It’s favorites time! Now that it’s officially summer and things are heating up, I wanted to share some of the things I have been loving for summer and just in general lately.
Tag: nail polish
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Hello December!
Here is my Gift Guide Holiday 2015 with prices ranging from $6 to $96. These gifts are obviously things that I would love to receive, but also gifts that many people in your life would probably like to receive as well.
- Tea Infuser
- I’ve been loving loose leaf tea vs. tea bag tea. Better flavor and “more health benefits”… I love all the cute tea infusers too; this one is like a tea wand. ~$7.
- iPhone 6s case
- This phone case has a double barrier, plastic casing with water and glitter in between. Yes, glitter! It’s so pretty and sparkly. ~$13.
- Josie Maran – Argan Oil
- Obviously, Josie is on my list. Especially in the winter time, this argan oil is so hydrating and amazing with multiple uses — a little goes a long way. $96.
- Yarn
- Knitting is such a fun, and relaxing hobby. I love knitting (still working on that blanket!) and these colors are so bright and soft. ~$6.
- Starbucks Tumbler – Venti
- A good tumbler is a must-have for me. It really encourages me to drink water throughout the day and you can get new lids/straws to keep your tumbler fresh and exciting. ~$17.
- Creme De Rose – Dior Lip Balm
- This lip balm is so smooth but not sticky. Its hydrating and luxurious. I like to wear it at night as a “mask” and when I wake up, my lips are soft and revitalized. I love this during the winter time. $28.
- NEST Fragrances – Bamboo Reed Diffuser
- These NEST Fragrances are great for the home. I love how rich the oils are; the scent really permeates throughout the entire house. $42.
- FlowerBomb – Viktor & Rolf
- My favorite fragrance! I think this will be my signature scent forever; it’s very floral and delicious. Get a small size as a gift for your sister or bestie. $50.
- Anastasia Beverly Hills – Brow Wiz (Ebony)
- I love the Brow Wiz. It really helps me shape and define my eyebrows. I love the texture of the pencil and the spoolie at the other end lets me blend everything together for a natural, defined look. ~$23.
- Golden Wonder Bath Bomb – LUSH
- This lovely bath bomb makes your bath into a swirling, shimmering gold sea of warm unicorn magic. I love it. It’s perfect. Yes. $7.
- Essie – A List
- Super pretty red nail polish for the holidays. Nice stocking stuffer or a filler gift for your friends or yourself! $8.50.
- Doctor Who – Season 8
- I love Doctor Who. If you or your friend does too, give this DVD set or even just gift them on iTunes. *hums Doctor Who theme song* ~$55.
Don’t forget to wrap all of your gifts in Erin Condren gift wrap! The designer wrapping paper and labels all coordinate to make your gifts look extra special. Plus, get $10 off your Erin Condren purchase by creating an account through my link. Happy Holidays!
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Sephora Haul + VIB Rouge
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I recently picked up a few things from Sephora with my birthday gift cards and was super excited because I got a bunch of extra freebies and renewed my VIB Rouge status!
I purchased another bottle of the Purity cleanser by Philosophy. I really like how well it removes makeup and doesn’t leave my skin feeling dried out. I also bought the Lancome Regenerie Lift Multi-Action moisturizer — I use this as my morning moisturizer because it has SPF 15 and it is so smooth and hydrating. (It smells great too!).
And everything else was free!
I had to pick up two bottles of the 100-point perk – Lancome Genefique! I’m running low on my actual full-sized bottle and these are basically free, so I picked two!
I’ve never heard of DevaCurl, but the sample of this One Condition Daily Conditioner was huge and I have curly hair, so I thought it would be cool to try it out.
This Bare Minerals Best in Show set was free with $35+ purchase, and I really like Bare Minerals. It comes with a duo eyeshade with Mixologist, a light shimmery pink, & Cognac, a gold bronzy color; Speak Your Mind, a rose colored lip stick; and Beauty, a rose colored mineral blush!
You know I love all of the Josie Maran products, so I also got this free, 5-day sample set. It has five sample pouches of the Argan Cleansing oil, which I’ve never tried but always wanted to; the 100% Pure Argan Oil (which I LOVE); and the new Argan Daily Moisturizer with SPF 47.
Since it was around my birthday, I also got the Sephora/Makeup Forever VIB Rouge birthday gift to really make this a true Sephora Haul. This little set comes with the MUFE Smokey Extravagant mascara, the MUFE Rouge Artist Natural lipstick in N9, and the MUFE Aqua Eyes eyeliner for VIB Rouge only.
