Nail Life Nail Revitalizer (No Formaldehyde Added)

super glad the sun is out today... it poured yesterday, which made getting Echo in from the pasture unpleasant... plus, she was soaked where ever her blanket wasn't covering, and the blanket itself was totally soaked, too. it's so nice to have an indoor arena to ride in when it's raining... but getting back and forth is still no fun ;)

today i want to share Nail Life Nail Revitalizer in the No Formaldehyde Added formula with you all. this was recommended to me by a random lady at Sally Beauty Supply, and reinforced as wonderful by the sales girls. it's a nail treatment that can be used alone or under polish, i've been using it pretty faithfully for about a month now. i have to say, i had really high hopes for this, it's a big bottle (1 fl. oz.) that costs less than the only treatment i've found to work for my nails in the past, Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus (which is only a quarter of an ounce!). sadly, this product didn't do much for my nails. they continued to peel and rip, and i didn't really see any changes at all. i gave it much longer than i give most nail products because... it seemed like such a great deal! Nailtiques instantly makes my nails much hardier from the first application. *sigh* total bummer. i'm curious as to whether the Original formula would work better for me... but i'm probably just going to stick with Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus... even if it is spendier AND smaller.

here's the bottle...

you can find this product at Sally Beauty Supply, it retails for $7.99 and is currently on sale for $5.99. THIS is the direct link to it on SallyBeauty.com!

you can find Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus as well as the entire Nailtiques range at Ulta and Ulta.com for $9.50. they have different treatments to target different issues nails can have... they probably have something that will work for you!

have you tried this product? did it work better for you? let me know! Ria :)

Orly Sparkle... Bling

long day yesterday... seeing my Nonna (grandmother in Italian!) is so hard. she only knew who we were intermittently, there was a lot of repeating the same questions and answers over and over. really sad :( i'm glad we got to go and give her some goodies for Christmas... i want to see her as much as i can while she still recognizes me.

i have Bling from the Orly Sparkle collection to share with you all today! Ulta had Orly buy 2 get 1 free this past week (not sure if it's still going on), AND i had the yummy 20% off everything coupon! this one even included fragrance, so i got Mr. Pawlish the cologne he's been wanting for Christmas :)

Orly Bling is a gold and holographic micro-glitter... it's STUNNING. it's a bit sheer to wear alone, but it's a fantastic topper. i had chipped Pixi God Jul! (press sample), which is a red creme, and wanted something to refresh the mani... this worked perfectly! you could go with just one coat which gives a light layer of glitter, but i went with two for a more full coverage look. definitely add a shiny topcoat to bring out all the glittery sparkle!

two coats Bling over two coats Pixi God Jul, finished off with one coat of Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (God and Crystal Clear Top Coat are press samples).

you can find Orly products at Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply!

i probably have a similar polish to this one... but i just couldn't resist that holo-y goodness! Ria :)

:: Pixi God Jul! and Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat are press samples there were kindly provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Pixi December 2014 Makeup Samples Swatches and Reviews!

had lots of stuff to get done today to get ready for our trip to visit my grandmother tomorrow... whew, felt like a really long day! i really wanted to get this post up though since i'm pretty sure i won't be posting tomorrow, all that travelling always exhausts me. glad i will get to see my grandmother and brother, though!

today i have the makeup samples Pixi sent me for December! they are great ones... i definitely squealed when i opened the box :D the products are... Rosy Red Tinted Brilliance Balm, Flawless Beauty Primer, Glimmery Black Endless Silky Eye Pen, Rosy Sheer Cheek Gel. read on for reviews and swatches... an on lip swatch of Rosy Red at the end!

here's a look at the products in their packaging...

and the products themselves!

Rosy Sheer Cheek Gel ($18) is pretty well described in its name... it's a thin liquidy consistency that's not super pigmented. it leaves a gorgeous stain once blended out... on me it looks like my cheeks have been freshly pinched or i've spent a lot of time outside in the cold! super flattering.

