Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Nails of the Day: Shimmer Mint

Hello, Calendar Girls!

I could hardly wait to share today's nails! They are so yummy! I used the two polishes I purchased most recently--you may recognize them from the Walmart Mini Haul post from last week. :)


Look at them! Aren't they just delicious? They make me so happy! On the left, we have the Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Disco Ball. It's a lovely clear polish with a good helping of wintery, shimmering opal glitter. It's like what unicorns would wear if they painted their hooves. Seriously. And on the right is Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Mint Sorbet. It's a beautiful, creamy, soft mint that looks perfectly lovely all on its own and was mostly opaque in one coat! Oh! Which reminds me: Disco Ball had a really good amount of glitter in only one coat as well! 


Here are the nails! Aren't they pretty? I think I've found another winning combination! I just love them so much! I'm so glad I bought these two and I know I'll get a ton of use out of them. I hope you like them as well! 

I'd love to see my readers' nails of the day, too! If you have an instagram account, take a picture of your NOTD and use the hashtag #CGCNOTD so I can check them out! And make sure to comment here to let me know! Thanks for reading!

-Manda



Sunday, July 28, 2013

July BirchBox Reviews

Hello Calendar Girls!

I know you've only just read my July BirchBox post last week, but as I said in that post, I actually received it on July 12th, so I've had a couple of weeks to try the products and get a feel for them! Overall, I will say that I enjoyed this box even more than last month's. I'm already looking forward to August! :)


First, we have the exclusive BirchBox Bobby Pins. Although, I was super happy to receive my favorite color, I wasn't as happy with the efficiency of these. I think they would work great to pin bangs to the side when you're wearing your hair down, but I don't have bangs and I rarely ever wear my hair down! I tried them to pin back a center pouf, but they didn't quite have the grip of a regular bobby pin. Actually I would consider these to be more like a barrette than a bobby pin. (Ha! Who even says barrette anymore? There's a word I haven't used since the 90s...) Anyway, I will continue to look for more opportunities to use these, because I do love the look of them. I won't be buying the six pack, though.


Next is the 100% Pure Nourishing Body Creams in Green Apple and Vanilla Bean. These smell amazing! I especially loved the green apple scent because it's not like any lotion I've owned before. Actually, it's not really a lotion at all, is it? It's a cream! And a lovely cream at that! It's so thick and...well...creamy! Ha! I applied it to my legs and feet after shaving and pumice stone...ing. (?) It was a great moisturizer and left my skin feeling so smooth. I'm definitely considering a full-size of this product. The only thing stopping me so far is which of the four scents to choose!


And here we have the Benta Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream. This was a teensy little tube, so it was hard to really form an opinion on something without being able to use very much of it. The scent wasn't anything to complain about--not great, not terrible. It actually made my face feel a bit dry after I applied it, but maybe that's the "matifying" effect? I don't know. It wasn't something I'd use again or buy.


Up next is the Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect. This is a leave-in conditioner/detangler/UV-protectant/styling tool barrier, etc. etc. I thought it was a pretty good little conditioner. Regular, in-shower conditioners really weigh my hair down and make it feel greasy, so I like the idea of a lightweight leave-in. I don't really need help detangling and I don't use heat styling tools on my hair, so I can't really say I noticed anything on that front. It did leave my hair feeling softer and more shiny, though. Aside from the weird scent, I don't really have any complaints. Still deciding if I'd buy a full-sized bottle, though. Probably not, for $32.00!


And last...probably my favorite from this month: Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl. This stuff is awesome! I like the fact that it's a cream highlighter. It helps me know exactly where I'm applying it as opposed to a powder highlighter; this is definitely more precise. It's very subtle, which I think is what you want in a highlighter--not something overly shiny. I've been using it every chance I've gotten since it came. I'm so happy to finally own a product from Benefit and I can't wait to try more from this company!

Speaking of that, I was excited to see this neat little bonus card in my BirchBox. I scratched off the two little silver circles and now I'll receive a couple of free gifts with my first Benefit purchase! :)


Well, that's all for this month. August can't come soon enough! Do you own any Benefit products? What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

-Manda 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Walmart Mini Haul

Greetings, Calendar Girls!

Thought I'd post a little mid-week mini haul for you! I don't usually shop at Walmart anymore, because it tends to be overcrowded and I'm not really a fan of crowds. However, I decided to brave the masses a couple of weeks ago in search of Hard Candy's Glamoflage Concealer--which they didn't even have in stock! Anyway, not to be discouraged I decided to look around and see what other goodies I could find. Here's what I got!



1. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Disco Ball
-I wasn't even planning on buying nail polish this trip, but when I saw this gorgeous iridescent/opalescent polish, I knew I had to add it to my growing glitter collection! And I know it's called Disco Ball, but I think it should be called Snow Ball because it's so clean and white and magical looking! Ahh...lovely.

2. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Mint Sorbet
-I've had my eye on this the past couple of times I've been to the store, but I finally bit the bullet and bought it this time! It's so gorgeous and it was right next to Disco Ball on the shelf and I just couldn't resist the combination of the two! (They're actually both on my nails right now! Look for that NOTD soon!)

3. Goody Ouchless Hair Elastics
-I was nearly out of the last pack of pony-tail holders I bought, so I picked these up. I seem to go through them so fast! Probably all those messy buns I typically do--stretching them out! Anyway, for some reason, the last pack I bought was full of reds and pinks and I don't really own any red or pink clothing so I always feel like they are clashing with my outfit. Back to black for me!

4. Wet 'n Wild H20 Proof Liquid Eyeliner in Espresso
-I'm still looking for the perfect liquid liner. The L'Oreal one that I've been using is pretty flaky, so I thought I'd try out a waterproof liquid and see if that made any difference. Plus, this was cheap as chips!

5. Suave Clinical Protection Deodorant in Powder Fresh
-This is my absolute favorite deodorant. I was almost out, so I picked up another. The Suave version works just as good as the Secret brand, in my opinion, and it costs a few dollars less. I also like the scent--it's not floral or fruity or anything overpowering. I tend to get sick of those scents fairly quickly when it comes to deodorants. This is perfect for the hot, humid climate that I live in--it really does last 24 hours!

6. Maybelline Color Whisper in Made it Mauve
-I was so excited when I spotted this! I've heard so many good things about this and the Revlon Lip Butters, but I decided to buy this one first because I liked the packaging better, and let me tell you--I LOVE it! I couldn't resist trying it on as soon as I snapped that pic! It is so lovely and smooth and light! And the color is perfect! Now I know what all these bloggers who use the phrase "your lips but better" (or YLBB) mean! It is seriously amazing...it evens out my lip color and feels like I'm not wearing anything at all! And it's so moisturizing! I can't wait to get more colors from this collection. There's a little mini review for you! ;)

7. NYC Kohl Brow/Eyeliner Pencil in Dark Brown
-I've been looking for another kohl pencil for my waterline and this was super cheap so I thought--why not? Plus, it's really long, so I feel like I'm getting a lot of product for the 88¢ it cost me!

Well, that was all I got on this trip! I ordered the concealer I was originally looking for from Walmart.com when I got home, so hopefully that will be here soon! Do you like reading haul posts? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Sunday, July 21, 2013

July BirchBox

Hello there!

It's that time again! Are you excited? My second BirchBox came on Friday, the 12th--three days earlier than expected! It also happened to be mine & my husband's 8th wedding anniversary, so it was doubly awesome. :)

I was a little worried, after seeing some of the products in the video preview from BirchBox, that I wasn't really going to like this month's box. However, I got a ton of nice things that I'm really excited about and can't wait to try out!


See? It's chock-full of goodies!

1. Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect
-This is a leave-in conditioner that also helps with heat protection from styling tools. I don't use a blow-dryer or curling iron all that much these days, but I have been looking for a leave-in conditioner to try, so I was happy to see this in the box this month! And what a good sized sample!

2. BirchBox Bobby Pins
-These are adorable! They're a lot sturdier than typical bobby pins and definitely more stylish. I also got my favorite color--green! Can't wait to use these to brighten up my often-used center pouf. :)

3. Benefit Bonus Scratch Card
-This was a nice little extra! It's a card that you can use when you spend $25 on Benefit products. Just scratch off the two silver circles and see which two free samples you get! 

4. Benefit Girl Meets Pearl
-This was probably one of the things I was most excited about. I use a powder highlighter currently, but I find it doesn't always show up as prominently as I would like. I'm hoping this shimmery cream highlighter will work even better for me!

5. Benta Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream
-Lucky me! I've also been looking for a new moisturizer and here is one to try! I don't use much moisturizer as a have fairly oily skin, but the area around my nose tends to get pretty dry. The sample is fairly small, but since I only use it on a small part of my face, it will probably last me a while. 

