Lately I've Been Loving...

• China Glaze For Audrey nail polish. I've just painted my nails this color for the second time within a span of a month. For someone with at least fifty nail polishes, and nail polish A.D.D., that's saying something.

• Best friends. I feel completely comfortable going around in sweaty gym clothes, a makeup-free face, and bursting out with comments anyone else would find offensive. I can giggle obnoxiously, make up songs, talk about boys...The list goes on and on. There's nothing like the kind of friends with whom you can both be entirely ridiculous and then instantly switch to normal conversation and then talk about serious issues, all done seamlessly.

• Magazines. Seventeen. Allure. Lucky. Marie Claire. Teen Vogue. Family Circle. Allure. Even Time magazine on occasion. You name it; I probably read it. I even renewed my subscription to Seventeen, despite the fact that I turn 20 this fall, [and will still be getting it at 21], and occasionally can't stand the magazine's silly stories. I'm probably going to subscribe to Allure, but I routinely borrow all of these other magazines from friends and my mother.

• Me time. In my family, me time is highly underrated. My dad definitely prefers to do things with other people all the time; even watching movies mustn't be done alone. I, however, sometimes like nothing more than to come home from work, eat a family dinner and withdraw for the rest of the evening. I'm just so exhausted that it's nice to have a few hours to myself.

• My new running shoes and sports bra. I can't be bothered to look up their brands, but I believe the store in which I purchased them is local. I've actually never owned proper exercise gear, and, let me tell you, it's so worth it. I don't actually go running, per se, but I do work out about five times a week for an hour or so, and the new clothing items are much appreciated.

• My water bottle. I definitely drink more with this sitting at my desk, next to me on the bed, etc. I'm pretty great at staying hydrated when I have a water bottle at hand; it just makes quenching thirst that much simpler.

• The thought of an impending holiday. My family is going to visit my sister in Iowa this Friday, and we'll be there until Tuesday. The reason I use the term "holiday," besides the fact that I'm intrigued by the UK use of the word in place of the American "vacation," is because Monday is actually July 4, meaning American Independence Day. It will be the first Fourth of July away from my friends since I was a little girl.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of "Lately I've Been Loving... ." I find it quite a refreshing post to write. Focusing on the positive is positively therapeutic.

Lots of love.

xEsther

Image from http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/naruto_fan94/new-year-fireworks-hong-kongb.jpg

Let's Do...A Movie Review: Midnight in Paris

Hello, dear readers,

I have one word to describe this particular film: brilliant. I saw this two weeks ago, I believe, at one of the few theaters in the area that plays "artsy" films. I find it highly upsetting that the mainstream theaters stereotype these films as ones that no one will want to see, therefore leaving us cinephiles to go out of our way to see a movie that is not a blockbuster.

Anyway, here's what one website for the film has to say about the plot:

SYNOPSIS

This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. It's about a young man's great love for a city, Paris, and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better. It stars Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, and Carla Bruni among others.

In my opinion this is a fairly lousy synopsis.

This movie is really about a man named Gil Pender (the fabulous Owen Wilson) learning to live in the 2000s and discovering what he wants in life through taking a trip into the past. All this is, indeed, done while on vacation with his fiancée, Inez (the lovely Rachel McAdams) and her parents in Paris. Almost immediately the audience can see that Gil and Inez are of completely different mindsets. Sure, they're attracted to each other and they seem to be in love, but Gil is in love with the Paris of the 1920s, and is trying desperately to write a novel about a nostalgia shop, while Inez yearns for That life of glamour that Gil will be able to provide her as a Hollywood screenwriter.

It's almost impossible to review this movie without giving a spoiler away, though I don't consider this a spoiler. So here's a little space for you to decide whether to keep reading the next paragraph, skip to the end, or stop reading.

Does this provide enough space?

Essentially, Gil decides to walk home one night rather than going dancing with Inez and her friends, and, while sitting on the steps after losing his way, the clock strikes midnight and a twenties-style car rolls up and invites him in. Inside, Gil is driven to a hopping flapper party where he meets literary figures such as the Fitzgeralds, and piano and song man Cole Porter. 

