Shannon’s Complimentary December Julep Maven box!

Early on in December I received an e-mail from Julep with tracking information on a Maven box.  I got the e-mail on my cell phone so I had to wait ‘til I could get to a computer to open the e-mail to really find out what was going on.  I knew I didn’t sign up for a box.  When I finally got to a computer I noticed I received another e-mail from Julep so I opened that and saw they provided me with a complimentary December Julep Maven box for the holiday season!  To say I was surprised was an understatement!

My American Beauty box arrived and I have to say the polish shades I received were completely GORGEOUS!  I also received a Julep Instant Warming Foot Scrub along with a peppermint puff and a jeweled ring.  I’ll be honest, I ended up tossing the ring in the garbage because it would have turned my skin green in a millisecond (my skin is very sensitive to jewelry). I have not tried the food scrub as of yet because I have a peppermint one I bought a while back in my shower.

The two polish shades I received were as follows:

-          Patti

o       According to Julep, Patti is: a full coverage black multi-dimensional glitter.

-          Julia

o       According to Julep, Julia is a: purple orchid with golden micro-glitter metallic.

Shannon’s Belated Avon Haul

First – my apologies as this is an older haul.  The photos have been sitting on my camera waiting for me to post and I’ve been neglecting them as I’ve been going after the more recent photos lately.  But neglect aside – this is an Avon haul/purchase I had made.  For a while I was obsessed and ordering Avon every 2-weeks when a new campaign arrived.  Since I haven’t been given a new campaign book I haven’t purchased anything in a while.  Which reminds me … I need to contact my Avon representative.  But enough rambling aside here’s what I picked up:

-    Avon Nail Pro+ Nail Polish -  Jade
-    Avon Nail Pro+ Nail Polish -  Sunshine
-    Avon Nail Pro+ Nail Polish -  Lagoon
-    Avon True Color Eyeshadow Quad – Caribbean Sunset
-    Avon Ultra Luxury Lip Liner – Chocolate
-    Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner – Soft Black

Shannon's $1.13 Copious Haul

A number of weeks back, I received an e-mail for a $10 credit which was applied to my account for the weekend.  While surfing the web, I decided to check out what Copious had to offer.  Since at that time I was on a "don't spend any money unnecessarily" kick (which I need to get back to...) I opted to spend as close to the $10 without going overboard unnecessarily since I truly don't NEED anything and I should really sell some of the stuff I have.  Anyway!  I've heard a lot of things about Kleancolor nail polishes and since I have never tried them -- I decided to get two of the colors that interested me the most.

Here's what I picked up:

Kleancolor Chunky Holo Bluebell.  I picked this up because I love blue polishes and with this being a holo polish, it'd be a great top coat over it.

Kleancolor Black Out.  I picked this up because I have been lusting over the Revlon Runway collection polish - Sparkle Aplent.  Granted it's not an exact replica, but it's pretty close.

So there you have it, my $1.13 Copious haul!  Can't go wrong for 66 cents per nail polish.

Klout Perk - Essie - Stylenomics

I received this Essie nail polish in Stylenomics from a Klout Perk a few weeks back.  I admit this is a very overdue post, but a late post is better than no post!  I opted into the perk and received it 3-6 weeks after the perk was closed.  I wasn't sure what shade I would be awarded as colors are just randomly chosen and sent off to those selected.

Stylenomics is from the Fall 2012 collection.  According to Essie, Stylenomics is a very dark green creme polish.  The polish appears slightly green, but it really looks more grey/brown-black than anything else.  I admit I have not worn this on my nails as of yet.

Haul: Colormates Nail Art

 This is a little quick Dollar Tree haul featuring the Colormates Nail Art polishes.  I’ve been wanting to try nail art on my nails, but I admit I’m not the most steady handed so we’ll see how it turns out once I do get around to it.  I’ve been seeing a lot of gorgeous manicures and was hoping to give it a shot.  I did buy these because the black glitter and the purple glitter polish were really unique and I had not seen them before, or at least not noticed them until now.  I do admit I would love to paint my nails in just those two colors alone I think they’re that gorgeous.

The 3 shades I picked up are as follows:
-    White (a pure white shade)
-    Glitz (a purple based glitter with pink, blue and silver glitters)
-    Black Glitter (a black shade with mini gold glitters)

SPOTTED: Revlon’s Sparkle Aplenty nail polish – Runway Report Display

This is quite possibly the most beautiful Revlon nail polish I have seen in a while. While zipping thru Walgreen’s the other day I spotted this and immediately fell in love. Lets back-track for a moment here, I happen to be pretty obsessed with dark color nail polishes (for a while I was all about black nail polish) so it does not come as a surprise that I am completely in love with this Sparkle Aplenty shade. Just from the naked eye to draw a comparison you could compare this against Revlon’s Scandalous nail polish which is the purple colored glitter based nail polish.

Sparkle Aplenty is a thin black polish which has black and silver small and large chunky glitters in it. I personally have not swatched it so I cannot state whether or not it applies nicely, but it’s such a gorgeous shade. It retails for $4.99 at Walgreen’s and I’m sure it will start popping up at other pharmacies and department stores in the weeks to come. The nail polish is featured on a single display which only houses the new shade – the display name is Runway Report.

