Haul: IMATS NYC 2015

Ladies and gentlemen, I survived my first IMATs -- and in the process had a blast visiting New York with my sister. We attended on Sunday, so it was the day after all the big YouTubers went and got kicked out. I have no idea how it compares to Saturday's apparent mayhem, but it seems the event was nice and calm for the first few hours we were there. It wasn't until a little later in the afternoon that the crowds started to get a little thicker and it started to feel like other trade shows I've attended in the past (e.g., The Makeup Show, Premiere Orlando).

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it was better or worse without the YouTubers there. I wasn't there to witness the crowds that would surround them. I don't know what the YouTubers did or didn't do to merit getting booted. I only know what I heard. If the rumors are true, and judging by the venue and event layout, I can see how too many people crowing around to take photos with their favorite "gurus" could have resulted in the vloggers getting the boot. All I'm saying is that I can understand how it would become a safety concern.

Anyway, that's all I've got to say on that subject because I wasn't attending with the goal to partake in any YouTube meet and greets (although I probably would've said hi discreetly had I seen any of them -- I am friendly after all). I understand that some people attend hoping to see their favorite internet beauty personalities and can see how it would be disappointing that they're not there. My main focus, though, was to shop and chat with brand reps to learn about products and what not. So for me the trip was a total success.

With that said, I promised an IMATS haul and that's exactly what you'll get! So check out my video below to see everything I got (and even some swatches).

And here's a list of all the products:

• Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleanser (Quick Dry formula)
• Alcone Company Non-Latex makeup sponges
• Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray
• Skindinavia Oil Control Primer Spray
• Skindinavia Original Primer Spray
• Bdellium Tools Tapered Contour Brush (944)
• Bdellium Tools 10-piece Studio Mineral brush set with makeup roll which includes the following brushes:
• #964 AP Blusher
• #957 Precision Cheek
• #955 Finishing
• #945 Contour
• #942 Slanted Contour
• #781 Crease
• #776 Blending
• #769 Angled Contour
• #765 Small Angle Shader
• #755 Smudge
• Beauty Blender Body Blender
• Serenity + Scott: Gatsby (lipstick) + Copper Auburn (brow gel)
• Dirty Little Secret lipsticks: Poison, Guilty Pleasure, Hopeless
• Lip Bar liquid lipstick: Candy Land and Dirty Red
• Cozette Brushes: S145, D255, S165, S175, S185
• Stilazzi shadows and blushes:
• MS04
• MS08
• MB10
• MB16
• MB18
• MB19
• MS43
• MS44
• MS45
• PS26
• Ever Glaze polishes: Lil' Bow-tique, Don't Grape About it, Floral-escent, Paint My Piggies Pink, Orchid, Top Coat
• IBD polish in Tickled Pink
• Chacott Cleansing Water (travel size)

Alright, I showed you mine, now tell me about your haul. Did you go to IMATS and what was your favorite purchase?

Manicure Monday: Green Ombre Nails

It's March! That means spring is almost here! And, since we're in Florida, it's pretty much here already. Thank goodness because I was ready to put a little spring on my tips.

To celebrate the impending arrival of warm weather and open-toe shoes, I decided on a green themed manicure. After all, it's appropriate for the season. But I couldn't just pick one green polish. Nope, I had to try my hand at an ombre manicure.

OPI Nail Envy base coat, China Glaze Re-fresh-mint, Julep Daphne & Revlon Posh nail polish, Seche Vite top coat

I used the the makeup sponge method to achieve an ombre look. Here's a photo tutorial on the makeup sponge method so you can try it out for yourself.  

First, I laid down my base color, which was China Glaze Re-fresh-mint. Then, I applied Julep Daphne and Revlon Posh to a makeup sponge and stippled them on my nails. I definitely still need to practice to perfect the application. But it's definitely an easy way to try out this trend. 

A word to the wise, you'll be doing a lot of clean up with this method (you'll get nail polish on your fingers with the sponge). So learn from my mistake and place tape around the perimeter of your nail to help catch some of the polish. You'll still need to do some clean up, but the tape will reduce it by a lot. 

What kind of beauty trends are you introducing back into your routine to welcome (or maybe even speed along) spring's impending arrival? 

Manicure Monday: Dark Gunmetal Polish - Essie Over the Edge + China Glaze Black Diamond

It's a double manicure treat today for you. If you're on the look out for a deep gunmetal silver polish that's bordering metallic black, I've got two options for you: Essie Over the Edge and China Glaze Black Diamond.

