Stuff & Things: Nail Polish Edition

Most of my blog posts around here lately have been about books or teaching.  I thought it would be nice to do something a bit more fun.

I also thought I'd take advantage of it being Thursday and link up this post with Kristin & Joey for Stuff & Things!

So let's talk nail polish!  I've been taking the time more often to give myself at home manicures.  This is probably mostly due to the fact that Scott is working all of the time, and I have nothing better to do with my time, but that is neither here nor there.

Here are some of my manis from the last month:

1. Julep "Nancy"
2. Julep "Linda" with Pure Ice "Beware" on the accent nail
3. Essie "Smokin' Hot"
4. Julep "Sandi" with Julep "Sigourney" accent nail (That purple is actually darker than the flash made it appear.  There wasn't quite as much contrast between those nails and the accent nail.)
5. Julep gray polish (the sticker with the name came off!) and Julep "Yumi" on the accent nails

Julep is a monthly box subscription service for nail polish and beauty products.  While I certainly don't get a box each month, you can do whatever works best for you (and your wallet)!  You choose a style that fits best for you and can even customize your box.  Boxes start out at $20, but you just pay shipping on your first box!  If you'd like to sign up and join the fun, click here!

The 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Swap...Reveal!

I am honored to have hosted The 4th Annual Pumpkin Swap again this year with Kristin!  She is a MUCH better blogger than I am, and I'm thankful that she still hosts this with me because who doesn't love a good swap!?

This year, I was partnered with Joey from HodgesPodges.  As always, I have loved getting to "know" my swap partner and reading her blog.  As it turns out, we both have a deep love of nail polish!  Be sure to hop on over to her blog today to see what I sent to her in the swap!

Package immediately upon opening

Sweet little note from Joey

Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream, Sparkly silver nail polish, journal, and colored pens

I think Joey hit the nail on the head.  There are few things that I love more than pens and nail polish!  The cuticle cream and journal will definitely be put to good use! :)

I didn't mind that the package wasn't specifically fall themed, but truthfully, I'll be using these items IN the fall, so that counts, right?!

Thank you to everyone who joined us this year for The 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Swap!  Link up below, and visit the other bloggers who joined us!  It's always fun to see what others received from their partners!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Rose VoxBox: Part 2 {Kiss Gradation Polishes}

As you know, I was lucky enough to get the Rose VoxBox from Influenster. 

Here's what's inside:

 

Rimmel Retro Mania Glam Mascara

Lindt Lindor Truffle

Kiss Gradation Polishes

Dr. Scholl's for Her Cozy Cushions

belVita Crunchy Breakfast Biscuits

Vitabath Hydrating Lotion

 

When I got my first VoxBox, I won a brand challenge with Kiss, and I received the Gradation Polishes in  gold.  For whatever reason, I've procrastinated trying it, and therefore, blogging about it.  (I also got false eyelashes and lash glue as part of my prize.  I don't wear them, so we'll see if I ever actually try those....)

 

Anyway, since I now had two different colors, I figured I'd better give this one a try!  (Especially since it's part of the VoxBox and brand challenges to do so.)  Now that I did, I'm excited to try the other one, too!

 

The color in the VoxBox is called Film Noir. 

 

 

I was worried that doing something like this would take forever.  It actually took me less time than it usually takes to paint my nails.  For starters, I didn't need a base coat since the step one polish is a light color.  It essentially serves as the base coat.  This polish also dries pretty quickly, which is good for someone as impatient as I am. 

 

It is recommended that you finish one hand at a time.  This recommendation is not necessary for step one, but it is essential for steps two and three.

 

Step 1: Paint all nails with the step one polish.  You need two coats.

 



 

Step 2: Use the step two polish and paint 1/3 of your nail.

 

Step 3: Immediately (aka before the step two polish dries) take the step three polish and paint 1/2 of your nail to blend the colors.

 

 

I did steps two and three one nail at a time.  I did my first two nails with step two and then step three, but I didn't think that worked quite as well.

 

I did use a top coat once the polish was completely dry. 

 

The only complaint I have about this polish was that the lids were difficult to open.  The step one polish was almost impossible.  Luckily the other two polishes weren't as difficult, but still! 

 

If you're looking to get in on the ombre nail trend, I would definitely recommend trying Kiss Gradation Polishes.  :)

 

 

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.
These are my opinions only. I am not compensated by Influenster or Kiss for my thoughts on this product.

 



Free Stuff!

I've mentioned before that I'm a Julep Maven!  You can see my profile on the left sidebar (I'm a bombshell ;) )!  You can read my other posts here, here, and here.

via

So, why am I mentioning it again?? 

