DIY Manicure - Get Creative #2

Hola,

How goes it my fellow fashionistas? How has this lovely day treated you? It was rather cold in New York City but other than that, for me it was a pretty good day.

I have to tell you that I loved writing my last post "DIY Manicure - Get Creative," I'm thinking I'm going to do more of these as I do more manicures this summer. I'm ecstatic to let you all know that last week's mani with the pretty glitter lasted SEVEN days. Yes, that's a record for me. I only had to touch it up once but other than that, the manicure lasted until yesterday. Woop! :)

So after removing the polish last night, I figured I'd continue the creativity trend. I'm elated to say that the outcome was once again fabulous. So without further ado, check it out...

Note: I know last week I listed some of the products I use as far as strengtheners and top coats so I've included photos of these below as well in case you'd like to purchase them. Here goes:

I call it my "Blue Galaxy" manicure:

^^^

Rings: Purchased at H&M

Note: I simply adore the mid-finger ring look for this summer. It takes a bit of getting used because it feels like their falling off your finger. However, once you do get used to them, they give your hands and mani a very pretty and delicate look. I always go with gold because it goes better with my skin tone, but you can try silver as well. Whenever I get a manicure, I love wearing rings to spice up the look.

^^^

A Closer Look

Below are the products I used to get this look:

^^^

"Millionails" base coat and nail strengthener by: Essie

* I just starting using this product so I will let you all know how good it is as far as strengthening goes in a future post. When I touched up my mani, I added another coat of this before applying the top coat.

^^^

Nail Color: "Blue Bombshell #335" by: Maybelline

* Needless to say apply two coats. This color is a bit on the matte side so you can use it either way, with or without the top coat for added shine. I went with the shine this time because of the next product I used...

^^^

Confetti Polish in "Pixel Perfect" by: Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear line

* I happened to see this polish at Duane Reade one day and scooped it up. It's pretty fantastic. When applied over the right color, it gives your polish a very pretty and out of this world look (literally, hence the reason I call it "blue galaxy"). This polish was very easy to apply and all the little assorted confetti is easily scooped with the brush. With the blue, it reminds me of another galaxy with stars and dust all around. I love it! :)

^^^

Top Coat and Shine "Good To Go" by: Essie

* I adore this top coat. Not only does it add shine and seals the polish, but it also dries in an instant. I don't know about you, but once I'm done polishing my nails, it's really hard for me to stay still until they dry. I end up smudging at least one nail - Grrrr. This product is my savior. It dries instantly. Try it and give me feedback.

~ The End ~

So there you go my sweethearts. This week's manicure was another hit with the girls and I am beyond in love with it. I'm hoping that this one lasts just as or almost as long as last week's. I will let you know in my next "Get Creative" post. Well, what do you all think? Like it or nah? Will you try this look? Is it easy for you to get creative with your manicures or do you prefer to go to the nail salon? Also, are you all feeling the "mid-finger" ring look this season? Have you tried it? ... You all know the deal, comment below and give me your feedback or suggestions on some creative looks that you'd like to see me try. This will be fun but you have to click "comment" and let me know. Let's chat, share, debate... whatever you'd like to do, I'm game. Go! #engage

As always, thank you for stopping by my "Open Closet."

Hasta Luego,

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3

DIY Manicure - Get Creative

Hola,

Happy Friday night my loves! I hope that wherever you are and whatever you're doing, that you're having a fabulous time. I've chosen to stay in tonight as I try and alternate my weekends between going out and staying in. Tonight it's the latter.

Since I'm in, I figured I'd write a quick random post...

So on Tuesday night I decided to do my own manicure. I usually do them myself as I feel I do a much better job than when I have them done at the nail salon. The only difference is that I don't get the pampering I would get when someone else is massaging my hands, etc. Another reason I do them myself is because for whatever reason, when I have them done at the salon, the color starts chipping the very next day and that just gets on ALL my nerves! Grrrr! However, lately I have been taking the easy road and just having my nails done at the salon. This is out of pure laziness and impatience and nothing else.

Now back to Tuesday night... I was supposed to attend an event the following evening and so I threw all laziness out the window and got right down to it. I had recently bought a new nail color by Essie and several weeks ago I purchased the cutest glitter by OPI. I figured it was time to make use of both. BTW, I adore adding glitter to my manicures. I think glitter is fun, cute, girly and eye-catching. Anyway, I wanted to share the outcome as I've gotten many compliments from my "creativeness." ;) ...Check it:

I pretty much go through the whole process myself.

