This is the second and final post about my new nail polish shades.  Like I said in the previous post, I have an ever-growing collection that is getting a tad out of control.  :)  All of the nail polishes were not purchased all at one time.  They were purchased over a period of a few months.  Plus I usually never buy anything at full price.  They were BOGO 50% off and I had coupons.  So that is how I ended up with so many.  Plus Revlon nail colors are usually inexpensive.

I'll start this haul with the new colors in their collection.

Colors from Left to Right are:

Flirt - A cool bubblegum pink. I'm obsessed with this one.  I find myself reaching for it again and again.

Naughty - A cool purple-grey with a duo chrome of pink.  So purdy!  ;)

Aloof - Your standard white.  This formula helps you achieve full opacity with just two coats.  And it has a taaaad bit of silver shimmer to it.  This is the perfect winter color.

Dreamer - A creamy sky blue.  Not much more to it.  I can't WAIT to try this color out.

Chic - A blue-grey that is just.....so.....Chic!

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Now onto the couple colors I bought, but aren't in their new collection.  I guess I was in a springtime/easter mood when I bought these.  haha.

Sunshine Sparkle - This yellow just looked soo nice in the container.  I'm not sure how the opacity or formula is, but it just looked perfect for springtime.  It doesn't have noticeable chunky glitters to it, but it does have a very slight shimmery silver tone to it.  Plus I don't have a yellow in my collection.

Minted - A soft-mint green.  No glitter or shimmer.  Just creamy and gorgeous! 

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I invite you all to click the links in the right hand corner and join me on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.  :)  I'd love to chat with y'all!

Much love, hugs and new nail polish colors!

xoxo   Laura

Lately I have been obsessed with nail polish.  I'll be out and pick up one or two new shades that are just staring at me...begging me to take them home.  My collection is now violently growing.  This is all probably thanks to the girls of Eleventh Gorgeous on YouTube.  (if you don't know who they are...check them out!)

I was at Walgreens this afternoon and thought I would treat myself to a few little $2 nail polishes.  I've never tried the "Sinful Colors" Brand before, but the line carries some of the brightest and most fun colors I've ever seen!  :)

Light Blue - "Why Not" - And why not get this one??  It's a fun bright aqua blue.  It makes me miss summer, though.  :(  I was inspired by one of the girls on The Bachelor.  I forget who...but she had gorgeous blue nails and I thought I needed a color like it!

Orangy-Salmony-Coral - "Hazard"- This is one of those where the picture does not do it justice.  I'm not a huge fan of straight-up coral colors, but this one was just calling to me.  This will make a pretty toe color this spring/summer.

Dark Blue - "Midnight Blue" - I jumped on the cobalt blue bandwagon finally.  I haven't tried it, but it looks gorgeous in the bottle.  It isn't completely creamy like the other two are.  It looks as though it has a little hint of shimmer and a duo-chrome of a purply/pink color.  So pretty.

So with all that said...Go get you some Sinful Color nail polishes!  :)

xoxo.

Laura

This is a long-overdue list that compiles my go-to products of 2011 all into one helpful shopping list for you!  :)  Just print this out and run to the store to grab you some beauty treats!

Or you can just read through it...think "this is awesome, I NEED to pass it along to my girlfriends!!" 

To break-up my rather long list...I've broken the posts down to categories.  Today's 2011 favorites feature products for your face. 

Most of these products are readily accessible at any drugstore and some are a little more high-end.  ;)  

So without further ado.... here is my winners from 2011!!

Concealer - Maybelline Age Rewind - gives just enough coverage without looking cakey.  Won't settle into fine lines or wrinkles and contains a healthy goji berry complex to keep your eyes looking young.

Foundation - L'oreal TruMatch - The color selection is massive.  The coverage is perfect.  Not to heavy and not too light.  The formula is long-wearing and there's no shimmer to make you look like a disco ball.

Powder - L'oreal TruMatch - This works well along with the liquid foundation.  It's great for setting your foundation and great for touch-ups throughout the day.  Won't make you look cakey or over-done.

Primer - Palletio Herbal Foundation Primer - Works like Smashbox's Photo Finish.  Leaves skin smooth and silky feeling and ready for foundation!

Blush/Bronzer - E.L.F. Contouring Blush/Bronzer - This is a dupe for NARS Laguna/Orgasm duo.  It's travel-friendly and works with virtually any skin tone.

