One of the ultimate must-haves for me is a good lip balm. I've got tubes of lip balm *everywhere* - I keep one in my purse, one in my bedroom, one in the living room, and there are always several extras in my makeup case. There is just no living without lip balm - it's essential. 

I have some favorites that I routinely stock up on, but every once in a while I like to try something new. 

Recently I decided to try Nivea's A Kiss Of Moisture Hydrating Lip Care lip balm. It's roughly $3.00 a tube, and the tube contains 0.17 oz. of product. 

I'll admit for whatever reason the blue and white packaging is attractive. I didn't think to look at the ingredients before I bought it, though I wish I had. There's a LOT in there that truly is not necessary. I believe when it comes to many things in life, lip balm being one of them, simpler is better. But that's just my opinion.

This lip balm is smooth and creamy to apply. It's not thick or waxy at all. There is not much of a fragrance to speak of; it does have a VERY soft scent to it but it's barely noticeable, and I only noticed it when I held the tube up and smelled just to see if there was a fragrance - I didn't notice anything when applying. The smooth application is about the only thing this has going for it though.

I've not yet had it for a full two weeks and I've already used about 1/4 of the tube - and that is NOT a good thing. This really is not that hydrating - my lips are dryer than normal after using this balm exclusively for a week and a half. I noticed the very first day I got it and started using it that I constantly feel like I need to reapply it because my lips feel dry. Reapplying lip balm frequently because it has a nice flavor to it is one thing, but reapplying because your lips CONSTANTLY feel dry is a different story. (By the way this has no flavor, if you're wondering.) 

The balm itself feels nice and smooth on the lips, but that isn't a great thing when your lips still feel dry underneath that smooth balm. 

I'm going to finish the tube simply because I hate to waste money, but I'm not happy with this lip balm at all. Dryer lips and a constant need to reapply = NOT the "kiss ready" lips Nivea proclaims their lip balms will give you. Definitely not worth the price tag, either.

1 star, not recommended.

A while back I was notified by the lovely CCee that I was one of the winners of a contest she'd held on Twitter. As she is in a different country, it took quite a while for the package to get here. But it finally arrived today, and yes it was indeed worth the wait!

I get a total kick out of trying products from other countries, since I don't get to travel it's these kinds of contests and giveaways that give me the opportunity to try things from other parts of the world. For the record the only bad thing about it is that sometimes I wind up falling in love with a product and am then of course unable to buy it once whatever I won is gone. But, it is still SO much fun to me to get to try things that are not sold here in the US. 

This is what CCee sent in my package:

Biotherm Aquasource Non-Stop sample, perfume sample, body lotion, hand cream, shower gel, compact mirror, tweezers, day cream, and an emery board.

What's really fantastic about this is that I needed some new Tweezers and a new emery board, but for some reason I kept putting off getting them. Now I don't have to worry about it. =) The little compact mirror is ADORABLE and is definitely going to come in handy! I've never seen little tins of hand cream before, so I'm really intrigued by that. And I'm sure many are familiar with the name Palmolive, but here in the US the only Colgate-Palmolive product with "Palmolive" on the label is dish soap. I really had no idea they had Palmolive shower gel in other parts of the world. Is it the same as Soft Soap, I wonder? Same manufacturer but a different brand name on the label; it's possible right? The bottle is similar to the Soft Soap shower gel bottles. Anyway.  Lotions and such are ALWAYS a good thing in my stash of products, as are perfumes. 

I'm looking forward to trying all these things out, especially that hand cream. I dunno, something about it being in that cute little tin makes it an intriguing product. lol 

Thank you, CCee! =)

I don't know why but it occurred to me the other day that I have not seen a color combination in a long time that used to be quite popular. Of course this doesn't mean nobody's using these colors together, I'm just saying that I personally haven't seen it for a very long time. So, I decided to go for it myself.

Pink & green. 

Colors used were Maybelline Express Finish in Budding Blossoms (2 coats), Milani 3D Holographic in Hi-Tech (2 coats on tips only) and white, black and green nail art polishes plus some dark green rhinestones to finish off the design. I contemplated doing the design on all my nails but, as usual I think for me personally that'd be a bit too much, so the design is on ring fingers and thumbs only.

