I found a dupe! China Glaze Techno dupe!

Today I was randomly looking through some swatches of China Glaze upcoming Electropop collection on Scrangie's blog, when something very familiar caught my eye.  

Hmm ... I already have this polish, I thought checking out a picture of Techno, a silvery glitter polish with small and large holographic glitter pieces. Damn, this is MY MANICURE was my next reaction, when I saw Techno layered over Wicked Style from the same collection (you have to scroll down when looking at Scrangie's swatches, Techno swatches are at the end of the post).

One coat over Orly Belle Of The Ball.

Aren't the polishes and the mani similar? I had this manicure planned for New Year's Eve, but as usual, life was what happened and I ended up  wearing totally different shades. But that's why I have the swatches and pictures ready :)

The polish that could be a twin of Techno is Alix Avien nr.110, a clear base packed with large hexagonal and small round silver holographic glitter particles. (See, even the descriptions are an exact match!) It covers quite smoothly and evenly and the drying time could be described as "normal", as opposed to "superfast".

Techno is actually not a new polish, but a repromote from China Glaze's 50 Specialty Colors collection that was launched in 2009. This is the collection that had Atlantis, Nova and Cosmic for example.

While I don't own Techno (nor are planning to get it), deciding from the picture the differences between these two polishes are minor to my eye. Might be that the Turk has a bit more glitter particles and they might be slightly larger, but surely this is not something to complain about. Both polishes can easily worn by themselves, but look amazing as layering polishes too. 

One coat in the left, two coats on the right.

Alix Avien polishes are sold in Estonia in L-Cosmetics stores. I believe they cost about 3 euros or so. There are some other great holos in their collection.  

I don't engage in determined dupe hunting, but this was fun discovery. Do you do dupe hunting? Have you discovered any good ones?  

Yours Truly,

Tolmu Rull

For my lovely Estonian ladies: 

Vaatasin netist China Glaze uue kevadise Electropop kollektsiooni swatch'e, kui korraga pauh! jõudis mu ajju teadmine, et täpselt selline lakk mul ju on ja täpselt sellist maniküüri kui pildil kavatsesin uusaastapeol kanda. Tuleb välja, et Alix Avien'i lakk nr. 110 ja China Glaze Techno on üsna täpselt ühesugused!

Siiralt teie,

Tolmu Rull

Empties: December

Here it is: part two of my empties project. The aim is to use up as many half-used beauty products as I can in a month's time, in order to discipline myself and free some space for new things. See, even more empty bottles, jars and tubes than last time. So far the project has been a great success -- just look how many things I managed to finish in the month of December only!

Would I buy and use something from this sad bunch again? (That is, if I wasn't such a product junkie and always on the quest for something new and exciting, of course.) Yup, here they are, the good stuff I would use myself and recommend to others.

My special irreplacable favourites from this pile are:

• China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat  --  the best fast-dry top coat I've ever used; 
• Garnier Color Naturals hair dye -- cheap but fool-proof hair dye that gives great results every time; 
• Delia Good Foot tired legs lotion -- cheap foot cream from supermarket that has fantastic smell as well as fantastic moisturizing properties and an ability to sink in a blink of an eye;
• Decleor Rasage Express shaving foam -- a great shaving foam that is actually meant for men, but is good for lady shaving too. It really helps the razor to glide more smoothly and lasts for a really long time.

And by the way, did you notice the anti-hangover shower gel, LOL? I wish that hangovers could be cured by shower gels :)

Actually, I'm really glad about the the empties project, as I'm getting a better vision of what products I have and how long it takes to use them up. Plus, the extra motivation to take better care of myself. It is a strange satisfaction to see all these used-up bottles. The month of January looks really promising too!

My only regret is that there are not many make-up products among the empties. I hope to do better next time.

Yours Truly,

Tolmu Rull

For my lovely Estonian ladies:

Minu tühjade potsikute projekti teine postitus ehk kolmas kuu. Senini on projekt olnud väga edukas, sest olen suutnud ära kasutada paljud riiuleil seisnud "jäägid" ja kogu projekt on andnud mulle parema arusaama, mida ma igapäevaselt kasutan ja kui palju tooteid päriselt kulub. Soovitan!

