Product Review: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

     I love painting my nails, but I have very limited patience. So the whole base coat, two coats of color, topcoat, and drying time gets on my nerves. Plus, no matter how long I let them dry, I always feel like I end up chipping or smudging one of my nails right away. So I decided I'd give these new Sally Hansen nail strips a try.

     The idea behind these are that they are basically stickers you apply to your nail. They are made of real nail polish, but they have no drying time and are supposed to last upwards of ten days. Plus they have many cool designs ranging from bright colors to lace and fishnet and houndstooth.

     In each box you get sixteen strips of polish (which seems like a very bizarre number... but they want to make sure there's a size that works for every nail, without giving you enough for two applications.) The nail polish strips are sealed really well, and you are supposed to throw away the ones you don't use... I think this is because once they are opened they start drying out and will lose their flexibility. You also get a cuticle stick and a mini three sided nail file (one side for buffing, the other sides have a strong grit and fine grit nail file [grit meaning how rough it is].) The kit also contains instructions.

     Application is pretty easy. Starting with clean, dry nails (no basecoat!) you push back your cuticles. Next you buff the nails. After that you can start applying the strips. Starting at the cuticle you adhere the strip to the nail, smoothing as you go up. The cuticle stick can be used to help. The strip also has a bit of stretch to it, so you can manipulate it. The instructions tell you to file off any excess strip that overhangs the nail, but I just bent it over my natural nail and this tears it away nicely. Then I used the cuticle stick to help get rid of any strips that were extra on the sides- I did this by pushing the cuticle stick up and down all the way around my nail (like cutting a cake), so it smoothed out the strip on my nail while simultaneously severing the excess.

     Once they're all applied, I used a topcoat to seal it. The directions don't call for one, but to me they felt like stickers and were matte looking, so putting a topcoat on made them look like real nail polish. Plus in my opinion, it made them seem more durable. BE AWARE- when you use a topcoat, you still have to be careful to let them dry. I happened to bump one of my nails that were still wet and it messed up the design a bit. But other than that, they wear on these are fantastic. I had mine on for a solid eight days, and I then decided to take them off because they were chipping- not at the tip, but at the base where my nails were growing out. To remove, simply use nail polish remover. They are harder to get off than regular polish, but they aren't as difficult as glitter polish.

Final grade: A!

Review: Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette

     For those who may not be familiar with them, Too Faced offers a few really great eyeshadow palettes. The one I'm reviewing is their newest (and my personal favorite.) Prior to that their collection included the Smokey Eye, Natural Eye, and the Naked Eye.

     What I love about these palettes is that they're all designed to be very user friendly, which makes them awesome for people who are new to make-up. Each palette contains 9 eyeshadows which are color coordinated into three different "looks"- namely the Day look, Classic look, and Fashion look. However, that doesn't mean people can't mix and match all the colors in the palette- some of my favorite looks have been made using colors from all three "looks." The layout for the three "looks" is a highlight shade (which is always the biggest), a lid color shade, and a crease/liner shade (which is always the darkest color).

All the palettes come with "How To" cards as well, which clearly lays out which colors they have used  for each "look" and where on the eye they applied.

     But once again, people shouldn't be afraid to branch out from these instructions- these cards are designed more for novices so they can get the basic feeling of where to apply and what colors work together.

     Alright, now let's get into this particular palette.

     I have obviously used it, so it looks a little grungy.  The colors are as follows:

Day Look: Soulmates (a glittery light peach), I Do (a matte taupe), Un-veil (a matte dark chocolate)

Classic Look: Kiss the Bride (a matte baby pink), Cut the Cake (a glittery lavender grey), First Dance (a matte plum).

Fashion Look: Bouquet Toss (a matte off-white), Honeymoon (a metallic green-gold), Ever After (a glittery metallic brown).

    
    I hate that the matte ones don't photograph well. But I'd have to say Cut the Cake is probably my favorite color- its really cool and different from other greys out there.

     Too Faced eyeshadows are one of my favorite to work with. They have good pigmentation, blend well, and have interesting colors. I think the reason I've been loving this palette so much is because it has different formulations of the matte, glitters, and metallics that make it very versatile.

So all and all, this guy gets a A! Great for people new to make-up, and great for those with experience. Awesome colors, awesome to work with. Love it!

    

Things to be Reviewed

-Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette
-Exuviance Glycolic Peel
-Exuviance Hydrating Eye Pads
-Big Sexy Hair Powder Play
-Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips


And whatever new fun stuff I get my hands on...

Revamped!

