PRODUCT PREVIEW: Youth Code™ Dark Spot Correcting & Illuminating Set

Back in January, L’Oréal Paris USA sponsored several Twitter Q&A Chats in which I participated in a couple. All who participated had a chance to win a L’Oréal Paris product. I won the NEW Youth Code™ Dark Spot Correcting & Illuminating: Serum Corrector & SPF 30 Day Cream. I received my gift pack today. I wanted to tell you about the two products I received before I started using them and after I've used them for a considerable amount of time, I will share my results.
When I first heard about which products I had won, I was excited because, of course I have a few dark spots & post acne marks I would love to see disappear. These products claim to "correct and fade dark spots, reversing the formation of pigment, resulting in a dramatically more even skin tone."

So lets take a look at the two products:

First, the NEW Youth Code™ Dark Spot Correcting & Illuminating Serum Corrector
It comes in a 1.0 oz lockable pump, which I appreciate when traveling. 


Its consistency (pictured right) is lightweight yet not greasy; its slightly thicker than most serums I've used. Its also opaque in color, which is different. The scent is very faint.








Product claims:

Next, the NEW Youth Code™ Dark Spot Correcting & Illuminating SPF 30 Day Cream. Living in Florida, the SPF of 30 is appreciated. It provides UVA & UVB protection. Although I make every attempt to avoid the sun, that's not possible. The day cream comes in a 1.6 oz jar.  Its consistency is creamy but not greasy. It absorbs quickly and has the same very faint scent as the serum.
Product claims:

Usage: 

These products can be found wherever L’Oréal products are found; Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Target, Kmart, etc.

So I will add these two products into my skin care regimen and see what changes, if any, take place.  I will be sure to share with you my finding.

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

*Note: I won these products from L’Oréal Paris USA.  I was not compensated for this review nor was I asked to review any of their products.

China Glaze Prismatic Swatches

Most Polish collectors, and Glitter fanatics, have been chomping at the bit, waiting for the release of the China Glaze Prismatic collection due out April, 2012. I was fortunate enough to receive a couple of the polishes early to review.  I knew at first sight, that this would be one collection that I would need to own in total. I started seeing them early March, available on several of the online retailers, but I am a touchy-feeling shopper and like to see things, especially polish in person before I make my purchase. I am known by my Sally Beauty sales associates, so they know that when I come in, I'm looking for the latest polish. I ran in to my Sally Beauty, just minutes before they closed. I asked if they had yet received the China Glaze Prismatic collection. She went to the back and came out with 4 of the 6. 2 were the ones I already owned, but I did purchase the other 2. I will be going back next week to get the remaining 2 of the collection. 
The China Glaze Prismatic collection is a combination glitter, duochrome, and holographic polish.  I have never seen a glitter that has duochrome characteristics also, but China Glaze did it with this collection. It's not just the glitters that are duochrome, it's also the base that has a duochrome, holographic effect.


The glitter is not large bulky glitters, but they are substantial enough to be seen.  (L to R) Polarized is a silver metallic sheen sprinkled with yellow, pink, orange and green glitters.  Liquid Crystal is a blue holographic with purple tint dusted with silver, gold, green, pink and orange. Optical Illusion is a aqua green glimmers with a hint of purple filled with pink, yellow, silver, orange and green flecks. And Full Spectrum is a baby pink bursts into holographic magenta to party with silver, gold, blue, pink and green particles.

In one of my recent manicures, I wore China Glaze Liquid Crystal as accent nails. I received tons of compliments. The various shades in this collection will provide me tons of combination possibilities.
China Glaze has clearly stated in their press release that this is a limited edition collection, so run, don't walk to get yours. The China Glaze Prismatic collection is due to officially release April, 2012 but "ask, and you may receive."  Sally Beauty often receives new products before they are due to release.  Happy Shopping.


Grace, Peace, & Blessings.







* At least some of these sample products were sent to me for review consideration by the PR department of the Manufacturer. These however are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company. 

NOTD: Misa Spinning Out of Control & China Glaze Liquid Crystal

Today I am sharing with you two polishes. One I have owned for over a year and one that is very new.  I came across Misa Spinning Out Of Control via a blogger that has some of the best pictures in the beauty blogger world, Lacquerized. Sadly, she has pretty much stopped blogging. I can only hope that she will someday return.  Misa Spinning Out Of Control, from the What I Like About You collection, is a gorgeous blue purple. In the bottle & direct sunlight, there is a faint blue & pink micro shimmer.  Misa is a brand that I don't hear much about but it really needs to get more camera time.  It's formula is amazing. I achieved bottle color with only 1 coat. It's not often you find a true 1-coater.  But out of habit, these pictures are 2 coats.  I really need to add more Misa polishes to my collection.
As an accent nail, I am wearing for the first time, one of China Glaze's latest polishes from their Prismatic Collection, Liquid Crystal.  Liquid Crystal is a gorgeous blue/purple duochrome, holographic glitter. I must admit, it's the first duochrome glitter I've ever seen.  It contains multi-sized and multi-colored glitter.  I am really liking the China Glaze glitters. Recently there was Lorelei's Tiara from the Eye Candy collection of 2011.  The Prismatic Collection are very similar to Lorelei's Tiara. I need them all.  They are due to hit the shelves April, 2012, but I hear that they have been seen already.  

