Monday, May 20, 2013

May Favorites

April was my birthday month and in addition to picking up a few (alot) of things for myself...I was also fortunate to receive RAOK's from my online beauty/polish friends -- plus I am in a birthday club and I got some amazing gifts from the gals in my club.

So, I wanted to share some of my new finds with you...because that's how I roll (ha ha ha).

  Coffee Facial Scrub with CoffeeBerry Extract


1)  Simple Sugars.  My 11 year old daughter, Cami, and I watched an episode of Shark Tank featuring Simple Sugars.  This company was started by a teenage girl and my daughter begged me to order something.  We chose the Lilac body scrub and the Coffee facial scrub.  It took awhile to get them... but they were so worth the wait.  I absolutely love these scrubs!!  The Lilac body scrub smells amazing, but not overpowering or fake... and it makes your skin feel so soft and smooth.  It even has tiny pieces of real lilac petals in it!!   I'm going to be using alot of this in the summer to keep my chlorine/dry skin moisturized and smooth.  The Coffee facial scrub is equally as amazing and smells soooo good...and I don't even drink coffee...and because it's made with sugar it tasted good on my lips.  I am big on using oils and OCM (Oil Cleansing Method) to cleanse my face, so I am used to the feeling of them on my face and skin.  All of the Simple Sugars products have some type of an oil base...which makes them extremely slippery to use in the shower...so please be careful!!  The company offers a whole plethora of fruit, nut and other scents to choose from.  I am defintely going to be placing another order soon. You can purchase Simple Sugars products from their website ($11.95 body scrub; $16.95 facial scrub).  http://simplesugars.myshopify.com/
   

M. Asam Perfect Teint II - AutoShip


2)  M. Asam Perfect Teint II.  This is my all time favorite facial primer.  It's a thick white gel-cream that goes on so light and smooth. It makes your skin so soft and helps "blur" imperfections on your face enabling your make-up to go on seamlessly. My concealer and foundation don't cake, crease or migrate. This product does contain silicone and is scented...neither of which bother me, but if you are sensitive to either, this is not the product for you.  You can find this product at HSN for $29.95.



3)  Starry Eyes - Motives by Loren Ridinger. I have a bunch of liquid glitter eyeliners in my make-up arsenal...all colors and all different sizes of glitter.  This brand is my favorite for several reasons.  For starters, it has chunkier pieces of glitter which really catch the light and make your eye pop.  It is long lasting...it will not come off until you take it off, no feathering, no fading, no fall out.  You can apply a light thin layer for the tiniest bit of oomph or you can apply multiple layers for serious pizazz.  At $15.00, it's very affordable and it lasts a long time.  You can purchase this liner here:  http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fsite...motives.marketamerica.com%2Fushopsmart....this&h=VAQGbYBAV




4)  Qtica Cuticle Repair Balm.  I am always on the hunt for the best cuticle oil and balm.  My nails & cuticles take serious punishment b/c I change my polish almost every day and I have to soak off my glitter polish.  That really dries out your cuticles...let me tell you.  A friend recommended this balm, so I bought when Zoya had it's Earthday promotion.  It comes in a tiny little pot which I wish was bigger for the price, but you only need a little bit.  This works very well to hydrate and  moisturize my cuticles.  You can purchase this balm from the Zoya/Qtica website for $18.00.


5)  OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil.  My good friend, Rebecca, from Rebecca Likes Nails, recommended that I try this oil because it's her favorite.  If anyone knows about nails and nail products...it's Rebecca.  I bought mine from Ebay and have been using it several times a day for about two weeks.  It is awesome stuff.  Rebecca even suggested that I put the oil on first and then the cuticle balm and leave it on overnight for extra conditioning.  Wow..that was amazing...I highly recommend that you try this.  Just be sure to wash your nails well before you apply polish.

Elevation Polish Daisen
Over Pure Ice First Love

6)  HK Girl Top Coat.  The packaging says it is a fast drying and super shiny top coat...and it is!!  I can't believe it took me this long to try it.  I am so glad I took the plunge.  It's amazing!!  I have found "the one" I've been searching for.  You can purchase this product at Glisten & Glow for $6.95.

