Waiting for the Cape May NJ/Lewes DE Ferry, Happy Memorial Day Weekend to my fellow Americans!

May Birchbox

My last Birchbox was sadly my lamest one yet. I may have even preferred to get one of those “free panty” mailers from Victoria’s Secret, and I don’t even use those. I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth, but this box left me extremely underwhelmed.

First and foremost, this is my last Birchbox. No, I didn’t cancel my subscription to spite them – my 6 months just happened to be up the same month they gave me a pretty chincy (in my opinion) box. Also, it was Gossip Girl themed. I absolutely loved the books in high school, traded them with friends, and fell in love with the idea of becoming Serena van der Woodsen one day. I don’t personally like the show, however, so a Gossip Girl themed box wasn’t really up my alley.

Lame, Gossip Girl-Themed Birchbox

My third strike against Birchbox was the lack of goodies in this one. I was completely underwhelmed by more boring fragrances, and more lotion. What the hell?

The “Goods”

What you see is exactly what you get! No surprises hiding behind that pretty green paper, just the four items you see above (not to mention the lamest freebie ever!!). I always rip open my Birchbox packages like a raccoon, and when I finally got the the samples in this one, my only thought was “Where’s the rest??”. Maybe I’m biased because my past few boxes have been jammed-packed? Anyway, here’s what I got in May’s box:

Miss Dior Eau de Parfum

Miss Dior Eau de Parfum: Okay this may be the first fragrance I actually enjoyed from Birchbox! Usually I get the musky, grandma-fragrances. This is floral, light, and kind of sexy. Also, the tester is not the kind with a wand – it’s a spritzer for easy application! Will I be buying this fragrance sometime soon? Probably not, but I wouldn;t mind giving it another whiff next time I’m in Sephora.

Shu Uemura Cleansing Shampoo

Shu Uemura Cleansing Shampoo: This I wasn’t thrilled with, but I guess I could have gotten something I liked even less. I kind of hate getting hair care samples – usually there’s never enough to tell if you really like it. I give Shu Uemura credit for providing two or three washes worth (depending on hair length), but I just stocked up on 3 different kinds of shampoo from LUSH, so… I think this will go into my “travel” case. I would give this sample more props if it was resealable, however – I hate having open tubes of product in the shower. DISLIKE!

Sarah McNamara Miracle Skin Transformer for Body

Sarah McNamara Miracle Skin Transformer: This body lotion was surprisingly better than I had thought. I was disappointed upon seeing it, because every Birchbox seems to have lotion & fragrance (which starts to get real old). This is actually a tinted body moisturizer, something I’ve yet to see, and it claims to “transform skin” and optimize your skin surface cell turnover “for silkier, softer, more even looking skin”. I must say, this is kind of cool. Unfortunately, the sample is about enough to slick up my legs once, maybe twice. Also, the smell is light and refreshing. Not the best, but not the worst.

Dior Diorshow Extase Mascara

Mascara Wand

Dior Diorshow Extase Mascara: This mascara is decent, but I am starting to have way too many tiny-mascara samples. They are nice to keep at work or in your bag, but I’m rarely ever applying mascara on-the-go. This mascara is meant to plump lashes, whether used alone or under your favorite mascara. I’ve yet to pair it with my favorite mascara (currently Givenchy with the funky sphere wand), but all I really have to say is “meh”

Last but not least (well, maybe least) was my awful “Lifestyle Freebie” – a small, blank note card with an envelope. I’m not against snail mail, but I do have my own stationary. Sorry BB, but i much prefer granola bars, facial wipes, and the other fun freebies I’ve received compared to this chincy and lame note card.

I guess I’ll get off my soapbox now. Did any of you get a decent Birchbox? How about an equally lame one?

Sephora for OPI in Spark-tacular! & Nicole by OPI Rainbow in the S-Kylie

I’ve been wanting to do a rainbow glitter pedi, and decided to pick up Nicole by OPI Rainbow in the S-Kylie for the perfect look. Little did I remember, I had a bottle of a very similar rainbow-glitter polish, also by OPI, called Spark-tacular! from their Sephora collection. Judging by the bottles, I thought they were pretty different & maybe I didn’t pick up the exact polish *fingers crossed*. Did a swatch test prove me right, or wrong?

Swatched!

