FOREWORD : 


Hi there, my darlings! As part of the current indie featured giveaway, I'll also be posting a review of some of the new brand's creations as well as an exclusive interview with the maker, so people can get a little glimpse into the world of the face behind the brand! How can one get to know a brand without getting to know the maker a little, right? So, I present to you my interview with Rachel of Limitless Lacquer  Read on for a peek into the woman behind the brand!



1. How did you first get into making polish?

Two and a half years ago, my husband got a new job, and we moved from the Minneapolis area to a “small” town in central Wisconsin. Living three hours away from family and friends left us with a lot more down time. My husband said I should get a hobby. At the same time, my family asked me to try and come up with some ideas for what they could get me for Christmas. I don’t know how exactly, but I stumbled upon a polish making forum on the Purse Blog. I was hooked immediately. Believe it or not, before making polish, I hadn’t really worn nail polish since I was in junior high. I had always had problems getting it to stay on my nails. Right away, I started making regular nail polish and sandwiching it between gel polish base and top coats. Now I could get a full week of wear, and use my creations.


2. What was the inspiration for the name "Limitless Lacquer"?

Just as I was getting started, I had some friends from Minneapolis come to visit. We sat around my dining room table and made polish for almost the entire weekend. Seeing how much fun they were having made me want to get into polish making that much more. Up to that point, I hadn’t come up with a name. Through some brainstorming, my friends helped me come up with the name Limitless Lacquer. I think the name fits my brand perfectly because rather than make a large number of bottles with the same formula, I would much rather make individual creations. With all of the glitter and pigment choices, the possibilities for making unique polishes are limitless!




3. What inspires your collections (or where do you look for inspiration)? What inspired your latest collection? Any hints/ideas about upcoming collections?

I have yet to come out with seasonal collections (at least on Etsy). I tend to focus on creating singular, unique polishes. For friends and family, I have made multiple small, one of a kind, collections based on their individual preferences. 




4. Do you have a favorite indie maker(s)? Favorite mainstream brand?

I have never actually bought any other indie polish (it is terrible, I know). I now do have a nice collection of mainstream RNP (about 250 bottles) and SOG (about 80 bottles). As far as RNP, I probably have the most bottles of Revlon and China Glaze. For SOG, I really like RCM, Gelish, and FingerPaints. I also recently got the thermal gel collection from Bundle Monster, and I absolutely LOVE them.


5. What are your go-to products for nail/cuticle care?

I cannot stand filing my nails. I think it could be used as a form of torture. I use clippers to trim and shape my nails whenever possible. I try to avoid filing at all costs. I’m not loyal to any particular brand, but I do try to apply cuticle oil every day. I use NailMates to help soak off my weekly gel polish manicures.


6. What are your favorite colors? In general? For summer? For fall?

I teach middle school science, so I can get away with wearing bright and glittery polishes at work, all year round. I love anything with holographic glitter. I tend to gravitate towards blues, teals and purples. Although, sometimes I’ll wear pink or green to switch things up. In the winter, I like to wear more dark purple and black base colors with a lot of glitter thrown in.


7. This may be hard--but which are your 3 favorite creations so far?

Currently, my favorites are: Blue, Purple and Teal Glitter in a Blackened Base; Blue Jelly with Black Holographic Glitter; and the Neon Lights topper.
I know that I need to work on naming my creations. Since I usually only make one or two of each polish I make, that means I’ll need to come up with a bunch of names. 


8. Do you have any other hobbies? Are you involved with any other clubs, associations, or recreational activities?

Polish making is still my hobby. My job is teaching 8th grade science. This year, some of my students asked if we could make polish for a science lab. I suggested we start a club instead. We now have 28 girls in our club, which I think is the only school-based nail polish making club in the world (I did some internet searches, and I couldn’t find any other clubs). We are calling our group Shimmer ‘n Shine. We are just starting out, but our initial plan is to make 300 bottles of polish. Half we’ll keep, and half we’ll sell to people at school.




9. What is your most favorite thing about being a new indie maker? What are some of the challenges? What advice would you give to people considering starting their own brand? Overall, are you happy with your decision to get into the indie polish world?


