At Home Gel Manicure

For a long time I was spending money on getting my nails done. Not just the cheap $10 manicures with regular polish (though thats not so cheap once it starts adding up). I was going for gel manicures.

If you don't know what a gel manicure is, its a type of nail polish that is applied in layers and cured under a ultraviolet light. Most people rave about them, but for some people, it is not there cup of tea.

Gel Manicures are definitely my cup of tea. They strengthen my nail allowing them to grow, they dry instantly and they last for up to two weeks with no chipping. It all sounds great right? - except they were costing me close to $30 a pop!

If you actually went every two weeks thats $60 a month on your nails. Remember the post I did where I talked about how to save money? (Read it here) Yea, well this is not a way to save money.

INSTEAD, I invested in the at home kit! Best decision I could have made. I am able to get the exact same manicure at home all by myself. The kit was about $50 from the drug store, plus whatever polishes you get. Now there are a ton of different Ultraviolet Light Kits out there, and they all vary in price. This is just the one I chose (here). Over time I collected different color polishes from holidays, birthdays and other events.

Step 1 : Prep and Prime

File and trim your nails into your desired shape. Clean with an alcohol wipe and gently buff the surface. Apply one layer of gel primer (provided in my kit) to the nail and let air dry. 

Step 2: All About That Base

Apply a thin layer of the gel base/top coat. Be sure to stay within the nail bed to avoid the skin and cuticle. Cap the nail by running the brush along the tip. Cure in the LED Lamp for 30 seconds. 

Step 3: Lacquer Up

Apply a thin layer of your color of choice (I purchase all different brands, they all work the same). Be sure to stay within the nail bed to avoid the skin and cuticle. Cap the nail again, and cure for 60 seconds.  - REPEAT THIS STEP 

Now typically at this point you would move on to the top coat, but I wants to add a little something something to my nails by creating an accent nail on my ring fingers. 

Step 4: Add Some Jazz

Apply a thin layer of color (or design) to the nail of your choice. Cure for 60 seconds. 

Step 5: Lock It In Place

Apply a thin layer of the gel base/top coat. Be sure to stay within the nail bed to avoid the skin and cuticle. Cap the nail by running the brush along the tip. Cure in the LED Lamp for 30 seconds. 

Step 6: Finish It Off

At this point your nails are completely dry, but they may feel slightly sticky. Finish the look by removing the moisture layer using an alcoholic lint-free wipe. 

Pamela Boot Review

There is just something about an adorable pair of new boots in the fall that make my heart flutter. When I saw these babies on online, I just knew they had to be mine. Being a full time college student working multiple jobs - the $88 price tag kept me from purchasing.

Lucky for me, there is a Bass Shoe outlet in my town, and they had these boots on sale for $45. As if I wasn't lucky enough already, I also have a family member who is a Bass Shoe employee. You know what that means? - That means that I got these $88 beauties for $27 !! SCORE! 

The boots are everything I hoped for and more. They're what I like  to call the three C's - Cute, Casual and Comfortable. Synthetic leather with a rubber sole and a rich tan color. 

As for sizing - I typically run anywhere form a 7.5 to an 8. After trying these on in the store I opted for an 8.5. I have a wider foot than I would like, and the boot runs slightly narrow. I added the extra half a size so that I could comfortably wear a thick sock on cooler days! 

I would like to end this post by thanking the awesome girl who hooked a sista up !

Check out these boots for yourself by clicking HERE - I promise you won't regret it. 

Holiday Cards 101

Now that all of the Halloween candy has been passed out, and the costumes have been put away - we rapidly approach the true holiday season. And you know what that means? IT'S TIME FOR HOLIDAY CARDS!

Who goes in your holiday card? 

Anyone you want can go in your holiday card! A family photo; a photo of the kids; a cute couples shot; your pets. There are no rules, no rights or wrongs - just a whole lot of holiday cheer! 

Where do I get my holiday card from?

{www.minted.com}

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{www.shutterfly.com}

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{www.tinyprints.com}

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{www.walmart.com}

When is it time to create your holiday card?

There is no time like the present! Thanksgiving will be here before you know it. Holiday shopping, baking and other festive activities consume our time. If I have any holiday advice, it is plan early. It is always better to be prepared and ready than to be rushing around at the last minute (event planner tip #1). 

Why should I create a holiday card?

I truly enjoy receiving holiday cards from family and friends. Right around Christmas time, the mailbox is overflowing with adorable images of those near and dear. Every time I open one, I get a little warm and fuzzy inside. It brings out the holiday spirit in me. I also enjoy displaying them in adorably pinteresty ways around the house. All in all I just love giving those same holiday feelings to someone else!  

Frends Taylor Headphone - Gold

Frends Taylor Headphone

"TAKING CUES FROM MODERN ARCHITECTURE, GOLD AND WHITE BECOME SOPHISTICATED AND BEAUTIFUL WHEN MIXED TOGETHER. LUXURIOUS LEATHER WRAPPED HEADBAND COMBINED WITH GOLD HARDWARE MAKES THIS OVER-EAR HEADPHONE THE MOST COVETED ACCESSORY."

Weekend Round Up

I started the weekend off right by dressing up and going out with some friends from school. Check out my last minute "Red" costume here!

Saturday was November 1st, which means a new Love It or Leave It post. For this month I reviewed a NYC lip pencil in a fun fall color. Check that out here. Saturday night we celebrated a birthday with cake! Homemade by my boyfriends father (hard to believe right?)

I finished the weekend off on sunday with a freezing cold wait outside of the newly built Ulta store in my town. They were celebrating their grand opening with a free gift card up to $100 for the first 100 guests! My mom was a champ and suffered with me, but unfortunately we only got $5 (hey thats $5 more than I had before!)

I hope everyone had a great HalloWeekend! I know I did. 

Leave a comment telling me one thing that you did this weekend.

Love It or Leave It

Welcome to the very first Love It or Leave It! If you didm't see the memo post previously, you can check it out here! Basically, on the first of every month I am going to review a product, and let you know if I loved it or if I would leave it. For the month of November I am talking about the City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color by NYC. Now if you don't know yet, I prefer a more natural pinky lip, like the lip combo I wore here! However, for the sake of a review and to get outside of my own comfort zone, I chose a darker color.

Application: (4/5)

The chubby stick applicator makes it super quick and easy to apply. However, it also makes it very easy to over line your lips!

Price: (5/5)

The price on any of NYC's products is unbeatable. Some may even say its down right cheap!

Color: (4/5)

I must say the color pay off was very good. It was a gorgeous color swatched on the hand, and it was a very build-able color on the lips. I didn't give this lipstick 5 stars because I do wish it lasted a little longer on the lips. It does leave behind a nice stain, but you absolutely have to reapply frequently to get the full effect.

Overall: I love this product!

Last Minute DIY Red Costume | Orange Is The New Black

In tue Ali fashion, I threw this costume just in the knick of time. As I keep saying, IT'S NOT TOO LATE!

For those of you who have not seen Orange Is The New Black.. Well you need to! I have yet to see a show with so many amazing female roles. And for those of you who have, then you know exactly who I am - RED!

Grey sweat pants, combat boots, a white nurses coat and a can of red hairspray pull this look together in minutes! 

My "Red" pocket was hand drawn and cut out on white paper - taped to my smock. (hey sometimes you have to improvise!)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !