Spookfest 2012: ELF Maleficent Sinister Smoky Eye Book Review + Swatches

So if you caught my post earlier showing off the Evil Queen Palette Book (Snow White's Evil Queen!) then you already knew this what coming. What you might NOT know if that I'm a Sleeping Beauty Fanatic! I love pretty much everything about the movie/story/tale including the villain, Maleficent. She's pretty tremendously awesome. Now this palette...well..it is too. Really. You have to check this out.

Spookfest 2012: ELF Evil Queen Devious Dramatic Eyes Book Review + Swatches

If you love villains, you need to start stalking your Walgreens! This is the "Evil Queen" edition but I also picked up the Maleficent (my favorite!) one which I'll be showing you later on today. There was one other book as well which was Cruella...which I passed on. I think it will be really popular because it is so neutral but I didn't feel like it was super special. Now let's see what is inside the Evil Queen book!

Nail Challenge Day #14: Darkened Abstract Purple Flowers Nail Art

I'm the first to admit: I'm not big into flowery/lacey/extra girly designs. If I do pink, it is often with black. So when I saw the next challenge was flowers, my heart sank a bit. I had just stamped...I didn't want to stamp again! So instead I went with freehanding some art...& I kind of love it.

BarkBox for September 2012 featuring Cobo & Zeus Pics!

On my quest for the best subscription services, I stumbled upon BarkBox! For those that don't know, I have 2 dogs & a cat. Cobo is a Boxer/Shar Pei & Zeus is a Poodle/ Shih Tzu. Both are rescue mixes & spoiled beyond belief. When I come back, I want to be one of my dogs. Getting to spoil THEM with a monthly subscription is pretty incredible...& they love getting mail.

NEW Limited Edition Maybelline Baby Lips Swatches + Review!

First off, let me say how much I love you guys! A kind reader e-mailed me to ask if I had gotten my hands on the new Maybelline Baby Lips shades because she remembered reading my first review. I so appreciate you guys thinking of me & remembering posts like that!

Sally Hansen Lustre Shine in Scarab Swatches + Review!

When I posted the bottle shots of the 6 Sally Hansen Lustre Shine polishes, I got asked which one is my favorite & then posted about my #1 Lava. I think it is above Scarab for only the pure reason that I have nothing like it. A pink/orange shift? Nope.  However Scarab...is beautiful. & I'll probably find myself wearing it more often!

Birchbox September 2012 featuring Dr. Jart, Color Club, & More!

I look forward to my Birchbox every month like crazy. I've had Birchbox for well over a year, they've always had standout customer service, & they continuously introduce me to new brands & products. This month I was kind of half & half: it isn't a bad box but it also didn't blow me away. Birchbox is $10 a month & always a great surprise...to see what I got this month keep reading!

Nail Challenge Day #13: Cheetah Print Nails with Firefly Lustre Shine

So I actually had plans to do something completely different...but it didn't work out :( My backup plan was this manicure which I believe is cheetah print (because the spots are only one color? right?) I love this, like, a lot.

Mary Kay Fall 2012 Reviews + Swatches! & a GIVEAWAY!

When I was younger, I truly hated fall. Everything dying made me so sad. Now that I’m older, I actually enjoy it quite a bit. The leaves with their array of falling colors, putting on a gorgeous coat, & wearing bold but simple makeup simply makes me oh so happy.

When I had the opportunity to review some new products sent to me from Mary Kay for you guys, I knew it was a must! Growing up with Mary Kay in my mom’s stash spoiled me quite a bit. She would let me pick out a few things here & there for special occasions. My first red lipstick was from Mary Kay. I’ve pretty much been hooked ever since! Whether you’re new to the brand or an avid Mary Kay lover, this Hollywood Mystique Collection is mighty impressive.

Click here to read more.....>>>

Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Nail Polish in Lava

When I posted the bottle shots of the 6 Sally Hansen Lustre Shine polishes, I got asked which one is my favorite. It is honestly kind of a tie between Lava & the next polish I will post, but this one photographs the best! How gorgeous is this polish? & just in time for Fall!

