leap flog.

Hello all! I have misplaced the SIM card to my camera, but I have hope I will find it in my mess of a room. Since I can't put any new pictures on my computer right now, I have some "old" nail pictures. They are really only a few months old, though.

I saw these nails in Nail It! magazine, and later on on Pinterest. I thought, "hey, these don't look too hard"..I did one nail and wanted to stop! But I kept going, and I loved the result.

This is my left hand.
OPI My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours (orange), OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (white), Sinful Colors Leap Flog (green), Sally Hansen Black Heart (black).

Right hand:

I really liked these and got a lot of compliments. It was hard to put a top coat on because the black streaked really bad, even after 4 hours of letting them dry. To do these, I painted my nail white, let dry, then put on the striping tape where I wanted to leave my nail white. I then painted the nail each color, and pulled the tape off (after trying hard to remember what order they went in!). The studs I got at Walmart.

I hope you enjoyed these. Have a great weekend!

snap happy.

Hello all! Today I have red nails, which is rare for me. For some reason I do not do red often. I bought this, Essie Snap Happy, on clearance at Ulta one day. Essie makes A LOT of reds, almost in every collection. I think the only reason I bought this one was because it was on clearance. There doesn't really seem to be anything special about it, nothing that made it different from all the other reds out there. It is a pretty, bright red though. 

I had bought the studs in a pack at Walmart, and I have seen this look a lot of different ways on people's blogs. I think it is so cute, and even my mom loved it. 

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I finally did use Snap Happy. It went on beautifully. I don't think I have ever had one go on so nicely. It was thin, almost watery, but very opaque. It was easy to work with, and I probably could have gotten away with using only one coat. So while the color doesn't overwhelm me, the way it goes on does. It will definitely be used again!

I hope everyone has a great week! My dad goes back to work tomorrow, so I will have the house all to myself until I start school in a month. I will finally get the bath I have been wanting since I bought the bath bombs from LUSH months ago (the tub is in my parents bathroom, so I'll finally get to use it with everyone out of the house)!! I haven't had a bath in forever (a decade, probably) because the dial on my parents shower broke one day, so they took the one off the bath and never replaced it until recently. I'm really excited about it :) 

Well, I'm off to watch the Food Network! Have a great week, all.

august 2013 haul! plus what I bought in sb.

This is a pretty long post, with all the stuff I bought while I was in Santa Barbara in early August, and also things I had bought at then end of the month! I mentioned before it will probably be my last "haul" for a while, but I'm sure I will still buy a lot of products, just not all at once. Enjoy!

Santa Barbara Haul:

Lush.

Rock Your Body Kit - includes Sugar Scrub, Dream Cream, a dusting powder or deodorant powder, and a soap of your choice (if bought in store, a massage bar of your choice). $24.95, most products are vegan.

Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie - vegan. $34.95 check it out here.

   This is for dry skin, which I don't get until it starts to get cold (so around late October). This is just a sample size from LUSH. You smooth on wet skin in the shower, let sit for a while, then rinse off. The first time I used it, I did't let it sit for a while, so it didn't work that well. The second time I used it, I let it sit for a while, then rinsed. In the shower, it feels weird on your skin, not moisturized at all, but when I get out of the shower, my skin feels pretty soft! I may just have to buy the big one..maybe. It also feels more like a balm than a lotion like I think their other shower smoothies are. 

Dirty Springwash Shower Gel - vegan. $9.95 check it out here.

   Spearmint and menthol crystals for a cool feeling, and sea salt to soften the skin. It also has sodium biocarbonate to "soften the water and deodorize the skin." We have harsh water here, so I hope this does soften my skin! I haven't used it yet, but it smells really good. I bet it would be great to use in the shower in the morning as a wake up call. The scent was made for men, and so popular they use it in almost all their different types of products (meaning they have it in a body wash, soap, deodorant), kind of like their Karma scent, which is also a perfume!

Honey Trap Lip Balm - $7.25 check it out here.

   I don't care for the scent of honey, but I love the way it feels on my lips. You do have to warm it up a little with your finger before it gets soft enough to rub on your lips, but that's okay. I think next time I'll get a different one, preferably one that is vegan.

Vanilla Puff Powder - vegan. $6.95 check it out here.

   This smells amazing! I rub it all over after a shower, and I try and pat it over my deodorant for a fresh feel. It can be a bit messy, but I use it over my sink (or you can use it while standing in your shower).

Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion - vegan. $26.95 check it out here.

   This is for sensitive skin. It smells pretty good. I use it after a shower or at night. It is kind of thick, and can feel a little sticky right after using it, but it soaks in and feels good. I also like to use it on my feet at night and put some socks on for soft feet in the morning.

Sugar Scrub - vegan. $6.25 check it out here.

   Ginger and fennel sugar scrub. I broke this up before using it and put it in a container. I leave it outside my shower and just take pieces into the shower when I want to use it because it will fall apart if I were to let it get wet! It is pretty rough, especially if you don't let it dissolve a little. I use it on my upper arms because I have a little KP. It really does tighten the skin. I forgot I had used it one day and was feeling my arm, wondering why it felt tight. The girl at LUSH said she used it on her upper thigh for cellulite. This is great if you need a quick fix for the day/night!

Wiccy Magic Muscles - vegan. $10.95 check it out here.

   This has aduki beans for "working muscles like fingertips." Has peppermint and cinnamon spice oils leaving your skin warm and tingly. It melts on contact, so I tend to not use the bar to massage, I rub it between my hands and massage whatever needs it that way. Smells like cinnamon and clove buds..yummmyy! It is very moisturizing, so even if you don't need a massage, can use it as a lotion!

The Refill Shoppe. 

Natural Body and Bath Soy Candle in La'Au-'Ala - $14.99 check out their site here.

   I love the way this candle smells. I haven't lit it yet, because it is still too hot not to have my ceiling fan on, but every time I walk by it I sniff it. YUMMY. They don't have this specific scent online (which bums me out) but they have a lot of other scents, some known to everyone and some not so known. 

The Refill Shoppe Rosewater Toner - vegan. $.76/oz. check out the store site here.
   I love using rosewater anything on my face and have been using Reviva Labs Rosewater Facial Spray. I went into this shop and saw they have their own rosewater product, so I had to try it. I love going to this shop! You buy a container or bring your own, fill it up with whatever you want, and pay per ounce. They have face, body, home, hair, and bath products. 

   

Love & Toast Perfume in Paper Flower - $27.99 check it out here.

   I love the way this smells! I have had a mini bottle of this forever, just sniffing it when I want. They used to sell this at Urban Outfitters years ago, and at a boutique here in town, but they both stopped selling it (which is why I tried not to use my mini perfume). It is the same company that makes Tokyo Milk (Margot Elena). The bottle is also so cute! It has waterlily, dewberry, rose, and ylang ylang.

Soaptopia Hippeee Soap - $6.95 check out their soaps here.
   I bought this because I have the oil slather. Whole Foods sells a lot of their soaps in bulk, so you pay per ounce. This has rose, patchouli, and cedarwood. 

Urban Outfitters. 

Earrings - $6 each

   These are just tiny earrings. I like to use these in my second and third holes, or in my upper ear.

Bohemian Summer, Lola, Mystic - 2/$8 or $5 each (swatches below).

   You can see my Bohemian Summer nails here. I have swatches on a nail wheel at the end.

Back Home Haul:

Nail Polish.

Left to Right : Sinful Colors in Daredevil, Flirting Nails, Cold Leather, Laced Up, Strapped, Get It On, My Turn, Leather Loose, Orly in Purple Poodle, OPI in I Knead Sourdough, Essie in Cashmere Blanket (swatches at the end of post).

Sinful Colors was 2/$3 all month at Walgreens, which is why I bought so many of them! They had just come out with the Leather Luxe collection (which is full of matte polishes) so I bought them all but one (the black one). Now they are $.99 this week, so go buy them! They also had an end cap full of new and not so new polishes which is where the other two came from. The Orly, OPI, and Essie are all from their Fall 2013 collections.

Mineral Fusion Skin-Balancing Facial Moisturizer - $18.99 at Ulta

   This is a nice facial lotion. I only use it at night after using the Perfect Image peel I bought. I am almost done with the 4-6 week regimen, and I will be posting about it. Anyway, I use this lotion after spraying my face with my rosewater toners, and it absorbs really nicely.

Sephora Nail Patch Art in Cherry Blossom - $6 at Sephora (on clearance)

   I LOVE these so much. My mom gave them to me for Christmas one year and I finally used them for a trip to Santa Barbara. They are very similar to Sally Hansen nail strips (meaning they aren't stickers like some polish strips are). These pictures were taken with my iPod touch: 

They were so cute, so I was a little sad when I only found one set left at Sephora since they won't be selling them anymore.

