NOTD for the week of 9/9

If you could see the drafts I have in here you would think, 'Hey girl, I know you're busy but you type a lot and people want to read these. I'm not worried though, I know you want to make them the thorough and informative. I cannot wait to see what you show me.' I can see a cute Ryan Gossling photo to put that on, lol.

Here is my week in nails!

Monday

Sinful Color - Cream Pink, Color Club - Lava Lamp, Zoya - Phoebe & Zoya - Mitzi

I have been in an 80's mood lately and this takes the cake. Funky angles and fun colors, that is what it is all about!

Tuesday

China Glaze - Stone Cold, Zoya - Phoebe & Zoya - Mitzi

Not so 80's but just as funky, Stone Cold is one of my new loves!

Wednesday

Nails: Deborah Lippman - Footloose & Lips: OCC Lip Tar - NSFW

I snagged this OCC Lip Tar while getting some retail therapy this weekend and I am HOOKED! This really is the perfect shade of red for my skin tone, and it matches my hair too! I was in a red mood this day.

Thursday

Orly - Buried Alive

Did you know that Thursday was National Chocolate Day? Yum! I walk into work and there was Pocky and other chocolate goodies to munch on, it was a good day.

Friday

Zoya - Mitzi & Funky Fingers - Sand and Stilettos

I fought with myself on this one, I like it but I am not in love. Getting ready for work I was hoping for more sun to get the full effect of the holographic, but I was welcomed by clouds and rain for a few hours. Gotta love Florida weather. This was a great pick me up to the dreary day it turned out to be.

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This week I used the CRAP out of my Zoya Mitzi & Phoebe. I have had them for over a year now and I really enjoy them, but sometimes it is hard to work in a neon, and a matte neon at that. 

These are always posted to my twitter, instagram, and tumbr first. I think it is nice to see them all together like this though. Makes me feel somewhat accomplished about taking the time to get it all done and have something cute for work.

These weekly posts make the week go by fast, even if I am not getting reviews out. It makes me feel like I am getting something done, and giving you all something to check out. Hope to see you all soon and working on Doctor Who nails as we speak ^_~

Birchbox!

As you've noticed I have not been posting my boxes. A mix of horrible timing and me being lazy, my box posts have suffered. Do not fret, while I don't have my pictures. I will give a whole rundown of July and August.

July 2012 - (sample - brand - full size price)

• Hello (perfume) - Harvey Prince - $55 (50ml)
• Sunscreen Serum (2 packets) - Supergoop - $42 (1.6fl oz)
• Bamboo UV+ Color Protector - Alterna - $24 (2.5 floz)
• Liquid Eyeliner - Eyeko - $15 (0.07fl oz)
• Earbuds - Birchbox Exclusive - $10 **Extra Treat**

There are a few things that I really enjoyed in here. The ear buds are fun neon colors and work great. Hello, is a great perfume. The sample came with a pump top, and the scent on top is a nice blend of citrus and floral, very light, and under I pick up the vanilla and musk notes. It is something that I could wear on a semi regular basis and not get tired of it, I would not even keep it strictly as a seasonal scent either.

I received the Eyeko eyeliner in Black, the color was a little on the thin side, but there was good staying power. My roommate received the Olive color, we both were excited to get a full size product but she does not like green that much and I have a few black eyeliners, so we swapped. The olive is much thinner, needing a couple layers, and even using a finishing spray to lock in the colors on my eyes the green still wore off on my upper lid and did not last that long. Not thoroughly impressed by the product but I would give the brand another not if I had the chance.
July was overall a good month and now that I have insanely red hair the hair protector will come in handy, seeing how summer will last another few months here in Florida. 

