Red, Black, & Silver Holo Georgia Bulldogs Mani

September 4, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: OPI - Muir Muir On The Wall

≪ Previous: Zoya Focus & Flair Gradients

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Hey y'all!  With the official start of college football, I had to do some UGA nails. I guess they could be Atlanta Falcons themed too, but I love my Bulldogs!  I went a little trigger happy with the camera, so there are TONS of pics. 

These are actually kind of a 3-in-1 design.  This could be just solid colors or have holo added, like I did, for some extra flair.  You could also stop at any point or make any changes.  In fact, you could swap out & use the colors of your choosing....which is what nail art is all about.

This is how this mani started.  I used OPI Coca-Cola Red, then sponged Wet N Wild Black Creme onto half of the nail.  I sponged it on separately so that it looked more rough and not blended as it would have if I'd applied both the red and black polishes to the sponge. 

For the accent nail, I started out with Color Club Harp On It as my base.  Once that was dry I applied some chevron vinyls and brushed on WnW Black Creme then Pretty & Polished Black Swan quickly before removing the vinyls.  Then I just put on a coat of Seche Vite.

Of course I wasn't fully satisfied, even though I liked it....so I kept adding to it.

I grabbed the sponge again & applied Red Friday by Darling Diva Polish and Black Swan by Pretty & Polished over the red/black gradient.  This added more holo to balance out the accent nail. 

I had to add a little something else to take it one more step further, so I grabbed my white acrylic paint.  I am sloppy when it comes to writing on a curved surface with a very pointed dotting tool, but it works.  I think the "GO DAWGS" finished it off perfectly.


Once I was finished I took a few pics outside with my phone as well as a couple macro shots.

So what do y'all think?  Excited for the return of college football?  Who do you cheer for?

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OPI - Muir Muir On The Wall

September 7, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: #WishlistWednesday - September 2015

≪ Previous: Red, Black, & Silver Holo Georgia Bulldogs Mani

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Hey y'all!  So while trying to empty out my swatch basket, I came across this polish.  I believe that I bought it last November for my birthday & it was on clearance.  I can't remember for sure though.

Muir Muir On The Wall is part of the 2013 Fall San Francisco Collection.  It's super sheer so I'd suggest layering it over a black or dark brown base, unless you want to apply multiple coats.

It has like a brownish black base packed with burgundy (and maybe copper) micro shimmers.  For these pics I used 3 coats.

It's perfect for fall.  The burgundy is almost purple and it's deep and vampy. 

#WishlistWednesday - September 2015

September 9, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Recent Empties - Makeup

≪ Previous: OPI - Muir Muir On The Wall

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Hey y'all!  Today I'm going to start a new series on the blog titled #WishlistWednesday.  I don't know how often I'll do these, most likely monthly, or if I will keep up with it...but it's a way for me to keep track of things and share with my readers what I am currently wishing for!

Strangely I don't currently have any polishes.....well I do, but nothing that I abso-freaking-lutely HAVE to have.  Now don't get me wrong, I could write up a wishlist a mile(or hundreds of miles) long.  If I did that, I'd have nothing to keep this series going....and really, who wants to read THAT long of a blog post. 

So lets get to it.....

• Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Palette - This is my HUGEST want right now.  With my hooded lids, I like to wear matte more than sparkles..especially in the crease.  And this would be PERFECT for that.  I have a TON of sparkle shades, I need moar matte!  
• NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette - I really want this so I can test out the colors & then purchase the individual shades that I like to create my own custom palette.  I actually went to Ulta to get this not too long ago and they had nothing.  I was SUPER sad & I hate to pay shipping if I can get it locally.  
• Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick - The two shades I'm currently lusting after are 1993 and Bad Blood.  I NEED these in my life.  

Hopefully I'll be able to knock something from this post off my list.....but until then I'll keep lusting after them.

What's currently on your must have wishlist?

Recent Empties - Makeup

September 26, 2015, 8:00 am

≫ Next: China Glaze - The Great Outdoors - Fall 2015

≪ Previous: #WishlistWednesday - September 2015

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Hey y'all, I'm alive!!!  So, I thought I had already typed this up and posted it....but apparently not. DOH!  I have a TON of recent empties in my basket and decided to go ahead and do the makeup empties separately from the rest.

Shockingly I have a decent amount of makeup that I've finished which is rare because I usually only wear it on weekends.

• CoverGirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast - This mascara is the waterproof version in Very Black.  I was recently noticing black smears under my eyes and figured that it was whatever mascara I was using.  I switched over to this one and have already bought another one.  It doesn't smear, it's easy to remove, and my lashes look great.  I need to actually go through my container of mascara's and remove those that no longer work well for me, but this will continue to be a staple for me.
• Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion - This isn't technically empty, but I've just had it for so long I felt that it was time to get rid of it.  I didn't feel that it worked well enough for my super oily skin, so I wasn't reaching for it.  The eye primer though is amazeballz.
•  Revlon Colorstay Blemish Concealer -  This may not look empty, but without removing the stopper in the tube, I can't get any more product out.  I'd do that, but this is way past it's time so I'm moving on to something newer.  The shade is in Light and I felt it was perfect for me.  It does have salicylic acid in it, so I wouldn't suggest using it as an under eye concealer....even though that's how I used it and didn't notice any irritation. 
• Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer & Highlighter - The shade I have is 125 Fair.  When I purchased it, I was a little scared.  Normally "fair" means shades are more pink...but this wasn't.  It's more neutral/yellow, and the lightest shade available.  Though I'm not sure if it's still available since I've had this for a year or so.  It's great, long lasting, and the brush applicator is amazing.  Sadly, it's difficult to get product out once it starts getting more empty.  
• Sally Hansen Miracle Cure Strengthener - This is OLD....I honestly can't even remember when I bought it, or how it worked on my nails.  To finish it off, I ended up using it on my toes because I'd already found one to use on my nails. I would re-use the bottle, but it's kinda difficult to see through....but if you're looking for a low cost option, this is pretty good.
• Wet N Wild Black Creme - This is the black that I use for practically everything....unless I'm using acrylic paint(which is easier to correct mistakes with).  It's easily a one coater, and under $1.  In fact, sometimes you can grab it for $0.69. I couldn't believe that I actually made it through this bottle.  It doesn't look empty, but trust me it is.  The little bit left in the bottle is actually dried on the sides.  
• ELF Concealer Brush - I've used these brushes for years....but lately I've found better options for clean-up around the nails.  These aren't bad for the price, but I've noticed in the past few years that the brushes are so inconsistent that they don't last nearly as long as they used to.  If you're on a tight budget, these are great though....especially when ELF has 50% off sales.  
• Lypsyl Lip Balm - I snagged a few tubes of this a while ago at Walgreens when they were on sale....I don't remember the exact price, but I think it was under $2 each.  I actually prefer Softlips, but this is pretty darn good and I know tons of people who LOVE it.  Thankfully I have some more tubes to go through before I can say that I'm obsessed.

So, that's it for now.  I can't say enough how much it actually feels to finish things up, even if I don't like something.

What beauty/make-up related stuff have you finished up lately?  

China Glaze - The Great Outdoors - Fall 2015

September 30, 2015, 1:31 pm

≫ Next: Great Outdoors Fall DryBrush

≪ Previous: Recent Empties - Makeup

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*Press Sample*

Hey y'all!  Today I have the fall collection from China Glaze to show ya.  This is another post that I THOUGHT I had already done, so again I win the fail blogger award.  So, without blabbering on, lets get to it.

This collection contains 12 shades with various different finishes.  There are creams, duochromes, shimmers, and a glitter.  As usual, I used Seche Vite as my top coat for all of these.

Change Your Altitude - 2 coats - This is described as a pebble greige cream.  It has almost a purple tinge to it. 

Cabin Fever - 3 coats - This is described as a pink to copper duochrome.  It's like a rosey/mustard. 

Check Out The Silver Fox - 2 coats - This is described as a metallic gunmetal gray.  The finish is a chrome micro-shimmer.  The flare from the light sorta makes this difficult to photograph.  The name makes me think of Gibbs from NCIS. 

Free Bear Hugs - 2 coats - This is described as a deep black red cream.  It's like a wine blood.  Super vampy & one of my favorite types of shades for fall.

Gone Glamping - 3 coats - This is described as a green to gold duochrome.  Pretty accurate, though I did notice a slight blue/teal shift also that the camera didn't pick up. 

Let's Dew It - 1 coat - Over Change Your Altitude - This is described as a multi-dimensional blue gray glitter.  It almost looks like it has purple, blue, and silver in it.  It's pretty packed too.

My Lodge or Yours - 2 coats - This is described as a natural mauve cream, which is basically what I noted when I swatched this. :D

Pondering - 3 coats - This is described as a deep amethyst duochrome.  I noted it as a blue/purple/green multichrome.  Definitely one of my fav's.

Sleeping Under The Stars - 2 coats - This is described as a dark blue with stardust shimmer.  I see this more as a blurple (you know, blue and purple) with pink micro-shimmer.  It's a little difficult to photograph, and capture the shimmer....but you can see it in the bottle.

S'More Fun - 2 coats - This is described as an adventurous lemon lime cream.  I can agree with that....though I'm not sure how I feel not only about the shade itself(yanno considering it's not a fall type of color), but the name as well.  I think more cream/brown/neutrals when I think of S'mores. 

Take A Hike - 2 coats - This is described as a rich mossy green cream.  I would almost describe this as a highly green based teal with a slight bit of gray in it. 

Wood You Wanna? - 2 coats - This is described as a rich brown burgundy metallic.  It's like a chocolate-y bronze chrome micro-shimmer with a slight purple-ish tinge to it. 


