Gifts for the Tips! AKA: A Gift Guide feat. NCLA, Julep, and Sally Hansen

Once again, no preamble, just the goods! Here are a few awesome gifts for the nail polish addict in your life...

Anatomy of a Mani! AKA: Mama's Mani Madness

Disclaimer: I am not a nail blogger or professional (so sometimes I color outside of the lines and my cuticles look a bit ragged). I am merely a girl who LOVES nail polish!

Want to know more about the polishes used? Keep reading...

Anatomy of a Mani! AKA: Mama's Mani Madness

Disclaimer: I am not a nail blogger or professional (so sometimes I color outside of the lines and my cuticles look a bit ragged). I am merely a girl who LOVES nail polish! And I did this particular manicure in the car, so I think I did quite well considering the circumstances...

Want to know how I did it? Keep reading!

Look Flawless Without Makeup

Summer is the time to set your makeup and hair tools aside and embrace your natural beauty, and even though it is technically coming to an end soon, the heat does not seem to want to leave us! So skip the fuss of hot tools, blush, mascara and highlighters and relax already!  Keep in mind that going bare does require a few pointers to look your best without heavy makeup. Here are some tips from some real beauty experts: a model,  a makeup artist and a celebrity hair stylist. I hope that their tips on looking beautiful without all the fuss help you to find your way to simple, natural beauty :)

Tip from the model:

Actress, model and socialite, Byrdie Bell’s flawless skin is her best feature and she credits her amazing complexion to the Finnish natural skincare company, Lumene, for which she is Brand Ambassador. For model casting calls, Byrdie is often required to show-up with a fresh, makeup-free face. “When I go on castings and auditions, I can cheat amazing skin by applying some Arctic Aqua 2-in-1 Skin Perfecting Moisture Booster to my temples and cheekbones,” says Byrdie. “You can replace traditional highlighter with a product that actually helps out your skin and still get that dewy look!” Keeping your skin hydrated is the secret to keeping your skin moist and glowy on its own, no make-up necessary!

Lumene Sensitive Touch Arctic Aqua 2-in-1 Skin Perfecting Moisture Booster, $14.99, CVS and cvs.com

Transition Your Look for Fall with Sally Hansen

Sad as I am to admit it (though not really), summer time (and hopefully its oppressive heat) is swiftly coming to an end. Though I will not be totally giving up the neons and brights I have grown to love wearing on my fingers and toes, the change in season has me seeking to incorporate more nudes, neutrals, and warm tones to my ever expanding polish collection. Enter Sally Hansen and the fabulous Complete Salon Manicure line! With 5 steps in 1 bottle (base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, color, and top coat) and patented Vita-Care technology to give you advanced wear, it is the perfect formula for busy ladies who love to change their polish often (like me). There has even been a collaboration between fashion designer and Sally Hansen; for the second time he was created 3 shades in the Complete Salon Manicure line: Pumice (a mint green), Bandage (a light flesh tone), and Ion (a muted gray). In addition to those 3 limited edition must haves, here are some other colors I plan on adding to my roster in the very near future:

Red Zin 

Plum Luck 

Pat On The Black 

Fairy

Mudslide

Choco-Latte

Nude Now

I envision using the nudes on my fingers with Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Colors (stay tuned for a post on those with swatches!) on my accent fingers and the darker tones on my toes. And depending on the formulas for the nudes, I can see some jelly sandwiches going on (you lovelies know I love my glitter, so it'll be neat to incorporate it in a new way)! I'm super excited about finding (and acquiring the Alexander Wang colors. All of the polishes pictured above are available at Target for about $5.99 (the pictures are linked to the product if you are inclined to purchase any of them; they are affiliate links so if you do choose to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission). What shades and tones are you excited to incorporate into your fall wardrobe? Are you looking forward to the changing season, or do you wish it was perpetually summertime? What is your favorite season for beauty and fashion and why? My inquiring mind wants to know! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Until next time...

