Sparkly Black & Magenta Diagonal French Manicure

Happy Friday everyone!! 

How was your week? Mine was busy as usual, so last night I took some time for me and gave myself a manicure. Since I love how it turned out, I thought I would show you all how to do it too!

Achieving this look is super simple! This is a great design for nail art beginners and for people who may not have much time to do fancy designs on their nails.

Keep reading if you want to see how I did this nail art design!

Items you will need to achieve the look:

Base Coat

Two nail polishes (Colors of your choice, you do not have to do black and magenta...switch it up to your own taste)

Top Coat

Scotch Tape

Here's how easy it is!

Step 1

Apply your base coat, I used Rimmel London's "Base Coat Top Coat Pro".

Step 2

Apply 2 coats of your base color, I chose Revlon's Nail Enamel in "285 Oh My Magenta".

Step 3

Allow your base color to dry COMPLETELY. It's extremely important that your nails are dry before continuing to the next step, this will avoid any mistakes later on.

Step 4

When your base color is 100% dry, it's time to prepare your nails for the diagonal french manicure. I used Scotch tape for this step. You can use anything else you think may work if you don't have/want to use Scotch tape - eg. other kinds of tape, or nail art stickers designed for this type of manicure.

Scotch Tape Method:

Get a medium sized piece of tape and stick it on the back of your hand a few times to take some of the stickiness away.

Place the tape diagonally on each nail (try to do this as even as possible on all 10). I started from the far tip of my nail and brought the tape to just under the halfway point on the other side. You can adjust placement of the tape to how much or how little of your accent color you want showing. Hopefully you can get the idea of how to apply the tape from the photo above.

Step 5

Apply your accent color one nail at a time, I chose Maybelline New York's nail lacquer in "Twilight Rays" from their Color Show line. Then simply peel off the tape. Take your time with this step to prevent smudging, but don't take too long - you don't want the polish to dry before you remove the tape.

After you have completed this step on all of your nails they should look something like this:

Step 6

Let your nails dry again, then clean around your cuticles and touch up any mistakes. 

Step 7 

After your gorgeous design is done, finish it off with a shiny top coat. I used Sally Hansen's "Insta-Dri Anti-Chip" top coat.

The Finished Look:

I hope you all enjoyed my tutorial and that some of you beginners out there give this design a shot. I think it looks beautiful with all different types of color combinations and nail lengths. You can also glam it up by adding studs or diamonds along the line separating the two colors.

If you do this, please facebook or tweet me a photo! It would be great to see some other variations of this manicure. 

Thanks so much for reading and have a wonderful weekend!

Peace. Love.

DIY: Jewelry Cleaner (for silver/white gold jewelry) -

DIY Jewelry Cleaner for Silver, Sterling Silver & White Gold Jewelry

Make your old jewelry look brand new again!

Good Afternoon ladies! 

Today I am going to mix things up a bit and post a DIY for you all.

Do you have old silver jewelry that has become dull looking over time that you want to wear again? Or silver jewelry that you wear often that has lost it's dazzle and shine? 

Since I was cleaning my husband and I's silver, I thought I should show you the secret to making any sterling silver, silver or white gold piece look brand new in 6 easy steps - using items you can find in your own home! 

This method works great, it's inexpensive and it's a more natural way to clean your jewelry.

 ITEMS YOU WILL NEED

1. Aluminum pan or (item of your choice) to clean your items in.
2. Aluminum Foil
3. Baking Soda
4. Salt
5. Dish Soap of any kind
6. Something to stir with
7. Old toothbrush (or something else to scrub with)
8. Boiling hot water

STEP 1

Place your aluminum foil in the pan or dish you chose to clean your jewelry in.

 Ensure the foil is placed shiny side up for best results.

STEP 2

Place your jewelry in pan/dish.

 STEP 3

Completely cover the jewelry in baking soda, add salt (just sprinkle a whole bunch over the baking soda) and then drizzle some dish soap on top.

STEP 4

Pour in boiling hot water ensuring it covers everything well. Let stand for 1 minute. It will make a bubble mixture like this:

STEP 5

Take your stirring tool and carefully move all the jewelry around in the mixture. It may have a funky smell when you do this, but it's worth it to get the end result.

STEP 6

Let your jewelry sit in the mixture for two more minutes. Once the two minutes are up, take your toothbrush and gently scrub your jewelry in clean warm water, dry your items and that's all there is to it!

You won't believe how shiny and new your jewelry will look after doing this DIY!

