Things I Hate Thursday: Chipped Nail Polish

I know I've said this before but I need to explain again how much I HATE CHIPPED NAIL POLISH!

Here is a picture of some fingers wearing nail polish:



Pretty nice hey? Those nails are so glossy you sort of can't even see them for all the light they're reflecting, but they sure do look neat and tidy and glamourous.

Here - and I am sorry for ruining your day by exposing you to such hideousness but it has to be done - is a photo of some fingers with chipped nail polish.



On a scale of one to ten, I'd give this look about negative a billion.  It's repulsive!

I can forgive a tiny amount of chipping - maybe you just opened a can of Coke ten minutes ago and you haven't been able to take your polish off yet. What I can't forgive is the kind of hardcore chipping that has clearly been going on for days on end. What, you didn't have two spare minutes in all that time? If that's true, and you have not been dealing with a natural disaster or similar, then you need to rearrange your priorities.

Look, I suck at nails so I do get how difficult it is for some people to have perfectly polished nails all the time.  But you know what's not difficult? Having unpolished nails! If your polish is chipped and you can't reapply, just TAKE IT OFF.


See? It doesn't really scream glamour, but at least it won't make people think you're absurdly lazy and take zero pride in your appearance and/or self.  Plain nails are, if not mega stylish, then at least acceptable, whereas chipped ones ARE NOT.

What I find especially unacceptable is chipped polish on toes.  Ugh.  I feel sick just thinking about it. In fact I find it so reprehensible that I'm not even including a photo, because really, nobody ever needs to see that.

Toes are much slower to chip - or perhaps it's just harder to see because they're further away from people's eyes (this is also the reason that you can just keep touching up the chips to maintain a perfect pedicure for at least a week).  If your toes get to the point of having chips visible to other people, you have a problem and your problem is called being lazy and gross.   Solve it.    

Friday

Before I start talking about how awesome Fridays are, I want to talk about something that isn't awesome: critical complainers.

 

After yesterday's post it's probably obvious that I don't have anything against complaints or criticisms per se, but some are just tedious and boring and bring everyone down.  There is a time and a place.  Sometimes the time is never and the place is nowhere. 

 

Hate the hot weather, the nightrider, a government policy you don't actually understand? Get a fan, get a cab, get a clue.  Think someone's university degree is pretty lame compared to yours? Keep that one to yourself, you pretentious butthead.  Unimpressed with a gift from a fan? Shut up Madonna, you're not that great.

 

 

 

 

It's okay to criticise some things, just don't criticise everything, always! And especially don't keep making the same criticism over and over.  Don't be a Debbie Downer!

 

 

If you just can't help being such a grouch, here are some blogs I like that might cheer you up:

 

Domestic Divinity, which I mentioned recently on the Expect Cowgirls Facebook page, is my second favourite blog after Faux Fuchsia.  It features lots of pictures of lovely things, and I really admire its writer, Mez, because she is very open and shares a lot more than most bloggers do, despite getting some seriously unpleasant commenters.

 

Me & Mr Oliver is a very recent discovery of mine (Mum, this is the one I was telling you about).  It's like The Julie/Julia Project, only with Jamie Oliver.  In my opinion it's better, because I prefer his recipes, and it's great to see a real person cooking them and getting such good results. 

 

Lovely Jublies is my new favourite right now.  You know Penelope Garcia in Criminal Minds, the fabulous woman who is always doing mad computer stuff while wearing an embellished cardigan and some kind of hair ornament? 

 

 

That is what Z dresses like, minus the crazy wigs and plus jewel-encrusted stilettos.

 

 

After reading that blog all day yesterday I really felt like I needed to make more of an effort at work.  I couldn't get away with those wild outfits at work but I wore this kind of sticky-outy Basque skirt:

 

 

 

 

I just wore it with a black singlet and cardigan.  My workplace is very casual and boring.

 

 

 

 

My cardi was a bit too long and it looked dorky so I copied Z and tied it in a midriff, Mariah Carey style.  My hair was a mess though, I had a vaccination yesterday and my arm is still really sore so I couldn't lift my hand up to my head.

 

 

 

 

I accessorised with this Valleygirl bow ring feat. greyish-blue stones ($2.95 in a set!) and actual nail polish on my fingernails.  Pinky browny neutral polish, but still.  It's OPI Tickle My France-y.

 

Obviously I didn't buy a $20 nail polish.  I stole it from Mum.

 

I also wore these Colette $5.95 earrings:

I'm not necessarily partial to bows, but I am partial to matching.

 

 

I'm also partial to a barbecue dinner!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was haloumi too.  The best start to a weekend.

Bits and Bobs

My parents went to New Zealand over the weekend and brought me back some lovely gifts!

 

This is a tea towel:

 

 

I think it looks quite festive in a modern way, I will use it all the time but especially at Christmas.

 

 

This one was beautifully wrapped, which always adds to the fun.

 

 

It's Hibiscus and Lime scented shower gel and body lotion, omg it smells so good.

 

Thanks Mum and Dad!

 

 

Here's Mila Kunis in a Dior ad:

 

 

I have always liked her.

