Pin Curls

Hey guys!

Ugh, winter... the time when sickness hits hard and fast.  This week has been horrible for me, health wise, but whatever bug I had I seem to be getting over.  Today was my first day back out in the world, and goodness... it was tough.

But you know how they say "fake it till you make it" and "dress your best when you feel your worst"? That's what I did, and it really helped.  I even did my hair.  Now that's saying something.

Last night before bed, I was scrolling through Pinterest, as you do, and I came across this tutorial/curl comparison post from Bustle.com.  Feeling adventurous, I decided to try the pin curls.  Maybe I was inspired by Ash's post from yesterday... I don't know, but if there's another way to curl my hair without killing my arm with a curling iron, I'll take it.

It really didn't take that long to pin up my hair.  Maybe fifteen or so minutes- while I have a lot of hair, it's very thin.  I took sections of my hair (probably too big in areas) and wrapped them around my index and middle fingers and then bobby-pinned them to my head, working from the top down.  I used two pins per curl, creating around 13 or so curls. Getting a picture was tough, I still haven't really worked out how to mirror yet haha!

Pins. Pins everywhere.

I slept on these over night, and was pleasantly surprised when I didn't feel the pins really at all.  Yay comfort.

Sleepy fear that this could be a bad idea.

When I woke up the next morning, I changed into the day's outfit and began the process of unravelling the curls, working bottom up.  I was a little terrified, as you can see.  I couldn't see the end result yet. I do have to say, it curled better than I thought though. My hair rarely curls this easily.

Note: The weird kink at the top of that curl... dang it.

I ran my fingers through my hair, flipped my head upside down, and was happy-ish with the end result.  I ended up pulling the front sides back.  The right side had a weird kink towards the top, probably I twisted the wrong way when attaching it to my head.  I am definitely going to do this again. It was super easy and gave my hair a lot of volume.

End result.

Things to improve on: varied direction of curls (all one way, need a little variety), care when attaching to head (avoid weird kinks in the curl).

Have you ever tried pin curls?  Help me convince Ash to try in the comments below! -Megan

Huge success and then failures...

Okay I woke up today and thought let's try this curling wand out again! I got a Remmington curling wand for this past Christmas time and haven't really put it to use yet. I tried using it once and it was horrible. My hair looked bad...and I burnt my thumb. I was done with it after that experience but today I guess I felt adventurous. I watched the how to videos on YouTube before starting out. I even watched one with a young teenage showing how to use the curling wand. Yes, I felt pretty dumb taking tips from her when she made it seem so effortless. Lol. 

So I started in. I began dividing my hair in sections: top, middle, and lower, lower and making my way up curling. It's still a learning process for me. I hated the first go, the tips of my hair were straight because I was so worried about burning myself again. I had to go back a try it over again, getting closer to my fingers. I held about an inch of my hair at a time on the wand for 10 seconds. I gotta say once I figured out how to hold the tips of my hair without burning myself it did go a lil easier. I'm sure that everyone has a hard time doing the back of their head, which was one of my biggest issues too but I think I did a pretty good job with it. I also added a texture spray that I had laying around...for a few years. (I know, get rid of it!) I think this spray helped some but I would like to look into getting some other texture creams or sprays for curling my hair like this. Oh! Also, I think it's a totally good idea to use a heat protection product too. I didn't do this, bad ashley, but I was just excited to see if I could mange curling my hair this time. 

Heres the front 

And there's the back. 

Overall I'm a lil impressed with myself. I like it. I'm even going to wear it out to town. With time and practice I think I'll be able to really to get it down. 

Alright now the failure. After feeling as if I achieved a great defeat, I was feeling super confident. I decided to try a makeup look I've never done. Boy, was I getting ahead of myself... I recently watched a YouTube video by Amanda Ensing where she used orange and blue eyeshadows together. Here's the link, http://youtu.be/otvPDfrXCk4. I've been trying to play with blue colors since I'm more of a warm tones person so I used her video as inspiration. 

I applied the colors, orange on the crease area and then blue on the lid. I didn't use the same brands, I actually used my elf beauty color shadow book. 

Now here comes the failure, eyeliner. I'm so bad with eyeliner. My first eye was great with the liner, not too thick at all. Then on my next eye, it was way too thick. I had totally messed up. I tried to make the other side thick to equal out which I guess worked. Over all the top lid just wasn't the way I liked it, the thick liner just seemed to cover the blue up so much. I added more blue shadow to my lid. Then I decided to put on some eyeliner on the bottom lashes...messed that up too. It was just everywhere. It looked like my liner had started to run down. Note to self: don't rush yourself when using black eyeliner, especially when doing lower lashes. I was about to just give up at this point but I continued on. I applied my foundation. At this point I thought maybe I could fix my lower eyeliner with concealer! I applied a liquid concealer near my eyeliner and paded it out with a brush. It worked pretty good actually. Surprise, surprise!