Review:

  • Color:  Misa-Purple,  China Glaze-Purple/Blue Duochrome
  • Finish:  Misa-Shimmer, China Glaze-Glitte
  • Opacity:  Misa-1 coat for bottle color, China Glaze-3 coats
  • Collection: Misa-What I Like About You, China Glaze-Prismatic
  • Bottle:  Both: 14 mL – 0.5 Fl oz.
  • Price: Misa-Reg. $7.50 but can be found for less. China Glaze $6.99 but can be often found on sale at Sally and other e-tailers.
  • Availability: Misa-I have never seen Misa at retail. I always purchase them from online retailers, such as www.transdesign.com. China Glaze can be found at several retailers-Sally Beauty, & Ulta are two of the major retailers that carry China Glaze
Grace, Peace, & Blessings.






* At least some of these sample products were sent to me for review consideration by the PR department of the Manufacturer. These however are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company. 

MAC Blushes Collection for the Latte' Ladies

As I have said on numerous occasions, when I first started my blog, I went to You Tube looking for make-up products that would compliment my skin tone (NW43).  The results of my search was very limited. Until recently, I had been wearing the same blush for at least 3 or 4 years.  I'm not saying that anything was wrong with that blush, because it is beautiful and I still wear it sometimes, but it was just time to expand my collection.  So I set out on a journey looking for other complimentary blushes.  One of the Facebook groups that I am a member of, Fabulous Faces, is full of wonderful women, many of who are professional make-up artists.  So it only made sense that I would ask them for suggestions.


So from Fabulous Faces and You Tube, I found several suggestions. The few I selected are as follows:  Blunt, which is a matte skin tone brown that I use for contouring.  Ambering Rose is a gorgeous pinky, coral with golden shimmer.  The shadow that I mentioned that I had been wearing for years is Love Joy from the mineralized collection. I still wear it today, but it just needed some friends.
The next set of blushes I want to share with you are Sweet As Cocoa, a brownish, pink shimmer. Then there is Peachtwist, which is a peachy, coral shimmer. And lastly, a color that everyone was telling me to try, but whenever I saw it in person, scared me.  But I finally, bit the bullet and gave it a try. I have not regretted it.  That blush is Dollymix.  In the pan, Dollymix looks like a bright pink.  I don't know what I was scared of.  This is a gorgeous sheertone, buildable pink. I owe many thanks to the ladies that suggested Dollymix.

Now that I have introduced other blushes to my collection, I will definitely be looking to add even more.  But for now here are my Women of Color complimentary blushes.  Are there any other MAC blushes that I need to consider?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.



* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company. 


Are You In the Mood for a French Kiss? Pure Ice that is...

Just kidding, I think that Pure Ice French Kiss was one of the very first Pure Ice polishes I ever purchased. It is a gorgeous highly pigmented royal blue cream polish.  The application was smooth and could be a one-coater, but out of habit, I applied two coats.  This is one polish that should be in everybody's collection. 
While I have owned Pure Ice French Kiss for quite a while, Pure Ice In The Mood, is fairly new to my collection.  It is a light blue shimmer, with glass flecks.  This is a very sheer polish and on its own takes 3-4 coats to get opacity.  
Pure Ice has several polishes that I love for layering, and In The Mood is one of them.  When I was swatching Pure Ice In The Mood, I immediately starting thinking of the different polishes I could layer it with. Of course, I included Pure Ice French Kiss on the list. The two, alone are very pretty so together, they would have to be stunning!  I really do love blue polish so this combination is up there on my list of favorite combinations.
If you haven't given Pure Ice polishes a try, you are cheating yourself. At less than $2.00 a bottle you really don't have anything to lose.

Review:
  • Available: Walmart or  Bari Cosmetics
  • Price: Reg Price $1.97
  • Bottle Size: 15 ml, 0.5 fluid ounces
  • Application: French Kiss, watery, take care not to pool.  In The Mood, very sheer. It required 3-4 coats for achieve bottle color.
  • Selection: Offers a Large Selection, including neons, and glitters

Remember, treat your nails and jewels not tools. 

