Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Essie Wrapped in Rubies

Hey everyone! I just have a quick post today with a new mani. I used Essie Wrapped in Rubies, which I haven't used in forever. I'm so glad I picked it up because it is seriously stunning and the perfect color for fall. Wrapped in Rubies is a "jewel-like deep burgundy with gold undertones." I applied it in two easy, smooth coats. It was hard to capture this one in a photo because without flash it looked too light and with flash it looked more red than it really is.

No flash. It looks slightly more brown in real life.

With flash. Definitely not quite this red in real life.

I've been really into the whole negative space/blank nail trend. For my accent nails I just placed striping tape where I wanted the blank space to be and painted around it. Remember to take off the striping tape immediately after painting while the polish is still wet. I was going to do this with each nail but it would have taken way too much time.

Here is the color I used: Essie Wrapped in Rubies


xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, September 29, 2014

Julep Faye

Happy Manicure Monday! I hope you enjoyed the beautiful weekend. It felt like summer! I spent my weekend in LBI (Long Beach Island) relaxing on the beach and eating fabulous food. Sunday morning breakfast, for example...

Peach & raspberry sizzler (baked pancake) from Sandbox Cafe in Ship Bottom, LBI.


Onto the nails! Today's mani features Julep Faye, described on Julep's website as a "liquid bronze shimmer." I did not think I would like this color at all when I saw it in the bottle. I completely changed my mind as soon as I applied two coats of it. This is a sophisticated, rich bronze/brown color. In photos Faye comes up lighter than it is in real life.

I used Revlon Copper Penny for the dot accents.

Here are the colors I used: Julep Faye & Revlon Copper Penny


xoxo,
   Brooke

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Julep Octavia

Hey everyone! I am so excited about the manicure I'm going to share with you tonight. I used Julep Octavia, which is described as a "smoky indigo creme." You can achieve full, even coverage with this polish in one gorgeous streak-free coat. That's right, ONE coat! I was so pleasantly surprised with how amazing Octavia applied. This is a color that I will keep going back to.


I used Nubar Blondie to do that sparkle accent on my ring finger. Yes, I did place each one individually and yes, it did take a bit of time haha. But I love the end result!

Look at all that glossy goodness!

I love those two pictures because in the first one Octavia looks like a dark blue and in the second one it looks way more on the purple side. It looks gorgeous in any type of light!

Here are the colors I used: Julep Octavia & Nubar Blondie

How pretty does Blondie look in the bottle?!

xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, September 22, 2014

Julep Tatiana & Adele

Happy Manicure Monday everyone! I hope you all had lovely weekends. I went to Max Brenner on Saturday night. If you love dessert, get yourself over there ASAP. I had "The Fantastic I-Scream Bar Fondue" and it was absolutely divine. They give you a vanilla popsicle, which is adorably wrapped in their own ice cream wrapper. It is served with pure melted chocolate (I requested dark chocolate), candied hazelnut crunchy bits, and Choco-pops. I highly recommend this one in addition to their churros fondue and the O.M.G dark chocolate chunk cookie. I'm literally sitting here salivating just thinking of all these delicious desserts.

It was so dark in there, made it hard to get a clear picture of all that goodness!

Onto the nails! I decided to try out Julep Tatiana, which I received in my Jewel Heist Mystery Box. Tatiana is described as a "golden burnt orange micro glitter." I was surprised by how much I liked it on my skin tone. I was looking through the other unworn polishes in my collection and came across Julep Adele, a "golden reflective top coat," and swiped it over Tatiana on two nails. 

Tatiana alone on my thumb, ring, and pinky fingers. Adele over Tatiana on my index and middle fingers.

I ended up topping each nail with Adele and liked the way it lightened up the orange of Tatiana. Both polishes are way more beautiful than I expected them to be! And then for some reason I decided I wanted to do a dot design, but I am really unhappy with how it came out. Do you ever get an idea in your head for a mani and then when you actually paint your nails you hate the way it looks? I should have just left Tatiana and Adele alone. Oh well!


Here are the colors I used, from left to right: Julep Tatiana, Julep Adele, Essie Mochachino. 


*Edit: After wearing this mani for a day I really couldn't stand the dot design so I painted over it with a fun twist on a french manicure. I used Julep Martina, a ruby red multidimensional glitter top coat. It went on smooth and gorgeous in one coat.

Reminds me of Iron Man! I like it.

xoxo,
   Brooke

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Julep Jewel Heist Mystery Box

Hey everyone! I received my Jewel Heist mystery box from Julep the other day and wanted to share a review. This is the first mystery box I have ever ordered from Julep and I am sad to say that I was very unimpressed. The box was $24.99 and was supposed to have a $100+ value. Here is what came in the box.


Each product is linked directly to Julep's website.

1. Sweep Eyeshadow Palette Neutrals - I haven't decided yet if I will use this palette or sell it. I have very sensitive skin and have had allergic reactions to eyeshadows in the past. 

