Sunday, November 24, 2013

Positively Polished - 30 Manis Marathon #16

30 MANIS MARATHON
MANI #16 - TRIBAL PRINT



WHEW! This one was a toughy! The cool thing about Tribal Print is there's almost no right or wrong...you just kind of.....go with it. Haha, unfortunately, I think mine may have gone a bit haywire, but oh well, live and learn! It was still super fun to do!


Here are the polishes I used...


 From Left to Right:

      • Seche Vite - Dry Fast Topcoat 
      • OPI - Black Onyx
      • Julep - Brielle
      • Zoya - Wednesday
      • Ruffian Nail Lacquer - Naked
      • Zoya - Godiva

Not Shown: Nail Tek - Intensive Therapy II (basecoat)



I wanted to go with some Cherokee rug inspiration since I'm half Cherokee...I thought it'd be fun. For this mani (hold on to your hats, haha) I started with a base coat of Nail Tek followed by two coats of Zoya's Godiva...which is STUNNING by the way. Then I brushed on stripes of Naked in different areas of each nail just the width of the brush. On the Pointer finger it towards the outside of the nail, on the middle finger it's right down the middle, on the ring finger it's on the opposite side as the pointer finger and on the pinky it was straight across the middle of the nail. I followed with Zoya's Wednesday and added a similar stripe to Naked right next to the Naked stripes, except the middle finger, I used a striping brush to paint on thin lines on either side of Naked. Then I took Julep's Brielle and brushed on a thin line on the outside of my pointer finger, a thin line down the center of my middle finger, diamonds down the Wednesday on my ring finger and two strips across my pinky, one above Naked and one on the tip. I then added black details with OPI's Black Onyx. Adding stripes here and there, diamonds, dots, triangles, etc. On my middle finger I went with a sketchy rug design I've seen on Cherokee pattern rugs by dragging a thin detail brush across starting small at the top, getting wider towards the middle and back to small at the bottom for a weaved looking diamond. I also used a dotting tool for a few detail dots here and there. I wanted to incorporate a bit of a dream catcher/necklace in the mani so I added beaded dots on my middle finger as well....I made a LITTLE mistake on my ring finger a the bottom which is why below the black dots it's filled in in a rectangle (whoopsie!). I finished everything with a coat of Seche Vite! Voila! I absolutely love my pinky and middle finger, but I'm not too terribly crazy about my ring and pointer finger. Oh well! It was fun! 



Up next is GLITTER!!!!! AGH! I'm so excited about it!!


Happy Makeuping and Polishing!





      

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Positively Polished - 30 Manis Marathon #15

30 MANIS MARATHON
MANI #15 - DELICATE PRINT



I am BACK with the 30 Manis Marathon! You seriously would not believe what I have been doing that just wrecked my nails...making butterflies out of hangers, netting and glitter. I kid you not! Haha! The ballet studio I work at is having an end of the year Holiday Show so I've been working nonstop on props, scenery, etc. (whilst choreographing/teaching) and with all of the hands-on work, my nails....well....went to ruin for a bit. They were SO short! You think my nails in the picture above are short for me? Yeeeeeah, they were shorter than that! I kept putting off doing a mani until they grew out more because I had a fabulous design in mind that needed longer nails, however, so much time has gone by I decided to go in a different direction and try out a different style nail! Believe it or not this pattern was the very first stamping design I ever tried once I first purchased my stamping supplies and it was a DISASTER. I tried it for about 3 hours (I know, right?!) and nothing worked! Over time and after practice I finally got a step up on the technique and I am super stoked to say that I did this stamping in about..oh....5 minutes! ::squeal!:: When it doubt, practice, practice, practice and try different ways to do things....it pays off in the end!
   

 Here are the polishes I used....

