Sunday, June 5, 2011

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.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Haul, NOTD and a googledoc

So, in my uber boredom today I went to a Walgreens, a Rite Aid, Marshall's and 3 CVS's. Yes, I was that bored. At the second CVS, there were quite a few 75% and 50% off items, so I picked a few of them up. (sorry. I took this picture with my iPhone, which quite honestly is better than my digital camera.)

Left to Right: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Lavender Cloud, SHCSM Yellow Kitty, Sally Hansen HD Lite, SHHD Pixel Pretty, Essie Coat Azure, Essie French Affair 
I could not believe these babies were 75% off. I LOVE the Complete Salon Manicure line, but they are so gosh darn expensive. They are getting a little cheaper, though, as they're only five-something at WalMart, where I think they used to be around $7. I couldn't help but get Yellow Kitty, just for the name. It looks REALLY similar to Orly Lemonade, so I'll do a comparison post tomorrow when there is sunlight.
The HD polishes were also 75% off, and I'm glad I snatched these two. There were a lot more, but I'm trying not to buy dupes/near dupes. 
ESSIE. I LOVE YOU. The blue, Coat Azure, was pretty when I thought it was a simple creme...then I realized after I got home that there is a beautiful silver shimmer to it. 

1 coat China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat, 1 coat Borghese Mezzanotte, 1 coat China Glaze Fairy Dust, 1 coat Seche Vite.

Also, in my obsession with nail polish, I've typed up a list of all of my nail polish, base/top coats and cuticle oils. I googledoc'd it, so you can find it here. I'll try to keep it updated. If you have any swatch requests, go ahead and email/comment and I'll try to make it happen.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

NOTD from a few days ago

China Glaze Blue Iguana (3 coats) under one coat of China Glaze Black Mesh

Honestly, I didn't really care for the crackle trend at first, but of course I went to Sally Beauty and of course I just had to get one of the crackle polishes. They're okay. They're interesting, but I feel like we're going back to the nineties with this trend. I remember crackle polish from when I was in elementary school. I'm sure they were filled with awful chemicals, but meh. I could live without crackle polish. 

Also, here's a pedi I did on Sunday:
Color Club Tangerine Scream, Electro Candy, Volt of Light, What a Shock!, Pure Energy
I asked my boyfriend, who is currently at his mom's house across the country, what I should do for my toes, and he replied "rainbow toes." Hence the rainbow toes. 

Friday, May 20, 2011

Some haulage...

I've had a few mini-hauls over the last month or so and have neglected to blog about them. To remedy the situation, I present you MEGA HAUL POST.
 Color Club All About Color Set. Colors left to right: Cadillac Red, Sugar Sheer, In Bloom, Rev'd Up, Overboard, Trippie Hippie, Catwalk Queen
 This is a set from Ross called All About Color. I had a hell of a time trying to find the names of the polishes, because they weren't labeled on the bottle (which I had expected) and they weren't written on the cardboard insert of the packaging (which I didn't expect). I love love love the price of these babies, so it was worth it.

Color Club Alter Ego Reveal Your Mystery Set, left to right: Get a Clue, Revealed, Incognito, Secret Rendezvous, Sheer Disguise, Give Me a Hint, Milky White Base Coat 
 I was so excited when I found this one. It was the last one!!! The formula seemed a little think on some of these, but for 7.99 for 8 bottles of polish, I won't complain. Nice, office-appropriate colors, too.

China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat, China Glaze Blue Iguana, Finger Paints Go Van Gogh, Wet n Wild FastDry Teal of Fortune
Blue Iguana is SO pretty, but stains like crazy. I took it off with normal acetone remover AND straight acetone four days ago and there are STILL blue spots on my nails. Also, CG Blue Iguana and WNW Teal of  Fortune are near dupes, but TOF has a blue/green flash while BI has a purpley/pink flash. Both are very pretty. 

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils in Bronze, Milk, Pure Gold
I bought these at Ulta buy 2 get 1 free. I'd heard rave reviews about the Milk pencil, but I'm not particularly fond of these. Milk is ok as a a brow/inner corner highlighter, but the other two suck as shadows. You have to press hard to get the color to transfer and even then, it doesn't last long. Disappointed :(

ELF Brush: Defining Eye Brush, 1804 Total Face Brush, 1821 Concealer Brush
  I bought the defining eye brush to clean up my nails with pure acetone. The bristles were too fluffy for this, but the brush was only a dollar, so no big deal. I haven't tried the other two brushes as of now.

Revlon CRAZYshine nail buffer
I had heard good things about this buffer, and it was only 3.49 at Ulta. It did make my nails extremely shiny in only two steps, as opposed to the four normal four-sided buffers require. The shape was also unique and allowed me to get right up to the cuticle without accidentally buffing the skin around my nail.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Sorry Guys!

I have been super busy this semester with work, school and my lovely boyfriend <3 My last final is tomorrow, though so I will be able to start posting again when I get settled back at home (my room right now is insane). I have a couple hauls to share and will now be able to do my nails more often!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

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.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Sally Hansen VitaSurge Strength Gel TAKE 2

So. I failed at the last one. I forgot my camera when I left for the weekend, and the pictures I did have had no way to tell when I took them, so I decided to start over.