I love being able to share my creations with others. It is neat seeing other people wearing the polish that I have made. I also really like to be able to create custom polish for people. There is something really neat about wearing something that absolutely no one else has.
For me, the biggest challenge is finding time to actually be creative and come up with new mixes. Teaching responsibilities keep me pretty busy during the school year, so I am most productive during the summer.
I love selling polish on Etsy, but I also sometimes get tired of making the “same” mixes over and over. I would much rather make custom polishes, but I understand that it can be hard for a buyer to place an order for polish if they don’t have an idea of what the final product looks like. I wish it was easier (and cost effective) to list more one of a kind bottles on Etsy, but right now, it isn’t feasible for me. I make each bottle individually as they are ordered, so there is some slight variation from bottle to bottle, yet I try to replicate the polish as posted as closely as I can.
I think it is neat that my hobby can (somewhat) financially support itself. I tend to put money I make from selling polish back into buying new supplies, glitters, and pigments. I really enjoy making polish, and I look forward to growing my brand.


10. Fun facts :

Astrological sign : Virgo (but I don’t believe in astrology)

Favorite comfort food : Pizza. I make pizza dough from scratch almost every week. I even worked at Papa John’s when I was younger. When I worked there, I ate pizza every day.

Favorite beauty item besides polish : I don’t wear a ton of makeup, but I do wear Physicians Formula Happy Booster Illuminating Bronzing Veil almost every day. It is the perfect shade for me.

Favorite fragrance : right now it is Oahu Coconut Sunset from BBW, I also like Forever Red and White Citrus.

Favorite vacation destination : My favorite vacation I ever went on was to Thailand. I’d love to travel back there, but it takes so long to travel there, so I don’t know when I’ll be able to make it back. The past three years, my husband and I have taken a trip to different small towns in Mexico. I hope to travel to Mexico again this year.

Favorite candy : Junior Mints or Mint M&Ms

Favorite celebrity : I don’t really follow much celebrity new/gossip. As nerdy as it is, I am a fan of Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Favorite family member or friend (you can pick one of each) : This is a hard question to answer, but I’ll choose my answers based on who has been most supportive of my polish making. My sister has been instrumental in me sharing my polish with the world. She has helped me create mixes and has supported my business by wearing (and sharing) my polish. My husband, Tony, has been my most supportive “friend” when it comes to my polish making. He has let me take over a spare bedroom with all of my polish making supplies and doesn’t mind when I spend hours in the room working.

Most recent read : I am in a book club, and the book we read last month was “The Storied Life of AJ Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin. I loved it!

Most recent movie you loved : I can watch the new Star Trek movies over and over. I also enjoy Office Space and The Fugitive.

Favorite TV show and character : I have seen pretty much every episode of all Law and Order series ever made. I can tell within 30 seconds of the episode whether I have seen it before or not. I really like to binge watch shows on Netflix and Hulu. I’m currently working my way through Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and House of Cards.

If you won a million dollars, first thing you would buy is : I would love to take a large group of family and friends on a vacation.


So there you have it, my darlings! A little glimpse into the world of Rachel of Limitless Lacquer!

Stay tuned for my review of several polishes from her! In the meantime, you can check out her shop HERE!

As always, I'm thrilled to hear from you, so don't hesitate to leave me your thoughts in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B





FOREWORD :

Sadly, the FRIEND-AN-INDIE-FRIDAY giveaway series didn't bring me as much pleasure as I thought it would. Such is life! But I cannot deny that I've met a whole bunch of amazing new indie makers through this process and I'll sporadically introduce you to one of them, keeping with the spirit of the original giveaway series. This way, you'll get to know a new indie brand every now and then and maybe win some cool prizes! Sounds good, right? =)

These giveaways will last a total of 2 weeks ONLY and all entries must be submitted within that time frame to be eligible to win! After the giveaway ends, winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is picked. The maker will send prizes to their winners directly! Some of the giveaways are OPEN INTERNATIONALLY, while other are US ONLY. Please make sure to CAREFULLY read the Terms and Conditions to avoid being disqualified!


Today's giveaway is sponsored by Rachel of Limitless Lacquer. Let's see, Rachel and I have a bit in common! Apart from our love for polish, we both work at a school! She's one of the most patient, understanding people I've EVER met and she's been nothing but an absolute pleasure to work with, despite the delays to this giveaway because of my India trip...and life! Needless to say, I'm really excited to be able to finally introduce her brand and I hope you enjoy her creations as much as I do! As for the prizes, 3 winners will walk away with a full-size bottle of their choice from her Etsy shop!


***THIS IS OPEN TO THE US ***





a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck, my darlings!!!

<3
B




Hi there, my darlings! I've had one heck of a day and all I want to do is go to bed. You know, one of those days when everyone has seemed to sprout horns? Yeah...could it be because tomorrow is Halloween? Anyways, before I chalk this day up to a complete loss, let me show you a brand that I've been pretty excited to showcase on the blog--NVEY ECO, a brand that takes pride in creating organic, environment-friendly makeup.