Ole Henriksen - Truth Serum® Vitamin C Collagen Booster


7)  Ole Henriksen Truth Serum.  I got this mini 4-piece kit as a 500 point perk from Sephora. I like the products in the kit, but I love the Truth Serum.  It is light, non-greasy and soothing.  I've been using it for about 8 weeks now and I am impressed! I am noticing a difference in the appearance and texture of my face. I plan on purchasing the full size when my trial size runs out.  There are lots of options to purchase this amazing serum from mini to full size.  If you sign up on Ole's website, you will be first to know when there are sales, discounts and free trial offers.  http://www.olehenriksen.com/


8)  Nail Polish Soakers:  OMG...these things totally rock to remove glitter nail polish...easily!  They come in two styles - little plastic cups that you fill with polish remover; or barrel style clips (you soak a cotton ball in polish remover, wrap it around your nail and then clip these on to hold it in place).  I purchased both of these from Ebay and I love them.  I am starting to lean more towards the clip style b/c they use way less polish remover and there is virtually no mess and no clean up afterwards.  I cut a jumbo size cotton ball in half, soak it in pure acetone, wrap it around my nail, put the clip thingy on and leave it on for about 5-7 minutes.  Voila...glitter nail polish gone in one swipe.  Love, love, love these things!!!


9)  Softsoap Asian Pear & Apple Body Wash.  I normally use Dove Bodywash.  My doctor recommended it many years ago as the best way to keep my skin moisturized and at a normal Ph balance. Softsoap came out with 3 summer fragrances (one has lilac and one has rose)...but Cami and I liked this one best on our in-store sniff test.  It smells wonderful and I am not noticing any problems with dryness at all.  You can find this product at Target for $4.99


10)  Tigi S Factor Heat Defense Flat Iron Spray.  As you all know, my hair is very thick, coarse, frizzy, fuzzy, wavy...a real joy to work with.  After I blow it dry I look a bit like Don King.  So, before I use my beloved Instyler, I section my hair and spritz each section with this heat protectant spray.  It's an oil based spray, so if you have oily hair, this is definitely not the product you want to use.  It has a fruity smell which I like.  It helps to smooth my hair and otherwise tame it while adding shine also.  You can purchase this product at Ulta and many online etailers for $30.00. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about my May favorites.  If you try any of these products, please let me know and feel free to post a pic or two on my Facebook Page. 

Jini
xoxo

Beauty Blogazon Roundup Week of 05/17

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Naild'it Unique Nail Polish

PRESS SAMPLE

Today I have for you swatches of polish from Naild'it Unique Nail PolishI received 4 polishes total; 2 full size and 2 minis for review.

The first polish up for review is Butterflies in Rainbow Skies, which is a lovely milky lavender color with hot pink butterflies and pink, purple, orange & yellow round glitter and purple micro glitter.  I got full coverage in two coats, but decided to put on three.





I am wearing two coats of PURP....Excuse Me on my accent nail in thsese photos.  More pics on this polish to come.

Next up, we have Rock N Dot Fusion.  This is a glitter topcoat consisting of black, white and red glitter and shards in assorted sizes.  It also has white bar glitter, black stars and red hearts interspersed throughout.  I am really not a fan of bar glitter, however, it was really pretty in this polish.  I chose to layer this over two coats of Sally Hanson Salon Polish in I Pink I Can.  I used one coat of Rock N Dot Fusion, but you can easily do two or more for a fuller/chunkier look. 

My red accent nail is Naild'it All Red...hang tight...it's coming up.





Okay, now we have All Red.  This is a stunning fine red glitter in a red jelly base with pops of silver holo round glitter that give the appearance of gorgeous purples, blues, yellows, greens, golds...it all depends how the light hits it.  Full coverage can be achieved in two coats. I absolutely love this polish!