All together with the makeup, I'm not sure about it...it needs work. I need to slow myself down and take my time. I think this was my biggest downfall with this look. Next time, I'll get it down! 

It's gonna need some more work on the blue/orange look. 

Let's Talk Cuticles

Let's be real here.  I, Megan, have never touched my cuticles.

Ok. I tried a cuticle trimmer when I was like seven-ish and it hurt really bad and I bled (because I didn't know what I was doing obviously, I was seven!).  I was then promptly traumatized and never touched them again.  And I think my nails have suffered for it.

I have super short nail beds, and the edges of them are not curved.  They're straight across.  My nails always peel, and they're almost always brittle.  I thought to myself, "There must be a way to change the shape of my nail bed."  That's how I came across this.

I wanted to shout from the sky.  I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH BAD NAIL BEDS!  Kristina has some really great tips that I am now adopting into my nail care routines, like the nail brush and buffing down (gently) any flakes.  Definitely going to be doing those.

But there was one thing I balked at.  Cuticle care.  Flash backs to that trimmer episode abound.  I followed a link on her blog to a basic manicure video, where she does a prep routine.  I'll link it here.  She mentions a cuticle remover and cuticle oil.  The oil was way too expensive for this broke college kid at the moment, but I bought a cuticle oil in the same brand as the remover.

I tried it out this afternoon and I'll give you my first impression. It tingled, which now that I think about it is understandable as it is eating away at your cuticle.  I followed Kristina's steps and I really enjoy the ease I had at reshaping my cuticles.  It was gentle and I actually used a cuticle trimmer again and didn't hurt myself, which I would say is a win!  

Top (before) Bottom (after)

Already they look better (to me at least).  I followed this up with Sally Hansen's "Hard as Nails" base coat and two coats of  Ulta Professionals' "Island Hopper".  I think I see an improvement in the manicure already with my taken care of cuticles.  Tonight before bed, I'm going to use the cuticle oil (as per directions).  I'll definitely do a catch up post if I notice any nail changes.

Ulta Professionals "Island Hopper" in a little baby bottle. So cute.

Do you take care of your cuticles? Send me tips below!-  Megan

Trying out Nail Stickers for the First Time

Hey guys! It's Ashley. I intended to do a January Boxycharm today but... I had A.D.D. Lol. Megan does a lot of nail polish posts so I decided to do one. I've never done the nail sticker things before so today was the day! I wanted to try out Essie sleek stick nail strip stickery things. I got 3 different packs of these at the Dollar Tree a while back and haven't been brave enough to try them out yet. 

I'm not sure what the other brands include in these stickery nail type things but Essie had 18 nail strips, 1 cuticle stick, 1 file and buffer, and 1 instruction sheet in their package. The style I did today is called Stick with Style. 

Starting out I was pretty worried about how this was gonna turn out...the instructions on the back of the unopened package is super vague. Basically all it said was prep, apply, and perfect with little pictures beside each step. Yeah, time to research it on YouTube. I actually used this video here to see more info on how to do it. http://youtu.be/mvwDDECmKk8 The style she used is actually the same one I did today too! Once I opened the package, I found the instruction sheet very helpful too. 

Anyways I started out using nail polish remover just to clean my nails up. Essie recommended using rubbing alcohol, I didn't have that so nail polish remover it was. I then pushed back my cuticles. Wow, I could really tell I haven't pushed back my cuticles in a long time. Next I put my fingers up under each nail sticker, starting at the cuticle, to see which sticker would fit best. Once I found the right cuticle size, I took the sticker off and applied it to my nail starting at the bottom of my nail working pressure into the sides and up. I applied a lot of pressure during this step. You'll see that you're left with a lot of the sticker off of your nail, at least I did cause I have really short nails. I then bent the excess sticker over to the edge of my nail. Next I started filing my nails. I tried to use the file it comes with but, ehh...I found my own file works much better. It was pretty simple, actually. I didn't have any mishaps so I still have 8 stickers left over. I think I might try and use them as an accent finger or toe nail. Gotta get the full value, even if it was only $1. Lol. 

The only con I really saw with this is it takes a long time to do. I don't know if it is because I'm new at this and with practice it'll take less time? It took me about an hour to apply these bad boys, I could've painted my nails and had them dried way before that. That's the only real complaint I can say about that so far. 