When I enthusiastically agreed to review the brand, I was asked to choose my foundation shade based on a rather detailed "Foundation Selector". Color me already, immediately impressed! After answering a couple of questions to the best of my abilities (hey, I have NEVER figured out what my true "undertone" is), 2 shades were selected for me : Cool Honey and Medium Beige. When my review package arrived, both these shades as well as a very attractive Lip Lustre was tucked into the folds.




Now, as most women of color will tell you, finding foundation that matches is a HUGE challenge. Most foundation either leaves you ashy or orange--neither a pleasant option. Though at first glance, I had high hopes that one of these shades would match my skin tone, in reality, as shown below, they were a little too light. Womp. I do believe though that I would have had a better time finding the correct shade if I was physically testing them out at a storefront rather than online--as detailed as the Foundation Selector was, nothing beats good, old-fashioned arm swatches.




Here's a picture of me with no make-up on at ALL...*gasp* =)




This picture below shows my results after applying Medium Beige evenly all over my face using my beloved Beauty Blender. While this foundation apples like a dream, buttery smooth, soft and even, the shade just wasn't right for me. But if I can locate the correct shade, it has a lot going for it--even application, great coverage without feeling too heavy or sticky and a reasonable price.




Here's a picture to show what I looked like after adding my favorite loose powder on top. Almost...but not quite.




The Lip Lustre included was in the shade Ruby and it turned out to be more of a pink hue rather than a red, as I was expecting!




That being said, I really, REALLY loved this product. I'm super picky when it comes to glosses as most tend to be too sticky or too thick for my liking but this gloss had the shine of a gloss but the feel of a lipstick. Wonderful, pigmented color without the mess of a gloss. LOVE it!




It was a shade lighter on my lips than on my arm but a really flattering shade!




If you would like to purchase these products from NVEY ECO, head on over to your local Ulta--the foundation retails for $30 and the Lip Lustre for $17. Remember to follow NVEY ECO through the social media outlets below to learn about their latest products :

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Website

Have you heard of this brand? Are environment-friendly products important to you? I'd love to hear your opinions in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****



Hey, my darlings! It's just 2 short days to Halloween so I thought I'd pull out a little limited edition collection that would be just right for the occasion! I'm talking about the Milani Cosmetics' limited-edition Bella Blue collection that was released a couple of months ago and I've tucked into my makeup stash, waiting for the chance to rock them!

This collection consists of 3 gorgeous Lash Art mascaras in shades of blue, a shimmery dark blue Gold Label polish and...a BLUE lippie! See why I waited?! I gotta admit the blue lipstick threw me for a bit of a curve! But let's take a look at these products :





FROM LEFT TO RIGHT : Azure Blue, Mediterranean Blue, and Bella Blue
These were pretty mascaras, not super voluminzing or lengthening but great for an unexpected pop of color! I used Bella Blue below over my regular mascara and love how it turned out!




Now, we come to the infamous BLUE lippie. Personally, I'm more of a traditional, red-berry sorta girl so I didn't quite know what to do with it! I mean, the color is beautiful but blue on my lips?! Maybe for Halloween!




But, you know what, aside from Halloween, this shade would be rather interesting layered...maybe over one of my fave berries! Hmmm...






Last but not the least, Bella Blue is a blackened blue polish with tons of added shimmer. No complaints with the application or formula and I used 2 coats by itself for the swatches below. Since jewel-tones are so great for Fall, pick this beauty up if you stumble across it at your local drugstore!






So there you have it, my darlings! The Milani Bella Blue collection! Although limited edition, they are still available on Milani Cosmetic's online site HERE for the fab price of $4.99 for each mascara, $4.19 for the polish and $3.99 for the lippie! You can also look for them at select drugstore/retailers such as CVS, Walgreens and Duane Reade--let me know if you find them at YOUR local store. Please remember to follow Milani Cosmetics on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM for all the latest news and updates!


So, tell me...can you rock unusual lippie shades? This particular shade of blue? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B




****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****





Hi there, my darlings! Dare I say it? I don't want to jinx it because I've so been looking forward to it but the forecast seems to point to the fact that Fall has finally, finally, FINALLY arrived in NYC! And to celebrate, today I'd like to show you a collection that is perfect for Fall, no matter what your complexion! I'm talking about Zoya Nail Polish and Treatment's Entice collection!


The Entice collection consists of 6 fall-inspired shades--think vampy reds, rich blues and earthy beiges! Across the board, the formula of these cremes were great--opaque at 2 coats and they leveled out quite nicely as they dried. All the swatches below show 2 smooth coats by itself, no topcoat, unless mentioned otherwise. Now for the fun part! Swatches!


