Purple Ombre Nails

Today I did a Purple Ombre that is perfect for the transition to fall!  I have done a few ombre's in the past and I have found what works best for me.  Start by putting tape around the sides of your nails to make cleanup later much easier.  Start with a light base color either white, or in this case I used the lightest purple shade.  Then I took a triangle makeup sponge and painted a stripe of each color overlapping and blotted it several times on each nail.  After the first coat dries of this do it again to build up the colors and create more of a fade between each shade.  I used three colors for this look:  The darkest purple is Revlon Moon Candy in Orbit, the medium shade is Sally Hanson Xtreme Wear in Grey Area, and the lightest is NCLA As If! from my July Popsugar box!  After sponging take off the tape and clean up around nail beds with paint brush and acetone.  Top it off with Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.  Next time I will take photo's of each step I promise!  Does this make you want to try Ombre nail's this fall?

L-R:  Revlon Moon Candy in Orbit, Sally Hanson Xtreme Wear in Grey Matters, NCLA in As If!

What I'm Lovin' Wednesday's

Every Wednesday I will let you in on a product or item that is making my life better :)  Hence, What I'm Lovin' Wednesday's!

Last night I finally tried my Michael Todd Pumpkin Nutrient Rich Facial Mask from my August Ipsy bag.  This stuff was great!  It actually is pumpkin, the texture, smell , color etc is all there which threw me off at first!  However, the results were great!  I loved the tingle effect the product had and left my face very soft.  Ipsy has a 30% off code till the end of the month if you order this product I think I might need a full size, however I can see how this deluxe sample I received will last a long time!  Here's the info straight from the site.

  

 Michael Todd    

Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask The Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask is a nutrient rich mask that is blended with Pumpkin and Glycol Acid. This rejuvenating facial treatment removes dead skin, impurities and toxins, moisturizes and firms, improves elasticity and pliability of the skin, unclogs pores allowing skin to breathe and facilitates movement of skin oils. Adds brightness and radiance to the skin and significantly improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Directions: After cleansing, apply an even layer over face and neck. Avoid eye area. Leave on for 5-10 minutes and rinse. Follow with moisturizer and use sunscreen during the day. May be used at intervals of 1-2 weeks. Side effects of Glycol Acid include occasional mild irritation and sun sensitivity. 

JUST DON'T TRY TO BAKE A PIE WITH IT :)

     

Gelish Lust at First Sight

I finally made it to Sally to pick up some new fall Gelish shades!  Gelish Under Her Spell is the new collection of 6 shades sold at Sally or on Amazon or Ebay.  I picked up 4 of the new colors they were on sale for $10 a .3 oz bottle until August 31st.  I had to try my favorite first Lust At First Sight.  It is a beautiful smoky purple.  I used 1 coat of Gelish Foundation, 3 coats of Lust at First Sight, and 1 coat of Gelish Top it Off.  I love how it turned out!  I completed the look with a Julep Clio accent nail.  Can't wait to try all of the fall shades, but at least for this week I am keeping this one on!  What do you think of the new fall Gelish shades?

If you pick up a bottle at Sally's they are $10 on sale or regular $13.95 for Beauty club members for a mini .3 oz bottle.  As always you can buy a .5 oz bottle on the internet for a similar price usually $12-14 with shipping!  

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gelish-Soak-Off-Gel-Under-Her-Spell-Lust-At-First-Sight-0-5oz-01581-/281152501430?pt=US_Nail_Care&hash=item4175feb6b6

Barkbox August

This month I got my first Barkbox.  I recently signed up for a 6 month membership for $16 a month after a promo code.  We have 2 doggies, a 50 pound 11 year old Black Lab mix Athena, and a 3 year old 10 pound Yorkie Bichon mix Sookie.   I chose the small dog box because our large dog will snack on anything!  

