I've been keeping a secret...

Over the summer I *ahem* chopped off my locs. I'm almost certain I let the cat out the bag a while back when I twit pic'ed a picture, but I was trying to hold off the big announcement until the video production was finished. It was so hard not to post more recent pictures in the the public arena because I so wanted to share my new look. In the end, I'm glad I waited until the video was finished, it turned out really well. 

Some folks didn't understand why I did this big loc chop, but for the most part, many folks were supportive of my decision. My BFF was very supportive, he filmed, edited and co-produced the entire project. Both the hair cut and the video turned out very nice and I'm quite pleased with both.




For those who didn't know, I'd been growing my locs for a little over two years and six months. I had a love/hate relationship with my locs and the energies I felt were trapped inside of them. Because of that constant inner conflict, I finally decided to just chop them off. Take a look and let me know what you think...









In the four months since my big loc chop I find myself missing my locs at times. It isn't an overwhelming feeling of loss, just a slight feeling of nostalgia, lol. I'm enjoying having my head full of soft swirly curls back though and wouldn't change a thing. Have any of you made major personal changes recently? How did you feel afterward? Let a sistah know!

FOTD and Blush Business

Source

This should have been posted yesterday but I was too busy being lazy. Don’t you hate that? I worked on my resume, read, did housework, caught up with my bestie Shan, watched youtube videos, watched tv, chilled with my Sun and daughter…but was too lazy to post a blog, lol. I am wretched, I know. At any rate…

My Sephora blushes arrived yesterday and though initially I was excited about them…now not so much.

 I’m probably jumping the gun here because I haven’t actually put them on my face, I’ve only swatched them. But the swatches….ermm, not impressed. They don’t seem to have a lot of color saturation and I’m afraid the matte pink blush might leave me looking ashy. Here are the swatches…

I'm pretty sure I kept mixing up Abricot Plaisir and Bronze Sensation.

 Again, perhaps I am just jumping the gun here. I’ll test them out on my face later and see what I can see. Does anyone else use Sephora blushes? If so, what shades?  What’s been your experience with them? On to the next…

I did another FOTD with my Stila Color Wheel Eye Shadow Palette that I got from Apothica. This time I opted for what I thought would be a somewhat deeper earthier look. No dice. The look turned out okay, but it wasn’t nearly as deep on me as it looked on the model in the Stila Artistry Lookbook that came with the palette. Here are the pics of the shadows I used and the Artistry Lookbook example…

Now here’s my rendition…

Peach Stila shadow from upper lash line to brow bone, Burnt Sienna Stila shadow in crease and outer v, Brick Red Stila shadow on upper lash line, Brick Red Stila shadow pressed into center of lid, Mabelline Full&Soft mascara in Very Black on lashes, Sephora Flashy liner in Flashy Ultra Brown smudged on waterline & lower lash line, NYX blush in Copper on cheeks and Mabelline ColorSensational Lipstick in Crazy for Coffee topped off with ELF Minty Lipgloss in San Diego on lips.

I didn’t hate this look, I actually liked it. I just wish it had been a little deeper. The colors in this palette, though pretty and good quality, are pale. On my brown skin they look kind of washed out. I still like the shadows though. I'll probably have to start using a base of some sort. My clean up under and around the eyes wasn't so great either...I'll have to do better with that next time. All in all, not bad.

Does anyone else have this palette or any other Stila shadows? Do the colors seem too pale to you? Let a sistah know pretty please :-)

Later doll faces!

XOXO

Better than good Friday!

This Friday is a great Friday because #1, I'm feeling better! My antibiotics must have decided to kick in because I can breathe through my nose and the solid block of congestion that took up residence in my chest almost three weeks ago is dissipating. I'm so relieved I don't even have the words to articulate it...I'll settle for a nice deep breath *breathing deep*

Thanks Apothica!

#2, I got my Apothica order today! I am really really impressed with how quickly this order arrived...I mean, I just placed the order late Wednesday afternoon. I can't wait to test the Sheseido moisturizer and play with the Stila Color Wheel tomorrow. I'll make sure I do a FOTD post tomorrow using the Stila palette.





The two products actually arrived separately; the Sheseido moisturizer came via UPS (from Cosmetic Mall) and the Stila Color Wheel came via USPS Priority (direct from Apothica). That was kind of disconcerting because had I not been home, the Sheseido product would have been sent back to the UPS sort facility for redelivery. I'm assuming that Apothica may outsource for products they don't have in their warehouse at the time. Though I understand things happen, I'm hoping next time I place an order my products will be shipped via USPS Priority as stated on the Apothica website. Other than that, I have no beef! Both packages were securely shrouded in bubble wrap, arrived undamaged and sooner than I expected.  

