Essie at CVS!

I've avoided nail color for a long time. I avoided it because I felt my hands/fingers were ugly & I didn't want to draw even more attention to them.

However, my hands have been gradually getting better & they look better than they have in a long time! So, I'm looking into nail colors again.

I was with my Sister at CVS the other day & discovered that they sell both Orly & Essie & I got excited at all the colors!

I didn't buy anything because money is short at the end of the month, but I'm keeping colors in mind for later. I don't have a bookmark for Orly's website (I'll have to rectify that), but I do have one for Essie.

So, I picked out the 4 Essie colors above that I thought look pretty. There was a color in store that I loved, but I don't remember the name. Anyhoo, I'm really excited at the prospect of pretty nail colors! :)

Finesse Clean + Simple

I recently had the opportunity to try the shampoo & conditioner from Finesse's new line of hair care products.

First the product statement/claims: The Clean & Simple line contains no sulfates, parabens, dyes or allergens and is 100% gluten-free. Hypoallergenic. Dermatologist Tested.

Ok, I usually take the terms "hypoallergenic" & "dermatologist tested" with a grain of salt, but I was really curious to try this since I have severe chemical/fragrance sensitivities.

The Good

• I had no allergy issues with this product which is HUGE. Because there have been shampoos that I've used & loved before that still caused mild iritation, but I had no issues with this. This does contain a mild fragrance, which usually is an issue with me, but I was fine with this.
• My hair felt clean & was "somewhat" manageable. (Explanation below).
  
  
• Those with normal to oily hair will appreciate the very light conditioner.
  

The Bad

• I usually like my shampoo to have a rich, luxurious lather & I didn't get that with this. However, my hair was cleansed well, so I guess that's not that big of a deal, lol.
• My hair being "somewhat" manageable is no fault of the product. I simply have dry hair & what I was sent is for normal hair. So, while I was able to work with my hair, it was a tad more difficult than normal. I had to use a lot of conditioner to make my hair workable.
  

Overall, I like the fact that I had no allergy issues with it. My only real qualm is that I wished it had a richer lather. I feel that the manageableness, or lack thereof, had to do with having a different hair type than what the product is made for.

Have any of you, my readers, tried it? What did you think? Let me know in the comments! :)

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These products were sent to me by a PR rep of the company. I did not pay for them. This in no way effects my opinions.

Contouring & Simple Makeup

In this video I show to get a simple natural look, plus some contouring.

Weekend Beauty Read

Hello Ladies! Yes, it's time again for the Weekend Beauty Read. Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, & enjoy these posts by my fellow beauty bloggers!

Gloria of DivaShop reviews & swatches 3 $1 e.l.f. eyeshadow quads.

Megan from Painted Ladies talks about Maybelline's Great Lash and other beauty pet peeves.

Phyrra has partnered with Apothica for a giveaway! Go enter!

A Touch of Blusher reviews RMK's spring 2011 makeup collection.

Cinnamon Kitten tests the herbal waters with a review of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo & Conditioner.

Jeweled Thumb looks at one of the most peculiar NYFW trends of the week Caviar just isn't for eating.

e.l.f. Haul & Review

Over a month or so ago I made an e.l.f. purchase, but because of the crazy weather I only recently received it.

I bought several items & today I'm going to cover them & give you my impressions.

Stay tuned for the "Harley Cam (our little Chihuahua/Min-Pin Mix Dog, so cute!)" at the end!

e.l.f. $1 e/s quads

Over a month or so ago I made an e.l.f. purchase, but because of the crazy weather I only recently received it. I bought several items, but today I'm only going to cover 3 of them.

And that's the $1 eyeshadow quads in Neuvo Neutrals, Butternut, & Day 2 Night. I've bought these in other colors before & loved them. I swatched all of these w/o bases so you get a better idea of their color payoff on their own.

Neuvo Neutrals is the least pigmented of the bunch & was a disappointment. In this quad you've got a couple neutral beige/tan shades, an olive green, & a very light blue. As you can see from the swatches, none of the colors really show up that well. You may get better payoff if you use a decent base/primer underneath it, but I'm pretty bummed about this one though. :(

Butternut has 2 really good pigmented shades that are just lovely. However, as you can see from the swatches, the 2 lightest shades don't even show up at all. C'mon e.l.f., what's the deal? Let's have some consistency please. Anyhoo, I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of the 2 darker shades in this quad. They're gorgeous! :)

The Day 2 Night quad is my favorite of the bunch! All 4 shades are nicely pigmented & there's some really pretty colors in this one. As you can see from the swatches, the payoff is consistent throughout. You get a gorgeous shimmery off-white highlight, a shimmery taupey color, a deep burgundy, & a charcoal. I will be getting the most use out of this one I'm sure.

So, overall, I am most pleased w/the Day 2 Night quad. As for the other 2, Butternut has 2 pretty shades I'll make use of & as for Neuvo Neutrals? Well, I'll have to try it on over a base & see what I think, but for now it's a definite fail in my opinion. Bummer!

Have any of you, my readers, tried any of these shades? What are your thoughts on 'em? Let me know in the comments! :)

Coastal Scents Mirage 88 Palette

UPDATE: YT user emilynoel83 talks about this palette in her latest makeup haul video. She says the shades have an nice sheen/shimmer to them but aren't as shimmery/sparkly as the 88 shimmer palette. Click here to watch!

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Are you a neutral girl when it comes to eyeshadows? I love my neutrals, but I also love gorgeous, shimmery golds & bronzes too. Coastal Scents latest palette looks like it's loaded with both!

The new 88 Mirage palette has plenty of neutrals & golds/bronzes (great for making my blue eyes pop). It also has some other colors too.

Here's the details directly from the site: "The Coastal Scents Mirage Palette" 88 jewel toned palette is full of the deepest canyon colors. From golden creams, rich ambers, crescent browns and reds, mossy and golden greens, with hints of amethyst and aqua. The colors are a mixture of Matte and Satin. Deep colors with excellent payoff in a beautiful range of colors that can be worn anytime of the day or night."

Sounds exciting to me! Have any of you, my readers, tried it? Loved it? Hated it? Let me know in the comments! :)

OOTN 2-7-11

I decided to do an Outfit Of The Night video. Hope it doesn't bore ya too much, lol!

What's In My Purse?

I have a different purse, so I thought I'd do an updated "what's in my purse" video. Hope you like it!

Win a pair of Havaianas!

Ever heard of Havaianas flip-flops before? Chances are you have. This popular brand has been around since 1962. It was copied by other brands so much so that in 1970 they developed the slogan: "Havaianas - The Real Ones".

They've developed a full line of women's sandals, including the coveted Slim line of flip-flops, which has a "thinner, more delicate strap."

How would you like a pair of your very own Havaianas flip-flops? Thought you might. :) I'm hosting a sponsored Havaianas giveaway on this blog. The giveaway will run from today 'til February 17th.

Rules:

• You can pick any flip-flop from their website, EXCEPT Limited Edition flip-flops.
  
• Sandals will only be shipped within the Continental United States. Entries outside this area will be disqualified. Sorry folks. :(

ENTER

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This contest is sponsored by a PR Rep of the Company. As a thank you gift for hosting contests, I will be recieving a pair for myself. This does not effect my opinions of the brand/product. For more info, see my disclosure page.

DivaShop Podcast: Episode 27

I mention 2 blogs in the DivaRoll (Beauty Broadcast & MissNikkiPip) & review some e.l.f. products.

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