Because there's the chance for you to get a free Julep Maven box!  Here's how it works:
When you sign up to be a Julep Maven, you take a style profile quiz, and they set you up with a particular style based on your answer.  As I mentioned above, I'm a bombshell!  My friend, Tarole, is a Boho Glam.  Every month, you get a box with full-size products.  Most boxes include 2 nail polish colors and another beauty product for you to enjoy.  My first box had a warming footscrub, the second had a cuticle treatment, and the last box I received had a DD cream. 

Being a Julep Maven is $19.99 a month...BUT WAIT.  Don't run away yet.  You don't have to order every month.  If you can't afford it, don't like the products, or any other reason you can think of, you can opt out of the month.  As long as you do it before a scheduled date, you will not be charged for the month.  You could also choose to send your box as a gift if you want.  OR if you don't like the colors offered within your style profile for a month, you can switch and get the colors from another profile.

You're wondering about the free part now, aren't you?

When you sign up for Julep, your first box is totally free.  PLUS if two of you sign up, I'm going to be able to get my next box for free, too! 

So what do you say??

Head on over and sign up today: http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/136185/

Summer Mani

Before I get started, have you read about my Blog Party??  I'll wait......









Ok.

I really do love painting my finger nails.  I get to do it more in the summer because I have more time.  I can't stand it when polish starts to peel and chip.  Then I have no time to take it off and repaint. 

I digress.

I've mentioned before that I'm a Julep Maven.

Julep is a fun company that offers you an opportunity to receive a monthly box of full-size nail polishes and beauty products for just $19.99.  The best part is that you don't have to get your box each month.  If money is tight, you can just skip the month.  To become a Maven, you take a style quiz.  I'm a bombshell.  :)  HOWEVER, you're not stuck with your style profile.  If you don't like it, you can change it.  Or maybe you like another style's nail polish colors better, you can try those for a month instead.  With each purchase, you earn Jules that can be applied to future purchases.

This was my Maven box for June:

The nail polish is wrapped up in a colorful paper bag and tied with the ribbon.  I love it.  :)  This box also had a few pieces of taffy.  There's always a little surprise in your box!

My colors for the month: Payton and Raegan

Though I probably shouldn't have (for budget reasons), I wanted to try the DD cream, and I really loved that green (Payton).  I have a few outfits I've been wearing that have a green that shade.  I thought it would be a great compliment to them.  It still will be, but that's not the first way I chose to use it....

 

 

Pink and green go great together! 

 

I'm going to try to be a little more adventurous next time, too.  I thought that if I paint the thumb pink, go around the outside of the nail with green, and paint on some black dots, it may look like a watermelon!  What do you think??

 

If you're interested in becoming a Julep Maven, use this link to sign up: http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/136185/.  I get Jules if you join!  :)

Friday Fashion: Julep Nail Polish Review

In March, I became a Julep Maven.  I shared my first Maven Box, and reviewed their foot & hand scrub that I received.

I have finally gotten around to trying out the nail polish from that box.  (And since, I've received my second box.  If I ever have time, I'll share that with you.  Maybe next week.) 

As you may have read yesterday in my "It's Ok Thursdays" post, it's been warm in Pennsylvania, and I was able to wear flip flops this week.  I really don't like wearing open toed shoes without my toenails painted.  So on Monday night, I grabbed my Juelp nailpolish, and quickly painted my nails.  To refresh your memory, this was the first Maven box I received.

 

I chose to use the color on your left.  I believe it's called Eva.  I honestly had a hard time telling whether it was red or dark pink.  I'll be honest, I still can't completely tell!  haha  I quickly put a drop on a piece of paper, and it looked pink to me.  I'm still going with pink, but I even questioned it myself yesterday.

 

Either way, I like it.

 

 

I love having my nails painted...toenails AND fingernails.  I just hardly ever paint my fingernails because I feel like I have to take so much more time with them, and my right hand always looks like it was painted by a two-year-old because I am just not that coordinated with my left hand!  haha PLUS, I also don't like having to take it off, and chipped fingernail polish (especially in dark colors) doesn't look so nice.  But, toenail polish always seems to last forever on me. 

 

So anyway, here's what I liked about this nail polish:

1. I only used one coat.  (It says to use two, but it was late, and I felt that one was sufficient.)

2. It dried pretty quickly.  (I played a round of Candy Crush Saga, and they were pretty much dry after that.)

 

I did use a base coat.  I don't always do this with my toenails, but I do when I'm using darker colors.  I used Sally Hansen's Double Duty Base & Top Coat.  After that dried, I applied one coat of Eva.  I didn't use a top coat.

 

I'm looking forward to trying my other Julep colors soon!