Molton Brown | Blissful Templetree Moisturizing Bath & Shower Gel | Review

These hot summer months here in Atlanta and relentless heatwave's have been torture! Which is why I stay indoors as much as possible. For me it's a necessity to shower before bed. I always sleep better and feel more relaxed when I do. Anyone who knows me knows that it's a rarity to find bar soap at my house, I'm really not a fan of it. I'm more of a liquid soap and shower gel kinda girl. When it comes to shower gels and liquid body moisturizers I love variety! I love to experiment with different scents and I'm especially fond of gels with built in moisturizers and more than 1 skin benefit. 

Molton Brown is a skincare boutique that originates in London. They carry a large variety of products from Shower Gels, Soaps, Lotions, Grooming, Hair & Body products. They also carry scented candles. They recently released their Body Essentials Blissful Templetree Collection which includes a shower gel and lotion. I'm reviewing Blissful Templetree Moisturizing Bath & Shower Gel. 

Active ingredients from the collection include: 

- Templetree-a sacred tree found in temple gardens across Southeast Asia. Used throughout the tropics for centuries, its golden white blossoms produce deliciously fragrant milk which helps calm the sense and soothe dehydrated and sun-flushed skin. 

- Sea silk proteins - moisturize the skin after sun exposure

- Mango oils - gently cleanse and rebalance the skin

Glow: Whoa! talk about taking a "luxury" shower, this gel is addictive! It smells SO good! The scent is very reminiscent of almost like a perfume/fragrance yet it's subtle enough to use all over. It smells like a tropical flower, really soft and actually penetrates in your skin. The smell doesn't instantly wash away like a lot of fragrant washes and I love that about it. It also provides a nice lather and lots of moisture. My skin feels like silk every time I use this.

Glare: Well if you're frugal, $28 may be a little more than average to spend on a body wash but I promise it's worth it! Especially with it's generous 10oz size, it's rich so a little goes a long way.

Would I Recommend It? Of course!

Overall Glam: I really like this shower gel. It smells great and it's refreshing. Molton Brown has a nice selection of skincare products and more importantly they are all formulated with beneficial ingredients.

* The shower gel retails for $28. Molton Brown Body Essentials Blissful Templetree Collection is available at Molton Brown emporia, Saks Fifth Avenue and moltonbrown.com

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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Merle Norman | Creamy Lipstick | Review + Swatches

My lipstick obsession is starting to grow just as fast as my obsession with nail polish. Four words...I.A.Not.Ashamed. Now that we've got that out of the way I'm excited to share with you all a beautiful brand that I was recently introduced to. Merle Norman Cosmetics, originated in 1931 (wow!) and has been covering a broad spectrum of beauty needs for quite awhile! What's unique about this company is that they develop, manufacture and distribute their own full line of skin care and color cosmetic products. These cosmetics are sold through approximately 2,000 independently owned and operated Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios in the United States, Canada and Mexico. How cool is that ?! 

Right away I was most intrigued by their creamy lipsticks. They have rich & luxurious colors. They also moisturize, provide full-coverage and go on smoothly and wear for hours with a soft, creamy feel. Check out a few shades I tried and my review below! 

Swatches

(L-R) Raspberry Crush, Blackberry, Cranberry

Cranberry

A rosy creamy pink

 Blackberry
A shimmery plum

 Raspberry Crush
A soft coral pink

Glow: These are literally some of the smoothest lipsticks that I've ever tried. You know how some lipsticks saturate in every crease & fold on your lips and makes it difficult to get an even coverage? Well, these creamy lippies are the exact opposite and I am in LOVE! The application is easy & effortless. The silky formula glided over my lips with no issue. I also like that they left my lips feeling super moisturized, a lot of lipsticks have the tendency to dry you out but these don't and I didn't feel the need to reapply or add a gloss.

