Sally Hasen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips: Stripe-Tease

Hello lovelies! I hope you're having a great day! I did my nails last night with the Sally Hansen Nail Effect Nail Strips (such long names for products these days!) I have 5 different designs and I've tried 3 of them so far. Each time has had a slightly different experience so I thought I'd share the latest one!

1st time: I have a review here

2nd time: I put on a set of sparkly pink with black skulls. I don't know what went wrong but they ended up being nearly as thick and inflexible as acrylics and popped off within a day or so

3rd time...

To start with it was late at night.

Somewhere nearby a man was playing a saxa-uh, no that's the murder scene from Bandwagon. My bad.

It was late though, which was probably a bad idea but I foraged ahead anyway.

I read the instructions (yay me!)

I gathered my tools.

I striped.

Wait, what?

It says STRIPED, people. Geez, like a tiger. Dirty minds ;P 

I followed the instructions, but I still found these to be more difficult to apply than the others. First of all they were a bit thinner and stickier. I had to keep peeling them up to try and reset them. And getting stripes to stay straight is tricky!!

I had some of the strips wrinkle (not cute!) some look like I was drunk applying them (I wasn't) and some thankfully did turn out semi cute.  

Conclusion: They are a pain, but for the 99 cents I spent on them it's still less of a headache then painting the damn stripes on and I like the look.

What do you think of stripes for your nails? Are the strips worth it? Are the stripes worth it? Gah, I'm punny.

Review: Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer

Rimmel Match Perfection 2-in-1 Concealer 

I love this concealer! I like it much better than my Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer or YSL Touche Eclat. I have deep, dark, creviced under-eyes (and I'm pretty young to already have them) and this covers with hardly any product needed. It is a dream to blend, I don't have to struggle or reapply to actually cover the damn things. 

It works great as a illuminating highlighter -ala YSL Touche Eclat- around my eyes, cheekbones, cupids bow, etc. At the price I highly suggest you run out and try it!

The Claims: 2-in-1 Concealer and Highlighter. Skin tone adapting.

Yep. It works very well as both. It's not shimmery like a highlighter, but it's definitely brightens. And I don't notice it not matching my skin-tone. It also doesn't go that weird gray or orange tone I've had other skin-tone "matching" products turn into on my skin.

Coverage - Outstanding. Comparable to YSL. 

Length of Wear - All day. 

Creasing - I have't experienced any. I've been putting it to the test too - 80+ degree days with 90% humidity and not a crease to be seen. Which I typically have horrible creasing with my concealer so yay! *I don't use powder on top and most days I put it on after an eye cream. 

Price - $4-5. Which since I consider it to work the same as the Touche Eclat I'm saving a ton.

Packaging - It comes in a squeeze tube with a brush. If you're careful you shouldn't have a problem. I actually prefer it to the click pens as I feel it gives you more control over how much product you want. The brush is super soft too. If you are worried about hygiene you can always squeeze out a dab onto a clean brush or finger and then apply to your face.

Shaken. AKA Swatched.

Stirred. AKA Blended. 

Weekly Beauty Bests

Weekly Beauty Bests

Summer is here (finally) so I've been working on keeping my makeup routine simple. About every day of June has had me wearing a "blogger bun" -  a massive contraption of hair piled precariously atop my head and some version of light eye, flirty lashes, glowy skin and bright, juicy lips. Not exactly an original look but pretty. 

I've been obsessed with the Stila 'The Natural  palette I got from Ulta recently and I've been using it daily for both day-time and evening looks. I will have a full review of it and the other products I mention up here soon. I'd love to do a quick tutorial on the look I've been wearing too - keep your eyes open! :)

What look/products have you been using and wearing??

The Shadows:

For the day, I've been taking Pure from the Stila Natural Palette and putting it all over my lid, Linen through the crease and Innocent in my outer third. I follow with my Pixi champagne shadow in my inner corner as a highlight. 

Stila The Natural - Eye shadow palette. Exclusively at Ulta

Don't let the melding with my skin tone fool you - they are gorgeous on the eye and pigmented without being overwhelming. 

Pixi Fairy Light Solo in No.2 Champagne Glow 

The Face:
I don't wear foundation so after I moisturize I apply Kat Von D's Tattoo Concealer on my blemishes and take Rimmel's Perfect Match Concealer to the dark circles under my eyes and in any areas I wish to highlight. It's an inexpensive version of YSL Touche Eclat.  

