Katsucon Figure Gets

So recently I've been leaning towards collecting smaller figures. Not only can I fit more in my suitcase for the journey home, but it also feels as if I've purchased more for less money. You can definitely go super cheap, and cheap quality, but in general the smaller figures are just as nice as some of the larger ones. It all depends on which way you want to go. I did a quick sweep of the dealer's room at Katsucon this year but only had a little cash so I had to pick and choose what I decided to get. So there are only a couple this time around but I think they're cute additions to my collection!

The first one I got is from a series called Natsume Yuujinchou (or Natsume's Book of Friends). It's one of my favourite series and I highly recommend it! The character portrayed here is Nyanko-sensei, or Madara when in his real form. He likes to eat.. and is a super pudgy cat. Need I say more?

The figure is produced by Banpresto and is the largest of my purchases this time around.

I was surprised by the level of detail and the series has three other figures you can collect featuring this character.

I saw this Shirahoshi (One Piece) figure and sort of hesitated to buy it. I've been eyeing her figures for a while since I really like her design, but I don't know enough about One Piece to justify buying a larger scale. In fact I saw this exact same pose going for the regular price, and while it was very beautiful I eventually settled for the much smaller and cheaper version. I finally have the giant (tiny) mermaid on my shelf!

I liked the transition from opaque to transparency in her hair and tail. I thought it was a nice touch to an otherwise cheaply made figure. The only thing I have to settle with is the very crude shading around her breasts. Overall though the paint and detail is still very nice.

As you know I'm a sucker for interesting bases. From what I've seen most versions of this pose doesn't feature the ring but instead a rocky base (far less interesting to me).

So a while back I bought my boyfriend one of those mystery mini figures. You see all the various things you can get and then open a random figure. It actually started my appreciation of mini figures because a) they were surprisingly well-made, and b) I liked the surprise of which one you get! Just make sure you like the majority of the figures or else you'll be more likely to get disappointed with the one you're settled with. For me, Monster Hunter is a super safe choice because I'll probably love anything that comes in that tiny box!

While I couldn't find the exact series I got my boyfriend, I did spy this set at a table and decided to pick one up! I like his cute angry expression, but I was secretly hoping for the watermelon piggy you could get...! His head actually moves around like a little bobble head, but seems to be more secure because the head remains upright rather than slanted like most bobble-heads get.

I really like these little guys! I think I'll stay on the lookout for more when I go to cons!

REVIEW || Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure

Hi everyone, today I would like to share my thoughts on some nail polish that arrived for me in the mail compliments of Influenster.

I can say that I've already been in love with Sally Hansen from a while back, as I already had purchased one of these polishes in a different colour. I'm particularly tough on my nails so nail polish doesn't really last on me. Plus I hate all the steps I need to do in and around actually putting the colour on my nails. Apparently Sally Hansen's got the one-stop-solution for this.

Let's start with the packaging. The bottle is significantly fatter than its drugstore counterparts. It feels comfortable in the hand and even has some weight to it which I love. I don't feel like a slight nudge of my hand by accident will send this thing tumbling across the table. The only bad thing I can say about the bottle is that these things are crazy hard to open. Both my boyfriend and I were straining to crack all three bottles and I remember my other polish having the same issue. I've never had this problem with other brand polishes and by the time I get it open my fingers are hurting and I'm turned off from even doing my nails in the first place. I understand the concept of protecting the product but it shouldn't be this hard!

Putting that aside, the colours I received are very pretty! I have shades 540 Jade,  470 Red Me Lips, and 510 Pat on the Black. Jaded looked like a robin egg blue in the bottle but actually appears a little more green on my nails. Red My Lips is your standard red, a staple in any polish collection. Pat on the Black is actually a really deep eggplant purple, which doesn't seem to be showing up in the photos.

These formulas are also supposed to be an all-in-one in that you shouldn't need a base or top coat to use them. In all there's apparently seven benefits in each bottle. I don't know how the long-term benefits like strengthening is going so far, but the chip resistant element has been doing okay so far. Since these are supposed to include base and top coat, I've refrained from using them too which has shortened the time needed to actually do a manicure.

The application of these polishes is crazy comfortable and easy. This is mostly thanks to the brush which is a little fatter than most polishes with a curved end. I only need one or two strokes for the colour to be evenly applied to each nail. For someone who is always making a mess on her opposite hand too, this is one of the first times I've had a perfect application without any need for cleanup!

I tried the lighter colour first, as that is where I usually gets problems with streaking. It took two coats for a fairly opaque colour. Drying time was good as well. I'd recommend this polish for travel since you don't need to worry about bringing multiple bottles and it's pretty fuss-free.

Please pardon the dry cuticles.

In all, I really love these polishes! Just wish I could open them....

I received these products for reviewing purposes only and any opinions expressed within this post regarding the product are my own.