Hear Doggy Whale by Quaker Pet Group ($5.89):  A squeaker toy that only a dog can hear!  Crazy!  Only Sookie likes to play with toys and often doesn't care if they squeak or not, but this is perfect for the squeaker annoyed dog owner.

Barkworthies Natural Hickory Beef Treats ($9.41):  The doggies love these soft treats!

The Honest Kitchen Ice Pups (.99):  You put this packet into ice cubes and make a special treat for your dogs.  My dogs don't eat ice, but I know a few who do I will pass this on

Barkworthies Bully Flakes (4.50):  This product is made of ground up Bully Sticks, you are supposed to add it to food for older or picky dogs.  I have neither, but have certainly had sick doggies that needed some extra help I will hold on to these. 

Primal Pet Liver Munchies (6.50):  Again, the doggies love soft treats, these are a winner!

This months Barkbox totaled almost $28 in goodies.  I will continue to be excited to see what's in each month box, this one was a winner and the doggies were happy :)  If you are interested in Barkbox click the link below you will receive $5 off your first month and you will receive a free greatest hits Barkbox filled with past goodies! (coupon good till September 8th)

https://barkbox.com  Coupon Code: E813888635

Maybelline Color Show Vintage Leather #895 Classic Camel

Today I was strolling through Target and walked by the new Fall display of Maybelline Vintage Leather polishes.  There were 6 different shades, most of them greys or dark purples and then this gorgeous orange color!  #895 Classic Camel right up my alley, I am a sucker for anything orange!  The finish is extremely matte, it dries as you are applying it!  Even so the application was easy and quick.  I tried it also with a matte top coat and it actually made it shinier than the finish it already was.  I prefer it without a topcoat, we will see then how long it lasts!  I used OPI liquid sands in Honey Ryder on my ring finger accent and the glitter topcoat from Revlon Moon Candy in 270 Cosmic for the yellow glitter accent nail.  Target sells this line for $2.99 what a steal, can't wait to go back and check out the other colors, I already know I NEED the grey one ;).  Are you going to head out and pick up any Maybelline Vintage Leather polishes?  

maybelline vintage leather in classic camel with opi honey ryder liquid sands accent nail and revlon moon candy yellow glitter topcoat in 270 cosmic

photo above is with matte topcoat, see the shine it added!

maybelline vintage leather in classic camel with opi honey ryder liquid sands accent nail and revlon moon candy yellow glitter topcoat in 270 cosmic

RocksBox

Hello!  I just signed up for a 3 month subscription of RocksBox.  RocksBox is the Netflix of the Jewelry world!  You will receive through the mail 3 pieces at a time which includes necklaces, rings, bracelets or earrings based on your style profile.  You then can keep the items for up to 60 days, send them back in the prepaid envelopes or keep them for a reduced member price.  I am excited to give it a try and will post pics and review as soon as I receive my first shipment!  If you want to try RocksBox click on the link below and you will get your first month for free!  Each additional month is $19 for the month to month plan, but you can cancel anytime!

http://curebit.com/x/MraOPv  first month free!


*post contains referral link

Essie For The Twill Of It

Today I tried out my new bottle of the Essie Fall 2013 shade FOR THE TWILL OF IT.  It is a grey/purple/blue/green duo chrome that is a shade shifter!  I think this is a universally great shade for anyone and it goes with lots of different outfits!  I tried an accent nail with Julep Clio from the Champagne Trio.  On a side note I had some ladies over from work this weekend and the Champagne trio was a popular choice for manicure Monday in my house!  The shades were gorgeous.  I am really loving this combo and plan to wear it a few times this fall, which is saying a lot!  ( I have a problem with only wearing colors once :)  What do you think of For the Twill of It?  You can pick it up right now at Ulta, Target or of course Amazon for msrp of $8.  I included lot of pics due to the shifting colors!

http://www.amazon.com/Essie-Fall-2013-For-Twill/dp/B00D7MZ224/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377042889&sr=8-1&keywords=essie+for+the+twill+of+it