In other news....

Two coats of Foxy Lady by Milani

My third Milani of the month didn't turn out so well. I applied it last night and today it looks like this...













The other hand looks even worse. Though I love the colors, the brushes and the smoothness of the formulas, I just can't deal with how long it takes for these polishes to dry. Perhaps this is why they have sat for so long unused on my nail polish rack. I'll either have to learn to be completely still for an hour or two after I do my nails or stop buying Milani polishes. Does anyone else have an issue with Milani polishes?




My other issue is with NYX eye shadows.


*Begin rant*


I haaaaaaaate NYX eye shadows sooooooo much! They are chalky, way too soft and too many of them have horrible color pay off. I have tried with NYX, I really have, but they just can't have anymore of my money (for eye shadows anyway). I bought 43 of their single shadows during a sale they had back in 2008 ($43) and bought their box of shadows a few weeks ago ($35). I wound up giving the singles to my daughter in 2009 because I couldn't do anything with them. She in turn gave them to her cousin because she said the colors didn't look good and barely showed up on her dark skin. I'm not sure what I'll do with the box of shadows because my daughter has enough of my cast off makeup, lol.


You may wonder why I gave NYX more of my money in the first place....well, I thought perhaps my first experience was a fluke. Perhaps those single shadows were sold off cheap because they were part of a bad batch. No dice. They're just crap shadows. Sorry NYX, no bueno. I love NYXblushes and glosses, but their shadows are worse than Coastal Scents if you ask me. 




Despite the poor quality of the shadows, I still created an okay FOTD...

I used three different shades of purple eye shadow for this look. I lined my waterline with Sephora's Flashy Liner in Deep Black and smoked out my lower lashline with the same shade of purple that I lined my upper lashline with. My cheeks were treated with Milani's Mineral Blush in Sunset Beach and my lips were covered with Mabelline ColorSensational Lipstain in Plum Flushed (topped by a Revlon gloss called Bronze Sensation). Even with my Sigma brushes, this was a chore to pull off. Not bad looking though if I do say so myself :-)

That's my Friday thus far....how was yours? Any big plans for the weekend? 

I'll holla ;-)

Have you tried Apothica?

I don't know about you, but I like my beautification supplies. From eye shadow to lipsticks to fingernail polish, all I can say, is ooh eye like it! Hence the blog name right, lol? So anyway, I recently received a gift card from Apothica.com and perused their site getting acquainted with the brands they offer...they offer a lot! So much in fact, I've gone over the site several times for a few hours at a time and have had the hardest time making up my mind on what to get. Sheseido, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox and many many more, the selection is incredible! Along with some of the aforementioned brands, Apothica also carries brands that I've never heard of like BECCA Cosmetics, It Cosmetics, Twist & Pout, Diane Brill and more. As I was going through the different brands I even noticed new brands being added as I browsed. I know things move quickly in the world of beauty, but Apothica seemed to really be on the ball, lol.

Image taken from the Apothica website.

At any rate, I must have spent 4 or more hours browsing (even enlisting help from my bestie Shan) before I finally decided on the Sheseido Pureness Matifying Moisturizer...

















I've been searching for what seems like eternity for the perfect moisturizer for my super oily skin. I'm hoping the Sheseido will be a good fit for me. I also selected the Stila Cosmetics Color Wheel Eye Shadow Palette...

Image taken from the Apothica website.

I'm really looking forward to playing around with the Stila Color Wheel because it comes with a pro artist lookbook that can be used to create different looks. This will be great for me because I'm still very much a novice when it comes to makeup application techniques. 




After making my choices, I checked out with my Apothica gift card (they also accept Paypal) and promptly received an order confirmation e-mail. I was really impressed by how swiftly the order was confirmed because I'd just hit the submit order button. Since it was late in the afternoon when I placed my order, I fully expected no more info until the next business day....but guess who received a shipping confirmation email a couple hours later? Yep, that's right! I've ordered lots of beauty supplies from lots of different beauty sites, but never have I experienced such a quick turnaround. I can't help but rub my greedy little fingers together in anticipation of my goodies :-)




Other things to note about Apothica:


All U.S. orders of $49 or more ship free via USPS Priority Mail and arrive in approximately 2-7 business days.


