Nicole OPI - For Gold Times Sake & If The Blue Fits...

Hello Lovely Friends! It is almost Friday! :D

Today I have a manicure that is a couple weeks old, but I really really like the colors and I have to share! I saw these polishes from Nicole OPI's Target-exclusive collection on a couple other blogs and HAD to have them.

Clicky Make Biggy

The colors in this manicure are If The Blue Fits... and For Gold Times Sake. These polishes are very shimmery and have so many beautiful colors hidden in them. If The Blue Fits... has a mixture of a lot of deep indigo blue shimmers with a touch of fuschia/purple and cyan shimmers. Just GORGEOUS! For Gold Times Sake is such a unique shade of dark gold with a hint of bronze and some iridescent shimmers that shift from blue to pinkish purple. I loved these polishes so much that when I got them, I had to wear them both at the same time! ;)

I took lots of photos to show off these lovely colors as much as possible. The formula was great on both of these pretties. As usual: one coat of base coat, two coats of the colors, and one coat of top coat. I was impressed with how long these lasted. I believe I wore them for 5 days without chips and barely any tip wear at all. I think the only reason I took the polish off was because I wanted a change, not because I needed to. :)

I wonder if this is normal with Nicole OPI polishes? I honestly only own one other polish of this brand and I can't remember what its formula was like.

Last but not least, an awkward photo of my right hand to show you how creative and fun I am. That's right. I got a little crazy and painted my right hand in a different pattern of colors than my left. Watch out guys, you never know what I'll do next!

Thank you for stopping by! :)

--Dixie

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August Birchbox

DDF - Brightening Cleanser (Full size $38)

As you can see on the back of the card above, this cleanser claims to use a team of skin brighteners to fade discoloration and even out skin tone. I don't think I can vouch for whether or not this works well on the brightening part because I don't feel that I have used it long enough to determine that. However, it DOES seem to cleanse thoroughly and remove makeup effectively. I tend to lean more towards acne face washes though, and since I have acne-prone skin I will likely not purchase this product.

Juicy Couture - Viva la Juicy La Fleur (Full size $70)

If you have read previous reviews here, you know I'm a fan of Juicy Couture perfumes. I was quite pleased with getting this sample because it is right down my alley. The scent is not as pleasing as the previous samples I've received, but I still like it, and I might consider purchasing it. What I usually do in these cases is purchase one of those $20 perfume rollerballs. Since I use so many different scents I never go through a full size bottle, and those rollerballs are perfect!

Noir - Long Wear Eyeliner (Full size $15)

Noir - Long Wear Eyeliner (Full size $15)

While there is no doubt that this eyeliner stayed put the two times I wore it, I'm not sure if it is because of its formula or because of my eye primer... I use the Urban Decay eye primer and it keeps my other shadows and liners in place wonderfully. Nevertheless, the staying power is not really what I'm concerned about. The pigmentation is the real issue. This eyeliner just doesn't really impress me with its color and intensity. It's difficult to explain, but this eyeliner is lacking something for me. It seems like a clearish black? I don't know. But I like my L'Oreal black eyeliner MUCH better.

Oscar Blandi - Jasmine Conditioner (Full size $22)

Well, I hate it when I get a conditioner and it isn't accompanied by a shampoo. Am I the only one that really likes my shampoo and conditioners to match? Does anyone else hate it when they run out of one before the other? Shouldn't they balance out?! 

I digress. This conditioner is lovely. It smells really pretty and it moisturizes well. I don't need anymore conditioners though. Come on, Birchbox. 

Shick - Hydro Silk Razor

This razor was the bonus gift this time. I was quite excited to try a new razor because I have been using the same Gillette Venus razor for AGES (probably at least 10 years, no joke). I have wondered if I was missing out on anything special but haven't purchased anything because I really love my razor. Funny thing to love so much, huh?

