April, 2013 Favorites - What Have I Been Loving Recently?

I know that it has been a really long time since I've done a Favorites blog post and as I have been really trying to pick up my blogging game, I thought that now would be a great time to start doing Favorite posts again. So here are my April, 2013 Favorites.

Nivea Touch of Renewal Lathering Body Scrub - (received for review purposes), It's no secret that I love exfoliants & scrubs. I look forward to my DIY Spa Nights.  So any opportunity to try a new scrub, I'm all for it. Several months ago, I was sent a Nivea review package and one of the first products I tried was this Lathering Body Scrub.  Most often I scrub on dry skin, but with this as it's a "Lathering Body Scrub", I used it as a body wash. It's moisturizing, gentle enough for daily use, and the scent is AMAZING!   I have already purchased a replacement with my own money. I hear rumor that some stores are going to stop carrying this product, so I need to stock-up. I bought mine at Walgreens, but you should also be able to find it at most drugstores (Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, etc.) and mass-marketers (Walmart, & Target).  Online, Drugstore.com has it available. MSRP averages $6.

Dickinson's Pore Perfecting Toner - (purchased by me). I grew up in the era that taught that toners weren't working unless they sting or burn. Well we have come to learn that is not true.  Witch Hazel has been around for decades and one of it uses has been for skin care. This toner helps to cleanse your skin without stripping it of its natural oils and moisture. After I cleanse my face, I apply it with a cotton round to remove all traces of makeup. It's gentle enough for daily use and all skin types. This product is 100% natural and for those who are concerned, it's vegan.  It can be purchased as most drugstores and mass-marketers, as well as online. MSRP average $6.

O'pro Organic Protein Leave in Conditioner Detangler - (purchased by me).  It depends on the day of the week. Somedays I'm transitioning to natural, somedays, I'm texlaxed, but whatever the status of my hair, it loves this leave-in/detanger. I stumbled across this product one day while in Marshall's and decided to give it a try. The first couple of uses was ehh, but now, I absolutely love it. Whether my hair is freshly texlaxed or months into a stretch my hair detangles easily and is super soft.  My only concern is its availability. I've only seen it in Marshall's but no other stores. Amazon is my other option. But whatever the case, this is a hair staple.  At Marshall's I paid $6.99. Online I see it priced between $7 and $12 dollars. I will need to stock up when I find the best price. 

Nail Life Nail Revitalizer - (purchased by me).  I have been using this product as a nail treatment for years, long before I started blogging about nails and nail care. I may have change cuticle remover, polish remover, top coat, and hand cream, but this is the one product that you will always find in my nail care stash.  For 98% of my manicures, I start with this product. It's for treating soft, weak, splitting and peeling nails. I use it to help maintain my healthy nails. I see that Sally Beauty has it on sale for 2 for $11 for the month of May. The regular coat is $7.99 each. The only place I've ever seen it for retail is Sally Beauty. 

Sedona Lace Pointed Crease Brush (EB15) - (purchased by me). Ever since I purchased the Sedona Lace Vortex Brush set, my favor brush out of the set has been this brush. It is ideal for getting color into my crease and helps with my smokey eye look.  When purchased the set the brushes were sold individually, but now that they are, I will be getting at least a couple more. Individually they sell for $8.95.

Sara Happ Peppermint Lip Scrub - (received for review purposes). When I received this product, I had just finished up the lip scrub I loved. Unfortunately, it had been discontinued, so this came just on time. But I was still skeptical, because my former lip scrub had been my favorite for years. I have used this for several weeks and love it. It's granule size is perfect to sloth away dead, dry, flaky skin. Leaving my lips soft and supple.  I really like the cooling effect of the peppermint and want to try some of the other flavors-brown sugar, blood orange pink grapefruit and red velvet. The MSRP is $24. This product can be purchased on the Sarahapp.com as well as Nordstrom and several online websites.

RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® MAX Wrinkle Resurfacing System - (received for review purposes). I have been using this system for several months and have even replaced it with my own money. At 47 years of age, I am fighting signs of aging with everything in me. As we age, retinol is an important step that needs to be added to your skincare regimen.  I did a blog post detailing my experiences with this system, if you missed it, click HERE. I will admit, it is a bit pricey for a drugstore product, MSRP $30, so I normally restock when I find it on sale. Just so happens, Walgreens will have the RoC® line of products on sale next week B1G1 50% off (5/5/2013-5/11/2013). But the RoC® line of products are available at most drugstores and mass retailers (Target, Walmart, etc.)

