Maple Holistics Silk18 Conditioner Review!

*Sent for review*

I'm excited to introduce you all today to a new to me brand, Maple Holistics, and their fabulous Silk18 Conditioner. I have been using this conditioner for over a month now and am really loving it. I took the picture above after using it for all that time, so you can see this will be a long-lasting product. Let me start off by being honest about my current hair situation. I haven't had it cut since January and it is a wild and unruly mane right now. I am WAY overdue for a cut, but have been feeling very uninspired in the hair department. Despite all of this, I have received several compliments on my hair in the last few weeks and I suspect I have Maple Holistics to thank for that!

When Maple Holistics first contacted me to see if I'd like to try this conditioner, I visited their website and was pleased to find that they are PETA-certified cruelty-free. All of their hair products are sulfate and paraben free, and the Silk18 Conditioner is silicone-free too! This was great news for me, as my skin is very sensitive to silicones of any kind and I try to avoid them at all costs. Maple Holistics says the Silk18 Conditioner contains a blend of eighteen silk amino acids that "are enhanced with a nourishing blend of argan oil, shea butter, organic pomegranate, and jojoba oil which deliver nutrients to promote softer, smoother, more lustrous looking tresses". I have definitely noticed shinier hair in the weeks since I started using this conditioner and I normally would not describe my hair as shiny.

Aside from my hair feeling softer and looking shinier, this conditioner smells AMAZING!! The soft, natural vanilla scent is incredible and makes me want to eat it! I don't notice a lot of the scent lingering on my hair all day, but that's fine with me as I prefer to not have a strongly scented hair product. Here's a pic of the wild, yet shiny, mane in the wind yesterday 😂. Now I'm off to make a hair appointment so I can see how great my hair looks when it's been cut and I use this conditioner!

Maple Holistics Silk18 Conditioner is available here through their website and is actually sold by Amazon. Maple Holistics also has a great blog on their website with useful beauty tips and info, including this article on damaged hair. I spent awhile perusing the blog and came away with some good info. I have several other products I plan on ordering from Maple Holistics, so stay tuned for more reviews!

Prep for Spring with Sally Hansen, Rimmel, and Jergens!

 *Sent for review*

Are you ready for spring? I know I am! We've had a few days of beautiful spring-like weather here recently and I know it'll get cold again, but it gives me hope for the coming season. Today I have a great bunch of products to make you feel like spring is coming, even if it might not be yet where you live. These were promoted originally as Valentine's Day products, but after playing around with them for awhile, I think they are perfect for those first days of balmy warm weather!  Sally Hansen Berry Smooth is the perfect pop of bright pink and reminds me of bright flowers starting to bloom. Berry Smooth is a fuchsia pink creme with a touch of a blue-leaning base.

This is two easy coats of Berry Smooth. It was effortless to apply and nicely opaque. I used the Sally Hansen Color Therapy Top Coat to finish the look. The top coat is really shiny and dries super fast, all the things I want in a top coat!

Sally Hansen Red-y to Glow is a beautiful true red jelly. It's nice and juicy and also has that great balance of being bright, yet also rich looking. The jelly finish is so light and airy feeling, ahhhh!

This is also two coats with the same easy application as Berry Smooth. The top coat adds that megawatt shine that really makes jelly finish polishes pop. I think these Sally Hansen Color Therapy polishes are really excellent and perfect for reviving dried out winter nails. According to Sally Hansen, they have an "argan oil-enriched formula, resulting in intensive nourishment and instant moisture for healthier-looking nails". After wearing one of these for a few days last week, I did notice  my nails were less dry and felt stronger because of the additional moisture.

Sally Hansen Red-ience is my favorite kind of red creme- a bright orange-y red, like poppies in a garden. This kind of orange red just screams spring to me, warm weather seems closer when I wear this color! I'm putting this on my toes ASAP.

Two easy coats again, nice smooth formula. This formula and the accompanying top coat really seem to mask my nail imperfections for a great flawless look.

Rimmel has a new lip gloss called Oh My Gloss! Oil Tint that is absolutely perfect for spring! Both of these glosses went straight into my purse after I tried them for the first time and they have been there ever since. Rimmel says this gloss is "an innovative tint-in-oil gloss formula that’s packed with a blend of four precious oils" and that "the ingenious tint-in-oil system fuses pure pigments onto the lips for a radiant splash of juicy color. The formulation also features a shine flex polymer for a dazzling glossy finish". I guess it's the four precious oils, but these are the best feeling glosses I have tried, possibly ever. I have an extensive lip gloss collection from mid to high end brands (including MAC, NARS, YSL, Chanel, Bite Beauty, etc.) and these feel more comfortable than many of my higher end glosses.

