Friday, August 29, 2014

Baby Update | 36-38 Weeks


Hi babes! Sorry to mash all the weeks together but the weeks have been flying by and I can't keep track of anything lately! In two weeks, I will have a handsome baby boy in my arms and it's pretty mindblowing. I'd be lying if I said that it all felt real because in all honesty, it feels more like a dream. Like it's happening to someone else and I'm just watching from afar.

In other news, my hospital bag is finally packed and I'll have a post on it up soon! Procrastination at it's finest. Packing took about three weeks to do because I like to have everything covered and kept reading different lists. I like to have all the bases covered but HATE overpacking. It's a conundrum, people.

My last appointment was last week. I met with a new doctor (I swear, there's like twenty!) and he asked if the baby moves a lot. I was like, "Eh. Yeah. He has certain times but nothing crazy." It's always been like that and he's always been fine. I have an anterior placenta so sometimes he'll be moving and I just don't feel him. It's been like this almost my entire pregnancy. Apparently, the doctor didn't like that and had me undergo a stress test for about an hour -_- I mean, better safe than sorry; I didn't mind that at all and everything was absolutely fine but good Lord, I was starving and so aggravated. So yeah. That was my first stress test. Good times.

How far along? 38 weeks.
Total weight gain: 28 pounds although I feel like I've gained WAY more.
Maternity clothes? Abso-freakin'-lutely. I've also been wearing Target stretchy capri leggings that I've fallen in love with almost every single day.
Stretch marks? Yup. All over my belly. 
Sleep: Tuesday night, I didn't wake up once to pee. Calm before the storm?
Miss Anything? Not feeling little aches and pains all the time. I miss having energy and feeling like "me", if that makes sense.
Movement: Yes but it's definitely changed. No more little pokes and kicks but more rolls and waves. Also, there's more movement in my pelvic region.
Food cravings: Pretzels and iced coffee! I swear, this has been my jam for months now. Oh and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! OM NOM NOM. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nadda.
Gender: It's a boy! 
Labor Signs: Lightening crotch, pelvic pain, sore back, tiny loss of mucus plug (but not a lot), leaky boobs, period-like cramps (yeah, didn't miss those!) and swollen feet. I feel like I rode a horse for a year straight.
Symptoms: Mostly the above.
Belly Button in or out? In but it's starting to flatten out. It's a race against time!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Super cranky, actually. Whenever I'm anxious, I snap and that's totally me right now. Between closing on the house the same day at my due date, I feel like everything is happening all at once and I may or may not be freaking out a little.
Looking Forward To: Meeting our sweet baby! 
Friday, August 29, 2014

OCC Unknown Pleasures Cosmetic Colour Pencils for Fall/Winter 2014 - Swatches & Review


Hi boobalahs! Yesterday, I brought you swatches and a review of the OCC Unknown Pleasures Lip Tars for their Fall/Winter 2014 which are IN-SANE and make me wish that I could rock a dark metallic purple lip all day, errday. Today I'm bringing you swatches and a review of the two online-exclusive Cosmetic Color Pencil shades - Sebastian and Lydia! The name "Cosmetic Color Pencils "basically mean that they can be used for almost anywhere - lips, eyes, brows, etc.

"The 'Unknown Pleasures' collection captures seasonal trend as created by OCC on the runways of NYFW, with shades that made their original debut at the Fall/Winter 2014 Collections. 'Unknown Pleasures' offers a range of colors that promise to tease and tempt the senses with chic neutrals like 'Lament' and 'Covet', to ultra-modern vamp shades like the Matte and Metallic duo of deep purples 'Pagan' and 'Technopagan'. In addition to the six all-new Lip Tar Mattes and Metallics and coordinating Nail Lacquer shades, 'Unknown Pleasures' delivers online-exclusive offerings as well as two new Cosmetic Color Pencil shades!"


Sebastian is a plum-toned taupe.
Kylie Jenner lips, anyone? That's the first thing I thought of. I never in a million years thought I'd actually like this but I found myself totally wanting to rock this out. Definitely different and would look amazing with MAC Brave or something like that over it. I also think that this would be perfect for an eyebrow pencil. Smooth and opaque, for sure.

Lydia is a darkroom plum.
First off, let me note that there is a warning that Lydia is not meant to be used around the eye area. As cool as a plum eyeliner would've been, this is much better as a lip liner/shade anyway. It appears patchy in the picture but I promise you it filled in smoothly and opaquely. Definitely a fun, fall color!