Here's a picture! Top is my right hand and bottom is my left hand. 

They're a light pinky color with tiny circle dots which are raised up, adding a texture to it. 

I'm not sure how long these will last, hopefully at least the week. Fingers crossed. I'll update how long they lasted later. If this goes will I really wanna try other brands...such as Jamberry! I've heard great things about them. Anyways hope you all have had a great weekend and talk at you soon with updates on Essie sleek stick! 

Update! Three days later....

Okay, here's the deal. After wearing these for three days now, it's peeling at the tops of my nails. I realize that polish usually starts to chip after a few days too but I thought maybe these would last longer. I did make a mistake with them though. After making my post, I decided that I wanted to try and make them last longer. I started researching it. I found many people suggesting it may last longer with a top coat, therefore I applied a layer in my pinky nail. Not the best idea. The top coat just ate into the nail polish sticker. 

Bottom line- would I recommend this to other people? I honestly don't know. I would like to try some other brands to see how they hold up to them since this was my first time. I do like the idea of using them before a special event for example. Just a tip, apply them a day before so they will look fresh and pretty. 

Top- left hand, as you can see my pinky is a lil missed up. Lol. 

Bottom- right hand

Zoya Matte Velvet "Veruschka"

Hey guys!

So remember my last post when I posted a picture of those three new colors I got? Well, I'm wearing one of them now!

Zoya Matte Velvet Lacquer in "Veruschka"

It's a matte color by Zoya, called "Veruschka", and it's a deep, gorgeous green.  I have to admit, when I put on the first coat, it came across as a different and lighter green than what the bottle looks like and I was a little disappointed, but hey, that's why you ALWAYS put on a second coat.  Second coat, and bam! there was that deep green that I wanted. I've got a picture of both coats, and it didn't photograph as differently as it looked in person, but second coats are a must.

Top - first coat, Bottom - second coat

The texture of this lacquer is a little gritty, which I wasn't expecting since it went on like a regular polish, but it dried within seconds (which I need, because I am always smudging my nails, even hours later- it's a curse). All in all, will definitely wear again!

-xoxo Megan!

P.S. What's your personal preference for green?  Light or dark? Mine's dark, obviously!

December Boxycharm review

It may be a lil late on this but hey, better late then never right? Lol. 

So the December boxycharm review. This box had some great things! 

My favorite thing in the box this month has to be the Coastal Scents Revealed 1 palette. I love this product!! After seeing many YouTube videos stating how much the colors are alike compared to the Urban Decay Naked 1 & 2 palettes, I'm not going to be buying them. I don't need to spend all that extra cash on it when I practically have it already. I wore this eye shadow for a New Year's Eve party and dinner with my boyfriend. I've never felt so pretty after using it. There are many looks you could do with the 20 shadows. I'm almost tempted to get the Revealed 2 palette, if I didn't already own the Naked 3, I would. 

Here's the YouTube tutorial I used to pull off my New Year's Eve look. 

http://youtu.be/hVogfBG2JZA

My next favorite item is the Mistura retractable brush. I have put a lot of use into this product. It applies facial powders really great. It's soft, doesn't hold onto the powders, and its travel friendly. What more do you need? When I first opened my box, the brush had a weird smell to it but it has went away after washing it. I mostly use it when applying a makeup setting powder or to blend my blush and bronzer out. 

Another item I got was Be a Bombshell lip stick in hollywood. This product was ehhh....okay. The color was nice, don't get me wrong, but the shape of the stick was weird. It wasn't very pointy like the typical application, it was more paddled.  I'm not sure how else to describe it I'll use it since I have it but I just wouldn't go out and buy it on my own. 

Unfortunately, I can't do a review on the Linda Lashes mink. I still haven't been able to learn how to use those. It's on my New Years resolution list to do though!

The Eva NYC hairspray is the typical hairspray. It works and holds. Smells great. Other than that not much to say from there. 

That's all of the December Boxycharm box, folks! I liked it over all. It's not the best box this month but everything is useable. 

OPI Bubble Bath

Hey guys!!  Megan here, and I'm back with another nail polish review!

It's been forever since I made a solo post, but I have a good reason I swear!  Over Christmas break, my family got a new puppy! And let me tell you she's a handful with like razor sharp claws.  Therefore, my hands got tore up really bad, to the point of not being able to use nail polish because she'd eat it off of my fingers. Seriously.

Lucy!! I can't take a serious selfie to save my life, don't mind me.

Isn't she adorable?  Behind that face hides a demon puppy. Hahaha.

