Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Swatches

Revlon Lip Butters are not new to the market.  In fact, they've been hyped up to death.  I know of at least one person who is cringing at the mere title of this post. ;)  Regardless, I'm still swatching my collection;  I want to give a friend of mine a  point of reference. :)

I like the Revlon Lip Butters because they are moisturizing and do give off a fair amount of pigment.  They are my "grab and go" lip product.  When I'm lounging around the house and have to unexpectedly run an errand, I will slap this on my lips and be on my way.  There's just something about them that is effortless.

My least favorite thing about this product is it's lasting power.  On me, it hardly lasts over an hour.  Reapplication is a necessity.  Since I mostly use this when I'm running a quick errand, it's not a huge issue.  I know if I'm going to be out longer, or have an event to attend, this is not something I will reach for.

The seven shades I own are:
Tutti Fruitti, Candy Apple, Red Velvet, Sugar Plum, Sweet Tart, Lollipop, and Berry Smoothie.

My least favorite shade is Red Velvet.  I find it too vampy for me, especially since I wear these most often during the day.  My favorite is Berry Smoothie.  I find it gives color, but not too much color.  It's also a nice berry shade that is not too dark or too loud, so I can wear it with a lot of different outfits and it doesn't clash.

I tend to think of the Revlon Lip Butters as "starter lipsticks."  They are pretty effortless lipsticks; since they are so moisturizing you tend to think you just have lip balm on your lips.  I think they are most suited to people who don't often wear make up, but want to have something they can wear if they want to go out. 

I think everyone should have at least one Revlon Lip Butter in their collection, although with a selection of 20 shades, it's hard to just choose one. :)

Do you think Revlon Lip Butters live up to the hype?  Are you a fan of Revlon Lip Butters?

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My tavel bags

I'm back from my (all too) brief vacation. I want to write about my trip in a separate post, so I can include photos of what I wore, where we were, and, what we ate.

I thought it'd be a good idea to show you what I put in my cosmetic bag and my toiletry bag. At first I was unsure if I was bringing too much, or not bringing enough. I think I brought just the right amount in my toiletry bag, but put in too much in my cosmetic bag.


My toiletry bag is from Beverly Hills Polo Club.  It contained:

• O2 Optix contacts
• Bio True contact lens solution
• Neutrogena visibly even daily moisturizer
• Güd (from Burt's Bees) body wash in Orange Petalooza
• Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Shampoo
• Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Styling Balm
• Bumble and Bumble Color Minded UV Protective Polish
• Mitchum Advanced Control deodorant
• Degree Clinical Protection deodorant
• Epielle Green Tea cleansing tissues
• Hairbrush
• Bath puff

You'll notice I did not include toothpaste or a toothbrush in my list.  It was because I didn't realize I left both items at home until we were about 40minutes away from Savannah.  We went on quite an adventure that night to locate a drugstore that was open past 9pm.  I bought my toothbrush and used my boyfriend's toothpaste.

TMI time!!  I purposely included 2 separate deodorants for my trip.  Mitchum is my brand of choice for, you know, deodorizing.  However, I don't find it as effective as an anti-perspirant.  I've been to Savannah enough times in the past decade to know how oppressive the heat can be. This is where the Degree Clinical deodorant comes in.  If you put that bad boy on you will not sweat. I walked in excess of 3 miles in one afternoon and my underarms stayed dry the entire day.  The combination of the two is stellar.

