Weekly Nail v.52

Feeling very inspired by the extremely nice weather we've been having, and the China Glaze Electric Nights (Summer 2015 Collection) polish set I just recently purchased, I decided to share a weekly nail. It's been I think since last Autumn since I shared one.. or did anything to my nails to be honest. Work has left me with very bare, brittle nails and almost no time to paint them. 

Glow With The Flow // China Glaze

Denise // Julep

Black // Color Club Art Club Nail Striper

Seche Vite Top Coat

This neon pink is amazing. The photos can't do it justice. If you're looking for a true, bright, Barbie pink - this is the one. And it pairs perfectly with Julep's newest shade of purple, Denise. They make the cutest leopard print ever! Unfortunately, Seche Vite is mega shiny and I can never take good photos with it.  

xo Amber 

Most Recent Maven Boxes

I haven't been posting my Julep Maven boxes lately, and that's not for lack of having kept up my subscription. In fact, I think I've accumulated more in the last three months than I have in half of last year. It was mostly because my old computer was shot, and I couldn't really edit and post photos. Now, with Julep limiting their affiliate program to the US only, I cannot offer any coupon codes or deals anymore, but, I'd still love to share my maven boxes and hopefully talk some of you into getting into it, because I seriously am a woman obsessed. So without further ado, here's my most recent Maven boxes.

March

This month they introduced their new lipstick line, Light On Your Lips. The old me would have probably skipped this month, but because I am now completely addicted to lipstick, I could not wait to get my hands on some of these shades. I was also quite pleased with how Julep was finally releasing a liquid eye liner. The polish colours this month were not entirely my favourite either, however, I did get a few cute ones for my collection. I had signed a friend up the previous month and since she decided she didn't want to pursue the subscription, I kind of forgot to cancel the account and ended up with two boxes. So, that was a plus for me! Here's what was in my boxes:

Light On Your Lips - Chit Chat

Light On Your Lips - Twirl

Fluid Eye Glider

Ali

Nayely
CTRL+Z Make Up Eraser

Get In Line Invisible Lip Liner

Francis - Gift for having 3 add ons

Katie - Spring Break Gift Polish

The lipstick is exactly what a perfect lipstick should be. It glides on smooth and evenly, lasts forever, doesn't get my coffee cup all pink, and the best part? The case is magnetic! It never opens in my purse and it collects all the loose bobby pins. Genius. And the best thing Julep has ever come up with. As you can tell by the photos, I've used them quite a bit. Twirl (a carnation pink) is my favourite, but I do love Chit Chat for when I'm at work because it's a subtle rose creme, but still makes a statement.

The eye glider is really nice, too, and easy to apply. I especially like that it somehow heightens my ability to wing out my eyeliner. I don't find it as bold as the Revlon liquid eyeliner I swear by, but it's a good thing for my make up kit none the less. The invisible lip liner is pretty neat, despite that I don't use it that often. The cap was seemingly glued on when I got it and I basically broke it trying to get the cap off. And you can only sharpen it if you have their special sharpener, which thank goodness I do. CTRL+Z is cheap in price, and probably for the best. It works, but sometimes eyeliner stays on it and then you're just drawing black lines on yourself instead of erasing it.

Ali is a gorgeous soft matte baby blue, and probably my favourite out of this box. Nayleya is a very pretty peach which I was really excited about, but, unfortunately mine came with a crack in the cap and is too sticky to use after I applied it once. Boo. Francis is a gorgeous muted pea green and I can't get enough of it, and I have yet to use Katie but it looks really rad and I can't wait to try it.