Highlight - E.L.F. Shimmering Facial Whip in "Lilac" - Another dupe for Benefit's High Beam.  It has a more thin constancy than High Beam, but looks identical when blended in.

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Facial Cleanser - Philosophy's Purity with Olay Pro-X Spin Brush - The natural non-drying formula of Purity paired with Olay's Facial Brush, leaves my skin feeling baby soft and just glowing.  

Day Moisturizer - Clean & Clear Pore Perfecting Moisturizer - The tiny (non-noticable) light reflecting particles will even out skin tone, hide pores and give your skin a glow without looking dewy.  The added SPF will protect your skin throughout the day from sun damage.

Night Moisturizer - Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle  - I can't tell you how soft this makes my skin feel.  It contains retinol so make sure you use this at night.  After just two weeks of use, my acne scars have almost disappeared and my fine lines I was getting are gone.

Eye Treatment - Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkel Eye Cream - This moisturizes the delicate eye area extrememly well.  Its antioxident formula is amazing for cell regeneration.  I wake up and my eyes look well-rested and younger.

Weekly Treatment - Olay Microdermabrasian Kit - I wish you could use this everyday, but the scrub is a little too harsh.  I use this 1-2x's per week to get those dead skin cells out of the way.  And let me tell you...it works!  It's a two step process that will only take you at the most 2 minutes.  It will leave you glowing and your skin baby-soft!

As always...if you have ANY questions...please feel free to comment.  I'm more than happy to answer your questions.  In the mean time, stay tuned for other makeup/hair favorites coming soon!

<3 always.

Laura

It's that time of year again.  I always find myself making new resolutions that I swear I'm going to stick to, but always end up breaking them.  I've made every kind of resolution you can think of.  I have promised to exercise more, drink more water, stick to my budgets, make new friends, etc.  For some reason I always end up breaking them.

I think one of the reasons I don't end up keeping my resolutions is because I don't have other people to hold me accountable.  When you share your goals with others, it's almost like rounding up your own set of cheerleaders.  They will be there when you need motivation, they will hold you accountable and pick up back up if you stumble.  No matter how big or small your goals are, having a support system is a crucial element to your success.

So with all that said.  I'm going to share with you all my goals and check in with you on how it is going.  I hope you will find some encouragement knowing that you are probably not alone.

1. EXERCISE MORE
Now I know this is one that I make every year, but I plan on keeping it this time.  I used to dance.  All day 3-4 times a week.  I loved it because it didn't seem like "excercise".  I believe that if you are doing something you love, it doesn't seem like just another workout.  And you will actually look forward to doing it!
I have my boyfriend working out with me 3-4 days/week.  I'm just starting slow walking on the treadmill, but even after a week, I feel sooo much better.  My mind feels less foggy and I just am more happy.  We love to hike, go to the gym.  And my personal favorite is dance classes.  :)  My ultimate goal is just to be healthy....the flat abs and lifted butt are just added benefits, in my opinion!  :)

2. THE "EMPTY BOTTLE" PROJECT
I can't tell you how many bottles of random cosmetics are half empty just chillin' under my bathroom sink.  I clean it out every January and I was able to fill two Target plastic sacks full of bottles of stuff I don't use anymore.
I want to use an entire bottle of moisturizer, shampoo, perfume, etc. before I go and purchase another one.  This just avoids clutter and allows me to give the product a fair chance.  I hate that I get distracted with the "latest and greatest" that I forget to use up what I have already.  This will, in the long run, save me time and money.

3. LIGHTS, CAMERA....VLOG!!!
I'm pretty excited about this one.  I look back on last year, and I don't have that many pictures.  I want to be able to look back and remember a year through lots of photos and videos.  Vlogging gives you the ability to capture your day-to-day life and share it with your friends, family and whoever else finds you entertaining.  haha.  You can capture everything form just cooking a Tuesday night dinner to vacations, events and other special moments.  I just got a new HD camera and I want to share my experiences with everyone!  :)

4. PUT MYSELF OUT THERE
I've always been a soft-spoken person.  I'm not good at sticking up for myself and I've found myself being more on the sidelines that in the middle of the action and enjoying myself.  It's strange, I feel confident on the inside, but it's hard for me to express it.  Not sure why.  I think my biggest fear is just being called "not good enough" or "dumb"or something along those lines.  Rejection is one of my biggest fears.

