Zoya Winner!

Congratulations Rebecca! I have a trio of Zoya polishes for you! Email me with your info and I'll get that out soon!!

Rebecca has an awesome blog at Polish Etc. and here is a peek at her latest post. I just found her and she's got some awesome stuff. Go check it out!

Polish Etc. Fourth of July Mani

Milani Runway Eyes Summer 2012 Eye Shadows - Swatches & Review

I don't have graduation nails for you. Actually (this is so awful I can't believe I'm admitting it to you!) I didn't do my nails at all. AT ALL. I had on China Glaze Fast Track on my nails and I just didn't have time to do anything with them before the ceremony. Blah. I'm such a failure. Although I did fix my hair and makeup and I got many compliments on looking beautiful. One person even said I looked like a doll. Yay. Best compliment ever.

Anyway today I have some pretties for you so you won't be mad at me coming here empty handed! =P

I have the three new Milani Runway Eyes Sumer 2012 Eye Shadows in Peaches & Cream, Antigua, and Golden Touch. I actually got these in a giveaway Milani had going on Twitter. I saw a friend who tweeted a message and I retweeted, and then a few hours later, I won! Craziness.

A luxurious, silky-smooth powder eyeshadow baked on terracotta tiles.  The glitter overspray temporarily adds sparkle to this pearl finish eyeshadow. The innovative shade of the curved applicator was designed for a quick and easy application. --Milani.com

Urban Decay Stardust Sparkling Lip Glosses - Swatches & Review

Today is my last day at work. Tomorrow is my last official day, but it's Saturday, so ... Yeah. Graduation ceremony is tonight. I still haven't decided what to wear on my nails (MUCH more important than my actual outfit) but I'll share it with you tomorrow!

Anyway ...

e.l.f. Essential 4-Piece Nail Polish Set - Swatches & Review

I graduate in TWO days. Yusssssss. So excited. I asked ya'll on Twitter if I should do some press on nails for the night or do my own nails. And it was an overwhelming DO MY OWN NAILS. Haha. I should have known. Having press ons or acrylics is taboo in the nail blog-o-sphere! =P

Anywho...

I previously put up a haul/review post on an e.l.f. purchase I made , and I mentioned the 4 piece polish set, but I decided those needed a post of their own! So here we are!

e.l.f. Essential 4-Piece Nail Polish Set includes four orange/pink/coral shades that are definitely IN this season! I bet these would make a killer gradient on the nail, especially the first and third polishes!

Week 22: Splatter Mani

Catch up post! Today I have the Splatter Mani for Week 22 of the 52 Week Challenge. I was a little hesitant about this one since it's the first I've done, but I finally scrounged up enough straws from random vendors I felt I could get it done.

Week 22: Splatter Mani

Essence Products Review

Hiya peeps! I have a few Essence goodies to share with you today! I don't have access to this brand where I live (except for nail polish through Ulta) so I was excited to receive this package! =)

Essence Wanna Be My Sunshine is a fantastic lemon yellow shimmer that leans green. Ya'll have seen it here already, but here are the swatch pictures.

How about an ultra close up macro shot? See the pretty shimmer? It's the same color as the polish but it's noticeable up close in the light.

With flash. See how the edges turn a little green. It's mostly lemon yellow but there is a touch of green in it!

I really liked this polish (as I do all my Essence polishes - thanks Theodora!) and it had decent wear time. 1-2 days before it started chipping. I love the color selection of these and this was the best yellow I've used! Honestly.

Essence Quattro eyeshadow in 01 XOXO is a lovely quad of four silver/purple shades. Very nice to have color coordinating eyeshadows if you're going for a monochromatic look. It includes a silvery white, silver, lilac, and black. All colors have a shimmer to them, and the lighter colors appear more frosted.

Without flash...

With flash...

The silver one gave me the most trouble in terms of color. Even a heavy swatch didn't give me much color, but the silvery white and lilac were awesome. The black I bet would be best to give a touch of depth to the crease or wet as a liner. Good wear time, but I always wear them over primer, so I can't attest to wear time on its own. Yet! =P

Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow in 02 Glammy Goes To... is a gorgeous shimmery taupe cream eyeshadow. It comes in a pretty tub with fun labeling (I'm such a sucker for cute packaging)

With flash ....