60 day, hassle free return policy.


Loyalty points - 5% back in rewards.


Guaranteed lowest price - 115% price matching.




If you haven't already been to the site, I suggest you check it out now. After all, you can never have too many sources for good beauty products ;-)


Let me know if/what you buy, I love hauls :-D


Later gators!






*This blog post is sponsored by Apothica.com. Though a sponsored post, my opinions of Apothica.com and my account of my experience with their website are honest and unbiased.*

Wish List Wednesday: Goo Gobs of Gadgets!

I don't know about anyone else, but I LOVE gadgets! be they for the kitchen, office or car I have a serious jones for them. Now when technology combines with health/wellness/beauty to create a gadget for cosemetic upkeep....well let's just say I have beautygasm, lol. Here's a list of beauty gadgets I'm lusting after...

Lots of natural beauties and relaxed cuties are all agog over the Huetiful Hair Steamer. Per the website, the Huetiful Hair Steamer has the following benefits:

• Restores moisture to your dry hair 5x better than deep conditioners or hair treatments alone.
• Opens up your hair cuticle to allow your conditioners and hair treatments to work more effectively.
• Bathes your hair follicle with warm, ionized mist to replenish moisture lost from chemical or heat treatments.
• Reduces future breakage and split ends caused by dry hair.
• In colder months, keeps weather-dried hair moisturized and strong.

Testimonial vids...






I have a feeling my locs are going to love this thing :-)






Despite my age, I still suffer from occasional acne breakouts. The Zeno Hot Spot  claims to use heat to destroy the bacteria that causes acne. I'm all for trying a gadget that will rid me of party pooping pimples.

More Zeno...

Though I keep hearing how painful epilators are, I am not in the least allowing that to deter me from weeks worth of smooth legs and underarms. I HATE shaving with a passion and would never do it again, but I don't want to look like a Sasquatch...gooney goo goo! Emjoi it is.

More Emjoi...

After a day of stomping down catwalks in 4 inch heels (or stalking the cement streets of any major city), a nice massaging foot spa is just what the podiatrist ordered. I'm loving this Dr. Scholls Massaging Bubble Foot Bath. Mix in some sea salt, Epsom Salts, Lavender, Peppermint and Eucalyptus essential oils and your feet will kiss the ground you walk on...literally.

Although this last (but not least) gadget won't improve my skin or hair, it is quite lust worthy. I have been stalking this particular gadget for months now and it looks like soon I'll be able to get my home manicured fingers on it. May I introduce you to the fabulous Adam by Notion Ink!




Don't be deceived or turned off by the geek speak, accents and non-fruit logo bearing device you see, this thing is frigging AWESOME! Get familiar...you'll thank me later.


And that my dears, concludes my wish list for this Wednesday. What's on your wish list? Do share! Until next time, peace and power!

The Oily Skin Chronicles: Tales from L'Bri

Here's a video review I did on L'Bri Pure n' Natural Cosmetics oily skin trio.

Eye Love Her Channel!

From hauls to makeup tutorials to OOTD vlogs, Rachelle does it all with a salt of the earth every day woman vibe. Check her out!

Snowy lazy Sunday

 

Yeah, despite the blizzard here in Chicago, I had an easy Sunday. Per my usual, I slept as late as possible, took a long leisurely shower, pampered myself and did laundry. Dinner consisted of leftover spaghetti and the evening saw me curled up on the couch with a cup of herbal tea watching Sense and Sensibility. It was a very nice Sunday :-)

I tried a sample of Boscia's Luminizing Black Mask after my normal face cleanser and I was very impressed. I'm not sure I'll drop $34 at Sephora to buy the full size bottle, but the sample was nice. Here's what the product description on Sephora says about the mask:

What it is:
A groundbreaking, mineral-rich mask that peels off to deliver powerful detoxifying, purifying, and brightening effects.

What it is formulated to do:
This jet-black, mineral-rich mask creates a unique peel-off effect that delivers powerful detoxifying, purifying, and brightening results. Made with a premier-quality clay, its deep-cleansing properties draw out dirt and oil. Other natural ingredients go to work exfoliating skin and refining pores. Powerful antioxidants shrink pores, firm skin, and reduce inflammation. Once dried, the mask strips away dead skin, impurities and excess oil to reveal immediate and visible results.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

What else you need to know:
Apply an even layer to clean, dry skin. Avoid eyebrows, hairline and lips. Avoid eye area by applying below orbital bone. Leave on 15-20 minutes or until completely dry. Gently peel off mask from outer edges. Rinse off any residue with warm water. Follow with moisturizer. Use once or twice a week.

