Quo by Orly 18 Piece Mini Nail Polish Gift Set

At last! After being taunted mercilessly by Rasilla and Sparkled Beauty's photos I finally managed to track down this nail polish set just in time for Shoppers Drug Mart's bonus points redemption!
Quo is available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart. The set contains 18 mini polishes. Each bottle contains 4.4ml of product and the set retails for $39.
Unfortunately I have no nail swatches for you yet as my Halloween mani is still in full force. Will try get some skittles swatches out for you guys sometime next week?
If you're interested in obtaining your own set, I can confirm the set's availability at the Shoppers on No. 5 and Cambie in Richmond, and the Shoppers at Old Orchard Centre in Burnaby.
In the meantime, enjoy the photos!

Swatches from top left to bottom right: Very Vixen (jelly); Mystic Night (shimmer); Garnet (glass fleck shimmer); Precious (glitter); Turquoise Moonlight (glass fleck shimmer); Celestial Star (glass fleck shimmer); First Class (foil); Filthy Rich (foil).

Swatches from top left to bottom right: Sapphire Sparkle (glass fleck shimmer); Cold Stone (shimmer with holo glitter); Rock Show (glass fleck shimmer); Rock Star (shimmer); Red Hot (jelly); Wine & Dine (shimmer); Old Hollywood (jelly); Love Game (duo-chrome)

Swatches from top left to bottom right: Cold Stone (shimmer with holo); Rock Show (glass fleck shimmer); Rock Star (shimmer); Night Sky (glitter); Wine & Dine (shimmer); Old Hollywood (jelly);Love Game (duo-chrome);True Love (creme)

Inglot AMC Lip Gloss in 544

I SERIOUSLY tried to limit my makeup purchases whilst in NYC, but when faced with 2 enablers, the words are strong but the will is weak.
We found the Inglot counter after encountering a Macy's SA who vehemently denied the fact that they carried the brand. Therefore, from hence forth it shall be referred to as "Inglot" as it obviously does not exist.

Swatch:

Lip swatch:

Orange flash:

Damage:
$16 from "Inglot"
Promises:
N/A
Review:
I think I only need to say 3 words to make you buy this:
Dude.Its.Holographic.
This is just as well because "Inglot" isn't exactly too forthcoming with details for these lipglosses other than the fact that it contains no parabens. I guess this way you don't have any expectations of it ironing your clothes.
BUT IT'S HOLOGRAPHIC!!! A HOLOGRAPHIC LIPGLOSS!! HOLOGRAPHIC!!!
Yes, there is that all important factor.
The sole reason why I bought this lipgloss was because of that mesmerising holographic duo-chrome you see in that first photo. (BTW, is the proper term holographic or duo-chrome? I can't decide). I was so amused by this that I couldn't stop poking at it at the counter, and in the end, Justine just exasperatingly told me to either buy the darn thing or she was leaving without me.
In the tube, 544 (awesome name!) is a hot fuchsia pink with a white, green and orange flash. Sadly, the holo qualities gets lost outside of the tube. Swatched on my hand, the holo is only visible from a certain angle or if I poke or disturb it in some way. On lips, the orange flash is only fleetingly visible that instant you press your lips together.
Formula is non-sticky, but quite slippery. As a result wear time is rather short, I would say 2-3hrs max?
There is a slight cherry scent to this gloss and it comes with a doe foot applicator.
If you've got the $16 to blow, then I would say buy this just to amuse yourself, but if you don't, then rest assured it doesn't look special on.

Zoya NOTDs plus discount code

I finally got my grubby paws on some Zoya polishes! Since Zoya is country-ist and doesn't ship to igloos, I had to ship them to Domo and pick them up from her while I was in New York.

I ended up getting Dannii, Davina, Ki and Jem. At $8 each, they were a little outside of my comfort zone for nail varnish. 

Zoya Ki (purple flash)

Zoya Ki (green flash)

Zoya Ki was originally released with the Suede collection of 2010.
It is a smokey purple green duo-chrome that mostly appears as a deep plummy purple until you tilt your fingers in just the right way, then BAM!, you get hit with a flash of gorgeous peacock green.
I know the imagery conjured up won't be appealing, but this colour reminds me of beetles and flies xD. Nonetheless, it's absolutely gorgeous for Autumn.
Formula is kinda eh tho, it's really thin and sheer and for total opacity you need a good 3 to 4 coats. Drying time is also a bit slow so unless you have the patience of a saint it's gonna bubble.
For some odd reason, Zoya varnishes seem to have a short wear time with me, I got tip wear by the 2nd day.