Gorgeous shimmery taupe and ya'll know I LOVE my taupe eye shadows. I'm not so much a fan of cream shadows because my lids are so oily, but this one fared well over the course of the day (with primer!). I do like this, and it makes for a great quick smokey eye with some smudged black liner (or brown if you want to go lighter) or a great quick eye for work or going out!

Hopefully I'll get an Eye of the Day up soon using these so you can see them in action! 

Products provided for review.

Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette - In The Nude Swatches + Review

One of my very bestest friends bought this palette for me for a Christmas present. She knows me so well, and it's crazy that I had wanted to buy it for myself and had decided to pass, and then I get it wrapped up with a pretty (and glittery!) bow.

WINNERS

OK ladies, you better email me or we're gonna have words. =P

Tishana - Essie or Orly?
Susie  - Essie or Orly (depending on what Tishana picks)
Narmai - Sally Hansen Gem Crush Collection

Please email me your shipping info and I'll get this out to you as soon as I can!

Week 26: Neon

Ahhh finally, my first weekend this month that I haven't been working or out of town. Yay for being lazy in my OWN HOME. hehe So here we are with Week 26 of the 52 Week Challenge. We're halfway there! Yeehaw!

This week's challenge was neon. I grabbed a few China Glaze neons a few months ago at a local beauty supply store, but I haven't worn them yet. Simply Beauty did an awesome neon week awhile back, and it made me want to break these out and play with them. 

Here's what they look like in the sun. This was the most accurate color picture I could get.

Week 26: Neon (sunshine)

Zoya Blogger Collection by Birchbox

I know I'm super behind with this post, but here it is anyway! I jumped on this limited edition trio as soon as I found out about it! Two jellys in pink and coral and one shimmery pink. Gorgeous colors, totally on point with the current trends!

Milani Haute Flash Lip Gloss - Swatches & Review

I think I've made it well known that I LOVE Milani lip gloss. There are few products I will run out and get every color just because I know the quality is fantastic and they will not disappoint. Milani lip glosses are one of those. I have a few of their regular lip glosses, all the Lip Flash pencils, and now the Haute Flash Lip Glosses. 

Week 25: Pride/Rainbow

A day late, but I still made it! I'm baaaaack with Week 25 of the 52 Week Challenge: Pride/Rainbow. I had a few ideas rolling around in my head from previous mani's I've seen, but I decided to google it and see what kinds of things I saw for inspiration. I know this mani has been done before but I can't find the image of it - if you know it, let me know, so I can credit the owner!

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette - Swatches & Review

Who loves Urban Decay? I do! Well, I loved them more up until a few days ago. More on that later though....

I have the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette today! I know this is super old but I put this aside to swatch before I played with it, and then kinda forgot about it. I must be losing my mind because just look at these beautiful shadows!

It comes in insanely awesome packaging - like true Urban Decay style. It's in a sturdy box with a lacelike pattern on the side and reflective top with jeweled "ud" on the top. You open it up and there's another lid to take off, but the bottom - it's lined with royal purple velvet. Very luxurious. They spared no detail on this one.

Hanging out at Red Hair and Black Nail Polish

Hey everyone! I'm hanging out over at Theodora's today while she's busy with some tough exams. Go here to check it out or click on the teaser picture below! C'mon, you know you wanna!

Barielle Nail Polish Swatches & Review

I don't know how many of you know about Barielle, because when I mentioned them in my latest haul post, it seemed new to a lot of you. So here's the dilly-yo.

Barielle is a company that sells hand and foot care products along with 3-free nail polishes. They have an extensive list of products that you can find through different skin/nail needs (dry brittle nails, soft peeling nails, etc).

Here is what they say about themselves:

Over 30 years ago, Barielle introduced "Nail Strengthener Cream" as the first nail care product of its kind. Originally formulated to condition the hooves of million-dollar thoroughbred racehorses, this legendary skin care product helps nails grow healthier and stronger while resisting splits, peels and breaks. Its effectiveness launched Barielle as a nail and skin care company with unique products and approaches to treating, protecting and maintaining nails. Barielle has since evolved into one of the leading prestige nail care, hand care and foot care brands sold in the world, known for our cracked feet treatments and the best moisturizers for dry skin.

