Nails: Revlon Girly Swatches & Review

February 12, 2013 By StephanieLouise 545Leave a Comment2013-02-12+14%3A45%3A00StephanieLouise

I found Girly & Heavenly (my favorite of the two, swatches here) before a lot of people but I only got around to trying girly as a full manicure recently. My nails are stained currently (helllllo green!) so I opted for a white base. This is a very thin milky glitter & I honestly couldn’t get it to look quite right so this might be a reswatch later on.

Revlon Girly- A pink/lilac milky base packed with light pink, lavender, & fuchsia medium hexes along with pink, lavender, & lightly holo small hexes.

I totally regret using the white base, I think it would have looked way better without. Even with a base, I should’ve gone with a pink or lavender. I love the polishes from Revlon, especially lately. This doesn’t look like a drugstore polish but looks more like an original indie. I love drugstore polish, this just isn’t something you see often.

Have you picked up this polish? Do you like milky polishes? Love it or leave it?

Nails: Mineral Fusion Nail Polish in Sizzle Swatches & Review

February 12, 2013 By StephanieLouise 546Leave a Comment2013-02-12+00%3A05%3A00StephanieLouise

Every time I stumble upon a new nail polish brand I get excited. Something new! Mineral Fusion may be new to my stash but they have been around since 2007 & make a whole lot more than nail polish. With a full cosmetic line, body care, hair items, & skincare I’m surprised I haven’t tried anything before.

Mineral Fusion in Sizzle: A very pink raspberry toned shimmering red. Nearly metallic in some lights. 2 coats. No base or topcoat.

This is a really different bottle & completely unique to my collection. The bottle base is slightly oval & then it gets thinner to the top of the lid. The lid is a long oval shape & is a light chocolate-y brown. Sturdy bottle. The brush fans a bit at the bottom & is a bit fluffy. It provides decent application. I like this color quite a bit as well.

From Mineral Fusion: Long lasting, chip-resistant formula. Formaldehyde, toluene, camphor and dibutyl phthalate free. Custom, extra thick brush for flawless application

When looking for a nail polish…I don’t often think of Whole Foods. Do you? Well that is one place you will be able to find the Mineral Fusion Nail Polish line! You can also buy them online from Mineral Fusion directly but since I so rarely send you guys to Whole Foods for nail polish, I definitely needed to point that out!

What do you think? Have you tried Mineral Fusion nail colors? Are you rocking a red for Valentine’s Day?

**Product sent in consideration of review. All opinions are my own.

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men 2013

February 11, 2013 By StephanieLouise 547Leave a CommentValentine%27s+Day+Gifts+for+Men+20132013-02-11+21%3A37%3A00StephanieLouise

When it comes to shopping for a man, life is hard. When my husband wants something, he buys it. Same with my dad & about every other male in my life. What do you get the guy who has everything? Well, if you write in the beauty field, you get them something you would like them to have.

Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani Cologne: If you haven’t found the scent for your significant male other yet, seriously give this one a sniff. Maybe this is a cheater option because this brings back lots of memories of meeting my husband & getting married & such…but it is absolutely wonderful. With notes of both woody & marine notes all tied up in a masculine bottle, this is a favorite. Even my “non-foofoo” husband likes this & has worn it for years.

Pinch Provisions Minimercency Kit for Him: Want something useful? This mini kit for men is perfection. It is small enough to contain the necessities & contains items you can replace after you use them as well. From a breath freshner to stain remover to floss this little kit has your guy covered. At only $13, this is the perfect gift for any occasion. Plus, look at how cute that packaging it! A sturdy metal tin with a mustache? Yes please.

Jack Black Lip Balms: If you’re unfamiliar with Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balms…well that needs to be fixed immediately. I love these suckers, made for a man or not, & so do many other beauty bloggers. I have multiple scents but the one pictured are Shea Butter & Vitamin E, Grapefruit & Ginger, &Natural Mint & Shea Butter. None of them are too girly smelling, looking, or tasting. Don’t worry about chapped lips, this will totally cure it.

Trigger Massage Candle for Him: One of my personal favorite gifts for newlyweds are massage candles & they’re always a great idea for Valentine’s Day as well. With notes of cedar, vanilla, & masculine musks this is a great masculine scent that will fill up the room when burned then you use the warmed, melted wax as a massage oil. For every man who thought he didn’t like candles, this should change his mind. You can find this one from Perfumeland. They also have loads of other types of scents & this candle in a spray form.