I hate to disappoint, but I REALLY didn't like this one. I tried it twice, and both times my legs had horrible razor burn. Also, I thought it would be nice to have all the extra moisturizers that the razor claimed to produce once you got it wet... but YUCK. It is super slimy and thick and it actually gets in the way of shaving. I definitely recommend the Gillette Venus razor and the "Embrace" razor heads with 5 blades and extra moisturizers. :)

That is all for today! I received the September Birchbox in the mail this weekend... *sigh* My work is never finished! ;)

--Dixie

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Illamasqua - Purity

Hello everyone!

Although it is quite late in the evening, here is the post that I said I would make! 

Above is a photo of the final manicure. Keep reading to learn more about what I used!

I started with a full manicure of Forever 21's unnamed "Grey" polish. I used this color in an accent nail HERE. What you see above is a base coat, two coats of the grey, and a top coat. By the time I finished with all of that I was tired and decided to postpone the rest of what I had planned until the next day. It worked out well because it gave everything plenty of time to dry. 

I wasn't upset about wearing this color by itself for a day, it is really pretty. I really love grays. :)

Here is what I ended up doing the next day. I received this Illamasqua Purity in a GlossyBox that I have not yet reviewed. I really wanted to use it because I have heard a lot of good things about this polish, but I didn't feel that this color went well with my skin color. However, I think that breaking it up a little with a half-moon really helped make it look nice. 

I know this is a blurry photo, but I really liked the angle. The formula of Purity is good. It was a little thick, but nothing I couldn't work with. If it got too difficult to paint on without globbing, I just closed it back up and gave it a little shake and it became much more manageable. It lasted a good 4 days or so with a little bit of tip wear. These photos show 2 coats of Purity followed by a topcoat. The day before I took the polish off, I added a layer of matte topcoat and I really liked how it looked. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo. 

Overall I'm pleased with how my first half-moon manicure turned out. I think I still have a lot to learn, but I surprise myself with each new thing I try!

Hope you all enjoy!

--Dixie

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Colorful Hair

Happy Saturday!

I am celebrating today's dreary weather by staying inside and being extremely lazy. I really wanted to share pictures of my new hair color with you all because I am VERY thrilled with how it turned out.

Click to Enlarge!

I always love doing fun new things with my hair, but I have continually had the same red hair for over 5 months now. So when I stumbled across a photo on Pinterest that showed a girl with red and purple hair, I had to try it out. I was slightly nervous because I've never tried anything quite so dramatic with my hair before, but here we are anyway! 

I decided to go with "peek-a-boos" so that the bright purple is a bit more discreet when I need it to be. When I want to show it off more, I just have to pin my hair back a little. 

I know bright colors aren't for everyone, so I won't be offended if you don't like it. :-P 

Also, I want to thank my hairdresser, Haley, for always doing such a fantastic job with my hair. She always handles my quirky requests without flinching, and goes above and beyond to make sure I am happy with the results! If you live in the Oklahoma City or Yukon/Mustang area and are interested in having Haley make your hair beautiful, just shoot me an e-mail and I'll give you her contact info (with her permission of course). :)

--Dixie

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Smurf and Turf!

Hey!

Today I'm sharing the first polish out of the eight that I received in the mail a couple days ago. This isn't really a new color for Zoya, they've had it for quite some time, but it is new to me and I had to have it!

Zoya Robyn is a very pretty sky blue cream. Zoya's website describes it as a "perfect turquoise cream", but I don't think this really strikes me as a turquoise...

Anyway, in the photos there are 2 coats of base coat, 2 coats of Robyn, and 1 coat of top coat. The reason I ended up doing 2 coats of my base coat was because I thought I read or heard somewhere that this one stains the nails. If I misremembered, it is at least better to be safe than sorry! As with most Zoya polishes, the formula was very good. The first coat has the potential to be a bit streaky if you're not careful, but the 2nd coat will smooth everything over and make it perdy. :)

The accent nail is the reason for the title of this post. My husband is quite clever with his words, and he insisted that I mention his cleverness in this post. I just used one of my nail art brushes and Zoya Meg (a polish that I already owned) to make the stripes. I had plans to be a little more fancy than 3 plain stripes, but it was late and I was sleepy!