 

 

Did it deliver? For me, yes. My skin felt smooth, soft and matte and my pores were noticeably smaller. I perused the reviews for this mask before using it and noticed some folks saying it was next to impossible to remove and that it caused them to break out afterward. I will agree that removal was quite cumbersome but it wasn't next to impossible. If I wake up with a pimple or two tomorrow I won't be surprised or angry because the mask states that it detoxifies and removes impurities. What that means my dears is that nasty little yuckies lurking in the innermost depths of your lower dermal layers will be brought to the surface. Hence, pimples. Don't be mad, be glad, that's the mask doing its job. Again, I liked the mask but I'm not sure I'll be dropping $34 at Sephora for it anytime soon. But if you're interested, here it is...

More Boscia...

 

Though I hid out in the house today, I also did eye makeup and my nails...

Close up on the eyes

Panned out so you can see the nude lip...and ashy looking skin, lol

I primed my lids with Two Faced Shadow Insurance and dusted a sparkly lavender shadow from the ELF Beauty Encyclopedia (Sparkle Edition) on my lid. On my outer corner, I used a sparkly dark purple from the aforementioned ELF BESE. For my highlight/browbone I used Lancome's Pink Veil from the Pretty Pretty Quad. I lined my lid with L'Oreal's Extra-Intense Liquid Pencil Liner in Black, dusted Pink Veil on the inner corner and first 1/3rd of my waterline and smudged the last  2/3rds of my waterline with Mabelline's Unstoppable Eyeliner in Onyx. On my uncurled lashes I'm wearing two coats of L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes in Very black. I primed my lips with Carmex Moisture Plus and went nude with Mabelline's Crazy for Coffee.

All in all, I think I did pretty good. My eyeshadow technique is getting a little better since I apply every day and I feel good about that. Next I'm going to rectify that ashiness and my dark under eye circles and acne scars. No foundation though, I hate that stuff. I think some of that ashy look is due to the new moisturizer I'm trying out. More on that later though.

On to my nails...

 

Per usual, my application is kinda sloppy but the color? The color is GORGEOUS! Two colors actually. I did an every other finger comparison with Barry M's Dusky Mauve and Revlon's Perplex. You know what? They're both great dupes for Chanel's Limited edition Paradoxal (click to see pictures). Do you know folks are selling Paradoxal for $40? Insanity. You'll have a difficult time finding Revlon's Perplex too since everyone knows it's a dupe for Paradoxal. I bought mine off of Ebay (two bottles for $16 and some change. Click to buy, she only has two bottles left). Or you can order Dusky Mauve from Barry M's website. Barry M is a UK brand so be prepared to pay about $5 per bottle of polish and whatever they charge for shipping. I bought mine a while back before I realized it was a dupe for Paradoxal. Also be warned that once the word gets out about BM's DM it may sell out.

That's pretty much it for my Sunday, how was yours? Feel free to do some shopping for the products I used via the hyperlinks above or the Shopstyle links below. Cheers!

 

More Too Faced...

 

More Lancôme...

More L'Oreal...

More Maybelline...

More Maybelline...

More L'Oreal...

Product Review: L'occitane Red Rice Skincare Line

And we're off on another manic Monday! I don't know about anyone else, but I don't much mind Mondays...never really have either. Except for when I was in high school...but that was loooooong ago, lol. You'd never know by looking at my skin though. My oily skin. Don't get me wrong, I don't totally hate my oily skin...anymore, lol. I appreciate my natural oils for what they do. One of the benefits of having oily skin is that it ages less rapidly than other skin types. It's the main reason why folks can't guess my true age. Not that I'm ancient or anything, but I'm told quite often that on good days I still look like I'm in my late teens *batting lashes*


I love that, lol! On my bad days I look like I'm in my 20's, which is still a complement. I owe it all to oodles of MELANIN, good genes and oily skin ;-)

The disadvantages of having overly oily skin are having your foundation turn into an ooey gooey oil slick oozing down your face (I stopped wearing foundation because my skin no likey), shiny/greasy T Zones and finding skin care products to treat/tame it all. *Sigh*


I have been searching for the longest time *cue Billy Joel* and I *cue U2's Joshua Tree* still haven't found what I'm looking for. Though, at times, I've come rather close. This brings me to L'occitane's Red Rice Line. I watched a youtube video a while back about rice water toners and how good they were supposed to be for those with oily skin and decided that I would try it ASAP. Although the vid showcased a tutorial for homemade rice toners, I also needed a cleanser and moisturizer so, as usual, I Googled. To my surprise and joy I found this Red Rice Foaming Cleanser by L'occitane (pronounced lox-e-tahn)...

