NOTD: Green with Nicole by OPI and Julep

Here is a NOTD I did sometime ago but forgot to post. I think this was for an Artsy Wednesday. I used my Cheeky stamping plates, the Kardashian Collection Nicole by OPI's Khloe Had A Little Lam-Lam, and Julep's Dianna.

Enjoy!

XOXO,

NOTD: Blue and White Flowers

I decided to whip out my stamping plates again! For this mani I used my Cheeky stamping plates, China Glaze's First Mate, and NYC's 134 French White Tip.

Enjoy! XOXO,

NOTD: White Glitter with Studs/Crystals

Here's an alternative mani I did for this week's Artsy Wednesday! I used NYC's 134 French White Tip for the base and OPI's Which is Witch? for the glitter.

XOXO,

Artsy Wednesday: White

I have been looking forward to this post for a while and it is finally here! I was very excited to do a white mani since I have wanted to try a glitter gradient for AGES. I used NYC's 134 French White Tip and OPI's Which is Witch for the glitter. It's my first glitter gradient mani and I am pretty happy with the results. Enjoy! 

Be sure to check out the other girls' white-inspired manis:

Lab Muffin - Maria's Nail Art - Unnaked Nails - Nail & Polish - An Accent Nail - Valiantly Varnished - MASPOOASE - Every Little Polish - MakeupnMorebyAnna



XOXO,
 
P.S. Check back Friday for an alternative white mani I did for Artsy Wednesday!

Review: Lush Cinders

So Lush has recently put out all their holiday products and I have made it my unofficial goal to try as many of their Christmas products as I can while they last. My latest craze has been the Cinders bath bomb since it is supposed to be reminiscent of a crackling fire. 

This bath bomb is a fairly good steal as it is one of Lush's cheaper bath bombs ($4.95). The price is also cheaper since it is one of their smaller bath bombs. Cinders is available for a limited time during the holidays, so enjoy it while it lasts! The bomb itself smells like oranges to me, and stains the bath water a yellow-orange. The top of the bomb contains pop rocks which fizz in the bath water as the bomb dissolves making it sound like the crackling of a fire. The only disappointment I had with this bomb is that the scent and the color of the tub water fade after 30 minutes. I like my baths to last at least an hour.

Will you try Cinders? If you have already, what did you think?

XOXO,

DISCLAIMER: All products reviewed in this post were purchased by the blogger.

Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette

So I just found this out guys and HAD to share it with you (it does help that my insomnia is keeping me up at 3 AM). Apparently, there is a possible leak of images for the Naked 3 palette (shown below from Instagram/Reddit). Also my French friend said that a French vlogger heard that the palette was due to be released in February via Sephora staff. However, I have heard predictions as early as December for the release date. 

So what do you think? Are this photos a dupe or a real leak?

UPDATE 11/4/13: Here is the email I got from Urban Decay:

Hello Haylee,

Thank you for reaching out to Urban Decay! We do not have a Naked 3 Palette, so that palette is not authentic.

If you need any further assistance feel free to write back.

Sincerely,

Kelly

Customer Service

Urban Decay Cosmetics

833 W. 16th St. Newport Beach, CA 92663

P 1-800-784-URBAN (8722) | F 949-515-5614

info@urbandecay.com

Feminine. Dangerous. Fun.

UPDATE 11/11/13: Despite the fact that Urban Decay initially denied the release of the palette, they have now confessed that the palette is real and that Sephora France accidentally released the palette early in a few stores before realizing their mistake and removing the product from displays. Personally, I am upset that they basically lied to me about the palette's release just to protect their brand secret/lease date. An honest answer would have been appreciated more. What is wrong with simply saying, "Yes, it is our palette, however it is not available in the US currently."?

For a look at the palette, please check out this French blog.

Mini Lush Haul: Lord of Misrule, Rose Jam Body Wash, and Celebrate Lotion

So a few weeks ago, I went to California to visit family. While out and about, my sister and I ventured into Lush to buy a few things. Now that it's fall, I enjoy taking relaxing baths and showers and Lush helps make my bath super relaxing!