Siiralt teie,

Tolmu Rull

Burlesque revisited: OPI Simmer and Shimmer, Show It and Glow It and Glow Up Already

These polishes are nothing new – they came out at the end of 2010 as a part of OPI Holiday Burlesque collection. The collection was dedicated to the musical Burlesque with Christina Aquilera and Cher starred as leading characters. While the musical has certainly some nice songs and dances and offers lots of eye-candy to burlesque lovers, it's plot is quite naive and even boring in my opinion. A small town girl becoming a big star and finding love, that's highly unique storyline, eh? So I was much more excited about OPI nail polishes than the actual movie :)

OPI Burlesque collection actually consisted of 12 polishes, six of them were glitter polishes in different hues and the other six were red and orange shimmers. You can see full swatches here.

I really wanted to get my hands at the time this collection came out, but they were quite expensive in Estonia. Regular OPI polish costs 10 euros in Estonia and glitter polishes even more. Besides, my favourite shades of this collection were constantly sold out in eBay shops I frequent. So I decided to postpone the purchase and eventually forgot all about Burlesque polishes.

Simmer and Shimmer, three coats.

When I noticed them in a Douglas store discount bin during my trip to Germany last autumn I was immediately hooked and Simmer and Shimmer, Show It and Glow It and Glow Up Already found their place in my luggage in no time. I was sooo-ooo lucky all three were among my initial favourites! 

Show It and Glow It

All three polishes have multi-colored glitter particles in clear base and can therefore be used as layering polishes too. The quality is OPI-worthily great and seriously sparkly. Achieving opaqueness (as on my swatches) takes three coats and I would certainly use a top coat, as the finish is quite gritty.

Needless to say, I wore them several times during holiday season :)

Glow Up Already

These polishes were 7 euros each and I got some free scent samples with my purchase. Cool! I only wish there would have been more shades from Burlesque collection (especially Sparkle-iscious!) available.

Are you sometimes happy to find your old favourites from bargain bin? Or are you just interested in latest hits and forget all about previous ones?

Yours Truly,

Tolmu Rull

For my lovely Estonian ladies:

OPI Simmer and Shimmer, Show It and Glow It and Glow Up Already pärinevad 2010. aasta pühadekollektsioonist, kuid minust sai nende õnnelik omanik alles tänavu sügisel kui nad Saksamaalt allahinnatuna müügilt leidsin. 

Kas ka teie olete soetanud mõne ammuihaldatud kosmeetikavidina soodusmüügist, tükk aega pärast seda kui sellest müügihitt sai? Või tunnete huvi ainult parasjagu kõige kuumema kauba vastu?

Siiralt Teie,

Tolmu Rull

I've been an awful' good girl! What I got for Christmas

Although we are almoust three weeks past Christmas (already?! oh, no!), I still want to share my beauty-related Christmas presents, because I loved reading other people's gifts posts. (I will not show the rest of gifts, because it's a beauty blog and other things are not really relevant here.)

It's obvious that I've been an awful' good girl during 2011, because Dear Santa listened to my prayers and I got the thing I wished most – a Michael Kors chronograph watch!

Oh no, I realize it should lay on the other side... Sorry! 

Initially I had my eye set on a two-tone silver and light gold model, but Santa couldn't find it anywhere and chose this one with silver and rosy gold combination for me. He suggested I might want to change it, but I find it even nicer than my pick. I've gotten a load of compliments on it already!


Although it is a bit out of my usual (colour)comfort zone I really like the design and the mixed metal look and felt one lucky bastard to get it. Especially knowing that a Michael Kors watch was in the wishlist of everyone and their mother!

Look how beautiful it is!

Then there are a pile of things from Estonian natural cosmetics brand Joik: Grapefruit and Mandarin Body Scrub, Peppermint Lip Balm, Chocolate Facial Mask, Deep Moisturizing Salve With Emu Oil and some scented soy wax candles. I was also very happy to receive all of these, must start testing out!