He begins going out every midnight, meeting and greeting literary figures and getting feedback on his novel from Gertrude Stein herself (Kathy Bates). Along with getting help for his novel, he also meets a beautiful mistress of artistic men of that time period who teaches him what love should be like. 

From the dreamy opening shots of Paris in the rain, through the gorgeous scenery of 1920s hotspots and the fabulous score full of 20s hits and a memorable theme, this is an absolute treat for the eyes and ears. Top that off with spectacular acting by Wilson, who plays a character reminiscent of director Woody Allen himself, [as there always is one in Allen's films] and a really fantastic cast all around.

This movie entices instantly and makes you care about Gil. It's not really romantic in the sense of a typical boy meets girl; lots of laughter and strife happens in between; boy ends up with girl. It is, however, a tale of self-discovery focusing mainly on Gil's character alone. All the other characters, major or minor, serve to help him resolve his inner conflicts. 

Lots of laughs will be had, though I'm usually one of those people to be the only one laughing in the theater [sorry theater goers; I honestly cannot help it], and there are some poignant moments as well, but nothing is sad about this film.

All in all, I loved it. Sorry for the scatterbrained review. I actually starting writing this a day after seeing the film, and it was probably more organized in my head then.

Anyway, if you get a chance, do go see this film. It's a winner in my eyes.

To drifting into movie worlds...for an hour or two...

xEsther

Images from:  

http://www.screenwritingforhollywood.com/movie-reviews/woody-allens-new-movie-midnight-in-paris

http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/midnight-in-paris-64597.html

Now That You've Pointed That Out...

No one cares!

For those of you who are wondering why I'm so incredibly heartless, please give me a moment to explain. I'm talking specifically about our "flaws" here. Why is flaws in quotes? you wonder as you consider closing this page altogether and reading about the Kardashian sisters instead.

Well, that's an easy answer: Things we consider to be flaws are often considered lovely by other people. I used to be extremely self-conscious of a birthmark above my eyebrow, so I didn't grow out my blunt bangs for years [yes, I had blunt bangs. My hair was stick straight then]. When I finally did, I still parted my hair so it was covered up.

I only ever had one comment on that birthmark, and I'm 99 percent sure it was only because I pointed it out. I mentioned something about not wanting to grow out my bangs because I didn't want my birthmark to show. And you know what? I really doubt my friend cared, seeing as if she did, I'd probably remember how she responded.

So, you see? No one actually cares about all your millions of self-perceived imperfections.

Then there's the other kind of imperfection: you put on a few pounds from eating an unhealthy diet or lacking in your exercise routine; you have a blemish that you're positive has a sign on it saying, "Look at me!"; you have some cellulite on your thighs from general growing up and naturally changing sizes.

I'm pretty sure this model doesn't even have a blemish!

Guess what? No one notices. Only the people that absolutely have serious self-esteem issues will notice all the negatives you might possess. Or perhaps a family member will carelessly ask, "Did you put on some weight?" Those are the people hardwired to notice because they're either tactless [as in the case of many family members; don't tell me you don't have any of the like] or feel validated by finding fault in others.

Honestly, we're all so concerned with how we look, act, and present ourselves, that we should know everyone else is doing the same. They're measuring their own flaws and not worrying about yours. If only we can stop worrying about what other people think, we'll be so much happier. However, for most people we'll never completely stop wondering what others think.

For now, the next time you feel an overwhelming desire to complain about the "enormous" zit on your forehead, resist the urge to point it out.

Because, truly, no one else sees it.

To a healthier point of view on you, by you, and for you [no one else!]!

xEsther

P.S. I apologize for posting less often. I blame work. And no sleep, which is another post topic altogether.

Images from:
http://www.123rf.com/photo_3112514_suprised-girl-pointing-at-copy-space--portrait-of-a-beautiful-young-business-woman-looking-up.html
http://www.acnescartreatmentsite.com/tag/acne-scarring/

Tiffany's at My Fingertips: A Mini Review

Hello, dear readers,

After lauding the shade of polish that is China Glaze's For Audrey in this post, and indulging you all with the reasons for my purchase of said polish, I thought it only fair to actually show you what it looks like. Again, my camera is nowhere to be found and still needs either a new battery or some repair, so I'm resigned to using my MacBook camera, so the quality of photos is entirely dependent upon available lighting. 