The first item I picked up was the Lord of Misrule bath bomb. It smells amazing! The scent has patchouli in it. It's a limited edition Halloween bath bomb so hurry up and grab it before it is gone! Spoiler Alert: In the bath, the bomb starts out making a green slime and then fades creating a tub filled with a purple red center. It's like bathing in wine! Spoiler Over I loved the bomb so much I wanted to stay in the tub forever. In fact this has become my second favorite bomb (Big Blue is the first). The scent lasted during the one and a half hours I was in the tub. My boyfriend said he could smell the scent in his bedroom and down the hall midway into the following day so this bomb has a pretty strong/long-lasting scent. Next time I visit my local store I am going to buy a million. :P

The next thing I picked up was the Rose Jam Body Wash that is a limited edition Christmas product. It smells just like their Rose Jam Bubbleroon (bubble bath). I loved the Rose Jam bubbleroon scent...just not the bubbleroon (that is a story for another day). I was glad that with the wash I would get to keep the scent and not the other stuff. If you decide to try the product as a shampoo, it makes your hair silky soft and the smell lasts in your hair for 16 hrs. I timed it, people. Yes, I'm crazy. On my body, Rose Jam made my skin smell really good and feel really soft. However, the smell doesn't last long after the shower. Additionally, I got lots of lather from this wash when using it with my personal mini loofah. Please, don't buy this product. I bought the tiniest bottle at the store (for $10.95), and I really want to stock up on it. And if you buy it there will be none for me :(

My final selection was Celebrate body lotion. I picked it up because it has a wonderful citrus-y smell. It's a bit pricy for lotion at $29.95 for 7.7 oz of product, but Lush makes good quality products with ingredients that I trust so I don't mind the price as much. Plus, the lotions last FOREVER!!! I'll be passing this one on to my grandchildren someday! :P It shares its scent with the Golden Wonders Bath Bomb. I, personally, have not tried this bomb, but it is sitting in my stash after another recent Lush run. This lotion's scent lasts at least four hours and it is very creamy and moisturizing (Anna would agree, she tried a bit during our after shopping drinks/dinner). I do want to warn people who are sensitive to citrus oils/fruits before they decide to purchase this, however. I have a minor sensitivity to citrus and get rashes with prolonged exposure. I would have used this product all October long except that after a week of exclusively using this lotion, my skin started to feel a bit itchy. Now I just use it once before I go out/want a nice scent on me during the day.

What are your favorite Lush products to use during Fall/Winter? Have you picked up any seasonal favorites? Would you like me to review a particular product from them? Also hit the Google +1 button if you liked this post so I can keep doing more like it!

DISCLAIMER: All products reviewed in this post were purchased by the blogger.

Artsy Wednesday: Halloween

Happy Halloween, guys! This candy-corn inspired manicure was created using OPI In My Back Pocket, Julep Lexie, and NYC 134 French White Tip.

Be sure to check out the other girls' Halloween-inspired manis:

Lab Muffin - Maria's Nail Art - Unnaked Nails - Nail & Polish - An Accent Nail - Valiantly Varnished - MASPOOASE - Every Little Polish - MakeupnMorebyAnna



XOXO,

NOTD: Julep's Bess + OPI Lights of Emerald City

I was feeling a bit summer-y this week. Here are the results...

What are you wearing on your nails this week? Also if you liked this post, remember to press the Google Plus button at the bottom to like the post or comment so I can know if you want me to keep doing these kinds of posts!

XOXO,

Subscription Box: September Ipsy Bag

So I began subscribing to Ipsy last month. I still love Sample Society from Beauty Bar for Allure but I was getting a lot of skincare and not as much makeup so I thought it was time for a break. Also, the Ipsy bag is $10 versus Sample Society's $15 and I was happy to save a few extra bucks every month as a graduate student. This month's bag was blue with a black floral pattern on it. I thought the bag looked more expensive until one actually touches it. From afar the black looks like raised velvet when in fact it is just part of the blue fabric. Not bad, but not great.

And below is what my bag contained. If you want to find out more about each product, click on the product name and it will link you to my product review if I haven't already reviewed the product below.