World Market earrings - $4.99 each; coral bows and silver arrowheads

   More earrings. I love the bows so much! And I am very into coral right now. I also wish they sold them in different colors, but I haven't seen more yet. World Market always has the cutest jewelry, especially inexpensive studs. 

  Makeup.

Wet n Wild ColorIcon Bronzer SPF 15 in Ticket to Brazil - $1.99 (sale)

   I have been wanting this for a long time, I was really excited to see it on sale. It's not really that expensive in the first place, though. It is extremely pigmented. I didn't realize that, so the first time I used it I had a noticeable line around my face. You really have to blend it in, or try not to put so much on your brush. I had only barely tapped my brush on it, so if I do end up doing it again, I just tap it on my face where I need it and then blend out. Swatch at the end.

Flower Shine On Lip Gloss in Baby's Breath - $6.98 at Walmart

   I really wanted to like this, but I didn't like the color at all. It felt nice, it just didn't look nice on me. Maybe I'll use it on top of a lipstick. I will definitely try it with a different color though. This line is by Drew Barrymore, and is only sold at Walmart. It is cruelty free and vegan! Swatch at the end.

Flower Color Play Creme Eye Shadow in Wild Geranium - $7.98 at Walmart

   I am still not sure how I feel about this. It creased not long after putting it on. I put it on top of eye shadow primer and then dabbed some over my lid. I made sure I didn't put a lot on. It creased a little, so then I put powder on top and it was okay after that. It is by no means like my favorite Color Tattoos by Maybelline, or the creaseless cream shadows by Benefit. It is more like a mousse, not hard like the other cream eye shadows I've used. I do like the color, though. Swatch at the end.

NYX Love in Rio Eye Shadow Trio in Cabana Boy - $5.99 at Ulta

   I bought this for no reason. They were pretty browns though, so I thought, why not. Swatches at the end.

NYX Slide On Waterproof Eye Liner in Jet Black and Brown Perfection - $7.99 ea at Ulta

   I have been wanting to try these for a while. I have heard them compared to Urban Decay eye liners. I have used the black and it is very dark. I haven't used eye liners in a while, so I have to get used to using them again. It is really dark and I smudge it a little around my eyes, so I don't have to make a perfect line with it. I still like using gel or liquid liner better. Swatches at the end.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - Free with Purchase at Ulta

   I got this at Ulta for free for being a Platinum Member. I have been using the Light one for a long time, so I was curious about this one.

Wet n Wild ColorIcon Eye Shadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells - $2.99 at any Drugstore

   I really like this trio. They don't have a lot of trios that I want to try, but the pink and white are very frosty and would be perfect for highlighting around your eyes (and maybe even your face). Swatches at the end.

Maybelline Color Sensation Lip Gloss in Fiercely Fuchsia - $5 at Walgreens (clearance)

   I just bought this on clearance because it was in the basket by the register for a long time, and I had my eye on it. I also needed to buy something at least $4 because I had a coupon for $2 off a purchase of $10 and was only at $6. I was a little disappointed in how sheer this product was. I really liked the other lip gloss I had bought on clearance a while ago, but this wasn't the same. Swatch at the end.

Rimmel Moisture Renewal Lip Stick in Back to Fuchsia - $5.47 at Walmart

   I LOVE this lip stick. I even got my friend to buy it, and she doesn't like to wear lip stuff (she is branching out though, she is just not used to it). It is also perfectly matched with the Maybelline lip gloss if I want to make it pop a little more. Swatch at the end.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Skinny Jeans - $20 at Ulta

   This is a perfect color for a quick and easy smoky eye. I have been waiting to use this (I didn't want to wear it in the Summer, I feel it is too dark). I really like it. It is perfect for those who want a simple smoky eye and don't want to do a lot of blending, or do a lot of work! Swatch at the end.

 

Candles.  

Bath and Body Works Spiced Cider and Marshmallow Fireside candles - 2/$22 (sale) or $20 each

   These both smell amazing. I especially love Marshmallow Fireside and want to go back and buy another one.

Fragrances. 

Victoria Secret PINK Body Mist in Sweet and Flirty - $8 

   My friend bought this for me. It smells so yummy. We just got a Pink store in the mall, so I may have to go buy the big ones..although when I went there the other day with my mom she [not so] sneakily asked me what part of the line I would like (lotion, body butter, spray, scrub, etc.). The scent is pink grapefruit and sugar berry.