Unless you are a glitter connoisseur, I’d say these polishes pretty close. On the left you have Nicole by OPI Rainbow in the S-Kylie from the Kardashian collection, and on the right you have Sephora for OPI Spark-tacular!

The Nicole shade is less micro-glitter dense, and a bit more colorful with bigger chunks of glitter. The Sephora shade, however, has more multi-colored micro glitter, and less chunky. It also has more of a “silver” tone to it, whilst the Nicole is brighter.

Although my nail polish stand-off’s are usually an expensive one vs. a dupe, both these polishes run for about $8. As close as they are, I do like the Nicole version better. Photo below of what my toes will *hopefully* look like with the help of the shade, cheers!

Rainbow in the S-kylie

Lush Haul!

My latest trip to the mall has me considering hiring a babysitter to take me shopping from now on – this girl just can’t help herself. Today I spurlged at LUSH. Lots of different and great things to review for girls (and boys!) who have yet to try it. So what do you have to look forward to?

I’ll be reviewing the following products from above!

• Big Shampoo – $24.95
• Veganese Conditioner – $29.95
• Squeaky Green Solid Shampoo – $10.95
• No Drought Dry Shampoo – $12.95
• Ocean Salt Cleanser/Scrub for Face & Body – $34.95
• Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie & Gentle Shower Gel/Shaving Cream – $32.95
• Ro’s Argan Shower Body Conditioner – $29.95
• Hair Doctor Mask – Free, Giant Sample!
• R&B Hair Treatment (not shown) – $20.95

Stay tuned to hear about your favorite, or soon to be favorite, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics!

Early Bird

Sea Foam Nails

I finally tried the Zoya sample I got in my April Birchbox. I have never used Zoya before, but proposes to have less harmful chemicals, and is high-end like OPI & Essie. It also promises to last much longer than regular polishes. That part, I cannot attest for yet, But…just painting my nails with the Zoya polish was a treat! It was not gloopy, went on incredibly evenly, and did not have that harsh “nail polish smell” whatsoever. Definitely a brand I think I’ll invest in more often, thanks Birchbox!

Now, about the mani: I wanted to do something summery, but still subdued. I decided on the Zoya sea foam green, Bevin, for the main color. I lovedy-loved-loved it, but also wanted to do an accent nail. I decided to dress my ring fingers in 2 coats of Essie Luxeffects Shine of the Times and walaaaah: Mermaid nails.

Mani From Top to Bottom:

1. Orly Bonder Rubberized Base Coat
2. Zoya in Bevin (2 coats)
3. Essie Luxeffects Shine of the Times Top Coat (2 coats on ring fingers)
4. Essie No Chips Ahead Top Coat (1 coat on remaining nails)

Sheer Glitz Beach Essentials

I’m planning and packing for my Memorial Day Weekend mini-vacay to Virginia Beach! I’m excited to get away and see my family, but also excited of the fashion-end. I’m packing a beach tote (a necessity when living in New Jersey to begin with), and wanted to share the top ten things in my new beach tote. Keep in mind I’m pretty low maintenance when it comes to beachin’ it, but some things a girl just can’t forget!

1. Beach Towel -  A no brainer. Pick something fun, of course. And bringing two is always a good idea!
2. Michael Kors Straw Beach Tote – With inside pockets and space for towels and all, this makes the perfect beach bag. It was admittedly pricey, but I do have a soft spot for that “MK”.
3. Reading material -For in between naps, and sunbathing-entertainment. Also a great decoy when checking out good looking men in swim suits.
4. Funky Sunglasses – I love pairing my swim suits with cute, outlandish glasses. This year I have some red heart glasses (and a red and heart themed bathing suit, what do ya know?) as well as the pair above, winged cat eyes inspired by Kourtney Kardashian.
5. Sunglasses Case – Probably not a necessity, but super cute!
6. Peter Thomas Roth Oily Problem Skin Instant Mineral SPF 30 -  This dust-on, mattifying, powder SPF 30 is fabulous for the beach. I tend to get shiny, and not only does this protect my skin, but does it good and makes it look good too. The best part is you can dust it over your make-up as needed (it is suggested you reapply sunscreen every 2 hours), and it’s perfect for travel.
7. Sweet & Sexy Dark Tan Maximizer – While SPF is important, I do like to get a bit of a tan. This tan maximizer can be used in a tanning bed or in the sun, enhances your tan, and doesn’t smell bad either! Also, I don’t burn the way I would with oil, so this lotion is a happy medium for me. I feel the need to say i think tanning is bad, and I do try not to over do it.
8. Wide Tooth Comb – Great for un-knotting wet hair.
9. Colorful Sarong – I love these! I feel almost naked walking the beach in a bikini sometimes, and a sarong makes a great cover up (and make0shift hair wrap!)
10. A Bikini To Die For – Enough said

What’s in your beach bag? Any tips for mine, let me know!