SPOTTED: Sinful Colors Hot Flash Metallics Collection

 On my way into Walgreen’s to get a bottle of soda I of course breezed past the beauty section.  Typically when I’m just browsing I only check the first 3 little subsections at the front of my store and then anything on/near the check-out counter in the beauty section.  There was nothing really eye catching on the first little 3-rowed section at the front, but there was a display near the beauty check-out counter that immediately caught my eye.  I first picked up 2 shades and put them back telling myself I did not need them (self control – hoorah! Although … I did go back 2 days later to get them). So I took out my phone and snapped a few photos of it because they are just gorgeous, gorgeous colors and I haven’t seen them discussed on any beauty blogger site that I tend to browse through on occasion.

Metallic polishes have been popping up on the market as they are seemingly the “it” thing in the polish world.  Essie has the most notable collection of metallic polishes which I think can pretty much be found anywhere now (for a while they weren’t in my local area but now they are all over the place).  From what I understand with the Sinful Colors polishes is all Walgreens do not have the displays up yet.  I’ve been to three separate Walgreen’s over the past week and have spotted the display in 2 of them; the other did not have it out.  The first Walgreen’s I went to had it out for at least a few days because it had some purchases off it.  The store I went to today was fully-stocked and looked like it was just put out this morning.  Anyway!

The display contains 8 nail polishes.  One of which I wouldn’t say is metallic (the red) but who am I to judge?  There are 2 colors which are very similar to one another (Zincing of You and Super Nova) which are literally a few shades lighter/darker from one another and the blues (Precious Metal and Hot Wired).  One is a brighter blue shade and the other is a darker which is a black based blue.  But I will say ALL are gorgeous.  The shades in this collection are as follows:

-    Precious Metal
-    Zincing of You
-    Hot Wired
-    Moss Have
-    Heavy Metal
-    Super Nova
-    Gone Platinum
-    Hot Hot Heat

FREEBIE: Essie - Stroke of Brilliance

About a month or so ago I received an Essie Klout perk invitation.  I opted into the perk and was advised in 4-6 weeks I'd be receiving my Essie nail polish in the mail.  I wasn't sure if it was going to be Stroke of Brilliance or if it was going to be another Luxeffects polish since with the last Essie perk all those who opted into the perk received different shades from the summer collection.

Stroke of Brilliance is a stunning blue and silver glitter polish.  The glitter sizes range between small and medium hexagon shapes.  If you are familiar with Essie's A Cut Above, the glitter sizes are pretty similar.  This will be perfect as a glitter top coat for a darker shade -- blues, teals, grays, etc.

Disclaimer: I was given a free product or sample because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

SWATCH: Shrimp on the Barbie – Spoiled (Wet n Wild)

Shrimp on the Barbie is featured in the Spoiled line by Wet n Wild which is sold exclusively at CVS. These nail polishes retail for $1.99/ea but you can get them for as low as $0.99 during a sale – even free if you have some ECB’s to throw at them. I had become quite obsessed with the shades and purchased a whole bunch – this particular shade being one of the ones I bought on a final around thru CVS after purchasing a whole lot of them. I found it was increasingly difficult to find a CVS that had a full display showcasing all the colors in this collection. The brushes on these are wider and remind me of the Sally Hansen Insta Dry brushes and the formula is pretty stellar for a $2 polish. I quite enjoy them.

Shrimp on the Barbie is a gorgeous red based coral-y shade that has a whole bunch of golden flecks in it. It takes only two coats to become completely opaque and I find it applies effortlessly. The color itself is reminiscent of a shrimps shell after it has been cooked thru. The flecks in it are a nice touch and they reflect beautifully in sunlight.

I do say this would be a perfect manicure AND pedicure shade, perfect for summer and even days where you’re lounging on the beach catching some rays.

SWATCH: Julep’s “Lily” - plus GIVEAWAY!!

 This is the final polish I received in my “It Girl” VIP Blogger box courtesy of Julep Maven. This particular polish is in the shade “Lily”. According to Julep this is described as a “sizzling fuchsia crème.” The fuchsia is true to shade, but I will admit I was a little surprised by the formula on this polish. The other 2 nail polishes I reviewed and provided swatches for were very much like a crème nail polish. Although, this one has the consistency and appearance of a matte nail polish. Not a true matte, but a matte polish.

 It took 2 coats for the polish to become opaque, but it dries really quickly on the nail and looks rather … well, matte. In order to make it look shiny, you would need a top coat to bring some sheen to it. In the photographs it’s the polish straight up on the nail with no top coat. I was actually quite surprised with how quickly this dried. It dried in a quarter of the time in comparison to the other two Julep shades I received in my It Girl box. It is a pretty shade and the formula is not hard to work – this one does not get goopy, it’s the easiest out of the 3 colors to maneuver on the nail.

If you want to enter my giveaway being sponsored by Julep to win the “It Girl” box I reviewed make sure to check out my blog post! Do take note, there’s only ONE DAY left!

