Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

Ladies, ladies, ladies... chipped and messy manicures are so 5th grade. But who has the time to sit around, blowing on your hands in order to keep your freshly painted fingers perfect? No one! I'm not one to get regular manicures, so my "tool kit" at home is filled with all the latest and greatest colors, base coats, topcoats, manicure sticks, files, etc. Even thinking about the entire process of taking off polish, trimming and filing nails, doing a base coat, painting however many coats it takes, doing a topcoat, and waiting for it all to dry just EXHAUSTS me.

This little red bottle of wonderful magical goo is the answer!
Do all the manicure steps, to the extent that you normally do. Wait two minutes, then apply this topcoat over wet-ish polish. In 30 seconds, your nails are truly dry to the touch.
Like, dry to the point where I could go pee, AND unzip my jeans myself, without messing up my nails! It is actually sort of amazing, and makes the whole home-manicure process so much easier! The topcoat is very shiny, and helps the polish not to chip. I am currently wearing Chanel Black Satin on my fingers (you know how I love Chanel, but think it's absolute crap when it comes to staying power!), and have had this color on since Saturday (it's now Thursday) with no touch ups in the mean time!

My nails do not still look as perfect as day one of course, but I guarantee that without the use of the Insta-Dri topcoat, they would've been chipped by Sunday. Right now, I have no chips, just some growth at the cuticle, and they could use a little more shine.
At around $7 at the drugstore, this is TOTALLY worth it to use every time you paint your fingers or toes. It will extend the life of any polish you choose to wear and will help to keep your manicure looking better, longer!


From the Sally Hansen website:
Dries ANY Nail Color in 30 Seconds!
Keeps manicures beautiful up to 10 days!
Exclusive Acrylic Polymer Complex helps get you out of the door in a flash - just 30 seconds to set!
High gloss superior shine.
Double UV filters shield manicure from fading and discoloring.
Helps resist chipping.
Salon Tested - Dermatologist Tested.
Special Ingredients:
Exclusive Acrylic Polymer Complex, Complex UV Filters for brilliant shine and protection.

Keep being lovely!

The New Year is here!

Embarking on a new year, we are inspired to make changes, be healthier, be nicer, be stronger... ah, who am I kidding? I just want to eat delicious food and spend money on makeup!
We've had the discussion before about my puny eyelashes, false lashes, and mascaras that work and don't work. When I saw the commercial for Rimmel's new mascara called "Lash Accelerator", I was pretty excited to try it.

The ad says: Lash Accelerator Mascara is our first mascara that actually helps to promote the natural growth of beautifully long, remarkably strong lashes. Instantly, your lashes look up to 80% longer, but then after 30 days of continued use, they’ll appear up to 117% longer! Our exclusive GROW-LASH complex, features Procapil® which works to strengthen lashes' roots and also contains natural lash enhancing ingredients such as, biotin, keratin, and bamboo extract which help to reinforce, restore and moisturize your lashes.


I've done some research on products that help your lashes grow, such as Latisse. At over $100/tube, and word from my eye doctor that it only works as long as you're actually using it, it's hard to believe that a $7 tube of mascara could do the same thing! I definitely had to try it.
The brush is short, and on the smaller side, and easily picked up a lot of mascara on it when getting ready to apply. After applying, I really wasn't impressed with the results. I didn't see the "80% longer" look that was claimed in the ads. I went on with my day, hoping that by the time I got home, I'd somehow have fluttery long eyelashes that would make everyone jealous! I didn't!
Instead, the mascara smudged and was below my eyes - this is something I HATE. 
But what to do with this brand new tube of mascara? Rather than waste it, I tried applying it on top of my current mascara (Maybelline Falsies), and actually got GREAT results. My lashes were fanned out, looked longer, black and yummy... and no smudging all day. I wouldn't buy the Lash Accelerator again, just because it's not worth it to me since I will really only use it as a top coat mascara. Being that Rimmel is from London, I really want to get great results from their products (love you GB!), but just haven't found one that delivers yet. More searching to be done!


Hope you all have a great 3-day weekend, and get to try something new! Please feel free to send me an email if there are any products you'd like me to review - I'll do my best to get to them all!