 

Girly Bits Cherry Cherry Boom Boom
with Naild'it All Red Accent Nail

 
 

Last, but not least, we have PURP...Excuse Me. This was my  favorite of the four! This is a black jelly base with purple, aqua and green glitter & hexes and large round holo discs.  This is show stopping!  I am wearing three coats in these photos, but only two in the photos shown above as an accent nail only. 

 

 
 

Naild'it Unique Polish can be found on Etsy, Facebook, Llarowe and MeiMei's Signatures. 

Be sure to "Like" her Facebook page so you can be in the know for sales, restocks, giveaways and more.


PRESS SAMPLE

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup - Week Ending May 12, 2013

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Awesomeness from Australia - Alanna Renee Nail Polish

I've been on a quite a polish bender during the month of April.  It was my birthday month and I got so many gorgeous polishes as gifts for my birthday, I hit many a blog sale and found some great deals on Essie and OPI on clearance for $3.00 each!  It was an epic polish month!

But, Indies are my passion lately.  I love them and I cannot seem to get enough of them.  I've been seeing several new brands popping up -- especially from Australia and I'll admit it, I am intrigued.

And then the opportunity presented itself for me to review Alanna Renee.  The lovely Sisi of Color4Nails sent me two colors to review: 



Let's start with Tranquil which is a beautiful turquoisey blue w/small round lilac and aqua colored glitter. You can achieve full coverage with two coats, but I did have to fish a bit for glitter.  However, when I applied a third coat the glitter spread easier and was more noticeable on my nails. I prefer three coats for full saturation and depth. 



 
 
 
 
 
 

Next, we have Ablaze...which is an orangey/coral jelly with small black & red round glitter and small gold colored hexes with larger red and gold shards.  I was able to achieve full coverage in two coats, even on its own without undies.  Ablaze is so shiny and gorgeous...there are endless possibilites with this one.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 


You can find Alanna Renee Polish, as well as many other domestic and foreign Indie brands, OPI, China Glaze and so much more at Color4Nails.  They have great discounted prices and very reasonable shipping.  Stop by and "Like" their Facebook page to be updated about great specials, deals, discounts and Giveaways.

Please be sure to tell Sisi I sent you!  She always has something awesome going on for you.

Jini
xoxo

Disclaimer:  The polishes in this post were sent to me for review.  All of the opinions expressed herein are my honest, unbiased opinions based upon my usage and interaction with the product.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Round Up - Week Ending May 3, 2013

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Spring Fling Giveaway!

Spring Fling Giveaway!!!

Today we are launching an ENORMOUS giveaway from bloggers and indie makers alike.

This rafflecopter will run from today until Memorial Day, upon which time fourty-four winners will be chosen.

This is open to both US Residents and International, however not all prizes are available to international entries. I will note each prize as such below.

Onto the Prizes!

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Enchanted Polish Djinn in a Bottle and OPI Rainbow Connection
US only


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Entry from Midnight Manicures

$30.00 Gift Card to Ninja Polish
International + US

Image Courtesy of ninjapolish.com
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Entry from Tipsy Turvy Nails

 1 Full Sized Bottle of Nail Polish (Name TBD)
US Only

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Entry from Possibly Polished

2 Sally Hansen Complete Salon polishes in Barely Blue Bell and Purple Posy, 2 Sheets of Broadway Nail Art Stickers and a Chapstick 
US + International


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Two bottles of Cameo Colours Lacquers polish: Right Round and Ishtar 
US Only


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Entry from Color Sutraa

Surprise Beauty Goodie Bag including some of my Spring Favorites! 
US + International

Image Courtesy of www.entertainedorganizer.com
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$15 Gift Card to Ninja Polish
US + International

Image Courtesy of ninjapolish.com
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2 bottles of Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers, It's Smaller on the Outside and Morning Light
US Only


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Orly Oh Cabana Boy, China Glaze Watermelon Rind, Julep Janel, Mash Smiley Palette
US Only



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Set of Color Club scented minis, toe separators, nail art stickers, tweezers
US Only


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Sally Hansen Dries Instantly Top Coat, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Golden Rule, Ulta Purple Haze
US + International


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Entry from A Little Polish

3 Hard Candy Polishes
US Only


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Entry from Just One More Bottle

