Product Review - Born Pretty Store Round Studs

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Born Pretty Store**

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I didn't do much today because I just wanted to be lazy I guess, but I did get this post together.  Today wasn't a complete bust.  lol  I am going to review the 400pc 2mm nail studs from Born Pretty Store.

photo courtesy of bornprettystore.com

Look at all the pretty colors!!

Here is my mani using the studs.  I used Julep Meryl for my base.  I wanted to use a neutral so that the colors would really POP.  I only used four studs on each nail but in an ombre effect.  With other larger studs I've used, they tend to stick up on the sides due to the curvature of my nails which is why they don't stay on more than a couple of hours.  They just get caught on things and pop off left and right.  These are smaller at only 2mm so you can see they sit very flat on the nail.  I didn't use a top coat for the photos but I did apply one after the fact to reinforce them which definitely worked.  With my line of work, it's tough to get any type of embellishment to stay on, but these did fairly well.  I managed to keep them on an entire 24+ hours, some of them a bit longer.  I think that's pretty great considering.  If you are gentler on your hands and nails, I'm confident you could get better wear out of them.

I know I could have done a super fun, colorful mani using these, but I just really had my mind set on ombre.  If you'd like to see another mani using all the colors, check out my Christmas Day manicure.

Review Wrap-Up
Price: $ - $7.59 but right now they are 40% off which makes them $4.59.  I think the original price is a little high however it's right on par with every other nail stud packs I find at places like Sally Beauty Supply or Amazon.com.
Variety:  The choice of colors from this one wheel is awesome and they also come square shaped.  I can do almost any color combination so that's a thumbs up.

Quality:  Great.  They lay flat on the nail and the color doesn't peel off or fade from what I've seen.
Would I Purchase Again:  Not that I need to because this is a 400pc wheel, but yes, I would definitely buy these again.  Maybe for a fellow nail freak like me or a wheel with different shapes or colors.  If you like these studs you can purchase yours HERE.  And don't forget to use my Born Pretty Store code DRJ61 at checkout to get 10% off your order.  Once 10 orders are placed using my code, BPS will host a giveaway just for you.

Product Review - Born Pretty Store Cat Water Decals

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Born Pretty Store**

Afternoon Everyone!

Today's post is a review of some super cute water decals.  I have reviewed them before, but this is a different design with a different outcome.  To see my first post, click HERE.

For those who don't know, water decals are basically just temporary tattoos for your nails and they apply the same way.  The instructions are also printed on the back.

1. Trim, clean, and polish the fingernails; paint the background color on the fingernails and dry it out.
2. Remove the film of product, cut out the pattern and plunge it into water 10~20 seconds (use warm water in winter).
3. Moisten the fingernails; stick the pattern in position.
4. Sop up the water with a paper towel and blow dry.
5. Apply top coat and blow dry.

To be completely honest, it's a lot more simple than the instructions even imply.  What I did was paint my nails with two coats of Sinful Unicorn and let that dry.  I chose my design and dipped it in room temperature water for literally 2 - 3 seconds.  Once you stick the design to your nail, it's almost instantly transferred.  There is no need to hold it down or rub the backing.  It's super easy.

Here we go...

uuummmm...what?  lol So this is my first attempt at using this particular design.  It transferred quickly and easily but it was backwards.  The actual details are on the other side.  So I'm gonna try again.

Hmmm.  I have come to the realization that these don't apply the same way as the cow print did.  For some reason the back of the design is not transparent.  It's white which means when the design is reversed I can't see anything.  So one last time and then I give up.

Success!  Wanna know how I did it?  I used steps 1 - 2 but instead of sticking the design to my nail in step 3, I stuck it to a nail art stamper.  Then I immediately stamped the design onto my nail and voila!

Review Wrap-Up
Price: $ - $3.99.  A great price for such adorable, realistic kitty cat designs.
Variety: There are tons of water decals in so many different designs.  You can view them all HERE.
Quality:  Just like the ones I reviewed before, the design was flush to the nail and didn't peel up.  The realism is great too.  The only thing I was not thrilled about was the decal applying backwards.
Would I Purchase Again:  Now that I know I can work around the transfer issue, yes, I would definitely purchase these again.  The designs are just way too cute to pass up and the stamping method is still easy.  If you like them you can purchase yours HERE.  And don't forget to use my Born Pretty Store code DRJ61 to get 10% off your order.  Once 10 orders are placed using my cope, BPS will host a giveaway for all of you.  You all want to win free goodies right?!