Well... there's the lovely Zoya Robyn. What do you all think?

--Dixie

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July GlossyBox

Helloooooo!

I apologize in advance for the poor quality of the photographs. I am still working on improving my skills. Also, I didn't realize that these were so horrible until I looked at them about a month later and it was too late to redo most of them. They're clear enough for you to know what I'm talking about though, so keep on reading if you're interested.



Alessandro International - Pedix Heel Rescue Balm
(Full size $18.50)

This foot balm is basically like most other foot balms I've used. It is a thick cream that has a bit of a refreshing, minty scent, and it has a bit of a cooling effect as well. I used it on my husband's feet when he requested a foot massage and it really improved the dry skin on his heels. Thanks GlossyBox!!

I won't purchase this again simply because I didn't feel there was anything particularly unique about it. It is a nice product, but I can get what I feel is a very smilar product for cheaper at Walmart.



Ofra Cosmetics - Universal Eyebrow Pencil (Full size $10)

I honestly didn't think I would ever use this eyebrow pencil. I have dark eyebrows so I've never felt the need to fill them in. However, I did discover recently while getting a bit of a makeover in Sephora that I could improve the shape of my eyebrow a little.

I tried this out once and it seemed to match the shade of my eyebrows okay. It claims to be universal, but I'm not sure if it would work for everyone. Anyway, it added a little shape to my eyebrows, it was easy to use, and it didn't seem to smudge throughout the day. I'll probably use it again eventually, but as little as I do my eyebrows, it will last me forever. 

Sebastion - Color Ignite Multi Tone Shampoo  (Full size $14.95)

I really liked the smell of this shampoo. That is a BIG selling point for me on hair products. If it doesn't smell good, I probably won't use it in my hair. This wasn't one of the most lathery shampoos ever, but it got the job done when it comes to cleaning my hair. I didn't notice a difference between this and my normal drugstore-brand shampoos, but it looks pretty and smells pretty. :)

Sebastian - Color Ignite Multi Tone Conditioner (Full size $14.95)

This conditioner obviously complements the shampoo that was sent. It is unique because it is in an aerosol-type can and the conditioner is a foam consistency. It was weird at first, and since it wasn't creamy I wondered HOW IN THE WORLD it was going to moisturize my hair. But magically, after letting the foam sit in my hair for a few minutes and then rinsing it out, my hair felt very soft! It worked!

I actually considered purchasing this combo, but as I've mentioned before I have so many other samples to get through I probably won't.

Senna Cosmetics - Double Dose Lip Lacquer (Full size $22)

Bad photograph... sorry! This is obviously a double-ended lipgloss. I swatched them below on my hand so you can see the colors better. They are both pretty, but after using them on my lips once I haven't used them again. This gloss is sticky. :( That's really all I have to say. It's nothing really special.

Caswell-Massey - Almond & Aloe Hand & Body Emulsion (Full size $24)

Lastly are these emulsion samples. I'm going to be honest... I haven't touched them. I use more lotion on my hands in the fall and winter, so maybe I'll give them a go in a month or two.

Also, in regards to the post I made yesterday about my NAIL MAIL, the bright blue on the upper right (Zoya - Robyn) was the winner. I used it to paint my nails last night and have not had an opportunity to get the photos from my camera to my computer. I plan to do that this evening and hopefully it will be up no later than tomorrow evening, so keep an eye out! :) Thank you all for your input, and if your color didn't get the most votes, don't fret. I plan to get to ALL of them eventually.

Okay then. That's that! Thanks for reading. Have a GREAT evening.

--Dixie

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Zoya Nail Mail

I am just posting quickly in case you don't follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram... I received a lovely package of nail polish in the mail today!

Zoya gave their existing customers a fantastic "Back to School" deal. I bought four polishes and got four free, with free shipping. Who could pass up such a deal? Clearly I couldn't.

Anyway, I'm having a difficult time choosing which polish to start with, so I'm taking suggestions! I'll likely paint my nails tomorrow evening with whichever gets the most votes. :)

Thanks for your help!