I'm the maid of honor for a friend's wedding this year and I'm going to have to find a way to be confident during my speech.  I'm going to land a job for what I went to school for by being confident in my skills.  I know others are proud of me.  I just want to find a way where I can be proud of myself.

5. SCARE YOURSELF SILLY
Ok, maybe not literally, but I believe in doing something that scares you at least once a month.  I don't mean like somebody jumping out from the closet, but something that gets your heart racing and gives your stomach butterflies and gives you that "I'm SO glad I did that" feeling after.  This takes the everyday-ness out of the everyday and puts that spice back into life.  Plus it will give you a good story to tell friends later on.
Here's a list of things I'm going to do that give me that "good scare".  I'm going kick my shy-ness to the side and try out for a pro football cheer team.  I don't care if I make it or not, but I just want to be able to say that I tried it & I enjoyed it.  I want to explore new places alone.  I want to nail my interviews and eventually land my dream job.  I want to try cooking new cuisines instead of the same old meat and potatoes I'm used to.  There's more, but hopefully that gives you guys some idea of what I'm talking about.


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What are some of your goals for the new year?  Comment below and tell me!  :)  Somebody else to reads this might have the same goal as you and you guys can keep each other going.

Happy Saturday Everyone!!  :)
xoxo.
Laura

It's been waaay too long since my last blog.  It was a VERY busy holiday season, but it was fun.  I am glad, though, to be back in the swing of things.  

Lately I've found myself wandering away from makeup for a little bit and veering towards nails.  I'm slowly becoming obsessed with nail polish.  My reasoning to myself every time I purchase a new color is "its cheaper than getting a professional manicure" haha. ;)

I have run into one problem.  (I think all ladies at some time or another have this issue).... HOW the HECK do you get nail polish to last longer than a day??  I recently treated myself to one of those gel manicures for the holidays and there was absolutely NO CHIPPING for 3 WEEKS.  I had to finally take it off because my nails grew out.  Not because the mani looked bad.  Now, I know I can't get the gel polish results at home because you need a special UV lamp to cure the gel layers, but I really want my DIY manicures to last more than a freakin' day!

After countless trial-and-error experiments, I've run across a concoction that has proven to last again and again.  This discovery works waaay too well not to share with you all.  So feel free to pass it along!!  :)

1. BASE LAYER: Sally Hansen's "Hard as Acrylics: Hard as Wraps" (with nylon)

Apply not a thin, but not a thick layer of this.

Make sure it dries completely!

2. COLOR: Any color you want is fine.  

The one I am wearing currently is from Revlon's new collection called "Flirt" #250

It's a gorgeous cool-toned bubblegum pink

Make sure you apply 2-3 coats to get your desired opacity.

Make sure every layer dries completely before you apply a second coat

3. TOP COAT: Sally Hansen's "Mega Shine" 

(dupe for Seche Vite but without the stink or nasty chemicals)

**It says it dries within 60 seconds...and it will be to the touch, but 

wait about 10-15 minutes before you touch anything

because it will smudge.**

Then I apply the mega shine top coat every 2-3 days to give it an added layer of protection and to extend the life of my manicure by a couple days.

And there ya go...this is after 2 days (and counting!) after I applied another layer of the 

Mega Shine and it's still lookin very purdy! :)

xoxo.  Laura

It's almost Christmas time!!  You're done shopping, the presents are wrapped, the food is all planned out, but OMG...you find you forgot one person on your list!!  It happens to us all, but to keep yourself from giving them a belated holiday gift, here's a cute, fun idea that that is inexpensive, cute and that anyone will love.

These are little hot chocolates in a bag.  (I don't have a creative name for them..haha).  All you need is to run to the grocery store for a few items and you're set!  You can pair this with a gift card, maybe some banana bread or something like that.  Or they are cute enough to give all by themselves!  :)

What You'll Need:

-1 can of hot chocolate (3 Tbs. in each bag)

-mini chocolate chips

-mini marshmallows

-some sort of red candy (I used cinnamon gummy bears that were $1/bag at target!)

-pretzel bags or cone-shaped bags (I found mine at Michaels)

Happy Holidays!! 

Laura

Instead of always wearing dark nail colors during the holidays...I decided to switch it up.  I found the absoloute most gorgeous shade for winter.  

