Incoco Nail Appliques

Since I love painting my nails of course I will try different nail things to share with everyone. I've heard about cool ways to do your nails without having to wait for anything to dry. And not worrying about messing up the designs you make when you're waiting. As a grade I will give this company, Incoco nail strip product an F. I tried everything and I mean everything for this product to work and it didn't work out. Basically you match each strip to the size of your nails and file off the excess with an emery board. That part was pretty simple, but once you file off the excess the sticker strip started ripping and not sticking. The company claimed to last for 2 weeks, I was so mad that I ended up taking it off in about 2 hours. I definitely don't recommend nail strips, honestly I would just stick with painting my nails the regular way. Or if you still want to try then adding a clear coat of nail polish on top, which kind of defeats the point.  Please, I beg of you stick with the traditional way of creating good nail art.

- Zakiyyah Mandisa

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Ouidad-Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream

I received a sample of this in my Birchbox awhile ago. It was really cool, something that could enhance my already semi-curly hair and define the curls so they would look better. I've also noticed that it makes my hair softer and there is no "crunch" to it like some gels do. One of the main ingredients is water, which means its very hydrating, yay! No frizz! I don't know if it works for people who have naturally straight hair, but I do know that if you have curls or waves the curl cream makes them better than ever. To me, there really isn't a scent, but its not fragrance-free, if that makes sense, the smell isn't awful and its barely noticeable. I've always thought a little goes a long way, but looking at reviews a lot of people recommend being very generous with this product.  I guess it depends on the hair type and length. Kind of off topic, the name," Ouidad" I found very strange, and six months later I realized I was pronouncing it wrong! If you look up Ouidad's website, they give you a lot of tips for your hair using their products. This brand has a lot of products specifically for curly hair, so if you need shampoo or conditioner, check Ouidad out. Anyway if you do to try this product, let me know how it works for you. 

- Zakiyyah Mandisa

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Garnier Fructis- Leave-In Conditioner

This was one of my first products from Garnier Fructis, and I’m really happy with it because I feel like it does do what it claims. There has been a lot of discussion on which is better, leave in or rinse out conditioner.  It depends on the hair type; leave in conditioner is better suited for people who have dry hair, because when you use the rinse out conditioner you’re rinsing out the moisture. I think this is one of the best leave in conditioners and it has argan oil, argan oil is really moisturizing, conditioning, and restoring. It’s good to use on color-treated hair, something everyone has these days.   On a really humid day, putting a little argan oil can tamp down the frizz, and it helps stop split ends. Garnier Fructis products are really easy to find I got this at Rite-Aid, and it was $4.99. At first the bottle seemed tiny to me, but you are only suppose to use a dime-sized amount at a time, so I found that it last quite a while. This particular collection is called Sleek and Shine, so they have a regular conditioner, hairspray, shampoo, and serums. And what they say is if you use all the products from the collection you’ll have a certain percentage of healthier hair, I don’t know if that’s true, but this is a really good leave-in to try. So what conditioners do you use? Do they work? Let me know! 

- Zakiyyah Mandisa 

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Microfiber Hair Towels

Whenever I would walk into a store like CVS, or Duane Reade I would see these towels, and wonder what they were. I didn’t really understand why I would use such a small towel to hold my wet hair. Then I bought one, it’s really simple to use and actually much easier than using a regular towel.  All you have to do is put your wet hair inside the towel, twist the long piece, and then bring the long piece to the back of your head where a small elastic band is. It’s like a small turban on your head, that you don’t have to hold with your hands. It’s lightweight, so you can walk around and do anything with the towel on your head, and it doesn’t fall off.  Also what’s great about this towel is, it’s made out of microfiber, microfibers have a lot of advantages. The first one being that it is really absorbent so you don’t have water dripping down your back once you put the towel on, but it doesn’t take all the moisture out of your hair, like a regular cotton towel because over drying can cause more damage to your hair. If you use heat to style your hair, using a microfiber towel would reduce your hairs drying time when using a blow-dryer, which means less frizz. Having one of these towels are a really good investment, I encourage you to pick one up!

- Zakiyyah Mandisa 

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Contacts vs. Glasses

I've had glasses since middle school and throughout most of high school. It started with a pair of wire rimmed burgundy glasses. By my sophomore year I upgraded to a trendy, black plastic frame. And finally as a senior, my parents decided that I was responsible enough to get contacts. It was something that I've wanted for so long and I was so excited. I currently use Acuvue with hydraclear plus which are two week disposables.
Since the switch, its pretty darn clear, I am definitely a contacts type of girl. I never felt comfortable with glasses and I hated the feeling of something sitting on my face. I also noticed that a lot of oil around where the glasses touched my face so I made sure to sterilize my glasses at least once a week. My hair always got caught in my glasses and sometimes it was painful to release them. Although contacts are definitely a lot more work, I enjoy them a lot. Every contact wearer knows that it's so important to keep your hands clean. I don't know that I've ever used this much soap in my life.
But not everyone likes the hassle. So what do YOU prefer? Glasses or contacts?
And if you have 20/20 vision, then lucky you.
(Lookie at my owl friends creeping in the photo)