Now, off to work out, and get a pizza. What a perfect combination. <3

Farouk Systems CHI 1-inch Ceramic Flat Iron

As flat irons go, I haven't found a "mid-range" flat iron to suit my needs. I can easily find one for $30 at Target, or find them for $100 and up at a specialty store, but no in between prices.
I have always wondered, what is the difference between such a cheap flat iron, and a really expensive one? Is there REALLY a difference? I mean, it's two hot plates that you squeeze together to straighten your hair. What could the big difference really be?
I have always gone with my gut and and purchased the cheapest version at Target, and never thought much about it.
That all changed when I got a coupon from Beauty Brands that showed this:

White flat iron? Yes, please. Skull and cross bones on the flat iron? YES PLEASE. I purchased the CHI Ceramic Flat Iron and never looked back. Here's the difference between this, and the cheaper ones at Target; when you iron your hair with the CHI, it is smooth. It doesn't pull, and doesn't feel rough. There are no heat settings on the CHI - only "on" and "off". Well, wait a minute, I want to select the hottest setting for my hair, just like I did with my Target flat iron. This doesn't exist in CHI land. "On" equals the hottest setting available. The warning tag says you can burn your eyes out, and also that people in Canada are not allowed to use these. Not sure exactly why CHI is OK with Americans burning their eyes out, and not Canadians, but that's another discussion for another time.
Higher heat equals less time in your hair, equals less damage. The smoothness of the ceramic plates means your hair isn't stretched out and then ironed, with also equals less damage. And the thermal carrying case that they come with is amazing. You actually CAN flat iron your hair, unplug, and throw it in the bag. This is especially helpful when I've been traveling and have to pack up - no more waiting for the flat iron to cool off.
The power cord also swivels, and is very long, so it's easy to maneuver, and flat iron wherever you need to.
I can also create tousled flat iron "curls" which give a beachy, rocker look.
I definitely recommend using a protective spray before flat ironing, as the heat is very high. CHI makes their own spray, and also a leave in protectant, and I've used both with great results.
The CHI flat irons also come with a one year warranty, so save your box and receipt. I've searched eBay and found quite a few CHI flat irons for much cheaper, but the risk of that is that you don't have the warranty. If you're OK with that though, you can get a less expensive one online, and have a really great flat iron!
I would definitely recommend not scrimping when it comes to your flat iron - it's for your looks, and for the health of your hair!
Have a beautiful day, lovelies.

Neutrogena Body Oil in Light Sesame

Winter is brutal on my skin, and although I like a heavy cream lotion as much as the next girl, I don't love that it never seems to soak in, and my arms and legs feel "slippery" and sticky all day.
In the winter time, I will itch my legs until they bleed if allowed. I've even been known to use my boar bristle brush to scratch my legs, because they itch so bad!
So what's a girl to do?

Enter Neutrogena Body Oil in Light Sesame. I remember my mom having this on her bathroom counter, and I'd occasionally steal a squirt of it, feeling both luxurious and sneaky at the same time.
It has a light fresh scent, and I apply it to my arms and legs right after drying off from my shower. If you apply when your skin is still a little bit damp, the oil soaks right in, and truly moisturizes all day. It isn't smelly enough to compete with any perfume, but you could use only this, and smell the fragrance throughout the day.
At under $10, the oil is affordable and lasts forever. I think you'll be surprised at how well it moisturizes, without leaving a slippery or sticky feeling. No more brushing my legs until they bleed! Hallelujah!

St. Francis Restaurant - Phoenix, AZ

I ate at this restaurant about 24 hours ago, and STILL can not stop thinking about it. I am slightly obsessed with delicious food, and this place created a new monster last night! Here's the description from their website:
St. Francis is an urban gathering place set in the heart of Phoenix. We are a neighborhood restaurant like no other: a modern, family-owned establishment that aims to nourish the community with exceptional cuisine in an inspired setting at good value. We offer Happy Hour all day long, free meals for kids and a seasonal menu that incorporates the freshest ingredients available.
http://www.stfrancisaz.com/
The decor is warm but modern, with brick walls, exposed wood beam ceilings, and a garage door that opens the bar out to the patio. It was chilly when we arrived, but the ample amount of heat lamps made it comfortable, even waiting at the bar outside.