Skyn Iceland's Hydro Firming Eye Gels (2 packs)

NYX single eyeshadow in Golden Poppy

I loved this product more than I anticipated. I'm a big fan of NYX products due to their quality and affordability. Initially, I was a little concerned when I received this shadow since it is yellow. I didn't think I could pull it off as an everyday shadow, and I was a bit disappointed to get it in my bag when others were receiving purples, greys, and blacks. However, I've come to find that this shadow is a great lid color when paired with a brown for the crease. On my MAC NW40 skintone, the yellow looks more like a champagne and brightens my lids.

Pop Crayon in Rose Romance

I was really excited to get this product in my bag. Unfortunately, for me, the color is not pigmented enough and makes my lips look dead. Basically, this doesn't work with darker skin tones. I'm trying to pair it with other lippies to see if I can get anything to work. Suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated, lol.

Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Volumizing Mascara

Starlooks Eyeliner in Obsedian

If you would like to subscribe to Ipsy click here!

What boxes are you subscribed to right now? Did you get an Ipsy bag?

XOXO,

DISCLAIMER: All products reviewed in this post were purchased by the blogger.

Makeup Mondays: MAC Tan Pigment Look

Hey ya'll! Here's a little look I have been wearing constantly since I got my new MAC haul.  If you want to see my MAC Tan pigment review, click here. I thought I would do a post since I have been getting tons of compliments on this look. I hate posting just half a face, but I do it for privacy reasons. 

Enjoy! XOXO,

Review: MAC's Tan Pigment

I've been craving the perfect pink eyeshadow look practically FOREVER. So when I saw Ingrid (Youtube: missglamorazzi) wearing this shade, I HAD to get it. 

This pigment is a very pretty pink champagne color. It could also be described as rose gold. The best part of this shadow is that it looks great on girls with a tan; so it is perfect for all my women of color out there. For reference, I am a NW40. While pigments at MAC are pricey ($21 for a bottle), they are made to last a very long time since a tiny amount goes a long way. I do not think I will ever need to buy another bottle again. This cannot be good for MAC's business and is probably the reason why the bottles are so expensive in the first place. Well, that and the fact that milling the powder so fine is probably pretty expensive. Due to the fineness (is that even a word?!) of this powder, it tends to have a bit of fall out. I avoid this by doing my eye makeup first and then putting on powder/foundation.

Above is a swatch on my eyelid (the crease color is MAC Antiqued). Sorry for the bad picture quality, my Iphone gets weird about taking upclose pics.

What are ya'lls favorite pigments (from MAC and other brands)? I would love to try more since this is my first ever and I am already loving it!

XOXO,

DISCLAIMER: All products reviewed in this post were purchased by the blogger.

Friday Finds: SamRam1214, Beauty Blogger

So instead of the normal Friday finds where I show you products/clothing I've been liking, I've decided to share a blog with you that I stumbled upon while surfing blogs last night during an insomnia attack. Sam is a UK blogger (judging from her accent) and she is a brown blogger. I love brown bloggers since they are few and far between. Also it makes it easier for me to try out products they recommend since they match my skin tone better! You can find Sam's blog here.

Enjoy! Also if you guys find any amazing bloggers you think I should follow, please let me know!

XOXO,

 

Review: Lush's Waylander Rhassoul Soap

I have an addiction to Lush's soap....ok, let's be honest: I have an addiction to everything Lush puts out. But my favorite splurges have to be their soaps. They smell amazing, make showering that much more fun, and (the best part) they cut the soap in store to fit your budget.

At the beginning of summer I decided to explore Lush's Retro collection. The Retro collection is a set of products that you can only buy online. Waylander Rhassoul is one of the many things I bought from Lush's website during my haul. Before I dive into my review, I do want to warn my fellow desert dwellers that ordering certain products in the middle of the summer heat from Lush is never a good idea. When my soap came in, it was a goopy, liquidy mess. I did discover that if you put the still unopened soap in the fridge for a day, you will end up with a perfectly brand new solid soap bar. Yay!

On to the soap...

