Wednesday 23 December 2015

Crabtree & Evelyn for the Holidays

Hey friends,

It's been a while..but if you've been following my instagram (@_mirch) or Annie's (@anniepolishes).. we're still showing our loves for nails and cosmetics :)
Been feeling under the weather right now but I hope these products make you smile. It definitely did when the mail man dropped this off at my doorstep =)

Do you need last minute gift ideas for the holiday (like really last minute)? Well if so, I have a great choice for you!
Crabtree & Evelyn placed their hand creams in an adorable Christmas themed holiday tin. These 3 scents aren't limited and include one of my favourite scents from them - Avocado, olive and basil!
The set includes: 
  • Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy (25g)
  • Avocado, Olive & Basil Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy (25g)
  • Citron, Honey & Coriander Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy (25g)



  • These tins also come in many different trios. Check out their website (linked below) for more details.

    These creams aren't greasy and absorb very well into the skin. Out of the 3, the avocado one was the thickest and pomegranate was thinnest in texture. The citron one was strongest in scent.




    This set retails at $29 CAD and can be bought at any Crabtree & Evelyn boutique or online.


    Next we have two fall/winter hues of nail polish. Both are in the red category. One is Wine and the other is Cranberry. Cranberry is a brighter, solid red fitting of it's name. A staple in many people's manicure collections. Like my mom's, she quickly asked if it was for her when I opened the package. 
    Wine is a darker burgundy red.

    left: Wine right: Cranberry
     Formula wise, they are on the thin side but it allows for smooth application and a fairly quick dry time. I like that these polishes had a thinner consistency yet both only required two coats for full opacity. However, I did prefer a 3rd coat for Cranberry since there was a very faint visible nail line after two coats, not noticeable other than to me because as you may know..I am super picky when it comes to VNL!
    This is my first time trying Crabtree and Evelyn polishes and I have to say I am quite impressed with their quality of lacquer. They have a huge range of colours to choose from and I cannot wait to purchase more and see how they are. Especially their Black Tulip looks like it would be an amazing duochrome!These polishes retail at $10 CAD but often has deals such as right now (12/23/15) Buy two get one free and can be bought at any Crabtree & Evelyn boutique or online.


    Feel free to ask any questions below..

     Happy Holidays !

    Miranda





    Quick Links:
    http://www.crabtree-evelyn.ca/



    these items were given in exchange for review. all opinions are my own. 

    Wednesday 2 December 2015

    November Empties

    I have something a little different than what I usually post to share today. I decided at the end of October to keep all the packaging of all the products I managed to finish in the month of November and do my first empties post. I managed to finish 11 products, some full sized, some sample sized. It was also interesting to see how much (or little?) I go through and which type of products I use most of. So here goes...

    * I forgot to include the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet in the picture


    Vitafusion Women's Complete Multivitamin
    Would I buy again?  Yes
    Why?  These vitamins were a bit on the sweet side but tasted pretty good, they didn't have a gritty after taste like some other gummy vitamins do. I admit that I wasn't able to just eat the 2 vitamins that was recommended on the label and I ate them more like candy. I received these vitamins at the Women's Show in October but I'd buy these again if they were on sale. These would be great for people who have a hard time swallowing pills.

    Bath and Body Works Nourishing Hand Cream in Merry Cookie, Meyer Lemon and Sweet Pea
    Would I buy again?  Yes but in different scents
    Why?  I bought a couple of these hand creams last winter at the outlet store and have been switching between scents throughout the year. Typically I don't like heavily sugary scents too much but the Merry Cookie was sweet in a vanilla sugar cookie sort of way and it wasn't too overbearing if I used it just on my hands. However the formula of these scent disappointed me. I felt that the consistency wasn't as thick as their typical nourishing hand creams. Now this could be because I originally bought this hand cream last year so maybe something with the formula changed over time but I really didn't love it enough to want to buy another hand cream in this scent again. The Meyer Lemon and Sweet Pea scents were pleasant and I thought their formula was nice and thick, applied well and kept my hands hydrated.