It's ESSIE MARSHMALLOW.  

(Nevermind my index finger nail...it broke yesterday..booo)

Its a creamy/milky white color.  I was looking for a color that wasn't stark white.  I didn't want my nails to look like I got bored with a bottle of whiteout.  ;)

The thing with most neutral/light Essie colors....it takes a lot of coats to get it to full opacity.  This is 3 coats and it's still at about 80%.  Which is fine, because I like the smooth, milky effect it gives.

I absoloutly love this color and I'm planning on wearing it to a Christmas party next week with nude shoes, black/blue lace dress and I'm thinking gold toe nails!  

Happy Holidays to each of you! :)

xoxo. 

Laura

I love ordering products from Eyes Lips Face for a few reasons...

1. They are inexpensive and they actually work!!  :)

2. They take awhile to ship out to California so by the time they get here, I forgot what I ordered and its like opening a christmas present!!

3. They always have crazy good deals on their already low, low prices.  I got this stuff from Black Friday where it was BOGO 50% off and free shipping if you spent over $15!  Awesome..  

All this was only $20-ish plus free shipping!

I can't do a review on here, because I haven't tried some things, but I thought it would be fun just to do a little mini haul for you.  I like watching/reading other people's hauls, so enjoy and let me know what you got from Eyes Lips Face recently!!  :)

-2 Studio Blushes - $3/ea.  In the colors Pink Passion and Mellow Mauve
-2 Makeup Remover Wipes 30ct. - $3/ea.  (I absolutely LOVE them)

-Studio Matte Lip Color - $3/ea.  In colors Tea Rose and Natural

-Studio Translucent Mattifying Powder - $3

-Studio Wrinkle Refiner - $3

-Studio Stipple Brush - $3

-Blending Eye Brush - $1

-Eye Shadow Brush - $1

-Eye Crease Brush - $1

If you would like a more in-depth review on any of these products, let me know.  Otherwise have an awesome day!

Stay Gorgeous.

xoxo

Laura

Hello Beauties.

It's been way too long since my last post.  I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving.  With the Christmas holiday season rapidly sneaking up on us, I was finding myself needing some fashion inspiration.

I was at the grocery store (of all places haha.) and saw they had the cherries and blackberries next to each other.  I thought this was such a cute color combo...I wondered if it would work together...

I didn't think this odd color combination would work well with larger pieces such as shirts, pants, etc.  Personally, I like wearing more plain clothes and adding punches of color here and there.  I've put together a couple of pieces you can use to accessorize with to transform winter fashion "blahs" into a polished look.

Plum Scarf and Cherry-Red Shoes

Use these to dress up jeans and a long-sleeve white t-shirt.  Or you can wear the scarf over a brown or black coat and wear the shoes with skinny jeans.  Whatever way you choose, you'll turn heads in this bright, yet subtle combination.

Scarf: $14.99 at Target

Red Patent Shoes: About $12 at Target (in stores)


For Your Nails

I know in the picture "carry on" looks a little brown, but together, these two colors are to die for!
You can do the dark shade on your hands and have red toes or the other way around.  They look amazing together and I've gotten so many compliments.  This combo would be fantastic to wear to a holiday party.  You can have the red peeking through your little black shoes or the dark purple popping through gold glitter heels.

Hope this gives you some inspiration to help you out of your almost-end-of-fall fashion funk.  Stay gorgeous and be kind to others.

xoxo.
Laura

Randoms:

-We have a flippin' ant farm making themselves right at home in our kitchen.  Just bought some bait to get rid of these little suckers.  So annoying!

-I've found my new favorite candle scent.  It's Holiday Time's "Hot Apple Cider" from Walmart just $5 and it smells sooo yummy!

-I put my my Christmas tree!!  It's small, but just the right size for our little apartment.