A dark metallic gunmetal polish isn't necessarily a unique color (you can find this hue in nearly every brand), but it's neutral status makes this hue a collection staple. It's a nice way to soften a go-to black polish or make gunmetal a bit edgier.

Black Diamond and Over the Edge seem to be interchangeable. Both go on sheer on first coat and completely opaque with a second coat. And they're both easy to work with: no streaking or thickness and the application is pretty smooth. Once dry, they end up looking like a blackish shimmer finish (not metallic).

It's going to boil down to brand preference here. Check out the swatches below. What do you think? Can you tell the difference?

Essie Over the Edge (2 coats), Seche Vite top coat

China Glaze Black Diamond (2 coats), Seche Vite top coat

Do you already have this color in your collection? If you do, is it either of these or a totally different brand? If you don't, do you have a brand preference? Comment below, let's chat.

Haul: ULTA Friends & Family Sale + Coupon Link & More

Oops! I went shopping...

I have a weakness. I can't resist a good sale, especially of the beauty or shoe variety. This probably isn't news to anyone, but I'm putting it out there. 

Speaking of sales, ULTA is having their Friends & Family sale. It started January 12 and ends January 18. Oh, you didn't know? Don't worry, they've managed to keep it on the low. I'm used to getting emails and mailers from them and this time, nothing. Goose eggs. Nada. I found out about the sale on Instagram when someone posted about it (not ULTA). 

Here's how you can get the discount: Go to this site ulta.com/friends. Fill out your name, email address, and zip code. Wait for them to email you the coupon. (Don't worry, it takes less than 5 minutes. I did mine in the parking lot in front of ULTA)

Then, be a good friend and tell everyone. Just share the link because you can't forward the coupon (it's a one-time use only)

The coupon gets you 20% off your entire purchase, can be used in store or online, and includes prestige cosmetics. However, it excludes Urban Decay's Naked 1, 2 and 3 palettes. I think that's the only exclusion, except the Benefit Brow Bar. Exclusions are listed on the coupon, in case you forget.

You're welcome. 

Now that you know about this sale, you know I went shopping. Here's a video where I share everything I got. 

List of products (all prices listed are regular price, do not include 20% discount):

ULTA:

Gwen Stefani for OPI Rock Starlets Mini Set ($12.95)

Gwen Stefani for OPI Push and Shove Duet set ($9)

Gwen Stefani for OPI - In True Stefani Fashion ($9) 

China Glaze Mingle with Cringle ($3.99)

NYX Infinite Shadow Sticks - Almond and Flushed ($8.99 each)

Benefit Lip Lotto - Lady's Choice, Fame Game, LaLa Land ($18)

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powde - Nude ($8.99)

Urban Decay Naked Basics ($27)

Target:

Up & Up non-latex makeup sponges ($1.77)

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm - Elusive ($6.49)

Sally Beauty Supply: 

Beauty Secrets Pure Acetone ($3.69)

Buffing blocks - Black and Pink ($1.19 each)

Did you know about the Friends & Family sale? Did you get anything? Comment below, let's chat about it. 

Manicure Monday: China Glaze Rose Among Thorns

It's a pink polish day here on Girly Things by *e*. China Glaze's Rose Among Thorns is a gorgeous, high-voltage, red-based hot pink. If someone were to make a neon sign of a rose, I think this would be the color they'd use. As you can imagine, I was instantly attracted to it.

OPI Nail Envy base coat, China Glaze Rose Among Thorns (3 coats), Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat

The consistency of Rose Among Thorns is a bit watery, but it glides on to your nail smoothly, doesn't streak, and lays down an impressive amount of color. Because its a thinner consistency, it's not extremely opaque.  It's almost like a jelly finish in the sense that even though the consistency is slightly sheer, the polish color is still quite bright and noticeable. I applied three coats of polish to increase the opacity. However, the color pay off remained the same brightness with every coat.

What I'm trying to say is that the pigmentation is amazing, even if the final result is slightly sheer. Interestingly enough, it dries down to a semi-matte finish, which I don't like. But a quick swipe of top coat fixes that situation quickly.

This color is pretty and bright and reminds me a lot of one of my favorite lipsticks, Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Wild Rose. It's almost a dead ringer for it. So if you happen to be a big fan of Wild Rose, you'll be smitten with Rose Among Thorns. Give it a try and thank me later.

What do you think of this color? Is it a contender to join your nail polish collection?

