Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Laugh, Love, Contour is taking a break the rest of the week!

Greetings, dear readers! I just wanted to check in from the sunny Las Vegas! Cosmoprof North America is coming to a close today, and I will be homeward bound Thursday. As a result, I do not foresee any posts the rest of this week, but I will be back next week to start sharing all the fabulous products I have come across this week. I have been sharing a few sneak peeks on social media, but that has just been the tiniest tip of the iceberg. I hope you're ready!

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Monday, July 30, 2018

Ellagee Polish for August 2018 Polish Pickup: Superstar

Press Sample


July is rapidly coming to a close, and with the upcoming weekend comes the reopening of the Polish Pickup. Each month indie nail polish brands are provided with a prompt, and makers use this prompt to select their own specific inspiration and design a polish. The nail polishes are then made available to first weekend of the month on the Polish Pickup website, purchases are made as a pre-order, and selected products shipped out to customers approximately three weeks later. It is a great way to build up your nail polish collection if you have a love of specific themes, and there is no requirements of how many you purchase, or if you even need to make any purchases at all! Polish Pickup means you get only the polishes YOU want. The theme for August is Musicals, and today's post features the upcoming offering by Ellagee Polish.


Superstar is inspired by Andrew Lloyd Weber's masterpiece, Jesus Christ Superstar.


Superstar starts off with a rich plum base with the addition of vivid purple and hot pink shimmer plus metallic and multichrome flakes in shades of bronze, bright copper, and deep red.


Superstar applies really nicely to the nails. In spite of all the shimmer and flakes, the application is smooth and creamy, although you my have a stray flake wanting to hang off your nail. These strays easily push back up onto the nail or can be pulled off, whichever you prefer. Richly pigmented, I used two coats for full opacity. Those with shorter nails or who tend to paint with thicker coats may find they only need one coat to cover visible nail line. I have also added in a coat of Ellagee's Glass top coat for these photos.


This is such a pretty colour with a shiny finish, but I naturally had to see it matte! I added a coat of KBShimmer's Oh Matte! top coat to really make the flakes show against the plum background.


As pretty as this is shiny, I think I prefer the way it looks matte. Using matte top coat really brings out all the components beautifully!


Superstar will be available for purchase from the Polish Pickup website this weekend only from August 3rd through 6th. It will retail for $11 and there is no cap on the number of bottles that will be available for purchase.


Will you be adding Superstar to your Polish Pickup wishlist? Do you prefer it shiny or matte? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!



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Facebook Group (Polish Pickup Pack): www.facebook.com/groups/polishpickuppack
Instagram: www.instagram.com/PolishPickup

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Friday, July 27, 2018

A New Season, A New Skincare Routine: My Summer Morning Product Picks

Press Samples and Purchased Products


Ah, summer, the time of year when school is out, the days are long, and some of the best times include lounging by the pool or going on a fun adventure with friends! When you're an adult and in the working world, summer isn't quite the same as when you were a kid, but there are some noticeable changes, particularly when it comes to your skin. The higher temperatures, changes in humidity, and some summer activities has an effect on your skin; often we kind ourselves having to switch up our skincare products and routine to meet our skin's current needs. These are the products I've been using this summer.


Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Facial Cleanser (Sensitive Skin)

Some products are my tried and true year-round, and this face wash is just that for me. The sensitive skin formula removes dirt and grime without stripping my skin. It removes light makeup application reasonably well as well although I am a stickler about not sleeping in makeup so that isn't something I deal with for my morning routine.


There was a time when I was younger when washing my face was enough, but that is definitely no longer the case! As you age, your skin often starts to shed dead layers unevenly, resulting in a dull appearance. While I do exfoliate my skin once or twice a week, I like to use this mild exfoliating toner for day to day gentle smoothening and brightening.


