Trying out "Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure" finger nails

     So as most of you know, I am a member of Influenster, which is a great company that sends out products for you to try out. In exchange for testing out the products, you have to give honest reviews on the products and tell your friends and family about your experience with the products you try. Not hard right? So this month one of the products that I received for free to try were the Broadway imPRESS Press-on Manicure finger nails. They are theses really cute artificial nails that come in all different colors and patterns. The best part is that they have adhesive already on them. All you have to do is match them up to your finger, pull of the plastic that is covering the adhesive, then press them on. There is no drying time, and no smell, plus the don't damage your nails like acrylics do! So below is the product information that I have copied directly from Influenster's site just to make sure I cover everything.
     "Introducing imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails, the revolutionary way to apply polish! Featuring advanced nail technology, you can get a salon-perfect manicure in seconds – simply peel off, press on, and you're done. There's no drying, a killer shine and a manicure that lasts up to a week! And, imPRESS is so easy to remove, you can change it up to match your mood as often as you want. Check out all colors and patterns, including trendy brights, classic darks and animal prints. With imPRESS, your nails will always be your best accessory."
      Finally to wrap it all up, if you want more information, or to see the different colors, visit their website at http://impressmanicure.com/. I recommend these nails if you like to try out different colors and styles and don't have the time or the patience for the salon! (Plus it is a lot cheaper than a salon, and who doesn't love that?!)

New Glade Expressions

     So for this blog entry, I have decided to review 2 items from the new Glade Expressions line that I got from being a Bzz Agent. First I will start off with the Glade Oil Diffuser and I must say, it is actually really pretty! I chose the wooden look for my living room because it goes with pretty much everything. Some of the highlights of the diffuser are that it has a "spill-proof" design, you don't need to plug it in, it is actually a very pretty container that you can leave out anywhere, and it lasts for quite a while. The oil sits in a small container in the bottom of the holder and then there is a white pad that serves as the diffuser which clicks into the oil at the bottom. The oil is then wicked up into the pad where the scent is released.
     There are only two bad parts about the diffuser that I have come across. First is that there are not many scents to choose from, so you are limited in that aspect. Secondly, the scent is very strong for the first seven to ten days and then slowly fades off, so by the end of about day sixteen, you really don't smell it anymore. Those are the only two downfalls that I have found for the diffuser.
     The next product from the Glade Collection in the Fragrance Mist. I am absolutely in love with this! I have it in 3 different scents, with Starlit Evening Evening being the newest addition. These mists are amazing because they aren't heavy or fake smelling. They are natural and very inviting. The best part is that you can peel the label off of the bottle and leave it sitting out. The spray bottle itself is pretty stylish and looks almost like a vase, and it comes in different colors. I currently own 2 white and a silver that looks like stainless steel for in my kitchen. When you run out of the spray, all you have to do us unscrew the bottom of the bottle and take the old can out. Then, choose the new scent that you want and stick it in, screw the bottom back on and you are done!
     So, to sum it up, I love this new collection! I can't wait to see what other scents Glade comes out with in the future!

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula

     So as many of you know, I am a Bzz Agent which is an incredibly easy way to try new products for free! It is easy to join and all you have to do is fill out some surveys and general information to get started. They do the rest! Then, once they can match you up to a campaign that is currently in progress, they will send you a campaign invitation. This whole process is how I became familiar with the Neutrogena Norwegian Formula hand cream!

  First I have to say that I have tried so many hand creams, oils, etc., that promise to moisturize your hands and heal them even after so many washes it's not even funny. Well, none of them have even come close. Some of them work, but wash right off, or they smell really bad, or they are too thick, too thin, just never the right one for me. This time I found the right product, and the best part, it was FREE! 

     

   It only takes about a pea sized drop of this wonderful moisturizer to cover both hands. It absorbs quickly and comes in both scented and unscented. So a bottle of this will last quite a while. My hands tend to get very dried out in the winter to the point where they will crack and bleed. Well, not this year! It will soften your cuticles as well and lasts through about 4 hand washes before you need to reapply. I definitely recommend giving this a try if you have the same issues I had with dry hands! I also recommend signing up for a Bzz account, it is a pretty cool way to try new things for free!

Vacations? Where do you want to go?

