March 28, 2012

Side Note- Glitter Bombs

Hi Guys,

         Me again! I'm back to offer a side note. A side note will be a new feature on the blog which will consist of random stuff that may come up between my longer posts. For instance, my side note for tonight is this: I purchased a new nail color from Sally Beauty Supply (Ya, I pretty much live there) tonight and I was just so excited that I had to share. It's a color from the China Glaze Prismatic Collection it's called Optical Illusion' . The reason I wanted to share this so much is because it give a full coverage glitter unlike many of it's counterparts where the glitter seems thick in the bottle but is barely there when you start painting your nails. Although the pics don't do the color justice, it is an amazing color. The best way to decribe it is that it looks like a mermaids fin. LOL Odd I know but when you see it, you'll know what I'm saying.



Enjoy,

xoxox Sarah

March 27, 2012

A little sun...without...the sun...

Hi Beauty Queens,

         Hope you guys have been enjoying the nice sunny and warm weather the last little while. Although it has cooled off alot since last week, shortly (here's hoping) we will see the nice weather set in permanently. That means sun, and lots of it. Personally though, I envy all you guys out there that can tan like a boss, but unfortunately for moi, I burn...like a boss. I use 50 SPF which actually prevents a tan. But I want to look like all you beautiful tanned people too. So, I decided to give 'sunless' tanners a whirl. I picked up one called 'tanwise sunless tanning spray'. The word 'spray' is what sold me because I have tried tanning mitts and lotions but always end up with the streaky look (even after exfoliating). This spray runs for about $15 at your local Sally Beauty Supply. So, I was excited to see what my new 'tan' was going to look like. After showering and exfoliating (so very important not to skip this step) I sprayed it on my leg. To my surprise it came out grey! I found this shocking since I've never used a spray version. I had no choice but to spread it because it came out in beads. I tried my best to spread it evenly. It was a bit messy (I found it on my forearms the next day) but seemed even. I followed that with a moisturizer. Within an hour my legs looked fab! I was actually so impressed with how natural it looked. I had a bit of streakiness around my heels but for a beginner it wasn't bad. The second time I used it, I used gloves and it turned out much better.

So, the verdict? I would give this product 4 out of 5 stars. Although it was a tad messy, the coverage and color was good. The price was right and at the end out the day I had a tan! I think this product is good for beginners and for people that find it difficult to get a tan.

So, that's my review on 'tanwise sunless tanning spray'.

In other news, I painted my nails tonight, here is a photo:

The color I used was O.P.I's Do it on em' from the Nikki Minaj collection that came out a few months ago. I felt like if I wore springily colors that it would warm up outside :P Hopefully it works.

Do you have any summer time trends that might help the air get warmer? Hit up the comments.

Stay Fab loves,

Sarah

March 17, 2012

Summer Hair 101

Hey...anyone who is listening,

                So, I'm still unsure of how many people are actually reading this but I thought I'd post anyways. i had a good couple days away from the blog (even though it wasn't a super long time). The sun has been shining like you wouldn't believe and the temp has been high for the month of march. I'm not going to lie, I think that the 'heat' has caused us all to think about the summer months to come in the next little while. This makes us think about hitting up the beach, which leads us to fried, dried and frizzy hair. So, for this post, I'm going to run you through some summer hair tips to keep your hair gorgeous.


Tip #1- The beach is a nice place to go on a hot steamy day but the sun and its harmful UV rays can take a toll on your locks. Use a deep conditioner 2-3 times a week. A great tip I just heard is too apply your deep conditioner and then to lay out in the sun. The heat from the sun actually helps the conditioner soak up into the hair.

Tip #2- Another beach/pool tip is to use a leave-in conditioning spray after swimming. Chlorine and other substances in lakes/pools can cause more damage than you think to your hair. Using a leave-in will also make it easier to brush later.

Tip #3- If at all possible, avoid using hairspray during the summer. Reason being, it's extremely drying due to high alcohol levels. Opt for one that uses natural ingredients and conditioners.

Tip #4- Avoid using your heat styling tools. For a lot of us, these tools are part of our everyday routine, but they could be causing more harm than good. But it would be beneficial to go on a 'hot tools diet' during the summer months.

Tip#5- Go shopping for a super cute summer hat. Floppy hats are all the rage these days, as are straw fedoras. Why not splurge on one? You will look fabulous while protecting your hair and scalp from the harmful UV rays the sun throws at you.

Tip #6- See your hair 'doctor' for regular trims. To avoid a frazzled look in the summer time make sure your getting your locks trimmed every 4-6 weeks. You will see a huge difference in your hair.

Tip #7- Wearing your hair up in a bun, pony tail or braids actually helps keep your ends smoother. So why not try a cute new 'do' to keep your ends free from split ends?

So, that's my list of summer hair tips. I have personally tried these tips and I love every single one of them. It seems as though in the summer time you need to take extra good care of your hair because your getting an excessive amount of heat exposure. I, for one, am looking forward to the sizzling summer months ahead and cant wait to chill at the beach.

