Sephora Trade in Ojon Shampoo Deal- TODAY ONLY!

I just found out about this from Nouveau Cheap
"Sephora Beauty Insiders: Ojon Trade-in Event! Bring in any empty full-size shampoo or conditioner on May 12, 2011 and receive one full-size set of Ojon damage reverse™ Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner for free. While supplies last."


What a great deal! (Real life has bitten me in the ass so I apologize for the lack of updates.) I promise to get more posts up this next week- when I have internet access again. Until then, lots of love!

DIY: Manicure

I was asked awhile ago in a comment about my manicures. Whether I do them myself and if I do my pedicures too. It was such a good comment it inspired me to do this post! (Thanks McHuggs!) I do like to get my nails and toenails done once in awhile! Just not as often lately as I've been spending the money on cosmetics instead. Plus, you really don't want to see my feet. However, I cant do a spring pedicure products and favourite colours post if people are interested. In the mean time, here is the products I use for my manicures, Enjoy!

1. First you're going to need a good polish remover. I love the ones that have a sponge with slots in it to put your fingers inside. It seems weird but the polish is so much easier to remove. Especially glitter polishes. After I remove my polish remnants I like to quickly wash my hands as I find polish remover to be very drying if you leave it on for any length of time.

2. Good, clean nail tools are the most important part of making your manicure look good. I like this little kit of Revlon ones (plus some extras) which includes a pair of tweezers, a pair of nail clippers, a metal file, a cuticle stick and a cuticle cutter (which doesn't get used often as cutting your cuticles is not a good idea generally. It can lead to infection, so instead just push them back). Cut your nails and shape them to the desired look. Round is the easiest shape, but there are a variety of shapes you can choose from :D.

3. After shaping my nails (approximately the same from nail to nail- something I struggle with at times), if my cuticles are in really bad shape I like to use the Revlon Gentle Cuticle Remover. At first I was a bit leery of this product- a topical product to remove my cuticles? This is either not going to work at ALL or it's going to sting like crazy! However, this product is great. It doesn't remove your main cuticle what it does is loosen the very thin base cuticle that grows onto your nail. This also helps loosen you main cuticle enough so that you can more easily push it back. I generously gloop this on with the polish wand and then apply a second layer a minute or so later. Then I take one of my reusable cuticle sticks and gently using the bevelled edge push back my cuticles.

4. After washing my hands again I usually moisturize my hands with focus on my cuticles. This the Body Shop Strawberry Puree Body Lotion is very light and non-greasy. It sinks in fast too (though it could do with some more moisturization properties). Usually I use whatever moisturizer I happen to have on hand, and this one was the closest!

5. Now, finally I start the painting part. First is one to two coats (depending on the condition of my nails) of Nail Tek II Intensive Therapy. I use this as a base coat as it does wonders for strengthening my nails.

6. Colour! Here is Sephora OPI's Caught with my Khaki's Down, and I've used two coats for this manicure. Of course this varies from polish to polish :D. The best way to apply I find is from the bottom of the nail to the top in as wide a stroke as you feel in control of. The less strokes per coat the better, as you'll have less streaks and imperfections. Keep in mind, practice makes perfect!

7. Lastly, because I can't wait patiently to save myself and because I'm guarenteed to destroy my manicure if I don't- Quick Dry Top Coat. I love China Glaze's Fast Forward as it is really really fast and it makes the polish very shiny. Also, I adore this top coat for the fact that it levels and hides small imperfections from my colour coats. To wrap up the manicure it's a good idea to take your top coat along the tips of your nails- both on top and beneath your nail. This will seal the edge of your nail and make your manicure last longer.

Finally the finished product! I am loving this colour- perfect sage green, sometimes green and sometimes grey. Adore!

New sheets and it matches perfectly!

Lorac TANtalEYES Palette~ Swatches & Impressions

Out for Summer, Lorac has released a eyeshadow quad called TANtalEYES. I think the name is really cute, if a bit corny. The palette itself however is lovely!

