My Last Glymm Box (November 2012)

This month’s Glymm box came with four samples. Only a couple are “deluxe”. The makeup bag containing the products is a black plastic material with a snake print pattern.
Needless to say, I am very happy that this is my last Glymm box. I am still subscribed to Topbox and am on the search for a new subscription service that Canadians can sign up for. Any suggestions?

Gorgeous Glitter Polishes: China Glaze Snow Globe & Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe

With the winter holidays just around the corner, everyone’s looking for a little sparkle. Snow Globe from China Glaze and Deborah Lippmann’s Across the Universe are perfect glitter polishes for the holiday season and year round.



Snow Globe
Snow Globe is exactly as its name implies. Pastel pink, blue, purple, green, and yellow glitter particles float in a clear jelly base. The result is a magical composition that looks great on bare nails, over a white base, and overtop a dark polish (see photos below).

My favourite aspect of this polish is the way that it is the perfect shade to wear for many different holidays, not just the ones that take place in December. Aside from their resemblance to a glimmering snow globe, the multi-coloured glitters look like the sweet sprinkles in a funfetti cake mix that is always a popular birthday treat. The pastel shades also remind me of Easter eggs and Valentine’s Day heart candies.

The glitter in this polish is not only eye-catching; it applies smoothly and looks great after one coat or many. It’s a great compliment to any nail polish collection in need of something unique, and, with its neutral base, Snow Globe looks great over many other colours.



Snow Globe (3 coats)


Snow Globe (2 coats) over Zoya Snow White (2 coats)


Snow Globe (2 coats) over China Glaze VIII (2 coats)


Across the Universe

Where I live, it has become popular to incorporate shades of blue into strings of red, white, and green outdoor Christmas lights. This primary colour gives a modern accent to traditional colours, as well as an unexpected twist. Across the Universe, with its sky blue and green hexagonal glitter particles, is glimmering Christmas lights at their finest. The mini blue glitters give the shade depth and add texture to the navy-tinted jelly base.

This shade is very versatile as the polish takes on a new look after each coat (see photos below). The glitter particles look like shiny sea glass in crystal blue water after just one coat. The second coat adds a bit of dimension and a touch of darkness. After three coats, the polish on the nails is identical to the colour in the bottle. It looks rich and glassy like twinkling Christmas lights on a December evening.

The formula of this polish is truly luxurious. It glides on like silk and looks even and finished after only one coat. Across the Universe also contains nail-loving ingredients such as Aucoumea, Biotin, and Green Tea, and is not tested on animals.



Across the Universe (1 coat)


Across the Universe ( 2 coats)


Across the Universe (3 coats)


Where to buy: Nail Polish Canada carries polishes from China Glaze, Deborah Lippmann, and many other brands.

Find Snow Globe here: http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/products/snow-globe-by-china-glaze.html
Find Across the Universe here: http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/products/across-the-universe-by-deborah-lippmann.html

Please note that nailpolishcanada.com ships to the USA as well. They currently offer free shipping on Canadian orders over $25 and US orders over $50.

~Beauty Writer

*Although I was sent these products to try out and write a review on, all opinions are honest and are my own*

Snow Inspired Nail Look

This snow inspired nail look is my first entry in Nail Polish Canada’s Holiday Nail Art Challenge.

I wanted to create a design that reflected the beauty of snow flakes and the winter fun associated with snow.

I began the look with a medium blue base (Zoya Jo), and then added a bit of glimmer by dabbing on a thin layer of China Glaze OMG with a makeup sponge. Next, I created snowflakes with a white polish and a nail art stamping kit. I used a larger snowflake for the thumb nail and smaller designs for the others. Using a dotting tool and Zoya Snow White, I drew the snowman’s body on one nail, and added a hat, buttons, and eyes with a black polish. The final touch was the carrot nose which I created using Butter London Jaffa.

What do you think of my snow inspired nail look? I would love for you to take a few moments to check out the other amazing designs created by bloggers, and show your support for my nail art and my blog by voting for my design here: http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/holiday-nail-art-challenge-week-1-snow/

I can’t wait to see what next week’s challenge will be!