     Redid the site- it's looking all snazzy and revamped, and it makes me happy. I just get bored easily and like to keep things fresh and interesting.

     Did a training today, learned about some new brands that I wasn't so familiar with. Looking forward to trying some new stuff and reviewing it...

First goal- buy some make-up brushes. I've acquired a lot of nice face brushes, but I'm lacking eye brushes, which is what I really need a plethora of. I'm going to see if I can run to Target and check out their elf brand of brushes- they vary between $1-$8 which is obviously super manageable. Obviously for that price they aren't the best out there, but until I can slowly grow my collection of professional brushes, they'll do. Target is the only retail store I'm aware of that carries this line- I know they don't have the full collection, but the rest can be ordered online.

I'm also in the market for a good teasing comb... I think I'll probably venture out to Sally Beauty  for that one... I'm hoping to grow out my hair and when it starts getting long I obviously need assistance with volume... especially since I always want my hair sticking straight up in the air, all mohawked out.

     The above is the look I'm thinking of. I'm just hoping I have the patience to grow it before I totally give up and keep it short.



     That's all until next time...

Trying Something New

     Ugh, yes, it's been forever again. I'm terrible with keeping up with this, I'm going to try to be more diligent about updating, even if it's short and sweet.

     So, I received a gift card for Sephora for Christmas, and I have been deciding what I want to do with it. I'm getting to the point where I honestly have A LOT of make-up. So I figured I should use it to buy something we don't sell at Ulta. I tried to think of new looks I wanted to try out, and I think I'm going to get a purple eyeshadow and an orange/peach blush. Out of all the eyeshadows I have, I don't think I have one TRUE purple...

     

     Yes, this is way more dramatic than what I'm thinking. But I love the way the orange and purple work with each other. 

     Another option is maybe looking at some pastels. Since Spring will be here soon enough, it makes sense. Bright colors are always a good option too.

     Maybe once I use my card, I'll do a "haul blog" showing what I got. Be patient until then! 

Things I Love: Drugstore Edition

     So, I realize that I have become quite the make-up snob. Yes, I do prefer mostly high end stuff, but if it wasn't for my job, I wouldn't have the money or the access to all the cool products I use. And honestly, I'm a college student- I know that a $20 mascara is not a realistic price range for most people.

     SO! This post is going to be all about the stuff I love from the drugstore lines! This includes make-up, skin care, and hair products.

     Also, I know not everyone has oily skin like I do, or wants the strongest hairspray EVER. But what I figure is that if I have good things to say about a line, then perhaps you will be able to find something from said line more suited to you specific needs.

     And here we go!

Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Eyeliner- a black liquid liner with a felt tip brush. Easier to use than a basic liquid liner because the tip can't separate like brush bristles. Also, a very nice deep black, has a nice gloss to it. 

Ardell False Eyelashes- I am in love with these. They are well made, they have a million different styles, and they can be reused as long as you keep them clean. I bought a pair of Urban Decay lashes for about 4x as much, and I ended up liking these better. (Hint: Use DUO brand glue! It's nice and tacky, holds the lashes on, but isn't a pain to remove.)

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara- This has a nice full brush, so it builds volume nicely.

Cherry ChapStick- Do I even need to explain this one? I love the taste, I love how it feels, and I like the pretty light pink tint it gives your lips. Pretty much perfection.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Powder Foundation- The closest thing to Bare Minerals without the price. This is what I use every day. It gives really nice coverage, won't irritate your skin, and they also have Matte finishes now. Love it!

CoverGirl Lash Blast Mascara- It's all in the brush with this one. It gives great separation so you can put on multiple coats without the clumping.

L'Oreal Powder Mineral Concealer- I love this stuff for two reasons. Since it's mineral powder, it doesn't make my acne worse when I'm trying to hide it. And two- it actually COVERS. 

Revlon Superlustrious Lip Gloss- I love the selection of colors and finishes available. They have shimmery, glittery, and opaque. They have some really awesome colors, ranging from your basic reds and pinks to bright oranges and purples. Finally, they don't dry out after 20 minutes.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Stains- It looks like a sharpie for your lips. They have a lot of pretty colors, and they really do last. I tried the lip stains from Revlon also, and I have to say, I like these better. They smell nicer, and have better color payoff. The only thing annoying about stains is that they can dry out your lips, so just keep a gloss or a balm on hand.

L'Oreal H.I.P Eyeshadows- The H.I.P. stands for High Intensity Pigments. And they aren't kidding. These are the only eyeshadows that I feel give a color payoff compared to the higher end cosmetics. They have brights, metallics, mattes- all sorts of colors and all sorts of finishes.

Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara- This mascara has the best of both worlds- the full brush adds volume, but the bristles are still staggered enough that it won't get clumpy. This is actually the mascara I used in my "after" picture in my Long Stem Lashes review.

Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum- Anyone who knows me knows all the terrible things I put my hair through. Bleaching, heat styling, all sorts of nasty things. I can't say enough nice things about this stuff. I'm pretty sure this serum is the only reason I still have hair in my head. It saved my dry, straw like hair and made it soft, healthy, and shiny. Plus it smells awesome! I know this line carries other serums for different hair types as well. 

Aussie Instant Freeze Extreme Hold Hair Spray- Out of all the hair sprays I've tried, this is the only one that dries INSTANTLY, like it claims. I know I spike my hair to high heaven, so the drying time is very important- if it takes more than a few seconds then the hair starts to fall, defeating the purpose. The hold is awesome, and I really like how this stuff smells. 

Caress Glowing Touch Body Wash- This gives really nice lather and feels very moisturizing. But for me, it's ALL about the smell! It's not really supposed to be scented, but the Shea Butter in it gives it this wonderful clean scent. That's the only way I can describe it- the epitome of clean. I could sniff it all day. P.S.- the scent DOES last all day.

Earth Therapeutics Loofah Complexion Pad- This is awesome for exfoliating. You put whatever cleanser you use on it- whether it's bar soap, cream cleanser, liquid, what have you- and wash your face with it. It's all natural, it cleans out your pores, and you don't have to change your products to use it. Like a washcloth, it just works better.

Purpose Gentle Cleansing Bar- A deep cleaning bar soap that won't irritate your skin. I'm very acne prone, and when I use this it doesn't aggravate my skin- which is AWESOME, because anyone who gets acne knows, your face gets super sensitive. But I think my favorite part about this soap is after you wash your face, your skin literally SQUEAKS. Now that's clean!

Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick- Contains Salicylic Acid to clean out pores. It also contains alcohol, so yes, this stuff can burn a little (burning=WORKING). However, the burning doesn't last long, and this is the only product I've found that can knock out those really awful, tough pimples. This is meant to be a spot treatment, so don't use it all over your face or the alcohol can dry out your skin.

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets- Great for those with oily skin. Removes excess shine and oil without taking off your make-up. Perfect size for carrying in your purse for quick touch ups- because no one likes to look shiny.

AcneFree Sulfur Mask- Not only for those with acne, this product is great for anyone with oily skin. Oily skin leads to clogged pores which leads to acne- if you do a drying mask such as this one once every week or so, it will really help in preventing breakouts. 

Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads- Super easy to use, and they even take off waterproof mascaras and eyeliners. Also available in moisturizing pads.

     Thus ends the longest blog ever! Hope this helps! <3

Product Review: Too Faced Long Stem Lashes

    

     Long Stem Lashes by Too Faced cosmetics is a lash growing serum. What's awesome about it (well, one of the things anyways) is that it won't change the color of your eyelids or actual eye like others can. Long Steam lashes is double sided- one side contains a black liquid liner that contains the serum. The other side is the serum by itself. 

     Alright, before I get into explaining this stuff, it's a before picture time! (Note: I am wearing mascara on top and bottom lashes so the length can be seen.)

    

     I am in LOOOOOOOVE with this product. Seriously. I have been using it for 8 weeks now and definitely notice a change in the length and volume of my lashes. You can use the serum up to twice a day- once in the morning or once at night. However, it doesn't matter if you only do it once a day. The eyeliner is obviously more daytime appropriate (unless you want to wear black liquid liner to bed!), but you can use the serum instead of the eyeliner for daytime too. Also, the serum can be used on top and bottom lashes- some other serums direct to use the serum on the upper lashline only.

     This product boosts some serious stats too:
     72% of participants reported appearance of longer lashes after four weeks
     81% of participants reported increase in the appearance of lash thickness and fullness after eight weeks
     74% of subjects reported the appearance of having more lashes, overall

     Okay, but I'm going to let you decide. After picture time! (Note, I'm wearing mascara top and bottom again. This time I'm also wearing black eyeliner versus purple.)

     Pretty impressive, no?

     So as a final grade I give this an A! It's $38 a tube- most others start at $60 and move up into the hundreds. My only complaint is that I wish it was all serum instead of the black eyeliner. Once the serum is dry, you can put make-up over it. But constantly wearing the black eyeliner gets kinda boring.