As I previously mentioned, I was able to get the whole collection - a first for me. I'm lucky my dad was willing to pay for six new nail polishes I REALLY don't need to add to my collection lol. 

Now, holographic nail polish is my very favorite kind of nail polish. So when I spotted the new Milani display at K Mart, I instantly fell in love. But of course, there are some things to consider - no two holos are created alike, and thus far I've never been able to find a holo as awesome as the long-gone Sally Hansen Nail Prisms. (Oh please bring those back, SH, please!) But, it is still always fun to try new holos when they pop up. Almost always, anyway.

I had high hopes for this collection - Milani is after all one of my favorite brands. 

There are six colors in this collection, all with "techy" type names which has been the trend as of late: 3D, HD, Hi-Tech, Digital, Hi-Res and Cyberspace.

I swatched all the colors at 3 coats - they were all decent enough at two coats but I went for three for good measure. I also took a picture of each color in sunlight and in the shade. They were all sheer at one coat, some a tiny bit streaky with that first coat too. But all evened out at two coats and looked lovely, they applied very well and dried pretty quickly too. Overall the holographic aspect was a bit disappointing though, with the holo effect being quite subtle and only really visible at certain angles and only in the sunlight. They seem much more like a base color that has been loaded with an insane amount of holographic micro-glitter than true holos. Read on for pics and my thoughts on the individual colors.

Cyberspace is a lovely shade of blue. In the shade it's a softer pastel-ish sky blue bordering on baby blue, while in the sun it is a deeper almost dusty sky blue. It's got more of a holo look in the sun than pictured, though it's not an astounding holo effect.

Hi-Res is a very pretty grape-purple. In the shade it also takes on a more pastel-ish tone, while in the sun it is dark and fascinating. This one has more of a holo look to it (in the sun) than most of the other colors from this collection.

Digital is a pretty dusty rose-pink. Like Cyberspace and Hi-Res, it looks more pastel in the shade while in the sun it's a deeper hue.

Hi-Tech seemed to have the most holo effect to it of the collection. It is a nice shade of green, once again a color that in the shade is more pastel and in the sun is a deeper, dusty sort of color. In the shade it strikes me as a "sour apple" type of green, while in the sun it's a grassy-mint color. (As I've said many times on this blog I really am awful at describing colors, lol. This is just how they look to my eye, you may feel differently.)

HD is silver. You can't have a holo collection without silver. In the shade this one is almost grey. This one was really very sheer at one coat, more-so than the rest of the collection. It would likely be a fun color to layer over darker colors because of that.

And lastly we have 3D, the other "can't have a holo collection without it" color - gold. There's not really much to say about this one...

I decided to compare 3D with China Glaze's It's My Turn. They have nothing in common other than both being shades of gold. 3D is a warmer, truer gold while It's My Turn is a beige-toned gold. It's My Turn has a truer holographic finish than any of the Milani colors do. (Though this also has nothing on the Sally Hansen Nail Prisms of long ago.) The Milani is more opaque, however.

My thoughts on this collection over-all: pretty enough colors, however they are quite standard. The holographic effect is really not intense enough for me. I repeat my previous statement of they seem much more like a base color that has been loaded with an insane amount of holographic micro-glitter than true holos. There is just enough holo to them that I like them, but I don't love them like I had hoped I would, and in my sadly small collection of holos I'm happy to add some new colors even if they are only mildly holographic. It's better than not holographic at all. 

3 of 5 stars.

Would I recommend? Well... maybe if full-on holographic is too much for you and you want something a little more mild. Or if one of the colors just really, really grabs you. Which isn't likely, with such basic colors in the collection. If you're looking for a really noticeable holo polish, you can pass on these cause they are subtle in the holo department.

I'm not totally disappointed with the collection, merely because the shades of each color are different from everything already in my stash. And again, a little subtle bit of holo is better than no holo at all. I didn't have any light greens or blues previously, pinks are always welcome in my world, I didn't have any purples that I really liked and I do quite like Hi-Res. I didn't have any nice silvers or a really true gold yet either. So... I am happy with the colors. It's the lack of "in-your-face-holographic" that is disappointing. 

