TIPS Celebration Set for Canada's Birthday

Join in the fun and place your entries for the ASK Cosmetics "TIPS Celebration Set" Giveaway.

 

You could be the lucky winner of:

 

1 bottle of TIPS Nail Conditioner (new size 7 ml), 1 bottle of ASK Nailwear "Perfect Red", 1 bottle of Revival Nail Polish Remover

 

Good luck to all those who enter!

 

What is your absolute favourite thing about Canada as a country?

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Berry Season has officially started!

Berry Me by GOSH is a lush shade that definitely has a fitting name.  The colour is a combination of strawberries, raspberries, with a slight hint of blueberries. 

 

Seen here are 2 coats of this Special Edition GOSH polish.

 

My personal rating for Berry Me (on a scale from 1 - 10, the higher the #, the better the rating):

a) Coats:                                It took two coats for opacity   = 9
b) Thickness of Polish:         Not too thick at all, evened out nicely  = 9
c)  Ease of Application:        Brush allowed for super easy application = 10
d)  Appeal Factor:                 Rich shade, can be worn year-round  = 10

Added some super shine and durability to this manicure by finishing off with

ASK Cosmetics' Top Coat.

 

If you are a user of TIPS Nail Conditioner and you're wondering how to apply TIPS with polished nails here are our "tips" for you:

 

1.  Remove ALL nail polish with our Revival Nail Polish Remover.  If you are wearing thick polish and/or several layers, use a 2nd cotton pag to ensure EVERYTHING is removed.

 

2.  Wash your hands with soap and water.

 

3.  Wait at least one hour before applying fresh nail polish.

 

4.  First apply a clear base coat.

 

5.  Then apply the desired nail polish.

 

6.  Wait 24 hours for the polish to dry completely.

 

7.  Apply TIPS Nail Conditioner once or twice daily around the cuticles and skin surrounding the nail as well as under the free edges of your natural nail.

 

Be sure to follow me for more swatches, nail care advice, reviews, contests and more:

• via Facebook click here
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Thanks for stopping by today.  Enjoy the rest of your day!

 

Til next time,  Lisa M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my GOSH!

I asked, and you answered by question:  Which one of the two GOSH shades would you like to see first - Bubble Gum or Miss Minty?  The voting resulted in a tie, so I'm showing you both of them today.

 

So, let me introduce Bubble Gum & Miss Minty by GOSH

 

3 coats each, normal wearability, easy application, good brush

 

 

Note to viewers - try to overlook the nasty little paper cut I had on my pinky!

 

 

Let me begin with the one that intrigued me most, namely Miss Minty.  I have seen tons of mint shades bearing various brand names being swatched by other nail bloggers.  The bottle really had me fascinated.

 

As pretty as this shade is, it really doesn't look that great on my fair-skinned hands.  And....I think it is a shade for the younger generation of nail polish wearers.  I guess the verdict for me is - I would rather enjoy my mint in the form of chocolate than on my nails. 

 

Products used:   3 coats of GOSH "Miss Minty", TIPS Nail Conditoner after the manicure to treat the cuticles, and after several days of wear the polish was removed AND my nails and cuticles were treated with TIPS at the same time with the Revival Nail Polish Remover by ASK Cosmetics.

 

"Bubble Gum" truly lives up to its name.  This shade reminds one of those very pink wads of bubble gum we used to chew as children.   Not sure what kind you enjoyed, but I have vivid memories of Hubba Bubba.

 

 

My little paper cut is still quite noticeable in this shot.  You can also see the shiny areas around my nails and cuticles, which have been treated with TIPS Nail Conditioner after the polish has drided.  I also keep the polish away from my cuticles, because polish will dry them out AND removing the polish from your cuticles causes stimulation to them, which can result in damage to the cuticles.

 

 

I stumbled upon these two shades at Shopper's Drugmart just last week. Upon noticing that they were reduced from $7 each to $3.50, I decided to add these two spring pastels to my collection. However, when I had a closer look at my receipt I realized they had charged me full price for the polishes, so it wasn't a two-for-one deal after all. Unfortunately, I no longer had the opportunity to go back and a lesson was learned - ALWAYS check your receipts while still at the store!

 

I will leave you with some more outdoor photos that show how the ice had formed on the lilac tree in our front yard.  There was so much damage to hydro lines due to this storm that we were out of electricity for some 48 hours.

 

 

So, what's your choice?  Would you go with Miss Minty or Bubble Gum on your nails?

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy the rest of your day,  Lisa M

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sinful Colors - Muse

Looking back I'm not quite sure why I picked up this particular shade while on holiday with my husband in Naples, Florida.  I assume it was my desire to try some lacquers by Sinful Colors to form my own opinion about them. 

 

 

 

Not too long ago I posted the first of my Sinful Colors collection "Rainstorm" , a very unique blue tone.  Gorgeous in its own right!  Personally, I was very impressed with both the shades - Rainstorm and Muse, which I will present to you today.  The application was awesome and easy, the staying power was great and the dimension of the both shades was excellent, meaning there was a lot more to the actual shade than appeared in the bottle (if that is clear to anyone).