OCC Unknown Pleasures Lip Tars | Buy: OCC / Sephora - Price: $16 
// Available in Sephora stores and OCC flagship boutiques 9/19
* Press Sample
Wednesday, August 27, 2014

OCC Unknown Pleasures Lip Tars for Fall/Winter 2014 - Swatches & Review


Guys, I'm freaking out over these new OCC Unknown Pleasures Lip Tars Collection for Fall/Winter 2014! Talk about getting into the fall spirit, huh? The colors are so, so different than anything I'd ever think about buy (or rockin' outside my house) but - well, you'll just have to see how they look! Bet you'll be surprised!

Covet, Pagan, Manhunter, Technopagan, Lament and Vain

"The 'Unknown Pleasures' collection captures seasonal trend as created by OCC on the runways of NYFW, with shades that made their original debut at the Fall/Winter 2014 Collections. 'Unknown Pleasures' offers a range of colors that promise to tease and tempt the senses with chic neutrals like 'Lament' and 'Covet', to ultra-modern vamp shades like the Matte and Metallic duo of deep purples 'Pagan' and 'Technopagan'. In addition to the six all-new Lip Tar Mattes and Metallics and coordinating Nail Lacquer shades, 'Unknown Pleasures' delivers online-exclusive offerings as well as two new Cosmetic Color Pencil shades!"

Like all OCC Lip Tars, these babies come packed with organic hemp oil, vitamin E and peppermint oil for smooth, hydrated lips. A little goes along way which is definitely the MO with lip tars and are easily applied with a lip brush that always comes along with it.

Covet is a golden buff neutral.
The 90's are back for fall this year and this is perfect if you're looking to try that trend. I never in a million years thought I'd actually like a brown-toned lip but I'm surprised how much I fell in love with this. Consistency was nice and smooth and applied well. Wear time was about four hours.


Pagan is a blackened purple.
I'm just going to say it: I feel SO badass in this. It's so tough yet wearable (I swear!). I mean, sure, you probably can't rock this at an office job but anyone can rock this on a night out. Because it's so dark, it's a little unforgiving if you go out of the lines and guys, this baby stains so just take your time and if all else fails - concealer is your BFF for nice lines (hey, I tried!) Wear time is six hours +.

Manhunter is a red orange with gold shimmer.
Ay mami! If I had to pick the most "wearable" shade out of this collection, it would probably be this one but even this has a little somethin' extra to it. The gold shimmer is SO bold in person but unfortunately looks subtle in pictures. Consistency was fabulous and wear time was about four hours.

Technopagan is a blackened purple with blue pearl.
How ah-mazing is this color? It's so stunning. It's gorgeous but I never realized how uneven my lips were until I put this on. Overdrawn lips for the win! It's a little unforgiving because it's so dark but I suggest taking your time when "drawing" this on and DEFINITELY use the lip brush for this. Also, this baby STAINS. I mean, ST-AI-NS. I'm currently hours away from renewing my license photo and still have purple lips. Wear time is forever and a day and consistency was perfection.


Lament is a neutral rose beige.
With all these crazy colors, it's nice to have a little fresh neutral in the mix. Lament is described as a matte but I definitely never saw that. It stayed glossy almost the entire time I wore it. I also noticed the consistency of this was significantly looser than the others. Wear time was three hours.

Vain is a deep dark indigo.
Love this color but what a pain in the butt to capture on camera! It's definitely darker in person. Again, I'd never expect to love this as much as I do. I'm so tempted to just wear this out to get my license renewed. Consistency was great and smooth. Wear time was about four-five hours.

Overall: I would rock every single one of these. My faves are definitely Technopagan, Pagan and Covet! Which ones are your favorites?

OCC Unknown Pleasures Lip Tars | Buy: OCC / Sephora - Price: $18 
// Available in Sephora stores and OCC flagship boutiques 9/19
* Press sample
Monday, August 25, 2014

Ipsy | August Glam Bag - Review


Hello, my little stud muffins and cupcakes! After an amazing birthday weekend filled with lots of love from friends and family, it's nice to come back on Monday feeling refreshed (and filled up to the brim with cake - thanks guys! xx). Let's get this week started with my August Ipsy bag! 

This month's theme is: Beauty Schooled - Learn the rules, so that you can break them. This month, you'll discover that you'll never stop learning - especially, when it comes to the world of beauty. With everything from styling skills, application techniques, to channeling your inner confidence and uniqueness... With the help of ipsy and your August Glam Bag, you're about to get "schooled."