Pixi Skintreats Nourishing Lip Polish

Because the lips are on your face and this is part of my daily morning routine, I wanted to include the Pixi lip polish in today's post. This product is dispensed from a textured silicone tip that massages your lips to help stimulate circulation for a healthy, plumped effect. This product is geared towards dry and sensitive lips, and I originally picked up my first tube after my long spell of illness after illness to treat my poor, suffering lips. Even though my lips are no longer dry, I still keep this as part of my routine to gently slough off any dry spots. I massage on a thin layer and let it soak into my lips while I finish up my morning routine. The lip polish has soaked in by the time I'm ready to put on my lipstick and run out the door to start the day.


Able Skincare Mandelic Acid Expert Age Spot Corrector

The Mandelic Acid Expert Age Spot Corrector is a new to me product this summer, and while it is still pretty early for a final opinion, I really have been enjoying it thus far. Mandelic acid is infused with Coralline algae and squalene to target hyper pigmentation due to aging, blemishes, or uneven skin tone while improving skin texture and elasticity. It leaves my skin feeling ultra-smooth, and I really love that it sits well under my makeup.


Malin + Goetz Revitalizing Eye Gel

The Revitalizing Eye Gel is a newer product to the Malin + Goetz product lineup, and I have been loving it! My skin doesn't perform well with heavier creams over the hot summer months, and this gel is the perfect solution to brighten my eyes and treat any dryness. The lightweight formula is absorbed quickly into my skin so I can finish up my routine and get out the door sooner.


L'Oreal Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care (Oily Skin)

I opted to pick up this light moisturizer on a whim while at Target one day, and I am so glad I did! Over the summer, my skin only needs a light moisturizing boost during the day, and the Hydra Genius fits the bill perfectly. It smoothes onto my face quickly and is absorbed quickly. The oily skin formula is described to have a matte finish, although I find the finish to be more satin than a true flat matte. I really like that it contains aloe water and hyaluronic acid for both an instantaneous and continuing moisturizing effect. I'm skeptical that this moisturizer will be enough for me in the drier winter months, but I certainly am enjoying it for now until my skin needs more.


CōTZ Face Tinted Sunscreen

The final step in my skin care routine is sunscreen, and I don't know if I even have the words for how much I love this one from CōTZ! This mineral-based sunscreen is tinted; long gone are the days of having the dreaded post-sunscreen white cast on my face! The formula is a little on the thicker side, and once applied and pressed into the skin, my face is incredibly soft. As if this wasn't enough, what really sets the CōTZ facial sunscreen apart from others I have tried is that it primes my skin perfectly for makeup application. I've skipped adding a true makeup primer all summer, and my makeup is holding up beautifully throughout the day. While my foundation does eventually start to break down, it lasts just as long when I've used the CōTZ Face Tinted Sunscreen verses one of my makeup primers.


Looking at this photo, it seems like I use quite a few products in my morning routine, but everything applies quickly for me and I can go about my day in no time.

What skincare products are you enjoying this summer? I'd love to hear your top picks!

I'm going to be Las Vegas bound later today for Cosmoprof North America, so be sure to follow me on social media to see what products I discover!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day and enjoy the weekend!
XO!

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Thursday, July 26, 2018

BPS Dual-Ended Quartz Filled Cuticle Remover and Silicone Tool

Press Sample


Greetings, dear readers! I hope you have been having a wonderful week! I am finishing up a few last minute things before I head out to Las Vegas for Cosmoprof North America this upcoming Sunday through Tuesday! If you aren't already, be sure to follow me on social media for updates and finding throughout the show! Of course I'll have a post up after I get back, but this way you can get early sneak peeks on what I've stumbled across and couldn't wait to share. Now on to today's post!


In my latest shipment from Born Pretty Store, I received this beautiful dual-sided tool! One end is a firm stone tool while the other is a soft silicone tool. It is meant for gently scraping back your cuticles, but I found the silicone side to be perfect to suit my nail art needs! 


