My very First NOTD with Wet n Wild Craze Rustic

Hello Everyone,

You might or might not have noticed that I've never ever EVER do any NOTD posts. The reason for that is very simple, I am extremely, to the point of hiding, self conscious of my nails.  I've been a nail biter for years, starting with kindergarten, and I remember teachers and kids calling me out on it and making fun of me. This whole thing continued way into high school when I briefly stopped for a year or two, but then I started dating one total dufus and nail biting came right back (and that's when I figured out it must have been stress related). Fast forward several years, I broke up with him and stopped biting my nails again unless I'm under severe stress. Now I have to REALLY watch myself, making sure I have no broken nails or snags or ANYTHING that would make me want to pick and bite. I carry a whole arsenal of nail files in my purse so that if something happens, I can quickly file my nail and trick myself in to NOT biting. Let me tell you, school work overload is not good for my nails. :(

Another reason why I'm so selfconcious about them is because I naturally have small hands, with short fingers, with short nails. Well I sure can't help it there and I could blame genetics, but what would that do? So instead I'm slowly starting to accept my nails for what they are, short and square :) And finally the third reason is because I'm TERRIBLE at applying nail polish! I always get those annoying bubbles, and I think I know why they are there (because I apply too much polish, but I haven't mastered the art yet). It's ok though, I've been using nail polish off and on for couple of month and I'm getting better with the application process. There is still hope for me yet! :)

Anyways, here is my very first NOTD with WetNWild Craze nail polish in Rustic!

Usually our base store is behind on everything and anything, and not surprisingly they didn't even have a display for these. I found this polish randomly out of place among other Wet n Wild polishes and made sure to grab it. I think in US you can get these from Walgreens and whichever other places sell Wet n Wild, but unfortunately I don't even know if this particular range is still available.

I love this shade! It definitely lives up to its name, except better because it has sparkles! :) This is how it looks after 3 days of wear, without top coat (I choose not to apply top coat, because all I have take too long to dry and I haven't gotten around to getting the good one yet). As you can see, there are no chips and the color is gorgeous!

Two coats or Wet n Wild Craze Rustic

My only complaint is the bottle. While I think it is so stinking cute, the brush is just too short and it makes it hard to apply. I much prefer Wet n Wild less cuter, but more user friendly FastDry polishes. Even so, if I had access to these I would buy more in a heartbeat!

What do you think? If you're in US, have you tried any of these?

~ Lyuba

BirchBox vs. GlossyBox

Hello my lovely readers,

I am in a unique position where I live in UK, but still have access to some US stuff that I can buy in store and online. One of those things is BirchBox, which is US equivalent of GlossyBox. I decided to subscribe to BirchBox after I got my June's GlossyBox when I was so mad and disappointed I was very close to cancelling the whole service. So here is the comparison between the two July boxes.

 
As you can see, the first major difference is the size. I gotta say, GlossyBox packing is so much nicer and even bigger. I'll keep both boxes, but GlossyBox will last a lot longer. Another difference is the timing, GlossyBox is sent out at the end of the month and BirchBox at the beginning. Actually this month I got my GlossyBox over a week late because it wasn't sent out at all. So after talking to 3 other people on twitter (they had the same thing happened to them), we all emailed to GlossyBox and got told that Royal Mail didn't mail our boxes and they will sent the replacements out right away. They did, and I was very impressed with the customer service. Of course I wasn't very impressed with the wait, and then it got delivered on Saturday but I was sleeping so I had to wait till Monday to pick it up.

It is hard to compare these boxes objectively, but I figured because both of them were pretty special I could try. July BirchBox was a collaboration with Cynthia Rowley (please don't shoot me but I have no idea who she is, other than she must be a big shot. Ok, I google her, she is a big shot) and GlossyBox really outdid itself.

So this is what I got in BirchBox: 

KIND Almond & Apricot bar - YUMMY! Didn't expect that in the box, but supposedly Cynthia Rowley always had one of those in her bag. If I had access to it, I would buy it again in a heartbeat! 

