Nails: Dani-Mite by Nails by Laura Swatches ( VERY Limited Edition Polish for a Fab Charity!)

July 30, 2012 By StephanieLouise 757Leave a Comment2012-07-30+16%3A09%3A00StephanieLouise

This is one of those polishes you feel good about buying: Dani-Mite is an EXTREMELY limited edition polish (only 100 will EVER be made!) & a whopping 50% is going towards a wonderful cause. This is an almost unheard of percentage for a small business which means you should feel fabulous for absolutely having to buy it.

From Nails by Laura herself on her Etsy page where this polish is STILL being sold:

“Dani-mite” is named for Danielle, who brought this all to be in the first place. It’s made up of satin turquoise, satin lime, and regular shiny orange hexes in a fine, holographic glitter base. As you can see from the swatch, it CAN be opaque with about 3-4 coats, but I do personally encourage it as a top coat, if only for easier application.

THERE WILL ONLY BE 100 MADE EVER. They will be labeled as such (1/100, 2/100, 3/100,etc). I WILL NOT make any more after that. You will not see this become part of my regular line. When the 100 sell, they’re gone. So grab ’em for a good cause!

So here’s the deal:
Each polish is marked at $10 and 50% will go to NBTS. At the link below, you will see there is a link to “Give” where I will be donating the proceeds myself after every 10 polishes sold. If you are not interested in the polish, I encourage you to donate there.”

http://www.braintumor.org/

Dani-Mite form Nails by Laura- A clear base with extra small holo glitter, semi-satin turquoise small hexes, orange small hexes, & medium satin mint hex glitters. This is 2 coats.

Application is superb on this, & absolutely lovely. I have it on over Sally Hansen “Thinking of Blue” which is a medium toned navy. My bottle is #39 of 100. I know it says it above in her own words but I want to point out this is NOT a small bottle. For reference, OPI bottles hold 15ml & so does this one. That is a lot of polish! I love it. It just went on so effortlessly & I didn’t even need a topcoat. This is going to be stunny in a jelly sammich!

I bought this polish from my own funds because not only is it for a great cause, but, have you looked at it? I needed to own it, no doubt about it. Its brilliantly different from anything else in my glitter collection & looks completely unique. If you liked this polish, definitely check out some of my other Nails by Laura posts, she has blown me away every time. Black Tie Affair is one of my very personal favorites, I even wore it to IMATS LA!

What do you think? Love it? Are you more likely to purchase a polish that donates to charity?

NOTE: As of last night, Laura announced that there are LESS THAN 30 bottles left!

Travel: WhatchyaGot Bag Review + Packing

July 27, 2012 By StephanieLouise 758Leave a Comment2012-07-27+14%3A28%3A00StephanieLouise

So, basically, this bag is all about using up every crevice. This isn’t one of those “throw your keys in& hope they fit” bags. Oh no. This is a WhatchyaGot Bag & they use all kinds of clever ways to make every inch of this sucker useable while still being cute. From the seams to the insulated (yes!) pocket, this is a brilliant contraption for everything. I can totally seeing a mom sizing down to this bag for jaunts to the park, a woman using this as the perfect organizer for an airplane, & even me, who crammed tons of makeup in there. Hey, its me. What were you expecting?

Now these aren’t cheap. These bags run about $50 but if you’re going to use it, its definitely worth it. Its super high quality & definitely well thought-out. I’ve had bags like this before & the mesh pockets lasted maybe 3 uses before ripping. This would even be a great lunch bag, with the insulated pocket. What did I do? Crammed my Physician’s Formula moisturizer, cleanser, & a setting spray from Skindivania in there. All full sized with room to spare. Brilliant since I was afraid they might leak. You can also see my foundations & various other items lined up nicely & conveniently in the video below. Ah, forced organization how I love thee.