Just a little heads up for you guys, expect some new swatches soon! I'm excited because it's a new collection from one of my favorite brands, and it's one of my favorite kinds of nail polish to boot. I was able to pick up the entire collection (six colors) which is a first for me. I am going to try to get the colors all swatched so I can share hopefully tomorrow, maybe even a little later today depending on whether or not I can squeeze it in with all the other things I need to get done today. 

(Oh, the intrigue! LOL)

I normally don't paint my nails again for a couple days after painting them, but today I made an exception. My lovely friend Lourdes asked if I had a tutorial for gradient nails, and this was one I'd planned to do but had not gotten around to it yet. So, since she wanted to know how this is done I decided to do my nails again today and do a tutorial.

*To see an alternate method of doing a fade/gradient with the sponging technique, click here.

Mind you I didn't actually do this properly for the simple fact I just don't have the time today, you really should let each coat dry before you move on to the next but I didn't do that. It still shows a gradient/fade nicely, but when you do this be sure to let each coat dry completely (or at least almost completely) before you do the next one, ok? =)

You will need:

Base coat

A main color

A color for the gradient/fade

Clear nail polish

Top Coat

You start this off as you would any manicure, with base coat. Apply your desired first color of nail polish and let it dry completely. 

Next, get your desired color for the gradient/fade. This should be a color that is sheer but buildable. For this example I'm using NYC "Love Letters" as my base color (2 coats) and Pure Ice "Cheatin'" for the gradient. I've chosen these colors as they contrast in a way that you can easily see the effect - but your options for what colors to use for this technique are endless!

To achieve your gradient look, apply your gradient color to the tips of the nails only, like for a French manicure. It doesn't have to be perfect. You could take the color a bit further down the nail, or leave it closer to the tip depending on how far down your nail you want the color to go. Alternately, you can apply it to the base of the nail near the cuticle, so that it will fade upward toward the tip. 

Next, take your clear nail polish and use it to pull the polish downward toward the cuticle. You do this immediately after you've applied it, and do not give the polish any time to set. I recommend using a cheap clear polish for this, such as Wet N Wild or Petites, because there is an excellent chance of getting the polish in the bottle. Definitely do not use a clear polish you want to remain clear! You may also want to have some paper towels on hand to wipe the brush off before dipping it back into the bottle to avoid getting color in it, but even so still stick with a cheap polish so if it does get some color in it, it's not a big deal.

Continue on in this fashion, each time applying the gradient color further up the nail and pulling it downward a little less further until you have built up to the desired opacity at the tip. Once you have it opaque enough at the tip, do one more coat and this time pull the polish down to where you pulled the first coat to. This is optional, but often helps to really finish and define the faded appearance. Don't forget to let each coat dry completely before you do the next one!

After the final coat, apply top coat and let your nails dry completely. 

This technique is really easy, however it should be noted there is a small learning curve with it. The first time I tried it, it didn't turn out very well and I was surprised something that seemed so simple was actually a little tricky. But then again maybe you will get it perfect on your first try. ;-) Either way, a couple tries and you'll soon have the technique down and it'll be a breeze to do it! 

Here are a couple other gradient looks I have done, to show you more examples, and examples that were done properly where each coat was allowed to dry completely before the next was applied:

For today's nails I decided to do a little something for three guys I happen to adore a whole lot though I've not met them: Zak, Nick & Aaron. If you watch Ghost Adventures on TV, then you know who I mean. I'm a huge fan of the show, I wish it were on more often than it is. There are new episodes coming in September, and I can't wait! These guys manage to get some amazing things on film. They're funny and brave and maybe just a little crazy (but in a good way!) not to mention they are all eye candy which just makes the show that much more fun to watch. ;-)

ANYWAY.