Glare: Well I actually don't have any dislikes. They're sorta on the small side and really compact. I'm not exactly sure how many ounces ( or however you measure lipstick ) these are but I did a quick comparison to some of my other brands of lipsticks and they're really the same size. Which was surprising to me because while the other lipsticks appear to be larger in actuality it was only because of their packaging i.e. larger & fancier tubes. So they're small but you're still getting the same quantity of product which is NICE!

Would I Recommend It? Yes! I've yet to come across a lipstick that can compete with the smoothness these babies pack!

Overall Glam: As you can probably tell I'm a fan of "berry" colored lipsticks and Merle Norman has quite a selection to choose from. I'm impressed and can't wait to brag....I mean share the word on just how lovely these are to my friends!

* Merle Norman creamy lipsticks retail for $15 each. They are available at Merle Norman Studios which can be found by using the Studio Finder at the top of their website. To purchase, find a retailer near you or to learn more please visit merlenorman.com .

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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OPI | Touring America Collection for Fall/Winter 2011 | Swatches + Review

I've gotta say that I've been really anticipating OPI's Touring America Collection. For starters I was very interested in seeing what colors they'd introduce for Fall, and they're finally here! The collection features 12 shades inspired by American cities rich in culture & heritage. Check out the swatches and my review below. 

French Quarter For Your Thoughts

Want beads? Then show us your sexy gray nails!

Get In The Expresso Lane
An amped-up dark brown that’ll never letcha down!

Honk If You Love OPI
Don’t let this gorgeous dark grape pass you by.

Are We There Yet ?
Don’t make me reach back there and take that perfect melon shade!

A-Taupe The Space Needle
You’ll climb to new heights with this creamy-rich taupe.

Road House Blues
In this case…R&B stands for “Really Blue.”

Color To Diner For
I’ll take the rosy-red with a side of “awesome.”

Suzi Takes The Wheel 
Buckle up—she’s not stopping until she gets to gray!

Uh-Oh Roll down The Window
You’re gonna wanna pull over for this “unexpected” olive green.

I Eat Mainely Lobster
We “clawed” through crowds to catch this coral for you.

I Brake For Manicures
This gorgeous eggplant-plum has our full attention.

My Address Is "Hollywood"
We put this pretty rose-pink on the map.

Glow: I LOVE LOVE LOVE  every single shade and that's definitely rare for me especially in such a large collection. It's usually hard to pick a standout color or favorite when there are quite a few to choose from but in this case I've gotta give it to "Road House Blues". This blue is sooooo gorgeous! I've been looking for the perfect navy blue for quite awhile now and OPI has got it right! A few of my other favorites are Honk If you Love OPI, A-Taupe The Space Needle, Uh-Oh Roll down The Window ( hilarious name! ) and I Brake For Manicures.

Glare: I've kinda been noticing this more and more when it comes to OPI's larger collections. And that's the fact that it seems they always end up with 2 or more shades that look entirely too much alike! And obviously with this one it's the gray's; French Quarter For Your Thoughts and Suzi Takes The Wheel. I know there's only so far you can go with a gray but to have 2 shades in 1 collection that resemble each other a tad too much is a bit disappointing.

Would I Recommend It? Yessssssssss!!! And every 's' is significant lol.

Overall Glam: Touring America is just as large as and kinda reminiscent of the Texas Collection in terms of size & variety but yet very different! I think OPI put in a lot of thought into this collection and I'm pleased!  

* Touring America Collection will be available August 3, 2011 at various retailers nationwide. The polish retails for about $8.50 each. To purchase, find a location near you or to learn more, please visit opi.com .

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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Nicole by OPI | Something About Color adds Four NEW Shades for Fall + Swatches

Nicole by OPI recently added four new colors to their Something About Spring Collection which was first introduced this past spring and has now merged into the name Something About Color which is designed to coincide with fall trends. Check out the swatches & my review below.

Green Up Your Act

This powerful olive-green has its eyes on you!