April 

I've never really been one to worry about shaping and colouring my brows, but mine are pretty light so I was a little bit intrigued about the new eyebrow pencils Julep had for April. The formula goes on like a gel, dries like a powder and holds on like a wax. To be honest, I was more eager for the vibrant and gorgeous polishes for April, and of course, the new shades of lipstick! Here's what was in my April box:

Don't Leave Your Brows At Home - Cool Brown

Addison

Drew

Angie

Light On Your Lips - Footloose

I can't really give a review for the eyebrow pencil, except that the packaging for it is really sleek and small. I've used it once and quite frankly, might not use it again because I prefer my brows light. It will be nice for going out maybe, because it is a really cool gadget regardless of my neglect. Addison and Drew are a really bright neon yellow and a vibrant hot pink. In. Love. So in love. These will probably be my two go to Summer shades. And Angie... Aaaaaangie. Bless you, holographic polish.

And I mean, who can turn down a lipstick called Footloose. Julep says it's Poppy but I find its more a coral pink. Yum.

May 

My most recent maven box was really exciting because Julep introduced eyeshadow duos. And they actually do feel like velvet! I loved every colour but had to limit myself to only two, because hey, I'm not rich. I couldn't help myself with the beautiful colours this month too so I scooped up two polishes with my Jules points. Here's what was in this month's box:

Feels Like Velvet - Moonlight & Starlight

Feels Like Velvet - 5th Ave & Broadway

Denise

Moni

I cannot say enough about Feels Like Velvet. This eye shadow is amazingly smooth and, literally, velvety to the touch. It applies full coverage and dense, you really only need one swipe and you're good to go. I've been wearing it this week and so far, it's lasted through my work day. My favourite has to be the matte peach from 5th Ave & Broadway, it really compliments my skin tone. Definitely one of my favourite products Julep has come out with so far.

Denise is a really true crocus purple. I haven't worn it yet but hot damn, I can imagine it's gorgeous and I will most likely run it dry this Summer. The same goes for Moni. If you're ever looking for the perfect blue, you found it sister. 

Oh my gosh, I have too much make up. Said no girl ever. xo Amber

Winter Lush Haul

By now it should be no secret to anyone that I love Lush Cosmetics - who doesn't? And what's not to love about divinely smelling, animal friendly and mostly vegan, fun beauty products that are good for you and the environment? I've been getting Lush for quite a few years now and from time to time I've posted the odd review of products I love. I realized it had been awhile since I've done that so I decided I'd start documenting my Lush hauls from now on, to remember for myself which products I like and for what reasons I didn't like other products. Let this also be a guide for all you lovely people who either are new to Lush, or are curious about products before you splurge (Because let's face it, Lush can really break the bank sometimes.)

Our winter has been really bad and the effect on my hands has been tragic. Between the extreme cold (we're talking -40C here), and constantly washing my hands at work, they got SO dry and sore. My poor knuckles have been cracking, bleeding and showing no signs of hope. So, I knew I had to order some Helping Hands - a product my sister swears by. Of course you can never really buy one thing when you go to Lush so here are a few other things I picked up, too. 

Helping Hands

This cream is an absolute miracle worker! After rubbing it on my hands just twice, I already saw signs of healing. Like I said my hands were beyond repair, but I've been using it for about a week now and they are almost already back to normal. The chamomile kinds of makes it not the most pleasant smelling product, but it leaves your hands and arms feeling so, so soft and relieves pain from dry, cracking skin. I honestly will buy this time and time again, just to leave it at work to help our poor paws. The best part about it is that I've applied it probably 30 times already and I've barely even dented my 100g pot.

Update! I wrote this post out last week, and I'm happy to report that my hands and knuckles are now completely dry and crack free! Hurray Helping Hands!

D'Fluff

It's hard to refuse anything that's strawberry scented, and I'll be honest, that's basically the only reason I ordered this shaving cream. As a pretty pink, fluffy strawberry mousse, it lives up to its name. It also left my legs feeling so gorgeously soft and the smell lingered for awhile. However, it probably is the messiest Lush product I've ever used. I somehow managed to get it on the ceiling, the curtain and all over one wall of my shower. I cannot tell you how this happened but I can tell you that for the amount you waste trying to apply it, and trying to avoid it from running off your legs before you shave, it hardly seems worth it. Unless you figure out how to use it sparingly, because, despite its texture and difficult application, it actually really did leave my extremely dry and flaky legs nice and soft for a day or so. I can't help but think it smells exactly like something familiar to me, but I can't quite put my finger on it.. hmm.

