Hi. my darlings! Goodness! It's such TERRIBLE weather here in New York City--it's been raining all night and all day! Whatever happened to the lovely Spring temperatures that are the norm at this time of year? I mean, tomorrow's the first day of May and guess what the forecast is? Yup! More rain! Blergh. So anyways, to help brighten up my day and hopefully yours, I wanted to share some swatches of the highly-coveted, slightly controversial but almost impossible to get Enchanted Polish for Mishka NYC trio.

Now these three absolutely stunning polishes were made in a very limited quantities--a few sets were stocked in Mishka's flagship stores and a few sets were available online. As to be expected, the sets sold out pretty quickly in the Manhattan store, although not as fast as I thought--probably because the release was at twelve noon on a Monday! The only reason I was able to go and breeze out with these beauties was that, very luckily, the release fell on my very first day of Spring break! As for the site, it crashed--repeatedly and catastrophically. Very few web servers are built to withstand the fanaticism and sheer love of EP fans, including yours truly and the poor Mishka tech guys just blown away. This led to A LOT of frustration of both sides, customers and stockists, and from what I've read, some very unfortunate things were said. In hindsight, once things cooled down, what I believe to be a sincere apology was issued by the owner of Mishka and by several customers who got caught up in the heat of the moment.

I bet you're wondering why I went into all this detail when I usually introduce a brand and take it from there. Well, firstly, I was fortunate enough to get these beauties but only by a twist of good fortune--I do believe I would have been equally frustrated if I was one of the many trying in vain to just buy their favorite brand but as a stockist, I would have been appalled and frankly, quite nervous by the sudden rush. I've been pondering this entire situation and, true to my Libran nature, I can see both sides--I feel that things definitely could have been handled better by individuals from both sides but we all make mistakes. We say things we shouldn't in the heat of the moment and end up regretting it bitterly. My sincere hope is that things just got carried away in the heat of the moment and that this unfortunate set of events shouldn't be a reflection of either brand--Mishka has a following as loyal and steadfast as any I've seen in the nail polish world and the owner's words rang true to me (for the record : Mishka employees at the Brooklyn flagship store were nothing but helpful and friendly!)! Nor should it be a reflection of individuals who spoke out of frustration--this is usually NOT the nail polish community. Polish addicts come together in support as many times as there are unfortunate incidents of drama and for the most part, we enjoy a hobby that brings us a lot of joy.

Alrighty, now I shall come down off my little soapbox and show you the swatches of the three beauties--Lobster Roll, Keep Watch and Engineered to Destroy--that caused all this fuss in the first place! =) But before that, one quick word about the formula, application and packaging--across the board, both formula and application was absolutely divine--smooth, buttery and oh-so-luxurious. ALL the swatches below show just 2 easy coats by itself, in 3 separate lighting settings--daylight, in my lightbox and with flash. Each bottle is the usual square bottle with Chelsea's beautiful castle logo but each box has Mishka's rebellious eyeball logo on them too! A truly unique collaboration!




First, I have for you Lobster Roll--a beautiful magenta-red holographic polish with a smooth, metallic finish.








The second polish is Keep Watch--a stunning medium purple with a strong linear holographic effect and a metallic finish.






The third polish of the trio is surprisingly my favorite, Engineered to Destroy--a gorgeous darkened teal holographic polish with a strong pink flash. When I first saw spoilers online, I thought this may be too dark for my liking but it's utterly magnificent!






There you have it, my darlings! The gorgeous Mishka trio by Enchanted Polish and my thoughts on the matter! Now, since this was exclusive to Mishka, these are no longer available for purchase but rone never knows what surprises Chelsea might have up her sleeve! Don't forget to follow Enchanted Polish on FACEBOOK and on INSTAGRAM for all the latest news, restock info and sneak peeks!

I hope you all didn't find my musings too dull! I would love to hear your opinions in the comments section below!

Until next time,
<3
B



****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****




Hi there, my darlings! I'm back with this week's Nutrisystem progress report! I must say this week was MUCH easier than last week--it really helps to have a fixed, structured schedule to the day. When I was home for Spring break, I napped at odd hours and snacked at even odder hours. At work, I space my meals and snacks out and end up feeling much more satisfied throughout the day. I've also been (slowly but surely) weaning myself off the Coke. Now don't get me wrong! I haven't quit it completely and I won't lie to you--I still have a cup almost every day. But! This is one cup as opposed to several cups daily and the lower amounts of sugar initially left me quite tired, but as my body is getting used to it, I avoid the afternoon energy sag. I've been drinking more water and I definitely feel better about that!