From Left to Right:

  • Konad - Special Polish in White
  • Essie - Matte About You matte topcoat
  • Sation Nail Lacquer - Love at First Byte

Not Shown: Nail Tek - Intensive Therapy II (basecoat)



For this mani I used Nail Tek Intensive Therapy II as a base (I am LOVING this stuff! I've been using it for a week and it's definitely been helping my poor nails), then four coats of Love at First Byte as my main color. It's a very thin polish, and even with four coats it isn't completely opaque. If you look close you can still see the whites of my nail tips. BUT, the polish is so fantastic to apply, it's not streaky at all, and it glides on smooth, evening itself out quickly. For the design I used two stamping plates along with Konad's Special White Polish...

Bundle Monster
Plate BM06

I used the pattern on the bottom for my pointer, ring and pinky finger (I flipped it upside down). 


Bundle Monster
Plate-204

I used the pattern on the top right (minus the tiny cotton ball bundle on the top left corner of the design) for my middle finger. 

I finished everything all up with a single coat of Essie's Matte About You matte topcoat for a soft finish. 



Please oh please let there be no more nail breaking! Haha, I want to get on with these fun manis! Next up is Tribal Print!



Happy Makeuping and Polishing!





     

Birchbox - November 2013

MORE GOOD

Who can say no to more good? November is all about more good to me! Ok, maybe too much goodness on a certain day that involves turkey and stuffing, haha, but it's definitely the season for both thankfulness and giving....and Birchbox definitely gave more good this month! Here's what they have to say....


"As any Thanksgiving feast can attest, this is not the time for holding back. Rather, this month - and the entire holiday season - is about abundance in all forms. More thanks, more giving, more thoughtfulness, more samples, and of course more pumpkin pie and stuffing. 

All month, we'll be bringing you ideas for how you can bring more good to your life, from a roundup of our favorite charitable beauty brands to easy ways to give back. In addition, we're donating a portion of the proceeds from the Birchbox Shop to No Kid Hungry, a nationwide organization that works to end childhood hunger.

There's plenty more good where that came from - we can't wait to celebrate with you all month!"

Cheers,
Katia, Hayley & the Birchbox Team



I always get such a happy warm feeling when this time of the year comes around....looks like Birchbox is feeling the same! 


They also included this fun little booklet which showcases products and items in the Birchbox Shop and ideas for the Holidays.

Here's what I received in my Birchbox this month!

 I received: A face serum, mascara, nail polish, body cream and chocolate


To the review!....


DDF
AMPLIFYING ELIXIR


"This translucent formula transforms skin, boosting it's natural moisture barrier up to 50%." - from my November 2013 Birchbox card

I LOVED this stuff! I had been hearing some horror stories from some of the ladies on Makeuptalk about how this serum was giving them a rash (I'm so sorry!) so I was hesitant to try it, but luckily, it had no ill effect on my skin at all! In fact, it did wonders for it!


The formula is very very runny for a serum, as you can see from the photo above. I seriously had to scurry to take the pictures as quickly as I could because it would just run down my hand in a second. My best suggestion when using this product is to slowly squeeze the tube right above the center of your palm, then rub your hands together because if you squeeze it above your fingertips, it'll roll right off and drip right through. Messy, messy! 

Serums are typically used right after cleansers but before moisturizers but with this elixir I almost didn't need any moisturizer to follow up at all! It gave my skin such deep hydration, completely smoothing it out and lasting for hours. When I used it in the morning, I decided to use a very, very light moisturizer afterwards and I noticed my makeup went on SO smoothly especially the concealer during blending. At night, after applying, my skin felt baby soft even though the weather was freezing which usually dries out my skin by the morning. ADORE! On warmer days, I may not need a moisturizer at all! If you need deep extra hydration often then I definitely recommend taking a look at this. However, since I've heard several ladies have had bad reactions to it, I'd possibly try a sample of it first before ordering. Sometimes you can call up a company or email them and request a sample to test before purchase! You can start by swatching it on your wrist or on the back of your hand to see if there is any reaction, then after a day if there is none, you can try it on your face!