Ciao, XxO

Q

Beauty on the Go

Beauty Must Haves For Travel by mamafashionist1 featuring a thick eyeliner

This weekend I had the opportunity to test drive and experiment with my ever growing makeup stash in order to fine tune not only a simple go to look (similar to my Basic Face), but also looks that would last all day (in the Georgia heat), be easy to touch up if necessary, and help me look put together but not overly made up. The arsenal above proved to be exactly what I needed and they will definitely be in my travel beauty bag from now on! 

The only items not pictured that I utilized this weekend are my all time favorite highlight (and HG product) MAC's Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb, Benefit's  The POREfessional primer  and one of my favorite palettes, Smashbox's Click You're It Holiday 2011 Palette (which I also feature here). Here's a breakdown of everything else I used (as pictured above):

After washing my face, Maijan's Argan Oil was my moisturizer of choice. It was perfect for prepping my skin for makeup, but more importantly it left my skin smooth and glowing. Because my skin was in decent shape, I did not need a full face of liquid foundation. I simply smoothed on the Benefit primer, used Smashbox High Definition Concealer in Medium/Dark under my eyes (to brighten and highlight) and on a few blemishes, and apply a light layer of Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Powder Foundation with SPF 20 in Medium/Dark to even out my complexion and eliminate unwanted shine (and the gorgeous rose gold compact the foundation comes in is some of the prettiest packaging I have ever come across). I contoured with NYC New York Color SUN'n'Bronze Bronzing Powder in Montauk Bronze, added MAC Powder Blush in Fleet Fast from the Hey! Sailor Collection to my cheeks, and Superb Skinfinish for the perfect glow and dimension.

Everyday for the eyes, I started with MAC Bamboom Paint as a base. On Friday, I simply used the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black to make an intense cat eye and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Perversion to tightline. On my waterline, in the inner corner of the eye, and on my brow bone, I applied NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk. I finished my eyes by curling my lashes and applying a few coats of Bobbi Brown Intensifying Long Wear Mascara in Black to the top and lower lashes (and the applicator in this mascara is perfect for grabbing every single lash, especially in the inner corners and lower lashes, and making the most of them). On Saturday, I went more delicate with the liner on my upper lash, added a bit of #6 from the Smashbox palette, and kept everything else the same. On Sunday, I did my traditional cat eye, used Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24/7 Eyeshadow in Edgy Emerald in the inner third of the lid and along the inner half of the lower lashline, applied #14 from the Smashbox palette in the crease and outer v, and #10 in the center of the lid, and #4 to highlight under my brow bone.

For lips, I kept it simple. Each day I started with my favorite (another HG) eos lipbalm in sweet mint, and used MAC Lipglass in Rebel (on Friday and Saturday when my eye look was simple) and a beautiful sheer, nude cream lipstick from Giorgio Armani on Sunday. 

The best thing about each of the looks was that, with the exception of reapplying balm, lipstick, and/or gloss, the only kind of touch up I needed throughout the long hot days was a bit of Mally Beauty Evercolor Poreless Face Defender to keep shine at bay. Another must that stayed in my purse all weekend long, was Sally Hansen's Gem Crush nail polish. I had Bling-Tastic on my toes and Showgirl Chic on my fingers. I love how adding these sparkle-licious colors to just one finger on each hand and one toe on each foot is enough to add a little extra something to your look! Plus if you chip the polish on any of your other nails, just covering the chip up with a bit of the Gem Crush polish adds a bit of unexpected flair that is really unique.

So that's that. After this weekend, I literally cleaned out my makeup bag and refilled it with these goodies (well, at least the ones that will fit into it). For the most part, I felt polished and put together this weekend, despite the crowds, heat, and my kiddies, and that was due in large part to the products. What's in your makeup bag? What products do you have to have with you where ever you go? My inquiring mind wants to know! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Until next time...

