Week in Photos

1. Yellow Nails. Revlon ColorStay in the color Buttercup.

2. Protein Smoothie. Inspired by Benji from BenjiManTV on Youtube.

3. Spray Paint Art @ a Local Skatepark.

4. Minty Green jeans from Target.

5. Grilled Teriyaki Salmon, Rice Pilaf, Grilled Pineapple, Spinach. Dinner by the boyfriend.

Hope you enjoyed!

Lush Haul/Review

Hey guys! I'm back with a Lush Haul/Review today! A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I spent the day in Carmel, CA a cute little beach town. Downtown they have a little Lush Cosmetics shop.

During this time my face was really drying out. It was getting to the paint where skin was literally flaking off my forehead. So I ran in to see if they had any good moisturizers for dry skin. The sales girl was really polite and helped me pick a few things out.

1. Oatifix Fresh Face Mask ($6.95 apx) - The Facts: I had the Oatifix  in my hand and the sales girl said it was enriched with bananas with rich oils that help quench dry skin. The mask also contains oatmeal and almonds which help to scrub the dead skin off your face. This mask is suppose to be gentle and perfect for sensitive skin.

My Thoughts: To be completely honest with you I've only used the mask once. I'm pretty bad when it comes to keeping a routine with face masks. Sometimes I'm so busy I barely get to wash my face at night. But anyways back to my review...the mask was pretty clumpy and looked as if I dumped oatmeal on my face. I don't feel like it moisturized my face greatly either. It was just an OK mask. I don't think I'll be re-purchasing.

2. Eau Roma Water Toner ($8.95) - The Facts: This toner was suggested for me by the sales girl. It is supposed to be Lush's most moisturizing toner with only 2 active ingredients; rose and lavender. The rose is to cool and nourish the skin while the oils in lavender moisturize.

My Thoughts: I have mixed feelings. Spraying my face with the toner is very refreshing but I don't feel like it really does anything to my skin. I also noticed that most other toners clean left over residue from make up after a face wash while this toner doesn't do that. This is also probably another product I will not purchase again from Lush.

3. Skin Drink Facial Moisturizer ($22.95) - The Facts: This moisturizer was highly suggested by the sales girl helping me that day. She insisted that I not leave the store without it. Skin Drink is made up of rose petal extract, avocados, and aloe vera.

My Thoughts: I LOVE IT! I only apply this moisturizer in the morning after I wash my face and before I apply my tinted moisturizer. After I apply it I literally feel like my skin is soaking up the moisture. It improved my dry skin in literally 2 days! The only face product I've purchased at Lush that I believe actually helped my dry skin. There are only 2 draw backs; 1) Hello! The price? Geez. $22.95? That's a little steep for me. But the amount in the container has been lasting pretty well so maybe it's worth it. If my skin's happy, I'm happy! 2) It smells funky. I think it's the avocado in it. It literally smells like rotten food or something along those lines. But with that said, I will definitely repurchase.

Rock Star Soap ($7.95 for 3.5oz) - The Facts: Vanilla fragrance soap that is supposed to leave your body feeling smooth and smelling sweet!

My Thoughts: I'm a huge fan of Lush soaps. I heard about Rock Star from one of the Youtube beauty gurus and had to smell for myself. Most Lush soaps leave your skin feeling great. This one does that as well and its pretty to look at. Definitely smells sweet too. The scent lingers on my skin for a few hours after a shower. Another repurchase.

I hope you enjoyed my little Haul/Review and this gives you some ideas for your next Lush trip!
Have a lovely day!

E<3

Thursday Things about Manicure Things

Hey! This week I'm doing a special Thursday Things post entirely on manicure/nail things. I want to share some of my favorite nail care products as well as nail polishes.

1. Essie All in One Base Coat. Recently my nails have been very brittle and weak. Then I discovered this Essie base coat and it worked miracles on my finger nails. It gave my nails the strength they needed. I purchased mine at Walgreens for $9.50.

2. J.R. Watkins Hand & Cuticle Salve. When I neglect going to a pro for a mani my hang nails and cuticles can get pretty dry but with this cuticle salve I can skip the nail salon for weeks! Every time I paint my nails, I wash my hands and then apply this cuticle salve all around my nail bed and into my cuticles. It leaves my nails looking freshly manicured every time I use. I discovered J.R. Watkins in my Birchbox a few months ago but currently you can purchase it at Ulta for $5.24.

3. INM Out the Door Super Fast Drying Top Coat. For months I was looking for a top coat that gave my nails a glossy shine and helped to dry freshly painted nails quickly and I finally found it. INM Out the Door can be purchased at most nail supply store, I believe I purchased mine for somewhere around $5.00.

4. True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Hand Cream. <- That's a mouth full! I got a bottle of this lotion for Christmas 2 years ago and ever since then it's the only hand lotion I use. It makes your hands so silky smooth is unbelievable. I even use this on my legs! This can be purchased at Bath & Body Works for about $10.00.

Now for some of my favorite colors...

4. Essie Tart Deco.This is the perfect combination of a light and creamy coral. I bring this color out for Spring and Summer. It's the perfect pop of color to wear on your nails.

5. Orly Rage. I first saw this color on Youtube beauty guru Sonia. She wore the color in one of her videos and I immediately went on the hunt. I was disappointed when I wasn't able to find the color anywhere and then FINALLY weeks later I found the color at a Sally's Beauty Supply store. This is my favorite gold color to wear and still keep my nails looking neutral.

6. OPI Pink Friday. This is my favorite light, Barbie pink nail polish. I'm currently wearing it on my toe nails!

7. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Mint Sorbet. Last summer mint green was a trendy color for Spring and Summer just as it will be this year. When I saw this color I had to get it!

8. Essie Lady Like. I love this color. I wore it all Fall. It's my go to neutral color. Sometimes I like to change it up a bit and paint the tip black for a more modern french tip. (Not pictured below)

I hope you enjoyed this post and hopefully you find some of these items are what you've been looking for!

Have a lovely day!

E<3