I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect yellow polish that applies smoothly and is a bright banana shade without being neon. Aside from the streaky application with two coats, and minimal streakiness with three coats, I think I’ve found my shade in NYC’s Lexington Yellow.
HALF MOON NAILS:
This easy nail art technique doesn’t require a steady hand or artistic ability. You simply need hole reinforcements found at most office supply aisles of stores, two nail polishes of your choice, a top coat and some patience.
TUTORIAL ADVICE:
1. Pick polishes that are opaque in one to two coats and apply smoothly.
2. Apply one coat of your base polish and allow to fully dry.
3. Remove a bit of the adhesive from the hole reinforcements by sticking it to your skin before applying them to your nails, which will reduce the chances of the base polish removing when you peel off the sticker.
4. Apply two coats of second polish and immediately remove sticker in one swift motion.
Pink sprinkle nails. Revlon’s Heavenly glitter (which applies like a dream) over Sephora by OPI A True Romantic.
Bargain Shopping: Money Saving Tips
If you’re an online shopper, there are ways to save a few bucks on nearly every purchase. The following are some ways to be a bit kinder to your wallet, no matter your budget.
1. Sign-up for a free Ebates account and earn cash back on your purchases. You use the Ebates link to shop at the store and save a percentage on every purchase. They also list all active coupons for that particular site. Quarterly, you receive your cash back as a check or Amazon credit, which ever your prefer. Why turn down free cash?
2. A simple Google search can save you cash, too. Before making your online purchase simply search for coupon codes (ex: Jcpenney coupon codes) and check the first few results. More than likely, retailmenot.com will pop-up, which I find to be a handy site.
3. Subscribe to your favorite store’s email list and you’ll be notified of upcoming sales and promotions. Most of the time, you can customize how often you receive emails.
4. Not a fan of receiving weekly emails? No problem. Before checking out, glance at the store’s facebook or twitter page for current promotions. Often times, sites will offer consistent promos for their facebook fans. For instance, Sephora has a weekly ‘Fan Friday’ deal on Facebook.
5. Take note of Friends and Family sales, which usually means 25 to 30% off merchandise.
6. I refuse to pay for shipping and handling, so I either wait to make a purchase when I can reach the minimum amount required for free shipping or I search for free shipping coupon codes. Some sites like Nordstrom offer free shipping and returns, no minimum required. Not all sites are as awesome, so do your homework.
7. Of course there’s the annual Cyber Monday opportunity, but don’t neglect the sales during other major holidays. (Mother’s Day, Independence Day, etc).
8. If you make your purchase and the item goes on sale within a few days, most stores will honor the sale price, so always ask.
* Know the details of the store’s return and exchange policy. *
What are your money-saving online shopping tips? Happy shopping!
Friday deals & steals
I have found my favorite face powder and powder brush combo with ELF and Everyday Minerals. I incorporated this impressive combo into my makeup routine a couple months ago.
I use the matte base from the Everyday Minerals line in Medium Beige Neutral. I have yellow undertones and I find a neutral powder works best. This is, by far, the closest skin match I’ve found. The powder is light to nearly medium coverage. I use it in conjunction with my Josie Maran concealer.
The lock mechanism makes it travel-friendly. Unlike most loose powders, it’s not a hassle to use and the powder is so finely milled, it blends beautifully. I’m happy to have found a replacement for the Physican’s Formula powder I was using, which contains parabens.
As for the $3 ELF brush, it’s incredibly soft, washes well and doesn’t shed.
Friday Favorite: Alba Botanica
My absolute favorite lip and cuticle moisturizer is the Alba Botanica Un-petroleum Multipurpose Jelly. It looks and feels like Vaseline, but moisturizer without the harsh chemicals.
It’s inexpensive (I purchased it at a health food store for less than $4) and one tube will last ages.
Ingredients: Ricinus Cmmunis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocepheryl Acetate, Tocopherol.
I’ve even applied this to dry patches on my face. This is an absolutely amazing product that deserves more attention.
DIY: customized jewelry shades
I took an inexpensive pair of plain silver earrings and painted them with two thin coats of Sally Hansen Pacific Blue nail polish. 
It’s an easy way to change up your earrings or other inexpensive jewelry pieces. When you’re bored of the color, or it starts to fade, just use nail polish remover and move on to the next shade. You can step it up a notch by creating designs, such as polka dots. No fancy tools required; simply bend open a bobby pin and dip it into the desired shade of nail polish.
