Sephora by OPI IM Beauty Nail Colour

Awhile back I was browsing through Sephora's sale bins and I picked up the Sephora by OPI nail polish in IM Beauty. I had been wanting a yellow nail polish since last summer and I decided that I couldn't pass up on this one, especially since it was on sale:

with flash

This was my first Sephora by OPI nail colour. And my last.

natural light

I should first state that I am no-nonsense when it comes to painting my nails. I rarely ever paint my nails, and when I do, I can only tolerate drying time for 2 coats. If I have to apply more than that, its over. That being said, look how streaky this polish applied! The photos above were taken after 2 coats and the polish is so uneven! Not to mention the color looks so dull in natural light. I immediately removed this polish and vowed to only purchase the original OPI polishes from here on out. 

Have you found any good, inexpensive yellow polishes? Have you tried Sephora by OPI?

Surf Baby Skinsheen Bronzer Stick Review

This review is soooo long overdue, but better late than never, right? =) 

I really loved the creme bronzers from last year's MAC summer collection, and I had high hopes for the new Skinsheen Bronzer Sticks, but both products are completely different. The bronzer sticks are like Nars Multiples, but the bronzer sticks are waaaaay more pigmented and they actually are long-lasting. Personally, I don't like Nars Multiples because they are very sheer and on me theyfade and crease within 2 hours.

I tried out Tan-Tint on one cheek and Gilty Bronze on the other cheek and both shades were very flattering on my NC25-30 skin. Billionaire Bronze is very dark so I didn't test that out, but it would be a good shade for darker skin tones. As many bloggers have stated, the bronzer sticks are VERY pigmented. Thus, I recommend using a brush to apply them rather than swiping them directly on the skin. 

L-R: Tan-Tint Bronzer Stick, Gilty Bronze Bronzer Stick, Bronze Cream Color Base (CCB)

 Top Row - Non blended

Bottom Row - blended

These products did last all day on me, but I personally wasn't very happy with the consistency. They are not as soft and creamy as I like, instead they are a bit rigid. That being said, the bronzer sticks are blendable, but you have to work quickly because they set after a minute or so. I compared the shades to my favorite Bronze CCB, which kind of looks like a mix of the two bronzer sticks I swatched above. 

Since I prefer creamier products, I am disappointed the bronzer sticks are not like the cream bronzers from last year. If you like long-lasting, semi-creamy bronzers, these new bronzer sticks might be right up your alley. 

Did you pick up anything from Surf, Baby?

Ayesha!! Not the Song, the Lush Fresh Face Mask!!!

Do you remember that song "ay-ee-ee-shah, you are the girl the I never kissed, and I'd like to get to know you better..."from the early 90s?

I was totally singing that to myself recently when I tried out Lush's Ayesha Face Mask. Only, it turns out that Another Bad Creation's hit is spelled "Iesha." But who cares about spelling when a girl's got green goop on her face and is rockin' out to 90s music?

I love Lush's fresh face masks, and Ayesha is pretty similar to my fave mask The Sacred Truth. Ayesha is a bit chunkier than The Sacred Truth, but both contain ingredients to help with anti-aging and both masks leave my skin baby soft. I liked the texture of The Sacred Truth better because it was a bit smoother, and it felt a little fresher and mintier, whereas Ayesha has somewhat of a more neutral smell, and is not floral at all.

Like all of the brand's fresh face masks, although the pot seems small, it easily contains 7-8 applications. Not bad for the $5.95 price tag! All the masks I have tried leave my skin soft and moisturized...and even my hubby likes how my face feels afterwards (though he hates looking at me with green goop on my face...hehe). Overall, I would repurchas again e this as it is my second favorite fresh mash I have tried from Lush. Have you tried any of Lush's masks? Which is your fave?

Does Nars Eye Makeup Remover Live Up To The Nars Reputation?

I received a travel size Nars Eye Makeup Remover in a travel set a few months ago, and although I was saving it to use for future travel, I decided to just go ahead and use it. 

