I am so, freaking beyond excited! TopBox started a new product review program called Glam Sense, and I was eligible for one of their first campaigns! The campaign that I was eligible for was Teeez Trend Cosmetics. To be honest, I had never heard of this brand before I joined the Glam Sense program. I did some digging around online and found out that it is an online based makeup company, and the products are often featured by TopBox and in Ipsy subscription boxes. According to Teeez's site, they were launched in 2004 and are a European brand that is high-end and focuses on self-expression and individuality.

I received my package in the mail today, and I am so stoked with the product that I got. The product arrived in a box like the one in the image above, and inside was a lipstick. I don't know about you, but I fracking LOVE lipstick. However, my boyfriend doesn't like it. I try to wear lipstick out of the house when I'm not with him whenever I can because of this.

The lipstick that I got was Teeez's Read My Lips Lipstick in the colour Roulette Red. The Read My Lips Lipstick, according to their website, retails at $22 USD which is pretty decent considering that they are considered a high-end cosmetics company. The lipstick applied surprisingly effortlessly, and had very good pigment. I was actually blown away by how easily the product could be applied for the amount of pigment that it gave. The product boasts a long lasting, 8 hour formula, a unique satin matte finish, and highly pigmented coverage. Also, according to the product page, Read My Lips Lipstick contains added coconut oil extract to nourish and hydrate your lips. Let me tell you, this product was not a let down, and I am really impressed with it.

After receiving my product, I explored the Teeez Trend Cosmetics site to try and find a link for the lipstick to share with you. However, despite my best efforts, I cannot find it. I found only one Read My Lips lipstick listed on their site, and it was not the Roulette Red that I received. Instead, I found the colour Killing Me Softly, which in and of itself is still a really beautiful coral colour. I thought that perhaps it was a new colour, hence why it isn't listed yet. However, I searched the far nether-regions of Google and have found that beauty bloggers have been discussing this product since October. I'm kind of disappointed to find that this product isn't more easily accessible to purchase. And to top off my disappointment, I looked at their shipping page only to find out that the company only ships within the continental United States. Well ain't that just peachy? I personally don't understand why TopBox chose a product for their Canadian campaigners to get excited about when we can't purchase it for ourselves, unless of course we happen to have American postal boxes.*

*Update: Teeez Cosmetics can now be purchased at Hudson's Bay which is great news for any Canadians who are interested!

I'm still really impressed with this lipstick. I'm glad to have been apart of this campaign and to have tried this product. I love this lipstick and if it ever becomes more accessible to us Canadian beauty bloggers, I'll be sure to boost this product to any lipstick lover that I cross paths with. In the mean time, if you're from the States and reading this, you're in luck! This lipstick is amazing and I envy you, your postal service, inexpensive shipping rates, and that you can have everything that I love and I can't. I hate you. JK. But seriously, why do you guys get all the good things in life? I'm seriously jealous.

Overall, I love this lipstick, and I recommend it to anyone who loves long-lasting, beautiful pigment. Thank you again to TopBox, Glam Sense, and Teeez Trend Cosmetics for letting me be a part of this campaign and for letting me try this product. I love it so much and can't wait to possibly be part of your future campaigns. #TeeezinGS

So everyone at my work has been telling me about how great the True Blue Spa 60-Second Manicure Scrub from Bath & Body Works is, and I finally decided to cave and get it for myself. It retails for $13 CAD, and the True Blue Spa and Aromatherapy selection of the store is 99% of the time Buy 2 Get 1 Free (The only time when these selections aren't for this promotion is when there is a special on these products).

This product is a sugar based scrub that helps your skin feel baby-smooth. It's a pink sugary goop that smells pleasantly like grapefruit. The website promises that the product will "make quick work of dull, dry skin and ragged cuticles to give even the most mani-deprived hands a taste of soft, smooth, spa manicure perfection- in just one minute." This product is incredibly easy to use. I start by scooping out a small dollop of the sugary goop and massage it into the skin. You'll notice the scrub start to change consistency from the sugary goop into a rich, thick white lather as you massage your hands. Be sure to pay special attention to the rough areas of your skin.