TIOSSAN
BODY CREAM
in Femme


"Loaded with antioxidants, this aromatic body cream leaves skin silky and soft." - from my November 2013 Birchbox card

 How adorable is this jar? I absolutely feel in love with it the moment I saw it...unfortunately, I didn't quite fall in love with the lotion. The fragrance consists of:

"A floral bouquet on a bed of amber, sprinkled with a dash of ylang ylang for a heady and ambiguous fragrance that restores a personal sense of calm, balance and femininity."

Top Notes: Ylang Ylang, Rose
Heart Notes: Lily of the Valley, Jasmine, a touch of Tuberose
Base Notes: Cedar, Amber, White musk

- from tiossan.com
     
If you're long-time Charming Cheshire reader, I KNOW you're thinking: "OH MY, ylang ylang, rose, tuberose, cedar, white musk...nooooo, that is SO not Cookie at ALL!". Haha, well, my darlings, you'd be absolutely right. Just not my cup of tea, I'm afraid. It's just too heavy floral and musky for my taste. 


The formula is not the best I've used for a body cream, but it's not bad. It's a bit on the light side, however my main issue with it is that it didn't give much coverage. I had to use more than I typically do to fully moisturize any areas of skin. When I DID use the right amount, it did give great moisturization, but I much prefer using less product, that way I know it will last me that much longer before I need to buy a new one! When I use body creams I usually use them on my hands and elbows as they get dry while my arms, legs, etc. never do. When I try a lotion on my hands and elbows and it has no great effect then I know that I need to find another product. My hands get dry SO quickly and easily. I need a much creamier lotion to fix them up. If you only need a lighter body cream though, you may indeed like to try the Tiosson Body Creams! Something tells me if I had tried their Fatale fragrance (bergamot, cardamom, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, rose, hint of chocolate, lily of the valley, patchouli, sandlewood, vanilla, musk) or Flamboyant (mandarin, bergamot, lemon, peony, honeysuckle, amber, musk) I probably would have loved it so much more, but with the fragrance dislike and the too light moisturization, it's just not for me!



 


COLOR CLUB
NAIL LACQUER
in Top Shelf


"On-trend pro-quality lacquer that will take you easily - and gorgeously - from day to night." - from my November 2013 Birchbox card

How STUNNING is this color? It is GORGEOUS. It's a fabulous champagne gold metallic. Also, how darn adorable are polish minis? I think they are such a wonderful thing to have. I'm notorious for never being able to finish a bottle of polish, but I definitely don't feel as bad with mini bottles!


Unfortunately, as gorgeous as this color is, it is STREAKY. It only needs two coats for full opacity, but it's very tricky to worth with since the stroke lines are so visible as you can see in the picture above. Even if you brush on lightly and with as few brush strokes as possibly, it will STILL be streaky. I'm not complaining too much though, since the color is so gorgeous and you could definitely try several things with this instead of full coverage if you're not comfortable with long streaks down your nail. You could use it for a french tip, half-moons, or you could use a sponge to apply that should give you a streak-free nail regardless! I wore it for about 3 days with both base and top coat and I had no trouble with major chipping other than typical wear and tear. An absolutely stunning polish, if you don't mind tricky application.






EYEKO
BLACK MAGIC MASCARA


"Water-resistant formula that curls, thickens, and lasts all day." - from my November 2013 Birchbox card

::cue the angelic choir singing:: OHHHHHHH my word. I am STUNNED by this mascara! I could seriously throw all of my other mascaras just out the window in comparison to this one! It is FANTASTIC!
   

The wand is curved as you can see with provides a fantastic means to reach those itty bitty eyelashes all the way around your eye and helps assist in giving your lashes a fantaaaastic curl. The bristles are fairly thin, but packed well and spaced out nicely so it it keeps lashes beautifully separated even with multiple coats. Did I mention it gives them the most amazing curve? You practically don't need to use a lash curler beforehand! It somewhat volumizes, but not quite as much as a volumizing mascara, however, it is very buildable and doesn't clump up at all, so you can layer up till you're satisfied with the volume!
   