More L'Occitane...

Pros:
It comes in a nifty $8 trial size (now $4 but I'm not sure how long)
It cleansed my skin without stripping it comepletely of its natural oils
It made my skin soft and supple and appear less oily
It seemed to reduce my breakouts
Has a nice smell
Soap free
Contains some natural/organic ingredients (they use sustainable/renewable organic ingredients whenever possible)
L'occitane does not test on furry (or non-furry) critters
They are ecologically responsible (recycled/recyclable packaging)

Cons:
Contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Contains more chemicals/compounds than natural ingredients


Overall, the cleanser gets a 4 out of 5 Qtips on my beauty prods scale.

Next up we have the Red Rice Purifying Toner...

More L'Occitane...

Pros:
It comes in a nifty $8 trial size
Has a slight tint that adds a nice glow
Made my skin look/feel matte
Has a nice smell
It seemed to reduce my breakouts
Has a nice smell
Same last three pros as the foaming cleanser

Cons:
Feels gritty
Made my skin feel too dry and tight

Contains Methylparaben
Contains Salicylic Acid
Overall, the toner gets a 2.5 out of 5 Qtips on my beauty prods scale.

Finally we have the Red Rice Ultra-Matte Face Fluid...

More L'Occitane...

 Pros:
Comes in a nifty $8 trial size
Has a nice smell
Same last three pros as the cleanser and toner

Cons:
Feels gritty
Made my skin feel overly dry and tight
Contains Salicylic Acid

Overall, the face fluid gets a 1 out of 5 Qtips on my beauty prods scale.

Though I like the philosophy of the company and I like the way the products smell, I will not buy the full size system nor will I purchase the trial sizes again. Based on my needs and concerns, the Red Rice Skincare line just isn't a good fit for me. Back to the drawing board *shrugs*

That's it for now guys and gals...

XOXO



*The aforementioned L'occitane products were purchased with my own money. My review is unpaid and impartial.*

Just Call Me Easy

For me Sunday is bum day. That means I dress in sweats and do housework, read, watch tv, etc. I also tried to cleaned up a really wack nail job from the other day. Lately I've not much been into my tips, but for lack of anything better to do, I painted my nails. This was the result...

In my mind this looked all kinds of awesome but it came out really less than spectacular. I had no intention of taking it off and starting over however, so I just left it as is. This was done late Saturday night. By today, I was still less than thrilled with the look so I edited it. This was the result...

 

I'm still not all that thrilled with how it looks but it looks less wack than it originally did...I guess, lol.

Products used:

Orly Nail Armor (1 coat)

Sally Hansen Wet Cement (2 coats)

Sally Hansen Lightning (2 coats)

Sally Hansen Blue Me Away (2 coats)

Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat (1 coat)

Barry M. Instant Nail Effects Black Magic (1 coat)

I love the way Wet Cement and Blue Me Away go on, both of these polishes are smooth and dry pretty quickly. Though I didn't have to, I used two coats of BMA. It was opaque in one coat but I went with two. WC needed two coats because it was thinner and lighter colored. Neither of those colors streaked nor was there drag. Love them! Lightning is an Insta Dri color and thus, has a harder to work with brush. It went on a little streaky with a tiny bit of drag and required two coats (three would be better, but I refused). Though I'm no longer a fan of the Insta Dri's, I love Lightning, it's a very nice yellow. The Barry M. nail effects crackle polish was a tad bit difficult to work with for me. It's kind of thick, dries very quickly and doesn't spread well. If you go over the same spot twice you get streaks and drag. This will also affect how the crackle looks (shape and size of the crackle). I more than likely will not but the Barry M. again. I'm waiting for the OPI crackle polish to come out. Cannot wait! And that my dears, was a mini review for you ;-)

Sadly, this was the highlight of my weekend. I did little else other than housework, read books and watch shows I recorded on my DVR. What'd you do this weekend? Are you ready for Monday? I hope you remembered to set your clocks back an hour!