If you’re interested in becoming a Julep Maven, I’d appreciate if you’d sign up using my referral link!

SWATCH: Julep's "Daisy" & GIVEAWAY!

 

Out of the three polishes I received in my “It Girl” Julep Maven box as part of their VIP Beauty Blogger box, I will say hands down; this nail polish is the one that surprised me the most.  My initial reaction to the polish in the bottle was disappointment.  Looking at it, it looks a little sheer – but as you can tell from the swatch it’s anything but!  I’m so happy that it’s opaque and just all around GORGEOUSNESS!

 

This particular Julep nail polish is in the shade Daisy.  According to Julep, Daisy is a “bright lemon yellow crème.”  The description is spot on.  I find with yellow polishes most of them are dull, soft, baby yellows. This is vibrant and bright – anything but a soft and gentle shade.  It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for in a yellow and I am so happy to now have this in my collection.  Yellow also happens to be my favorite color, so that’s another reason why I love it so.

It took only 2 coats for this to be completely opaque.  You could get away with one if you want it to be a bit more “dulled” down, but the second coat definitely reduces the streaks, builds up the color and gives it that crème finish.  The formula on this is pretty interesting.  It’s relatively thick, so it can get goopy on you if you apply too much, but it for some reason spread out over my nail and stayed put.  I’ve found with other polishes, the moment it starts to spread it’s all over the place – but this one didn’t do that surprisingly.

Overall, I really love this polish and am pleasantly surprised with the quality of it.

NOTE: If you’d like to enter my giveaway sponsored by Julep Maven, enter via rafflecopter here.  Also, if you’re interested in becoming a Julep Maven, I’d appreciate if you’d sign up using my referral link.

SWATCH: Julep “Sasha” & GIVEAWAY

This is one of the nail polishes I received in my “It Girl” VIP Beauty Blogger box from Julep.  This is actually the nail polish that had me really intrigued in the box and end up deciding I wanted this one.  The shade is an absolutely stunning one and it reminded me a lot of Butter London’s Trout Pout (which I do not own so I cannot compare).

According to Julep, Sasha is a “fresh, cantaloupe melon crème.”  I’d say this is a pretty spot on description for the polish.  It wears beautifully, very creamy.  The polish itself is somewhat thick, so two coats and it’s completely opaque.  I will say if you’re not careful with application it can get a little goopy.  This is not a polish you want to apply with a heavy hand. You can see on my ring finger I had a little goopy action going on.  Of course a coat of Seche Vite may have smoothed that out and made it unnoticeable but I didn’t top it with Seche so I cannot confirm or deny if that’d work.

Overall I think this is a gorgeous and fun summer appropriate shade.  I’d really love this to be my pedicure because with my skin tone as the background the cantaloupe shade just pops!

BTW: If you want to enter my GIVEAWAY being sponsored by Julep to win the “It Girl” box I reviewed HERE, check it out!  Giveaway ends in 4-days!

Overdue CVS Haul

This is a super late CVS haul on my behalf - tsk, tsk.  This was actually my birthday haul (May 22nd) because I wanted to buy myself something for my birthday as a pick-me-up (like I need an excuse to shop, right?).  I popped into CVS on the way to see my father and picked up a few things for myself.  I ended up getting a few nail polishes and a lipgloss.  Not like I really needed any but, I'm impulsive and it's what I ended up getting.  I've really wanted Essie's Wrapped in Rubies for a long while now and this CVS happened to have it in stock, sooo I had to have it. Why? Because I'm impulsive and items just jump in my basket.  I really wanted Essie's Play Date but I didn't want to spend $16 on 2 Essie polishes so I ended up seeing a Rimmel duo and the shade was relatively similar.  I haven't tried any Rimmel polishes in the past, so I'd like to see how this lives up as a manicure.

So here's what I picked up:
- Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish in Wild Orchard
- Rimmel Base Coat & Top Coat Pro
- Rimmel Lip Gloss in My Eternity
- Essie Nail Polish in Wrapped in Rubies

Big Lots: Revlon Nail Polish Haul

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Health & Beauty » Big Lots: Revlon Nail Polish Haul

This here is an over due haul from Big Lots! I popped into Big Lots randomly a number of weeks back and struck gold in the beauty department. In case you are not aware, Big Lots stocks 2-packs of Revlon nail polish for $2.00 a pack -- making each individual polish $1/each. Generally when I have gone to Big Lots they tend to have the same run of the mill polishes in stock. But this time they had a whole slew of new ones and for some reason this Scented "Fizz" line totally caught my eye and I snagged the packs with all the different shades. I felt they were beautiful and totally summer/spring appropriate. I then spotted a pack of Top Speed polishes -- the shade Mistletoe being one of the shades I REALLY wanted around Christmas time because it was just so unique and different -- but I refused to pay nearly $9 for it in CVS -- but I got it now and for a whole $1!

Here's what I picked up:
- Colada Fizz
- Mint Fizz
- Watermelon Fizz
- Apple-tini Fizz
- Grapefruit Fizz
- Grape Fizz
- Pineapple Fizz
- Orange Fizz
- Mistletoe
- Decadem