2. Eyeshadow Brush - I like the weight of this brush, it definitely does not feel cheap. I look forward to trying it with some other eyeshadows.

3. Surprise! Color Rush Lip Gloss - I haven't tried this yet because the scent was too sweet for me. It is supposed to turn into "a universally flattering berry shade on your lips." I'll give it a try and see if the scent lingers after application.

4. Blank Canvas Mattifying Eye Primer - Again, not sure if I can use this because of skin allergies. I have never used a primer anyway and my eyeshadow stays put just fine.

5. Tatiana - Not 100% sure how I feel about this color, but I'm always looking to branch out and be more adventurous with my polish. It is definitely a nice color for fall.

6. Two Julep Twistbands - I have a set of these and I like them so I was happy to get more. Unfortunately these are not sold on the website.

Here is a closeup of Tatiana in the bottle.

The total value of my box came out to $102, which to me is kind of pushing it. The main reason I was unhappy was because there was only one nail polish in the box. The description on the website said that each box would be "packed with $100+ worth of mystery nail polishes and beauty must-haves..." Since they used the word polishes instead of polish I assumed there would be more than one. I guess I learned my lesson! I emailed Julep Customer Service with my feedback about the misleading description of the box and they awarded my account with Jules (points to spend) for my disappointment. I doubt I will purchase another Mystery Box in the future, but it is a great option for those who want to try a mix of Julep's products.

xoxo,
   Brooke

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Julep Julia

Hey everyone! We've almost made it to the end of the week! I'm so excited for the weekend. I feel like the weeks have been going by way more slowly than they did over the summer.

I was really in the mood for a shimmer polish today so I pulled out Julep Julia. It is described by Julep's website as a "purple orchid with golden micro-glitter metallic." I used two coats for this mani. The application is smooth and the result is gorgeous.

I used Essie Sexy Divide for the dot accents.

SO. PRETTY.

Here are the colors I used, from left to right: Julep Julia & Essie Sexy Divide


Happy almost Friday!

xoxo,
   Brooke

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Zoya Matte Top Coat

Guess what day it is... I really can't get through Wednesdays anymore without quoting the hump day camel. Yes, every single week. Anyone else?

As promised, I swiped a matte top coat over my most recent mani (linked here). Oh. My. Gosh. I need to use a matte top coat more often! I seriously love the way it looks and it is such a simple way to refresh your manicure. I can think of so many colors that would look great matte.

Color shown is Essie Sable Collar. My middle and ring finger were left without the matte top coat.

And here is the completed look. I love it!

I had a mini bottle of the Zoya matte top coat that I received as a sample from a previous Zoya purchase from Ulta. I may have to start looking into some drugstore brands.


New mani coming soon!

xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, September 15, 2014

Essie Sable Collar

Happy Manicure Monday! Hope you've all had lovely weekends. I spent Saturday at my alma mater for homecoming weekend. It was wonderful visiting friends and spending time with my sorority sisters. It really made me want to go back to college! Although realistically I would just want to hang out around campus and not go to class. Can you imagine?

Anyway, I've been wanting to try a mani that has a bare nail design. After seeing this one around Pinterest I finally decided to go for it and I think it looks so chic!


I started with my base coat and after it dried I placed down my striping tape to make a triangle. I then used two coats of Essie Sable Collar and quickly removed the tape with tweezers. You don't have to use tweezers, but I promise you it makes the process much easier.

I just love the way this looks! I think it would look gorgeous with a matte top coat.

Here is the color I used: Essie Sable Collar

Described on Essie's website as a "pearlescent cocoa plum."

I think before I take this off I'll swipe a matte top coat over it and share the comparison with you.

xoxo,
   Brooke

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Ebates Review

Hey everyone! I don't know about you guys, but online shopping is my weakness. Maybe it's because I love receiving packages. I mean who doesn't like getting things in the mail? What if I told you that you could shop online and get a percentage of that money back. Sounds sketchy, right? I was super skeptical at first too when I heard about Ebates. In fact, I waited months before I finally caved and decided to try it out. That being said, Ebates is a legitimate cash back site, not a scam. If you are interested in trying Ebates you can sign up here.


Here's how it works. There are over 1,700 stores affiliated with Ebates. Each store gives you a percentage of cash back after your purchase, ranging from 1.0% and up. After completing your order, you will get an email from Ebates confirming how much cash back you earned. Four times a year or more you will receive a "big fat payment" in the form of a check in the mail or a deposit into your Paypal account, which is my preferred method. You can even donate the money to your favorite charity.

Step one: Sign up for Ebates. Your gift card bonus will be earned after your first $25 purchase.


Step two: Search for the store you want to shop at and click "Shop Now." I chose Sephora. 


Step three: Ebates will create a tracking ticket and take you over to the store. That's it!