For this week's post, I'd like to show you and rave about 3 of my favorite entrees. A few years ago, I had tried and quit Nutrisystem because my Indian palate found the food way too bland! Now though, while I still make liberal use of crushed peppers, I find the food, especially the frozen entrees much more flavorful--I mean, just TRY the Arroz con Pollo!  And let's stop for a minute and contemplate the addition of SO many chocolate items--from breakfast to dessert, there are A LOT of options to satisfy even the biggest chocoholics among us!


Chocolate Muffin

White Bean Chicken Soup

Arroz con Pollo

Overall, I've had a much better week on the program and hope to keep up the momentum! I will be attempting the Fast Five program this week and will be back next week to tell you how that goes. *fingers crossed* I'll have more details about the Fast Five for you next week but in the meantime, if you would like to read up on how you can lose 5 POUNDS IN JUST ONE WEEK, you can find all that info on Nutrisystem's website HERE.




As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns about the program, please reach out to me in the comments below OR email me through the email address found in the ABOUT ME section. I'd be happy to chat!


Until next time,
<3

B


****Food provided to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****





Hi, my darlings! In an attempt to bring ColorSutraa back on to its original mission of being a BEAUTY blog, rather than just a nail blog, recently I asked on my Facebook page what kinds of products you all would like to see and quite of few of you expressed interest in skin care products! Now I try to bring my readers what they want so it was quite fortuitous that I came across the opportunity to review a great skincare product through the iFabbo network--I present to you Beautisol Exscrub Me? Citrus Face Exfoliant!

This face scrub is a gentle, citrus-scented exfoliating scrub that contains certified organic orange peel, lemon, and grapefruit extracts as well as fine jojoba beads. When used twice a week, as directed, it gently exfoliates away dead skin cells and impurities. I know many of us worry about what exactly our skincare and cosmetics contain because harsh chemicals are SO bad for our skin in the long run--this product is free of parabens, sodium laurel/laureth sulfate and propylene-glycol. Beautisol is proud to be cruelty-free and products are never tested on animals.

*Script in italics is the company's own description*




Just before this product arrived on my doorstep, I had run out of my favorite orange peel scrub that I had purchased on my last trip to India and I was desperately searching for a suitable alternative! I have very sensitive skin and I'm prone to breakouts a product doesn't suit my skin. At my age, that is particularly annoying--adult acne is never acceptable! I've been using this scrub for a full 2 weeks now, twice a week as directed and I absolutely love it! I only needed a tiny amount as shown in the pic below and as I worked it into my skin, I could really feel those beads working! A quick rinse with warm water and my skin felt smoother to the touch and all but glowed! Plus the scent of the citrus is pleasant and refreshing without being overpowering. Just perfect for a good cleansing session after a day out on the streets of Manhattan!




Here's a macro shot that allows you to get a better look at those beads! Initially, I was going to use my battery-operated facial cleanser from Ulta along with this scrub but believe me when I say, gentle, circular massaging with your fingers for a couple of minutes is all you'll need!




So there you have it, my darlings! If you would like to pick up your very own tube of Beautisol Exscrub Me? Face Exfoliant, you can find it HERE for the price of $17.00 for a full-size, 2 fl oz--it's worth every penny! But wait! If you order through the links I've included, use the code BOGO2014 to get a second full-size scrub free!! So go ahead and stock up for the summer!

To discover other great products, you can follow Beautisol through the outlets below :

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Pinterest
Youtube
Website
Will you be picking up this scrub to add to your skincare routine? I'd love to hear your opinions in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****


Hi there! To bring this week's Friend-An-Indie-Friday Giveaway to a close, I'd like to share with you three polishes that Wendy cherry-picked to represent her fledgling brand--two of these are hold a place in her heart as favorite creations and will also be included in one of the winning prize packs!

With that said, let's get right to it, shall we? =)

First, I have for you Run. Emily, Run--a light purple jelly with tons of silver microglitter and neon green hexes with a touch of iridescent flecks. This polish is part of the Helping Hands collection and was created to represent the Team in Training colors for Wendy's friend Emily, who was stopped from completing the Boston Marathon of 2o13, just a mere mile from her target as tragedy struck last year. $5 from EVERY bottle sold of this polish will be donated to Emily's fund-raising efforts for the Boston Marathon of 2014--what a fabulous cause!
Formula-wise, all the microglitter and hexes tended to clump a little, making application a bit of a challenge but I applied 3 thin coats topped with one generous coat of G&G's HK Girl, the purple and green combination is quite striking!