The Bag: Alright. Well, where do I start? It's incredibly cheap-y plastic-feeling. The shape's cute; I get it, it's supposed to be a pencil case. Although I think my pencils and pens would rip through this because it's so cheaply made on day one. Unfortunately, It's just tacky and is one bag I'll be throwing out.

Absolute You're The Balm in Grape
Who doesn't love lip balms? Me - when they have full pieces of glitter in them. At this point in the bag, I'm assuming this bag is for middle school girls because seriously? C'mon. 

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner Primer
Yessss! *hands up emoji* I was SO excited to see this in the bag after that lip balm. I'm a huge fan of face primers so it's always nice to try to a new one out. This primer has a nice velvet-y consistency and claims to minimize pores by diffusing lights, mattifies skin, absorbs oil and acts as a protective shield against pore-clogging makeup. I haven't used this that much but I'm pretty impressed so far! It keeps my makeup in place and keeps the shine down.

Lord & Berry Black Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil
-_- Seriously? I'm all for sample sizes but this is a nub, guys! The picture makes it look way bigger than it really is. Take your thumb in pointer, space them out about three inches and that's the size of this. Sigh. Anyway, the pencil itself is actually really nice. It's a brand I've never heard of but I'm happy I tried it out. It's super silky and pitch black. I noticed it didn't transfer on my eyelid nor smudge out by itself during the day.

Coastal Scents Forever Blush
I've heard amazing things about Coastal Scents blushes so I was thrilled to see this. Elegant is on the left and would be described as a baby pink with a whole lot of shimmer. Fresh is on the right and is described as a nice peach. I don't see myself wearing Elegant at all. It's WAY too shimmery for me but I would definitely rock Fresh.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (That's me screaming!) YAY! SO excited to see this even if it is just a sample size because I was dying to try this out. It was sitting in my Sephora bag online for forever. I'm actually going to do a separate review on this mascara but so far, thumbs up!

Swatches: Lord & Berry Black Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil, Coastal Scents Forever Blush Elegant & Fresh

Overall: This bag was a weird mix of disappointment and excitement. The bag itself was a huge let down. I love collecting them to use them and this one will probably be thrown out. I really liked Fresh from the Coastal Scents Forever Blush sample, Dr. Brandt Pores No More Primer and the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara. I also liked the kohl eye pencil BUT hated the size. Like, talk about a tease. 

What did you get in your bag? What would you like to try from this one?

Not subscribed to Ipsy yet? What are you waiting for? For $10 a month, you'll get a bag filled with 4-5 deluxe-full sized beauty products at your door. Sign up here (referral link)!
Tuesday, August 19, 2014

NCLA Pink Flamingos - Review


Anyone else feel like fall in kind of being forced on them? I mean, I love fall and I may be particularly excited for September this year but "damnnn, Gina". Mornings have been in the 50's and I even heard Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is coming back early (August 25 - mark your calendars!). I can't even lie. I'm pretty excited about that one. The #typicalwhitegirl in me is like, "YAAAAAAAAS! Now hold on and let me get my North Face and Uggs."

Anywho, just because fall is approaching (apparently, fast!) does not mean you have to cool it down and go all oxblood your nails just yet. These NCLA Pink Flamingo Nail Wraps are the perfect way to keep the summer going until the first leaf drops!

Pink Flamingos is a bright aqua background with hot pink flamingo print all over. The print is a quirky taste of a tropical getaway and I absolutely love it! The collection comes with 26 ultra-thin adhesives and a cute NCLA nail file. The wrap sizes range from wide to small so they fit just about any nail bed. Thumbs up from this chick!

How to apply NCLA nail wraps:

  • Start off with fresh, clean nails and than apply a coat of basecoat (I used NCLA Gloss It!) and let it dry.
  • Find the size that best fits your nail and peel from the sheet by the flap. 
  • Apply the most round part to your cuticle and stretch down until it fits perfectly. I know some are afraid to stretch it because they think it might break, but I promise you it won't. This is the most crucial part to get a nice, flat, flawless nail. 
  • Once you've fit it to your nail, firmly flatten it down starting from the cuticle and pressing your way down to the tip. 
  • Use the nail file in a downward motion to remove any excess wrap left over. Apply another coat of Gloss It! and you're all set! I really like using a coat for Gloss It! over it because it softens the nail wrap (as well as adds a shine to it) so you can go in one last time and press down anything you missed or smooth out any mistakes.
 (Confession: I have toddler hands.)

