Jambery Nail Wraps: Festive Nails

I was so excited to try out Jamberry nail wraps for 4th of July weekend this year and I picked out a festive and patriotic design called Ka Boom.  I was nervous about the application process because I tend to have shaky hands and always mess up nail polish when attempting to apply with my left hand. That wasn't the case with these nail wraps and they applied very easily even with my slightly shaky hands. 

After speaking with Amanda who is a Jamberry Nail Consultant, I found out a few additional benefits of using Jamberry wraps including the fact that they're non-toxic, very cost effective compared to going to a nail salon, and come in so many beautiful designs for any type of occasion. 

 The package came with my Ka-Boom design nails wraps in 9 different sizes (18 total wraps however I can get two uses out of one wrap since my nails are fairly short), a manicure set (nail file, buffer, clippers, etc.), two alcohol wipes, a mini heater, and a top coat nail polish along with a cute Jamberry pouch to store everything in one place.



Jamberry provides several videos that I recommend watching before getting started such as this video with application instructions along with reading the process overview below. It literally takes seconds to apply each wrap so it's not a time-consuming or frustrating process by any means.

I love how my nails turned out and it was so fun wearing this design for the 4th of July while on a trip to Vegas. I'm so happy I have enough wraps left to re-wear this design and I'll be sure to order additional designs for future weddings, vacations, parties etc. 

Some other designs that I want to try in the future now that I have the full set up with mini-heater and manicure set. 

 

Check out Amanda's Jam berry online store to browse all of their design or you can also follow along and Facebook and Twitter.

Blinged Out Pet: Rhinestone Dog Collars

My personal friend owns BlingedOutPet.com and since Lola already outgrew her puppy collar, I needed to get her a new everyday collar and then decided a sparkly collar would be great for special occasions. Yes, I am that pet mom. Every girl needs a casual outfit and then one for fancy occasions so why not our furbabies?

I reached out to Laura to get one of her rhinestone collars made for Lola. The crystals are sewn and glued on to the collar for stability and she includes extra crystals in case any need to be replaced. The collars also come in a variety of sizes and colors. 

I picked a pink medium-sized collar with 4-rows of rhinestones which is so pretty and gets tons of compliments. These collars are perfect for show dogs or just spoilt ones like Lola.

After telling Laura about my blog and that I was thinking of posting a review on her collars, she generously offered the coupon code EMILY to give my readers 20% off the retail price.

You can check out more of their rhinestone collars on BlingedOutPet.com and on their Facebook.

Influenster Refresh VoxBox

I've been a member of Influenster for a while now and get VoxBoxes here and there to test and review if the products strike an interest with me. The #RefreshVoxBox didn't disappoint and included a variety of nutrition, beauty and personal care items; all of which I would use in my daily routine. 

Nutrition Snacks

Beanitos Chips: I wasn't familiar with Beanitos chips before receiving these two samples but I really enjoyed both - Restaurant Style & Nacho Cheese. They are full of fiber and protein and also gluten-free so that's good news for those that avoid gluten. I'll definitely purchase them again cause I think they are one of the better tasting chips out there minus the greasiness of some brands I won't mention.

 

Skinnygirl Nutrition bar (5 for $5 at Target): I love Skinnygirl products including their cocktails but haven't had a chance to try their Nutrition bars so I was excited to see a bar was included in the #RefreshVoxBox. I got the Banana & Oatmeal Dark Chocolate bar which was very tasty and the perfect on-the-go snack. I'm not a huge fan of banana flavored stuff so I will try another type when I purchase.

Beauty Products

Covergirl UltraSmooth Foundation & Applicator: This is the product I was most excited to receive because I recently noticed it on the shelves at the drugstore. Ultrasmooth contains Olay serum and is meant to provide medium coverage for a more natural look. The flat, rubbery applicator is not like any others I've tried but it does it's job and blends well. I plan on continuing to use this product because, luckily they sent me the correct tint for my skin tone.

Montagne Jeunesse Face Masque: I've tried a couple Montagne Jeunesse face products in the past and was never impressed enough to re-purchase but I did enjoy the experience with this face mask. You apply after washing/cleansing your face, let dry for 15-20 minutes and then peel. I loved the smell and how my face felt after so I think this is one of their better products for the face.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Comforting Cream: I've never heard of this brand but the cream is formulated with 5% shea butter and made for normal to oily skin.  I really liked how it made my face feel after I applied to a clean face after showering at night. I'm going to keep this in my skincare regimen as a night cream (and I'm pretty picky with my facial products). 

Dental Care

Listerine Pocketpaks: I've never been a huge fan of Listerine mouthwashes. I use gentler mouthwashes but the pocketpacks aren't a bad gig to keep in your purse to freshen your breathe on the go. I like these!