Base coat

2 coats of Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine in Luxurious

Bright green nail art polish for the GAC Twibbon design

Seche Vite top coat

*happy dance* 

(Yeah, I'm a complete dork. You know you love it. haha)

Misa: Blackout, Total Eclipse Of The Heart, Single And Ready To Limbo, Shake It To The Samba, Jester Ate The King Cake

Color Club: Factory Girl, Hot Couture, Take Me To Your Chateau

Finger Paints: Add & Abstract, Oh My Stars, Dream A Little Dream, Blissfully Blue

Beauty From The Earth: Country Blue, Sweet Dreams, 4 Leaf Clover, Nani, Angel, Baby Girl, Belle Of The Ball, Starstruck, Zinger (blush), May (blush)

Too Faced: Sex Kitten (lipstick), Pink Flamingo (lipstick), Party Girl (duo eye shadow)

Lipstick Queen: Saint Wine, Saint Berry, Berry Sinner

Of course this is the short version and limited to just a couple brands. :p In all seriousness these are some of the things I want *most* from my entirely too big wish list.

I painted my nails yesterday and for a while I left it alone at two coats of Color Club Revvvolution. But after it had been dry a while, I really felt like it needed just a little something. Literally little. So I pondered my options; a funky French, sprinkles, rhinestones, something with one of my many nail art polishes. I finally decided on using the red glitter Stripe Rite Paint to make tiny hearts on the corners. It was the perfect little something. =)

As a side note, yesterday I received my prize from XX Chronicles' recent giveaway. I was pleasantly surprised to see two extra pairs of earrings in the package, both of which I like. Thank you, Y, for the great giveaway! =) 

Yardsticks 4 Lunatics is having an amazing giveaway, with lots of pretty blue nail polish and other goodies as the prize. Be sure to check it out by clicking here.

 I've been tagged by the lovely and talented Mellie, and y'all know I like tags. ;-) Mellie is awesome so if you haven't been to her blog yet definitely make sure you pay her a visit!

8 T.V. Shows I like to Watch:
1.  Golden Girls
2.  Gilmore Girls
3.  Ace Of Cakes
4.  Food Network Challenge
5.  Mythbusters
6.  Ghost Lab
7.  Ghost Adventures
8.  Reba

8 Favorite Places to Eat & Drink:
1.  My house
2. Bravo!
3.  Wendy's
4. The Red Caboose
5.  Jerrome's
6. Rita's
7. Galiffa's
8. The Rib Cage

8 Things I look Forward to:
1.  The arrival of my second niece
2.  Visits with my niece and nephew
3.  Reaching my goal weight =)
4.  Picking strawberries
5.  Getting to see the baby chicks at the farm
6.  Home-cooked meals
7.  Getting another Bichon Frise
8.  Moving in with the boyfriend ♥

8 Things that Happened Yesterday:
1.  There was a surprise in the mail for my niece
2.  I beat some records on Wii Sports Resort lol
3. I took a long walk outside
4.  I started a special crochet project
5.  I worked on the baby blanket for my soon-to-arrive niece
6.  I got so many texts I got annoyed and turned off my phone :p
7.  I enjoyed the sunshine
8.  I made some pastillage

8 Things I like about Winter:
1.  Getting to wear cozy sweaters
2.  Wearing boots
3.  Snow
4.  Winter comfort foods like stews and chili
5. Warm drinks (hot cocoa and mulled cider)
6.  Christmas
7.  Wearing cute hats
8.  Ice skating

8 Things on my Wish List:
1.  Some wedge heels
2.  New skirts & coordinating tops
3. Your Shape Fitness for the Wii
4.  A laptop
5.  A camera bag
6.  Several cameras. Not that I need another one.
7.  Nail polish. Of course. ;-)
8.  A winning lottery ticket. lol

8 Things I'm Passionate About:
1. My loved ones
2. Photography
3. Animals
4. Freedom
5. Nail polish & nail art
6. Gardening
7. American history
8. Crafts

8 Words or Phrases I used Often:
1.  lol
2. y'all
3. haha
4. boo-yah
5. wtf/h
6.  oops
7. ok
8. grrr

8 Things I Learned From the Past:
1.  There's nothing wrong with being different
2.  Nine times out of ten hateful comments are a result of jealousy
3.  Sometimes you need to let your inner bitch out
4.  First impressions DON'T last forever, and they can be very misleading
5.  Those who truly matter love you just the way you are
6. It's ok to say "No."
7.  You are never too old for imagination
8. True love is about the little things, not extravagance

8 Places I would Love to go Visit/See:
1. Hawaii
2. Texas
3.  Georgia
4. Montana
5. North Dakota
6. Tennessee
7. Nebraska
8. Wyoming

