TPDTY: You Need a Cuticle Stone

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Cuticle StoneCuticle Stone, $1.79

There are a zillion-and-one guides and tutorials out there on how to give yourself a DIY manicure. Beyond the plethora of guides, there are probably thousands of different execution methods you could employ to achieve the same results. Damn few, however, mention taming crazy cuticles and eponychium with a cuticle stone.

It’s always, “gently push them back with an orangewood stick.” That isn’t wrong – it’s a good and gentle method that prevents you from removing living tissue. Those dang cuticle nippers that professional manicurists whip around like a magic wand are SHARP – and I don’t know about you, but they’re a challenge to use. It does not, however, help you remove any dead tissue that adheres to the nail plate like a cuticle stone can.

If you do your nails even semi-regularly, for under $2, can you really afford not to try one?

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Tan Talk: St Tropez

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St TropezSt Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse, 8oz for $42

I haven’t been quite as committed to sunless tanning this year as previous years. I’ve had less time to dedicate to beauty rituals in general! When I got a deluxe sample of St Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse, I was a bit excited – it’s a self-tanning cult classic, after all. Beyond that, mousses tend dry faster than lotions…and patience is not one of my virtues.

After showering and doing the necessary prep (shaving, exfoliation, etc), I gave the little bottle a shake and grabbed my application mitt (ain’t nobody got time for orange palms).

Initial Reaction

Everyone, including me, is surprised by how markedly green the foam seems upon first dispensing the foamy mousse. It isn’t a true green, of course, but there’s definitely green pigment in the formula – the rationale is that it helps offset any orange hue that would otherwise result.

Is it… scented? Oh, no, why?! Research indicates it wasn’t always – but now it features fragrance notes of bergamot, green apple, lavender, rose, jasmine, tuberose, musk and wood. One of my requirements for a tanning product is that it does not have added fragrance. I discuss my, ‘requirements,’ and how, “self-tanner smell,” isn’t the product but the result of DHA reacting with skin in my old post about Million Dollar Tan.

Application

I always use a mitt regardless of the type of product, but it isn’t optional with a mousse. This stuff dries fast. Almost too fast – if it’s your first time with a mousse, I’d say you have a 50/50 shot of getting it right the first time. I’ve even used a mousse product before, but St Tropez dries even faster than Vita Liberata.

Top Application Tip: Work in smaller areas than you would with a lotion. With a lotion, I’d do an entire leg or arm at a time. With mousse, do lower and upper separately.

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Lighting in Sephora

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Lighting in Sephora

Over the weekend, I went to get matched to foundation. As usual, ColorIQ was neat but ultimately useless. I was looking to try the new Makeup Forever Ultra HD; we tried 117, 118, and a third I can’t recall. 117 seemed to be the best in the (fluorescent!) lighting in Sephora.

The sales associate eagerly asked if she could, “go grab one of those off the shelf for (me) today.”

GirlWoman, please. You work here. You should know better than anyone that the lighting in Sephora is god awful for getting an accurate shade match.

I know it isn’t her fault; she can’t control the lighting. The store has metrics to meet. I get it. But it’s worse for the bottom line for a customer to buy a foundation, have it be wrong, return it and then take a hit on the loss.

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Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette

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Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette, $15

If you’re like me, the idea of shelling out for a Sigma Spa Glove is uncomfortable. It isn’t that there’s anything wrong with it as a tool, I just prefer to allocate my beauty budget to other things. Fortunately, the Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette that is 1) inexpensive, 2) gets the job done, and 3) does not require a ton of storage space. I thought I published a post about this back in June, but when checking my archives, it was nowhere to be found – so new photos and a rewrite it is!

For I while, I was (ridiculously) using the lid of a Ziploc container lid to help agitate cleanser into my bristles. Did it work? Sure. It’s a frugal solution, and it worked well enough. But then I was misplacing lids (oops)…it was time to get a dedicated tool. I picked the Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette on sale at Ulta for $8 (regularly $15) and have gotten a TON of use out of it in the last three months. I use Cinema Secrets for quick-changes, but brushes do require proper washing from time-to-time…so I recommend both methods to keep your brushes clean

Easy to Handle

rt_palette_holder

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Naked Basics vs Naked2 Basics

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I am not a self-proclaimed, “beauty guru.” I’m not here to convince you that I, “totally love,” or that you, “definitely need,” every damn beauty product under the sun. That said, I do enjoy neutrals quite a lot and (probably) own more than I need (insert excuse about variety being the spice of life here). When I was shopping, ages ago, for a small neutrals palette, I was disappointed to find new resources comparing Naked Basics vs Naked2 Basics.

Naked Basics vs Naked2 BasicsNaked Basics vs Naked2 Basics
bottom to top because I make sense

If you’re trying to prioritize Naked Basics vs Naked2 Basics and decide which (if either) to buy, take a look at the swatches from my archives.

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Gelish ??

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Since Christmas 2012, I have tried a ton of different gel polish brands. In the beginning, I was disappointed by the general lack of variety made available to consumers. Back then, Gelish seemed to have the best range (in my opinion) of colors. Naturally I bought a zillion, eagerly taking advantage of rare buy one, get one free – or the rarer still buy one, get TWO free.

Strike One: Get it Together, Gelish!

Gelish has a lovely pink called Go Girl. It was one of my first from them. It went on fairly well with only minor tip-shrinkage (requiring a flash cure; common, not a dealbreaker). Unfortunately, within just a few days, it faded. WTF?

As it turns out, this is common with several other shades, including It’s a Lilly.

To date, I have not experienced this with any other gel polish.

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