6. 100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream in Green Apple
-Mmmm....green apple! I'll be honest, I had a hard time not opening this on the spot! Unfortunately, I have a cold, so I'm waiting until I get my sense of smell back to try this one! 

7. 100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream in Vanilla Bean
-I actually received two of the vanilla bean scented samples. I'm looking forward to trying these, too, but again--not until this cold goes away!

And that's all of my July BirchBox! I'm so ready to trial these and review them for you! Look for that post in the coming weeks! Have you subscribed to BirchBox yet? Remember to comment below if you'd like me to email you an invite! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Nails of the Day: Fancy French

Bonjour les amis!

Today I had the brilliant idea to use my new Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear polish in Perky Pink to do a variation of the French manicure! It's a lovely clear pink polish with bits of holographic and silver glitter. Perfect for a twist on the classic white-tipped look.


I was in a bit of a hurry, so I quickly free-handed the tips of my nails with my Petites French White polish. After I cleaned up my cuticles and fingertips with Sally Hansen Extra Strength Polish Remover and cosmetic applicators (pointy Q-tips), I painted two coats of Perky Pink over every nail. I used Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Clearly Quick (not pictured) as a top coat and voilĂ ! Cutest French Mani Ever!


I know it's hard to see the glitter, but trust me--it's there! It's just very tricky to photograph! They looked fab in person! I love my Perky Pink polish! I can't wait to find other ways to use it. Any ideas? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Face of the Day: Sunday Chic

Hello everyone!

As you may know, I don't really wear makeup every day, as I'm home with my kiddos for most of the week. When I do get out of the house, though, I take advantage of the opportunity to practice my newly-learned makeup skills!

Every Sunday we go to church. I like to look my best, so I always wake up extra early to have plenty of time to put on my makeup. This particular day, I used these products:


Now, normally I try to number the products in pictures like this so that they're somewhat top to bottom, left to right. In this picture, however, I labeled them in the order that I applied them! Here are the steps I took to get this look:

1. First, I used my fingers to apply Rimmel Primer in 001 all over my face.
2. Next, I buffed Neutrogena Liquid Makeup in Classic Ivory onto my face using my E.L.F. Stippling Brush. (All of the brushes mentioned in this post are E.L.F. brushes and are not pictured.)
3. After that, I set my foundation using YoungBlood's Hi-Def Finishing Powder and Powder Brush.
4. Then I used Sleek's Contouring Kit in Light and my Bronzing Brush to sweep a little bronzer into the hollows of my cheeks and put a little highlighter on my cheekbones.
5. Next, I used Sleek's Pomegranate Blush with my Studio Blush Brush on the apples of my cheeks.
6. At this point I wanted to move onto my eyes and remembered that I hadn't tweezed my brows, so I used some tweezers by Trim to do a little touchup!
7. That triggered my memory and reminded me that I also forgot to prime/soften my lips, so I quickly dabbed on some of my beloved Burt's Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm.
8. After catching up on the things I should've done in the beginning, I quickly filled in my brows with a CoverGirl Brow & Eye Makers pencil in Soft Brown.
9. Finally--eyes! I used my Sleek Au Naturel Palette and two different shadow brushes. I started by sweeping Taupe all over my lid. Then I used the shade Conker on the outer corners of my eyes and Nougat on the inner corners and brow bone areas.
10. Next, I used my L'Oreal Liquid Liner on my upper lashline, creating a little flick on the end. It was the first time I was completely satisfied with my flicks! Ha!
11. For my waterline, I used a CoverGirl pencil that I've long since forgotten the name of, as it has been sharpened down to a little stump!
12. To finish up the eyes, I used Maybelline's The Falsies mascara in Black Drama.
13. Finally, I applied my Rimmel/Kate Moss lipstick in 103, which has a bit of a matte finish.
14. And last, I used my finger to dab on a tiny bit of MaryKay Satin Lips to gloss up the pout a little!

And here is the outcome! I was very pleased with it! This happens to be my first selfie since starting this blog!

And as a little bonus for you, I also wanted to post my hair of the day!


