Unboxing: October Ipsy Glam Bag - Beauty Candy

Okay, ok.  I will admit again that I did look at my early access Glam Room peek.  Let's just settle it now, that going forward I will be peeking!  Ha!

What I got:

• Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in On A Gilt Trip - FULL SIZE!
• Noyah All Natural Lipstick in Deeply in Mauve
• Epice Purifying Exfoliant
• Ayres Body Butter in Patagonia
• ModelCo VolumEyes Mascara

Products I loved/looking forward to: Epice exfoliant - I've been big on skincare lately.  Ayres body lotion - smells nice and is a good size to pop in my purse.

Products that were ok: Nicole by OPI Nail Polish - I have a color like this already.  

Products I haven't tried yet: ModelCo VolumEyes Mascara since I just opened up one.  I'll have to save a review for when I do get a chance to try this.

Overall: 1 full size, 2 deluxe sample size and 2 sample size.  The full sized item was the Nicole nail polish, the deluxe sized were the Epice exfoliant and ModelCo mascara and the Noyah lipstick and Ayres lotion looked like regular sample sized items.  This month was not too bad and I really like fun teal pouch!

What did you get in your October Glam Bag?

Delivery! Foldio

Yay! It's here! But, battery not included. Womp, womp. Gotta go pick one up, then it's time to play. 

First look at Foldio and setting it up.  I just realized I had this function on my camera.  NEWB! 

Removing Dark Nail Polish Stains

Smurf fingers after I removed Sinful Colors Why Not as featured in this post. I managed to get most of it off with just acetone, but there was still a tinge of blue left on my nail bed and skin.  While I did end up using a dark color after Why Not, I did give my nails some breathing time and didn't want to rock stained nails.

Love when I can find already tried methods!  Artifactgirl had a great post on Remove Dark Nail Polish Stains using toothpaste.  I opted to just do this in the sink and also scrubbed with a bit of body wash to remove the minty toothpaste.  

Still some traces of blue, but much improved!  I would have probably continued to scrub with acetone which isn't great for your nails.  The least amount of time exposed to chemicals, the better.  Cheap and easy enough for me!

Beauty Mail: Ipsy Glam Bag, IpsyMe & Memebox

All this pink at my doorstep in 1 day. ^_^ 

Sissy Saves Me From Cabin Fever

I needed cold meds and then some. 

Natural Deodorant: Will it stop the stink and sweat?

I had tried Tom's and Trader Joe's brand of natural deodorants without success.  Still left with sweaty and stinky pits.  :\  I would really like to NOT use chemical laden deodorants, but those are the only ones that work.  I'm on the hunt, especially after reading this article on Lovelish, The Natural Deodorant Showdown! I would like to try the FatandtheMoon Deodrant Cream that was given a good review, but it is a cream.  I have to dip my fingers into the pot and rub my kili-kili.  Hmmm...do I want to do that?  Maybe.  I'll think about it.

I had also read about GEODEO, a natural deodorant and checked out the reviews on Drugstore.com and added it to my Amazon Wishlist.  Well, I didn't have to look very far, because they had it at my neighborhood Grocery Outlet.

What the website says:

Smell Great.  Tackle Toxins. Island Scented Deodorant Up to 24 Hour Protection Naturally Derived Invisible Solid Dive into Deep Freshness This product was specially formulated to be sustainable and 97% naturally derived.  The remaining 3% is essential to maintain effectiveness.  Up to 50% less emissions omitted and energy consumed. No animal testing, harmful aluminums, sulfates, parabens, petrochemicals, dyes, phthalates. Allergen-free. Detox Complex™ Volcanic Minerals + Icelandic Algae Fights Impurities Enzymes Neutralize Odors Bamboo + Aloe Nourish Skin Vitamin E Fights Free Radicals

Cost: $4.99 on Drugstore.com

Pros:
-Goes on clear
-Fresh scent
-Keeps some odor at bay (I don't think I could use this while working out and smell good!)
-Natural ingredients

Cons:
-Can feel sticky even after it dries
-Is not an anti-perspirant, will not keep wetness under control
-Can be difficult to locate in-store (I got lucky)

Think Dirty Rating:

Would I recommend this to a friend?  If you can find it in-store for a good price and do not have issues with fragrance, then yes.  If you are fine with ordering online and giving it a test run, you can find it on Drugstore.com.

The Unscented Geodeo had a better rating at a 3. Fragrance listed as an ingredient can be either natural or synthetic or even both. Pthalates can also potentially be found in fragrance. 

CA Pick Ups

Spent a day in Vancouver, Canada with my bestie. Our intention was to hit up the 

Richmond Night Market and hit up Robson Street for some retail hits. Rule of thumb, inform your bank when you leave the country. Oops!

Self-care items are always on my list when traveling to different areas. Mainly for products or brands that are local or even hard to find items I can't find at home.

-Saje Bath Salts in Stress Relief & Goddess.