Fall 2012: Bronzed Cranberry Eyeshadow Using BH Cosmetics Tropical Shimmer Palette

I did this look for the last day of summer. Ironically, it uses my most used shade for summer (bronze) & my most anticipated shade for Fall (cranberry) in one look.

Nail Challenge Day #12: Striped Accent with Orly Monster Mash

Why yes, yes I did cheat. I applied Monster Mash from the Orly Spellbound Collection yesterday...& I didn't want to take it off. Did. Not. Want.  This is the first of the collection I wore & I totally wasted it on a windy picnic. Boo. I wasn't willing to remove it so instead I added a striped accent nail. I hope you will be so awed by Monster Mash that you forgive me.

Spookfest 2012: Orly Monster Mash Swatches (Pic Heavy!)

Before posting my nail challenge, I have to get these swatches up! I was saving them for Halloween..but after seeing them I think you'll understand why these couldn't wait. Spookfest is starting early on the blog this year thanks to Orly's Monster Mash!

Victoria's Secret The Nakeds Review & Swatches

I've had this for awhile & honestly kept pushing back this review until I had ample time to test the shades. I actually picked this up from the Victoria's Secret store as opposed to online...since there was absolutely no information online about it. WTF VS! Clearly this goes along with the whole neutral palette trend but this one is a bit different! I think you guys will really appreciate it so do keep reading!

Holiday 2012: Zoya Ornate Collection Press Release

It’s time to celebrate... so make sure you celebrate in style!

The NEW Zoya Ornate Collection is the perfect to decorate your nails with stunning jewel tone colors and special effect pigments this season. Featuring six stunning, glittering, crystal shades in our new Power Pigment Full Coverage Formula. Superior coverage and dynamic color in one. All in the long-wearing, toxin free (BIG5FREE) formula you love... Each one is as beautiful as the next.

Zoya WINTER/HOLIDAY 2012/13: ORNATE Collection

·       Blaze (ZP641) - Cranberry Glitter Glam Crystal - Featuring Power Pigment Full Coverage

·       Electra (ZP642) -  Holographic Tinsel Special Effect- wear it alone or layer it for extra drama

·       Ziv (ZP644) - Gold Foil Glitter Crystal - Featuring Power Pigment Full Coverage

·       Storm (ZP645) - Black with Multi Color Crystal Shimmer - Featuring Power Pigment Full Coverage

·       Aurora (ZP646) - Plum with Multi Color Crystal Shimmer - Featuring Power Pigment Full Coverage

·       Logan (ZP647) - Green Foil Glitter Crystal - Featuring Power Pigment Full Coverage

ZOYA IS THE NEW COLOR OF FASHION!

Ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are BIG5FREE - all formulas are completely free of harmful industrial chemicals such as toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

Find over 300 other Zoya shades at www.zoya.com. Each and every name has a color as unique as the women who inspired it.

$8.00 ea. US. Shipping October 15, 2012.

Find Zoya Ornate on Zoya.com

I just received this message: Based on the immense initial response to the PRE-ORDER of our Gilty Pleasures Gift Box, Zoya has decided to make Zoya Ornate also available for PRE-ORDER starting sometime prior to Monday on Zoya.com.

So I was way crazy happy to share these shots with you guys! How fab do these look? I am SO excited for holos...I seriously have a holo problem. Are you loving these for a  Holiday collection? Any of these strike your particular fancy?

Press + a DIY?: Gilty Pleasures 18K Real Gold Flake Topcoat Gift Box by Zoya

Gilty Pleasures 18K Real Gold Flake Topcoat Gift Box by Zoya

Just in time for party season!

The Gilty Pleasures velvet gift box features Zoya Gilty*, the 18k Real Gold Flake Topcoat  (0.5oz) Plus, two long wearing, full-size (0.5oz), colors to cover in gold as a bonus... Zoya Raven (black) and Zoya Purity (white).

Pre-Order Today HERE! 

Official Ship Date 10/15/2012 - Due to extreme demand and scarcity of the gold material, we are asking everyone to pre-order the Gilty Pleasures Trio Box in advance. Once pre-sell is sold out, there will be no more product available (that means when it's gone it's gone). You will not be charged until for the Gilty Pleasures Trio Box actually ships. 

