31 May 2012

Your Local Drugstore Is Practically Giving Sinful Colors Nail Lacquer Away!!


Sigh, I hate to admit it but almost every trip to any drugstore I end up leaving with a handful of nail polish. I absolutely adore the Sinful Colors brand and have been buying their products for a couple of years now. I've always bought them from my local beauty supply stores and I believe they are like $1.99 there. But recently I learned that Walgreens also sells them so I decided to go check out their stash. To my surprise they were only .99 !!!! WHAT?! Now I don't know if this was a sale price or not but it was definitely a steal so you know I had to jump on it! LOL I mean the polish is already dirt cheap but Walgreens is practically giving it away and I'm not complaining ^_^

And the good part is that the formula is actually pretty darn good! I mean at .99 a pop I could've easily bought the entire display O_O but I decided that I would be rational and only buy a few bottles lol.


Dream On

This shade is sort of a dark magenta with purple undertones. For some reason it was a little streaky and I had to apply a few coats to get it completely opaque. Also, I don't normally apply a top coat when I do swatches (only a base coat/ridge filler underneath) but I had to for this one because it was kinda dull looking. 



 Why Not

This blue is popping but unfortunately it's not as bright in person. I love pretty much all shades of blue, I knew this was a keeper as soon as I laid eyes on it. I used about 3 coats, still a bit streaky in a few areas.

 Boogie Nights

Well it definitely makes me want to boogie ;o) I love this color! It's like a red-orange but with more coral tones to it. It really pops, I used about 2-3 coats for this one.


Sinful Colors also used to sell lipgloss too and I REALLY liked it, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere anymore....and that makes me sad :o( It was really good gloss and they had a nice selection of shades, they kinda reminded me of NYX. And I really hate that Sinful Colors website has been under construction for like....forever x_x It really pisses me off when brands just decide to stop selling stuff out of the blue especially when you've grown to love it so much :-/ I don't know if they've just taken the lipgloss out of my area or whether it's been discontinued all together *sigh*

Product(s) in this post were purchased by me. 
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30 May 2012

Guess | Seductive Sunkissed Fragrance | Review + Photos


Guess recently introduced their new limited edition seductive fragrance "Sunkissed". It's a revamped twist on  their original Seductive fragrance and is the perfect accessory for summer! The refreshed summer-worthy scent is guaranteed to make you smell delicious as you bare that gorgeous skin.

What's unique about this fragrance is that during the day it has top notes of pear, raspberry, black currant blossom and pink grapefruit dawn. During the afternoon it winds down to seductive mid notes of jasmine, Brazilian orchids and vanilla. And at night sensual base notes of musk, teide violet and macassar ebony.

Guess Seductive Sunkissed 
Eau de Toilette 50ml / 1.7oz





Glow: It's always kinda hard for me to do fragrance reviews because I never know how to really describe the scent as well as I'd like to. I'll start with the packaging, I absolutely love when brands take the time to put actual thought behind the way their products are packaged and designed. I think the little lipstick charm around the top is too cute! The scent is really light and sensual, what I love most about it is as it starts to wear throughout the day the different notes start to bloom!

Glare: I honestly have no cons, it smells great and the bottle isn't awkward it's cute and compact. 

Would I Recommend It? I surely would! I definitely think Guess achieved the whole "seductive" theme that they were going for with this one. The scent effortlessly translates "sexy" well ;o) 

Where To Buy: Guess Seductive Sunkissed Fragrance currently retails for $52 and is available worldwide at Guess retail stores, perfumery chains, department store and www.guess.com. Please visit www.guessparfums.com for additional information on the GUESS fragrance collection.


Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here
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28 May 2012

Nail Junkie | Zoya Earth Day Mini Haul


Geesh! I feel like it's been forever since I've done a nail post around here, but that sure doesn't mean I haven't been feeding my obsession over nail polish! I've tried to slow down a bit with my buying frenzy but it's incredibly hard to turn down good deals. Thanks to my nail obsessed partner in crime Tini over at Narcissistic Nails I learned a few weeks ago that Zoya was having a buy 3 get 3 sale on all polishes for Earth Day! I really couldn't pass up this deal, I adore Zoya! Honestly the only time I really shop with them is when they have sales, though definitely worth your bucks $8 a pop is a little steep for my budget to become a frequent buyer ^_^

Anywho, I finally got around to swatching these colors and wanted to share the six shades I picked out. I actually didn't realize how I picked two of almost the same colors until they arrived, oops lol! I did these swatches last night in a sleepy haze so they are a little bit messy and please excuse my horrible cuticles :-/ I'm working on finding a good cuticle oil because mine look horrid.

