Ciate' Very Colourfoil Manicure Kit Review

I was really excited to see this Ciate' manicure kit in my November Kelly Rowland Fancy box! I've seen lots of these kits around and have been curious about trying them! 

I was super impressed with the contents when I opened up the package. Everything looks so organized and high quality! 

The supplies! With my own Base and top coats! ;)

Here are the steps to the Colourfoil manicure:

Two coats of the base polish (LOVE this bubblegum pink!)

Dot on the included glue where you would like the foil to be. Wait a minute (or two) until it partially dries and is clear

Press the foil sheet on the nail, colour side up

Voila! Repeat with other colours if desired

After a second layer with the green foil

And the end result:

Turned out pretty cute! My girls absolutely love the look and I've gotten lots of comments on it! I am surprised at how MANY times you could do this with the supplies included! The package includes 30 foil sheets and I did all 10 nails and only used a small portion of TWO sheets! SO much stuff to experiment with over and over! 

Kelly Rowland November 2013 Fancy Box Review

I'm back from a fun-filled Thanksgiving week and I've got quite a few reviews to get up! And I'm going to do a post or two with review and info on our cruise on Allure of the Seas! Busy, busy, busy!! :)

I was so excited to be contacted by Fancy last month and offered this box to review*. Who doesn't love Kelly Rowland and think she's got great style?? I couldn't wait to see what she picked out! Fancy offers a variety of celebrity and regular boxes for less than $50/month ($39 + shipping). Use code FOLLOWUP10 to save 10% on your purchase!

Let's get to it! Here's first looks:

And the breakdown (with photos from Fancy):

Lomography Diana Baby 110 Camera, $59 - How cute is this?? It takes square pictures and needs actual film! The information card said to stay put, that Kelly is going to help with the film. Maybe in her December box??

Ciate' Very Colourfoil Manicure Kit, $25 - Ooooh! Excited!! I've been wanting to try one of these Ciate' sets for a while! Post on this manicure coming soon!! 

Paris Skyline Tights, $15 - These are definitely interesting! I'm sure I'll find something weird to do with them! LOL!

Japonesque Precision Eyelash Curler, $14 - How cute is this little curler?? It's supposed to make it easy to target individual or hard to reach lashes. I love when you get a product in a box that you never realized you needed but once it's in your hands it seems so obvious!! ;)

I came up with a total value of $113 for this box and I thought it was definitely a really interesting assortment of stylish selections! I'm definitely interested to see what she picks in the future! And, if you haven't gone to look around at Fancy, do it! Soooo many fun things and creative shopping ideas!!  


* box was received for free but no other compensation was involved. All opinions are my own. Post contains referral links. Thanks in advance if you use them! :D

Nails of the Week: Julep Chevron Stickers Experimentation!

I knew what my nails of the week would be as soon as I opened my Julep Zigzag mystery box! I was in love with the orange polish and couldn't wait to try out the chevron stickers! Here's what I used:

China Glaze base coat
Julep in Marjorie
OPI in Lincoln Park After Dark
Julep top coat
Julep chevron stickers

I read reviews of the orange polish on Julep and was worried about how sheer/light it was going to be. Because of that, I decided to use it as a base, apply stickers, then paint on darker stripes! 

First step: Orange base coat. Let dry.

One coat gave pretty great coverage! Looks perfect for fall and the countdown to Halloween!

Second step: apply chevron stickers and paint over all with second color. Let dry. 

Then it was time to peel off the stickers. Eek... I was worried about how this was going to turn out. I let the orange dry for 15 minutes in a nail dryer, and then the purple dry for 15 minutes in a nail dryer and yet....

Everything peeling off. Fail.
But looks spooky, no? Haha 

What went wrong? Who knows. I cleaned that mess off and reapplied a coat of the orange. This time around I used a sticker cut in half on each ring finger as an accent nail. Much cleaner and actually super cute! 

I'm so curious to see if anyone else has had better luck than me with these! I'm usually fairly impatient with watching paint dry but I was extra patient this time and still my multi-color stripes were a bust! :(

If you'd like to try Julep, please use one of my links and code FREEMAVEN to get your first box for only $3.99! Thank you! :D

Julep Zigzag October Mystery Box Review

Julep Maven is a monthly subscription service that sends nail polishes and other beauty products based on your profile each month for a monthly charge of $24.99. If you would like to try your first month free (just pay the $3.99 shipping fee) use code FREEBOX. And thank you in advance if you use one of my referral links! :D

I didn't get the regular October box from Julep but I couldn't resist the mystery box this month! Each zigzag box is "powered by chevron" and contains fun chevron nail stickers! 

There were three box sizes available and I opted for the mini box, $19.99 for $50+ of product. One of my real motivations for this order was to add on Casper, the glow in the dark limited edition polish that I've been craving! And, also, to use a coupon that only happened on 10/10 - $10 off $25 or more! 