I bought this product to help repair my cuticles. This past weekend was Black Friday and my cuticles were beyond damaged from opening so many boxes of product at work (ayy, retail life!). This product made my hands feel absolutely amazing after application. Like the name of the product suggests, it is literally a 60 second manicure. I counted to 60 while massaging my hands, and at the 60 mark, all of the sugar crystals had been dissolved. After rinsing, my hands felt incredibly soft, and my cuticles looked as if they'd been repaired almost entirely after the weekend's box-opening ordeals. However, although the product creates a baby-softness for your hands, you can feel that some of the skin's moisture has been stripped away from the application. I would strongly recommend using your favourite moisturizer after this product's use. My favourite products to recommend after usage are Bath & Body Work's Ultra Shea Body Cream or True Blue Spa's "Look Ma, New Hands" Super Softening Hand Lotion. The True Blue Spa lotion is a great way to top off your perfectly pampered hands because it is formulated with paraffin, olive, avocado, and apricot oils as well as antioxidant vitamin E. This product is a fantastic scrub that effortlessly reveals hands that look and feel as though they've spent all day at the spa. Another great thing about this product is that it's not tested on animals!

If you feel as though this product is getting a little 'up-there' in price range, there are also usually coupons that you can use on top of the Buy 2 Get 1 promotion. You can get these coupons from previous purchases, through your email subscription with the store, or via their Facebook page (remember though, if you're in Canada, make sure that you are subscribed to the Canadian emails or that the coupons are from the BBW Canada Facebook page). The most common coupons that you will probably receive are $10 off a $30 purchase. Occasionally, there are also 20% off your purchase coupons. If you find that the product is a little too expensive for your taste, using the coupons is a great way to shave back some of the price and make it a little more affordable. This is an especially comforting note because the product container is only 5oz, and a recommended usage is once day. I chose to use this product sparingly and treat myself to the treatment once every couple days.

All in all, I really enjoyed this product and would highly recommend it to anyone who needs assistance in repairing damaged hands and cuticles. My hands feel soft and my cuticles look repaired! If you still need some persuading before divulging in this product, you can read the testimonies of other users here, on the Bath & Body Works product page.

Hey everyone! I know this product isn't nail related, but whenever you try a new product you have to put your two cents in, right? I won this product from the Remington Ready Facebook page. I enter so many contests that I forgot I even entered this one! This product is supposed to be a more effective way of brushing your wet hair. You basically pour your favourite conditioner inside the brush, then press down on the dispenser while brushing your hair in the shower. Easy as pie way to condition your gorgeous locks, right?



According to the product's page on the Remington website, here's what the product promises:

"The Remington Conditioning Brush solves irritating hair issues! Just pour your conditioner into the reservoir, and work the flexible rubber bristles through your hair to detangle and condition all in one step! It works great in the shower and with all hair types.

• 4x More Effective Conditioning*

• Flexible Detangling Bristles

• Conditioner Reservoir with Removable Cap

• Dispense Button

• Use in Shower

• Works with Any Hair Type"

So as compared to normally conditioning your hair and then brushing after exiting the shower, this brush is supposed to condition and detangle your hair before you dry it.

Here's the down low: if you have short hair, this brush isn't for you. I have mid-length hair that's just past my shoulders and I feel like if I had longer hair it would be a bit more effective. I only just got a hair cut, so my hair is easier to brush than it was before as it is. So if you have long hair that's tricky to brush when wet, then this brush may be a good detangling option. Nonetheless, even with my mid-length hair, I found that this brush did make my hair a little easier to brush when I got out of the shower.

However, I found that you have to really load this brush up with conditioner in order for it to be effective. I had a quarter of a bottle of OGX conditioner left in my shower, and I had to put ALL of what I had left in the brush in order for it to dispense. And even then, only one of the three holes on the brush is dispensing at this point. I feel as though the main downfall of the product is how much conditioner you have to put in the brush in order for it to dispense evenly (i.e. a crazy freaking amount).

Final say on this bad boy:

If you have long and tricky-to-brush hair, then this product may be a great alternative for detangling lovely locks. However, for me this product is more of a nifty gadget than a necessity. I think I'm going to finish the conditioner that I currently have inside and then wait for my hair to get longer before taking another stab at this product.