Wantable Subscription Box Opening

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Wantable**

Hey Everyone!  Today I have something a little different for you.  I was contacted by a company called Wantable to do a review on their monthly subscription box.  After I did a bit of research on them I was definitely interested.  They offer three different box styles each month: makeup, accessory, and intimates.  Right now they even have a Halloween beauty box which sadly I did not get.  It was really tough to choose between them all.  They have the same method as other beauty boxes.  You sign up on the site and then take your quiz so that they can personalize each and every box just for you.

The accessory box includes jewelry as well as scarves or sunglasses, etc. and the intimates box includes undies or bras as well as tanks/camis and socks...those types of things.  The box I chose was the makeup box.  So let's get started!

Each box contains 4-5 full size premium makeup products hand-picked just for me.  The retail value of my entire box was $103.  Holy wow right?!

The first item I received is a Japonesque angled foundation brush valued at $25.  "The flat brush shape smoothes cream and liquid foundation products over the face while minimizing pores and fine lines.  The distinctive tapered, angled edge allows for detailed application around eyes and crevices around the nose."  I have not tried it out because I currently have a foundation brush that I'm happy with, but we'll see.  I hear good things about this brand.

This was just a free sampler and not a full-size product so it has no value on my packing list.  It is the Echo Vie Organic Body Oil.  Basically all the information you need on it is listed on that little card above.  "Echo Vie is a play on eco, short for ecological, and vie, the French word for life.  Echo Vie strives to create products that are luxurious, nurturing, and all-natural."  The creator of the brand, Susie Lee, is a three-time cancer survivor and she says her health history has given her the passion to create wholesome products without parabens, petrochemicals, or synthetic coloring.

The next product is Besame Brightening Violet Powder valued at $22.  "A translucent violet powder that brightens any skintone. The finely milled formula sets makeup beautifully, leaving a soft, matte finish and a subtle violet fragrance. Wear it alone, over foundation, or around eyes to instantly lighten dark circles."  I didn't smell the violet scent but the powder really is violet.  I used it under my eyes last week and I only noticed a tiny difference in the dark circles.  This week I will wear it all over my face to see if it really brightens my skintone.

One of my favorite products from the box is the Beauty for Real Miracle Mascara valued at $23.  "A revolutionary formula, resistant to tears, sweat and oil, yet easily removed with warm water.  Luxuriously full, curled, shiny lashes that will never flake, smudge or smear."  That seems a little far fetched to me...it doesn't come off with sweat or oils but warm water just magically removes it?  Hmmmm.  I did try it on to see what it looked like and I was really impressed with the coverage and color and the long, full effect it gave my lashes.  There is also a little light in the cap but I don't recommend using it.  You will only blind yourself...trust me.  As far as removal I didn't let it dry since I was just playing around with it.  I removed it right away with a makeup wipe but this is going to be my mascara for the work week so we'll so how it goes.

Who doesn't love a good strong brow?  I know I do.  This is the Cailyn Gelux Eyebrow pot in the color Oak and it's valued at $22.  As you can see above, the brush is actually the stem of the handle and that screws on top of the gel pot.  "Cailyn Gelux Eyebrow allows you to create naturally beautiful shade that works best for you.  With this waterproof gel eyebrow, your brow won't lose definition or color well through the night."  I loved how well this product applied to my brows and the brush was super easy to use.  It looked better than my brow kit I use now which sadly I just bought.  womp womp!

And last but certainly not least...NAIL POLISH!  lol So glad they included some pretty polish and even better from a brand I've never tried.  I received Laqa & Co nail polish in the color Chubs which was $11.  lol It's a shimmery gold polish that covered well in two coats.  I only swatched it on a nail wheel so stay tuned for this one.  It's really pretty.

Overall I was very pleased with this box and the company.  I have setup links to all of the company websites as well as Wantable if you interested in any product you see today.  You can sign up for Wantable today by using my personal invitation link (https://www.wantable.com/invite/TYId6Z1S5Qk) for which I will receive a $10 credit for each person that signs up and purchases a box.  Once you sign up you can get the same deal too!  Each Wantable box is $36/month for subscribers or $40 for a one-time purchase.  I know that seems a bit pricey but remember, you get really high end, full-size products worth $80 and up.  In my opinion it's totally worth it if you have the extra cash.