    John Frieda 7 Day Volume In-Shower Treatment
    Would I buy again?   Nooooo, nope
    Why?  As a girl with fine hair, I wanted to love this product so much. But it left my hair feeling disgustingly stringy and felt like it was coated in rubber or something. It smelled nice and actual texture of the product felt great but the product was totally ineffective for me and was a major let down. I'm so glad I received this as a sample during the Women's Show in October because I'd be even more disappointed had I paid for this product.

    Cuter Cuticles Barrier Butter in Peanut 
    Would I buy again? Yes but in a different scent
    Why?  I love supporting indies, especially Canadian indies and even more so Canadian indies that price their products modestly and not charge an arm and a leg for shipping. Sammy from Cuter Cuticles meets all those requirements. I received this barrier butter as part of the peanut butter jelly time set which includes this barrier butter in Peanut, a cuticle oil pen in Grape Jelly and a mani bomb in Milk and Honey. A little product goes a long way, the warmth of your body melts the butter fairly quickly but not to the point where it's an oily mess. Because my job requires lots of handwashing I typically used this product at night as a hand and foot cream because it did feel a little heavy but not in an pleasant way. I would absolutely buy this product again but in a different scent.

    Cuter Cuticles Cuticle Oil in Buttered Popcorn

    Would I buy again? Yes but in a different scent
    Why? I bought this cuticle oil during Sammy's April fools limited edition scents, when I received it the scent was exactly like salty butter. I thought I'd hate it but it was nice in a weird kind way? Like with all of Sammy's cuticle oils, it kept the skin around my nails nice and hydrated. I used this scent on and off since April and I think due to the amount of time that passed the scent changed slightly during those months. I will continue using Sammy's cuticle oils but in a different scent next time. 

    Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet
    Would I buy again?  Yes
    Why?  This cream certainly lived up to it's name. The texture was light and applied on very smoothly without any greasy sticky reside (which I hate). I admit I didn't really see a dramatic difference after using this product but it kept my face from drying and I feel like it would be a great moisturizer to use in the summer time since it feels so light on the skin. I have a bunch of face products to use up before I need to purchase another moisturizer again so I don't see myself purchasing this product in the immediate future but definitely something I'd consider later on once I've used up my stash.

    Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
    Would I buy again? No
    Why?  This bottle of Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel has been kicking around in bathroom for quite some time now and I feel like the product I fell in love with has fallen short. My skin felt sort of sticky after application and I noticed my face would oil up quicker. And it might've been my hormones fluctuating but I felt like it caused me to breakout. I know a lot of people like this product and I used to but I think I have to move on.

    CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
    Would I buy again?  No
    Why?  I received this sample at the Women's show in October. It was nothing special, just an unscented cream. It was nice to use as a hand cream but it didn't appeal to me.

    Bliss Kiss Simply Pure Hydrating Oil in Summer
    Would I buy again? Yes...but only when on sale
    Why?  As long as I was diligent with hydrating my hands and cuticles I felt that this product lives up to the hype. However, due to the terrible Canadian dollar I can't see myself purchasing more of this oil unless it were to go on sale. Plus, with all the different indies brands now offering cuticle products I feel that I can access similar products with a wider variety of scents while supporting a different indies.




    I hope you enjoyed my empties post, please feel free to let me know what you think and if I should continue with posts like these.


    Until Next Time,

    Annie

    Wednesday 18 November 2015

    Born Pretty Store Red Seashell Charms Review

    Happy hump day readers, hope your work week is flying by too.

    I have another goodie from Born Pretty Store to share with you all. I'm sure I sound like a broken record but in case you've never heard of Born Pretty Store, it is an online e-shop that sells a variety of products, but mainly a large selection of nail art at really great, modest prices.