1. File nails (usually square shaped).
2. Cut any hang nails and excess dry skin.
3. Soak in warm water (I add a few drops of lemon juice to strengthen nails)
4. Push back cuticles (never cut).
5. Thoroughly wash my hands and scrub off any excess dead skin.
6. Apply lotion.
7. Dab a Q-tip with some nail polish remover (without acetone) and swipe each nail to remove excess oils.
8. Ready to polish...

^^^

- Base coat: "Millionails" - by: Essie (Strengthens nails)

- Nail Color: "After School Boy Blazer" - by: Essie (two coats)

- Glitter: "Be Awesome" - by: Nicole by OPI

- Top Coat: "Good To Go" - by: Essie (Shines, Dries Super Quick, Prolongs Polish)

- Rings: Purchased at H&M

^^^

A Closer Look

Above is a closer look. Just so you know, this glitter was a bit hard to scoop out of the bottle which in a way made it better to strategically place them on my nails. I could only get about two or three on the brush at a time so that kind of helped for me to place them around the nail. Allow this coat to dry before applying the top coat to seal the color. My nails are still intact on day three. Usually by now they've started to chip.

So there you have it ladies... What do you think? I'm in love with this look and I think I will try it again next time. How creative do you get with your nails? I tend to do all sorts of designs. Glitter, stripes, two different shades, polka dots and one time I even did cute little flowers. It takes time and practice but it's so much fun and kind of relaxing for me. The other thing is that I LOVE bright colors especially in the spring and summer months. Do you ever do your own nails or do you prefer going to a nail salon? If you go to the salon, do you ask your manicurist to get creative or do you just polish and go? You all know the deal... comment below and let's share our fabulousness with each other. I'd love to hear your routine and/or how creative you get nowadays with all the fun ideas for fun and pretty manis. Go ahead comment below. Go! #engage

As always, thank you for stopping my "Open Closet."

Hasta Luego,

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3

Beauty In Paradise...

Hola,

Que pasa my fashionistas? I was so inspired by my previous post about what to wear on vacation that I wanted to keep the momentum going and write a "part two" post on what beauty products to take along on your getaway. This has also inspired me to start planning my own vacation pretty soon. I desperately need to get on a plane and go somewhere! I haven't done so in several years (bummers!)... But this year, I am definitely finding my own paradise on a beach somewhere... or maybe a cruise! Yes! :).

In any event, my vacation trip is really a whole other story so let's get back to the subject at hand. What beauty products must I take along on vacation you might ask? Well, I have several of my own choices which I am going to share. I would love it if you'd share yours because honestly when it comes to beauty products, everybody is different. We all have different needs and different tastes. We all have different skin and hair types as well as different skin colors, tones and textures. Some of us have special issues such as eczema or acne so really, you need to make your choices specifically for you. However, it's still fun to see what other people use and you can always get some really good tips that you may not know about. So let's get to it my loves!

Ahhh *sighs* Paradise

My daily beauty regime is pretty simple. I do, however, have specific items that I love to use and have become a "must" for me. When I pack for vacation, I take my daily regime with me. Why deter from what works? Vacation is a time to look especially fabulous, and having the right beauty products is important. I do pack a little bit extra though when going away. For example, for my daily routine I moisturize my face, but I don't wear any makeup except a colored lip gloss by L'Oreal which I adore! I'm always rushing out the door so I don't have time for it. However, for a paradise getaway, I will pack blush, lipstick, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and some bronzing powder. You know for those nights of dinner and dancing when your face has to look just as gorgeous as your fabulous outfit. Yet, it's not just playing up your face but keeping the rest of your body moisturized and smelling wonderful. Plus making sure you have what you need to ensure your hair looks amazing. The entire package you might say.

So here is my list of beauty essentials that work for me at home and on vacation. You will notice that I stick to certain brands, and this is only because I have very sensitive skin and ridiculous allergies so not every brand works for me. Any products that make me sneeze, breakout or make me itchy are a no go. Here are my preferred choices:

FACE:

Wash - Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser.

Toner - Olay Oil Minimizing Toner for Normal Skin.

Moisturizer - Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream or Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream.

Moisturizer - Oil from one capsule of vitamin E (I love the GNC brand).

The cream cleanser has little exfoliating beads that gently scrub your face clean not to mention, it smells terrific. I'm sure you've seen the commercials for Olay's Regenerist line and I promise you that it's as wonderful as they say. Keep in mind that I vary between both facial creams. I can go a week using one then switch to the other.