The creams were easy to apply in just 2 coats, as were most of the rest.  With the duochromes, I'd suggest layering them over a darker(similar) shade or maybe even a black to cut down on the coats needed for opacity.

I would have to say that my fav's are DEFINITELY Free Bear Hugs, Pondering, Cabin Fever, Sleeping Under The stars, and Take A Hike.   Which ones do you like?


In addition to open stock colours, China Glaze®The Great Outdoors also includes two kits, theWood You Wanna? 6-piece set and Happy Campers 6-piece Micro Mini Kit.

   

China Glaze® is also offering a nail design kit, On the Hunt Camo Mani Design Kit, which includes three shades from the collection and a black Stripe Rite liner to create a camouflage nail design to make sure your nails do anything but blend in to the background.

China Glaze® The Great Outdoors will be available in August 2015 at Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply, as well as fine salons.  MSRP $7.50 for individual shades. 

For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze® on Facebook (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Instagram (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Twitter (@ChinaGlaze) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/chinaglaze).

Great Outdoors Fall DryBrush

October 2, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Bloody Zombie!

≪ Previous: China Glaze - The Great Outdoors - Fall 2015

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*Press Sample*

Hey y'all!  Today I have one of two nail art mani's that I did using The Great Outdoors collection from China Glaze.  I wanted it to kinda look like leaves on grass, so this is what I ended up with.

I started out with S'More Fun as the base color.

Then, using a dry craft brush, I grabbed a little bit of Cabin Fever & Gone Glamping to add random strokes.

I quite like how it turned out.  It was super quick and easy to do as well.  I think the duochrome shades make it look rusty and fall.

Bloody Zombie!

October 6, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Jior Couture - Monthly Mystery - October & February

≪ Previous: Great Outdoors Fall DryBrush

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Hey y'all!  Today I have a Halloween zombie mani to share with you.

I've been seeing LOTS of Facebook pages sharing a mani that my friend Sarah of Samarium's Swatches did, which you can see HERE. And when I was swatching the Great Outdoors collection from China Glaze, I just had to do my own little take on it. 

These first 3 shots are matte & glossy....

While the next 3 are fully glossy...

The base of this mani is Change Your Altitude. Over top of that I just used my craft brush to drybrush My Lodge or Yours? and Take A Hike, then applied a matte top coat(I used Butter London).

The blood drips and splatter was done with the shade Free Bear Hugs.

I like this so much that I actually want to do it again. :D

Jior Couture - Monthly Mystery - October & February

October 8, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Recent Empties

≪ Previous: Bloody Zombie!

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*Press Sample*

Hey y'all!  Today I have 2 of the Monthly Mystery polishes from Jior Couture. Those shades are February & October.

These were super easy to apply and as always I used a top coat of Seche Vite.

October - 3 coats - This is a golden metallic shimmer packed with teeny tiny gold glitter & some flakies.  The flakies almost look green/orange, like little flecks of pumpkin.  :D

February - 2 coats - This is a magenta pink linear holo filled with tiny & small hex glitters.  I took these pics when it was cloudy out, so I used my light box.  In the 2nd pic, you can see the intentional blur to show the holo as well as the flash used in the 3rd.  

These are both gorgeous, but I have to say that February is my absolute favorite.  It's holo plus added glitter makes it drool worthy.  

You can find Jior Couture at the links below:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest

 

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Recent Empties

November 2, 2015, 12:45 pm

≫ Next: Zoya - Matte Velvet - Holiday/Winter 2015

≪ Previous: Jior Couture - Monthly Mystery - October & February

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Hey y'all!  While I'm working on getting caught back up on blogging, I needed a break, I thought I'd go ahead & share some recent empties.  I've been holding on to these for a few months, so it's not all things I used since my last empties post.

I've got a TON of things to go over in this post. So lets get right to it, shall we!

Q-tips - Of course these have various uses in my house.  I prefer the brand name swabs to the store brand, which most of them seem flimsy.

Softsoap Pampered Hands - This is in the tangerine scent & it's a foaming hand soap.  I don't know that it "pampered" my hands, but it did small great and citrusy. 

Castor Oil  - After researching the oil cleansing method, I grabbed a bottle of this to use in my blend.  I'm not practicing the OCM daily, only when I wear make-up, but this helps for my skin type.

Lint Free Remover Wipes - I tend to purchase these off of eBay for a decent price and they last FOREVER to take my polish off.  They take up very little space and actually do a pretty good job.  I will continue to purchase these OVER and OVER.

Sweet Almond Oil - I also got this for the OCM, but ended up using it in my DIY hair detangler to amp up the smell.  This oil has TONS of uses.

Garnier Curl Sculpting Cream Gel - This is one of my favorite inexpensive curly hair products. If I use too much, it does get a little "crunchy", but it's easy to scrunch that crunch away.  Using this alone makes my curls look soft and defined.

