Maybe it's Maybelline?

Snatch A Deal box arrived.

You have no idea how excited it was to see it come in the mail.

So... Many... Pretties...

Growth gel, strength gel and a treatment.  I'm doing everything I can to make these puppies grow!  They keep breaking on me.

Blues and greens

Pinks

Shimmers

Sheers

 Darks

Purples

More pinks

Reds

First set of swatches are in number order from smallest to largest.

Ballerina is missing?  There is a story to that.  

After opening them all I transferred them gently into my laundry basket of clean clothing - where I promptly lost it into my clothes.
It has been found and will be swatched.  It is a less pink toned version of Icing Sugar.

Goodie Box time!!

I'm a week late (shhh, don't tell anyone) getting this post up.  

Gooooooodie Booooooox!

This months haul, of which I've only kept 2 items of!  

Australis Blackest Black Eye Pencil.
Full Size $14.00 (1.15g).  

I have a LOT of eyeliner, so I've started to give most of it away.  My sister saw it and snaffled it up after I took photos.

Saviq Bee Venom Mist Toner.
Full Size $26.95 (150ml).

Sniffing the nozzle I thought it smelt a little weird, but after I sprayed it on myself, BLISS!!  I probably wouldn't suggest it if you're allergic to bees, seeing as its got bee in it.
*No bees were harmed in the making of this organic spray.  Apparently.*

Barry M Lip Gloss Wand.
Full Size $15.00 (2.5ml).  

I love Barry M polishes, but the lipgloss was just not the right colour for me.  Passed it on to my sister-in-law.  

Kiri UMF 16+ Manuka Honey Cleansing Soap.
Full Size $7.90 (125g).  Sample: $4.42 (70g).

There is no denying that I ADORED the Kiri moisturiser from a couple boxes back.  I'm packing up a parcel for a friend in the states, so I've actually given her the soap and the body lotion.

Kiri UMF 16+ Manuka Honey Body Lotion.
Full Size $15.00 (250ml).  Sample: $0.60 (10ml).

As with the soap, I've packaged these up for a friend, so I'll have to get her opinion on them.  Knowing Kiri though, it'll be fantastic.

Le Tan "Tan in Le Can".
Full Size $18.99 (150g).  Sample: $5.69 (45g).

Something else that I couldn't keep my hands on.  SIL was going to a party, so I gave her this one, seeing as I have the gel version already.  She said it was wonderful, didn't take long to develop and was non-streaky.

Bloom Hot Chocolate.
Sample: (20g).

Hot chocolate.  Need I say more?



Total value for this box was $66.66+.  The hot chocolate had no pricing, so I can't really include it.

Considering most of it was given away to friends and family, I think I got a fair few presents out of it.  

Good job, Goodie Box.

Peacock Pie Pendants!

The lovely gorgeous talented Serra over at Peacock Pie made us some stellar pendants!  

Excuse the weird camera angle, but she's got me in love!

All of the sparkle!

Emily De Molly Oceanic Forces

I got a huge amount of compliments while I was wearing it, and I just love it.  The length is perfect, the sparkle is eyecatching and the the polishes are incredible.

Her etsy store is overflowing with creations, so go and buy her stuff.  

Sample Bar October Box

One of my favourite times of the month.  

So many awesome things!

Pure Fiji Hydrating Guava Body Lotion.
Full Size $49 (350ml).  Sample: $2.10 (15ml I guess, there was nothing listed on it).
Get it from www.purefiji.com, ring 0800 PUREFIJI or check out your beauty resorts and spas.

Pure Fiji is a pretty popular product range here.  Most of the About Face and Beauty facial salons stock it.  It smells awesome, and I can't wait to use it.

Couleur Caramel Cream Eyeshadow Munnar Green.
Full Size $29.30.
From www.couleur-caramel.co.nz

I'm sure I should love this more than I should.  But I don't. I was never a huge fan of cream shadows, and having oily skin just made it more hassle that it was worth most of the time.  

More than happy to pass this on to someone who would use it.

Youngblood Vixen Mini Lipstick.
Full Size $43.50 (4g).  Sample: $10.88 (1g).
From www.beautysense.co.nz

The perfect red lippy.  If I could make one complaint:  Its sticky to apply.  With use I guess the lipstick would get softer, but for now its ok.  It can live in my purse with the rest of the emergency going-out makeup.  

Rosehip by Essano - Gentle Foaming Cleanser.
Full Size $14.99 (140ml).  Sample: $6.42 (30ml x 2 bottles).
Get it from Countdown!  

Just in time!  I've been using the sebamed cleanser and I didn't really like it.  This stuff smells so good.  Can't wait to try it and see how it works.

Angel Orange Flower Shampoo and Hair Mask.
Full Size $39 (400ml each).  Sample: $ 1.56 each (8ml x 2 each).
Find your nearest stockist by emailing sales@phb.net.nz

I don't think I can praise Angel enough.  I love the conditioning spray.  I loved the shampoo and conditioner.

