Fangs For The Memories

Why'd October have to go so fast?  Halloween is here and while that's awesome...it's also sad.  Pretty Ghoul Science is almost gone for another year.  I had to go out with something dramatic!

Obligatory Ghosts...My Way

Is Halloween really over? Does anyone else hear that sound? That large, terrible crack? Oh, nevermind. It is just the sound of my heart breaking. 

Gruesome Greens

 purchased by me 

Halloween is tomorrow!?  How'd that happen?  I'm feeling a lot better just in time too!  I swatched today for the first time in almost *gasp* two weeks!  It's the perfect time of year for "ugly" greens and I have a ton untried.  I 'shopped my stash' and came out with these...

Spooky Silhouettes

Sharpie madness continues! I was watching a gray scale makeup tutorial, like you do, and was inspired to do a gray scale manicure. It turned out ok...but not great. So I started to wonder what I could add to it...and my eyes fell on my trusty Sharpie.

Wet n Wild Halloween '14 - My Makeup Picks

 purchased by me 

When Nouveau Cheap posts about a BIG new display that I haven't seen yet, my brain starts to itch...even if I'm not overwhelmed by what's in the display.  My latest itch was the Walgreens exclusive Wet n Wild Enchanted Halloween Looks display.  My initial reaction was "....that's not Halloweeny at all!"  My second reaction was "I don't care! I must find it!"  Nichole can verify that I say contradictory things like this all of the time.  It took me a while to actually track it down, but when I did there was a 5000 point reward for a $2 purchase and some of the stuff was on sale and...well....buying ensued.  I posted my two polish picks a little while back, but I wound up getting a bunch of lip color and an eyeshadow palette too.

Wicked Winnings Wednesday: The Final Cut

half-sponsored giveaway

It's the final countdown er...giveaway! Since this one is the very last, I decided to try and make it as big as I could. I reached out to one of my new favorite indie cosmetics brands, Blackbird Cosmetics, and asked if she wanted to partner up and help sponsor this giveaway. Thank heavens, she said yes! Combining my vague and meandering suggestions with her unbelievable gift for color, we made something very unique just for you guys!

Cute Little Devil, Isn't He?

I kinda vanished, didn't I?  Sorry about that.  Antibiotics are endlessly un-fun.  At least it's not the flu this year!  Because the pills were every six hours, I didn't sleep too well while I was on them.  They're done and I'm starting to feel better, but I haven't caught up on the missed sleep yet.  Sorry if this is a bit 'Hey look...a thing!', but...hey look...a thing!

I had an idea for some nail art using this adorable little demon from Bundle Monster's BM-305 plate, but it kinda didn't happen.  Instead I wound up just stamping it with Sally Hansen Red-io Active over Sally Hansen Raven's Wing.  I bought the plate entirely for this image, I love it that much!  I didn't even stamp yet when that set came out, but this little guy made me really want to learn.  You'll probably see him again next year with more...pizzazz.


Mere hours are left in Wicked Winnings #4!  If you like weird lipstick, scurry!

 all products in this post were purchased by me 

Halloween Ikat

After two+ years of blogging, it starts to get tricky to find things/think up things you haven't tried before. But, if you look, there are loads of things out there. Today is an exercise in trying new things. I have admired the ikat manicure a thousand and four times, but for reasons I have never actually tried it. Until today. And lemme tell you, I am sorry I waited this long.

Crackle. It's Cool Now.

Oh yes. Crackle. It is cool. I don't care what you naysayers say. Crackle will always be awesome. It will never die, no matter how many "polish trends that were terrible" lists are published. 

What A Bonehead!

About a month ago Zeus and I went to the Mütter Museum.  I'd been there a few times, but it was new to him.  He loved it!  There's all kinds of fascinating/gruesome stuff there, but the skulls always make the biggest impression on me.  The idea of skull nail art has been bouncing around in my head ever since.  Once I sharpened my nails I knew what to do.  It just took me a while to actually do it.

