Spring Break Week: Beach Bum Mani

Happy Sunday!  I Hope that you are enjoying your weekend.  With the arrival of daylight savings, it is easy to get excited about the Spring!  This time of year always reminds me of my college days, when I would take a spring break trip to somewhere warm.  Now, as a 30-something mother of 2, Spring Break is just a great memory and something to look forward to again in about 15 years.  In the meantime, I am going to celebrate Spring all week on my blog.  This week is dedicated to spring trends, fancy nails, tanning products, and great drinks...everything you could want on spring break, minus the beach and rest.

To kick off Spring Break week, I polished my nails using Essie's Beach Bum Blu.  I picked this color for a few reasons.  First, I picked this polish because its tropical shade of blue reminds me of the ocean in the Caribbean.  It is a tranquil hue that invokes a feeling of relaxation.  The second reason I chose this polish is the name.  If you can't actually be a beach bum, why not wear it on your nails?  Finally, I chose this color because this spring blues are in!  Any shade of blue from baby blue, to turquoise, to navy are hot colors for spring.  So this week, go ahead and paint your nails blue.  You might find it has a relaxing effect and you will be right on trend.

Glitter polishes are also going to be a big trend this season.  Therefore, I added OPI's Save Me to my ring finger.  I hope that you enjoy this look.  Thanks so much for reading.  Have a great day and enjoy that extra hour of daylight!

Princesses Rule this Pink Wednesday

Happy Pink Wednesday!  I haven't posted anything on Wednesday in a few weeks because of the birth of my beautiful daughter.  Today, I am back and to celebrate her on this Pink Wednesday, I am wearing Princesses Rule by OPI!

I call my daughter Princess as she is so sweet.  Therefore, when I dug through my polish stash last night in search of a pink polish, Princesses Rule jumped right out at me.  I love the name, but also the color of the polish.  It is a light, shimmery shade of pink that looks so elegant on.  This OPI color is a very natural shade of pink, with just the right amount of sparkle.  It is soft, feminine, and pretty.  This polish looks great on my light skin, yet I think it is so versatile that it would look great on anyone including a bride on her wedding day.  It just has that special feel to it that I think would make any girl feel like a princess.

I hope you enjoy this look.  Thanks so much for reading and have a wonderful day!

More Charms for my Arms

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!  Today I just wanted to post a picture of my newest Alex and Ani Bracelets.  I have blogged about their bracelets before, but I am just such a fan.  These bangles allow you to customize your look and wear different bracelets and/or different combinations every day.  My darling husband, for our daughter's birth, gave me a gift card to buy whatever I wanted!  So yesterday, when I really needed to get out of the house for a few minutes, I stopped by the Alex and Ani store in Cranston, RI and I picked up two more bracelets. 

I wanted bracelets with my kids' initials on them, so I bought an M for Michael, and a J for Julianne.  I picked them up in gold because I think the two-toned look is so classy.  I just have to say that wearing these bracelets makes me feel special and a little bit more put together.  In the 2 1/2 weeks since my amazing little girl was born, I have lived in sports bras, sweats, and old t-shirts.  At least when I have my Alex and Ani bangles on, I feel more glamorous.  I even love the sound they make as they jingle on my arm.

In addition to the M and J bracelet, I am wearing the Love charm and the Emerald Luxe beaded bracelet.  Hope you like this look.  For more information about Alex and Ani, their website is www.alexandani.com 

A MANI TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF MY DAUGHTER

  Happy Sunday!  I am sorry that I haven't posted anything in three weeks.  However, it is with good reason.  My daughter, Julianne, was born on February 16th!  She is doing great but life is very busy with a newborn and a busy 2-year old boy!  I haven't had any polish on my nails in three weeks and have felt naked without it.  I finally got a few minutes last night to relax and do what I love to do...polish my nails with beautiful colors.  My color choice for this mani was an easy one...I used Julieanne, by Zoya!
 
Julieanne is a gorgeous jewel-toned shade of purple.  It has a pinkish-sparkle to it and is very rich and luxe.  I am a huge fan of jewel tones, and would have probably purchased this polish anyway, even if the name of it didn't have such significance to me.  The first coat went on very light, but by the time I went over it with a second coat, the color really intensified. 

To give my nails a little more pop, and to celebrate my daughter's birth, I used OPI's Save Me on my ring fingers.  As you know, I am a fan of ring finger nail bling, and I like to incorporate different colors into my manicures.  The silvery sparkle of Save Me reminds me of confetti and has a real celebratory feel to it.  Welcoming my Julianne into our family is cause for huge celebration!

