Instagram Nails #14

Instagram Nails #13

One Minute Man

 

I'm not going to mince words in this post. This stuff is THE SHIT!

 

Side Note: Now I love me some YouTube, and specifically I love the the British babes on YouTube. They all just seem to be more in line with my product tastes than most of the American girls who are geared toward a younger viewer. The only problem is that leaves me with impossible to get-trans atlantic, product lemmings. What does this have to do with nail polish remover in a jar?

 

Bourjois One Second Magic Nail Polish Remover-the toast of laqcerheads of Europe. When I saw all of my favorite ladies saying how much they loved this I couldn't help but feel like I'd seen something like it at the drugstore before. One day I took a quick peek and found the Pretty Nails Instant Nail Polish Remover. While I think the US version is not as oily (read: hydrating) as the Bourjois it does work so quickly and so much better than I thought it would.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A pink acetone soaked sponge with a small star-shaped slit in the center has changed the way my nail polish removal routine works. Especially when it comes to glitter. I used to swear by the foil method of glitter removal. Which if you haven't heard of you can find the details here. (link!) It required cutting up foil and cotton squares and more importantly it required waiting. I am not good at waiting. So when I brought this home the other day I though I would try removing the polish I was wearing which was a glitterbomb and potential removal disaster. (Butter London's Tart with a Heart FYI)

 

It came off in two seconds. OK not two seconds maybe like 15 seconds per fingernail but' that is a huge improvement from the five minutes of soaking required with other methods. I was so impressed and I don't think I'll go back to traditional nail polish remover. At just $3.99(ish) it's the same price as a decent remover and even comes with a toe dabber so there's no need to have seperate remover for your pedicures.

 

It's all love for me here.

Obsessed: Purple Pout

I am so glad Fall is literally knocking at the door. I feel like of all the seasons Fall is when I tend to take more risks, try more new things, and I start to get really excited about fashion and makeup again. Summer is just so suffocating and hot it makes finding inspiration just so much harder. Having said this, I have stumbled upon my new favorite fall makeup thing. Purple lipstick. What?! It's not that scary I promise!

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick

 

 

Embrace

 

Divine

 

 

T: Embrace B: Divine

 

Ok so when you see them like that yes, the do look a little intimidating. I think if you're accustomed to a bolder lip this could be a nice way to branch out and try something new. On the other hand if you're new to strong lips one of these colors could be a nice way to test drive color without a lot of commitment. (and its not the shade you think it is either!)

 





Embrace is hands down a more friendly shade in my opinion. Its a near dead on dupe for MAC's Violetta lipstick which usually gets repromoted every year but is permanent at MAC Pro. It is a jelly-like berry color with a hint of fuscia and a blue sheen. This would make a delicious blackberry-esque stain for the bold lip shy come the cooler months.

 

 

 

 

Divine on the other hand is a more milky cream finish pink with a heavy lilac lean to it. I find these colors to be especially difficult to pull of especially if you have a warmer undertone like myself. So much so that I spent nearly two months looking at this in the drugstore and not buying it. I am so pleased that I finally caved. This is one of those chameleon colors that changes with the lighting and seems to be just milky enough without being pastel. It also fades nicely to a midtoned blue pink color that almost anyone can wear.

 

I think these are great entry level purple lip colors that allow you to test the water without going overboard and they are both less than 10$ to boot. If you act fast they are BOGO at Rite Aid and there is a $5.00 off two CG lip sticks coupon in the circulars this weekend. I can't wait to wear all of the new colors I'v scored and for honest to God sweater weather!

Instagram Nails #12

Good as Gold?

After hearing all of the good reviews in the beauty blog world on the Alph H Liquid Gold I was desperate to find an afforable US based alternative AHA treatment to try. After trolling the drugstore, Ulta, and dermstore.com I finally came up with an option.

Alpha Hydrox Oil Free Treatment

So this is marketed as a treatment for both mature and problem skin. I have neither of these skin concerns but so far I have enjoyed using this and seen some results. I will say, right off the bat, that this is NO miracle product that will change your life by any means.

It is basically a chemical exfoliating product that uses glycolic acid (and it looks like a bit of lactic acid) that eats up the dead extra skin that sits on the surface and can clog pores. (leading to breakouts, acne, etc.) I got this at Ulta for around 12$ which for a treatment like this seems to be a really great price. The packaging is plain and honestly, not the best design for the consistency of this product. This is a slightly milky, runny gel and if you're not careful when operating the tube it will leak out the opening pretty easily. I tend to unscrew the lid with the nozzle up and then gently tip the product out onto a cotton pad. I will also rest the open end of the tube on the cap while applying the product to my face, and then when I'm done applying I'll replace the cap on the tube. (If thats clear?)

For a while I actually used this product incorecctly and tried using a moisturizer on top (just because I couldn't get used to not using one!) but truthfully it works best on its own. I alternate evenings between my moisturizer and this. It's also reccomended that you use extra sun protection when using products like this as it can make your skin even more suceptable to sun damage.

In the end I really like using this type of product. It helps to reduce what few spots crop up on my skin overnight and give an overall improvement to the look and texture of my skin. It is supposed to help retain elasticity and collagen over time so in addition to immediate results you get the promise of long term benefits. (I can obviously not attest to those claims at this point.) Although I think I was expecting more based on the reviews I read and the results people have seen from other products similar to this. I will be using this up and when I do I'll be looking into alternative products with similar ingredients to try.

Instagram Nails #11

Beyond BB

Not to long ago I went on a little Asian beauty brand adventure. I picked up a few products one of which I've already reviewed here. (link!) The one thing I knew I had to pick up was a true, imported, Asian BB Cream. The one I eventually decided on was the Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream.

 

 

 

I really love the packaging of this particular Beauty Balm and it has nothing to do with the snazzy pink psudeo argyle print. It has to do with this...

 

 

It has a pump! Not only does this keep the product ultra sanitary, but it despenses the perfect amount of product in one pump. I'm not sure how this will work as the tube empties as this is my first product with this arrangement of packaging, but right now I love it.

 

For starters this is my least gray BB Cream to date. I find it comes out a nice pale yellow toned flesh color and has a nice rich, thick feeling on the skin. Of all I have to say on this particular product, the weight is my least favorite feautre. I wanted this as a nice summer foundation option but because it sits more heavily on the skin I think I'll reach for this much more come the cooler months. On a hot summer day I found this did last on most of my skin but around the 5 hour mark my chin area had dissappeared.

 

 

 

I will say that one of the best things about this BB Cream option is the coverage. I spoke very highly of the Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream because I found it had lovely coverage and a light feel. While this one doesn't set quite as soildly as the Dr Jart the coverage is even better and it still looks like you're not wearing any product on the skin.

 

I am so happy with this purchase and while it didn't work for what I had initially intended I still think it's a fantastic product that will see me through the coming fall and winter months.

 

Lioele can be found here (link!)

 

xoxox

Molly

Instagram Nails #10