Bath & Body Works Candle

This candle (Bath & Body Works White Barn Nutmeg and Spice) is AMAZING!  It's tiny and adorable since it's a mini candle.  You can pretty much put it anywhere, and at $3.50, you won't feel too guilty about buying it.  The best part is definitely the scent, though.  It smells like Christmas and love (or, to be more cliche, it smells like sugar, spice, and everything nice).  Influenster sent me the mini, but I would consider getting a bigger size, too, since I'm so obsessed with the scent.

I'm back! Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

The end of my senior year was so hectic with papers, tests, senior stuff, graduation, moving, etc. that I've been off the blog scene for a while, but I'm back and ready to go!

I received the Spring Beauty Vox Box from Influenster, which included Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in Kitty, Kitty (leopard print).  I'd never used these before, but I have to say I was impressed!  I was preparing to go on vacation for a week, and while I wanted to have painted nails, I didn't want to have to worry about touch-ups.

It took a long time to prepare my nails (pushing back my cuticles with the included stick and filing and buffing my nails with the included 3-way file).  Applying the actual strips was a little tricky at first since I didn't really know what I was doing, but once I got the hang of it, it went smoothly.  I absolutely LOVE that there's no drying time because that's the most frustrating part of painting my nails:  I always get impatient and end up messing them up.  Also, I usually end up painting a good bit of my finger, but this was also not an issue with the polish strips.  Even though the instructions claimed that no top coat was necessary, I did it anyways.  I wore the polish for 10 days before removing, but it would have looked good for a few more days (but it had begun chipping around 9-10 days, so I figured it was time).  Removing was the worst part of the polish strips; it took at least 2 acetone remover-soaked cotton balls per nail, and it took a really long time.  Part of this difficulty may have been a result of the top coat, but a large part was the polish itself.  This negative aspect would not prevent future use, however.

The manicure was long-lasting and resilient, mess-free, and easy to use.  Plus, I got a ton of compliments! Overall, I was very impressed with this product, and I would definitely use it again!

Matte nail polish

To be honest, when matte nail polish first hit the scene, I didn't like it (why the hell would anyone want nails that aren't shiny?).  But, I eventually got curious about it.  A lot of brands have matte colors, but Sephora by OPI has a matte topcoat that allows you to make any color matte!  I bought it a while ago, but I finally got a chance to use it!

I actually used three different Sephora by OPI products:

3-in-1 Base, Top, & Strengthener

Nail Colour in It's All About Me

Matte Top Coat

For a before-and-after comparison, my left hand nails have the matte top coat, and my right hand nails don't.  I'd say it works!

What do you think of matte nail polish?

Tale of two eye products

So, I'm a synchronized swimmer, and aesthetics are a big part of synchronized swimming, meaning 1) we wear makeup in the water and 2) no goggles allowed.

1)  The makeup issue:  NARS Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base

Cream blush, lipstick, and waterproof eyeliner and mascara work fine, but eyeshadow is the problem since we only have powder shadow in our makeup stash.  But the NARS primer kept it on, even after swimming 4 routines.  I'm very impressed!  (Excuse my demonic eyes--that issue is next!)

2)  The no-goggles issue:  CVS version of Refresh Optive Lubricant Eye Drops

As you can see from the left picture above, my eyes are extremely irritated.  They start hurting during the show and continue to hurt like hell for several hours afterwards.  But I bought these eye drops yesterday, and I used them before, during, and after the show.  There was still a great deal of pain, but it subsided MUCH more quickly, and after only an hour, the redness had cleared up!

Beauty products I'm digging right now

1.  Aussie 3 Minute Miracle:  This is an especially thick, moisturizing conditioner that does wonders for your hair even in just one use.  I love using this when I've been swimming a lot!

2.  mark. Calm & Composed Super Soothing Moisturizer:  This moisturizer is AMAZING.  My face has been dry (due to the swimming), and this is the only moisturizer that's kept my face from peeling.  It has avocado and oat, but it doesn't smell strongly.  It also doesn't make me break out, which was a fear I had.

3.  NARS Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base:  I've used a lot of eye primers, and I didn't think anything could beat Urban Decay's Primer Potion, but I have to admit that the NARS primer has impressed me!

4.  Clarisonic Mia:  I bought it for myself as a Christmas present this year, and now that I've been using it for a few months, my face has never been clearer!  I have almost no pimples, and the ones that I do get are infrequent and less severe.

5.  Shiseido Benefiance Concentrated Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream:  As a college student, I'm perpetually tired and stressed, which has very negative effects on my eyes.  I put this on the skin under my eyes at night, and the area always looks smoother the next morning!  I got a sizable sample from Sephora, but I won't be buying the full size since it's crazy expensive.

