce seductress. This potion even works as a radiant brow bone highlighter, and can add a golden sheen underneath any eyeshadow.

According to me: 

It's a good primer.  I put it on this morning, and have had zero creasing or fading, so at least we know that it works.  The color is less gold and more like a yellow-toned champagne.  It's very light (almost whipped, really), and exceedingly shimmery.  By itself, it makes for a sheer, pretty wash of color, and would work well as a highlighter.  I layered some neutral brown shadows over the primer (Stila's Sparkle, Grand, and Kitten), and noticed a very subtle golden hue peeking through the lighter colors.  It's not overpowering, just a slight undertone.  With the right shadows (these worked well), it could be very flattering.  Greed was only available, up until recently, in a four-pack sampler, but can now be found on its own for $18.  Sephora.com.