Tell me those hands don't look like they could belong to a five year old! Anyway, the wraps. What more can I say without looking like I'm obsessed? Because I'm not. I don't look at the website at least once a day, checking out the new designs like these new Semi Precious Metal ones or these End of Summer ones. Cough. No obsession here. It's hard not to be obsessed when something just works SO WELL. I've said it a few times but I absolutely love how easy they are to put on, how well they fit my tiny nail beds and I mean, c'mon, the designs are freakin' adorable. 

NCLA Pink Flamingos | Availability: Online Exclusive - Buy | Price: $16
* Press sample
Monday, August 18, 2014

Top Ten Dorm Must-Haves With Kleenex + Walmart



Over the weekend, I went out shopping with my mom to Walmart for stuff for my hospital bag and noticed a whole bunch of "kids" (loosely 18-20 years old which is already numbero uno sign that I'm getting old when that age group are "kids" to me) running around picking out curtains, pillows and comforters. I mean, the home decor section was like, the it place. It was packed. Then I noticed the parents behind them asking if they thought they'd need more towels, "Is this comforter soft enough?", "I think you're going to need more storage." and finally put two and two together: They were getting ready for college! Duh, Noelle.


See, I never went to college but I'd be lying if I said I didn't envy the kids who got to go - just probably not for the reasons you would think. I was always jealous they got to decorate their own little living space and be "grown ups" before buying a house and getting older was even a plausible thought. I don't know how many times I'd visit friends in college and think how cute their mini fridge was or how cool it was that they used their closet for clothes and as a pantry. They were living the life! Then I found out they'd have to share their living space, the bathroom was public and that if I just waited a few (or ten) years, I could have my own space to own - and with bills, to boot! How lucky am I?

I decided to put together my own dorm room necessities (everything is from Walmart!)  if I ever got to have one and hopefully give my college-bound readers (go get 'em, tiger!) some ideas on how you can decorate your own dorm!


MainStays Non-Woven Bins | Buy - The organizer in me says you need these in your life whether you're going to college or not but these are absolutely perfect for a small dorm. Bins are the perfect hiding places to make it look like you don't have a lot of crap laying around when your parents come to visit. They'd look adorable in this ClosetMaid Cubical also at Walmart.

Kleenex Expressions Oval Facial Tissue Chevron Designs | In stores at Walmart - I feel like these are must-haves for forever. Not only are tissues awesome when you're sick but they also come in handy to remove makeup with, quick clean-ups when hand towels aren't around and cleaning your glasses! This adorable print is limited edition to run (don't walk!) to your nearest Walmart and snag a box (or three!).

Keurig Elite K40 Single Serve Coffeemaker Brewing System | Buy - For $100, you can't go wrong with this Keurig. Not only does it come in four different colors (I didn't know they made them in different colors!) but it'll definitely come in handy to have one on those long study nights.

Better Homes & Gardens Baroque Oval Wall Mirror | Buy - I actually own this and can say it's super light, ready to hang and totally adorable! It goes with any type of decor and comes in three other colors.

MainStays Chevron Decorative Pillow | Buy - Chevron is SO in right now. Super comfy, cute pattern - all you need for a night in at the dorm.

Teen Vogue 50x60 Faux Fur Throw | Buy - Sometimes there's just nothing better than a nice, warm throw blanket to remind you of mom's hugs!

7-Piece Back to College Room Decor Solution Set | Buy - This set comes with five different size picture frames, a dry-erase board and a clock! All frames also come with an easel so you have the choice to hang them or put them on a tabletop.

Sandisk CZ60 16GB Cruzer USB | Buy - I may not have gone to college but even I know these are amazing to have. Pictures, projects and more can be saved on one of these babies to free up room for movie downloads on your laptop ;)

Igloo Refrigerator | Buy - You can't forget a mini fridge! Comes in seven different colors and is perfect for keeping snacks and drinks nice and cold. Lock so you don't have to share with your roomie not included.

Round Paper Lantern | Buy - Okay. So maybe there's not a lot of use to come from a paper lantern but buy a few (or ten) and your room will definitely be the cutest around!

So what are your dorm must-haves!?
#kleenexstyle
* This post is sponsored by Kleenex and Walmart but my opinions are always 100% all mine.
Thursday, August 14, 2014

L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints - Swatches & Review


Talk about hard to find! L.A. Girl is basically non-existent where I'm from so I took to Amazon.com to get my fix (and I snagged a set for my readers for an Instagram-only giveaway!). I had heard that they're comparable to the new Too Faced Melted Lipsticks (they're really not but I'll get into that later!) so naturally that peaked my interest as well.