    The product I have today on the blog are the Red Seashell 3D Charms (item #21828), they come in a pack of 5 and are priced at $3.28USD but is currently marked down to $1.99 USD. I received style 1189, the red seashells. On the product page, Born Pretty Store provides picures of the charms they have available and also the measurments of every different style they offer.


    Souce: Born Pretty Store


    Click to see what I thought about these charms and how I used them in my mani...

    Sunday 15 November 2015

    Born Pretty Store Assorted Nail Art Studs Review

    Greetings dear readers!

    I'm excited to share another Born Pretty Store product with you all. In case you didn't know, Born Pretty Store is an online e-shop that sells nail art and other great products ranging from accessories for your electronics to clothing and jewelry at affordable prices. But best part is that they have free worldwide shipping in addition to that you can use our coupon code for 10% off regular priced items. So don't forget to use our code AMPK31 for 10% off.

    This time around I have an assorted shapes nail art wheel (item #12410) to review. This wheel contains 12 different shaped and coloured studs. These shapes include stars, hearts, teardrops, ovals, circles and squares in silver or gold. There is a total of 300 pcs and is priced at $3.95USD but is currently on sale for $2.96USD, definitely worth the money for the amount and variation you get.

    I love the variety of the shapes included in this products and how organized the wheel made everything. I was able to select and pick up the studs I wanted to with easy thanks to the open window that spins around.

    Source: Born Pretty Store



    Click to see some more manis I created with these studs...


    Sunday 8 November 2015

    Born Pretty Store Ocean Themed Charms Review

    Happy Sunday everyone! Now that the weekend if winding down I finally have a little time to review another product sent to me from Born Pretty Store. Born Pretty Store is an online e-store that offers a wide variety of products ranging from nail art supplies to clothing to accessories for your home and electronics.

    As for today's review, I have 1 Box Seashell Starfish Mermaid 3D Decorations Ocean Nail Deco (item # 21578). A nail art wheel full of nautically themed charms. Included in the wheel are starfishes, seashells, anchors, seahorses, mermaids and a cute little turtle. My favourite from the bunch is definitely the turtle. The shell is actually made up of small black rhinestones. How cute is he! The nail art wheel spins and has one opening to make the charms easy to dispense.

    Source: Born Pretty Store


    Application of the charms is relatively easy with a pair of tweezers or a wax pick up pencil ( I prefer the lather). Once placed on the nail, a generous layer of topcoat is absolutely needed to seal the charm in place. During the removal if you're careful enough the charm can be reused if picked off and cleaned up a bit with some nail polish remover. The charms are regularly priced at $5.51USD but is currently on sale for $2.76USD. Quite the steal especially if the charms are reused.


    Click to see more pics of the mani I created with these charms...


    Tuesday 3 November 2015

    Born Pretty Store Fruity Water Decals Review

    Happy November everyone! Boy, I can't believe it's been this long since my last post. I hope you all enjoyed the rest of your summer and had a great Halloween.

    Just this past week I received a package of press samples from Born Pretty Sore. Usually it takes about 3 weeks for a package from them to arrive but for some reason this time it took almost 2 months! I was sure it was lost in the mail for good but eventually came (...at it's own pace). So the items that were selected were more summery so please pardon if some of the manis seem seasonally inappropriate.

    The first item I wanted to try right away were these fruity water decals (item #21984). One sheet came with 4 different designs and was very modestly priced at $1.99 USD. I decided to try style C266 first, I cut out all the designs and put on a white base coat on my nails. I anticipated the decals to be very sheer and needing a base coat but to my surprise the decals already had a opaque white base. Since the patterns are rectangular in shape you can either cut each decal down to for your nail or apply as is and clean up with acetone and a clean up brush.
    Click to see more...

    Monday 3 August 2015

    Born Pretty Store Gold Arrow Charm Review

    Hi again, since I'm stuck at home I took advantage of my free time to share another item from Born Pretty Store with you all. Born Pretty Store is an online shop that sells a wide variety of nail art items, nail care accessories, makeup and other various accessories for your home and electronics. Everything is very modestly priced and shipping is free worldwide.