   

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August 2012 - (sample - brand - full size price)

• Viva La Juicy La Fleur - Juicy Couture - $70 (2.5 fl oz)
• Moisturizing Summer Glow - Comodynes - $20.98 (1.35fl oz)
• Self-Tanning Towelettes - Comodynes - $13.99 (8 towelettes)
• Makeup Remover Swab - Beauty Fixation - $5 (24 applicators)
• Razor - Schick - $9.99 **Birchbox Find**

August was a little funky for me. This was not the box I was expecting to get (insert sorta bummed face here). I took a sneak peak at my box because it didn't get shipped out until the 11th or so, and the products I saw and got super excited for were not ones that I received. I did contact customer service, and all I got was thanks for the heads up. Usually they are more accommodating or friendly for that matter, but I just did a baseline review for the products I was supposed to receive just to get my BB points.
A main reason that I was really bummed was that in my original box i was meant to get a TILI Lip Blush, and really I got self tanner. If you all knew how pale I was you would know I cannot really use either product without it looking wonky on me. Yes, I know I live in florida, but I hate the beach and I work indoors. I have a slight florida sun kiss but it does not last long lol.
The makeup remover swab/q-tip things, are great! they're one time use and perfect if you wake up after a long night and you may have passed out without cleaning your face before you had the chance too. I am really paranoid about getting soap in my eyes, and these get in the little corners to clean up the stubborn eyeliner that doesnt want to budge.

The Birchbox Find, their new must have selection that EVERY box gets one of, was the new Schick Hydro Silk razor. It is nice, it is a razor, it shaved my legs, lol. If you didn't use yours, keep it for a back up or if you are going on a trip. I did not think that it was anything special, but it did the job it was meant to do.
Overall, August was a little meh. Not the best, and not the worst I have ever received. If anyone is looking for some high-end self tanner I can send you these lol.

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There is good and bad news to wrap up this post.

The good news is that I have been selected to participate in the Naturals Vox Box coming out in a month or so. I have had a chance to participate in this before and it was great! the products were fun to test out and I am really looking forward to sharing with you guys all the fun natural goodies I get.

Bad news is at the moment I have bowed out from receiving my next few boxes. I'm taking some time off from a lot of my subscriptions, to save up some money for a possible move. There is a great opportunity for me to become 28 year old freshman, lol. Okay, it isn't as bad as it sounds. I really want to get my MLS, and there is a college up north that offers a 4 year program to work through your BA and get your MLS at the end of it. It works with the schedule I have set, I am already working in the field I am just looking to get the degrees to back me up! ^_~

Not quite a cheeseburger..

..but it is Almost Paradise. This is one of those colors I was raving about getting a great deal on back in June.
Here is a look.

This is Deborah Lippman's Almost Paradise. It has a great formula, two coats and I am out the door. While I am not a big fan of pastel colors, this is one that I will put in my Keepers drawer. It is like the perfect color of a yummy slice of key lime pie! Here is a picture with some more indirect light, you can see more of the green in it.

If you have been following me you know that I love my green polish, and this is no exception! Not exactly a fall color but any other season this would fit in nicely.

Hmmm, now I could go for some pie ^_~

''And lips, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss'

As I showed you yesterday, I received some amazing products in my Birchbox. Today at work I am wearing the Clark's Botanicals ultra rich lip tint, and it is very pleasant. Keep reading for more detail on each product.

Clark's Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip Tint in 02 - Carlotta Pink

Look at all that shine! On top of that shine, it feels amazing on my lips. Although not a thin formula, once it was on and I pressed my lips together a few times it felt very watery. Not in a bad way, but in a way that my lips felt super hydrated. The smell is a little sweet, and there is hint of vanilla in there too. The color is subtle and this is definitely a keeper, in my purse it stays!

theBalm Stainiac in Beauty Queen

The Staniac is another great product. It is almost like a red jelly, and when blended in it creates this hint of tint. The color builds fast, and is super easy to apply. In the pictures above I only used a few little swipes of the wand, which created a warm glow. The stainiac will for sure be used as a lip stain, but using it as a blush will be something I will have to work with. I don't use much blush, so it is something I look forward to trying it out.