Want more?
Try Zoya Gilty over your favorite nail polish shade to create your own signature 18K Gold look - click here for a few of our suggestions.

ZOYA IS THE NEW COLOR OF FASHION!

Ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are BIG5FREE - all formulas are completely free of harmful industrial chemicals such as toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

Find over 300 other Zoya shades at www.zoya.com. Each and every name has a color as unique as the women who inspired it.

$30.00 US. Shipping October 15, 2012.

Order Zoya Gilty Pleasure on Zoya.com today!

So the DIY? part is this. I have a pretty good idea for a gold (& a silver!) version of this polish...would you guys be interested in a DIY? What about this set, will you be pre-ordering it? Are you as bummed as I am that you can't order Gilty Pleasures as a single?

Dupes?: Maybelline Metal Icon & China Glaze Stone Cold Swatches

So I was asked to put up a comparison post about these last week & I'm just now pulling it from the vault! These AREN'T dupes but I do like both of them a lot, especially for fall!

Klutch Club Box for August 2012 featuring Japan Gold Seaweed Salad, Twistband, & More!

I know, I'm SO sorry this has taken so long to get up! I have the September Klutch Club one right around the corner which I promise to get up ASAP after it arrives! I totally lost all of my footage & had so many issues. Blah blah blah excuses! Now let's dive into a really superb box shall we?

Nails: Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Bottle Shots ( All 6!)

Although there should be more of these shades coming out (crossing my fingers they're fab!) I did pick up all 6 that are available now today at Walgreens. They were NOT cheap. At $8.50 a piece they were actually a total sucker punch. I was contemplating only picking up a few but I probably would have picked the wrong ones! In fact, only 1 of the original ones I would have picked up is on my MUST BUY list so far as I'm swatching them currently. Enough talking, how you like these sugar?

 

Lava

Nail Challenge Day #11: Color Blind Test Dot Manicure Nail Art

  So as much as I adore dots, I wanted to try something a bit different! I'm a Pinterest freak (seriously check out my boards!) & pinned this incredible idea from Goose's Glitter that she called "The Color Blind Test".  Hers are so perfect while mine are not so much. Her nails are wider (ah to dream!) & it just looks fabulous. Mine are long but quite narrow. My nails also grow upwards & are really curved. Basically...I need more freaking space haha.

Hair: Maijan Pure Moroccan Argan Oil infused with Grapeseed Oil and Essential Oils

If you had told me 5 years ago that I would be ADDING oil to my hair to make it look better, its likely I would have slapped you silly. I've come a long way & have stocked up on quite a few different oils since. I usually say my hair is normal but a bit dry at the ends. Its pretty healthy regardless of what damage I do to it. This humidity here in Nebraska though, gross. On one hand, I kind of like that it brings out the waves in my hair if I don't style it. On the other hand...GROSS. So between the heat & humidity you'd think I'd be staying away from hair oils right? Nope!

From Maijan.com:
Maijan Pure Moroccan Argan Oil infused with Grapeseed Oil and Essential Oils is the perfect solution for healthy hair and skin.  This miracle golden Organic Argan Oil helps soothe and soften both dry and frizzy hair and trouble skin.  Maijan's secret blend of the Organic Argan Oil infused with Grapeseed and essential oils gives your hair and skin a sense of pure luxury like none other.

This is a 2 oz glass bottle with a dropper. It will last quite a long time. The scent on this is VERY different from my other oils but I do like it! It reminds me of getting henna tattoos as a kid. The key to this oil's glory is that somehow it packs in all the benefits of the nutrients & anti-oxidants while feeling incredibly light. Definitely a great trait in something going in my hair. This hair oil is a bargain compared to many other hair oils I have at only $25. It might SOUND expensive, but you only use a tiny amount.

I don't have to use much of this Maijan  Moroccan Argan Oil to notice a positive change in my hair. I like to add it to my tips usually just brushing & pinching them with my fingertips a bit. I've also used it on dryer parts of my skin which I've prone to & it adds back the moisture I'm lacking. Now, please do note, I'm not slathering myself in oil. End note.

