China Glaze: The Hunger Games in Stone Cold Matte

With a constant influx of new polishes, I don't know how anyone can keep up! But, I do admit, I'm having fun trying.

Take a peep at this new shade...

If 'The Hunger Games' is not the hit of the year, I'm curious to find out what will be. And how is it that I forgot that 'Stone Cold' is a matte? I mean, it's PERFECT!

China Glaze hit the nail polish jackpot with their 'Hunger Games' collection. As soon as my local Sally's Beauty Supply store got these in, I was there within the hour!

In the bottle, 'Stone Cold' left me...well, rather cold. It is the matte effect that won me over...

I like this edgy look. And I think the way the light reflects off the nails is fascinating.I have two coats on.

When it came time to change out my manicure, I got a thought at the last minute. What would 'Stone Cold' look like if I put a coat or two of 'Luxe and Lush' over it...

Sort of cosmic! And that fascination I had for the matte, that got bumped up. I only needed one coat of 'Luxe and Lush'.

This mix could be hard for some to like. However, I found it cool...

The look with 'Luxe and Lush' reminds me of a polished slab of granite.

How many times have you seen 'The Hunger Games' movie, so far? Did you like it? And, did you wear any of 'The Hunger Games' polishes to the movie?

I Spy....Color Club, Sally Hansen Polishes, & More at Bed, Bath & Beyond

I did a long-standing project at Bed, Bath & Beyond today. Before I even went to my location to start, I breeze through the shelf where they place new items.

These products are new to this season, however, may not be new to some locations. Bed, Bath & Beyond doesn't always get new releases in a very timely manner. However, this location is only one of two that sell Color Club, singly, in the Orlando area.

Let me show you want I found and see if you can tell me what is wrong with it...

 All About French is, of course, shades that can be used to create a French manicure. There are 6 different shades of pink. These pinks are trending right along with other nail companies releasing pale pink shades. I'm thinking of OPI, right off the top of my head.

(As a side note: about 20 years ago, in Pro Nails Magazine, I read about the creation of the French manicure. The article said that a celebrity nail technician, and they did name him, I just don't remember it, had created it for TV. He wanted to create a look, on the actresses, that would be timeless, rather than a dated look. He stated that he called it French to make it sound chic. LOL. The French manicure is about as French as fries!!)

And yet, another set of 6 by Color Club called Blossoming. Don't you just love the display?

 Here's a couple of the shades from this collection...

Furry, iridescent bar glitter. I like bar glitter so I get a giggle when I read where others refer to it as 'furry'.

OK, here is what I found wrong...if you notice that the light is shadowed on both of these displays, that's your clue. I found both displays on the bottom shelf and, older product/releases on the top and middle shelves.

In merchandising, we don't ever want to put our newest products on the bottom shelf. That is called the 'kill zone.' And placing products above head level is a 'kill zone', as well. The kill zone means that if product gets put there, the sales are killed. No one will notice them.

I will mention a couple of reasons why this may have happened other than someone not being astute in merchandising. Other brands may have an exclusive 'lease' on the top shelves. They pay the store extra to keep their products at the eye level which is the 'sell zone.' Or, the displays of the older merchandise will not fit under shelves. I didn't see that to be the issue.

At least the magnetic polish display was in the middle...

Let's look at some other cool, neat stuff I found...

This is Sally Hansen's Limited Edition Runway Collection. The department associate said they just put this out yesterday. I oogled over the new colors and these two shades were very drool-worthy. Oh, and let the words 'Limited Edition' speed you up in making your purchase, because if you miss out, you'll cry.

If a new type of product comes out and becomes a hit, you can expect knock-offs. The concept isn't new to me, but this brand is...

This is Lisa Rachel's sulfate free conditioner and cleanser products for the hair. You might have heard about WEN. It's a hair care/cleanser that isn't a shampoo but a conditioner that cleans too. I'm not sure how different that is than 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioners but that's the idea. WEN is about twice as much as these I spotted today; just under $8. And I like that they have different formulas as well. Currently, I have a ton of hair care products to use up. That's the only thing that kept me from getting the one of these.

Here's another new to me product. It's called Maui Babe. But look closely at the products and you'll discover why I went 'whhaaaaa?'...

Uhm...'Browning' Lotion??? After 'Browning' Lotion??? In marketing, you got to find your niche, and these folks don't want to say the bad word: TANNING!!! That's because it is bad to tan!!! (Poking fun is my other hobby after blogging.)

