Nail Flavor of the Week: Cotton Candy & Sprinkles

Hello and happy Hump Day! Time sure flies when one is not creating blog posts! Work wore me down (literally), which led to me getting sick with something between a cold and the flu, which took till this week for me to completely get over...which happens to be spring break, which I am thoroughly enjoying! 

BLOG LESSON #1 (personal insight - If I may be transparent for a moment): This blogging venture has helped me to realize how, like other things I do from day to day, I have to intentionally carve out time to create posts (perhaps more than one at a time) and be very purposeful about the time I spend on content, especially if I want to post on a regular basis; otherwise, blogging could easily get placed on the back burner. The difference between blogging and some of the other things I am tasked with doing is that I enjoy blogging...I don't always enjoy some of the other things. But just because I enjoy something, doesn't always mean finding creating time to dedicate to it will come easily. I will have to commit to scheduling blogging on my calendar like I do anything else that's important to me. I'm still learning y'all...I hope that serves as a nugget of information for someone who may be contemplating blogging or just starting out. 

Anywho, I am here to share this week's nail look, which features one of the OPI polishes from the Hello Kitty collection. This one is called Let's Be Friends:

Since you get to see the shade of pink in the bottle with the camera flash, I am featuring my nail look without the flash:

base coat - OPI in Let's Be Friends; accent nails - China Glaze in I'm a Go Glitter 

While I have enjoyed this look with my two glittery nails, I am looking forward to wearing this polish all by itself. It is the perfect work-appropriate neutral that will likely compliment a variety of skin tones. This would also be a great color to wear on your toes during the summer! Based on this past week, the wear of this polish is decent, but not the best. I've worn it about 4 days prior to noticing tip wear. We'll see what results it yields when I wear it again by itself.

What are your favorite polishes to wear that might be suitable for any work environment? 

{Old} Empties, part IV: face products

Happy Humpday! Today's post in this series focuses on a group of face products: primers, foundations/BB creams and concealers.

The Body Shop's Vitamin C Skin Boost
Honestly, when I saw this in The Body Shop, I was willing to try it because I loved the light, fragrant orange scent and the (not too) silky texture of the product. This product claims to create a radiant complexion from dull skin. After using the entire 1 ounce container over a period of time, I did not see real evidence of this claim; however, it was a nice, light product to apply after a moisturizer, whether wearing makeup or not. I probably would not purchase again, especially at its full retail price.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
I decided to try this product after hearing an acquaintance rave about products from this line. I used at least two full-sized containers of this primer, and a few sample sizes. I really enjoyed it in the beginning, as I felt it helped minimize the shine I typically experience in my oily T-zone. Then, I switched to the hydrating version one winter, as my face sometimes gets dry in areas during that season. I liked that formula quite a bit, as it felt more like a moisturizer than a silky primer. When the weather warmed up and I switched back to the regular version, it didn't seem to serve my skin's needs anymore. I also became annoyed by the texture created by the silicone in this product's ingredients (much silkier than the aforementioned product; almost slimy). I have since moved on to other primers and would not likely revisit this one.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Refiner Primer
I received this sample in an Ipsy bag or a box from Beauty Box 5. This was a decent product, given the amount I had to sample, and it did its job; however, it did not excite me enough to want to try a full-sized version.

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector
I got this as a 100-point reward from Sephora. I was excited to try it, as one of my favorite beauty vloggers has raved about this product. Unfortunately, I was not impressed. I had to use it sparingly, as it would leave a white cast on my face and I noticed pilling when I would rub it in. I'll save my money.

Lashem Picture Perfect Instant Wrinkle Reducer
I got this in an Ipsy bag. Pilling-galore. I would never buy this.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream
I picked this up in the shade Medium/Deep during a random trip to CVS. I really enjoyed it! It is lightweight and provides just enough coverage for a typical day at work or out and about. After using one tube, however, I had to come to terms with the fact that this shade isn't quite the right match for me, and I fear the deepest shade would be too dark.

Maybelline Fit Me
I picked this up in the shade Cafe from CVS, Walgreens or Ulta. I love this primer! It is a great shade match for me and it gets the job done. I use it to cover up a few spots on my face, and recently have also been using it to help shape my brows. I am on my second tube and would repurchase as long as Maybelline doesn't discontinue it!

Covergirl Clean Whipped Creme Foundation
I picked this up in the shade Tawny during one of CVS's clearance events. I LOVED this foundation: the lightweight, mousse-like consistency, the shade match, the coverage...I was so disappointed when I discovered this was discontinued. If it weren't for that, I would have repurchased, because I used this entire container!

Thanks for reading...this series is nearly done!

Nail Flavor of the Week: Picasso, Baby

Hey there! This week's nails feature another dry brush design. I call this Picasso because I feel this technique allows me to get creative and "artsy" with the design. The color scheme and brush strokes make my nails look like an art display!

Base color: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Violet Voltage; dry brush design colors: Zoya in Mason and Whet in Facetious

I hope you like the design. Enjoy the rest of your week!