Essie "Licorice" + Sephora by OPI "Traffic Copper Stopper"

With Halloween fast approaching, I thought I would squeeze in at least one Halloween-inspired manicure. I was tempted to buy this Orly polish from their Halloween collection but decided to combine Essie's "Licorice," a basic black, with Sephora by OPI's "Traffic Copper Stopper," a chunky copper glitter and save myself a polish I would wear once at year at the most.

(photographed [L-R]: Essie "Licorice," Sephora by OPI "Traffic Copper Stopper")

Essie "Mint Candy Apple"

The last two days in Northern California have been oddly warm for the end of October and has resulted in some changes in my dark nail polish trend. Today's nail of the day, Essie's "Mint Candy Apple," is an old reliable minty-green with a slight hint of blue.

(photographed: Essie "Mint Candy Apple")

Fun Halloween Reads

Realizing that it was the weekend prior to Halloween, I thought it would be fun to suggest a list of books to put you in that Halloween mood. And while I acknowledge most would rather be out partying as opposed reading, I thought the idea was still fun for those like me who like to curl up in bed with a good book on a cold Autumn night. However, with that said, I wish I had put more thought into this idea ahead of time. My list is rather short (partially because I'm not particularly drawn to books that will scare me), so feel free to add any theme-appropriate books you have!

(pumpkin carved by yours truly)

Battle of the Baby Pink Polishes

I have been meaning to compare my baby pink polishes for some time now, but seeing as I knew they were wearable through all seasons, I put it off. But here it is for you today! I intend to compare Butter London's "Teddy Girl," Revlon's "Pale Cashmere" from the Colorstay line, and Essie's "Fiji."

([L to R]: Butter London "Teddy Girl," Revlon "Pale Cashmere," Essie "Fiji")

Revlon "Vixen"

Today's nail of the day post is for one of the darkest nail polish colors you will ever catch me wearing, Revlon's "Vixen." This polish is one of those chocolate-cherry/blood red colors that is essentially an incredibly deep reddish-brown color.

(photographed: Revlon "Vixen")

Roxana: A Book Review

There are NO SPOILERS in this review. Enjoy! (:

For quite some time I have been meaning to read Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe but I often find myself more tempted by an author's less famous work over the well-known one (mostly because I enjoy saving the best for last). It's also why I tend to recommend others to read Looking For Alaska before The Fault In Our Stars if they want to read multiple of John's books. So, to get to the point I was trying to make, I chose to read Roxana as a way to introduce myself to Defoe.

(photographed: Daniel Defoe's Roxana)

The back cover description reads:

"Beautiful, proud Roxana is terrified of being poor. When her foolish husband leaves her penniless with five children, she must choose between being a virtuous beggar or a rich whore. Embarking on a career as a courtesan and kept woman, the glamour of her new existence soon becomes too enticing and Roxana passes from man to man in order to maintain her lavish society parties, luxurious clothes and amassed wealth. But this life comes at a cost, and she is fatally torn between the sinful prosperity she has become used to and the respectability she craves."

OPI "Goldeneye"

As we get to that time of year where holiday nail collections are released, my wallet suffers directly as a result. I am positive I buy more polishes in holiday collections than I do for seasonal ones, despite the fact that some are only wearable during that time of year. China Glaze's "Twinkle Lights" from last years holiday collection is a perfect example of this. I wore that polish continuously in the month of December but haven't touched it since then.

Anyway, I digressed. Today's nail of the day post is for, OPI's "Goldeneye," my first holiday polish purchase from this year's OPI Skyfall Collection. "Goldeneye" is a gold foil that leans slightly bronze.

(photographed: OPI "Goldeneye")