Mail Time! April 2016

purchased by me | sent for review | affiliate links

Hi, friends! I've been having some stuff pile up in the mail recently, so I thought I would share what I got with you! Think of this as a sneak peek into what you'll be seeing in future posts. Today we have a mix of orders I placed online, free samples I snagged, and products that companies sent to me for review. But enough about that. Let's get started! 

My Favorite Things: March 2016

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Hi, friends! Happy April! It's been awhile since I did a Favorites post (not since my 2015 Makeup Favorites, I believe), so I thought it was about time to touch base with you all. I've been trying out some new products and rediscovering some old ones, and I'm so excited to finally share them with you!

Rainy Day Manicure: Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Elegantly Wasted

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Hi, friends! Today I wanted to share with you a nail polish I've been really liking lately: Trust Fund Beauty's Elegantly Wasted. (Can we talk about that name, though? I love it). I don't paint my nails on a regular basis, but I always find it to be a nice little treat--especially on the rainy day when things look gloomy and dull.

February Finds: 6 New Products I've Been Trying

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Hi, friends! It's around that time of the month (no, not that time of the month) when I usually do my monthly favorites posts. Usually I'd talk about all the new products I tested and my favorite discoveries of that month, but things are going to work a little differently this month. For the majority of February, I was either using products I've already mentioned on the blog, or testing new products that I haven't made a decision on yet, so I'm not quite ready to share my thoughts on them so early in the game. 

So I figured, rather than talking about the products you guys already know I like in a redundant Favorites post, how about we start the train rolling on some new products? Here's a sneak peek to some of the products you'll see mentioned on the blog within the next month or two: 

Review: Jamberry Nail Wraps

Hi, friends! Today I'm going to be giving you the low-down on my Jamberry Nail Wrap experience. I talked about Jamberry nail wraps briefly in my Nicole By OPI Blue Lace NOTD (Nail of the Day), but this was my first time trying a full manicure by them. They've been getting a lot of buzz over the past year or two, which is saying something since they've only been around for four years! But enough about that, let's get into it~

Sammi's Mani: Nails Inc. Gel Effect in Porchester Square

Hey, friends! It's been FOR-E-VER since I did a Nail of the Day post, but I painted my nails recently and really liked how they came out, so I thought I would share. Today's nail polish is one by Nails Inc. in the color "Porchester Square." 

The Lazy Girl's Guide to Halloween

Hello, friends! Over at the Beauty & Fashion Blog Community, we're excited about Halloween, and we wanted to take the time to share our ideas with you guys. I know I'm personally a Scrooge (you can call me Sammi Scrooge), so I'm always out for how to get a festive look without spending a ton of money. Really, I aim to not spend money at all--it's more fun to taking on the challenge to use what I already have. Plus, I usually wind up having to work on Halloween, so I typically have about 15 minutes to change into my costume and get ready before hurrying off to whatever plans my friends and I have made.

Hot Weather Staples

Hi, friends! It's the first of the month, and you know what that means: The Beauty & Fashion Blog Community blog hop! This month, we're sweating up a storm (isn't that a lovely image?) so we're sharing tips on how to keep looking fresh-faced. Let's get started!

I have combination skin, so in the summer months I like to switch to a lighter PM moisturizer (for my T-zone's sake). Right now I've been using EVOLOGIE's Stay Clear Cream ($62 for 1oz) to keep the acne at bay, because blackheads are loving me right now and it's just not cool. This is the sample size from their duo pack. It has 2% salicylic acid, and they don't advertise what the pH level is, but it must be somewhere around the right mark because it seems to be working. I use this everywhere else but my cheeks, since my cheeks have enough trouble staying hydrated and I never have a problem with acne there. My dry cheeks are divas and get a separate night cream. Wow, I never thought I would become the person that uses two separate night creams, but combination skin is a pain in the butt. (Read more: April Favorites, May Favorites)

EVOLOGIE's Stay Clear Cream

Something about the sweltering hot weather makes me incredibly lazy, so I use products like SOLSCENTS Angelica SPF 30 Sunscreen ($14.95 for 8oz) to combine steps in my daily routine. This is not only a sunscreen, but also a lotion and fragrance. It smells great, leaves my body feeling nice and soft, and it has SPF 30! It's affordable, too, so it pretty much fills all requirements on the checklist. (Read more: Full Review, Beach & Pool Bag Essentials)

My Favorite Things: June 2014

Hi, friends! It's the end of the month, and you know what that means: monthly favorites! Below are the things I've been loving this month (and a few items that I've been really not liking, but more on that later).