Hell, let's just call it what it is...'Fake Bake'!!!...

Check out the 'Lipo Bronze'. This not only gives you a tan look but also smooths out cellulite. OMG!!! Utopia!!! (I WISH!!)

And last, for some cuteness. These are adorable...

Smelling my flavor scented pen is a lot less embarrassing than being caught smelling my scented nails. I like the Nutty Buddy cone one.

I spied so much stuff, I bet you wondered if I ever got my work done! Rest assured, I did.

What do you see that you'd like? Or, have you tried any of these out? I'm dying to know.

Wishful Wednesday

I wonder if the wish for the week to be over is wished for the most on Wednesdays? I'm so lucky that I can set my own hours for working. I have gone back to not doing work on Fridays. It feels like a REAL weekend with 3 days off instead of just 2.

After saying 'I need to...',  I say 'I wish....' the most. I wish I had a genie lantern! In fact, I have a brass one my Mom gave me. Rubbing it only makes it look better; no wishes granted though. Rats!

Everyone has wishes. Some are global, like world peace. In my deepest of heart-felt wishes, that's what I want above all. But, I'm going to talk, today, about wishes that are closer to home.

This may hurt a bit, but you are a grown-up now, and it's time to learn the truth: There is no Pink Vanity. *GASP!* Yes, it has all been a Pee-Wee Herman facade. However, I DO wish I had one! So that's why I named my blog after a wish.

I even have gone hunting (or is it now 'googling') for one. The closest I have come to it, is this...

(photo credit: http://www.foreverpinkcottagechic.com/vanities.html)

But, I am very lucky to have a nice (contemporary) vanity I use in the master bathroom. I have lots of drawers and counter space. I use it ALL. And, then I have set up my guest bathroom as the vanity where I do my hair. Did I say that I know I'm very lucky?

However, wishes can be whimsical, and I cherish those. Whimsical wishes are the small bits of childhood beliefs that I hold dear. And to have a girly-girl vanity is one of those wishes.

What type of vanity or makeup area do you wish for?

Tool Tuesday: Dry Body Brush

It seems that I'm a bit obsessive, as I'm going to talk about yet another brush as a beauty tool. Maybe because it is one of the oldest known beauty tools. I don't know the history of brushes but you can imagine, it has to have a llooonnng history!

Today's brush is the 'body brush'...

Body brushing is a very old beauty technique. Somewhere along the line of history, it fell out of favor in the Western Civilization. Too bad, because it is something that is therapeutic in several ways and for many people.

Here's why I use the body brush...

It removes the dry, dead skin cells. That's one reason. The other is that it stimulates the skin and promotes a higher turn-over of cells. And then the last reason that is probably going to have a lot of reader drop-off is that it stimulates the lymphatic system and promotes detoxing as well as a healthy immune system.

If you are still with me, let me explain. Have you ever gotten swollen nodes on the sides your throat when you are sick? That's the lymphatic system working to isolate a virus, attack it and then, removing it from your body. You have a lot more of those nodes throughout your body; armpits, crease of your hips, behind your knees, etc. Well, check this photo out and you'll see what I mean...

In a nutshell, the lymphatic system is part of your immune system. Body brushing helps make this system work better and you can possibly get sick less often.

I used to teach nutrition classes and I have a whole lecture on the lymphatic system and using the body brush. You'll have to attend a lecture to be bored with it longer than a blog post.

So, there are two main reasons; makes my skin soft and boosts my immune system.

Brushing is just like exfoliating. That's all it is. But, the brushing is done dry. I do it before I get into the shower. That way I wash off all the sloughed off dry skin. It is recommended that this is to be done every day. I actually do it more in the winter when I'm battling dry skin the most. But, brushing every day feels good. And who wants to feel good? I thought so.

I purchased this brush from The Fuller Brush Company.

Dress Me Up For The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is the first blockbuster movie of the year. Have you seen it yet? How about China Glaze snapping up the rights to have The Hunger Games nail polish collection? This shade is just about for everyone...

'Dress Me Up' is a pinkish-taupe creme. I didn't expect to like it. However, once I applied it, I was smitten.

I applied 3 coats. However, you can still see a patch or two of nail balding. That is one of the difficulties of creme nail polish. But, in real life, you really have to scrutinize to see this flaw. And I think this shade would be a nice base for shatter polish or nail stamping.

