Nail of the Day: OPI I'm Feeling Sashy

Today, I chose OPI's I'm Feeling Sashy, which is part of OPI's Miss Universe 2013 Collection.

2 coats, with camera flash

I absolutely LOVE this dusty medium purple cream color. The formula was great, too. It has a good consistency and easily opaque in a single coat. 

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette: My Thoughts

After classes were over, All Things Haley and I decided to purchase Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette as an end of semester gift to ourselves from Sephora. We each had our Beauty Insider Reward Cards to use, so that was pretty exciting as well. 

This palette is my first experience with Urban Decay's Naked palettes and their shadows, in general. I haven't purchased the other two Naked palettes because, for me personally, I didn't see myself wearing the colors on an everyday basis. When I saw the colors in the Naked 3 palette, however, I was immediately drawn to all of the rosy-toned shades.  I have hazel eyes and I find that colors with rosy and pink tones make my eyes pop without being too dramatic.

Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

I've been using this palette for the last week or so, and I've really been enjoyed playing around with all of the shades. As far as I can tell, Strange, Limit, Nooner, and Darkside are matte, while all the other shades are shimmery.

Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick

I've enjoyed using Strange as a matte highlight and Limit works great as transition color in the crease or an all over lid color. The shade, Dust, is a little loose and doesn't have as much pigment as I would have liked. However, I've found that it works better when layered over another shade to add a little extra shimmer.

Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick

The second half of the palette contains the darker, rosy-toned shades. Nooner is a great matte crease color and I've really enjoyed using Blackheart, which contains ruby-pink micro glitter, to deepen any look as well as a liner color. Factory and Darkside work great as the palette's brown and gray-toned shades.

Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Overall, I'm impressed with the quality of these shadows...they're pigmented and easy to blend. While I can't really compare this palette to the previous Naked palettes, I think the Naked 3 palette is wonderful. If you're into rosy-toned neutral shades, then I definitely recommend checking out the colors for yourself. I think this palette would be flattering for many skin tones and I'm looking forward to experimenting with more looks!

Have you tried out this palette yet? What are your thoughts?

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

bareMinerals All-Over Face Color: Warmth vs. Faux Tan

I've been using bareMinerals foundation for several years now and absolutely love it. Along with the foundation, I've also been using the All-Over face color in Warmth. This shade came in the first bareMinerals Starter Kit I purchased, and I've been using it ever since. Warmth is described as a chestnut color that gives a healthy, sun-kissed glow. 

bareMinerals Warmth

I noticed that I was getting close to using up all of Warmth, and decided to try bareMinerals All-Over face color in Faux Tan, which I had head quite a bit about through other blog posts and various video tutorials/reviews.  Faux Tan is described as a sunlit bronze shade.

bareMinerals Faux Tan

I couldn't quite tell the difference between Warmth and Faux Tan by looking at images, so I decided to purchase the Faux Tan shade and compare the colors for myself. To me, the shades are pretty similar, but Warmth is slightly more red-toned than Faux Tan and lighter in its mineral form before it's applied to the skin.

Left: Warmth, Right: Faux Tan

I'm a fair-skinned girl, who definitely burns and will sometimes tan afterwards. So, I'm all for being able to add some color and life to my face without having to get a sunburn first. I've really loved using the Warmth shade because it's very easy to apply and I think it gives my skin a healthy glow without being too shimmery. Despite the slight difference between the two colors, I'm really looking forward to using Faux Tan!

What are your thoughts on the bareMinerals All-Over face colors?

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Empties -- Products I've Used Up!

Over the past several weeks, I've gone through and used up quite a few products. I have a rather random assortment of products, but I thought I'd still go ahead and share my thoughts on each.

