Awakening

This is China Glaze's Awakening. It's a really hard color to describe! It's a purplish pink with gold when the light hits it. It's really pretty. This is three coats and top coat. It is kind of sheer when you start but three coats was all I needed. This is such a unique color. I don't think I've seen any other colors like this and I certainly don't have any in my collection that look even remotely like it. I've read that Zoya's Shivon is similar but I can't say because I don't have that one. I got this at Sally Beauty Supply last year. I don't know if its part of their permanent collection but if you can find it, I would grab it up.

xoxo,
Beth

Topless and Barefoot

 

 

I wore this color for my first day at my new job. I have to wear colors that are suitable for a professional office so this seemed perfect for the first day. This is Essie Topless and Barefoot. It's a beige pink color. It's kind of mannequin hand-ish but still very wearable because its shiny and it has more pink to it. This was three coat. I do have to admit that it's kind of streaky but that's what I expected with such a light color, but three coats isn't too bad. I also have top coat on in this picture. This seemed like a good choice for the first day of work but I'm looking forward to finding other colors (and new colors once March is over) that I can wear to work! I'd love to hear suggestions too.

I'm also thinking of starting a series of outfit posts for outfits to wear to the office. Let me know if that's something you'd like to see!

I'm done moving now so my posts will be more regular...until I move again in a few months.

xoxo,
Beth

Love & Beauty Mint

Let me start by saying that I absolutely hate that Forever 21 does not give their polishes actual names. But now that I've gotten that off my chest, I'll start with the actual polish. This one is called Mint. It's a metallic mint green with gold shimmer to it. This is three coats without top coat. I showed this in a haul a month or two ago and I was afraid it would be too sheer but with the three coats, its completely opaque. If you can find this, get it!


xoxo,
Beth

Copper Penny

This is Revlon's Copper Penny. Isn't it pretty? The name pretty much sums it up. It's a gold/copper polish with some small flecks of red and silver in it. It reminds me of a gold version of OPI Designer De Better, which I have but have never worn as a full manicure. This is three coats and a top coat. When I first started to apply it, I thought it was going look very streaky but it settled so I can't complain. Very pretty color, especially for the summer.


Forgive my lack of posts recently. I'm in the middle of moving which is not good for my manicures or for posting.

xoxo,
Beth

Purple Xing

I love this color. I'm not looking forward to taking it off because we all know how much of a pain it is to remove glitter polishes but they're worth it. But anyways! This is Nina Ultra Pro Purple Xing. I believe this is four coats but I kind of lost count. When I did the first coat, I thought it was going to be one of those polishes that is only good for layering but as I kept adding coats, it got more and more opaque. For a glitter, this dried very smooth. It chipped quickly but I didn't put a top coat on it and glitters always seem to chip fast on me. But chipping and four coats aside, I still love this!

xoxo,
Beth

Black Diamond

This is one of my simple favorites. It's China Glaze Black Diamond. It's a black with silver shimmer in it. Sometimes I feel like wearing just plain black nail polish looks weird on me so this is a great alternative. This is three coats and one coat of top coat. I believe this is part of China Glaze's permanent collection. I bought it at Sally Beauty Supply last year and I'll definitely repurchase when I use up this bottle. One of my favorite things about this polish is that even though it's dark, it doesn't stain my nails. And of course I love that it has shimmer to it!

xoxo,
Beth

Ulta/Drugstore Haul!

Lots of new goodies! I was home last weekend and went to Ulta, so I picked up a few things. And there are also a few things in here from the drugstore.

 

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque for hair. I've bought several of these over the last few months and what I really need to do is just splurge and buy the full size. It makes my hair feel so soft and silky and it smells amazing. These small ones are $4 at Ulta.

NYX Eye Pencil in Sapphire and NYX Eyeshadow in Navy Blue. 

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Salsa (left) and Natural (right). 

NYX Blush in Pinched 

Freeman Anti-Stress Mask with Dead Sea Minerals. 

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Pink Pop and Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie. 

All Revlon lip products are $3 off at Rite Aid this week so if you have a Rite Aid near you, go take advantage of that! 

I've also bought some really great stuff from MAC lately, but I'm still waiting for something to come so I'll show those items in a separate haul. I'll post reviews on these things as I use them and see how they work!

xoxo,
Beth

Steady As She Rose

 
I showed this polish in a haul back in early January. This color is OPI's Steady As She Rose from the Pirates of the Carribbean collection. I probably wouldn't have bought it if it hadn't been on sale but now I'm really glad I did. Steady As She Rose is a greyed out light purple. As with most lighter colors, it takes a little bit of work to get it to be opaque but I had no trouble with the formula. This is the three coats and a top coat. I went home to my parents for the weekend and I knew I'd be doing my nails but I didn't want to bring a bunch of polishes with me so I just grabbed this one. Not super exciting, but I like it!

xoxo,
Beth

Nail Polish No-Buy

Yes I said it.