Grace , Peace, and Blessings. 





Lippies for the Latte' Ladies...(v.4)

It has been a little less than one month, since I tried my first Cover Girl LipPerfection™ Lipcolor.  As I said in a previous post, I really did like the Cover Girl Lipsticks and that I would be purchasing more.  But, I really didn't expect it to be so soon.  I commented on the consistency & formula, the moisture level, and the pigmentation.  These are lipsticks that give the higher end lipsticks a run for their money.  Recently, Walgreens had the Cover Girl lip products on sale so I saw this as my opportunity add more colors to my collection.  Some of the ladies on a Facebook group that I follow had been raving about a few colors.  So of course, I had to see them. Once I did, many of them, I had to have.


So here is my Cover Girl Lipstick collection, so far. I call my collection, Lippies for the Latte' Ladies. As you can see from the swatches, the color payout is really good.  There are still several other shades I still want to add to my collection.  The Cover Girl LipPerfection™ Lipcolors can be found where ever Cover Girl products are sold: Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Target, etc.  They cost in the $8-10 range, but as mentioned above,  can often be found on sale. If you are looking for new lippies for the Spring and Summer, and/or you haven't given Cover Girl a try, you really should give them a look.





Grace, Peace, & Blessings.





* FTC: These products were bought with my own monies. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company. 

NOTD: Orly Snowcone

I have already shared with you two polishes from this collection.  So it should be obvious that I love this collection.  It is a must for the Spring season.  Today, I want to share with you Orly Snowcone.  It is a gorgeous pastel, powder, blue cream. It was part of the 2010 Spring Sweet Collection that included other lovelies such as Lollipop, Pixy Stix, Lemonade, Cotton Candy, and Gumdrop. 

I laugh each time I wear a blue polish. There was a time when I would never even consider a blue nail polish. But now, I believe that blue is my favorite color and it's when I wear a blue polish that I get the most compliments.  So step outside your comfort zone and give the blues a try.

What color made or makes you the most nervous to wear as a polish?


Review:
·Color Family: Blue 
·Finish: Cream
·Opacity: 2 coats for bottle color
·Collection: Sweet Collection Spring, 2010

·Bottle: 18 mL – 0.6 Fl Oz (20% more than the average polish)
·Brush: Standard narrow brush
·Price: Reg. $5.99 but can be often found on sale at Sally and other e-tailers.
·Availability: Ulta, CVS, and Sally Beauty are some of the major retailers that carry Orly
·Application: Smooth.  I'm wearing BC, and 2 coats of NP

Remember, treat your nails as jewels, not tools. Grace, Peace, & Blessings.




Allure's Top 5 Shades for Spring 2012...

I was reading my April, 2012 Allure Magazine and they had an article on the Top 5 Nail Polish Shades for Spring. This lead me to think, what do I have in my collection that fits these shades? So let's take a look. Here are the 2012 Allure Top 5 Nail Polish Shades for Spring along with some suggestions...
Remember, treat your nails as jewels, not tools. Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

NOTD: Orly Lollipop

I have been on such a cream pastels kick lately. So here is another one. Orly Lollipop. It is a creamy, light lilac purple. A definite for the Spring and Summer. It was part of the 2010 Spring Sweet Collection that included other lovelies such as Snowcone, Pixy Stix, Lemonade, Cotton Candy, and Gumdrop.


Review:
·Color Family: Lilac 
·Finish: Cream
·Opacity: 2 coats for bottle color
·Collection: Sweet Collection Spring, 2010

·Bottle: 18 mL – 0.6 Fl Oz (20% more than the average polish)
·Brush: Standard narrow brush
·Price: Reg. $5.99 but can be often found on sale at Sally and other e-tailers.
·Availability: Ulta, CVS, and Sally Beauty are some of the major retailers that carry Orly
·Application: The first coat was kinda of watery & streaky, but the second coat smooth out the finish. In these pictures, I am wearing BC, and 2 coats of NP

Side Note: Orly Lollipop is very close to the recently released China Glaze Sweet Hook (ElectroPop Collection). Lollipop is slightly warmer in color.


Remember, treat your nails as jewels, not tools. Grace, Peace, & Blessings.


Happy St. Patrick's Day...