I got the inspiration for the multiple topsy-tail ponies from Pinterest and then made it my own! I started by gathering my hair (or would-be bangs) at the front and creating a little pouf with bobby pins. Then I braided the rest and added it to the first gathered ponytail. I secured that with a clear elastic and created the first topsy-tail. I then gathered some more hair from each side to add to the first ponytail, secured it with another clear elastic and created the second topsy-tail. I repeated that step a third time, which is a little hard to see because I took the remaining ponytail, braided it and pinned it into a small bun at the nape of my neck. And there you have it! It was actually very comfortable and I love how it turned out! Looks way more complicated than it actually was, too. That's always a plus for me. 

Alrighty, well, that was my general Sunday makeup routine. I try to do different hair every week, but the makeup is mostly the same with the exception of lippy. Do you like to experiment with your hair? What are some of your favorite easy updos? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Nails of the Day: Supernova Girl

Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! Make my heart go boom boom!

Hahaha. Today's nails were done using my new Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear polish called Supernova. Every time I read the name, I think of a cheesy Disney Channel movie from the 90s and the song Supernova Girl! Anyone remember Zenon? No? Just me then?


I went for another layered effect today, as I like my glitters over top of solids. I also tried out a new top coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color in Clearly Quick. I don't know if it's actually meant to be a top coat, but that's what I've been using it as and it's pretty decent so far. The white polish is a cheapie Petites one that I picked up quite a few years ago for a DIY French manicure. It is conveniently called French White. ;)


So I painted on two coats of French White for a nice opacity, then a couple of layers of Supernova followed by the Clearly Quick top coat. This look lasted for quite a few days and I just loved it! I definitely plan on trying this one again sometime.

What are your favorite nail color combinations? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Monday, July 8, 2013

June BirchBox Reviews

Hey guys!

There were quite a few products in my very first BirchBox, so it's taken me a while to trial them all! I've finally gotten through them, though, so here we go!


First up, Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner. This smells lovely in the bottle. In the shower, though, it was really strong and had an almost chemical scent. I didn't really notice a difference in my hair as far as smoothness goes, but it did leave my hair smelling really nice (more like the scent from the bottle rather than the scent in the shower). I probably won't purchase the full-size as it's a little pricey and, again, didn't do much for my hair other than make it smell nice.


Next is the Davines Oi/Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion. I was hoping this would work as well as my beloved Biosilk Silk Therapy. The scent was definitely different. I much prefer the Biosilk in that regard. This had a more herb-y type of smell. It was decent at taming frizz/flyaways, but like I expected, had my hair looking greasy by the next day. I won't be purchasing the full-size. I'll stick with Biosilk. :)


The Oscar de la Renta Live in Love Body Scrub was probably my least favorite sample. I didn't notice any "foaming" and the scent was just way too strong for me. It was very overpowering and almost smelled like a men's cologne. I guess the one plus side is that I'm not madly in love with this very pricey product, so my wallet will thank me!


And next we have the Youngblood Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder. This worked fairly well to set my foundation. It's invisible once you brush it on, so it wouldn't really work well as a highlighter (as I've heard some people mention). I didn't really see a "hydrating" effect. I probably won't purchase the full-size version of this, but I'll definitely use up all of the sample.


Last is my favorite sample from the June box: Color Club's Reign in Spain. I LOVE this! The color is gorgeous and really brightens up my nails. It is perfect for summer! The formula was slightly streaky, but after only two coats, it is perfectly opaque.


Here it is with Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Strobe Light on the thumb. It's so, so pretty! In fact, I think I'm going to use it on my toes now! I can't wait to purchase the rest of the Wanderlust collection from the BirchBox site!

Alrighty, well there are my reviews for June! I've just gotten the email saying my July BirchBox has shipped, so look forward to seeing that post soon! Oh! And remember to let me know in the comments if you'd like an email invite to subscribe to BirchBox as well! I hope you have a lovely week!

-Manda

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Nails of the Day: Light as Air

Hey there!

Decided to do a little mid-week NOTD post for you! This one is a bit of a review as well, I suppose. Today I chose the Sally Hansen Smooth and Perfect polish in the color Air.


It's a lovely pastel blue color and feels very Spring-y to me. :) I've owned this for quite some time now, but life got busy and I didn't have a lot of spare time to paint my nails. Now that I've rediscovered it in my collection, though, I'm remembering why I loved it before. 


It takes a few coats to get the milky, opaque look that I was going for. As you can see, after one coat it was still very sheer.


Here it is after the second coat. It's starting to build up and create the effect I want, but still not quite opaque enough for me.


