Review: Born Pretty Store 32 Pieces Nail Art / Polish Display Stand

One problem that I share with most (if not all) nail art and nail polish enthusiasts, is how am I going to keep track of all the polishes/colour gels/nail art samples that I have.  I do have colour wheels and a nail art portfolio to carry with me when I am doing a client's nails at their own place but I still wanted something that is a nice and inexpensive way to show off my colour gels when I have a client at my home salon so as I was browsing the Born Pretty Store website, I came across this 32 Pieces Nail Art / Polish Display Stand which is a genius idea and it fit my requirements neatly.

It arrived within two weeks which is fantastic and it came nicely packed with bubble wrap and none of it was broken.  The stand and the nail tips are made out of a clear plastic but it still feels sturdy and strong.  The nail tips also come packaged in a separate bubble wrap bag to protect them during transit.

I like how the tips are positioned sort of like stairs in the stand as that way, all 32 designs/colours can be easily seen.  Furthermore, you can take them out effortlessly for clients/friends to see the designs better.  I personally am using mine to display all my colour gels and I also found it really helpful to write the names of the colours onto the sticks for easier identification... something which I cannot do on the colour wheels. The tips are quite big so they are ideal for more elaborate nail art and that way, clients can choose the design from the ones on display instead of you having to explain everything from your mind.

The stand is quite small so it won't occupy a lot of space on your working table and besides, it makes a nice and colourful decoration too! Here is a picture of the stand in my home salon:

Also, I am a little OCD about having everything in perfect condition so whenever I buy new colour gels, I like to organize them by colour and this stand is much better than colour wheels in that regard as well as I can just shift the other colours accordingly.

All in all, I recommend this stand to all nail art enthusiasts/nail polish collectors/nail technicians as it is a very handy tool to have around.  Each stand can be bought from Born Pretty Store for $10.87 (shipping is free world-wide), and you can get yours at 10% off if you quote the code EBABK31 at checkout!

PR Sample

Valentine's Day Treat for Two with Montagne Jeunesse

With Valentine's Day around the corner, people plan what to do with their better halves and loved ones... a day out, a romantic dinner, a day at the spa, a weekend getaway, etc but what ever you choose to do, you always want to look your best! Enter Montagne Jeunesse and this pair of face masques for a special treat for you and the man in your life!

For Her

Montagne Jeunesse propose this Passion Peel-Off Masque for all you ladies out there to help you look blemish free on this special day.  This masque is made out of Passion Flower and Pomegranate, therefore it goes without saying that it is packed with anti-oxidants to help detoxify the skin.  It is also busting with raspberry, grape and cranberry which further aid in deep-cleaning your skin.

The texture of the masque is quite sticky and it is a nice reddish-pink colour, making it easy to peel off after chilling for around 20 minutes.  It smells really nice too! You may experience some tingling as the masque tightens but it subsides after a couple of minutes and I didn't have any nasty reactions to the masque.  The results were totally worth it as I was left with incredibly soft skin; what's not to love?!

For Him

For some hassle-free 'man'tenance, Montagne Jeunesse, propose another peel-off masque, namely, the Zap Them Peel-Off for Men which is also targeted against blemishes.  This masque contains ginger to tone and firm the skin's appearance and rosemary, which calms any outbreaks. 

My boyfriend didn't complain on the scent of the masque but the tingling did bother him a little until it subsided.  One thing he commented on was the fact that although the masque is a light green colour, it dries transparent so a little extra colour could help to see where you have missed.  Other than that, he enjoyed being pampered a little with a masque designed especially for men and it involves nothing other than splashing his face with water and chilling for 25 minutes before he just peels it off!

These masques are part of the natural skin care products range from Montagne Jeunesse and they retail for £1.09 RRP for the Passion Peel-Off and £1.29 RRP for the Zap Them Peel-Off.

Hope you have a sexy, natural Valentine's Day!

Check out the Montagne Jeunesse facebook page for more natural skin care fun!

PR Samples

NOTW: All Laced Up for Valentine's Day

Here is my proposition for this year's Valentine's Day nails:

I opted for a lace nail foil with a pearlescent pink background and a hint of glitter top coat for a subtle yet glamorous effect.  This design is very easy to execute especially for the busy lady.  You can find various nail tutorials on YouTube on how to apply nail foils and I bought the lace foil, adhesive and sealer from NailDelights.com.  Just remember a couple of things when working with foils... always apply a base coat otherwise, they will come off and seal them with an appropriate sealer before applying a top coat :) I used the Glitter Top Coat by Essence for a light sparkly touch. 

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone :)

Essence Cosmetics Haul

Hello ladies, I managed to find Tony's Pharmacy open today after failing last Thursday and I was even luckier to find all the products that I needed as most of what I got were the last ones left *yayy* :) Here is what I purchased:

Stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige (back-ups)

24h Hand Protection Balm in Vanilla Apple Pie

Multi-Action False Lash Effect Mascara in Black

Stay with me lipgloss in I Like Cotton Candy

I love Stage eyeshadow base

Color & Go nail polishes in Irreplaceable, Blue Addicted, Where's the Party & Choose Me

I'm so eager to try out all these products and the hand cream really smells divine!! I just can't stop smelling it! Here some close up photos:

Stay tuned for reviews :) Have a good weekend cupcakes :)

What's in my travel Make-Up Bag?

A few days ago, I asked whether you would like to see what I take with me to work whenever I'm going out straight afterwards so here is the post! I usually wash at work (we have staff showers) and so I have to take quite a few things with me apart from fresh undies and the clothes I would be wearing to go out with and most of the stuff is make-up.  I keep shower gel in my locker and I usually wash my hair the night before so I just take my mini straighteners for touch ups as I have to keep my hair tied back all say at work.  

Anyways, these are the items that always make it in my make-up bag for such occasions.  Sometimes I would add a few more items, say eyeshadows but these are the items that always make it in my travel make-up bag. For those who are wondering, the bag is from a local beauty shop, and yes, all of these items fit comfortably in it as it is quite roomy :)  I really like the lace overlay effect and the red satin interior as they give the bag a luxurious and girly feel.

Face

Inglot Under the Make-Up Base, NYX HD Studio Foundation in HDF02 Soft Beige, essence stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige, NYX Concealer in a Jar in CJ12 Green, Rimmel Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose, e.l.f. Mineral Booster, e.l.f. Studio Make-Up Mist & Set.

Eyes

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer, e.l.f. Everyday Brights 32 Piece Eyeshadow palette, Wet 'n' Wild coloricon single eyeshadow in Creme Brulee, e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner, e.l.f. Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara, e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara.

Lips
Nivea lip balm, lipstick(s), lip liner and gloss which match my outfit.

Tools

Sigma F80, e.l.f. Studio Powder brush, e.l.f. Blending eye brush, a selection of Fraulein 38 eyeshadow & eyeliner brushes, e.l.f. Studio Contour brush, Fraulein 38 Blush brush, e.l.f. Mechanical Eyelash Curler.

On another note, it is freeeeezzing here in Malta and we even got quite a few hail storms over the last couple of days. I don't think we have ever had such a cold winter! How's the weather where you live? Anyone having sunshine? I really miss summer and want it to be here asap!!!