Here is am icy blue smokey eye look that I created for winter.  It's very wearable during the day and it can also work for a night out!  Hope you enjoy!  :)

List of Products Used:

BASE:
Urban Decay - Primer Potion - $18
"Naked" from Urban Decay's Naked Pallet - $49 (any nude color eyeshadow will work as your base)

DARK LINER:
Eyes Lips Face - Studio Cream Liner in "Midnight" - $3
Eyes Lips Face - Essential Liquid Eyeliner in "Black" - $1

LINER IN THE WATERLINE:
Milani Liquif'eye in Black - $7.99

ACCENT SHADOW (in the crease):
Wet n' Wild Trio - "I Got Good Jeans" (the darkest blue) - $2.99

HIGHLIGHT (on eyelid and corner):
Wet n' Wild Trio - "Walking on Eggshells" (the lightest shade) - $2.99

MASCARA:
Physicians Formula Organic Wear in "Blackest Black" - $10.49

Best of luck re-creating the look.  Let me know if you guys would want to see a video tutorial as well!  :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo. Laura

Hey All!

So over the years, I've figured out that this is my favorite time of year.  It's after Halloween, the weather is starting to get even more of a nip, it's right before the craziness of the holidays and the CMA awards are on!  :)

Everytime the CMA's are on (or any country music for that matter), it really makes me think.  The music and the performers pull me back from my busy life and brings me back to my roots and reminds me of who I am and who I was raised to be.

Country music is like a big hug from your grandma mixed the feeling of a post-supper food coma all topped off in gravy. :)  It's also is music for when you've had a break up & want to kill your ex.  It's music for when you're getting ready for a girls night out.  It's the voice of loved ones who have gone to be with the angles.

I am a transplant from the state of Kansas to California.  I love both places, but I will never be anything other than a midwestern girl.  Everything from the food I eat to how I view life is all tattooed on my heart forever. 

I guess what this random post is that no matter what you have been through or where you are from...that's what makes you beautiful.  Alluring.  Gorgeous.  Whether your experiences have been good or bad, embrace them.  I mean you've made it this far right??  :)  A happy girl is one who is comfortable with herself and embraces who she is inside and out.  Love yourself, be kind to others and the rest will come naturally.  

Like my Grandmother always tells me "everything in life in moderation and balance"

Lots of Love to my Readers.

xoxo.  Laura

"...Be a best friend, tell the truth, overuse I love you.  Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common sense.  Never let your prayin' knees get lazy.  And love like crazy!!"

-Lee Bryce "Love Like Crazy"

Hello Beauties!

I was wandering around Sally's Beauty Supply earlier today and as I was deciphering whether or not to buy a Hair One sample, the nail polish section caught my eye.  (surprise, surprise!)

I was browsing through the China Glaze section.  I've always been a huge Essie fan, but the China Glaze colors were just calling to me!  I've heard other people rave about this line, so I thought I'd give it a try myself.  They're a couple bucks cheaper than Essie and I've heard great things about them.  And, I mean, for $6.99/bottle ($5.99 for Sally's club members!) why not try one??!!

I was mainly looking for a new color that would transition nicely from autumn to winter and that I could wear throughout the holidays.  There were reds, eh...nudes, done it, pinks...did that last year.  Geez, I was getting discouraged.  I was perusing through all the gorgeous shades, but this one in particular caught my eye.

This is "Black Diamond" from China Glaze's Winter 2007 Ski Collection.  Even though it's 4 years old, I feel like it is the PERFECT shade to bring back for this season.  It's so versatile!  I can wear this to the family Thanksgiving supper, but I feel like it's dressy enough for a night out on New Year's Eve.

It's a gorgeous cool gunmetal color with a tad bit of a navy undertone along with little specks of silver shimmer.  It doesn't have that much shimmer that it's annoying, but just enough to give it a little bit of shine.  In the photo above, that's two coats taken with my iPhone camera.

The packaging, specifically the handle, reminds me of the OPI polishes.  The formula is very smooth, goes on opaque with two thin coats.  Then I topped it off with Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Top coat to prevent chips.  I'm not sure about how long this formula wears, since it's my first China Glaze purchase.

I hope the formula holds up.  It might be a new favorite nail polish line!  :)

YouTube HOW TO: 

Get a Professional-Looking Manicure at Home

Happy November Everybody!!

Thanks for stopping by...I invite you to check out my YouTube, Twitter & Facebook!

xoxo. Laura

Randoms:

*I hate spring cleaning.  I like to "nest" more in the fall right before winter.  My closet is now the way I want it...nice and clean!

*Sunday is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week.  Football, coupons, coffee with the boyfriend and shopping day (sometimes a big breakfast is in there somewhere).

*Excited about Thanksgiving!  I love holidays where you eat lots with family.

*I ate an entire snickers candy bar before lunch and I don't feel the least bit guilty about it!