New Charity Pot

If you're familiar with Lush, you know that Charity Pot is a body lotion they made (one of their cheapest!) and 100% of the proceeds go straight to grassroots organizations for human rights, animal welfare and environmental conservation. I've ordered this time after time, not only because it's for a great cause, but it literally smells like Valentines Day - fragrant flowers and a box of chocolates. I smothered myself in this for awhile, but, hadn't got a new one in awhile. They recently changed the formula to a self preserving, more floral lotion. Nixing the chocolaty scent was exactly what Charity Pot needed - I'm obsessed with it all over again. I've tried a few Lush lotions now but nothing quite quenches my thirsty skin like Charity Pot does and doesn't leave you feeling greasy. Plus, it makes you smell like you just frolicked in a field of flowers for a week. You can also buy it in small pots for $7 which is perfect for sharing with friends! The old formula is still available, too.


Ayesha
I usually try a new face mask every time I'm in store. I picked this one up mainly because it's one of the last ones that I had yet to try, and there was limited availability in that particular store. Ayesha is great if you want to rid your face of all that dull skin. It left my face a little tight afterwards, but not in a bad way. My skin also looked brighter. This isn't the greatest smelling face mask (nothing can beat Cupcake!) but it is worth a shot if your face is looking a little tired. This wasn't from my online order, but it was from a fairly recent haul and I felt like it was worth sharing. Would I get it again? Maybe, once in a blue moon.

Fresh Farmacy

This was a sample I received for ordering. I always like when I order online because I like not knowing what my sample will be and it helps me try things I'd most likely not try on my own. I've read countless reviews about Fresh Farmacy and heard it was nothing short of a miracle for acne and redness prone skin. I'm constantly on the hunt for things that will deplete the redness in my face so I was pretty excited to see this was my sample. I tried it that night before my shower. It's somewhat easy to apply and you literally need a morsel of it.

The smell is bad but doesn't linger afterwards so it's no big deal. I'm just not a big fan of the combination of calamine and chamomile (the one negative to Helping Hands, too). I left it on my face for a few minutes and rinsed it off in the shower, so it came off fairly easy as all I had to do was stick my face under water. I noticed immediately that it left that squeaky clean feeling on my face. Which, surprisingly, I wasn't very into. It felt like I just washed my face with a regular bar of soap and left my face feeling SO tight and dry afterwards. I suppose if I moisturized or toned afterwards it might not have the same effect. I'm not sure if I'd buy this product myself, but for the amount I used and I still have my entire sample slice, I'd imagine it's pretty worth it for a 100g bar at $10 a pop.

Kalamazoo

This was something I got Jesse for Christmas but I decided it counts as part of this Lush haul. It counts, okay? I feel like I've been waiting for the perfect product to introduce Jesse to Lush because he just can't fathom why I spend so much money on it. Enter Kalamazoo, a facial wash specifically for beards! I was immediately sold, I didn't care what it smelled like or what it did. Jesse had to have it. When it arrived I realized it was a fruity concoction which made me love it even more. It wasn't without hesitation that I put it in Jesse's stocking, and couldn't wait for him to accidentally leave it in the shower for me to sneak a pea sized about for me.

He didn't use it for weeks (insert squinty eye emoji here). But, when he finally did, he came out of the shower and exclaimed his love for the citrus y cleanser. It leaves his beard feeling and looking soft and the right amount of fluffy. He uses it in his hair sometimes, too. I was beyond excited that he liked it and I now can't stop smelling his beard. At $10 for 100g you really can't beat it considering you only need a thimble's worth for your entire face and a decent beard. And between you and me, it's an excellent facial cleanser for girls, too. My face has never been softer. Shh... 