    I've selected the 2Pcs/set Gold Arrow Rhinestone Nail Studs Charming 3D Nail Art Decoration (item #16958) to review. Each charm measures 13mm by 10mm in size, quite large especially the folks with shorter nails. They also have a very flat back which makes it hard to fit on a curved nail. The charms are regularly priced at $2.53USD but are currently marked down to $2.02USD.


    Source: Born Pretty Store

    Click to see how I used the studs...

    Born Pretty Store Gold Triangle Studs Review

    Happy Monday everyone! If you're Canadian I hope you're all enjoying your Civic holiday. I'm sick as a dog here so I've been taking it easy all weekend. Hoping I get well soon. Anyways, today I have another Born Pretty Store item to share with you all. Born Pretty Store is an online shop that sells a vast variety of nail care products, nail art products, make up and other accessories for your home or electronics.

    I selected the 50Pcs Triangle Nail Art Decoration 3D UV Gel Stud Gold Silver Triangle Pattern (item # 19976) in gold for review. They came in a little baggy and there were a fair bit of studs so I wouldn't be too surprised if there were more than 50 studs. Each triangle stud measures approximately 3 by 5mm in size and have a criss cross pattern to them, they also come in silver. They're ususally $2.64USD but are currently marked down at $2.11USD. 


    Source: Born Pretty Store

    Click to see how I used these studs...


    Thursday 30 July 2015

    Born Pretty Store Glitter Resin Nail Studs Review

    Hi all! Hope you all had a good week so far, one more day until the long weekend! Can't wait. 
    Today I have another product from Born Pretty Store to share with you all. Born Pretty Store is an online store that sells a wide variety of nail art products as well as makeup and other accessories. They offer free worldwide shipping and everything is very reasonably priced.

    I selected the 100pc Resin Nail Studs (item #20274) to review. These resin studs come in 6 different colours of glitter embedded in each stud, they are 2mm in size and come in approximately 100 pieces. The studs that I received were not exactly like the product image in that it didn't contain the variety of colours like in the product page. Regardless, there were enough different colours that come in the nail wheel and will come in handy to suit many mani. The studs, which come in a 12 compartment nail wheel is priced at $4.47 USD. 



    Source: Born Pretty Store


    Click to see the mani I created with these studs...

    Monday 20 July 2015

    Lady Queen Bow Studs Review

    Hi all! I'm back again with another review from Lady Queen, Lady Queen is a new e-store that specializes in nail accessories at very reasonable prices. They sell anything nail art related as well as makeup and tools, jewelry, apparel, hair accessories, bags, and assorted home/garden items. Shipping is free worldwide, which is always a great bonus and the money you save on shipping you can buy more items.

    The second item I selected from  Lady Queen to review was the 3D Nail Art Decoration Bowtie Shape (item #NA0304). The bow studs come in a fliptop pillbox separated by colour, there are 12 different colours in total and 5 pcs per colour. The bow studs are priced at $5.39USD which is a great deal especially since you're receiving 60 studs and a pillbox to keep things neat and organized.

    Source: Lady Queen

    Click to see the manis I created...

    Saturday 18 July 2015

    NYX Matte Lipstick in Aria

    Today, I have NYX Matte lipstick in the shade Aria. It looked much darker online and in the tube than it did on the lips. I was hoping for a darker shade but it turned out to be pretty bright. Since I am still experimenting with cosmetics and lip colours, it was pretty scary to wear it and realize how bright it was. 

    Like most NYX lipsticks, it comes in a basic black plastic tube with a clear plastic middle to show off the colour. It is not good for displaying right up as the name only shows on the bottom.




    see more below the cut~

    Tuesday 14 July 2015

    Lady Queen Nautical Nail Charm Review

    Hello all! I'm very excited to introduce a new online store that specializes in nail accessories at very reasonable prices. Lady Queen is an online superstore that sells anything nail art related as well as makeup and tools, jewelry, apparel, hair accessories, bags, and assorted home/garden items. Shipping is free worldwide.