In the background the big bottles are Herbalife Herbal Aloe Everyday shampoo and conditioner. Haven't tried them yet, but they may easily be used mainly by other family members, because my hair needs something more moisturising (I guess).

By the way, those green spheres are hand-made Christmas decorations I received a year before. 

I was not very fortunate on Christmas sales this year, but I managed to buy a few presents for myself too. The pressies from myself to dear me are still (!) in the mail, so maybe I will show them some other time :)

Yours Truly,

Tolmu Rull

For my lovely Estonian ladies: 

Kuigi jõulud on juba unustusehõlma vajunud, panen üles mõned pildid oma (iluteemalistest) jõulukinkidest. Neist suurim-tähtsaim on muidugi Michael Korsi kell, mis oli tänavu jõuluvanade kingikottides ilmselt päris popp. Loomulikult tegid ka Joiki asjad heameelt, loodan peagi neid katsetama hakata.

Siiralt teie,

Tolmu Rull

Jälle Lana juures, seekord ilumeigikoolitus Jane Iredale ja TheBalm'iga

This post is mostly in Estonian, because it is about another makeup workshop in Lana Vallo's studio in Tallinn. This time it was all about serious smoky eye and mineral makeup :)

Mäletate, Novembris võtsin ma osa L'Oreali meigikoolitusest Lana Vallo stuudios? (Kes ei mäleta, klikib siia.) Paraku olin ma juba enne L'Oreali koolitusele kutse saamist jõudnud Cherry.ee-st osta vautšeri Lana Vallo 3,5 tunnisele ilumeigikoolitusele, mis Lana sõnul olevat põhimõtteliselt sama asi, ainult teiste toodetega. Seepärast mõtlesin esimese hooga, et loosin ilumeigikoolituse vautšeri oma lugejate vahel välja. Siis aga sai uudishimu minust võitu – tahtsin Jane Iredale toodetega lähemalt tuttavaks saada, sest polnud neid kunagi isegi puudutanud. Samas olin Jane Iredale kohta palju head kuulnud ja tahtsin väga proovida.

Niisiis, detsembri lõpus ühel kaunil vihmasel õhtul läksin Lana stuudiosse koolitusele. Juba lifti oodates naeratas mulle sõbralikult Liis Beautyfromliz'ist, kellega hiljem jõudsime ka paar sõna vahetada. Ehk kunagi hiljem kohtume-räägime põhjalikumalt :)

Eelmise korraga võrreldes oli palju sarnasusi, aga päris samasugune ilumeigikoolitus siiski polnud. Kõigepealt, Lana enda asemel oli koolitajaks imekaunis Ksenia Ljashenko, talle modelliks ja hiljem õpilaste juhendamisel abiliseks oli Meriem Kimmer. Mõlemad on Lana Vallo stuudio

koolitajad-jumestajad.

Teiseks, koolitus oli L'Oreali omast oluliselt põhjalikum. Kõik osalised said valmistrükitud ja piltidega konspekti, kus olid nii meigipõhja, põskede, silmade kui huulte jumestamise kohta põhipunktid kirja pandud. Seda siis täiendas igaüks vastavalt oma teadmistele-oskustele. Konspekt on jõulutuhinas kuskile ära kadunud, seega ei näita, milline see oli.

Kõige rohkem meeldis mulle, et eriti põhjalikult rääkis Ksenia meigipõhja tegemisest ja näo modelleerimisest, keskendudes seejuures eelkõige muidugi Jane Iredale sarja vahenditele. (L'Oreali koolitusel ei käsitletud näo modelleerimist üldse.) Näo modelleerimise skeemi näidiseks oli skeem kuulsa Kevyn Aucoin'i raamatust Making Faces, mis tuli endal üles joonistada. Tüdrukute pliiatsid krabistasid usinasti kirjutada ja kuigi üldiselt on teema mulle tuttav, panin minagi mitu modeleerimisnippi kirja :)

Lehekülg raamatust "Making Faces".

