Jamberry Nails

I absolutely loath painting my nails for numerous reasons and I'm sure I can't be the only one. First off, you're sitting there for what feels like forever, waiting so patiently for your nails to dry. Just when you think they're finally done... you continue with your day, look down and they're ruined. WHAT?! Secondly, no matter how many coats you apply, they chip. Chipped nails are not cute! I don't know about y'all but once my nails start chipping, I give up and take it all off. Then everything was such a waste. Seriously, nail polish just sucks! Luckily, there has been a revolution in the way we can wear our nails. Nail wraps are now the newest and hottest wear for your nail. They are as simple as a sticker for your nail. Here are some benefits of nail wraps:

• easy to apply
• no dry time
• stay put for longer than nail polish
• limited to no chipping
• beautiful designs instead of just a plain solid color
• no odor or fumes
• getting a high quality manicure at home
• nail wraps available for the little ones

Jamberry Nails is a company that sells high quality nail wraps in a wide variety of designs. I am interested in selling for this company, but I need to know who would be interested in trying out these awesome nail wraps. I've used nail wraps in the past and I absolutely love them! However, I have had issues with drugstore brands not sticking. If you think you would be interested in trying something like this please comment and tell me so! If enough people are interested we will have a nail wrap party come February! If you are not local to me, you will still be able or order them from me, so please comment and let me know that you are interested. I am beyond excited about this and I hope you guys are too.

Below is a small sample of the designs Jamberry Nails has available.

Thanks for reading guys <3 I will be posting about my December Birchbox in the next post. If you missed my post about my November Birchbox, click HERE and see what I got. You can also email me at asknickinixx@gmail.com :)

November Birchbox

If you haven't already read my post explaining what Birchbox is, I suggest you read that HERE! Each month I am going to review what I received in my Birchbox so everyone has a better understanding of what Birchbox really is.
In my November box I got.....

theBalm® cosmetics Stainiac (Beauty Queen)

The reason I love this "hint of tint" is because it is almost like a lipgloss without the sticky feel. It literally feels like I have nothing on! It feels like It is water based so it glides on softly and adds a small hint of color to your lips. I give 2 thumbs up on this products and would definitely be something I would purchase! There are 2 different colors available. A full size bottle is .3fl oz. My sample is .04oz

Mighty Leaf Tea - Tea PouchesBasically the only time I drink tea is when I go through Mcdonalds and I get their sweet tea. With that being said, I have yet to try this tea they sent me. I received 3 different flavors. The reviews on the Birchbox site are outstanding with nearly 5 stars.

Miss Jessie's® Original Leave-In Condish

Since I only wash my hair a few times a month, I haven't had a chance to try this out yet. However, I will review it after I try it. This conditioner claims to be "the best darn leave-in conditioner period" and the reviews say that's true! The full size bottle is $11 for 8fl oz. My sample is 1oz

Color Club® Harlem Lights Collection (Lady Holiday)

This company makes some really great polish. I love their colors and there's no need to put 3 layers of color just to see it; unlike some polishes. This is the second time I have gotten one of their polishes. Whats really great is they send full size bottles which value at $8 per bottle. Remember, you are only paying $10 for your box... basically just got your money's worth with just the item alone! There are 5 different color options currently on the Birchbox website.

TOCCA Crema da Mano Luxe (Cleopatra)

My hands are always dry! Between the constant shampooing of clients, and touching fabric at my retail job, the oils on my hands are pretty much non-existent. I'm one of those people that doesn't wear lotion but I actually loved this for my hands. The scent is grapefruit and cucumber which sounds strange but actually smells like heaven! It appears there are 5 different scent options on the website. One full size 4oz bottle of this incredible lotion costs $20. My sample I received is a 1oz bottle so that would average out to a $5 value.

Birchbox members receive 10 points for each product survey they complete for the items they sample from their monthly box. Once you get 100 points you can redeem them for $10 in the Birchbox store for full size items.
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Comment or email me any question or suggestions { asknickinixx@gmail.com }

Product Reviews

I've recently discovered a few different products that I have seriously fallen in love with and have become a part of my daily make-up routine. Today, I'm going to share these wonderful products with you.

 Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse 

Say "HELLO!" to your most flawless face yet! This mousse foundation is probably one of the best drug store foundations I have found on the market. No need for any make-up brushes to apply it. Scoop up the foundation with your finger and smooth on your face. It's super blendable and I can imagine how awesome this could be for contouring. It sells for less than $10 per jar, however, I found mine on clearance at Kroger for $2.99. Talk about a total score!!!

 Maybelline - Dream Bouncy blush 

I have fallen madly in love with the "pink plum" shade of this incredible blush. It has a very strange texture when you first touch it. It almost feels like mushy lipstick. Instead of scooping this blush, simply move your finger in a circular motion then smooth on your cheeks. I use this along with the MAC blush I discussed in THIS blog post. I put the Maybelline blush on the apples of my cheeks, blend out and then use a blush brush to put the MAC blush on my cheek bones.

 NYX Matte Lipstick

I picked this lipstick up for Halloween to complete my Minnie Mouse look. This shade is "Shocking Pink Rose Intense". Its basically a standard matte hot pink... only the worlds best lipstick shade of course. It stays pretty well and is highly pigmented. One swipe across each lip and you're done! No need for layers and layers. My only issue with this lipstick is how dry it feels. So, I just layer it with the lip gloss you will read about next.

Artistry Light up Lip Gloss

My brother so kindly sent me a 2 different shades of lip gloss from this company and 4 different eye shadows to sample. This lip gloss in the shade "Confetti" was my absolute favorite of everything he sent me. Not only is the lip gloss a high quality, the tube has its own mirror and light on it for perfect application no matter where you are! Aside from the light, my favorite part of the gloss was the fact that it wasn't sticky. I never wore lip gloss until I got this because most lip glosses are sticky and I loath that feeling. Lastly, this gloss gave my lips a nice minty, tingly feeling which I think is a nice quality. This gloss is $16.50 and worth every penny!! So, where do you get it?! Click HERE <<< that will take you to the website where you can order it. HERE is the link to the eye shadow from this same company.




Here is my Minnie Mouse look from Halloween including the NYX lip stick I talked about above :)
Please comment or email me with any questions @ asknickinixx@gmail.com Thank you for reading!

Influenster

Do you love all thing beauty, like me?! Are you interested in sharing your knowledge, expertise and experiences with other beauty lovers? Then Influenster may be a great place for you.
Influenster is free to join, however, you must be invited to join. On the site you can request an invite. In this online community you give opinions of products and experiences, connect with other member and earn rewards. Members that are the most active get exclusive access to deals, promotions and more awesome-ness from the brands that thrive off the input from the members. These brands want to hear both the good and bad things that you experienced. This isn't a site to get free beauty products, so don't come to mooch!
I recently received a VoxBox from this site for being an active member. In my box I got a big bag of candy, coupons, facial wash, and some nail products. Not everyone is eligible for a VoxBox no matter how active they are. Click the Widget below to check out my profile.

UNITE!

I apologize for hardly posting lately but doing a blog all by yourself is much more difficult than I imagined. In the future I plan to do "how-to's", however, that is not easy to manage alone. In the meantime, I wanted to talk about one of my new favorite hair care companies, UNITE. Unite puts out a full line of shampoos, conditioners, styling products, finishing products, and treatments. They literally have something for everyone. I'm sure after reading this post you will be curious where in the world you can get the products from this incredible company. On their website, they have a salon locator. Just type in your zip code and easily find a salon near you that sells and specializes in their products. The great thing about buying from a salon instead of a store is that you can talk to a stylist that uses these products every day. They know exactly what you will need to get the look you desire. Alright, lets get started!

Unite Shampoos are free of sulfates and parabens which strip your hair of it's moisture and color If you get highlights, your new favorite will be Blonda! Blonda is one seriously purple shampoo. You might be asking your self; "what is a purple shampoo going to do for me?" Well, using a purple shampoo like Blonda will kick out all of those yucky orange, brass, yellow-ish tones you may get a few weeks after you got your hair highlighted. Blonda tones your hair so you can get those perfect delicate colors you desire, especially during the summer!

7Seconds is the bomb-diggity and definitely a top seller. Pretty much anyone and everyone can use 7Seconds. I even heard someone say they use it on their dog! Personally, I don't know much about that but; this stuff is incredible. So, why is this product called 7Seconds? Simply because it detangles, locks in color and protects the hair from UV and heat in only 7 seconds. WOW! It is thick like a conditioner and is sprayed onto the hair after it is towel dried. 

