September Empties!

 Suave Kids 2-in-1 Shampoo in Wild Watermelon My hair was super shiny while I used this, even though I didn't use conditioner. It lasted pretty much forever, too. At least 2 straight months using generous amount every day.
True Blue Mini Paraffin Hand Cream This made my hands very soft and kept them that way for a while after, too. It smelled a little weird to me, but I think that was because it isn't scented like anything in particular.
OPI ExpertTouch Nail Polish Remover This made my nails flake terribly. I will not be repurchasing this, especially since it took so long to get nail polish off.
B&BW PocketBac in Calypso Berry 'Nuff said. I love this scent, though.
Curious Perfum Sample I have had this forever and it remains one of my favorite scents. I have so much perfume, though, that I won't be repurchasing any perfume for quite a while.
Claudia Eye Area Toning Cream I got this at Sally's and can't remember the full name. It doesn't have the  brand name on the tub. I didn't really think it did anything special, but as soon as I ran out my eyes looked terrible. I will not be repurchasing though, since I have a few eye treatments still.

 Dove GoFresh Plum and Sakura Blossom Body Wash This was a nice body wash. It smelled ok and left my skin so moisturized afterwards I didn't have to use lotion. Will consider repurchase.
Up&Up Women's Shave Gel in Baby Soft This. Was. Amazing. It was so thick and rich! It made my legs so soft! Way better than actual Skintimate or Schick kind. Will repurchase when I need it again.
The Body Shop Satsuma Body Polish This smelled divine. It was so fresh and fruity without being fake. I didn't like it as a scrub though, but more of a grainy body wash. I will consider repurchase of the Satsuma scented products.
B&BW Charmed Life Lotion I got this free at the Paris Amour event and I'm sure glad I didn't pay for it. This scent gave me a headache more than once and although the effectiveness of their lotion is growing on me, it wasn't worth the headache.

The Body Shop Watermelon Lotion This smelled better than anything I have ever owned. It also left my legs soft and sting-free. Will consider repurchase.
Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion This was absolute hell to get out of the bottle. Seriously, who puts lotion in a GLASS BOTTLE. I had to keep it upside down to get it all out. It worked okay. Will not repurchase.
Sally Hansen Diamond Radiance Hand and Cuticle Polish Meh. I actually went through two of these. They aren't that great. Will not repurchase.

Biore Towelettes I liked these because they had a "scrubby" side that cut through makeup quite well.
UC San Diego Tritons Hand Sanitizer Yeah...it worked.
Ahava Mineral Handcream Smelled just as good as the Ahava lotion I finished earlier this year. It also kept my hands super soft.
Earth Therapeutics Spot Blots This worked ok, but they were easy to rip and hard to get out of the package without accidentally taking 2 or 3. Will not repurchase.
B&BW Orange Sapphire PocketBac Yup. Smell gave me a headache :/

Haul and NOTDs; No buy.

China Glaze Strawberry Fields on pinky, ring, middle and pointer finger. OPI DS Reflection on thumb. It doesn't look that different in the picture,but the OPI is so much richer in real life.

One coat of Wet N Wild Black Creme and Matrix-inspired random squiggles with Finger Paints Go Van Gogh!

Today's Haul: B&BW Japanese Cherry Blossom Shower Gel and Bubble Bath, B&BW Into the Wild Body Scrub, B&BW Charmed Life Lotion, OPI DS Reflection, cosmetic bag that came with the Charmed Life lotion.

Also, I have come to a point in my life where I realize spending money on stuff like this isn't really something I should be doing. I'm now on a no-buy until my birthday, when I will order $50 from Sephora and The Body Shop. I will replace things I run out of, but there should only be a couple things I run out of between now and February, things like toothpaste and contact solution. I will spend gift cards, but I will not buy beauty products somewhere like CVS where I can buy things I actually need, like mouth wash and medicine and food. I have money, but I don't have money, you know? So no buy until February.

EDIT: Except Birchbox. I will still spend my $10 a month on Birchbox. It is so worth it, and it is a controlled expense. I can only buy one Birchbox a month, and I know I'm to cheap to buy the full size, so I don't feel bad about getting my Birchboxes.

