Perfect Tips & Toes with a little help from Nailene

After seeing so many different, stunningly modern variations of the "Classic French Manicure", I can't tell you how excited I was to try one for myself.  Knowing I had two awesome polish shades, which would compliment each other famously, I began the manicure with much enthusiasm. 

 

Base Colour was 2 coats of O.P.I.'s From A to Zurich and the tips are Rich Sapphire by ASK Cosmetics Inc.

 

I can't begin to express how much I enjoy working with O.P.I.'s nail lacquer.  The application is so smooth, and the brushes are so easy to work with.  This shade is by no means a strong red, but rather a muted shade that has sophistication to it. 

You can read my review/swatch of this gorgeous shade right here.

 

 

 I've had this sitting around anxiously waiting to be used, so today was the day.  The idea is ingenious, but would they leave a clean, French mani look?

 

The instructions are well labelled on the back of the package.

 

So, as you can clearly see, I didn't manage to place the strips straight across the ends of my nails.  In addition, my nails have a squoval shape, which makes the end effect look slightly different than if you were sporting square-shaped nails. 

 

 

At this point - Rich Sapphire by ASK Cosmetics enters the scene. 

 

Yes, it looks messy, but wait to see the final result.

 

Wowza!! The strips have been removed and a good, healthy coat of ASK Cosmetics Top Coat has been applied for extra shine and long-lasting wear.

 

I simply love the effect! 

 

My final comments on this product by Nailene:

 

 

These "strips" were super easy to work with; stuck to your nails "like glue"; held their position extremely well; were very easy to remove, and they didn't allow the contrasting tip shade of polish to run. 

Each package holds 96 strips, so well worth the money you pay as you can do manis and pedis several times over.

 

Just a bit of trivia today......

 

Did you know...the French manicure isn't actually French? It's a product of old Hollywood and the pain of actresses needing to change their polish for every wardrobe change. Who knew?

 

 

Do you prefer the classic version of the French mani or do you like to change it up a bit like I did?

 

 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to leave a comment below and stay in touch,  Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 2013 Mother's Day Giveaway sponsored by ASK Cosmetics is now on!

In connection with the launch of the new business blog entitled TIPS by ASK Cosmetics Blog and the Youtube channel TIPS TV the company has decided to stage a huge giveaway with 2 prize packages valued at $250 each.  One winner will be chosen and asked to provide us with a name and postal address of a loved one they would like to spoil with the second gift basket. 

 

We hope these prizes will arrive in time for Mother's Day on April 12, 2013.  So, if you are up for a giveaway, get your multiple entries in before April 26th, 13.  This giveaway is open internationally, as always.  Participants must be 18 + and there is no purchase necessary to enter.

 

Best of luck to all!  Happy Weekend, Lisa M.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Korean Beauty Secrets: How Get Skin and look Like Song Hye Kyo

Song Hye Kyo is beauty korean actress with beautiful skin.  She gets it by first eating very well.  Song stays away from chocolate, coke, black tea, and junk foods.  Instead, she feasts on fruits, vegetables, and fish!  One of her favorite dishes is pumpkin, which she says is good for health and decreases any body swelling.  She also frequently hydrates by drinking water, recommending “begin-ning your day by drinking two glasses of water on an empty stomach” in order to reach a goal of 1.5 liters of water every day!

Song’s skincare routine is a mix of quality products and natural, DIY treatments.  She is the face of Laneige, a Korean beauty brand that is immensely popular all over Asia.  Her favorite product is the Laneige Power Essential Skin Toner, which she uses every morning and night.  She states that “although it is a toner, when applied on the face, it feels like a serum that stays longer” and that the toner is perfect for combatting dryness when she’s filming outdoors.  She also alternates between the Laneige Star Pure Treatment Mask (discontinued) and the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack to rejuvenate and refresh her skin.

Song also loves to use natural, DIY beauty treatments.  Her favorites are: (Source: Jolieasie)

1.  Egg White and Honey Mask for Whitening: Song whitens her face with a mask of one egg white mixed with a spoonful of natural, unprocessed honey (like New Zealand’s famous Manuka honey).  She applies the mask to her face and waits for it to dry before washing it off with water.  She does this once every two weeks.