 

"Rainstorm" by Sinful Colors- 2 coats shown here.

 

"Muse" also by Sinful Colors - 2 coats show here as well.

 

 

Although it might not appear so in these photos, the bottle looked as if there would be much more of a grey undertone to the shade.  In these outdoor shots I see a deep, dark mocha shade.  Not being a "brown"-loving person myself, I was amazed at how much I like this colour. 

 

If you haven't tried any Sinful Colors yet (but I'm quite sure you have!), do it.  You won't regret the purchase at all.  The quality is great.

 

As usual, I always follow up with an application of TIPS Nail Conditioner to treat the cuticles.

 

BTW - The 2013 Mother's Day Giveaway sponsored by ASK Cosmetics is in full swing. 

Win a prize package worth $250 for yourself AND a loved one. 

Complete details about this giveaway can be found here: 

 

Mother's Day Giveaway

 

Good luck to all who enter and thanks so much for stopping by today,  Lisa M.

 

 

 

Gorgeous Nails on Your Wedding Day

It's wedding season once again, and brides all around the world are getting ready for one of (if not the) biggest days in their lives.  Everything has to be perfect - from head to toe - since all eyes will be on the blushing bride.

 

One of the most exciting moments of this glorious event is when the groom slips the wedding ring on his bride's finger.  After that everyone wants to feast their eyes on her hand.  Doesn't everyone want to have the most beautiful looking hands on this day?

 

For the ultimate wedding manicure I have chosen two polishes:

 

 

This indoor photo shows Rimmel London's "French Rose 140" on the left, TIPS Nail Conditioner in the center and "Sheer French Pink" by ASK Cosmetics on the right.

 

 

Indoor photo:  3 coats of "French Rose" by Rimmel, which started out very similar in its transparency to the second polish by ASK Cosmetics, but took on much more of a pinkish tone after 2 coats.

 

Indoor photo:  3 coats of "Sheer French Pink" by ASK Cosmetics, which makes your pinks look pinker and your whites look whiter.  Many people have noticed my nails with this polish on and commented how nice my French manicure looks.

 

 

All three pics above show Rimmel's "French Rose".  If you love the slightest hint of pink on your nails, this polish will fit the bill wonderfully.

 

In the above three photos you can see my right hand with 3 coats of "Sheer French Pink" and the last one shows TIPS Nail Conditioner, which I apply after each and every manicure to treat the cuticles.

 

Some more outdoor shots to show the difference between the two....

 

Rimmel's "French Rose"

ASK Cosmetics' "Sheer French Pink"

Which one do you prefer - more pink or more sheer?

 

 

Let's get social, shall we?

 

Connect with me here:

 

on Pinterest

 

on YouTube

 

on Facebook

 

or on the ASK Cosmetics website & online shop

 

Take care and til next time,  Lisa M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sinful Colors - Rain Storm 1053

Upon adding this somewhat dreary shade to my collection I was very spectical about my feelings toward it.  I definitely love the "blues", but this one kept staring at me on my shelf of polishes saying "Try me, you'll like me!"

 

Finally the day came when I decided to give it a whirl, and boy, was I amazed at how much I loved this lacquer on my nails.

 

2 coats of Sinful Colours "Rain Storm 1053"

 

 

It's hard for me to describe this gorgeous shade.   When I was applying it thoughts of my favourite blue jeans came to mind.  It's not a blue that screams at you, but rather subtle, subdued yet very functional and versatile for anyone's wardrobe.

 

As you can see here against my outdoor bricks, it would pair famously with any shades of grey.

 

When doing a manicure, I always make sure I stay clear of my cuticles since nail polish is extremely drying for your cuticles.  Following each mani I do a quick application of TIPS Nail Conditioner in order to treat the cuticles and skin around my nails.

 

Lisa's Tip of the Day: 

If you are using TIPS Nail Conditioner (or TIPS for Toes for your finger nails),  there is no need to apply a hardener/strengthener-type nail care product to your nails.  TIPS will do that and much more for your nails:  it fortifies, nourishes, hydrates, strengthens, protects them against the damage of water, and replenishes the lost lipids giving them strength yet keeping them flexible.

 

Stay in touch with me

 

on Pinterest

 

on Facebook

 

on YouTube

 

What's your experience with Sinful Colors?  Do you have a fave shade?

 

Til next time,  Lisa M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rimmel London's Steel Grey 270

This is definitely a shade I am personally drawn to:  sophisticated with an understated kind of elegance to it that can do from day to night. 

 

 

I would have to describe this polish shade as the optimal blend of dark taupe and grey; one that would certainly look good on any skin type.

 

 

2 coats of Steel Grey 270 by Rimmel London shown here

 

For the last few posts I have featured Rimmel London shades, however I will be moving on to some new and hopefully exciting brands.

 

Have you ever tried a nail polish remover that also treats your nails and cuticles at the same time?

 

 

For more information on this 2-in-1 nail care product, visit ASK Cosmetics' website/online shop.

 

Hope your day is going well so far.  Til next time, Lisa M.