I bought the set of 4 mini bottles of the Fall shades to try a little of everything!

http://www.amazon.com/Essie-Fall-Automne-2013-Mini/dp/B00D7NDJTG/ref=pd_sbs_bt_2

Ipsy August Bag

Ipsy is a monthly subscription bag for makeup and other hair and skin products .  You pay $10 a month and receive 4-5 full size or deluxe sized samples along with a makeup bag every month!  I have been with Ipsy for 4 months now and have gotten some seriously great products!  It is fun to try new things, brands and new colors and stay on budget.  Ipsy also sends along coupon promo codes for each brand they feature in their bag that month so its easy to re-buy something you loved.  I also appreciate the facebook spoilers they release in the beginning of the month because I can't handle surprises :)  It seems like most months everybody recieves 3 of the same products and the other 2 you get are chosen for you from your beauty profile from 4-5 items they are featuring that month, so there is some surprises involved.  Ipsy also lets you review your products on their website to better choose future products for you.  Now you know the deal lets get to the goods!

Ipsy September Makeup Bag Theme:  Glamour Academy

My Haul:
Mica Beauty Shimmer Powder in 17 Bronze .1 oz (est $14.95)
Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in 69 1 g (est $9.78)
Pixie Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black 3.0g (est $7.14)
Smashbox PhotoFinish Primer .25floz (est $9.00)
Michael Todd Pumpkin Rich Facial Mask 1 fl oz (est $10)

I love all these products!  Can't wait to try them out especially them lipstick and pumpkin mask.  I added up the value of these products for their sizes and it comes to $50.87 plus the makeup bag!  Why aren't you signed up for Ipsy yet!?!  

Sign up here $10 a month cancel anytime:  http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hg2f0wfj5fv616x4 

Happy Dog Box

I came across a promo for a free Happy Dog Box I just had to pay $4.99 for shipping.  Happy Dog Box lets you select between small/medium/ or large size dog (larger dog was $9.99 shipping) and then they send you a box of doggie treats and toys each month.  If you keep the subscription they mail you a box once a month and charge $29.99.  I thought I would give it a shot even though I had just signed up for Barkbox (first month is on its way) which is a similar service.  I ordered the box on 7/24 and recieved it on 8/12.  Here's what I thought!

There was an information card with descriptions of each item included.

My box included a bag of "homemade" treats, Dynamo Dog Hip and Joint treats, Kangaroo Jerky, a toy that you can put treats into, a set of poop bags and a chewy bone that is not pictured because my husband couldn't wait to give it to the dog!  

Although I am not going to look up the value for each of these items I know it was worth the $4.99 I paid, however I did not feel it was worth the $29.99 a month for the Happy Dog Box service.  I promptly cancelled no harm done!  I can't wait for Barkbox to come so I can compare.

China Glaze Its a Trap-Eze

I am officially on a 10 day vacation from work.  You know what that means?  I am free to try some fun and funky nail polishes!  I recently ordered a bottle of China Glaze Its a Trap-Eze.  I thought the multi colored glitter in a creamy milky colored base would go perfect with so many different things.  It probably would be great as a accent nail color but I went a little crazy with it!  I layered it over Essie The Lace Is On (purple) and Essie The More the Merrier (green).  This look is with only 1 coat of Its a Trap-Eze, the glitter payoff is amazing!  You can see white, blue, purple, yellow, green, magenta, red and pink glitter in this one!  Of coarse I broke a few nails this week, please ignore the lengths :)  I love the look of the polish, but think next time I will try it over a white base.  What do you think of this glitter bomb?

l to r:  layered over blue, on its own and over white base

Julep Maven

Ok, everyone knows I cant get enough nail polish :)  I would like my friends to have a stash as well!  Julep Maven is a great subscription box just for polish lovers.  When you sign up you can get your first month for free!  I love Julep polishes the retail value is $14 a bottle and the formulas and colors are perfect.  Each month you will get an email showing you the polish/product options for your box that month ($19.99) and you can choose your colors or skip the month!  You will also be able to shop their online store for 20% off retail prices and free shipping! If your interested in Julep try it for free, any question's ask away!