 

 

This little stand in the Southgate shopping centre had this sign showing off their posh nail polishes:

 

 

But here's the actual nail polish:

 

 

They are mostly those Maybelline mini Colorama thingies.  I'm sure they are less than $10 in Australia.

 

Since when is Brazil known for having special nail polishes anyway, and what does "handpicked" even mean in a polish context? It's not fruit!

 

 

Speaking of nail polish, here is mine:

 

 

I keep it in a gift box (purchased cheap at Australia Post in January, in a set of four).  The mini box in the back has all my extra things, like my excellent Clinique Deep Comfort hand cream and this very clever glitter polish remover device.

 

Almost all of the colours are shades of pink or red - I'm adventurous like that - and I nearly always use Ulta3 as it is my fave, but last night I had an urge to use this Satin polish in Number 33 instead.

 

 

The quality's not as good as Ulta3.

 

I bought it last Summer, when I went up to Coffs Harbour with my family for my cousin's wedding.  I had my nails done in OPI Feeling Hot Hot Hot while I was up there with my family, then they came home and Jim and I had our own little trip in Forster for a few days.  While I was there my polish started to chip and I realised Mum had taken the nail polish remover home with her!

 

 

I went to the chemist to buy some, then realised it would be better to buy a $2 polish in the same colour and fix it up, saving me a few bucks and giving me several more days out of my manicure.  I rummaged for ages without much hope, then came upon a single bottle of  Number 33, which was a PERFECT match. Amazing!

 

That bee ring's pretty good too hey? I bought it from the markets at uni for $5.

 

 

And now for something completely different, here's an amusing gift bag I saw in Hot Dollar:

 

 

Mike Jackson RIP.

 

I Heart Ulta 3

Hello friends!  Long time no see.

Is everyone absolutely in love with Ulta3 nail polishes?  If you don't know, it's that super cheap brand they sell at chemists in a big white bin out the front, and the nail polishes are the best selling in Australia - hardly a surprise considering they're only $2.25!   Even compared to expensive brands, these polishes really are spectacular.  I've loved them for a long time due to the fact that they come in HEAPS of colours (you can see a great colour guide over at More Nail Polishes) and are easy to apply, quick-drying, and long-wearing. 

Because they're so popular, Ulta3 polishes sell out really quickly and can be hard to find, so it's pretty exciting to find a shop with a really good stock of them.  I discovered heaps at a chemist in Newtown (I think it was Bob's.  Or Bill's?) and brought home five, for a total cost of $11.25.

From left to right: Bo Peep, Plum Violet, Scarlet, Midnight Fever, Bouquet.

Bo Peep and Plum Violet are both great, but Scarlet, Midnight Fever and Bouquet were all disappointing.  I loved all the colours (true red, shimmery dark blue, purple with pink shimmer), but the consistency was awful and the brush on Bouquet broke the first time I used it!

The reason for the crazy variation in quality is that they recently moved productuion from Australia to China.  Bo Peep and Plum violet were both Aussie, but the other three were made in PRC.  I've heard that the PRC ones aren't as good, and evidently that's true.  Fortunately, while the newest colours are only made in China, there are still some Aussie bottles of the older colours around if you look carefully, so I'm stockpiling now.

From Blooms chemist at Westfield (in the Franklins Food Hall) I bought Red Glitter and French Pink from the clearance bin for ONE DOLLAR.  I checked Target, thinking they'd only have the new PRC polishes, but discovered Aussie Stardust and Pepper Pot polishes ($2.25).

I really like all these colours.  I wouldn't wear Red Glitter alone but it will be fun over another red polish for a festive Xmas look.  French Pink is very natural, Stardust is a little more glitzy than I'd like but nice for a change, and Pepper Pot is a lovely dark-ish red, perfect to wear with a little black dress.  All four polishes applied nicely and didn't chip or dent the way the PRC ones do, so I'm a happy chappy now.

I strongly advise all of you to start hunting down Australian made Ulta3 polishes.  You won't be sorry.

And, in EXCITING NEWS, this is my 99th post!  That means my next post (hopefully in fewer than 12 days) will be my 100th!  In celebration of this I am going to give away some Ulta3 prizes, and rather than wait, I will start the giveaway now.

So please tell me, have you used Ulta3 polishes?  Do you like them?  If not, what are your favourite nail polishes?  I am not one of those buttheads who only gives prizes to followers, so just go nuts!  (Remember to leave your name or something though.)

xx

Frugal February Day 16

I wore my polka dot dress at work again today. It was basically the only thing I did at work.




Afterwards I went to the Physio, then to Coles, where I discovered a truly terrifying Party Cake but also a bin of Ulta 3 nail polishes! I bought Sunset Pink.




I love this shade of pink but it's so matte, kind of chalky really, which is a shame. They were only $2, not $2.25 like most chemists charge, and there was a good selection of colours so I'll be back, probably for Orchid.


I didn't go to Trivia tonight, just stayed home at watched my stories. Speaking of trivia, last week I asked for the full name of the Hogwarts principal when Harry first starts. It was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore but whoever got it didn't leave their name so no prize for you but thanks for playing!

Spent today: $17
Spent this week: $17
Spent this month: $171.95