Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Neutral Nails
So I have to be honest, I was looking for a new neutral nail polish and got totally pulled in by Essie's marketing on their website. Hello Essie Sand Tropez, welcome to my life.
No matter what I'm putting on my nails I always start with OPI's original Nail Envy as my base. It does a great job and because its a nail strengthener it keeps my nails from breaking as well. Bonus! I'm also just in the habit of using Seche Vite as my top coat because its shine is great, giving a jell effect and it makes my nails dry SO QUICKLY!!
Sand Tropez is a beautiful light brown nude and is a cream formula. The finish is completely opaque in 2 coats but is practically there on the first depending on how thin you make your layers. I think it would look nice on almost everyone. It might be a little to dark for extremely fair skin. Sorry a head of time I know this mani is a little sloppy but I forgot to go back in and clean up the edges. Over all I think its a great neutral!
July Birchbox 2014
For those of you who don't know, Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription service that sends you 4-5 "deluxe samples" very month for $10. You can subscribe on a month by month basis and pay $10 a box and opt out after any month or get a 3-month, 6 month, or year long subscription for flat rates. The yearly subscription is $110 making it slightly less expensive.
This month they partnered up with Women's heath. The box included a little booklet challenging you to "POWER UP" with 12 bite-sized challenges to complete. They include things like eat outside, writing down a workout log, and upping your sleep quality.
As for samples this month I received one sample I liked a lot and the others were alright.
The Super Comb Perp & Protect by Number 4 worked really well as a detangle spray and I did feel my hair was soft after I let it air dry (which is pretty normal as I have healthy hair). The smell was very chemically but reminded me of the way hair salons can smell sometimes. My hair didn't smell at all after it was dry so I imagine if you blow dried it the smell would disappear quickly. The product claims to be "A sulfate-free leave-in conditioner that safeguards color, strengthens, and nourishes." and should be applied to towel-dried hair while it is still damp. Full-sized product is $32
The Luminous 3-minute Peel by Real Chemistry was an interesting experience. It is a clear jell you put on your face, wait and then massage for 2-3 minutes to exfoliate (peel) your skin. After massaging it there were little balls of skin on my face that came up but Im not totally convinced it wasn't just product balling up. After washing my face it felt clean and did not have any residue but my cheeks burned a little. Full-sized product is $48
The Hello Body Creme by Harvey Prince is an amazing smelling lotion. I almost got the perfume version. It is very citrus smelling and fades to a sweet floral. The lotion is a bit thin for me to think of it as a cream. Not sure if a creme is different, sorry about it. It is definitely moisturizing. I find on me the scent lasts for about 10 minutes which is a bit of a bummer but not the end of the world. The lotion itself is a light yellow color. Full-sized product is $22.
The Creamy Lip Stain by Cynthia Rowley Beauty I received in the shade Valentine. It is a creamy pink lip stain that didn't do too much for me. I think it is more of a cream gloss to be honest. The texture is really nice and it has decent color pay off. It doesnt every dry down but its not at all sticky.
The Beauty extra this month was one of the items I was really excited about but sadly it was a let down. I was sent Gingerade Shower Gel by 100% Pure. This is a Birchbox exclusive. In the packet it smelled amazing and very refreshing/invigorating. It is an all nature product which gets 2 thumbs way up from me. However, once I got it into the shower the smell disappeared and it had almost no noticeable lather on my shower poof or my body after being applied. Sad times. But did feel clean after my shower and there was no residue.
This month they partnered up with Women's heath. The box included a little booklet challenging you to "POWER UP" with 12 bite-sized challenges to complete. They include things like eat outside, writing down a workout log, and upping your sleep quality.
The Super Comb Perp & Protect by Number 4 worked really well as a detangle spray and I did feel my hair was soft after I let it air dry (which is pretty normal as I have healthy hair). The smell was very chemically but reminded me of the way hair salons can smell sometimes. My hair didn't smell at all after it was dry so I imagine if you blow dried it the smell would disappear quickly. The product claims to be "A sulfate-free leave-in conditioner that safeguards color, strengthens, and nourishes." and should be applied to towel-dried hair while it is still damp. Full-sized product is $32
The Luminous 3-minute Peel by Real Chemistry was an interesting experience. It is a clear jell you put on your face, wait and then massage for 2-3 minutes to exfoliate (peel) your skin. After massaging it there were little balls of skin on my face that came up but Im not totally convinced it wasn't just product balling up. After washing my face it felt clean and did not have any residue but my cheeks burned a little. Full-sized product is $48
The Hello Body Creme by Harvey Prince is an amazing smelling lotion. I almost got the perfume version. It is very citrus smelling and fades to a sweet floral. The lotion is a bit thin for me to think of it as a cream. Not sure if a creme is different, sorry about it. It is definitely moisturizing. I find on me the scent lasts for about 10 minutes which is a bit of a bummer but not the end of the world. The lotion itself is a light yellow color. Full-sized product is $22.
The Creamy Lip Stain by Cynthia Rowley Beauty I received in the shade Valentine. It is a creamy pink lip stain that didn't do too much for me. I think it is more of a cream gloss to be honest. The texture is really nice and it has decent color pay off. It doesnt every dry down but its not at all sticky.
The Beauty extra this month was one of the items I was really excited about but sadly it was a let down. I was sent Gingerade Shower Gel by 100% Pure. This is a Birchbox exclusive. In the packet it smelled amazing and very refreshing/invigorating. It is an all nature product which gets 2 thumbs way up from me. However, once I got it into the shower the smell disappeared and it had almost no noticeable lather on my shower poof or my body after being applied. Sad times. But did feel clean after my shower and there was no residue.