I'm not going to buy any nail polish this month.

I was going to do this for February but when I realized I'd be missing out on the OPI Holland Collection and the China Glaze Electropop collection...I had to push it back a month. I guess that just goes to show how much of a problem I have. My collection is getting very big and I've been spending a lot of money on polish which is why I decided to do this.  I've done this before and it definitely took a lot of willpower. I'll still be painting my nails, just not buying any new colors. Wish me luck!

All Kendall-Ed Up

 This color is Nicole by OPI's All Kendall-Ed Up. It's from the original Kardashian Kolor collection. I picked it up recently when I saw that CVS was starting to carry this collection. When I bought it, I was worried it was going to be too much like Zoya's Dana. They are similar, but not too similar that I would keep one and not the other. I think Dana has some darker red and purple  tones to it while this one is just a bubble gum pink with a slight purple tone to it. I can't wait to wear this on my toes during the summer!

xoxo,
Beth

My Makeup Story

 I've seen this tag on YouTube and on LUUUX and I've been wanting to do it for awhile  but just never got around to it. When I couldn't think of something else fun to post today, I decided to do this! Enjoy!

1. How old were you when you started wearing makeup?

I was a lot older than most people are when they start wearing makeup. I was a junior in high school so I was 16 or 17 years old when I started.

2. How did you get into makeup?

I got into makeup because of my best friend in high school. Her makeup always looked so good so I decided to start wearing makeup too. I started with just eyeshadow and eyeliner and then moved onto foundation, blush, and all of the rest. Now I can't stop!

3. What are some of your favorite brands?

Some of my favorite brands are MAC, Urban Decay, Revlon, Clinique and NYX.

4. What does makeup mean to you?

To me, makeup is just fun and its a way to express yourself. The way you do your makeup can say a lot about you and I think that's what I love about it. I also like it because it gives you more self confidence, not only when you have your makeup on, but when you take it off also.

5. If you could only wear 4 products on your face what would they be?

If I could only wear 4 products...I would probably use foundation, blush, mascara and lip gloss.

6. What is your favorite thing about makeup?

My favorite thing about makeup is how creative you can be with it. You can do anything with makeup and change your entire look and really make a statement.

7. What do you think about drugstore makeup vs high end makeup?

I love drugstore makeup and I think there are some drugstore products that are better than high end products, but I do have the high end products that I am loyal too also.


8. What is one tip of advice you can give to a beginner?

My advice is start slowly and learn what types of products work best for you. I wouldn't purchase a lot of expensive makeup if you're just starting out and aren't sure what to do with it because you will end up wasting money. So start slowly, figure out what products and colors are good for you and go from there!

9. What is one makeup trend you never understood?

I guess this isn't really a trend but it just bothers me when people wear way too much makeup. I love wearing makeup but I think there's a fine line between wearing the right amount and wearing too much.

10. What do you think about the beauty community on YouTube?

I really enjoy watching beauty videos on YouTube. I actually had my own YouTube channel for awhile. I've learned a lot from watching tutorials and other types of videos. I think it's a great resource for finding information about products you're interested in and learning how to do new looks.

I tag anyone who reads this to do this also!

xoxo,
Beth

Mink Muffs

Essie Mink Muffs is a dusty medium brown with some grey in it. I think it's a great neutral shade for any season, especially this time of year when you can't quite decide whether to wear winter or summer polishes. This is three coats. I remember only using two the first time I used this color but for me, the longer my nails get the more coats I have to use. But I didn't mind at all. It was smooth, not streaky, and dried quickly and with a nice shine to it.

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 30

Day 30: Favorite Nail Polish
OPI Russian Navy

 




This was a no-brainer for me. I have so much nail polish but this is the one that I can see myself buying over and over again. I love it.

Today is the end of the 30 Day Challenge! I hope you all enjoyed it and got to know a little bit more about me.

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 29

Day 29: Photo of something that makes you go awww

What a weird question this was...but isn't that cute?

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 28

Day 28: Favorite Drink
Diet Coke

 

These questions are hard! I couldn't decide between this and Starbucks but the Diet Coke won out...probably because I get too many different things from Starbucks to choose just one.

xoxo,
Beth

Dutch Ya Just Love OPI?

Dutch ya just love that name?