I have a few to share with you today! I'm very excited about these colors and I've done a few pairings that I hope you will like.

More Wieners!

You looked again. *snicker*

Had to pick THREE new winners because I only heard back from one person. 

Here are the new ones!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sooooo I might be confused, but I can't find the comments for giveaway preferences, so when you contact me, please email/comment with the link with your preferences, and I'll sort out who gets what! =P

EDIT:
shasha (claimed)
Josianne P.
Infinity S.
Florinda F.

Wieners

Haha I said wieners and you looked. *snicker* 



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Here is the breakdown for who got what ...

Prize 1: Shasha


Prize 2: Nails and a Westie


Prize 3: CraftyWitchyWoman


Prize 4: Shruti Shetty

Everyone got their first pick (I think) except CraftyWitchyWoman whom I couldn't find a preference, but regardless was picked last so she got #3, which is crazy because I think #3 was the most common first pick!

Please email me at obsessed with glitter (at) gmail with your shipping information and I'll get those out soon(ish).

Week 19: Floral Mani

Again, not what is supposed to be done today, but I'm out of town again! I'm a busy bee!! In the spirit of trying to catch up, here's another weekly challenge that I did recently.

I found this design on a site I love, and ya'll may know it already - Simply Rins.

May Goodbye's

Here's my second edition of product goodbye's! The first one seemed to be enjoyed, so here is my latest batch of things I've used up!

May's Goodbye's!

Bath & Shower

Head & Shoulders 2in1 Green Apple. This stuff was ok. I tried the 2in1 because, (a) green apple scent drew me in and (b) I figured it would be less drying on my hair. It actually made my scalp worse and I'm not sure if it was the added conditioner making it way to heavy for my scalp or the scent. Verdict: Won't repurchase.

Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Sweet Almond Mint. LOVE this stuff. I use it almost every day. I alternate out with a dandruff shampoo a few days a week for my scalp, but then I will use this on my ends to keep them super soft and shiny. I enjoy the scent, but I like some of their other scents more. Verdict: I will definitely keep using this - but I won't be repurchasing for awhile as I have 5 more bottles to use! 

Bayberry Naturals Soap in Pink Grapefruit (not pictured). I LOVED this soap. Not drying at all, I felt clean and refreshed. The scent was awesome - sweet and a little tart. A real eye opener in the mornings. Verdict: Will repurchase in the future.

Fortune Cookie Soap Lime in the Coconut bar soap (not pictured). Great bright green soap that smells great. Again, citrusy and tart. Looks like they don't sell this one anymore. =/ Which is ok. It was nice, but nothing amazing. I have a few other FCS soaps to use, but I think I prefer Lush or Bayberry Naturals smells and cleaning ability. Verdict: Won't repurchase.

Skincare

Equate Medicated Apricot Scrub. Staple in my morning shower routine. Must have at all times. I switch back and forth between the St. Ive's version and this Walmart generic brand. I don't have a preference. Sometimes it's cheaper to go through Ulta during a sale and get more of the St. Ive's kind, and other times it's cheaper at Walmart. See, I can try to save money! haha. This baby was already replaced before I was out. Verdict: Definitely repurchase!

Fortune Cookie Soap Clear Complexion bar soap (not pictured). This was a sample bar from a purchase I made previously. I liked it, but I felt it didn't clean my skin fully. Maybe I need a rough scrub to feel clean, but I wasn't too thrilled with it. Verdict: Won't repurchase.

Makeup

Make Up For Ever HD Powder. I finished two of these - travel sized and full sized. I love this powder. It sets great, doesn't alter the color of your make up, and doesn't make you look like a ghost or super dry. It IS expensive. I'm currently trying a different powder for a less expensive alternative. Verdict: May repurchase in the future. I am keeping the tubs to fill with other powders though. =P

Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous in Medium. I bought this on a recommendation of a friend who has great skin. She loves it. I'm kinda meh about it. I'll be putting up a full review later, but basically I think I need more coverage. I do like the cream-to-powder idea though, and it's totally convenient to carry. Verdict: On the fence. Will likely repurchase, only to not use often.