    I was approached by Lady Queen to review some of their items and to be honest I was a little overwhelmed by the amount of items to choose from. Eventually I picked out two items, one of which was the Nautical Dangling Nail Charm (item #NA0159 or style B1-1 in the image below). The charms are sold separately and are priced at $0.99USD.

    Source: Lady Queen

    As noted in the image above the charm measures 7mm x 20mm, at first I was worried the charm would be obnoxiously over-sized but when I had it on my nail it didn't end up being as large as I imaged. I work in an environment where I constantly have to wash my hands so realistically I wouldn't wear a dangling charm to work or on a daily basis. I thought it looked cute on the nail but I felt that I had to constantly make sure the piece that dangled wasn't in the way. Practically speaking, I feel like I would get much more use out of the charm if I removed the connecting ring and wore the steering wheel and anchor separately. They're awfully cute on their own as well.



    Lady Queen is definitely worth checking out, as they are based in Asia shipping may take up to 3-6 weeks depending on where you are located. But for the prices you're paying, it is worth the wait. Lady Queen was very kind enough to offer our readers/followers a 15% off code for regular priced items. Be sure to enter the code "AWLC15" to get 15% off!




    Until Next Time,

    Annie





    *** These products were provided in exchange for my honest review.***

    Wednesday 8 July 2015

    Born Pretty Store Round Water Drop Stud Review

    Hi all! Happy hump day, who else is ready for the weekend to come? In the meantime I have another item from Born Pretty Store to share with you all. Born Pretty Store, is an online shop that sells everything you can dream of to help your up your nail art game from gems to stampers to decals and more. They also sell beauty products and phone cases/accessories.

    For this review I have Round Water Drop Studs (item #20634) to share.The studs range from 3-6mm in size and came in 3 different shapes and 3 different colours. The product page doesn't list the amount of studs that come in the package but if I would have to guess I'd say there is about 100 or so. What drew me the most to these studs was the marble detail on each stud, it made the studs look even more dainty and gave them  more depth. The studs come in a wheel with 12 compartments neatly sorted by colour and shape. These studs are priced at $3.52USD.


    Source: Born Pretty Store


    Click to see how I used these studs...


    Friday 3 July 2015

    Born Pretty Store Gold and Silver Lines Stickers Reviews

    Hi all, hope you're having a great weekend so far. Looks like we lucked out and both Saturday and Sunday looks great. I've had a crazy busy week at work today and didn't have any time to paint my nails or do any nail art all week long. So when I received some press sample from Born Pretty Store earlier this week I knew it was a sign to make time for some nail art. I find painting my nails to be relaxing and therapeutic, especially after a busy/crappy week.

    I'm sure almost everyone who is into nail art has heard of Born Pretty Store, if not, it is an online shop that sells everything you can dream of to help your up your nail art game. They also sell beauty products and phone cases/accessories. For this review I have the Gold and Silver Line Stickers (item #20484) to share. These stickers normally cost $2.35USD but are currently on sale for $1.49USD.

    I found the stickers very easy to use and even though I repositioned them multiple times they still stuck onto the nail. I thought that they were a perfect thickness as well, not too thick or too thin. I would recommend using a pair of tweezers to handle the stickers as it can get a little finicky. The only downside I saw with these stickers was that they have to be fully adhered onto your nail before applying topcoat. If any areas are not flush on the nail the stickers will warp. I learned that the hard way and had to redo two nails.

    Source: Born Pretty Store


    Click to see a couple manis I created...


    Monday 18 May 2015

    Born Pretty Store Cute Dresses Bra Water Decals Review

    Hi all! Hope you're having a fantastic Victoria Day. Any of you watching fireworks tonight?