The formula is excellent, no clumps at all! On the right side of my hand is a single light swipe and on the left is a double swipe that was a bit more heavy handed. Notice the awesome brushstrokes and lack of clumps! The curl lasted all day long with awesome lift and I had absolutely no flaking or smudging! Also to note, their website states that it also contains conditioning keratin and shea better, which I love. Gotta take good care of my little flutters! If you haven't guessed by now, I absolutely recommend trying out this mascara! 
 





LIFESTYLE EXTRA:

CHUAO
CHOCOPOD
in Honeycomb


"Made with premium cacao, these inventive treats satisfy any sweet tooth." - from my November 2013 Birchbox card

I have heard so many people rave about these Chocopods and NOW I KNOW WHY! WOW! It was absolutely amazing! It was so darn amazing, I actually went and ordered a whole Chocopod assortment the very next day! The assortment contains: 

Firecracker:  sultry sea salt, smoky chipotle and popping candy exploding in dark chocolate

Honeycomb: luscious amber honey, caramelized into crisp bits and enrobed in dark chocolate

Maple Bacon: crisp bites of bacon drizzled with delicate maple sweetness and a sprinkle of bonfire smoked sea salt, bathed in milk chocoalte

Pop Corn: mixed puffed whole grains, toasted corn chips, and a sprinkle of seat salt with a surprising POP in milk chocolate

Potato Chip: crisp kettle cooked potato chips and a hint of sea salt, mix and mingle in milk chocolate

Orange-A-Go-Go: rich dark chocolate grooves with zesty bits of candied orange and soulful orange bergamot

Salted Chocolate: crunchy, toasted breadcrumbs dusted with sea salt and swirled in dark chocolate

Spicy Maya: seductive cinnamon, pasilla chile and warming cayenne bedded in dark chocolate


I mean, seriously, couldn't you just die? I tried the Honeycomb, as you can see from above, and it was the PERFECT blend of crispy sweet honey and rich, velvety dark chocolate that just melted and oozed deliciousness in your mouth! A very tantalizing, unique treat that'll have you begging for more! I certainly was! Can't wait for my goodies to arrive to try other exciting flavors.





WORTH AND PURCHASE:

1) DDF Amplifying Elixir:
  • Full-size (1.7 oz) - $75
  • I received a 0.5 fl oz sample tube - $22.06

2) Tiossan Body Cream in Femme:
  • Full-size (6.5 oz) - $38
  • I received a 0.25 oz sample - $1.46

3) Color Club Nail Polish in Top Shelf:
  • Full-size (0.5 fl oz) - $8
  • I received a mini polish which is 0.25 fl oz - $4

4) Eyeko Black Magic Mascara:
  • Full-size (0.29 fl oz) - $24
  • I received a 0.13 sample tube - $10.76

5) Chuao Chocopod in Honeycomb:
  • 8 Piece assorted Chocopod set - $9.95
  • I received a single Chocopod - $1.24
     

Total Paid for Box: $10

Total Worth of Box: $39.52

Seriously, the mascara and elixir make this entire box absolutely worth it! ALONE each is worth over what I paid (the elixir is worth double!) and I pretty much loved almost everything I received. The only dud for me was the Tiossan Body Cream. Absolutely happy with this month's worth!






FINALE

So I really didn't have that much makeup to do a makeup Finale, but I did want to show you the mascara. I was actually inspired by the name Black Magic, so I went with a black magic combined with Fall look that I had fun rocking that day for work! 
    
  
I went with a vivid midnight blue eyeshadow for my entire lid, then blended in some purple on the outsides and below my lower lashes. I also used a midnight blue eyeliner for the center of my cat-eye and a dark purple for the outer wing. I combined the eyes with a rich dark rose maroon lipstick for a Fall feel.

 
I going to have a love affair with my mascara moment.....LOOK! You can see my lashes when I look up! Haha, love it! Those little stubborn buggers never want to curl, so the fact that they are looking curled in the picture makes me happy.