Suave Keratin Infused Dry Shampoo - Honestly, this wasn't one of my favorites....but I used it up.  Each person prefers something different for their hair, but this just wasn't my cup of tea.

Shea Moisture Shampoo - I received this Superfruit 10-in-1 in a Target Beauty Box.  The sample was much larger than I was expecting, but I don't think I was able to fully form an opinion on it without being able to use more of the product along with the conditioner.  It smelled amazing though, so I'd probably give it a try.

Bare Minerals Brush Shampoo- Sadly, I've had this FOREVER.  I used to use it a LOT, that was until I actually learned how to CLEAN my brushes.  It worked well, but now I've moved on to something else. 

Argan Oil Hair Mask - I reviewed this last year, and you can see that review HERE.  I liked it as well, but I'm working on finishing up some of the stuff in my stock-pile before moving on to anything else.


Now for the rest of the items....I'm not a professional, this is just what works for me.  Depression, anxiety, and insomnia are something I've lived with for years.  Last year, I went through a LOT and was in a very dark place.  Thankfully a friend suggested some supplements and these have helped TREMENDOUSLY.

Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, and L-Theanine.  Melatonin is also there, but now that I'm on a routine I only use it as needed. 

My energy levels have increased, I'm slowly losing weight, and I could tell a difference just after the first few days of taking these.  I will continue to use these as long as I feel I need them.  Some of them are hard to find, but most herbal shops and GNC carry them...but I'm now ordering it all online. 

So that's what I've finished up lately.  What about you?

Zoya - Matte Velvet - Holiday/Winter 2015

December 14, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Elf on the Shelf got a little D-I-R-T-Y

≪ Previous: Recent Empties

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*Press Sample*

Hey y'all!  It's been a while.  Today I have the Zoya Matte Velvet Holiday/Winter collection to share with ya.  This collection contains 6 matte velvet polishes.  Matte velvet means they're more satin than flat matte, but still gorgeous.  You can use them with or without a topcoat.

For these swatches I went without.  They all contain a bit of shimmer & to show that I had to play with lighting so it not only showed the true color, but showed the shimmer as well.  These could easily be one coaters, but I went with two.

Amal - This can be best described as a classic crimson red with a ruby red pearl fleck.  I feel this is a pretty accurate description, though I feel it's more of a cranberry red.

Aspen - This can be best described as a sparkling arctic white with a micronized diamond pearl fleck.  This is a gorgeous, crisp, snowy white.  LOVE

Honor - This can be best described as a true emerald green with a tone on tone emerald pearl fleck.  Accurately described....and that's exactly what I put in my notes.  A great Christmas-y green.

Iris - Can be best described as a deep amethyst with a fuchsia pearl fleck.  It's like grape juice with a slight pink shimmer.  

Sue - Can be best described as a soft champagne gold with a multi-hued oyster shell pearl flick.  Well, that's kinda what I wrote...I saw this as a creamy gold with opal shimmer. 

Yves - Can be best described as a deep sapphire that's in between indigo and royal blue with a blue pearl fleck.  The base is a slightly deeper blue while the shimmer is lighter, almost making this look like cobalt glass.

These are now currently available on Zoya.com for $10ea. or $60 for the entire sampler set.

Elf on the Shelf got a little D-I-R-T-Y

December 16, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: China Glaze - Cheers - Holiday 2015

≪ Previous: Zoya - Matte Velvet - Holiday/Winter 2015

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Hey y'all!  Today's post is a little, well a lot, off the normal topic of this blog. It's about how our Elf, Chewbacca, got into a mess & I saved him from having to be replaced.  We have the plush version and I couldn't really find anything to help, so maybe what worked for me can help you.

Meet Chewbacca.....

He likes to play on the Xbox, hang out in our Star Wars stockings, hide in the cookie jar, sleep on presents under the tree, and occasionally gets in trouble with the Lego figures.

Recently, he smelled glazed donuts & decided to go in head first.

via GIPHY

Little did he know the smell was coming from a candle....

via GIPHY

and he would end up looking like this....

Of course, as soon as I saw I freaked out.


via GIPHY

I didn't want to ruin it by trying to remove the soot & I REALLY didn't want to have to go buy a new one.

via GIPHY

So, I grabbed my Zote Soap & a mesh laundry bag. Because the main color of Chewbacca is red, he went in with a load of red clothes. I started up the cold water & stuck him under it a bit.  I took the soap and rubbed it all over where any of the black stuff was.

via GIPHY

 He was mostly clean before I even tossed him in the bag & into the washer, but I made sure to get him covered with the soap. 

via GIPHY

Once the load was done in the washer, I pulled him out & he was 100% clean! No stains & he even smelled great!

I kept him out of the dryer though because I didn't want to mess with the stuffing.

via GIPHY

So if your Elf on the Shelf happens to get into a huge mess, hopefully this will work for you.  

Also, this is how we explained Chewbacca being clean....the next day he was chilling out in my pedicure spa with a shower poofy & a bottle of shower gel. 