My Soniua Kashuk Target cosmetic bag has dual sides.  I used one side for my tools, and the second side for my makeup.  In the tools side I brought along:

• 2 Ecotools mini kabuki brushes
• Ecotools blush brush
• Ecotools blending brush
• Ecotools highlighting brush
• Sonia Kashuk small eyeshadow brush
• no name brand medium eyeshadow brush
• Pout eyeshadow brush
• ELF contour brush
• MAC 235
• Tarte foundation brush 

In the makeup side I brought:

• Tarte Amazonian clay full coverage balancing foundation in Tan
• Chanel Natural finish pressed powder in Muscade
• NARS concealer in Caramel
• NARS blush in Desire
• Sleek blush in Rose Gold
• Milani brow tint pen
• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Urban Decay Naked Palette 
• Milani Runway Eyes fashion shadows
• Mialni Shadow Eyez 12 hour wear eyeshadow in 03 Champagne Toast
• Physicians Formula Eye Definer
• Physicians Formula Eye Booster
• Jouer Lip Enhancer conditioning lip treatment
• Revlon Superlustrous lipstick in Siren
• MAC lipstick in Flamingo
• MAC lipstick in Party Parrot
• MAC lipglass in Tour De Fabulous

If I were to pack for this trip again I would remember my toothbrush and toothpaste (obviously!) The rest of my toiletry items worked out perfectly.  I'd bring less in my cosmetic bag.  I would leave behind: the 2 Ecotools mini kabuki brushes, MAC 235 brush, NARS concealer, Sleek blush, Milani Runway Eyes, Revlon Superlustrous lipstick, MAC Tour De Fabulous lipglass, and Flamingo lipstick.My Ecotools blush brush is perfect and I don't ever use anything else, so the mini kabuki brushes were never used. I didn't wear the concealer because the Tarte foundation covered enough. I found myself gravitating towards pink blush and lipstick, so the Sleek blush and the Revlon lipstick got almost no love on this trip.  I used the Milani shadows once, but the Naked Palette does cover all my eyeshadow needs.  I didn't wear Tour De Fabulous at all, and Flamingo was too light to show up properly in photos, or it faded quickly.
The one item I didn't mention was the Maybelline BB cream. I didn't pack this with me, it was something I found in Savannah while on the hunt for a toothbrush. :)
I am satisfied with everything I packed (aside from the makeup overstock.)  I used almost all of my products, and they served their purpose well.  The Sonia Kashuk cosmetic bag looks small, but holds a surprising amount of makeup.  The Beverly Hills Polo Club bag was just the right size for my stuff.

I can't wait to go on another trip and see if my bags look the same or if I will tailor it to the weather and location of our next vacation spot.  Do you usually over-pack or under-pack when you go on a trip? Is there a specific item you cannot leave behind?

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Bumble & Bumble Color Minded

Yikes! I kind of fell of the posting wagon this week.  Work has been eventful, and I’m taking a short trip to Savannah, Georgia on Thursday.  My boyfriend and I are staying Thursday through Saturday and then making our way to Tallahassee to see his old alma matter.  It should be exciting.  I love Savannah and visit as often as I can.  I also have never been to our capitol.  I won’t be posting on my blog until I return, but if you follow me on twitter or instagram, you will see me post here and there throughout my trip.  I’m excited to say the least. 

I still have to pack and get ready for the trip tomorrow, but I wanted to post about Bumble & Bumble.  This week I received my Klout perk for the Bumble & Bumble Color Minded set.  The tag line is keep all tones true.  The package included the Color Minded Sulfate Free Shampoo, Color Minded UV Protective Styling Balm, and, Color Minded UV Protective Polish.

It also included a little statement from B+B:  At Bumble and Bumble we aim to create editorial-quality hair products (as essential as scissors and comb).  Our Bb.Colorists inspired us to create Color Minded, a new way to keep all hair tones true.  If you are looking for Color inspiration, visit our Pintrest tab at http://Facebook.com/Bumbleandbumble where top Bumble stylists are sharing the things that inspire them every day.  We love to hear from fellow color lovers, so please join us on Twitter @bumble (#ColorMINDED).  Together we can make the world a little more stylish.  Have a nice hair day, Bumble and Bumble.

