Born Pretty Store Qgirl-016 Stamping Plate Review & Discount Code

Press Sample Purchased Myself

Hello readers,
Today I have a stamping plate that Born Pretty Store sent me for review to show you.

The Qgirl-016 plate features four different designs but it was the floral one that caught my eye the most.  I used it with my XL squishy stamper and had no issues scraping the polish or lifting the image off the plate.  I do wish the etchings were a tad deeper though as there were a few small bald patches in some of the flowers and leaves.

Born Pretty Store White Tape Nail Art Edge Guide Review & Coupon Code

Press Sample Purchased Myself

Hello readers,
Today I have some more nail art supplies from Born Pretty Store to try out.  I picked the white tape nail art edge guides because I thought they might be a good alternative to striping tape.

 Each packet comes with 44 guides.  On my first attempt at using them I discovered that they don't get along with my curvy nail beds.  As much as I press the ends down they kept lifting up.  I ended up using them in a design parallel to my nail which provided a flatter surface for them to stick to.  Here's what I came up with using Orly On The Edge as my Base Color and Femme Fatale The First Northern Witch as my accent colour.

Step 1: Place nail art guide vertically about a third in from the right edge of your nail over a completely dry base colour.

Step 2: Paint the exposed area with a different polish colour.

Step 3: Peel the nail guide off while the new polish is still wet.

Use the brush or a large dotting tool (whichever you're more comfortable with) to place large dots centered over the edge of the new polish colour.

Step 5: Use a smaller dotting tool to place dots of the base polish colour inside the larger dots from Step 4.

Step 6: Top coat!

Overall I think these nail guides have their uses.  I like that they are thicker so you don't have to worry about painting over the line like you do with striping tape and they do give a nice crisp edge.  I think for very intricate linear designs striping tape would be a better fit though.Don't forget if you plan to buy any nail art supplies from Born Pretty Store make sure to use the coupon code MSTK31 for 10% your order of regular priced items.

Happy polishing,

Michelle

Birchbox Canada June 2015 Unboxing & Review

Purchased Myself

Hello readers,
My June Birchbox arrived in the mail... amazingly fast this month I must say... so I thought I'd share what I got with you.  This month the spoiler was an Eyeko eyeliner.  Apparently that got stuck in customs so no one got it.  I wasn't overly upset about this as I only found out about after we found out we weren't getting it and I already have tons of eyeliners.

Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo | Full-size $36-$82

I got the hydrating shampoo from this brand a couple months ago from Birchbox.  It was good shampoo so I'll definitely use this up.  For that price though I don't see myself purchasing the full size.  Based on the $36 bottle this sample is worth $4.24.

PARLOR by Jeff Chastian Moisurizing Sea Salt Spray | Full-size $27

This isn't a really a product for me.  My hair already has enough unwanted texture, so I don't want to add more.  I do know other people were looking forward to this sample though so I'm sure I'll be able to swap it for something that better fits my style.  Based on the full size price this sample is worth $5.51.

Naobay Oxygenating Cream Moisturizer | Full-size $45

I'm always up for trying a new face cream so this is good sample for me.  This sample is worth $18.

Skyn Iceland Hydro Firming Eye Gels | Full-size $33

Puffy eyes and dark under eye circles aren't an issue for me so this sample is a miss.  However, I have already arranged to swap it so it won't go to waste.  This single set of eye gels is worth $4.13.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Brightening Illuminator | Full-size $32

This is the sample I was most looking forward to since I am a sucker for highlighters.  It's pretty tiny but highlighter goes a long way.  Based on the full size this tube is worth $11.64.

Bonus: Pura Vida Lace Headband with Charm | Set of 8 $18

I'm really glad this came in a cute dusty blue colour after I saw camo print in the preview.  It's always nice to have extra headbands around.  The value of this bonus item is $2.25.

Conclusion

The total value of this month's box was $45.77 which is way more than the $14.95 I paid including shipping.  I'll use the majority of the samples and the couple that aren't for me will be great for swaps.  We also got a code to enter into a contest with a guaranteed prize for everyone.  I ended up getting a 10% off a $50+ purchase in the Birchbox store.  If you want to find out more check out the Birchbox Canada website.  Don't forget to review your box items for an extra $5 in birchbox points.