Zoya Liberty, Zoya Stevie, Zoya Top and Base coat
US Only


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Entry from Nailbed Dreams

$25 Sally Beauty Supply Gift Card
US Only

Image Courtesy of sallybeautysupply.com

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Entry from Liesl Loves Pretty Things

$10 Ulta OR $10 Sephora gift card
US + International

Images Courtesy of ulta.com and sephora.com

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Entry from iHeartPrettyPolish

$15 Gift Card to Llarowe, Ninja Polish, Ulta, or Sephora
US + International


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Entry from The Polish Bar 

Two Bottles of the Polish Bar Polishes:  In Full Bloom and Shiny Pebbles
US Only






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Fireside Nights, Harmonious (Clear Edition), and Bwahaha!
US Only


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Entry from Make Up Mom 123

2 Elevation Nail Polishes; One is a Custom by Lulu and the other is a Sample
US + International


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Entry from All This Polish

4 colors from the Essie Neon Collection 2013 
US Only


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Entry from Color Me So Crazy

The New Black- Runway Color Baromoter 8-Piece Set
US Only

Image Courtesy of sephora.com
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20.00 gift card to Sephora
US Only

Image Courtesy of sephora.com
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$25.00 gift card to Sephora
US + International

Image Courtesy of sephora.com
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Entry from Beauty Fiends

$20 Llarowe gift certificate
US + International

Image Courtesy of llarowe.com
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Entry from Franken-cense

Mystery Prize!
US Only

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Entry from Lit From Within

Cult Nails Tied Up (Discontinued), Glitter Gal Copper 3D, Sinful Colors Green Ocean and Butter London Fairy Cake
US + International


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Set of Julie G Gumdrops
US Only

Image Courtesy of groupon.com
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Choice of China Glaze Sunsational Jellies or Creme Set
US Only

Image Courtesy of China Glaze
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Entry from Polished Cousins

2 Shimmer Polishes - Mary and Tammy (bottles are brand new)

US Only


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Entry from Sassy Shelly

$15 Ninja Polish Gift Certificate
US + International

Image Courtesy of ninjapolish.com
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Entry From Frugal Polish

2 Sinful Colors Nail Art polishes, toe separators and Color Club Hot Couture.
US Only


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Max Factor Fantasy Fire, Finger Paints Asylum and Motley, Gosh Purple Heart, and StarGazer 133
US Only


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Entry from Polished 10

(1) HITS MTV set & (1) HITS Mari Moon MultiGirl Unique Set
US Only


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Entry from Beauty Gnome

$15 Llarowe Gift Certificate
US Only

Image Courtesy of llarowe.com
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Entry from xoxo, Jen

xoxojen.com le collab from Urban Lacquer, a new full bottle of Vivid Lacquer's Lunar Eclipse, Two dongdong minis, Vivid Lacquer plate #006
US Only


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Rimmel London 60 Second Nail Lacquer in Mintilicious, I Lilac You, Pink-A-Boo, Sunny Days, and Hot Chilli Pepper
US Only


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Entry from Cuticle Pusher

OPI - Meet Me On The Star Ferry
US + International


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Entry from Accio Lacquer

Orly French manicure set, Full size bottle of Lucky 13 Lacquer A Leaf on the Wind, Full size bottle of Digital Nails Convergent, Full size bottle of Digital Nails Sorry I'm Not Made of Sugar, Full size bottle of Digital Nails Matte-matical, and a nail buffer
US Only


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Entry from Digital Nails

Your choice of any three Digital Nails polishes and a Custom Polish
US Only

Image Courtesy of Digital Nails
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Entry from Plump and Polished

$20 Etsy Gift Certificate
US + International

Image Courtesy of etsy.com
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Fabulous & Affordable Beauty Pack!
US Only


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2 Layla Magnetics- Turquoise Wave and Purple Galaxy
US Only


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Entry from Jindie Nails

Three Jindie Nails polishes of your choice!
US Only
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A custom set of two polished pieces made just for you!
US + International

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Entry Information
a Rafflecopter giveaway