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS

I am now going to show you some before and after photos. As I am not quite a pro in the photography department yet, I am not sure if you will be able to see the difference in the pictures but trust me this really does work!!

BEFORE

AFTER

 

I hope some of you try this yourselves at home and that it inspires you to make some of your old/dull jewelry look as good as new! 

I prefer to clean mine this way, because it doesn't use any harsh chemicals - which is better for your jewelry, your skin and the environment!

Please let me know if you do this and how it worked for you, I would love to know.

Comment below also if you would like to see more DIY posts from me. I had a great time doing this one and would be happy to do more, so send your suggestions my way!

Enjoy the rest of your Monday everyone!

Peace and Love till next time!

Collective Drugstore Haul - Part 2: Nails

Hey everybody,

I hope all of you had an awesome weekend! Mine was busy but a good one. 

Today, as promised, I am going to share the second part of my huge collective drugstore haul . This part of the haul will include nail polish and nail art goodies. These are new items in my collection that I have purchased at many different times and places over the past few months.

First I will start off with the nail polishes I got.

NAILS

REVLON

From L to R: Revlon Nail Polishes in: "305 Sublime Strawberry" (scented), "210 Electric Pink", "315 Pretty in Papaya" (scented), "350 Raspberry Rapture" (scented), "507 Fire Fox" (matte suede finish), "Black with Envy" (black/green duo chrome finish), Revlon Nail Art Frenchmix in "Moonstruck".

Revlon Scented Nail Polish: These are great polishes if you are into scented ones, because they truly do smell like the names suggest they should. They come in multiple finishes, with and without glitter. They are very pigmented, easy to apply and cost about $4-6 depending on where you get them. I even purchased some of the ones above for $2 at Dollarama! I love these!

Revlon Matte Suede Nail Polish in "Fire Fox": The finish is exactly as it says in it's name, it looks very matte with a suede finish. I found it to be super interesting since I don't have any like this. This polish is truly unique and I would love to try out more shades from Revlon that give this effect.

Revlon Nail Polish in "Black with Envy": This polish has a black and green duo chrome effect to it. It changes between the two colors depending upon the lighting you are in. I really enjoyed this one, once again I would love to get more polishes from Revlon in this type of finish.

Revlon Nail Art Frenchmix in "Moonstruck": This product is absolutely gorgeous! I have used both colors separately and together in many different ways. The pigmentation on this particular one is medium so I did need 2-3 coats to get good color pay off but applying the extra coat is so worth it for the effect it gives. If you can get your hands on these double ended nail art polishes from Revlon grab some!! I want to get my hands on a few more myself of course.

 ***please excuse the appearance of these polishes, some of the writing on the products has rubbed off, I got most of them in the summer time and it was so humid it came off while I was applying.***

SALLY HANSEN

Complete Salon Manicure in "640 Plum Luck" (creamy plum color), Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in "240 Twisted Pink" (hot pink color with orange and gold glitter), Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in "220 Celeb City" (metallic glittery silver shade), Crackle Overcoat in "10 Coral Collide",  Magnetic Nail Color in "905 Red-y Response", Insta Dry Anti-Chip Top Coat

Complete Salon Manicure in "Plum Luck": I have a lot more shades from this line and I am a huge fan of all of them! This one is no exception - it's a creamy dark plum color - perfect for fall/winter!

Hard as Nails Extreme Wear Polishes: I would have to say these are my all time favorite nail polishes from the drugstore.  They are only $2.47 at Wal-Mart and the range of colors and finishes that they offer in this line is incredible. I am sure everyone in the world who can access Sally Hansen products has tried these, so that's all I will say about them for now.

Crackle Overcoat in "Coral Collide": I adore this so much, it provides a sparkly coral shattered effect and looks beautiful over so many different colors. I will have a NOTW coming up on this soon!

Magnetic Nail Color in "Red-y Response": Unfortunately I don't have anything to say about this product yet because I haven't got the chance to use it. I may feature it in a future nail of the week or tutorial, so look out for that!

Insta Dry Anti-Chip Top Coat: I used to use this top coat years ago before I tried other insta dry top coats such as Seche Vite and Essie's Good to Go. This one has become a favorite again and I have been repurchasing it for the past few months. It is $6.88 at Wal-Mart. I give this top coat a 5 star review because it helps your nail polish last long, dries it within 60 seconds, provides a glossy shiny look and most of all I love it because it doesn't smell bad on your nails for hours after you use it! Try this if you haven't, you won't be disappointed!!