I am really excited to try everything in the line.  The Shampoo is sulfate free.  I try to use sulfate free products as often as possible because my hair is fragile.  It is 8.5fl oz (250ml) and the perfect size for my toiletry bag for my trip this weekend.  The shampoo states it prevents color washout while revealing lustre.

The styling balm says it is a nourishing balm for natural movement, control, and lustre.  You work it through damp roots and can style your hair or leave it as is.  The polish states that it is an illuminating finisher that seals weightlessly.

I am still deciding if I should bring the styling balm and polish on my trip.  I think due to the heat and humidity my hair will find itself in a ponytail for most of the trip.  Maybe I’ll bring it along so I can report on how it works in those conditions.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.  I’m so happy for this mini break I am taking and cannot wait to come back and share my experiences. :)

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FOTD - Place Vendôme

I thought I would have a nice, quiet Saturday but somehow it ended up being a day full of running errands.  My only scheduled task was going in for an oil change, but they surprised me by telling me I needed my rear brake pads replaced.  My boyfriend and I are going away again to Savannah, GA for an extended weekend, so my car had to be fixed before the trip.

I’m glad I put on a little color that morning because I didn’t make it home until almost 6pm between waiting for my car, shopping, lunch, and visiting family.  It was a great test to see how well my NARS Schiap lipstick and NARS Place Vendôme lipgloss wore throughout the day.

Eyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Wet n’ Wild – Walking on Eggshells trio
Milani – Brow Tint Pen – 02 dark brown
Physician's Formula – Eye Booster – ultra black
Cover Girl – Volume Exact mascara – very black

Face
Tarte – Amazonian clay full coverage balancing foundation - tan
Chanel – Natural Finish Pressed Powder – 140 Muscade

Cheeks
NARS – Desire
Mac Mineralize SkinFinish – Pink Power

Lips
NARS – Schiap
NARS – Place Vendôme

The photos above show my makeup freshly applied. The photo below was taken nearly 6 hours later.  It was taken indoors so the lighting is different, but you can clearly see my make up is pretty much still intact, from my blush to my brows.  My lipstick fared pretty well too. The gloss isn’t bright and shiny, but you can see a sheen, and the color is most definitely still there. 

My skin is also just minimally shiny…pretty insignificant compared to how it usually fares by now. I am very impressed with this foundation! I didn’t think much of it at first, but I think my technique was off. I don’t use as much foundation and I make sure to buff it in really well now. It has been performing much better for me since doing so.

I am obsessed with bright lips this summer and both Schiap and Place Vendôme fit the bill, whether worn together or individually. 

What is your favorite go to lipstick for summer?

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Target Beauty Bag

I first heard about the Target Beauty Bag last year from Noveau Cheap. Each beauty bag contains samples and coupons tucked away in a cute little cosmetic bag that is also available both in store and online.  Each time you receive a beauty bag, the cosmetic bag and the contents differ, so you get to try a variety of beauty samples... and all for free!  They go pretty quickly, so you have to get in there and register as soon as you see it’s available.

I received my first beauty bag in November 2011.  The beauty bag contained samples by Ponds (facial wipes), Burt’s Bees (radiance cream), John Frieda (shampoo/conditioner), Tresemme (shampoo/conditioner), L'Oreal (youth code serum), Aveeno (lotion), and, Garnier (shampoo/conditioner).  It also contained a coupon booklet.

I don’t have a photograph of my second bag – but Girlie Review happened to review the Spring 2012 bag and it is pictured below.  (Full credit goes to Girlie Review for this. Thank you!)

The second beauty bag contained samples by Neutrogena (cleanser), Pantene (shampoo), Nivea (lotion), Simple (face wipes), and, L'Oreal (Magic Lumi primer) in addition to the coupon booklet.

I did not think Target would have another beauty bag giveaway so soon after the first for 2012, but sure enough they opened registration a few weeks ago and I was able to sign up for my third.  My package arrived today.