Anyway, I am now back in Fayetteville, and I can do my nails in peace. So here I am with newly painted nails to tell you my unasked-for opinion on OPI's "Bubble Bath".

First off, I love it.  It's a very pale pink and is very transparent.  I took pictures between coats to show how thin it comes across.  There's barely a difference between the first coat and the second, I can still see the nail bed with the second coat.  It's a great neutral for those that may have jobs that don't allow for outrageous or bright colors, so I would definitely recommend it for that purpose.  I'm super obsessed with it, I've used it several times since I got it and am pleased with it every time.

First coat

Second coat.  Little to no difference from the first coat, it's so transparent.

I wondered this last go around what it would look like with a matte top coat.  That I don't recommend with "Bubble Bath".  It looks nearly as if I hadn't painted my nails at all, which to me seems like a waste.  Without the matte, you still get a sheen so it looks like your nails are done but the matte, of course, takes that beautiful shine away.

I also made a trip out to my favorite beauty supply shop, ULTA!!, and picked up three new polishes that were on sale.  Expect a post on those in the next couple of weeks.  Here's a sneak peek!

- xoxo, Megan!

Black Friday Haul Reviews

The holidays are over and it's time to get back on here! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. 

I have said a while back I was gonna do a review for my Black Friday online haul. So here it is the review blog. Pass me the soap and lotion cause there's gonna be a lot of swatches. 

Let's get this party started! :) 

Sephora 

Purity Facial Cleanser:  I think I really like this product it goes on really smooth and silky which is probably my favorite part. However, the smell it gives off is something I don't like. It reminds me of the smells like baby powder.  I feel I can look past that because it makes my face feel so refreshed and cleansed. Rating scale 1-5 i have to give it a 4. I think I'll definitely be purchasing this product again.

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipsticks in Fig and Posy Pink: goes on my lips very smooth and creamy. And the colors are beautiful, as you can see. I love fig for a dark lip. I'm not so sure if posy pink is my style, it reminds me of a Barbie doll. It could be a pretty color for spring. 

Fig is the top color and the lower one is posy pink. 

Bite Lush Lip Trio: wow! Glossy and so much shine. A lil tacky in the beginning once applied but then it goes away. I love this product and I'm so impressed by it. My favorite is strawberry. At first it's scary, like Barbie doll scary. Lol but on the lips it's so pretty and feminine pink. 

Top- corrupt, I can't really tell if that's the name of it. There's a stamp across the name and it's so little it's hard to tell. 

Middle- ramberry

Buttom- strawberry

Tarte set: Amazonian Clay Blush in Magic, I like the color it is very pink.  It stays on for a very long time but I'm not sure it does for the advertised time of 12 hours.  Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara, wow. I love this mascara. It's so great. Lengthening and volumizing. What more does a girl need? I only got travel sized in this but I'm definitely thinking about buying it full sized. It's the only mascara I use currently. Tarte Lipsurgence Lip Gloss, I'm not sure exactly what color this is in, I threw away the box. At the bottom of the tube, it says magic? Anyways it's an alright lip gloss. It goes on smooth and has a lil shimmer.  Not much to go on about on it actually. I probably wouldn't rebuy it. 

This is a pic of the LipSurgence and Amazonian Clay. 

I love the packaging on this blush. The Amazon River looks so neat in it, I'm a sucker for neat packaging as you can tell. Lol. 

The last product from Sephora is two Makeup Forever Lab Shine Diamond Collection lip glosses. There's no names on it! Why do makeup brands not include the names on it? :( So lame. I like these glosses. 

The top is a kinda brownish/gold color and the bottom is a pink. As you can see there are tiny specks of glitter in it. I like that. 

That wraps up the Sephora haul. I did get one thing from Ulta. 

It is a Laura Geller set, I'm not sure what the name is though. I want to say "Wishes" but I can't remember. Sorry! Anyways this set came with the Glamlash black mascara, Eye Calligraphy tip liquid liner in black, baked eye shadow in honey, and lipstick in chile red. I haven't tried the mascara out. I have so many mascaras opened right now that I wanna some for later. The eye liner is very neat. I have never tried a liquid pen liner. It makes it easy to apply but I need more work with it. The baked shadow is pretty. This is another product that I need to work on. I don't much understand baked products. I know that you can add water to it and the color is suppose to become more vivid and pretty? My question is, how do you add the water without losing the product? I should probably Google it and do some more research. The lip stick is super red! Totally reminds me of Christmas time. I like it. It goes on good and smooth and stays on for a good amount of time. 

Eye liner, shadow, and then lip stick.