I use the vitamin E oil over the cream to give my face a dewy glow (note: do not use the entire capsule in one shot so you won't look too shiny). This oil does wonders for your skin. It's also great to rub under and around your eyes. It will provide extra moisture to that delicate eye area as well as reduce fine lines. I also rub a tiny bit on my eyelashes before applying mascara to help it glide on. Note: if you have oily skin, using this oil may not be a good idea.

Acne - If you have acne, I have the most amazing product that will get rid of pimples very quickly. It's called "AcneFree" and it's sold in most drugstores. It contains the facial wash, toner and lotion. Years ago I broke out in moderate acne and had a hard time getting rid of it all.  I tried this product, and I can honestly say that for the past 5+ years I rarely get pimples. If I do get one or two, I use AcneFree and the next morning they're gone.

Vitamin E Oil Is Wonderful For The Skin

MAKEUP:

Blush - Clinique Blushing Blush Powder in Mysterious Mocha.

Bronzer - Clinique True Bronze Pressed Powder in Sunkissed.

Mascara - Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara in Jet Black.

Eyeliner - Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense in Intense Black, Ivy or Midnight.

Eye Shadow - I hardly use shadow but when I do, I go for browns, dark greens or dark blues.

Lipstick - Victoria's Secret in Sensual or Don't Stop (both dark reds), Also a lovely lip tint by Tarte called Moody which is a deep berry color. As you can see, I'm partial to reds. :)

Lip Gloss - L'Oreal Colour Riche in Rich Nude paired with a lip liner by Victoria's Secret called Red Light (which sadly, is no longer available so I need to find a replacement). This combo of liner and gloss is what I wear daily and I adore it. I pray that the lip gloss is never ever discontinued!

Lip Moisturizer - Before applying lip gloss or lipstick, I dab either some blistex or some vitamin E oil to soften lips. Also, if you apply some coconut oil at night, your lips will be super soft in the morning and will dry less often.

My All Time Favorite Lip Gloss in Rich Nude by L'Oreal

Clinique's True Bronze Pressed Powder in Sunkissed

BODY:

Wash - Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash in any scent.

Lotion - Olay Ultra Moisture Body Lotion in any scent, Johnson's Baby Oil or Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Lotion in Heavenly.

Gauze/Loofah Sponge - I adore these, especially the ones in bright cute colors!

Perfume – Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels "Heavenly."

Body Exfoliating Secret - Mix a half cup of sugar or enough for your whole body with some baby oil. Don't add too much so the sugar is not completely saturated. During your shower rub the mixture over your body in circles to exfoliate your skin. I promise that it will leave your body softer than a baby's butt! Also if you don't have time to exfoliate, after your shower while your skin is still wet, rub baby oil all over. Not too much but just enough to leave your skin silky smooth. Go ahead and try it. Let me know what you think. ;)

  

My Very Favorite Perfume "Heavenly" by Victoria's Secret

HAIR:

For my hair I use a brand called UNA Phytology Range. My cousin is a hairstylist and she recommends all hair products to me. The shampoo is amazing and leaves your hair smelling delicious. For conditioner she uses one called "green conditioner" sold at her salon. It does wonderful things to my hair and leaves it so soft and shiny. Again, there are so many different hair types that you should always use what works best for your own hair. My vacation hair secret is before going in the ocean or pool I apply some conditioner to my hair so that the salt or chlorine won't damage my hair too much.

NAILS:

Don't forget that awesome manicure and pedicure. Bright bold colors, neon colors, dark colors or pastels... whatever you love, go for it. When it comes to manis and pedis every color goes. Whatever your mood tells you, that's what you should go with. You can match both or go with different colors. I usually don't like to match both. It's so much fun to play with different colors on hands and toes so why not! Have fun! Be spontaneous!

Last, please remember to always use sunscreen especially if you're traveling to hot weather. They say the higher the SPF the better so do your research to see what your skin type needs. I also use suntan oil because I have to admit that I love getting that "sun bronzed" look. I mix a little bit with my sunscreen and it works great.

So there you have it my sweets! These are my choices for looking fabulous during those lazy days in paradise. I hope this gives you a general idea on what you can choose for yourself. You can go with different brands, colors, etc... But hopefully, this list won't let you forget anything you need when packing. I'm more on a budget so I have to watch what I spend (you know striving to be an entrepreneur and all takes sacrifices lol), but if you can afford to go all out for the expensive items go for it! Please feel free to add your choices, tips and anything you think would be indispensable. Add your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below. Let's help each other look marvelous on our getaways this year! Go #engage!

Until next time!

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3