-Balea Face Masks

-Extra Professional Gum

The Extra gum was a random purchase. For amusement purposes. Supposedly leaves your mouth feeling clean. Umm, ok. Thought that was an interesting claim!  Looking forward to using the bath salts and face masks & reviewing.

Tough loss #seahawks

Agonizing to watch yesterday, especially in the last half when passing connections weren't being made. Still love my team and looking forward to Sunday against the Rams! 

Foldio - Folding Lightbox Genius

I am so sold!  Especially after watching this video.


It will be nice to be able to photograph some smaller items with more even light.  I'm racking my head what else I would use this for to make this purchase justifiable.  The single LED light strip option is what I will be purchasing from Amazon for $49.

Beauty Mail: ColourPop Cosmetics

Quick shipping from 2 states away! Unboxing soon!

D.C. Pick Ups

Whenever I travel, I try to check out what make up/beauty is regional. In this case, I finally picked up what I couldn't find at home.

Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow in Bella Chiffon & Bella Cappuchino. I have been into more matte eyeshadows lately, using MAC's Blanc Type and Saddle almost daily. Bella Cappuchino is a satin matte and there are some light reflecting particles.  Bella Chiffon is a highlighter/shimmer and was thinking of using this in the inner corners, below the brow and as a highlight above the cheek bones. I'll test these out in a bit and review.

I was actually looking for NYX Soft Matte Cream in Monte Carlo, Copenhagen or Transylvania, but no luck. Oh and Katrina got the last Monte Carlo. Dang it! ;) One of our last stops in D.C. was to a CVS to scour for NYX, but no luck.

Hands Down Nail Soak Off Gel Wraps vs Nailmates

Which one takes it off and better?  I tried the Hands Down Nail Soak Off Gel Wraps that I got for Free.99 and purchased Nailmates to do a comparison of the two.

The stretchy fabric is similar to athletic wrap and the cotton pad in is similar to a bandaid pad.

Saturate the pad and wrap. 

The Hands Down Nail Soak Off Gel Wraps were fairly easy to use.  I would suggest doing one hand at a time, just because of limited mobility.  Also, since the tape portion is similar to athletic wrap, you may have to adjust and re-wrap to secure.

Comes with 10 caps and 20 pads+an additional 20 pads

The easiest way to get set up is to dip the pad into acetone and place into the cap and line up 5 before you start applying.  If you saturate the pad with too much, it can leak, so I would say to just get about 1/4 of the end.

Verdict?  Nailmates over the Hands Down.  The pad in the Nailmates stays moist where the pad in the Hands Down dries out.  I had to re-soak and scrape more with the Hands Down.  With the Nailmates, I did check and leave on a few minutes longer, but there was less effort than with the Hands Down.  I was also able to remove the regular nail polish from my toes with the Nailmates and was only able to get one use for the Hands Down.  If you're looking for a one-time polish removal, then Hands Down could be an option, but I would suggest using the foil method.

I will definitely use Nailmates for all my gel polish and regular nail polish removal at home from now on.  There is less waste and I can purchase extra pads when the 40 pads are done, which won't be for awhile.  Some bloggers have said that they were able to do other things while soaking off their polish.  When doing my nails I am usually watching a movie, so I can't say how well you can maneuver with these on.

Cost:
-Hands Down 10 count - $3.14 on Amazon, 100 count at Sally Beauty Supply $23.99
-Nailmates - $14 via Nailmates website

Yas we did! #Seahawks

Watched the Hawks play the Redskins (boo! They need to change their name!) in Maryland and got the W. Boom! A $22 well spent.

Katrina, Donna, Precious & Me

We <3 NYX! Fabulous lips all around!

3/4 lippies: NYX Soft Matte Lipcream in Monte Carlo

1/4 lippy: NYX Soft Matte Cream Lipcream in San Paulo.

Getting there was the easy part. Getting back to our AIRBNB was the most difficult with 2 canceled Lyft rides. :/ Ended the night with delivery thanks to GrubHub and new mosquito bites. 

Blue Apron Review - Week 3

The Chicken Hiyashi Chuka was the winner this week.  I even made a similar dish for a party I went to during the week.  I oversalted the water for the polenta for the Peperonata & Fried Eggs.  :(  I will probably try that dish again since the peppers and eggs turned out great.  One of my eggs was broken too and I lost some of the egg white.  The Seared Cod Piperade was excellent too.  I don't eat a lot of cod, so it was nice to have a different fish in the rotation.

Look what's back!

 Free shipping! Just bought this while laying in bed. LULz!

What's inside?

-Laniege BB Cushion

-NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil

-Fekkai Salon Professional Blow Out Hair Refresher Dry Shampoo

-L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Extraordinaire

-L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray Extra Strong Hold

NuTika 32MM Curling Wand

One of my Maxxinista finds!  I've been wanting a wider curling wand and finally found one for a great deal.  This 32MM curling wand is from NuTika, described as, "...the younger, more colorful sister of NuMe Styling Products. NuTika brings the same quality & precision, but with a fresh twist!" I think this might be a sub-brand that NuMe phased out, that's why it was at T.J. Maxx and they don't have a separate website anymore.

