Nail Polish Canada Haul

It all started when I ran out of nail polish remover.
I decided to head over to Nail polish Canada to purchase a bottle of Zoya Remove—a product that I have been wanting to try for a few years. Before I could complete my order, I was drawn to the newer Essie collections and ended up adding three bottles of polish to my cart. I’m happy that I did because I love all three colours and will get a lot of use out of them.
Here is what I purchased:

Zoya Remove + Polish Remover

Essie My Better Half (2013 Wedding Collection)

Essie Go Ginza (Spring 2013 Madison Ave-Hue Collection)

Essie No Baggage Please (2013 Wedding Collection)

Essie My Better Half, Essie Go Ginza, Essie No Baggage Please

Which new polishes are you enjoying?

Review: NCLA Nail Wraps

Nail Polish Canada now carries NCLA Nail Wraps! These wraps are perfect for the girl on the go who wants polished nails without the drying time.
NCLA Nail Wraps have been featured in publications such as Vogue and Elle and feature a wide array of styles. For this reason, I decided to try a bolder pattern as well as a work-appropriate design.
The first set that I tried is called Roomservice Stilettos and Champagne. This lace-inspired design is girly and edgy at the same time. The metallic silver background is eye catching yet subtle, and the lace overlay is delicate enough to be worn to a formal event but can also work as a fun accessory for a night out with the girls.
As you can see from the photos below, the kit comes with lots of wraps (44 to be exact) and a medium size nail file. The many size options made it easy for me to find a wrap to perfectly fit each nail. Each kit is good for three to four applications and retails for $16 CAD on nailpolishcanada.com
While these wraps applied much like similar products on the market, the package instructions recommend applying a thin layer of clear polish to the nails before applying the wraps. I found that this preliminary step really helped the wraps adhere to the nails.



Using the supplied nail file, it was easy to file off the excess wrap and create a clean edge. I didn’t have any issues with air bubbles when using Roomservice Stilettos and Champagne.


Next up is Jenna’s Nude Moon. I was instantly drawn to this pattern because it is very wearable but adds a unique twist to the typical nude nail. I have never quite mastered the half moon manicure so these wraps allow me to wear the trend without having to fumble with stencils and bottles of nail polish.

The matte texture of this design gives is a very mod feel that is clean and classy. My only complaint with Jenna’s Nude Moon is that the wraps were slightly thicker than Roomservice Stilettos and Champagne so they were a bit more prone to air bubbles. That said, the bubbles were easy to smooth out and I only missed one on the nail on my ring finger.

I wore each set of wraps for seven days without any major lifting. After a full week, I removed the wraps by gently peeling them off. I’m not sure if this was the best removal option but I did not have any polish remover on hand and the wraps peeled of nicely since there was that layer of clear polish between the adhesive and the nail.
Overall, I was very impressed with these nail wraps from NCLA. In addition to the designs that I tried, the brand’s nail wrap line features many other designs, including some very fun, bold patterns.
Find NCLA Nail Wraps here: http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/categories/ncla/nail-wraps.html
Nail Polish Canada currently offers free shipping on Canadian orders over $25 and US orders over $50, but the NCLA nail wraps ship for free with no minimum purchase amount. 
*Although the company sent me these products to review, all opinions are honest and are my own*

NOTD: Zoya Gei Gei

Is it Gei Gei or Gie Gie? The spelling on the website is different than that of the bottle’s label. I think that I prefer the website’s spelling of Gei Gei,

The polish came out in the Spring 2013 Lovely collection from Zoya. In the words of Zoya, “Gei Gei can be best described as a full-coverage, blushing cherry blossom pink metallic. A shimmery light shade for an always-appropriate natural pink nail look. Originally created as a custom runway shade for fashion designer Zang Toi.”

In my opinion, this polish is capable of more than just your average “natural pink look”. It’s bursting with silver shimmer particles that make nails look like they are gleaming all the time. The cool tones and subtle hints of lilac make the polish very wearable and perfect for spring.

This polish was a little streaky during application but it smoothed over nicely during the drying process. I used three coats to achieve full coverage.

Despite Gei Gei’s embedded shine, the finish itself is not glossy when the polish dries. A top coat is necessary if you want the glazed look.

Overall, I’m very impressed with this polish and recommend Gei Gei to those who are looking for a unique light pink shade…something a little different than the cream finish pastel pink shades that everyone has been wearing lately.

How to Achieve Glowy Skin

Most days, I’m all about wearing as little makeup as possible…especially during the warmer months when it’s too hot and humid to spend time applying makeup that will just melt off as soon as I leave the house.