 Redken Shine Flash - I'm not really sure what that is lol. Guess I'll just need to spray it on my hair and see. (the bottle doesn't have any instruction, and the  description says that it gives hair a brilliant finish)


AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream - I actually used this before and I love it. I would buy it if I had access to the brand and I'm not feeling like ordering it online at the moment.

philosophy Purity One-step Facial Cleanser - I always wanted to try philosophy, so guess now I can. :) 

Zoya Touch Collection Nail Polish in Shay - I wasn't very impressed with the shade until I applied it. It looked much better than I thought it would!

And this is what I got in July's GlossyBox: 

Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil - I never used body oils before but I love this stuff! It smells wonderful and I am pretty sure it will make my skin nice and hydrated if only I use it regularly like I'm supposed.

Blink+Go Ultimate Effect strip Lashes Tempress - I would have probably picked those for myself. 

Ciate Nail Enamel in Kitten Heels - how did they know that I would love the shade and the name? I am not very impressed with the application, but that could just be me. I'm terrible with applying nail polishes but I"m learning. 

Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Conquer - my first Illamasqua product and I don't know if I want to use it. I already have pretty of other pigments and I don't want to open this one up only to have it sit around not used. I probably save it for a giveaway.

Etat Libre d'Orange Eau de Parfum in Archieves 69 (not imressed with the scent) and Like This (now I like the smell of that!)

As you can see it is hard to compare when GlossyBox had 4 full size products this month, but overall I am more excited about BirchBox because they promised to deliver me luxury samples and they did without going hit and miss like GlossyBox did last month. There were less samples (I don't count the snack bar, although that was nice), but they do promise to give you 4-5 samples each month. And they also don't promise to increase the price only 3 month after launching. I will be cancelling my GlossyBox in September, but I think I will stick with the BirchBox.

What do you think? Would you subscribe to either of those boxes if you could? 

~ Lyuba

Wet N Wild Summer Contest Honorable Mention

Hello my Funky Readers,

In the past two weeks my online classes were kicking my real life behind, so I had not had much time OR motivation to post anything, plus my usual monthly 'depression' came about right around last week so I definitely didn't want to post anything. Until today, when I got a DM message on twitter from Wet n Wild saying that I got their honorable mention! I think my bad mood took a hint and disappeared and this week I will be able to post as usual! :)

Yup, that would be me right there in the top left corner :) And this is the Look I've submitted to them back I don't even remember when. Lets just say I completely forgot about the contest until I've heard from them today.

Before anyone asks, this contest was open only to US residents. It's no secret that I live in UK now, but as US military stationed in UK, I am still considered to be a US resident, so I didn't cheat or break any rules by entering.

Well it's time to go back to much dreaded pain in the butt schoolwork  again. :(

~ Lyuba

REVIEW: Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! Mascara

Hello my Funky Readers,

I'm long overdue with this review, I think I had photos taken AND edited (let me hear you do a collective GASP now) for at least two weeks... but I have to admit that I find it very hard to write reviews. Because everyone is different, and what works for me wouldn't not work for you. That's why I rarely review makeup, and try to stick to stuff that either work... or don't. Like makeup removers and face creams. Oh wait, just talked myself into a corner, face creams could be different for anyone out there! Oh well... guess I'll have to start reviewing makeup items too now.

Today I give you Tarte's Lights, Camera, Splashes! mascara which I got in the gift set that my brother got me for Christmas. Sadly I don't know if Tarte is available in UK... so to all my UK readers, I'm sorry!!! This is a sample size by the way.

What they say: 

Lights, Camera, Splashes! Waterproof Mascara
What it is:
A waterproof lengthening, curling, volumizing, and conditioning mascara.

What it does:
Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! 4-In-1 Waterproof Mascara's waterproof formula gives you the bombshell lashes you love, and is guaranteed to stay put through rain, sweat or tears.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates

What else you need to know:
This mascara contains Skinvigorating™ ingredients such as beeswax, a natural waterproofing agent, mineral pigments, known for their soothing and softening properties, and carnauba wax, an emollient wax that ensures smooth application.

Size: 0.24 oz

Black:
Isododecane, Aqua, Pentaerythriyl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PVP/Eicosene Copolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polybutene, Cera Alba, Cera Carnauba, Alcohol, Polyquaternium -10, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides (CI 77499).

