Sunday, December 31, 2017

New Year's Eve Nails!

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! This is my last post of 2017 - I can't believe the year is already over! So many exciting things happened, including getting married. I never did post a photo from the wedding, so here's one of me and the hubby! This will always be my favorite memory of 2017.


For my NYE mani I decided on a glitter gradient before I even looked back at last year's nails. I actually did a glitter gradient then too! Just with a light base. This time I went for black, which I used two coats of Zoya Willa for. It went on so smoothly and evenly. Definitely a great black polish for your collection if you don't have one yet. I used a mix of China Glaze Fairy Dust and Julep Amira for my glitter gradient. I love the chunky pieces of holographic glitter in Amira - perfect for a New Year's Eve mani!

A little tip for applying the glitter: I like to use a disposable eyeshadow applicator for more precise placement of the glitter.







I hope you all have a happy, healthy, and safe new year!

xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, December 18, 2017

Zoya Yuna

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? The hubby and I went last snowy Friday night to see the Spongebob Musical with my parents and had a great time. The show was super cute and fun! We spent the rest of the weekend tidying up around the apartment and relaxing.

Last night I did some fun stamping over top of Zoya Yuna, a blueish grey flecked with gorgeous golden shimmer. I grabbed my holiday themed Born Pretty Store stamping plate and used the star garland image. We're just nearing the end of Hanukkah, and I thought these were so perfect and festive for that. The color I used to stamp was Marc Jacobs Gatsby (kind of expensive to use for stamping, but the rose gold is just so pretty!)






Can't wait for this week to end so December break can finally be here! Hope you all have a quick and easy week.

xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, December 11, 2017

I'm Back! & ILNP Rogue

Hey everyone! I haven't posted in about two months, which is crazy I know. We got married in November so I was preoccupied with wedding things and then it took me a bit to get back into the swing of things. But I'm back! And I'm excited to share a beautiful polish from the newest ILNP collection with you.

This is Rogue, a deep crimson red holographic. I used two coats to reach full opacity. The sparkle is SO intense with this one, especially in the sun. Any time I encountered different lighting over the weekend I couldn't help but oooh and aaah. It's just so beautiful!

Application was easy and I didn't experience any staining during clean up/removal. If you're looking for a good red with a little something extra, this is definitely it.






I hope you have a great rest of the week! Us teachers are trying to get through the next two weeks. Winter break is so close but so far!

xoxo,
   Brooke

Monday, October 16, 2017

Influenster Erno Laszlo VoxBox

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? We went to look at our floral samples for the wedding which was such a fun experience. I also had my first dress fitting (eek!) and I'm more excited than ever about my dress and everything else. We're just about a month away!

Today I’m bringing you an awesome skincare product review. I received the Erno Laszlo Vitamin C Peel VoxBox a few days ago courtesy of Influenster. In case you didn't know, Influenster is an online community of consumers who give reviews on products and experiences. If you are active on the site, Influenster may invite you to participate in their VoxBox programs, where members receive complimentary products to review.


In the box I found the gorgeously packaged White Marble Dual Phase Vitamin C Peel (retails for $100). Powered by super-nutrient Vitamin C, this clarifying two-step peel gently polishes skin as it fades dark spots and discoloration. Protective antioxidants and collagen boosters combine to refine and renew skin, such as age-defying actives and brightening ingredients, including:

  • Vitamin C—the formula’s star multitasker—to reduce dark spots and dullness, lighten skin and jump-start collagen production.

  • Carrot seed oil to heal and balance dry or chapped skin, while helping fight age spots and sun damage.

  • Lactic acid to gently exfoliate skin so it’s properly prepped to absorb brightening, hydrating and healing nutrients.


Here's how it works:

Step 1 - Smooth peel over your face, avoiding eye areas, and massage gently for up to three minutes. I highly recommend cleansing your face before doing this. The first step is for exfoliation.

Step 2 - Mix 1-2 drops of the activator in your hands and massage onto your face over the peel. After one minute, rinse well with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel. This step will illuminate your skin and make it super smooth.