This is 2 coats of OPI's Dutch Ya Just Love OPI? It's from their new Holland collection. This is such a pretty color. When I saw a swatch of it on another blog, I knew this was one that I definitely could not pass up. Dutch Ya Just Love OPI is a dusty, slightly red-toned purple with gold shimmer. The formula was great, it only took two coats to look completely opaque and it dried quickly and shiny, even without topcoat, though I do have topcoat on in the pictures. If you decide to pick up any of the polishes from this collection, I definitely recommend this one.

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 27

Day 27: Favorite Skincare Product
bareMinerals cleanser and moisturizer

I love the fresh smell of these and how soft it makes my skin!

xoxo,
Beth

January Favorites

I know I'm more than two weeks late on this but better late than never! These are the products that I loved and reached for the most in January. I'm sure some of these products will show up almost every month but if something works, why change it?

 

 Urban Decay Naked Palette and Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara

NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Berry New Yorker and MAC Gingerly 

MAC Ebony Eye Pencil, Jordana FabuLiner in Black, Maybelline Eye Studio Trio in Neutral Liasons, MAC Bare Study Paint Pot

Stila Tis The Season To Dazzle Palette

These are the products that I found myself using the most during January, but also products that I really love. Some of them are new and some of them are older. It'll be interesting to see what changes for February!

xoxo,

Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 26

Day 26: Item from your wishlist
Tom Ford Whitney

I am absolutely obsessed with these sunglasses.

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 25

Day 25: Favorite Accessory
Scarves!

So this question was originally what do you want to get from the LUUUX shop, because that's where I got this 30 day challenge from...but since I'm not posting this on LUUUX, I decided to change it. I love scarves because it can really add to a look and can change an outfit so you can wear it multiple times and make it seem completely different. I have a whole bin full of them.

xoxo,
Beth

Red Carpet

This was my Valentine's Day manicure.

This is Sally Hansen's Red Carpet. So as you can see...it's very chipped. And this is only after two days of wear. Most of the polishes I've posted, I've worn before so I know they last. I'd never worn this before so needless to say, I was disappointed. I don't know if its because I tried a new topcoat or just because of the formula of this polish. I like the color and the glitter so I'd be willing to try it again with my regular topcoat. I also didn't feel like it covered very well. This is two coats and the more I looked at it, I realized how many uneven spots there were. Aside from that and the chipping, I'd love to see how the color compares to China Glaze's Ruby Pumps. I'll have to swatch them side by side and see.

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 24

Day 24: Favorite Food
Pasta

Looks so good!

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 23

Day 23: Place where you'd want to live
New York City

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 22

Day 22: What makes you happy
Spending time with my family

What a funny little cartoon!

xoxo,
Beth

Cute As A Button

This is Essie's Cute as a Button. I used three coats for these pictures (and I apologize for the chip, I neglected my top coat for this manicure). This polish goes on pretty sheer but you can build it up. I had a few things to do after I did this manicure so I didn't want to wait for more than three coats to dry, but I probably would have been happier with four. It's a coral color that leans more pink or more orange depending on the light. My camera kind of freaked out when I photographed this so I don't think the pictures are a perfect representation of what it really looks like. It's an awesome color for the summertime. I think it would look great as a summer pedicure!

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 21

Day 21: Favorite Lipstick
MAC Mellow Mood

I got this in a special edition set, but I can't remember exactly when. I do know it's no longer available but I love it...wish I had a back-up.

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 20

Day 20: Favorite Mascara
Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara

I've used a lot of mascaras and this is the only one that keeps any kind of curl to my lashes!

xoxo,
Beth

White on White (with a little something extra)

Doesn't this remind you of snow??

This is three coats of China Glaze's White On White with Essie's Shine of the Times over top, plus top coat. I love this! We haven't had a lot of snow here this winter but this manicure makes me think of snow which is one of the reasons I love it so much. I was always so afraid to wear white polish because I was afraid it would look like I painted my nails with white out. But if you use the right polish, you won't get that effect. Depending on the light, Shine of the Times looks blue, pink or orange. I want to try it over colors and see what kind of effect it has!

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 19

Day 19: Favorite look from a Beauty Guru

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 18

Day 18: Favorite Beauty Guru


http://www.youtube.com/user/michele1218

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 17

Day 17: Fashion pieces on your to-buy list
Nude flats and navy blazer

I have to have these items!!! They fit right into the nautical trend for this season that I love.

xoxo,
Beth

30 Day Challenge: Day 16

Day 16: Music you like
Adele

This was another tough one! I love a lot of music but I'm especially loving Adele right now!

xoxo,
Beth