What Lush products have you been swooning over? Any that you've tried and wish you didn't?

xo Amber

This is not a sponsored post, I just genuinely love Lush Cosmetics and use the crap out of all their products. All opinions are very much my own.

A Weekly Nail Round Up

Hey, remember when I used to do weekly nail posts? Me either. But apparently I did, it seems so long ago! Here are some of my favourite, easiest manicures. Hopefully they will inspire me to start doodling on my nails again, and inspire you to brighten up your manis, too!

Mint Pinstripes Ashley G Inspired Muted Polka Dots Cactus Like Neon Animal Print Monster Eyes Pretty Polka Dots

Basic Tribal

Summer is the ideal time for doing designs on my nails. I just feel so uninspired in the winter months. Having a look back sure is giving me the itch to paint my nails though!

Have you noticed my blog is different? It's a completely new, custom template. I couldn't be more happy with it. It's finally so clean and fully functional. I will be re doing my pages (about, collaborate, favourite posts, etc) soon, but besides that everything is perfect. There will be a few adjustments to advertising now that I'm back to posting regularly. More about that later...

xo Amber

January My Maven Box

Being a Maven has opened me up to try so many new beauty products and dip my toes into products I never would try on my own. Specifically make up. I've tried so many nice things that I know I couldn't live without now! For instance, the Luxe Lip conditioning treatment in January's Maven boxes has been a miracle worker for me during this winter weather. We've had one heck of a winter, and my lips are thanking me for using Luxe Lip.  Once again, I decided to use my powers to switch up my box with My Maven, instead of choosing one box and sticking with it, My Maven lets you opt out of the products you're not hot on and pick new shades, or products you are more interested in. Here's what I got this month:

• Luxe Lip Treatment  - Sheer Fig
• Gel Eye Glider - Olive
• Casey 
• Gel Eye Glider Sharpener (Add On)
• Metamorphic Top Coat - Tilda (Gift)

My box had the Luxe Lip in Sheer Coral, which is lovely but I decided to try Sheer Fig because I don't have many colours like that. I am obsessed with how the metal applicator cools my lips and even though the gloss isn't the greatest smell, I love the texture of it. Not too sticky and not too wet. The reviews for this gloss aren't that great, not a lot of people enjoyed it but its honestly my favourite gloss so far and will most likely get another as an add on this month!
Casey is said to be a "Galapagos teal creme" and it is definitely on point. The colour shows up on my nails exactly as shown on the website and on the bottle. It's a gorgeous deep teal and perfect for winter! I only needed one coat for good coverage, but two made it bolder. It came off my nails great, too. I usually have a hard time with any teals leaving stains on my skin and cuticles after removal but it hardly left any. 

The eye glider is also nice. I'm not big on coloured eye liner but this olive green is a nice tone and matches my eyes. Glides on easy and doesn't smudge. I have yet to use the sharpener, but I'm going to keep my expectations low, because most sharpeners don't do crap. I'm hoping this one is different. I also haven't used the metamorphic top coat, which was a nice gift from Julep, just for being a Maven! It sounds interesting though and I will definitely show you guys when I use it!
If you would like to become a Maven there are two awesome choices: 
Join Monthly: With your first box at 50% off, you can start your Maven subscription month by month, which helps if you're just dipping your toes into subscription boxes. You can opt out at any time. If this sounds good for you, do the Maven Quiz to see which box is best for you, and check out . Or you can receive this great box, with two beautiful lipsticks using the code WOW.    Get 3 Months: Pay for 3 months in advance and get your first box free and all other boxes at 20% off! This option is great for you if you love all kinds of beauty products and couldn't be bothered with monthly payments. You can also receive the lipstick bundle by using the code BESTVALUE. Here are some other choices for special edition Welcome Boxes, just use the appropriate code: 


xo Amber
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Good Habits For Healthy, Beautiful Nails

As I get older, I found that I have unintentionally started taking care of my body. I moisturize more. I care about what I eat (sometimes). I pay attention to what is in the products that I use on my skin. The thing that I found to be most important in my new obsession with caring for my body, is nail care. I've always loved painting my nails but never spent much time making sure they were healthy.