• Earth Therapeutics Loofah Exfoliating Scrub in Aloe Vera & Kiwi -- It took me a while to use this body scrub up, but I really started using it as the weather became cooler. I really enjoyed the scent and it worked great as an exfoliant for my legs before shaving. This scrub was a gift, but I probably won't repurchase right away...just so that I can try another body scrub. (I'm still on the lookout for one!)
• Olay Foaming Face Wash for Combo/Oily Skin -- this face wash is something I use on a daily basis and I continually repurchase it. I find that it's gentle, removes my make-up, and cleanses my pores without overdrying.
• Vaseline Total Moisture Cocoa Radiant Deep Conditioning Cream -- I love this body cream! I've already repurchased it and will continue to do so in the future. In the winter, my legs and arms can get really dry...and I find that using this cream at night really helps to keep everything hydrated. It also gives the skin a subtle, but healthy glow...which I really like. This cream, however, is not something I use for my hands because I find that it can leave a residue behind. But I do really enjoy it as a body cream.
• Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo -- I've tried several drug store dry shampoos, but this is the one I keep repurchasing and the only I use now. My roots tend to get oily by the end of the day, and this really helps to freshen up my hair and even add extra volume when my hair is freshly washed. It's also under $3 at Wal-mart, which is definitely a plus!

• Equate Oil-Free Eye Make-up Remover -- This eye make-up remover is supposed to be Wal-Mart's equivalent to the name brand one by Neutrogena, which I've also I tried and couldn't tell any difference between the two. The Equate one easily removes all of my make-up, even water proof mascara, without a very oily residue. Plus, it's very affordable. I've already repurchased and will continue to do so.
• Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara Sample Size -- This was sample size that I received as a 100-point reward from Sephora. I really loved the brush and the formula of this mascara. I haven't repurchased it yet because I'm wanting to finish up other mascaras. The full size product also has a price tag of about $28...which is another reason why I'm holding off.
• Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant/Deodorant in Cocoa Butter Kiss -- I've been using this brand of deodorant for years and continually repurchase it. I do rotate between scents, though. In terms of antiperspirant and deodorants, it gets the job done.
• Visine Tired Eye Relief Eye Drops -- I'm a contact lens wearer, and these drops really help relieve and moisturize my eyes before bed after a long day. I have already repurchased and will continue to in the future.
• Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in Light -- I think this is a great stick concealer...creamy and great coverage. I've already repurchased!

Empties videos and posts are some of my favorites to watch and read. I hope to continue my own Empties posts...if I remember to save my empty products haha.

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: Essie Fishnet Stockings

As a girl with a slight nail polish addiction, I'll be the first to admit that changing nail colors everyday can become a little bit tedious, but sometimes it's necessary (for relaxation purposes, of course). This polish, part of Essie's permanent collection, was gifted to me by All Things Haley.

with camera flash, 2 coats

Fishnet Stockings is pretty much...perfect. It's not too dark, and not too pink. It's just a beautiful blue-based, red creme color. I'm absolutely in love with it, and I'm so happy it's now part of my collection. What are some of your favorite red polishes?

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: Essie Penny Talk

I wasn't feeling a bright color this time around...so I went with one of my favorite go-to polishes, that falls on the more neutral side of things. Essie's Penny Talk is described as the perfect coppery shade that matches a brand new penny. While I agree, I also think this polish comes off as a rose gold color...which I absolutely love!

with camera flash, 2 coats

This polish is easily opaque in two coats, but the metallic formula can be a little tricky to work with. I also have the Nothing Else Metals (silvery lilac) and Good as Gold (true metallic gold) colors from this Essie Collection, and I've noticed that it can sometimes be hard to level out each coat of polish. However, I've found that using a base coat beforehand really helps make the application easier. 

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

bareMinerals Well-Rested: My Thoughts

I've been using bareMinerals foundation for several years now and I've wanted to try a product from bareMinerals' Multi-Tasking Face line in the shade Well-Rested for quite some time now. Sephora's website describes the shade as a yellow ivory/eye brightening shadow base for all skin types. I don't find that I have a particular problem with dark under-eye circles, but I'm all for any extra brightening that doesn't feel heavy and is quick and easy to apply.

Before making my purchase, I had been reading reviews and watching tutorials on how to apply the product. I came across a video from one of my favorite channels on YouTube, Michele1218. She compares bareMinerals Well-Rested with another product and shows the immediate difference Well-Rested gives to her eyes. After seeing her video, I knew I wanted to try Well-Rested out for myself. I've been trying the product out for several days now, and I'm very happy with it. 

without Well-Rested                                                        with Well-Rested

You only need a very small amount of product, which I've been applying with a small fluffy blending brush. In my experience, I notice a difference immediately after I apply the product. I think it's still a subtle difference, but I'm definitely enjoying making Well-Rested part of my morning routines.