My Bucket List Trips

     So every year when fall rolls around, I start to automatically fast forward to Christmas in my mind. Maybe it is because all of the major department stores already have their Christmas decorations up?! Or is it because I am still a child at heart? Maybe both and then some other reasons added on top. But for whatever reason, in the back of my mind, I can hear my mom saying over and over how she would love to spend one Christmas in Austria, to see the lights, the snow and to hear the Vienna Boys Choir sing. It has been on my mom's bucket list  since she was in her teenage years. So it got me thinking.... where would I like to go? 

     First let me say that I am not a well traveled person. I can count on one hand how many times  I have been out of the country. But I can say that I have mostly been to warm places, with the exception of Alaska. I have always wanted to visit the green lush country side of Ireland, just to see how wonderful it really is in the spring. Australia and the Opera House in Sydney has often entered my mind as well.  I have also wanted to visit Iceland in the winter, so that I could see the northern lights. But most of all I would love to visit England. Not because of the Prince and Princess, or the Queen, or any of those other things, but for another reason.

     That reason being, I want to see what it is like in that country. I want to be able to sit down and imagine what I would have been like if ages ago the United States wouldn't have rebelled against the British. Although we don't seem that much different, our cultures are different, along with our government, and our healthcare systems. A lit of people say that life is always greener on the other side, but I wouldn't go that far. I would just like to see what it is like. I love the United States, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. 

     With that said, where would you like to go? Where is the one place you have thought of going that you want to check off your bucket list? Do you think it will be too expensive? You can always check on different travel sites to find out how much you are looking at. For example, I have used Thomson Offers,because they usually have really good deals. So think about it, and take that first step, you never know where you may end up!

LORAC Bejeweled Gloss

My review of LORAC Bejeweled Gloss in Pink Diamond

   

     As many of you know, I am a member of the MUT forum. I love to talk to the women on the forum because they are very knowledgeable, and also because you can swap makeup (full size and samples) with other members! This is exactly how I got my LORAC lip gloss! To say I love it is an understatement, so I will just go ahead and start the review!

     First I must start by saying that the tube of gloss itself has a really cool lid that has little crystals embedded in it. The appearance of the gloss is almost iridescent, and white. The top is a twist off and it has a small applicator brush on the end. When you first take the brush out, it seems like the gloss is going to be sticky or goopy because it is thick. However, once you apply it, it melts onto your lips. It truly is amazing, and feels like butter! It isn't tacky in the least, and lasted almost three hours before I had to re-apply. The best part is, it has a vanilla cupcake with a mint twist scent! 

     This is a full sized lip gloss and contains 3.1g./ 0.11oz. The applicator brush is one of my favorites out of all the different one's I have tried. Generally LORAC glosses range in price from $10-$20 depending on what type or formula you get. And the best part is that around the holidays they release sets, so you can typically save money and get more products.

     Below is a picture of a swatch that I did on the back of my hand. I used STAINIAC "the BALM" in Beauty Queen. I am not a fan of STAINIAC so this is just for color purposes.

     The swatch goes from left to right: LORAC alone, STAINIAC alone, and then STAINIAC with LORAC layered over it. 

     So for all of those LORAC lovers out there, what is your favorite lip gloss that they make and why? And for those of you that haven't tried LORAC, I highly recommend it. This gloss has me sold! I give it an A+

Philosophy "The Color of Grace" Lip Compact

Angel Kiss Lip Gloss in "Pretty Please" 01

     To start off, I must say that I got this lip gloss as a trade from a wonderful lady on Makeuptalk.com, which is an amazing forum for all things  makeup! I had some samples that I wasn't going to use, so I traded her for this lip gloss, without knowing much about it. I am just a lip gloss junkie!! So here we go!

     When I received the package, I was so excited! The box it came in was pretty cute, but typical of cosmetic packaging.  

     After opening the box, there was a cute little compact that was a shiny silver mirror. Inside the compact was a mirror on one side and the lip gloss on the other side.  Very cute way to put it together in my opinion! Here is a picture of the compact as well as a swatch of the color on the back of my hand. 