Jack Black Turbo Body Bar: I love this bar of soap. I don’t think I’ve ever stated that on this blog. I’m not a bar soap fan. This one holds together incredibly well, exfoliates, & leaves a great natural scent. It smells a bit like shea butter & tea tree oil? The lava rock is the exfoliant & it kicks other bars out of the water without being too rough. Exfoliating, moisturizing, & it lasts a nice long time? Get in my shower.

Ghirardelli Chocolates: If nothing seems to quite fit, go with a winner. Ghirardelli is some of the best & my house takes chocolate pretty seriously. Dark chocolate is usually my flavor of choice. Dark Chocolate with Strawberry Filling? Yeah that doesn’t last long with my husband. Not into dark chocolate or even milk chocolate? Try the Ghirardelli Sublime White Vanilla Dream All Natural Chocolate which is made with real vanilla beans. It is ridiculously good.

So there you have it, some awesome options for Valentine’s Day gifts for your guy! What are you getting the guys in your life?

**Some items provided for consideration while others were bought with my own funds.

My LA IMATS 2013 Haul including OCC, BFTE, Naked, & More!

February 11, 2013 By StephanieLouise 548Leave a Comment2013-02-11+16%3A52%3A00StephanieLouise

I came home to a bit of a working mess & passed on doing my haul. When a subscriber asked to see it though, I was more than happy to oblige. I don’t feel like I got tons of stuff but I’m really happy with what I did get! From eyeshadow palettes to lippies to tools I got some seriously cool stuff!

I’m not going to go too much into each product because…there are a lot! Plus, I’m not ready to officially review them. If you want to see reviews on anything you see here (or anything on the blog really!) then just let me know in the comments!

So, obviously, I’m a bit Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar fan. I’ve swatched multiple OCC Lip Tars & was desperate for more. Unfortunately, they were out of 2 of the shades I wanted most (Black Dahlia & Bella Donna) but I still picked up 3 gorgeous shades. I actually regret not getting more. I got Anime, Harlot, & Queen.

At the LA Colors booth you could choose shades at a discount out of a bin. My mom & I each picked 5 because they were 10 for $10. I picked up 2 glitters & 3 neon type shades. I actually am super impressed with the quality.

I picked up 3 cheap makeup brushes from from Crown Brush. One is a very small crease/blending type brush, in the middle is a super small fan brush, & then a very dense short wide brush. It it also very small. I was going for small clearly. I’m pondering a set from Sigma but never made it to their booth somehow. Mom & I each picked up their sponge as well because they were something like 2 for $8. I’ll be comparing it to my holy grail Beauty Blender.

BFTE eyeshadows were definitely an exciting time for me because my great blogging friend Phyrra was workign their booth. I opted for these 6 shades (which I’ll be reviewing later on) & then got them home & was instantly mad at myself. Gee Stephanie…way to pick out variety! Not a warm or highlight shade in the dang bunch!

I’ve heard only the best things about Red Cherry Lashes so when I saw a deal (12 for $20) I was in. I’ll be using them in multiple upcoming looks. They had a wonderful variety but I definitely stuck with more wearable options. I’m so boring right?

This is my freebie of the day! We got a piece of paper offering a free item of a certain price range. I opted for a lipstick. This is from Make-up Designory & it is alright. It has kind of a plastic-y scent. I haven’t worn it yet, just a quick swatch. I was going to buy more but a lot of the people working that booth seemed grumpy so we moved along.

I also picked up the 28 Neutral colored palette which has a lot more light shades than most palettes & much less dark. I honestly wish there were more dark shades because the shimmering chocolate brown shade (upper right corner) is my hands down favorite. Nice matte options here too.

The Jenni Rivera Palette was an awesome find & I used it quite a few times during my trip. I love the blushes & eyeshadows as well. Some gorgeous shimmers there. That green? Yeah baby!

The Day & Night palette has kind of a lame name, in my opinion, but it is absolutely lovely. With some pastels, neutrals,& brights it is super easy to use.

I was pretty bummed Coastal Scents wasn’t there this year but I am a big fan of BH Cosmetics & was really interested in seeing a few particular things in person. Unfortunately, they were sold out of their blush palette. Damn. My other interest was the BH Party Girl Palette…but I actually found 2 other palettes I preferred. Funny how seeing things in person will change your mind!

Here was my very FIRST purchase! I absolutely loved the Sauce Box items I bought last year & the Creme de la Creme palette was on my list. Just in case it sold out, I veered there first. Lovely packaging & wearable colors. You got a free mascara with purchase.