8 Things I Currently Want/Need:
1.  Steady income
2.  New contacts
3.  Breakfast
4. To be with my boyfriend
5.  A bottle of water
6.  The rain to stop & the sun to come out
7. Inspiration
8.  A new DVD player

8 People I would love to Tag
While I love doing tags, I never tag others in them because I know not everyone likes them. So, I'm tagging anybody who hasn't done this yet and would like to, but nobody specific. =)

2 coats each of Pure Ice Calypso & Pure Ice Once Again! - you can't see the holographic effect of the glitter in the picture but it's lovely. This combination makes me think of mermaids and all sorts of magical under-water happenings. =)

It's a pretty safe bet that most of us use hand/body lotions. Some of us have numerous bottles of lotions around for one reason or another - wanting a variety of fragrances, trying to find one you like or that works for you etc. Some even have different lotions for different parts of the body; one for hands, one for feet, one for face... 

Really, the different lotions for different body parts thing isn't necessary EXCEPT for a separate lotion for the face. I'll give you that one as those moisturizers tend to be lighter and contain SPF. But separate lotions for your feet and/or hands? Not necessary. Use the same one you use on the rest of your body!

You slather it on day after day after day, it takes a long time to get results or if you miss just one day you are right back where you started. Lotions can be greasy or leave a residue on the skin; it doesn't sink in; it just plain doesn't work. The list of "problems" people have with lotions just goes on and on. But, most lotion-users probably are not using the lotion properly to make the most of it's moisturizing abilities. Oh that's not to say there aren't some poorly constructed lotions out there - they DO exist. But they are few and far between. And you do NOT have to shell out big bucks for the more expensive brands of lotion to get desirable results. Sometimes cheaper is just as good, or even better!

Bear in mind I'm no expert. I have made my own lotions before though, and it is something I greatly enjoy. I don't do it more simply because of a lack of finances to keep the supplies stocked; and the convenience of just going to the store and grabbing something that's already been made. But in learning how to make my own lotion, I learned about the various ingredients and what they do, and why they're necessary. I learned how lotions really work, and that's a great thing. These little tips for keeping your skin moisturized are just things I have picked up on over the years from experience, so make of it what you will.

1. Water is important. No, I'm not talking about water in the lotion (though this is a key ingredient in all good lotions) I'm talking about water as in drink lots of it every day. Just because you can use products to make your skin soft and seemingly moisturized doesn't mean that you can neglect keeping yourself moisturized on the inside by drinking plenty of water! Drinking enough water each day is so very important for lots of reasons. Sometimes dry skin can be eased simply by drinking more water, though this does take time to have an effect. 

2. Water, part two, and why you need oil. Before you apply lotion, pat some water on your skin. Don't put so much water on that you're soaking wet, just a light little pat of water will do so your skin is slightly damp. Lotion on it's own is ok, but if you really want to maximize it's moisturizing effect you need to dab some water on first and then apply the lotion. Why? Easy. Lotions contain oils (if this doesn't sound right to you, sorry but it's a MUST, it wouldn't be lotion otherwise!) and those oils help keep existing moisture in your skin by providing a sort of "anti-evaporation" barrier. If you apply lotion on dry skin, well sure the hydrating elements of the lotion will sink in and do a bit of moisturizing, but it will be much more beneficial if there is more moisture there to begin with before applying the lotion. Applying lotions right after your showers/baths is a good idea because you've just exposed it to water (more on this one a little further down, there are some important things to note on this one!) so step out, towel off a bit but do leave a little water on your skin and then apply your lotion. You've got about 20 minutes post-shower when your skin is going to have a higher moisture content thus being the best time to apply your lotion. If you're skeptical of this one, do a test. For a period of at least two weeks, use just your lotion on half your body, and on the other half of your body pat on water first then apply lotion. (For example if you only put lotion on your feet, do lotion only on the right foot and water + lotion on the left.) You'll notice a difference.

3. Less is more. Most people actually over-do it with the lotion and use WAY too much of it at a time. Hence complaints of the lotion not sinking in, or being sticky, leaving a residue etc. True there are some lotions out there that just weren't formulated well and are in fact sticky/greasy/etc. but for the most part if your lotion is leaving anything undesired behind on your skin, it's because you're using too much! Cut back on how much you're using and that should help. If it doesn't, inspect the ingredients list and do some research on the ingredients if necessary, and consider trying a new lotion with a different formula.

