Philosophy Hands of Hope Hand and Cuticle Cream Review

Finally the spring weather is here!  Even though the cold months are of the past now, my hands and cuticles somehow still look dry during the warm months.  My cuticles look worse than my hands because I'm always changing my nail polish every week and am always picking on a hang nail or something else.  Because of this, I carry a hand cream with me everywhere I go.

I've been loving this product from Philosophy but have never used it until after winter.  I received this as a free item from one of my online Sephora purchases a long time ago.  This 1 oz. bottle is great to throw into your purse.  Don't fret, there's a 4 oz. bottle too.  This cream helps moisturize and soften dry hands and rough cuticles.  It contains shea butter and a blend of natural oils to help provide long-lasting moisture and prevent hands and cuticles from getting dry again.  This absorbs quickly so you won't feel any greasy or sticky texture on your hands.

I haven't seen this at my local Sephora (at least the small size).  This miracle item costs $10 for 1 oz. ($20 for 4 oz.) at any Ulta store.  I think you should give this a try if you need a cream to save your dry hands and cuticles.  I believe this will be a summer life saver especially if you like to paint your nails frequently (like I do).  I wonder if they make something like this for your toes?

Anyway, I hope you like this quick review.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Nail of the Day: Jelly Glitz

As an avid user of Facebook who constantly checks up on beauty updates, there was one status that caught my attention and I'm glad it did.  Birchbox (@birchbox) posted a "how to" article about a new nail design called "jelly sandwich".  They enlisted a new contributor, Anna Norman of Glitter, She Wrote, and she explained what jelly sandwich nails are.  It's a very odd name to use as a nail technique, but it made sense after reading through her description.

Basically, this is a new way of wearing glitter.  I remember I would rock the glitter nail polish from grade school into middle school.  I mean, who didn't?  Every girl loves glitter- heck, there was a movie named "Glitter" (but let's not go there).  This technique is great for any person who loves to experiment with fun nail designs, even if it means having to calm down your shaky hand.

All you need are 2 polishes.  The jelly polish serves as the bread while the glitter is in between like jelly.  Your base color is translucent to give that sheer, glossy effect.  My base color of choice is OPI Melon of Troy, a beautiful melon/orange/coral mixture with a sheen, pearly shine.  My jelly color is actually what was used on this nail technique.  If you saw the Birchbox FB status and/or link, the color on the ring finger is Milani Gems.  The chunky, yet colorful glitter nail polish is easy to maneuver if you want the glitter to have a gradient effect.

Now, to the technique: after applying a base coat, apply 2 coats of your jelly polish.  Once it dries, do 1 coat of glitter.  Once that dries, do an additional coat of jelly polish over the glitter in order to trap the glitter, give your nail depth and tone down the glitter.  If you want to skip this step, simply apply a top coat then you're done!

This technique is quite simple and is a great way to experiment with different colors.  Happy painting!

Just Another Manic Monday

Hey friends!  It's been a while since I've posted something but here I am.  If you follow me on YouTube, I did a Haul video of a few products I've purchased online.  I finally opened one of my purchases and tested the products to make sure it was worth every penny.

The Bobbi Brown Instant Pretty Collection was last month's QVC Today's Special Value (TSV).  This kit comes with 7 products including a full size face palette that comes in 5 different shades.  Before I purchased this, the only Bobbi Brown item I owned was the long-wear gel eyeliner in black ink.  This was my first gel eyeliner which I was really (still am) happy with.  I wasn't sure what new Bobbi Brown product I wanted to get my hands on.  Luckily, I was watching QVC that day and voila!  I placed an order before the shade I ordered sold out.

The summer has been about "au naturale" and this kit delivers.  The natural colors in this kit goes well with any complexion where the end result looks effortless.  Your look is pretty hands on as the kit does not come with makeup brushes.  In the face palette, the foundation, concealer and corrector are creamy so your fingers are your best tools.  When you apply the corrector and concealer, you immediately see your eyes brighten and the dark circles and fine lines fade away.  The mascara is very lengthening after applying 2 coats.  The 2 lip glosses compliment each other and are great shades all year round.  To complete my eyes, I applied my gel eyeliner and NYX false eyelashes.

After wearing this look for a few hours, I'm happy with the overall look.  It was worth every penny!  The shade I purchased is natural which turns out to be too light for the summer.  Other than that, this kit can still be purchased on the QVC website.  Let me know if you like my look.

 Look, @BobbiBrown retweeted me!  Cloud 9 :)

Side Note: I've been watching Team USA at the Olympics like a hawk.  Really excited to see more action from men/women basketball team, men/women beach volleyball, women volleyball and women soccer.  Go #TeamUSA!

Makeup that Beats the Summer Heat

Memorial Day Weekend is the official "let's work on my tan for any beach/pool day" and "I need to dust off my grill, replace my gas tank, and find out what marinade/dry rub Bobby Flay is using on that meat/chicken/fish dish."  But, how can I look fabulous without my makeup running down my face once I step outside my house?

This makeup routine is something I put together after watching many makeup videos and figuring out what works for me.  This may not be the best makeup advise, but this look lasted a whole day of hosting a BBQ for my husband's 27th birthday today.  Unfortunately I did not take any before and after pictures, but I will leave a picture of the products I used plus pictures of how the BBQ went.

From L to R: Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer w/ SPF 15 (honey), Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, Covergirl Lastblast Volume Blasting Mascara, Maybelline Dream Matte Pressed Powder (beige), benefit CORALista, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector w/ SPF 25 (light), Maybelline Eyestudio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow (audacious asphalt), Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (zero), Sephora Collection Long-Lasting Eye Liner (black)

My makeup routine is as follows:

FACE:  I decided to apply tinted moisturizer rather than use liquid foundation or bb cream.  All my foundations (and bb cream) have SPF protection, but I wanted light coverage to hide acne scars and redness in my T-zone.  With concealer, I created a V shape from the inner corner of my eyes to the outer corner so that my eyes will look bright and well rested throughout the day.  I dusted powder all over my face and applied a peachy coral blush on the apples of my cheeks.

EYES:  Instead of applying eye primer and creating a smokey or neutral eye look, I decided to use a creme shadow in hopes that it'll last all day.  Along my lash line, I applied a matte black liner (using a pencil) and then applied a thin line of liquid eyeliner.  Lately, I have found this combination to be long lasting.  If I wear pencil or liquid by itself, either the pencil will smudge under the outer corners of my eyes or my winged tip will have smeared off.  Lastly, I applied 2 coats of mascara on my upper and lower lashes.

LIPS:  I wanted my lips to have no color.  I knew that if I applied lipstick or gloss before leaving the house, I'd forget to re-apply later in the day.  So lip balm it is!

Overall, the day turned out to be great!  Even my husband told me that my makeup looked good even after all the hours spent outside.  That's the best compliment I could ever have.

Ross Dock Park in Fort Lee, NJ

Birthday boy pumping up some jams!

Feast of burgers, dogs, sausages, grilled peppers, Filipino lumpia (or eggrolls), potato salad, gazpacho, watermelon, and a ton of drinks