Trying New Things! Konad Nail Stamping

The other day I was looking for items to promote my Pink Zebra business, and I came across this lovely image...

(source)

Um...what?  I've seen the nail stickers, but being $8-11 bucks a pop I haven't been willing to spring for them.  This design, however, was done by nail stamping.  Obviously I immediately looked it up on YouTube, followed by a prompt purchase on Amazon.

I bought a kit which included the stamper, swipey blade thing, and the M69 plate which features the zebra print.  Only $11 with free shipping - SCORE!  Fast shipping at that!  My kit was in my paws within a few days and off I went on my first nail stamping experience. 

I used the prettiest, brightest, most obnoxious flamingo pink I could find at Ulta for my base coat.  Orly Va Va Voom.  This is a matte color, and YouTube suggests doing a clear coat under the design anyway, so I topped it with a basic clear to make it shiny.

I didn't want to try the zebra print right away because I want to sport it at my first Pink Zebra vendor show, so I chose the swirly print next to the zebra option.  Actually I'm not a huge fan of the other options on the M69 plate, but I think this plate will be my gateway drug to a plate collection.  Here are the items laid out:

For the design I picked a solid white, which I realized I need to throw away.  It was workable but I think a newer polish would be easier to manage.  Not that stamping wasn't easy, in fact I was super surprised at how easy it was!  All you do is load up the design you want to use with the polish, scrape the excess to the side with the blade thingy, roll the stamper over the design to pick it up, then roll the stamper on your nail to transfer it.  It's really quite cool how it works.  I don't know if it's just that my nail polish was so old, but the design comes right off the stamper when it goes onto your nail.  I did rub my stamper on a cotton round with nail polish remover in between nails, just to make sure each nail had a nice clean design.  I topped the design with another clear coat.  Here is the finished product!

(neon colors never show up as vibrant in pictures.  shame, this is so bright and pretty!!!)

You can see that a couple of my nails show beginner's experience (my left thumb and right middle finger), but overall I think it came out pretty damn cool, especially for my first try.  I cannot WAIT to do a zebra design for my vendor show.  I just have to figure out what combination of colors to use!  So many possibilities!!!

Jellua Shampoo & Conditioner Review - Squid Ink for Your Hair

That's right people, I said Squid Ink.  Let me say that again.  Squid.  Ink.  For your hair.  Weird, huh?  Ever the brave beauty trier-outer, I went for it!

Okay, actually my stylist tried it on me first.  Seeing as most fancy shampoos are around $20 or more, I couldn't afford getting my hair did and some new fancy shampoo.  But my hair stayed soft for t h r e e  d a y s.  Pretty awesome right?  Naturally, I was sold.  I was hoping that my local Ulta would carry Jellua, but I think it's a newer brand so I had to locate a salon through their website.  I found a salon close to my work and picked up this little beauty!

One thing I didn't realize right away is that the bottle is not actually that purpleish color.  It's transparent pearl.  So when you squirt some shampoo into your hand, it's a rather unsightly color.  Okay, it's basically black.  You might be thinking black shampoo should only be good on brunettes, but BFF Google tells me that it doesn't have the slightest effect on your color, even if you're blonde.  It DOES, however, smell amazing and work small miracles on your hair.  Yeah.  That's how awesome it is.  Like Jesus in a bottle.

I did also pick up a super mini conditioner bottle, because you know, I couldn't afford $20 shampoo AND $20 conditioner.  However my stylist did let me know that you only have to use a tiny bit of the conditioner so it should last me a while anyway.  The conditioner is probably the worse looking of the two, because it's a creamy greenish black, and it looks like shrimp poop.  But!  Do not fear my dears!  I have tested and tried them out and I freaking love Jellua.  Hubs is constantly telling me how good my hair smells.  He did that every once in a while before, but the sniffs to my hair have increased tenfold. 

So, if you are looking for a new fancy shampoo and want your hair to smell and feel amazing (seriously, it really smells incredible!), definitely try out Jellua.  You won't regret it!  (Though you may want to wear a blindfold.)

Essie Mint Candy Apple and Orly Matte Top Coat

Ever since I saw this little bottle of minty beauty at Target, I've been plotting to buy it.

Except everytime I went back, it was either sold out, or I was unconvinced that I wanted such a milky pastel color of nail polish.  Well, I finally decided that since I was thinking about it over and over, I should just go ahead and buy it.  I'm sure glad that I did!!  I can't remember the last time I used an Essie polish, if ever, and it has an almost plasticy feel to it.  I anticipated a quick dry time for a quality polish but because of the texture of the polish itself, it was a little difficult to know when it was fully dry. 

After 3 coats, I decided it would look even BETTER matte.  So I topped it off with Orly Matte Top Coat.

I wasn't enchanted by the matte trend a few years ago, until I saw a picture of a navy polish topped with a matte top coat.  Of course, I instantly had to have it.  I was actually looking for Essie's Matte About You, but Ulta was always sold out.  One day they had the Orly brand and because I'm all about instant gratification, I picked up the Orly one.  It did not disappoint.

And now ... Essie's Mint Candy Apple with Orly's Matte Top Coat!

I apologize for the smudges on the sides, usually I paint my nails at night so the edges are cleaned up by my shower the next morning, but I brought my polish to work with me because I left super early due to a snow storm.  Just in case I arrived way too early, I figured I would paint my nails.  The Essie polish is very low odor so I didn't feel bad doing it.  Usually painting my nails at work is not something I would do.

I just so happened to have a picture of another time I used the Orly Matte Top Coat, which is when I was recreating the exact look that made me realize how cool the matte look can be.  This is OPI Russian Navy with Orly's Matte Top Coat.

Sexy, no??  LOVE!!

A New Mascara and The Best Eyeliner Ever

Recently (okay, a few months ago really) I decided it was time to try a new, new mascara.  My beloved sister in law uses Mac faithfully, so I decided to try out her mascara.

Enter .... Mac Haute & Naughty Too Black Mascara!

Just the name gets me all sorts of excited.  I want to be "haute and naughty!"  You'll notice that the brush has a funky shaped end.  That's because you can twist just the top fushia part to get a brush with less mascara (good for daytime looks), or you can twist at the sparkly part and get VaVaVoom! 

Usually I use the VaVaVoom side (this is my phrase, not Mac's) for all the time because I like nice thick eyelashes.  However sometimes I like using the less mascara option when I feel more demure.  This mascara is WET and creamy.  Personally I love that because I know it's going on my lashes and I'm not just brushing dried goop on a brush onto my eyes.  Just don't sneeze immediately after applying your mascara (yes, this happens to me far more often than I would like to admit) and you'll be just fine.  Another thing to note is this mascara is very un-waterproof.  It isn't meant to be waterproof, but some mascaras stick better on your emotional days than others.  This one will come off.  I haven't experienced this so much through crying, but more so from not taking off my mascara at night.  I wake up with eyelash smears under my eyes.  So.  Wash off your makeup!

Another product I've recently fallen head over heels in love with is L'Oreal Extra-Intense Liquid Pencil eyeliner:

This is freaking amazing.  It really does look like you've applied liquid liner, except it's 2957636x easier to use.  It's smooth, creamy, and heavily pigmented.  Sharpen with a regular liner sharpener.  It does have a smudgy tip on the opposite end, but I never use those.  If I did it seems to be a good smudger thing.  This eyeliner does not wash off easily so I would recommend using an actual makeup remover to ... remove ... but that also means it doesn't rub off easily!  You give and you take.

Let me know if you've tried these or what you think if you do try them!