This wand has 1 setting that heats up to 410 degrees Fahrenheit.

Comes with a hand protecting glove. 

I think I finally have it down now, but I do use the glove sometimes because I'm clumsy.  :(  Overall, I'm happy I found this curling wand and for a good price!  While I do not always agree with purchasing salon products from re-sellers that aren't salon certified, this doesn't count since NuTika (NuMe) is an independent brand and sells their items directly via their website.

How I curl and style my hair:
-Lightly spray hair all over with hairspray
-Pin up half your hair and curl the bottom half, then curl the top half
-Lightly mist hair again with hairspray and wait a couple minutes, then toss hair from side to side
-Spritz some sea salt spray to texturize and have more piecey waves

Just enough wave

Gah!  I wish my hair looked like this everyday!

Cost: $24.99 - T.J. Maxx find!

Pros:
-Heats up fast
-Comes with a heat protecting glove
-Swivel cord

Cons:
-Only 1 heat setting
-No protecting tip on end (careful not to burn your fingers!)

Would I recommend this to a friend:  YES!  I am impressed with this brand and the quality of the iron.  Groupon/Living Social sometimes has NuMe items, Ipsy also has promotions and if you follow NuMe on InstaGram, they will have flash sales.  I would love to get the pearl wand, but it looks like the only one on the website has the Euro plug.  :(  Womp, womp!  Maybe I'll come across it at T.J. Maxx!

Greetings from Washington D.C.!

With some of my wonderful Gabriela USA  comrades in front of the White House. Attending our first National All Leaders Training and National Council Meeting. Making the movement look good! Such an honor to be here building with teachers who have been victims of human trafficking and are now rising against the inequalities they have suffered. Resilience. I am humbly inspired and proud to be in this movement. Check out our national org page and our local chapter page to find out more on Gabriela!

www.gabrielausa.org

www.gabrielaseattle.org

#sulonggabriela

#gabrielausa

#justice4filipinoteachers

Reference Love: Total Beauty - Nails

Total Beauty always has great articles!  THE BEST NAIL POLISH (BY FAR) IS ONLY $2

Sometimes the best rated, doesn't have to cost a fortune!  I had only 1 Sinful Colors polish that is a neon and wasn't the best to test out since most neon polishes are streaky to begin with and dry a really matte finish.  Picked up another bottle in Why Not from the 'Declare Your Style' Collection Bright to Basic category.  This bright, creamy blue went on fairly evenly with 1 coat and completely covered in 2 coats.  I used Butter's Nail Foundation Flawless Base Cot and P.D. Quick Topcoat.  Here is what my nails looked like after 1 week.  Sorry no photos of the initial manicure, but you get the idea.  I don't go easy with my hands, including washing the dishes without gloves.  Just feels too constricting sometimes or I feel like I don't have a good grip. 

Here are the usual products used: pure acetone to clean and prep using a lint free cloth, 1 coat Butter Nail Foundation Flawless Base Coat, 2 coats of Sinful Colors' Why Not, 1 coat of Butter Hardwear P.D. Quick Topcoat and dried with Julep's Tada Quick Dry Drops.

Verdict?  I was impressed since I have been using higher priced polish the last few years and I didn't have the best experience with Sinful previously.  Will I buy anymore of this polish?  Maybe.  I have a ton of regular nail polish and would like to pick up more gel polishes and do those manicures more often.

Cost: $1.99 @ Walgreen's

Pros:
-CHEAP!
-Variety of colors and finishes

Cons:
-Can be difficult to locate certain colors
-Some colors may not be as long wearing

Think Dirty Rating:

Would I recommend this to a friend?  :\ After seeing the rating of how dirty it is, I would say use your own discretion.  The two ingredients that are listed the dirtiest are Benzophenone-1 (potential endocrine disruptor) and N-Butyl Alcohol (organ system toxicity).

I have galpals that swear by this polish and have quite a few bottles in their collection.  For $1.99, its not much to spend to add some fun colors to your collection.  I would pair this with a good base coat and top coat for a lasting manicure.  

Unboxing: IpsyMe - Nourish Organic

I could not pass this deal up!  IpsyMe deals come out every Tuesday 9 AM (PST) and are for a limited time or while supplies last.  One of the best deals I have seen so far!  It feels like the jackpot when you are able to snag a deal.  There was one for a 32mm NuMe curling wand that sold out so fast, by the time I was able to click from the email to the site, it was gone.  :(  I did not hesitate in purchasing this set!  I'll have a review on these when I get a chance to try.  I will have to add a sunscreen to this routine since the face lotion does not have SPF, but I am excited to try some organic skincare!