Flawless Beauty Primer ($9 for mini, $22 for full size) is a face primer meant to be used under face makeup. it provides quite a glow to the skin, it even gave a lot glow to a matte liquid foundation! there are shimmer particles in it, but i didn't find them to be noticeable on the face... just gave it an all around glow. i found it helped my foundation to stay in place throughout the day, as well! i didn't blend it out very much in the swatch, it sheers out to being quite clear/translucent.

Rosy Red Tinted Brilliance Balm ($14) is a sheer wash of pink toned red, depending how much you put on it will look more pink or more red. these are so easy to wear due to their balmy texture, and they are twist up so no sharpener needed!

Glimmery Black Endless Silky Eye Pen ($12) is a gorgeous black pencil liner with silver shimmers. i was SO EXCITED to find this in the sample box, i've been wanting it for awhile now! these pencil eyeliners are amazing... they set up so hard, they don't move at all... even on my oily lids. i can't use them in my waterline because they smudge onto my contacts, but they work great on my lower lid and don't migrate at all!

and now, the swatches!

Rosy Red usually looks a bit more red than it does in this photo... i think it pulls a bit more pink on me because i'm so fair. this is one of those great starter reds, an easy way to try and see if you might want to go a bit more daring later!

you can find Pixi products at Target stores, www.Target.com, and www.PixiBeauty.com!! 

hope you've enjoyed these Pixi products! have a fantastic weekend! Ria :)

:: these products were provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Pixi Color of the Month... God Jul!

i got up this morning, planning to head out to the barn around noon. checked the forecast and it called for flurries and a windchill in the 20s... decided to get groceries instead. that turned out to be the right call because instead of flurries it full on snowed! just to keep life exciting, somewhere along the way my mom's house key fell off her key ring (how does that happen?!) so we were locked out, in the snow! i eventually got Mr. Pawlish on the phone and he came and rescued us... what a guy :D

today i have Pixi's December 2014 Color of the Month to share with you all... God Jul! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). i had to use Google translate because i wasn't sure what God Jul meant... it's Merry Christmas in Norwegian, how cute is that?! God Jul! is red creme that has a somewhat squishy look to it... not even enough to call it a crelly, but there is a hint. it's a really interesting red that looks cherry in some lights, more coral in others, and sometimes it's more of a true red! the formula is good, two medium coats will give full opacity... you could probably do one thick coat, but i prefer to use a less loaded brush than usual with Pixi polishes. somehow i did really thin coats on my pinkie and ring fingers, so those actually have three coats... but they are the only ones on both hands that i painted differently! very strange. i recommend a glossy topcoat over this one, it's really brings it to its full potential and accentuates that slight squishiness.

two coats index and middle, three coats pinkie and middle fingers. finished off with one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples).

Pixi polishes retail for $8. you can find Pixi products at Target stores, www.Target.com, and www.PixiBeauty.com!! God Jul! is a limited edition shade that will only be available at PixiBeauty.com while supplies last... so make sure to order soon if it's something you're interested in it :) this is the direct link to the Pixi Beauty Nail Colour page!

next up... December's Pixi makeup blogger sample swatches... and they are good ones! Ria :)

:: these products were provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Butter London Sprog

i'm so happy because today is beautiful! the weather people were calling for a wintry mix earlier this week, but it's gorgeous instead :) it's way more fun to ride in nice weather than rain... or worse!

today we are checking out Butter London Sprog! it's a beautiful periwinkle creme that is a touch dustier than it looks in the swatch... when i saw it online i had to grab it... and i got it when Ulta was having a two for one special, which made it even better! the formula is great, two easy coats get you full opacity and a beautiful finish. it has a nice shine on its own, but it's even better with topcoat!

two coats Sprog, one coat of topcoat... can't remember which one i used, sorry :)

i had no idea my nails were at such freakishly different lengths, yikes! O.o

hope today is beautiful where you are... and congratulations, you're halfway through the week! Ria :)