Next, I have for you Free-Radicals and Tannin--a blurple jelly with medium white hexes, matte circles and iridescent sparkles. This polish is part of the Raise Your Glass collection inspired by Wendy's love of Dr.Who and an ode to allllll the tea he drinks! From Wendy's little note to me, I do believe she has a MAJOR crush on Dr. Who's David Tennant! ;)
Both the formula and application of this polish was lovely, albeit quite sheer when I swatched it on a nail wheel. So, I layered two generous coats over OPI Into The Night, topped with 1 generous coat of G&G's HK Girl. I do have to mention my difficulty in getting the matte circles out of my mini bottle--I did manage to get a few but spent an inordinate amount of time fishing. Despite this, this is a beautiful polish--the macro best shows its depths and shifts of color at different angles.








With flash!




Last but definitely not the least, I have for you That's So Fletch!--a glitter topcoat coat full of silver holographic microglitter and iridescent sparkles. This polish is of the Hometown collection and is Wendy's homage to her town's library, JV Fletcher Library. How cute is that?!
I had no issues at all with either formula or application and the swatches below show 2 thin coats over 2 coats of Milani Blue Zoom, topped with 1 generous coat of G&G's HK Girl. Love the sparkle of this look!






With flash!





So there you have it, my darlings! My review of Microbrews Nail Polish! You can pick up any of these beauties HERE for the price of $9 for a full-size, 15 mL bottle. Remember to follow Microbrews Nail Polish on FACEBOOK and on INSTAGRAM to see previews of all her other beauties and for the latest updates!

Which of these three are your favorite? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****











FOREWORD : 

Hi there, my darlings! As part of the FRIEND-AN-INDIE-FRIDAY featured giveaways, I'll also be posting a review of some of the new brand's creations as well as an exclusive interview with each maker, so people can get a little glimpse into the world of the face behind the brand! Today, I present Wendy of Microbrews Nail Polish!! Read on for into the woman behind the brand!




MicroBrews Nail Polish, LLC

Wendy Fisher, owner/designer


1. How did you first get into making polish? 
I “discovered” the indie nail polish community during a search for Doctor Who manicures. Once I realized you could make your own polish – not just frankens – I knew it was for me. I’ve always wanted to run my own business, and indie polish design and sales are the perfect blend of creative endeavor and entrepreneurial adventure.

2. What was the inspiration for the name "MicroBrews Nail Polish"?
“Indie polish makers are to nail polish what microbrews are to beer” is how I explain just what indie polish is. Most people get it right away. We all know there are people making beer at home, craft beer companies that have smaller batch sizes, and then larger companies that mass produce beer. I find the analogy fits the nail polish industry, too. AND, I liked that it could be a play on words – I work in small batches, brewing up mini bottles of magical color. So that brew/witchy/magic connection is definitely something I liked. And it’s easy to remember

3. What inspires your collections (or where do you look for inspiration)? 
What inspired your latest collection? Any hints/ideas about upcoming collections? Everything?! I think it’s harder to weed through new ideas than it is to find inspiration. Indie polishes are niche products and I love that you’ll find people who love what you love through polish. My first collection, “Raise Your Glass”, was inspired by the idea that I’d love to have a drink with characters from my favorite TV and book series. The upcoming “Hometown” collection is a set of polishes inspired by the cities I’ve called home. I’m kicking around an idea around “favorite things” and “best friends”, too.

4. Do you have a favorite indie maker(s)? Favorite mainstream brand? 
DigitalNails is near and dear to my heart because Raph has some amazing Doctor Who - and Harry Potter-inspired polishes. She was also my first indie purchase. I am loving Scofflaw Varnish, too – her polish names alone are fantastic! Favorite main stream brand is China Glaze – I find that the formula is almost always perfect, the price is right and they are always on trend.

5. What are your go-to products for nail/cuticle care? 
I keep it simple – Burt’s Bees Cuticle Balm and Sally Hansen 18-hour protective hand creme are my go-to products. I will admit that since starting MicroBrews, my nails have taken a backseat to my polishes (oh, the irony…!)

6. What are your favorite colors? In general? For summer? For fall?
 I like to be “seasonably appropriate”! Summer is brighter colors, mainly pinks and glitter top coats. Fall is my favorite season and darker, vampy colors and grays are in rotation more often. My day job is conservative, so I actually like pushing things a little bit with polish color – but not typically nail art. An accent nail is as crazy as I get.

7. This may be hard--but which are your 3 favorite creations so far? 
“Free Radicals & Tannin” from my “Raise Your Glass” Collection, “Mint Julep” from an exclusive set of 10 polishes I did for a local boutique and “That’s so Fletch” from my hometown collection. They each turned out better than I had planned, which is a great thing to have happen. “Mint Julep” is hands down my favorite, though!