These glosses are meant to be sheer and I like that for spring. As the weather gets warm, I am done with the heavy, opaque mattes of winter. These are fun fresh pops of sheer color. Above, I am wearing Rimmel Master Pink, a pale candy pink. Below, I have on Rimmel Pop Poppy. I think coral pink Pop Poppy is my favorite of the two, but I really love them both. They settle into lip lines a bit, especially if you apply too much, but that's the only downside I can find to them. They both leave behind a bit of a stain even after the gloss fades. For $5.99, these are fantastic and I am going to hunt down a few more colors!

I have been a fan of the regular Jergens Natural Glow for years. My skin is a sickly shade of "ghost', especially after a long winter indoors, and I don't tan naturally. So I rely on products like Jergens Natural Glow for a bit of color (and to make sure my legs don't match my white socks...). This was my first time trying Jergens Natural Glow 3 Days to Glow and I am hooked! A couple of hours after my first application, I noticed a hint of color, just something to take the blinding glow of pale snow white away. Then after 3 applications, I had a nice hint of a tan, but nothing orange or fake looking. The fact that this develops gradually after 3 or more applications means there are no streaks- just smooth natural-looking color. The telltale "self-tanner" odor was also significantly less with this product than any other tanner I have used. I will definitely be purchasing Jergens 3 Days to Glow for the upcoming warmer months! 

All of these great products that will help you get in the mood for spring (regardless of whether spring is coming up soon for you or not) are available now at a drugstore near you! Who doesn't need a bright pop of red or fuchsia polish on your toes, a new coral gloss and a fresh faux tan after the slog of winter?!

Get Noticeably Whiter Teeth Before Your Valentine's Day Date Tomorrow with Luster Premium White Pro Light and Win a Pro Light Set!

 *Sent for review*

Think you can't get noticeably whiter teeth before your Valentine's Day date tomorrow night? Wrong!! I just started using the Luster Premium White Pro Light Teeth Whitening System yesterday morning and already have visibly whiter teeth! This whitening kit contains an Accelerator Mouth Rinse, Super Whitener Gel and an Activating Whitening Light. You simply swish the mouth rinse around your teeth for 15 seconds, apply the whitening gel, and hold the light about 1 inch from your teeth for 2 minutes. The light has a timer that beeps after 2 minutes, so you don't even have to keep track of the time.

I really like this particular treatment, because you can fit the whitening sessions in around your own schedule. It takes 10 2 minute treatments to see a noticeable difference. I was in a hurry, so I did them over a 24 hour period. You can even do several of them back to back to speed up the process. Luster Premium White says you can do up to 20 treatments total and you can do them all in an hour or space them out over 7 days. The instruction booklet that is included provides you with some examples of how you can space out the treatments over a week, 5 days, 2 days or just one hour. The kit also contains this handy shade guide so you can really see your results. I think I started at somewhere between a 9 and 10. My teeth were still pretty white (despite countless cups of coffee!!) from doing the regular Luster Premium White treatment in December.

I take pretty terrible pictures of my own face, but here is my before shot. This was taken yesterday morning, before any treatments. My teeth are definitely not bad, but they are far from the movie star blinding white I'd really like (again, countless cups of coffee! LOL).

These are my results after 10 Luster Premium White Pro Light treatments. I am pretty psyched about these results, to be honest! I can definitely see a difference in the whiteness of my teeth, and they are also so shiny and bright. In just about 24 hours, I think I improved the look of my smile a lot. I am wearing the same Fresh Sugar lip balm in these pictures, I realize in the second one it looks shinier and more tinted, but I think the lighting is different. Sorry about that, I tried to keep it consistent and take the picture in the same location. I am going to continue on and do all 20 treatments to see how white I can really go, and I will update this post when I complete them. I have ZERO sensitivity with this system and I can't tell you how painful whitening strips are when I try to use those. I don't know how this system manages whiten without the pain and extreme sensitivity, but I am really happy about it!