The bag is super cute! It is a durable cotton fabric, much different than the previous polyester cosmetics bags.  I also like that it’s not an over the top girlie color, yet its still remains feminine by the details in the pattern.  In addition to the coupon booklet, this cosmetic bag contains samples by Tresemme (shampoo/conditioner), Neutrogena (sunblock), Aveeno (detoxifying scrub), Garnier (shampoo/conditioner), and, Revlon (lip butter sample.)

Overall I am pleased every time I receive my Target beauty bag.  Target is generous to distribute so many samples.  I like the ability to try a product out before I commit to it by purchasing the full size item.  I love that they do provide you with a beauty bag each time; I find them handy for organizing items in my purse.  I am going on a weekend getaway to Savannah, Georgia next week and I will definitely be using up these samples soon… particularly the sunblock and the shampoo and conditioner.

If you want to keep up to date on when Target is releasing another beauty bag, you can follow/like the Target Style Facebook page.  This is where you would register your information.

Have you received a Target beauty bag before? If you never have received one, do you think you’d like the products? I think they tend to play it safe with shampoos and conditioners, but who would have guessed they’d include sunblock in one of their bags? You never know what you’re going to get. :)

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Nail of the day–Awakening Leopards

I’ll admit, I loved the nail polish strip trend when it first came out, but I have not bought or used more than a box or two since they became popular.  I hardly wore them in the past because I found nail polish strips difficult to remove.  Now I choose not to wear them because I like to switch out my nail polish too often.

I had a pack of Incoco nail strips that I received in a Birchbox ages ago. I figured I may as well give them a try.  Instead of doing just 1 accent nail, I decided to alternate between a nail strip and a coordinating nail polish.  My Incoco nail strips came in a funky dark pink glittery leopard print.  Alongside it I used China Glaze Awakening, a dark pink/purple with a coppery duochrome. 

I wasn’t happy with the results. I found the Incoco nail strips temperamental and difficult to use.  The China Glaze polish didn’t match the nail strips well enough in my opinion, and, I wasn’t a fan of the shade or the duochrome finish of the nail polish.  I didn’t keep the look on my hand for more than a day.

I’m glad I at least tested the look out.  I know for sure I am not a fan of Incoco nail polish strips, and I also know I am not a fan of China Glaze’s Awakening.  It’s okay not to be satisfied with everything you do.  You won’t know until you try.

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MAC Dear Diary FOTD

On Thursday, I volunteered to take our overseas coworkers out to dinner (more on that below.) Since I was signing off work and going directly into the office to pick them up, I quickly threw some makeup on my face and ran out of the door.  I didn’t want to do anything time consuming or complicated so I kept my eyes simple and put on a bright lip. 

I decided to wear Dear Diary from the Beth Ditto collection by MAC.  I picked up Dear Diary that same day on my lunch break.  It is my first Prolongwear lip product, so I thought it would be good to test it out to see how it wears. 

According to Temptalia’s website, Dear Diary is close to Candy Yum Yum.  I missed out on CYY, so I was eager to get my hands something that resembles CYY.  Even if they are not dupes, Dear Diary can clearly stand on its own two feet as a power shade.  It’s such a vivid color.  I had a difficult time capturing it on camera. 

Eyes
Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadow – Bad to the Bronze
Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil – Cottage Cheese
Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil – French Fries

Face
Chanel Vitalumier Aqua – BR 50

Cheeks
NARS – Super Orgasm 

Lips
MAC – Dear Diary

I arrived at the office to pick up my coworkers.  They are in town from the Philippines for training for a few weeks. I took them to my favorite Korean/Sushi restaurant, which they appreciated because they told me they were homesick for rice. :)

After dinner they asked if I could take them purse shopping. Apparently Nine West is a very well liked brand over there because the ladies were eager to get their hands on Nine West purses. Nine West bags are expensive there, so if they can buy it for the U.S. MSRP they are getting a deal.