These pictures were taken today, a few minutes ago in fact, after wearing the polish since Monday night. It is now Sunday morning, so it's been on a full five days in between. And not a chip in sight. I applied two coats Monday, and then added another on Tuesday. The reason for this is that I tend to paint my nails quite late at night, and don't always let each coat properly dry. This means that I often wake to minimal creasing in the polish, requiring another coat. I topped it off with a Wet 'n Wild nail protector, reviewed here, and this is what my nails look like now.

Both pictures are true representations of the color as seen in different lighting. The first shows the obvious blue tone of the polish, and the second shows the much less apparent sea foam green undertone of the famous Tiffany Blue.

As for the polish itself, I'm happy with the no chips aspect of it, but, as I think I've mentioned before, I'm careful to not chip polish regardless of quality or brand, so I may not be the best person to turn to if you're wondering how long-wearing it is. I can often make polish last two weeks with extremely minimal or no chipping.

The thing I don't like about this polish is it contains formaldehyde, a chemical prevalent in many keratin hair treatments and with health risks that I'm not entirely well-informed about. All I know is that it's not a great thing in high amounts. Most polishes no longer use formaldehyde, so I'm surprised China Glaze, a fairly high end brand, still does. Shame on you, China Glaze!

As always in my experience with polish that claims to have "nail hardeners," I actually find it feels soft. The smell is even more wretched than most, and the consistency is slightly runny and uneven, but manageable. Over all, I don't think I'll run out to buy other colors from this brand. I prefer OPI as a high end brand, and drugstore brands also tend to do the trick for me.

The color, however, is gorgeous, and I've gotten several compliments. It's a great summery color, in my opinion, and I think it would look good on most skin tones, though I can't really judge that. It's up to you, my friends, to try if you'd like!

Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase because of the particular color, but I won't be dashing out just for this brand.

Have any of you tried this color? What are your favorite brands of nail polish?

To Tiffany Blue and summery nails!

xEsther

"All at Once, Everything Looks Different"

Yes, dear readers,

That is a line from the song "I See the Light," which was nominated for an Oscar for the feature film of Tangled. As my best bud would say, "You're a major cinephile."[Read: movie fanatic. I was SO angry that Randy Newman's unmemorable song, the name of which escapes me, won instead.] That is actually a configuration of the line, "Turns out, Michael Bolton is a major cinephile," from The Lonely Island's song "Jack Sparrow."

If you're getting tired of my relentless quoting of movies, songs, and the like, I thoroughly apologize. Please feel free to wipe the quotes from your memory with this eraser I present to you:

"Here I come to save the day!" Oops, another quote, from "Superman" this time!
 Feel free to erase to your heart's content.

Ok, now on to why the quote is even relevant. My skincare routine is about to get a makeover. Yes, that's right. I went to the dermatologist at the ungodly hour of 7 a.m. My previous dermatologist passed away a couple of months ago, quite unfairly and too young. He was wonderful and based all his decisions on scientific knowledge with a strong basis in fact rather than recent studies.

You can probably understand my skepticism when my new dermatologist, a young and very nice lady from New York, started mentioning "the latest studies." I was also skeptical when she suggested an acne face wash. First of all, I am a firm believer in the use of gentle cleansers alongside prescription topical treatments for acne. Secondly, the active ingredients aren't on your skin long enough to remain potent when present in a face wash. Sure, there are people who claim that their acne fighting wash cleared them up, and I'm sure it helped, it wasn't because of the great acne fighting claims. I promise.

The problem with me is that I'm too interested in the science behind the ingredients in skincare products and medications and in cosmetics to be completely trusting of a relatively new dermatologist. For someone who absolutely hates taking classes in science or doing anything in the laboratory or scientific research, I obsess over science when it comes to cosmetics and skincare.