All four shades are generous in size and highly pigmented. The four colours- white gold, copper, olive green and burgundy are all shimmery almost metallic finish.

All four shades were beautiful! I really wanted the palette myself but I already own shades that are near identical for the two darker shades. Plus the palette comes with a bronzer illuminator that I wouldn't use so it would have been a waste.

The real kicker about this palette and bronzer though is the price for us Canadians. The set costs $47 CND or (for you lucky americans) $36 USD.

So what do you think a great summer palette or just more of the same?

Urban Decay De Slick Setting Spray~ Review

I recently bought this setting spray (Urban Decay's De Slick) that is supposed to control oil and keep make-up looking fresh all day. Great idea- failed in reality.

There are a couple good things about it so I'll state them first. It smells nice. The spray mechanism works well for a fine mist. The bottle is pretty. If used liberally both beneath and over foundation it may help a smidge.

By a smidge I mean I possibly might have been less oily on my cheeks but the rest of my face was the same- to be honest I'm not to sure there was much of a difference at all. I was still oily. My foundation still looked like it had been worn for hours.

The mist idea was a good one but if you accidentally inhale breathing becomes unpleasant for a few seconds as you cough and hack it out of your lungs. You don't get a matte finish to your skin, even when it first dries.

On top of this De Slick setting spray is expensive, it's $29 USD.

All in all, I'm returning this and getting something else. There wasn't a noticeable difference really and I expected more from a brand like Urban Decay and from such an expensive product (it's way way more money here in Canada- around the mid-thirties)

Sprite Rating: 2/10- got one point for nice smell and the good spray mechanism. The second point was for the very slight oil reduction.

Would I Buy it again? No, in fact the one I have is going back to Sephora.

Sephora for OPI Safari Luxe Collection

New out for Summer is Sephora's by OPI Safari Luxe Collection, a set of polishes designed after a Safari- which to me is super cool, as I was lucky enough to go on a safari as part of my zoology major. One of the best experiences of my life! Anyways, enough about me, onto the collection!

Included in the collection are 6 polishes, and 3 animal print themed nail sticker sheets. They cost $9.50 USD for the polish, and $15 USD for a nail sticker package. 

First up and my favourite of the collection is Caught with my Khakis Down. A rather unfortunate name, but a lovely colour. I own a Safari hat in this shade, and some shorts.... Right, no reminiscing! It's a greyed sage green cream shade, which I think is chic and modern without being bright. Work suitable comes to mind.

Next, is a similar shade to the first only a little lighter and with a shimmer finish. A Color That Can't Be Tamed is a pretty less sedate alternative to Caught with my Khakis Down.

Hate to break it to the OPI people but there is no purple this shade in the Serengeti. Or really any colour close to this. Named I Don't Bite, this is a medium to dark shimmery purple shade.

Another shimmery colour, this lovely orange is called Once a Cheetah Always a Cheetah. This name makes me giggle, and the colour is quite pretty. I think of course everyone could wear it but that it would look particularly stunning on those with dark skin. For a look at the shade The Polish Aholic has a swatch (and comparison to a similar Zoya shade) in the link above. 

Wild About Shimmer is up next, a light champagne (with a pink tinge). As stated in the name this one is shimmery, but also quite sheer.

Last of the polishes is Don't Feed the Hand Models. Personally I think they could have come up with a better name, but such is life. This is a medium to dark nude pinky taupe shade with a cream finish.

Finally, we have the nail stickers. These you press onto you nail and then trim to fit. There are three patterns in this collection, but I've included the Tiger print in the images above as it is the other animal print offered by Sephora. From top to bottom we have the Giraffe, Leopard, Zebra Leopard mix and then finally the odd man out the Tiger.

What do you think of this collection? If you want to see swatches I highly recommend heading over to the Polish Aholic's Blog post here which has all the polishes.