My mom (like any other American right now) is broke as a joke, so she uses cheap shampoo on my 5 year old sister. Her hair has begun to feel sticky and straw-like. She turned to me and asked me what she could do. I know my mom was not going to spend more than $2 on a bottle of shampoo so I didn't even begin to go down that road. I sprayed some 7Seconds in my baby sister's hair. Once it dried we could all tell a difference. It was suddenly softer and brush-able. The best part is, it didn't weigh down her gorgeous, strawberry blonde curls.

Alright guys, this is the last product I wanted to talk about because it has got to be the coolest thing I have ever seen. Expanda Dust is the ultimate product to get that Snooki-type volume you'd kill for. There are 2 ways to apply. First way is to just tap a little bit at your roots after your hair is blow dried. Give a little shake at your roots, maybe even tease a little and boom! Your hair has officially risen from the dead. Second way is to flip your head over as you blow dry and sprinkle as close to your roots as you can and point your blow dryer at your roots to get that boost. Lots of people use it for every day use but I think it is particularly perfect for weddings, and prom.

Unite Website

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Eyes, Lips, Face

I really hope each and every one of you have heard of e.l.f. If you haven't, you are definitely missing out. But don't worry, I'm going to fill you in! In 2006, e.l.f. was launched in Target stores. They have their own section in the cosmetics department featuring all your make-up needs. The majority of their make-up brushes are $1-3. They're pretty much all I use. They've got all the other good stuff too; eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner, concealer, lip gloss and lipstick, setting spray, primer, strip eyelashes and pretty much anything you would need. e.l.f. has over 65 different products that are only $1; which means more bang for you buck!! Their products might be low in cost but they are high in quality. I've had a few eye shadow brushes fall apart after about 6-8 months of daily use. But, considering the brushes only cost me $1, I'd say that's pretty great! Around Christmas time they sell alot of gift sets which are awesome! I've also seen Marshalls selling e.l.f. Marshalls takes name brand products that are out of season and drops the prices. I've gotten some e.l.f. products from Marshalls for what feels like free. I cant praise their company enough!
In 2007, e.l.f. was launched in Kmart stores. I have not seen the e.l.f. products in the store in my town but that doesn't mean they aren't there. I know some smaller towns may have a Kmart and not a Target so I wanted to be sure to let you guys know you can find it there too.
Check out their website. They continuously have specials running and always have free shipping on all orders over $35
click her for the e.l.f. website!
So basically, If your make-up bag is feeling empty and so is your wallet, get your butt to Target!
Lastly, all their products are cruelty free and they are supported by Peta. Ten thumbs up to them!

picture credit to www.veganbeautyreview.com

My Secret Weapon

I'm sure that the majority of you have heard of coconut oil; whether its for cooking, skin care, or a deep conditioner on your hair. But there are probably over 100 different uses for coconut oil. Today, I want to talk about some of my favorite ways you can use coconut oil in your beauty routine.

This weekend as I stood staring in the mirror, I tried to figure out what I was going to do with my hair before going downtown. I feel like no matter what I do, when the clock strikes midnight, I turn into the Lion King. Of course that is no bueno! Finally, I pulled out my best friend (coconut oil) and put a small amount in my hair. A little goes a long way ladies. Remember, you can always add more if need-be. So start with a very small amount. After I applied it to my hair, I took the flat iron to it and made my hair nice and pretty. The heat from the flat iron was able to quickly open the cuticle to the hair and penetrate the oil. Volia! Silky, shiny, gorgeous hair for hours. My hair stayed beautiful through the humidity, dancing, and sweat it endured. My hair looked fabulous all night and I couldn't be more pleased!