As you can tell from these photos, my nails have a bit of a c-curve. This curving makes some techniques a little trickier. While simple stamping is pretty straightforward side-roll of the tool, applying stamped decals is trickier. The silicone side of this tool is the perfect solution to gently push the decals down to fit nicely along the curvature of my nails. Once I have finished with the placement, I can then switch to the firmer stone side and press it down along the intersection of the polish decal and my fingers. Once I have traced along the decal-finger interface with the stone edge, I flip the tool back over the the silicone side to retrace the line. With the slightest wiggle action, these steps break off the excess decal that can then easily be pulled off rather than having to do a harsher acetone cleanup.


Another nail art technique that is trickier for me due to my curved nail beds is when it comes to using nail vinyls. They just don't lay down very well when it comes to the edges of my nails, and I occasionally end up with polish sneaking under the lines and getting a less-crisp image than I prefer. The silicone end of this tool is fantastic as it allows me to firmly press the vinyls down onto my nail without having to worry about any residual oil residue transferring from my fingertips onto my nails or pressing a little to hard with my fingers and potentially denting my base polish.


Now that I have used this tool, I am wondering how I've managed without it previously! It seems so simple, and yet I've found the little things I would struggle with are no longer an issue for me.

It can be purchased from the Born Pretty Store here. Each dual sided tool retails for $2.39, although at the time of this post, it is marked down to $1.99. While there, be sure to check out the other items Born Pretty Store offers to suit your nail art needs.


You can also save 10% off full-priced items with discount code QWL91.


Other products used:

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer: Welcome to the Coast
Born Pretty Store: Colorful Fairy Tale
Ever After Polish: Mrs. Robinson
Glisten & Glow: Wedding Gown White
Young Nails Caption: Boho Bungalow stamping plate

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!



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Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Polish Pickup Returns! Presenting Sandy by KBShimmer

Press Sample


After officially taking the month off for July, Polish Pickup is making an entrance with its Musicals theme for the month of August! This month, indie nail polish makers have been inspired by theatrical musicals, film adaptations, and television musical twists alike. Pull up a seat and get comfortable for the first act of my musical-themed reviews! For today's post, I have Sandy by KBShimmer to share with you. Let's check it out!


Brand owner Christy considers Grease to be one of her favorite movies, so when the theme of Musicals was selected, she already knew where she would be pulling her inspiration. The film starts with our two young lovebirds on the beach, and this is what inspired Sandy.


Sandy starts off with a base the colour of a sandy beach before being loaded up with a shimmer that shifts from the pink of sunset to the blue of Danny's eyes. Holographic glow flakes are then added to jazz up this gorgeous nude polish with sparkle to get you through even the longest of office meetings.


I'm a fan of musicals in general, but I do have a soft spot for Grease in particular. I was very involved with the drama activities in high school, and we performed Grease my freshman year. My part was very minor as an extra student throughout the show, but it was still so much fun to be involved! I was really excited to see KBShimmer use it for their inspiration, and the resulting Polish Pickup exclusive shade is stunning!


Those that are already familiar with the brand know that the formulas of KBShimmer nail polishes are top notch, and Sandy is no exception to the rule. Even with all the shimmer and glow flakes, Sandy applies with just a few smooth and easy strokes of the brush. While two coats might be enough for some to reach opacity and cover any visible nail line, I opted to add a third coat. I then topped my nails off with KBShimmer's Clearly on Top top coat so an extra shiny and lasting finish for these photos.


Sandy will ONLY be available for purchase from the Polish Pickup from August 3rd through the 6th. It will retail for $10 per bottle, and there is no cap on how many bottles will be made available. Please note that all Polish Pickup orders are submitted as a preorder and to allow three weeks for polishes to be shipped out to you.


Will you be adding Sandy to you Polish Pickup wishlist? What are your favorite musicals? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!