    I wanted to share one more Born Pretty Store water decal  review with you all before the weekend is over. This time around it is the Cute Dresses Bra Water Decals Nail Art Stickers Decoration (item #16742). These water decals cost $2.14USD and contains over 25 designs of what I first thought were bathing suits, but are actually lingerie. They reminded me of those paper dolls I used to play with when I was a kid...where you cut out the paper doll and her paper clothing had these little flaps where you folded the paper to secure the clothing in place. Anyone else remember playing with them?

    I thought the size of the decals were decent and would fit onto most nail sizes. Water decals are a super easy way to create awesome nail art. As long as you keep the decal wet you can reposition it until you are satisfied with the placement. It is also recommended to seal the decal in place with a layer of quick dry top coat.
    Source: Born Pretty Store

    Click to see the mani I created...


    Friday 15 May 2015

    Born Pretty Store Rose and Butterfly Water Decal Review

    Woohoo! Hope you are all having a great Friday because I sure am excited for the upcoming long weekend.

    Today I have water decals from Born Pretty Store to review. This time around it is the 3-in-1 Colorful Rose Butterfly Pattern Nail Art Water Decals Transfers Sticker (item #17631). This water decals costs $3.39USD and contains 3 sheets of the same pattern in different colours. These decals are a really great price for the amount you receive and so easy to use to create awesome nail art. The size of the decals are also very versatile and fit onto short or long nails.
    Source: Born Pretty Store




    If you plan on checking out Born Pretty Store and can't resist the urge to purchase some goodies use our code "AMPK31" to receive 10% off regular priced items!






    Until Next Time,

    Annie





    *** These products were provided in exchange for my honest review.***

    Sunday 10 May 2015

    Born Pretty Store Chic Flower Plate Review

    Hi all! I'd like to start off my blog post by wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day, hope you find some time today to spend with your family.

    Today I have another stamping plate from Born Pretty Store to review. This time around it is the Chic Flower Nail Art Stamp Template Image Plate Pattern #Qgirl-022 (item #18899). This plate costs $2.99USD and contains 9 different floral designs. I had no real difficulty picking up the images but felt as though the image wasn't cut deep enough so that the stamped image wasn't as intense as I would have liked. I do suggest using a polish specifically made for stamping to get the more success out of this plate. 

    Source :Born Pretty Store


    Click to see what I created!

    Tuesday 28 April 2015

    Born Pretty Store 5pc Flower 3D Charm

    Can you believe how fast the year is going? It's already the end of April...a third of the year has passed by. But with time passing faster it means warmer temperatures will soon be here. April has been a pretty soggy month here but you know what they say...April showers brings May flowers. That is what inspired my mani I have to share today.

    I received these 3D flowers charms for nail art from Born Pretty Store to review and thought it was very weather appropriate. Its time for flowers to bloom. The charms (item #16609) come in a pack of 5 and is priced at $2.84USD (currently on sale for $2.27USD) and are sized nicely for your thumb, pointer, middle and ring fingers. I thought they were a little too large for my pinky nail.

    Source: Born Pretty Store
    For my mani I used the saran wrap method with China Glaze I Brake for Colour, Trip of a Lime Time and Boho Blues. The only improvement I have for the charms is that I wish they were a little bit curved so that they would lie on the nail a little better. Otherwise I think they're a great dainty size and were very easy to work with.


    Do you own any Born Pretty Store charms? Do you love them as much as I do? Let me know what you think.

    If you plan on checking out Born Pretty Store and can't resist the urge to purchase some goodies use our code "AMPK31" to receive 10% off regular priced items!






    Until Next Time,

    Annie





    *** These products were provided in exchange for my honest review.***

    Tuesday 21 April 2015

    Born Pretty Store Stamping Plate BP42 Review

    Hi everyone! Hope everyone is having a good week so far. I'm hoping all this crappy rainy weather we are having here in the city will be gone by the weekend.