Zoya Jem

Zoya Jem was released in the Fall 2011 Mirrors collection.
It is a deep jewel toned plum with lots of gold shimmer that makes me think of rich velvet a la the Renaissance. It's one of those "glowy" colours that look light in the middle and dark on the edges. I am not usually one for vampy colours but even I can't deny Jem's gorgeousness.
Formula is 1 coat opaque(!!!) with some tip wear by the 2nd day.
I am tres tres joyeux to be able to offer you an exclusive coupon code which will entitle you to 50% off the retail price of either Ki or Jem from NailPolishCanada.com. This makes them $4.38 each!!!
All you have to do is enter "MACNUNUKI" if ordering Ki, or "MACNUNUJEM" if ordering Jem in their coupon code box.
In addition to Zoya, they also sell tons of other nail polish such as OPI, China Glaze, Deborah Lippmann, Color Club, and Orly. Remember, shipping is free for all orders over $29!
Dang it, I really wished I knew about Nail Polish Canada earlier, cos then I wouldn't have had to go through all the trouble of ordering these from Zoya T.T. Oh well, at least now I know.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream review

The lovely Georgina didn't just help us buy brushes, she totally totally snuck in some extras!
She overheard me whining about not picking these lip creams up during IMATS and she surprised me with 2 of them! Another great example of how whining always pays off xD 

Swatches from left: Monte Carlo; Antwerp; and Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Ming

Antwerp:

Monte Carlo:

Damages: 

$6 from NYXCosmetics and $4.50 from CherryCulture
Promises:
"Neither lipstick nor lip gloss—this is matte lip cream. A new kind of pout paint that goes on silky smooth and sets to a matte finish. Soft Matte Lip Cream is surprisingly durable and, unlike some matte lipstick formulas, also moisturizing. Available in 11 lip colors
INGREDIENTS: Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dimethicone, Beeswax, Glyceryl Behenate / Eicosadioate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone / Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Talc, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isohexadecane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Parfum. May Contain: CI77019 (Mica) / CI77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI15850 (D&C Red 6 Na. Salt), CI15850 (D&C Red 7 Ca Lake), CI15985:1 (FD&C Yellow 6 Al Lake), CI19140:1 (FD&C Yellow 5 Al Lake), CI45410 (D&C Red 28 Al Lake), CI77491 (Iron Oxide Red), CI77492 (Iron Oxide Yellow), CI77499 (Iron Oxide Black), CI77742 (Manganese Violet), CI77891 (Titanium Dioxide)."
Review:
2 words: Lip Mousse.
Seriously that's what these feel like; feather light yet packs a punch of long lasting colour. I wore Monte Carlo for 4 hours before it started to fade.
I'm really surprised that despite being a matte finish, these didn't dry out my lips or horribly emphasize my lip lines. I found that also the level of matte-ness depends on the shade, Monte Carlo had a bit of a sheen to it whereas Antwerp was completely matte.
Antwerp is the kind of nude pink I seem to have accumulated 50 different tubes of. It's close to Chanel Rouge Laque in Ming but of course Ming is a gloss.
Monte Carlo is a blue toned red that turns raspberry as it fades. It is my first red lip product and I've fallen completely head over heels in love with it. It's perfect for Autumn paired with subtle eyes and chunky knits xD.
These have a caramel/vanilla scent that isn't too awful and fades relatively quickly.
For $4.50 you really can't go wrong with these lip creams. Heck those Maybelline Baby Lips balms in my previous post cost around the same! Remember to pick these up at IMATS as NYX offers a 20/30% show discount!
Thank you so much for these Georgina!
Now I want Addis Ababa and Milan T.T *cues whining*
P.S. Yes I'm well aware that I still haven't posted my NYC pics. They will have to wait as I've sprained my back over the weekend doing something stupid at pole class and now if I sit for too long a periods of time (i.e. editing photos) my back freezes T.T

Sponsored - Vasanti Liquid Cover Up - Foundation and Concealer in 1

When Indy from Vasanti attended our blogger meet up, she very kindly bought some samples along with her. One of them was the Vasanti Liquid Cover Up - Foundation and Concealer in 1.

Damage:
$23 from Vasanticosmetics.com, select Rexalls Pharmacies and Shoppers Drug Marts.
Promises:
"Incredible coverage, featherlight finish and radiant glow in a one-of-a-kind liquid foundation. Providing coverage only where you need it for the most natural looking finish, this advanced formulation blends into skin without a trace. Evens out skintone while disguising undereye circles and camouflaging blemishes, a concealer and foundation in one! Hydrates and brightens for flawless looking skin. Works on all skin types and tones."
Review:

I was pretty excited to try this foundation out, I'm a big fan of Vasanti's lip products, and Indy told me that the Liquid Cover Up is their best selling base product!
From their website, it appears to be available in 11 shades, the lightest being V0 and the darkest being V15. I got the colour V1 which was a pretty good match for me, I'd say it's around a NC25-30. I like that it's yellow based and not weirdly beige.
Formulated without parabens or mineral oil, the Vasanti Liquid Cover Up promises to be both concealer and foundation. Being recently hit with the ugly stick gave me the perfect opportunity to test the claims of this foundation.

Pretty hideous no? Courtesy of Aunt Flo.