Coastal Scents Hot Pot swatches.
Coastal Scents Hot Pots are some of my favorite individual eye shadows and they don't require any annoying depoting from packaging. They are $1.95 usually but they are on sale this week (July 14th - 18th 2014 @ 11:00am) for 99 cents a piece. AKA There will be more swatches in the future! They will magnetize to Z-palettes as shown below.
Generally speaking I love these eye shadows for their price point. The shimmer shades are super smooth and blend well. Some of the matte shades are great and some are a bit chalky and patchy but at such an affordable price it is not a huge loss if you don't like something. That's why we have swatches!
From left to right across the palette:
Row 1: Persian Peach, Petal Peach, Bronze Peach, Canyon Coral, Light Plum
Row 2: Golden Buttercup, Midas Gold, Coconut Husk, Barista, Vintage Burgundy
Row 3: Copper Pot, Tangelo Tint, Light Taupe, Wild Raisin, Maroon Berry
Row 4: Bazaar, Dark Golden Olive
Swatches are labeled form left to right. The swatches on the top have NYX eyeshadow base in "skin tone" under them.
Persian Peach, Golden Buttercup , Copper Pot, Petal Peach, Bronze Peach, Canyon Coral
All of these hot pots are very smooth and creamy.
Persian Peach is more of an apricot color and matte but very smooth.
Golden Buttercup is a very yellow based gold shimmer.
Copper Pot is a very nice gold-ish copper shimmer color that is super buttery.
Petal Peach is more of a brown rose matte color in my opinion. It is very soft and not chalky.
Bronze peach is the darker more bronze/brown matte sibling of Petal Peach. Its very blend-able and smooth.
Canyon Coral is a beautiful bronze pink shimmer color and is great for some drama.
Midas Gold, Tangelo Tint, Coconut Husk, Light Taupe, Barista
These are also great neutrals that are very blend-able and smooth.
Midas Gold is a soft muted gold/yellow matte color that is great for transitions. It can be easily sheered out.
Tangelo Tint is a basic matte orange. I love it in the summer!
Coconut Husk is a great warm light matte brown that is perfect for the crease!
Light Taupe is a medium mid-tone matte brown.
Barista is a super wonderful warm chocolate/coffee brown matte color great for giving some depth.
Dark Golden Olive, Bazaar, Light Plum , Vintage Burgundy, Maroon Berry, Wild Raisin
The fist three may be my favorite while the last 3 may be my least favorite of all the hot pots Ive swatched.
Dark Golden Olive is a creamy warm dark green shimmer with gold reflex.
Bazaar is an amazing green/brown/gray shimmer that is amazing smooth and blends like a dream.
Light Plum almost looks like a dark pink right on the line between pink and purple. Its a very easy way to wear a neutral purple.
Maroon Berry is my least favorite. It feels almost scratchy in the pan. It is a matte purple tinted maroon color.
Wild Raisin is a matte dark brown purple color and is very chalky and can be patchy. It also has a lot of fall out when applied.
Generally speaking I love these eye shadows for their price point. The shimmer shades are super smooth and blend well. Some of the matte shades are great and some are a bit chalky and patchy but at such an affordable price it is not a huge loss if you don't like something. That's why we have swatches!
Row 1: Persian Peach, Petal Peach, Bronze Peach, Canyon Coral, Light Plum
Row 2: Golden Buttercup, Midas Gold, Coconut Husk, Barista, Vintage Burgundy
Row 3: Copper Pot, Tangelo Tint, Light Taupe, Wild Raisin, Maroon Berry
Row 4: Bazaar, Dark Golden Olive
Swatches are labeled form left to right. The swatches on the top have NYX eyeshadow base in "skin tone" under them.
Persian Peach, Golden Buttercup , Copper Pot, Petal Peach, Bronze Peach, Canyon Coral
All of these hot pots are very smooth and creamy.
Persian Peach is more of an apricot color and matte but very smooth.
Golden Buttercup is a very yellow based gold shimmer.
Copper Pot is a very nice gold-ish copper shimmer color that is super buttery.
Petal Peach is more of a brown rose matte color in my opinion. It is very soft and not chalky.
Bronze peach is the darker more bronze/brown matte sibling of Petal Peach. Its very blend-able and smooth.
Canyon Coral is a beautiful bronze pink shimmer color and is great for some drama.
Midas Gold, Tangelo Tint, Coconut Husk, Light Taupe, Barista
These are also great neutrals that are very blend-able and smooth.
Midas Gold is a soft muted gold/yellow matte color that is great for transitions. It can be easily sheered out.
Tangelo Tint is a basic matte orange. I love it in the summer!
Coconut Husk is a great warm light matte brown that is perfect for the crease!
Light Taupe is a medium mid-tone matte brown.
Barista is a super wonderful warm chocolate/coffee brown matte color great for giving some depth.
Dark Golden Olive, Bazaar, Light Plum , Vintage Burgundy, Maroon Berry, Wild Raisin
The fist three may be my favorite while the last 3 may be my least favorite of all the hot pots Ive swatched.
Dark Golden Olive is a creamy warm dark green shimmer with gold reflex.
Bazaar is an amazing green/brown/gray shimmer that is amazing smooth and blends like a dream.
Light Plum almost looks like a dark pink right on the line between pink and purple. Its a very easy way to wear a neutral purple.
Maroon Berry is my least favorite. It feels almost scratchy in the pan. It is a matte purple tinted maroon color.
Wild Raisin is a matte dark brown purple color and is very chalky and can be patchy. It also has a lot of fall out when applied.
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