I took them to Burlington Coat Factory because I know they sell some designer products there, but I wasn’t sure if Nine West was one of them.  As we chatted on the way to the store I learned a lot of little factoids. McDonald’s really is everywhere. So is Starbucks. Chocolate is very expensive there – so expensive that their eyes got really wide when I explained what a candy aisle was. They don’t have milkshakes there, or at least they are no comparison to what we have here, so you can imagine their glee at trying Steak & Shake and Chick-fil-a milkshakes.

Once we arrived at Burlington, we headed straight for the purse and wallet section.  I was relieved to find they did carry Nine West….and they carried it in droves! There were so many for them to choose from.  They were clamoring over the wallets, amazed they were between $10-12.  Then they found the purses.  An entire aisle wall of only Nine West purses ranging from $12-30.  It was so cute to see them that excited over purses.  I think  the only reason we left at all was because the store was closing. :)

As we were walking back towards they car, I was asked why it was so cheap in America.  I explained that Burlington is a discount store, so it’s even less expensive than the MSRP.  In all honesty, I couldn’t give a proper answer aside from speculating it was overstock, etc.  The answer wasn’t important.  They were just happy to have found such amazing deals on something they really wanted. 

Before yesterday, I wouldn’t even consider a Nine West purse to be anything special.  Now I see it in a whole new light, and it gives me food for thought – what else is undervalued here that is special elsewhere? 

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Neiman Marcus Beauty Blogger Breakfast

This past Saturday, June 2, the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida were invited to an exclusive breakfast held at Nieman Marcus at the Mall at Millenia.  The event was coordinated by Steph of Imperfectly Painted. 

Neiman Marcus opened their doors for us before mall hours of operation.  They provided fruit, pastries, croissants, coffee, water, and mimosas.  I'm so embarrassed to admit this, but...I had no clue what a mimosa was. I picked up a pretty little glass and took a big sip thinking it was simply orange juice!  I was certainly surprised.  I'm not a drinker, so I kept telling everyone, "It looked  like orange juice to me!" I had no clue that OJ is an ingredient in mimosas. *derp!*

***edit to add***
Here's a picture of me (thank you Brittany!) with the infamous mimosa. Sigh.

Below are some shots I remembered to take of the ladies.  The day was so jam packed I could only remember to do one thing at a time.

 

We were given time to nibble and mingle before they let us know how the morning would be scheduled. We were provided with some gorgeous Neiman Marcus notebooks and pens. 

We were told we'd be divided into 4 groups. Each group had an allotted 10 minutes at each counter. Each counter had 3-4 companies, so each company only had a few minutes to speak. 

Their specialists are so knowledgeable...you can only imagine their struggle to fit in everything they had to say in mere minutes! I know I was feverishly trying to keep up! The specialists were also incredibly down to earth and friendly. They were eager to share their knowledge of the products, and you can tell they were dedicated to the brands they represented.

Below are a few highlights from each company.

 
 

Tom Ford

• Tom Ford fragrances are unisex 
• Neroli Portofino is the most popular scent of the entire collection
• Quirky factoid: medication changes the chemistry of the fragrance

Laura Mercier

• Their tinted moisturizer is more popular than their foundation. 
• Two are sold every 33 seconds
• They went through a reformulation of their mascara. It is paraben, gluten, and fragrance free.

Chanel

• One of the most popular products is the Illusion D'ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow 
• Chanel gave each lady a camellia flower bookmark. 

Trish McEvoy

• They have a fiber formulation mascara
• They have a 24 hour wear eyeliner
• They have a travel “planner” (palette) that is set up where you can order individual items or purchase an entire collection.

 

Guerlain

• Began in the 1800s in perfumer
• Their Terra Cotta costs $58 but one compact will last you 2 years
• They have a refillable mascara – no primer needed!

