A collective of friends sampling and discussing all the beauty products we can handle.You're Just Gorgeous!
Gel Nails and My Quest to Have Non-Hobbit Hands That Won’t Break the Bank:
Some time ago I was wandering my local CVS and I saw a Sally Hansen Gel Strips nail kit. I was intrigued. I loved the look of gel/shellac nails, but didn’t feel like paying salon prices for all the upkeep. The kit was around $30 (bottom right pic). Long story short, the strips were awful. I’m kind of a pro at the normal SH polish strips, so I was surprised that the gel strips lacked the same tackiness, and bubbled like crazy. I followed the directions to a T, applying each strip, and then applying the gel topcoat and setting with the LED light. Sadly, the color from all ten nails popped off the very next day, and my dreams of glossy gel nails were dashed.
Fast forward to this weekend. My nails had been sans polish for about two weeks and were in ROUGH shape. Janky cuticles, bitten nails…not attractive. Again, I found myself wandering CVS and saw a display for Sally Hansen Gel Polish. It paints on like regular polish, so no strips to worry about, and cures with the same LED light from the strips kit. Deciding to give it one more go, I chose a bottle of Red My Lips (bottom left pic) and a base coat, which my strips kit hadn’t included. The full Sally Hansen Gel Polish Starter Kit with a larger LED curing light that does four fingers at once is around $70, which is a bit steep for me, but would definitely save time, and would still be cheaper than salon prices if you used it regularly.
I prepped my nails and cuticles, used the alcohol wipe on each nail bed prior to application and went at it…one slow nail at a time, since that’s all my bitty light can handle. Overall the process took somewhere around 45 minutes to paint on base coat, two coats of color, and top coat, with a LED light cure between each layer. With a final swipe of alcohol wipe to remove the tackiness after the final step I was left with ten shiny, dry, perfectly red nails. The photo above is taken on day 4 and I still have no chips! I’ll update at a later date on full staying power and removal. At $12.50 per bottle for the color, it’s slightly more expensive than an OPI or Essie regular polish, but a 14 day, chip-free manicure just might make it worthwhile in my book.
This brush is from the E.L.F. line at Target. It is my most favorite make-up brush…and it is only $6. Go get it.
-T
I wish this review were more exciting. It may not be a fun new color or a special boutique product, but trust, I am in love. I’ve had great luck with Palmer’s Cocoa Butter products in the past. The only drawback was that the product usually comes in a giant bottle or tub, the smell can be a bit overwhelming in large quantities (though I don’t find it offensive), and frankly I’d usually tire of slathering myself with it after every shower. Still, it’s always done GREAT things for my skin. I found this little tube of the balm for $.99 last night and snagged it. Perfect for my dry cuticles, knuckles, elbows and since its purse size I’ll always have it ready. I also swiped it on my lips last night before bed and woke up without cracks or dryness for literally the first time all winter. Go get some!
-Cara
Skin problems and concealers.
Those two things have kind of been my life lately. For some reason (even after consulting a dermatologist) my face has been acting totally crazy. Apparently I am once again a teenager going through puberty. So…insert a quest for the perfect concealer.
I am not one to spend lots of money on high-priced make-up. I prefer being able to pick up most things at Target rather than making trips to Sephora or the Bare Minerals store.
At home over Christmas I was chatting with my mom as she applied her make-up. And the only thing she used was This concealer stick. No foundation, no powder. Just the concealer. And I decided I had to give it a shot. And now, I don’t want to be without it ever ever ever.
It is a very dry formula, but covers and blends really well. It won’t leave your skin feeling cakey. I use it under a mineral based powder, but it also looks great alone.
If you’re having any sort of teenager skin problems like I’m having, I’m sure you’ll love it too.
The Essie x BaubleBar collection combines 2 things I love: nail polish & bracelets. Click through to check it out!
I’m always in the market for a product that will lengthen my manicure, which usually lasts all of about four days before looking haggard. My very favorite base coat seen here is OPI Natural Nail Base Coat. My nails have been a bit ridgey lately and I’ve heard great things about Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat, so I went out in search of that. My CVS was out, and the next thing I spotted was Sally Hansen Powerful Acrylic Gel that claims to give your nails super strength and can be used as a base coat. Gave it a try, along with a replacement bottle of Sally Hansen Dries Instantly top coat.
Long story short, this base coat caused my new Essie Play Date manicure to peel completely off within two days. We’re talking peeled off in one full sheet for each nail. Do not recommend. Back to my old faithful. OPI…Never leave me.
Sorry for the gigantic hiatus! Is Summer over? How is that EVEN possible?
I’ve been struggling with both the time and desire to get up and fully wash/dry/style my hair in the morning. I also don’t want to fry my hair with daily heat. This means I’ve been going to bed with wet hair, waking up with a slept on mess, and wearing lots of buns and ponytails to work.
I was browsing the Target hair aisle for some inspiration and found these. I haven’t worn curlers to bed FOREVER. Like probably since elementary school picture days, but I thought I’d give them a try.
Last night I washed my hair, applied mousse and scrunched, and then waited until it was just very slightly still damp. Starting at the front of my face I alternated small and medium rollers with approximately 1 inch chunks of hair. I twisted each chunk very slightly so the curls wouldn’t be so perfect, and then spiral wrapped around each curler and bent the top and bottom of the curler to hold the hair in place. I wish I would have taken a picture of the “finished” curler look for you all. Wait, no. I definitely don’t :). Sleeping in the curlers…it was not the most pleasant thing, but definitely better than those old pink rollers I remember. These lie flatter against your head, and if you’re a back sleeper I don’t think you’d have much trouble at all.
This morning I woke up, unspiraled my hair from the curlers starting from the top, and ran my fingers through a bit. It was initially a bit tighter of a curl than I wanted so I ran some water over my hands and scrunched/pulled each curl down a bit. Once I got it to the place I wanted I finished with Tressemme Curl Enhancing Spray, and walked out the door.
This picture is after an entire day at work! I STILL HAVE CURL AFTER 8+ hours and don’t even really need much touch up before I head out for the evening. LOVE! I will definitely be trying this again.
Fall Trend Alert: The Sesame Seed Nail
Velvet Manicure not quite edgy enough for you? Like your nails a little more spicy (or dirty)? Try the Salt and Pepper nail, the Potting Soil Nail, or the Jack’s BBQ Rub nail.
Check out the whole funny (and obviously tongue-in-cheek) post over at Vampy Varnish. Well played. I almost believed, and was totally grossed out, for a hot second.
—Cara