Flash // No Flash

The quote is from Romeo and Juliet (5:3:122). You will see my love for Shakespeare creep up here and there. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but I just like his work. Love him or hate him, you have to admit there is something amazing about the staying power of his words and the influence he has had on popular culture in the past, present and future. ^_~

Birchbox June 2012

Well hello there ladies, and the occasional fella, it IS that time of month again. The best pink box a girl can buy, Birchbox!

I have to give myself a little pat on the back this month, I didn't peak at any videos or blogs about what they got until I had a chance to rip mine open. It only took me eleven months to gain this self restraint, lol.

Ladies, what is just as good as getting mine? Watching all of my friends who I have convinced to join get theirs and post all of the goodness. My roommate finally caved, so if I can sneak a peek I will let you know what was inside.

The June 2012 theme is Jet Set, products for the beauty maven on the go. The first thing I noticed about this box was the inside of the outside, if that makes sense. Here let me show you...

Fun, right? Now the items I received, other than being mini/sample/travel sized, are not overly jet setting but they are still great. A little bit of everything, including a fashionable zip-top bag that could be used at airport security...but it isn't clear, so it will stay at home holding some loose odds and ends. On that note, let me show you what else is inside.

A short rundown of the value of my box (product / size / value)

• Ultra Rich Lip Tint  -  0.40 fl oz.  -  $ 19
• Wonderlust Tonic  -  1 fl oz.  -  $ 4.30
• LaFresh Nail Polish Remover  -  2 pads  -  $ 1.12
• Stainiac  -  1.2 mL / 0.04 fl oz.  -  $ 2.54
• tili  -  1 bag  -  $ 0.94

Total Value  -  $ 27.90

Weeee!! Check out my awesome new lip products. Those are the two things that I am the most happy about. The full-size Clark's Botanicals lip tint is the shinning star. Quite literally too, it is very sparkly and the color is not too bright. For me it falls into the lip gloss, but it is still pretty amazing either way.

I have swatches ready of the lip stuffs, and I cannot wait to let you know how the polish remover and Wonderlust work. Have a beautiful evening ^_~

Laquer and Libations

Back before my move I had one of my favorite failed attempts at a blog. It was called Laquer and Libations, fun right? It was beverages and polish, my two loves!

I took a lazy weekend and didn't post at all (but my I did my nails and have many a pictures, so I will catch up!). I really think that the blog was under appreciated, and I did not give it enough support. So let me share with you a top 5 color pick and the beer that was just delish!

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After a split day of work and school, I made my way to the Kroger down the road and made my own six-pack. The first one I tried was the Spring Woodchuck Hard Cider. YUM! I have had Woodchuck before, but this one...hmmm...I could taste something different in it.

The label reads: "This spring cider desplays notes of maple syrup and brown sugar blended with fresh apple character" Not exactly what I would consider a spring flavor, but awesome. As soon as I read maple syrup, I knew that it is exactly the 'odd' taste I could not put my finger on. A little tart, sweet, and maple-y. Delish right?

Inspires by the bottle, and the cute woodchuck, I decided to grab Zoya Shawn. I just got her in the mail, and it is a great olive green. I used 3 coats, the formula on this color seemed a little thin, but other than that I really have no complaints. After waiting so long to actually buy it, it was defiantly worth the wait.
 

  

 



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What made me think of even doing this flashback was that I had an AMAZING beer over the weekend that inspired some nail art and I will soon get that posted.


I know that some people may think that alcolhol has no place with nail polish, but look at it from my point of view. I am 27, and this is a hobby. I expect grown adults to make their own decisions and I do not promote under age drinking. The only thing to beware of if you are drinking and drying, is to remember to put the lids on properly or else you may spill, and that is laquer abuse ^_~

Poise in Purple

I was in a purple mood today. I rummaged through my nail drawers and came up with a smoky and holographic combo. The base color is Zoya Caitlin - a deep grey-purple from the Spring 2011 Intimates collection. For my accent nail I used Funky Fingers, Sand and Stilettos - a light purple/bright holo.

