Polished Lifting

Maybelline The City Mini Palette Downtown Sunrise - Press sample

It's been a hot second since I've purchased drugstore eyeshadow. After discovering mid-range to high end shadows I thought nothing could compete with the quality. I was recently given the opportunity to try the Maybelline The City Mini Palette in Downtown Sunrise thanks to Maybelline and Influenster, and I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised.


The Maybelline The City Mini Palette packaging is super cute. Sure, it's not the quality of mid-range products, but it definitely beats out the packaging of comparable drugstore brands.



This is a quick look I put together before dashing off to the gym (yes I wear makeup to the gym). I used the pale pink as a base around eyebrow level. from there I added the hot peach in the crease, and finished on the lid with the shimmery champagne color (top row middle square of the palette).

Southwestern Cactus Nail Art featuring MoYou London & Zoya -Press sample

If you know me even the slightest bit you will know that I am cactus and succulent obsessed. My dear friend Kendahl (Firecracker Lacquer) knows my obsession well, so she gifted me two amazing MoYou London plates with cactus on them. Thanks to a little inspiration from the Zoya Wanderlust Collection, I knew exactly what I needed to do with my new plates.

Edge Perfection Easy Peel Polish Barrier Review - Press sample

I've used a handful of different latex barriers over the years for nail art, but until now I didn't know that a mainstream option was available. Edge Perfection reached out to me recently for a test and review, and I knew I had to give it a try. Edge Perfection is a latex based nail art barrier that is 5 free, ammonia free, and thiuram free. This means no awful smell when you go to use it!

I really wish you guys could see the Edge Perfection packaging in person because the diagram on the Edge Perfection box sparkles. They put cute little bits of glitter in the graphic and font that twinkles when you move the box around.

While I did not strictly adhere to the Edge Perfection "Good to Know" tips, I found the application to be straightforward. I applied Edge Perfection as a barrier for my nail art, waited for it to dry, and then stamped over the protected finger with my desired design. 

I put this to the test on my saltiest of nail art days. I figured if it could stand up against an off day, it would excel on a good day.

Northern Star Style & Substance | Polish Pickup August 2017 - Press sample

I'm back with another gem from Northern Star for the August 2017 Polish Pickup. The theme for the August Polish Pickup is "Old Hollywood". Based on this theme, Northern Star created Style & Substance. This look was inspired by the multi-talented Hedy Lamarr and her ultra glam red lip!


This shot of Northern Star Style & Substance is a bit darker than the shade appears in person. I just wanted to take a moment to capture the fab holographic labels.

Morgan Taylor Matadora Collection | Fall 2017 - Press sample

Is it fall yet? If you aren't already hyped for fall, maybe Morgan Taylor's Matadora Fall 2017 Collection will put you in the mood for warm sweaters and crunchy leaves. Matadora is a six piece collection inspired by the vibrant colors, culture and scenery of Spain.

I'm Drawing A Blanco

Mauve Your Feet

Don't Break My Corazón

All Tango-d Up

Danced And Sang-ria

Olé My Way

Birds & Flowers featuring Ever After Polish No Day But Today - Press sample

Ever After Polish No Day But Today is one of those shades you keep reaching for. I've worn this shade several times since swatching it, so this time I decided to do some nail art with it.

Products used

I am forever in love with Powder Perfect's Egyptology Series. Today's post features one of my top picks from the collection. I've always been a fan of green, so Powder Perfect Osiris was an immediate attaction.

Powder Perfect Osiris

Formula: Nice consistency
Finish: Emerald green micro glitter holo
Coverage: 2 coats
Price: $8.50 (current sale price)
Notes: Due to the nature of micro glitters this may take a little more effort to remove. I used a peel off base coat underneath this mani.

Morgan Taylor Selfie Summer Gradient - Press sample

I'm still madly in love with the Morgan Taylor Selfie Collection so I thought I would play around with a summer gradient. Nothing says summer like cheerful neons!


For this look I started with a base of Morgan Taylor Potts of Tea from the Beauty and the Beast Collection.


Once Potts of Tea had an opportunity to dry, I created a gradient on the Designer Series Plate Geometric 1. To do this, I applied two different colors and gently scraped the image repeatedly to blend the colors. The gradient colors are Best Face Forward and Me, Myself-ie, and I.