I was attracted to this soap because Lush claims the soap is good for troubled skin and I have eczema so I love products that can help my skin look glowy and beautiful. This soap has mud to cleanse your skin and ground up pumice to scrub away dead skin cells. I thought the soap was initially a bit too scratchy on my skin, but after showering with the bar a few times it does not feel as scratchy. Maybe the mud helps smooth the bar a bit.  Personally, I think the soap smells bad. It smells very natural. When I use it, the bar reminds me of playing in the mud and sand after the rain as a kid. The bottom line is if you don't like smelling earthy, maybe this soap isn't for you. It is definitely a unisex soap, however. I find that the smell lasts into the next day if you shower with it at night so if you dislike the smell (like me) you can always cover it up with a nicer smelling lotion. I took a break from this soap and came back to it a few nights ago. Unfortunately, this time I feel that it gives me little pimples on my back. Has this happened to anyone else? Overall, this is a nice soap to try out one time, but I will most likely never purchase it again.

What are your favorite Lush soaps?

XOXO,

 

Review: Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels

It's no secret I have racoon/panda eyes, and I try to do everything I can to fix them. So I was very excited when I got Skyn Iceland's Eye Gels in my last Ipsy bag. The product is supposed to depuff the bags under the eyes after 10 minutes of application. 

Here's what I think:

The gels were cooling and easy to apply. I like how the curved shape really fits the undereye area. According to the website here, they are $30 for a pack of 8. If I were you, I'd save my money. These did not seem to work at all. I think the only thing they did was get me to possibly consider (for a few seconds!) how cool it would be to use these for a mummy costume for Halloween! Maybe I will try them again when I have really bad allergies to see if they help with de-puffing.

XOXO,

Facebook Contest Winner!

The winner of the Facebook giveaway is Donna Martin! Please email me by 10/11 for your prize at neth158@gmail.com!

Review: Skintimate Shaving Gel Lushious Kiwi Splash

I ran out of shaving cream while visiting my boyfriend a few months back and was forced (not really, I love buying new products!) to buy a new one. I chose Skintimate's Lushious Kiwi Splash.

Pros:

Smell: I feel like this product smells more like melon than kiwi, but either way, this product has a nice scent. The scent is also not too strong so people who like a light scent that is not too overwhelming might enjoy this product.

Product Design: A very interesting green gel squirts out of the bottle. I thought this was highly entertaining and different. I enjoyed shaving with something that looked like Flubber or green Jello!

Affordability: This could be a pro or a con. At $2.99 for this product, it won't break the bank and could be a little indulgence everyday depending on how you look at it. However, there are cheaper priced shaving gels out there on the market.

Cons:

It is really hard to think of any actually. My only two complaints would be that I felt this one was not as moisturizing as my normal sensitive skin Skintimate shaving gel. My second complaint is that I wish the bottom of the bottle did not rust/leave a rust ring on the side of the tub.

Do ya'll have any favorite shaving/shower products that I need to try?

XOXO,

Recipe: Baked Zucchini and Squash

So it has been quite a long time since I have posted any recipes on this blog. I have just been in a cooking funk and have been ordering mostly take out or eating frozen food options. However, with my recent health issues, I've been trying to eat healthier. After I went to a pot luck dinner at my boss's home, I started craving zucchini since someone had grilled some zucchini as a side for the burgers being served. The craving served as an inspiration for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 zuccini

1 squash

Paprika

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Olive Oil

Baking tray covered with aluminum foil

Preparation:

Cut the zucchini into thirds or fourths. Then slice lengthwise to make each third/fourth a half. Repeat with the squash. Pour out about a half a cup of olive oil into a small mixing bowl or dish. Then add 1-1.5 tablespoons each of paprika, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix everything. Then dip each slice into the olive oil mix to coat it and place it on the baking tray. At the end, if there is remaining oil, drizzle the rest over all the zucchini/squash halves if desired. Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until brown. 

Serving Size: 1 generous portion or 2 sides

As my French roommate would say: Bon appetit!

XOXO,

Artsy Wednesday: Disney

Today's manicure was Disney inspired. Growing up, Jasmine was my second favorite princess (after Ariel, according to my parents, but I don't remember that!). I based mine off of Jasmine's green/blue outfit she wears throughout the movie. The gold glitter tips are inspired by her jewelry. The mani did not come out as well as I had hoped. I'm still trying to perfect the glitter mani so any tips would be appreciated!