Tutorial: Minimalist Psycho

I haven't done a tutorial in quite a while, and a good friend of mine has been harassing me for a how-to on my Minimalist Psycho nails since I posted them. I suppose that I should do at least one tutorial each season, and this one is really quick and easy. 

Wicked Winnings Wednesday #4 - Envy

 purchased by me 

[The winner for last week has been chosen. Check your email people.-nichole]

I've been looking forward to today for a long time. Giveaways are always fun, but they're even more exciting when it's something you love that's also VHTF.  Polish doesn't get 100% of my attention, after all...

When I bought three of LASplash's Limited Edition Lipsticks for myself way back in June, I pounced on the chance to get an extra tube of Envy for this giveaway.  As far as I know, these shades aren't available for sale anywhere and might never be back again.  Envy is a bit on the dry side, but I'm madly in love with it...even more so since wearing it on a day out in Philly last month.  When I was reapplying it in a bathroom, the woman at the next sink gasped and asked "Is your lipstick blue!? I love it!"  Me too, random lady, me too!

I decided to allow international entries this time around, since makeup doesn't have the same shipping restrictions and it's lightweight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and thanks for entering!

 all products in this post were purchased by me 

Bats, Glitter, and Sharpies

Today is more of the "why did I wait so long to try this" stuff. Can you believe this is my first attempt with sharpies on my nails? I am a fool. A foolish, foolish fool. 

Something Corny

Haha...because corn.  I forget if this was Nichole's idea or mine, but she's been bugging me to do it.  It's kinda perfect for my nail and cuticle shape!

Use It or Lose It: Week Four

Yay for cleaning out my stash! This week made me feel like a giant. All of my products were sample sizes, which is definitely a good portion of my hoard. I feel a weird sense of accomplishment just using one thing from my sample box...let alone five.

Red And Fishnet

Fishnet stockings have been a Halloween staple since before "sexy" costumes took over.  Nichole did her take on them for an American Horror Story: Freak Show inspired look.  I did my version to match the bra I wore to the local shadow cast performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday.

Halloween is Truly Outrageous

If the title of this doesn't immediately remind you of a certain cartoon from the 80's, you need to get off my lawn right now. If you are still here, then let us continue with the weirdness.

China Glaze But Of Corpse and Getting To Gnaw You

 purchased by me 

How great are those names!?  The polishes are just as good.  This is what Halloween polish should look like...

Infection Nails

I liked that ELF Red Scarlet so well that I couldn't put it away just yet. I decided to so something very loosely inspired by The Strain. It's a TV show about infectious vampires written by Guillermo del Toro. If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend it.

The Best Black Lipstick?

 purchased by me 

I forget exactly how I stumbled upon Portland Black Lipstick Co., but my jaw dropped once I did. I bought a bunch of samples and there are more swatches on the way soon.  Today I'm addressing the bold claim that they make, that theirs is "The best ever!"  Tests needed to be done, so I gathered up a couple of competitors.

China Glaze Howl You Doin'?

I'm giving my brain a wee break, and doing some regular swatching...with a Halloweeny twist. I will be back to crazy nails by Thursday, I promise. Today I am going back in time to 2013 and bringing back something from China Glaze's Halloween collection. It is also an untried, so I'm knocking that off the list too!

Sally Hansen Costume-ize Your Nails - My Picks

 purchased by me 

When was the last time Sally Hansen had new polish in a Halloween display?  I think it was before this blog existed.  For the last couple of years they've just done Salon Effects strips and repromoted existing shades.  This year there are four Insta-Dri's, two new Fuzzy Coats, and two Big Glitter toppers, along with some new Salon Effects.  I recently found the display at my favorite CVS and wound up getting the three non-matte Insta-Dri's.  The line is almost always great for stamping, dotting, etc, so I decided to have some fun with them and test their potential.

Wicked Winnings Wednesday Week Three

[Congratulations to our second Wicked Winner, Olivia G!  -Amanda]

You guys. GUISE. I have been waiting for my turn at the rafflecopter! But stupid shipping and real life kept getting in the way. But finally, everything is in place for this Halloweentacular offering!