What about you? Have you got any hot summer hair tips for us? Share below.

Love,

Sarah

March 13, 2012

Coming up next on the OBQ

Hi all my beauties,

        Just a quick post for you guys to let you know what to expect from me in the next little while. I won't be posting again most likely until the weekend. The next few days are going to be hectic so I'm going to take a few days to just focus on work and on relaxing (whenever I get the chance). When I come back from my 'blog vacay' I will have two new reviews for you, along with some great summer hair tips. My first review will be all about a new sunless tanning spray I just bought today. My second review is based on the 'favorite beauty product' poll I posted last week. You all seemed to agree that mascara was your fave but since I already reviewed mascara I decided to go with your second choice which was eyeliner. I have been using a new liquid eyeliner and I'll be reviewing it for you guys in the next little while. Anyways, I wanted to take a second to thank everyone who voted on the polls and I look forward to your answers for the new poll I posted all about nail polish. I'm off! Hope you all enjoy the next couple of days and talk to you all soon.

Oh! question: do you use sunless tanner? Hit up the comments and let me know!

Ta-ta for now!

Love,

Sarah

March 10, 2012

Gelish Gel Polish

Hey everyone,
  
        This post is defiantly for all you nail polish lovers out there in cyber space. I am a huge nail polish fan (just ask my co-workers, they never see me with the same nail color twice), but unfortunately when your in the retail industry and your unpacking boxes and working with cash registers it's next to impossible to keep your polished tips chip-free. That being said, I found this product called Gelish Gel Polish. Their claim is: 'Performs like a gel, applies like a polish'. I set out to find out if this was fact or merely a 'claim'. I will give you a brief run-down as to what, exactly, Gelish is. Have you ever heard of Shellac? Well, if so, it's almost identical and if not, it's basically a cured gel polish. It's cured using a UV or LED lamp. There is a base coat applied, that is then cured, then you apply 2-3 coats of the color, curing between all coats, then topped of with a top coat, then you do a final cure and finally you cleanse the nail using the cleanser. The claimed result? Shiny, chip-free nails for up to 2 weeks. It also is only removable with pure acetone, not plain nail polish remover. So, let's get down to the nitty-gritty and see what the verdict is.

 I went to my local Sally's store in Oakville and spent a few bills on the LED light, polish, foundation (base coat), Top it off (Top coat, in case you couldn't guess) and cleanser (rubbing alchol). They also carry the classic UV lamp but I decided to go with the LED lamp. The difference? A UV lamp cures within minutes and a LED lamp cures within seconds. It was alittle on the pricier side (UV lamp is around $30 and a LED is around $70) but I thought seconds sounded better than minutes and I had a little more money to spend. When I came home I wanted to try it immediately. I basically did all the nail prep (shaping, removing/pushing cuticles, buffing, etc.). After washing my hands to remove dust from the filing/buffing, I then cleansed the nail with the cleanser. I applied the foundation coat, which has a jelly like texture, and then cured it for about 10 seconds (with a LED lamp). I then applied my gel polish and cured between coats. One thing I found with the polish I purchased (the color I purchased was Sweet Chocolate) was that it needed 3 coats because even after the second coat it was still transparent. So depending on the color your using you may need 3 coats, despite the instructions claiming 2 coats. After the polish was all cured I then applied the 'top it off' to the nails and cured for the final time. Finally, I cleansed the nail with the cleanser to remove the tacky film and voila! They looked amazing! Here are a few pics just after I finished them. 


The flash on the camera makes them look dull but they were actually really shiny. So, the promise is for it to last up to 2 weeks. Unfortunately, the nail polish fanatic in me wanted to change nail colors so I decided to show you what it looks like after a week instead (Still a pretty good amount of time). Throughout the week I tried to be as rough as possible with them. I really wanted to see if they could live up to the daily grind of retail work. The day after I did them I had a shipment to unpack and I really worked those babies out! I was ripping boxes and stripping the tape with my bare hands! Ha ha! When I looked at my hands after, there wasn't one chip. I was actually very impressed considering that if I had used my regular nail polish (any kind, OPI, China Glaze, Essie...) they would have been chipped galor! But how about a week later? Well, take a look...


I was actually impressed at how well the color stayed on and it was still super shiny. Now here's my negative comment as far as Gelish is concerned. The removal process is really time consuming and really dries out you nails and fingers. I ran out of tin foil to wrap around the acetone soaked cotton ball so I ended up just soaking my tips in a bowl of acetone (FYI So smelly that I almost needed a mask). After they soaked for about 10ish minutes the polish was still on and I had to chip away at it to get it off. It wasn't difficult as the acetone had already broke down the polish, but it still involved more work than I would have liked. My overall view on this product? I say that I love it and that even thought it's a bit of a pain to remove, it's defiantly worth it. Since I have two jobs and only get about one day off a week it's nice to have pretty chip free nails that I don't need to re-paint 3 times a week. If your a busy lady with no time to polish your nails every couple of days and you want something to last, then this is for you. It will cost around $150 to start but after you purchase the light it's all about keeping stocked up with the polishes, foundation and top coat. On the other hand, if you like changing your nail color every couple of days (and have the time to do so), then this probably isn't for you. You don't want to be soaking your nails in acetone every other day. I actually went out and purchased two more Gelish colors and I'm super excited to apply them next, so as you can see, there a hit with me!