Bevin

A dusty, medium sage green with teal tones and a creamy opaque finish.
I really like the mildness of this shade.


Gretchen

Light milky brown with neutral pink tint and warm clay undertones with a smooth creme finish.
It's very earthy and makes the perfect nude.


Ali

An ultra bright neon pink. There's nothing I love more than an in your face, loud, obnoxious PINK!
And Ali definitely delivers, I really love this color and it's perfect for summer. 


Flowie

A light brown creme with peach overtones. 
This shade is really similar to Gretchen and almost a dupe although it has sort of a deeper tone.


Kylie #2

A brirght red-orange with coral overtones.
Unfortunately my camera doesn't really pick up the true essence of  the "coral" in this color.  


Wednesday

Sort of an ocean green with  turquoise undertones. For some reason I was thinking that this color would be a little more minty than it actually is but it's still really pretty. 


Welp, that's pretty much it until the next sale lol! Zoya actually has some type of Pinterest contest going on where they're allowing their fans to pin their favorite Zoya shades and I believe the top 3 pins will be chosen as a package in their next promotion, so definitely keep a lookout for that!

What are your favorite shades?

Product(s) in this post were purchased by me. 
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25 May 2012

Introducing NEW Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy™


Unilever Ice Cream Hub 300x250 Banner

I don't know if you're ready for summer but I sure am! As the temperature heats up one of my go-to styles is curly hair. Since I wear my hair naturally curly that means more conditioning and daily maintenance to make sure it remains healthy and in tip top shape. There's a new product that I'm really excited about that nurtures your hair starting with the scalp!

Did you know that 99% of hair's natural strength & beauty comes from the scalp? The brand new CLEAR SCALP & HAIR THERAPY™ takes a new approach to caring for hair. The entire new line is designed to start with the scalp, the true source of well-nourished, healthy hair.

Benefits 

  • Stonger, more beautiful hair in 7 days (less breakage upon combing vs. non conditioning shampoo)
  • CLEAR MEN SCALP THERAPY™: Clinically proven 100% dandruff protection
  • CLEAR SCALP & HAIR BEAUTY THERAPY™ ULTRA SHEA: Formulated with Nutrium 10™   Moisture Lock System- a rich blend of shea butter and natural oils, including Vitamin E, sunflower, coconut, almond, soybean, argan, and palm
  • Have your #BestNightEver

What's your #BestNightEver? Dinner with friends, going out dancing, seeing a movie? Great hair makes you feel great no matter what you do so let CLEAR SCALP & HAIR BEAUTY THERAPY™ make every night your #BestNightEver!

Watch the videos at see.walmart.com/clear to see the results of real mom bloggers who experienced the new breakthrough approach in hair care for themselves.



Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Lunchbox. 
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24 May 2012

Braun Silk-epil 7 Wet & Dry Epilator Review + Giveaway!

Now that summer is swiftly approaching it's time to break out of those cool weathered clothes and show some skin! But before you hop into those summertime sundresses and swimsuits you've gotta make sure that your skin is ready to be seen. Personally, I've tried just about everything when it comes to removing unwanted hair and have yet to decide on just which method I like best. I was recently approached with the opportunity to try out an Epilator by Braun. I have to admit that I was totally clueless as to what exactly an epilator was because I had honestly never heard of it until now.

An epilator is basically an electronic device that removes unwanted hair by simultaneously grasping multiple hairs and pulling them out at once. You can think of it as a dozen tiny tweezers all working at the same time.The epilator that I got to try out is the Braun Silk-epil 7. The cool thing about this model is that it can be used either wet or dry. The device claims that it's able to remove the shortest of hairs even as tiny as a grain of sand. It features 40 tweezers with a close-grip technology for thorough hair removal. It's also cordless! All you have to do is charge it and its ready for use. If you've never used an epilator before I would suggest checking out Braun's epilation page which has a lot of helpful information!


The Silk-epil 7 comes with instructions, a charger, brush, an effcienctPro cap, 
and a set of wet Pre-Epilation wipes.


Braun Silk-epil 7 Wet & Dry Epilator


An up close look at the tweezers.