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer and highlighter.  Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer in Light

The Coloring:
I'm pale. And it's not attractive on me. I have warm undertones and when I go pale I look like a Tim Burton movie extra (which I could totally live with honestly) but to keep from being confused with Beetlejuice I use Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer and Blush to prevent ghostly comparisons. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Ave Princess and Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface.

 The Lashes:

My two favorite drugstore mascaras. For a more dramatic look I go with the Falsies, for a flirty day-time look Rimmel Lash Accelerator. 

Maybelline the Flasies Flared and Rimmel Lash Accelerator

The Liners:
My new all-time favorite eye liners - high end or drugstore. I tightline my upper lash line with the black or smudge it into my lashes for soft all-day definition. I use the turquoise on my lower lash line for a fun pop of color. 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal eyeliners in 001 Black and 007 Turquoise

The Lips:
I have a lot of bright lip products I rotate. This weeks crop: Glisten Up Pink is a beautiful berry-pink with silver shimmer and over a lip balm gives the softest, prettiest shiny look.
Coral Tattoo is a great long-lasting, bright and juicy lip color. Orange Attitude and Pink Possibilities are fantastic when you're running out the door and want some color without having to think about it. I layer them over lip balm and they're soft, shiny, water-color brights.

Left to right: Maybelline lipstick in Glisten Up Pink, L'Oreal Colour Riche Color Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Coral Tattoo and Maybelline Color Whisper in Orange Attitude and Pink Possibilities.

The Tools:

Sally Hasen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips: Stud-io Time

Dear Reader,

 I recently picked up a brand new box of Sally Hasen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in the pattern Stud-io Time. I'd seen them in stores and figured A: they'd be a bit*h to apply and B: way, WAY too expensive.

When I found them for $2 dollars (yes you read that right ladies and gentleman!) brand new, I was utterly prepared to do back-flips in the store in excitement over getting to try them for less. What can I say? I'm a cheapskate.


The following is an account of my experience with them ;)

They were a breeze to put on. I thought it would be so difficult and frustrating. It wasn't at all! It took me maybe fifteen minutes. 

My tips & tricks:

• I have small hands & when they're not grown out (as seen here) child sized finger nails, even grown out quite long though, I was able to use one strip on two finger nails. These suckers are pricy! I'm making them last as long as possible.
• When you don't have enough strips left for a full manicure: accent nail!
• I used both a base & a top coat which worked really well. My manicure lasted almost a full week with zero chips and when it did chip I could have patched it. Quite frankly these things can last longer than my interest in one nail color for a period of time. I think with pampering/repair I could have made these last a week and a half to two weeks.
• Take your time! I was a little hasty on one or two nails & actually pulled part of the strip off my nail.
• After you apply the strip, buff it flush with your nail like crazy and run either the orange stick or your own finger nail around the edge of your nail bed to make a super neat edge. 

This is all about the details/level of attention your willing to put it. If you enjoy doing your own nails (like me) & paying attention to details (like me) you'll enjoy this. If not, I'd probably recommend spending your money elsewhere. It's a great look though! I actually bought another pair to wear for my birthday - sugared pink glitter with black skulls!

What are your thoughts? Too expensive? Fun look? Would you wear them??

If you have any questions about this product, please feel free to ask me and I'll do my best to walk you through it!

Have a great day!! 

 TES

September 2012 Favorites

Dear Reader,

 September's been & gone & I'm fairly certain I must have slept through it. Okay that's wishful thinking, I worked through it and it's disappeared like the last doughnut. Secretively & without explanation.

I have had a good month though for the most part, and I hope you have too! 

Let me know in the comments what your favorite things are and if you're looking forward to Autumn/Winter like I am!

My favorite things for September:

1.  Lippie: Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee
2. Eyes: Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye Shadow in Barely Beige 

      

   
   

3. Face: Boots Expert Sensitive Light Moisturizing Lotion
4. Hair: Bed Head Dumb Blonde Conditioner/Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray
5. Top: James Perse Button Down (Yes it's wrinkled. I'm always wrinkled. My buttons are usually buttoned incorrectly too!)   
6. J. Brand Jeans from Goodwill for $4
7. Sunglasses: London Fog 's Ray-Ban Aviator Look-A-Like ($3 at T.J. Maxx!)
8. Drink: Lemon Zinger Tea with Sliced Lemons/Water



My Disney Princess Mug. Not because I'm a "Princess" but it has Belle on it & she's still my fav : )

