My Alter Ego Sneaks A Stamp..

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's Sunday Stamping challenge was a choice, and mine was to let my 'Alter Ego' take a crack at stamping and do something that I wouldn't normally do.  I didn't go too crazy, but this definitely isn't something I reach for that often!

Something a Little Different Sunday - Kiehl's

As a member of the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida, I sometimes get invited to pretty cool events.  We were invited to the Grand Opening of the Kiehl's at the Mall at Milennia in Orlando, FL at the end of last year.  I'd like to share with you my experience there, and how I've been enjoying my products since then!

First up, you know I love it when I make an homage mani.  Oh, how I wish my thumb nail was a teeny bit longer!  The blue was achieved by layering China Glaze Blue Year's Eve over OPI Black Onyx.  I did the lettering with the teeniest brush ever and Rainbow Honey Gilded Angel.

The CEO of Kieh'ls, Chris Salgardo, is a pretty unique businessman.  I watched someone gush all over a reporter in a business suit because she thought he must be the CEO.  Nope, he's the one in the ripped jeans, and flannel.  He's also big into charity, having just completed a motorcycle ride for AMfar right before this.  (there was a replica motorcycle in the entrance to the store!)
 

Where does one find those giant scissors?  Can you rent them?  I mean, how many times are you going to really use them..

I admit, I'm fairly clueless when it comes to skincare.  I still have the pimple problem I've had since a teen, but now I'm getting the aging issues of someone in their 40s.  So, I was thrilled when I was offered a complimentary facial. 

And you don't have to be a beauty blogger to get one!  They are complimentary to anyone.  They started off by taking a swab to my skin and seeing what type of skin I have.  Yep, a little oily. 

I had glitter on my eyelids, so the technician was careful to not remove any of my eye makeup, which I thought was pretty considerate.  Also, check out how the professional photographer got my reflection in the mirror. 

It felt great, and I learned a lot.  For example, I grew up with 'toner' always being an astringent.  Did you know that's not the case anymore?  You can (and should) use toner for all skin types, not just oily teenage skin.

I felt all dewy!

Yeah, me and Chris are buds now.  I should look him up on Facebook.

Always my fave part - hanging with my Beauty Blogger of Central FL ladies.

We all received some products to try.  For daytime, I received a sample of the Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, the Ultra Facial Creme (and then a small sample of the oil-free gel) and the Super Fluid UV Defense.

The Concentrate was my favorite product.  I don't have a lot of wrinkles, but I do have some problem rough areas on my chin, and I felt this product helped to alleviate that.  The Vitamin C concentrate really does seem to rejuvenate the skin.  Both of the creams were fine, but I preferred the texture of the oil-free. 

The UV Defense I had a hard time remembering to use, because I use a BB cream that already has sunscreen in it.  The bonus was that my husband loved it!  I always have to remind him to put facial sunscreen on when we go playing in the Florida sun, and he doesn't really like the girly facial sunscreens I have.  This one was unscented, not greasy, and absorbed right away.  Winner.

For night time, I tried the Midnight Recovery Concentrate, and the Rosa Artica Youth Regenerating Cream.
This should tell you how much I loved the Midnight Recovery Concentrate!

With this product, a little goes a long way.  The oils have a very subtle, earthy smell with a hint of lavender.  It was very relaxing to put on right before bed.  It's also great for cuticles, so after applying to my face, I'd just rub the rest into my fingers.  The Rosa Artica creme is very thick, and you warm up a little in your hand before application.  I noticed that every morning I would have some sloughing of my lips, which was great to bring new skin to the surface.  I'm very vain about my lips.

If this was TL;DR, here's the skinny.  Great products, the serums were my fave, love the gentle formulas and subtle scents.  If you'd like more information about this Kiehl's, check out their Facebook page.  Tell them I sent you!

Painted Polish Poinsettias

I love to see the Poinsettias around the holidays.  We used to get one every year at the university holiday party, and I even got to plant it and have it grow for a while, though I didn't go through the rigamarole you need to do to have it bloom again.  I have a fake white one that I always forget to get out of the garage, though.  

Mani poinsettias are much easier, and you don't have to water them.  I saw this nail art on Dressed Up Nails, and decided to do my version of them.

I started with Rainbow Honey Annual Emotion.

I was totally suckered into buying this one by a blog post.  They played up all the other colors in the silver, and how wonderful it was.  Ok, I will say that in the photo (and even in mine) you can see tinges of other colors.  It is NOT holo, like I thought it was going to be.  In Real Life, you couldn't even see those colors.  It applies like a silver glitter, and it takes two coats to be opaque, because the glitter needs to 'fill in' the spaces, not because it's thin like a polish.  It actually applies like a microglitter, not as a polish, if you can understand my gibberish.

I used Misa Bourbon on the Rocks for the first layer of petals.  It was more brown than I thought it would be, but I loved this color.  The more coats you use, the more red it becomes.

I had received Dazzle Dry Rapid Red in a grab bag.  It's okay - it wouldn't be my goto red polish.  It's a little thin and required 2-3 coats to be opaque, even over the silver.  It also leans a little too cherry-pink for me. 

The leaves are China Glaze Running in Circles from their Cirque du Soleil collection.  Love this bright green, with a nice shimmer.  I added a little bit more of Misa Bourbon on the Rocks for details., and finished off each flower with a rhinestone in the center, topped off with lots of Seche Vite to lock it in.

Are you decorating the house or your nails with poinsettias this holiday? 

Rainbow Honey Yokai Collection

I think Rainbow Honey Cosmetics knows a thing or two about marketing, because before this collection was released, bloggers everywhere were publishing gorgeous pix of these three polishes.  Every time I turned around - there was another preview!  It worked, because by the time these were available to the rest of us, I was foaming at the mouth, and ready to buy the moment her shop opened up.

Oni is right up my alley.  Deep, dark, shiny, and opaque in 2 coats.

China Glaze Wagon Trail, Butter London Wallis.. if you like those, you'll probably like Oni.  It has that same mysterious dark olive/gold tone to it, only this is a true glitter.

I admit, I was least excited about Kitsune.  If it wasn't part of the set, I'm not sure I would have even looked twice at it. 

On the nail, it's rather nice, though.  I love the glowing red glitters, which were a pleasant surprise, but that was about it.  It just wasn't my style.

"Kitsune" apparently means, "fox" so I found this tutorial on fox nail art by Pinky Cherry Bomb and did my version of it.

Too cute, eh?  I used China Glaze Roguish Red for the foxes, Layla Ceramic Effect 63 for the brown details, and Sally Hansen White Tip for the face, ears, and tail tips.

 This last polish blew.me.away.

This is Kawako.  I understand it bears some resemblance to Essie Starry Starry Night, but I haven't seen that polish in person.  Kawako is a deep blue - darker than cobalt, not as dark as navy - with silver flakes.

This is one of those "If I was going to a desert island, I would take this polish" polish.  

Did you also pick up this collection?  Even though it was technically released as a Halloween collex, it isn't your traditional colors, which I liked a lot.  All of these could be worn whenever, and especially all fall and winter long.  Which is your favorite?

Rainbow Honey Sakura Matsuri Collection

There's something about Rainbow Honey.  The attention to detail - the box art, the bottles, and the polishes!  I had to get the entire (mini) Rainbow Honey Sakura Matsuri Collection to try.