Nyssa is described as a "milk chocolate brown" creme. I could not have described this shade more perfectly if I tried--this reminds me so much of a cup of hot, frothy chocolate on a chilly evening! Yum!


Zoya-Nyssa


Veronica is described as a "brilliant red wine" creme. Knowing my penchant for wine/berry shades, it should come as no surprise when I say that this was one of my personal faves!


Zoya-Veronica


Ryan is described as a rich indigo blue creme. Inky, vibrantly deep and oh-so-sexy--this shade is great for any complexion!


Zoya-Ryan

Margo is a plum creme with berry/magenta undertones. Again, an instant fave! Love, love love!


Zoya-Margo


Genevieve is described is a slate gray creme. I know many of you love grays in the fall and this one is a beauty!


Zoya-Genevieve

Claire is described is described as a "warm, rich burgundy". Now, this polish was a surprise favorite. I wasn't really impressed with it in the bottle but once I put it on, I could NOT take it off! And I got several compliments from the normally oblivious teenagers at work!




So there you have it, my darlings! My review of Zoya's Entice collection for Fall 2014! If you want to add any of these beauties to your stash, you can find them on Zoya's website HERE for the price of $9 for a full-size, 0.5 oz bottle. Don't forget to follow Zoya through the social media outlets below :

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Pinterest
Youtube
Blog

Stay tuned because I will have the Ignite collection, the other half of Zoya's release for Fall 2014, on the blog soon!

Have you picked any of these beauties up? I'd love to hear which ones in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****










Hi there, my darlings! Today, I have a review of a product which is not only new but one that I have purposefully shied away from--a brow kit! As long as I can remember, I've had fairly thick eyebrows, like most of my fellow Indian women, and other than REGULAR threading to maintain their shape, I've left them well enough alone. But, over the years, I've noticed that all that threading led to a few ...bare spots. Sigh. There. I said it. So, naturally, when I had the opportunity to review the Billion Dollar Brows Best Sellers kit, I was really quite excited!




The Billion Dollar Brows Kit contains 4 essential components :

--A Brow Duo Pencil ; with a concealer end and a highlighter end

--A Smudge Brush

--A Dual-ended Brow Pencil--with a universal liner and a blending wand

A Brow Gel : Clear


USE : The application process is simple :

1. Apply CONCEALER in quick strokes to hide any imprefections or blemishes.

2. Apply HIGHLIGHTER on just the brow bone to accentuate and brighten your eyes.




3. Use the SMUDGE BRUSH to blend both in.




4. Using quick, upward strokes in the direction of hair growth, fill in your brows with the BROW PENCIL to the shape you desire.




5. Use the BLENDING WAND to create a more natural, even look by just sweeping across the brows.




6. Use the BROW GEL to sculpt and set your brows.




IMPRESSIONS : I ABSOLUTELY love this product and I'm kicking myself for not looking into brow products sooner! This handy little kit has absolutely everything you need to get cleaner, more defined brows without them looking too overdone. The application process is a breeze--if I, a clumsy eyebrow novice, could do it, so can you! Just a few quick tips though : a little goes a long way with the HIGHLIGHTER and don't be shy with the BROW GEL. Take a look at my results!




So there you have it, my darlings! If you would like to pick up your very own Billion Dollar Brows kit, you can find it EXCLUSIVELY at Kohl's HERE for the price of $34.99. Go get this! You won't regret it! 

For more information, you can follow Billion Dollar Brows through the outlets below :

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
Youtube


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****














O..M...G, My darlings! Have you looked at the bevy of Zoya beauties and wished that you could have a color of your own? Made by you? Named by you? Your own mad-scientist creation? Well, you're in luck! What would Halloween be with some fun cooked up by the Zoya fairies?!  Take a peek what they have in store for us this year!


Go Mad For Zoya & WIN*!


Are you "MAD" for Zoya?! Now's your chance to bring the color of your dreams to life! Step inside our virtual color labooooooratory (muahahaha) to experiment with color and finishes to "mix" your very own shade. The Zoya color animator offers various pieces and parts (finishes, opacity and hues) to play with - feel free to use the description section to elaborate on your masterpiece. Give your creation a name, submit it, and there's a chance we will bring it to life!

NOW - Thursday, October 31st(10:00am ET) Piece together your creation for a chance to have it custom created just for you! The highest voted shade will win, so don’t forget to share your creation with your friends and family after it's been submitted!