Oh, I totally forgot to mention...Zote Soap comes in a bar form or shavings in a box(I think). It's on the laundry aisle at Wal-Mart, or at least that's where I found it, on the top shelf along with the Hispanic laundry products.  The bar is under $1 and works for TONS of things.  I mostly use it to clean my make-up brushes, but it also kicks butt at removing stains out of laundry.

China Glaze - Cheers - Holiday 2015

December 22, 2015, 10:00 am

≫ Next: Star Wars Christmas Mashup Mani

≪ Previous: Elf on the Shelf got a little D-I-R-T-Y

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*Press Sample*

Hey y'all!  Today I have the Holiday collection to show you from China Glaze.  While I know my post is a little late, hopefully this will serve as a reminder or suggestions for last minute gifts!  

There's a good mixture of finishes & shades with this collection.  I definitely have a few favorites!  As usual, I used Seche Vite as my top coat. There's a TON of pics, so lets get to it.....

Mix and Mingle - 3 coats - Vivid deep purple creme. This acts more like a crelly (creamy jelly) and almost reminds me of Barney purple.

Son Of A Nutcracker - 2 coats - Fiery red-orange pearl.  This almost looks a more pink toned coral. It's one of my fav's...and the name cracks me up too.

Wine Down For What? - 2 coats - Rich red creme. Definitely a wine/merlot/oxblood type shade & another of my fav's.  Of course the name on this one is #winning too.

Peppermint To Be - 2 coats - Glittering Ruby shimmer.  While I didn't compare this to Ruby Pumps, I think this is more pink/red than the true red that Ruby Pumps is.  I also think the shimmer on this one is smaller. 

Don't Get Elfed Up - 2 coats - Glistening deep emerald shimmer.  In the pictures, this appears to be a blackened blue base with a blue/teal shifty shimmer.  In the bottle it looks blue/purple, but the purple only appears on the nail when it's not being hit by direct light.  So, it does show up, just not in any pictures I could capture it in. 

Ugly Sweater Party - 3 coats - Multi-dimensional red glitter.  This seemed more red than pink to me, and the base to this was pink tinged as well.  I couldn't quite tell if the larger glitters were purple or holo. On my laptop monitor(as I'm typing this) they look blue.  So, I'm guessing holo? 

I Soiree I Didn't Do It - 3 coats - Bright and cheery green glitter.  It looks more teal to me & was super difficult to photograph, almost like it's pixelated.  Some of the glitters in this look holo, but they're all too small to tell for sure.

Better Not Pout - 2 coats - Merry berry pearl.  It's like a deep pink berry metallic.

Brand Spankin' New Year - 1 coat over Mix And Mingle - Deep prismatic purple glitter.  Purple jelly base with purple & holo glitters.

Coal Hands, Warm Heart - 1 coat layered & sponged over Peppermint To Be - Midnight blue holographic glitter. I didn't, and kinda still don't, see "blue" in this....I see more black with holo & purple glitter. 

Bring On The Bubbly - 1 coat over Better Not Pout - Gleaming gold glitter.  Gold & holo glitters in a clear base.  No issues with application of these.

Break The Ice - 1 coat over Don't Get Elfed Up - Icy prismatic silver glitter.  This is a clear base with holo glitters and shards.  

Bonus: I Soiree I Didn't Do It sponged over Wine Down For What?  I had to do this color combo as soon as I saw these 2 shades.  I would've done this as a separate post, but thought I'd throw it on here as a bonus!


I had zero issues with any of these polishes.  Though, I'd definitely suggest layering for ALL of the glitters.  Otherwise you're just going to end up with several layers for opacity.  Make sure to check below for more info on this collection!  :D

Peppermint To Be, I Soiree I Didn't Do It, Better Not Pout, and Ugly Sweater Party are also available in the Gelaze formula.

The China Glaze® Cheers! collection also features three seasonally-inspired gift sets:

Ring in the New Year!: Bring on the Bubbly, Son of a Nutcracker and Better Not Pout with a gold-
toned “Cheers” ring (MSRP $14.99)

Mini Mixers: Micro mini (0.125 fl oz) bottles of I Soiree I Didn’t Do It, Mix and Mingle, Better Not Pout, Son of a Nutcracker, Peppermint to Be and Don’t Get Elfed Up (MSRP $17.99)

Cheers! to Neons: Micro mini (0.125 fl oz) bottles of China Glaze® best selling neons including Flip
Flop Fantasy, Orange Knockout, Shocking Pink, Purple Panic, Turned Up Turquoise and Frostbite
(MSRP $17.99)






Toast the start of 2016 with festive nail art made easy with three new Cheers! Nail Art Kits including:

Have a Dapper Holiday: Create a simple yet chic design with Bring on the Bubbly, Liquid Leather (core shade), and bonus white Stripe Rite nail art liner (MSRP $14.99)

Mix and Mingle: Half-moons and French tips glisten using Mix and Mingle and Break the Ice with nail design guides (MSRP $14.99)

Wrap It Up: Gift wrap nails using Don’t Get Elfed Up and Better Not Pout with nail design striping tape (MSRP $14.99)

Spend this holiday season in colour with China Glaze® Cheers! collection, available in November 2015 at fine beauty supply stores including Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply.  MSRP $7.50 for individual shades.