Glow: I'm not sure where to even start other than this little device is simply amazing and oh so powerful! Braun also sells different attachment caps separately that can be used on different areas of your body such as underarms, bikini area and even your face! Since this particular model only comes with the standard  caps I only used it on my legs. The epilator can be used dry or wet so I decided to test it on one leg completely dry and the other leg in the shower. Upon initial use it took a minute or two to get the hang of figuring out which direction was best to use the device. This all depends on what direction your hair grows in, which can sometimes vary. So I found that what worked best for me was simply an upward and downward motion. The hair came off effortlessly on both legs. The epilator has a dial wheel that powers the device on and it has 2 different settings; extra gentle and extra efficient. It also has a smart light that stays on while the device is in use which helps you see every hair. I like that it's very easy to clean, the attachment caps come apart and the small brush that comes with it allows you to get in all the corners to remove the stray hairs.

Glare: Well, prior to using this my main concern was "does it hurt" ? Yes, it does. In comparison to waxing, threading, and plucking does it hurt the worst? To me, it does. I can only speak from my personal experience as everyone's tolerance level of pain is different. I consider myself to have a pretty high tolerance which is why I believe I was able to get through both legs. It's definitely not excruciating or anything but it's surely an awkward feeling when you first use it. It feels sort of like tiny pinches going across your skin. After testing both legs, one wet one dry I found that wet worked best for me. Honestly using it in the shower under warm water really made a HUGE difference for me and it helped soothe my skin during the removal process. If you do decide to use it dry, just make sure that you put a towel down beneath you because the hair does fly out a little bit. The bottom line is that the pulling of the hairs does take some getting used to but much like any other hair removal process once you do it a few times you become more and more tolerable to it. 

Would I Recommend It? I really would, while it's definitely not for the faint of heart it does deliver great results. Would this be my go-to method of hair removal every single time? Probably not. The results lasted for about a good week and a half before I felt the stubble growing back. Oh! And I'm so happy to report that I experienced ZERO skin irritation which is a huge plus for me ^_^  I'm also definitely considering buying a couple of the other attachments to see how it works in more sensitive areas such as my underarms. 

Where To Buy: The Braun Silk-epil 7 Wet & Dry Epilator along with other models are currently available at various retailers nationwide. Prices and styles vary by store, to learn more or to find a retailer location near you please visit http://www.braun.com. You can also click here to see a video of the epilator in action and click here to learn more about their other models.


ON TO THE GIVEAWAY!!! 

The people over at Braun were kind enough to offer this awesome epilator to one of our readers here at Gimme That Glow! One lucky reader will win their very own Braun Silk-epil 7 Wet & Dry Epilator. This contest is open to U.S. residents only and ALL entries will be verified! Use the widget below for instructions and to enter. Good Luck! (It may take a second for the widget to load, if you're having trouble please refresh or leave me a comment)


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here
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22 May 2012

Step Into Summer | What's Hot This Season



Summer's almost in full effect and I'm definitely looking forward to the beautiful weather. One of the things that I love most about the season is being able to try some of the latest summer trends. From hair, style, and even vodka check out some of the things that made my Hot Summer Trend list below!


While I promised myself that I wasn't going to dye my hair again for a very long time, I have truly fallen in love with ombre hair!! Ombre has been around for a long time but I've seen a lot of celebs and stylists bringing it back front and center and I truly adore the look! I think it's such a fun summer style that can instantly brighten up your features and it's something different from typical highlights.


Mint green has become one of my current favorite colors and it's also a growing trend that I've seen pretty much everywhere. From accessories to clothes and even nail polish I think this beautiful hue serves as the perfect "step into summer " shade along with being a guaranteed conversation starter ^_^



Don't call it a comeback! Retro sunglasses are another style trend that just keeps coming back full circle. Sunglasses are definitely my summertime weakness and the perfect accessory for any look. Maybe you're headed to the beach or just want a stylish pair of frames to rock all summer long either way there's always a pair that has you covered!


There's nothing like winding down from a hot summer day than puckering up to a cool tasty drink! Pucker Vodka is a great way to express your fun, flirty and sassy self ^_^ They carry a range of six intense vodka flavors including Lemonade Lust, Raspberry Rave, Sour Apple Sass, Cherry Tease, Grape Gone Wild, and Citrus Squeeze. They even have a cool list of recipes where you can play bartender and mix your own drink ;o) check it out here!

Be sure to visit Pucker Vodka's facebook page and share which flavor sounds the tastiest to you! https://www.facebook.com/puckervodka 

Break up with boring vodka! Pucker® Vodka is a premium vodka with unique flavors added that will give you a taste experience that’s as intense as it is unforgettable. Whether you’re hosting a house party or out on the town, the bold flavors are perfect for sipping, mixing and dancing the night away! http://www.puckervodka.com/

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Pucker Vodka via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Pucker Vodka. 
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18 May 2012

OPI Announces NEW! Pure Lacquer Nail Apps

OPI launches Pure Lacquer Nail Apps for instantaneous manicures and pedicures created using precut nail strips made of 100% real nail lacquer – providing a high-gloss finish, long-lasting wear and zero dry time. Offered in both cream and shimmer finishes, Nail Apps are available in 14 different styles – ranging in design from edgy snake print and fishnet to feminine gold lace and floral.

