Cuticle Oil Products: 101

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a fanatic about my fingernails! I could honestly dedicate an entire blog site to manicures, products and tips, but that’d be unhealthy and I do enjoy other things in life as well. šŸ˜‰

This morning on Twitter I got into a discussion about cuticle oil with a couple of my followers who had never used it before! I think that is such a crime; all women should know the many benefits they’d get from carrying this product and using it regularly.

If you don’t currently use cuticle oil read on…

1) Cuticle oil helps keep fingernails healthy and strong.Ā 

2) Oil will restore and prevent dry, peeling or cracked cuticles.Ā 

3) When cuticles are not nourished, it is difficult to push them back and many salons will clip them. When they’re clipped you are providing an entry point for bacteria and fungi (ew!)

4) Improves nail strength, appearance, flexibility and growth. In a brief amount of time, you’ll notice your nails will be growing quicker, and much stronger.

I am a devout cuticle oiler! I apply dozens of times per day (which is excessive- it is suggested 3x/day is more than enough). I carry three different brands in my purse, check them out below:

1)Ā Ā Ā  Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle CrĆØme:

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Creme
Opened

This product reminds me of a lip balm. (Warning- it does not substitute as one! I tried once in desperate measure-ick!)

The Lemon Butter smells amazing, and overall it works well, I just don’t like having to get my fingers all sticky to apply it to my nails.

2) Sally Hanesn Vitamin E & Cuticle Oil

Sally Hansen Vitamin E & Cuticle Oil
A regular polish brush is used for application

I really love this product! It works amazing and keeps your nails and cuticles nourished for quite a while. The only downside is that it is difficult to use when walking, in a car, or any place that you cannot set the bottle down. It’s also slightly embarrassing to use in public because it looks like you are painting your nails, but Lord knows I don’t care ;)…

My (embarrassed) friend snapped a shot of me while we were pre-gaming before going out in Boston. This is my kind of pre-game! šŸ˜‰

3) Sephora Stimulating Lavender Cuticle Oil

This cuticle pen has a twist on the bottom which pumps out the oil.
The bush makes application SO easy- anytime, anyplace.

This product is my absolute favorite! It is a little pricey, but if you are trying to transform your nails, I would highly recommend picking one up! It is so convenient; it is discrete and it works phenomenally. I leave one on my desk at work (in my pen jar) and I swear I use it all day long.

Can you spot the cuticle pen?

In all honesty, any of these products will get the job done-I just have my favorites.

After I oil my cuticles I apply the Vaseline Healthy Hand & Nail Lotion which can be found at any drugstore, Walmart, CVS, etc.

I love that the bottle is pink šŸ™‚

No matter what product you choose to use, use something. Especially during these winter months. I promise you, you will notice a difference in your nails. šŸ™‚

If you know of a must-have cuticle product tell me about it in the comments below!

3 Mascara Reviews: I have a new fave!

Every woman wants long, luscious lashes, and there are hundreds of products on the market that promise to elongate them. However, many of those products don’t exactly work. I’m lucky to have fairly long lashes to begin with, but I still love to go to town with my mascara, and make them look even longer.

Over the holidays I got three new mascaras, and was surprised to find a new favorite!

Check out my reviews below…

1) NYC Sky Rise Lengthening MascaraĀ ($1.99)

NYC Sky Rise Lengthening Mascara
NYC Brush
Left Eye (pre-mascara)
Lashes Post NYC

2) Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum & PrimerĀ ($28)Ā Ā Diorshow Mascara (090 Rich Black) $24.50

DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum & Primer and DiorShow (090 black)
DiorShow brushes
Step 1: DiorShow Maximizer
Post DiorShow

3) Bare MineralsĀ Flawless Definition Curl & Lengthen Mascara ($18.00)

Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Curl & Lengthen Mascara
Bare Minerals brush
Lashes post Bare Minerals

(I was just swatching these mascaras, so excuse my not-so-perfect, crooked-looking lashes. I usually spend more time on them)

Conclusion:

I thought I was going to LOVE DiorShow, but I don’t like how it made my lashes so clumpy. The NYC mascara is perfect to just throw in your bag for everyday use. But my absolute favorite was the Bare Minerals! I don’t usually use Bare Escentual products, so I’m glad I got the chance to try this mascara out. The brush hits every lash- and when you have enough time to apply it correctly, they look amazing! I highly recommend; this product is definitely a keeper!

What kind of mascara do you use?

Bargain Hunting at it’s Best!

While I love to shop, I never spend a lot of money on clothes. 95% of the time you will find me in a TJ’s, Marshalls, Target, or Consignment. The other 5% I am in sale or clearance racks. I rarely pay full price for anything, because 1) I know I’ll be over it in a few months, and 2) I wouldn’t get to shop as often if I was paying full price for everything I purchased!

When I was younger I used to sign up for any and every club that would give me a plastic rewards card. (I needed something to put in my wallet!) CVS, Bobs Stores, and my personal favorite… the Bath and Body Works Art Stuff Club card…

Anywho- after all these years, I still get Bob’s Dollars in the mail twice a year. I got $10 in the mail the other day, and while I don’t normally shop there, I figured I should go look around before the coupon expired (free money, right?).

I wasn’t in the mood to spend anything, because I really didn’t need anything, nor did I particularly care for the clothes they were carrying. So I scoured the clearance racks to make the most of my $10 and I ended up finding some cute things.

I found this navajo-esque skirt for only $3.00!

The skirt is super light, with an elastic waist so it can be worn high or low on the hips.

I wore it to work today with a black turtle neck and suede knee high boots. I love that it can also be downplayed and worn casually. It can definitely work in the summer months with a tank.