Now, I'm no nail care professional, but, for the past two years or so I've had some time to come up with an effective routine. Sometimes it is rather tedious to go through the motions of cleaning and prepping your nails before painting them, but I assure you, it's the number one reason my cuticles and nails look good. So here are five good habits for healthier, stronger, beautiful nails.

Keep Them Clean
This is the single most important thing you need to do that will help your nails grow stronger and prevent hang nails and nasty infections. You'll actually enjoy tending to your nails before painting them once you get the hang of doing it regularly. My usual regime for cleaning my nails goes as follows:

• Remove any nail polish left on your nails. I use acetone free remover with vitamin E. It does tend to take longer to remove polish but it's a lot healthier for your nails. 
• Wash your hands with mild soap and warm water, massage cuticle butter into nails bed if desired. If you have time, a good 5-10 minute soak in warm water never hurt nobody.
• Clip or file any nails that aren't to your preferred length. Do not cut your nails too short or cut your cuticles. You can avoid infection by leaving them be. If your cuticles are getting a little unruly, it's fine to gently push them back a tiny bit.
• Very gently buff your nails to your preference. I usually use the flat side of my buffer if I'm not planning on painting my nails to leave them shiny and beautiful, and use the rougher side to buff them matte before I paint my nails. I don't know if there is any specific way you're suppose to buff them, but, you can do it any way that works best for you. 

Use A Cuticle Oil Or Butter
Taking care of my cuticles if the best thing to ever happen to my hands. I apply Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream or if I have it, Lush Cosmetic's Lemony Flutter to my cuticles and fingers as often as I remember to, and always after I've tended to my nail beds before painting them. It leaves the skin so soft and moisturized and makes for a way easier nail painting experience. After I've painted my nails and they've dried, I always apply a coat of Essie's Apricot Cuticle Oil to my nail beds and massage them until absorbed. Definitely two great investments, your cuticles will thank you and your nails will grow stronger.

Let Them Breathe
I don't follow this rule as much as I should, but, it probably is pretty important when trying to keep your nails healthy and beautiful. Before I had a nail routine, I always found that my nails looked dingy and yellow after removing polish. More times than not, my nails would be stained from whatever colour I had on previously. I always just painted over it instead of letting them repair themselves. Now that I clean my nails regularly and remove any stains by gently buffing the area, they actually grow better and don't split as easily. The growth is much, much healthier after I let them breath for a day or two in between colours.

Tip: If you can't stand a bare nail, Julep carries a special oxygen treatment that is a light pink that helps let your nails breathe while still looking adorable. 

Apply Thin Layers Of Polish
After getting into the habit of steps 1-3, your nails are going to feel like they've spent a week at the spa. You will find they'll also be a lot easier to paint. If you find you have trouble keeping your polish from peeling quickly, it's most likely due to how you're applying it. Your first coat should be really thin, so that it dries fast and works as a primer for the second coat. If you have a quality polish, two coats should do the job. If you're using a thin formula, it pays to do thin layers so that a third one won't be too thick, which is why polish peels.

Tip: I suggest also finding a great top coat that dries fast. Seche Vite is a big favourite for everyone, but if you're looking for a formula that is better for the environment, I've been a fan of Essie's Good To Go and Julep's Polymer Top Coat.

Avoid Painting Your Cuticles
I always thought it was weird that you wouldn't want to paint your entire nail, but once I started doing it, I was hooked. It makes your manicure look 1000x better. It also helps your cuticles from drying out, feeling sore, or looking messy. Start at the base of your nail, leaving a small gap between your cuticle and the start of the polish. Your brush should make a rounded stroke and be easy to shape your polish the same curve as your cuticle. Then do two more strokes, one on each side of your middle stroke, avoiding the sides of your nails. If you get any on your skin just quickly scrap it off with your thumb nail. You won't need to spend any time shaping around the base of your nail with your second coat because gravity will just let it settle on top of your first coat.