2.  Honey Mask for Brightening: Song brightens her face with a mask that is one part honey, two parts water.  She massages the mask well into her skin and then rinses with water.  SHe does this every two weeks also.

3.  Ice Cube Press for Skin Firming:  Song massages her face with ice cubes in the summer to firm the skin and make her face seem smaller.

Recommended Product:

Get FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING + LANEIGE Water Sleeping Pack_EX (All Skin / 80ml)

 Get FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING + LANEIGE Power Essential Skin Refiner Sensitive (Sensitive Skin / 200ml)

Get FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING + LANEIGE Power Essential Skin Refiner Light (Oily and Combination Skin / 200ml)

Song Hye Kyo Make Up

She famously popularized BB Creams in Asia and uses Laneige Snow BB Cream instead of foundations or powders.  BB Creams enhance the skin’s natural properties while providing light coverage for blemishes.  She usually doens’t wear much color on her cheeks, just a very faint flush.  I would suggest Benefit Cosmetic’s Benetint or it’s lighter sibling Posietint for that glow-from-within look.  Add a bit of Benefit’s High Beam Luminizer on your cheekbones and down the middle of your nose for more strategic glow!

Song uses liquid liner to draw a thin line with a slight thin wing on her upper lid and kohl to lightly line the rims of her eyes.  and use Chanel’s Ecriture de Chanel Automatic Liquid Eyeliner, which is great for drawing a thin line, and MAC Eye Kohl.  Her mascara is always very natural-looking, with no clumps.  I would suggest Kiehl’s Marvelous Mineral Mascara, it gives a little length and a little thickness while keeping you looking natural!

Recommended BB Cream:

Buy Laneige Snow BB Cream 50ml SPF41 PA++#1/Made in Korea










Song Hye Kyo Lips

An extremely long-wearing, fade-resistant lipstick Provides bold, glamorous color & superior luster Contains waxes, radiant oils & hyaluronic microspheres Offers exceptional comfort & a lip-plumping effect Christian Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick for Women, No. 536, Lucky, 0.12 Ounce which come in a variety of colors and pack a big pigment punch with a high level of gloss.

Korean Beauty Skin Care Secrets

Cleansing Oil (Formula Cleanser)

Korean girls have a 5-step cleansing routine, the Double Cleansing - Massage - Tone - Essence / Serum - Moisturize.

First of all, you should know what your skin type, since the selection of cleaning products you use should match your skin. And most importantly, the water content in the body should always be maintained. Let us now check what the five-step cleansing routine.

1. Double Cleansing.
Never EVER go to sleep with your makeup still on! Before bed, use a makeup remover and cleanser on your skin. Have you heard of Cleansing Oil? It's an oil-based cleanser to clean the face effectively from your pores but still soft and the skin retain moisture.

The cleansing oil that I got in Korea was Cleansing Liquid by Laneige. It's currently my favorite cleansing product. This cleansing liquid was really lift makeup of dry skin and do not make. Causing no Irritation or Redness, roomates is perfect for sensitive skin!

Buy This Product: Laneige Oil Free Cleansing Liquid (All Skin Types) 175ml

2. Massage

Facial massage is the secret to a glowing skin. In addition to improving blood circulation, massage also releases stress, improving oxygen and nutrients to maintain skin elasticity. With massage, skin temperature increases and opens skin pores and remove impurities in the skin. Try it, begin massaging your face two or three times a week. Your skin will look fresher and more radiant.

3. Tone

Some might think that toners are useless. But toners cleanse the dead skin on your face. Choose toners that suits your skin. You can use Essential Collagen Repairing Skin Toner.

4. Essence / Serum
Serum is a concentrated formula to treat minor skin problems. Serum is more easily absorbed by the skin to the inside.

5. Moisturize.
Choose the moisturizer (moisturizer) that suits your skin. Whatever your skin type, you can really look beautiful if you give extra care to your skin

Complete all 5-step cleansing routine korean girl by :

KOREAN COSMETICS, Gowoonsesang _Super Aquasis Gift Set (Moisture Toner 130ml + Moisture Gel Cream 50ml) (water supply, skin care, improve elasticity, flushing Care)

Valentine's Day Choices

 Today I would like to show you 4 lovely red shades of polish from my collection.  Which one would you choose to do a Valentine's Day manicure?