As soon as the temperature starts rising, I tend to go through phases where I will play up only one feature at a time. Sometimes I’ll create a bright eye look, other times I will opt for a vibrant lip shade. Lately, I have been focusing on fresh, glowy skin; it’s easy to achieve and gives the complexion an effortless radiance.

Since I don’t wear foundation, I always begin with a moisturizer (with sunscreen). After waiting a few minutes for my skin to absorb the moisturizer, I apply MAC’s Mineralize blush in the shade Dainty. I find that mineralize blushes work best on bare skin and they never look chalky. In terms of application, I like to buff Dainty onto the apples of my cheeks by swirling my Sigma F40 Large Angled Contour brush in a circular motion. Using this technique prevents any harsh lines or uneven patches.

Next, I use my Sigma F50 Duo Fibre brush to sweep a bit of Benefit’s Sugarbomb face powder over the blush. To finish, I curl my lashes, swipe them with a bit of Vaseline, and dab my lips with a lip balm. The result: A peachy-pink, healthy (but not glittery) glow. I wear this look every day and I always feel fresh-faced and confident despite the fact that I’m hardly wearing any makeup. The best part is that I don’t have to wash off a full face of makeup at the end of the day.

What’s your go-to routine for glowy skin?

May 2013 Topbox (Regular Topbox)

For the third month in a row, I opted for Topbox’s regular version. The prive box brands have yet to impress me since the Benefit Cosmetics box.
While April’s regular Topbox was disappointing, I feel that the company redeemed itself with the May box.
Spring was definitely in this month’s box as it included pretty shades of pink and a versatile chocolate brown. I really loved the fact that no skincare or haircare items were sent this time. They are my least favourite and I prefer to receive makeup and nail products. Two makeup and two nail-related items came this month, packaged in a pretty purple, white, and green box. The items themselves were wrapped in purple tissue paper.
For those of you who do not know what Topbox is, it is a service similar to Loose Button, Birchbox, Glossybox, Ipsy, etc., which offers monthly boxes of deluxe size product samples. Topbox currently offers its services across Canada. For more information check out topbox.ca

Jewelmint Guilded Silver Bangle

Every few months I find a Jewelmint piece that really catches my eye. The pieces that I like are very dainty and classic. My first purchase was a pair of Lovely Audrey Earrings. Next, I opted for the Opera Pearl Necklace. This time around, I purchased the Guilded Silver Bangle. If you check out all three pieces you will notice a theme: classy, elegant, and sophisticated with a bit of bling.
Although the bracelet is small and delicate, it adds the perfect amount of sparkle. As you can see from the photos, the bangle consists of round and oval links that are accented by clear crystal stones. The clasp is well constructed and the bracelet’s closure is very tight and stays in place until pulled apart with a moderate amount of force. I’m not at all worried about it opening and falling off.

Since I have a very tiny wrist, I have to be careful when ordering bracelets online that I cannot try on before purchasing. This bracelet is 2 1/2 inches wide so it fits nicely. It slides up and down when i move my arm but it is not large enough to slip over my wrist. The best part is that its beautiful yet modest details make it a perfect complement for both a formal outfit or a t-shirt and jeans. I have had this bracelet for only a few weeks and have already worn it quite a few times.

Overall, I am very impressed with this bracelet and look forward to finding more Jewelmint pieces to add to my collection.
*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.*

Don’t Miss Out on Two Great Giveaways!!!!

My two giveaways will be ending soon. Don’t forget to enter to win some great prizes. Both giveaways are open worldwide so anyone can enter!

Click HERE to enter my Joe Fresh Nail Polish giveaway.

Click HERE to enter to win a copy of The Skin Regime by Dana Ramos.

Good luck!

April Topbox

I took a month off from Topbox in March because I got a new credit card and forgot to update my information in my Topbox account. Once I realized that I wasn’t getting my March box (I opted for the regular box in March), I was relieved because, in my opinion, the items were less than impressive.
I selected the regular Topbox this month as well. The Prive boxes have not been featuring brands that I like and it seems that Topbox has been recycling the same selection of brands for the past few months.
Sadly, I was unhappy with this month’s regular box. The box featured mostly skin care and hair care items, and two of the products that I received have been sent to me three times in previous Topboxes. I contacted the company about this issue and the customer service representative said that they would make up for the mix-up by sending me an extra product in May. I was impressed with their customer service and am looking forward to the extra product.
For those of you who do not know what Topbox is, it is a service similar to Loose Button, Birchbox, Glossybox, Ipsy, etc., which offers monthly boxes of deluxe size product samples. Topbox currently