8. Do you have any other hobbies? 
Yes! I knit. And, I read – a lot.

9. What is your most favorite thing about being a new indie maker? What are some of the challenges? What advice would you give to people considering starting their own brand? Overall, are you happy with your decision to get into the indie polish world?
My favorite thing is having an idea and being able to execute it well – and being able to translate someone’s idea into a custom polish is pretty cool, too. It’s challenging to build brand awareness – there are so many indies, which is what makes this such a great and inspiring community. It means that customer service, responsiveness, quality and unique products are critical factors. Instagram is window shopping and doesn’t necessarily translate to sales – building a solid customer base is a slow process! I would advise anyone looking to start an indie brand to plan out financials – how much of an investment can/do you want to make? How much can you lose? Is your polish brand a hobby or business? Know WHY are you starting a business and what you need to get out of it for it to be worth your time and energy. No right or wrong answers, just be sure you’re going in with your eyes wide open. (One other business idea I have is small business/craft consulting – leveraging my passion for hand crafted awesomeness and solid business know-how!) And, last – am I happy with my decision to get into the indie polish scene? YES. Our community is filled with awesome people committed to brightening the world in small, lovely ways.

10. Fun facts:

Astrological sign: Taurus. And I fit most stereotypes about the sign of the bull!

Favorite comfort food: chicken matzo ball soup

Favorite beauty item besides polish: Mascara

Favorite fragrance: Lancome Tresor or Banana Republic Rosewood

Favorite vacation destination: Anywhere with water – lake or ocean!

Favorite candy: Swedish Fish

Favorite celebrity: Bono, mainly because he uses his powers for good in the world.

Favorite family member or friend (you can pick one of each) : I can’t pick a favorite! I have family who are friends and friends who are family, and feel lucky to have such a great circle of loved ones.

Most recent read: The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt. Simply amazing.

Most recent movie you loved: Frozen! I love anything animated.

Favorite TV show and character: Doctor Who and River Song.

If you won a million dollars, first thing you would buy is: Well, I’d pay off my student loans. So, finish buying my education? I know, not fun. After that, I’d buy a cottage by the sea somewhere.


So there you have it, my darlings! A little glimpse into the world of Wendy of Microbrews Nail Polish!

Stay tuned for my review of her 3 of her polishes, including two she mentioned as favorites! But in the meantime, you can check out her shop HERE!

As always, I'm thrilled to hear from you, so don't hesitate to leave me your thoughts in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B










FOREWORD :

Welcome to the FRIEND-AN-INDIE-FRIDAY giveaway series! Every Friday, I'll be featuring a brand-new indie maker whose shop has been open for LESS THAN ONE YEAR! During this eventful first year of ColorSutraa's existence, I have had the privilege to work with so many amazingly talented indie makers, even when I was just the new kid on the block, that I just had to find a way to share the love and discover some new brands in the process! There's nothing I love more than stumbling across beautiful creations from a maker I've never heard of and the excitement is pretty much akin to finding gold! =D So what better way to share my love of discovering hidden treasures than showcasing a new indie brand EVERY SINGLE WEEK! This means that, my beloved readers, this is also YOUR chance to win and try some goodies from a brand-new maker every single week! Oh what fun this is going to be!


Each week's giveaway will last a total of 96 hours ONLY and all entries must be submitted within those 96 hours to be eligible to win! After the giveaway ends, winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is picked. Each maker will send prizes to their winners directly! Some of the giveaways are OPEN INTERNATIONALLY, while other are US ONLY. Please make sure to CAREFULLY read the Terms and Conditions to avoid being disqualified!


Today's giveaway is sponsored by the lovely Wendy of Microbrews Nail Polish! Wendy was super sweet to eagerly join this series of giveaways and was an absolute pleasure to work with! Along with the giveaway, I will have an interview AND my very first review of some of her products up for you all shortly! In the meantime, take a look at what Wendy has planned for 3 lucky winners!


***THIS IS OPEN INTERNATIONALLY ***




Prize Packs :
1. (4) minis: one each of "Raise Your Glass" Collection
2. (2) custom blended polishes based on winner's request
3. (1) full size bottle of "Great Barrier Reef" and "If Cupid Blew Chunks"



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck, my darlings!!!

<3
B


Hi there, my darlings! I have a short but really exciting review for you this afternoon! Very recently, Cameo of Cameo Colours Lacquers sent me a package with several of her beauties from two new collections for review and I've shown you most of these--today I have to show ONE more gorgeous polish!