'Dress Me Up' is a warm color and yet, it is a neutral that is partial to being perfect for a wedding, as well as to wearing to work. And it might be so neutral in color that almost all skin tones can wear this one easily.

Very shiny without a top coat, I have applied 3 coats. 'Dress Me Up' is a pleasant surprise; I like it very much.

How about you? Do you like this color?

Sample Sunday: CVS Nuance Body Cream

Sample Sunday is a body cream from Nuance. Nuance is a CVS exclusive beauty and body care line. The person behind the company is actress, Salma Hayek. This is 'My Secret Super Moisturizing Body Cream'...

I got my first sample of this body cream when the products were first introduced over a year ago. And, I recently got another sample from CVS, who helped sponsor the last Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida meet up.

The body lotion is creamy. And it smells good. I really like it. And with the sample is a $2 off coupon. That's always enticing.

 Check out the ingredients and you'll see, right away, just why Nuance is creamy and good for the skin...

Shea Butter, my favorite skin softener. And then Macadamia Seed Oil, that makes it smell good, as well as soften. And it has a host of other known skin softeners. But, does it work?

There was enough product for me to get two uses. I put it on, once at bedtime and then again in the morning, after my shower. Skin softness, affirmative. And, did I mention I really liked the smell of this?

I have this coupon tucked away in my day runner for an upgrade. I like Nuance for that Salma has made it: a natural, healthy, non-animal tested and affordable luxury product. There are a lot of other products to the Nuance line as well. You can either go to CVS and find it or, if there is no CVS near you, you can click here and see the entire line, as well as place an order.

Let me know if you have tried any products from this line and what you thought.

I Spy....Nail Polish and Eyeliner Stickers at Icing

As I have spoken about before, I'm a merchandiser and a lot of my clients are in malls. So I am in malls about 3 to 4 times a week. After I do my work, I know exactly which stores I want to check out. Do you know four of the 7 malls I go to have a Forever 21 store? Two different malls have Icing by Claire stores. And that's just counting the malls I visit on a frequent basis.

A couple of days ago, I was at a mall that has an Icing store. I found a couple of goodies and they are SO cute...

As I was admiring these, I realized that one could wear these as mustaches too.  Don't laugh. That's just as much fun as wearing eyebrow stencils! I think the idea of fun eyebrows is good but my luck, I'd have one fall off and no one would tell me. Or, I'd look like 'V' wearing them. LOL! What do you think, something you'd like to try out? If I went clubbing, I think it would be a hoot to sport these.

And here is what I really was looking for...

New polishes! Well, new to me. At first, I thought they were just regular bright shades. However, there was a sparkle going on so I picked one up. Oh, my goodness! Glittery brights!! I helped myself to putting the four of these together for their photo op. Normally, I don't do that but, I did return them back to their original state. That's the merchandiser in me=need for order.

Anyhoo, check these out...

 This is actually a yellow shade. Check out the group shot and you'll see what I mean.

Yummy, right?!! I wanted to get them soooo bad. But, I already have a backlog of swatches I have photo'd and a ton of polishes to be swatched. However, after looking at these photos, I still want them!!!

And that isn't all. Here are a couple more I want...

These two are a lot more sparkly in person. But I think you get the gist.

I found some more polishes at the checkout...

 Way cute idea too. But I just can't get past the thought of sniffing my fingernail polish. Even if it is a pina colada. And that's yummy!

And, remember I told you that I know where all the Forever 21 stores are in Orlando? I found these at this mall's store...

Almost all of the polishes were marked down to 99 cents. One, that is a good deal. But, two, when I see all of something marked down I think they are going to stop carrying that product. If it was just a few, then I would think they are clearing out for the new seasonal releases. Let's hope that they are just planning on getting a huge bunch of new shades in. I'll keep you up to date.

Then, I found this at Urban Outfitters. This is just hilarious...

And if you read my 'You Don't Know Kimberly' post, you would get how ironic it would be for me to have this as a phone cover with my personalized ringtone of the Geico piggy saying 'weeeeeeeeweeweeeeee.'

One last photo of cuteness...
Kayla loves, well, maybe love isn't a strong enough word, the sun coming in from the sliding glass doors. She has been in a cage waiting for adoption for so long, I'm sure she can't soak up enough of the sunlight. Now, she can have all she wants. Gosh, she's so cute, I love her to pieces.

See any cuties you'd like to get?