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Instant Ombre

As someone who has admitted to liking glitter nail polish way, way, WAY more than I should at my age, and as someone who has had ombre hair for awhile now, I am super happy about Sally Hansen's new Insta-Ombre collection.  It combines two of my most favorite things in one awesome package.  The collection contains eight different shades - everything from gold to grey, with some funky blues and purples thrown in for good measure.  (My favorites are Copper Cap and Grey-diant). Applying the color is super simple and quick.  All you do is put on the first coat like normal, the second coat from mid-nail to the tip, and the third coat on just the tip.  Voila!  Ombre nails!  It's a really cool effect and just fun and different in the glitter shades.  Plus, they're super cheap - around $6, depending on where you get them.  (If it's CVS, hold out for a coupon.  There's ALWAYS a coupon at some point there).  I'm dying to get to my salon for a mani/pedi so I can try one of the shades on my toes.  Maybe the gold one?  That just seems like a fun pedicure color.  My only issue is that I wish the collection included a red shade because I love reds and I think it would be super pretty, but maybe the lack of one just means that more shades are coming?  A girl can dream... 

Samples of this product were sent to me by a PR representative working with Sally Hansen   

Airbrush Your Legs

Don't you hate it when you've been meaning to buy a product for like, a year and you just keep forgetting and then when you do, it turns out to be awesome and you could've been using it ALL ALONG?!  That happened to me this weekend with Sally Hansen's Airbrush Legs.  I've been hearing about how awesome it is for what seems like years, but for some reason, I've just never gotten around to buying it.  And then I had a big event on Saturday night and I was planning on wearing a short dress, so when I randomly stumbled upon a big display of them at Rite-Aid, I decided it was time to finally try it.  And you guys, it is AWESOME.  I bought the Light Glow (the lightest one they have) because I am pasty white and figured that was the safe choice, and it definitely was.  (It also comes in Medium Glow, Tan Glow and Deep Glow).  Applying it is super simple.  I bought the spray version, so basically, I just sprayed it onto my hand, then rubbed it onto my legs, blending as I went.  Unlike self-tanner, which I am terrible at, this formula doesn't leave streaks and it was quick and easy to put on.  The only places I had a little trouble with were my ankles/feet, but that's just because it's harder to cover those areas with anything that has any color to it, and even those didn't take me that long to do completely.  Once it was on, it only took a few minutes to dry (and that was with being extra cautious - I probably could've gotten dressed a little earlier).  And it looks so, so great.  I like it WAY better than self-tanner because it basically just gave my legs a... natural glow.  They weren't super tan, which is good because that would've looked crazy with the rest of my paleness, but they really did look airbrushed.  People at the event I went to even commented on it, and that never happens.  It's even easy to remove!  As long as you use soap and water, it comes right off.  (I accidentally got it on a white towel in my bathroom and I panicked a little, but it came right out in the wash.  Fabulous!)  At only around $14 or so, I seriously cannot believe this is the first time I've used it.  I want to retroactively go back and have put it on every time I wore a skirt or dress since it was invented!  I'm not often like, BUY THIS IMMEDIATELY, but seriously, BUY THIS IMMEDIATELY.  It's so, so worth it.        

Airbrush Yourself

I've totally been wanting an airbrush machine for like, a year now, but that would be a patently ridiculous purchase because who has time to use something like that every morning?  I know it would be the kind of thing that I used every day for a week or two, then put in my closet, never to be seen again.  (Much like the robot I BEGGED my parents for when I was a kid, which they shockingly actually bought me for Christmas.  Needless to say, my sister and I played with it all the time until, oh, about New Year's Eve and then it disappeared into a basement closet, never to be heard from again).  So instead of an airbrush machine, I decided to try out the new Airbrush Spray Makeup from Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy.  (Phew.  That is a long product name).  You don't actually spray it directly on your face, which at first I was kind of disappointed by, but then I thought about it and realized the crazy mess that would probably make with my nonexistent sense of coordination and decided that was a good thing.  Instead, you spray the makeup onto your hand and then use a sponge or brush to apply it to your face.  I ended up really liking this way of working because you can more easily see where you need it and adjust accordingly.  The coverage is really nice - on me at least, it's sort of a medium level of coverage.  It doesn't feel heavy, but it does cover the majority of my flaws (or at least make them less noticeable).  It doesn't dry my skin out and it's easily blendable.  The only bad thing about the application process is that it wouldn't be easy to do on the go, since you need a brush/sponge and you would have to wash your hands afterward.  Then again, how many times do you really apply foundation on the go, really?  Not exactly something you'd be doing on a daily basis anyway.  It's also a much more budget friendly alternative to an airbrush machine at less than $15 a bottle AND you can pick it up at your local drugstore.  I think my old robot would definitely approve.  

