Zoya Naked Manicure Hand and Body System Review

*Sent for review*

I've been testing the Zoya Naked Manicure Hand and Body System for the last 3 months or so. When I received these products, it was still the unruly New England winter and my hands were a dry, gross mess. The first thing you apply is the serum, a spray that is a very light gel texture. The spray absorbs almost instantly and you barely feel the product after absorption. I used the spray alone several times too, at times in the day when I didn't want to feel a cream on my hands. There is an immediate improvement in the hydration level of skin after using this, and my hands looked smoother too.

The second step is the cream. It's a nice, lightweight cream and it also absorbs pretty quickly. I can feel it on my hands, but it just makes them feel kind of smooth. Both products are extremely lightweight. At this time of year when the weather is warmer and the heat is turned off indoors, these are the perfect products for use during the day and at night. In the worst of the winter though, I think I would still use a heavier night cream (I currently use O'Keefe's Working Hands), since my hands really get cracked and dry if I only use lighter creams.

I don't find hand creams to typically make a difference in the appearance of my nails, but these two products definitely make my nails look healthier and add a little glow to them. I would absolutely recommend this set for anyone looking for a fast absorbing, non-greasy way to add instant moisture and a smoother appearance to their hands.

The Zoya Naked Manicure Hand and Body System is available now at zoya.com.

Vapid Lacquer Base Coat and Top Coat Review!!

*Purchased by me*

I've been meaning to write this review for awhile since I am totally in love with my Vapid Lacquer All About That Base and Get Your Shine On! Quick Dry Top Coat. Vapid Lacquer is having a restock this Saturday that includes these two products, so I thought I should post this now! All About That Base is a strengthening base coat that also seems to help prolong my manis. Since I started using the Vapid base coat about 5-6 weeks ago, I have noticed I have fewer peelies on my thumb nails. My thumbs always have peelies because I am a bad nail blogger and use them as tools. But the Vapid base coat is starting to help me get rid of them! I think in a few more weeks, the existing peelies I had will probably grow out and be gone. So I love this base coat just for that. But wait- there's more!!

 When I use the Vapid base coat and the Get Your Shine On! top coat for a mani, my nails still look great 4-5 days later! Above you can see my YSL Peace Green mani after 4 days of wear (including hot showers every day, dish washing, lots of hand washing after touching germy kids at dance class, etc.). There is a bit of tip wear and my right thumb had one small chip. But I have to tell you, most true quick dry top coats and I don't get along. My usual wear time with a QDTC is 1-2 days max. After that it is a hot chippy mess. So for me to get 4-5 days with a real QDTC (dry to the touch in 60 seconds!) is a serious personal victory. I also have to say that this top coat packs SERIOUS shine! The shine also lasts, it doesn't start to look dull on day 3. The Vapid base and top coat get an A+ from me!

Two more awesome Vapid things that will be available this Saturday- Chocolate Body Mousse and Nail Sauce! Chocolate Body Mousse is a delectable body cream that smells like hot chocolate or chocolate pudding. It is really nicely moisturizing, but doesn't feel too heavy or greasy. I am addicted to this now and sometimes I even open the jar just to look at it! I mean, it looks delicious, doesn't it?

Binx wanted to get in on my photo shoot, LOL!

Nail Sauce is a great cuticle product with a gel-creme hybrid consistency. It sinks right in to the nail area and makes my cuticles look so much better instantly. I bought it in two different scents- Unicorn Milk and Birthday Bitch. Unicorn Milk smells like Fruit Loops with a touch of vanilla frosting, while Birthday Bitch smells exactly like German Chocolate Cake, in my opinion. I have been using this product almost daily since purchasing and plan to order at least one more scent this Saturday. I have already nearly used up Unicorn Milk! I love this for cuticle moisturizing that seems enjoyable, rather than a chore.

The Vapid base and top coats have really made a positive difference in my nail health, as well as how often I can wear manis. Now that I can use a QDTC, I find it MUCH easier to just slap on a new mani whenever I want and not have to worry about it chipping a day later. I highly recommend all four of the products in this post.

Restock info: The restock will be at 1pm CT (Central Time) at http://vapid.mybigcommerce.com. For complete details about what will be restocked, please check out the Vapid Lacquer Facebook page.

ASK Cosmetics Giveaway!!

Just wanted to let all of you know about a great giveaway from ASK Cosmetics! They are giving away their whole product line, including strengthening nail conditioner (which I really need right now!). Here are some details about the giveaway:

"International entries are welcome!  The prize package is worth $250.00 CAD and includes our entire line of products.  Information about the contest can be found on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/askcosmetics  or by going directly to our Events page to read full entry rules and contest guidelines:  https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/events/296179503747232/"

Good luck to all who enter!!!

Review: Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter

Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter

After reading countless glowing reviews of Lush's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, I decided to drop the $13.25 on it during my most recent trip to the Lush store. Lemony Flutter comes in a 1.5 oz. black tub and the product is very rich, so you can make one tub last quite awhile.
The Good News about Lemony Flutter:
This product really seems to heal dry cuticles. I've been applying it at night before bed and waking up in the morning to much smoother, more moisturized cuticles. It is a great product to use at night for deep moisturizing, as it is very rich and creamy.


Looks so creamy and delicious! But...

The Bad News:
Lemony Flutter is very rich and kind of greasy for daytime use. It smells very strongly of lemon... and... something else...
My mom thinks it smells like Bandaids. I say it smells like elephant poop (or maybe the circus, in my mind the two smells are connected). Whatever it is, there's definitely an extra, rather unpleasant smell in there. That's the other reason I've been using it at night- so I don't have to deal with the smell!

Overall, I think you need to smell this BEFORE you buy it. If you can handle the lemony Bandaid/elephant poop, this is a great product for dry, rough cuticles. Personally, I think I'll keep searching for the perfect cuticle treatment.

Buy Lush's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter at a Lush store near you (find one) or online at Lush.

Quick note- I know the pictures are huuuughnormous when you click on them. I should have that fixed in a day or two.