Today, I have for you Night of the Hunter--a black polish full of red and holographic microglitters. I had a great experience with both the formula and application of this polish--it went on smoothly, without dragging or streaking. The swatches below show 2 generous coats, topped with 1 thin coat of G&G's HK Girl to finish the look. Just look at that sparkle! So pretty!






With flash!




So there you have it, my darlings! You can pick this among several other gorgeous polishes from Cameo HERE for the price of $8 for a full-size, 15 mL bottle. Remember to follow Cameo Colours Lacquers on FACEBOOK and on INSTAGRAM to see previews of all her other beauties and for the latest updates!

Love it? Hate it? Tell me YOUR opinion in the comments section below!

Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****





Hi there, my darlings! I have another post for you this afternoon--my very first tutorial so it'll be short and sweet and (I hope) helpful to those of you who are not very familiar with water decals! I was sent these decals in my review package from Jior Couture and they are zodiac-themed, to match the zodiac-themed polishes from her upcoming collection. I was sent a strip of several of these decals and today I'd like to show you step-by-step how to use them, along with a couple of tricks I learned along the way.

1. Cut out individual decals for use.
    TIP : My instruction sheet suggested using rounded edges but I found square, even edges to work best for me and my nail shape. 




2. Soak the individual decals in warm water for 10-15 seconds
    TIP : Cold water will work just as well, anything in a pinch! And realistically, only 5-7 seconds in water is needed--these babies slip right off their backing!




3. Place each individual decal, paper side up on clean, dry nails or completely dry, polished nails. Here, I show the Aries zodiac symbol over Jior Couture's Aries The Ram thermal holographic polish
    TIP : Try to make sure you place the decal more or less evenly on the nail--once placed, you can move it slightly if the position is not right but it doesn't allow for major changes in position.



\
4. Remove the paper backing quickly.
TIP : Make sure to check that you only pulling away the paper--I almost lost a decal to oblivion this way!




5. Smooth out any air bubbles from between the decal and your nail bed using a small brush or even a damp finger.
TIP : Try to make it as smooth and bubble-free as possible--your finished product will look that much better!




6. Top with one smooth coat of your favorite topcoat! I used a generous coat of G&G's HK Girl and the final result is shown below!
    TIP : A good topcoat is a game-changer--it'll bring shine and smooth down any residual bumps left by your decal!






And here's a similar look I created using decals in the zodiac symbol for Libra as well as Jior Couture's Libra the Scales!






So, there you have it, my darlings! A selection of zodiac-themed water decals from Jior Couture! These will be available for purchase soon HERE. Remember to follow her on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM for all the latest news!


Have YOU ever used water decals before? Love them? Hate them? I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****




Hi, my darlings! First day back at work after 11 days of Spring Break...and boy am I sleepy! I only have one more hour before I get to head home so keep me awake during this last, quiet afternoon hour, let me show you some pretty polishes! Today, I have an upcoming collection from Jior Couture to show you!

First, I have for you Celestial--a vivid blue jelly polishes with medium holographic moons and stars as well as small holographic hexes. The formula of the polish was fine, albeit a little on the thin side and I did spend quite a bit of time fishing for the larger glitters--this may just be due to the size of the brush in my mini bottle. The results of careful application are stunning--the swatches below show 3 generous coats topped with 1 coat of G&G's HK Girl.








And guess what? This polish is also glow in the dark! Here's what it looks like in dark, under a black light!






Next, I have for you Aries The Ram--a thermal holographic polish that is a pale pinkish-red at body temperature and a fiery red in its cold state. Both the formula and application of this polish was lovely and the swatches below show 3 smooth coats on its own.  So appropriate to represent the fiery temperament of people born under the sign of Aries!






With flash!




Cold State (dipped in ice cold water)






Next, I have for you Pisces The Fish--a thermal holographic polish that is a bright grass-green at body temperature and a darker green with blue undertones in its cold state. Again, no complaints with the formula or application of this polish was lovely and the swatches below show 3 smooth coats on its own.






With flash!




Cold State (dipped in ice cold water)





Last but definitely not the least, I have for you my own Zodiac sign and personal favorite, Libra The Scales--a thermal holographic polish that is a medium sky blue at body temperature and a bright royal blue in its cold state. Again, no complaints at all with the formula or application of this polish and the swatches below show 3 smooth coats on its own. Love this polish in both its states!






With flash!




Cold State




So, there you have it, my darlings! A selection from the upcoming zodiac-inspired collection from Jior Couture! If you would like to check out Jior Couture's line of polishes, you can find them HERE. Remember to follow her on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM for all the latest news!


Which these beauties is your favorite? As always, I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****
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