So, in short, I'll be revamping my skincare and posting something new and updated once everything is sorted out.

And for now I bid you, "So long! Farewell! Auf Wiedersehn! Goodbye!" [Sound of Music, anyone?].

I promise you to limit my quotes, at least in the next post. I just got a little movie-happy here!

xEsther




Image from http://filegets.com/image/cookie-eraser.html Quotes from memory and a bit of help from dear, old Google.

Another Tag, You Say?

Yes, indeed, dear readers,


Today's post is another tag! I found this one on the ever-popular Elle and Blair website. This is the 32 Question Tag. Well, strictly speaking, it has 33 questions, so whoever titled it hopefully doesn't have a day job as an accountant or banker. 


Here goes:

Is it cute when guys kiss you on your forehead? I suppose it's cute. Personally, though, I feel like I might get annoyed. That's just me, though.

A big poofy dress or a short party dress? Well I don't like wearing super short dresses, but I would definitely have more occasions to wear a short party dress than a big poofy dress.

Are diamonds a girl's best friend? Not to the extent that they replace friends, but yes, they are indeed a girl's best friend. This isn't to say that I wear them routinely. I'm not even sure I own any.

Is your hair up or down today? It's down. The only time it's not down is generally when I'm having a horrible hair day or when I'm working out.

Do you straighten your hair? Very rarely. I'll straighten it probably a few times a year, five or six at the most, I'd guess.

Favorite mascara? If you've read my blog before, you'll know that mascara is hardly a necessity in my life. It darkens my lashes a bit, but I haven't found one that actually makes it look like I'm wearing mascara. Nothing really makes a difference, but right now I have a sample of Clinique High Impact Mascara in black. Honestly, no mascara is my favorite at this point.

Do you get your nails done? I've only gotten my nails done once, and I really prefer doing it myself. Something about someone else cutting and filing my nails and painting them just really doesn't appeal to me at all. My polish always lasts longer when I paint it myself, anyway.

Small or large purses? I love all sizes, but personally I need a large one for all the junk I carry!

Jeans or sweats? Jeans. Sweats make me feel sloppy but are much more comfortable, so I only wear them when working out or going on a grocery run. Jeans make me feel much more put together.

Do you wear clothes/shoes/jewelry that's uncomfortable? Not generally. I mean my shoes are never comfortable after walking in them for a while, but they're comfy until then. So I suppose I do wear cute, uncomfortable shoes when it comes to actually walking long distances in them.

Do you text message a lot? I actually don't have texting [SHOCKER] I always call.

Whats your favorite color? Aqua is my main favorite, but also blues, greens, and pink. 

Heels or flats? I love ballet flats. They just look so classy and are appropriate for more occasions, in my opinion. However, I do love the way heels make my legs look.

Would you ever leave the house without makeup on? Only if I'm going outside to work out or if I'm going on a trip to the grocery store. Otherwise, I have to wear at least some concealer and lipstick. And chances are I always go out with undereye concealer even if I wear nothing else, in order to avoid the crater look.

Walmart or Target? Target. Without a doubt. My best friend and I will actually go there as a destination and spend hours searching the store. We're exciting people.

Do you think lip gloss is the best!? I'm not as into wearing gloss as I used to be, so I actually think lipstick is the best, but lip gloss still holds a special place in my heart.

Do you own any big sunglasses? One really cheap and junky Coach imitation that I never wear. My good sunglasses are medium sized. 

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Usually somewhere around an hour, but that's including the fact that it takes me 15 minutes to get out of bed, and I generally don't pick out my clothes the night before. If I do pick them out, it's just in my head and they aren't prepared. I also shower at night. Not surprising that I'm always running late.

Gold or silver? I really like both. Silver probably suits my skin tone better, but I'm so white that I can pull off both relatively well.

Do you like to wear dresses? Yes! I used to never wear them, and now I want to wear them all the time. Too bad I only own a few.

In the last 48 hours have you hung out with a guy? My brother!

Do you like to hold hands? Sure!

