Orly Nail Defense

I've always had thin, soft nails.  They grow out ok, but are relatively weak because they easily bend, tear, break, and peel.  I hate peeling the most because it happens most often and weakens my nails the most.  Over the years, I've tried different nail hardeners, but didn't have much luck.  Then I came across Orly Nail Defense.  The package states NAIL DEFENSE is protein-enriched to fortify weak nails.  Bonds Nail layers together, and seals the nail to prevent breakage.  DIRECTIONS:  Apply as a basecoat and topcoat.  Can be used with ORLY nail lacquer or alone as a clear polish.  Reapply every other day.  As nails improve, apply every 3-4 days.  Use with CUTICLE CARE COMPLEX for stronger, healthier nails in 10 days.

I almost followed the directions exactly.  The first few days, I just wore it alone and reapplied every other day.  Then I decided to paint a french manicure, but I used Sally Hansen polish instead of Orly.  I did not use the Cuticle Care Complex, either.  After two weeks I noticed some of my nails were slightly stronger, except...

OMG a chip!  Well, it's a chip in the polish, not my nail. But upon closer inspection...

OK, so these pictures were taken with my phone (and my camera is not that much better), but you can see there is a little nick in the nail.  It's actually beginning to peel.  Disappointing.

Hopefully I'll see better results after a month.  If not, I'll probably use up the bottle, but not repurchase.

e.l.f. Discount

From now until Sept. 27 you can 50% off your $20+ e.l.f Minerals make up using the discount code MINHALF at checkout @ www.eyeslipsface.com This code cannot be combined with any other coupon code.
Happy shopping!

no meltdown in the rain

The topic of this post is the reason why I wanted to start this blog.  I had to go into the city for something work related, and I wore a full face of make up.  Unfortunately, it rained and I was ill prepared for the gross weather.  So I walked through the rain with a constant mist, and sometimes got caught in some heavy down pour.  I'm one of those people who hates the rain.  Some people may love going out and playing in it, but I do not have any desire to do so.  When it rains, its usually dark, cold, and awfully muddy, especially with cars zooming past splashing with their dirty tires.  Plus, I absolutely HATE getting my clothes wet, and my hair, because it sticks uncomfortably to my skin.  Ugh. Ew.

Back on topic, in regards to make up, I usually don't carry around any touch up items, so I didn't have any with me that day.  (And even if I did, I would've been in such a bad mood because of the rain, that I probably wouldn't have cared about my make up to want to touch up.)  I spent about 7 hours in the city and every time I stepped outside, I was caught in the rain.  Finally at the end of the day, I went to remove my make up, and was very surprised as to how well everything stayed in place.  My face looked pretty damned good after going through the rain!  I'm just going to list the products if you wanna give any of them a shot.

Face: MAC Studio Moisture Tint, Benefit "That Gal" Brightening Face Primer, Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation, Cover FX Translucent Powder, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion, MAC shadows (Photo Realism Quad), Urban Decay Liquid Liner (Smog), Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara
Cheeks: e.l.f. Contouring Blush and Bronzer

Soo... if you have a chance of getting caught in the rain, I think you'll be safe if you're wearing these products.  I'd love to hear similar experiences and maybe some different products that are "rain safe."

lovin' my Lovebug Lenses

I ordered a pair of contact lenses from www.lovebuglens.com and I wanted to talk about them, especially the customer service.

Straight up, I am a contact lens n00b.  I do wear prescribed glasses, but when I asked my doctor about contacts, he told me that my prescription is not strong enough to need contact lenses.  He even said that I can even drive without my glasses.  So, I never got a contacts prescription and never explored the world of contact lenses.  Then I learned how easy it is to order contact lenses online.
Disclaimer: It is very important to consult an optometrist and get a proper prescription for contact lenses.  Even if you have good vision and don't wear glasses, but want non-prescription (zero power) colored lenses, you need a prescription for correct sizing and such.
That being said, I did take a great risk and went ahead against recommendations and ordered my first pair of contact lenses. They are non-prescription, so I still wear my glasses over them, lol.  I've been wearing them for about a week now and starting to get the hang of them.

I apologize for the poor quality picture.  My camera is ancient and I'm not a good photographer so I don't have any concept of lighting, shutter speed, filter, etc...

I'm wearing the Gemstone Collection Pink lenses.  They are GEO brand, which I believe is one of the leading colored contact lens brands, and come with an authentication code.  As I said before, this is my first time wearing contact lenses, my brother (who wears contacts) had to teach me how to put them in. The first time I tried them on, it felt very awkward, like I had something in my eye.  It also looked blurry for a little bit, until it moved around into the correct place.  I did my research before hand, and I knew that these experiences I had were indications that the lenses may not be a proper fit, thus reiterating the importance of seeing an optometrist for a sizing and prescription.  After a week, however, I did get used to them, and now it does not feel like something is stuck in my eye, and I almost never see the blurriness I saw before.  

As for how they look, I love them!  They make my eyes look interesting, and it's not an obvious "omg my eyes are pink," but more of a subtle change of color.  I've worn them out at night, and my friends barely notice, but in brighter lighting situations, they do a double take.  I also noticed a very slight enlarging effect on my eyes.  I've read about other people saying that these lenses didn't make their eyes look larger, but it did a little bit for me.

OK, so enough about the contacts themselves, let me talk about Lovebug Lens.  AWESOME!!!  The website is neat, organized, and easy to order from.  The customer service is excellent.  Here's my story:

I did not order the pink lenses at first.  I actually ordered a different color, but they were on back-order, which  meant that I would just have to wait longer for them to come in.  I didn't mind because they state that they receive shipments every week.  After a couple of weeks, the website announced that there were some issues with their supplier, and will no longer have any items on back-order and will clear out their inventory.  The lenses I ordered were not listed on the site, so I was naturally concerned about my order.  I went on the Facebook Fanpage (which gets updated frequently), and just posted a general question about what happens when something was back-ordered but is no longer listed on the website.  Then, they found my exact order and messaged me apologizing for not having my contact lenses available.  They did offer if I wanted to receive a different pair, or if I wanted a refund.  I opted for the pink lenses, and they were shipped the next day via USPS with a tracking number (inexpensive shipping to the US).  I waited over weekend for them (Fri-Mon), which is fast. 

I would definitely order from them again in the future.

... and I lived happily ever after with my new lenses

can i just tell you...

... that i wanted to start this blog to share my thoughts and opinions about one's looks.  Whether it be about cosmetics, fashion, or physical features, I want to talk about it.  Mainly because I talk a lot and sometimes what I have to say can be helpful.

I want to talk about products that I obtain, review, maybe even recommend them.  I want to share tips with others that I found useful and hope others find useful, too.  There are plenty of beauty blogs and such out there on the internet, and they are all different because they are told through different perspectives.  This blog will be from my perspective, so you can take that however you wish.