Jewelmint Opera Pearl Necklace + Benefit Finding Mr. Bright

*For those of you who are unfamiliar with Jewelmint, it is a monthly subscription service that offers trendy jewellery created by Cher Coulter and Kate Bosworth. You do not have to purchase items every month—you can sign into your account and choose “skip this month” within the first few days of the month and you will not be charged.*
SIGN UP FOR JEWELMINT HERE: http://jmnt.me/THdQ5I
Recently I made my second Jewelmint purchase (see my first purchase HERE). I had been wanting the Opera Pearl necklace for almost six months and decided to finally make the purchase when the company was offering a makeup-related gift with purchase. I usually try to wait for promotions because, with shipping to Canada, each piece is close to $40 which seems a bit expensive to me. The current gift with purchase is a set of Butter London polishes that can be added to your order with the code JMSHINE.
The Opera Pearl necklace is a very elegant piece that is very versatile and can be worn with numerous outfit combinations. The silver chain is 44” in length and features two-toned pearl beads with rows of rhinestones. The lighter pearls are a peachy-beige colour and the darker ones are mauve. The rhinestones are peach toned with a hint of pink. There’s also a little silver tag at the end of the chain that says Jewelmint. This little added feature makes the necklace look well made, expensive, and unique. Since the necklace is very long, I like to wear it doubled up or even wrapped around my wrist a few times as a bracelet.
The necklace was beautifully packaged in a sleek black box that was wrapped with a Jewelmint bow and lined with a velvety fabric.  In my opinion, the picture on the Jewelmint site portrays the necklace accurately so I was not disappointed when I opened it. I was worried that the pearls would be much larger in person so I was happy to see that they were as dainty as they appeared on the site.
Overall, I am very pleased with this necklace and the gift with purchase (see below).

I was even more excited to order the necklace once I found out that Jewelmint was offering Benefit’s Finding Mr. Bright makeup set as a gift with purchase. While I do not wear foundation, I’m a huge fan of blushes and highlighters so I knew that this set would be perfect for me. It retails on Benefit’s website for $36 and includes two highlighters (Girl Meets Pearl and High Beam), a blush (Posie Tint), and a concealer (Erase Paste). The items are minis which I love because they are cute and small enough to fit in my purse.
I will have swatches of the products in this kit in a future post.

What is your current favourite jewellery or makeup item?
~Beauty Writer

Fall Nail Polish Favourites

At the beginning of each season I wade through my nail polish collection to find the perfect colours to wear for the months that will follow. This Fall I have selected a range of shades from deep purple to vintage green and everything in between. Many of my current favourite polishes have cream finishes but I’m also loving glass-flecked glitter and sheer jelly formulas.
Check out my Fall favourites below…and don’t forget to tell me which shades you will be wearing through mid December!
~Beauty Writer

Butter London Teddy Girl and Essie Fiji

Zoya Shay, Zoya Pandora, and Zoya Minka

Zoya Mia, Essie In Stitches, and China Glaze Fifth Avenue

Zoya Paloma

Essie Island Hopping, Butter London Toff, and Zoya Jana

Zoya Neeka and Zoya Petra

Zoya Daul and Zoya Monica

*Click HERE to see the glitzy Fall look that I created with these polishes*

Zoya Jules, Zoya Bevin, and Zoya Harley

October Glossybox

This is the third month of my Glossybox subscription, and, sadly, my last (for now). Glossybox has raised its prices. Rather than $15 per month it is now $21 which seems like a lot to me for a monthly makeup sample subscription. While I love Glossybox, I will say goodbye for now but may renew my subscription in the future if the price goes back down or if I decide that it is worth $21.

As for the October box, I found it very impressive.  It came with three full sized products and, if my calculations are correct, values around $70.

My video below shows all the products that I received in the October box, and includes my thoughts on each item. I have also included close-up photos of each item below.

What did you think of your October Glossybox?