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The Art of Nail Polish

Painting nails is something every girl does at least once. Personally, I paint my nails a lot,. What I do is change the colors repeatedly for one month, and then I don’t paint my nails at all for the next. But that’s the beauty of painting your nails, if you don’t like the color you can always change it, because it’s not permanent so that makes it really fun. Some people like to just put the color on, and leave it like that. But sometimes that can be boring; to snazz it up you can add a clear topcoat that has glitter/sparkles in it. You can make a design, all kinds of designs, a simple one like polka dots, or a really complicated design like a Christmas inspired one. By putting designs you get can get a lot of compliments on your work. Or if you’re too lazy or know you’ll mess up, you can buy nail polish that has a design already built in. For example, Magnetic Nail Polish, you just swipe it over your nail then hover the magnet over it, and BAM you get an instant design. Another example would be crackle nail polish, you swipe it over your nail and it cracks in a few seconds, showing the color before the crackle application. Also, you can use nail strips which can be easier to apply because it won’t get messed up.. I never really realized how much nail polish I had until recently, but it is something I enjoy doing when I’m bored, and it can also be really relaxing when someone else is doing it for you.  Don’t have any design ideas? Check out cutepolish on www.youtube.com.    

- Zakiyyah Mandisa 

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November Birchbox 2012

So finally my Birchbox arrived, Birchbox operates from New York so the shipping was a little messed up due to Hurricane Sandy. Birchbox is a monthly subscription service that sends you 4-5 beauty samples each month for $10, its available for males too. Since its Thanksgiving Birchbox included a reusable gift envelope for the recipients to give to a friend, family member, or stranger with anything inside. I think it’s great how Birchbox gives us the opportunity, and I’m definitely going to participate in it.

Product Spotlight

I received:

 Stila: all over shimmer liquid luminizer

The sample size is what I generally expect and it’s an actual beauty product you can use every day. This product is really shimmery, and you can put it anywhere on your face. There is a color to it, but I like to blend it to make it more natural.

MCMC Fragrances-Phoenix

Most people don’t like perfume samples, but I actually do because it lets me try out different scent that I could use if I liked them. And the they’re a decent sample size so if you feel like you don’t like it, you can give it away or if you do like it, be able to wear it for some time. This scent, Phoenix is sort of musky made with Neroli flower and vanilla. Not exactly my cup of tea, as I’m the type of person who favors the fruit scents.

Kiehl’s Crème de Corps

This lotion is great; it has no scent which is great for people with sensitive noses like me. It absorbs quickly into the skin, and is enriched with cocoa butter, and sesame oil. So it is also moisturizing. I am really pleased with the products I got this month. Want a Birchbox? Visit www.birchbox.com

Zakiyyah Mandisa 

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Burt’s Bees: Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

The first time I discovered this product was when I was over a friend’s house. She had a whole gift package from Burt’s Bees, so we were looking through it. I came across this Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, so naturally I wanted to see what it smelled like. The scent of lemons in this cream is so apparent, and it smells really good. We rubbed it on our cuticles, (between the skin on our fingers and nail bed), and we had healthy hands for months. That’s actually what sold me on getting this product myself, because it actually did what it advertised. This cream helps get rid of hangnails, something everyone gets a time or two. Hangnails usually happen when our skin is dry, so we have to keep our hands moisturized so this won’t happen, because a hangnail can be painful after awhile. This product also helps brittle nails, so if your nails crack easily then this will make them a lot stronger. Every product has some flaws, so one con for this product is how hard it is to get the can open, you really have to dig deep to get the top of the tin can off. Also, when you first put the product on, it feels greasy, so you have to wait a few minutes for the product to really sink in. Sort of like the feeling you get right after you get your nails done, waiting a little bit to feel comfortable with the “weight” of the polish or for it to dry. Nonetheless, I loved this product so much, I’ve even hit pan on it! Check out other Burt’s Bees products if you’re into things like all natural ingredients.

- Zakiyyah Mandisa 

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Do YOU like green tea? Check this out

From left to right: Lotus, Tropical, Green Tea (original), Cherry Blossom,
Summer, & Exotic

I feel like the most attractive and hygienic thing a girl can possess is a wonderful scent. You know, when that girl walks by and you can smell that perfume trailing behind her. I mean no one likes smelling our teenage body odor anyways. 

In the photo I've featured perfumes by Elizabeth Arden. I've been using them for years and they're nothing short of amazing. Green tea is such a unique and universal scent because it's so soft. This series of perfumes is school appropriate and a perfect everyday perfume. They're not too over powering, it's definitely not the kind of perfume that makes you gag if you smell too much of it. I'm sure that all girls will find at least one in this photo that suites them. Of course with 6 different bottles of the series, there will be some variation but green tea is always the main note.

My personal favorites is the original (which is almost gone) and the green tea cherry blossom. They're not too overly floral but at the same time it gives a very clean scent. However, this isn't the laundry type clean like the Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana which I also own.

Another reason why I absolutely love these perfumes: the price. They range from $35.00 - $40.00 dollars which isn't bad at all for a Sephora quality perfume. Think about it, most perfumes at Sephora range from $60.00 - $100.00. Unfortunately, Sephora does not carry Elizabeth Arden but this amazing perfume can be found at most department stores (including Ulta).

It's sleek glass bottle and signature leaf detailing also would look great where ever you decide to place it!

- Kristin Liang

Photo by yours truly 

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