Last month, I received COVERGIRL's new Super Sizer Mascara to test and review for free (#GotItFree). I've been using it for the past 15 days now, and my thoughts have not changed much since my first review. Perhaps it would be best to say what I have to say in point form:


- The brush has short bristles, which is something I'm not used to. However, the length allows for close access to the roots of your lashes, which is where you begin to get all that great volume from.

- Because the bristles are shorter than long-bristled mascara wands, they do not scratch at your eyelids. Ugh, how do I explain that in a nicer way? Basically with my old mascara, I would apply my eyeliner, then mascara, then have to reapply my eyeliner because the mascara brush scratched away at the liner. Does that make sense? With this mascara, I haven't had that problem at all!

- This mascara also comes in a waterproof formula! As a prone crybaby, this is a score for me!

- This mascara is inexpensive! It averages $6-8 depending on where you buy it from. And this week, I got it on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart for $6, plus I used one of the $2 coupons that I received from BzzAgent, as well as $1 cash back on CheckOut 51... Making it only $3! Talk about a steal!

- The product boasts 400% more corner-to-corner volume. And holy geez, it gives my lashes crazy volume! My barely-there blonde lashes have been hard for me to define with past mascaras. With The Super Sizer Mascara, I can easily give my lashes insane volume and gorgeous definition.

- The method for applying this mascara is super simple: load the wand, start applying from the root of your lashes to the tips, and twirl or rotate the wand as you apply. That's it, and it's so darn easy.

- I can usually achieve the desired amount of volume that I want in one application, saving me some time in my morning makeup routine as compared to my old 2-3 application mascara.

In summary, this mascara is worth your time to keep an eye on (ahahaha... eyes. Cause it's mascara?? Okay, I'll stop. That was a bad joke). But seriously, I've decided that this product is my new go-to mascara. And that's not me giving a shoutout because I got it for free. I'm actually super impressed with this mascara and if you don't believe me, just take a look at my before and after shots below!

I received COVERGIRL's new Super Sizer Mascara to test and review for free this week. And let me tell you, I'm quite impressed by this product.

I usually like thicker wands, and Rimmel Scandal Eyes Retro Glam is/was my ultimate go-to mascara for volume and definition. However, Covergirl's product is worthy opponent as far as volume goes. Applying this product is simple: you load the base, twirl the wand upward, and receive intense volume. The product boasts 400% more corner-to-corner volume, and my lashes currently look so intense that it looks as if I am wearing false lashes. It could maybe use a wee bit more individual lash definition, but this product is pretty fabulous. This mascara also comes in a waterproof formula! As a prone crybaby, waterproof mascaras are very important to me. I'm 100% sold on this product.

Hey everyone! Sorry for not posting in a while. I've been busy with a new job that I am absolutely loving!

So recently I've been stumped for nail art ideas, and my boyfriend had the fabulous idea of painting all of the faction symbols from Divergent on my nails. I didn't want to use a black polish, so instead I used a dark navy blue shade called After School Boy Blazer by Essie. The shade ended up being perfect for this design! This design took me about an hour and a half (i.e. I painted my nails throughout two episodes of Pretty Little Liars). I had a lot of fun painting this design and I'm really proud of how they turned out. I hope that you enjoy the design as much as I do!

Alright ladies and gents! A few months ago, I noticed that peel-off base coats (among liquid palisade) was becoming a trend in the world of nail art. I figured that I really wanted to try out a peel-off base coat and found NYC's Strip Me Off base coat at my local Target (before it went bankrupt and went out of business). It varies in price depending on where you go. According to NYC's website, it retails for $1.99 but I know that my local Walmart has NYC polishes 2/$3. Before I get into the details of how this product worked out for me, I'm going to quote what the NYC's website says about this product:


"Now changing your nail effects is as easy as slipping out of your dress!

Work on Wall Street, show on Broadway and then rooftop party in Central Park? As a truly fashion New Yorker, you might want to change outfit for each occasion all day long. Just STRIP OFF your glitter or color polish easily in only 1 step to reveal your nail ready for a new manicure. No remover needed! Yes, now it’s truly possible to add a stylish final touch to your outfit every single day.