Even the most patient ladies get a little antsy waiting for their nails to dry. Patience is not exactly my virtue, so for me, the time practically stops when I have wet nails. More about my favorite (and least) nail-drying-helpers after the jump!

The first type of polish dryer I bought was the same aerosol kind you see at salons. Nothing fancy, not expensive, and easy to find at beauty supply stores. I have Beauty Secrets Nail Polish Dryer Professional Manicurist Finishing Spray, which says to have Vitamin E and Whet protein, and promises to be quick drying anf non-smearing. My thoughts:

• Dries polish well since it is a spray, and you don’t have to worry about nicking still-wet polish.
• Heavy fumes (not cool!)
• Aerosol cans are bad for the environment
• You must be very careful not too spray to close; it’s strong enough to push around your polish into a goopy messy.

My next contender is Essie Instant Dry Oil. Anyone who even slightly reads this knows I am a huge Essie fan, but I’ll do my best not to be biased. This is a mineral oil based solution that you brush on like a top coat. I actually remembering using the Mary Kay version of this when I was very little, when I would paint my nails with whatever my mom had (usually terrible maroons). What I thought:

• It nourishes the cuticle area very well. I sometimes use it at nighttime when I’m rocking bear paws, it feels amazing.
• It is very oily, and you can’t wash your hands right away since you’re polish is still soft. It can be annoying, and messy if you’re not careful.
• What I don’t like about this product is that I almost always nick my polish with the brush, no matter how careful I am

Lastly, I recently picked up ORLY Spritz Dry at Bed Bath & Beyond. I liked that it wasn’t an aerosol, plus – I’m always interested in trying new versions of what I already have. This claims to “dry nail lacquer and condition skin with no oily residue”, which really perked my interest. Could this possibly be the best of both worlds?

• This spritz is much gentler on nails than the aerosol cans.
• No oily residue!
• A nice aloe-scented finish
• Truly helps with the nail drying process

ORLY Spritz Dry

No surprise, the Orly formula stole my heart. At only $7.99, it will steal yours too! Look for it next time you’re at your favorite beauty supply store.

Sasha Coolin’ It

Glitter Sandwich Mani

I’ve seen this on Pinterest a few times, and fell in love immediately! I attempted this mani (literally) 4 times before finally getting it right. Here’s my story, and the tips and tricks I learned along the way! The first few times I tried the glitter sandwich, I chose glitters that were far too light, and got covered up completely but even my sheerest polishes. I was about to give up, but did some more research and saw many of them girls doing the glitter sandwich were using dense, large glitter polishes like Milani in Gems.

I went on the hunt at CVS for the chunky, colorful top coat, but no luck. I got Nicole by OPI’s Rainbow in the S-Kylie from the Kardashian collection. A bit more expensive, but similar not the less.

Another mistake I made my first few tries was using the same sheer polish as a base and topcoat. I needed two coats prior to adding the glitter, and the extra top coat to finish off the “sandwich” left me with four coats of gloopy polish that never seemed to dry. This time I deiced to use three shades:

1. Nicki Minaj for OPI in Pink Friday, a punchy pink that’s opaque enough to use a glitter sandwich base
2. Nicole by OPI’s Rainbow in the S-Kylie, a chunky, multi sized and colored glitter top-coat
3. Essie in Pink-a-Boo, an iridescent & sheer shade, perfect for finishing off the look

Polishes in Order

First Coat: Nicki Minaj for OPI in Pink Friday

Second Coat: Nicole by OPI Rainbow in the S-Kylie

Final Coat: Essie in Pink-a-Boo

Ta-Da! I finished it off with some drying spray by ORLY (reviews to come), and was very careful not to smudge them while drying. Have you tried the Glitter Sandwich Mani yet?