May Ipsy Bag Review

Hello ladies (and maybe gents), sorry for my mini hiatus!  Job hunting and life in general has been stressful this past week, but dwelling on that is not the point of this post so let's move on.  Today I want to share my FANTABULOUS May Ipsy bag.

***You can click on the pictures to make them bigger***

My May 2013 Ipsy Bag

Okay so remember in last month's Ipsy post I told y'all that Ipsy would send me an April bag...well here it is.  My artsy fartsy senses are tingling so I might get crafty and glam up this bag!

May Ipsy bag:  My camera did not like the colors of this bag!  I love the different shades of blue and orange paired with the chevron print.

Zoya nail polish in Gei Gei (the name on the label is a typo):  A light pink polish with fine silver shimmer.

Gei Gei is very pretty but the application wasn't the best.  I think you can achieve full opacity with two coats but I had some patching issues and had to paint three coats on my nails.  *The picture on the left is more color accurate than the one on the right.  (I'm still working on my editing skills -_-)

Yaby concealer in Buff:  Well as you can see this is definitely not my color but I'll see what I can do with it.  The concealer is really pigmented and I'm sure that it will cover blemishes well.

Anastasia brow gel:  I was in the need of a new brow gel so this came right on time.  So far I really like it but I don't think it's something I would repurchase because of the price.

Pacifica roller ball perfume in Island Vanilla:  I. LOVE. THIS. SCENT.  I've been really obsessed with vanilla scents lately and this one is perfect for the summer time with Tahitian vanilla, honey-jasmine, and tea notes. 

Mirabella sheer lip color in Posy:  LOVE this color!  The lipstick is a bit sheer (hence the name of the product) but it gives just enough color on the lips.  The swatch above shows the color on my skin after a few swipes.

*BONUS* Urban Decay Moondust eyeshadow in Space Cowboy:  I received this eyeshadow for being an "active" member on the Ipsy website (honestly I'm not sure if that's accurate or not lol).  I was initially excited to try this since it was my first UD eyeshadow but was a little disappointed when I swatched it.  The color doesn't really show up on my skin and it seems like the eyeshadow is powdery and full of glitter.  I know that it's suppose to be really sparkly but really...if I were to pay $20+ on an eyeshadow it better be flawless and this wasn't in my opinion.  ***I'm not trying to be ungrateful for the bonus item, I'm just giving my opinion on the product***

*You can watch my May Ipsy video below!*

Overall, I think this is the best Ipsy bag that I've gotten!  I'm anxiously waiting for my June bag, which should be here in a week or so (unfortunately).  

Speaking of shipping, have any of you notice that your bags are getting to you later than usual?  Ipsy recently started using DHL to ship out Ipsy bags and let me just say I HATE IT.  This has caused my bags to come in about week and a half instead of the usual 3 days after they ship.  I know some people still have to wait longer than that but me and my impatient butt hates waiting that long for a package!  I've asked Ipsy about the shipping situation and they said that the warehouse that ships the bags find the best way to ship our bags to us.  If that's the case then I guess it's best to ship my bag from NC then get stuck in Georgia for several days THEN go all the way to Houston (about two hours SE from me) THENNN ship it to Dallas (about five hours North from me) and finally get to my house two days later!  I wish they would've just stuck with UPS then everybody would be happy... I think.  Rant over!

Anyways, are you signed up for Ipsy?  If not, then I would highly recommend that you do if you love trying new beauty products.  When you sign up for Ipsy you only pay $10 a month for 4-5 deluxe and full-size beauty samples.  They also come with great coupon codes so you can score awesome deals from the brands in that month's bag.  You can check out Ipsy's website HERE (referral link) to learn more.

Did you got your June Ipsy bag yet?  If so, let me know what you got!

Thanks for reading,

Crystal ❤

Nail Polish Spotlight: Zoya Reece

Hey y'all!  Today the nail polish spotlight is going to shine over the beautiful Zoya Reece!

Zoya Reece: A rosy mauve duo chrome with gold frost.

 

Reece applied beautifully and was opaque in two coats.

I LOVE Zoya polishes!  They're easy to apply, long lasting, and come in a variety of colors and finishes.

What is your favorite Zoya polish?

Thanks for reading; follow and share if your like!

Crystal ❤

Spring Nail Trends! (2013)

Hey guys!  Spring has sprung and the sun is finally coming out!  Spring is probably my favorite time of the year because of all of the fun nail trends and collections that start to pop up during this season.  Today I wanted to share some of my favorite nail trends for Spring 2013!

 Click HERE to watch my Spring 2013 trends + polish picks video!

