OPI: Simply Smash-ing!

This is OPI's Simply Smash-ing! It was a color that I felt was an ugly pea/puke green that came paired with my Shatter. Serena Williams or the other one was part of it's marketing. I got into conversation about nailpolishes and Shatter with a client the other day and I mentioned this ugly color, she was like, "NO! Try it! I got that pair, too and the green comes out a pretty gold." So that following Monday I gave it a try. Me likey! In person, (have I mentioned I hate Blackberry's camera?!) the color definitely has a green tinge to it, but it's still pretty in my opinion. Shimmery golden peas, I guess. Haha. So this time I tried Seche Vite top coat with capping the ends of my nails and even painting slightly underneath my nail and NO SHRINKAGE! Pleased. Pretty pleased. Okay, I admit it, when I took the photo with a flash I noticed on my thumb on the side there's a tiny shrinkage. But I'm cool with it. Seche Vite honestly made my two coats of color and thick coat of SV dry in about 2 minutes to the point where I could grab shit out of my paper jungle of a purse if I needed to. Anyway. My skin is pretty prune-y in the photo because it was taken in a bubblebath, but ew... cuticles! I'm thinking I need cuticle oil. I can always see them like sore thumbs in my photos. Advice? :)

I took a peek at Essie's new summer collection dedicated to colors of Brazil. I'm PRETTY sure that I have to buy at least two of the colors. The extremely pale sea foam green color and the main color of the collection, a pretty orange with hints of silvery shimmer. I actually want to get that as a gift for someone, too, because I totally thought of her when I saw it! I'm purdy excited for Sunday to come around so I can see Whitney and possibly shop. Yay! :)

UPDATE: Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat

As I was enjoying a steam... scalding hot bubble bath, I was surveying my nails and have realized I have experienced shrinkage! This is when a coat of nail polish dries and no longer fits on your nail nicely. In my case, and in many people's cases the very tips of your nails become bare. The average person doesn't care or notice, but I'm kind of obsessive when it comes to nail and hand crap.

So, I got my trusty Blackberry out and googled "seche vite reviews" and read the beauty review bible, makeupalley.com. Sure enough there were quite a few mentions of shrinkage. But their solution was to make sure you coat the tips of your nails where some manicurist "cap" your nail tip. I'll be trying this next time.

I swear if I easily master avoiding shrinkage this top coat will be my holy grail top coat. The shine is glassy. My nails dried so quickly when I applied. And day 3, no chips, no peels, no cracks, no yellow. I recommend it even with the shrinkage I've experienced!

Okay, need to dry my hair then hit my pillows.

FAT! Working out, yet again...

Some times I cannot believe I actually used to be OBSESSED with working out. I'd have friends who'd beg me to go out and do things on Fridays and Saturdays and I'd say, "I can't, I have to work out, but afterward... maybe." Monica today is all, "Sure! Can we have really fattening food and gorge, too?"

Living with my boyfriend certainly hasn't helped. When I'm bored I just want to cuddle and sit around with him. And my new found obsession, ice cream. Or mashed potatoes. Ha. I was already slacking prior to that, but didn't feel as bad as I am now.

A week ago, Bryce and I took the boys to the Allen Parkway bark park, and there was a TINY incline, which I actually felt like I exerted energy walking up. Not huffing and puffing at all, but I definitely felt something! Terrible. That made me determined to come up with an idea of how to get into some decent shape.

I have a gym membership. I never go now. I always excuse not going because I'd rather spend some time with Bryce after work. I recalled our apartment complex said we could pay a fee to get a fob at a different location of our apartments and use the gym there. A few days ago, I purchased one. Yay! So now Bryce and I can go work out together and get back into shape.

My goal for us is to work out 5 times a week, at least for an hour each time. We already discussed our schedule. I can't wait for getting back to a point where I go to the gym for like 3 hours without flinching.

GO AWAY TUMMY AND THIGHS!!!!!

Gradient Nails

Tonight was my first attempt at doing a gradient style nail polish look. From more of a distance the effect looks really cool. It looks really messy upclose. Maybe I just need more practice. Well, obviously that.

I started with 2 coats of OPI's Nail Envy for a base coat. Then I used Lippmann Collection in Sarah Smile as my base color. 2 coats. With a beauty wedge sponge I dabbed the bottom 3/4ths of my nails with Chanel's Orange Fizz, which in person is a salmon rather than straight orange. I then sponged on OPI's OPI On Collins Ave on the bottom half of my nail. Then I went and took that same color and painted my tips with the normal brush applicator. I finished it off with Seche Vite Top Coat.

I'm liking this effect! I think I'll try another look using dark colors some time. It felt time-consuming, but only because my lippmann color seemed to take an hour or more to dry!!!

This is my first time using Seche Vite. I loooove it! Super glossy and dries quickly!