4. Take your time. Don't just slap the lotion on and call it done. You need to actually take a little time to massage the lotion in to get the most of it's moisturizing properties. This also helps with the "it just sits there and doesn't sink in" complaints some folks have about lotions. Don't think of applying lotion as a pesky chore, think of it as valuable "me time" and take a few minutes to really massage in the lotion. You'll not only be soft and moisturized for it, but you'll probably feel more relaxed too. Who doesn't love a massage?

5. Long, hot showers and baths are relaxing, yes. But they're a big culprit of dry skin! How's this possible? Didn't I just say something about put lotion on after showers or baths? Well yes I did. But that fact needs a little elaboration. See, when you're in a shower or tub of hot water your skin's moisture will evaporate. I know, this doesn't seem to make much sense but it's a proven fact; even though you're IN water, especially if it is hot water, it's causing your pores to open, which makes evaporation happen faster. And the longer you're in the water the more the water in your skin will evaporate, leading to dry skin. So, to combat this cause of dry skin is simple - cut back on the length of your showers AND cut back on the heat as well. Try to keep your showers and baths at a cooler temperature. Though surely nobody will fault you for some occasional long, hot showers or baths after a particularly stressful day!

Basically, you need two things to have soft, hydrated skin: water and oil. The oil itself is not a softening/moisturizing agent. That is what the water does. But water evaporates pretty quickly. Oil on the other hand acts as a shield to help temporarily keep the water from evaporating; it helps to hold the water in longer than the water would last otherwise thus helping get/keep your skin moisturized. So - hydrate with water first and then lock that moisture in with oil. And again, all good lotions and creams and such contain various oils (and water, too) as this is what really helps them to do their job in moisturizing your skin, but don't expect them to do the job all on their own. You will get maximum results if you hydrate with water first before putting on the lotions and creams.

I'd like to think that as this is the first butterfly I've done, any I may do in the future will be better. I tend to stick to simpler designs, since free-handing on my own nails is tricky for me, especially considering that I'm definitely no painter. But I do like to break away from simple lines and flowers sometimes; while the results are not always stunning I'm rather proud of them as they offered me a challenge. And I can learn from them. 

As a somewhat unrelated side-note, I'd love to know why the past few uses my LA Colors Art Deco black polish insists on smearing when I apply top coat no matter how long I wait to give it a chance to set first. It's a tad annoying. Maybe it needs a smidge of thinner? Anyone out there with more knowledge/experience have an answer for me?

This design was so much prettier in my head than when I actually did it. Don't you just hate when that happens? LOL Oh well. =)

I stumbled onto these shadows at Dollar General last Summer. You really can't beat the price of these - everything is just $1 or $2. But what really makes these a great buy is the fact that despite the low price tag, the quality is superb!

All of the following photos were taken indoors with flash.




Bear in mind this is what the colors look like when applied over an eye shadow base - not a very good eye shadow base mind you, as these were taken in my pre-Too Faced Shadow Insurance days, but an eye shadow base nonetheless. And that purple on the outer corner? That's the blue and pink from the palette, blended together. Yeah - that is how blendable these shadows are. Absolutely dreamy blendability! (As a side note the white color used to highlight is from a different LA Colors 5 color palette; "Darling".)

This has rapidly become my favorite shadow palette for more dramatic eye looks. Some colors are more pigmented than others (the yellow and orange are not quite as pigmented as I'd hoped they would be, you really need to pack them on to get them to show up) however overall they're very nice. They are very smooth and silky, easy to apply and did I mention extremely blendable yet?

When applied over eye shadow base the staying power is very good, too. Even when applied over a cheaper base the staying power is decent - use a better base and these shadows will last all day and well into the night!

Overall, for the price these are fantastic. I'd give them 4 of 5 stars... they'd get all 5 if only all the colors were equally pigmented. I highly recommend them, particularly to beauty addicts on a super tight budget (such as myself) who are looking for some bang for their buck, without hurting their wallet!