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Sally Hansen

Fast Dry Nail Color... Finally!

I was at Rite Aid last week, perusing inexpensive cosmetics (as you do) and I found the Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen.  Honestly, I thought it was going to make a huge mess, but I was so happy to find out it's really easy to use and dries so fast that I could actually paint my nails before work (which really is a feat).  I bought Black Cherry, which is a gorgeous very deep red shade - it almost seems to have some black in there because it's so dark.  It looks fantastic on my toes and has, so far, lasted a week.  My only issues with the pen are that you need to get used to the amount of polish which comes out when you push the button, because until you've got it down, you'll be expressing too much.  Also, you have to get used to the size of the brush (it spreads pretty wide if you fully push down so you need to get the hang of just how much pressure to use when you're painting).  All of that said, I am a huge fan and will definitely go back to buy more colors.  It's especially fabulous when they're on sale so you don't have to shell out the $7.99 I paid (which still isn't much, but when they do B1G1, it's really awesome!)  It comes in 18 shades and you can find them at all drugstores and I'm pretty sure at Target (although I haven't investigated that yet).  Ooooh, excuse to go to Target today!

Photo courtesy of Sally Hansen

Color Quick Disappoints

When I was at Rite Aid the other day, I saw these Color Quick Fast Dry Nail pens from Sally Hansen and I thought "brilliant!"  I mean, c'mon, how awesome to have a quick-drying nail pen for those mornings when you want painted nails but don't have a ton of time?  Well, the idea behind this is way better than the actual outcome.  Unfortunately the brush is way too big so it makes for some really messy application.  Also, it's hard to control the flow of nail color to the bristles so may take a bit of practice before mastering the technique.  The color is great (I do really love Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Nail Color which comes in a regular bottle) and stays for a while, but it's just not worth the hassle of the too fat brush.  Better off sticking to the bottle version.

The Good Kind of Venom

I'm usually not one for the trendy, nail polish of the moment look, although I do admit that I've tried some of the hot colors over the past few seasons.  Mainly because when thousands of women are searching for a color and I manage to get my hands on it, it seems like my duty as a beauty consumer to test it out.  (This might possibly be a line I'm telling myself just to justify spending $19 on a bottle of nail polish, but that's okay).  Unfortunately, this year my luck ran out and I couldn't find a bottle of Chanel's Blue Satin color anywhere.  Who knows - maybe that was Santa's way of telling me that I should be saving my money for the after-Christmas sales.  Lucky for me though, I was able to get my hands on Sally Hansen's Navy Venom - it's almost exactly the same shade for about 1/3 of the price.  I like the dark richness of the color, although it does look almost black on my nails indoors.  (In the sunlight, the blue shows up a little more).  Dark nails are such a winter classic though that it's a nice change, even if my uncle did call me Elvira at our family Christmas party last night. I've had the polish on for 6 days now and my manicure is just starting to chip - pretty good considering those six days involved Christmas shopping in L.A., packing, a cross country flight, more last minute Christmas shopping in NJ, party preparations and present opening.  (Wrapping paper is hell on a manicure!)  I don't know if this'll turn into one of my staple dark colors, but at least for this season, it's a nice change.  Now if only I'd remembered to bring the bottle with me so I could touch up my manicure today, I would be really happy...