--Dixie

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Sephora & Sally's Haul

Heyyyyyyyyyyyy!

I bought things. Some fun things. And I'm gonna show these things to you now. Okay. GO!

Benefit - They're Real! Mascara Mini ($10)

I purchased this because it came highly recommended from the ladies at Sephora. I decided to go with the miniature size just in case because the last mascara I bought that came highly recommended did not impress me. Honestly, I like the mascara. It isn't waterproof, so it does smudge just a bit, but not terribly. What I don't like about this mascara is the brush (as you can see in the photo below). It is quite large and I find it difficult to NOT get huge clumps of mascara in my lashes with this brush. I will likely use this until it is gone, but I'll probably go back to my usual L'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Mascara after it is empty. I'm glad I didn't purchase the full size since it runs $23. :O

The brush

Lorac - POREfection Baked Perfecting Powder (~$32)

I purchased this powder because I was almost out of my usual powder by Smashbox, and my favorite Sephora shopping buddy recommended it. There wasn't much of a price difference, so I tested it out in the store and decided to purchase it.

My verdict? I really like it. Lately, I've just been wearing powder by itself (with sunscreen and acne medication underneath). For a long time I used to wear tinted moisturizer by itself, but my skincare routine has changed in such a way that the tinted moisturizer wasn't working out anymore. Some of the medication that my dermatologist prescribed seriously did not like to be on my face with any sort of tinted moisturizer, so I switched to powder. The Smashbox powder gave me a decent amount of coverage while not looking very heavy. My new Lorac powder gives quite a bit more coverage while still not making me look like I'm wearing a ton of makeup.

Shade PF2 - Light

A bonus that I read on the packaging after I got home was that this powder is "infused with Salicylic Acid and antioxidants to help skin appear youthful, healthy and clear." Perfect! This powder was made for me I think!

The only negative thing I can think of is that this powder did not come with a powder puff, nor can you store one inside the compact. At least not while it is completely new. :-/ I have powder puffs and brushes that I can use to apply this, but it isn't convenient to tote around for quick touch-ups. For now I am leaving this one at home, and I have my almost empty Smashbox powder in my purse for emergencies.

Lorac - Color Me Couture Palette ($37)

This is the eye shadow palette that I ended up purchasing instead of the Stila palette that I originally planned to purchase (as mentioned in a previous blog post HERE).  I'll tell you more about it below.

How pretty is this?! This is probably why five fairly small pans of eye shadow cost $37, but isn't it nice to look at?

Unfortunately my photography skills aren't that great, so it is difficult to see the colors. The first shade is a shimmering creamy pearl, then a shimmering gold pearl, a shimmering bronze pearl, a shimmering olive green with gold pearl, and the last one is a shimmering black with gold pearl.

The black color is the whole reason I bought this palette. When I used the Stila palette that I keep referring to, there was a black shadow that had a very pretty purple shimmer in it. I used it to make a smoky eye, which I haven't really ever done, and I loved it. Then I saw this black with the gold shimmer and had to have it.

I have only used it a couple of times, and so far I really like it. Lorac eye shadows are very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. This will last me forever. :) Worth every penny.

China Glaze - Rare & Radiant, No Plain Jane, and Thataway

Lastly, I went to Sally Beauty Supply the same day to look for some new polishes. Lucky for me, China Glaze polishes were on sale! I've used the first polish above in a previous post HERE.

Again, my photographs are LAME. Not only am I not an awesome photographer, but I took these photos at night. STUPID. I edited the best I could to show the colors better.

Finger Paints - Fall of Suprises!, Sephora by OPI -- Traffic-Stopper Copper,
Orly - Androgynie

The polish in the middle (Sephora by OPI) came from Sephora. The other two were from Sally's. I already posted a swatch of Orly Androgynie HERE. Pretty sparkles!

I should be getting a small army of nail polishes in the mail from Zoya soon. Boy howdy have I been impatiently waiting for those! I'll share them as soon as I get the chance!

Thanks for reading this random post about things I bought for myself. :)

--Dixie

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