Gourmet Club Silicone Pot Holder and Trivet - (purchased by me).  We all have seen or at least heard about the Silicone Makeup Brush Glove the Sigma Beauty released earlier this year.  The concept was wonderful but it came with a $40 price tag. I found this silicone pot holder in Walmart and it worked wonders to clean my brushes. And even better, whereas Sigma's glove was $40, this pad was less than $4.  To read the blog post I did on this money and time saver, click HERE.

Bigelow Half & Half Tea & Lemonade - (purchased by me). Living in the South, it is very common to drink Iced Tea or Lemonade. Another drink often available is called an "Arnold Palmer". It is an Ice Tea & Lemonade combination.  I would often purchased prepared Iced Tea and Lemonade from my grocery store and mix the two.  A few months ago, I came across these tea bags. Perfect. Not only are very good, they are low in calorie. They claim to be naturally sweetened and that very well may be true, but I still add an artificial sweetener.  When prepared as instructed, an 8 oz serving is only 15 calories.  I have purchased at least 7 or 8 boxes since first finding it.  My grocery store sells the single box for $3.19. Each box has 6 family-sized tea bags.

Well those are my favorites for April. What are some of your current go-to products?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* This (These) product(s) was (were) sent to me for review consideration by either the manufacturer or the PR firm representing the manufacturer, unless otherwise notes. These however are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by the company(ies).

Nicole by OPI Releases Notoriously Neons!

Nicole by OPI Announces Two New Limited Edition Neon Mini Kits, the Brand’s First Neon Lacquer

Nicole by OPI launches its first neon nail lacquer with two limited edition mini kits. Scandalous! Neons includes vivid shades of blue, purple and pink while the Notorious! Neons includes vibrant shades of green, fuchsia and orange.

Each Neons kit includes a special white base coat, to be applied before adding color, allowing true neon pigments to pop. “These kits offer the hottest hues in a mini size to complement summer styles,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “Think of your nails as a blank canvas.  With these color combinations, there are endless options for creating works of art.”

In addition to the white base, Scandalous! Neons includes: Blue Neon (this blatant blue is deliberately belligerent), Purple Neon (this attention-seeking purple is a real publicity hound), and Pink Neon (this pink's purpose is to provoke your senses).

Along with white base, Notorious! Neons includes: Green Neon (this gossip-stirring green is the talk of the town), Fuchsia Neon (this fuchsia is famous for being unabashedly bold), and Orange Neon (this outrageous orange doesn't know the meaning of meek).

“The shades included in both sets are perfect for accessorizing fingers and toes with bright pops of color,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “The first step is to apply the white base coat followed by the desired neon shade; finish with one coat of Nicole by OPI Top Coat Plus to achieve intense neon color with a glossy finish.”

Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality.   Scandalous! Neons and Notorious! Neons mini packs will be available in stores beginning May 2013 for $10 each at retailers including Meijer, CVS, Duane Reade, H-E-B, Kroger, and ShopKo.  Top Coat Plus will be sold alongside the kits for $7.99. In Canada, the kits will be available for $12.50 each and Top Coat Plus for $10.99 at Loblaw, Jean Coutu, Rexall, London Drugs, and Shoppers Drug Mart. 

For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan! 

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

Glitter Galore: Barielle Bling-Purple Hearts & Starchild

Recently, I was given the opportunity to review some of the Barielle Nail Lacquers and Nail products.  I was excited because I have always thought of Barielle as a high-end, high quality brand. This may sound odd, but I still remember the sense of pride I felt when I purchased my first Barielle nail lacquer.

So being that I am currently going through a serious glitter craze, two of the polishes I selected were Barielle's Purple Hearts and Starchild. 

Purple Hearts

Barielle Purple Hearts is a gorgeous clear based glitter with purple, silver, & holo glitters in addition to larger purple hexagonals.  The glitters are densely packed so the application was easier than many glitters I have dealt with. There was not need to "place" the glitters.

Purple Hearts is great for layering. You are only limited by your creativity.  The first base I chose was the vibrant royal purple-China Glaze Creative Fantasy.  I love how the holo glitters pop with this manicure combination. 

Another color combination I decided to try was a lighter pale purple to show all the detail of the Barielle Purple Hearts; for that, I chose China Glaze Sweet Hook. With this lighter base, the micro glitters are more evident and the ease of application is understandable. You can see the even spread of the glitters.

Starchild

The next glitter I chose was Barielle Starchild. It's an absolutely gorgeous silver, densely packed, holographic glitter, with both micro and hexagonal glitters.  I have seen many other holo glitters, but this has an awesome holo effect.  

So far, I am loving the Barielle glitters. They spread evenly and don't require placing the glitters, like so many of the other glitters need. Starchild will complement any base color.  But one of the first colors I selected was China Glaze Grape Juice. This darker base, helped to bring out the various particles in Barielle Starchild. Whether I was using flash lighting or natural light, the holographic glitters popped!