What do you notice when you first meet a guy? His eyes and smile, I suppose. I mean I obviously notice body type as well, but as far as things that attract my attention, that would be it on the immediate impression.

Do you like making eye contact? I love it! It's actually an inside joke with one of my best friends. I'm not going to bother explaining it. I do apologize.

Would you kill for chocolate? Not literally.

On a scale from 1-10 how fun is shopping? When I'm shopping for jeans or bras, or work pants it's a negative 10. If it's for fun, then a 10.

Do you yell a lot? Only to the elderly customers who can't hear me at work. Generally I just yell when I'm angry or to avoid being interrupted when I'm trying to prove a point.

Do you wear sweatpants/pajamas to school/work? Never.

Have you ever dressed unlike yourself to impress a guy? Nope.

What makeup could you not live without? Undereye concealer and lipstick.

Do you fall in love easily? Not at all.

Do you have cramps? Not right now. I don't get them too often.

Do you think you have the bestest friend ever? Yes indeed. I have a fabulous group of friends, and my best friends are the best!

Hope you enjoyed this little tag! I'd love to see any of you do it.

xEsther

Image from http://unicomtech.blogspot.com/2010/07/notepad-editor-trick-to-create-log-file.html

Taking Home Tiffany: A Well Deserved Treat

Hello, dear readers, 

If you've read my I'm a Survivor post a little while back, you will know all about the wonderfully thrilling and stimulating job I have this summer as an intern in the Finance Department at my suburb's official building [that's as specific as I'd like to get].

I was finally rewarded at the end of this past week: It was payday! I was paid quite nicely for the first two weeks of work. Ironically enough, all of that money went into the bank, but I still decided to get myself a little treat. A well deserved treat, if I may add. 

You see, as it turns out, I have most of the money my parents sent me off with at the beginning of the school year. They gave me a bit more on school breaks, and, seeing as I'm not the kind of girl to really ever spend money on myself, I still have quite a bit left, as well as some extra from selling back textbooks.

Being the genius I am, I've of course been carrying it around with me not knowing how much I have. So payday money goes into the bank, and a small amount of university money goes to treating myself.

If you wear nail polish at all, you'll probably know about the color For Audrey by China Glaze. Ever since I heard about it from YouTube videos and blogs, I knew that I'd have to get it for myself someday. There are a few reasons:

1. It's a beautiful blue color.

2. It's Tiffany blue.

3. It reminds me of my trip to NYC, one of my favorite cities.

4. I love Audrey Hepburn.

5. I love the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.

6. My mom wanted me to get it because "If you can't have Tiffany [jewelry], you can wear it on your nails."

That's reason enough for me. I was going to go to Ulta to pick it up, but a quick search online told me they don't carry that color. However, there's a Sally Beauty Supply near me that does! My mom and I went today so that I could pick it up, and I found it right away. If you don't have a Sally Beauty Supply near you, you can pick this color up online here for $5.99. If you live in the U.K., you can get it here for

£7.50.  As far as I know, the Sally's in the U.K. does not carry this color. I also saw pretty pink color on the discount table [as if I need another pink] that didn't look quite like anything I own. It's Finger Paints Nail Color in Rose Patina, and you can find it here if you live in the U.S. for $1.99. Here are some badly lit pictures. I promise I will get my camera up and running as soon as I'm able! I have to find it first.

On my nails currently is Rush nail polish in Girlie. I got this years ago in a goodie bag from my cousin's birthday party, so I have no idea if it's still available. I doubt it is. It was a fun purchase and I can't wait to wear some Tiffany blue in a few days.

Yesterday I was at Jewel Osco with my mom and I needed to find some leave-in conditioner/detangler spray for when I finish my current one, mentioned here, which they don't seem to carry in most mainstream brands. I was left to pick up the Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Detangler. As you may know, my hair is anything from fine, but the only other ones I could find were baby leave-in conditioners that smelled way too strongly of fruit and Aussie Hair Insurance. After my mishap with Aussie shampoo, also mentioned here, I won't buy from the brand, no matter how many good reviews there are.

I was left with no choice but to pick this up.