Alternately, you could use the Ebates cash back button on your browser. I always use the cash back button for my shopping trips. You can get more information about the cash back button here.

Step one: Click your Ebates cash back button to either select your store or click to activate it while on the web page for your store.


Step two: Start shopping! You'll know your Ebates is activated if you see that little check next to the cash back button. It will even list current sales or coupons at the store you are shopping at.


My verdict: Why didn't I sign up for this sooner?! Seriously though, I could have been earning so much money back (which I may or may not use to help fund my nail polish addiction). If you are interested in trying Ebates you can sign up here.

xoxo,
   Brooke

Disclaimer: This post does contain referral links. If you sign up through my link and make purchases through Ebates, I will earn $5 for the referral. This will not affect you in any way. You do not have to use my referral link, but I would appreciate it if you did! All products were purchased with my own money and all views are my own. 

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Gray Day Mani

Hey everyone! I'm so happy the week is almost over. I feel like it has been dragging on forever. The weather today is cloudy and blah with rain coming in, so I decided to do a gray day mani with some sparkle. I thought about this one for a while in my head and I really like how it came out!


Here are the colors I used, from left to right: Essie Cashmere Bathrobe, Julep Taylor, Julep Aretha


If you're wondering about the Julep polish with the gold cap, Aretha, it is part of their birthstone collection. You can see the whole collection on Julep's website by clicking here.

xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, September 8, 2014

Copper Leopard = Fierce!

Happy Manicure Monday! I've got a super fun mani to share with you tonight. I haven't done a leopard print in a while and thought it would be a fierce way to start my week. I knew I wanted to use Revlon Copper Penny, a gorgeous shimmery copper metallic that almost looks gold. It has great coverage with one coat, but I ended up using two. The formula on this is very smooth and easy to work with. I think I may need to buy myself a backup bottle!

Doesn't leopard print make you feel so fierce?!

Here are the colors I used, from left to right: Revlon Copper Penny, Avon Vintage Boutique, Avon Rapid Black


xoxo,
   Brooke

Friday, September 5, 2014

Flower Friday

Happy Friday everyone! Today I have a cute flower manicure to share with you. I used all Julep polishes for this one. If you want to know more about Julep click here to see my previous post about how their subscription program works. If you're interested in trying Julep, you can click here to get your free 4-piece gift using the code "FREECITY" at checkout (just pay $2.99 for shipping).

Anyway, I used four different polishes for this mani and I absolutely love how it came out!



Here are the colors I used, from left to right: Julep Paulette, Julep Isla, Julep Yumi, & Julep Lola


Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

xoxo,
   Brooke

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Julep in any way. All products were purchased with my own money. This post does contain referral links. You don't have to use them, but I would appreciate it if you did!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Marshalls Haul

Hey everyone! I have a little haul from Marshalls, one of my all time favorite stores for everything from shoes to clothing to beauty products. I always find the best deals there, especially when they have the end of season clearance. I'll start with the three dresses I picked up.


My favorite dress of the three is definitely the coral dress on the left ($15). The material is so soft and comfortable! The dress in the middle ($12) is pretty and I love the pattern. It is easy to tell that the dress was made cheaply, which is what I find with some clothes at Marshalls, but at $12 how could you go wrong? I wasn't 100% sure about the maxi dress ($23) when I took it off the rack, but when I tried it on it just looked so flattering and the pattern is beautiful.

The next item I picked up was a definite splurge ($119), but I've been searching for a really nice black bag for a couple of years. It had to fit my requirements of having long straps, an inside zip, and an outside zip pocket for my phone. This DKNY bag fit all of the requirements and it feels absolutely amazing. It even came with a dust bag and that just made me feel so fancy!


The last two items I picked up were (can you guess?) nail polish! Marshalls actually has a pretty large selection of polishes. I chose Essie Sable Collar and Julep Isla. When I got these I also saw OPI, Ciate, ORLY, and China Glaze polishes.

 
Julep Isla ($3.99) & Essie Sable Collar ($4.99)

T.J.Maxx is also a good place to check for polishes, since it is owned by the same company as Marshalls. I've actually seen pretty big selections of Julep colors at T.J.Maxx recently, which is pleasantly surprising considering how expensive these are at full retail ($14). I hope this post was helpful for those of you who have yet to venture into Marshalls or T.J.Maxx. Happy shopping!

xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, September 1, 2014

Julep Queen Anne

Happy Manicure Monday everyone! Today's mani features Julep Queen Anne, described by Julep as a "lilac confetti micro glitter." This polish was made to celebrate Julep's three year anniversary. I absolutely love this polish and photos really do not do it justice. In direct sunlight it is so sparkly! The creme polish I have on is Butter London Molly Coddled.


Here are the colors I used: Julep Queen Anne & Butter London Molly Coddled

Love the way these look together!

xoxo,
   Brooke