Orly Sec 'N Dry Review

I have been a long term user of the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat, but after having to continuously thin it out after the bottle is halfway done, I decided to try out a new quick dry top coat.  I like Orly nail polishes, so I figure that it would be worth it to try out one of their many top coats.  The Sec 'N Dry is marketed as a top coat that penetrates all nail polish layers to dry it quickly and leave a hard, protective top coat behind. Now that I have been using this for a bit, I have found it to be an alternative, but not a replacement for the Sally Hansen.  I both like and dislike the fact that the Sec 'N Dry is thinner. I don't think it will thicken up to the point of being unusable halfway through the bottle, which is great; however, it doesn't create as thick of a coat of shininess on top of the nail to make the polish pop. It does allow the true nature of the polish to come through without adding much shine to it.  I haven't tried it over glitter polishes, but I have a feeling it might just get lost in it. In terms of being a quick drying top coat, it lives up to it's claim. My polish dries without much effort on my part.  One thing I did notice though is that with some polishes, the Sec 'N Dry picks up the color of the polish. The nail polish color will bleed slightly onto the top coat brush.  So far, this hasn't discolored my bottle and doesn't affect the way it applies, but I am worried that my top coat might be completely discolored in the future.

Bottom Line: If you're looking for a thinner top coat that only helps to quicken drying time, this might be for you.  It's not what I'm personally looking for in a top coat, so once I use it up, the hunt will continue.

Milani Shadow Eyez in Brown Deluxe: Review & Swatch

It's always great to find similar products for cheaper.  The inner bargain queen in me wants more for less. Milani Shadow Eyez are the drug store copycat to the Urban Decan 24/7 Glide-on Shadow. It's an user friendly jumbo shadow pencil that can be used as a wash of color over the entire lid, or as a liner.  The dual function of this pencil makes it highly versatile.

For the review and swatches, click the link.

Maybelline Color Show Nail Sticker in Divine Crocodile Review

I realize that nail sticker/decal/thinger-ma-gigers have been around for some time, but I have been slow in joining in on the fun.  My main drawback was that I couldn't justify spending around $8 for one time use products no matter how cool they look.  That said, since these were on sale $2, I just had to try them out. These nail stickers apply much in the same way as other similar products.  You peel the sticker off, fold the excess over the nail edge, and file the left over off.  There are plenty of sticker sizes to choose from to fit your nails properly.

For my review and nail swatches, click the link.

SquareHue: First Impressions

Today I can finally introduce my initial impressions of SquareHue, a monthly nail polish subscription that I hinted to last December. I was honestly surprised when this showed up in the mail at the beginning of the month since I was under the impression my first box won't come until March. In any case, it was a pleasant surprise to find it waiting for me. As a side note, currently there isn't as long of a wait since the promotion price is over.  You can get the specifics of the subscription service by going to SquareHue directly, but in a nutshell you get 3 full sized (0.5 oz) "3-free" nail polishes each month for $21 (no extra shipping charge).  SquareHue sends out "fresh" month appropriate colors that fit a variety of occasions, and they are committed to giving part of their proceeds to different causes/organizations.

To continue reading the review and see swatches, click the link.

Winter Savior: eos Lip Balm Review

Strawberry Sorbet, Lemon Drop, Pomegranate Raspberry

Let's face it. Winter is the worst enemy to your skin, second to unprotected sun exposure.  My lips are always chapped, but winter takes it to a whole new level.  That's why I like keeping balm around with me or in areas I'll need them (purse, car, gym bag, etc.)  One of my "go to's" are the eos lip balms.  Of course these are nothing new, and have been around the block for a bit.  There was even a huge craze over them a couple of years back, and I did become introduced to these during that hype, but I just keep buying them.  What made me decide to post about these was the fact that I found a new flavor in the store: the red one in Pomegranate Raspberry.

To continue the review, click the link below.

L'Oreal Paris Nail Color in Brit Invasion: Review & Swatches

I always have a soft spot in my heart for nail polish, and it just makes me happy that L'Oreal has been rather spot on in their offerings.  Brit Invasion is no exception.  For being a drug store brand, I honestly think these nail polishes live up to their high end counter parts without any problems.  Especially when they come out with interesting colors such as this one.  Brit Invasion is definitely one of those ugly pretty colors.  It's not much to look at since the base color is a rather muddy looking lilac/lavender that most likely won't appeal to many, but it has pretty gold shimmer/foil in it that just makes it pop.  I also kinda like ugly pretty colors.

To continue the review and see swatches, click the link below.

Palmolive Fresh Infusions Review

Now that I've had a chance to use one of my free Palmolive Fresh Infusions I received from Influenster, I can give a more in-depth review on my thoughts. My roomie helped me decide on which one to try, and we agreed on the pink one: Ginger White Tea.  As indicated in my initial impressions post, these all smell "fresh".  Imitation smells will always have some sort of chemically aspect to it, but these are not over powering in that sense.  It takes a more natural take on "common"soap scents, which I appreciate.  The smell lingers after you use it as well, making the kitchen smell nice and fresh for about 20 mins after washing dishes.

To continue reading the review, click the link.