Sounds Grape To Me

A shimmering burgundy that's up for anything!

It's Not Me, It's Blue

Pretty periwinkle, you had me at "shimmer".

I Love You Cherry Much

Hold onto this romantic red - it's a keeper. 

Glow: Well first off I love the idea of expanding this collection to be more versatile for the change in seasons. The four shades include 3 shimmers and one creme. My favorite of the four is "Green Up your Act" it's a really toned down green that creates a surprisingly nice contrast against my skin. There aren't many dark greens that I think look well on me. My second favorite is " It's Not Me, It's Blue". ( I really love OPI's clever names ) It's sort of a sheer periwinkle with just the right amount of shimmer that really pops yet in a subtle way.

Glare: Well I'm not really into highly pigmented red's. I would have loved to have seen a deeper red or plum shade in this collection.

Would I Recommend It? Yes, I actually would. I think these four colors together are very non typical shades for fall.

Overall Glam: I kinda hope that Nicole by OPI continues to expand this collection. I like the seasonal idea and would love to see what other colors they would possibly add!

* Something About Color is exclusively available at Target stores nationwide. The polish retails for about $7 each. To purchase, find a location near you or to learn more, please visit  nicolebyopi.com .

Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here. 

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OPI Shatters Breast Cancer with NEW Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer

Let’s Shatter Breast Cancer!

OPI Announces New Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer to Support

Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

OPI launches the limited edition Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in its promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. The 2011 Pink of Hearts edition will follow in the footsteps of its namesake 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Nail Lacquers in raising awareness of breast cancer for the fifth year in a row, during the months of September and October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month). Unlike previous shade incarnations, this year’s Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer marks the debut of fan-favorite Shatter coat in OPI’s first pink shade.

“We are continuing to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the hopes of increasing breast cancer awareness, while inspiring and empowering women. The organization’s dedication to this cause is unwavering,” remarks Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “OPI is proud to join with Susan G. Komen for the fifth consecutive year to offer Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts. By launching our first-ever Pink Shatter coat, we hope this exciting new textured hue will generate lots of awareness for this cause.”

Each bottle of Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts has a special pink-ribbon tag and pink cap wrap to call attention to breast cancer awareness. OPI will also be making its annual donation of $25,000 to Komen for the Cure. Pink Shatter coat contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and it also features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

The limited edition Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts will be available throughout the months of September and October 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!


About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is now the world’s largest breast cancer organization and the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer with more than $1.9 billion invested to date. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

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NYX Girls Nail Lacquer | Boho x Bubble Gum x Moon Walker x Ink Heart | Swatches

Sooo I just wanted to share a few swatches of a couple nail polishes that I bought over the weekend. My favorite beauty supply store sells NYX and I swear I only went in there for some shea butter but the NYX aisle is right in the freaking front and it kept calling my name :o( and with nail polish for only .99 cent a pop who am I to say no? If you've never bought NYX nail lacquers before I'd suggest you give them a try asap, they have gorgeous colors and a huge variety! Here are a few that stood out to me this past weekend :o)

Bubble Gum

It's like a Neon Yellow border-lining green in the right light. I've been loving the neon's for the summer especially green & yellows, it's all I've been getting on my pedicures lol. 

Boho

This color is sort of a soft shimmery emerald green. I really wasn't too sure about whether I liked it or not after first applying it but it grew on me when I saw it outside in natural light. This color is also really sheer so it took about 3-4 coats to get the coverage I wanted. 

Moon Walk

This is a really deep plum. Believe it or not I like it the most out of the four, I think that's because it's such a fabulous color for Fall which also happens to be my favorite season!   

Ink Heart

This color is actually a deep Navy Blue. I'm a little disappointed that my camera didn't quite capture it's true color but it's still a beauty. I've been looking for a nice blue and have finally found a keeper :o) 

NYX Nail Lacquers can be purchased online at nyxcosmetics.com and also various retailers nationwide. I believe the prices vary too, my beauty supply store is actually the cheapest I've seen any NYX products, they were only .99 cent there.

