Category: Nails

 
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Target Retail Therapy

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I’ve had a rough week…so a little lunchtime retail therapy at Target was necessary…

I remembered to use my $3 off coupon…I stocked up on up & up dip-its (they’re only $1.49 now!) and got another St. Ives Green Tea Scrub – I’ve been out for a while. My splurge was another NYX Ombre Lip Duo in “Hearts & Spades”. I don’t know where I’m going to wear black and red lipstick to…work? Why not?

I also bought a bunch of hangers…Huggable Hangers were 25% with Cartwheel, but I was so distracted that I forgot to scan the barcode. SONOFABITCH!

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Starfish Kisses

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Countdown to February 15th – the REAL holiday – when all the candy is 50% off.

I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and then two coats of Sinful Colors “Starfish”. (“Starfish” is the EXACT color of Spongebob’s best friend, Patrick Star!) I topped with Sinful Colors “Love Sprinkles” – different sizes of white and light pink with white hearts. Again, I was a fishing fool, trying to get those hearts out of the bottle. Dammit Sinful Colors, make it easier to get that shit out of the bottle! I closed with “HK Girl”.

I bet you’re wondering what “Starfish Kisses” are…I’ll never tell…but if you look on my window sill, you’ll find some…

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Target Beauty Box – February 2016

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I can’t believe how much stuff is in the February Target Beauty Box – “Sweet Treats”. It is bursting to the seams.

Inside the box: Soapbox Coconut Oil Shampoo & Conditioner; Mayfair Soap Foundry Body Creme in “Sea Lily Jasmine” (Smells good); Vera Wang “Embrace” Eau de Toilette (Pear blossom and green tea – reminds me of my mom); L’Oreal Boost It Air Blown Texture Mist; Skinfix Lip Repair Balm; EcoTools Bath Pouf (it’s a bit tiny, but I can always use these); Laneige BB Cushion (Now that I finally tried the first sample I got, I’ll actually use this); Derma e Hydrating Night Creme (nice); and Incoco Nail Polish Appliques (I need to try these – this is the third pack I’ve gotten).

Just $7 for this box, with a $3 off $15 coupon inside. I need to hurry up and use the last 2 I got – they expire on Sunday.

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The Fingers are Weak

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…if you offer me free stuff for my birthday, I’m gonna go get it…

I talked my husband into dropping me off at Ulta on Saturday to get my deluxe sample of Benefit Roller Lash (I tried it and I must admit, it’s pretty nice.)

I also used my $10 off coupon to try some NYX stuff. I heard that NYX Micro Brow Pencil is a dupe of Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz…and it IS. Only $9.99 instead of $21.

I also got NYX BB Cream in “Natural” ($12.99) – another win – it’s great on my skin. I was looking for NYX Lip Lingerie – the display was there, but it wasn’t in stock…so I got the NYX Lip Ombre Duo in “Ginger & Nutmeg” ($11.99) instead. I also grabbed a clearance NYX Mosaic Powder Blush in “Spice”. I am getting addicted to NYX!

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After I checked out, I went to track my son and sister-in-law down at Five Below. I found them in the checkout line wearing hats and taking pictures…but I felt something pulling me.

It was the nail polish. I can’t leave Five Below empty handed. I grabbed Funky Fingers “Queen of Hearts”, “Use the Force” and “Cupcake Sprinkles” – they have the bestest top coats!

The heart is strong, but the fingers are weak.

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Go Broncos?

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Obviously, the Broncos won because of my nails. Obviously.

I was happy to have a reason to use my “Horses” Jamberry Wraps – so I chose orange and blue to go with them. The orange is Julep “Mariska” and the blue is Sinful Colors “Endless Blue”. To jazz them up, I used essie Luxeffects “Set in Stones” and “Summit of Style” – but honestly, I can’t tell which is which. I used Sinful Colors Base Coat and “HK Girl” to start and finish my nails.

 

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Birthday Nails

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I was agonizing over what polish I should pick for my [40th!] birthday nails…until I got this month’s Julep box…then I knew.

Julep “Rosie” is charcoal grey with magenta glitter…and I LOVE it. It’s reminiscent of Zoya “Noir”, but in a smooth glitter formula. After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I laid down two coats of “Rosie”. On the first coat, I noticed immediate shrinkage around the edges of my nails. Sigh. I made sure and coated the tips well on the second coat, but the polish still drew away from the edges of my fingernails, leaving a sliver of white fingernail at each tip. Le sigh. I sealed it with “HK Girl” and hoped for the best.

I had a very pleasant [40th!] birthday…work was low key, got my Tieks, had a lovely raw ribeye with the family, and didn’t find any new wrinkles or have hot flashes. Life is rosy…er, Rosie.

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February Julep Maven Box – The February Collection

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Hey Julep…creative name you dreamed up this month – “The February Collection”.

The spotlighted beauty product this month was more Eye Shadow 101 sticks. I wasn’t feeling it, so I picked a new lip gloss in “Captivated”Iridescent fig shimmer with Power Cell Complex. For polished, I picked It Girl “Rosie”Charcoal grey with magenta glitter – and FINALLY got It Girl “Celeste”Cosmic gray iridescent glitter. Just like last year, the February box came with “Hartleigh” – Holographic heart glitter top coat. There was also a single, foil wrapped chocolate heart. Yeah, I already ate it.

Not a Julep Maven? Leave a comment and I’ll send you a referral email good for a free welcome box!

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Black Gold

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Black gold…Texas tea…

I was afraid this combination would look trashy, but it turned out fairly classy. After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I painted two coats of Maybelline Color Show “Twilight Rays” on each nail. “Twilight Rays” is black with a strong gold shimmer. I thought it would be more subtle, but it is really striking. I used essie Luxeffects “Summit of Style” to accent my thumb and ringfinger – I got it on clearance at HEB yesterday for $4.22! This is just one coat of “Summit of Style” – I think I could get full coverage in two, maybe three coats. I sealed the deal with “HK Girl”.

It’s funny how essie “Set in Stones” is blindingly blingy, yet “Summit of Style” is more understated – more like gold jewelry instead of diamonds. My luxeffects collection is almost complete…

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Midnight Jewels

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Maybelline ColorShow “Midnight Blue” is an inky dark blue. At a glance, it appears black, but it’s blue enough that I was able to photograph the blue easily. When I bought it a few weeks ago, I was thinking that it was a jelly and I would get sheer coverage. I was wrong, it’s a creme – full coverage in two coats.

To jazz it up, I added Sally Hansen “Family Jewels” on my thumb and ring finger. “HK Girl” sealed the deal.

I wasn’t sure what to use for the base coat, so I just used the usual – Sinful Colors Base Coat. I’m definitely expecting stained nails after taking it off though. The price of beauty…

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The Vegas Challenge

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So…my dear skeptical husband didn’t think I’d be able to last 5 days in Las Vegas without painting my nails. That sounded like a challenge to me!

I’ll admit, I cheated a little bit. I was careful to choose very light polishes that would wear well…but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have had a freak slot machine accident that mangled a nail. I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and then a single coat of RUFFIAN “Sahara”. I then sparkled up with THREE coats of Nicole by OPI “Pick of the Glitter”. THREE. I was hoping for fuller coverage, but it’s not bad. I’m still gonna need a chainsaw to get it off. I finished up with “HK Girl”.

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Just in case, though…I took “Pick of the Glitter” with me, in case I needed a touch-up.

Turns out, I didn’t need any touch-ups. Although there is major edge wear – there were no major chips. Actually, the new growth and my cuticles look worse than the tips.

Toodles, I’m going to go look for my chainsaw…