6.  e.l.f. Studio 11-Piece Brush Kit:  They shed a little bit, but they do what I need them to do, and I got the set for only $20.  I've been pleased with how they work so far!

my wannabe polyvore layout

I've somewhat recently joined Pinterest, and the pins from Polyvore are my favorite!  I love seeing combinations of clothes and accessories, and I'm surprised at how many styles I really like that I thought I didn't.  Anyways, here's a similar layout for a spring outfit that I made.  Everything is mark. except the jeans and the nail polish!

mark. Blaze the Way Blazer (Mag 4)

mark. Lend Me Your Earrings (Mag 4)

mark. Borrowed From The Boys Watch (Mag 4)

mark. Bold Ambitions Top

mark. Linked To My Heart Bracelet

mark. Bohemian Style Bag

mark. Tall Order Sandals (Mag 4)

Esprit Boy Cut Boyfriend Jeans

butter LONDON Nail Lacquer (in Hen Party)

This week's LOTW

Ok, here's round 2 of Looks of the Week!

Look 1

• Makeup:
• mark. Powder Buff foundation (Ivory)
• mark. Good Glowing blush (Kitten Glo)
• Benefit Stay Don’t Stray primer
• mark. On The Dot Neutral eyeshadow palette (Shades 5 & 7)
• mark. No Place To Run long wear eyeliner (Foxy Brown)
• mark. Lash All You Want high-volume mascara (Brown/Black)
• Benefit Glitz, Glam, & Gloss (Who Are You Wearing)
• Hair:

• I teased my hair gently until I had what looked like the worst bedhead ever.
• I smoothed over the top layer, twisted my hair into a bun, and secured it with an elastic band and with several bobby pins (the large ones were doing most of the work).
• Finally, I added the headband
• Accessories:
• mark. Make it Double Necklace (Burnished Silver)
• Earrings from Walmart
• Goody no-slip hairband

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Look 2

• Makeup:

• mark. Powder Buff foundation (Ivory)
• mark. Touch & Glow Shimmer Cubes
• NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
• Sephora Colorful Mono Eyeshadow (Peach Beige 13)
• mark. No Place To Run long wear eyeliner (Foxy Brown)
• mark. What a Line felt tip eyeliner (Brownie Points)
• NOTE:  It's easier to use a liquid liner on top of pencil eyeliner because you have a guide line.
• mark. Lash All You Want high-volume mascara (Brown/Black)
• Anastasia Hydrafull Gloss (Sorbet)
• Hair:
• Nothing fancy, just my normal straight style. . .
• Accessories:
• mark. Lighten Up Earrings (Silver)

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Look 3

• Makeup:
• mark. Powder Buff foundation (Ivory)
• mark. Good Glowing blush (Kitten Glo)
• NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
• mark. On The Dot Neutral eyeshadow palette (Shades 4 & 6)
• mark. i-mark eye shadow (Biscotti)
• mark. No Place To Run long wear eyeliner (Foxy Brown)
• Clinique High Lengths Mascara (Black)
• mark. Lipclick SPF 15 Color Shine Lipstick (Pinkie)
• Hair:
• Loose bun (it was crazy windy!) secured by hair clip
• Accessories:
• mark. Some Like it Haute bag (Violet)
• Guess watch (I got this with the mark. rewards program!)
• Owl earrings from Kohl’s
• Scarf from Walmart

mattifying moisturizers

I've used both of these mattifying moisturizers, and I decided to compare them on a handful of criteria.  Even though I'm a bargain hunter and the Clean & Clear is cheaper, I'd still pick mark.

Daring to compare facial cleansers

I'm always trying new facial cleansers to see if any of them will work to help my oil/acne situation, relatively recently mark.'s That's Deep Purifying Gel Cleanser.  It doesn't have salicylic acid of benzoyl peroxide in it--just willow bark extract, which, as I have found, is awesome!  I got a sample of what turned out to be a very similar cleanser:  bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser.  I liked it a lot (smelled good, left my face feeling squeaky clean without over drying, and made my face look better), and its main ingredient is also willow bark extract.  Then it occurred to me that it was essentially the same as the mark. cleanser I'd been using, but the bareMinerals one is more than DOUBLE the price (and for a smaller bottle!  The difference is only 0.7 fl. oz., but still).

So, what do you think?  Ready to try mark. yet?  ;)

If you want to try That's Deep or other products, let me know, and I will hook you up with samples and/or testers!

Looks of the week

I picked my favorite looks from this past week, and I'm going to tell you how to get the look!  I'm thinking about doing this regularly--thoughts?