China Glaze Twinkle... De-Light

total gloom and doom rainy day here in Maryland. still had to go out to run a few errands, though! Mr. Pawlish is finally back from his business trip, which is awesome. he was going through the final phases of a certification process, and he passed! we're going to have celebratory Taco Bell for dinner :D

we have the final China Glaze Twinkle polish tonight... De-Light! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). it's a glitter with different sized gold hex pieces and holographic silver bar glitter, all suspended in a clear base. this one makes a perfect topper... i think you *might* be able to get it opaque on its own, but i really dig it like this. one coat was all i need to get nice coverage over the nail, although i had to do just a bit of placing to make sure the nails stayed pretty even. i used it over China Glaze Tip Your Hat (press sample)... using it over a red like that just screams 'perfect for Christmas parties!!' to me :) definitely finish off with topcoat to seal in the look!

one coat De-Light over China Glaze Tip Your Hat, finished off with one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (all are press samples).

this lower light photo gives a better idea what the gold pieces look like!

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

i hope you've all enjoyed this look at the China Glaze Twinkle collection... i've really enjoyed reviewing it! i'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to review the whole collection, thanks China Glaze!!

i almost just wrote about Monday... whoops! i've been confused what day it is all day... ever have those days? Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Tip Your Hat

i confess... i'm totally sitting here watching Pitch Perfect again :) it's a great movie to have on as background noise while i'm working because it's funny and there's great singing... and no major drama. i'm a comedy/action flick kinda girl, for sure.

we are coming to the end of the China Glaze Twinkle collection... today and tomorrow will be last of it! today we have Tip Your Hat (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review!). Tip Your Hat is a red creme that is a little different from what you'd generally think of as a holiday bright red... it's a maraschino cherry type red instead. it goes on really nicely and opaque, i used two coats... but you might be able to get away with one! it dries shiny on its own, but i think it looks even better with a glossy topcoat :)

two coats Tip Your Hat, one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples).

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

check back tomorrow for the final Twinkle polish... and it's a glitter! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Dancing & Prancing

can't wait for Mr. Pawlish to get home tomorrow! this is the longest business trip he's been on in awhile, and while it's nothing like a deployment... i do still miss him :) we're racking up plans for Christmas... i think we're going to be travelling most weekends this month! this coming weekend we are going to see my grandmother, hopefully most of the family will be able to come, too.

we have Dancing & Prancing from China Glaze's Twinkle collection to oogle today! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). it's a glitter topper, full of different sizes of multi-colored hex glitter... one of those festive glitter bombs! i love that this one is dense enough with glitter that you get good coverage over the nail with a traditional swiping motion, there is very little need of placing. you might be able to get this one opaque on its own, but i definitely like it as a topper. i used it over China Glaze No Peeking! (press sample)... i feel like it's an unexpected fun look to do glitter with a dusty purple for the holidays! definitely make sure everything is quite dry before adding glitter... apparently No Peeking! wasn't quite dry enough, so i got a little bit of squishing under the glitter. it's not noticeable... except in a close up DSLR photo! topcoat seals in the whole look :)

one coat Dancing & Prancing over No Peeking!, finished off with one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (all are press samples).

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

hope you've had a fantastic weekend and are refreshed for the coming week! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... No Peeking!

ran a few errands in the rain today... i'm still not a rain fan, but at least it wasn't snow and ice! we are supposed to be having flurries on Wednesday, which is jump lesson day... so i'm hoping the weather will change its mind. if not... we'll get a picture of how my car's going to handle when the REAL weather comes next month!

today's China Glaze Twinkle collection polish is No Peeking!. (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review!). it's a warm, mid-tone dusty purple with a pearl finish. there are a few brushstrokes to be seen as it is a pearl, but nothing too noticeable. just make sure to keep a steady hand when applying to avoid those wobblers! two easy coats makes for full opacity... like most of the colored polishes in this collection, you could probably use only one, i just prefer two :) a shiny topcoat really helps bring out the sparkle.

two coats No Peeking!, one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples).

