Sequins That Don't Suck: RGB

Showing posts with label RGB. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

February's Crushes

This past month I have been exercising. Yes, as much as I hate exercise, I've been super consistent! As a result, this month's crushes are much more sporty and practical than posh and fashionable. Though my prediction that all ten would be apps for my iPhone didn't come true, there are a couple of exercise apps on the list.

Zeno Hot Spot heats up to kill acne bacteria to clear up blemishes in much less time. Combined with the Clearasil Adult Treatment Cream from last month's crush list, I have allies in the battle against my moody hormonal skin. Find it here.

RGB Cosmetics Nail lacquer in Buff is that perfect almond-hued polish that my friends love teasing me about being so addicted to. It creates a classic mani or pedi that goes well with everything and always looks finished and classy. Find it here.

This foundation primer makes all of the difference in the application of my make-up on those days when I am looking more polished, like my pre-exercise-nut self. This award winning primer is the product that made the Smashbox brand what it is (even more than the last name the founders inherited from the iconic Max Factor). Find it here.

My favorite iPhone app these days, Nike Training Club is my own little free personal trainer. With just a medicine ball, some hand-weights and a jump rope, I have been conditioning and toning for weeks now. With videos that demonstrate proper form for the exercises and the encouragement of international trainer Marie Purvis on Twitter, you can get the results of working with a personal trainer for no money. Find it here.

The sophomore album of the Brit with the power-house voice isn't due out until the end of the month, but I've already become addicted to "Rolling In the Deep", "Rumour Has It", "He Won't Go" and "One and Only" from hearing it on NPR's "First Listen". Find the pre-order here (released in the US on February 22).

While no shave compares to a good wax, this is as close as a girl can get. With its delectable scent, thick texture, non-aerosol pump action and recyclable bottle, the makers thought of everything. I also often find 2-for-1 deals on it at Target. Find it here.

With all of the exercising that I'm doing, it's pretty unreasonably to flatiron my curly hair regularly. As a result, I'm becoming reacquainted with all of my curly hair care products. This one is a deep conditioner that gives my curls renewed energy and order. I already loved the Fresh Curls line from Redken, this product is definitely the star of the line. Find it here.

Even though the Nike Training Club App mentioned above has cardio workouts, I have been doing a combo of running with Nike+ GPS app and focused toning with Nike Training Club. It really does make running less of chore, they have awesome support on the Nikeplus Twitter account and makes me much a much more effective runner. Find it here.

Easy, effective and cute ways to wear my hair while exercising are a new necessity . These thin headwraps, which come in a multitude of colors and can be found at drugstores, Walmarts and Targets everywhere are perfect for me. Find them here.

The shorts that I find myself wearing more and more frequently to exercise are these Nike Phantom Training shorts. The double-layer shorts are a combo of spandex bike shorts and loose running shorts with a fold-over band for more comfort. Available in a variety of colors and in a Livestrong version. Find them here.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Niki's Navy Nails

If you read our piece on RGB Cosmetics, you may have read that I love creamy beige or almond-hued polishes that my friends insist are all the same color (see: Zoya Clover, Zoya Vivienne, Zoya Corrine, Zoya Sadie, essie like linen, essie allure, Lippman Collection Satin Doll, CND Buff). They say that I need to expand my horizons and be more daring and try some color and, honestly, I've been trying. There has been more nail polish remover used than nail polish lately, but, after a day of whining about it (sorry Rach!), I have stumbled upon a new nail color that I think is HOT! I loved when Lea Michele wore it on the red carpet with her Oscar de la Renta gown (and even tweeted about it), but thought, "I'd never wear that, I'm too chicken."

In the intervening six or seven or weeks, without even thinking about it, I've been wearing navy more and more - a navy minidress one day, a pair of navy tights the next, a navy scarf thrown around my neck on the third. I even redecorated one of my bathrooms in navy this month. When trying to find a "daring" polish for my nails on Tuesday about which my friends would not tease me, I chose a mini bottle of OPI Ink I received free from ULTA back in the spring. Matched with a long blue Rachel Pally skirt and a pair of silver sandals the color really stood out and looked so good I ended up completely reversing my opinion about the color. Now, I am completely enamored with navy nails and think they make the perfect stand-out nail color for this fall.

Now, I am perfectly aware that the biggest "trends" in nail colors at the moment are mint greens, gunmetal grays, jet blacks and metallics; but, I have decided that navy nails should really be the "it" color this fall. This is especially true since Lea Michelle is on board. (If you'd rather stick with the trends declared by fashionistas other than me, see below*). After deciding that I would declare navy the nail color of the moment, I searched for others that would back me up and found that Glamour is with me and Refinery 29 sort of agrees.

To make this trend you and I are starting together even more providential, navy nail colors are relatively easy to find right now. Some of the best shades are OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue, Butter London Big Smoke, Zoya Ibiza, ULTA Blue for You, China Glaze First Class Ticket, Borghese Mezzanotte Blue, OPI Russian Navy, China Glaze Calypso Blue, NARS Midnight Express, OPI Play 'Til Midnight, Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia, M*A*C Ming Blue, Chanel Blue Satin and Dior Poison Blue.