It doesn't even have to look perfect, because it will still look amazing compared to painting your cuticles and skin. Practice makes perfect and you will be able to paint your nails without touching your cuticles in no time.

Tip: Pay attention to the brushes when picking out nail polishes. I have brand favourites based on the brush and not necessarily their formulas or colours. It's all preference, and you will discover what works best for you. 

Do you have a nail care regime? What are your favourite polish brands or products for nail health? Do share, as I'm always looking for new things to try!

xo Amber
This post was not sponsored by any company, however I have used links pertaining to my relationship with Julep. 
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Weekly Nail v.51

China Glaze in Papaya Punch

Julep in Beatrix

Sally Sansen Big Shiny Top Coat

It's not often that you'll find me wearing orange polish. But, I do have a few shades in my collection specifically for October. Halloween is my favourite time of the year, besides Christmas (duh), and I love coming up with ways to paint my nails in theme of the spooky day. This mani is pretty simple - one coat orange, one coat of this black multidimensional glitter. It has all kinds of coloured glitter in it but it works for Halloween because it's predominantly black speckles. I got Beatrix for free actually. as a bonus for being a Maven for so many months, you get perks like occasional free polishes or generous coupon codes. I picked Beatrix out of a slew of colours to choose from, a few months back. I'm really happy I chose it because it's probably my favourite glitter to date. Speaking of becoming a Maven, you can now receive this awesome 4 piece Halloween maven box for free when you sign up! Just use the code FREETREATS. Also, no pressure, but I'd like it very much if you'd be a doll and use my referral code (361148) when you sign up!

This isn't much of a nail tutorial at all, but I will let you in on a little secret - there may be a few cute and easy Halloween nail tutorials in this blog's future. Shhh....

xo Amber
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Mercer + James // Gents Grooming Essentials For Fall

Labor Day is over, and it’s time to face the music – fall will be here any moment. The changing seasons can wreak havoc on your skin- with sweltering heat one day and chilly breezes the next, your face ends up losing its clear summer glow very quickly. For guys this can be especially true, with razor burn and other irritations adding insult to injury. Before you head to the skincare aisle of CVS, try taking a few tips from the grooming regimens of yesteryear, and let your face look dapper regardless of the weather. 

TRY A SAFETY RAZOR: A CLASSIC TOOL FOR A CLOSE, CLEAN SHAVE 

The skin of the face is subject to the biggest swings in atmosphere- UV exposure, hot and cold air, and pollution are just the first that pop to mind. Then when shaving, men often use the same cartridge blades for weeks at a time. Even though it looks like the hair is being cut, a dull or microscopically damaged blade is just pulling and ripping the hair, leading to skin irritation. Enter the safety razor. Invented a little over a century ago, the safety razor holds a double sided razor blade inside, exposing just the edges. The shaver then rinses and turns the razor to switch sides between swipes, resulting in a very close shave and a blade that lasts twice as long. This means no more pulling/ripping – just a close shave without all the facial torture. The replacement blades are also incredibly inexpensive – often a small fraction of the cost of plastic disposable cartridges. Finally, they are really gorgeous tools that will look great in your bathroom – so much better than a bulky electric razor that steals your counter space!

SHAVING OIL: A NATURAL PROTECTOR FOR YOUR FACE 

Adding in a proper shaving oil is the truly old-school way to shave; it was used long before modern soaps and gels were in introduced, and lubricates your skin to let the blade do its work effectively. It also helps moisturize and protect your skin long after shaving, creating a natural barrier to the harsh elements the world throws at your face. After taking a hot shower, massage all-natural shaving oil onto your skin and continue to the shave without yet rinsing. Shaving oil will not only prep the hair and skin and prevent nicks, but since it’s made of natural oils and nothing more it’s so safe that you can feel confident putting it on your skin.