Ciao, XxO

Q

PS-Some of the products mentioned above were provided to me by PR. I was not paid for this post and all opinions stated are 100% honest and my own. This post does contain affiliate links-if you click on a text link AND make a purchase, I will receive a small commission :)

GMYMO: Beauty Essentials for the Gym

The arrival of Back to School sales generally signals the end of summer for me. But just because bathing suit season is coming to a close doesn’t mean you should start cheating on your workouts! I know personally, the thought of becoming a sweaty mess sometimes deters me from getting my workout done. Never fear lovelies, with the products below, you can feel like you're rewarding yourself for working out as hard as you do AND you will look great before, during and after your workout. Check them out!

MMM: Glitters and Pastels the Sally Hansen Way

Mama's Mani Madness: Glitter and Pastels from Sally Hansen by mamafashionist1 featuring sally hansen nail polish

Sally Hansen is a beauty industry leader, providing anything a woman could need for her nails while remaining budget friendly, fun, easy, and accessible for any style, trend, and skill level. Whether you want to keep your fingers office appropriate, bling out your nails with glitter galore, or find a happy medium, here are a few products from Sally Hansen that can help you get the look that is just right for you!

MMM: Simple Gradient/Ombre Manicure with Essie, Julep, and Sinful Colors

From l-r: essie ridge filling base coat, Sinful Colors in Easy Going (300), Julep  Nail Vernis in Kelly, Hayden, Alicia,
and Sasha, essie luxeffects in Set in Stones, Julep Nail Vernis in Oscar, and Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat (picture taken without flash)

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Strips for Your Toes? Yes Please!

I shared my affection (can't believe how late in the game I was) for Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips here, so I jumped at the chance to try some more. Not only have they added TONS of new designs and colors (really, there's something there for EVERYBODY), now there are...

Sally Hansen's "Show Your Colors" Cheerleading Competition

(I just heard about this, so I thought I'd post it quickly so that you lovelies would have plenty of time to enter!)

Sally Hansen knows that you’re a nail color fanatic. Now you have the chance to celebrate your obsession and let your colors shine through an exclusive cheerleading competition. Sally Hansen is joining forces with leading cheer authority Varsity to host the “Show Your Colors” cheerleading competition, inviting fans everywhere to submit an original cheer featuring Sally Hansen and upload a video of themselves performing the cheer.

Just visit sallyhansencheer.com to submit your cheer, then share the video with friends to get the most votes and win the grand prize: $1,000. Three runners up will also receive a bag filled with Sally Hansen products, giving them one more thing to cheer about

Will any of you be entering? $1000 is nothing to laugh at! I'm just imagining all the makeup I could buy with that, LOL! Until next time...

Ciao, XxO


Q

I Don't Know What Took Me So Long! (Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Strips)

I recently got the chance to (finally) try Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips and I have no idea what took me so long to try them! If I could, I'd probably change my nail color every other day; the only reason I don't is because a base coat, two coats of color, and a top coat take FOREVER to dry (even with my beloved Seche Vite)! So it's hard to find the time to go through the process and when I do manage to do my nails (at least once a week), nine times out of ten I end up messing it up within hours of finishing it.

Salon Effects in Lust-rous

So it should've been a no brainer to give these strips a try. They require no base coat or top coat; Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips offer DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde Free, no dry time nail looks for the style that lasts up to ten days. This easy and affordable at-home nail technology puts bold color, high shine, and intricate design at your finger tips-just peel, apply, file, and go!

It took a little finagling to apply them (mind you I had the two little ones clamoring all over me), but the process was fairly simple, and I love the results!

I used 360 Laced Up (and Essie Luxe Effects on my accent nail)

I definitely plan to use these again (though probably not right before I clean up the kitchen and cook, or on a night I detangle Lo's hair like I did this time), and next time I'll try to be a little more careful and precise. I would love to try the set that Christina Aguilera wore recently on the voice, Lust-rous (pictured above)!

Christina Aguilera on the set of The Voice (isn't she gorg!)

Have you had a chance to try these yet? How often do you change your nail color? Are you a DIY girl or do you go to the salon to get your mani/pedis done? My inquiring mind wants to know! Leave a comment below and let me know all about it! Until next time...

Ciao, XxO

Q

PS: The strips were supplied to me for consideration by PR. I was not paid to review them and all opinions stated are honest and my own...