I have given my hair an oil treatment but I really find that my tips benefit the most & it helps to keep my hair styled & not frizzy at all. In winter, I use hair oils to combat dryness in my hair so I'm sure this will be put to good use...if I have any left! I think I'd really like to try the Maijan Deep Conditioning Boost Hair Oil Treatment with Argan & Lavender Oil next! For more information about Maijan products, check out their website!

Holiday 2012: Anastasia of Beverly Hills Want You to Want Me Kit Review + Swatches

I make no secret: I have been awaiting the Anastasia of Beverly Hills Holiday sets like a crazy person. I missed out last year & knew I wanted to score some this year! I also have another set, a must have really! I'll be reviewing that here soon! It's all lippies & they have one of my absolute favorite formulas! That is called Kisses on My List & you can see my preview of it with some information!

Nail Challenge Day #10: My Fail Gradient with Orly It's Not Rocket Science & Ingenue

So...my gradient is a fail. SO bummed. I had envisioned this beautiful Fall gradient. Ingenue is a gorgeous light purple/mauve shade with a golden/light olive sheen. It's Not Rocket Science is this crazy green with many shades of green & is so glassy! Sounds good in theory right?

Coterie Announcement...4 Butter LONDON Polishes for $11? HURRY!

  About Coterie
Coterie features a perfectly manicured selection of exclusive offers from the most beloved beauty brands. In collaboration with top makeup artists, stylists and industry trendsetters, Coterie provides the woman-on-the-go everything she needs to know, all in one place.

As you may have heard, Coterie.com launched their exclusive early access to members who signed up pre-launch. As we've noticed this exclusive early offer is in demand, we've decided to roll it out to our insiders today. This exclusive offer gives members $25 towards their first purchase on ANY Coterie collection launching on the site. This early access offer is only available through Monday, 9/17 12 noon EST! You can use the $25 offer towards our current preview offer with butter LONDON or any other future offer sold on Coterie. (If you love butter, you'll love what's coming next!)

Please got to Coterie HERE or www.coterie.com/preview then enter the following codes below on the image. 

***Even if you aren't interested in the Butter LONDON deal, you will STILL retain a $25 credit to use in the future. It can't hurt! It's very similar to all those sites we stalk but for beauty! AH-Mazing! 

If you are trying to snag the Butter LONDON's but get a SOLD OUT note, DO NOT LOSE HOPE! They are currently replenishing their stock & you should be able to snag it! If not, they are going to be working with some amazing upcoming brands that you might want to use your $25 credit for!

I was a part of their press launch, so I received 3 Butter LONDON's & the Matte Top Coat. WOO! Funny story- I literally owned all 3 of the other polishes so I pretty much just got the ones I didn't own haha I'll swatch them soon!

I used my referral code here & would love if you used it! It allows me to pick up some more items to show you on the blog. As I said, these were provided for a preview!

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Holiday 2012 Sneak Peek!

So I'm still testing wear (ha like I need to, these are always fabulous) but I wanted to give you a sneak peek & basic info for 2 upcoming sets. I'm pretty much in love with these lippies (every shade looks good on me...say what!) & this palette, OMG! Its like they made it specifically for me with those purples & neutrals. I'll have lots of swatches & a full review on each this weekend so stay tuned!

For now, here's the basic information for each so you know what to look out for & when it will be hitting shelves:


The Want You to Want Me is a kit within a clutch…a nod to the glam and decadence of the 1970’s.  This set includes a deluxe eye shadow palette featuring an array of 70’s rock inspired shades for a beautiful holiday look. The mirrored compact with brush features nine matte and pearlized nude and plum shadows, Liquid Eye Liner, and Mini Clear Brow Gel to turn your eyes into a velvet goldmine. With shadow tints like Power Ballad, Jellies, Platform Wedge, and Ziggy…how can you go wrong!  Toss this gorgeous palette in your clutch for touch-ups wherever your night takes you.   The Want You to Want Me makeup kit retails for $34 ($90 value) and is available at Sephora and Anastasia.net.