For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook
(@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Instagram (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Twitter (@ChinaGlaze) and Pinterest
(pinterest.com/chinaglaze).

Star Wars Christmas Mashup Mani

December 24, 2015, 9:57 am

≫ Next: Recent Empties - Randomness + Update

≪ Previous: China Glaze - Cheers - Holiday 2015

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Happy Christmas Eve y'all!!!  So, the kiddo doesn't know it yet, but tomorrow night(Christmas Day) we are going to see the latest Star Wars movie, so NO SPOILERS PLEASE.  Because of that, I wanted to do a Star Wars & Christmas mashup on my nails.  He watched me do my nails, and LOVED them, and still has no idea. 

Now while I'm still not 100% happy with them, I do love them.  I guess it's the perfectionist in me & knowing that I can do better. They were pretty easy to do and I'll link the tutorials for where I got the inspiration on each of these from. 

I used a LONG list of polishes, so I'll be sure to list everything down below as well.


For the lightsabers, my inspiration came from a recent video by Simply Nailogical, which you can see HERE. Though the only acrylic paint I used was the white, I did use polishes to paint over the white....because HOLO!

 Blue Lightsaber: Wet N Wild Black Creme, Color Club Blue Heaven, & Revlon Royal

 Green Lightsaber: Wet N Wild Black Creme, Nubar Reclaim, & Verity B24 Aqua Blue

 Red Lightsaber: Wet N Wild Black Creme, ILNP Very Ornamental, & Wet N Wild I Red A Good Book

Christmas tree accent: China Glaze Angel Wings, ILNP A Fresh Evergreen, & stars from Salon Perfect Star Spangled. Tutorial can be found HERE!

 I took this shot outside with my cell phone using the flash.  Because we're having crappy weather, and I finished late at night, it was dark outside & I knew I wouldn't be able to get a full sun pic.
About the only thing I would do differently is maybe not use holo for the sabers? or use a glow in the dark over the white.  What do y'all think?

Recent Empties - Randomness + Update

March 18, 2016, 10:08 am

≫ Next: Funky Fingers - Riot

≪ Previous: Star Wars Christmas Mashup Mani

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Hey y'all!  I know, I know...I've been MIA for a while.  In fact, the last time I did a blog post was around Christmas...and the last time I had an empties post was November.  For that, I apologize. Life has a way of taking over and shifting your focus at times.  I actually thought about quitting the blog all together, but decided against that because it does make me happy.  I'm just not going to be so hard on myself to be consistent with it.  I have enough stress from other things, I don't need to put more on myself.

That being said, other things in life have also happened and you'll find about those soon enough.  So lets get to the topic of this post.  I have a HUGE fabric basket full of empties, so I'm breaking them up into separate posts.

This is mostly random stuff from around the house that I've managed to toss into the basket.

Method Natural Surface Cleaner - Sunset Beach:  This was sadly a limited edition scent from last year.  I got mine at Target. I had one bottle of this and loved it so much that when I saw it on clearance I grabbed the rest...and this was my last bottle.  I love this brand, and actually need to go get some more when I run out of my current cleaning stash.

Mrs Meyers Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleanser in Basil: This was just a "meh" product for me.  It's only saving grace was that I was OBSESSED with the scent. Basil is one of my fav's, yeah I know I'm weird.  The cleanser itself seemed to leave a film on surfaces, so I wasn't impressed, but I did finish it up.

Now - Rhodiola: Suggested to me by a friend, this is one of the 3 daily herbal supplements that I take to help with my anxiety and depression. For me, it works...and I can definitely tell when I don't take them.

Swanson Ashwagandha Extract: This was another herbal supplement suggested by a friend, and again this helps with my anxiety and depression.

Spring Valley L-Theanine:  When I started taking the other 2 supplements I had been taking a melatonin blend at night. When I ran out of that I started noticing a difference, that the Ashwagandha and Rhodiola didn't seem to be working as well....that's when I realized that the melatonin I'd switched to was just straight up, no blend. I quickly got some L-Theanine and the 3 combined help me a LOT.  I think this bottle came from Wal-Mart(it's the only one of the 3 that I've seen available in drugstores), but Amazon has it as well.

Mainstays Peach & Mango Wax Cubes:  This is by far my FAVORITE scent. It's a summer scent available at Wal-Mart and is, to me, even better than the $12+ peach candles at BBW. I've had this in candle form too, but I prefer to go even cheaper with these since they're at most $2 & I can use them in my electric warmer without worrying about a flame.  I think I'm now down to one pack of this scent so I need to go get more.