Product(s) in this post were purchased by me. 

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InGlam Launches MP3 Flat Iron

Turn up the heat & listen to today's hottest musical artists as you style with the ONYX Ceramic Digital 1" Hairstyling Iron with built in MP3 player. Bring Billboard's Hot 100 into your next heat styling experience as you straighten, curl, flip, and wave your hair with the ONYX Ceramic Digital 1" Hairstyling Iron with built in MP3 player by InGlam.

Holding up to 500 songs for a customizable playlist, this music centric iron not only brings hairstyling to life but features advanced ONYX Ceramic Technology for superior salon results. Effortlessly smooth strands and create a brilliant shine with the tool's Ceramic Floating and Beveled Plates which produce Negative Ions and Far Infra Red, sealing in vital moisture and repelling humidity for a static and frizz free style. Plus, the ONYX Ceramic Digital 1" Flat Iron reaches up to 420°F due to an advanced MCH Heating System which provides instant heat up with immediate heat recovery for a tool that finally remains at the constant temperature of your choice.

Product Description

- Built in High Quality MP3 Player plays with or without plug
- 2GB Memory fits up to 500 songs
- ONYX Ceramic plates produce Negative Ions and Far Infra Red to seal in vital moisture and repel humidity for    unparalleled shine
- Onyx Ceramic Heat helps eliminate static and reduce frizz
- MCH Heating elements provide instant heat up with immediate heat recovery to maintain even temperature to 420°F
- Squeeze Sensitive Floating Plates grips hair for even control on all hair textures
- Anti Slip Grip and Beveled plates help control the hair for endless styling possibilities
- 9ft Professional Swivel Cord and hang-up hook
- 1 Year warranty
- USB cable included to easily download and customize your music library

Suggested Retail Price: $149.98 via Ulta.com, Ulta Stores, JCPenney Salons and Regis Salons

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The Kardashian's Partner w/ Nicole by OPI with 14 “Kaptivating” Nail Lacquers

Nicole by OPI joins the Kardashian/Jenner family in announcing the launch of Kardashian Kolors, 14 new nail lacquer shades inspired by these six trendsetting women. Kris Jenner and her five daughters – Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian and Kylie and Kendall Jenner – are known for their head-to-toe unique style, which now includes nails!

“We are so excited to work with everyone’s favorite TV family – the Kardashians – to share a diverse collection of fashion-forward shades,” declares Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “With lacquers ranging from high-shine and sparkly hues to neutral taupe and pinkish coral, Kardashian Kolors offers the perfect accessory for every woman – from teens to moms and everyone in between.”

Kardashian Kolors includes:

It's All About the Glam

Shimmering-white glitz for the glamorous gal!

Kim-pletely in Love

Finally! The pink of her dreams has arrived.

All Kendall-ed Up

Powder your nose and get some pink on those toes!

Wear Something Spar-Kylie

Glitter-ly the prettiest pink ever!

Sealed with a Kris

Handle with care: This klassy red is top-of-the-line!

Rainbow in the S-Kylie

Girls just wanna have…glitter in every color!

Disco Dolls

Glittery gold glam gone wild!

Kendall on the Katwalk

A head-turning blue-green with a “sparkling” personality!

Listen to your Momager!

If you don’t, you’ll never see this fabulous blue again!

Follow Me on Glitter

A glittery deep gray that always has something to say!

My Empire...My Rules

This take-charge taupe is always on-trend.

Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam

A deep dark emerald worth falling for.

Hard Kourt Fashionista

This delicious deep brown is the chicest hue in town!

Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi

And this captivating coral looks “fab” on everyone!

Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquers and Nail Treatments contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality, with products featuring the Perfect Stroke brush for streak-free, even coverage. Kardashian Kolors will be available Holiday 2011 for $7.99 each ($11.00 CAD).
For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan!

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