*Polishes that fit nail trends:
Mint Greens
M*A*C Peppermint Patti
RGB Minty
essie mint candy apple
OPI Hey! Get In Lime
Chanel Jade

Gunmetal Grays
CND Hyde in the Dark

CND Asphalt
Lippmann Collection Hit Me With Your Best Shot
M*A*C Nightfall
Zoya Freja
Zoya Dovima
Chanel Steel
Lancome Le Gris L'Wren
RGB Slate
OPI Brand New Skates

Jet Blacks
OPI Black Onyx
Zoya Raven

M*A*C Nocturnelle
Chanel Black Satin
Dior Black Sequins
essie licorice
Butter London Chimney Sweep
Lippmann Collection Fade to Black

Metallics
Butter London's West End Wonderland
Butter London The Full Monty
Lippmann Collection Nefertiti
Lipmann Collection Marquee Moon
Lippmann Collection Boom Boom Pow
Lippmann Collection Today Was a Fairytale

OPI Bring on the Bling
OPI Glow Up Already
OPI Rising Star
essie shifting power
essie silver bullions
essie golden nuggets
Zoya Goldie
Zoya Richelle
Zoya Penny
NARS Versailles
Dior Czarina Gold
Dior Bronze Libertine

Update 10-23-2010:
Now, I have found that both Vogue and Temptalia have given the thumbs up to navy nail polish.

Update 11-7-2010:
After some serious experimentation, I have come to the conclusion that these three colors are my favorites for navy nails.

For a really dark navy bordering on black: Chanel Blue Satin

For a traditional navy with a bit of shimmer: OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue

For a slightly lighter blue with shimmer: OPI Blue My Mind

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Key Ingredients

Some of the highest feedback posts and pieces lately were the ones about a recent "Brands We Love" piece on RGB Cosmetics and post on OPI's new color for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Both of these nail polish brands contain no Formaldehyde, Toluene or dibutyl phthalate (DBP), three toxins often found in nail polishes that have gotten a lot of attention over the last 4 years. Some brands of nail polishes have begun eliminating them from their nail polishes, but not necessarily from other nail care products in their lines and some brands still contain these ingredients. A couple of these ingredients have been banned or partially banned by the European Union. The same is not true for the United States yet. Some specific nail polishes listed as having a high toxicity* by the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database are Orly Nail Lacquer, Sally Hansen Hard As Nails, Maybelline Express Finish, Maybelline Fast-Dry, N.Y.C. New York Color Long-Wearing, essie (one of Hippi's faves that she now has to reconsider), Milani and Nail Tek.

A few nail polishes that we here at Sequins celebrate for their proactive elimination of these three ingredients from their nail colors are:

Zoya Nail Polish $7 per bottle at zoya.com

NARS Nail Polish $16 per bottle at narscosmetics.com

OPI Nail Lacquer $8 per bottle at drugstore.com

RGB Cosmetics $14 per bottle at rgbcosmetics.com

Lippman Collection Nail Lacquer $16 to $20 per bottle at lippmancollection.com

Adoree Nail Lacquer $6 per bottle at esthersnc.com

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer $14 at ulta.com

Rimmel London Nail Enamel $4 per bottle at ulta.com

*We considered all nail polishes rated as having a toxicity of 7 or above on their 10-point scale as having a high toxicity.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Brands We Love - RGB Cosmetics

It is difficult to overstate how much Hippi is into beige or almond nail polish colors. One reason that she has seriously fallen for Essie nail polishes is that they have so many shades in the range she loves. OPI also tickles her fancy with her faves "Bubble Bath" and "Onyx" (the one dark color that she has ever liked). Recently, though, she has come across a line with almost no beige or taupe colors (with the exception of "Buff") that she loves anyway. RGB Cosmetics, a brand that contains no Formaldehyde, Toluene or dibutyl phthalate (DBP), also has some gorgeous colors. Plus, the shipping is complimentary on every order. Non-toxic, cute nail polish colors with no shipping costs? Yes, please!

So far, Hippi has tried buff (of course), plum, red, camel, toast and steel. The surprising thing is that, even though five of the six are outside of her comfort range, she still likes the colors and would recommend them to others. Many different publications and beauty editors are into RGB as well. You can read about the editor's picks and places that the brand is mentioned on their blog. They also sell top and base coat polishes so that the lack of toxins in the colored polish isn't offset by using top and base coats that contain the toxins.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Free Gypsy

Gypsy 05 is having a contest asking their fans to show how they wear their Gypsy by creating sets on polyvore full of their Gypsy faves. Hippi made this set based on the suggestions on how to accessorize her favorite Gypsy 05 styles in our August 30 post on the brand. The prize is $250 worth of Gypsy 05 clothing. Go ahead and set your inner stylist free for free Gypsy 05 styles.