Wet n Wild Halloween '14 - My Polish Picks

 purchased by me 

Yesterday Nichole was grumping about not being able to find many of the Halloween displays this year.  Sadly, she's not missing much.  Halloween is our favorite holiday, and can inspire some serious awesomeness in polish.  This year it kinda...mostly hasn't.  There are definitely a few exceptions, but in a season that should see some of the weirdest, wildest polish the big brands aren't pushing any boundaries this time around.  What's worse, some are just slapping new names on old polishes.  Like these...

Use It or Lose It: Week Three

Three weeks gone now, and my face is angry with me still from that Nourish Organic face wash. I decided to try and finish up some things that had been sitting out on my counters and in my shower this week. Mostly to let me feel like I am actually making some progress here. The hoard is so big, that I really haven't made much of a dent. 

Sinful Colors Wicked Color - My Picks

 purchased by me 

Well...most of my picks.  I accidentally re-purchased Splatter Spell instead of getting Cauldron Couture.  I'll probably be adding it to this post later in the week.  This is the week because...the 99¢ Sinful Colors Sale is back at Walgreens!  Normally I'd post massive spam, but since the last sale was just a month ago, everything I'd be adding would be in this post.  I love that they're doing these so often, especially since I only finally found the big Wicked Color display yesterday.  There are three new shades, a popular seasonal repromote, and numerous core shades in this display.  I have almost all of them this time around!

ELF Red. Yes, That is The Name.

Halloween is my favorite time of year. Anyone who doesn't realize this by now...well, there is a bridge I'd like to sell you when this post is done. For the rest of you, it is also obvious that Halloween rocks because of the cosmetics that come out! This year, I haven't found any of the stuff I normally do, so when I saw a lonely ELF display at Target, I snapped up a bottle of polish. It isn't Halloween without some themed makeup and polish!

Sally Hansen Raven's Wing

 purchased by me 

As much as I love the MUA Nail Board, I've warned a few friends away from it.  It's a dangerous place.  It will make you want polishes you never knew existed.  Someone there asked if there was a black polish with black shimmer.  There isn't.  This is probably as close as you can get...

Raven's Wing has fine silver shimmer in a black jelly base.

over black

Raven's Wing is ooold, as polish goes.  It's from Sally Hansen's Fall 2008 Designer Collection.  When I saw it on NB a year or two ago, I had to have it.  It took repeated internet searching, a little luck, and more than I usually like to spend, but it's been mine for a while now.  Halloween is a great excuse to wear it.  This is two coats over black undies, because it's sheer and slow to dry.  Layered over black like this, it almost looks like a black foil.  It's completely gorgeous and worth tracking down, especially if you're a collector.  Sinful Colors Secret Admirer is similar, but the base is more opaque and the shimmer is more obviously silver.

Even holding these older, square Salon bottles is like time travel for me.  Funny how things like that can take you back.

 all products in this post were purchased by me 

Halloween Doesn't Have to be Scary All The Time

It couldn't all be maturity and restraint. Eventually, wobbly spiderwebs and goofy spiders were going to make an appearance. It is Halloween, after all. I'm pretty sure I would have to turn in my "Halloweeny" badge if I didn't do a few goofy things this month. Let this manicure be the first...of many.

Brilliantly Bewitching

 purchased by me 

I was poking around in my stash for something else entirely when Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea was suddenly just...there.  No clue why, and I thought I'd put it away.  Sometimes good things come from a mess.

Glitter and Fade

Ever have those manicures that just sorta create themselves? You're sitting there, with tools and supplies around you, and just start doing...with no clear idea of what you want your final product to look like. This is what happens when I leave a bunch of polish out. I just start throwing things together. Sometimes it works...

Wicked Winnings Wednesday #2 - Knight

We have our first Wicked Winner!  Kathryn H. won the drawing for the e.l.f. Cruella palette!

This week you could win a bottle of one of my favorites, Dance Legend Knight.