On the clearance rack, I came across this silky top tucked way in the back…

It was only $3.00 as well! It looks really cute with a cardigan and slacks, or leggings. The cotton racer back makes it super casual, so in the warmer months it is totally acceptable with a pair of white shorts or even over a bathing suit. I love year round pieces!

To be honest, those were the only cute, and super cheap clothing items I could find. However, I did come across these cute convertibles finger-mittens:

Each pair was only $3! (That must have been my lucky number for the night.)

I wore the blue pair today…

For anyone wondering, my polish is a UV Gelish Mini- "Night Reflection" (..and that's day 5! I love gel manis! But that's a whole other post!)
Perfect for my ice cold steering wheel in the AM!

So in total, I only ended up spending $2.00 for some really cute finds!

Do you like to bargain shop? What are your go-to stores?

Ringing in 2012 on a yacht…with a ponytail.

The past two years my boyfriend and I have spent New Years Eve with two amazing couples. This year, the six of us booked a dinner cruise on a yacht in NYC! We all got together before heading to the port to enjoy some cocktails and photo-ops…unfortunately, none of us were pleased with any of the shots we took.

I wore a ponytail on NYE (ugh)…needless to say I doubt I will be doing that again.Ā It looked cute in person, but boy is it hard to be photogenic when your hair is slicked back and better suited for the gym. Speaking of the gym….

Having fun on the eliptical...doesn't everyone work out before they go out?

The boys looked great…while typically, none of the girls could agree on a decent photo!

James, Austin and Mike
Nicole, Toya and I complaining about our pictures šŸ™
I love my man so muchh :-*

We left to board our boat (with no good pictures).

This was our ride for the night šŸ™‚

We took off (does a boat take off?) at 10:30pm, and sailed down the Hudson. We got to enjoy a dinner buffet, open bar, and a whole bunch of drunk people.

The best part about the boat was the roof deck! It was so cold, but we kept going up there to enjoy the beautiful scenery that surrounded us. At midnight we sailed past fireworks that were shot over the Statue of Liberty.

So amazing šŸ™‚
This is my favorite picture of the night, because Mike had given up alcohol for the entire year and finally got to sip some champagne at midnight <3

We all had Ā fun ringing in 2012 together! I wish I had more pictures, but for me-the memories will do just fine!

Group shot the end of the night.

New Years Resolutions!

I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be my year- I’ve been making resolutions left and right! Let it be known that I have never made a New Years resolution before in my life- so this is new to me. The reason you are reading this is because one of my resolutions was to begin blogging! I have blogged in the past, but have never stuck it out for very long. This year I hope to keep a sustainable blog… so here we have my (in actuality 6th or 7th) very first post!

I wanted to share the rest of my resolutions as well. I figured this would be a good place to document them!

1)Ā Ā  Stop cursing. You know the Dashboard lyrics “You smile like a saint, but you curse like a sailor”…? I have to plead guilty to this, no one believes that I have a foul mouth, but I do; and the funny thing is I cannot stand cursing! I never did it until I got to college and it has become a nasty habit of mine. Noting is more unattractive than a girl with a foul mouth.

2)Ā Ā  Exercise regularly (I’m sure this is on everyone’s list…)Ā The gym and I have never been great friends, but I do like the way I feel when my body has been active. I’m not planning on turning into a gym rat this year; I just plan on moving my body more. I love hiking, walking, TV workouts on demand…anything that doesn’t initially suggest exercise.

Dancing counts...

3)Ā Ā  Eat healthier (…I’m sure this is on your list too lol…)Ā This is the resolution that never ends. I’m not going to diet, because I don’t have the will power, nor am I trying to lose weight. I just want to cut out the junk that I tend to eat regularly. Making healthier choices when it comes to food is something I need to consider more frequently.

Today I brought some healthy snacks to nibble on throughout the day.

4)Ā Ā  Stop spending so much money and start saving more.Ā While I don’t spend a ridiculous amount of money, I could spend less. The little things add up quicker than you’d think! I’m going to be making a conscious effort to cut back on frivolous spending.

5)Ā Ā  Make an effort to spend more time with my friends. Ā This one is really important to me. My best friends don’t live down the street anymore, and we rarely see one another. I want to begin having monthly dinners or outings with them! Those relationships are important to me, and distance is a poor excuse for not making the effort!

My bests from home; we all live across CT. (Side note- I love that we all showed up wearing black tops and jeans that night- totally random!)

6)Ā Ā  Spend more time reading.Ā I love reading but am such a slacker! I think I’ll shoot to replace an hour of TV per night with some reading time. That’s realistic, no?

Currently in the middle of this! I need to find time to finish it so I can read the others before the movie comes out šŸ™‚
This is waiting on my bookshelf as well!

7)Ā Ā  No more soda.Ā When I was in college I stopped drinking soda my freshman and sophomore year, out of nowhere I had completely lost the taste for it. Unfortunately, I re-developed a nasty addiction to Diet Coke and have been weening (is that how you spell it?) off of it the past few weeks.

Just say no.

8)Ā Ā  Eat out less, and cook more.Ā I love to cook, and I tend to go through cooking sprees. This year I want to make those sprees more of a consistent thing. Buying lunch everyday adds up quick! And going out for dinner so frequently isn’t even much fun.

I do know how to cook! (Not the healthiest of dinners, but I think that's why I have a picture of it LOL)
One of my favorite foods to make!

What are some of your resolutions? I really love hearing everyone’s plan for the New Year. I don’t think you could ever have too many! šŸ˜‰

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