Speaking of going out and having a good time; I am seriously guilty of not taking my make-up off. My main problem is that make-up removing wipes are so expensive. I feel like every time I turn around, I've run out and need to buy some more. UGH! Well, I've finally found a solution to that problem! All you need is your handy dandy coconut oil, some cotton rounds and warm water. Get your cotton pads a little damp in the warm water. You don't want to get it soaked, just damp. Next, put a nickle-size dollop of the coconut oil on the pad and remove your makeup as you normally would. Ta-da!
Another way to use coconut oil on the skin is through exfoliation. It is important that we exfoliate our skin throughout the entire year and coconut oil is here to help. Simply take 2 parts sugar (any kind), one part coconut oil and 1/2 tbs of vitamin E oil (you can even split open the capsules and use those) and mix well. There you have it! A cheap, easy, excellent exfoliate for you to use in the shower once or twice a week.

Those are just 3 cheap and easy ways to use coconut oil. HERE is a link that tells you 101 uses for coconut oil. I'm really happy I read this list! A lot of these ideas blew my mind.
I bought my huge jar coconut oil from SAM's Club for around $15. A lot of people say that it is expensive but, if you compare the price of coconut oil to the other products you would be replacing; you'd probably be saving a lot of money.
Alright guys, go get some, have fun and stay beautiful!




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BIRCHBOX!

If you've never heard of Birchbox, get excited!
Birchbox is the best place to find out about awesome name-brand products. On the site you can sign up to receive the actual "Birchbox" each month for only $10(per month). Each month you will get a box in the mail of samples of really awesome stuff. This includes anything from nail polish, make-up, lotions, perfumes, hair spray, shampoo, ect. But another cool part is, if they send you something and you fall in love with it, you can order it right off their website. No need to search and search, wondering where to find it. Don't worry men, they have a Birchbox for you too!! They'll send you cologne, hair products, skin care products and other things designed for men. Birchbox is fun, cheap and totally worth it! Even if you aren't ready to receive the box each month, you can still sign up for the site and look around which is no cost to you.

Here's a picture of a few things I have received in my Birchbox in the past to give you guys a good idea of what to expect when you order your first box.

Lotions, eyeshadows, lipgloss, clarifying shampoo, CC cream, shaving lotion, face cream

I also wanted to let you guys know that if you sign up for the box and decide you don't like it or start feeling like your money is getting a little tight (trust me, I've been there too!), it is super easy to cancel your monthly subscription! Then if you change your mind again... just order again! Needless to say, I love Birchbox!

Click HERE to sign up!

Hair Growth

Hello guys!!! I wanted to discuss hair growth with you guys because that is the number one thing I get asked about!

First things first; hair goes through growth phases and that's why sometimes it seems to grow a lot and sometimes it doesn't.

• The Anagen phase is the Active phase.  This is when new hair is formed and pushes the hair that has stopped growing out. During this phase, hair grows about 1 cm every 28 days. This phase lasts 2-6 years. Some people have a long anagen phase and some have a short Anagen phase and that is why some people have difficulty growing their hair past a certain length.
• The Catagen phase lasts for about 2-3 weeks. This is when growth stops and the outer root sheath shrinks and attaches to the root of the hair. This forms what is called a club hair.
• The Telogen phase is when the hair is at a rest point. This phase usually lasts for about 100 days. Now, the hair follicle is completely at rest and the club hair is completely formed. If you were to pull out a hair that is in this phase from your scalp, you would see a solid, hard, dry, white material at the root.

Now that we have a little hair background, lets talk supplements!

Biotin is a hair, skin, nails vitamin and is what I recommend the most.

Vitamin B 12 plays an important role in hair growth! My favorite part of B12 is the much needed additional energy throughout my day.

Folic acid- HERE is a link I found informative on why we need folic acid especially for the hair growth process.

You can find any of these things at a drug store, or grocery store.

Lets talk shampoo! Washing your hair is actually damaging to it. I know most of you can't go a day without washing your hair but if you can throw it up in a bun for a few days, and use some dry shampoo; your hair will thank you! I literally go 7-10 days without washing my hair. My hair is so dry that if I did wash it every day, it'd probably all break off, so I'm not saying you have to go that long. Everyone's hair is different and I suggest just doing what you can.
Many shampoos on the market have an extremely acidic pH. Your hair has a neutral pH between 4.5 and 5.5, so it is important to use a shampoo with a pH as close to that as you can. Garnier Fructis has a pH of 3.41, yikes! My best advice is to do your research before purchasing a shampoo. An experiment you could do is buy pH strips from your local drug store and test the shampoos in your home.You'll probably be surprised. Lastly; please, please, please be sure your shampoo is sulfate-free. Sulfates strip your hair of essential moistures and also haircolor.