THE SHAVING BRUSH: A FUN EXTRA FOR CLEAR SKIN 

The shaving brush is a great accessory that we sell as part of all our sets. It has a three-part purpose: to apply shaving soap, to exfoliate skin for a clear complexion, and to lift individual hairs up for a very close and accurate shave. Shaving brushes are useful year-round, but are especially great during changing seasons because the swings in temperature very quickly dry out the skin on your face. This leads to dead skin cells that make the complexion look dull, and even worse clogged pores and irrigation. A good-quality shaving brush cuts down on all of that, and will last for ages if properly cared for. We only sell pure badger hair brushes that are hand-knotted, all of which means they’ll last much longer than more cheaply made acrylic or horse bristles that are glued in place. Plus, they look awesome! 

THE ALUM BLOCK: A SAFE AND ANCIENT REMEDY 
No matter how careful you are, or what products you use, you’re bound to get nicks and skin irritation at some point. The best thing to do, however, is to find a simple and natural solution to deal with the issue. Using alum on nicks and cuts or irritated skin is as old as history. Alum is a natural mineral with anti-microbial properties that gently keeps your skin from becoming infected, and helps the blood clot to stop bleeding. It’s a safe and effective tool to keep on hand so you’re ready for whatever little accident may come your way! 

If you’re wondering who this bizarre sage from the internet might be, my name is Elizabeth and I head up the product design for Mercer + James, a men’s grooming and accessories brand that I started with my hubby a couple years back. We started our online shop, Mercer + James, from our home in New York and continue to run it together, sharing a collection of things we design ourselves along with high-quality tools and products that we curate from our travels. Take a gander at our site, and find a whole collection meant to help you enjoy your daily routine, and look good while doing it. I could certainly go on for pages and pages with all the old-school tools on the market (both at our little store and elsewhere), but these are truly the basics for starting with classic shaving. Now go forth, and upgrade your morning routine with some classic flair!

Half Moon Chevron Nails Tutorial

Last week I showcased my lovely dark green half moon chevron nails, and today I'm going to show you how easy it is to achieve! With a little bit of patience, anyone can do this, even beginners. As you can see they still look fine even when they are a little messy! Practice makes perfect (and I did these in a rush).

What You'll Need:

Clean, well pampered nail beds

Nail polish

Washi tape

Scissors

Top coat

♥ Clean nails is a give in, of course. But the reason I stress that it's important for this mani is that your base is just your bare nail, so you're going to want it to look fresh and healthy. If you can't get them to where you'd like them, you can always use a colour for your base. Apply one layer of polish, preferably a lighter colour than you've chosen for your main colour. It's okay if one coat doesn't full cover the nail, because its only going to peak out anyway. I wouldn't suggest doing more than one coat. Let that dry completely (over an hour) before doing step two.

♥ After you've cleaned your nails or painted your base colour, cut your washi tape into squares, then cut the squares diagonally in half, so they're triangles. These will be what you're using to make the chevron. Do enough for all your nails and put them somewhere that they're easier to acquire. 

♥ Start with whatever hand is most comfortable for you, and place one of the triangles at the base of your pinky finger. It's up to you how big you want your triangles to be, but I usually place the bottom part of the triangle just below my cuticle, to achieve smaller triangles. Press firmly until the tape is smooth on your nail. This is important so the polish doesn't bleed through. You can add the rest of the triangles to your fingers before applying polish, just make sure you smooth out the tape before applying polish to each nail. 

♥ Apply one coat of polish to the rest of your nail, making sure you're completely covering what the tape isn't. If the polish you chose is thin, apply another coat. Wait a minute or two before slowly removing to tape. If you pull too wet, it will not take the triangle shape and most likely pull with the tape and be a big mess. If you pull completely dry the polish will most likely just pull with the tape, too. It's just good judgement.

