easy manicure: Sonia Kashuk + Sally Hansen

i used Sonia Kashuk Breakfast at Tiffany's and Sally Hansen Big Glitter Top Coat in Goldi-Flecks to give my tips a fun look this past week. the SK shade was released as part of the spring 2014 collection, and i just love everything about it. the creamy green-blue is fabulous, so pretty and perfect for this warm weather season, don't you think?

the SH topcoat is also new, and is especially fun when it comes to adding a little something extra to any manicure. love it!

please forgive the messy manicure ~

:)

tell me: what are you wearing on your tips this week?

products featured bought by me; pics taken by me :)

Super Bowl manicure ideas from Sally Hansen

 if you're looking forward to the Super Bowl this weekend, you've probably already been getting into the spirit of the big event. for any beauty-loving gal, nails are the easiest way to show off whatever occasion or celebratory time is going on at the moment…

so the two teams playing in the big game are the seattle seahawks and the denver broncos; both teams have unique colors that will stand out on any set of hands. it just so happens that the fabulous Sally Hansen nail ambassador {and mani guru extraordinaire}, Tracylee created some easy design ideas for each team.

take a look at these designs, step by step, using a few SH products…

seahawks design:

products used to create this look: Sally Hansen's I Heart Nail Art Striper Brush from the I Heart Nail Art Tool Kit, I Heart Nail Striper in White, Xtreme Wear Polish in Pacific Blue and Green with Envy

how-to: 
start by using Pacific Blue and Sally Hansen's I heart Nail Art Striper Brush. paint a round or almond shaped line from sidewall to sidewall, 3/4 up the nail from the cuticle, to mimic the shape of your nail tip. fill in the space to the cuticle with polish

next, using the I Heart Nail Striper in White, outline the edge of the blue with a thin white line, using the very tip of your striper brush. then, using Green With Envy, outline the edge of the white, using your striper brush. fill in the rest of the area to the free edge of the nail. finish by applying your favorite Sally Hansen Top Coat.




broncos design:

products used to create this look: Sally Hansen's I Heart Nail Art Striper Brush from the I Heart Nail Art Tool Kit, I Heart Nail Striper in White, Xtreme Wear Polish in Pacific Blue and Sun Kissed.

how-to: 
start by using Sally Hansen's nail polish in Sun Kissed and I Heart Nail Art Striper Brush. paint a round or almond shaped line from sidewall to sidewall, 3/4 up the nail from the cuticle, to mimic the shape of your nail tip. fill in the space to the cuticle with polish.

next, using the I Heart Nail Art Striper in White, outline the edge of the orange with a thin white line, using the very tip of your striper brush. then, using Pacific Blue, outline the edge of the white, using your striper brush. fill in the rest of the area to the free edge of the nail. finish with your fave Sally Hansen Top Coat.

and there you have it. it's quite simple, wouldn't you say?
visit sallyhansen.com for more info on the featured products. you can also find Sally Hansen sold in you favorite drug and mass retail shops.

tell me: are you planning a special manicure for the Super Bowl?

info and images courtesy of SH's PR

my fall 2013 beauty and style haul!

over the past several weeks, i've been collecting some new goodies…

wanna see??

oh, just fyi, i created the collages kind of randomly {and not everything is pictured}, but i know you'll get the idea…

take a look…

first, i have to blame thank Emily {she's fabulous!} for my current Wet n Wild product obsession. and she may have also had some influence on some all of the e.l.f {blush/bronzer duos, lashes, brushes} purchases i've recently made….

most everything from wet n wild is fabulous, so pigmented and they apply gorgeously! 

i've collected all of the blush/bronzer contouring powders from e.l.f. as well as some of their lashes, makeup brushes {their $1 eye shadow and crease brushes from the Essential line and the Complexion and Small Stippling brushes from the Studio line}; also added to my makeup collection: a couple of wet n wild palettes, blushes and liners…

sweet, cozy scents are essential this time of year. so, of course, the fact that i've bought some new candles should be no surprise. i'm sure you've already made at least one purchase from Bath and Body Works yourself! in addition to pocketbac hand sanitizers {must-haves when on-the-go and/or you have kids}, i chose the candle flavors Leaves, Marshmallow Fireside, Frosted Cranberry and Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin. other candles i've purchased {a great wallet-friendly option, but just as happy-making and fabulous} came from Glade  {Apple Cinnamon Cheer, Fall Hayride, Sweet Holiday Treat and Ginger Bread Jingle} they're small, but big on yummy fragrance, and shouldn't be passed up if you see them!