Ahh...three coats later and it looks smooth and...well...perfect. Ha! I guess that's why it's in the name. ;) I realize it doesn't look completely smooth, but I'm blaming my nails for that because I tried another polish and it still had that gritty look that is noticeable on my thumbnail. Maybe I should invest in a nail buffer for next time.

Well, that's my nails for the day. I'm noticing that I've become very partial to Sally Hansen nail products. It's just a brand that I can count on for quality polishes. Do you have any Sally Hansen favorites? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Monday, July 1, 2013

Florida Haul

Hey guys!

So...last Friday, my husband had a business meeting in a town about an hour away. I hadn't planned on going with him, but right before he had to leave, we decided to load up the kids and all go together. The meeting didn't take too long and afterwards we headed over to one of our favorite restaurants, but they were closed! All of the other restaurants were super crowded with the lunch rush, so we decided to drive around a little and explore for an hour or so. Then it appeared...Super Target! I may've squealed a little. We immediately drove over and parked. I needed to pick up a few essentials anyway and I couldn't wait to see what goodies I might find that weren't stocked in my local Target!

Here's what I got:


1. Up & Up Sunscreen SPF 50 Lotion
-We had planned on stopping at the beach on our way home, but as soon as we came out of Target, there was an enormous dark cloud and rain was on its way. Also, I got the lotion because we've figured out that our boys hate the spray-on sunscreen (as much as I love the convenience) because it's so cold going on.

2. E.L.F. Professional Concealer Brush
-I'm still building my brush collection and I'm planning on purchasing a new concealer soon that I've heard lots of good things about. If the concealer was sold at Target, I would've picked it up as well!

3. Up & Up Empty Sprayer Bottles
-I got one of these for my little one who has recently discovered that he loves to mist everyone with water. It's quite refreshing on a hot day, actually. I got a second one in case my other son wanted his own and also because they were pretty and only 97¢! Ha!

4. Up & Up Eye and Lip Pencil Sharpener
-The CoverGirl eyeliner I've been using since forever was worn down to a nub because I lost my other sharpener, so I definitely needed a new one!

5. Sally Hansen Extra Strength Polish Remover
-This was one of the essentials I needed. I had just used, literally, the last drop of my old remover the day before!

6. Up & Up Cotton Rounds
-Another essential. Weirdly enough, as soon as I ran out of polish remover, I ran out of cotton pads! 

7. Ombre Beach Towel
-Again, we had planned on stopping at the beach. After we left home, I realized I had only packed one towel for the boys, but luckily this one was on sale for $5.

8. Up & Up Cosmetic Applicators
-Or as I call them: pointy Q-tips. ;) My nails have been looking rough and I needed something to help remove polish around my cuticles, so I picked these up. They've actually been more helpful correcting eye makeup mistakes so far, though. Still on the hunt for a better way to clean up my nails after painting them!

9. E.L.F. Studio Small Stipple Brush
-Another addition to the brush collection. I wanted to try this in place of a flat foundation brush for my liquid makeup. I quite liked it!

 10. The Bathery Luxury Pumice Stone
-I've been meaning to buy one of these for a while, but I kept forgetting to grab one every time I was at the store. I love this little thing already! Easily one of the best purchases I've made this month! My feet are smooth as a baby's bum now. Ha!

11. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Supernova
-I've been on the hunt for more glitter polishes since I've been abusing the Xtreme Wear in Strobe Light lately. This one is a mixture of fuchsia and turquoise glitter--so pretty!

12. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Perky Pink
-Another glitter polish! I couldn't decide between this and Supernova, but they were such a good deal that my Mr. said I should go ahead and get both! He's a keeper. ;)

13. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color in Clearly Quick
-I needed a good top coat. I've used Seche Vite in the past and while I loved the glassy finish it gave my nails, I didn't love the birth defect warning or the fact that it made my polish peel off after a few hours. I'm hoping this will be a decent replacement.

14. Florida Postcards
-These aren't actually from Target. We stopped at a little souvenir shop on the way home and I picked them up for a friend's children. They like getting mail and I thought these were cute. :)

Oh! And in case you were wondering if we ever got lunch...


We found a Jimmy John's while we were driving around. I've heard so much about them, but I've never been to one, so we grabbed a quick bite and headed home. We had a great day, overall! :)

I hope you enjoyed this haul post. Let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these products and what you thought of them! Thanks for reading!

-Manda