DenTek Floss Picks: I've used floss picks before but always resort back to traditonal dental floss. I really liked these ones though. They were effortless to use, easy on my gums and give off a minty flavor. I'm excited I have 30 count pack for many more uses.

I don't have kids so I'll be giving away the DenTek Fun Flossers to a friend for her to test out with her kids but I'm sure they work just as effectively as the adult flossers. 

I received these products free from Influenster to test and review. 

Have you tried any of the above brands?

Skin Solutions: Pore Minimizing & Full Coverage Makeup

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimizer - I'm not 100% sold on this product being an effective pore minimizer but I love the tingly and refreshing feeling of tea tree on my face so I use this more of a night cream as opposed to a pore primer.

Smashbox High Definition Liquid Concealer - This is the best full coverage concealer in my opinion and that small, skinny tube surprisingly goes a long way! I'm not prone to acne but I do get an irritable bastard here and there, which is when this concealer comes to the rescue. I also use it to even out my skin tone since I tend to get redness in certain areas of my face so I place a tiny amount on a sponge and blend it well into my skin.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation -  If you're looking for full coverage on your face, Tarte Amazonian foundation has you covered, literally! I use it sparingly and it still provides full coverage that will last all day. Once again, I use foundation to even out my skin color and mask any redness.

Benefit the POREfessional Pore Minimizing Makeup Primer - This is the pore minimizer that I recommend over Body Shop's tea tree one mentioned above. It applies smoothly and creates a very light layer on your skin to cover up yout pores. I apply after using moisturizer and before applying concealer and/or foundation.  I mainly use on my cheeks and T-zone and haven't found anything that does the trick better.

Benefit the POREfessional Zero Agent Shine - Other than Clean & Clear blotting paper, this sheer powder works great to control shiny skin. I don't use it daily but when I do, I apply it after moisturizer and before foundation. The powder is very light so won't leave any residue on your face. You can also apply later in the day as your facial oils build up to reduce shine.

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes

I used to be a big MAC eyeshadow girl until I bought the original Urban Decay Naked palette. I love shimmery colors and the quality of the brush. I've never seen a brush that's so easy to clean (by wiping with a tissue) which makes it easy to apply multiple colors with the same brush.

I recently bought the Naked 3 palette so here's a comparison of the colors side by side.

Urban Decay's Naked Eyeshadow Palette

As I mentioned the brush is awesome and I love pretty much all of the 12 colors, except the 11th color is a bit too dark for me. I chose this palette over Naked 2 as I think the colors were a good blend to create a neutral daytime look to a more bold nighttime look. I especially love the 12th color, Gunmetal, the more I experiment with it to get a slightly dark blue smokey yet sparkly look for evening or nighttime.

Favorite colors:

1. Sin

2. Sidecar

3. Half baked

4. Toasted

5. Gunmetal

Urban Decay's Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette

I love the double-sided brush and the neutral yet shimmery colors that come with the Naked 3 palette. The right side of the palette also has a few colors to create a smokey eye look so you can get the best of both worlds.

Favorite colors:

1. Dust

2. Buzz

3. Trick

4. Mugshot

Do you own any of the Naked eyeshadow palettes or something better/comparable?

What colors or color-combinations are your favorite?

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Hair Products

I've tried almost all major hair product brands out there but I had never heard of or ran across the Frederic Fekkai hair care brand before Influenster sent me the above sample products to try out. 

The Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Starter Kit runs for about $15 at ULTA just so you know the retail value. 

My Thoughts

My hair was noticeably shiny and healthier-looking after I washed with Fekkai's brilliant glossing sample shampoo and conditioner. I have thick hair and was only able to get one wash out the sample size, however the glossing creme will last me a while, which I'm excited about!

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Shampoo:

 I really liked how well this shampoo lathered up and went a long way, which I need for my thick hair. It deep cleans very well and my hair looked great for several days after. I will purchase this shampoo once I'm done with the 5 or so bottles of various types of shampoo I already own.

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Conditioner: 

The conditioner was slightly opposite as there wasn't quite enough in the sample packet for me to do a complete detangle and moisturize but I made it work. (My thick hair is a conditioner gulper.) The results were exaclty as advertised: it did improve shine and make my hair feel super silky smooth. I don't think there's anything particularly special about the smell but, other than that, I thought these were quality products.

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Styling Creme: 

I liked the glossing creme the best out of the bundle and glad I have a big enough tube for several more washes/styles. I applied a small amount throughout my damp hair after washing and before blow drying to provide a layer of protection from the heat. It's infused with olive oil to help with texture and shine. Once again, it did live up to it's standards by decreasing frizz (which I have a lot of) and making my hair look healthy and shiny.

The Fekkai line of hair products gets a thumbs up in my opinion!

I received these haircare products complimentary from Influenster to test. The above review is my honest opinion and experience with these products.