My final thoughts: I'll start by saying that I have VERY sensitive skin and I've never done a peel before. Needless to say I was slightly concerned for my face. When I opened these products, I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh, not overly strong orange scent. It's really quite pleasant and invigorating. I spent 3 minutes/the length of a new Sam Smith song gently working the peel into my skin. That is a long time to scrub! But it felt super nice. After putting two drops of the activator into my hand and massaging it into my skin, I started to feel a warming sensation that was at first slightly concerning but when I realized my skin wasn't burning I enjoyed it.

After rinsing my face I expected to be RED but was shocked to see that my skin was absolutely glowing! I couldn't believe how soft my face felt. It even lightened a couple of my acne scars. The next day my foundation applied flawlessly. My skin still feels soft days later. I am absolutely amazed by this product and look forward to working it in weekly to my skincare routine. I'm not one to jump to recommend pricey skincare products, but I honestly feel that this is worth it!

xoxo,
   Brooke


Disclosure: I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

Monday, October 9, 2017

Essie Sexy Divide

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? We went apple picking on Sunday even though it was like 80 degrees and humid. It definitely didn't feel like fall!

On my nails today I'm wearing Essie Sexy Divide, one of my all time favorite polishes. It's the prettiest deep eggplant purple with a bit of shimmer. The formula is easy to work with and it took two coats for opacity. I used these pretty 1.5mm pearls from Born Pretty Store for my accent nail. The color on the center is ILNP Chit Chat. I'm working on getting my nails stronger because they keep breaking and it's so frustrating! I know I have to be better about using cuticle oil during the day, which is when my hands get super dry from all the hand washing at school.







Btw, when you place an order with BPS make sure you use my discount code ASYW10 for 10% off. Have a great week and enjoy the fall weather!

xoxo,
   Brooke


Disclaimer: The nail art products in this post were provided for my honest review by the Born Pretty Store. All opinions are my own.
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Monday, October 2, 2017

Zoya Mona

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? I enjoyed the cooler temps and I'm starting to feel the fall vibes. It's getting me excited for the wedding in November!

Today I'm wearing Zoya Mona from the Sophisticates Collection. I only needed ONE coat of this burgundy plum creme. Seriously! I couldn't believe the opacity after the first swipe. I love this color and will definitely be wearing it on repeat this fall. I used my leaves stamping plate from Born Pretty Store to make this gorgeous design. The stamping color is Marc Jacobs Gatsby.




I took this close up with my iPhone 8 plus. It takes amazing photos!

I hope you all have a great week! Btw, when you place an order with BPS make sure you use my discount code ASYW10 for 10% off!

xoxo,
   Brooke



Disclaimer: The nail art products in this post were provided for my honest review by the Born Pretty Store. All opinions are my own.

Monday, September 18, 2017

Dried Flower Nails

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? Mine went by way too fast, as usual. I could use some extra sleep for sure. I was so tired all day at school! I even sat in my car for 10 minutes with my eyes closed before going into the building.

I was recently sent these awesome dried flowers from Born Pretty Store. The box comes with 12 colors of dried flowers and 2 sets of each (so 24 flowers total!) These flowers really couldn't be easier to apply. After your base color, adhere the flowers to your nails and seal with top coat. I used a dotting tool with a bit of top coat on it to help me pick up and place the flowers. I really love how they look and the color assortment is great.


For my nail color today I used two Zoya polishes. I realized that I used Zoya for the past couple of manis I did and I think I'm just really feeling the formula lately. I'm finding that when I paint my nails with Zoya polish my manicure lasts a bit longer than other brands. The color in the middle is Kendal, a muted/greyed out lavender. It would look really pretty during any season! The outer color is Tara, a dark purple/plum creme. I really could have even gotten away with one coat for that one, but went with my usual two. I LOVE this color and can see myself wearing it a lot this winter. Don't these colors just go perfectly with the flowers?!