ENTER HERE




How It Works:

1. Go CRAZY! (You know we are) Create a custom shade using the Zoya Polish Animator
Name your creation and describe any additional elements you would add to the polish.

2. Submit (and don't forget to share!) your custom shade for a chance to bring it to life! Have more than one color you’re mad about? Create as many as you'd like!

3. One winner will be selected on October 31, 2014 at 9am EST


*Terms and Conditions
Purchase not necessary to enter. Valid Art of Beauty account required in order to participate. Enter NOW through 10/31/14 (9:00am ET). One winner will be selected and contacted by5pm ET 10/31/14. Please allow up to two weeks for production of custom shades. Winning shades will be created based on Zoya's Creative Director's interpretation of the description and cannot be returned, exchanged or duplicated at a later date.


I'm DEFINITELY going to enter a time...or twelve! Are you? Give me a hint as to what your thinking in the comments section below!

Until next time,
<3
B



Hi there, my darlings! The weather in NYC is pretty...dismal today. Rainy, windy, chilly, gloomy...you name it, we got it. And you know in weather like this, a girl just wants to curl back in bed and nap for an hour...or 15. But, since that's not going to happen what with work and being an adult and all, I'm going to distract myself...and you with a quick little review! Today, I want to show you one of Milani Cosmetics' Bedazzled Color Statement--Enchanted Garnet is one of two shimmering shades in this particular mini collection.


Enchanted Garnet is a blackened burgundy-red creme polish with tons of added shimmer and strong brown undertones in certain lights. No complaints at all on the application or formula--in fact, if you tend to paint in thicker coats, this could easily be a one-coater. The swatches below show 2 coats, topped with 1 coat of G&G's HK Girl to finish the look. If you're looking for the perfect sexy, vampy shade then you got to bring this home!






With flash, to better show off that shimmer!




So there you have it, my darlings! A perfect shade for Fall from Milani! These are available on Milani Cosmetic's online site HERE for the fab price of $4.99 each! You can also pick them up at select drugstore/retailers such as CVS, Walgreens and Duane Reade. Please remember to follow Milani Cosmetics on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM for all the latest news and updates!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****





Zoya-Ultra-Pixie-Dusts-Fall-2014


Hi there, my darlings! This afternoon, I'm really pleased to show you guys what has rapidly become one of my favorite collections from Zoya Nail Polish and Treatment--the Ultra Pixie Dusts for Fall 2014! Now, most of you who have been with me for awhile know that I love the color red--there's nothing sexier than a woman who has found her signature shade of red and knows how to rock it! This set of three consists of 3 sexy red shades--take your pick!


But before we get started, let's quickly talk formula and application of these polishes--as with my experience with the Pixies previously, the Ultra Pixie were a dream to apply! They went on smoothly and evenly, without being patchy or clumping together. They were fully opaque in 2 generous coats and dried in mere seconds. All my swatches below show 2 generous coats by itself, no basecoat, no topcoat. But then, I've also included a shot of them WITH topcoat for those of you who, like me, like the look of textures but not the feel so much--for these pics, I added 2 generous coats of G&G's HK Girl top coat to finish the look. Alrighty then! Let's take a look at Oswin, Noir and Arianna!


Oswin is a bright, true red textured polish with a matte finish and accented with large crimson hexes. A truly gorgeous shade of red!


Zoya-Oswin


Zoya-Oswin


With topcoat!


Zoya-Oswin


With flash!


Zoya-Oswin


Noir is a blackened plum textured polish with a matte finish and accented with large red hexes. This one just might have been my favorite of the three, though with three shades of red to pick from, I was very hard put to choose!


Zoya-Noir


Zoya-Noir


With topcoat!


Zoya-Noir


With flash!


Zoya-Noir


Arianna is a berry wine red textured polish with a matte finish and accented with matching hexes. Personally, I feel that this shade of red is very flattering for warmer complexions like mine so another winner in my book!


Zoya-Arianna


Zoya-Arianna


With topcoat!


Zoya-Arianna


With flash!


Zoya-Arianna


So there you have it, my darlings! My review of the sexy Ultra Pixie Dusts for Fall 2014 from Zoya! If you want to add any of these textured beauties to your stash, you can find them on Zoya's website HERE for the price of $10 for a full-size, 0.5 oz bottle. Just a reminder--the Zoya social media fairies are almost always releasing surprise coupon codes so be sure to follow them through the social media outlets below :

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Pinterest
Youtube
Blog

Which of these Pixies will you be making YOUR signature red shade? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!


Until next time,
<3
B


****Products were sent to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****



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