*sent for review*

I am excited to say that I have a Luster Premium White Pro Light kit to give away to one lucky reader! This giveaway is open to all readers. Please use the Rafflecopter widget below or the direct link here to enter. The giveaway will end Saturday, February 21 at midnight EST. If you want to whiten your teeth without the pain and agony of whitestrips, definitely enter this giveaway and give Luster Premium White Pro Light a try!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, Luster Premium White is having a giveaway on Instagram. If you use the hash tag #datenightwhite, you can win a $100 Visa gift card and a Pro Light set! Luster Premium White products are available at drugstores and Target stores near you! For more information, please visit lusterpremiumwhite.com.

Barielle Line Eraser Review

 *Sent for review*

Today, Barielle and I take a departure from nail polish and head into the world of skin care and makeup. I turned 30 in November and am pretty paranoid about fine lines showing up, so when Barielle mentioned their new Line Eraser- 90 Second Wrinkle Reducer, I immediately wanted to try it. This product can be used alone or under makeup to smooth the skin and reduce the look of wrinkles immediately. Barielle says it reduces the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, crows feet, and under eye puffiness.

Barielle Line Eraser comes in this kind of injector-looking packaging. You just remove both the plastic outer cap and the rubber inner protector and press down on the top to dispense the product. Now I have found that most products that claim to smooth the skin contain dimethicone and lots of it. Dimethicone makes me break out like crazy, so I was happy to see it is not on the list of ingredients (taken from barielle.com).
Full Ingredients: Water (Aqua/Eau), Butylene Glycol, Sodium Silicate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Caprylyl Glycol, Cellulose Gum, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Alumina, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Silica, Pentylene Glycol, Lecithin, Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract, Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Retinol, Polysorbate 20.

You can see that the product has a bit of a tint to it and for super pale people like myself, that is a little bit of a problem. If I try to use this on certain areas of my face, it's very visible and the wrong color for sure. I also have to make sure that I only use a tiny dab. If I use too much, it really shows up. Now, does this stuff work??

Here you can see Barielle Line Eraser applied under the eye on the right. I have nothing under the eye on the left. The under eye area on the right looks tighter, less puffy, definitely way more smooth and less wrinkly. This is actually a really good day for my under eye bags, but the difference is even bigger when I have a bad bag day LOL. Applying this to just one eye and then looking in the mirror really sold me on this product. It honestly lifts my whole eye area up, so it looks younger and refreshed. I also tried this product on some small developing lines on my face, but I really feel that it's true calling is for under eye use. It smooths on the rest of the face, but the tightening effects are best seen under the eyes. I will definitely add this product to my regular daily routine.

So did you realize that Barielle made skincare too? I didn't really know that, but they have a bunch of great looking creams and products on their website. I want to try the Hydrating Night Cream with Argan Oil now! Barielle Line Eraser is available now at barielle.com.

Get Your Smile Holiday Ready with Luster Premium White Distinctly White!

 *Sent for review*

I have the first of many holiday parties coming up this Thursday night and I always want a whiter smile when I know I'll be having my picture taken. I had the chance to try a new to me whitening product, Luster Premium White Distinctly White. Distinctly White is a two step process- a rinse and a brush-on whitening gel. You use the pleasantly minty rinse for 30 seconds and then apply the whitening gel to your teeth. The gel is very easy to apply and dries in 10 seconds. Luster Premium White claims you will see results in as few as two days, and I actually did have visibly whiter teeth in two days of using Distinctly White once in the morning and once in the evening.

Unlike whitening strips, Luster Premium White products don't cause any sensitivity! Sensitivity has been a huge problem for me whenever I have used whitening strips. The pain was sometimes way too intense. I had zero sensitivity, even after using Distinctly White for a whole week. Even better news, Distinctly White is only $12.99 at Walgreens or Walmart! That's way better than $30+ for Crest WhiteStrips. Luster Premium White makes a number of other whitening products (see below) and I plan to try the Power White Toothpaste next! I am very glad I got to try Luster Premium White Distinctly White. I don't see myself going back to the agony of whitening strips ever again!

 More info on Luster Premium White products:

              

• Power White Toothpaste ($6.99) – With 2X the stabilized peroxide as other agents on the market, Power White Toothpaste removes up to 95% of surface stains in 5 days while daily fluoride toothpaste fights cavities and safely whitens teeth above and below the surface.

Best for—Daily maintenance, replacing other toothpastes and fast whitening

• Luster Pro Light ($43.99) – With visibly whiter teeth in as little as 30 minutes, this method carries the strongest competitive claims on the market, whitening teeth twice as fast compared to strips and tray systems—all with zero tooth sensitivity!