Some of my favorite Irish Blessings:

May good luck be your friend  
In whatever you do 
And may trouble be always 
A stranger to you. 
~~~~
A BLESSING FOR YOU AND YOURS 
May the grace of God’s protection 
And His great love abide 
Within your home-within the hearts 
Of all who dwell inside. 
~~~~
“May God grant you always...A sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering Angel so nothing can harm you. Laughter to cheer you. Faithful friends near you. And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.”
~~~~
“May God give you...For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.”
~~~~
“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”
~~~~
Remember, treat your nails and jewels not tools. 

Grace , Peace, and Blessings. 





Top of the Morning To You: Pure Ice Not Now

Still on my trek to decide on my St. Patrick's Day manicure. This next shade is one I came across during a recent Walmart shopping excursion.  It is Pure Ice Not Now. Pure Ice puts out some really pretty colors and at a very inexpensive price. I love the brand for many of their polishes that are excellent for layering, i.e. Purple Reign, Busted, and Heartbreaker. 

Pure Ice Not Now is a deep emerald green metallic with a slight blue undertone.




I also recently came across the much sought after Sinful Colors Green Ocean. Which has gained a cult following within the nail polish community. Green Ocean is a green flakie. So I decided to layer it over Pure Ice Not Now. Sinful Colors is another brand that offers a wide variety of colors and finishes. They introduce and repromote several collections throughout the year.  

I am the first to admit that I had been a brand snob, so it is from experience, that I can say, if you haven't tried Pure Ice or Sinful Colors, don't short change yourself. Give them a try. You won't regret it.


Review:
  • Available: Pure Ice: Walmart or  Bari Cosmetics; Sinful Colors: Walgreens, & Target are the 2 locations I have been able to find them, but I believe they have been spotted in other locations.
  • Price: Pure Ice: Reg Price $1.97; Sinful Colors: $1.99
  • Bottle Size: Pure Ice: 15 ml, 0.5 fluid ounces   ; Sinful Colors 15 ml, 0.5 fluid ounces
  • Application: Pure Ice: Smooth. It required 2-3 coats for achieve bottle color (opaque); Sinful Colors
  • Selection: Pure Ice and Sinful Colors both offer a Large Selection, including neons, and glitters

Remember, treat your nails and jewels not tools. 

Grace , Peace, and Blessings. 


Jamberry Nails...My First Attempts...

Not too long ago a friend of mine knowing of my nail polish hobby asked me if I knew anything about Jamberry Nails. As it was, I did not. I quickly jumped on to Google to find out just what was this thing called Jamberry Nails.  I quickly determined that it is a direct marketing company specializing in what they call "Nail Shields". At first glance, these shields appear to be similar to the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips.  In this day and age of the internet and social media, I then went to You Tube and Facebook to see what other information I could get on the "Nail Shields".  I found application and comparison videos. 


In addition, I also received many positive words from current Independent Consultants. They were all very helpful in answering my questions.  After visiting my blog and hearing of my interest in the business, a couple even offered to send me samples. Thanks, Kim and Emilie.


Anyway, I received the shields and quickly went to apply them. The directions are simple enough. File and shape your nails to the desired length. (My nails grow very long, so in order to get the claimed full manicure from a  half sheet, I filed my nails back.)  Remove all traces of oils. Buff to remove the shine. Select the proper size nail shield, removed backing, heat with your blow dryer and apply the shield to your nail. 



So here are my results after my first attempt with Jamberry Nails.  Anyone who follows my blog, knows that at most, all I do are accent nails and not full art manicures, but I decided to go for it! LOL!  

1. Application was easy. I just need to better select shield size to get full coverage.  I believe that one of the YT videos mentioned stretching the shields to get them wider.
I need to better account for the size of my nails.
2. I have a natural hump in my nail bed, so application, if not careful, can result in kinks. These can be prevented or remedied by applying additional heat and working the kinks out. 


3. These are easy, quick, and less messy than polish. Although I didn't get the sense of relaxation, I normally get when polishing my nails. LOL!

  

Overall Opinion:  This being my first attempt, I am not unhappy. I am sure with additional usage, application would be even better.  Pros: While I tend to be more conservative with my polish selections, I can see these being very useful for holidays and special occasions. I see several shields I want in my collection. Jamberry Nails has a wide selection of patterns.  I can also see these being loved by girls of all ages. They would be perfect for slumber parties and birthday party goodie bags.  Cons (maybe): My main concern is around my nail health. While unlike acrylics, these shields do not damage your nails, my concern is around my desire apply nail treatments and cuticle oils.  I will have to test how these would effect the wear of the shields.  

So if you haven't tried Jamberry Nails, I would say give them a try. They are fun!

Review:
  • Available: www.jamberrynails.net and independent consultants
  • Price: Reg Price $15.00 per sheet
  • Sheet Usage: Depending on nail length, each sheet should be enough for 2 Manicures & 1 Pedicure
  • Application: Need a heat source (blow dryer) to apply
  • Selection: Over 170 styles to choose from including solids, and patterns

Remember, treat your nails and jewels not tools. 

Grace , Peace, and Blessings.