I love that you can put a big bottle (my calming spray of the moment) along the base seam, removing any unused space. This would also be great for medications, a water bottle, baby bottle, a package of Ritz crackers…okay maybe not that last one.I really love the added bag (shown in the photo) for further separation or removed as another organizer. The strap is super comfortable which is important since you can potentially make this quite heavy! I LOVE the cell phone pocket, a small detail that really makes all the difference. I could easily see my lounging by the pool with this bag, everything super safe inside. These bags are water-resistant, of course. Perfect for a trip to Sea World perhaps…

I have a bag here in “Flower Power” but there are definitely other options available, including a really cute leopard print. If you are interested in checking these out: http://whatchyagotbags.com/products/flower-power/

So how much did I fit in my WhatchyaGot Bag? So glad you asked!

So what do you think? Would you use this to pack up items? What would you use it for?

Books: The Care & Handling of Roses with Thorns + My Own Orchid Tale

July 26, 2012 By StephanieLouise 759Leave a Comment2012-07-26+13%3A20%3A00StephanieLouise

This was such a strangely enchanting read for me. Have you ever read a story that you had no intentions of being similar to your life, but then little by little it was? No? Okay well let me explain. Growing up, we resided near my mother’s side of the family. She is the eldest of 3 sisters & for a long time, I was the only kid. I have a sister (11 years my elder) & a cousin. He is younger than me & a boy. There’s a big difference between forcing a boy to do things & having a very enthusiastic girl. I spent a lot of time with my aunts here & there. I think I had forgotten that until I read this book.

The Care & Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway was instantly a book that drew me in. I’m a sucker for roses. I’m currently trying to garden a bit (mostly herbs) so the scientific bits spread throughout the novel were fascinating. My mother loves roses but man, not the thumb for it. My dad was constantly saving them from utter destruction. She really loved them though. I did too. We even had a bread that was mini rainbow type shades. I remember praying when I started my seedlings that I would take after the rest of my family & not my poor plant killing mother. Lucky indeed.

Gal Garner is the main character, a biology teacher with a true gift & passion for growing & breeding roses. Riley is her niece who gets dropped on Gal by her addiction-ridden sister. Gal isn’t exactly equipped to take care of a kid. She doesn’t make much money teaching (even less than public school teachers!), is pretty internal, & of course there’s the kidney disease. This is one of those stories where you think “nope not for me” because you just know it will make you cry. But its not what you expect. There’s this beautiful undercurrent of humor & with the rose specimen knowledge being a heavy theme throughout it is so much more than a crying book. Its pretty much impossible not to fall for the characters.

We used to go to the Orchid Show every year as a kid. Orchids are my favorite flower, in fact, I have them tattooed on my shoulder. I would go with my (not addiction driven by perfectly normal) mom & aunts every year. I wonder now why we ever stopped. Did I turn into a snotty teenager? Was it just too far away? Too many people. I think we should go again, it was beautiful.

The Care & Handling of Roses with Thorns will be available on August 2nd, 2012. I urge you to check it out. Please check out our on discussion on BlogHer & please let me know if this sounds like a book that interests you!. Disclosure: I was compensated for writing this review for the BlogHer Book Club. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

Nails: Winterbery by Sinful Colors Swatches + Addressing Their Stolen Images

July 25, 2012 By StephanieLouise 760Leave a Comment2012-07-25+17%3A47%3A00StephanieLouise

So, let me preface this: I know about the Sinful Colors using bloggers photos. I think its absolutely horrible & if it was me, I’d be suing. Sinful Colors isn’t a small company, in fact, they are owned by Revlon. To use a bloggers photos or content without their permission is absolutely 100% wrong & they must know it. Then they took it one step further by REMOVING a watermark & edited images. Even worse? The bloggers hadn’t even used Sinful Colors products in their posts. Now that I have addressed that (if you have no idea what I’m talking about, do Google this for more information) I am hoping you will understand why I am choosing to show a Sinful Colors product today. This was requested by a few readers who really want to see Winterberry & I had promised them to swatch it. I hope Revlon/Sinful Colors addresses these issues immediately & that they can resolve things with the bloggers who had photos stolen.

