Gelous Advanced Nail Gel Coat Manicure

Essie Come Here! and Beyond Cozy accent nail

Hello there! I've been seeing a pin floating around Pinterest for a few years for a cheap DIY gel manicure. The posts include the Gelous Advanced Gel Coat from Sally's Beauty Supply, nail color of choice, and any quick drying glossy top coat. The instructions are as follows:

1. Start with clean, dry nails.
2. Apply 2 coats of Gelous, allowing about 45 seconds between thin coats.
3. Apply a thin coat of your nail color of choice. Allow to dry for a few minutes.
4. Apply another thin coat of Gelous and allow to semi-dry.
5. Apply another thin coat of color and allow to dry a few minutes.
6. Finish off with a fast drying top coat. It is optional to use the Gelous on top again as top coat. Make sure to go over the edge of the nail to really seal in the polish.

Essie Come Here! and Beyond Cozy accent nail

Ooooh, so shiny!

In the photo above, you can see the bottle of Gelous. My manicure is 5 days old in this picture and you can see some minor chipping. Honestly, 5 days is a lot for me because I get bored with my nail polish easily, and most polish chips within the first few days. In the picture below, you can see the chips but the Gelous kept my manicure very shiny after 5 days.

Manicure after 5 days of wear

It might seem like a lot of steps just to make your manicure a little more shiny and to last a little bit longer, but I think it is worth it! I'm able to paint my nails before bed without worrying about the dreaded blanket smudge. I will be repurchasing Gelous. I don't always follow the exact steps. Sometimes I'll just use Gelous as a base coat alone. Feel free to play around with what works best for your nails.

I hope you enjoyed this post and give Gelous a try! It is only $5.99 at Sally's Beauty Supply.

Drugstore Lipstick Collection Swatches

Hello there! In my last post, I shared with you some swatches of my drugstore lip gloss collection. Today I am going to show you all of my drugstore lipsticks! I actually don’t wear lip products (except for lip balm) very often. When I do, I tend to reach for my Revlon Lip Butters. I’ll be doing a completely separate post on the lip butters next. But for now, I’m going to focus on my lipsticks.

I am going to divide this post by color family: Pinks and Reds. Here are lip swatches of the Pinks, and I'll have individual swatches below. **Click on images to enlarge!**

Clockwise from top right corner: Revlon Baby Pink, Maybelline Born With It, Covergirl Watermelon Twist, Milani Vivacious Fuchsia, and Covergirl Fairytale

Packaging

Baby Pink, Born With It, Watermelon Twist, Fairytale, Vivacious Fuchsia

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick- 020 Baby Pink

To be honest, I’ve never worn this lipstick except to swatch it. I found this on clearance for about $2 because this line of Revlon lipsticks is discontinued. I thought it was so pretty when I first bought it, but I haven’t even worn it since! But after swatching it today, I think I will reach for this more often. Baby Pink is a cool toned pink with a very fine silver shimmer. The formula is very creamy and pigmented. I think this shade might be a little too pale for everyday wear, but definitely pretty.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick- 015 Born With It

I reviewed this color a few years ago on this blog. It was one of my first drugstore lipsticks and I’ve loved it ever since. Born With It is absolutely a “my lips but better” shade for me. It is a little warmer in color than Baby Pink. It is perfect to wear every day and is appropriate any time of day. The formula is very creamy and comfortable on the lips. I believe this lipstick will flatter most skin tones.

Covergirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm- 215 Watermelon Twist

This jumbo lip pencil is perfect to throw in your purse without worrying about it. It twists up to expose more product. Watermelon Twist is a pretty, bright, warm pink, very similar in color to the Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart. For me, the formula drags a little on my lips and isn’t the most moisturizing, but still wears comfortably.

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick- 405 Fairytale

This is another lipstick I haven’t actually worn before. From the swatch you might understand why. This baby is BRIGHT. Fairytale is a vibrant coral lipstick. This is another product that is just a little bit dry to my taste. Other reviews on these lipsticks claim that these are moisturizing. But when I apply this I get little dry patches of color, as you can probably see in the swatch above. I need to rub in the color with my fingers to even everything out. Maybe when I’m feeling super sassy I’ll finally wear this color out. It would be perfect for a girl’s night out!

Milani HD Advanced Lipstick- 112 Vivacious Fuchsia

I received this product from Milani a few years ago from a giveaway, and shared swatches on my blog previously. I just wanted to give this lipstick some more love. Vivacious Fuchsia is exactly what its name says, vivacious and fuchsia. It glides on so smoothly and it smells heavenly! It has a fruity watermelon scent, which might bother some people. This is a great color for a night out or if you’re feeling sassy during the day. These HD Advanced lipsticks might be discontinued because I found a few in my local Dollar Tree. 

Now on to the Reds.

Counterclockwise from top left corner: Milani Candy Apple, L'Oreal Blushing Berry, Revlon Cherries in the Snow, NYX Mary Janes, and Maybelline Red Revival

Candy Apple, Blushing Berry, Cherries in the Snow, Red Revival, and Mary Janes

Milani HD Advanced Lipstick- 114 Candy Apple

I found Candy Apple in my local Dollar Tree for only $1 when the original retail of these were about $8. That's a steal! This is a bright pinkish red that glides on super nicely. It isn't totally opaque which makes it pretty wearable. I think this is a red for the summer.