The Kisses on My List gloss set features six high-shine glosses in matte and shimmer shades that wear all-day.  With three softly sheer, opalescent glosses, and three new Hypercolor Glosses that actually stain your lips…don’t be standing too close to the mistletoe if you don’t want to be kissed!  Each gloss is named after famous 70’s muses you won’t soon forget.  Lola, Maggie May, Sharona, Roxanne, Jolene, and Moi are sure to inspire your loved one to write a song about you! The Kisses on My List gloss set retails for $30 ($108 value) and is available at Sephora and Anastasia.net.

I'm so excited to show you guys swatches & such! These lippies...wowie! Consider them must-haves! & the packaging on the Want You to Want Me clutch kit? Perfection!Say tuned for reviews & swatches this weekend!

Both kits were provided by PR oh so sweetly so I'll be able to give you the inside scoop!

Events: Rite Aid Grand Opening Event TOMORROW!

I am SO jealous of all you lucky ladies with access to Rite Aid! This event sounds like weekend perfection, I'm so sorry I'm letting you know about it such short notice! Some fab brands involved!



This is one Rite Aid Grand Opening that you don’t want to miss! Come out to Rite Aid on August 25 and September 15 and get a free makeover with Maybelline, CoverGirl, and Almay products. Demonstrators will also be letting customers try Simple Sensitive Skin Experts Cleansing Facial Wipes and Purell Hand Sanitizers. Best of all, they will be giving away great gift bags filled with coupons and samples. To see if this event is near you, enter your zip code on the top right hand corner of the page.


Date(s): 8/25, 9/15
State(s): CA CO LA MD NJ NY OH OR PA VA VT WV CT MI NC RI DE MA ME NH
View these event locations »

This info is from http://www.freebeautyevents.com/ & you can go there to find more events nearby. Neat idea right? They also run various contests throughout the year.

nuNAAT Karité Special Hair Products GIVEAWAY!

Although my Nature Box Giveaway still has a few days left, I think it's time to open up another giveaway! Thanks to nuNAAT I'll be giving away EVERY product I reviewed from nuNAAT yesterday which includes the shampoo, conditioner, mask, leave-in detangler, & Thermo cream.

All of the winner's products will be FULL-SIZED like mine as well! BIG thanks to nuNAAT, this giveaway is all thanks to them! Check them out here: http://www.nunaat.com/

For the Giveaway:

Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below! If you don't see it, give it a moment to load, refresh your page, or contact me directly & I will try to help! Sorry this is US only & please refer to my disclosure policy which has a special section just for giveaways!

Good luck everyone!!!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nail Challenge 2012 Day #9: Rainbow Spun Sugar Mani!

Ever since I did my Yellow Challenge nails (they are black & yellow spun sugar!) I knew I would be trying rainbow spun sugar nails! I didn't do a top coat on this one because it was a bit tougher to photograph. Plus you can see how ridge-y it is here :)

Hair: Karité Special Line from nuNAAT Review (5 products total!)

So I actually had a choice of which hair line I was most interested in trying. After much thought, I picked the Karité one. I've been using hot tools on my hair a lot lately (gearing up for tutorials, but I still need practice!) & I honestly just adore shea butter. Shea Butter smells so warm & nutty, & also a tad tropical like maybe coconuts? It also smells very sweet, almost a brown sugar addition? Either way, it has done some fab things for my skin, why not my hair? 

Wet n Wild Saved by the Bell Nail Polish Collection + Dupes!

When I heard about this collection, I had to have it. Like immediately. So...its NEON, 99 CENTS, & Saved by the Bell? You bet I had to make it mine. I almost resorted to Ebay (true story) because it just wasn't popping up anywhere. Then there it was, on the lowest shelf at my CVS in the back. It looked so lonely. I was the first one to hit it.

Nail Challenge 2012 Day #8: Metallic Gold & Silver Nails featuring CND!