Best for—Reversing years of yellowing, getting ready for a big event, or starting your whitening regimen

• Distinctively White ($12.99) – With results in as few as 2 days, product utilizes a dual action process, with a whitening brush and a rinse, that whitens teeth with zero tooth sensitivity.

Best for—Removing deep stains, lightening teeth by several shade and using regularly for whitening maintenance.

• Luster NOW! Toothpaste ($7.99) – Winner of Allure’s 2011 “Beauty Breakthrough Award”, Luster NOW! enamel-safe toothpaste whitens teeth instantly after just one brushing. Also contains Bluverite, a proprietary formula that creates an optical effect of whiter teeth.

Best for—Giving your smile an instant boost, last minute whitening, and getting ready for a date or job interview

• Luster NOW! Instant Whitening Rinse ($6.99) – With active peroxide to fight both surface and deep stains, this mouth rinse is enamel safe, and instantly whitens teeth after just one use. Also contains Bluverite, a proprietary formula that creates an optical effect of whiter teeth.

Best for—Giving your smile an instant boost, last minute whitening, and getting ready for a party of reunion

Luster Premium White products are sold at Walgreen’s and Walmart, among other retailers nationwide.

Ulta's Love Your Hair Celebration!

I recently decided to give the Ulta Salon near me a try for a hair cut and highlights. I wasn't thrilled with where I was going for hair cuts previously and wanted something new. There is an Ulta about 6 minutes from my house so I figured, why not give them a try? As it turns out, I was SO pleased with my hair cut and highlights. The stylist really took a lot of time to make sure I was going to be happy with the result. I have gotten a ton of compliments on my hair and will definitely return to Ulta in the future (and I'm thinking about taking advantage of the $20 blowout!). So, I wanted to share the following press release about the Ulta Love Your Hair Celebration in case any of you were thinking about going to Ulta for your hair needs!

Now that spring is in full bloom and the warmer, humid weather is around the corner, so are hair dilemmas for women across the country. With help from the experts at ULTA Beauty, this season everyone can have happy, healthy, hair, completely hassle-free!

With over 115 hair care brands, 2900 products and a salon in every store, ULTA Beauty is truly THE destination for all things hair.

·         Love Your Hair, a celebration of fabulous hair which will take place May 11 through May 31 at ULTA Beauty, provides insider tips, deals and steals, as well as demonstrations showcasing the best new tools and innovative products to create your perfect hair look. During Love Your Hair, ULTA Beauty will offer Beauty Steals and events every weekend from brands such as Matrix, Redken, Sexy Hair and TIGI.   

·         THE SALON at ULTA Beauty will also offer a discounted blowout for $20 during Love Your Hair, which includes a wash, blow dry and choice of style.  Select from a super sleek look, tousled style or loose waves.  To learn more or book an appointment, visitwww.ulta.com/treatyourself.

·         Don’t forget to enter the Living Proof Contest at your local ULTA Beauty store and enter to win a chance to meet Jennifer Aniston in ULTA’s exclusive Love Your Hair Sweepstakes! The winner will receive a trip to Los Angeles to meet Jennifer Aniston and get their hair cut at Living Proof Celebrity Hairstylist, Chris McMillan’s salon.

·         No time to visit an ULTA Beauty store?  Shop online!  By visiting www.ulta.com/happyhealthyhair, guests can learn more about solutions for their hair type and shop by recommended regimen.  Choose products based on a variety of universal hair care quandaries, like how to create the perfect curl, the best ways to boost volume for flat hair, combating hard-to-tame frizz and amplifying shine for lackluster locks.

Ulta Celebrates 21 Days of Beauty, Starting this Sunday, March 16!

ULTA’s bi-annual celebration, 21 Days of Beauty, begins Sunday, March 16 and ends Saturday, April 5. This beauty extravaganza is celebrated in more than 500 stores nationwide. ULTA Beauty’s 21 Days of Beauty highlights the hottest spring beauty trends with special beauty product offerings, with makeup and skincare demonstrations from beauty experts – all to help prepare shoppers for a beautiful season! Beauty aficionados can stock up on their makeup, skincare and  nail products from their favorite brands including Amazing Cosmetics, Stila, Smashbox, bareMinerals, Mario Badescu, Philosophy, Tarte, Urban Decay & ck one color, among others.

