Thursday, December 10, 2020

Stocker Stuffers for the Beauty Product Lovers in Your Life

 We are racing at full speed into the holiday season with Hanukkah starting this evening! While my family doesn't celebrate the holiday, I have several friends that do, and I have no doubt some of you wonderful readers do as well! Happy Hanukkah to those that celebrate!



I know many are still shopping for gifts, and if you're anything like me, you'll have all the gifts purchased and then remember at the last minute you haven't picked up any stocking stuffers! Consider this post a reminder to pick them up! I'm not filling stockings for any beauty product lovers for the foreseeable future, but I still wanted to share a list of things I would love to put in stockings this year.



KBShimmer Sugar Scrubs

I've not made it a secret that I love KBShimmer's Sugar Scrubs. I always have at least one, if not two, hanging out in the upper alcove in my shower (to help keep water out of it). While the scent options vary monthly with the opening of the Polish Pickup shops, KBShimmer carries a selection of their own scent options on their website. Whether you want to use them as part of your manicure and pedicure routine or as part of your full shower routine, you really can't go wrong with it! Deep Cashmere is one of my personal favorites this time of year for its cozy, warm scent.


The Brush Guard Cosmetic Brush Sleeve Sets

If your beauty lover wears cosmetics, these brush sets are a must have! Cosmetic brushes get expensive quickly, and I am a fan of protecting your investment. I love to use these sleeves to help my brushes get their shape after a washing each week so I don't have to worry about early fraying. I also use them while storing my brushes, and they are the perfect brush travel companion! They are available in different sizes, and I've got an extra variety pack on hand for when I lose a sleeve or add another brush to my collection.


ASP Just For You Manicure Tool Set

With more and more people doing their nails at home, a manicure implement kit would be greatly appreciated! ASP is a brand that caught my attention this year, and I love that it is readily available at my local Sally's store. If you have multiple people in your home that would use these, I always recommend getting a set for each person to keep things sanitary. At only $17 a set, it's worth the affordable cost to help keep things clean!



Blenderelle Makeup Blender Case

While I'm certainly a "brush" girl when it comes to my makeup application, I still use a blender for certain things. The down side to a blender is they get pretty gross if they aren't cleaned and dried properly, and that means not sealing it in a plastic bag! I stumbled across the Blenderelle and fell in love with these storage containers! I started out with the original, which looks like a flower bud when closed, but they have added this cool crystal design since then. No matter which style of case you prefer, both have small holes to allow proper air flow so your blender can dry. No more leaving dirty blenders just sitting on your vanity! One added bonus in my case is it keeps my cat from running off with my blender! Prior to owning one, my previous cat would abscond with my blenders and I never did find them, even when packing up and moving across state lines!


Cuccio Naturalé Whipped Hemp Revitalizing Butter

Winter brings dry weather, and using extra moisturizing lotions and butters becomes a necessity! I'm particularly fond of this Hemp Revitalizing Butter, as the hemp seed oil, cupuaçu seed butter, and chia oil are incredible at rejuvenating and nourishing the skin. A little goes a long way so your giftee can look forward to many uses from this jar! This is perfect for skin health in general and definitely feels like a pampering treat!



I hope this post helps give you a few more ideas of different items to add to your beauty lover's stocking this year! I wanted to include some consumables in addition to some of my preferred staples that I've not really seen mentioned frequently.

How is your holiday shopping going thus far? Are you almost done or have you been putting it off?

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


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Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Krampusnacht with KBShimmer

 Greetings, dear readers! It's been not so fun times around here since my knee injury last week. I'm actually going to need surgery and they have rushed it to this week. Yikes! I'm getting around on crutches for the time being but it's not exactly been a fun time.


Press Sample


I don't know if it was my current mood with the injury, dealing with all that 2020 has thrown out, or just in the mood for something different, but I felt the urge to create Krampus nails for Krampusnacht this past weekend. I had the gorgeous new KBShimmer multichromes begging for some love, and the darkness of Obsidian and Much Lava To You were exactly what I had in mind. I hope you enjoy my quick and easy nail art!



I really didn't want to add too much to cover up the multichromes, and I opted to keep the final look simple. Using What's Up Nails Hotter Than Red Stamping Polish, I applied a few images from the Bah Humbug-02 Stamping Plate by Hit the Bottle.

I'm loving this look! It's fitting my mood recently, for better or for worse, and the multichromes are incredible! I still have the other two I want to use for nail art once I can decide exactly what I want to do with them.

Have you picked up the newest KBShimmer multichromes? Which one is your favorite? I'd love to hear from you!

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


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Saturday, December 5, 2020

Highlights from the Beauty Spotlight Team

It’s Polish Pick Up this weekend and Kristi over at BeginNails reviewed KBShimmer’s contribution called Cats and Pajamas.



Have you tried dry brushing? Never Say Die Beauty tried the 4 Step natural, vegan dry brushing set from Ida Body Care, and her dry, itchy skin has never felt better!




Prime Beauty’s favorite bath and body line Nectar has a lovely Holiday Collection that everyone on your list will love.

  


Have you found the perfect gift yet? Have you found one that’s one size fits all adults? Beauty Info Zone has the answer to that question with the Conair ExtremeSteam Handheld Fabric Steamer. How did Marcia live without it?



Is facial mist a must have product? I Know all the Words thinks it is. She’s sharing a few budget friendly options perfect for any skincare routine.


Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog loves a great beauty gadget, and the FOREO BEAR Smart Microcurrent Facial Toning Device is just that! It’s easy to use, ultra-effective, and well-worth the splurge!



If you’ve been afraid to try false lashes in the past, you’ll want to take a look at an easy to apply option over on The Makeup Obsessed Mom blog.