With all that out, I give you Winterberry! Walgreens is having their 99 cent Sinful Colors this week, so I’m not surprised you guys wanted to see it! This is a newer shade & on the bottom it is labeled Winterberry in the #1056. Check displays, bins, & weird places. Walgreens is a strange, strange land where not everything is located where it belongs.

Winterberry from Sinful Colors: A greyed plum with a silver metallic finish. 3 coats no top coat.

This is a lovely shade & not quite like anything else I own. I’m not a big metallics fan, but this screams fall/winter to me & I know I’ll be wearing this here & there throughout. It went on really patchy in the first coat but the 2nd coats evened it out. I put on a 3rd just for good measure. I think this is great if you love purples but want something unique to add to your stash that isn’t just “another plum” to clutter your collection!

Revlon Moon Candy Duo in Milky Way Swatches (A HOLO FLAKIE!)

July 24, 2012 By StephanieLouise 761Leave a Comment2012-07-24+14%3A28%3A00StephanieLouise

I have been not so casually stalking Revlon’s new duo line ” Moon Candy” since I first got word of its existence. I made a vow it would be mine..well okay a few of them. Two of the shades I had my eye on got withdrawn & won’t be released for awhile now (RUDE!) but I did pick up the 2 I wanted. Today I’m showing you Revlon’s Moon Candy Duo in Milky Way.

Now, this will be the first Revlon duo I’ve ever featured. They’ve come out with quite a few & although some have caught my eye I’ve steered clear. They’re around $8 each & only have .26 fl oz. Plus I had heard the brushes left a lot to be desired. But I caved. Its a flakie, you guys know I have an obsession. I don’t plan to pick up more at this time because I do have so many flakies…but honestly these aren’t my traditional flakies. They are thicker, more like glitter, & Milky Way is especially more like shards of glass. I don’t love or hate this but this means they don’t curve to my nail as well. Plus, they are more likely to snag things without a good top coat. I also had to really place these shards. Boo.

Revlon Moon Candy Duo in Milky Way: Side one is a lovely charcoal gray cream. One coat of perfection. I seriously love this shade. Side 2 is a holo flakie suspended in a clear base. As I said, these are more like shards of glass rather than traditional flakies & greatly vary in size & shape. These need to be coaxed & placed more as well.

All in all, I am glad I picked this one up. Its like nothing else I currently own & I actually LIKE the cream shade in both application & shade. The shards are gorgeous & can be rather large although they vary. You can see the rainbow it throws off on the palm of my hand in the first 2 pictures. Talk about a showstopper! In the sun or in the shade, this is one to get you noticed. This also had a decent dry time which was an unexpected positive. I DO recommend a top coat because some of these are rather sharp.

What do you think? Have you picked up a Revlon Moon Candy Duo? I grabbed this at Walgreens on its own display!

Glamour Senses Birchbox July 2012 featuring Color Club, Eyeko, & More! + A Keychain!

July 23, 2012 By StephanieLouise 762Leave a Comment2012-07-23+17%3A45%3A00StephanieLouise

If you saw my July MyGlam post, then you know I was thrilled! Birchbox was also great! Christmas in July perhaps? Maybe they knew I needed some sweet new products? Either way, I hope they keep it up because they both impressed me!

In My Birchbox:
– Color Club Nail Polish in Blue-Ming (mini size minty-turquoise. Love getting these!)
-Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black
-Harvey Prince Eau Flirt Sample
– City Sunscreen Serum from Supergoop! (two sample packets)
-Ginger Pear Mints from Tea Forte
-Seriously cute lime green & hot pink earbuds from Glamour/Birchbox

So…how could I not be in love with this box? Seriously, impressive month overall. Again, please let me know if you want a review of the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black. I’ll do an eye look with it as well! What did YOU get in your birchbox this month? If you haven’t signed up yet, its only $10 a month for a box of sample (sometimes full-sized as proof above!) & its a fun way to surprise yourself every month. Here is my referral link for Birchbox: Birchbox Referral. If you use it, points go towards buying more products to feature here on the blog! I buy these boxes with my own money.