I hope that you all enjoyed this post and that it was super informative.  As I use the items I can add updates as to what I think about them and if they are still worth the dough.  Have a great night!

Product Review - Born Pretty Store Water Nail Decals

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Born Pretty Store**

Today's product review is for water decals from Born Pretty Store.  I've never used these before this post so I'm excited to show you all something new.  If you don't know what water decals are, they are basically temporary tattoos for your nails.  You know like the ones you used to get out of the quarter machines at the grocery store when you were a kid?  Yeah!  Like that.

BPS sent me a funny cow print.  Some have words like Fashion and Concise (I don't get that one) and the others are just the spots.  The instructions are printed right on the back but in case you can't see it, here they are again.

1. Trim, clean, and polish the fingernails; paint the background color on the fingernails and dry it out.
2. Remove the film of product, cut out the pattern and plunge it into water 10~20 seconds (use warm water in winter).
3. Moisten the fingernails; stick the pattern in position.
4. Sop up the water with a paper towel and blow dry.
5. Apply top coat and blow dry.

And that's it!  It was just that simple.

I chose to paint my nails with two coats of Color Club Lavendarling because who ever saw a purple cow?  I love it!  I cut out the designs I wanted and dipped them in water for only about 5 seconds and then stuck it to my nails.

And voila!  They applied so quickly to my nails I thought they might not stick very well or have some lifting but they didn't.  The design is cute and the color is very opaque.  On my pinky some of the paper backing transferred with the design but I just scraped at it gently and it came right off.  I applied my top coat and that was it.  It took the same about of time, if not less, to apply these decals than when I did regular nail art.  I think for a lazy nail art day, these are great.

BPS also sent me a cutesy little ring.  It has black rhinestones in the shape of a bow and the back is adjustable which I like simply because I wanted to make it a knuckle ring.

Here it is again on my very rarely seen left hand.  It's totally my style and I'm glad it's black and not pink or something.  (:  To purchase your bow ring click HERE. 

Review Wrap-Up
Price: $ - $0.99.  You can't beat that especially if you are purchasing multiple items.  I think BPS has a lot of really great products that are really inexpensive.
Variety: There are tons of these water decals in so many different designs from this silly cow print to skulls or watermelons.  You can view them all HERE.
Quality:  I thought these held up well.  The edges were flush to the nail and didn't peel up and the decals weren't too thin or tough to work with.
Would I Purchase Again: I think I would.  The decals were much easier to put on than I thought and super cute.  If you like them you can purchase yours HERE.  And don't forget to use my Born Pretty Store code DRJ61 to get 10% off your order.  Once 10 orders are placed, BPS will host a giveaway for all of you.  You all want to win free goodies right?! 

Product Review - Born Pretty Store QA37 Stamping Plate

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Born Pretty Store**

Today I have a wonderful product review from Born Pretty Store.  I got a super cute stamping plate with really fun designs.

I love all the different designs of bows.  I especially love the ones that just have the outline and are blank inside so I could actually create my own nail decals.  More on that to come.  I also thought this plate was really great because I get 12 designs whereas the plates I already own only have between 6 and 10.

So I guess you all want to see what they look like on the nail.

I used two of the bow designs and applied a nail gem in the center...sorry for the glare.  lol I'm not crazy about the checkered bow because it has no outline.  I would have attempted to add one but I'm sure I would have ruined the entire mani.

And another...

Most of the designs reminded me of things I may be doodled in class when I was in Jr. High so I thought "scratch paper" was appropriate.  I was able to fit five on my nails.  Isn't this just the cutest mani?  I'm pretty in love with it.

Review Wrap-Up
Price: $ - $2.99.  I think BPS has a lot of really great products that are really inexpensive so kudos for that.
Variety: Born Pretty Store has a ton of stamping plates with amazing designs as well as stamping accessories including stamping polish and rubber stamper sets.  You can see them HERE.
Quality: I thought most of the designs were etched perfectly which made them stamp perfectly as well.  I did have some trouble with the full nail design getting bald spots or not picking up all the dots.  I even used two different types of stampers but to no avail.  Luckily that is not one that I will ever use.  It's just not for me.  (:
Would I Purchase Again: of course!  Yes this plate was sent to me for review, but I would definitely look into purchasing more stamping plates from BPS.  If you like this plate, you purchase yours HERE.  And don't forget to use my Born Pretty Store code DRJ61 to get 10% off your order.  Once 10 orders are placed, BPS will help me host a giveaway for all of you.  You all want to win free goodies right?! 

