A week or so ago, I scored some Kiss Nail Artist Fine Art Pens on clearance, and immediately started doodling on my nails. I decided to use them in a proper mani for this week, along with Hard Candy “Matte-ly In Love” matte top coat.

I’ve decided that the white art pen is total balls. The coverage is sheer and somewhat buildable, but the formula is such that building it will create streaks – much like writing over another color on a dry erase board. The black pen, however, is really nice for detailing and outlining, as it goes on opaque in one stroke. Sadly, I’ve only seen these pens in a black and white two pack, so buying one good colour requires buying the other bum colour.

Also, WHY had I not bought the Hard Candy matte coat sooner? Black nails are infinitely more groovy when matte. I might rock black nails more often now. It’ll be like being a teenager all over again.

Hey cats and cougars! Have we any cougars? Huh, probably not. But let’s not worry about readership demographics. Let’s get on with the polish.

I picked up the Megalast Salon Nail Color by Wet n Wild in “I Need A Refresh-Mint” on a whim a couple of weeks back, and finally got around to trying it out. Results? Kind of nice.

This is just one coat of colour, with a coat of Wet n Wild Wild Shine “Hallucinate” on the accent nail. I could’ve used two coats, because application was a bit patchy in spots due to the brush, but the opacity of this one is nothing short of amazing. Well worth the $1.99!

While we’re on the subject of the brush, this is a revamped design of an old line, so the bottle and brush are a bit different. This one is rather interesting. It is a flat and wide ordeal with a slightly curved tip, which should deliver a near-perfect application without much effort. I found this to be mostly true. Pinkies only took one swipe, and the other nails only took two for edge-to-edge coverage.

My only complaint about the brush is one that I have about Wet n Wild polishes in general: the cut. The bristles on this bugger are very choppy, so it can cause some patchiness. If you’re keen to trim your brushes, or put on multiple coats, it’s not a dealbreaker. But I do wish they’d get some better QC on their brushes.

Have you tried any of the new line Megalast polishes? What do you think about this brush?

Next up in my Influenster box is this new and potentially snazzy razor by Gillette. I love Venus razors (but rarely buy blade refills due to the cost), and I love Olay. So I’m probably going to love this.

This razor starts out at the relatively decent price of $8.99, in which you get a standard startup kit with the razor handle, one five-blade cartridge, and a suction cup mount for your shower wall. Refill cartridges coming in at a whopping $14.99 for a pack of three. Ouch. Venus razor heads were expensive enough to me in the first place, averaging about $12 for a pack of four. This is just… well. This is kind of ridiculous. But it does boast a hefty five blades for an ultra-close shave, plus the Olay Moisture Bars on the top and bottom of the head. Cost difference justified, maybe?

Maybe. The moisture bars are perfectly solid when dry, but convert to a gooey, slippery leg-lube when wet. These bars will last for up to about ten shaves if the razor is allowed to dry fully between each use, but will not last very long at all if it is constantly exposed to moisture – so be sure to use that holder as soon as you’re finished shaving. The bars do provide excellent glide for a smooth shave without soap, gel, or shave cream. Seeing as I almost always shave with just water out of sheer laziness, this was rather nice. And, thanks to having five blades, it only took one pass to shear off my woolly leggings. Armpits still take a few passes, but that’s just the nature of the swirly hair growth pattern.

However, there was the claim on the front of the package that says that this razor is ultra-special because it “helps replenish skin’s moisture*”. Turn the package over to find the astrisked notation, and it states that it does this “over time” in comparison to the Venus Breeze. This is the claim that, I believe, makes the increased cost justifiable. But do you know what else replenishes skin’s moisture over time? Lotion. And you get a lot more use out of a bottle of lotion than a pack of three cartridges.

In the end, what you get from Venus & Olay is a razor. Nothing more, nothing less. I liked it, but it didn’t wow me enough to pay for refill cartridges. The increased cost is, in my opinion, for nothing but a gimmick. And that just isn’t worth the money to me.

Have you tried the Venus & Olay razor yet? What did you think? What is your favourite method of hair removal?

FTC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT: These items were sent for review by Influenster. All opinions are my own.

I actually received this last week, but I’ve only just now had the time to go over it in video-format. Watch out for those crazy dark circles, but hey! My hair is accepting its training! FINALLY.