Btw, when you place an order with BPS make sure you use my discount code ASYW10 for 10% off. Have a great week!

xoxo,
   Brooke


Disclaimer: The nail art products in this post were provided for my honest review by the Born Pretty Store. All opinions are my own.
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Monday, September 11, 2017

Innisfree Intensive Hydrating Serum

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? I stayed up way too late and then was not prepared at all for the school week. I'm missing summer soooooo bad :(

For the past week I've been trying out the Innisfree Intensive Hydrating Serum, which was gifted to me by preen.me. I did a little research about Innisfree and learned some really cool stuff. This brand sells natural Korean beauty products and this serum is one of their best sellers.

Here's some more info from their website: Innisfree offers products that are created with natural ingredients responsibly sourced from Korea's Jeju Island. The formulas in these products work for all skin concerns without the use of harmful chemicals and preservatives. They are also formulated with an average of 80% naturally-derived ingredients (wow!)

Let's talk about the Intensive Hydrating Serum ($25). Packed with amino acid and minerals, this balanced blend of Green Tea Extract and Green Tea Seed Oil works to replenish your optimal moisture level and create a strong moisture barrier to keep your skin moisturized longer. I think this will be perfect for my dry winter skin!


How to use: After cleansing, pump a few drops (I use two) of serum into your hand and gently pat it to clean, dry skin for optimal absorption. You really want to do this immediately after washing your face to lock in the moisture.

What I noticed after a week of use was pretty surprising. To be honest I never have high expectations for products like these. The first morning after I used this serum my skin was actually GLOWING. I was like wait what and literally did a double take in the mirror. After a week of use my skin seems brighter and definitely more hydrated.

I'm eyeing their pore clearing clay mousse mask to try next. Head over to http://us.innisfree.com/ to check out more of their cool products!

xoxo,

   Brooke

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Essie Urban Jungle

Hey everyone! I hope you're enjoying your weekend so far. The weather has been unusually cool here and is tricking me into thinking it's already fall. We're going to the US Open tomorrow and I'm hoping the incoming rain will end early so we can enjoy walking around.

I was looking at my new stamping plates from Born Pretty Store and was really feeling the summer template. I started with a base of Essie Urban Jungle, an almost nude that looks off white in some lighting and other times leans slightly pink. I used two coats here for full opacity. I then alternated stamping with the flamingo pattern and one of the leaf patterns. For the flamingo I used Essie Bachelorette Bash, which turned out to be the perfect pink. I used Essie Off Tropic (great name!) for the leaves. I found that the formula for this one was perfect for stamping.





I start school next week (first day is Tuesday) but I'm hoping to keep up with posting twice a week. Good luck to all of my fellow teachers getting started with the school year! Btw, when you place an order with BPS make sure you use my discount code ASYW10 for 10% off!

xoxo,
   Brooke


Disclaimer: The nail stamping products in this post were provided for my honest review by the Born Pretty Store. All opinions are my own.

Monday, August 28, 2017

Essie Island Hopping

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? On Saturday the fiancé and I spent the day in NYC - we got our wedding bands (!!!) and then had dinner and finally tried DO, Cookie Dough Confections. It's like an ice cream shop that scoops edible cookie dough. I honestly didn't think it was that great. The first few bites were like wow this is good and then after a few minutes I felt little sick. I'm glad we got to experience it but I probably won't be back.

Born Pretty Store sent me a couple of stamping plates and other fun nail art treats that I'm looking forward to trying out over the next few weeks. I recently picked up Essie Island Hopping and thought it would make the perfect base for some nail stamping with this leaves stamping plate. Island Hopping is a muted mauve with plum/purple undertones. I love this as a transitional color from summer into fall. It would look beautiful on so many skin tones! The formula is one of the best I've worked with and glides on perfectly without any streaks or patches. This was an easy two coater for me. Believe it or not I used a Revlon polish (Copper Penny) to stamp on this pretty design.





I hope you all have a great week! I'll be in my classroom today getting ready for the start of the school year (booooo). Btw, when you place an order with BPS make sure you use my discount code ASYW10 for 10% off!

xoxo,

Brooke



Disclaimer: The nail stamping products in this post were provided for my honest review by the Born Pretty Store. All opinions are my own.