Look 1

Eye makeup closeup

• Makeup:
• mark. Powder Buff foundation (Ivory)
• mark. Good Glowing blush (Kitten Glo)
• Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original eye primer)
• mark. On The Dot Neutral eyeshadow palette (Shades 3 & 7)
• mark. No Place To Run long wear eyeliner (Foxy Brown)
• mark. Make It Big lash-plumping mascara (Raven)
• Benefit Glitz, Glam, & Gloss lip gloss (I'm With The Band)
• Hair:
• I wrapped some strands around a 3/4" barrel curling iron to get the unstructured waves.
• I used bobby pins to pin some hair behind my ears.
• Accessories:
• mark. Itty Bitty Pretty Earrings (1 pair out of a set of 3)

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Look 2

• Makeup:
• mark. Powder Buff foundation (Ivory)
• mark. Good Glowing blush (Kitten Glo)
• Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original eye primer)
• mark. i-mark Custom Pick eyeshadow (Java and Lotus)
• mark. No Place To Run long wear eyeliner (Foxy Brown and Ultra Violet)
• mark. Lash All You Want high-volume mascara (Brown/Black)
• mark. Glow Baby Glow lip gloss (Girly Girl)
• Hair:
• I have naturally straight hair, but I left my hair in a bun for a few hours, and I had some slight wave when when I let it down.
• Accessories:
• mark. Lovin' and Leafin' Earrings (available 2/24/12)
• mark. Don't Leaf Me This Way Necklace (available 2/24/12)
• Headband:  my mom gave it to me after she'd opened it, but I'm guessing Goody or another drug store brand

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Look 3
(not sure why my hair looks orange. . .)

• Makeup:
• mark. Powder Buff foundation (Ivory)
• mark. Good Glowing blush (Kitten Glo)
• NARS Illuminator (Copacabana)
• Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer
• mark. i-mark Custom Pick eyeshadow (Java, Pink Dusk, and Biscotti)
• mark. No Place To Run long wear eyeliner (Foxy Brown)
• mark. Lash All You Want high-volume mascara (Brown/Black)
• Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish (Dolly)
• Hair:
• I was wearing it down and straight (my basic, default hair style), but I twisted the whole front chunk of hair on my right side and let it go in order to get some shape.
• Accessories:
• mark. Winging It Earrings (Hematite/Fuschia)
• mark. Boho Blend Scarf

Here's a closer view of my eyes for Look 3.  Pink and purple shades bring out green eyes!

I hope you've enjoyed this!  If you're suddenly itching to shop mark. (and who wouldn't be?), register here to start shopping online.  :)

Sephora haul

I got all this for $35!

Keep scrolling for deal secrets.  :)

To see all the stuff in a bit more detail:

I basically got all of the free stuff because I'm a Beauty Insider.  It's free to join, and you'll get email updates about deals being offered.  Here are the perks:

• They constantly have "order $25 of stuff, get free ____."
• For every dollar you spend, you get a point in your Beauty Bank, and you can redeem them for deluxe samples or some kind of set (they usually have a few choices that change every so often (probably every week).  Plus, the points don't expire, so there's no rush to accumulate your points.
• If you spend $300 within one calendar year, your status gets bumped up to VIB:  Very Important Beauty Insider.  VIB gets you access to more codes for even better free stuff.
• You get a free birthday gift every year!

Of course, I score deals everywhere, and I'll talk about that in a future post!

More nail polish? Yes, please!

Since I'm both a mark. rep and in love with nail polish, I have to try all of mark.'s nail polish, naturally!  This set of 2 was actually this year's holiday set, but I only bought it when it came to Last Chance.  I used the red one (Sure Fire) on all my nails, then I used the pewter one (Meltdown) at the base of my thumbnails.  Both colors are rich, shimmery, and really pretty!

In order to do the half-moon accent, I used a curved french manicure guide (came with my Sally Hansen french manicure kit) by placing it towards the base of the nail.  Then, I just painted 2 coats of Meltdown, waited a long time, and peeled it off.  Then, I used more top coat because the new layer of polish was raised, and the top coat helped to blend in the relief difference.









Next is my Julep Maven order (I'm a new Maven!).  I got the American Beauty Oscar colors (red=Glenn, and gold glitter=Oscar).  I just painted my nails, so I had to move to my toenails!

I used the same method for the gold accent as with my finger nails:  I just placed a guide and filled in the space I wanted gold.

*Tip for using guides or tape on already painted nails:  it takes a LONG time for it to be dry/hard enough so that you won't ruin it by putting something sticky on it.  I usually wait until at least a day later because if not I always mess it up.