Pastel Shimmers
Pastels are always on trend during the Spring, but I have noticed that a lot of nail companies have come out with pastel colors with subtle shimmer or some sort of iridescence in them!  Here are some of my favorite collections that include some pastels with a "kick":

 China Glaze Avant Garden Collection

Image Source: Facebook

 OPI Euro Centrale Collection

Image Source: Facebook

Julep Playful Collection

Image Source: Facebook

More Spring collections with pastel shimmers:

Sinful Colors Sugar Rush collection

L'Oreal Versailles Romance Collection

Cobalt Blue
I LOVE BLUE!!!  I don't now why I'm just discovering cobalt blues, but let me tell you they are awesome!  If you love vibrant colors, especially blues, you definitely need grab a few ( yes more than one) cobalt blue polishes.  Here are some beautiful cobalt blue polishes:

L to R: Essie Butler Please, OPI Eurso Euro, Sally Hansen Pacific Blue

Image Source: Essie, OPI, Sally Hansen

More Cobalt Blues polishes:

Sinful Colors Endless Blue

Nails Inc Baker Street

Nina Ultra Pro Cobalt

Indie-esque Glitters
I've been a fan of indie polishes ever since I was introduced to them when I started blogging.  Indie polishes can vary as far as type and finish, but majority of indie polish makers make awesome glitter bombs! I know some people aren't too comfortable buying polishes from indie makers, but there's a solution!  Nowadays I've noticed a lot of mainstream nail polish companies coming out with some awesome glitter bombs!  Here are a few of my favorites:

 China Glaze Glitz Bitz 'N Pieces collection

Image Source: Facebook

Hard Candy Glitters

Image Source: Facebook

Other companies/collections with fun glitter polishes:

China Glaze Cirque Du Soleil collection

Orly (Hope & Freedom Fest and Flash Glam FX)

OPI Oz the Great and Powerful

Milani (Jewel FX and One Coat Glitter)

Textured Polishes
Textured polishes is the newest trend of the year and is kind of a love/hate thing amongst polish enthusiast.  They dry to a matte finish and leave a bumpy texture, almost like sandpaper, on your nails.  Personally I think textured polishes are okay; they look really pretty but I think I would just rub my fingers until all of the polish rubs off.  Here are some examples of textured polishes:

Zoya Pixie Dust Spring/Summer collections and Milani Textured Creams

Image Source: Milani (Facebook), Zoya (Zoya.com)

Others companies with textured polishes:

Julie G Frosted Gumdrops collection

Orly Megapixel FX collection

OPI Liquid Sands (Mariah Carey, Wizard of Oz, and Bond Girls)

China Glaze Texture collection

Nail Art Stickers/ Strips
Nail art strips and stickers are another thing that is gaining more popularity these days.  Sally Hansen was the first mainstream brand to come out with them (don't quote me on that) and many other companies have as well.  They're a quick and easy way to do your nails with no dry time and they come in a ton of different designs!  I'm not a big fan of them but I am curious about the Essie Sleek Sticks.

 Essie Sleek Sticks

Image Source: Essie.com

More companies that make Nail Art strips/stickers:

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Nail Lingerie 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

Maybelline Color Show Fashion Print Nail Stickers

Holographic Polishes
Holographic polishes have been around for a while but have recently become a "trend" again!  Holos are so much fun to look at and when you get them in the sun your eyes might explode (not literally) from all of the holo beautifulness (<--- is that even a word? Lol)  Here are some holographic collections that I'm loving:

 China Glaze Hologlam collection

Image Source: Facebook

Color Club Halo Hues

Image Source: Facebook

Some more holo goodness:

Ozotic

Glitter Gal

FUNG

Layla Hologram polishes

So there you have it!  I'm so excited to see all of the bright colors and fun nail art for this season.  If you guys ever want to share your nail art (or just the polish on your nails) you can post a picture on my Facebook page. 

What's your favorite nail trend this Spring? 

Thanks for reading; follow and share if you like!

Crystal ❤

** Tomorrow I'll be posting my top 13 polishes for Spring 2013!**

Week in Review: Jan. 28, 2013- Feb. 3, 2013

Hey guys!  So it's Monday...