use code:  FREEBOX
http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/183134/

Zoya Fall 2013 Pixie Dust Carter

Hello!  Today I received my Zoya order from UPS and I had to try Carter right away!  Zoya Pixie Dust polishes are textured with a matte finish and sparkling glitter.  Carter is from the new 2013 Fall Collection which is available online at zoya.com for $9.  I expect it to be available at Ulta later this month, I keep checking its not there yet :)  Carter is a royal purple with pink micro glitters, swatches are 2 coats.  It is a great formula and I love how fast it drys!  I love pixie dust polishes with no topcoat, but I did topcoat this one and I love it!  What do you think of the new Zoya Pixie Dust shades?

 Zoya Pixie Dust no Topcoat

 Close up!















  With Topcoat and blurred to show glitter

With Topcoat Natural Light

Maybelline Polka Dots Collection

I picked up a few more Maybelline Polka Dots polishes today!  I did go to CVS where they retail for 3.99 (Target is 2.99) because I had some extra bucks to spend there, so I basically got it for free.  I had a free $5 for joining CVS beauty club, and another $4 off of $20 coupon along with $6 from a previous purchase, score!  I am excited to do full swatches of these but in the meantime here are some nail swatches so you can check them out.  If you love them as much as I do I would get them fast!  I went to another CVS today and they were sold out!

Left to Right:  55 Drops of Jade, 85 Pretty in Polka, 95 Bluemarks the Spot, 75 Clearly Spotted

These are the true polish colors, no basecolor, 2 coats

Here are some samples with base color.

Left to right:  Zoya Rocky with Maybelline 95 Bluemarks The Spot

China Glaze Recycle with 75 Clearly Spotted

Julep Rose with 85 Pretty in Polka

August Must Have PopSugar Box Review

Hello!  Today I have a review of the August Must Have Pop Sugar Box.  PopSugar is a monthly subscription box that is $35 for the month to month plan, less if you prepay for more months.  It promises at least $100 of goods and products!  This is my second box and I am in love!  If you want to subscribe to popsugar please click the link below.

http://popsu.gr/hImw  use code refer5  for $5 off your first box!

First Look

Must Have Home

May Designs Weekly Agenda Notebook (retail $17)
This is so cute, I also love the inside pages, which aren't pre dated!  Its going in my purse right away.

Must Have Beauty:

Lulah Body Wash (retail $11.25)
I received the Vanilla Orchid and although I dont like Vanilla scented things, this is great, smells almost "man" like :)

Must Have Beauty:

Dermalogica Precleanse and Special Cleansing Gel Deluxe Sample Size (retail est $15 )

Will give these a try!

Naturebox Granny Smith Apples (retail $4)

These look good!  Also came with a code for $10 off your first Naturbox subscription.

Must Have Anniversary Gift:

Gorjana Open Circle Necklace (retail $65)
It is popsugar box's 1 year anniversary and this is the special gift we were given.  I am already wearing it!  I love that its on a short chain!

Must Have Home:

Bentgo. (retail 14.99)
This is a great container!  You can tell how well it is made, and even comes with utensils!  I do take my lunch to work most days, so this will get used a lot!  I got the blue color.

Must Have Home:

Lunares Apple Bowl  ( est $40  )

I have seen bloggers try to guess at the price of this as it is not sold individually anywhere.  I think its really cute and well made, already on my cupboard with my rings in it!  It does say that the enamel won't chip and its safe for hot or cold foods.   If you are interested in the full set here's the link:  http://lunareshome.com/catalog/red-apple-pc-set-p-618.html?osCsid=ufeck5t4sorssk9r4aimpntb72

Its a Winner!!!!  I paid $35 for  $170 worth of goods!  What did you think of Augusts PopSugar box?