Today at Sally's, however, my mom discovered that many of the brands there carry leave-in sprays, so that's where I'll be headed the next time I need a new one. I think I should be set for quite a while though.

So those were my little treats of the weekend, bought by me, for me.

To the little indulgences of life!

xEsther

Lately I've Been Loving...

•               Mixing lipstick colors to create custom shades to coordinate with outfits. A couple have been Revlon Super Lustrous Gentlemen Prefer Pink with Maybelline Color Sensational Pink Peony, and Clinique High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15 in Extreme Pink with the same Maybelline Pink Peony. 

•               Using really pale pink and summery coral nail polishes, such as Avon Speed Dry Nail Enamels in Delicata and Creamy Coral. These are polishes I've had for years.

•               Eating on a bench outside the library during lunch breaks. The library's right across from my workplace.

•               Exercising outdoors. I love going on walk/runs, in which I alternate between the two.

•               Hula hooping to girly movies. This is my favorite indoor workout, which I follow up with simple strength moves.

•               Hot weather. My college friends can probably attest better than anyone to the fact that I abhor cold weather. I'm a huge complainer in that arena.

•               High waisted skirts and dresses. I recently got some for work, and I've been loving putting together simple outfits with them. The silhouette is really flattering on me.

•               The current state of my skin. It's been really clear lately. I still have redness and undereye circles, as well as acne marks on my chin, but spots are down to a bare minimum, pretty much gone, really.

•               My long hair. It's more weighed down since it's long, so my curls are turning into looser, beachier, curls and waves. I'm loving letting it go as natural as possible with just leave in conditioner spray and smoothing serum.

So there you have it. I don't mean to copy any other bloggers, as I know a multitude have features like this, but I feel it will help keep me positive just to record the highs of life. [Not those kinds of highs, naughty!]

To happy days.

xEsther

Image from http://favim.com/image/42311/

Beauty Blunders: Today's Makeup Mishaps

Hello, dear readers,

Ever have a day in which you completely forget how to apply makeup? No? Well, I guess I'm alone on this one. Today was just a personal embarrassment in Attempts at Makeup 101. I'll chalk it up partly to being in a rush, as I had approximately ten minutes before I had to be "in the car ready to go," said Mom.

We were going to see a community choir in order for my mom to decide whether she wanted to join. Long story short, she recently quit two choirs for "political" reasons; and, let's be honest, the first one was terrible and she's much better than that.

Anyway, picture this: I'm standing at my makeup mirror, my anti-acne potions are all dry, and I immediately reach for my Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 and dot it all over my face. BEEP. BEEP. The sirens from the makeup police cars are blaring outside my bedroom window [ignore the fact that this is impossible, being that my windows do not look out onto the street].

What happened to my moisturizer? Forgotten in the rush? It takes me a second to decipher what crime I had just committed and why my skin felt far too dry. I have no choice but to blend in the tinted moisturizer first, dry as it is.

 Oh no! Where's my Olay Complete SPF 30 Moisturizer? Ah ha! There you are. I frantically slather it on my face, dotting it on each area of the T-zone, and a generous amount on each cheek. Not enough! I go for another layer just to add more moisture to my ridiculously dry skin. Ok, that'll have to do for now.

Breathe. Mom's waiting impatiently and I can hear her walking towards my room with the familiar creak that I know signifies, "YOU'RE RUNNING LATE AGAIN! HURRY UP!" Before she has time to say anything, I yell, "One minute! I'm coming!"

Concealer time. Whoooops. I slather way too much Hard Candy Glamouflage under my eyes, forgetting that the slightest amount works miracles. I'm left with a big stripe of peach beneath my undereye circles. Yes, I've used so much that it's under my undereye circles!

Quick! Wipe it off! Mom's getting really impatient. Ok, buffing on some Physician's Formula Powder Palette in Translucent. Done with the face.

 I'd better slick on some chapstick and put lipstick on in the car. No exfoliating means picking off the skin on my lips first. Yuck! Hand sanitizer fixes this and I nearly paint lipstick all over my face as the bumpy road jolts us this way and that.