Woohoo! It is now the 8th challenge & this one was metallics. I've picked up quite a few...supposed to be huge for fall! I thought I'd go with my 2 CND metallics, Gold Chrome & Silver Chrome. Each of these are rather unique & lean slightly in an nontraditional sense. I thought I'd do a gradient since gold & silver just look fab together. I REALLY wish I had the Copper shade form CND! Since I haven't featured these before, here they are on their own pre-art.

EOS Alice in Wonderland Trio Review + Secret Packaging!

So if you saw my post yesterday about the release of the Alice in Wonderland EOS trio, then you know I went on a mission. I HAD to have them. So I went on a mission! I got loads of hits on the post from yesterday so I know I wasn't the only one! If you missed that post, I also got information from my contact at EOS & they explained why out of all the Disney characters they went with Alice.

So here's the display at Target:

Beauty Blog Coalition Weekly Roundup!

• Destany at Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom tried a new nail art technique, the plastic wrap mani, using Cult Nails polishes.
• This Fall, there’s a whole lot to talk about when it comes to NARS Cosmetics. Alison of The Advice Sisters reports on Fall 2012, NARS new skincare collection, and gives a sneak peek at Holiday 2012.
• BeautyJudy shares swatches and a review of polishes from the new lacquer line that Katie Cazorla, star of The Nail Files show and owner of The Painted Nail, has launched!
• Retrodiva's Beauty is at Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week and has the scoop on the NARS look at the Creatures of the Night show.
• Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog says Hello Lashes! with a mascara from It Cosmetics.
• Blushing Noir hosts a Back-to-School Giveaway where you can get your hands on goodies like a Danielle Nicole Clutch, OPI Polish, Milani, and more!
• TheFabZilla showcases the return of the vamp for fall ~ dark wine berry lips. See how you can make it wearable to work or at daytime.
• Looking for an ultra shiny, cruelty-free gloss? Making up the Midwest dishes on the one of the best: Youngblood's Mighty Shiny Lip Gel.
• Celebrate a whole month of Birthdays with Midnight Manicures and enter to win one of two prizes which consists of 3 polishes each from the Zoya Fall 2012 Collections.
• Sheila at Painted Ladies has revitalized her curls with Dove's Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner, and has a coupon so you can try it, too!
• Did you know that your sleeping position can put a crimp in your complexion? Head on over to BeautyTidbits to find out how to avoid 'sleep lines'.
• Beauty from Liz tried out The Body Shop All-in-One BB cream - is it as good as Asian BB creams?
• Miss L from Beauty by Miss L found great budget friendly eye primer from MUA Makeup Academy and reviewed on her blog.
• Does Phyrra love or hate "August's GlossyBox"? Find out!
• Christina from Curls N Pearls takes a look back at some of Jessica Biel's most gorgeous hairstyles and colors. Check the looks out for yourself and vote for your favorite!
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog has foolproof tips for Fall & Winter-ready skin & hair!
• Trina Turk teamed up with Julep to create nail polish colors inspired by her Fall 2012 fashion line! Mina Slater of Fabulous Awesomeness shares swatches of the September Trina Turk Edition Julep Maven Bombshell box.
• School is back and you're probably over your wardrobe already. Give it a little face lift with this Free KEDS giveaway from Seventeen magazine. Also check out these cool bloggers.
• Are you ready for Fall? Pammy Blogs Beauty scopes out Laura Mercier's new Fall 2012 lineup! Great products (including her famous tinted moisturizer now in compact form!)!!!
• Cosmetics Aficionado shows you Chanel's Brume D'Or Joues Contraste blush, quite possibly the brown/orange blush of your dreams.
• Lawless Lacquer (formerly Oh So Lacquered) gets fancy with her dotting tools for a fun accent nail!
• Mimi's Mani's shows how to lighten up with Mally's Airbrush Highlighter.
• Polarbelle found five exceptional top coats in the Cult Nails Deceptive Collection especially when laid on top of the rich black polish Nevermore.
• NYC New York Color has just the thing to help you expand your lippy wardrobe without breaking the bank! Mama Fashionista shares the City Duets 2 in 1 Lip Colors!
• Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful shows you her Apple Orchard nail art, perfect for fall & super pretty in general!
• Ever a foundation fanatic, The Beauty Professor has swatched all twelve shades of the hotly anticipated Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup...it was just released this week!
• Escape to the Amazon in beautiful style with Tarte and Beauty Info Zone. You won't regret it.