I saved the purchase I was anticipating the most for last, 2 Naked stacks. I’ll be buying more & passed on some I’ll be saving up for. I ended up getting both Twilight & Urban Rustic…they’re ridiculously impressive & gorgeous.

So there you have it! That’s what I got at IMATS 2013! Anything you want to see in a future tutorial or review? Any recommendations?

Nails: OPI Wocka Wocka! Swatches & Review

February 9, 2013 By StephanieLouise 549Leave a Comment2013-02-09+16%3A42%3A00StephanieLouise

There are very few shimmery reds that I used outside of November but OPI’s Wocka Wocka! is one I find appropriate for the upcoming holiday. Although I normally throw down pink or purple nails for Valentine’s Day but sometimes a good red is absolute perfection. Keep reading for a few photos & find out how you can get OPI polishes & other beauty items for a great discount!

OPI Wocka Wocka! : A shimmery blue based red. The flash I notice most is pink with a note of gold. 2 coats opacity.

I was lucky enough to receive this polish to try from Cut & Blow, a hair & beauty private sales site. They carry loads of brands you’re familiar with & that are featured here on the site (OPI, China Glaze, Pureology, Clarisonic, & more) along with some brands I’d be happy to try out or have had my eye on. All you need to do to have access to deals is sign up much like other deal sites. For instance, the entire OPI Germany Collection is only $5.50 per polish. Sweet!

**This polish was sent for consideration. Affiliate links have been used.

Valentine’s Day: These Are a Few of my Favorite Pink Things!

February 8, 2013 By StephanieLouise 550Leave a Comment2013-02-08+23%3A26%3A00StephanieLouise

Throughout the year, I’m not a hardcore pink gal. I look fine in pink, love me some pink cheeks, & I don’t have a bad relationship…we just aren’t besties. However, when Valentine’s Day rolls around, I embrace it. The softness of baby pink, the flash of hot pink, & the ease of neutral pinks are absolutely perfect for the holiday. I thought it would be fun to show you some of my favorite things…all of them pink of course. I tried to link to reviews & such for your convenience too so that’s what they will link to. Keep reading to see my picks for eyes, lips, cheeks, fragrances, nails, & more!

Eyes: Some of my least worn eyeshadows are pink. I feel like they can be super tricky. When I want a perfect pink, these are the shades I real for. The Coastal Scents Palette is called Think Pink. A dozen beautiful shades & 8 of them are pink. The black is a favorite, it has pink shimmer. I didn’t swatch it but check out this eyeshadow look I did here using this palette that is definitely gloriously pink.

Left to right: Jesse’s Girl Eye Dust in Pink Glitz, NYX Single Eyeshadow in Hot Pink, L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Glistening Garnet, & Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink.

Lips: Can you tell I love pink lips? I could show you half a billion lip products but instead I’ll show you some of my favorites of the moment…with swatches!

Left to right: NYX Lipstick in Strawberry Milk, Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart, Maybelline Vivid Lipstick in Pink Pop, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Pretty Boy, & Victoria’s Secret Lip Liner in Tickled Pink.

Left to right: Tarte LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Tint in Hope, Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in Passion Fruit Pop, Anastasia Hydrafull Gloss in Heiress, & MAC Lipglass in Steal my Heart.

Cheeks: Pink cheeks? Of course! Here are 3 lovely shades each with a bit of a different tone. You’ll find one more fuchsia & deep, a shimmery neutral, a self adjusting hot pink, & the perfect everyday fair pink.

Left to right: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Flush, Physician’s Formula Happy Booster Blush in Natural, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface, & (this one is much hotter in person before it adjusts!) Stila Custom Color Blush in Self-Adjusting Pink.

Fragrance: Aquofina Pink Sugar, Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy Temptation, & Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola! perfumes. All of these are pink, girly, & super different. Pink Sugar is totally sweet & will make you smell like the best candy/baked good/sugary treat ever. VS Very Sexy Temptation is my newest aquired fragrance & boy is it aptly named! It smells so sexy & feminine, perfect for a date night! Oh, Lola! from Marc Jacobs is positively bright & perfect for daytime wear.

Nails: LEX Cosmetics Tuilleries, China Glaze Strawberry Fields, Zoya Chloe, & Milani Hot Pink. I’ll be swatching Strawberry Fields from China Glaze soon because it is a newer favorite but click the links above for swatches of the other 3!

Miscellaneous:

Carol’s Daughter Ectasy Shea Souffle: I got this in a Glossybox awhile back & although I didn’t think much of it at the time…I’ve since come to terms with my love. This smells like innocence with sugared strawberries. I’m absolutely in love & the texture is divine. This super light scent is perfection. I’ll be picking up a new container & also a fragrance soon!