Bare Escentuals Blush in Pink Petal. I got this in a BE set I purchased awhile back. Glimmer and gloss? Shimmer and glitter? Glam and glitter? I have no idea. It came with a few products, one of which was this blush (hence the fancy gold dots on the cap). I didn't care for it much when I first bought it because I was using more peach blush at the time, but since it's warmed up into spring and summer recently I decided to start using it. I liked it, nice flushed color, easy to apply, built easily. I've always liked BE products, one of my fav brands! Verdict: Limited edition, so can't repurchase.

Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer. I received this as a sample on a Sephora.com order. I like that the line is natural and it's tinted, so it helps give a little something extra. It's a bit shimmery, which I try to avoid, and it didn't do much for increasing the wear of my foundation nor did it keep me matte longer. Verdict: Nice, but won't repurchase.

Maybelline 510 and 605. These are super old and I'm kind of embarrassed to include them. I must have gotten these 3+ years ago. I found them again whilst looking at my insane stash and decided they have to go, even without using them up. I don't even think they sell them anymore. I never really liked them much anyway. No love lost. Verdict: Won't repurchase.

Nails

Nailtiques Nail Protein 2 plus. I really like this stuff. It does contain formaldehyde which I feel works better for my nails. I've been using this for awhile, off and on, and always come back to it because it does do a great job. Verdict: Will repurchase. Already have two more bottles as back up!

Sephora by OPI Quick Dry Drops. I tried this after all the rave reviews on Sephora's website. Again, not impressed. The smell wasn't great, they didn't dry my nails any quicker than my quick dry top coat, and I used it up quickly. Verdict: Won't repurchase. 

BUT I did like the little bottle. So I have other quick dry drops with a great aromatherapy scent. So cute and pretty with the blue liquid in it. 

All in all, not a bad month. I'm glad I'm using up so much stuff so I will have less crap stuff to move next month. It seems we have our house to rent for the first few months until we decide where to purchase. It's basically half the size of our current house, so that should be interesting ...

Haul + Mail

Loving my mailman right now! I have so many new goodies to share I don't know where to begin!

I got a few polishes from Peace, Love, and Polish's blog sale - including Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure! I know there are a lot of dupes out there, but I felt I NEEDED to own this one, despite having the Essie and Finger Paint's dupes. I have a sickness. Don't judge me. They were all wrapped up safely in little bubble wrap cocoons of love. Check out her blog sale if you haven't and see if you can pick something up!

Beach Vacation Spam

I'm leaving today for home, I have work in the afternoon. Waaah I don't wanna go back home. I want to live here! It's been so nice but it'll be even better to get back to my own bed. I've had so much fun here though.

Anyway, I have a few pictures that I've taken. I'm not a very good photographer, but I picked out a few to share!

I meant to take pictures of my mani I wore here but I didn't have time and now it's destroyed. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you may have seen a quick pic of my nails. A quick camera phone photo below .. Milani Sail Away and Milani Beach Front. My right hand has the colors reversed, and my toes matched my hands! It was quite fun. I'll have to do this again soon.

Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer - Swatches & Review

I've been using this for a few days and I've decided to post a review. I recently ran out of my usual primer, and since I got this as a sample from a Sephora.com purchase, it seemed like a great time to try it out!

Week 16: Dotticure Mani

Catch up time!

I know Dotticure isn't for this week, but I left for the beach yesterday morning and don't have stuff with me to do today's challenge. Sowwie! I'm so behind with this challenge it's not funny. But my schedule clears up a LOT this month, so hopefully I will be better about doing things on time and slowly catching up!!

And I will be ready to do the Summer Challenge in July! It's every other day during my month off so it should be a lot of fun! I'm already planning out what I'm going to do for each day! =)

These are some designs are ones that I did for ideas for Week 16 Dotticure Mani in the 52 Week Challenge. I never quite got far enough to actually do them on my nails. So in the spirit of catching up, here we are!

Urban Decay NAKED2 - Swatches & Review

Hiya gorgeous!

I'm sure everyone has already heard about the Urban Decay NAKED2 palette, but I just found mine again and fell in love and I had to share it. I bought this right when it came out, and then when I received it, I set it aside to swatch before I used it, and then I forgot about it. =-/ Story of my life.

So here we are again! Let's just pretend it's not months later ...