YSL

• Touche Éclat  #2 universal is one of their most popular products
• Of their shadows, one is sold every 10 seconds

Kiehls

• In business since 1851 – they are an American made company
• Their items range from $7 to $77
• They have lines for babies, men, women, and an equestrian line
• They have no advertising. They go solely by word of mouth.
• They do not use fancy packaging. They stick to the old apothecary style.

Lancome (not pictured)

• They proclaim their lipsticks are so light they are like a second skin.
• The lipsticks hold a 6 hour wear
• There are 21 shades in 3 different categories

 
 

La Métier

• The brand is exclusive to Neiman Marcus
• Their tinted moisturizer is $125, but it delivers retinol straight into your skin 
• Their eyeliner is natural – no chemicals are used
• Their eye shadows are talc free

Armani

• Their luminous silk foundation contains micro fill and is buildable 
• They sell a blender blush which allows you to make up your entire face with 1 brush
• They have a new sheer lipstick line out. They run for $30

Neiman Marcus Fragrance Department

• There are 125 different fragrances in the fragrance department, some exclusive to Neiman Marcus.
• We got to sample Prada Candy, Bottega Venetta, Balenciaga, Ellie Saab, and Jo Malone

 
 

Kate Sommerville

• Kate specializes in what is called paramedical esthetics.  This is where medicine meets skincare
• Her Dermal Quench Oxygen Treatment goes for $260 at her skin clinic in L.A.
• One of their top products is their exfloicate deep tissue moisturizer

Bobbi Brown

• Started in 1991
• Their focus is to enhance what is good about a person, not to disguise flaws.
• Their shimmer bricks are multi purpose and among their most popular products

Estee Lauder

• Started in 1946
• They  have a popular gardenia fragrance that smells awesome!
• They sell a Perfectionist CP+R product that claims to improve your skin in 4 weeks

Chantecaille

• Chantecaille is a family owned company.
• They are paraben free, vegan, and do not test on animals
• Each year they come out with a palette and proceeds go to a foundation/charity. This year it is for coral reefs. Previous years they gave to foundations to protect sea turtles and white tigers.

Deborah Lippmann

• The company does no advertising; they do PR and word of mouth
• Some ingredients in their products are biotin, green tea, and acai
• They proclaim their manicures last 10 days

This is just an overview of everything we learned while at the breakfast.  My favorite counters were Tom Ford, Kiehls, and the fragrance department of Neiman Marcus.  I fell in love with many of the fragrances highlighted.  I’m glad they provided samples (especially of Jo Malone fragrances; a Jo Malone perfume is in my future!)

Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia did a phenomenal job of coordinating the event.  Many thanks go out to Steph of Imperfectly Painted for coordinating this for us.  I learned so much about the brands sold at Neiman Marcus and cannot wait to shop there as an informed consumer.

p.s. many thanks to Nifty Ba and Phyrra. I borrowed a photo each from them. :)

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Etsy Darling - The Pokey Rose

Recently I was in need of a new key fob.  My current one, a black and white damask number, was looking worse for wear.  It’s a few years old and pretty dingy despite some one on one time with Shout stain remover.  So off I went to etsy to find a pretty new one. 

I had a few requirements my key fob needed to meet.  Aside from the aesthetics, it needed to be large enough to fit over my hand and onto my wrist comfortably, and it needed to have cotton webbing.  This makes the piece more durable and therefore longer lasting than a fob that is simply made of fabric.

I’m bad at judging the size of an item based on the measurements written online, so I measured my current fob and then compared the etsy listings to what I was currently using.  I found a store that listed cute key fobs that were made with cotton webbing. 

The store is called The Pokey Rose.  I found the site to be well managed.  All the items were categorized by type and the listings were clear and descriptive. I settled on a pattern I liked and purchased my key fob on May 6.  I received an email shortly after I placed my order from the shop owner informing me that I was her 300th sale, and in celebration, she’d make me a brooch for free. I picked out a color and it was mailed with my order. My order arrived May 10. The Turn Around Time is phenomenal!  I generally give the appearance of a patient person, but in reality I’m inpatient. I prefer instant gratification to the point where I rarely shop at online retailers who have a long TAT.