Seejärel läks praktiliseks osaks. Kõigepealt näo puhastamine, siis TheBalm'i TimeBalm primer, kellele vaja, ja Jane Iredale DreamTint tooniv päevakreem, mis toimib ka nagu primer – minu näole see igatahes tooni ei andnud. Seejärel peitekad – silmaümbrusele Active Light valgustpeegeldav korrektor ja vistrikele-punetustele midagi muud, mille nime ma hetkel ei leia (L'Oreali koolitusel soovitati ka vistrikud katta valgustpeegeldava korrektoriga, sest muud L'Oreali valikus pole, hehe.)

Huvitava faktina sain enda teada kohta näiteks seda, et mul on silmade ümbruses vaja kahte erinevat valgustpeegeldava korrektori tooni – silmaalustele kollakamat (Active Light 02) ja nina külgedel silmanurkades paistvatele veresoontele roosakamat (Active Light 04). Seda pole mulle varem keegi öelnud. Active Light korrektorid avaldasidki mulle kõige suuremat muljet – kerged, aga piisavalt katvad – ja kunagi tulevikus kavatsen need ka endale soetada.

Iga osaleja jaoks tuvastati temale sobiv PurePressed Mineral Foundation mineraalne meigipõhi, vastavalt tema naha alatoonile ja tumedusele. Minu oma oli vist Ivory – külm ja üsna hele. L'Oreali koolitusel hinnati mu naha alatoon küll vaatamata heledusele soojaks, aga no mis seal ikka, sobis see ka. Meigipõhi kinnitati näospreiga, ma arvan, et see oli vist Jane Iredale Pommist.

Seejärel modelleerimine, põsepuna ja silmameik suitsusilma skeemi alusel ning väike viimistlus highlighter'i ja huulevärviga. Kui L'Oreali koolitusel soovitati rohkem heledaid ja õrnu toone, siis nüüd ütles Ksenia, et võtke pigem tumedad toonid, sest nendega on silma teha raskem. Nii ka sai – minu silma põhitooniks sai TheBalm'i ShadyLady Sexy Stacey, pärlmutterläikega tumehall, juurde helelilla ja nahatooni värv Jane Iredale'lt. Sellist rokkarimeiki ma muidu küll ei kanna, aga kokkuvõttes tulemus mulle meeldis. Nii palju kui ma tähele panna jõudsin, siis tegigi suurem osa tüdrukuid endale tumedamapoolse meigi :) Mõned olid seejuures hädas oma ripsmepikendustega, mille taha hästi näha pole.

Pintslitena kasutasime mini-pintslikomplekti, mis Lana Vallo stuudios ka müügil on. Mulle meeldis see L'Oreali koolitusel kasutatud RealTechniques pintslitest enam, kuigi kohati tundusid pintslid naturaalkarvade tõttu karedana ja pisike vars pole ka minu lemmik. See on kogu ürituse kõige negatiivsem aspekt. Paar korda oli küll selline tunne, et nüüd kohe tulevad mu MAC 217 ja 239 käekotist välja, aga siis sai eestlaslik jonnakus võitu – kuidas siis mina ei saa, kui teised saavad, eks!

Lahkudes saime kõik kaasa Lana Vallo DVD “Täiuslik jumestus 8 minutiga” (sellest teen tulevikus eraldi arvustuse) ja sooduskupongi algajate meigikursusele Lana Vallo stuudios. Kokkuvõttes jäin koolitusega väga rahule (aitäh Kesnia ja Meriem!) ja lahkusin suurepärases tujus. Ehk tõesti lähen ka edasisele pikemale koolitusele?


Siiralt teie,

Tolmu Rull

P. S.

Tegelikult olen ma mõned aastad tagasi läbinud Stiili- ja Meigikoolis jumestaja kursuse (millega, olgu öeldud, ma eriti rahule ei jäänud). Kes on asjaga kursis, see teab: kõik need egiptlased, jaapanlannad, 20ndad, Marilyn Monroed, 60ndad, 70ndad, näomaalingud jne on mul läbi tehtud. Mul on sellest küll vähe pilte, aga ehk ühel päeval panen mõne üles :) Ma ei ole küll sellele diplomile vaatamata kunagi jumestajana töötanud, see polnudki eesmärgiks, tahtsin asja lihtsalt enda jaoks õppida. No sõbrannadele olen meike ikka teinud :) Ehk keegi, kes on Lana koolitustel käinud, kommenteeriks, kas algajate koolitus Lana stuudios jääks minu jaoks liiga lahjaks?