Helpful Links
Facebook Group (Polish Pickup Pack): www.facebook.com/groups/polishpickuppack
Instagram: www.instagram.com/PolishPickup

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Monday, July 23, 2018

Date Night with Born Pretty Store Colorful Fairy Tale Holographic Nail Polish

Press Sample

Summer may be a time of bright nail colours, but when it comes to date night, I want something dark and sexy no matter what season we're in. I had the opportunity to try out one of the new holographic nail polishes from Born Pretty Store, and it was the perfect shade for date nights! Let's get a closer look at Colorful Fairy Tale!


Colorful Fairy Tale is one of those shades that will have you scratching your head and keep you guessing. It's not exactly black, but it isn't exactly a purple either. In other lighting and angles, particularly with my light setup, it starts to look like a strongly deep purple-based brown shade. However you choose to describe the colour itself, I think we all can agree that it is a gorgeous shade!


On top of the gorgeous colour, the formula was fabulous! Smooth a creamy, it applied easy and quickly to my nails.


Colorful Fairy Tale is a richly pigmented polish. I only needed to use one coat for opacity, as shown in these photos with the addition of top coat. It applied slightly thinner on my pinky nail so it likely would have benefitted with a second coat, particularly under my bright lights.

Colorful Fairy Tale is available for purchase here from Born Pretty Store. Each 6ml bottle retails for $7.99, although it is currently marked down to $6.99 at the time of this post.


While you are on the site, be sure to check out what all Born Pretty Store offers for your nail art needs! You can save 10% off full priced items with discount code QWL91.


Have you tried any nail polishes from Born Pretty Store? What sorts of colours are you enjoying right now? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!


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Saturday, July 21, 2018

Highlights from the Beauty Spotlight Team

The Beauty Spotlight Team is excited to welcome a new member joining the group with her terrific beauty (and more) posts. Meet Kate of Kate Loves Makeup who is a 32 year old makeup lover from Texas. Besides having two dogs she adores Kate works full-time in Finance and Accounting and enjoys wine, photography, trashy reality television, cop shows, and hiking. Let's show her a big welcome by reading her first post for us.

 Kate Loves Makeup[/caption] Kate Loves Makeup is sharing her review of the new Charlotte Tilbury Glowing Pretty Skin Palette. Find out what she thinks and see how this palette compares to other best-selling Charlotte Tilbury products! 

When the Makeup Wars Team decided to feature our favorite lipsticks, Lola's Secret Beauty Blog selected the obsession-worthy KJAER WEIS Lipstick in Honor because it is unquestionably the perfect nude pink– plus it’s cruelty-free! Check out the review and swatches! #kjaerweis 

Pammy Blogs Beauty gets an amazing paraffin spa treatment at home with Parasilk's Glove Treat disposable paraffin treatment

Lisa from Beauty Info Zone may get irritated with Limited Editions but that doesn't stop her love for these new Zoella Splash Botanics. See what her excitement is all about. 

Polarbelle is sharing her experience at The Makeup Show NYC and her picks from the Inglot booth featuring the new JLo collections. There is some talk of Cozzette shadows and a Get Ready With Me as well. 

Tired of fighting the frizz? Prime Beauty has a variety of Shea Moisture Hair Care products than can help tame the summer frizzies. 

15 Minute Beauty has a look at this year's Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye & Cheek Set from the Nordstrom Sale. Have you bought it yet? 

Does your skin get dry or dehydrated in the summer? Never Say Die Beauty is very impressed by the brand new memory gel MyChelle Bio-Firm Hydrogel Concentrate, a solid serum with hyaluronic acid and bioactives that's lightweight, fast absorbing and perfect for summer dry skin! 

Summer usually means brightly coloured nails, but what is a girl to do when she needs a softer palette cleanser or just can’t wear such vibrant shades at the office? Jen from Laugh, Love, Contour has the new Londontown summer duo on her blog as a great option for those trying to answer those questions! 

Stacie, the Makeup Obsessed Mom, has a review and giveaway for the new Lorac Pro Palette 4 over on her blog.  

Christa from Realizing Beauty has struggled with facial redness for years. See how Dermkalm Rosa Cream has helped her tame her problem.



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