Alright guys, lets keep that hair healthy and it will grow! Thank you so much for reading and don't forget to email me any questions you would like for me to answer here on the blog.

Top 10 Favorite Make-up Products

Just wanted to go over my top 10 favorite make-up products that I currently have in my make-up bag and let you guys know a little bit about each product. Most are drug store products that can be bought at Walmart, CVS, Kroger, Target, Walgreens ect.

L'OREAL: True Match Foundation

This is probably the best feeling foundation I've bought in some time. It makes my skin feel super soft and doesn't break it out which is definitely a plus! It comes in numerous colors and tones. I was able to choose if I wanted it in a cool tone, warm tone or neutral tone. I chose cool. This stuff is pretty great and not terribly pricey. Two thumbs up from me!

Maybelline: EYESTUDIO Gel Eyeliner

Love, love, love! I wont use anything else! I get it in the black-est shade they have and no other eye liner has showed up so "true as blue" black. It doesn't run and lasts all day. The best part is, comes with an eyeliner brush for easy application. I think its usually around $7 or $8 and lasts forever. 

Maybelline: Perfect Pastels in Pink Suede

I use both colors for eye shadow but, I love using the pink on the apples of my cheeks. It is the perfect light pink shimmer color for a blush/ highlight. Got mine at Target on clearance for around $3

REVLON: Highlighting Stick

This does exactly what it says, highlights. I used it on my cheeks and down my nose then set with powder. It's a really great light golden shade. I'm not sure if it is still sold in stores because I bought this several years ago.

M.A.C. Nylon Frost Eye shadow

I just recently bought this after seeing someone talk about it on Pinterest and it's pretty great. I use it as my eyebrow highlight. The only downside is that it's pretty pricey. I was shocked to see how small the container is and to hear it was $15. But any other M.A.C. product I have bought has lasted me a long time, so hopefully this will be worth the cost.

L'OREAL: Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara

I'm seriously loving this mascara! I found it at Kroger on clearance for around $3. It gives your lashes a thick look without looking clumpy and messy. The brush isn't a typical type brush and I think that makes a difference.

ALMAY: Make-up Erasers

These little Q-tip look-alikes are filled with a small amount of makeup remover to erase all those little mistakes. To activate, just break the end and watch the liquid flow to the cotton tip. Then just use where needed! These are so handy and come in a small box that you can throw in your bag.

MILANI: Brow Fix Brow Kit

This has been my ultimate life saver! I have blonde eyebrows and this has been the perfect little helper. Comes with a highlight, 2 different brow shades, an eye shadow applicator, an eyeliner brush and mini tweezers. I cannot stress how in love I am with this little kit.

M.A.C. Warm Soul Blush

This blush is perfect for any skin color, shade or tone. I think this is just the perfect color for blush. Use as little or a much as you need for different effects. I've had this for almost a year and I still have a ton left. Definitely worth it to splurge!

Maybelline: Color Tattoo

I'm actually not a huge fan of this creamy eye shadow but, I bought it in "too cool" which is white and use it with an angled eyeliner brush to line under my lash line for a pop to my eyes. I believe it was pretty cheap and has lasted me quite some time.

If you have any questions about these products or anything hair and make-up related you can email me!

Thanks for reading guys!!! 

Welcome!

Hello wonderful friends! Thank you for supporting me and joining me on this journey. I couldn't do any of this without you guys. My blog is going to be all about hair and make-up tips, tricks, advice and reviews.
HOORAY! I plan on posting at least once a week but possibly more.... I've got alot I want to tell you guys about! So hold on tight, cause here we go....
First off I want to talk about my self a little and give everyone a little background information. I'm currently in school at Central Ga Technical college working on becoming a Master Cosmetologist. Once I graduate in May 2014, I plan to come back to the school and work on getting my barbering license. I'm 21 years old, and I'll be 22 in November. I work 3 different jobs, go to school and I'm a mommy!
I'm starting the blog because I am constantly getting asked questions about how I do different things to my hair and how I apply my make-up. I want to give you guys all the information I can and help each and every one of you in any way I can. I will be setting up an email that I want you guys to email me questions to. I'm very excited and hope you are too!

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