The last for this post I decided to combine with Barielle Starchild is a silver base. I chose Nfu-Oh 61 (silver holographic). This combination was one of those I just couldn't stop staring at. I realize that it is just May 3rd, but I have already claimed this as a New Years Eve manicure. This very well may be my favorite silver holograpic glitter.  It will definitely need to do a comparison of those that I own.

Barielle is a brand that I have been aware of for many years, and I prior to this opportunity, I did own a couple shades. I look forward to wearing the other Barielle polishes now in my collection.  As I mentioned earlier, I still remember the first Barielle I purchased-Berry Blue, big surprise! I just wish they were more readily available. For me, products like nail polish are those that I like to see in person.  What are some of your favorite Barielle Nail Lacquers and/or Nail Products?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* This product was sent to me for review consideration by either the manufacturer or the PR firm representing the manufacturer. These however are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

Barielle Nail Mail!!!

REVIEW: China Glaze Texture Collection Swatches

The most recent collection released by China Glaze is its Texture Collection, - "a unique new lacquer that applies as a crème but dries with a 3D texture effect".  Many of the other nail polish brands are also releasing similar finishes-Zoya, Milani, Sally Hansen, etc.  I must admit that I was hesitant when I first heard of the collection, because I prefer a smooth finish to my manicures. But I recently received the China Glaze Texture collection to review and surprisingly, I am liking this. It is different but fun.

The application and formulation of the entire collection was pretty consistent. A bit more watery than the other China Glaze polishes I have used. I found that application worked best by applying 2 very thin layers-not loading up the brush  when polishing my nails.  Also, I didn't know what to expect from these polishes, but they removed easily, not like a glitter polish, dried fairly quickly, and very important, did not stain.

There are 6 polishes in this collection: 

Unrefined — I call it a blue-based bubblegum pink.

Unrefined — described as a "bright pink with textured grit"

 Bump & Grind — I would call it a Watermelon.

Bump & Grind— described as a "hot pinkish-red with textured grit"

 Itty, Bitty, & Gritty — a pretty coral-melon

Itty, Bitty & Gritty— described as a "melon with textured grit"

 Toe-Tally Textured — a Mango orange which is one of my top two favorites

Toe-tally Textured— described as a "tangerine-orange with textured grit"

 In The Rough — is a honeydew melon green

In The Rough — described as a "light lime-green with textured grit"

Of Course! Of course, if you've read any of my previous posts, you would know that this blue would be my favorite in the collection.  It's a beautiful cornflower blue.

Of Coarse!— "bright, cobalt-blue with textured grit"

While I have not seen any of the Zoya Pixie Dust polishes in person, it is my understanding that they have a slight sparkle to their finish. This made me wonder what would this China Glaze Texture look like with China Glaze Fairy Dust applied as a top coat? So I gave it a go.  It loses its textured effect but still pretty. China Glaze Fairy Dust is like chocolate, it makes everything better. LOL!

 

 




Have you had the chance to pick up any of the new China Glaze Textured polishes? If so, which are your favorites? 

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* This product was sent to me for review consideration by either the manufacturer or the PR firm representing the manufacturer. These however are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

Glitter Galore: Sinful Color Diamond Lust Collection - Queen Of Deco layered with Pure Ice New Lilac

I've been sharing with you the polishes I purchased from the Sinful Colors Diamond Lust Collection. As you may remember, the Diamond Lush collection is described as an "Intense 3D effects for the ultimate bling". So far, I have really enjoyed each of these polishes that I have purchased. They have initiated a love of glitters.

The next in that collection that I have to share with you is a lilac purple combination.  So first I had to decide on what base I wanted to use.  Another Pure Ice polish in my stash was ideal.  I chose Pure Ice New Lilac, a lilac frost.  I'm normally not a big fan of frost polishes but this a great complement for today's glitter-Sinful Colors Queen of Deco.  

Pure Ice New Lilac is a very Spring appropriate pastel lilac frost. As with most frost polishes, it gave me some challenges with brushstrokes but being that I was layering this polish, no big deal.  If I were to wear this alone, I would just need to take more care during the application process.  I don't think Pure Ice polishes get as much love as they should. They have some really great colors AND they are only $1.97 at Walmart.


To the Pure Ice New Lilac I layered Sinful Colors Queen of Deco.  Queen of Deco is a clear base with micro purple and silver glitter.  It also has purple holographic diamond shaped glitters mixed throughout. The application was like most chunky glitters; the larger diamond-glitters needed to be placed for an even application.

I need to go through my polish collection and choose some other polishes to layer with Sinful Colors Queen Of Deco.  What colors would you suggest?

I still have a few other Sinful Colors Diamond Lust glitters to share to stay tuned...

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.