9. Food: Chicken Enchiladas/Chili
10. Song: Lean Like A Cholo by Down AKA Kilo (I love dancing to this) Aye Chico by Pitbull &...hmmm Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol & a bunch of songs by Joan Jett. 
11. Movie: I'm on a total Johnny Depp (Goal #33 see all Johnny Depp's films) and Tim Burton kick (Goal #37 see all Tim Burton's films) so I've taken out a ton from my library
12. Bag: My new Hunter bag. My very first high-end bag I've actually purchased new and just for me, so very excited!! :) 
13. Shoe: Vintage Cole-Haan Riding Boots
14. Book: The Calliope Reaper-Jones Series by Amber Benson. It's a fun little series that appeals to both my Stephen King loving, fantasy fan, darker side and Neiman Marcus, Sephora addicted girly side all in one! 
15.  Nails: Base: Sally Hansen Nail Hard As Nails Nail Hardener, Color: Butter London Yummy Mummy, Glitter: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Strobe Light, Topcoat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails Strengthening Topcoat. 

Berry Kissed Lippie

This fall I'm embracing a darker eye and a darker berry lip. Not together necessarily - but who knows! I'm looking to try out what I've always been drawn to, but haven't been confident to try.

I've always been nervous with smoky eyes - I've got the technique, but I never liked it on me. My coloring is different; I have blonde hair, brown eyes and a interesting skin tone. I'm medium fair, but I've got a strong golden peach undertones, so I don't fall into "cool" or "warm" tones. Matching colors to me is very difficult!

I play the makeup game a little safely - until this year! I've experimented with bright pink lips, dark eyes, nude lips, etc.

#1 Fall Makeup Desire:
Wine colored lips!







I subscribe to Elle, Vogue and Harpers, so I get them weeks after they actually are released. That being said, I'll start being obessed with something and after I get the magazine find out they've done a spread on it. Which can be irritating cause I love uniqueness but anyway lol Harpers has a vampy lip in their beauty ideas for fall too - so great minds think alike!

Now I just need to obtain the right color. I have a handful of vampier colors, but none are quite right. I have my eye on either Raspberry Pie or Red Velvet Cake by Revlon from the lip butters line (of course!) I know there are some other great companies and lines (ditto of course!) but I'm cheap and I'm not a fan of lipstick, so Butters are my <3

When I got the Clinique Lip Smoothie thingy (I like food inspired things. You may have noticed I have a thing for butter items) I hated it! I was going to get rid of it the first possible chance. Now, it's almost exactly what I'm looking for!


And let this be a lesson - and it's one I've failed many times! I'll look at a item and go "I hate this! I'll never wear it." Toss to the donate pail.

6 months later, a year later. I'm kicking myself over getting rid of that because it's just what I'm looking for! Give things a chance! Put it a aside, give it some time, then if you still cannot stand it, move it on.


Of the vampy colors I do own:

From L-R CO Bigelow Mentha Lipgloss in Berry Shimmer, Covergirl Lipstain in 440, Clinique Vitamin C Lip Smoothie in Goodness Grapecious, Trish McEvoy Lipgloss in Cheers. From Top to Bottom: Covergirl Lipstain in 430, Covergirl Lipstain in 405, Freeze 24/7 Iceslicks in Plumcicle, Covergirl Lipstain in 410.

Bottom Row from L-R: All Covergirl Lipstains. "440", "430", "405", "410"
Flash

Top Row from L-R. Clinique Lip Smoothie "Goodness Grapecious", Trish McEvoy "Cheers", Ice slicks "Plumcicle"  CO Bigelow "Berry Shimmer"
 Far right line: Lancome's Rouge Absolu "Violine"
Natural Light

Sally Hansen's Teeth Brightening Lipgloss 'Radiant", Revlon Lip Butter "Berry Smoothie." Revlon Lip Butter "Cherry Tart."
Flash

Natural 

 *I know the reds aren't vampy, but I'm going for pin-ups (Reds) or Vamp (Plums) this F/W. And some of the browner based colors are too brown on me and layering the red helps it work with my coloring.

I'm obsessed for fall. Visions of clothes and makeup and shoes all inspired by crisp weather are dancing through my head 24/7. And I'm excited to be pushing my limits - the things I'm attracted to and what I'm actually comfortable being seen in are often two different styles of thought.

The Ten Things for Fall I'm most excited for:

1: That bite in the air

2: Jeans

3: Sweaters & sweatshirts in modern takes on 80's silhouette

4: Wedges

5: Soups and breads

6: Hot coco

7: Plum/Berry/Wine lips

8: A dear friend travels through 

9: Roaring fires 

10: Knits

What are you most excited for???