XOXO

August Faves :-)

Dearest fair maidens, dashing divas and glamorous gals,

How are you? Feeling fab I hope :-)

Just in time for the end of August, I thought I'd share the products I reached for the most. I paid for all these products with my own money and I am NOT being paid to promote these products. The views expressed herein are my own and are not endorsed/shared by Google/Blogger/anyone else. Just a little legal disclosure...now on to the faves :-)

First up is this Arm&Hammer Naturals Deodorant. I have a hard time with deodorants because most make my armpits crack, bleed, peel, burn and itch. I have extremely sensitive skin and finding a deodorant that's effective and gentle was almost impossible...until I found this stuff! I love it! It smells nice, it has no aluminum or parabens and it keeps me fresh. I also like it because it isn't an antiperspirant. It's a natural function for our bodies to produce sweat, it's how we cool off and release toxins. Antiperspirants are not safe for the body as they inhibit a natural process and clog sebum producing pores resulting in ingrown hairs and cysts. If you're concerned about sweat stains, try disposable sweat shields for your clothes.

Next up is this awesome Jergens Naturals Ultra Hydrating Moisturizing Lotion. I love Love LOVE this stuff! It works wonders for my children's eczema and it keeps my skin silky smooth and hydrated. JNUHL is cruelty free, paraben free, dermatologist tested and purports to be made with 95% natural ingredients. Though the ingredients list includes such gems as Jojoba Oil, Agave Leaf Extract, Shea Butter and Calendula Flower Extract, some of the ingredients are obviously no as natural. All in all, I still love this thick creamy lotion. It has a nice smell and it does what it's supposed to.

My all time fave shampoo is Giovanni's Triple Treat Tea Tree Shampoo. This stuff gets my locs squeaky and tingly clean and smells oh so good. For a little extra kick, I add more peppermint essential oil (another of my all time faves). Giovanni products are cruelty free and for the most part vegan friendly. The shampoos contain no Sodium Sulfate (SLS),  Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) or Phthalates. The Triple Treat Shampoo and many of Giovanni's other hair and body products are certified organic and gentle for most product sensitive consumers. You should always conduct a patch test on an inconspicuous area when trying new products though.

This oily skin combatant that I recently found is DHC's Water base Moisture. I've been using this stuff all August long and I have to say that I am liking it. It looks and feels like water but it moisturizes with the best of them. My skin feels silky smooth, it appears less oily and it feels refreshed and hydrated all day long. DHC WBM is non drying, has no harsh perfumes, contains no oil and is cruelty free. Thus far, I've had no allergic reactions, very few break outs and have had fewer needs to blot. The only ingredients that prevent this from being the perfect moisturizer are Methylparaben and Phenoxyethanol. I'm not sure if I'll repurchase DHC WBM yet, I'd like to try and find something without the two aforementioned ingredients.

My new fave lip balm is Carmex's Moisture Plus. This stuff has all the greatness of the original Carmex without the awful taste and smell. My lips are soft, supple and ready for kisses every time. One of the best things about CMP is the SPF15. Since harmful UVA/UVB rays can zap moisture and prematurely age sensitive skin, a little SPF goes a long way...even for the deeply melanated beautiful black woman :-)

Degree's Sexy Intrigue Body Spray was my most gone to scent this August. I like this little spray because the fragrance is sexy (per the name), light and unassuming (kinda like me, lol). I also like that it can be stored in the fridge and provide a nice cool mist on super hot Chicago days. Other bonuses include the price point and fragrance strength. Most drugstore sell this spray (and the other Degree sprays) for $3.99 and because the fragrance is long lasting (though not obnoxious) you get lots of bang for your buck. Try it, you might like it :-)

My fave August polishes were the above beauties. I'm in love with the entire China Glaze OMG Collection (I bought all of them late last year). They're a fun bunch of holographic goodness and make me want to flash my nails constantly. Application isn't great and to achieve an opaque finish, I needed three coats. Still, I love my OMG Holo's. Sally Hansen's Blue Me Away is just all kinds of AWESOME! I can't articulate how much I love this color, lol. It's the prettiest most vibrant blue I own and it go owns on wonderfully opaque in two coats. Application is smooth and it dries pretty quickly with no bubbles or streaks.

 

Although I could post more faves, I think I'll stop there, lol. This post is long enough and if my readers are anything me, too much text makes me click next blog, lol. That's terrible isn't it? It;s the truth though. At any rate, I also suggest that anyone interested in the components that comprise their cosmetics check out The Cosmetics Database. This awesome site contains info on thousands of ingredients used in commercial cosmetics. It pays to be an informed consumer ladies and gents. And with that, I bid you adieu...

XOXO