As always, feel free to link your Birchbox posts using the Comment Luv option on my commenting system! Don’t have a blog? I’d still love to know what you got!

MyGlam Bag for July 2012 featuring Josie Maran, Kiehl’s, & More!

July 20, 2012 By StephanieLouise 763Leave a Comment2012-07-20+14%3A29%3A00StephanieLouise

You haven’t heard this very many times on my blog, but this month’s MyGlam bag blew me away. It was EXCELLENT. I will use every single item in my bag…even the bag! I actually loved everything in this bag & thought it was really well-rounded. Interested in learning more? Read on!

There was also a coupon from NuMe which you can see in the video. You can see the ‘or’ products here but I would have been happy with any of them really.

1. Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain in Tango.
2. Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes (10 of them)
3. NuMe Hydro Punch Hydrating Conditioner (0.67oz)
4. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion for normal to oily skin types (Pretty much unscented which I like!)
5. Circus by Andrea’s Choice Nail Polish in Reverso

The Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain in Tango is a gorgeous watermelon pink when swatched but looks a bit more raspberry after a 2nd coat. These markers are fabulous on the lips, an easy stain with no runny excess or bitterness. Like I showed in the video, these do best when stored pointing down. This also dries very quickly! I’m not a fan of markers as a cheek stain normally though because they dry so fast & are too exact.

I think this was definitely the most surprising item! I had no idea Andrea of Andrea’s Choice was coming out with a nail polish. I received the only non-color polish unfortunately which is Reverso, a white. I used it to dot very quickly & its quite opaque! I have this fabulous feeling that this might be a one coat white!

I pictured it next to an OPI for reference just to show bottle size & all that excess glass. Although it gives it a very heavy feel & kind of a crystal look, I do wish there was more polish in it instead! Less polish in this than OPI. I’ll be interested to see other swatches of brighter shades!

Dove Visible Care Softening Creme Body Wash Review & a Giveaway!

July 19, 2012 By StephanieLouise 764Leave a Comment2012-07-19+15%3A53%3A00StephanieLouise

Visibly more beautiful skin from a body wash is rare. I honestly think Dove is #1 in my book when it comes to softening my dry skin, it just kicks the competition. Dove has always been a natural choice for me: it smells clean but not overbearing, Dove products have never irritated my skin, & most of all, Dove products work. This softening body wash is no different, in fact, it replaced a few other body washes designed with the same goals.

I love a body wash that I can pick up with a great price & at a convenient place like mass retail stores. I like the light scent which doesn’t irritate my dry skin spots further. Although I tend to lean towards fruity scents, this floral smells super relaxing. It instantly makes me think of taking a long bath with a good book rather than hurriedly getting ready for work. Plus, I’m pretty much a sucker for anything containing jasmine.

Whenever I get asked which companies I admire for their advertising, Dove always comes to mind. Do you guys remember the campaign I took part in for Dove where I got my picture up in NYC? Dove ads are always happy but still impactful for women of all ages. They do a remarkable job catering to the many different levels of the female market. Dove is constantly empowering women, how could I not love it? In a time when beauty in general is questioned…Dove makes it very clear that all women are beautiful, despite what some of us might think of as flaws.

On a lighter note, hey! Its hot here! Summer feels like its suffocating me so I’ve pretty much switched from pants every day to dresses & shorts. I am LOVING how soft this is leaving my skin! Win for Dove & for me! Plus it doesn’t leave that residue or greasy feeling some washes leave that claim to be ultra moisturizing. Color me impressed & glad that I can afford to compulsively buy it!

So let’s look at the positives again before we get to the giveaway shall we?
– Super affordable at under $7 for 18 FL OZ
– Very softening
– Healthy skin for summer
– A feminine but not overbearing scent that lingers pleasantly

So all in all, I am loving this body wash! I’ve used the Toning variant from this line as well & really liked it. I think Dove has really stepped up & filled the need for high quality products at affordable prices. Plus, this softening one really heals with patchiness & such, perfect if you self tan & practically exfoliate your skin off beforehand like me!