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

hope you are all having wonderful weekends, and that the weather is better where you are! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Chillin' With My Snow-mies

nothing too interesting going on here today... Mama Pawlish and i made a batch of fudge, and we are getting ready to do another one in a little bit. still not sure how many more we're going to make... tomorrow i'm heading out in search of something to put the fudge in to mail it out for presents.

today's China Glaze Twinkle polish is Chillin' With My Snow-mies! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). it's a matte white glitter with sparse different size pieces in a clear base that gives a snowflakey look to the nail. the good is that it's beautiful and i got lots of compliments on it, people even asking where to buy it! the bad is that it's difficult to work with and absolutely requires dabbing/placing techniques. you will only get one or two glitters on the nail if you use the usual brushing method! because of the dabbing, you will probably get some bubbles... as you can see in the swatch, i did. however, Mama Pawlish insists they aren't noticeable, and perfect strangers were a big fan of the mani! definitely finish off with topcoat to seal the look together :)

one coat Chillin' With My Snow-mies over two coats China Glaze Define Good..., finished off with China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat. (all are press samples).

the bubbles definitely aren't as noticeable in person... these DSLRs capture everything!

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

Happy Friday!! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Define Good...

had a doctors appointment this morning, then Mama Pawlish and i headed to Alexandria, Virginia to hang out with one of our friends who happened to be in the area today. they are both big beaders, so we went to a really nice bead store, then had lunch at one of my fave restaurants, BGR. super fun day!

today's China Glaze Twinkle collection polish is Define Good... ! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). i love that this polish is a different take on your usual Christmas red... this one is a dark burgundy red in a pearl finish. it applies easily, and is opaque in two coats. like most pearls, you can see the occasional brushstroke, but it's really too noticeable in person. you'll definitely want topcoat with this one to bring out those little sparklies!

two coats Define Good... , one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples).

the name of this one is so cute! Define Good... is an adorable name :D

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

Mama Pawlish and i have loads of fudge to make tomorrow and over the weekend, that's what we're going to be giving to everyone as their present this year... and time is just flying by! gotta get those babies in the mail... i'm (of course!) looking forward to checking some of each batch to make sure they aren't poison!

any Christmas plans for you guys, yet? Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Pine-ing For Glitter

had a jump lesson tonight... we did most of our work in the indoor, then we were supposed to do a course in our outdoor arena. however, it was super wet and slushy out there, and i got myself all whipped up and anxious that Echo would slip. so i only ended up doing half the course, because i'm dork! very silly :)

Pine-ing For Glitter is today's China Glaze Twinkle collection polish! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). it's a green glitter, full of different sizes of small glitter pieces in a clear base. this is one that i think works best as a topper... i love it over silver! i used one coat to achieve the look in the photo below... i really like that amount of coverage.

one coat Pine-ing For Glitter over two coats I'd Melt For You, finished off with one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (all are press samples).

the pink you see is a reflection, there is no pink in any of these polishes!

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

Happy Wednesday! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... I'd Melt For You

dressage lesson today... i was terrified it was going to keep pouring down rain which makes for a miserable walk up to the indoor, but luckily by the afternoon it turned into one of those misty rains which isn't so bad. because it was rainy and cold, all the horses were inside their stalls so i didn't have to go catch Echo in the rain... winning :)

next up from China Glaze Twinkle is I'd Melt For You, a gorgeous silver chrome. (it's a press sample, kindly provided for review!). i absolutely love how this polish just seems to glow on the nail... chromes are just perfect for parties (although they're also perfect for everyday!). one coat brings pretty much opaque coverage, but two coats really helps even everything out. there is a bit of visible brushstrokes, but they aren't noticeable unless you get right up on the nail. i did not use any topcoat with this polish as i didn't want to diminish that awesome chrome glow!

two coats I'd Melt For You.

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

i can never decide which polish finish is my favorite... pretty much, whichever i have on i'm like... ooooooooo that's my favorite! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Meet Me Under The Stars

whew, late post! spent the last few hours swatching away to finish the rest of the China Glaze Twinkle collection... i always think it's only going to take like an hour... but it never does. plus, Mr. Pawlish headed off for a business trip during the middle, so that put me behind, too. happily, i got the rest swatched and will be posted over the next week :D

today's China Glaze Twinkle polish is Meet Me Under The Stars! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). it's fine silver glitter suspended in a sheer black base... super fun! i only needed two coats for enough opacity to wear on its own... i think the black base really helped it along. it applied easily, i used two thick coats to make sure i had enough glitter on each nail. as with most glitter, this one really comes alive with topcoat!

two coats Meet Me Under The Stars, one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples).

