Throwback NOTD: Frightening Fingers

Happy Halloween Calendar Girls!

I thought I'd celebrate this haunting holiday by sharing my very first NOTD with you! Way back in 2010, I found a blog called The Daily Nail and quickly became obsessed with Melissa's amazing nail art. And while I'm not nearly as good an artist as she is, it really inspired me to try creating my own nail designs.

First, I painted on a base coat of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Sun Kissed and then I used a Black Crayola Nail Art Pen to draw little faces on. If I remember correctly, the polish pen was really hard to work with and I'm pretty sure I had to start over multiple times.

Here is my pioneering attempt at nail art from Halloween 2010! 

Funny little jack-o-lantern faces!As difficult as it was to do my left hand, I knew the other side wouldn't stand a chance, so I did things a little differently on my right hand.

Ha! Yes, I kind of took the easy way out! And apparently I hadn't realized the importance of cleaning up the cuticles and edges with polish remover at this point in my life. ;) I had so much fun creating my first real NOTD, though! I hope you like it as much as I do!

How do you feel about festive nail art? Is it something you would ever try? Let me know in the comments, on Facebook, or @Manda_CGC on Twitter! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

My Makeup Collection!

Hi there Calendar Girls!

If you're interested, I filmed a quick video of my vanity and its contents. You can view it over on my Facebook page! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Short Break!

Hey Calendar Girls!

I just wanted to write out a quick apology for the lack of a post yesterday. I haven't been feeling well, so I will be taking a bit of a hiatus. This won't last long, I promise! In the meantime, be sure to follow Calendar Girl Cosmetics on Facebook for exclusive hauls, giveaways, and sneak peeks! Thanks so much for reading!

-Manda

St. Ive's Apricot Scrub Review

Hello there Calendar Girls!

Quite a few weeks ago, I bought St. Ive's Invigorating Apricot Scrub on a whim. It was only a couple of bucks in the travel products section of Target, so I thought I'd give it a try!

I tend to get water everywhere when I use face washes/scrubs at the sink, so I've started keeping this in my shower. That way, after I wash my hair and everything, I can just massage this into my skin and rinse it off without worrying about the mess!

It looks smooth, coming out of the tube, but it actually has a very gritty texture that makes for an amazing exfoliant! The grittiness comes from ground walnut shells and corn kernel meal. It's great for clearing away dead skin and always leaves my face feeling so smooth! The apricot not only gives this scrub a light, fresh scent--it's also great for nourishing your skin!

Also, I know this has nothing to do with how well the product works, but I think the packaging is great! It's so simple and clean! I don't know why, but I love the clear lid! Ha!

Overall, I really like this and I'm glad for my random purchase! I'll definitely buy this again! Next time, I'll go for the Blemish & Blackhead Control version, though, as it's probably better suited to my skin type.

What's your favorite face scrub? Let me know in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter @Manda_CGC! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

September ipsy Glam Bag

Hey there Calendar Girls!

Around the same time I subscribed to BirchBox, I also learned about ipsy. I read that ipsy was more focused on makeup than BB, which contains a variety of products for hair and skin in addition to makeup. I love my BirchBox and wasn't willing to cancel it in favor of ipsy, so what choice did I have but to subscribe to both! ;)

A little over a month after I first signed up, I finally got the email saying I was no longer on the waiting list and my first bag would be shipping soon!

A few weeks later, this beauty was in my mail box! I love, love, LOVE the shiny pink packaging! What I didn't love was the ridiculous shipping circus it had to go through before getting to me. :/ The ipsy bag ships out of North Carolina, which I thought was awesome since I'm only a couple of states away from there! While checking the tracking online, though, I saw that my bag went from NC to Atlanta, where it stayed for five whole days, then down to Orlando, FL for a couple more days, then finally to my house! I really wish that ipsy would use another company to ship their bags. DHL is probably the worst they could've chosen.

Anyway...moving on! Here's what was inside of that pretty mailer!

Each month, ipsy comes in a unique makeup bag and includes four or five samples, most of which are full sized. There's also a theme every month! (I love a theme!) September's was Classic Beauty.

I was pretty excited for most of my samples. I was a little bummed that I didn't get the Cailyn lip balm or Butter London nail polish that others got in their bags. Here's what was in mine:

1. John Freida Full Repair Full Body Shampoo
-This is a good sized sample that will last me a while. I'm interested in the repairing aspect of this shampoo. My hair just isn't what it used to be and I'm always looking for a product that will make it feel soft and smooth again!