L’Oreal Color Riche Lipstick- 590 Blushing Berry

I'm in a performance group at my university and we were told to wear a berry red lipstick. I went on a hunt for the perfect one, and this is the one I've been wearing the last three years. It is a little bit deeper in person. This is the color I think of when I think of berry lipsticks. The formula is nice and creamy.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick- 440 Cherries In The Snow

This is one of Revlon's iconic shades that has survived for years. Cherries in the Snow is a bright pinky toned red. It's a little more red in person but this swatch shows the pinkness of it really well. The formula is creamy like a dream, and this color stains my lip a bit. Perfect for the cold winter months!

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick- 645 Red Revival

Last fall, I was determined to find my perfect red lipstick. I was down the makeup isle, and saw a poster for the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks. I adored the lipstick the model was wearing and it told me which one it was. I bought it and fell in love. This swatch doesn't do the color justice, especially with that line on my upper lip. (Sorry!) This red is a little bit of a deeper red in person, and I swear it is the perfect red for me.
Here is a picture of me wearing Red Revival. (My first time showing my face on this blog... ahhhhh!!!)

Me wearing Maybelline Red Revival

NYX Butter Lipstick- BLS08 Mary Janes

Mary Janes is actually very similar to Maybelline Red Revival. I had to buy this after seeing swatches online. It applies so easily and it is a nice deep red. I'll definitely be alternating between this and Red Revival in the fall and winter months when I gravitate towards reds. I've read that many people think the NYX Butter Lipsticks are cheaply packaged, but I kind of like it. It's not nearly as chic as the Revlon Superlustrous packaging, but I think it's pretty durable.

Those are all of my drugstore lipsticks. Some might say I have too many or too little. I think I have just enough variety to get me by on a poor college girl's budget. I hope you enjoyed the swatches & I'd love to know what drugstore lipsticks are your favorites!

Have a lovely day!! :)

Favorite Drugstore Lip Glosses

Hello there! I wanted to share some of my favorite affordable lip glosses from the drugstore. These can range from $4-$10 depending on where you purchase them. The pictures were taken in different lighting situations, that is why there are two of each picture. That way you can see how they can look different depending on lighting. I also did these swatches fairly quickly, so please excuse any messy-ness.

NYX Mega Shine Lip Glosses ($4.99 at Ulta)

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss- Dolly Pink

Dolly Pink is a bright almost fuchsia hot pink. It is much brighter in the bottle, so don't be afraid to give this a try. I think this is perfect for a girl's night out because it is really bright & girly. The formula on all of these NYX glosses is very creamy and glides on like a dream. These last maybe an hour on my lips, but I know when I wear any lip gloss it won't last too long. None of them feel sticky on the lips.

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss- Tea Rose

Tea Rose is a "my lips but better" shade for me. It is a very pretty warm pink. This could definitely be an every day color for most people. Again, the formula was very creamy.

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss- Beige

I believe Beige is one of the most well-known NYX shades in the beauty community. It's a beautiful and wearable creamy bubble gum pink, but it's name is Beige... I find that very interesting! It's one of my favorite lip glosses because it really goes with any makeup look I do.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss- Coral Reef ($6.48 at Target)

This is an old Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss. The new ones come in a round tube with different shades. I'm not sure if Coral Reef still exists, but I'm sure you could find it online. This appears much brighter in the tube, and is more natural on the lips. It definitely gives a coral glow to the lips, but it is super wearable. Perfect for Spring & Summer! This gloss is a tad bit sticky, but I feel like it's just the right amount of "sticky" to help it stay on the lips without feeling to uncomfortable.

Rimmel Stay Glossy Lip Gloss- Timeless Allure ($4.99 at Walgreens)

Rimmel Timeless Allure

Timeless Allure is a beautiful berry red gloss with a little bit of shimmer to it. On the lips, the shimmer isn't bothersome or obnoxious. This gloss looks best layered over a lipstick. As you can see on my lips above, it looks a little patchy on its own. The formula is nice and creamy, but almost a little too slick. It doesn't seem to want to stay on my lips by itself. But over another lip product, it tends to hold much better. This doesn't feel sticky or goopy.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss- Bordeaux ($6.49 at Target)

Revlon Bordeaux

Bordeaux is probably my favorite lip gloss I own. It's a more vampy berry red than Timeless Allure. It also has some shimmer in it, but it isn't so noticeable on the lips. It applies very creamy and sticks to the lips well without feeling sticky. In the bottom picture above I layered Bordeaux over a red lipstick to show how great this looks layered over lipstick. It just vamps up the lipstick so much. It's gorgeous! By itself, the gloss is almost opaque.

Left to right- NYX Dolly Pink, NYX Tea Rose, NYX Beige, Revlon Coral Reef, Rimmel Timeless Allure, and Revlon Bordeaux

I hope you enjoyed these swatches! I will be posting my favorite drugstore lip sticks in the next few days, so be on the look out for that post! Have a lovely day! :)

TJ Maxx Summer Love Haul

It has been quite a while since my last blog post. Long story short: JUNIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE. 