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

got eight more China Glaze Twinkle polishes, so please keep checking back! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Feeling Twinkly

did you guys go Black Friday shopping today? we went to Best Buy and Ulta yesterday evening, and to the opening of our new PX at 400 this morning. we didn't find any thing super exciting, but i did find a few Christmas presents... and few makeup goodies for me :D

today from the China Glaze Twinkle collection we have... Feeling Twinkly! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). i love that the name of this polish matches up with the name of the collection. it's a fairly dense blue glitter consisting of a couple different sized pieces... i can't quite tell if it's in a sheer blue base or there is just so much micro-glitter it looks blue! i feel like it would take quite a few coats to get it completely opaque on its own, but it builds up quickly over a base color! i used China Glaze Out Like A Light (also a press sample). over the dark greY, Feeling Twinkly has so much depth and sparkle! you could achieve a totally different, lighter look if layered over something like white. like most glitters, this one really comes to life when finished off with a shiny topcoat!

i LOVE this combo! i keep looking down at my nails and smiling... blue remains my favorite color to have on my nails, and these polishes together? perfection!

two coats Feeling Twinkly, over China Glaze Out Like A Light, finished off with one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (all three are press samples).

here's an out of focus shot to show off just how sparkly it is!

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

enjoy the weekend! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... Out Like A Light

Happy Thanksgiving! today has been really fantastic because my brother fixed my laptop :) turns out that Windows was just refusing to play nice with my laptop, so we uninstalled Windows completely and installed a different operating system altogether. it's taking some getting used to, but i'm so happy that i don't have to get a new computer!

today's China Glaze Twinkle collection polish is Out Like A Light! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review).  it's dark greY creme polish that is SUPER opaque. i really could have left it at one coat, but i'm kind of OCD about putting two coats on... i just think everything looks better with two :) it dries shiny on its own, but it's even better with topcoat!

two coats Out Like A Light, one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples).

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

i hope that you've all had wonderful days, whether it's a holiday where you are or not! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

China Glaze Twinkle... December To Remember

it's SNOWING here in Maryland! i can't even believe it. seriously going to take some getting used to... super glad i had my lesson yesterday. my lesson went really well, Echo and i jumped 2'9 together for the first time... it was great :)

today kicks off my reviews of the new China Glaze Twinkle collection! first up we have December To Remember, i gravitated to it immediately. (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review!). it's a blue foil that has pink and reflects... it's lovely! it was kind of a given that i'd like this polish, and i love blue polish and i'm definitely loving the pink and gold that make it special :D it applied easily and is opaque in two coats. you'll want to add a high shine topcoat to bring out all this baby has to offer!

two coats December To Remember, one coat China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat. (both are press samples!).

here's a lower light picture... you can see a bit more of the reflects in this one!

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Butter London The Posh Pout Lippy Liquid Lipstick Collection

i'm super excited, my brother just got here to visit over the Thanksgiving holiday! since he's here, he gets the dubious honor of filming me in my jump lesson tonight. glad it was changed over to tonight from tomorrow, as rain and ice are predicted for tomorrow. gross!!

today we've got the other Butter London holiday gift set i purchased from their Steampunk Ball Collection... The Post Pout Lippy Liquid Lipstick collection. (if you missed yesterday's review of their Midnight Garden Wink Eye Pencil collection, see it HERE!). it's another great idea for a Christmas present, and priced well at $28. you get four of their Lippy Liquid Lipsticks... which individually retail for $18! fantastic deal. i already had two of these, but it was cheaper to get the set than to buy them individually, so i mean... how could i resist :D just keep reading for arm and on lip swatches!

i really like Lippy Liquid Lipsticks, they are pigmented and long wearing, applying like a lip gloss with a traditional doe foot applicator. they are a touch sticky... which doesn't bother me, but i know a lot of people don't care for that. they do settle in the lines of your lips a bit, which isn't as noticeable in person as it is in the photos... but it does happen. again, it's not enough to bother me! they are also great layered over over other lip products :) my favorite is probably Toff, i carry it in purse at all times because it's neutral and i can slap it on no matter what makeup i'm wearing! Yummy Mummy looks a bit like chocolate milk on me, so i usually wear it over something else.