EOS Limited Edition Alice in Wonderland Lippies + Why Alice? from EOS

So when I saw this trio available, you know I had to have it. #1 I love eos balms & talk about them endlessly here on the blog. #2 Its Alice in Wonderland. No explanation needed! & #3 THEY INCLUDED WATERMELON! Just ask hubby, if I could have pretty much every lippie flavored/scented with watermelon or vanilla, I'd be one happy blogger.

Below is information from the EOS PR:

eos limited edition lip balm collection
Inspired by Disney’s Alice in Wonderland

Why Alice?

We wanted to choose a character that embodies out ideal 'eos Girl'- fun, smart, stylish...and with a healthy dose of curiosity. Alice in Wonderland has been brought back to life and reinterpreted for multiple generations, but is still a timeless tale of imagination and discovery.

Delightful Design
Our Spheres grew ears! Since this is our first collaboration with another brand, we thought we'd commemorate the occasion with a distint design update: our eor 'dimple' grew ears! We've added Mickey Ears to the imprint of our Smooth Spheres to symbolize our partnership with Disney and their iconic character for this special limited edition collection.

Delectable, Alice-Inspired Flavors
-Blueberry Potion
- Sweet Vanilla Nonsense
- Watermelon Wonderland

available at:

•     Target stores starting September 2012
•     Walgreens and Ulta stores starting November 2012.
•     Target.com, Walmart.com, and Drugstore.com starting November 2012.

Sale: September 2012 thru February 2013
Suggested Retail Price:$8.99

Unfortunately my contact said these will only be available in the trio, not separately! So if you want one, buy it! I am totally digging the Mickey Mouse ears on the sides of each sphere. It brings in the Disney touch without totally changing the whole product. Wonder if they plan to work with Disney again & maybe that's why they went with Mickey Ears instead of something Alice related? Hope so! & now I'm off to go buy it at my local Target! I'll post it when I have tracked it down with my review :)

Nail Challenge 2012 Day #7: Black & White Newspaper Nails!

So when I thought of Black & White (the basis for this challenge) I immediately thought of newspaper nails. I have seen them all over the blogosphere but never physically tried them myself. I didn't have regular newspaper so I actually used a CVS ad I had layer around that looks like it's printed on something similar. I even have a black & white photo, booya!

Maybe it was because it wasn't printed on regular newsprint, but this didn't transfer all that well. It just looked alright. My right hand actually turned out a bit better, slightly darker. I found I had to topcoat it super fast or else it would smear though. Again, not sure if that's because of the newsprint I used. My base is Circus by Andrea's Choice in Reverso. It isn't my favorite base but it worked alright. I didn't want to use a great white since I was just trying it out.


I felt like it needed a bit of pizazz so I went the my favorite black & white polish, Black Tie Affair from Nails by Laura. I swatched it here & actually wore it to IMATS 2012 over Zoya's Wednesday. Its definitely a winner. The black half is Wet n Wild's Black Creme, hands down my favorite black. I also needed a healthy dose of Seche Vite :)

The method I found worked best for Newspaper Nails:
1. Paint your nails a super light color, I chose white.
2. Make sure your nails are completely dry but not with a top coat.
3. Soak your nail in alcohol for like 15-20 seconds. Make sure its completely in there.
4. Going only one nail at a time, place a piece of newsprint over it. I found rolling it over & pressing firmly worked best. I did this for probably like 20-30 seconds each.
5. Lift off the newsprint with a rolling motion.
6. Repeat on your other nails
7. Seal with a top coat.

Fall Into Autumn Challenge: Apples Nail Art

What's that? Crazy Stephanie joined a 3rd Challenge? Why yes, yes I did. I love doing seasonal nails & happened upon a post from the lovely Polished Prisms & thought why not? Its not like doing 3 challenges is completely insane...right? Meh, I'm still on track so whateves!