Yakshi Naturals Roll On Fragrance in Cleopatra's Secret - $4.99 (sale)

   This is an oil fragrance and smells very fresh. It doesn't say what is in it, though. 

Swatches.

1 - Urban Outfitters Bohemian Summer

2 - Sinful Colors Cold Leather matte polish from the Leather Luxe collection

3 - Sinful Colors Get it On matte polish from the Leather Luxe collection

4 - Orly Purple Poodle from the Surreal (Fall 2013) collection

5 - Urban Outfitters Mystic

6 - Essie Cashmere Bathrobe from the Fall 2013 collection

7 - Sinful Colors Leather Loose matte polish from the Leather Luxe collection

8 - Sinful Colors My Turn matte polish from the Leather Luxe collection

9 - Sinful Colors Leather Loose with NYC Grand Central Station top coat

10 - Sinful Colors Daredevil

11 - Urban Outfitters Lola

12 - Sinful Colors Laced Up matte polish from the Leather Luxe collection 

13 - Sinful Colors Strapped matte polish from the Leather Luxe collection

14 - OPI I Knead Sourdough from the San Francisco Collection (2013)

15 - Sinful Colors Flirting Nails

1- NYX Slide On Waterproof Eyeliner in Brown Perfection

2 - NYX Slide On Waterproof Eyeliner in Jet Black

3-5 - NYX Love in Rio Eye Shadow Trio in Cabana Boy

6-7 - Flower Color Play Creme Eye Shadow in Wild Geranium (7 is blended out)

8 - Flower Shine On Lip Gloss in Baby's Breath

9 - Wet n Wild ColorIcon Bronzer SPF 15 in Ticket to Brazil 

10-11 - Benefit Creaseless Cream Eye Shadow in Skinny Jeans (11 is blended out)

12-14 - Wet n Wild ColorIcon Eye Shadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells

1 - Flower Shine On Lip Gloss in Baby's Breath

2 - Maybelline Color Sensation Lip Gloss in Fiercely Fuchsia

3 - Rimmel Moisture Renew Lip Stick in Back to Fuchsia from the Dazzling Duchess line

4 - Rimmel Back to Fuchsia Lip Stick with Maybelline Fiercely Fuchsia Lip Gloss on top

august 2013 favorites.

Hello all! Today is a good day..great weather, and Starbucks is selling their Salted Carmel Mocha finally! If you haven't tried those, do it. The fraps aren't as good, but the hot drinks are amazing.

This is my first favorites post, which means I have quite a few. Some of them are staples in my routine, that I've used for years, but they are favorites of mine! And since I've never talked about them..I will on here.

 Makeup.

Wet n Wild Nude Awakening 8-Pan Palette - $4.99 Limited Edition

   This was a Spring palette they came out with this year, and then brought it back this Summer. I was able to get my hands on one and I love it. So much so that I bought one for my mom, and she loves it as well. It has some mattes, shimmer, dark, brown, everything in this nice little palette. Swatches at the end.

Urban Decay De-Slick XL Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray - $38

   I bought this on clearance on Urban Decay's site. I think I got it for $19. They have changed their packaging so they put these on clearance. I don't even see the XL sizes anymore anywhere, so I am glad I got my hands on this. It has lasted me a long time, because I only use it for important occasions, and in the Summer when my oily skin is out of control. My makeup stays in place for hours when I use this, and my skin doesn't get oily. The downside to this is after spraying it the second time (you're supposed to spray it before and after makeup) you can't blend your makeup without it being removed from your skin, if that makes sense. I wear sunglasses all the time, and I am always left with marks on my nose. Usually I just blend my makeup out and it goes away, but when I am using this spray I can't really blend it without it coming off completely.

Revlon Nearly Naked in Vanilla - $9.99 check it out here.

   I love how light this is on my skin. I like wearing this in the Summer (of course, since it hasn't really been out that long anyway). It doesn't really cover pimples or scars that well, but it covers my pores well and gives me a nice base. I just use a little concealer and my powder on top and all is well. 

Real Techniques Starter Kit - $17.99 check it out here.

   I didn't like these at first, but now I use them everyday. I love the angled brush for my eyebrows, the base brush as an all over brush, and the deluxe contour crease brush for..well..my crease. I use the other brush that came in the set as a concealer brush for small areas.

