Nails + Product Review

I have been wanting to try out Sally Hansen nail strips for a long time. I would see some on sale, but of course they were always the ugly ones. Until... I found my grocery store having a sale! So I bought these:

This is just an Instagram picture, but I too it the night I applied them and I think it shows how rough they started out. I put them on Monday night and since then they've really smoothed out, and the edges by the cuticles are much better. However, my thumbs peeled back a lot and a teeny tiny part of the tip has rubbed off. 

I really like these, especially for crazy designs like this that I could not do myself. I don't think they're as durable as they claim to be, nor do they fit my nail shape very well. I would say, if you can find them on sale they're worth it, but I would not pay the original $9.

Productive Monday

Today has been one of the most productive days I've had all summer. I just did things around the apartment, but sometimes getting all those little odd jobs done can be the most rewarding. After this full day I sat down and enjoyed a little pinning from Pinterest.

I could not get over these two pictures! They look even cooler together!

I traced each image as far as I could: donuts (she includes the recipes for those tasty looking donuts) & glasses

Birchbox June

I was so excited when I received an e-mail saying I'd be getting my Birchbox this month. I felt like I had just put my name on the waiting list!

Since I didn't get any comments on my last post about photographing preferences I thought I'd take the initiative and try something new.

Seriously though, leave a comment! You can even do it anonymously. It's not scary, I promise! :) And by the number of views I get I'm pretty sure it's more than just my family reading this. So I would love to know what you think, that way you're not such a stranger to me!

Hellooo Birchbox. First of all I am pumped for these boxes, I will be using them to sort art supplies. They will stack and look nice and I can write little labels on them. It will be wonderful.

Starting at the top and going clockwise, you can see there are two La Fresh make up remover wipes. I am currently on a kick of trying many different brands of cleansing wipes, so I am happy to add these to my little stash. These are also really intriguing to me because they're biodegradable and have various plant oils in them. Plus, a full-size includes 30 wipes for $9.99, which is the same price/quantity that I like.

Next is a sulfate free, volumizing shampoo from Hair Rules. I'm pretty attached to my current shampoo, but I think I'll try this and if it works well then I'll save it for traveling. A full-size is $15.00, although the info card does not say how many ounces that is. However, I really appreciate that Birchbox let's you know full size prices, and you can buy it from their store. Plus, when you buy from them you get points. I haven't looked into what those points get you, but I like that they're self-contained and you don't have to search around for the product.

The little red tube is a lip and cheek stain from theBalm cosmetics. I've been hearing really good things about theBalm lately so I'm happy to try out something of theirs, plus I like the practicality of a two-in-one. The color is a really pretty berry-red, it will definitely look good on both lips and cheeks.

The last item is a pair of lashes from Georgie Beauty. I've said this before, but I really like getting lashes, because I like playing with them and trying them out. I don't have places or events to wear them to, which is why I probably wouldn't buy them for myself. This pair is all-natural and the style I received is a glamorous, yet natural-ish looking. Meaning, they would blend well, yet really amp up your look. The crazy thing about these is that a full-size is $28. The only thing different between what I got and a full size set, is that the packaging is much nicer and the adhesive is an actual tube. Crazy!

The nice thing about Birchbox is that they usually (I think always) include a little extra.

This month it was this plastic baggie from tili. They're cute plastic baggies that come in either gallon or quart size, so they're airport friendly. This isn't something I would bother buying for myself, so for me this is a fun little extra.

MyGlam June

I have to say, this was a pretty good bag for MyGlam. It definitely helped alviate grumblings from last month. However, I did sign up for Birchbox, so MyGlam is going to have to keep up their game to compete! My plan is to keep the two for a few months and then pick one.

Anyways, let me show you what MyGlam sent. Take a look at that bag. Dang. Glittery!! Honestly though, I'll be cutting it up and using it for the fabric. I could use the other bags for travel, but this one would not stay closed in a suitcase and it just feels cheap. It is pretty though.

The first item is a moisturizer from Philosophy. I actually just ordered their face cleanser, so I'm excited to use the two together. The sample is 12 ml which seems to be a good size; I think I'll know if I like it by the time I finish it. I also like that they went with a fairly well known brand that is higher end, but affordable. This way if I like it I could buy it full size. Don't get me wrong, I love trying the super high-end, expensive products, but I think I prefer these affordable items more. This item came with a promo code (fresh5) for free shipping whenever you buy something from philosophy.com at no minimum purchase price.

The next item is a full size NYX Round Lipstick. I received the color Power, it's a light baby-pink. In the tube it doesn't look so pretty, but on my lips it's actually really flattering. NYX is another great brand that is affordable and good quality. I don't have an Ulta near me, so I haven't been able to try a lot of their products, making this lipstick even more appreciated.