In today's post, I'm going to show you some of my most recent TJ Maxx finds for the warmer weather. TJ Maxx will forever be my favorite store. They have the best clothes, the best coffee mugs, the best shoes, the best deals, the best EVERYTHING.

This first top is a crochet crop top. I cut off the tag because it was long and poked out the back, so I don't know the brand of this top. I didn't think I would fall into the whole crop top high waisted shorts/skirts trend, but this tank was too cute to resist. It has floral detailing on the straps and down the middle, with a few adorable vintage buttons on it. This item must be hand washed.

$12.99

 This is my favorite top of the bunch because of the adorable pattern and the color palette! This is from the brand one clothing. On the hanger it appears to have no shape. But once it is worn, it is very flowy and looks much better. I love the zig zag tribal pattern and the purple hues. This will get a lot of wear time this summer, for sure! The material is a very nice polyester material, but it must be hand washed.

$9.99

This tank top is also from the brand one clothing. I don't own anything this color or this vibrant. This is essentially the same tank as the one above, except for a different pattern and it has a low v neck. I love the bright blue color with the tribal pink pattern. The material is very nice polyester material, but it must be hand washed.

$9.99

 The first 3 tanks look adorable with high waisted shorts and skirts. I think you could get away with just wearing a nude colored bra underneath them, but I will most likely wear a tank top or bandeau underneath them as well when I wear them to class. The only reason I say that is because they are a little loose and flowy, so your bra might show on the sides. 


This adorable daisy tank with the words "NEVER STOP DREAMING" printed on it is also from the brand one clothing. It is another flowy tank top that will look so cute paired with denim shorts or jeans. I will probably pair this with a black bandeau underneath because it is a bit on the sheer side. But the material is so nice and light for the warm weather. This top can be washed in a washer.

$9.99

This last top is also from the brand one clothing. (all of my favorite tops from TJ Maxx are from one clothing...) The top is a nice cream color, and has a daisy crochet lacey pattern that is absolutely darling. The daisy pattern goes down the middle, and this is a high-low top. This item must be hand washed.

$12.99

I have wanted high waisted denim shorts for a while, but I saw these black ones and just had to have them! I absolutely love the 3 buttons on the top. So darling! I like these because they are dressier than jeans shorts, but can certainly be casual as well. These look very cute with all of the tops I showed above. They also pair well with sheer long sleeved button up blouses for a dressier look. They are the brand Ci Sono. The material is a mix of polyester, nylon, and spandex. They are super comfortable and they aren't too short. These can be washed in a washer. 

$12.99

I have been on the hunt for the perfect pair of oxfords for a while. I found a pair at Charlotte Russe that gave me horrible blisters, but they were so cute. THESE ARE WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF. I saw a similar pair on Pinterest, so I was so excited to find these at TJ Maxx. I believe they were under $30, but I can't quite remember. They are the brand Report. The leather is so soft and feels worn in. The white lace/crochet is so cute. I love that it has an open design- this is perfect for the spring and summer weather! These are a half size too large for me, so I inserted heel pads, band aids, and I wear no show socks with them to help them fit better.

$29.99...I think?

I hope that you enjoyed seeing my latest TJ Maxx finds! If you are a bargain hunter like me and you love adorable clothes, GET THEE TO A TJ MAXX IMMEDIATELY! 

Tweezerman ProCurl Rose Gold Eyelash Curler

Hello, all!

I have only owned two lash curlers in my makeup history: a Revlon curler and the ELF $1 eyelash curler. The Revlon one was the first I ever purchased, so I had nothing to base it's quality on. The ELF eyelash curler was surprisingly good, and I only purchased it because of Emily Eddington of Beauty Broadcast raving about it!

The thing that made me crave this curler was the rose gold color! I wasn't all too thrilled to pay $20 for a curler, but I thought I'd splurge just once (yeah right!) while I was in Sephora. 

-The packaging-

-This shot shows the true rose gold color-

Because I am a naturally imperfect human, my eyelashes tend to stick straight out. When they are curled, they don't tend to curl the same. One eye curls a little more than the other. One eye wants to be a little more sassy, I suppose! That's why I am showing both of my eyes before and after being curled with the Tweezerman ProCurl.

-Natural eye, no curl-

-After curl, no mascara-

-Natural eye, no curl-

-After curl, no mascara-

Overall, I really love my ProCurl! I'm a sucker for anything rose gold. The color is obviously my favorite part, but it also performs way better than my previous curlers. This curler comes with three spare sponges to place in the curler when one gets dull or overused. I think it is worth the $20, but I also believe there are other great curlers out there for much cheaper. But if you've got $20 in your pocked and want to "pop some tags" I would suggest heading to Sephora or wherever Tweezerman is sold to purchase yourself a ProCurl! 

Here is a link to purchase this online at Sephora online:

http://www.sephora.com/procurl-eyelash-curler-P230701?skuId=1148022

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful!

Stay lovely, always! :)