L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints are a sweet mix between a lipstick and lipgloss. I absolutely love these hybrids! It has the shine and consistency of a lipgloss but the color intensity of a lipstick. They also contain Vitamin E and peppermint oil (and smell like peppermint too!) to keep your lips nice and moisturized.

So are they Too Faced Melted Lipsticks dupes? Not really. For one, the L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints have more of a shiny consistency (if that makes sense) while the Melted Lipsticks are a bit more creamy. Vampy Varnish compared the L.A. Girl Lip Paints to OCC Lip Tars and I totally agree. A little bit goes a long way with both and they have similar consistencies. I also recommend applying these with a lip brush, like the OCC Lip Tars.

(L-R: Blushing, Pin-Up, Babydoll, Coy, Bombshell & Hot Mess)

Blushing is purple-mauve. 
As you can see from the swatch to what it looks like on my lips, it's definitely lighter and pulls more pink on your lips. Application was easy-peasy and the color didn't slide around on my lips. Probably one of my top three faves from this collection! Wear time was 2-3 hours.

Pin-Up is a bright cherry red.
Talk about va-va-voom! A little goes such a long way with these lip paints. I did experience some movement on the lips (as you can see from the pic above) which looked a little patchy close-up. Honestly, in person you couldn't really tell. The other only (minor) issue with this was that it bled. Again, not super noticeable in person but in super hi-def photos, you can't hide a thing! ;) Wear time was a bit longer than Blushing coming in at about 3-4 hours.

Babydoll is a bubblegum pink.
And also makes my top three faves! Just another smooth, even applying lip paint. Loved the color and was surprised how flattering it was on my pale skin. Usually these cool-toned pinks kind of make me look corpse-y but I loved how this one looked. Wear time was 3 hours.

Coy is an in-yo-face-purple.
I'm still a little on the fence about Coy. It's a gorgeous almost fully opaque purple but what's a bummer is that it gets a little patchy and moves around with a minute of putting it on. I recommend the "blotting technique" to get this baby to stay a little longer. Apply once and then lightly blot with toilet paper and then apply again. 

Bombshell is a bright fuchsia. 
I call this "The Liquified MAC Candy Yum-Yum". It's just perfection in every way. Almost fully opaque in one swipe, long wear time (4-5 hours) and so flattering. 

Hot Mess is a tangerine.
A fun and totally wearable orange! I see this being flattering on any skin tone. This isn't really as opaque as the other colors but it does still apply nice and even. 

Overall: For $4 a pop, you can't go wrong with any of these! If you're looking for Too Faced Melted dupes, these aren't them but they are ah-mazing all on their own. My top three faves are Bombshell, Blushing and Babydoll. All have a pretty decent wear time ranging from 2-5 hours.

Which ones are your favorites?

L.A. Girl Lip PaintsBuy - Price: $3.99
Monday, August 11, 2014

Pretty & Polished Polishes - Swatches & Review


Hi loves! Today I have some swatches from Pretty & Polished on the blog! P&P and I go way back and I actually remember when it first started (Jawbreaker anyone!?!) and the insanity that was cart-jacking. If you're just getting into indies now, you've started at a fab time because getting your hands on a popular indie was hardcore, guys. Anywho, I was excited to try some new Pretty & Polished beauties and Chelsea was sweet enough to send me four from various collections. Let's check them out!

Boys Will Be Boys is a thermal polish. When warm, it's a light blue with various hexes but when cold, it turns a slightly darker version of that blue.
Unfortunately, I couldn't catch it on camera! My tips were definitely darker and it looked awesome but it wouldn't show up. Application was a little chunky but Chelsea has said that thermal polishes are thicker due to the pigments used. The hexes were plentiful but were somewhat of a pain to spread out evenly on the nail. This is three coats and there was still a light VNL.

Draximum Security is a blue-tinted polish with blue and red hexes and shards. Inspired by the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
UGH. So gorgeous! I recommend layering this over something because at three coats, this still showed VNL. I absolutely love, love, love the red shards mixed into this. Super easy to apply and the formula was perfection!

The Gamourous Life is an acid green with red shimmer. Inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Another total drool-worthy polish! I'm dying over how neon this is in real life. This is three smooth coats. Again, there's VNL so I recommend applying this over something (maybe even white?) for a nice, opaque look. 

Hootin' and Holoin' is a cranberry holo from the Summer Fun FX Collection.
Ohhhhh baby! I think it's safe to say everyone needs a cranberry holo polish in their life. This is perfect for fall coming up. Super smooth application, amazing formula and this was opaque in like, two coats. AH-MAZING. 