Went shopping today. Got some stuff from Bath and Body Works. Japanese Cherry Blossom candle. Lavender vanilla candle. Lavendar vanilla pillow mist. And some free spray. Went to MAC and got two items from the Quite Cute collection: In Synch lip pencil which is a baby pink. Naked Liner lip pencil which is a super light nude. I also got Budding Beauty lipgelee from the Fashion Flower collection. It's a pretty coral pink with pink and gold micro glitters. I also got three lipsticks: Viva La Glam GaGa 2, Plaid Pink and Mlle from the Fashion Flower collection. They're all three fairly light colors. GaGa 2 is a slightly brownish nude that I'm going to pair with lighter lip liners and/or glosses to mute the brown tone. Plaid Pink is a matte and muted barbie pink which I'm really loving! It feels really nice on the lips. And Mlle is a pretty baby pink nude that I'm pretty excited to try!

Bryce and I started painting our bedroom--- FINALLY! But it looks like we'll need another gallon of paint. Cannot wait until that is complete. :)

Bumble and bumble!

We, the salon, are officially Bumble and bumble blessed! I started 2 months ago, and from the first day I started my boss asked what I thought about Bb and I jumped to, "WE MUST HAVE IT!" There are so many products I love, like and some times like, but Bb as a whole are my faaaaavorite hair product line. It's not just their products, but it's the entire Bb culture. I'm extremely excited for this new addition to the salon. Great things have been happening, and boy did I miss seeing Bumble everyday (aside from inside my bathroom....).

I'm pretty tired from a long day of work.

Bumble and bumble's Shine line review will be posted soon. A review I've been meaning to get around to for... oh say 3 months.

Random: Milton enjoying A/C in the car.

I'm on the second chapter of Catching Fire... dun dun dun! Exciting reads. Who all has read or is reading The Hunger Games trilogy?

Goodnight.

The Hunger Games

I've been listening to Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games on my ipod. Even though it's a young adult novel, I'm ADDICTED! I have 2 hours left.

... I recommend it!

Product Review: Biotin

I'm still experiencing hair depression, but I think I've found my cure. Since March 29th I've been taking Super Biotin 6000 vitamins. I bought it immediately after my locks were chopped off. I got it at GNC for about $30. There are 150 tablets and you take one a day. Well worth the money spent.  I can tell you I have probably gone a total of a week with forgetting to take them, but still in this short time I am pleased with the results! I have almost an inch of growth.

The vitamin claims to promote healthy hair, skin and nails. I've not really given two shits about the health of my nails or skin when it's come to the Biotin, but I definitely didn't experience any bad side effects.

An inch in a month is grand and dandy to me. So, I guess by the end of the year I'll have my hair back. And I'll be damned if any scissors come near it!!!! Ha.

I got featherhead extensions put in right after it was cut, and since the growth has been fairly rapid, I have had to get my extensions adjusted. Pretty pleased! :) I'll update at some point again to compare the progress. I'm curious if Biotin keeps working over longer periods of time.

Anyone else try something that wow'ed them? Prenatal vitamins?

Product Review: Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

I didn't realize that May 1st was here. So, I guess I lied when I said all the reviews would be ready before May. I'll try to make a post a day. I still need to read The Dark Side of Camelot and I only have one more day left to my weekend, then back to a busy work week! :)

I've been a pretty consistent MAC Studio Fix user for the past... 9 years or so! I'm an NW20. I've never absolutely loved Studio Fix, only because I would experience some oxidation throughout the day at times and would feel orangey. Gross. I've tried other brands like Shiseido, Chanel, YSL, Lancome, L'oreal, etc... I always went back to MAC.

After many good reviews, I decided to get my hands on Laura Mercier's Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain (I recently realized this was probably one color too light). I actually used it for a couple months and really liked it. It wasn't nearly as amazing as I feel everyone else finds it. I actually find that it doesn't have enough moisture for me. I did like it better than MAC Studio Fix, but I started to pair them together.

FINALLY, I found my HOLY GRAIL FOUNDATION!!!!! Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation!!! WOW! Blair Fowler on YouTube swore by this foundation, her sister, Elle, too. So, I decided to go ahead and try it-- $42. I got mine in Rose Ivory which feels like an exact match. The first time I used this product, I definitely used a little too much. A small bit of this foundation really does the job. I have had my first tube for 4 months now, and I still have at least a half of a tube left. So, even though $42 is on the more expensive side, I think it's worth it. Lasts long and is a great quality. The Silk Creme Foundation literally feels like silk being rubbed onto my skin. Amaaaazing!

I squeeze out a dab onto the tip of my middle finger, take little bits of it with my right hand fingers and start blending onto my face with my finger tips. When I have just a little bit left on my left middle finger, I spread it on the half ends of my fingers and just blend all over my face to get a smooth blending. I feel like the color just melts in perfectly with my skin!

I am often a glasses wearer and the ONLY thing I have noticed, living in Houston, and if I get really hot I can begin to see lines where my glasses sit on the bridge of my nose. It's easily blended away, but I have found if I set my foundation with my Studio Fix, this prevents the problem. The only thing is I love how the Silk Creme Foundation is so light, adding Studio Fix gives me a feeling of wearing make-up. I typically, on a hot day, just set my foundation on my nose area.

Girls, this foundation is amazing! Will be purchasing for many years to come! I can almost guarantee this!