Younique 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara

This mascara works wonders on your eyes. A friend of mine was selling the Younique line of products and I decided to purchase the mascara after I saw her before and after photos on Facebook. After testing it out and seeing it for myself, I decided to share my experience because it seriously works miracles on your eyelashes. You can check out the website for yourself here.

It's applied exactly the same way mascara is done so takes only about a minute or so to apply.

I wasn't blessed with thick eyelashes. In fact, they are slightly blonde and almost invisible. This is the results of my first try. I only applied a small amount because I generally only wear a light amount of mascara unless I'm going out somewhere fancy. I could have applied a lot more for a more dramatic look.

Here's a video that shows how it works.

My eyes again this morning leaving for work with light amount of fiber mascara:

I seriously haven't found any other products that can thicken your eyelashes like this one. Other than actually applying false eyelashes. I'm just a beginner and no expert so you can check out Younique's website to find out exactly how the fiber mascara works to thicken your lashes. 

I can't wait to use my 3D mascara to the full potential for some upcoming weddings and charity events when I actually get to dress up and wear bolder eye makeup. 

Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

 

The two cleaning tools I use for makeup brushes are a professional liquid cleaner and a scrubbing glove specifically made for makeup brushes.

I've been using this ULTA professional brush and sponge cleaner. It's not the most high-tech cleaner on the market but I like it and it leaves my brushes feeling clean and soft. You can literally see the "dirty" water washing away all the makeup.

 

Sigma Brush Cleaning Glove

I use this to deep clean my brushes to make sure all makeup and bacteria are removed.

How do you clean your makeup brushes?

Dry Shampoo: Favorite Picks

Batiste remains my favorite dry shampoo after trying a variety of other brands to see if there was anything better out there. Nothing has compared to Batiste in terms of effectiveness, texture and smell. Why do I currently have 3 bottles of dry shampoo? For $8.50 a bottle you really can't go wrong, however you can get it even cheaper at Marshall's for about $5.99 so I stocked up on a couple bottles while I was there over the weekend.

I liked all of the scents I've tried so far so I don't have a favorite in mind but you can find a ton of different ones including fresh, fruity and floral scents to match your preference. They also have dry shampoos specifically for blondes, brunettes or red heads.

Some other dry shampoo brands that I've used (and not liked) are Herbal Essences Naked, Not Your Mother's Clean Freak and Suave's dry shampoo. They are either too sticky, do not provide enough body or just smell bad.  The Herbal Essences dry shampoo is my most recent purchase. I tried it only once and liked the smell but didn't like the texture it made my hair feel and look so will never use it again. It's a shame to waste a full bottle so I'll probably give it away to a friend or anyone that wants to try it and see if it works better for them.

Any any other dry shampoos out there known for working really well?

Summer Ulta Haul & Free Beauty Bag

I recently posted my beauty and skincare wishlist on the blog and finally took the plunge to purchase several items for my mid-year/summer Ulta haul.

Batiste XXL Plumping Powder - I'm still experimenting with this powder but so far so good. It gives your roots that extra boost but I think the XXL title might be a slight exaggeration. I'm not one that teases my hair but this powder would probably work really well for those that do.

Benefit's Agent Zero Shine - Love this so far! I apply a small amount on my T-zone half way through the day. It applies evenly over makeup or you can apply before makeup to prevent shine later in the day.

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs - I used this over the weekend before I headed out to a party and it gave my legs a hint of extra color and some added glow. It was my first time using it so I was afraid of applying too much or making a huge mess. It's actually quite natural looking and I really like that it dries in a matter of seconds.

NYX Butter Lipstick - I really love the moisturizing texture of this lipstick and for $6 it's well worth the price. I wish I bought a slightly brighter color but it's cheap enough to purchase additional colors. 

 

China Glaze Nail polish - This nail polish is very comparable to Essie and OPI at a slightly cheaper price. I painted my toes with the turquoise color I purchased called "too yacht to handle". I love their vibrant colors for summer and so far it's lasted about a week with no chips. 

Philosophy's Pure & Wrinkle Free - I lucked out with the price of this set being the same price as an individual bottle of the Purity cleanser so I basically got the Miracle Worker moisturizer for free. I've started using the moisturizer every night after I shower. It's quite expensive to re-purchase so I'm curious to see if there's a noticeable difference in a couple months. I've been using the Purity cleanser for about 6 months now with my Clarisonic Mia and I love how gentle it is on my skin so I've kept it in my long-term skin regimen.

I also received this beauty bag stuffed full of goodies for spending over $60 at Ulta.com. So many great samples to try.

From the beauty bag, I think I was most excited about trying out Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara and the Mally's waterproof eyeliner in "Caribbean sea" color which is like an emerald green.

I tried out the eyeliner yesterday for work and really liked how smoothly it applied to my lower and upper eyes and the emerald green is a great compliment for my hazel eyes.

What makeup and beauty products are on your wishlist?

Do you recommend any products that are better or comparable to my picks?