Everything is FINE. Just FINE! This is the mantra many clung to throughout all the twists and turns thrown out at us in 2020. This became the theme for the final month of the Polish Pickup, open through Monday, December 7th. Jen from Laugh, Love, Contour has the offering by ellagee Polish, Lawn And Order, on her blog this week for your shopping consideration.



Cassie over at Southeast by Midwest is unboxing Six Months of Birchbox in one post! If you want to see if Birchbox is worth subscribing to, this would be a good way to find out.






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Thursday, December 3, 2020

ellagee Polish is Back for the Final Polish Pickup with Lawn And Order

 Tomorrow is the day! The December Polish Pickup Shop will be open for the next four days, and do I have some amazing news for you: ellagee Polish has created a nail lacquer for the event! I'm so excited to see the brand make a return, and I know many of you will be a well! For today's blog post, I have ellagee's offering, called Lawn And Order, to share with you. It's a beauty, so I hope you are ready!


Press Sample


Lawn And Order was inspired by the Four Seasons Total Landscaping Press Conference held last month. Like many events in 2020, it wasn't something we would have expected to think of when it came to 2020, and yet here we are.


Lawn And Order starts off with a beautiful teal blue base and is jam packed with blue to green shifting shimmer. It truly is a stunning, and as Laura, the creative mastermind behind ellagee Polish puts it the shimmer "sparkles with hope for the future". 


I have a weakness for teal shades, and this one is positively exquisite! The colour is incredible; I'm sure to wear this baby frequently! The formula is also really nice as it applies flawlessly to the nails without issue. I used two coats for opacity plus top coat for these photos.




Please keep in mind that orders to the Polish Pickup are submitted as a pre-order and to allow 3+ weeks for shipping. This allows the indie brands ample time to create all the necessary products at the close of the Polish Pickup monthly opening, ship it to Polish Pickup headquarters, and then packaged together and sent to customers. It may slow the process down some, but it's a great way to pick up a large assortment from different makers for one very low shipping cost!

The December Polish Pickup will be open Friday, December 4th through Monday, December 7th. This is the only time to pick up the items offered in the shop so be sure to be there to snag whatever items you have your eye on!

Are you as excited as I am to see ellagee Polish return to the Polish Pickup? What items are on your wishlist? I'd love to hear from you!

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


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Wednesday, December 2, 2020

One Final Polish Pickup for the Year: Offerings by KBShimmer

 Oh, 2020, amirite? It has been quite the year with one thing after another, not to mention the major elephant in the room that is COVID-19. Yours truly definitely had more than her fair share of issues thanks to this *bleep*ing virus, but hey, I'm still here and hanging on! Naturally, as the year has entered its final month, I had a little accident with my knee yesterday and I'm waiting for doctor followup to find out just how bad and what it will take to fix. Sigh. Everything is just FINE.


Press Sample


To end the dumpster fire that is 2020, the theme for the December Polish Pickup is "Everything is FINE". Indie brands pulled their inspiration from different events and mini themes that occurred throughout the year, and for today's blog post, I have the nail polish and sugar scrub offerings by KBShimmer to share with you. As I like to start off a manicure with a good scrubbing first, let's start off with Cozy At Home!


Cozy At Home Hand and Body Sugar Scrub


When the world is in turmoil, our homes becomes a sanctuary. The simple pleasures become important; a warm blanket, a fuzzy pair of socks, a loving nudge from a pet, or a pleasing scent can calm and sooth us on the craziest of days. When life gets to be too much, I long to be cozy at home.


At first smell, Cozy At Home starts off sweet with a hint of vanilla before deeper notes of tonka beans develop. Rich and complex, subtle floral notes from jasmine and vanilla add depth, while a very subtle hint of patchouli anchors this intoxicating blend.


The cold, dry winter days are rough on your skin, with dry leathery skin following closely behind if you aren't mindful of your skin's condition. The fine sugar scrub is made using olive oil, castor seed oil, palm kernel oil, and cocoa seed butter to left your skin soft and nourished in addition to sloughing off any dry patches.


In addition to using the KBShimmer sugar scrubs periodically on my hands, I also like to use them on my body for the occasional once over to remove dead skin and a little more frequently on the backs of my arms as I have those obnoxious tiny bumps.




Cats & Pajamas Nail Polish


For most of us, 2020 did not work out as planned. Trips were cancelled and outings were postponed as we all scrambled to find toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Families started cooking together more and chatting around the dining table. Lots of cats and dogs found homes as more people treasured their company. Many shifted to working from home, and comfy pajama pants replaced stuffy work attire. Plaid patterns come in a rainbow of hues, but KBShimmer's favorites are a well-worn pair of pink, orange and gray.




Cats & Pajamas is a nod to flannel pajamas and animals that kept us company while at home. A blue-leaning gray crelly base is flecked with glowing holo flecks. Color-shifting flakes shift between fuchsia, pink and orange.


Cats & Pajamas was thiclose to being a two coater for me, but I did end up needing a third coat under my bright light setup. Those with shorter nails or that tend to paint with slightly thicker coats than me likely can get away with just two. I followed up Cats & Pajamas with KBShimmer's Clearly On Top top coat for the previous photos.

I love the look of flake-filled crellies with a matte top coat; I have added a layer of KBShimmer's Oh Matte! Matte Top Coat to my nails in the following pictures.






The December Polish Pickup will be open from Friday, December 4th through Monday, December 7th. Please keep in mind that orders through the Polish Pickup are submitted as a pre-order; please allow 3+ weeks for orders to be shipped to you. This system allows for multiple bottles of nail polish and items to be shipped to you in a single package for only $3 domestic shipping, and it is well worth the wait!

Are you ready for the December opening of the Polish Pickup? What items do you have on your wishlist? I'd love to hear from you!

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


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