The first thing I noticed about my order was the cute packaging.  The Pokey Rose really made a boring manila envelope adorable by decorating it with cute stickers and address labels.  Little did I know I was in for a treat once I opened the package.

I love the special little touches in the order.  The ribbon, the doily, the sweet treat and cute thank you note.  It’s the little things that make it enjoyable to buy handmade.  You don’t get that kind of attention to detail when you purchase from a big box store.

The pattern used for my fob is by Riley Blake. It is comprised of grey, aqua, salmon, white, and coral swirls. The colors work together really well; the grey and white really ground the brighter colors; because of this the bright colors don't seem tacky against one another.  The pattern doesn’t feel overwhelming at all.

The brooch is absolutely adorable.  I actually gifted it to my mom for mother’s day.  She loves wearing those types of things to church.  I’m sure her old lady church friends oooh’d and aaaah’d over it. :)

I am very happy with my purchase.  I would definitely purchase from The Pokey Rose again.  She has some really pretty check book covers and some gorgeous purses.  I like the fast turn around time and little touches to my purchase.

What is your favorite etsy store?  Do you use it to buy practical everyday items, or for art and decorations?

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NOTD–Chick Nail Polish, Cult Nails, & Let Them Have Polish nail polish jewelry!

Here is a simple nail of the day I did with Chick Nail Polish in Raven’s Egg with Cult Nails Seduction as as accent.

I wanted to wear something that matched the beautiful ring Cristina of Let Them Have Polish gifted to me.  At our last meet up 7 fortunate ladies won a ring made by Cristina.  They were so popular she offered to give away a few more.  I jumped at the offer, and was given this gorgeous oval antiqued statement piece that she delivered to me this past weekend at the Neiman Marcus event we attended. 

The base is Revlon Royal. The glittery, shimmery, flakie goodness is called Close Enough. Close Enough is a franken-dupe of Cult Nails Unicorn Puke that Cristina made.

I love this ring so much you’ll have to excuse me, as I went a little picture happy! :D

I couldn’t resist wearing this ring on various fingers and shifting my hand to catch the light. Every time I did that it looked like a different ring entirely. I would Ooooh & Aaaah and try to capture it on camera.

This is easily now one of my most beautiful pieces of jewelry in my collection. Many thanks to Cristina for making it! :)

It’s hard to compete with such a bold statement piece.  However, I think Chick’s Raven’s Egg holds it’s own against the ring and is a nice compliment to it.  This is definitely giving me the itch to try my hand at nail polish jewelry!

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Chick Nail Polish

Chick Nail Polish was a kind sponsor to our last Beauty Bloggers of Central FL meet up.  Chick is Big 3 free, meaning it is free of formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phtalate. In addition, Chick is vegan-friendly and nontoxic!  Their about me states: "we are committed to helping you find ways to live a healthier eco friendly life.” I can certainly stand behind that.  I love their attention to detail, from the sweet little logo to the polish names that coordinate with the bird theme (Hen House, Raven's Egg, and Falcon Pearl are just a few examples of their polish names.) 

The brush on this polish is not too big…I would dare say it is a bit on the small side which makes it very easy to handle and have control over application.  The formula is not thin or streaky.  It is just heavy enough and pigmented enough that you can apply it opaquely with one coat.  It is incredibly shiny before adding a topcoat.  I will be posting a nail of the day soon showcasing the polish in action.

***Edit to add swatches of the polish!*** (Thanks Mandy! ^_^;)

Above is a one coat swatch of Chick Nail Polish in Raven's Egg. The second swatch is Chick Nail Polish Raven's Egg with a coat of Cult Nails polish in Seduction.