Beauty Blender: I don’t think I need to explain this fabulous pink sponge soon! This is a backup as I use them until they completely beg for mercy & just seeing it in all that hot pink glory makes me oh so happy. The perfect way to apply foundation, sheer out thick foundation, & give a natural look. I haven’t found a dupe…& you know I’ve tried.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush: I love dry shampoo. When my fine hair just won’t do what I want it gives me volume. When I have extra oils, it eliminates them. & honestly, it often just makes my hair look generally better. Batiste Dry Shampoo is fabulous in every scent but Blush is really something special. Super feminine & floral it will instantly make you feel all girly inside.

Anastasia Hypercolor Hair Powder In The Pink: I love this color so much & I feel so rocker glam when I use it. I’m not even going to talk about it anymore…GO LOOK HERE!

Well there we have it! Turns out…I kind of love pink! What are your favorite pink products? Are there any int his post you’d like to try? What makes you think of Valentine’s Day?

**Some items were sent for consideration of review while most were bought with my own funds. All opinions are my own.

Nails: SoFlaJo Involved Swatches & Review

February 8, 2013 By StephanieLouise 551Leave a Comment2013-02-08+16%3A58%3A00StephanieLouise

Involved is from the Matte Love Collection created by an indie polish maker called SoFlaJo. This is a gorgeous shade & well…it is purple so it was pretty much instant love.

I decided to keep this matte for swatches because it really is a beautiful look. This shimmer is gorgeous but the dustiness of the mattified purple really is the star for me. Combined they create something truly unique. This started out really sheer so I was a bit nervous but it built up rather nicely.

SoFlaJo Involved: A medium purple with antique gold shimmer. Dries matte. 3 coats. No base or top coat.

Inovlved ( & the gorgeous Hidden Gem which I swatched awhile back!) can be purchased on http://www.soflajo.com/shop/and on SoFlaJo’s Etsy shop if you prefer. Also be sure to check out SoFlaJo on Facebook so you always stay in the loop!

**Polish provided in consideration. All opinions are my own.

Glossybox for January 2013 featuring TARTE, OPI, & More!

February 8, 2013 By StephanieLouise 552Leave a Comment2013-02-08+15%3A53%3A00StephanieLouise

I love me some Glossybox & even though this one came a bit late….it was totally worth the wait! With items from two of my favorite brands (TARTE & OPI? It is Christmas again!) & a few other brands I like as well. Impressed ladies, very impressed. Keeping reading to see what was inside!

This was a collaboration Glossybox with an awesome blogger who created The Man Repeller so it came in a fancy gray box & fabulous black & silver star tissue paper. I love this look!

OPI Can’t Let Go Liquid Sand Nail Polish: I love this polish oh so much that I swatched it yesterday. Checkout my breakdown here! I love that they included a full size & from their current line, not something off trend. Last month a full size Zoya & this month a full size OPI? Full of win.

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara: I rather like Estee Lauder but I don’t think I’ve ever tried a mascara! Funny…I thought I’d tried everything! This is in Extreme Black (yay, I am so glad they don’t pawn off brown shades I’ll never wear) & I’ll give it a shot when I get through a few more mascaras.

FRESH Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum: I don’t think I’ve ever tried this although I quite like FRESH as a brand overall. This sample is packed full to the brim & smells really earthy & natural. I haven’t tried this yet but I’m sure I’ll appreciate it when the heat comes around in a few months.

Le Metier de Beaute Replenishing Daily Solution: I’ve never tried this but I’ve had it on my radar. This is supposed to be the creme de la creme & I’m excited to try it out. Yes, it is in a foil packet. With all the full sizes in this box….I won’t complain a bit.

Naciso Rodriguez for Her Toilette Spray: I don’t think I’ve had this scent before but it smells absolutely lovely. Definitely feminine with some musk maybe? It doesn’t strike me as youthful but more sophisticated.

Sebastian Professional Potion 9: This is a really nice size sample! This is described as a wearable-styling treatment & smells like a high end salon. Oddly enough, this is peach in color which was unexpected. I’ve only used it once but it works well to smooth a style together. It left my hair & hands smelling magnificently clean & fancy.

TARTE Glamazon Pure Performance 12 Hour Lipstick in Fierce: I was praying this lipstick would come into my life & here it is. I love so many TARTE products but with my ridiculous lipstick stash I kept talking myself out of buying any of these. SEE? The universe wanted me to have it! Fierce, comfortable, & perfectly packaged. TARTE can pretty much do no wrong.

