First up, I have to say, this picture actually kind of washes out the colour and does it no justice. It's a fantastic bright turquoise with fine shimmer - and it wears SO well. More than 24 hours and I still have undamaged tips!? THAT IS LIKE A MIRACLE, DUDES.

It's so bright and fantastic! It is smooth and opaque for me with two coats and I love it. It's my new friend. I want to paint my boyfriend's toes with it for the hell of it, but I'm not allowed (damn!). Nail care and decoration is NOT my forte, so I'll have to ask that you forgive imperfections. I'm actually rather clumsy. Oh, wait - one teeny chip. The outer corner of my left pinkie - my favourite shift-key finger! It always chips there first, alas.

Sorry I'm a bit hyper and scattered right now. I think I've been a bit spastic since I've been feeling better!

Here's a picture from Chad of a few Colour Craft swatchies:

HAPPENED SO FAST

Ok, someone needs to tell me: HOW THE HELL DID I EVER LIVE WITHOUT THIS STUFF!?

This shit is amazing. It's good for EVERYTHING. I originally picked it up after I got my industrial piercing and I was experiencing some hypertrophic scarring (basically, a very uncute bump formed around the hole). I searched to see what could get rid of the ugly bump, and quickly discovered tea tree oil was a commonly used, non-invasive and effective solution. Just dab some on once or twice a day and you're good to go! It totally worked. But then... I've got this bottle of oil that I had no idea what to do with. This, of course, means research was required. Tea tree oil is a very concentrated essential oil with natural antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial properties - huzzah! This means it is amazing for use on scratches, cuts and minor abrasions. My favourite use of late, however, is for my face: dreaded acne, beware!

My personal experience has shown tea tree oil to be extremely effective in helping to combat acne and blackheads. I use full strength, but do NOT recommend this for everyone, as it is drying and can cause skin irritation. This helps with acne because it disinfects and eases up the pain of big, hurty zits (HURRAY!). I've been using this over my affected areas for a few days now, and have demolished blackheads as well as reducing the size and redness of pimples present. Before my tea tree action, I had a number of under-the-skin bumps that had developed; those are now completely gone. This leaves a tingle I personally find satisfying. Something to note is that the smell is rather strong - you might not mind it (I kind of like it), but some people hate it. My acne has been wickedly itchy lately, and the tea tree oil is the only thing I've tried that has soothed it.

Generally, I would recommend using a cotton swab and applying this as a spot treatment, initially trying it on one spot and giving it 24 hours to see if you react. If it's too intense, don't be afraid to dilute it! It's still going to do you good. Right now, I'm swearing by this stuff as my skin has been indifferent to everything else I've slapped on.

Tea tree oil is also very handy for use on the fingernails - it can help to buff out stains and heal ragged, torn cuticles. The list of uses for tea tree is pretty phenomenal, making it a supremely handy thing to have in one's home. I found my bottle in the first aid section of a local drug store, and it was by no means expensive. Please note that this is for EXTERNAL USE ONLY (no drinking it!). If you're interested in more uses, check out TeaTreeOilUses.com for their insane list.

Since I presented a few of my lusts to you this morning, I thought I'd show off a few of my current favourites. I have to apologize for the photos because it's a grey, overcast day - as such, the colour has been leached out of these and I'm too damn lazy (or something) to fiddle with photoshop to find the right adjustments to bring 'em back to life.

First up:

Amusingly enough, this is one of the few shades MIA from cupcake-freak's local Sephora when he went on an Aqua Eyes swatch rampage this week. It's a bright turquoise with silver glitter, and I'm completely infatuated with this lately (and have been for a while!). I love that once it dries down, it doesn't frigging BUDGE. Plus, y'know, the colour.

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Being the poor little cupcake I am, there are lots of things I want to own, but don't. Here's a quick list of five of my top wanted products, and why!

Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss: If you haven't seen these, check them the eff out! They are so beautiful. They come in an array of colours, from your typical pinks and reds, to the not so usual olive green and teal. They have amazing coverage, and would look amazing over lipsticks, or alone. I especially want it in Fierce, a beautiful looking lavender.

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