So, that's it for now...be sure to keep an eye out for more posts to come soon.  I already have several ready to go. :D

Funky Fingers - Riot

March 21, 2016, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Recent Empties - Hair Stuff

≪ Previous: Recent Empties - Randomness + Update

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Hey y'all!  Today I have one of the polishes that have been sitting in my untrieds basket for a while, needing to be swatched.  I'm not going to ramble, so lets just get right to it. :D

This is 2 coats of Riot, with Seche Vite top coat as usual.

Riot is a neon pinky/red based purple cream.

Most neon's only look great over white, or with TONS of coats.

Thankfully this only acts like a neon when it dries, meaning it needs a top coat or it will look flat.  

I've worn this several times since swatching and I LOVE it!

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Recent Empties - Hair Stuff

March 23, 2016, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Funky Fingers - As If

≪ Previous: Funky Fingers - Riot

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Hey y'all!  So here's another post of empties I've collected since my last post.  Since I don't wash my hair but maybe twice a week it takes me a while to go through these.

L'Oreal Curve It Elastic Curl Mousse and Curl Taming Cream: I am totally obsessed with both of these products.  They work just as great individually as they do together.  I also love some of the other L'Oreal Advance Haircare products, so give them a try if you're thinking about them.  These both make my curls look great for days without being heavy or sticky.  I've tried other things from the drugstore and keep going back to these.

Infusium Miracle Therapy Leave-In Treatment with Moringa Oil: I was not a fan of this at all.  I honestly don't even remember when/how I got it.  No matter how little of this I applied to my ends, it seemed like I spread it all over my head.  I love other Infusium products, just not this.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle: This has been my holy grail deep conditioner treatment for ages. In fact, I've had this one for a while because I once had a ton of coupons and they were on sale, making them around $1 each. So while I still have a few of these to go through, I have a new holy grail now.....this is still great, but I like the newer product better...and I'll have that for you at a later time. :D

Clairol Flare Hair Color in Twilight(2VV) and Burgundy(5VVR): I don't even remember when I used these last, but the reds in the Clairol Flare line are my latest favorites.

Clairol Flare 20 volume Cream Developer:  This is a sample size that I think I got for free when I purchased a few boxes of color. It's ok, not as great as the Ion for sensitive scalp though, IMO.


So, that's my latest hair empties.  What hair stuff are you loving?

Funky Fingers - As If

March 25, 2016, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Atlanta Nail Meetup - Springy Floral Nails & Haul

≪ Previous: Recent Empties - Hair Stuff

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Hey y'all!  Today I have one of the polishes Funky Fingers released sometime last year.  Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the collection, but I do know the names came from the movie Clueless.

This is one coat of As If over top of Funky Fingers Riot, as well as a top coat.

 As If is a clear based glitter topper, filled with various sized black, pink, and lavender glitters...as well as silver star glitters.

I'm not sure it's my favorite of the collection, but I had to have it just for the name.

Atlanta Nail Meetup - Springy Floral Nails & Haul

March 28, 2016, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Recent Empties - Bath & Body Stuff

≪ Previous: Funky Fingers - As If

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Hey y'all!  It's been about a year since the last Atlanta Nail Meetup & a few weeks ago we met for lunch and polish shopping.  Since then I've only purchased a few polishes, so I decided to splurge a little. And this year we had more ladies attend the fun! 

We met up for lunch at a little Mexican restaurant, swapped some polishes we wanted to destash, chatted, and had a blast.  Even better is that we're all polish addicts so we all had some beautiful mani's to share.  This is mine....

I kinda winged this & while I wasn't happy with it at first, I'm really starting to love it.  I got so many complements on it too, so I'm glad that I kept it instead of starting over.

The base is a gradient of Fresh Paint Guava and China Glaze Aquadelic (which is also the base on the accent nail). The stem of the flowers is Fresh Paint #Winning.  The flowers are Fresh Paint Honeydew with Color Club Not-So-Mellow Yellow in the center.

The dots on the accent nail are everything except #Winning.  I'm completely obsessed with peaches & aqua shades right now.  And Guava seems kinda washed out in these pictures, this mani is actually a bit more bright in person. 


After lunch we scooted over to a local nail supply store and had some fun. I could have done way more damage than I did, but some of the things I had on my list were out of stock. I actually had to keep reminding myself that I didn't NEED everything I was wanting to toss into my basket. Here's what I got...

• Brushes - because they always come in handy to clean under your nails...and even better when hands get really dirty.
• #14 Kolinsky brushes with a dotting tool on the end - The one I bought last year is still going strong as a clean-up brush and I thought it would be smart to get a few backups. SO much better, IMO than the $1 ELF brushes that seem to not even last through one use.
• Polishes (L to R) - China Glaze Hot Flash, Color Club Wham! Pow!, Color Club Port-folio, China Glaze Bite Me, China Glaze Papa Don't Preach, China Glaze My Way Or The Highway

Even though I had some anxiety issues, and traffic was HORRIBLE on the way back, I had a blast.  No, seriously, it took me 50 minutes to get there and over 90 to get home. I'm excited to play with my new pretties & I can't wait for the next meetup. 