Tree Hut Tropical Mango Shea Moisturizing Body Lotion ($6 for 9oz)

I always use body lotion when I get out of the shower (shout out to dry skin), so when I ran out, I searched the drugstore for a new one. When I saw Tree Hut in Walgreens, I thought I would give it a shot since I've heard good things about it. This one smells like mangoes and it's awesome. I'm not too picky about my lotion, and I have no complaints about this one. It was a good price too, for how much you get in the bottle. 

Sammi's Mani: Nicole by OPI Blue Lace + Jamberry Flirty Flair

Hi, friends! Today is a "Sammi's Mani" kind of day, which is basically a NotD (or "Nail of the Day" for those of you unfamiliar with the term) but it rhymes. You may have seen a sneak peek of this on my Instagram, but here is the real deal! This is going to be all about the manicure I'm rocking right now, as well as a mini review of all the products I used.

Let's get started!

My Favorite Things: March 2014

Hi, friends! I had too many favorites last month to shrink them down into a Fave Five, so this post is going to be a little longer than usual. There were products I discovered, rediscovered, undiscovered(??), and I will be covering them all in this post today! Without further ado, here are my favorite products for the month of March.

Tres Pure Face Tonic ($65 for 4oz)

I received this in my Sample Society box back in July and, like many products, it sat in my drawer for awhile. After going through my stash and finding this, I decided just use it up and get rid of it, since it's only the .33 fl oz sample size. One of the things I absolutely loved about this product was the smell. It smelled just like Pez! Do you guys remember Pez candy? Are they even still around anymore? Either way, it smelled sweet like Pez, but it was still mild enough that it didn't bother me. My skin usually isn't a fan of scented products, but I had no problem with this. This product got a zero on Skin Deep, something that I hardly ever see (the lower the number between 0 and 10, the more natural it is and the less harmful chemicals it has).  This toner has antixoidants for your skin, as well as soothes and balances it out, and it doesn't dry out my skin! It's a miracle! It feels so refreshing on the skin and if you have wrinkles, it is marketed to help soften the appearance of them (which I do not have, being 20). I would like to repurchase this, but I sure as hell can't afford to pay $65 for a beauty product. If I ever see it on sale for say, 50% off, I would most certainly consider buying a full size.

Spring Product Picks

It's the first of the month, and you know what that means: the Beauty & Fashion Blog Community Blog Hop! This month we're talking about our favorite beauty products for spring, and I'm so excited to share mine with you! Frankly, I think I'm mostly excited because it means winter will EVENTUALLY END. I'm so over it. In Boston, winter seems to last from October to April, and it's just not fair. So far the only part of spring (which we are just starting to get, by the way) is the rain. Granted, I'm thankful that it is no longer cold enough to snow, but seriously, can we stop with all this rain? I'm over it. I haven't seen the sun in days!

Okay, enough melodramatics. Let's get on to the good stuff~

CORAL

I adore coral for spring! It looks so fresh and it's a nice change from all of the deep reds and plums. I don't tend to wear coral much in the fall and winter, but once spring rolls around, you bet your butt I am pulling out the coral in my stash. 

stila Convertible Color in Gerbera ($25 for .15oz)

Do you see my little camera in the mirror on the left? :) 

I recently purchased this from the Birchbox shop when I saved up enough points, and I am obsessed with these cream blushes! I originally got a sample of the color Peony back around Christmas time when I placed a Sephora order for my mother--they came with a free bag of 15 free samples and I had to let myself have at least one (shhh it's fine). I wasn't sure of what color the sample was since it wasn't labeled, so I ordered Gerbera by mistake, but I'm glad I did! It's the perfect cream blush for spring, and I'm excited to have it in my stash. I'm not a big fan of the Stila Convertible Colors on the lips--they make my lips look very dry--but they look so natural on the cheeks. It looks like my cheeks are blushing all on their own! When I actually blush, my whole face gets red and hot and it's just unflattering, so I prefer this method of getting some color onto my pale face. This blush is amazingly pigmented and so easy to use and blend that I can apply it flawlessly while half asleep in the morning. 