Caitlin is a color that I could wear almost every day. It is that perfect purple, not too bright, not too light. It is a solid cream, one thick coat/two thin and you are out the door. It is a great color for a date night, or just going out for drinks with the ladies. It is far from Lava Lamp that I showed you earlier this week, reasons why my nail polish drawer is continuously growing.

Funky Fingers is a (USA made, 3-free) brand that I came across when shopping at a new funky store, Five Below. While on one of my Sunday Funday beauty shop runs, I went into a new Five Below that had just opened back home. Think of a dollar store, and then forget about all of the horrible things that are inside of it, multiply it by five and BEHOLD THE AWESOME! Te price range is from $1.00 to $5.00 and there is everything from candy, to books, beauty supplies to dorm stuff, t-shirt to seasonal goodies. I am a little bummed that there is not one remotely close to Orlando, soon I hope! Just go check one out, or their site, it's really a good find.

I am off for the next three days and I will be spending some well deserved time in the pool! I'll keep up with the posts and fingers crossed the sun doesn't burn me ^_~

Birchbox May 2012

It's that time of month again, Birchbox time of course!


This month was inspired by the chic styles of Gossip Girl. I am not the biggest fan of the show, I admit I only watched one season and during that season I got super into it, but it didn't catch my attention to the point that I was sitting on the edge of my seat to see what Chuck was going to do next season. Although, Chuck is sneaky and super stylish. Okay, okay, the show is good but I cannot handle another show to keep track of right now, maybe I will watch the last two seasons on DVD.

Anyway...The box is Gossip Girl inspired, and I received the 'Chic Sunday Brunch' box, well one of the varieties. This is what was inside:

  

Samples (brand, item, value):

• Arquiste - L'etrog  -  $ 3.39
• beautyblender - blendercleanser  -  $ 2.92
• Color Club - Disco Nap  -  $ 4.00
• Dr. Jart + - Waterfuse BB Cream  -  $ 1.13
• twistband - Skinny Headband  -  $ 3.33
• Extra - Notecard  -  $ 0.83

Total Value  -  $ 15.60

The best part of the box, Dr. Jart+ BB cream. Worst part of the box, the beautyblender - beautycleanser. The main reason I name that as my least favorite in the box, I don't have a beautyblender, and I totally want one!

The nail polish is great, but I'm not the biggest fan of gold. The only exception in Zoya - Jules, it is the softest, nicest gold, and I really dislike that color, I'm a silver/white gold/platinum kind of girl. The white tones look better on my skin than yellow, it's just a personal preference.


Surprisingly I LOVE the headband, but have lost it just as soon as I got it out of the box. doh! I know I hear crap from vlogs/bloggers about their hate and discontent towards Birchbox for even putting the same hair ties in the boxes. I, for one, love them. I still have and regularly use the one I received in my August 2011 box. I have large wrists so these are great and don't cut off circulation to my hands. I got a small silver one a couple months back and that one goes in and out with my other one. They are not as bad as people make them out to be.

Overall I liked my box, it was not the best nor the worst. It is just a jumble of things kind of thrown together. I'm happy to try some new things, and other things I'll throw into my swap night pile for next time. I'll be back soon to post the swatch for the polish and BB cream. ^_~

What time is it?

I'm a fan of cartoons for adults, that were made for kids. This is like the modern day Ren & Stimpy, and when I look back on how awesome I thought they were when I was a kid, now I look at them and think What The Frak was that?! I should not have been watching that, but it was AWESOME!

Now the kids/parents have Adventure Time!

I was turned onto this years ago and I have been slowly introducing friends and their kids to the show as well, and they ALL love it!

The two main characters are Finn (he's a 14-y/o boy with an active imagination) & Jake (his sidekick dog with super awesome powers), they live in the Land of Ooo (which is meant to be some post-apocalyptic land, and all the people are food!). These two go on amazing adventures and save princesses from the evil Ice King.