Manicure Monday: China Glaze Creative Fantasy

OPI Nail Envy base coat, China Glaze Creative Fantasy (2 coats), Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat. Accent nail: Sally Hansen Berry Juicy topped with loose micro glitter. 

We're still in the process of swatching all of the nail polishes I got while at the Orlando Premiere show. There are so many, I feel like I need to start posting multiple on Monday's just so you won't have to wait forever to see them all.

Today, I'm happy to show you a color I was pretty excited to try (let's be honest, I picked them all out so I'm excited to swatch all of them): China Glaze Creative Fantasy. 

It looks much more blue in this photo. In person it's a brightish grape polish in a jelly finish. Since it's a jelly, it can be quite sheer. I also think it's a bit more challenging to work with than other finishes. However, what I generally like about a jelly finish -- it's glossy finish -- wasn't really present in Creative Fantasy. When it dries down it's finish is almost in between matte and glossy. It definitely needs a top coat to get the jelly shine. 

The color itself is great and you can build it up to increase its opacity. However, the more you build the less vibrant it becomes.  It almost transforms from a sheer bright grape to a deep opaque grape. Notice the difference between my pointer finger and my pinky (two thicker coats vs. two lighter coats). My pointer finger looks like a darker color, while my pinky looks a bit brighter (although its still somewhat sheer).

In my opinion the color in the bottle looks a bit more vibrant than what you end up getting on your nail. In the bottle it looks more like a neon grape. As you can see in the photo, there really isn't anything neon about it when applied. Luckily, I still like the color.

It also takes a little practice to get the application right. The first few times I applied this polish, I got a very streaky finish and had to discard quite a few swatch photos. You want to avoid too thin of a coat so your polish won't streak, but you don't want it to be too thick or it will look like a glob and take an eternity to dry. It's a balancing act, so don't get discouraged if your first few tries don't yield the best result. If you don't like to deal with a learning curve, I don't think this polish is for you. Ditto if you're hoping for a neon finish. 

What do you think of Creative Fantasy? Are you a fan of jelly finishes? Do you find them easy or difficult to work with? 

Manicure Monday: China Glaze Beach Cruiser

OPI Nail Envy base coat, China Glaze Beach Cruiser (2 coats), Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat. Accent nail: Sally Hansen Berry Juicy (2 coats) topped with loose micro glitter from the craft store and clear top coat.

It's Monday. It's summer. And that means it's time for another bright manicure. A pink one at that. I've been rocking China Glaze Beach Cruiser quite a bit this month. I just love how it's bright but not too shocking. It makes it so easy for anyone to wear just about anywhere. And if it's easy to wear, chances are you'll wear it more often.

So here's the scoop. Beach Cruiser is actually quite a different shade in the China Glaze version than in the Orly version. Orly's Beach Cruiser is a bright neon pink. China Glaze's Beach Cruiser is a pretty, vibrant, magenta creme. It's opaque without being milky and the formula glides on like a dream. It's not to runny or thick, making the application streak free. Two coats is all you need for the color pay off you see in the bottle.

I'm really glad I got this polish because while I have a lot of pinks, they tend to be in the pale, neon, or fuchsia variety. I don't think I have many magentas.

My accent nail is painted with Sally Hansen's Berry Juicy from their Xtreme Wear collection (stay tuned for an individual swatch post on this pretty color) and topped with plain ol' regular micro glitter from Michaels. It's a great way to save money and add some variety to your manicure because you can pick up a quite a few different glitters for less than you'd pay for one nail polish. Plus, you can get a fully coated glitter nail without having to apply a million coats of glitter polish, giving your manicure a longevity.

Cut a small corner of the glitter package to better control the amount of glitter that pours out. Use a piece of tape to cover the hole once you're done. 

You guys know I'm not a huge glitter polish girl, but this new application method might just sway me to the glitter side. You can customize your glitter finish and get an better finished look overall.

The process is simple:

• Apply polish as you normally would (base coat, 2 coats of polish)
• Then sprinkle a little bit of micro glitter onto a smooth surface (I like to use the top of a lost tupperware container) and add just a few drops of clear polish
• Use a small brush (you can take a brush from an old nail polish you've tossed out, clean it and use it) to brush the glitter onto your nail. 
• I prefer this method to dipping my nail in glitter because it's easier to control where the glitter goes (read: I don't have to clean glitter off of my fingers)
• This also works great for glitter designs.
• Once you've coated your nail in glitter, top with clear top coat. 