I hope that you enjoy this one.  I look forward to getting back to the blog and posting on a more regular basis.  As a mom of two now, this blog is a nice escape at night.  Thanks so much for reading and I hope that you have a fabulous day!

A Ruby-Inspired Mani for Valentine's Day

Happy Monday!  Hope that you had a great weekend.  If you celebrated Valentine's Day early, I hope it was fabulous.  My husband, son, and I celebrated on Saturday evening, and therefore, I did my Valentine's Day manicure for our big night out at the Ninety-Nine!  I, of course, had to choose a red for my nails to celebrate.

I started this look by using China Glaze's Poinsettia.  Poinsettia is a classic, festive red that looks great for the holiday.  I used two coats of polish on my nails and the color was gorgeous.  However, I was craving some bling, so I layered MILANI Nail Lacquer Jewel FX in red over it.  What a gorgeous combination!  I found this polish at CVS, where the line has other colored glitter polishes as well.

The Milani polish is a bottle of red glittery goodness!  Its application was so smooth and I was quite surprised by that.  I have purchased drug store glitter nail polish in the past,and have been very unhappy with the results.  Milani, however, packs a good amount of glitter on the brush and therefore goes on the nail smoothly with a generous application of sparkle.  While I did apply a few coats of the red effect over the Poinsettia, it doesn't look too heavy and the glitter isn't too sparse. 

I was so pleased with the finished look.  When I look down at my nails, I can't help but think of Dorothy's Ruby Slipper from Wizard of Oz.  My nails got the attention of a few waitresses Saturday night at dinner too, which made me happy.  I hope that you like this look as much as I do.  I also hope you have a great Valentine's Day!  Thanks for reading.  

My Skin Saver

Good Morning!  Happy Friday to all of you.  This week, I wanted to write a review of my new, favorite products...Calming Body Wash and Calming Itch-Relief Treatment from Eucerin!  The last weeks of my second pregnancy have not been kind to me, or my skin.  I have developed a horrible skin sensitivity during week 36, that just causes me to itch all night long.  While my OB suggested Hydro-cortisone cream, it just wasn't working for me.  I felt like I was constantly applying it.  Therefore, out of solutions, I went to CVS and purchased these calming products by Eucerin. 

Once I got home from the pharmacy, I jumped in the shower to use the body wash.  It is a daily shower oil, and a very different consistency from what I am used to.  As a girl who loves products, I am used to foamy, lathery body washes that smell like coconuts or other exotic fruits.  Calming Body Wash is a fragrance free oil that is made with omega oils.  Once you work it into your hands, the product makes a nice lather.  Once I applied it, it felt wonderful on my skin.  It is soothing and feels so hydrating.  It helps so much with the itching too.  I have been using it twice daily in the shower and it definitely alleviates the itch.

After the shower, I follow up with Eucerin's Calming Itch-Relief Treatment.  This cream is amazing!  It is extremely hydrating and it does stop the itch.  My skin feels so soft and smooth.  The product is advertised as "Immediate Itch-Relief" and for me, it does provide just that.  It is made with an oatmeal formula and is gentle enough for use on children and people with sensitive skin.

In summary, I am impressed with Eucerin!  My OB, as well as articles online say that once my daughter is born, this itchy rash will go away.  However, I will continue to use these products.  I am a huge fan of self-tanner, but can now see the drying effect it has had on my skin.  My skin feels amazing now and I don't want that to stop.  Thank you Eucerin for saving my skin, and my sanity!  Being 9 months pregnant and up all night itching was no fun.  These products have helped with that.

Thanks for reading.  I hope that you have a wonderful day!

Pink Wednesday in my favorite pink polish

Happy Pink Wednesday!  I am so sorry that I have not posted anything to this blog in almost two weeks.  I have been so sick with the stomach virus.  I know that I am really sick when I can't even muster up the strength to paint my nails.  That is how I have felt since last Tuesday.  Anyway, since I am still not feeling 100%, this week, I needed to wear something on my nails that would make me feel better.  That color is OPI's LA PAZ-ITIVELY HOT! 

This bright, punchy shade of pink just evokes feelings of spring and summer and when I now look down at my nails, I do feel a bit better.  Just for a little flair, I paired La-Paz with Essie's Loophole on my ring finger.  I needed something a little different.  Plus, after having ugly chipped nails for over a week, it feels wonderful to have a little nail art on, even though it is extremely simple.  I really like the pink and silver color combination.  I think the two colors work well together, especially when the pink a darker shade. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope that you are taking good care of yourselves and are avoiding all the sickness that is out there right now.  Hopefully we are on the home stretch of winter and better weather and health will be coming to all of us soon.  Have a great day!