August Birchbox and NOTD

Two coats of OPI I'm an Aqua-holic on the tips, one coat of Orly Fifty Four all over, and one coat of Orly Sec'n Dry. I used the Nailene French tip guides and I'm really liking this combo.
My August Birchbox was a little disappointing. Other people got Smashbox Photofinish and facial masks...I got a hair mask, facial cleanser, blinc eyeliner and eye treatment pads. I'm now vowing to not look at what other people get in theirs until I get mine :) Still totally worth the $10, though, because in all honesty, I have been on a really big get-rid-of-dark-circles kick, and I almost bought a hair mask at Target the other day.

NOTDs (pic heavy)

Companion Cube-inspired nails with Zoya Kelly for the pinky, middle and pointer fingers and OPI Skull and Glossbones and Orly Cotton Candy (I think, anyways) for the accent finger.

Portal-themed toes with Sally Girl Hottie for the orange and China Glaze Frostbite for the blue.

China Glaze White on White for the base and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Blue Away for the dots (foot picture again, sorry!)

Orly Halley's Comet

Finger Paints Go Van Gogh!

OPI Fiercely Fiona

Orly Razzle

China Glaze Flying Dragons (Neon) for the tips, topped with Orly Fifty Four

OPI Skull and Glossbones

OPI Sparkle-icious

Sorry about the lack of posts. I've been a lazy bum lately, plus I've been working 8 hour days :)

May Empties!

Hey guys. Work has been exhausting me and killing my nails, so no recent NOTDs. I started doing the two week Orly Nailtrition cycle, though, so hopefully that will make my nails strong enough to handle prying computers apart and blowing the dust out of them for 32 hours a week.

To make up for my lack of actual posts, here is an empties post. I got this idea from many other nail/beauty blogs who are doing "Project 10 Pan" and other similar things. I wish I could remember where I first saw it, but I can't, so thank you to the many bloggers who came up with this way before I did!

I honestly have no idea how to turn the picture once it is uploaded, so I'm sorry. But this is:
-Olay Quench Body Lotion Ultra Moisture (full size and travel size) I had this a long time ago, and I absolutely loved it. This time around, however, it stung really badly when I put it on after shaving, which I don't remember happening the last time. I loved the little sparkles, but I much rather have my legs not sting when I put on lotion at 6:30 AM.
-Nivea Creme Honestly, I bought this because it was in a little tin. I used it on my feet and it worked pretty well. I also love the smell.
-Beyond Belief Spiced Pomegranate Ew, ew, ew. It smelled ok at first but as soon as I put it on my legs/arms, it got this chemically smell to it, every single time. It worked ok, but I definitely won't be repurchasing.
-OPI AvoJuice Skin Quencher in Winter Huckleberry This is honestly my favorite lotion. It smelled amazing (as does every other AvoJuice scent I've smelled thus far) and it soaked in quickly and left my hands super soft. Once I use up all of the hand creams I currently have, I am definitely repurchasing AvoJuice.
-Heel to Toe Feels Like New Foot Softener This had a super thick, hard to deal with texture. Luckily I was just using it thickly on my feet with socks, so I just had to manage getting it out of the jar and somewhat onto my feet. It also stained some of my skin a nasty color after using it for a while, so I definitely won't be repurchasing. It did work pretty well as a softener, though.
-Dove Cream Oil This lotion was ok, and didn't have the characteristically "Dove" smell that I bought it for. Will not repurchase.
-Vaseline Aloe Cool and Fresh This was also only okay. It had an okay smell and worked okay as a body lotion. Will not repurchase.

-Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner I got this in a special holiday pack back in December. They smelled great and made my hair very soft and shiny. I would repurchase, but I know something new will catch my eye by the time I need shampoo and conditioner.
-Skintimate Strawberry Tangerine Shave Gel This smelled so good I couldn't wait to shave my legs in the morning. My legs were also very smooth and had way less nicks. Have already repurchased (but in a different scent)
-Biore Triple Action Astringent I love, love, love this stuff. I seriously bought three bottles of it when I saw it on clearance at Target once, and I'm sadly on my last bottle. It is a nice midday refresher if you aren't wearing makeup and it kept my skin clear through finals. Will repurchase.
-Olay Blackhead Clearing Scrub I loved the way this smelled, but I think it dried my skin out just a little bit too much, especially around my nose. Will consider repurchasing.