2. John Freida Full Repair Full Body Conditioner
-Another good sized sample--same as the shampoo. I'll use this on the ends of my hair as they need the most moisturization. (Is that a word?) I like that this is in the same container as the shampoo because it has a lid. Other conditioner samples I've gotten were in tear-open packets, which isn't the easiest thing to use in the shower.

3. Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Volumizing Mascara
-This is supposed to lengthen and curl your lashes! Can't wait to try it! :)

4. NYX Single Eye Shadow in Sparkle White
-I'm really excited to try this! I've been on the lookout for a good brow bone highlighter! And it's a full-sized shadow! Awesome!

5. Starlooks Obsidian Kohl Eye Pencil
-I wonder how this will compare to my favorite Rimmel kohl pencil? Wait and see!

As for the bag, it's pretty cool. The pattern/color is pretty and the material seems easy to clean. Also, the zipper pull is metal with a little raised "ipsy". So cute!

Well, that's my first ipsy bag! I'm looking forward to many more!

Which do you like better? BirchBox or ipsy? Let me know in the comments, on Facebook, or tweet me @Manda_CGC! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

Eyes of the Day: Spooky Smokey

Hi Calendar Girls!

As you know, Halloween is fast approaching! While my excitement builds for my cuties in costume and buckets full of candy, I thought I'd get into the spooky spirit of things and experiment with some of the lesser-used colors in my Mirage Palette! Without further ado, I'd like to present my Spooky Smokey Eye!

Ooh! Festive! Here's how I created this bewitching look:

-First, I dabbed a bit of my Milani Eye Shadow Primer over each eyelid from lash line to brow and let it dry for at least 30 seconds.
-While the primer was setting, I filled in my brows with a CoverGirl Brow & Eyemakers Pencil in Soft Brown.
-Next, I used a flat shadow brush to sweep #26 from the Mirage Palette over my entire lid.
-After that, I highlighted my brow bone with #16. I also brushed a little of #16 on my inner corners.
-Then I used my E.L.F. Defining Eye Brush to apply #82 to the outer corners and blended it into the crease with a domed shadow brush.
-I added a tiny bit of #81 to the very outer corner, as it's more of a matte black, while #82 is more of a shimmery black.
-I used my L'Oreal Super Slim Liner in Black to create a small wing on my upper lash line and for the lower, I used a small angled brush to apply #81.
-I finished off this look with (an oldie but a goodie) Maybelline Great Lash in Blackest Black.

I can't wait to recreate this look on the 31st! I'll be rocking it as I lead my little guys from door to door! :)

Are you dressing up for Halloween? Do you go all out or keep it subtle? Let me know in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter @Manda_CGC! Thanks for reading!

-Manda

September BirchBox

Hey there Calendar Girls!

I can't believe we're already almost a week into October! Last month's BirchBox got to me fairly late in the month (or later than I'm used to), so that's why I'm just getting around to this post now! You've had to wait long enough to see this, so let's get to it!

1. SARAHPOTEMPA The Half-Up
-I know the packaging says "The Wrap-Up", but I checked the BirchBox site and I'm pretty sure they only sent out "The Half-Up" in September boxes, although the larger "Wrap-Up" is also available in the BB Store. I'm looking forward to trying this for sock buns! It's gotta be better than wearing an old sock in my hair, right? Ha! We'll see!

2. Amika Obliphica Perk Up Dry Shampoo
-I'm excited about this one! I've tried the TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo before and while it was decently effective, I didn't like the scent or the traces of white powder. Hopefully this Amika shampoo works better for me. Also, look at the pretty packaging! Happy dance!

3. Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips
-Even with its odd name, I've wanted to try this since Zoe first mentioned it in a video. I think, though, (if it's only lanolin) a cheaper alternative might be the Lansinoh that I used when my babies were little! Hey! Nipple cream is nipple cream, amiright? ;)

4. Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Fox Hunt
-As much as I love nail polish, I'm so not excited about the color I got! :( It is very nice for autumn, though, even if orange isn't my first choice. Hopefully I can use it around Halloween or something. 

5. Voesh New York Lemon Pedicure Lotion
-This should be fun to use during my upcoming pampering night! I think I'll try it after a round with the ol' pumice stone. And it's lemon scented! Yum!

Alrighty, there's September for you! I will be reviewing everything over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for that post!

Have you subscribed to BirchBox yet? Let me know if you'd like an invite! You can tweet me @Manda_CGC, find me on Facebook, or just leave a comment on this post! Thanks for reading!

-Manda