Each day throughout 21 Days of Beauty, ULTA Beauty will feature:

• Beauty Steals: special pricing and “Buy 1 Get 1 FREE” offers
• Beauty Focus Days:  makeup and skin care specialists from selected brands provide makeup tips, trend updates and skin consultations.  Appointments for complimentary make-up and skin consultations are recommended by simply signing up at your nearest ULTA Beauty store

Brand highlights during 21 Days of Beauty include:

·         BareMinerals All Over Face Color & Blush in Warmth, $10 (reg. $19)

·         Philosophy Purity Wipes, $10 (reg. $15)

·         Stila In The Know Palette, $20 (reg. $39)

·         Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara $10 (reg. $19)

·         butterLONDON nail lacquers 2 for $15 (reg. $15 each)

·         Too Faced Better Than False Lashes Extension System, $20 (reg. $35)

·         Mally Perfect Prep Poreless Primer, $24 (reg. $35)

·         Smashbox Try It Kit, $10 (reg. $19)

·         It Cosmetics No. 50 Serum Collagen Veil Anti-Aging Primer, $20 (reg. $48)

                                         

Beauty Mark App in Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

BEAUTY MARK APP HELPS BREAST CANCER PATIENTS LOOK AND FEEL BEAUTIFUL IN HONOR OF  BCA AWARENESS MONTH Create New Empowering Makeup Looks From your iPhone

Going through breast cancer treatment or trying to recover from it is difficult enough. Whether they have undergone surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, as well as an overwhelming amount of stress, breast cancer patients and survivors often have to adjust their makeup routines to create looks that suit them. The new Beauty Mark app establishes a one-on-one relationship with a makeup artist to guide women through the changes they may be experiencing while undergoing treatment or have just completed treatment for breast cancer.  With the Beauty Mark App, women can swipe to create their own individual look then get step-by-step makeup application instructions on how to achieve it. They can choose their personal style, select their skin tone (fair, medium or dark) and address any specific concerns to create a look that's personalized just for them. In addition, they can privately email specific questions about their makeup looks. Hope Henderson, the professional makeup artist who founded the acclaimed on-location beauty agency, Hope Artistry, created the Beauty Mark App, has created almost 200 different eye, lip and cheek looks with step-by-step videos and detailed instructions that make trying the looks easier and less intimidating. Now women who are hesitant to create new looks or need advice on how to create them can use the Beauty Mark App - it's like having a personal makeup artist in your pocket! Some specific concerns for women who have been treated for breast cancer include: Loss of eyebrows/eyelashes: Henderson teaches women to draw and shade their eyebrows for a natural look and how to use eye shadow & liner to compensate for lack of lashes.  She will also provide step-by-step instructions in the app to teach users how to apply false lashes. Puffy facial areas: Henderson uses her experience as a makeup artist to guide women through the process of contouring their cheeks and highlighting different features to help reduce the appearance of puffiness that can be cause by some medications.  Radically changed hair: Henderson is an expert at playing up women's natural features to distract from their hair loss and drastically different new hair. Her how-to videos help women create different makeup looks to complement their new hair textures, styles and wigs. The Beauty Mark App includes over 180 how-to videos and is available for download in the iTunes store for only $2.99.  Other features include share via Facebook, recommended products and "Ask the Pro".  There is also a limited version available, Beauty Mark App Lite, which offers fewer options (30 videos) for .99 cents. To learn more or to download the Beauty Mark App, visit the website,www.beautymarkapp.com. #  #  #

Interesting Read- Zoya's Fashion Week Participation

I thought this was neat to see how nail polish is really an important part of fashion shows these days. Very cool!

Zoya Nail Polish: SS14 New York Fashion Week Custom Color Development and Show Participation.
Zoya Nail Polish continued to be a fashion force of color during New York Fashion Week by providing custom nail colors for designers Peter Som, Zang Toi, Timo Weiland and Rolando Santana.

The time required for custom color development is worth the effort; previous collaborations have resulted in increased recognition for nails as a key part of each shows individual beauty story. Brand awareness is a benefit of the recent fashion week success of Zoya. According to Leo Reyzis, Vice President of Art of Beauty (parent company to Zoya Nail Polish), “in merging the world of fashion with that of professional beauty, Zoya has created a unique custom color opportunity the benefits both the designer and the Zoya brand’. The custom color collaborations allow designers to see color via a different medium than the fabrics they are accustomed to working with. “Creatively, it gives designers a risk-free way to venture into nail polish without having to launch their own beauty line”. Overall, it’s a wonderful experience for all parties involved. As a courtesy, Zoya also suggests the designers name each color for a woman representing the collection, brand or as a nod to someone special, “it’s a bigger part of the collaboration than most people realize” says Reyzis, “naming the color makes it personal… and that’s special”. Most of the designers also choose to gift the color to show attendees, allowing everyone to take home a piece of the show right away!