Alternatively, you could follow this process:

• Apply base coat and two coats of your chosen nail polish
• Sprinkle glitter onto a smooth surface (a plate/ the top to a jar/ the top of a tupperware container)
• Press your nail into the glitter, make sure it coats the whole nail
• Clean up glitter from around your nail bed and fingers with a Q-Tip
• Top with clear top coat

Purchased this pack of 16 glitters at Michaels for $3.99

Alright, I hope you enjoyed today's manicure post. What do you think of China Glaze Beach Cruiser? Do you think you'll try the micro glitter trick and forgo glitter nail polishes from now on?

Manicure Monday: China Glaze Turned Up Turquoise

OPI Nail Envy base coat, China Glaze Turned Up Turquoise (2 coats), Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat

Happy Monday. After a great long holiday weekend, I'm excited to share this fun nail polish color with you. China Glaze's Turned Up Turquoise is an awesome summer color. The shade itself reminds me of clear, blue-green ocean water of exotic vacation destinations. The only difference is that like it's name says, this version of turquoise is amped up (although not at all neon).

Turned Up Turquoise is a shimmer polish, but it looks like a creme because the shimmer is so incredibly subtle. That makes me like it even more because (as you may already know) I love a good creme polish finish. So, I'm thrilled that this isn't overly shimmery so I can slightly fake it. The consistency is also great -- offering you great pigmentation with one coat and a perfect finish with two.

I can see myself wearing a lot of turquoise polish this summer, especially since it pairs so well with my favorite polish color: pink.

How do you guys feel about Turned Up Turquoise?

Nail Polish Haul: OPI, China Glaze, Zoya, Orly

Manicure Monday: Thunderbird - Amplified

I was perusing Pinterest the other day an came across this cool post that showed someone layering nail polish over glitter nail polish, giving the nail polish a glitter finish, but also making the glitter look as though its part of the nail polish (as opposed to added on top). 

I decided to give it a try with China Glaze Thunderbird - a shimmery deep red - layered over Julep Mila. I'm not a big glitter polish girl, as I've stated before. But I thought this technique would be better for me as a way to amp up my polish without it screaming glitter. For some reason, I always feel like glitter top coats always look better on everyone else. 

The first time I tired this trick (on Friday), it worked beautifully. I did it at night, so I didn't take a photo. Boy do I wish I had that photo. I got the layering perfectly, and Thunderbird looked like a pair of ruby slippers. Alas, I started working on a little DIY project at home, and totally destroyed my manicure. 

This time around, Thunderbird is still more sparkly than it is on its own, but not quite as sparkly as my first attempt. I'm totally kicking myself. But I still like how it turned out. As you can see from the bottle, Thunderbird has some shimmer, but it's not super glittery. By adding a layer of Mila between coats of Thunderbird, I gave the polish a bit more pizzazz.

Here's a closer look:

 In the right light, the glitter shines through. You can see it best on my pinkie finger in this shot. So, I'm excited because I have at least two glitter polishes that I've found a new way to use so they don't just sit there going to waste. 

Next time, I'll apply a lighter top layer so the glitter shows up even better. That's where I think I went wrong. I was a little too heavy handed. Another thing I learned is that this trick doesn't work with all polishes. You want to make sure you use a polish that isn't super opaque. For example, use a polish that definitely needs two coats to get the color pay off you want. Otherwise, if the polish is super pigmented it will just cover up the glitter and all you'll see if a lumpy top coat. Not pretty. I tried it with Zoya Kelly and that's the result I got. 

Alright so here's how you do it:

1. Apply base coat
2. Apply one coat of your choice of nail polish color (Thunderbird for me in this case)
3. Apply a coat of glitter polish (any glitter polish will do)
4. Apply a thin layer of the color nail polish on top of the glitter
5. Apply top coat
6. Let dry and sparkle on!

I think this is a great trick to spice up your color selection using polishes you already have. Heck, I'd forgotten I even owned Thunderbird until I dug in the back of my nail polish drawer! (Side note: I really need to get on top of making my own nail polish rack)

Well, what do you think? What polishes will you be sprucing up this holiday season? 

Manicure Monday: Flyin' High

Another day, another manicure. I just love the feeling of a fresh manicure. And really, who doesn't? It sure beats a chipped, beat up, on-it's-last-leg manicure. But I'm especially happy about starting out the work week with a mani called Flyin' High by China Glaze. I think the name alone sets a good tone to start off the week. Plus, the gorgeous creamy blue teal is simply joyous. At least for me, it conjures up that summertime feeling.