Product Review - essence Nail Art Stampy Set Review

So I've been using this a lot since I got it about 2 weeks ago and I think it's about time you all got in on the fun.  I'm going to a little review on the essence Nail Art Stampy Set which I picked up at Ulta for only $3.49.

So here is what it looks like in the box in case you want to go pick it up.  I think in every Ulta (as far as I've seen) all of the essence products are on an end cap somewhere near all the "drugstore brand" beauty products.  The photo on the right shows what comes with the set.  I was pretty impressed that the designs were not lame.    I would actually use more than one of them.  lol

This is the best photo of the plate I could get but I stamped them on a white piece of paper for you to really see the designs.  This was my first time using a stamper like the one in the set so I had a bit of trouble getting them on the paper completely as you can see with the heart and the polka dots.  The stamper is super squishy and didn't want to pick up all the way.  Eventually I got the hang of it.  All of the designs (after more practice) came out with no bald spots.  The only "problem" design is the butterfly in the center.  To me it looks like all the color ran together or it's smushed, but I feel like the lines should be more defined inside the wings.

Ready to see them on my nails?!

I tried to fit all of the designs on all my fingers (in no particular order) just so you could see what they look like.  As you can see some of them, like the ones on my middle finger didn't come out so well.  I tried them over and over on paper first and they kept coming up with missing spots.  I think the heart and bow are my favorites from the whole plate.

These are the other two designs.  Ummm ewww.  These look terrible.  I'm definitely no stamping expert (yes it is super crooked...lol) but for some reason the full design wouldn't pick up.  As for the hearts (yes those are hearts), they kept coming out smushed like that butterfly design.  I tried a different polish, a different stamper, and they just kept coming out ugly.  Another thing that I don't like about the set is that the scraper scratched the crap out of my plate so I threw it away.  Now I just use an old credit card.

Now for some real nail art!

There we go.  Finally something that looks halfway decent.  I used the polka dot and bow design from the plate and just free-handed the stripes on my pointer finger.

WHAT I USED:

Sinful Colors Unicorn - yellow

Zoya Cynthia - dark teal

Ulta High Roller - gold

So was this worth my money?  Yes!  I think if I had paid double the price I might even still be happy with it.  But considering that I won't use half of these designs, $3.49 was the perfect price.

imPRESS Press-On Nails Review - Final Recap

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster**

Did you all think I forgot about these?  lol Of course I didn't.  I have been itching to get them off for a week so I can do another mani.  As a blogger, I feel like these aren't practical because I'm used to changing my mani everyday or every other day.  I'm finally relieved to remove them.

Just to recap, this is day 1 for the press-ons.  I had just put them on and I was already regretting it because the design is definitely not me.  I even had co-workers comment on why I had zebra print on my nails.  They know I don't do zebra.  lol.  To get caught up, HERE is the link to my day 1 review.

Here we have day 3 and already there was so much tip wear (my thumb was horrible) that I felt like removing them.  To read day 3's review, click HERE.  I explained how I would apply a top coat on a couple of my nails to see if that helped with wear and tear.

Day 4, I ended up loosing a nail on my right hand so I just took them off.  I left all press-ons on my left hand so that I could continue with the review.  I also applied a top coat to my middle and ring fingers on this hand.  Did it help?  Yes actually.  I had more tip wear on my pinky and pointer than the others.  I would definitely suggest using this method if you use these.

Day 5 and 6, they looked the same (so no need for photos) however they were starting to lift at the sides.  This was an indication that I should remove them or they would pop off soon.

Well, whataya know?  My pinky popped off just yesterday.  This makes it 6 days for the wear time.  I think that is great considering I'm very rough on my hands at work and with all the handwashing and showers I took, I honestly thought they would all come off sooner.  They are advertised as lasting up to a week so there is a plus.

I decided to go ahead and remove them all.  The instructions say to apply acetone or alcohol around the press-on and then lift them off.  That's not exactly what happened.  Since they were lifting on the edges, I flooded my cuticles with polish remover and let it soak for about 30 seconds.  Then I got a cuticle pusher, wedged under a lifted edge, and started removing the nails.  Some came off with ease and others I had literally rip off.  It's not painful but it did damage my natural nails.  I'm assuming that's because they weren't quite ready to come off.  Maybe I could have worn them for another day or 2.  