L'Oreal True Match Naturale Gentle Mineral Makeup in Light Ivory (458) - $13.99 check it out here.

   I have been using this since it first came out. I like to wear it alone as well for a natural look. It covers everything that my foundation doesn't. I don't know many people who use this, but I love it!

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette - $27.00 check it out here.

   I like using this as a basic look, or as the start for a better look. I've been using these underneath other eye shadows, all over the lid with a shimmer in the crease, or a shimmer all over with a matte in the crease. I think you can use these for any look you want!

Maybelline Color Sensation Lip Gloss in Punch of Pink - $5 on clearance

   I love this color. I wear it almost every day. I got it on clearance at Walgreens, although I don't know why it was because I still see it at Rite-Aid on their tables. It is such a pretty everyday pink. Swatch at the end.

Beauty Blender Pure - learn about it here.

   I bought this on Amazon (here). It came with a solid cleanser and a Pure Beauty Blender for around $25. The Beauty Blender alone is almost $20, so this is a good deal. I love this. I get it damp and use it for almost everything - foundation, concealer, powder. I'm not sure I'd buy the Pure again, because my makeup looks like it doesn't come off of it, but I have heard the pink one bleeds when you clean it. Maybe I'll try the black one next..Either way, Amazon has really good deals on these, so check there first! Or Sephora sells the pink one.

Stila Grace - $18 check it out here.

   I went to get Kitten, but I loved this one more. It is almost a taupe brown, and I like to wear it on top of a lot of my cream shadows, and also alone. Swatch at the end.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, and Bold Gold - $6.99 check them out here.

   I was really surprised by these. My eye shadow doesn't crease all day. Some of my high end cream shadows can't say that! I have a lot of different colors, but these two are my go-to colors. I love to wear the gold for a nice golden brown look. I use the bronze for..well everything as well. I like to wear a pomegranate color on top of it. I have hit the bottom of Bold Gold, but there is still some left. I will definitely buy it again though. I haven't really worn these by themselves, but they are great either way. Swatches at the end (shows them blended and not blended).

Hair.

Healthy Sexy Hair Shampoo, Conditioner, and Soy Renewal Argan Oil - $14.95-21.95 

   I bought all of these on sale. Ulta has very good sales on their liter shampoo and conditioners, so I bought them then. This brand is one you can use their $3.50 off $10 coupon on! Then I got the oil at a local hair salon for $10. I love to use all of these, they make my hair soft. I like to use it at night after a shower, braid my hair, and the next day my hair is SO SOFT and SHINY. I love them all..

Perfume.  

Tokyo Milk I Want Candy (04) - $30 check it out here.

   I got this from my brother and sister-in-law for Christmas. I don't like to use it a lot because I love it and it smells so good (weird logic, I know). It is Crisp Apple, Peaches, Violets, and Roses. This is by Margot Elena, who also does other perfume brands like Love & Toast. I like a lot of scents from this line! The bottles are also really cute. They sell this at a local boutique, so I've been using it more since I have better access to it. This smells vintage, in my opinion. Yummmmmm.

Brash Bold Bloom - $6 on sale

   This is from Payless, and sadly, they no longer sell them. I'm not good at describing scents, but it is sweet, not too sweet. I like to wear this many times a week! It is a very girly scent, something I usually don't like to wear, but this one smells yummy.

Swatches.

jules on did you 'ear about van gogh.

Hello all! I can't believe it's September already. I love Fall and all that comes with it..Holidays, cooler weather, family, my birthday, etc. I also start to wear darker nail polishes that I try and stay away from in the Summer (which I have a lot of)!

This is my second time wearing this polish. I bought it last year when Zoya was having a sale on their site. I think this one and the other one I bought were my first Zoya polishes. There is only one place in town that I know of that even sells this brand, Ulta, and they've only been in town a little over a year. 

The polishes I am wearing are Zoya Jules, which is described as a taupe polish with gold, silver, and champagne shimmer, and OPI Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh, a nude polish from their Holland collection. It is one of my go-to nude polishes.

The zig-zags were made using zig-zag scissors from my mom's sewing cabinet and scotch tape. I've seen some people do this with a striping brush, but I don't have any of those (yet) so this seemed to be the easy solution. The only hard part was lining up the scissors for an even cut, and then lining up the tape strips. Once all that is done, it was all pretty simple!

What is your go-to nude polish? There are many out there I love, but some just don't go with my skin tone! I hope you all have a great week.