Similar / Alternative: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Just Enough Buff (because who said you can't use lipstick as blush?)

My Favorite Products of 2013: Makeup & Nails

Hey, friends! Welcome to the last College Beauty Buff post for 2013. Today I'd like to share part two of my favorite products of the year with you. These aren't necessarily products that were released into the market in 2013 (who has the money to buy a whole new makeup wardrobe every year?). Instead, these are products that I discovered, rediscovered, or found myself reaching for the most this year. I've talked about almost all of these at least once before on the blog, so I'll give a brief description of each product mentioned, and then link to the previous post(s) if you'd like to read more. If you'd like to read part one of this post (hair and skincare), please click here.

On to the fun part! 

FACE

Face Brush: e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush ($3 - shown beside NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder) 

I was really happily surprised by this brush. It's soft, and I've found multiple purposes for it. I like to use this to not only apply blush, but it's also a perfect size to powder my T-zone (the only place I apply my setting powder). It's also really soft, making it a wonderful find for $3. 

Read more: September 2013 Favorites

Review: Maybelline Wet Shine Diamonds Nail Color in Twinkling Turquoise

Hey, friends! Remember how bad drugstore nail polishes used to be 10+ years ago? Today I would like to remind you, with Maybelline Wet Shine Diamonds Nail Color in Twinkling Turquoise.

Review: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail Color in Forever Lilac

Hi, everyone! Today I just wanted to share with you what I thought of this nail polish. It's a Sally Hansen polish, part of the Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color line in "Forever Lilac."

Sammi's Mani: Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Frappe

Hi, everyone! These kind of posts are like a "here's what my nails are painted like right now" and a nail polish review in one, so I'll be talking about the formulation of the products I used to achieve the look. Today's manicure is really simple, but I still wanted to share it with you. For this week's manicure, I used my Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Frappe that I received in an Ipsy bag months back. If you're interested in learning more about Ipsy and their monthly beauty subscription service, you can see what I received in May's Glam Bag here.

Review: Zoya Nail Polish in Blu

Hi, everyone! Today I'd like to talk more about the nail polish I received in this month's Ipsy Glam bag. If you'd like to learn more about Ipsy, you can click that link, which leads to my blog post all about it. If you like it, you can click here to sign up for a monthly Glam Bag. Yes, this is a referral link, and if you want to sign up I would appreciate if you did it through there. :)

Anyway, on to the nail polish! I present to you, Zoya Nail Polish in Blu.

Nicole by O.P.I. Nail Lacquer in Blue Lace

Hey guys! Can I just say that you're all beautiful people? This blog has reached over 1000 page views, and it's only been a little over a month! I love you all, and thanks for all of your support. :)

Now, on to the review! Today I'd like to talk about a polish that I have a love-hate relationship with, Nicole by O.P.I. Blue Lace.

(Left: Flash ~ Right: Natural Light)

Tag: I (Heart) Spring!

Hi everyone! I stumbled upon this fun tag on YouTube so I decided I would give it a try in blog form. It's finally starting to feel like spring in Boston, so I think it's a good time to do this!

1. Favorite spring nail polish?
I can't just pick one! Right now I'm really liking Revlon Colorstay's Buttercup and Nicole by O.P.I.'s Blue Lace. 

(Left: Nicole by O.P.I.'s Blue Lace ~ Right: Revlon Colorstay's Buttercup)

Review: Julep Nail Vernis in Stefani

Hey lovelies! Today I'd like to talk to you about Julep nail polishes in general, especially this particular one, Stefani.

(2 Coats + Top Coat ~ Natural Light)

The bottle feels very expensive--it's made completely of glass and is heavier than drugstore polishes. It feels almost luxurious. I don't quite understand why the polish doesn't go all the way to the bottom, but that's just semantics.