Look at that LENGTH and separation! I have on about three coats of the mascara here, if you can believe...I know, clump free!....and I just adore it.

     
I am superdupes happy with my Birchbox this month! I've been wondering how my feelings have been lately for them, but I think they've redeemed themselves in my eyes with this month's picks for me. Here's hoping for an amazing December box!

I hope you enjoyed this review! If you're interested in trying out Birchbox for yourself, you are more than welcome to use my referral link, just click HERE.

   

Happy Makeuping!





    

Thursday, November 21, 2013

December REVEAL - Julep

JULEP'S DECEMBER MAVEN SELECTION WINDOW IS OPEN!

   

The Holidays are coming! The Holidays are coming! And Julep's December selections are full of gorgeous Holiday colors and festive sparkle! If you're a Maven Subscriber, the Maven Selection window is open from now until the 24th, so be sure to make your selections soon!


THE GLITTERATI COLLECTION

(Click for larger view)

Here is this month's profile sets:
(Individual profile sets are $19.99 per month)


BOHO GLAM


Polishes Included:




Beauty Items Included:







BOMBSHELL


Polishes Included:




Beauty Items Included:







CLASSIC WITH A TWIST


Polishes Included:




Beauty Items Included:







IT GIRL


Polishes Included:








MODERN BEAUTY


Beauty Items Included:








FEATURED ADD-ON #1 (+$4.99)
Gianna









FEATURED ADD-ON #2 (+$9.99)
Party Dress Duo









FEATURED ADD-ON #3 (+$11.99)
Julep Eyeshadow Brush









This month Julep has THREE different types of upgrades that you can choose from! Here's the info on them....


POLISH LOVER UPGRADE 
(Regular monthly $19.99 + $25)


Nine Polishes Included:

  • Misti - smoky blue-grey creme
  • Joelle - full-coverage smokey holographic glitter
  • Andrea - brilliant full-coverage bronze glitter
  • Cara - cranberry frost
  • Mia - greenish silver metallic
  • Jillian - deep eggplant with bronze molten 
  • Evelyn - magenta purple creme
  • Celia - icy green metallic
  • Shoshana - full-coverage yellow holographic glitter







 UPGRADE 
(Regular monthly $19.99 + $35)


Nine Polishes Included: 

  • Misti - smoky blue-grey creme
  • Joelle - full-coverage smokey holographic glitter
  • Andrea - brilliant full-coverage bronze glitter
  • Cara - cranberry frost
  • Mia - greenish silver metallic
  • Jillian - deep eggplant with bronze molten 
  • Evelyn - magenta purple creme
  • Celia - icy green metallic
  • Shoshana - full-coverage yellow holographic glitter


Two Beauty Products Included:

      • Sweep Eyeshadow Palette: Neutrals
      • Blank Canvas Mattifying Eye Primer







ULTIMATE UPGRADE
(Regular monthly $19.99 + $55)



Twelve Polishes Included: 

  • Misti - smoky blue-grey creme
  • Joelle - full-coverage smokey holographic glitter
  • Andrea - brilliant full-coverage bronze glitter
  • Cara - cranberry frost
  • Mia - greenish silver metallic
  • Jillian - deep eggplant with bronze molten 
  • Evelyn - magenta purple creme (TWO)
  • Celia - icy green metallic
  • Shoshana - full-coverage yellow holographic glitter
  • Gianna - jagged gold glitter top coat
  • Christine - bronze microglitter


Three Beauty Products Included:

      • Sweep Eyeshadow Palette: Neutrals
      • Blank Canvas Mattifying Eye Primer
      • Julep Eyeshadow Brush


There you have it! Julep's Glitterati Collection for the month of December! Are you a Maven Subscriber and if so, what will YOU be picking for this month? I think I'm leaning towards the Polish Upgrade! The eyeshadow palette looks intriguing but I have SO many neutral palettes and even many primers, so polish it is!


Happy Makeuping! Polishing!