Phew! Done. I don't think I've ever done such a botched up makeup job. I did discover that putting on a tinted moisturizer first is completely pointless for me, because not only is my skin too dry for this, especially with the Clinique tinted moisturizer, but the zinc in my regular moisturizer cancels out the tint because of its slightly whitening properties.

So that was my day in makeup disasters. Is this just because I didn't wear makeup yesterday? How quickly I forget!

Ever had any makeup blunders this bad due to a rush or just pure forgetfulness?

To avoiding the makeup police next time.

xEsther

P.S. None of the brands mentioned are paying me to mention them here. I just happen to have bought them, won them in a contest, or received them as a gift, and I use what I like!

Images from http://www.coveringsmagazine.com/tag/beauty-products/page/4/ and http://www.bellasugar.com/Best-Under-Eye-Concealers-6854911.

Quick Tip: Reviving Old Nail Polish

Hello, dear readers,

Do any of you accumulate nail polish at inhuman speed? If so, you may end up in my situation. You see, since I was nine or ten, I've been collecting the digit paints like they'd go out of style. This means that now I have somewhere around fifty, and many of them are sticky and seem unusable.

I thought I'd have to throw them all out until my friend gave me this tip, which I'm sure has appeared in a magazine at some point as it sounds familiar: Simply put a few drops of nail polish remover in your nail polish, shake it up, and paint it on.

The polish remover works to thin out the polish a bit, without actually ruining the polish at all. The way I do this is to pour a bit of remover from the bottle into the cap. I pour the desired amount from the cap of the remover into the bottle of nail polish. This way I avoid spilling half a bottle of remover into my nail polish and can measure the desired amount from the remover's cap, a much safer bet for me, a spillage connoisseur.

I'm very pleased to say that this actually works! I started painting my nails with Sinful Colors #10 Aqua polish, purchased during middle school [somewhere between the ages of 11-14, for those of you outside the U.S.] at the latest, and it came out gloppy and sticky. I poured some remover into the cap, and then from cap to nail polish, closed the nail polish and shook it, and, voilá!, a much smoother consistency and usable nail paint.

Image from http://www.polyvore.com/sinful_colors_nail-polish_in_aqua/thing?id=23833032

As this shade of polish is so old, I don't know if the brand still makes it, but it comes out just like the picture of it in the bottle.

To salvaging nail polishes!

xEsther

Me...With No Makeup!

Hello, dear readers,

Today I'm going to share with you a rather rare sight: me without makeup. I've seen beauty bloggers all over the web do these posts, but I was always too afraid to put my bare face on the internet. Now, you may not think this is a big deal, since I only wear tinted moisturizer, concealer, and lipstick. What you don't know though, is that those few makeup items make a huge difference to the appearance of my skin and face overall.

I think the confidence I've gotten from so many recent compliments about my skin, as well as the fact that it has indeed cleared up quite a bit, led me to do what I did today: I left the house and was out all day with no makeup. Ok, I wore lipstick. No face makeup, though. In the picture you're about to see [and please excuse the godawful MacBook camera lighting; my camera still isn't working], I've wiped off the remains of my lipstick and you will see me, makeup-free.

For some reason, this is showing up really pixellated, but, if you click on it, the larger version is a bit clearer.

I also did something else rather unheard of for me, and I washed my hair in the morning and went out before it was dry. It dried in the heat and the wind into looser waves and curls. Honestly, the whole experience was rather liberating. 

It's funny because I didn't even start wearing face makeup until the end of 2009, and I didn't use anything more than concealer. I'd been wearing gloss and lipstick for longer than that, but I never bothered concealing anything, and I only started using tinted moisturizer this year. That being said, I am by no means quitting makeup; it's just nice to know that I feel good enough to wear a little lipstick, or maybe even just lip balm, and be good to go. I did, of course, use my favorite moisturizer with sunblock, Olay Complete Daily UV Moisturizer SPF 30 to keep my skin nice and safe from sun damage.

Have you gone out for an entire day without makeup?

To going natural [every once in a while].

xEsther