-Dove Damage Therapy Shine Boost Shampoo and Conditioner Yes, I finished two bottles of shampoo and two bottles of conditioner this month, but only because I had half-used ones at home and half-used ones at school. Also, I am so gross and dusty when I get home from work that I end up taking two showers four days a week. This also made my hair incredibly soft and shiny, but it also lacked that "Dove" smell that I love so much. I will not be repurchasing, as half the reason I buy Dove is for that scent.
-Orly French Polynesian Paradise Polish Renewing Hand Buff This stuff smelled alright and worked like any scrub would. I like it, but I didn't enjoy using it enough to repurchase a full size.
-St. Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter Body Wash I used this when my skin was irritated because it seemed to calm it down. I will definitely repurchase a small size to keep on hand for those days where my skin is angry.
-Bare Foot Revitalizing Lemon and Sage Foot Scrub Meh. It didn't smell as good as I had hoped, and it didn't really work that amazingly, either. Will not repurchase.
-Nivea Touch of Sparkle Body Wash x2 This smelled really good and left my skin really soft. Will consider repurchase in the future.

Not pictured:
-The Body Shop Mini Cocoa Butter Scrub The packaging was annoying (I prefer shower products in tubes, not tubs), especially in a dorm shower. It smelled good and worked even better. Will consider repurchase.
-Nivea A Kiss of Smoothness This was actually the first lip balm I have ever finished. Ever. In my entire life. It was moisturizing without being waxy and great for every day use. It smells like Nivea and I really liked it. It can't stand up to the dry, dusty hell that is my job though, but I already have another for when I return to normal earthly conditions in the fall.

A pedi and some recent manis

This is two coats of OPI Sparkle-icious over one coat of OPI Plum Full of Cheer. I LOVE THIS! It wasn't too hard to take off, either.

Some of the amazing sparkle!

This is two coats of Orly Rock-On Red. A very classy, dusty red. One of my favorites. Not color accurate, but almost.

Zoya Ali. This is a very, very bright neon pink in real life. My camera can obviously not handle the greatness.

Neon Nails

I did my nails Wednesday night, but neglected to take a picture of them until Friday night after they had been through two days at work.

There is quite a bit of tip wear, but my work is really hard on my nails, especially since I ended up moving a lot of 35 pound boxes from one room to another. This was three coats of Color Club What a Shock! that I got at Ross. I used OPI base coat and one coat of Seche Vite on top. I was really impressed with the opacity of this polish, as well as the drying time. This didn't stain at all, either, which is great because green polish tends to leave gross looking stains that I have to cover up with dark polish in order to have normal looking hands.

The Body Shop and Ulta Haul

I'm on winter break with literally nothing to give myself a time schedule, so I've been staying up until two or three in the morning and waking up at noon. I hate doing that, so today I decided to go shopping to give myself an excuse to wake up at a decent hour. I went to Ross, hoping to score some Color Club polishes. I actually got there a few minutes before they unlocked the doors, which was nice because as many of you know, Ross can be hell. Unfotunately, they didn't have much nail polish, and the only "real" brand stuff I saw were a couple of Wet n' Wild sets which were badly separated and a Nailtek base coat. I passed on those and went to the Body Shop, which has a special today (which is also available online on their website) where you could buy a bag for $5 and get half off everything you could fit inside it. The bag is just a paper gift bag, but $2 from every bag goes to stop sex trafficking. I'm a sucker for things that benefit a good cause, so I had to go check it out.

Left to right, top to bottom:
Spiced Vanilla Body Butter, originally $10 but reduced to $5 w/ bag purchase
DeoDry Dry-Effect Deodorant Cool & Zesty Stick, on sale for $4, reduced to $2 w/ bag purchase
Watermelon Body Lotion, part of their $3 originals, but reduced to $1.50 w/ bag purchase
Spiced Vanilla Lip Balm, on sale for $3, but reduced to $1.50 w/ bag purchase
Mini Cocoa Butter Body Scrub, originally $8, reduced to $4 w/ bag purchase
I've never used anything from the Body Shop, but the watermelon scented lotion smells amazing. I might do more in-depth reviews as I use these products. I really like the fact that the Body Shop uses recycled plastic, natural ingredients from communities and are so into saving the Earth.