OPI's "From A to Zurich" 

 

Sally Hansen's "Unbreakable Heart"

 

Rimmel London's "Burgundy Flirt"

 

ASK Cosmetics Inc. "Perfect Red"

 

After swatching all of these gorgeous reds, I remembered that I had purchased Revlon's Nail Art Stencils a while back waiting for the perfect opportunity.

 

Instructions read like this: 

Easy to use  -   Follow diagram to get the look.  Apply to bare nails or dry enamel.  Use to enhance the look of your nails.

 

First, I used "Pedal to the Medal 400" by Maybelline NY Colour Show collection to add the heart accents to my manicure of "Burgundy Flirt" by Rimmel London.  Here's how it looked:

Next, I tried "Rich Sapphire" by ASK Cosmetics over the "Perfect Red" manicure also by ASK Cosmetics.  This is the outcome: 

 

I really enjoyed using these stencils, so there will be more manicures in the future with the other designs I bought. 

 

What's on your nails for Valentine's Day? 

 

Happy V-Day from me, Lisa M.

 

 

 

 

 

Gold Silk by Rimmel London

Rimmel London is one of my personal favourites, so when I saw several of their bottles on sale before Christmas I decided to take advantage of the situation.  Gold is always a "hit" during this festive season and this shade was no disappointment at all.  The brush is a dream to use and allows for a perfect 3-stroke application, which is clean and even.

 

260 Gold Silk - super durable, chip resistant nail lacquer with Shine Release Complex (written on back of bottle).

On your nails it appears to be more of a frosty gold-taupe shade than a bold, metallic gold.  Of course, these photos were taken outdoors and the colour looks a bit brighter in comparison to an indoor shot.  I applied 2 coats.

 

I decided it needed some glamourization for the holiday season, so I turned to my trusty glitter by Essie "A Cut Above".

 

 

 

 

I tried to draw the glitter up a bit higher on the left side of the nail, but there are several different ways to wear glitter.  For some inspiration, why don't you go to the ASK Cosmetics' Pinterest board entitled "Unique Nail Art" .  You can find tons of ideas by super talented nail bloggers.

Glitter can add a touch of glamour to any manicure, and there are endless shades, shapes and sizes of glitter polish nowadays; it really makes for tough decisions at your local polish shop. 

 

Have you ever experimented with glitter?

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Enjoy your day, Lisa M.

 

Mid-Week Beauty Master class: Bronzers

Last week, we had a look at blushers, now we will focus on their cousins... bronzers! Bronzers are not just for summer, however, you need to find the shade that looks best on you so you don't look OTT (click here for more bronzer blunders to avoid).  Bronzers are a great way to contour your face and give it a nice, warm glow all year round. Let's have a look at the bronzer options available out there!

Powder Bronzer is the most common type of bronzer available and you can find it in either a plastic compact or in a jar with a sifter (much like mineral foundation powders etc). Bronzers in compacts may either be just one single colour or a mixture of colours swirled together or else different separate colours in one compact (usually 4 or 5 shades).  The best way to apply this type of bronzer is with a contouring brush and always remember to use a light hand especially with highly pigmented products.

Bronzing Pearls are an alternative way to get a sun-kissed glow without looking too obvious.  You just have to swirl your brush over the pearls to get some product on and then just dust it on your face as shown below (same places apply for the powder bronzer).

Bronzers are best applied to critical points on the face to give your complexion a nice, healthy glow rather than risking looking too orange like you just had your face fake tanned.  They can be very tricky to apply so first make sure you get the correct shade for your skin tone.  I use elf Warm Bronzer since you get 4 colours in one compact and you can choose which shade to use or swirl them all together depending on how dark/fair your skin is.  Like all other make-up products and techniques, bronzer application need practice to get it perfect so go on, get your brushes and bronzers out and experiment to find your best shade and become a pro at getting a sun-kissed glow without going out in the sun! Have fun ;)

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