Want to see any of these products reviewed? Tutorials? Just let me know! What do you think of this Glossybox? Worth the price? I know I think so!

**This particular Glossybox was provided for review although I also purchased my own this month. Affiliate links have been used. All opinions are my own.

See Stephanie Read: Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner

February 8, 2013 By StephanieLouise 553Leave a Comment2013-02-08+04%3A43%3A00StephanieLouise

I’ve been listening to loads of audio books so sitting down to physically read Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner was a real treat. I’m going to try to explain the book a bit but it will be strange. This is a thriller with a plot that involves kidnapping…now that I know who it is I just want to tell you so bad! I’ll do my best to resist!

This story follows Tessa the detective as she searches through a very strange story. Justin & Libby were a happy couple, at least in theory. When they disappear along with their daughter… Maybe things aren’t so happy? This is a story about sifting through smiling faces expecting to find something very dark beneath. Often the people who smile the most are hiding lots of skeletons.

Spoiler: Their marriage is definitely not picturesque. In fact, it is a really sad state of living. Pretty stinking sad & mad my husband & I look like a shiny unicorn.

With lots of twists & turns, Touch & Go is worth a read. You’ll be fascinated & enthralled if you like thriller mysteries. Tessa is likeable while still facing adversaries. You get to delve into her job, dealing with seriously sketchy suspects, & lots of fear. I was definitely happy for the read.

Interested in reading Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner? Join in on our discussion over at BlogHer here, we’d be happy to have you! I’d love to heard what you’re reading right now, care to share? I’m always looking for a good read!

**This book was provided for review. This is a compensated post. All opinions are my own.

Valentine’s Day: 5 Sexy Ways to Add Scent to Date Night

February 7, 2013 By StephanieLouise 554Leave a Comment2013-02-07+22%3A59%3A00StephanieLouise

Can you believe Valentine’s Day is just around the corner? I sure can’t! I thought it would be fun to look at 5 different ways to add fragrance for a date without using the average spray. Whether you want to layer scents, have a way to touch up on the go, or to sparkle a bit this Valentine’s Day you’ll have options!

Victoria’s Secret Angel Gold Fragrant Shimmer Powder: This is available from Victoria’s Secret currently & although it isn’t as inexpensive as I’d like, I absolutely love this scent. I own the perfume & my husband bought me the shimmer powder soon after. It is safe to assume he likes it too! This comes with a large kabuki brush that doesn’t feel very soft but more like goat hair. I actually love it for this powder because it really makes it cling to the brush which makes it apply much easier. If you love shimmer & scent, a pressed powder is pretty great!

Aquolina Pink Sugar Hair Perfume: This is a fragrance men seem super drawn to but I wasn’t wild about it in the perfume bottle. Then I started wearing it. Although I do feel a bit like a sugared pastry, the scent is definitely sexy & intoxicatingly sweet. Aptly named Pink Sugar, this particular version is a hair mist. If you’re seriously short like me then this is perfect! I spray it on my hair (especially if it is hot or if I’m wearing layers) & I’m suddenly good to go!

Japanese Agarwood Scented Earrings: If you love jewelry then scented earrings are just cool to miss! These Lisa Hoffman Japanese Agarwood Scented Earrings are pretty, dainty, & smell absolutely delightful. Basically these come with a little container of round fragrance beads that you can place inside the pretty filigree earrings. Why didn’t I ever think of that?

Victoria’s Secret Shimmer Lotion: I think this lotion in particular was limited edition (Victoria’s Secret PINK It’s My Part Shimmer Lotion) but boy do I love it. In fact, I have a backup. Victoria’s Secret puts out some of the best shimmering body products (note the first in this post!) but they are rarely permanent. You can find options on ebay or when they come back around in stores. This lotion in particular has larger flaked glitter as opposed to a veiled shimmer. Expect to see some popping up for summertime as well.

Pacifica Solid Perfume: I’ve reviewed & featured these quite a few times before & still absolutely love them. I keep one in my purse at all times & refuse to travel without them. With the menagerie of fragrances (check out some of my past reviewed scents here) you’re bound to find one perfect to layer with your fragrance or to use alone. I use them behind my ears, inner elbows, & other pulse points. My favorite layering shades are Indian Coconut Nectar & California Star Jasmine.

I hope you guys enjoyed these! Notice a few of shimmer for that extra amp to date night. What are some of your favorite fragrances? Do you wear fragrance in any other form other than a spray or rollerball?

**Some items provided for review while others were purchased with my own funds. All opinions are my own.