It's 2012 already! Time to get down to business

Pilt on varastatud siit

Usually I don't give much thought to New Year resolutions, but this time I feel otherwise. I'm ready for a change. Here it goes.

In 2012 I am going to...

… lose some weight. I know, this is the oldest and by far most violented of new-year promises, but I REALLY need it! I'm not overweight, but I used to be thinner and more fit. I have put on a few kilos in the course of last year, probably because of too-high stress levels, poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Most annoying about the weight gain is that I have so many beautiful clothes that won't fit me any more. BOO! I need to get hold of myself and put an end to this sucky situation. I would be very happy even if I managed to lose 5 kgs, but I wouldn't mind losing more. I'll try to do it on my own at first, but if I don't have any success, I'll join the Estonian version of WeightWatchers.

… get my lazy butt to the gym finally! I need to make workout a frequent part of my life in order to achieve this weight loss. Of course this is another staple New Year resolution, but we all know better than well I won't be able to achieve my first goal without it... I have my eye on a quite expensive gym/spa my friend also frequents. Mixing dull exercise with some girly chit-chat will probably help me stick around better. I guess joining this gym will be money well-spent, because I know some celebrities who have gotten excellent results there! I consider even getting some advice and motivation-boost from a personal coach – a thing I've never done before.

… drink more green smoothies and fresh vegetable juices. How about some celery juice, sounds good? I already have a juicer that has not gotten much use. It's time to dust if off and start drinking those vitamin-packed health-boosting fresh juices! Besides being healthy I'm sure it will be helpful achieving that weight-loss goal. I may even try a fresh juice fast or detox week, but I'm not committing to that yet :P

… improve the condition of my hair and let it grow. Right now it's shoulder-length and quite brittle and damaged. I invested into good hair dryer with ionic technology a few months ago. Then I managed to haul some good hair products at the end of last year, when they arrive it's time to put them to use. Also, after two at-home hair-colouring disasters in the end of last year, I need a professional dye job badly and I'm going to get it in a few weeks.

… keep up the empties project. So far, it has been going really well! I can already see some free space on my bathroom shelves. Update to come soon!

… wear more makeup. Yeah, really! I have so much of gorgeous makeup and yet I sometimes rush out of the door with barely some mascara on. I want to start wearing complicated looks more often and shall try to find more time for doing makeup.

… wear high heels more often. Why be just plain, if you can be gorgeous, right?

… do some beauty shopping abroad and discover some more foreign brands. That's an easy promise to keep, because I love both shopping and travelling.

… sort out my wardrobe and lingerie drawer and throw away ratty old things. No need to explain that, I guess.

… not to let any vouchers I've bought expire unused. No need to explain that too.

… try to blog more regularly and throw some giveaways (hint: check back here in few days!).

… and last but not the least: hopefully make some friends among fellow beautyholics.

I guess that's all. When I counted the resolutions, there were exactly 12, not intentionally I swear :) To be frank, these are all very good resolutions, because I'd have to do all these things anyway, New Year or not :D

Have a very happy year 2012! Let all your wishes come true in the upcoming year of dragon!

Yours Truly,

Tolmu Rull

For my lovely Estonian ladies:

Tavaliselt ma ei usu uusaastalubaduste andmisse ja pidamisse, aga tänavu hing suisa karjub muutuste järele. Kogemata kombel on lubadusi täpselt 12 (kui tore, et pole näiteks aasta 2020 :)). Ja õnneks puudutavad kõik mu uusaastalubadused tegevusi, mida peaksin lähiajal niikuinii ette võtma :)

Head uut draakoniaastat kõigile!

Siiralt teie,

Tolmu Rull