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: Essie Toggle to the Top

It's no secret that I love a great holiday nail polish...and I think this color has become my new favorite. Toggle to the Top from Essie was given to me from All Things Haley as part of my birthday gift (along with Essie's Fishnet Stockings--which will be featured in a NOTD post soon!) and I think the color is gorgeous!

with camera flash, 2 coats

Essie describes Toggle to the Top as a sparkling garnet red...which is definitely true, but there's more to it. The garnet ruby glitter is set in a blackened base, which I think gives the color a really beautiful, and much deeper look on the nails. It was also completely opaque in two coats! I'm looking forward to trying more colors from Essie's 2013 Winter Collection.

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: OPI California Raspberry

I was feeling the need to paint my nails some sort of a red color, and I decided on California Raspberry from OPI. It's the perfect raspberry color with a very pretty shimmer to it.

natural light, 1 coat

with camera flash, 1 coat

And the best part of this polish (besides the amazing color, of course!) is that it was opaque in just one coat. I love the formula! To finish everything off, I used my Revlon Colorstay Gel-Shine Topcoat.

Thanks so much for reading!

:) 

Ulta Haul: Foundation & Nail Polish

Needing a little (make-up) retail therapy, the BFF and I decided to check out Ulta since we hadn't been in awhile. Ulta is also having one of their 20% off sales right now, so we definitely couldn't pass that up.  I don't usually make big purchases all at once, but I decided to take advantage of the sale and pick up a few things while I was there.

Here's what I picked up:

• bareMinerals Matte Foundation in Fairly Light--I've been using this for about 3 years now and I absolutely love it!
• bareMinerals Mineral Veil--free sample w/ purchase of foundation
• Essie Mind Your Mittens--a deep teal cream and part of the Winter 2013 Shearling Darling Collection
• Revlon ColorStay Gel-Shine Top Coat
• Revlon ColorStay Gel-Smooth Base Coat
• OPI Chic from Ears to Tail--a classic bubble gum pink and part of the Couture de Minnie Collection

While I'm no stranger to the bareMinerals products or the Revlon base and top coat, I'm looking forward to trying out the pink and teal polishes!

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: OPI It's My Year

This polish is from OPI's 2011 Miss Universe Collection. This was a gift from my BFF, but you can find it on Amazon. It's My Year polish is a purple color with a golden shimmer and is completely opaque in two coats.

natural light, 2 coats

with camera flash, 2 coats

I absolutely love the color of this polish and the way the shade reflects the light.  It's definitely a purple nail polish, but the golden shimmer helps tone down the color a bit, making it very easy to wear.

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

LORAC Unzipped Palette: My Thoughts

Lately this has become my go-to eye palette! I purchased the LORAC Unzipped Palette awhile back from Ulta and have completely fallen in love. 

I've found it to be the perfect neutral palette with a good mix of shimmery and matte colors. The palette is sleek and compact, which seems perfect for traveling as well. 

The palette contains 10 eyeshadow shades, which includes 3 matte and 7 shimmery colors.  All colors are more warm-toned and several shades have a pinkish-red base. Unconditional, Unbridled, and Unspoken are  matte, while Unbelievable, Unattainable, Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, and Untamed are all shimmery. Undercover is a sheer and slightly shimmery champagne color that is a perfect highlight shade.

Undercover, Unbelievable, Unattainable, Unconditional, Unbridled
Undiscovered, Unreal, Uncensored, Unspoken, Untamed

I purchased this palette after first trying out LORAC's Pro Palette and I continue to be impressed with the quality of LORAC eyeshadows. The colors are highly pigmented, soft, creamy, and easy to blend!

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: For the Twill of It

I've had my eyes on Essie's Fall 2013 Collection for awhile and on a recent trip to Target with the BFF, I finally decided to give in and pick up one of the colors. For the Twill of It is described as a gray-purple duochrome with reflective olive shimmer. Once I had it on my nails, I immediately fell in love! The color shifts from purple to green and has a gray base. It's definitely unique and unlike any other polishes I have!

natural light, 2 coats

I love the shifting of colors in this polish. And the formula is great, too. I'm looking forward to picking up more colors from this collection!