I am so glad I tried this now because I would have been cranky if this was the only eye makeup remover I had on a trip. I generally like these type of duo-phase oil and water makeup removers that you have to shake and mix up before using. I find that oil-based removers really do the best job of removing eyeliner and mascara. However, this one did not live up to my expectations. Why? Because it removed all of my eyeshadow, but I really had to rub my eyes a LOT to remove my eyeliner and mascara. It was a pain to have to physically rub my eyes for a longer-than-normal amount of time and also I try to avoid rubbing my eyes a lot because it contributes to the aging process. 

Overall, I think there are much better duo-phase eye makeup removers available like Lancome's Bi-facil, MAC's eye makeup remover (the pink bottle), and the Neutrogena eye makeup remover. 

What is your favorite eye makeup remover?

Makeup Tip Monday: Filling in Scars on Your Eyebrows

Ever get a cut or scrape on an eyebrow and don't know how to naturally cover up the scar? If so, here's how to tackle that issue the next time it happens:

Use a brow brush and tinted wax or matte cream product and gently cover the scar using short, light strokes in the direction of hair growth. The skin on a scar is smooth and has fewer pores than normal skin and pencils and powder products don't adhere well to scarred skin. Also, be sure to blend the brow product throughout the brows so it looks even and natural. 

Image Source

Beauty Blog Link Love

Happy weekend all! Here is some fun reading material for you:

At Musing on Beauty, Mariella tries the Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman brushes and tells you everything about them.

Ever wonder how to airbrush your own makeup photos? Well, now you can - check out theNotice's basic Photoshop tutorial for your exclusive look behind the scenes of a beauty blog!

Now that summer's in the air, Musicalhouses shows you a Summer Eye Look and a Summer Lip Look for cheap!

Need melt proof makeup? Check out the new Summer collections from Tarte. Gouldylox has the swatches and details.

Madame B Fatale shows you how to use a conical wand!

Tired of eyeshadow and blush pots taking up too much space? Try de-potting them using Kajal Couture's de-potting tutorial and place them in palettes.

Phyrra's Independent Spotlight for June is with Belén from Lost in Makeupland!

Addicted to Beauty gets serious tween envy when she spies the Happy Faces hair salon. Who wouldn't want to get their hair done whilst sitting in a pink chevrolet?

Amy Antoinette shares her top tips for dealing with Keratosis Pilaris.

Lovelaughlauren tells us her favourite products from the last few months.

Prime Beauty discovered Burberry's newest lipstick formula, Lip Mists and has some insider info for you!

At Eyelining Obsessions Claire finds her perfect pink bluch while trying some ELF Barginous Blushes.

Rachel McAdams sends Lydia from Perfectly Imperfect running to the NARS counter. Find out why!

The coveted Asylum by Sugarpill is back in stock and in the Christina the Glitterholic's hands!

Looking for an affordable gel eye liner? Be sure to check out this fabulous Gel Eye Liner by Essence at Makeup, Beauty & More.

Handmade Reviews is hosting a Sigma Summer Giveaway with over $300 in prizes and winners every month.

Beauty Crazed is giving away 5 Lancome Desert Rose Blushes - they still think they are too pretty to use but maybe you aren't that squeamish so enter to win one!

Just a Note...

...to say that over the next few weeks I may not be interacting very much on the blog. I have a lot going on right now but I have drafted a few posts that will go live during the next few weeks so you will have something to read. I hope you guys continue to comment and I will read them, but I won't get to them right away so I won't always be able to respond to the comments. 

Hope all is well with you!!

CitySlips - Folding Flats That Save Your Feet

So this isn't really a beauty post, but I've had a cool little pair of shoes for awhile and have been wanting to tell you about them:

These are CitySlips - ballet flats that fold in half and are super compact so you can carry them in your handbag or even a med-large sized clutch. These are intended to be comfortable shoes that you can carry with you so that if your feet are hurting or you need something easier to walk in than fancy shoes, you can whip these out of your bag, slip 'em on, and voila....comfy feet! Included in the kit is a little carrying case that will hold the shoes when they are folded.

The carrying case can also convert to a bag:

I think these are great to have if you live in a metropolitan city and are always walking around. Personally, I think they are great for weddings because I can't tell you how many times I've attended a wedding reception and by the time the dancing starts, my feet are killing me and I take my heels off. I think these are perfect to slip on and dance the night away. 

If you are interested in these, check out the CitySlips website. You can purchase them online and at some show retailers.