Next up we have Living Proofs's frizz Nourishing Stying Cream. The info card says that it helps keep your hair frizz-free and smooth without using silicone or heavy oils. To apply you generously coat damp hair and then style as usual. This is not a brand that I'm familiar with, nor have I ever tried a styling cream like this, so I'm a fan of this sample too. This item also came with coupon for their shampoo and conditioner (2oz) and the option of either the stying cream (4oz) or weightless spray (4oz) for $35 and free shipping, plus another free sample at checkout. So basically, they'll give you little bonuses if you buy the full size of this. I think Philosophy's coupon was better.

The last thing is something that I have been waiting for!! I have been hoping to get this since I signed up for MyGlam. It is a liquid eyeliner! This one is from Marbella's and it's a felt tip "Permanent Eyeliner Pen". I am new to liquid liners and I haven't found a brand that I am happy with. I eventually got sick of them drying out for running all over my eye and decided to stop buying them. Instead I keep my eye out for coupons and samples. So I do not care how good or bad this one turns out, I can at least say that I've tried another brand and get a little more practice.

My final thoughts for this post are actually questions for you. The last couple of MyGlam posts I did swatches, did you like those? Did you miss them on this post? Also, I write pretty hefty descriptions on each product in the bag. I want you to have a really good feeling about what's in them, but do I share too much? Would rather I just have one picture with everything together and general thoughts? Let me know!

My Life Lately

While I'm getting the MyGlam post ready I wanted to share a few pictures from this week with all of you. Our apartment has been pretty hot lately and my desk is in the hottest corner, or at least it feels like it. So, when I hit a couple of bumps with Photoshop (for the MyGlam post) it felt like a way bigger problem than it was. Now the air conditioning is on and I can get back to work.

Product Review

I recently got a small sample bottle of Josie Maran argan oil. I had heard a lot of wonderful things about it and wanted to try it out for myself.

First of all, I love it for my hair. I use just 2 drops and work it in starting at my ends and go up. I put it in while my hair is still wet and let it air dry, the result is really beautiful shiny hair. I may have split ends, but no one would be able to tell.

I know you can also use argan oil on your skin, but I have not been so impressed with this. I either put too much on and wind up with an oily looking face or I use a small amount and can't tell a difference. Perhaps I need to try it longer to notice a difference, but I'm plenty happy with what it does for my hair. 

This little bottle is $14.99 at Sephora and I've barely made a dent in it after two weeks. I might continue buying the smaller bottle, partially because $50.00 for the full size is a little hard to swallow; but also because this size can travel easily and if it were to break I wouldn't be as big of a loss.

Illustration

Ever since I took Illustration in the spring I've become really jealous of all of the amazing talent out there. I cannot draw or paint anything realistically. I try to tell myself that I'm fine with that, but it is a hard when surrounded by amazing artists in class. I especially admire artists who have a particular style. People in my class got to this point too, but it happens when you try your hand at different media and processes and subjects and you figure out what you're unique talent is. I have only found what I am not good at, or at least that is how I felt during class.

I wanted to share some of the amazing pieces/artists I've come across; maybe you'll find some inspiration in them too. I really hope you check out the sources too! The first is the artist's website and there are many other fantastic pieces there. The second is a blog that I am not obsessed with!! After finding it I spent 20 minutes just looking at old posts - it's amazing!!

source{1,2}

My Love for Target

I don't know what it is about Target that I love so much, but I always go in for one thing and come out with a cart full. I just can't help myself! Last week I went in looking for a nice wallet that I could use as a cluth too. I ended up getting #3 in the picture, but all the others were tempting too, even though they were not what I needed.

{1, 2, 3, 4}

Nail Polish

I want to continue posting manicures I really like - similar to this post. This time I wanted to use my Sephora Matte Finish, but I wanted the nails to still be bright and fun. I picked out my three greens and figured they look pretty good together, thus this manicure happened...

As a side note, I have been using Revlon Colorstay Base Coat and I've really liked it so far. The colors below are Mint Sorbe, Mint Spirit and Gaga For Green.

Watch the Clock

During the school year I would always find myself late for class. I would get up, eat breakfast and get dressed and be on time. Then I would go to the bathroom to do my make up and all of a sudden I would be late, it was like my bathroom was a black hole.

I tried so many things, from setting an alarm on my phone, to just bringing my phone with me to check the time, I even cut my routine down. Nothing worked. So I decided it was high time to put a clock in the bathroom.

I also have to say that after taking these pictures, I hate the paint color in there even more...

I got the clock from Target ($6.99!!), there were other fun colors, but I figured this one could work in any room, regardless of paint color. I would also like to say that it has worked pretty well! Tim likes it too because now I'm not calling to him in the mornings asking "What time is it?" every couple of minutes.

Nail Polish

I love finding new nail polish combinations, it's like adding a new color without paying for it. So when I discovered this combo over the weekend, I thought I would share it with you.

I love this pink from Essie (Mod Square) because it's so fun and girly! Sometimes it can be a little too young, so I thought Lights, Kim-Era, Action! from Nicole by OPI makes it a little more wearable.