My hair isn't coloured, but its still going to be used :)

Dots Laundry Powder.
Full Size $6.99 (1kg - 22 washes).  Sample: $0.32 (1 wash).
Countdown, Pak n Save, New World and www.dotslaundry.com

How cute is this packaging!  This is gorgeous!  I just bought laundry powder, so I will save this for later.  Seems pretty economical.




Total cost for the box is $25 a month.  Value of this one: $52.14.  
Other than the shadow which I will gift, the rest of it is pretty awesome.

Get your own one from Sample Bar.

Nail haul pics are coming!

I haven't forgotten you all!  

Spring is here!

Trees have leaves, the sun is making everything crazy colours.

I've been really really busy with work recently, and just haven't had time to finish anything.

Except massive piles of binding...

In fact, I still have one day left for the Chalkboard nails challenge - I have yet to watermark them and refind the original photos.

Then I'll do a pretty little instagram post for you with all 31 days!

I'm still waiting on some stuff from Ebay to come in the mail - some nail art stuff and swatching sticks.

Been dabbling in some polish jewelery - I'll make a post about that later too.

Oooooh, the shinies!  

Had some really good fun with new and old friends.

Close shot!  We won this game with my epic pool skills (HAHAHA!!).

Drank some tasty cider.

 Took lots of random shots with cool people.  

Regular posts will resume soon, I'm not gone!


Keep an eye out after Armageddon for some amazing nail art and cosplay picture - I have business cards to hand out all professional-like!

September Goodie Box!

I love getting these in the mail.  

Goodie Box generally comes through with quality items.  I love getting these sample boxes in the mail.  The addition of health products has been amazing.  I would never of gotten half the stuff myself, yet I now use it regularly.  

Wet N Wild Silk Finish Blush.
Full Size $7.95 (6.8g)

I am usually not drawn to blusher because I can never apply it properly.  This one is so light and soft that I might have to give it a go.

Le Tan Gradual Tan Gel.
Full Size $15 (150ml).  Sample: $3.50 (35ml).

Hmmm.  They're undercutting SampleBar by $8.  

Now I have two bottles of this, I can really get myself summer ready!  Just about to come out of pants at work, so this is well timed.

Iron Melts.
Full Size $11.90 (50 tabs).

Iron tablets used to be horrible.  They'd block you up, they were large and just annoying.
I could totally take these every day.

Broadway Nails - Lasting French with Tab.
Full Size $22.

I got these before, and they lasted a weekish.  I did get annoyed and tear them off, but that was my fault.
Time to give them another go!

Cover Girl - Lash Exact Mascara.
Full Size $21.95 (22g / 4ml).

Do you know how long I've wanted to try this but the price tag put me off?  Now I'm using a clinical one to grow my lashes, this will have to go into the hands of one of my friends.  

Freeman Facial Polishing Mask.
Full Size $3.50 (15ml).

Masks like these are good, you can slip them into your weekly pampering session without having to fork out a million dollars on a large container that gets forgotten.  

Can't wait to try this one!  It sounds amazing.

Freeman Facial Brightening Mask.
Full Size $3.50 (15ml).

Something else to add to my weekend girly sessions.  I think I have a few dozen of these now, but they're always useful and never expire!



Total for this month:  $64.30.  Decent amount of full sized and quite a range of items to get ready for summer.  

Get yours from Goodie Box, for around $30 a month.

Foils!

I ordered a bunch of stuff from Dresslink.  I got the email from them, and ordered some foils, a wheel of 1mm rhinestones, some hair curlers and a wig for cosplay.

The foils!!

65 rolls.  It would be 70, but they were out of stock of some of them.

Pretty Sakura flowers!

Trying out various top coats - fastdrys will crinkle them, so this is one coat of glue over the top, then quickshine over the whole lot.  Matte one half, gloss the other, just to see what would happen.

Matte and gloss

Glue + quickshine = holo goodness!!

A whole bunch of pretty colours and finishes.


And for my challenge mani:  Holo patterns!

 Investigation into the staying power of various top coats over foil:

Silver: Little finger is glue, foil, glue, jordana quickshine. Middle finger is glue, foil, rimmel matte top coat (not fast drying, so I wanted to see if it would crinkle. Instead of crinkling, it dulled the holo to the point where you could only see the grey pixels). Index is glue, foil, glue, half jordana quickshine, half rimmel matte. 

So, other than a very slight dulling of the holo on the shine side, putting glue, foil, glue then quickdry is a decent hold. 

The gold is the remains of the foils from last night. I slapped some topcoat over the tips before I went to work, and they just wore off progressivly as the day went on.

Base coat, julep sienna, glue, foil, then top coat on the tips. 

Interesting note: The glue over the polish stayed sticky all day (tacky to the touch), but the glue over natural nails (no base, no polish) only moved on the non-quickshine samples.