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: Essie Don't Sweater It

I've been shoppin' my stash of darker nail colors lately and I have to admit that Essie's Don't Sweater It is one of my favorites. I absolutely LOVE this creamy mauve, light tan-ish brown color.  The polish is from Essie's Stylenomics Collection for Fall 2012 and I was able to find it in-store at Ulta, but you can also find it on Amazon.

natural light, 2 coats

with camera flash, 2 coats

I love the creaminess and color payoff with this polish. It was opaque in just one coat.  This color is a perfect neutral and very easy to wear...and perfect for Fall!

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day: OPI Pepe's Purple Passion

I'm a firm believer in wearing any color of your choice on your nails year-round, but now that Fall is officially here, I love busting out my richer and darker nail polishes again.  This particular color was actually a gift from the BFF last year and it's one of my favorites!  OPI Pepe's Purple Passion is a medium to dark raisin-mauve cream-based polish with iridescent microglitter that looks amazing when the color catches the light. It was part of OPI's The Muppet Holiday Collection from 2011 and was limited edition, but I've still been able to find it online through Amazon and other various sites.

Natural light, 2 coats

Camera Flash, 2 coats

I love the formula and color payoff of this polish. I think the microglitter gives the color a lil' somethin' extra as well!

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

LUSH: Lip Combo

If you're anything like me, walking into a LUSH Cosmetics Store can be a little overwhelming.  I  love what the store is all about (fresh, handmade cosmetics!) and I've heard that they have some amazing shampoos, conditioners, and fresh face masks. I'll be the first to admit...I have yet to try any of those products, but I definitely plan to. Instead, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the two LUSH products I have tried:  the Mint Julips Lip Scrub and Honey Trap Lip Balm. After using the lip scrub and balm for several months now, using the two together has become one of my favorite lip care combos!

The Mint Julips Lip Scrub is described as being packed full of fresh peppermint and sweet castor sugar.  I love using this scrub in the mornings after I've done my make up as a way to prep my lips before using a lip gloss or lip balm.  I use less than a pea-size amount and since the scrub is made with natural ingredients, I don't feel guilty licking the excess off of my lips after I'm done exfoliating them.  Plus, the peppermint helps freshen your breath and leaves your lips with a refreshing tingly feeling.  Afterwards, the Honey Trap Lip Balm  is my absolute favorite lip product to use after the scrub.  It's described as containing rich honey to moisturize and melted white chocolate as well as sweet orange and cooling peppermint to help soothe dry, chapped lips.

You can find both of these products in LUSH stores and online for under $10 each.  I know it's pretty easy to make your own lip scrub at home, but the sugar in the Mint Julips scrub is just so fine that it doesn't irritate your lips.  You only need the smallest amount to get the job done, which justifies the price for me. And the lip balm feels so comfortable and luxurious on the lips. With each use, I feel like I'm giving myself a mini spa treatment at home.  I look forward to branching out and trying more LUSH products in the future.

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

Nail of the Day + My Manicure Essentials

I love treating myself to a pedicure at the salon every now and then, but I've never actually had a professional manicure. I don't know what it is, but I just prefer taking care of and painting my nails myself.  I find it relaxing and an easy way to pamper myself at home.  I thought I'd share some of my favorite essentials that I love to use consistently in my nail care routine!

To start off, I like removing any polish so I can start with clean nails.  I like softening my cuticles by using the Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover and using a simple orange stick to help push my cuticles down.  While I wait for my cuticles to be softened (I usually wait 15-25 seconds), I lightly file my nails to remove any harsh edges and then I'm ready to remove the cuticle softener and start painting!  For my base coat, I love using Essie's Grow Stronger Base Coat.  It's a great formula and provides a really nice foundation for my nail color.

with camera flash, 2 coats

Today, I chose to go with Sinful Color Sinful Shine with gel-tech in Alfresco, an amazing sky blue cream color.  This is the second color from the Sinful Shine line I've tried, and I'm absolutely in love with the gel-tech formula.  It gives me such a shiny and glossy gel-like finish, that I don't need to use a top coat. In two coats, I get a perfect, opaque color. 

natural light, 2 coats

I'd have to say that this polish is pretty true to color in both natural light and with a camera flash.  I'd definitely recommend it and look forward to trying more nail polishes from this line.  As a finishing touch, I love using Essie's Apricot Cuticle Oil to help keep my cuticles soft. It's also a great way to treat your cuticles to some daily TLC throughout the length of your manicure.