Overall: I'm super impressed with Pretty & Polished's newer polishes. My faves would definitely have to be The Gamorous Life and Hootin' and Holoin'. Both are just so gorgeous! Which ones are your fave?

Pretty & PolishedBuy | Price: $9
* Press Sample
Friday, August 08, 2014

Baby Update | 34/35 Weeks!


I know that I'm SO behind on this but I wanted to catch up. Any other mamas-to-be like, "Wait. I'm having a baby in a few weeks?" It's insane to think about. I'm just copy-and-pasting notes from the past few weeks:

The baby is definitely moving more but they're more rolls and waves instead of kicks. It feels like he's running out of room in there, for sure. He's super low and sometimes I feel pressure but nothing insane. My back sometimes hurts just walking around and I have this weird burning sensation under one of my ribs. I asked the midwife (more on that in a sec) what it was and apparently there's a nerve there that he could be pressing on. Fun stuff!

So about the midwife. I'm not sure if I shared here but a month ago, we went on a hospital tour and I found myself leaning towards midwifery views than of a doctors. I scheduled a meet-and-greet with one, we talked but she didn't really get into their values or anything and asked me if I was serious to schedule another meet-and-greet with one of the other midwives in their group. Did that and met with her the next day. To make a long story short, it was different. September is really busy for them and they weren't sure they'd be able to make since I'm coming in late (at the time I was 34 weeks - totally understandable!). They like to be there from the beginning to establish a trusting bond. Again, so understandable! She than told me that the dealbreaker to let me in was that I'd have to be on a Paleo diet, get lots of exercise and that I'd have to take a birthing class. I didn't want to do that so I passed and decided to stick with my doctor this time.


How far along? 34/35 weeks
Total weight gain: 28 pounds
Maternity clothes? Anything stretchy is my best friend right now.
Stretch marks? Lots!
Sleep: Pretty well! I get up once or twice to pee at night.
Miss Anything? Not having crazy stretch marks and a nice, full night's sleep. Also, sleeping on my tummy.
Movement: Lots of rolling and waves. Barely any kicks any more!
Food cravings: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, iced coffee and pretzels.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not much.
Gender: It's a boy! 
Labor Signs: Pressure in my lower half, movement in the lower half.
Symptoms: Back pain, pressure, leaking boobs. All the fun stuff! ;)
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Anxious! Ha. I just want to meet him already!
Looking Forward To: Meeting our baby :)

Friday, August 08, 2014

Nail Art | Chevron & Outlining with Bonita Colors


Hey love muffins! Happy 400th post to me! :) Only took me two years to get here. No biggie. This mani celebrates a few things: 
- From where I started. This blog was initially a nails-only blog and has turned into SO much more. I love going "back to my roots" and doing nail art.
- A new polish line I've never heard of! They were in my Rite Aid Network box and you can find these babies at your local Rite Aid.
- A tutorial I saw on Pinterest where I was like, "I NEED TO DO THIS." and now, months later, I'm finally trying it out. The tutorial is from the ah-mazing Chelsea King here (PS. Follow me on Pinterest!).

 (Hello most awkward position EVER!)

I used: Julie G. Golden Sunset, Bonita You Mint A Lot To Me, This Beach is Bombay, Tag You're It! and Flaming Juan + a nail art brush
 
I would explain the tutorial but you're better off clicking the link to the picture of the tutorial because Chelsea explains it wayyyyy better than I do how to do the chevron effect. Instead of white, I used gold and instead of black, I used the Bonita polishes. For the outlined nails, I started off with a nice opaque base. I let it dry as much as I could and then took the Julie G. Gold Sunset with a thin nail art brush and traced around my nail. Pretty easy-peasy and makes it look like you've put way more effort into your nails than you actually did.

As for the Bonita Colors: I've actually never heard of this brand before I found them in my July Rite Aid Network box. They sent a total of eight so be on the look out for another post featuring the other four - they're gorgeous! Bonita You Mint A Lot To Me (a neon turquoise), This Beach is Bombay (a neon blue), Tag You're It! (a neon hot pink) and Flaming Juan (a neon orange) all have great formulas. They each require about three coats although you can layer it over a crisp white polish to cut that in half and make them really pop. My absolute favorite is Tag, You're It! 

                                          Where to buy: Your local Rite Aid! | Price: $3.99
* Press sample

the latest on the 'gram.