See Stephanie Read: Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay

 & for our next installment of See Stephanie Read we have: Trust Your Eyes

From Amazon:
Trust Your Eyes- Thomas Kilbride is a map-obsessed schizophrenic so affected that he rarely leaves the self-imposed bastion of his bedroom. But with a computer program called Whirl360.com, he travels the world while never so much as stepping out the door. He pores over and memorizes the streets of the world. He examines every address, as well as the people who are frozen in time on his computer screen.

Then he sees something that anyone else might have stumbled upon—but has not—in a street view of downtown New York City: an image in a window. An image that looks like a woman being murdered...

 After the last few chick-flick type books, I was so ready for something a bit more gritty. Okay, so I like reading some pretty dark books normally, but this was a solid in-between. Spoiler: No one wears anyone else's skin. This is more of a thriller/mystery with that whole "I wish my brain worked like that" type jealousy to it. If you watch Alphas & obsess about the brilliant Gary then you are totally on my brainwave.

So Thomas is pretty wicked. I get he's got all kinds of hardships going on, but his attention to detail both shatters his life & creates a new one. Barclay does a really good job of not making this into a total pity victim scenario which I appreciate though! His brother, Ray, has been tasked with taking care of him. He's pretty much the go-between for Thomas & the real world. He pretty much humors him about the whole "I saw a chick get murdered" thing...until he gets the feeling it might be legit.

This story has a lot of twists & turns, another thing I actively look for in a plot. If I know what is coming next all the time, you'll find me not reading it much. I finished this one in 2-3 days because I was really busy. On a more laid back week, it could have easily been 1-2. If you're into mystery/abilities stories, this one would probably be a good fit for you. There's like 3 plots going on here, you're bound to latch onto at least one of them!

Check out our discussion on BlogHer's Trust Your Eyes page & please do comment below if you have any questions!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own. For more information, see my disclosure policy.

Glossybox USA August 2012 featuring Illamasqua, Ellis Faas, & More!

GLOSSYBOX totally blew me away this time! I think everyone has those brands that they just haven't quite gotten to yet: the brands on your wishlist, the talked about brands, maybe a bit more expensive or hard to find. Illamasqua is one of mine that I just haven't quite jumped into yet so I was thrilled to see it in this months box! & a full size nail polish at that! Besides that lovely surprise, the rest of the box was pretty great too! I like Ellis Faas pretty well (still sampling some items before I review them!) & was impressed with ANOTHER full sized item! That's $49 already. Pure Luxury indeed! Snaps to you!
So you can see that this box had great variety & amazing value for only $21. This box had something for hair, nails, lips, skincare, & a primer which I consider makeup. Woohoo! 2 makeups + a nail polish!

The Illamasqua nail polish shade that I received is called Purity & is a lovely peachy-orange sorbet. I'll be swatching it soon & will let you know my first impressions of the line. I really like the shade I received as well. The Ellis Faas lipgloss I got is called L204 & is a really great orange. I don't own many oranges that aren't completely color sheer so this is actually exciting!

The other 3 products don't LOOK as exciting but I actually am. I'm psyched for the Exquisite Oil sample from Biolage/Matrix. I tend to really like Matrix products & I pretty much love the lightened oils for my hair. They're fantabulous.I forgot to point out that they are only 5 ml but have really nice pump packaging, perfect for travel. I never have any oils superb for travel so I might hang onto this. The Touch in Sol brand's Feel like Honey Moon Skin Base is also quite intriguing. I didn't notice this before, but its got gold pieces in it. Interesting indeed!The last product is the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster with potent vit. C. I have been using some new skin care that's a bit more agressive leaving me with some peeling. I'm testing this out to see if it helps to heal it up!

As always, let me know if you want a full review/swatches of any of these products either in video or blog post form. I hope you enjoyed seeing what was inside, it was a wonderful quality box! No complaints here! I urge you to sign up for your own GLOSSYBOX for only $21 now so you can take advantage of the free box promotion! I have a link up at the bottom right column of this post! Enjoy!

*Box was provided from PR however all opinions are my own. I'm still buying my own as well but they were the same this month! Affiliate links for GLOSSYBOXhave been used above, clicking & buying through them helps to support this blog!