Recent Empties - Bath & Body Stuff

March 30, 2016, 8:30 am

≫ Next: My Wedding Nails - I Got MARRIED

≪ Previous: Atlanta Nail Meetup - Springy Floral Nails & Haul

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Hey y'all!  So today I have a few bath, body, and skincare product empties to share my thoughts on.  Lets get right to it.

Up & Up Women's Shave Gel:  This was just "meh".  It served its purpose.  It takes a lot for a shaving cream or gel to impress me though, so I can't hate on it too much.

Suave Creamy Tropical Coconut Body Wash:  Year round, coconut is one of my favorite scents.  Especially in the shower. This works just as great to me as some of the more expensive options at just a fraction of the cost.  In fact, I'm currently using another coconut scented body wash and I'm not in love with it like I am with this.

Olay Pore Minimizing Cleanser Scrub& Olay Out Of This Swirled: I found Out Of This Swirled first and fell in love, then I had a difficult time finding it again so I switched to the blue one. NOW I'm not able to find either of them. I think it's because they both contained little spheres. Either way, these were so great for my skin. The spheres weren't uncomfortable or huge, it cleaned my skin perfectly and washed off cleanly.  I'm finishing up something a friend gave me now, and I'll be on the hunt for a replacement for these.

Secret Scent Expressions Cocoa Butter Kiss:  The light cocoa butter scent, and lasting power of this are perfection for me. I prefer this over the other scent options but find it more difficult to locate.

Degree Motion Sense Invisible Solid: For me, this is just horrible. I can't even get through the day without feeling like its not working...and forget if I happen to do something to make me sweat. it does nothing for me, and IDK why I even try straying away from Secret. I think it's because I try to go the cheaper route then remember why I hate it so much.

Caress Love Forever Body Wash: I think this came in a Target Beauty Box. I know I see lots of people saying that it's their absolute favorite, but I just didn't feel that impressed by it. Didn't really love the scent either. Meh.

Olay Fresh Effects Dew Over: I discovered this around the same time as the face wash & instantly fell in love. It was perfect for my super oily skin, and didn't bother my skin either. Unfortunately, it's becoming just as difficult to find so I'm going to have to search for a substitute. :(

Clinique Spot Healing Gel: I'm honestly afraid to say how long this was sitting in my bathroom drawer. It's amazing, but there are drugstore options out there that are just as great. So glad I was able to get rid of this finally without feeling like I was throwing money away.

Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion: This felt like a thin lotion to me.  I don't even remember how I got this sample, but I wasn't impressed by it. I used this up by keeping it on my nail desk to moisturize between swatches. I will say a little did go a long way with this though, so it did take me a while to finish it up.


What's your favorite shower gel/body wash? Favorite scent?

My Wedding Nails - I Got MARRIED

April 1, 2016, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Funky Fingers - Totally Buggin'

≪ Previous: Recent Empties - Bath & Body Stuff

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Hey y'all!  So if you couldn't tell by the title, and you don't follow me on Instagram, I recently got married. No, this isn't an April Fools joke. My husband(yes it still feels weird saying that, even months later) and I have been together for well over a decade & just said "why not already".

We decided to go simple, small, and non-traditional. Even better, it was mostly stress free.  I say mostly because a few days before I ended up breaking a nail on my right hand below the nail line & ended up changing my entire nail shape(which I'm LOVING BTW) rather than cutting all of them down. Not to mention various other things.

My dress was a simple sleeveless, knee-length comfortable one. It's a aqua, cobalt blue, cream, and black chevron (or zig zag) design that I picked up on sale, AND with a coupon, at JC Penney.  So instead of doing something like a french mani, I went with leopard print in the colors of the dress.

Finding the right shade, because I'm OCD that way, was time consuming, but I felt that China Glaze Aquadelic and Zoya Sia were the two that I needed(out of the 20+ I pulled out of my Helmers).

The design itself was pretty easy and didn't really take long at all.  And to tie the black on the dress, I used acrylic paint for the lines on the spots.

We, as in the two of us and our son, were the only ones at the ceremony. We decided on simple bands as well.  Our "photographer", aka our son, only took 2 pictures with our cell, so this is what I took after the ceremony. The morning of, snow was threatening to shut everything down but thankfully it was minimal....though it was COLD wearing a short length dress and walking in under an umbrella so that my hair didn't get covered.

Of course, the next day we went to get the certificate & I had to make a Starbucks stop on the way home to try the Molten Chocolate Latte.  It was AMAZEBALLZ.  I liked it way more than just the cafe mocha & definitely more than the Molten Chocolate Frappe (which my husband went to get me a few days later & ended up stuck in traffic).