As you can see, my pointer and pinky are fine, but my ring and middle nails have a feathering effect to them.  This is shreds of my nail that were torn up with the adhesive.  I'm not happy about it at all, but I did give myself a nice mani and applied lots of cuticle oil and a restorative top coat.  Hopefully they will grow out quickly so I can have healthy nails again.

Review Wrap-Up - Final
Price: $ - $5.99-$7.99 depending on where you purchase them but now I'm not so sure that's worth it.
Variety: As far as I've seen, there are a lot of different designs and even solid colors.  For those that may be hesitant about trying DIY nail art, these are great.  You can view a gallery of other designs HERE.
Application:  super easy; only a few minor issues with the protective plastic backing.
Quality: Feedback from readers and nail lovers suggest they look cheap.  I had a lot of tip wear on all nails, especially my frequently used fingers - pointer and thumb.
Wear:  They did stay on for nearly the entire week as advertised with a couple of casualties.  Those could have easily been glued back on or replaced with any of the extra nails in the set.
Removal: easy if the nails are ready.  the ones that were really stuck on there didn't want to come off.  There was some "damage" to my natural nails since I had to rip those off.
Would I Purchase Again: definitely not.  If I had purchased these this time, I would be pretty upset.  I think they are more trouble than they are worth.

Thank you so much for sticking with me through this ordeal.  lol I mean it wasn't that bad, but it was.  /:  I have so many fun manis and some swatches coming up so I hope you stick with me.  

imPRESS Press-On Nails Update - Day 3

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster**

Here we are back for and update on the imPRESS Press-On nails.  If you need to get up to speed about my initial thoughts, you can view my review from day 1 HERE.  A wrap-up will be featured at the end of each post with some repeated info but also some new info so don't forget to read that. (:

So here they are on just day 3 and already there is so much tip wear.  I figured that wearing these to work would definitely ravage them, but they were already pretty f'ed just from one shower and lots of typing.  After work they looked even worse since I work in retail.  I'm always hitting and scratching my nails on zippers, hardware, mannequins, etc.

This is my thumb nail after just the 2 days of wear.  The design isn't just rubbing off either.  It is straight up peeling off in tiny chunks and strips.  This is also bad for me because I have a bad habit of picking at things so all I want to do is peel it off.  I'm really trying to resist the urge.  AAAHHHH!

I'm not sure how I missed this, but another thing to note is how they don't exactly fit my nails.  As you can see they taper in a bit at the end, but my natural nails get wider as they get longer.  This isn't something that is going to bug me for a day or two but if you plan on wearing these for the entire week, it may be a slight issue.  Mainly because I've had so many people commenting on these in the past 2 days and saying that the nail salon didn't do them correctly.  Yes.  Many people thought they were acrylics.  lol

So remember when I said my natural nail was shorter than the adhesive so they were getting dirty?  Well here they are and this is after a shower.  My black towel fuzz stuck to every bit of it and I'm sure there is still dirt from work under there.  It's pretty gross.  I tried to clean them with a cotton swap and alcohol and that only worked to a certain extent.  They still aren't clean looking.

I wasn't really impressed with these to begin with, but now I really just can't wait for them to come off.  If real polish on my natural nails had this much tip wear, I would have already changed my mani.  I feel like if I had paid for these (which I didn't), I would feel like I wasted my money.  For sake of the rest of the review, I'm going to experiment.  I'm going to apply a top coat to my left hand and leave my right hand exposed to the elements.  If I could figure out a way to extend the design wear time, they might actually be worth trying again for times you might be in a hurry or for those who aren't comfortable with DIY nail art yet.

Review Wrap-Up - Day 3
Price: $ - $5.99-$7.99 depending on where you purchase them but now I'm not so sure that's worth it.
Variety: As far as I've seen, there are a lot of different designs and even solid colors.  For those that may be hesitant about trying DIY nail art, these are great.  You can view a gallery of other designs HERE.
Application:  super easy; only a few minor issues with the protective plastic backing.
Quality: Feedback from readers and nail lovers suggest they look cheap.  The design isn't lasting near as long as I would have thought.
Wear:  As far as the actual press-on goes (no the design), I think they will be stuck to my nails for the week as advertised.  I have felt them shifting a bit though.  Like the adhesive isn't dry or something.  There will be more updates to come.