Raven's Egg is dark but it never appears black, which I think is a problem with a lot of dark polishes. In the light you can see how crisp and blue it is. I think Cult Nails Seduction lends itself very well paired with Raven's Egg. I normally do not like flakies, but Seduction really stands out in front of Raven's Egg!

Chick Nail Polish is available at their website.  The polishes run for $9.00 for .45 fl oz. 

I will be purchasing from Chick Nail Polish soon.  They have a beautiful selection currently on their website.  It also makes me feel good to know you are backing an indie label that is strong in their belief that you don’t need to harm yourself or the planet to look beautiful.

Chick Nail Polish can be found online:
http://www.chicknailpolish.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/chicknailpolish
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chick-Nail-Polish/256464021068772

Disclaimer: I received this as a sponsored item from the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida meetup, all opinions are my own.

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Moody Mascara–Laura Geller At Long Lash

Last year I purchased the Laura Geller Vanilla Nudes 6-piece Baked Collection from Hautelook.  I had tried and (to varying degrees) liked the collection which included Balance n’ Brighten foundation, Baked Cheek Dream Highlighter & Blush in Neapolitan, At Long Lash Mascara, Italian Marble Lipstick in Berry Banana, Baked Eyeshadow and Eye Rimz in Vanilla Toffee & Black Cherry all in a cookie tin.

I had never tried the mascara until today.  I am not  fan of mascara.  I have very stubborn, Asian lashes that do not hold a curl.  My lashes are pretty long- any more length and they’d touch the lenses of my glasses.  However, they’re not full like they used to be in my youth.

Image courtesy of QVC.com

Today I decided to give the mascara a try.  I was attending an event at Neiman Marcus with the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida, and I wanted to make sure I looked fully put together.  The mascara was the last thing I put on my face.

I’m picky when it comes to mascara wands.  I hate the thick, clumsy rubber wands with the short stubby bristles.  I prefer a more traditional wand.  The At Long Lash mascara had a semi-traditional brush.  It did curve in the middle, but I did not find this affected application at all.

As I used the mascara, the first thing I noticed was how wet the formula was. I fanned an eye for a bit to see if it would help.  As soon as I blinked, the mascara transferred onto my skin.  When I blinked again it transferred onto my upper eye, ruining my eye shadow.  When the mascara transferred to my lower eye, I tried to rub it away immediately, but all it did was smudge.  I decided to change tactic with the upper eye.  I waited for the smudge to dry so I could use the q-tip method of wiping it away.  The mistake that I learned too late is that once this mascara sets, it will not budge.  I tried to use MAC Charged Water to get rid of the smudges but it did not help much.  I had to add more eye shadow to cover the mascara spot on my lid, and I had to use more concealer and foundation to cover the spot under my eye area.

Fast forward through my day to 8pm.  I decided to remove my make up by using some of the La Fresh samples provided at the last meet up for the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida.  First, I used the oil free face cleanser.  It worked on getting rid of all of my make up but it did nothing to loosen the mascara; it refused to budge.  Next, I tried to loosen the smudge with an Epielle facial cleanser.  It did a better job, but was still unsatisfactory.  So, I tried another La Fresh item, this time the waterpoof make up remover.  It loosened the mascara just a teeny bit more.  Finally I washed my face with my regular cleanser.  After all of that I still had mascara on my lashes.  They felt… sticky and not soft at all.

It took a lot of fiddling with cleansers to get the mascara off of my lashes.  A lot of good lashes were lost in that battle.  This ordeal has guaranteed that I will not re-use or re-purchase Laura Geller At Long Lash mascara.  Nothing spectacular happened to my lashes when I used this mascara.  I mean, I wasn’t expecting a miracle product, but the results were mediocre.  The mascara separated my lashes and lengthened slightly, but provided no volume and more importantly, it was a PAIN in the arse to remove.

So now I am on the market for a new mascara.  What mascara do you recommend?

Disclaimer: I purchased this product. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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