other lovely fall beauty purchases:

e.l.f eyelid primer {i'm testing it out to compare to higher-priced primers; look out for that review soon!}; Cover Girl's classic Super Thick mascara {fab for volume that's not too over-the-top}; Maybelline nail polish in Impeccable Greys, a great deep gray shade; Chi and Rusk hair treatment minis i bought from Cosmoprof;

OPI polishes: Every Month is Oktoberfest {from last fall's Germany collection}; Miami Beet, a gorgeous beet-purple that was released way back in 2009 and i somehow never bought until now. and from Mariah Carey's holiday 2013 collection: All Sparkly and Gold, self-explanatory, and Warm Me Up, a shimmery brown-grey, i also bought these at Cosmoprof.

two pretty holders for the candles from Bath & Body Works, above, and two from Target that i decided to use as containers for other things ~ you can see one with some makeup brushes in the pic, below...

also hauled hair treats...nail polishes...lashes…accessories…you know, just the usual…

i have to blame YouTube beauty videos again for my lash purchase, ha! but really, it's been so long since i've used them. i'm so looking forward to throwing them into the mix and dressing up my look this season! the Sally Hansen nail polishes {pictured top right} came as a set found at Target. and i'm so late to the party, but i just started using Jordana Best Lash Extreme mascara…have you tried it?? it's fab! i can't wait to try more products from the brand.

love my little owl earrings and this ceramic Sweet Dove container, both from Forever 21…

in the style category, i've bought a couple of scarves, more than a few pair of earrings, some rings and necklaces; a hat…

these skinny jeans {love the zipper at the back of the ankle!} and flowy top from Target…

 
two Mossimo jackets {discovered on the 50% clearance rack ~ yay! ~ from Target}...

 a couple of casual tops from H&M...

 as well as other pieces from various shops. i'll have to share those on another post...

this isn't too much, is it?? in my defense, it wasn't all one big purchase. it started in september…maybe august…

and finally, i just have to share, this tea called Matcha Maker from Good Earth. i already love their Sweet and Spicy teas, so i was incredibly happy to find it! it's an amazing, sweet blend of green and matcha teas infused with orange, ginger and other warm, citrusy goodness…so yummy!

:)

tell me: what have you hauled for yourself this fall…so far?
please share in the comments ~ i'd love to know!!

all items shown were purchased by me; pics taken by me :)

my favorite nail polishes for fall!

hello, beauties ~ hope you had a fabulous weekend! i certainly did {at-home pampering, shopping for beauty goodies with my daughter, etc}, and today is holiday {thank you vets!}, so i have no complaints...

i'm here, as you already know from the title, to share the polishes i'm currently loving for this time of year. not all of them are new, but they're the shades that i'm truly in love with ~ it's a fun, random mix…

take a look!

Zoya Riley is a fab red raspberry creme that looks good with everything. it has a bit of a purple undertone and is simply stunning.

Wallis, the metallic olive gold from Butter London is an absolute must-have! how i fell in love with this shade was such a surprise to me when it was first released and it remains a favorite.

another from Butter, is Giddy Kipper... i love this shimmery indigo.

 FingerPaints Bare No Secrets, a sparkly neutral that i love and it just so happens to have been created by my blogger friend, Michelle from All Lacquered Up.

Wet N Wild Bite the Bullet is a dusty purple, just neutral enough to look fab with anything.

Sally Hansen Pat on the Black, the perfect deep plum-black. a classic!

essie Parka Perfect
new for winter 2013, i received this recently from the brand's PR and it's gorgeous. i hope you can see the shimmer. this icy blue is really making me happy; it's not a deep shade, but obviously a perfect one  for the cold weather months.


what are your fall nail polish faves?! please share in the comments or tweet me @thebeautygirl :)

nail color of the week: Sally Hansen Glitz Blitz

Sally Hansen Glitz Blitz is a sparkly gold shade from the Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips collection.

i love these nail polish strips! especially since they're so easy to use and really do last. these nail accessories are made from real nail polish {as the name says}, so removal is simple. also, the no dry time factor is a fabulous plus.

you can find Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips at your favorite mass beauty retailer.

product featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

currently loving...

spring is in full swing...isn't it fabulous?

mornings are still cold, but the days are getting warmer, longer, and i'm so inspired by all of the new and gorgeous things in my life that are making the season so much more splendid...

fresh blooms!
i love fresh flowers, and seeing them everywhere always brings a smile to my face.

a new scent!

i've enjoyed wearing Shenandoah, by Terri Michelle fragrances, a lot lately. the clean-smelling scent has floral notes, but also musks, making it sophisticated but still light. i admit, i probably wouldn't have liked this a few years ago, but i now find this to be quite lovely. this gem is perfect for the spring season with its notes of bergamot, white lily, white musk, freesia, lotus, ylang ylang and sandalwood.

pastels!

coral and mint in particular are among the eye-pleasing, happy-inducing pastel shades every beauty girl should be adding to her daily life this season. both shades are uber flattering and can easily be incorporated through clothing, accessories and beauty products. i'm loving Sally Hansen nail polish in Mint Sorbet and Revlon's Coral Reef lipgloss.

new mascaras!

even if i'm not wearing shadow or liner, i wear mascara. three i can't get enough of all happen to be made by Maybelline ~ One by One {clump-free, fabulous volume}, Lots of Lashes {amazing, glossy length and volume with a fabulous brush to get at every lash} and Illegal Length Fiber Extensions {gorgeous, flake-free length}. trust me, dolls, you need these eye-opening gems in your beauty arsenal.


what are you currently loving??