The kit also came with a rollerball cuticle oil, which I'm really excited about because 1) winter is making my cuticles a mess and 2) it's a rollerball, so no messy oil!

Finally, Julep sent a piece of chocolate in the shape of an Oscar trophy.  At first I thought the chocolate was kind of strange (coming from a nail products company), but it was a nice touch to the Oscars theme.  Plus, I never turn down chocolate!!

fun with liquid eyeliner

My alternate (probably more accurate) title is:  A Series of Failed Attempts with Liquid Eyeliner.  Liquid liner is a pain, but it just looks so cool!  I finally decided to learn how to do it, and, naturally, I documented every step!  I used mark.'s On The Edge hookup liquid eyeliner in Cleo (black).

1st attempt

So, as you may have guessed, this was my first attempt.  I think my right eye is particularly entertaining!












The next time I tried, it was definitely better!

2nd attempt

A more recent attempt (below).  I might actually wear that where people can see me!

Finally, for this last one, I used mark.'s What A Line felt tip liquid eyeliner, and it's SO MUCH EASIER to use than regular liquid liner!  I got results that were better in less time with fewer mistakes.  This is definitely my liquid liner of choice!  (Buy either mark. liquid liner here.)

Beauty snobbery

We probably all know at least one beauty snob (this term is not necessarily derogatory!)--someone who will only use expensive makeup (like MAC, Benefit, Urban Decay, Bobbi Brown, etc.) and considers more affordable brands to be inferior based on price alone.

But mark. has the high quality of the high-end brands at a more affordable price.  Often, mark. is more expensive than drugstore brands, but not by a lot.  Plus, something that mark. has that neither the high-end or drugstore brands have is a rep who can tell you about the products and let you try them before you buy.

So, I challenge you:  dare to compare!

If you want to give mark. a try, get in touch with me (facebook or email), or start shopping online!  :)

Spring fashion trends

I was looking at trends for spring 2012 on Elle's website, and I can tell you now I won't be dressing trendy this spring!

One is the Drop Waist, as shown in this outfit (Chloé).  She just looks like a rectangle!  Granted, high fashion models typically don't have a curvy figure anyways, but even if they did, the drop waist would hide them.

Another trend I find profoundly ugly is Abstract Art, like this outfit (Proenza Schouler).  I don't like real abstract art because I feel like they're not showing me anything.  If an elephant can paint it, you're not that talented.  Anyways, with this particular dress, this is what I think:  the 70s called...even they don't want their fugly curtains back!  I do, however, think the trend could be ok in [extreme] moderation.

Ok, now to something I liked:  Baroque Flourishes (this one is Andrew Gn).  It's classic and sophisticated.  I think it would be better if the color was a little more vibrant (maybe a little more gold and/or shimmer).

Another trend I thought was kinda cool was Digital Imaging.  I didn't like all of them, but the idea is new and interesting!  I especially liked this dress (Dries Van Noten).  It has really nice details without being overly busy.  Plus, I really like the cut, particularly the sleeves.

What do you think about the trends?

Nail polish!

I've been SO busy, but I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack!  :)

As I've mentioned before, I'm obsessed with nail polish, and I paint my nails once a week on average.  I'm also really, REALLY bad at painting in the lines--I always end up painting all my cuticles!  So, I bought Sephora's nail polish correcter pen (which was only $6), but I'm so disappointed with it.  It was wet with remover for a minute, but there's no pump or anything to release more liquid.  Plus, once there's the slightest bit of polish on it, that part of the tip is useless.  I soaked it in remover (a solution that the reviewers on Sephora.com suggested), but that didn't do much.

Base/Top Coats

I've been using Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat (~$5), and it works pretty well.  But I'm almost out, so I decided to try Sephora by OPI's 3-in-1 Base, Top, & Strengthener ($14).  I like it so far!  It dries quickly, and it's protected my color through a few dish-washings and a lot of hand-washing.

Sephora by OPI colors

Overall, this is a good line of nail products, but I do have some observations and  tips for ordering online.
-Glitter/shimmer shades don't seem to last as long as the ones without shimmer.  Does anyone else experience this?
-The color they show is often misleading (this is especially true for any colors with glitter or shimmer).  I bought the shade Go With the Flow-er, expecting this:

But this is what it really looks like:

It's a pretty color, but when I pay $9.50 for a bottle of nail polish, I want it to be what they advertised, ya know?

However, I have found a solution!  If you go to their interactive tool that let's you try on colors virtually, the color on the virtual nails are still inaccurate, but the bottle it shows is much more indicative of the actual color.  (This is still the same color, Go With The Flow-er.)

You can also do a Google search to see pictures of the color you're interested in.  If you look at a few different ones, you can usually get a good idea of the real color.