But enough of that, I was in the local toy store and I heard that they were coming out with action figures of Finn & Jake, so I wanted to check them out. Sadly all but the super large action figure of Finn (with interchangeable faces) was left and these amazing 'Grow your own Finn' & 'Grow your own Jake'

I picked up the Jake, with hope of really getting it to grow up to 500x his size! Here is the first photo.

Awesome right? LOL.

Now I know that this veers far from my makeup and lifestyle products that I said I was going to post all about but the geeky side of me could not let this go!

The journey of growing Jake...

Day 1

Day 4

Jake has been in and out of my sink for the last 4 days, and the package says that he will keep growing over the next week if I keep him in water.

When I first got him it was like holding an egg, this is how big he is compared to my hand.

Scary eyes!

I'll see how big he gets for the remainder of the week and I'll edit the post as needed. I'm hoping to make my way back and pickup Finn and see how big he gets. ^_~

*edit: I think jake as bit the dust. *insert sad panda face here* I've kept him in water this whole time and last night after work I picked him up and gave him a little squeeze to get the extra water off and he started to OOZE... I don't think that is normal >.< I'm going to see if he gets down to normal size again and maybe start over. I'll let you know if anything changes.





Bevin

In my April Birchbox I received a sample of Zoya nail polish. One of the many things I love about getting Birchbox are these polish samples. I've gotten 6 or 7 over the last nine months or so, and it is just a little bump in my nail polish addiction. I'll post a pic once I get things unpacked and put up on shelves.

This color is Bevin, and it is from the 2012 Spring Collection - True. The sample is half the normal bottle, 0.25fl oz. and values for $4.00 us.

Onto the swatch!

Natural Light - daytime

Flash - nighttime

Full Size - Mitzi  /  Sample Size - Bevin

I like this color, it is a very soft teal color, almost like a grey teal, and will look good with most of my clothes. I cant wait to see what fun designs I can use this in ^_^ A direct link to the color - Bevin!

I love me some Zoya nail polish, it always seems to last a little longer and is additive free, so it is a little more friendly than some others.

Hope you like this and cannot wait to post more colors!

April Birchbox

It's that time of month again! Birchbox Time!! ^_^

I was a little greedy last month and wanted to get both my regular and the Teen Vogue boxes. I was pleasantly surprised with both boxes and totally worth it. So this month is the last one that I'm getting two boxes, I am a little sad but maybe in the future I will get it again, or maybe another sample box if I can find one that stands up to Birchbox.

Double the fun!

 

Original Box - BB 1.0

In here we have: (brand - product - value of sample)

• Befine - Sampler of Cleanser and Moisturizer  -  $4.79/$15.00
• WEI - White Lotus Hydrating Face Treatment Pad  - $11.33
• Taylor Swift - Wonderstruck  -  $1.16
• Zoya - Bevin True Collection  -  $4
• MicrodermaMitt - Face Mitt  -  $28.50

Total Value: $64.78

2nd Box - BB 2.0

In this box we have: (brand - product - value of sample)

• Atelier Cologne - Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolue  -  $2.75
• Erno Laszlo - Active pHelityl Soap  -  $6.66 or $3.33 (I couldn't find the size of the sample so these are the value if the sample was 1oz or 0.5oz - it is a very small sample)
• Juice Beauty - Oil-Free Moisturizer  -  $2.38
• Pür Minerals - 4-in-1 Mineral Tinted Moisturizer  -  $6.00
• MicrodermaMitt - Body Mitt  -  $28.50

Total Value: $46.29/42.96

Everything together

Very excited to give things a try! I'm happy to get another Atelier Cologne, I received the Vanille Insensée which is AMAZING. I would love to give all of their scents a sniff! I tried to figure out the values of everything right, but I may be off a little on some but all in all, paying $20 for $100 worth of product is so worth it.

I will swatch things and give a more detailed review of products, I have Bevin on right now and I'll post on it tomorrow, as well as the scents as I wear them through the day.

I'm looking forward to seeing my friend's Birchboxes. I'm getting more and more of my friends into it and I love to see the differences in the products. ^_^

Off to bed tonight, see you all tomorrow!