Each designer nail palette was created in direct collaboration with Zoya Color Developer, Rebecca Isa, who held true to the brand commitment to provide toxin free*, long-wearing, beautiful professional nail color for natural nails.

Isa delivers an extensive background in cosmetics and a one-of-kind knowledge resource to designers taking the nail color plunge. Her cosmetics color understanding on behalf of Zoya Nail Polish marries well with that of the designers understanding of fabric allowing the color to seamlessly meld with the collections and remain as attractive in the Zoya bottle as they are on the nail.

Peter Som: For Peter Som, Isa developed three new polishes; Zoya Edie (blue cream), Zoya Alexa (green cream), and Zoya Stella (peach cream). “The inspiration for the Peter Som custom trio was - Where land meets sea… - the serene marine blue represents the water, the vibrant green represents the lush plant life surrounding the water and the soft peach is the delicate first bloom of spring flowers. Eddie and Alexa are full coverage and very pigmented so that a shaded half-moon mani can be achieved; which is exactly how the shades were worn coming down the runway”.

Zang Toi: “The inspiration for the Zang Toi trio was found at the ballet and in the beautifully lux fabrics he used to create his modern ballet babe” says Isa. “The two softer shades in the collection were a Spring blue (show name - Boy Toi) and a soft pink (show name - Ballet Babe) - both have full coverage with two coats so they are more dense than traditional spring pastels. The drama comes from the onyx black (show name - Black Swan) with a full glossy finish that looks almost like liquid vinyl. For the show Zang Toi chose to put all the models in high drama wearing the black polish with irregular stripes of matte top coat to add texture and accent”.

Timo Weiland: “For Spring 2014 the design team of Timo Weiland was looking for a rich signature indigo that would perfectly balance the blues in the beautiful collection.” The indigo Isa created for Timo Weiland “is fully pigmented and balanced so that it stays blue even with multiple coats; it flatters any skin tone and is a wonderfully wearable shade that looks especially fresh for the season”. In addition to the custom blue, the Timo team selected an existing color, Zoya Maura, as the perfect red for some looks. Models wore either solid Timo or Maura nail on both hands.

Rolando Santana: “The inspiration for Rolando Santana’s trio was the artwork of Frida Kahlo - bold, bright and beautiful. For the show, models wore a combination of Natasha (nude cream) and Sara (yellow cream), creating a nude base with a vertical yellow petal accent which was fresh and original a perfect accent to his beautiful collection” said Isa. A third color, Maria (a deep fuchsia cream) was created as a compliment to the others for the show gift box.

Fashion week also drew Zoya attention at the shows of Nicholas K., Chadwick Bell, Mark and Estel, and Alexandre Herchcovitch, all of which selected Zoya Nail Polish as the nail color and care provider for their amazing shows.

Nicholas K.: Kicking off Mercedes Benz Fashion Week as the very first show, Nicholas K. paid tribute to the designing duo’s childhood memories of Native American traditions in monochromatic hues flowing from white, to tan and finally to black. For the nails, Zoya manicurists applied two coats of Zoya Noot (charcoal green-gray cream), topped by a matte and then finally a chevron “arrow tip” to each nail in Zoya Edyta (deep sparkling green).

Chadwick Bell: “For Spring and Summer 2014, layering color is going to be a strong trend” said Isa. Designer Chadwick Bell created his own custom layered look using several popular Zoya colors starting with a nude pink-beige base (Zoya Erin), topped by a sheer white-gold shimmer (Zoya Gaia) on most nails and then added a random accent nail of nude (Zoya Jacqueline) under a single coat of gold (Zoya Goldie) and topped that nail only with a matte topcoat. Chadwick wanted the nails to be extensions of the Anndra Neen jewelry which was also featured in the show.