I kinda got into the Superbowl game last night and forgot to do my week in review post! Oops! >.<
I'm was so happy that the Ravens won! (Sorry 49ers fans)  I think it was a great way for Ray to end his career and their my second team that I root for if my babies I mean favorite team, Pittsburgh Steelers, gets knocked out in the playoffs!  What did you guys think of Beyonce's half time performance?  I thought it was OK...  Her performance seemed repetitive, like I've seen her do all of those dance moves and the screen things on different awards shows before. (Don't hate me) *hides in a corner*

Anyway, here's what happened on CDesigns92 last week:

BLOG POST

Rainbow Honey Swatches:  Equestira Collection

Dupe Alert!?:  OPI Casino Royale vs. Kleancolor Plum

VIDEOS

2012 Favorites Pt. 2| Nail Polish, Collections, and MORE!


We Be Haulin' (Haul)| Maybelline Vivids, Zoya, OPI, + MORE


Julep Maven Box (February 2013)| American Beauty + Add-Ons




Let me know what kind of post you would like to see in the future in the comments or you can shoot me an email HERE.

Thanks for reading; follow and share if you like!
Crystal

Nail Polish Spotlight: Zoya Rory

Hello ladies (and maybe gents)! Today the NPS is going to shine over Zoya Rory!

Rory, from the Surf collection, is a medium pink with a hint of blue in the mix with micro silver shimmer that gives it a foil metallic effect.



 Zoya Rory- 2 coats

 

The application was great and the wear was just fantastic. The removal was a little painful, the silver shimmer got all over my fingers when I was removing the polish. It wasn't bad enough to make me never want to wear the polish again, but I'm not a fan of small glitters or particles going everywhere when I take off my nail polish.

Zoya has definitely become one of my favorite brands of polish, I just love their unique polish shades and finishes.  I buy my Zoyas online HERE, since the closet shop that sells them is a hour and a half away from where I live, but I know for sure that you can buy Zoya polishes at Ulta and online, .

Zoya always has great deals for people that create an account on their website, they recently had a BOGO promo for back to school! Click HERE to learn more about the "Share the Love" program and create an account to get a free nail polish! If you buy two other polishes you get free shipping, which is about the price of a polish anyway so it's like getting three polishes for the price of one!

What's your favorite Zoya polish?  Tell me in the comments below.  You can also post pictures of your manis on out Facebook wall HERE.

Thanks for reading! Follow and share if you like!
Crystal <3

Nail Polish Spotlight: Zoya Zuza + A little announcementt!!

Hello everybody!!!  Before I talk about the polish in the spotlight, I just want to say thank you to everybody that has visited my blog and read my posts.  Today I was surprised to see that there have been 1,500 page views on my blog!!!  I couldn't have never imagined that me, a small town girl, would have that many page views in this short amount of time.  I really do enjoy blogging and sharing my love for polish with others!  I started blogging as a way to keep my mind occupied on something that I love instead of something negative, which is what I was doing before.  I don't want to share my sob story but I do want to say that blogging has given me a better outlook on life!!!  Even though I don't have many followers I still love logging onto my little corner of the internet and writing about polish, but y'all could definitely follow my blog if you want! Lol

Now let's get to the nail polish spotlight shall we!!!

Today I'm going to talk about a polish that I just love to pieces!!!!  That polish is Zoya Zuza, a turquoise foil metallic polish with silver and gold shimmer.  When I first saw this polish I immediately fell in love with it because blue is my absoulte favorite color!  I also fell in love with the fact that it was a very unique polish that I've never seen before!!!!  I. LOVE. ZUZA!!! *_*

Just check out this color for yourself!

The application of this polish is absolutely flawless, I only needed two coats to achieve full opacity.  The only thing that I had an issue with was removing this polish, blue and green polishes tend to stain your nails.  Zuza didn't stain my nails too much, but it did stain my skin.  I could say that Zuza is with out a doubt my favorite blue polish in my collection!  It might even be my favorite polish in my entire collection, which is saying a lot beca I have a crapload of polish!  I wore this polish for a full seven days without a chip in sight, I almost kept it on for another week but decided it was time to give Rory a shot (post coming soon!)

I absoulutely LOVE this polish and would hurt anyone who would even think about taking it from me, yeah I'll knock you out! Lol just kidding!

Definately head over to Zoya.com and check out Zuza and the reast of the polishes in the Beach & Surf collections, you won't be disapointed.  You can also make an account and get a free polish on your first purchase by clicking HERE.  Zoya always have great promotions going on.  Right now they have a promo where you get a trio of polishes for 50% off + $4 shipping!!!

What are your thoughts about Zoya Zuza?  Do you have Zuza and love it as much as I do? Tell me in the comments below!!!

Now for the announcement!!!  My birthday is right around the corner, I'll be turning 20 on July 19th, and I want to do a little something special for y'all!  I'm not sure what I'll do yet or when I'll do it, but I do have a question!  If I were to have a giveaway would y'all like nail polish and nail art rhinestones or just nail polish?  Let me know in the comments below!!!

Thanks for reading!  Follow and share if you like!
Crystal <3