    Today I have a review of another stamping plate from Born Pretty Store. Born Pretty Store is a wonderful one stop shop for nail polish and nail art lovers. They offer free international shipping and an immense amount of products to choose from at totally affordable prices.

    The Mixed Abstract Lines Nail Art Stamping Plate (item #18785) is priced at a very modest $2.99USD and features 4 designs to choose from.The images were cut deep and stamped very well, I was able to pick up the thing details (especially from the image on the top right) quite nicely. 

    Source: Born Pretty Store



    Source: Born Pretty Store

    Here are some looks I created, some of which you may have seen on my Instagram
     

    Click to see close ups of these manis and how you can save 10% off your next Born Pretty Store purchase


    Sunday 12 April 2015

    Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Poe

    Heyy,

    Today's post features Kat Von D's Poe lipstick. It's described as a shimmery navy.
    It's definitely a navy but it's also... I would say bright and eye-catching. It's packed with a fine shimmer/glitter of purple, blue etc.



    First off, KVD's packaging always gets me! Stylish with edge. love.. and her logo is beautiful!
    Hinted in the name, the package has a slightly raised studded design with the name and colour logo on the top of it. Easy for storage and display (major plus).



    The lipstick tube itself also 'studded' with the KVD logo stamped on the top. I forgot a picture of the bottom but it shows the name on a corresponding coloured label.



    The lipstick itself is also stamped with a KVD logo. Almost made me not want to use it to preserve the design (Have I told you, I am a sucker for packaging?)
    The colour is a deep blue with pink/purple shimmer or fine glitter. In some lights the colour leans burple but on the lips it shows a predominant blue. The shimmer does show up on the lips but not as defined as it is in the tube. The pigmentation is good and the formula is not very streaky but there's a huge con. Due to the finish of this product. The shimmers leave a gritty feeling on your lips. It's quite fine but it really bothers me. Also the lipstick after one use is no longer smooth and also looks super gritty. If you can bypass this, then that's great! But for me, it was a deal breaker. The glitter payoff < the grit. Maybe I kept rubbing my lips due to the grit but it was a bit drying for me. I didn't test for wear because I took it off after an hour or so (sorry). 

    Natural Light: Left - One swipe / Right: Two swipes
    Flash: Left - One swipe / Right: Two swipes

    Look at that grit!
    With flash, shows the shimmer / fine glitter much better

    Dark lipsticks always makes me look super pale haha

    Product: Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Poe
    Where: Sephora
    Price: $21 CAD
    Overall: 3/5 All points are awarded to the packaging and colour uniqueness but the grittiness was too much for me. Although the colour pay-off is good, it wouldn't be a frequent item I would use and for the price tag, the grit would be a deal breaker for me. I could probably find a dupe in a lower price range (without the glitter).

    Saturday 7 March 2015

    Born Pretty Store Stamping Plate BP-L004 Review

    Hi everyone, hope you're all having an awesome weekend so far. Today I have another product from Born Pretty Store to review and share with you all. If you're not familiar with Born Pretty Store, it is an online one stop shop for nail art lovers. They offer international free shipping and a wide assortment of other beauty products/jewelry to choose from.

    Born Pretty Store was very generous and sent us the Kaleidoscope Designs Nail Art Stamp Template (Item # 17922) to try out. It is a rectangular plate measuring 12.5cm by 6.5cm, with a paper sleeve and a pink plastic backing that the plate was glued on. The plate costs $5.99USD, which is a great deal because there are 21 images to choose from, 21! I was a little overhwlemed at first because I didn't know which pattern I wanted to use first. Despite the variety of designs the size of the images are more suitable for shorter nails. The images just fit my nail plate, if my nails were any longer the image would've been too small.
    Source: Born Pretty Store

    Source: Born Pretty Store
    Source: Born Pretty Store

    I tested each image individually and every pattern stamped perfectly. The designs were etched in deep and my stamper had no issue picking up the images.



    Click to see which patterns I used to create some pretty awesome manis....