Here's first looks:

Such a huge outer packing box this time!

And the breakdown:

Clara polish, $14 - opaque peach creme

Marjorie polish, $14 - citrus orange frost

Doublestep, $22 - This stick is promised to prevent blisters. Nobody loves a monster heel more than me, so I'm hoping this will work well when the time of need comes!

Candy corn - Fun little bonus treat! The girls ate this right up!

Sea Salt Spray, $22 - Sea salt spray is a little hit or miss with my curly hair. I am currently using a Philip B. one that leaves my curls looking great even without blow drying. This one reviews well on Julep, so hopefully it's a good one!!

Chevron stickers, $2 - I'm not sure quite what I was expecting, but I'm surprised by the design of these and how versatile they are! The instructions say to trim them, apply on nail and top coat over. They are long enough to go on nails in any direction. They could also be used to provide neat edges to paint chevron of other colors. These are going to use this week!!  

Casper glow in the dark polish, $14 - fun add on!! My girls are going to flip out over this!! :D

My box contained $74 worth of product (plus Casper) and I was really happy with it! It was a nice combination of polish and other products and I'm looking forward to trying out my new goodies! Chevron nails coming soon!! 

Be sure to use code FREEMAVEN to get your first box for only $4 if you decide to sign up for Julep! 

Nails of the week: Lucky Mag November Manicure

It's been a while since I did a nails of the week post. I promise I've kept them done, just been busy with other things! ;)

I was flipping through my new Lucky magazine yesterday and saw this mani idea. I have polishes basically just like the ones they used, so I thought it would be fun to try! 

The article used Deborah Lippmann polish in Stronger over Essie polish in Power Clutch. I used Deborah Lippmann polish in Ray of Light over Julep polish in Daria. I used my trusty China Glaze base coat and, of course, a top coat of out the door! I couldn't get 'out the door' without it! LOL! 

They turned out... okay. I think my Lippmann polish has a base that's a tad too dark, even one coat almost completely covered the grey. 

With flash inside

In shady natural light

In full natural light

What do you think? Are you in full fall mode, dark nails and all? I'm definitely starting to get into it, even though our days have still been warm here in Louisville! :D

Blush Beauty Mystery Box October 2013 Review

Be sure to enter my fun October mini makeover giveaway while you're here! :D

Guess what? It's another awesome month from Dermstore's Blush Beauty Mystery Box!! This subscription is officially my third favorite (behind PopSugar and Ipsy) and I LOVE it again this month!! I had seen a couple of spoilers but it's always a fun surprise!! 

This subscription costs $35 for a one time purchase or $25/month with subscription ($26.45 with tax to Kentucky) and contains $100+ of beauty products. 

Each month has a guest curator. This month's box was curated by Kimberly Klotz-Kolodziejski (glad my kids didn't have to learn to spell that last name! LOL), co-founder of Chella Skin Care. She and her husband founded Chella and she's the brand's spokesperson and beauty consultant. She says she likes to "keep Chella fresh and open to new possibilities." Let's get to it! 

Here's first looks:

And the breakdown:

Miracle Skin Transformer Face SPF 20 - $5 - This looks similar to the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer that I have adored for ages. Anxious to see if it compares!

Karin Herzog Vitamin H Rich Nourishing Face Cream, $4 - What is vitamin H??? Some mystery miracle cure that I've been looking for my whole life??? LOL

Talika Lipocils Expert Eyelash Treatment, $7 - I was just texting with a friend last night about eyelashes. I've always been pretty serious about them but I've never tried one of these treatment serums! This kind of thing has been on my list to try for a while, so anxious to get started on it!

Theraplex FT Exfoliating Emollient, $15 - There aren't many good things about colder weather but having a chance to pamper flip flop weary feet is one of them! ;)

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter, $15 - This was one of the spoilers leaked by Blush and I was pumped about it. Like everyone else, I'm in love with this highlighter crayon after receiving it in my June Ipsy Bag! I'm excited to have a backup since mine is going fast!

Myface Cosmetics Lip Pop Gloss, $18 - Just with a quick bit of digging, this looks like a UK brand that is still relatively new to the US. Excited to try it!

Mirabella Brilliant Mineral Highlighting Powder, $38 - LOVE this. I grabbed a brush and put some of it on as soon as I saw it! It's subtly sparkly and gives a natural pink glow. I can see myself easily becoming obsessed!

Butter London Nail Lacquer in Kerfuffle, $15 - This was the other spoiler leaked by Blush. I have always been happy with the Butter formula but this color is weird for me. I was hoping it was going to be a bit more sheer when I put it on but it's a super opaque peachy pink that seems off for fall. To be honest, it is kind of off for me any time of the year, especially for a pedicure. We definitely don't have a color like this, though, so my girls will find some use for it, I'm sure.