Shenandoah fragrance sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me

video: how to get the perfect salon manicure at home

doing my own manicures at home not only saves me money {and since i like to change my polish 2-3 times a week, i guess you could say a lot of money}, but is a way for me to relax, pamper myself and end up with a result i'm more than happy with...

these days nail polish is like lipgloss, a must-have, low-cost beauty indulgence that makes it easy to change up your look. but if you're not confident in your diy mani skills, i have something for you...

this video from Mary of A Love Tart was brought to my attention by my blogging friend, Ashley, who herself is a nail polish lover {butter london and deborah lippmann are among her fave brands} and gives herself amazing manicures frequently...

so of course, i had to pass this on!

this tutorial features splendid tips, tricks and product recommendations {CND Stickey, Seche Vite and Sally Hansen Cuticle Remover are all featured, and happen to be my personal faves} to teach you how to give yourself a better-than-salon manicure. this is a must-see, beauties!!

enjoy and leave a comment to share your thoughts...



p.s., Mary mentions in this video how to do a post-manicure clean-up on cuticles ~ check it out here! :)

pic taken by me :)

worth the wait...OPI Black Shatter!

i have been waiting (and waiting...) for OPI Black Shatter for some time now. it seemed everywhere i could possibly get it didn't have it because they sold out so quickly (obviously, i'm not the only nail polish fan in my area!).

boo.

until wednesday when i took a chance at Trade Secret and found they had just received a new shipment-- yes! i was beyond excited. i have been telling my daughter all about it and she, a huge nail polish fan, didn't stop asking me every other week, "did you find it yet?".

haha!

in any case, i did find it and as soon as i was able, swpied a coat over my fresh manicure (pic at top; the color is an old fave, Color Club Ms. Socialite). i have to say, i love it! it's no wonder it's so popular. plus, application is so easy-- one coat, let it sit, and within a minute you've got a most fabulous shattered mani! a top coat is necessary if you want it to be shiny, but other than that you really can't mess it up.

my baby girl's nails, Shatter over Sally Hansen Choco-Latte...cute, no?

have you tried OPI Shatter yet?

drugstore beauty: 10 Items Under $10

the spring season is all about welcoming in sunshine and starting fresh, right? so why not use this time of year to reinvent your usual beauty routine by adding in a new product or two? i always find that even the smallest product additions can make everything else seem new again (am i the only one?)

below you'll find a list of goodies, all under $10, sure to bring a bit of newness to your spring (almost summer!) season...



1) Essence of Beauty Soy Lotion Candle-- these unique candles burn to create a warm, smoothing skincare lotion, leaving your room and skin feeling flowery fresh.



2) Scunci Flower Barrette-- add a little playfulness to any hair style with this simple and affordable clip.




3) CoverGirl Outlast Double Lipshine-- these beautifully rich-- yet subtle-- colored glosses give your pout a little pop.



4) Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen-- a quick polish change always gives your look a total revamp without breaking the bank.




5) Softsoap Ensembles Hand Soap in Fresh Essence-- this "little something extra" can add a spring essence to any bathroom or kitchen; it also leaves your hands feeling nourished with natural flower and plant extracts.



6) Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary Jojoba and Vitamin E Facial Scrub-- give your skin a morning lift with this 94% natural line that only uses nature's best to improve your skin and lift your mood.



7) Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Shampoo and Conditioner-- experience pure bliss in the shower by lathering up with the pure benefits of cassia, a blend of natural ingredients developed to give you high impact results.



8) Boots No7 Stay Perfect Shadow Palette in Petal Shimmers-- this eye trio offers you the perfect blend of complimentary colors that will guarantee a chic look in a blink of the eye.



9) Veet Spray-On Hair Removal Cream-- take a break from shaving and take advantage of the sunny days; show-off silky smooth legs with this lily infused cream.



10) Essence of Beauty Body Cream in Passion Flower-- add a thick layer of this body cream to smooth away your last bit of winter-damaged skin; made with aloe vera and shea butter to reveal soft and smooth skin all over.


xo