WET'N'WILD

Wild Shine in "Kaleidoscope" (beautiful glitter finish), Wild Shine in "Red Red", Wild Shine in "Pretty in Pink", Megalast in "Tropicalia"

Wild Shine Nail Polishes: These polishes are some of the most affordable you can get at the drugstore. In Canada Wal-Mart is the cheapest place to buy makeup, so I buy most of my drugstore stuff there. These cost less than $2 and come in a decent amount of colors and finishes. For the price, you can't go wrong - they don't last the longest but they are pigmented and apply nicely.

Megalast Nail Polish in "Tropicalia": I really am impressed with the formula of this polish and I have heard the other polishes in this line are just as nice. These cost less than $3, so at that price I will be trying more soon! I think there are only less than 10 shades in the line, but from what I have seen the colors in it are pretty. This particular polish is a creamy coral color, it is very pigmented and never streaky when applying. It has a very large brush on it as well, so it covers your whole nail in nearly one stroke!  Let me know if you have tried these and what shades you love!

NYC (New York Color)

NYC in a New York Minute quick dry nail polish from L to R: "276 Big City Dazzle" (gorgeous glitter top coat), "224 Times Square", "238 MoMa", "294 Lexington Yellow"

NYC in a New York Minute quick dry Nail Polishes: At my local Wal-Mart these polishes are 2 for $3, so I picked up 4, for the $1.50 price tag, these polishes are definitely worth it! If you are on a budget or can't afford much nail polish but want to own a larger variety of colors, get these! They are pigmented and the formula is just as good as an expensive polish. I really like these and have quite a few more in my own stash.

MAYBELLINE NEW YORK

Maybelline New York Color Show nail polishes in "220 Orange Fix", "30 Purple Possibilities" (shatter/crackle effect), "310 Iced Queen"

Maybelline New York Color Show Nail Polishes: Again, I have to point out that drugstore brands are stepping up their game lately. I was so surprised at the pigmentation and how gorgeous these polishes are. Maybelline offers so many finishes in this line from matte, to denim, to shatter. The cost $2.98 at Wal-Mart. I highly recommend these!

RIMMEL LONDON

Base Coat Top Coat PRO and Lasting Finish PRO in "400 Lava Red"

Base Coat Top Coat PRO: This works amazing as a base coat, which is what I use it for. It keeps anything from staining my nails and does it's job well. It works nicely as a top coat too, but it is not as good as a quick dry as it takes longer. Cost: $4-6 depending on where you get it.

Lasting Finish PRO in "Lava Red": This shade has a duo chrome finish, in some light it looks black or very dark brown, and in other light it looks like a beautiful dark red color. It's like no other polish I have seen and I got lots of compliments on how neat this looks when I was wearing it. All the polishes in the Lasting Finish PRO line are fantastic and they really do last 7-10 days on your nails. Cost: $4-6 depending on where you get it.

NAIL ART

KLEANCOLOR  

Kleancolor Nail to Toe Nail Art Lacquer: I got these for only $1 at Everything For A Dollar Store! They are the polishes with the very thin brushes on them so you can do various types of designs like stripes and even french tips. They are pigmented and work so well, I am sad that I only picked up 5! $1 is such a great price for a product that preforms just as good as a high end one. I apologize for not being able to provide names for these, they don't have any.

CHARM MAX

Charm Max Nail Art Pens: I also got these at Everything For a Dollar Store for $1! They have very thin, fine tips on the end of them. You can use them to do just about any nail design you want, including small drawings. I have used these a lot for cheetah print and half moon manicure designs. PHENOMENAL quality for the price. I apologize again, no names are on these ones either.

SALON EXPRESS

 

Salon Express Nail Art Stamping Kit: This is an As Seen on TV product. Salon Express claims you can instantly stamp pre-designed images on your nails. They also claim it is great for manis and pedis and that it is fun, neat and easy to use. I haven't even taken this product out of the package so I have nothing to say about it right now. I may do a review on this or write a post on it if I recommend it. Please comment below if you want a review on this product and I will do one for sure! I am excited to try this, I think it will be super cool if it works like they claim it does!

BODICO

Bodico French Manicure Tip Guides: I can't wait to use these! I have so many ideas for french manicure type designs. These will most likely be used in a tutorial very soon!

RANDOM ITEMS

The last two random items in my haul are just a glass nail file (which I have been enjoying much more than the regular ones lately!) and a cuticle clean up pen (I usually use an orange stick to clean up around that area, but I thought I would try the correction pen).

~~~

~~~~~

~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there you have it ladies, that is most of the nail goodies that have been added to my stash in the past few months. All of the nail polishes featured in this post are some of my favorite from the drugstore, so if you are new to makeup, check out some products from the brands shown above - they are all so affordable, you will have a massive nail polish collection in no time!