“Nail art has become increasingly popular, with both consumers and trained professionals,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Pure Lacquer Nail Apps provide the perfect way to get a one-of-a-kind look that simply cannot be replicated by hand. Each nail strip is made of 100% real nail lacquer for a flawless final look with easy application.”

Combining base and color in one convenient product, Nail Apps adhere to nails in seconds and can be stretched for a perfect fit. Each pack contains 16 strips to ensure perfect sizing for all finger and toe nails. For best results, this product should not be finished with top coat. Simply remove with an acetone polish remover like OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover before trying a new design.

“To make Nail Apps last even longer, upgrade your service by having your manicurist cure the nail strips with a GelColor Top Coat. With this addition, Nail Apps will last up to two weeks,” explains Weiss-Fischmann. “If you chose at-home application, place each Nail App carefully, trimming where necessary. Top coat is not recommended. Within minutes, your nails will be uniquely designed like never before!”

Pink & Silver Lace and
Blue & Gray Rattlesnake


Fishnet and
Floral



Geometric Sparkle and 
Gold Lace


Metallic Waves and 
Parisian


Sequins and
Zig Zag Sparkle



Girly Glam and 
Reptile


Pink And Black Lace and 
Peacock

Pure Lacquer Nail Apps are available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for the suggested retail price of $11.95.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!
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Karmin Titanium Pink Flat Iron Review + My First Time Straightening My Hair In 4 Months, Lots Of Growth!


Those of you who've been keeping up with my hair journey know that I've been wearing my hair curly for quite some time now. Well, this year marks my 4th year of being completely natural! Up until now it's been exactly 4 months since I've last straightened my hair. I was recently approached with the opportunity to try out the Karmin Titanium Pink Flat Iron. So I figured what better time to stretch my hair out and see just how much it's grown.

If you're not familiar with Titanium plates let me just be the first to tell you that they are absolutely amazing!! Last year a friend actually introduced me to a pair of titanium flat irons by another brand and when I tell you that it changed my entire life -i'm not joking lol I haven't touched a ceramic flat iron since. The Karmin Titanium Flat Iron prides itself on having superior performance and even boasts on being one of the best flat irons you'll ever use. Well, did it live up to it's claims? Check my full review below to find out.

2012 Karmin Titanium 1" Pink Professional Flat Iron


This is the before pic of my hair blown out right after washing.



My results after flat ironing. I was really shocked at all the growth!! 

 me being "extra"....lol



Check out that shine!!

 




Glow: Anytime I get a new flat iron I always inspect the body and the location of the power buttons and temperature settings. On the Karmin, all of the settings are located on a turn style wheel in the inner part of the handle, I love that it's about a good inch way from the actual plates which minimizes the risk of burning yourself. The flat irons can go up to a temperature of 460 degrees which is the setting I used on my hair. The irons also heat up super fast so I had less than a 60 second wait time. They also have an automatic sleep mode which shuts the irons off after 1 hour which is great to consider for safety. The thing that I absolutely love the most about this flat iron is that unlike ceramic the titanium plates use an ion field technology that evenly distributes heat, removes static, and seals in natural oils producing silkier, shiner hair. Even as thick as my hair is when blown out I was able to get super straight results on the first application without having to reapply the irons on the same section several times. I also noticed that my hair was incredibly shiny, smooth, and had a lot of body!

Glare: None! There's truly nothing I dislike about these irons. The only precaution that I can think of is to just be careful with the temperature settings. I used the max of 460 degrees but only because I know my hair is strong enough to handle it. If you have finer hair then of course you would want to use a lower temperature setting.

Would I Recommend It? I definitely would! With all honesty, after wearing my hair curly for 4 months straight I was a little skeptical on just how straight I would be able to get it.  I must say that I'm very pleased with the results! For natural hair I highly recommend using an iron like Karmin with titanium plates. The bottom line is they get you the results you want and won't damage your hair in the process.

Where To Buy: The Karmin Titanium Professional Flat Iron comes in black and pink and currently retails for $89.98 at Hair Products Pro. To purchase or to learn more please visit http://hairproductspro.com.


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