here's the packaging! the black and gold is so chic.

and the indiviual products!

on arm swatches... remember, i'm super pale, so things always look a bit different on me!

and finally... all the on lip swatches :)

you can find Butter London products at several retailers, my favorites to look for them are Ulta, Ulta.com, and ButterLondon.com! i have only purchased from Ulta (in-store and online), though!

starting in the next post... the China Glaze Twinkle collection! Ria :)

Butter London Midnight Gander Wink Eye Pencil Collection

spent all morning cleaning the side porch with Mama Pawlish... it's supposed to snow on Wednesday, so things i'd been putting off had to get done today. we thought our shed had been fixed from all the leaking... but it rained yesterday and it was full of water again. total bummer... so we had to put everything into plastic totes, then covered it with tarps. it's not a good look... but better than having all our stuff ruined!

i've got a great Christmas idea to share with you all today! or just a lovely treat for yourself :) i was super excited to find these... as soon as i heard about them, i knew they had to come home with me and began stalking Ulta. Butter London's holiday collection this year is the 'Steampunk Ball Collection' which consists of several awesome gift sets. this one is the Midnight Gander Eye Pencil Collection, it has five of their full size Wink pencils for the amazing price of $32... one pencil alone retails for $18! i knew i loved these already, and i didn't have any of these colors so grabbing it was a total no brainer.

Butter London Wink Eye Pencils are creamy, pigmented, and extremely long wearing. they set up really nicely and don't transfer on my eyelids. my other favorite eye pencil brand is Pixi (talk about long wearing!), but i can't use those on my waterline because they are too creamy and get on my contacts. i can wear Wink pencils on my waterline AND they last pretty well!

here's a look at the packaging :)

and the pencils themselves. these are the traditional type that you have to manually sharpen.

finally... swatches!

you can find Butter London products at several retailers, my favorites to look for them are Ulta, Ulta.com, and ButterLondon.com! i have only purchased from Ulta (in-store and online), though!

next post will be the other set i got from the Steampunk Ball Collection, The Posh Pout which features four Lippy Liquid Lipsticks for $28! stay tuned! Ria :)

Gerard Cosmetics Nude Lipstick

it's warmed up a little here... my jump lesson yesterday was pretty chilly, though! when you're moving it's not too bad, you're the coldest while you're waiting your turn for sure. today i have dressage, making it up for Tuesday when it was just beyond cold with that wind!

i'm super excited about the lipstick i have to share with you all today... it's Nude from Gerard Cosmetics! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). i have heard of Gerard here and there all over the internet, but it wasn't until i saw gossmakeupartist review them HERE that i was like, man... i have to get my hands on one of those!! i'm a huge fan of Wayne Goss, and really trust his opinion. on his video, there is a code for a discount on some Gerard products :)

the Gerard lipstick in Nude is really gorgeous, a brown toned nude that isn't light enough to look concealery... although i'm not opposed to those, i know most people don't care for that effect. the pigmentation of this lipstick is crazy... a lot of nudes run really sheer, this does not. it effectively covers up your natural lip color, which is generally what i'm looking for! it has an almost (but not quite!) matte finish, which is a touch drying on me... but i have chronically dry lips. if i apply Nude over a balm, i have no issues. it has a fairly traditional waxy lipstick scent, but it isn't very strong, and i don't smell it once it's been on my lips for a little while.

on to the pictures!

here's a look a the tube, it's a traditional lipstick bullet in glossy gold... it's so reflective you can actually see me taking the photo!

and a look at the lipstick itself.

an arm swatch! remember that i'm super fair, so things look darker on me than they would on others :)

finally, a lip swatch! again, things will look different on most people than do on me... i'm on the extreme light side of the skin shade spectrum.

Gerard Cosmetics lipsticks retail for $19 each. you can find them and other products on their website, www.GerardCosmetics.com!

i've never done an on lip swatch before... hope you all found this helpful! stay warm! Ria :)

:: this lipstick is a press sample sent to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::