I hope you all enjoyed my haul.

What have you purchased lately? What are your favorite brands and polishes from the drugstore that you would recommend to anyone? I would love to know so leave me a comment below!!

Have a good Monday tomorrow. More posts are definitely coming soon!

As always thank you so much for reading and supporting!

PEACE and LOVE until next time!

:)

Collective Drugstore Haul - Part 1: Makeup

Hey everyone!! 

As I've been gone for the past few months, I thought I would share some of the products I have collected while I was away, just so you can get an idea of some of the things I recently added to my collection. I have really been enjoying all of these products, so they can be considered my current favorites too! All products mentioned in this post are affordable and from the drugstore. I will not be including prices for all items because I bought some of them so long ago I honestly can't remember! :) 

As always I will provide a mini review for most products that I talk about. 

Let's get into the haul!!!

EYES

 Maybelline New York Color Tattoo by Eyestudio in "Bad to the Bronze"

 

The first Eye product I want to talk about is the newest Color Tattoo 24hr eyeshadow I have added to my collection in "Bad to the Bronze". This shade is so perfect for a quick, easy every day look worn by itself or with other eyeshadow over top - and as all of the shadows from this line do this product lasts all day without creasing! So glad I picked this one up!

Wet'n'Wild Coloricon 8 Pan palette in "Petal Pusher"

As you all know, I am really into purple eyeshadow, as it flatters my hazel eyes. I decided to try an 8 pan palette from Wet'n'Wild's Coloricon line (the one shown above is in "Petal Pusher") as I hadn't owned one yet. I am just as impressed with the 8 pan palette as I was with the 6 and 3 pan palettes and the single shadows. These shadows are super pigmented, they blend very well and they are quite long lasting. The shades in this palette are so gorgeous - if you love purple eye looks - you will love this palette too!

L: Revlon matte eyeshadow in "Peach Sorbet" R: Revlon satin eyeshadow in "Nude Slip"

I got these two shadows at Dollarama for $2 on clearance and I absolutely love them. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and texture. As they were for sale at Dollarama, I am pretty sure Revlon is discontinuing them (don't hold me to it though!) so if you see these and want to try them, grab some - they may not be available for much longer!

Sally Girl eyeshadow in "Lilac"

I thought this color would be perfect for a highlight or lid color when doing a purple look with the "Petal Pusher" palette from Wet'n'Wild I showed above. It works great and is totally worth the $1 I paid for it.

NYC High Definition Liquid Eyeliner

This eyeliner was less than $4 at my local Wal-Mart and it works just as great, if not better than some other higher end liquid eyeliners I have tried. The point at the very tip is super skinny allowing me to get a tiny thin line on my lash line. This liner is also super black, glides on smoothly and lasts all day. This is my new favorite for liquid liners - I will be repurchasing this one again and again for sure!

Maybelline New York Eyestudio gel eyeliner in "Blackest Black"

I do not have much to say about this product yet, as I just got it and have not had the chance to try it. I will let you know more on what my thoughts are on this liner later once I have been able to put it to the test!

L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Waterproof mascara in "Black"

I wanted a waterproof mascara so I could experiment as to whether it holds a curl better than the normal stuff. I love the non-waterproof version of this mascara, however I did not like the waterproof version nearly as much. I found it to be almost impossible to get off my lashes at the end of the day, even with a great makeup remover. I also found the formula to be slightly more clumpy. I will stick with the regular version next time!

Essence I <3 Extreme Volume mascara

This mascara was $4.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart and it was worth every penny spent! It really does provide volume and even length to my short, sparse lashes. This is definitely a favorite right now and I will probably be repurchasing!

Essence kajal pencil in "Black"

This is another product from Essence Cosmetics that I am happy to say works really well. I paid $1.49 for this kajal pencil and like many other things that cost less, it works better than some pencils I have with a much higher price tag. It lasts for 6 hours without budging on my water line (that is pretty good for me!) and it stays almost all day on my tight line. I have no complaints, it works great for the price!

Hard Candy - Eye'm Tired

Hard Candy claims this product should de-puff, brighten and firm your under eye area. Unfortunately I have not used this product enough to give you an honest opinion on it yet. I will be sure to let you know what I think once I have used it more!

LIPS

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balm stain in "Sweetheart"

This has been my favorite lip product lately when I want to wear color on my lips in a bold way. It is so pigmented, moisturizing and such a vibrant, beautiful shade! When you first apply it, it starts off as a glossy lipstick, turning into a stain making it last for hours. I love everything about this product, I can't wait to try out some more shades!