I bought an extra when I ordered directly from Dance Legend last year.  Since then, the brand has taken off in popularity and become easier to buy.  It's also become one of my favorites, and Knight is among their best!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's a multichrome unlike any other I've ever seen.

From copper to deep periwinkle...I've worn mine a couple of times and I still can't get over it.  You can see the full range of the shift in my review.


Nichole and I were chatting on Facebook recently and she joked about this being "The Dark Knight".  I took the idea and ran with it...while watching Gotham.

Instant sunset!  The skyline is from Bundle Monster's BM-414 plate and the bat is from BM-013, stamped with Cult Nails Nevermore.


Kathryn H., please contact us...and good luck to everyone who enters this week!

 all products in this post were purchased by me 

American Horror Story: Freak Show

American Horror Story is back! This season it is AHS: Freak Show. I am pretty excited. I have loved all of the promos, posters, press nonsense I've seen so far, so of course I had to do a manicure inspired by them!

Transylvanian Accents

 purchased by me 

"Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!"  I dressed as a vampire for Halloween (...and sometimes just because I felt like it) for most of my childhood.  Not a girly vampire either.  I was Count Dracula.  I had parts of the 1931 Bela Lugosi film memorized.  Bunnicula and Count Duckula were also part of my obsession.  I'd drain the color from red popsicles when I could.  I've always been a dork.  Other monsters are cool too, but vampires (just not the sparkly ones!) will always be my favorites.  When I found three of the discontinued Formula X Celestials textures at Ross Dress For Less last month, I knew something Halloweeny had to happen with them.  They paired perfectly with some vampiric shades out of my collection.

Use It or Lose It: Week Two

Even though it is Halloween, I decided to keep posting these. I am afraid that if I put it off, I will put it off indefinitely. I am flaky like that sometimes. So click along to read what I thought about my accidentally moisturizingly themed week!

SoFlaJo The True Death

 purchased by me 

Have I mentioned I have a Storenvy addiction?  I feel a little guilty buying indies second-hand, but it introduces me to brands I might never try otherwise.  One of my most recent purchases is from a new-to-me brand, SoFlaJo.  The True Death is named for something on True Blood, but I've never watched it.  My mind goes to White Zombie's "Black Sunshine" instead.  Still, you don't need to be a True Blood fan to love this...

The True Death has a black base with red-to-green shifting shimmer and a scattering of larger gold flecks.

Simple and Safe For Work

Halloween is often a holiday that is over the top. I love that about this time of year, but sometimes it is nice to have something simple...a bit of a breather. Plus, there are you poor souls out there that have to look responsible and professional...so lime green flames and ghost faces are generally out. But considering the holiday, I think a little bit of fun is permitted.

Minimalist Psycho

Minimalism is not something I am known for. But in an effort to keep things interesting, I decided to take a step outside of my comfort zone. I think it turned out awesome, even if it isn't the most ghoulish thing you'll see this month.

Sharpening My Claws

Last year I kinda half-assed stilettos because I wasn't sure how a pointy nail shape would wear on me.  Now that I know it wears well...I went for it!

China Glaze Fast Track

Pinspired: Tattooed Bride of Frankenstein

Let the season ring! These little bits of inspiration have been rolling around my Pinterest board for quite some time. I thought now was as good a time as any to break them out. I wanted something seasonal-yet-streamlined. I think I nailed it. 

Wicked Winnings Wednesday #1 - Cruella

 purchased by me 

AAAHHH!!  October is finally here!  Nichole and I have missed Halloween since...well...November.  We've been plotting for months for the return of Pretty Ghoul Science and Wicked Winnings Wednesday.  Nichole got the nail art started, but I get to give out the first treat!

...am I nuts/old or does this look like a record sleeve?

First Official Halloween Manicure

I have been waiting all freaking year for this manicure. I look forward to the season more than any other...when I can wear orange and black together without getting that side-eye from the lady at the grocery store. I decided to go with a very traditional/almost work-safe glittery gradient!