 Vasanti Liquid Cover Up alone:

 Set with Guerlain Meteorites:

As you can see, the Vasanti Liquid Cover Up provides some pretty heavy duty coverage. It managed to neutralise all my redness and cover up most of my blemishes. 
The formula is rather thick, it's easy to over-do and end up with pancake face, so definitely start light and add more as needed. I dot dabs of the foundation on my face, and then blend out like crazy with my flat top brush. Even then it can sometimes end up looking cakey. 
The finish is semi-matte and I did not notice any oxidising. 
The lasting power of this foundation is pretty insane, it lasted through an entire 11 hour work day plus an hour of pole dancing. I think I only needed to blot once in the entire 12 hour period which is quite amazing for my usual oil slick face. 
There was only 1 thing I disliked about this foundation, and that was the packaging. It's packaged like a lipgloss; a squeeze tube with a brush under the lid. I find the brush pretty useless and I can hear the germaphobes scream bloody murder if they were made to touch their face with the brush then put it back into the tube. A plain squeeze tube would have been much nicer.
$23 for 16mls worth of product is also a tad pricey but since you only need a tiny bit each time, it should last for a while.

After 12hrs of wear:

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm Review

Hunting these babies down was one of my top priorities while I was in New York. Yes, clearly "exciting" is a an adjective seldom used to describe my life.
After visiting about 100 different Duane Reades, CVS, and Rite Aids, I finally managed to find 2 of these lip balms (well...I actually found a Cherry Me in a previous Duane Reade, but as a testament of my love, I allowed the other 'Tine to have it xD).
I got Pink Punch and Cherry Me.

Left: Cherry Me. Right: Pink Punch

Swatches:

Pink Punch:

Cherry Me:

Damage: 
$3-4
Promises, Promises:
"No more basic lip balm:
• Visibly renewed lips and 8-hr hydration
• The secret: Exclusive lip renew formula with SPF 20
• Protects and moisturizes lips for a full 8 hours
• After 4 weeks, lips are visibly renewed and  reborn
• 6 varieties"
Review:
For a lipbalm, these are sure pigmented. They are at least as pigmented as (if not more!) those silly $30 Chanel Rouge Coco Shines. In fact, when I wore Pink Punch, it managed to stain my lips bright pink for the rest of the day.
The formula is light, doesn't feel waxy, and moisturises quite well. My lips are soft and smooth after application.
The packaging promises "clinical strength" and '8hr hydration", I'm not sure which clinic they tested this at, but their standards must be quite low as I don't find it any "stronger" than other lipbalms. The 8hr hydration promise also falls flat as I find myself needing to reapply every hour or so.
These lipbalms are scented according to their names, the scent reminds me of hard boiled sweets so it's not unpleasant. Unfortunately, Cherry Me does vaguely smell of cherry flavoured cough syrup :/
The SPF 20 makes it awesome for those long gone sunny days at the beach.
For those lazy days when you can't be bothered with lipstick but need a bit of colour on your lips, this $4 tinted lip balm can't be beat.

The one where I forgot what I'm wearing in my FOTD....

Yes it's finally happened, I'm losing my mind.
This is why I gotta take a photo of the products I used otherwise by the time I get around to typing up the post, I'd have totally forgotten what I've used.
Who are you people? What am I doing here?
Oh look a chocolate biscuit.

If I reeeeally dig into the back of my mind, I think I used L'oreal Infalliables in Hourglass Beige, Permanent Kaki and possibly the Chanel Ombre Perlees green shade. No idea what I used on my cheeks or lips though. Judging by the perfect finish of my skin here I am pretty sure I used Chanel Matte Lumiere foundation.
This lame excuse for a post is up until I emerge from editing my NYC photos.
p.s. after the last disastrous post where I inadvertently changed my skin dark olive, I'm now experimenting with absolutely zero mucking about of skin colour. Let me know if this is better.

Apothica gift card winner!

The Random number generator has made it's choice!
And the winner of the $25 Apothica gift card is...

...Rena from Scope Kawaiiness!!!

Congratulations Rena! Please email me at nunu@macnunu.com with your details.
Thank you to everyone who entered!

New York, New York.

I wanted to start this post with "By the time you are reading this, I will be..." but it sounded too much like a suicide note xD.
Choi! Choi! Choi!
After much debate on what to pack, frantic last minute packing, lost passport drama, and wallet-ache from the awful CAN$ to US$ exchange rate, the Travelling Tines are finally departing tomorrow.
We'll be in NYC for just over a week during which we will say "Eh" a lot and will ask for directions to the closest "washroom".
We will also be visiting our beloved Labbit and Domo. The four of us are going to gorge ourselves on food and drink after which we will go shopping.
Oh and somewhere in between all that, we will be doing intellectual things like visiting museums and other tourist traps.
Do any of you have any recommendations on things to do in New York?

See you in a week!! Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers!! I'll be sure to share photos when I'm back!
Remember to enter my Apothica giveaway!