We started our dinner with gin and tonic while waiting for our table, and were seated upstairs on the mezzanine. This level overlooks the bar area and the outside patio.
The menu is small, with a limited amount of choices, but I have always found that means that the chefs can focus on creating really delicious food, instead of being kind of semi-good at creating a larger variety of dishes.
Our waiter was fantastic, and guided us through the menu, helping me to narrow down my choices. I ordered a Chopped Romaine Salad, which has endive, apples, smoked bacon, and cheddar buttermilk dressing. The apples are sliced tiny, and perfectly balanced with the bacon and the dressing. I also ordered a cheese flat bread, which is basically a pizza, with a three cheese blend, tomato, garlic and oregano. The flat bread was sliced into 8 pieces, and shared between two us with two pieces still left over! So cheesy and hot!

Cheese flat bread, fresh, warm and delicious!

John ordered a french onion burger, and fries. The burger had smoked bacon, Gruyere cheese, and crispy onions. The cheese was melty and delicate, and nicely combined with the bacon and onions. My guess is that the bun is a brioche bun, but regardless, it was one of the best things I've ever tasted. The fries were thick cut, with the skins on, and served in a small white bowl, just like they serve them in London!

The french onion burger of my dreams

We had the leftovers tonight for dinner, and they were just as good as yesterday. I will be going back to St. Francis any chance I get, and will probably order the exact same meal. I mean, why fix it if it isn't broken, right? I only wish they had takeout. Or a drive-thru.

Haha!

Home Sherpa Throw Blanket

I will first start off by saying that I mainly like to review beauty products, but if there is an especially good (or horrible!) product that I use, I will let you know my opinion of it!

Shopping at Target, I can never manage to leave without buying a bag full of things I don't really need. This trip was no different, as I ended up with a throw blanket. I don't know if it was the color (a luxurious turquoise), the weather (yes, Arizona gets chilly), or the soft fuzzy white inside. Regardless, I brought a blanket home to a house with little to no storage for blankets and such.

Good thing, as this blanket hasn't been put away since I got it home! At only $16.99 it is not only a great price, but also SUPER warm. The thing that surprised me about it was that it isn't a heavy blanket, so I didn't really expect it to be as warm as it is. I can have this as my only blanket at night, with the windows open, ceiling fan on, and humidifier running (yes, I am an old, old woman), and be totally warm.

It is 100% polyester and is machine washable. The instructions say to line dry, but I threw mine in the dryer and it did fine. 

The size isn't really big enough for two people, so this might not work as a bedspread on a full, queen, or king bed, but is perfect for one.

Bring on the cold weather!!

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask

Bonjour, mes amies! I have just returned from a much needed one week vacation in London and Paris with John. My apologies for not updating for awhile, but as you can tell, I had other things on my mind (like crepes!).

When I first read about this mask on the Sephora website, I was mystified. A black face mask? That peels off? How black is it? How scary do you look when you put it on? So many racing questions going through my mind!

I had to have it. I tried ordering it online, and it was sold out. I went to the Boscia website and it was sold out. I called the nearest Sephora store and it was out! How am I going to review products when I can't get them, and I'm a nobody (so no one just sends them to me!)?

My solution was to drive to a Sephora located in a JC Penney store in Tempe (those hippies don't use fancy face masks, right?), and they had the mask in stock! Jackpot!

We raced home, and I carefully applied the mask, avoiding my hairline and my eyebrows, as the website cautioned. This thing must be strong. I let it dry while sipping a gin and tonic and watching Netflix in bed, and then started peeling from the edge.
Remember those Biore nose strips that pulled all the blackheads out of your nose? This is like that, but for your face. NO JOKE.

That satisfying and slightly disgusting sense of joy you get when you look at the back of the mask and see a tiny forest...? This mask does that. My skin felt softer, and refined. When looking at my pores, I couldn't tell a huge difference, but think that with consistent use, I'd be able to tell.

The mask is BLACK. And it pulls. You definitely do not want to get too close to the edges with it. At 2.8 ounces for $34, it's a bit pricey, but this should last me about six months. I have a feeling that this mask will have a cult following, and I will be one of those followers. When I run out, I'll go all over town again to get another.

I hope you all are having a beautiful week!