Be sure to check out the other girls' multi-color-inspired manis:

Lab Muffin - Maria's Nail Art - Unnaked Nails - Nail & Polish - An Accent Nail - Valiantly Varnished - MASPOOASE - Every Little Polish - MakeupnMorebyAnna

Also if you participated in today's challenge and I forgot to link your blog please let me know!

XOXO,

September Favorites: Steven Madden, Bare Face Cleansing Oil, Lust Soap and More!

Another month has come and gone. I'm so excited that it is finally fall! Check out what I've been loving this month:

1. Pink Wild at Heart Body Lotion. I love this lotion! I wanted to try something new after running out of my Strawberries and Champagne lotion from Victoria's Secret and decided to pick this one up. It smells amazing; the scent is red passion fruit and musk. The best part is the pump action top which allows me to throw on my lotion quickly before getting into my clothes.

2. Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil. I got this in my September (I think) Julep Maven box. I was not planning on getting this box especially when I saw this product (I have plenty of facial cleanser right now), but I forgot to cancel the box in the middle of moving chaos so it ended up at my front door. It was the perfect serendipity for my hormone-crazed, oily skin as it washes my face without leaving it oily. My favorite part is the grapefruit scent. I love everything grapefruit and this one smells just like the body scrub and lotion Julep sent out a while back.

3. Steve Madden Leader Boot. I wanted a cute military boot to go with some of my fall outfits and I stumbled across this one at my local Nordstrom's. It also comes in brown! Let me know if you guys want me to do outfits to match these boots.

4. Naked Juice's Green Machine. I would never have tried this if it wasn't for my boyfriend. The juice looks absolutely disgusting with its green color (it even admits it on the bottle!). However, the taste is super fruity and it is a great way to catch up on one's daily fruit/vege intake.

5. Nude Tude Palette. I got this on sale off of Hautelook a while ago and I have been loving it. To me it is very different from the Naked palette (which I have) since this palette has more matte colors and the shimmery colors are not has glitter-heavy as the Naked shadows.

6. Lush's Lust Soap. I shower in this vanilla scented soap daily. It makes me feel super girly every time. 

7. Peach Bellini Candle from Bath and Body Works. I got this candle last fall and just started using it. In my opinion, it is the perfect transition candle between summer and fall. It has a sweet fruity scent reminiscent of summer, but also evoke the scent of fall parties and bubbly champagne. It looks like Bath and Body Works is not carrying this scent as a candle right now, but as I bought it in the fall/winter season, keep your eyes open since I am sure it will come back soon.

Do ya'll have any September favorites? What did you love that you think I should try?
XOXO,

Artsy Wednesday: Three Colors

This is one of the first stamping manicures I tried (evident by the half formed cow print). Enjoy!

Be sure to check out the other girls' multi-color-inspired manis:

Lab Muffin - Maria's Nail Art - Unnaked Nails - Nail & Polish - An Accent Nail - Valiantly Varnished - MASPOOASE - Every Little Polish - MakeupnMorebyAnna

How To Make A Mani Last Longer

Every girl out there who paints her nails or gets them done would love to have a long lasting manicure. Here are my not-commonly-heard-of tips for making a manicure (or pedicure!) last longer.

Add glitter.

Covering a nail in glitter or even creating glitter french tips can extend the life of a manicure by hiding small tip chips. It also is a quick way to refresh an old manicure.

Go French.

By French tipping an existing manicure, you have a whole new nail look with a small amount of effort. This method beats removing all the polish and starting from bare nails. Two toned manicures are all the rage right now.

Stamp.

Stamping over the top of an existing manicure can hide the tip chips of an old manicure while giving it a new dimension. Suddenly the plain manicure that is starting to look not-so-great can look like you just got your nails done.

Get naked.

Wear a nude or light colored polish. Darker reds, purples, and blues have a tendency to make even the smallest chip look HUGE because the dark color contrasts sharply against pale skin or even the pale nail bed. On the other hand, wearing a pale pink, light brown, or beige makes the nails a slight bit darker than the nail bed so if chipping does occur, it will not be as noticeable.

Until next time! XOXO,