Enter to win one of two $500 Spafinder gift certificates!

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Be sure to visit the Dove^® VisibleCare™ Crème Body Wash brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Nails: Nutty Hat Guy from Mattese Elite Review + Swatches

July 18, 2012 By StephanieLouise 765Leave a Comment2012-07-18+15%3A59%3A00StephanieLouise

Okay so I’ve swatched a few of these polishes & I’m pretty much in love. Expect to see A LOT of Mattese Elite in the upcoming weeks! This is the first requested swatch of the bunch, “Nutty Hat Guy” which I imagine is supposed to be somewhat dupe-y to OPI’s Mad as a Hatter, one of my favorite glitters. Although they may look a bit similar, I can absolutely confirm that they ARE different. If you’re interested in seeing side by side swatches, just let me know!

Nutty at Guy: A very dense, small hex glitter mainly in the shades silver & lavender also accompanied by some red & green glitters of the same size & shape in a clear base. Easily opaque in 2-3 coats.

I have it swatched here over black because I didn’t foretell the density…love it! This does on a bit thick but that doesn’t bother me. I’d rather have a glitter too thick than too thin though. The red is definitely my favorite part because when it catches the light against the other shades its especially striking. I mean, check out the twinkling green & red with flash…wowie! This gives a really ethereal look while having fab coverage. Plus, its purple so I clearly had to have it.

Are you feeling Nutty Hat Guy? Want to see a side-by-side comparison with OPI’s Mad as a Hatter? I have a lot more coming up!

Ricky’s NYC Haul Part 2 Featuring Makeup + Nail polish!

July 17, 2012 By StephanieLouise 766Leave a Comment2012-07-17+17%3A55%3A00StephanieLouise

I was SO excited to get part 2 of my shipment because I had deemed Je’Taime as a must have polish online…& in person it certainly didn’t disappoint! In this shipment was also the makeup bag deal so I have a nice variety to try. Keep reading to see more! If you missed the first half of my haul, CLICK HERE! Its not to be missed, lots of glitz!

Left to right: Mattese Elite Nail Polishes in Je ‘Taime, Lapis, & Baise Moi.

Do you even need to ask why I wanted any of these? For reference, Lapis is a mini so it was only 99 cents!

So if you think even FURTHER back to when I announced the Ricky’s NYC Mattese Elite deal, well, here it is! Okay, well the blue powder shadow & the bright purple eyeliner were separate…but everything else!

Let’s talk about the deal set first shall we? (Here’s THAT post as well!) So I posted about it & honestly probably only picked it up because it was a bargain & I was buying polish from them anyway.. Why not right? Well, it featured 5 full-sized products & a mesh type bag. All of these shades were built for fall most definitely. From berry lips to jewel eyes to the nude based blush…this screams fall. I haven’t tried out most of these full-term yet but the blush is especially a stand out for its buttery texture!

Now the blue loose shadow is Mattese Elie Pure Color in Pure Blue. I’m a bit bummed because I didn’t think it would have shimmer in it & it leans more periwinkle than I thought it would. The purple liquid liner is actually in the shade Purple from Mattese Elite & I’m blown away. This does NOT come off. The swatch I put on my hand in the morning wore well into the night…impressive!

Top row is the Ricky’s NYC Mattese Elite Kit & from left to right: Mattese Elite Lip Liner Pencil in Henna, Moisturizing Wand Lip Gloss in All the Way, Smooth ‘N Wear Blush in Nudity, Long Wear Matte Shadow in Dark Alley, & Luminous Pearl Effect Eye Shadow in Emerald.

Swatch Below are Mattese Elite Liquid Liner in Purple & Mattese Elite Pure Color in Pure Blue.

What do you think? I already have “Nutty Hat Guy” & “Mysterious” as requested to swatch first from my other post. Anything from this post grab your fancy that you want to see first? Anyone else pick up something from Ricky’s NYC?