Happy polishing,

Michelle

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths Review & Giveaway

Press Sample Sponsored Giveaway

Hello readers,
Today I have a new product from Cetaphil to share with you.  If you're like me, you want a no nonsense easy way to clean your face at the end of the day which will leave you feeling fresh.  Cleansing cloths are a great option (I especially love them while traveling) and I'm looking forward to see how Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths perform.

These Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths are advertized to remove dirt and makeup with no soap, no irritation and no rinsing.  They are suitable for face and body, leave your skin feeling fresh and clean, ophthalmologist tested and are fragrance-free. 

Now it's time to put to put these cleansing cloths to the test.  I tried them out on a day when I was wearing some makeup that included Cover Girl concealer, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Quo Back To Basics eye shadows, The Balm Cindy-Lou Manizer, Julep Kajal eye liner, GOSH Giant Blush and ModelCo Party Proof lipstick.

Before	After

The Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths did a good job of removing my makeup with one exception - the eye makeup. It took some scrubbing to get all the shadow off and I wasn't able to get all the liner off. The cloths did leave my skin feeling clean and moisturized though. If you're wearing much make up I would suggest using a dedicated make up remover first and then using the cloths to deal with any remover residue and to clean up the rest of your face. After using these for a few days I didn't notice any negative side effects such as break outs (which I am prone to) or dry skin. I will definitely consider these as an option for when I'm traveling or just need a refresher part way through the day. If you want to give these cloths a try make sure to enter the giveaway below where you have the chance to win one of ten 10-packs of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths along with a $3 Off coupon.

Giveaway open to Canadian residents 18 years and older

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy polishing,

Michelle

Emily De Molly Tread Lightly Swatches & Review

Purchased Myself

Hello readers,
Today I have polish to show you that I recently acquired from the Nail Polish Rewards catalog.  I finally got to put some of my points to use on a gorgeous EDM.

Tread Lightly features a shimmery aqua crelly base filled with pink, purple and silver glitters in a variety of shapes and sizes.  The formula was great to work with and I had no issues with getting a good distribution of glitter on the nail.  The polish was opaque in two coats but I added a third for some extra glitter goodness.  It does dry a little uneven due the bigger glitters so a thicker top coat is recommended.  Photos show three coats of Tread Lightly with one coat of Gelous and one coat of Seche Vite in daylight spectrum lighting.

You can find Emily De Molly on

https://www.emilydemolly.bigcartel.com/

Facebook

Happy polishing,

Michelle

Two Layered Floral Nail Stamping

Purchased Myself

Hello readers,
I have a quick nail art post for you today.  I started with a glittery base of Femme Fatale Rich In Beauty.  Then I stamped on some swirls of Color Club What A Drag and then some flowers of Zoya Pinta using Pueen plate SE04B.  Here's the final look.

Happy polishing,

Michelle

Watercolour Sharpie Marble Nail Art

Purchased Myself

Hello readers,
Today I have some super easy but still super gorgeous nail art to show you.  I was inspired by this post on Chalkboard Nails and this Instagram tutorial by @celinaryden.  She did the sharpie marbling technique with gel polish but I thought I would see if it worked with regular polish.  Also, instead of sharpies I used BIC Mark It Fine Point Permanent Markers.  I think any marker will work as long as it has alcohol-based ink.

I started out with a base color of Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Untrodden Snow - a soft white creme with a subtle blue shimmer.  Then I drew some random lines using my permanent marker in Playful Purple, dipped a flat brush in isopropyl alcohol and dabbed it onto the marker lines to dissolve and spread them.  For my second layer I repeated the same technique with the colour Hot Aqua.  For the third and final layer I drew on dots instead of lines in Playful Purple and then dabbed alcohol right in the center of the dots to make them spread out.  I waited for my nails to be completely dry (only takes a minute or so) and sealed everything up with a coat of CND Super Shiney top coat.  I then took an angle brush and acetone remover to clean up the few spots on my cuticles where the ink had spread too far.  Here are the results.  I am in love! This was so easy and the result looks like a watercolour painting.  I also love how the shimmer from the base colour still peaks through.

Happy polishing,

Michelle