♥ Repeat steps 3 and 4 on each nail until complete. Wait until completely dry before applying a good top coat. Et voila! The easiest mani! This also works for round half moons, just use reinforcement labels.

Weekly Nail v.49

China Glaze in Sun Worshiper Revlon in Siren (similar) Julep in Sheila
It's been a long time since I've done ombre, so these didn't turn out quite like I wanted. But, I was showing my sister how to achieve the style so I figured I'd share. These colours blended really well, and were actually brighter than they appear hear. Like a golden sunset! What colours do you like to ombre with? xo

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July Maven Box Review + Free Box Promo Code

I feel like I'm starting to sound like a broken record but holy smokes, am I ever sick of Julep coming out with shimmers, glitters and chromes for their Maven boxes. FINALLY - they released a collection that was strictly creme polishes. For the first time this year, I ordered my box without hesitation. Shipping was delayed so it finally just came to me not so long ago. I wanted a few days to test out the lotion to give a thorough review. That also gave me time to wear my two polishes for a couple days, too.

I always order the Boho Glam box because it never disappoints. This time though, neither my mom or I could decide which box to pick because we like different colours from other boxes. So, I chose the Classic With A Twist box, and mom chose to stick with her regular box, Bombshell. We then each traded one of our polishes, I got the teal colour from her box and she got the peach colour from mine. I must say though, at first I kind of regret passing up the peach! Here's what was in each box:

Classic With A Twist

Kelsey - Powder peach creme

Vicki - Pink Flamingo creme

Bare Body Milk 

Bombshell

Lissa - Tumbled turquoise creme

Beverly - Boysenberry creme

Bare Body Milk 

The two colours in Classic with a Twist are so feminine and pretty. I don't have enough of that in my collection so I was so excited. Vicki is actually the most perfect pink I've ever owned. Kelsey is very gorgeous but didn't match my skin tone very well (seen here), so I am okay with the fact that I traded. Lissa is the one I traded for the peach polish and I'm glad I did. It's so so so cute and is well paired with many colours (seen here). It did stain my fingers a bit from removal but I have yet to find a turquoise/green/seafoam that hasn't. Beverly is gorgeous but definitely an Autumn colour for me. My mom really loves it!

Finally, let's talk about Bare Body Milk. Julep describes it as "an ultra hydrating body lotion for thirsty skin. The lightweight, fast-absorbing formula leaves a soft, silky finish that’s not heavy or greasy, and our signature Beach Tonic fragrance lets you smell like summer all year long." That pretty much sums it up. I have yet to find a lotion that keeps my legs hydrated for over an hour until now. It absorbs almost immediately and doesn't leave my skin feeling heavy or greasy like most lotions do. The only lotions I've found that don't do that are Lush Cosmetic lotions but still, none seem to keep my legs hydrated for very long. I've been using Bare Body Milk after showers and every night before bed and my skin is so incredibly soft! I'm not amazed by the scent, I'm more of a fruity scent gal and currently pining over everything coconut, but it's not a scent I would complain about at all! It's a nice subtle, lady like scent. 

Overall, I'm quite happy with the creme polishes from July's collection and 100% in love with Bare Body Milk. I definitely will be ordering more when I run out and use it all year round. 

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥ 

Are you a Maven yet? If not, and you're interested, you can receive your first Maven box free with the code FREEBOX upon check out. All you have to do is pay $2.99 for shipping and voila - full sized products right at your doorstep, for free! There's a few new welcome boxes available at the moment that are limited edition, including the Summer Nights box, Nautical box and Summer Brights box. And if you're going to sign up, I would really appreciate anyone adding my referral code to their order, by copying and pasting the number 361148 into the designated box upon check out! Thanks! xo

The products in this review were not compensated. I am, however, affiliated with Julep and thus will receive a small compensation if a link is clicked and a purchase is made. That being said, I only promote products I truly adore and all opinions are solely my own. To read more about affiliate links, click here :)