     

     The overall texture of the gloss is very smooth, and after you put it on your lips, it kind of melts onto them. The gloss lasted about 3 hours before I noticed that I needed to reapply. I applied it to bare lips and it didn't add much color, but it did give me a little bit of a rose hue. It made my lips look natural, like I had a clear gloss on with a hint of sparkle. And one think I must mention is that it had a slight vanilla minty flavor, which was great! It was not tacky at all, and wore very well! 

     I couldn't be more happy with this lip gloss! The overall appearance of the compact, the texture and of course the sheer color and light flavor are perfect for me! It is the perfect size to throw in my purse and would make a great gift for anyone! 

e.l.f. (eyes lips face) Evil Everyday Eyes

My Review of Cruella, the makeup palette by e.l.f.

 So while I was at my local Walgreens, I noticed these 3 amazing little books with pictures of the villains from Disney stories. Inside these little gems were makeup palettes with how to instructions.  I chose Cruella because I love 101 Dalmations. So, here is what the front of the "book" looks like:

     Very cute in my opinion! When you open up this little book, you find a wonderful color palette that includes 8 eyeshadows, 2 lip and cheek color pencils, a bottle of eyeshadow primer, a bottle of liquid eyeliner, a set of false eyelashes, a bottle of eyelash glue, and a mirror. It also has a really cool step by step instruction guide for doing a "Day Evil" makeup version, and the "Night Villain" version. There is a flip page in the middle that will show you the look you are trying to accomplish while you are following the guide. Here are some pictures from the inside:

 Above you can see the cute mirror and the makeup palette. To the left is the Day Evil flip picture with step by step instructions. Below is the Night Villain flip picture with step by step instructions. 

 

      So now I will go over how I created the looks. I decided to do half of my face in the Day Evil and the other half in Night Villain. The first step I did was to apply my normal foundation. I am currently using "Some Kinda-a Gorgeous" in medium, made by Benefit. My next stop was to apply the eye primer. It comes out on a brush like a lipgloss does. The directions say to make sure you allow it to dry. After it is dry, I start on the left side of my face (right side in the pictures). 
     First, I apply the eyeshadows in the following order 1) puppy love- applied to the brow bone. 2) coat of dreams- applied to inner corner of eye as a highlighter. 3) cruelty- blended onto eyelid from lash line to crease. 4) sewage- applied and blended to the outer 1/3 of the eyelid and crease, building it as I went to create more definition.
     Next I applied the Day lip and cheek color. First I put about 10 little dots around my cheekbone and up the side of my cheek, then blended them together to create the blush. Following the blush and using the same pencil, I lined my lips and filled them in a bit.
      Off to the other side of my face, the right (left in the pictures). 
     First, I apply the eyeshadows in the following order 1) spotted- applied to the brow bone and the inner corner if my eye as a highlighter. 2) maniac- applied to the eyelid from the lash line to the crease. 3) little beasts- applied and blended to the outer 1/3 of the eye and the crease, building it to create more definition as I went. 4) extinction- applied a thin line on the crease of the eyelid to create depth. 
     Next up is the false eyelashes. I gently pulled one off of the tray and applied the glue in a thin line across the lash strip. Then, I let the glue dry a little until it became tacky. I slowly applied it to my eyelid right at the lash line working from the center out to each corner of the eye. Then, using the liquid eyeliner, I applied a line on the top to blend the line between the false lashes and my eyelid, and a line on my bottom lid as well.

*Note* I also applied my own mascara, Maybelline "The Falsies Volum' Express" in Black Drama, and then curled them. Also, I applied a clear gloss on my lips. 

So here are the pictures, I will let you decide what you think! Please feel free to leave comments!

  

And now, my review!

Overall I must say for the price of only $9.99, it is a great value. The blush and lip pencils are a lot easier to blend than I thought they would be. I have never used a pencil as a blush and was surprised at how easy it was to apply and blend into my skin. The eyeshadows were similar to other e.l.f. shadows. They are blendable but don't really have a lot of staying power, even with the primer that was included. The eyeliner was OK, nothing that blew me away. However, the false lashes did! They were very light and flexible, and the glue that was included was very easy to apply and had good holding power. I had to remove the eyelashes after about 8 hours, and the hold was still strong. Normally, I use Ardell eyelashes and I have to cut them to apply them, but these were flexible enough that there was no need to do that. So, I am giving these cute little kits a B+.