Thanks so much for reading!

:)

LORAC PRO Palette: My Thoughts

I'm not someone that typically splurges on higher-end make up products, but as the summer semester of classes came to an end I decided to treat myself by picking up the LORAC PRO Palette.  After playing around with it for several weeks, I wanted to share my thoughts.  In general, I tend to stick with using neutral colors on myself...and since this palette is quite neutral-heavy, and I had seen many positive reviews on it already, I thought it would be the perfect higher-end palette to try out!

The palette is contained in a slim and black rubberized case with a long rectangular mirror under its lid.  I really like the packaging...it's thin, sleek, and simple...and I'm sure it would be easy to travel with as well! The case does seem to pick up any dust/fingerprints, but I guess that can also be a sign of a frequently used and loved product. :)

White, Cream, Taupe, Lt. Pink, Mauve, Sable, Espresso, Black
Nude, Champagne, Gold, Lt. Bronze, Pewter, Garnet, Deep Purple, Slate

The palette contains 16 eyeshadow colors:  8 matte and 8 shimmery/frost finishes. The colors are mainly neutrals, but there are a few slightly non-neutral shades as well.  The number of matte shades and coordinating shimmery shades was one of main reasons I had decided on this palette.

White, Cream, Taupe, Lt. Pink
Nude, Champagne, Gold, Lt. Bronze

The left side of the palette contains the lighter colors.  I like that there are both matte and shimmery highlighting shades to choose from as well as a matte tan and peachy bronze shade.

Mauve, Sable, Espresso, Black
Pewter, Garnet, Deep Purple, Slate

The right side of the palette contains the darker colors and the subtle non-neutrals.  I love the matte mauve and brown shades.  Deep Purple, Slate, and Garnet are also great colors...it's nice to have a few shades that can easily add a lil' somethin' extra to any look!

Overall, I'm very much enjoying this palette! All of the shades have great pigmentation and are easy to blend. There can be a little fall out since the eyeshadows are on the softer side...but I find that as long as you don't roughly swirl your brush into the shades, there aren't any major issues. You don't need much...a little definitely goes along way. I picked up my palette online at Sephora, but I believe you can find it anywhere LORAC products are sold.  If you're like me and prefer more neutral eye looks, but still want a good selection of both matte and shimmery shades, then I would recommend trying this palette. It's also my first LORAC product I've tried...and to be honest, I'm looking forward to trying more in the future!

:)

Thanks so much for reading!

Nail of the Day: Sinful Color Sinful Shine Spitfire

I've always been a fan of the Sinful Colors nail polish line, but when I recently made a trip to the local Walgreens with my best friend, I was immediately attracted to a newer display of the Sinful Shine (with gel-tech) nail polishes. The display described the gel-tech polishes as being 5x more glossy with rich color, and a brilliant shine finish. I fell in love with Spitfire, a creamy lilac color. I'll admit...I'm a sucker for all purple nail polishes, but I find that lighter purple colors are a great way to add color to your nails without being too bold or over the top. 

with camera flash, 2 coats

natural light, 2 coats

Overall, I'm in love with this color and I think the formula of the polish is great too. Spitfire is a little muted on my skin tone in natural light, but I think it's more true to color as well. I'm also loving the formula of these new Sinful Shine polishes. I found that I didn't need to apply a top coat because the color is super shiny and dries with a glossy gel-like finish.  This particular color was actually a gift from my BFF, but I definitely plan on picking up more colors! You can find them in store and online for $2.99, which I think is a fantastic deal.

:) 

Thanks so much for reading!

Welcome to my blog!

Hi everyone! I intend on posting mostly on beauty (skin care, nails, hair, make up, etc) as well as my other interests and favorites. I hope you enjoy it here. Thanks so much for reading!