And finally, since I re-upped my VIB Rouge status, I got this Formula X – X❤Rouge nail polish. Pretty cool for a free gift.
I am super excited about everything I received! YAY SEPHORA!
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10 Spring Break Beauty Tips
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
It’s still snowing in some parts of the US, but in just a few days it will officially be spring! Which means that, for some of you, Spring Break is here or is just around the corner!
As you dig your bikinis and flip flops out of storage, it’s important to remember these Spring Break Beauty Tips whether you’re going to Cancun or hanging out with your family by the beach!
1. Drink plenty of water. Water is your best friend. It’s important to stay hydrated especially when out in the sun for extended periods of time. But also, if you’ll be traveling for your break, nothing will help your body acclimate faster than staying nice and hydrated.
2. Give your skin a break + let it breathe a little during your vacation. Try out some “no make up” looks if you choose to wear makeup. Otherwise, go for a natural sunscreen + chapstick only dewy look.
3. Try a fresh and fruity cleanser. Clean & Clear has this oil free pink grapefruit foaming scrub. I love the way this cleanser smells; so clean and fruity! It’s awesome and has these gentle exfoliating beads that help smooth away rough spots. It also contains salicylic acid which helps clear my skin up!
4. Use Sunscreen. Lots of it. Everyone wants to come back from spring break with a nice healthy glow, but be mindful about how long you’re in the sun. Sunburns are serious so apply a UVA/UVB sunscreen often and wear a hat or stay in a partially shaded area. Make sure to use it on your face and body.
5. Try some no-heat hair styles. If you’ll be in the sun but out of the water, opt for some fun braided, no-heat hairstyles. Braids are a soft, feminine way to keep your hair out of your face while giving you a nice, put-together but beachy look.
6. Try some new hair ties! Hold your braids together with cute, fun hair ribbons. If you haven’t used these ribbon hair ties before, definitely give them a try. They prevent breakage and come in a variety of colors. Check out some of the different varieties: here, here, and here.
7. Lock in the moisture in your hair. The sun + chlorinated or salty water can dry out your hair. If you’ll be in and out of water, try first to wet your hair and coat the ends with conditioner to lock in moisture.
8. Exfoliate. Pre, during, and post Spring Break. Exfoliating is the best way to keep your skin super soft and vacation ready. Before you embark on your journey, exfoliating will help you apply sunless tanning lotion evenly and prevent streaking. During your excursion, exfoliating will keep your skin from peeling or flaking from being out in the sun. And once you’re back home, it will help keep you looking glowy and fresh! I like to use the brown sugar and oatmeal body scrub from the San Francisco Bath Salt Company.
9. Get a Mani/Pedi. Nothing says Spring Break more than fun bright nail color! I like neon and bright pink nail polishes. Bright nail color can help you look extra tan. I really like Collide by Ilamasqua.
10. Hydrate your skin with an After Sun Lotion. I really like this lotion from Hawaiian Tropic it has aloe and feels nice and cooling on your skin after a long day in the sun. Your skin will thank you.
What are your plans for Spring Break? Share your Beauty Tips in the comments!
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I love the gelshine kit from Sephora by OPI. Gel manicures last so much longer than regular manicures and aren’t harsh on your nails like acrylics. The entire gelshine kit from Sephora costs about $160, but like I’ve told you HERE; it’s worth the price. They have 17 only 9 colors to choose from online now, but I’ve seen more of a selection in the stores.
Today, I used the French Manicure kit that I got in my last Sephora Haul. The kit comes with 2 of the gelshine colors: True Romantic and White Hot, a french tip applicator brush, and some nail decal stickers — all for $29 which is a really great deal considering that each of the polishes alone costs $17.50.
Here’s what I used to get that clean, classic french manicure look using Sephora by OPI gelshine.
After cleansing the nails, I applied the base coat and two coats of True Romantic.
After my base was cured, I painted on the White Hot onto the tips of my nails using the applicator brush.
I cured each nail after I painted on its tip and then I sealed everything in with a layer of the Top Coat. 🙂
Click HERE if you want to see step-by-step how to apply the gel polish/curing.
*UPDATE: After a few days of wearing the True Romantic pink color, the pink begins to fade. It is no longer a clear bright pink, but it turns in to a almost “opaque cream” color — not pink. It looks fine with the french manicure, but it’s definitely no longer any shade of pink. You’re better off using Bare To Be Different from the same Sephora by OPI line if you want a clear/pinky color that lasts.