What I say: 
First of all, I would have never bought this mascara for two reasons: 1.  It's waterproof, and after years of wearing waterproof mascara I realized I don't care for them! Mascaras never run on me (even in high heat), I don't go swimming in them, I don't go to the gym in makeup, when I cry I don't care how I look  and I've heard that they also very bad for your lashes. So I'm using it because I got it as a gift in a gift set, which I had little control over. 2. The price, $19 is a little steep for me when I can get a nice mascara for under $10.

But the packaging, oh the packaging! I'm glad that I've never saw it in full size in person, otherwise my above "never" would have turned into maybe.  And now that I spy that Tarte has a regular version too.... but the packaging is not as cute :(

So aside from this mascara being waterproof I am actually very impressed with it! Although there is nothing special about the wand, I don't know what is this "patented dual-wand technology" they are talking about because by looking at it you won't see anything different from any other mascara wand on the market (that are not those silicone type wands I mean).

But when I apply it, this is where I can see the difference! The wand is actually pretty long and narrow, so it is able to coat almost the whole length of my lashes. Even the bottom ones are not as big of a problem, as I usually have with other mascaras, because this wand is narrow enough to coat them without messing up. I love natural but dark look to my lashes, so I only apply one coat of mascara (by one coat I mean I keep applying it while it still wet. Does that count as one coat? I always think that 2nd coat means applying mascara after 1st coat completely dried, and I rarely do that). This mascara doesn't clump (love, love, LOVE!!) and makes my lashes look oh so long, and dare I even say full? The thing is, I do have long lashes.... you just can't see them because they are so light, so I need something extra to help them show up. I wear glasses, and my eyelashes actually touch the glass!!!!! How cool is that? A little annoying that I have to wait until mascara is completely dry before putting glasses on, but I think it's a minor thing.

I think it's also decent with delivering a curl too, although I think my eyelashes are naturally curly so somebody with straight lashes will have to comment on that. As far as their conditioning claim goes, I don't know... by the time I'm done trying to remove it I bet all the conditioning properties are going out the door.

Please excuse my left eye (on your right), and what looks like mascara failing to deliver. It is not, it is Lyuba who is failing to apply the mascara just as well on the left eye. I always, always, always have trouble applying mascara to my left eye and I'm incredibly jealous of anyone who can! I resigned myself to forever have uneven eyelashes, but thankfully no one can see it from far away and those who do get close enough, generally don't care :P After all, I can always use fake eyelashes for a uniform look! Or I can just practice, practice, and practice till I get the left eye right too!

The wear is good too, if there was any fallout I didn't notice it. I usually wear makeup for 10+ hours, and when I was taking it off everything was still there. It does stay!

Overall I'm very pleased with this mascara, it delivers what it says it would (lengthening, volumizing, and even curling) at least for me. Sorry Tarte, but I still won't buy it on its own, but I wouldn't mind getting it in a gift set again. I would recommend it to anyone who has fair lashes like me and wants them to stand out, and who is not afraid of waterproof mascaras.

Available from Tarte and Sephora for $19.

Have any of you tried this mascara? What do you think? 

~ Lyuba

When I Feel Lazy EOTD

Hello my Funky Readers,

While I was deciding which palette to choose for my next 7 Days Palette challenge, I was feeling pretty lazy and uninspired so I took a lazy way out with my eye makeup, aka eyeliner only. I probably should have taken pictures, because I did several looks and at one point I was sporting some pretty crazy and almost tribal designs.... but alas, this is the only look I bothered to take photos of.

As you can see, there is nothing special there except the red dots. I love adding those little extra things to spice up regular eyeliner look.

Somebody needs more practice applying liquid eyeliner...

In case you're wondering, I've used GOSH Long Lasting Eye Liner Pen in Brown for the main eyeliner. Don't remember the name of the red dots one, but it's by Urban Decay and I picked it up at TKMaxx so it's probably discontinued anyways.

What do you do when you're feeling too lazy to use any eye shadows?

~ Lyuba