Benefits:

• Easy to peel off
• No remover needed
• Provides instant removal
• Fast and easy change of colors and effects nail polish
• Ideal to switch your manicure every day
• Dries quickly
• Protect your nails
• Smoothes rides and imperfections in nails"

This peel-off base coat is essentially glue (I'm not even kidding). The product looks and smells like Elmer's glue. Online, I've seen a few nail artists adding water-based craft glue into empty nail polish bottles to create their own peel-off base coats. The product is supposed to be applied until it becomes transparent, but I find that if you do it too thick then it stays opaque and tacky. I wore glitter on my nails for a few days before removal, and let me tell you, removal was a pain in the butt. If you can recall chipping off nail polish out of boredom during a movie or a lecture, imagine that, but with slightly more ease. It took me a couple minutes to fully chip away the polish on just one nail. After that, I figured that using regular nail polish remover was easier to use. I wouldn't recommend peeling off your nail polish anyways because it can remove the actual top layer of your nail bed, which weakens your nails. It can also result in white patches and textural irregularities. This product was a flub for me, but it was less than $2 so it wasn't a big loss.

If you want to see how the base coat applies and how I struggled to remove my glitter polish, be sure to check out my review below:

Alright, so as you may know, the Born Pretty Store sent me some products to test and review for them. This is the second time that they have requested me to test products to review, and I'm always pleased with my purchases from their store. They basically sent me a link to products that they want reviewed, and let me pick 3-4 items that total up to $12. Born Pretty Store offers a wide variety of nail accessories and tools for inexpensive prices, and they also offer FREE worldwide shipping. It's hard to go wrong with their products, especially for such low prices (Plus free shipping. How can you go wrong with that?! Shipping costs an arm and a leg on most sites when you live in Canada).

So a few months ago, I painted these gorgeous Sailor Moon nails! My nails were a little on the short-side. You can take a look at my pointing finger and note how crooked it is because it chipped. If there's anything I could change, it would be the bow. I would have outlined it instead.


*I noted the white polish used, but usually I don't post the white and black polishes that I use. The main reason being is that any white or black polish will do for any design. I really have no brand preference. Sometimes I even use acrylic paints instead.

A couple years ago, I got fed up with people viewing men and nail polish negatively. Let's be honest, who really cares if a man wears nail polish? Shouldn't everyone have the right of freedom of expression? I recently received a very sweet Ask in my Tumblr inbox, and felt that it was worth a share. I really want all of you to remember that makeup and nail polish are all about confidence and freedom of expression — regardless of sex, gender, or whatever.

Alright, so as you may know, the Born Pretty Store sent me some products to test and review for them. This is the second time that they have requested me to test products to review, and I'm always pleased with my purchases from their store. They basically sent me a link to products that they want reviewed, and let me pick 3-4 items that total up to $12. Born Pretty Store offers a wide variety of nail accessories and tools for inexpensive prices, and they also offer FREE worldwide shipping. It's hard to go wrong with their products, especially for such low prices (Plus free shipping. How can you go wrong with that?! Shipping costs an arm and a leg on most sites when you live in Canada).



The stickers that I chose come on a large sheet, and you can choose either gold or silver stickers. I chose silver, because I find that silver is easier to pair with other colours. I should note that the full-nail stickers can be too wide for your nails, so you may have get a little creative when using them. The picture below features all the stickers you would receive on one full sheet.

Hey everyone! The Born Pretty Store was so generous and let me pick out some products to test and review for you all for free! They gave me a budget of about $12, which allowed me to pick 3-4 items from their website. Born Pretty Store offers a wide variety of nail accessories and tools for inexpensive prices, and they also offer FREE worldwide shipping.

These stickers are very pretty, and retail at $3.99USD. You can find the product here.

If you guys watch my YouTube video on the application, I make this look pretty easy, however, here's the down low:

This product looks super sparkly and glamourous in the lighting, but if you take a quick glance at it, it's sparkles galore. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but the product image that Born Pretty store uses on their product page is definitely not as sparkly as this.

Hello! Welcome to my blog. It is currently in the works right now, so excuse the mess! You can still find me with ease on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram (@blondiesnails), as well as YouTube (+Christina R (Blondie's Nails)).