So, Will you be giving Gelish a go? Have you ever tried using a cured gel polish before? Any tips on application, care or removal? The floor is yours Beauties...

Hugs & kisses,

Sarah

P.S- I will be posting a new poll this weekend! It's all about nail Polish so keep checking back.

March 07, 2012

Spring is in the air

Hey Beauts,

            What a fantastic day it is today out in Oakville. The sun is shining, theres a nice breeze and best of all, it's 13 degrees. It looks like spring has finally sprung, so that means in just a short time it will be time to whip out the flip flops and head to the beach. But with flip flops comes exposed feet and tootsies, so you want to make sure they are nice and pretty. For us busy girls one of the most recent thing I have discovered is Sloughing lotion. If you've never heard of it, then you need to check it out. It basically removed the surfaced dead skin to smooth and refine your feet. There are days when I just don't feel like whipping out the foot bath and all my files and bath soaks and pumice stones. On days like that I give myself a mini pedicure. I purchased a synthetic pumice bar and use it on my feet in the shower. Afterwards, I remove any leftover dead skin from my feet with the sloughing lotion. After rinsing the lotion off, I rub a foot lotion on my feet and they are soooo smooth and soft. And not a foot bath in sight. When you have more time on your hands I recommend an epsom salt foot soak. The first time I tried it I felt like I was floating when I walked for a couple hours afterwards. My feet felt refreshed and soft.

Ofcourse we also need that little punch of color. These are some of my favorite colors for the spring/summer:




Top Left: Lemon Fizz, Top Right: Flip Flop Fantasy, Bottom Left: In the Limelight, Bottom Right: For Audrey

What are some of your favorite summer colors? Comment below and let me know ;)

Love,

Sarah

P.S- All product mentioned above is availble at Sally Beauty Supply and Equipment.

March 06, 2012

First EVER review!

Hey Beauty Queens,
         So, I’ve spent the last couple of days rummaging around my room for things that I have loved or hated to review for you guys. Going through drawers and looking through cupboards. I know this should come naturally but I really wanted to wet your appetites with something. So, after a few nights of searching I finally decided on a product. So, without further ado, I give you, drum roll please, my FIRST review ever! The product I have chosen for my first review is something that almost every woman uses, so I thought it would be a good starting point. It’s none other than SCANDLEyes mascara from Rimmel London. As I searched through my drawers and makeup box I saw this bright orange tube staring at me and I thought to myself ‘this stuff is amazing…I should review this’. So, here I am telling you that I give this product an A+ in the lashes department. Why did I love this product so much? Well, I have searched far and wide for mascara that plumps and lengthens. I am a tough customer when it comes to mascaras. I usually will fall in love with a mascara fast, but fall out of love just as quickly. So far, in my search for the perfect mascara, this one has been the most consistent. My lashes looked luscious, dark and long. The brush is larger than normal but it doesn’t have plastic bristles which, in my opinion, can cause lashes to look spidery and separated.  What didn’t I like about it? Well, the flake factor is high. Although I do dislike the goopy line you get on your eyelids from some mascara that claim not to flake, I don’t care for the black flaking either. The Verdict? I say despite some minor flaws, that it’s overall amazing mascara.  It does exactly what it promises and that is a mascara you can respect. I say go buy a tube next time you’re in need of a new mascara and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I'm gonna trail off from the whole 'review' thing for a few. I have been keeping tabs on a youtube channel for the last couple months called cutepolish. If you haven't checked it out, you need to. She does some of the cutest nail designs around. My most recent fave it the tuxedo nails she recreated. Please check her out. :)



That’s all I’ve got for today guys. Hope you enjoyed my first post and I can’t wait for more to come. 
Hugs & Kisses
Sarah

P.S- I have applied the Gelish and I'm on day #3. No chips to report yet! :) Stay tuned for my review!

March 04, 2012

Working on it

Hey guys,
I am happy to annouce that I am working on my first blog post ever. I was going to post it today but my laptop died so I am blogging this from my Ipod he he! I am working on a review for a Rimmel london mascara and I spent a fortune on a new shellac-like product called Gelish. I will be posting some pics as well. This whole beauty blogging thing is actually exciting. It really makes me want to try new things so I can tell you guys how amazing/crappy products are. Also, part of blogging and exposing your feelings about certain things is constructive critism. Please feel free to comment on my posts if you share a differing opinion. People love to hear a variety of thoughts on a product. Anyways, Im off for now but stay tuned for upcoming reviews.

Love,
Sarah