Mark and Estel: There is nothing subtle or uncreative about the new world collection of design duo of Mark Tango and Estel Day, with Zoya Noot (charcoal green-gray cream) on hand the models walked the runway in solid nails that smoldered and complimented the black “cat eye” liner and Avant Garde Jewelry designs. The Made in the USA line featured monochromatic colors in untraditional Spring and Summer use of heavy fabrics and was awash with cutouts, zippers and sheers. The collection was a crowd pleaser to all senses with a live performance of the music and fashion duo for the show finale.

Alexandre Herchcovitch: Black but not basic, the Zoya Raven (satin shimmer black) and an ultra-glossy Zoya Armor top coat manicure on models added edge to the almost solidly black and white, graphic collection of Brazilian fashion design sensation Alexandre Herchcovitch for the 2014 Spring and Summer collection.

Join Zoya on the new live.zoya.com for all of latest shows, events and happenings images and follow Zoya Nail Polish (@ZoyaNailPolish) on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for all of the latest looks…
*BIG5FREE: Zoya’s vegan friendly formula is free of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and camphor.

ZOYA IS THE NEW COLOR OF FASHION!zoya.com

Revlon Lash Potion Casts a Spell on Me!

Revlon Lash Potion mascara was sent for review. All opinions are my own honest thoughts.

Revlon has a new mascara coming out in May called Revlon Lash Potion by Grow Luscious. I don't know about you, but "new mascara" is always more appealing to me than the mascaras that are currently available in stores. I don't think I have ever re-purchased a mascara from the drugstore. There are so many varieties, I really just like getting a different one (or 3) each time! Plus, I'm always looking for MORE length, MORE volume. I like a DRAMATIC mascara that says "YO, I HAVE AWESOME EYE LASHES!". Will Revlon Lash Potion be The One?

Above is a picture of my sad and lonely lashes with no mascara. It pains me to put this picture up here. My lashes are fairly long without mascara, but they are very light-colored and from any distance, are basically invisible. Therefore, I do not leave my house without mascara.

Revlon calls the Lash Potion wand the "Illusionist Wand". The Illusionist Wand is a triple groove bristle brush. Revlon says the wide grooves "instantly coat lashes in formula for maximum volume". I'm a fan of bristle brushes, rather than the rubber brushes that we have seen a lot recently. I never seem to get good volume from the rubber ones.

Revlon sent me Lash Potion in Blackest Black (it's like they know me! I always buy the blackest color, despite my see through natural lash color). These two pictures show just one coat of Revlon Lash Potion on my upper lashes. I have been wearing Lash Potion for about a week now and REALLY love it!! It is very lengthening, as you can see. It adds some volume and thickness, definitely enough for me for everyday. For special occasions, I might mix a volumizing mascara with Lash Potion for even crazier results. Since Lash Potion arrived, I have not touched my other current drugstore mascaras. Honestly, I didn't like them a lot to begin with and Lash Potion blows them out of the water.

Revlon says that Lash Potion "drenches lashes with a potion of strengthening proteins for captivating volume and length" and that the formula "conditions and moisturizes so lashes are less brittle". I do think Lash Potion provides great length and good volume, almost rivaling my beloved DiorShow. As for the claims that it moisturizes lashes, I have noticed that I don't seem to be shedding as many lashes when I remove my make-up at night. I don't know if that's necessarily connected to this mascara, but I'll take it!

 Check out my complete EOTD above, with Lash Potion on both top and bottom lashes. Revlon Lash Potion comes in blackest black, black, and blackened brown. It also comes in a waterproof version in blackest black and blackened brown. I tried the non-waterproof version and wore it to several very hot dance classes with no running or streaking. I also never had any flaking with this mascara (thank goodness, I can't STAND that!).

I honestly think I will purchase this mascara when it comes out in May. As I said before, I normally don't get the same mascara twice, but I've had a bad streak with mascaras recently and it's nice to find a good one! Revlon Lash Potion will retail for $7.99 and be available at drugstores and mass retailers, as well as on revlon.com.

Revlon Lash Potion mascara was sent for review. All opinions are my own honest thoughts.

Zoya Earth Day Polish Exchange Is Back!!!

Announcing the 2013 Zoya Nail Polish Exchange*

Hooray for Earth Day! Once again, Zoya is helping you do a little spring cleaning with the return of the Earth Day Zoya Nail Polish Exchange* for 2013.Clean out your nail polish wardrobe and get rid of old nail polish that may not be BIG5FREE (Free of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP and Camphor) and exchange it for a greener alternative - long lasting, award winning, healthy Zoya Nail Polish bottles!