Bonus samples and coupons: Specific Beauty Night Treatment Complex (20% off at Dermstore with code SPECIFIC), Dremu Oil Serum (20% off with promo code DREMU-20), 20% off PMD Personal Microderm products at Dermstore with code PMD20

So this month's box cost me $26 and contained $115+ worth of product. Another month of high value and I'm super stoked about it. You can read my reviews of past months in the drop down menu above and here: September, August, July, June, May.  

If you are interested in trying the Blush Beauty subscription service, let me know! I can send you an e-mail invite and you and I will each get a $10 coupon when you sign up! Win-win!! This month's box is still available for a one-time purchase of $34.95, which is still quite a bargain! :D

September Empties!

Be sure to enter my fun October giveaway while you're stopping by!! :D

It's that time again! Time to feel crazy while I take pictures of a month's worth of trash! Haha!!

Each month I save up things that the fam and I have completely used up and finished. We have tons of new and partially used goodies around our home and I started this project to motivate me to try some new things. It's so easy to just reach for the same thing again and again, you know?? It's actually been really fun and I hope you enjoy this monthly peek "behind the scenes," too! 

I include bath and body products - except things that are obviously TOO TMI! haha! - and some household things that I feel strongly enough about to share! Let's see what we got into in August!! 

Stuff the girls used

1. Victoria's Secret Give Me the Shimmer Body Powder - oh, this thing was soooo fun to use! Big soft fluffy poof that delivers shimmer powder. I loved it, and the girls did, too!!

2. Zenology Cleansing Body Wash - the black tube looks fancy for the kids, no? They love fancy! ;)

3. Cosmetics from their stashes - Hello Kitty glitter polish and Expressions glitter lip glosses that finally turned gunky, YSL Parisenne perfume. The tooth fairy brought this perfume sample and it was a huge hit! 

More stuff used by the kiddos...

4. The girls are continuing to work through some of our excess guest room supplies!

- H2O Aquatics Disney - Lotion, Shampoo with Conditioner, Bath Soap and Conditioner - love bringing bathroom goodies home from Disney!
- REN Grapeseed Jojoba and Shea Body Cream
- Heavenly by Westin White Tea + Aloe Conditioner - this stuff worked wonders on my oldest's hair! Surprisingly fabulous!
- C.O.Bigelow conditioner - smelled great, lavender + peppermint

Stuff used in grownup shower/tub

5. Zest Aqua Body Wash - great basic body wash! Hubs loves it, and I do, too! :) Kroger keeps giving it to me, so I keep taking it! Haha!

6. LUSH Karma Bubble Bar - oh Lush.... The stuff is so fab. Used this to take my first real bath in forever and it remains my favorite. The smell is just absolutely to die for and it lingered in my bathroom and adjacent closet for days! Need more baths!!!

7. Lulah Peony Body Wash - this body wash came in the August PopSugar. I sure do love getting something luxurious AND practical! It went straight in the shower and made me smile every time I used it! Smells super fab but the scent doesn't last long enough for me. I like my shower gel to last for HOURS, you know? So I enjoyed it but wouldn't buy again.

Body lotions

8. The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter - looooove the body butters from The Body Shop. They are second only to Bliss in my book! Works wonders on my always dry upper arms, for sure, and this tub smelled just like summer should!!

9. P.S. I Love You lotion from Bath & Body Works - I was going to finish up this bottle that the girls had started and OMG. This stuff turned bad somehow and REEKED like old lady perfume. We got lots of family laughs - at my expense! - out of HOW BAD it smelled!! Haha!!

10. Lush Dream Cream - omg.... This stuff is truly divine. I received it in an awesome birthday kit this summer. This is Lush's number one best selling product ever and one whiff of the chamomile, lavender and oat milk combo will tell you why! It seriously makes me want to eat it out of the pot!! LOVE.

11. Prestiche Body Butter - I did a review on this product earlier and, sadly, never grew to love it any more than I did at the start! It was too expensive to not use up, though, so I worked my way through it!

Misc travel sizes

12. We spent a long weekend in LA for the Emmys and I love using trips as time to use up some sample/travel size goodies! 

- Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion - love anything Aveda and this smells just as amazing as all the rest
- Bliss bubbling body wash - love Bliss, have loved everything I've ever tried from them
- Flowerbomb Bomblicious Shower Gel - omg, Flowerbomb has been my favorite for years! I used this as an extra treat for my shower on Emmys day! :)
- REN Grapeseed Jojoba and Shea Butter Body Cream
- Lanvin conditioner and bar soaps - OMG!! Our hotel in Beverly Hills stocked Lanvin toiletries!! Whaaaaat??? Wanted to hoard but the place was too classy for me to ever see a maids cart! LOL! Stuff smells Ah-Mazing
- Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste - WHEW, this stuff is STRONG

Stuff the Schnauzer used! LOL

13. Andre Walker Hair Keratin Conditioner - I bought this shampoo/conditioner set with high hopes after reading about its smoothing and wonderful qualities. Um... Hair felt weighed down and greasy, the opposite of what I want for my big curly locks. I used about 2/3 and the remainder really did get used on the Schnauzer..... Just sayin'!

14. Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Conditioners - yep, used these on the dog, too. I'm trying desperately to fight her hair knots! Idk if you can see it, but there are teeth marks on the one in the middle. Boo Bitty is not the hugest fan of baths! LOL!

Tanners and Nails

15. Bella Bronze Self-Tanner - this stuff is... okay. Nothing special. Definitely not 3 or 4 times more special than some drugstore brands that are a fraction of the price!

16. Julep one-step polish remover pad - I received this as a sample in a Julep box and packed it to do my nails fresh on Emmys day. It was... Ok. Convenient to pack, but seemed like barely enough to get by and I didn't have much polish on my nails. Def wouldnt have been enough to remove ten fingers worth of one of the Julep glitter polishes or something like that!

17. Tan Towels - been a fan of these for years! So easy to use and nice, light, natural color. 

Randomness

18. Disney Princess Gummy Vitamins - I've been doing so well at remembering to give the girls their vitamins! Yay me! These aren't anything particularly fun but they like them! :)

19. Equate allergy relief - ugh.... Including this just to share the misery. I had no allergies when I moved to Louisville in 2001, now I drown in them twice a year! :(

20. Target Wet Wipes - is there a mom who DOESN'T love wet wipes??? I loved them long before I was a mom, too!! Haha!

21. Bath and Body Works Pocket Bac - I tried to ease off the antibacterial use through the summer but, alas, here comes fall and people around here are already having some weird ailments, so out come the pocket bacs! We have these stashed everywhere - cars, purse, backpacks...

22. Old Spice Fiji deodorant - still borderline TMI, still too good not to include it. Seriously. Hubs loves it - and me, too! ;)

Various cleansers

 23. Cotton Balls (in back) - omg, we go through so many. And they are always "Jumbo," which with these from Kroger still wasn't very big. Do they even make "regular" ones anymore??

24. Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes - I received these in my summer FabFitFun box and, I mean, how can wet wipes not be good?? I'm still not crazy about the super cucumber smell but these really wound up on my nerves due to their weird thickness and texture. They kind of balled/rolled up when trying to use them, negating the convenience for me. Wouldn't rebuy, for sure.

25. Cotton rounds - *sigh* I'm trying hard to squirt eye makeup remover on these to make them the same as the Simple wipes.... They just aren't. Need the Simple wipes back in my life.

26. Dickinsons Witch Hazel oil controlling towelettes - I received these wayyyy back in my Allure Summer box and am slowly working my way through them. They are do easy to pack and really feel so refreshing and cleansing for a traveling face wash alternative!

27. Simple Eye Makeup Remover Pads - package after package of these... I'll be back, oh yes, I'll be back!

28. Skyn Iceland Hydro Cooling Firming Eye Gels - I received these in my September Ipsy bag and was happy to see them! My allergies have been atrocious and school morning have come WAY early! I'm open to any eye help and these were nice and refreshing!!

29. Supergoop SPF 30 Everyday Sunscreen - yep, like everyone else, I love me some Supergoop. Their "healthy" approach to sunscreen with no controversial ingredients is much appreciated, especially when you use as much SPF as we do! And my sometimes sensitive and weird skin has never had a problem with one of their products. Love.

30. Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC cream in Warm Glow - eh.... I've yet to find a BB/CC cream that I like more then my Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. This one is kind of orange (I feel like these creams are orange in general??) and is definitely a little greasy in texture. One bonus of that, though, is that the stuff sticks together and slides right down in the tube! No excess stuck in the top/end that you cant use up! Lol!

31. Crest Whitening Toothpaste - still borderline TMI, still going to share since people are always curious about a dentist's family. My family uses whatever I buy and could pretty much care less! LOL!

32. Airbrush Refining Eye Cream - *only pictured in overall group shot* this is the second little tub of this that I've gotten from Blush Mystery box and it's growing on me! It's definitely a great, basic, moisturizing eye cream but, unlike the first tub, I'm pretty sure I actually felt kind of airbrushed a couple of times when I used this one! ;)

What do you think?? Do you see anything you love on this list?? I'm so nosy by nature and I'd LOVE to see your empties for October! I'd like to start a monthly linkup for this, if anyone else wants to play along! Grab a bag and start saving them up! You might just be surprised at how much - or how little - you actually consume!!