On my way out of the shopping center, I of course had to stop at Ulta because I had a $3.50 off $10 coupon that was burning a hole in my pocket.

I've gotten pretty good at buying just over ten dollars, so I only picked up three items this time around.
Left to right:
Sally Hansen VitaSurge Strength Gel, which I can't even find on their website. $5.99
Essie Berry Hard, clearance for 3.99 (I also cannot find this on their site)
OPI AvoJuice Skin Quencher in Winter Huckleberry, clearance for $0.99

I'm very excited about the VitaSurge, as I've never seen it before. I don't have "weak" nails, but they do tend to bend easily as they grow out. Hopefully this will let me have longer nails before they get too weak to be practical.

Welcome plus the pictures I've taken so far...

Hi future readers/followers! My name is Amanda and I'm pretty much obsessed with nail polish and make up. I've bought way too many products in the last few months, so I figured I should do something with them. Hence, this blog.

When I post pictures of my manicures, I'll try to post links to the specific products I used (all of which were purchased by me with my own money) from the store from which I purchased them. For example, if I buy something from a brick-and-mortar Sally Beauty Supply or SallyBeauty.com, I will post a link to the product on the Sally Beauty site. Sometimes this won't be possible, or I won't remember where I got something, but I'll try my best. In the cases where I can't remember/find the link for the correct store/whatever, I'll try to at least find a link.

Let's start with the manicure I did to go with my Halloween costume, which was a DEVO girl. You know, like Whip It. Google it.

 I used Orly Goth on my index, middle and pinkie fingers. On my ring finger, I have a base of China Glaze Platinum Silver with a blue energy dome painted with China Glaze Frostbite, which stunk to high Heaven, using a nail art brush I bought in a multi-pack.

 I was quite proud of this manicure, as it was the first actual "nail art" I had ever attempted to do freehand. Plus, it was DEVO-themed and therefore awesome.

On an unrelated note, this was the view from the stairs right next to my room the night I did that manicure. Beautiful, huh?  Sorry about the slight blur, I'm really bad at taking pictures.

Next, I'll show you a almost-French that turned out pretty ugly, if you ask me. I was trying to do a sponge gradient, I think, but it did not work out the way I planned.

I used China Glaze Turned Up Turquoise (Neon) as the base with Orly La Playa (which I can't find a link to, but I saw it in Ulta yesterday on clearance for 2.99) sponged on the tips.  I really like these colors together, but I sponged on a little too much for it to be a French manicure. This was before I got nail guide stickers, haha.

For the next mani, I tried to use those metallic star stickers you can find in every school supply aisle in every store in America as a stencil. It turned out goopy and gross looking in real life. In my defense, however, it was two in the morning when I finished this, so I probably was not in my right mind. (Sorry about the blurry cell phone picture)

I used Orly Lunar Eclipse (which I bought at Sally Beauty, but is not listed on their site any longer) as the base, with too many coats of China Glaze White on White on top of the stickers. Yeah. It did not work and I believe I took this off the next morning.

Now, for one of my cleanest manis, I present my first successful French manicure. The normal nude and white combo is a little boring for my taste, as I tend to go for loud colors and wild glitters, but the combo of these two colors was good enough for me.

This was OPI Princesses Rule! (which I got at Ulta) with Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro in Burgundy Flirt for the tips. I used those nifty Nailene Perfect Tips French Polish Guides that I finally found at WalMart after searching for them for a few weeks. They are SO easy to use, even for me, and I can barely paint my nails without getting polish all over my fingers.

I'm going to end this post with a picture of some nail art I did on my toes. I've noticed that some people have a strong aversion to feet pictures, so I figured I should leave this one to the end. 

I used Orly Rock-On Red as the base, then sponged on China Glaze White on White, followed by Ulta Envy. I then "seeded" the watermelon with Maybelline Express Finish Onyx Rush, which is the best black pretty much ever. It applies like a dream and dries quickly. 

With that, I bid you adieu.