Now's the perfect time to make the switch to an eco-chic beauty routine! From April 19, 2013 - April 26, 2013 (11:59PM EST), exchange your old, unwanted nail color for toxin-free ZOYA Nail Polish for only $4 per bottle plus shipping and handling fees. Rest assured - ZOYA will properly dispose of your old polish. 

Here's all you need to do!
1.  Go to www.zoya.com and pick out the polishes you would like (excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades) and add them to your cart. You must select at least 6 bottles and no more than 24 bottles of polish (Salon accounts minimum 12 maximum 48 bottles.)

2. Apply the code (copy and paste for best results): ZOYAEARTH2013
3. Your order value will be adjusted to reflect a 50% discount (we use these funds to properly dispose of the old nail polish).

4. SUBMIT your order!

Then Zoya will ship out your NEW polish! HOORAY! This is how your order should look like... 

Once you get your order 
Here's where the exchanging* happens...

1.     Ship back the equivalent number of bottles you received to the return address below (ie. If you ordered 6 bottles of Zoya – you would send us 6 NON-ZOYA polishes). Please check with your carrier on the proper way to ship nail polish.

2.     Include a copy of your order. 

To clarify the exchange: You do not have to send us the exact amount of bottles that you are ordering. You can send any quantity up to that amount. You can also donate. If you decide you don't want to do either, it's ok "Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish" we will still love you and will send the Zoya polishes... we'll just send you on a guilt trip for a while :)

Ship Your Old Nail Polish To:

Art of Beauty, Inc.
c/o Polish Exchange
5060 Taylor Rd, Unit D
Cleveland, Ohio, 44128, USA

Once we receive your polish, we do the rest! It’s that simple!

IMPORTANT!
The bottles you send in cannot be Zoya, Qtica or Nocti polishes (but they can be any other brand). We are using the honor code here folks! We want to make sure you get your Zoya Nail Polish! We send you the polish first then you send your old polish back to us! If you do choose to send us your old polish we promise to properly dispose of it according to EPA guidelines. This offer is only good for 1 week so hurry – Don’t Wait!

*Offer valid online at www.zoya.com only. Offer expires on 4/26/2012 at 11:59PM EST. Continental US ONLY. Not valid with any other codes, coupons or promotions. Shipping and handling fees apply. Consumer accounts must exchange a minimum of 6 polishes with a 24 bottle maximum. Salon accounts must exchange at least 12 with a maximum of 48 bottles. Polish can be from any brand EXCEPT Zoya, Qtica or Nocti and can be exchanged for in-stock .5oz Zoya Nail Polish. Excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades. Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish. Zoya Exchange code is unique and non-transferable. One code per account. Art of Beauty is not responsible for incorrect addresses, credit card entry errors or errors associated with declined credit cards. Please allow standard time for processing and shipping, however if volume is higher than expected please allow up to 6 weeks for shipping and processing. Art of Beauty, Inc. reserves the right to remove any polish that is out of stock from your order. You will not be charged for this polish. Backordered polish is not included in this promotion.

Sally Hansen Nail Art Competition-- with a $2000 prize!!!

SHOW YOUR NAILS SOME LOVE

THINK: Be your own nail artist for the chance to win.

WHAT IT IS: A monthly contest celebrating the best and brightest in nail art. Sally Hansen has always delivered the tools to express creativity and individuality through vibrant, vivid, bold nails. Now the nail authority is giving every aspiring artist the chance to show off her handy work with the I Love Nail Art Campaign. Each month, Sally Hansen will post a new nail art challenge on Facebook and enlist fans to post photos of their most inspired, intricate and ingenious looks.

Sally Hansen’s own nail ambassador, celebrity manicurist Tracylee, will serve on the panel of judges choosing the winner. “I constantly take inspiration from fashion, architecture, events and pop culture in creating my nail art,” reveals Tracylee. “I’m so excited to see the kind of creative submissions we get and find new inspiration in my own work.”

Each month, a new winner will receive exclusive Sally Hansen prizes and a trip to New York to compete in the Grand Finale, where competitors will be asked to create nail art looks on the spot. The expert panel will select the grand prize winner, who will be named the Sally Hansen Nail Art Sweetheart and will win $2000. She will also be featured in Sally Hansen promotional materials, showcasing her winning nail art.

So if you love nail art and think you have what it takes to be the Sally Hansen Nail Art Sweetheart, visit Sally Hansen’s Facebook page beginning February 4^th to enter.