Bonne Bell Lip Glam in "Berry Glisten"

This was $1 at Dollarama and I am talking about it next because I love to wear it over top of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balm stain in "Sweetheart". When the shine wears off, I love to apply this on top - to refresh the glossy look. This has glitter in it as well, so it adds some glam to the pigment that is left behind on your lips from the balm stain. One more great thing about this is that it is moisturizing. Amazing for only $1!

Bonne Bell Liquid Lip Smacker in "Spun Sugar" & Lip Lites in "Marshmellow Whip"

Two more glosses from Bonne Bell that were $1 at Dollarama. I love to keep these in my purse, they taste so fantastic and give your lips a sparkly shine while providing a little moisture.

Burt's Bees Refreshing lip balm with Pink Grapefruit

I use this lip balm to moisturize my lips during the day. Although it is not the best lip balm I have ever used, it keeps my lips soft and nice as long as they aren't too dry. What I love most about this lip balm is the pink grapefruit flavor, it is so delicious! I will continue to buy this just because it tastes so good!

Essence Glossy lipbalm in "Pink Dragonfruit"

This is the third of four Essence products I chose to try out while I was at Shopper's Drug Mart. It has a very sheer glossy finish, it does not dry out my lips and there is just enough fine glitters in it to make your lips sparkle. Not to mention it tastes yummy and costs only $1.49. Once again, it works great for the price.

 

Hard Candy Mouthing Off sheer lip shine in "Drama Queen"

If you have taken a good look at my blog, you will know that I love Hard Candy lip glosses! I had never tried a gloss from the Mouthing Off sheer lip shine line so I was so happy when my best friend gave me this as a gift. It is a beautiful sparkly coral color, with medium pigmentation. It is a great formula like all other Hard Candy lip products - it's not sticky and it is long lasting. I love this and I do want to try another shade from the line when I use this one all up.

FACE

Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Foundation in "220 Nude"

I won't talk much about this, because I just did a full review on it. Check out my previous post for my thoughts. I will say that I love this product! <3

Maybelline New York Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm in "Light"

In the summertime, this product was a life saver for me. Although I would call it more of a tinted moisturizer than a BB Cream like the ones from Asia, it provides sun protection and a sheer tint to your skin to help even out your skin tone. I like to apply it with my ELF flat top powder brush - I get almost medium coverage and am able to build it up to full coverage by adding powder foundation and a bit of concealer where needed. I don't think I will repurchase this product, just because it is winter and I have my heavier foundations on most of the time but I do recommend it to anyone who needs to lightly even out their skin tone or have SPF on their face (although we all always should).

Rimmel London Natural Bronzer + Minerals in "Sun Light"

This Bronzer is almost an exact dupe to NYC's Matte Bronzer in "Sunny" which I am a huge fan of. I have not had the chance to use this bronzer much since I bought it, but my first impressions on it are positive. I wore it once and it did not look too dark or orange on my pale skin. It has a matte finish. I plan to start using this product more regularly soon, because I have hit pan on my "Sunny" Bronzer by NYC. I will let you know if I recommend this bronzer or not in a later post.

BRUSHES

Hissyfit Powder Brush & Essence gel eyeliner brush

The last two products I want to share in this huge Drugstore haul are two brushes. Both perform well and I got them for a major bargain!

Hissyfit Powder Brush: The bristles on this brush are super soft, they are not too sparse and not to dense. It applies my blush perfectly and blends so well. I use it every day. Cost: $2 at Dollarama! I couldn't believe I got a nice powder brush for such a small price. Total Score!

Essence Gel Eyeliner Brush: This brush is so versatile, I love it so much! I use it for gel eyeliner sometimes, but I mostly use it to apply shadows and bases to my bottom lash line. It also works great for filling in brows. Such a steal for only $1.99. I adore all of the Essence products I showed in this haul and I plan on trying more products from the brand in the very near future.

~

 

 So that is most of the makeup I have bought since I have been gone. I am happy with most of the items...I am such a sucker for Drugstore makeup. It is so affordable and accessible. Drugstore brands are really stepping up their game.

If you read this post all the way until this point: thank you so much, I know this was a long one.

Part 2 of my haul will be sharing all the nail products I have purchased lately. That post will be coming very soon!

Once again thank you so much for reading and for all of your support.

What Drugstore makeup are you loving right now? Let me know if there is anything you think I should try in the comments below!

Peace and Love until next time,

Have a wonderful weekend!!