Product Spotlight: Fresh Sugar Lip Polish

Happy Monday, everyone!!! It's a new week and today I've got a new product to talk about... Well new to me, that is. It's the Sugar Lip Polish by fresh. 
Here's the thing... I got a deluxe sample of this and two other fresh items for free when I placed a Sephora order online. I figured why not give it a shot, I LOVEEEE a good lip scrub. If you have read any of my past blog posts, you may have noticed I talk about a particular homemade recipe for one repeatedly. It is a Mint Cacao Scrub and it's THE perfect, ultimate, holy grail lip scrub to which all other lip scrubs are compared... Unfortunately for this particular one. 
I broke this little guy open about a week and half ago- yup, I'm bringing you a review THAT quickly- when I ran out of the one I had been using. I like to try new  products out and I have been using the DIY recipe for almost 8 months now. Here's the "claims" straight from the source, fresh:

Photo taken from www.fresh.com

My initial reaction to the fresh polish was "this is not gritty enough". I get that this is supposed to be "gentle", but I didn't feel it doing anything. At all. How does this exfoliate??? My second thought was "why is it so oily???". I mean SUPER greasy feeling. Not a smoother, moisturized, hydrated feeling. More like a my-lips-are-covered-in-slimy-oil-feeling. Typically, I put on a lip scrub. Rub it in for about 30 seconds and then rinse it off. With this, I rubbed for about a minute and then spent another minute washing the grease off my chin. Ick. Lastly, I must mention the scent... Not good. It literally. Just. Smells. bad. Considering that the lips are directly below the nose, you'd think cosmetic companies would try to make all their lip products nasally appealing... or at the very least, UNSCENTED. Despite all these red flags and being the product junkie that I am, I continued to use the scrub over the next couple days...
And that's when I noticed TWO big problems. One, my lips were dry, chapped, and flaky. Unlike anything I have ever seen before. I was so uncomfortable and no amount of lip balm was curing my shedding, peeling, bleeding(!!!) lips (I even doubled up on my water intake to make sure I wasn't dehydrated, I was not). Now I have always liked to use a lip scrub because I love wearing lipstick which tends to dry out the lips. So I have occasionally had teeny-tiny flakes that I use my scrub to combat, but this... This was not teeny-tiny, these flakes were pea-sized. It was terrible. The second problem I had was a breakout, on my chin. Basically when I would try to wash this oily mess of my lips, it would seep down onto my chin. And apparently my chin was none too thrilled about this. It responded with those mountainous pimples that sit under the skin and do nothing but cause you pain. 
Needless to say, this scrub went straight into the trash. And a brand new homemade Mint Cacao scrub (recipe here) is sitting on my bathroom counter as we speak. I used it last night and already my lips are feeling better. I honestly have never had such a bad reaction to a product before. Has anything like this every happened to you? Let me know in the comments!!! Until next time... xoxoxo

*All reviews, opinions, and thoughts are my own. Just because a product does/doesn't work for me, does not mean the same will happen for you.*

The Little Bit of Everything Tag!

I love watching and reading other people's answers to tag's like these so I decided to do it myself! Feel free to leave your answers in the comments below or do the tag on your own blog and let me know! xoxoxo
1. Do you keep up with the Kardashians? On and off, right now ON.
2. If you could have an old muscle car which one would you choose? A mustang.
3. Do you curse like a sailor when the camera isn't rolling? Well I don't usually have a camera rolling, but the answer would be the same regardless... Always. 
4. If your significant other gave you a 'Hall Pass' who would you use it on? Be honest. Hmmm... My first thought is Channing Tatum (like so many others...) but then I remembered Mark Sloan from Grey's Anatomy... McSteamy. Yummm.
5. What is one thing you do that you hate to admit? I tend to overreact. I hate admitting that, but it's the truth.
6. Do you really brush your teeth in the morning and at night? Be honest. I do NOW, but I didn't brush at night until recently.
7. What is your go-to drink at Starbucks? Venti Iced Coffee with Non-fat milk. And I bring Truvia with me. ;-)
8. Is your current hair color your real hair color? Yup. I haven't died my hair in years... But I'm itching to. I just hate the maintenance that goes with it all...
9. If you could swap bodies with someone, who would it be and why? Jlo. Need I say more?
10. Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey? If so, what did you think? Of course. Are there people left in this world who haven't? Honestly, not a fan. I found so much of the books repetitive. It drove me insane.
11. Do you crack your knuckles? Yes. So bad, I know.
12. Have you accidentally text messaged someone something you were suppose to be sending to your special someone? Yes! But it wasn't anything racy. It was something not so nice. And I sent it to THAT person. OMG. But truth is truth.
13. Have you ever created a fake profile to creep on someone? No! Who would do that?!? I mean really... coughMyBestiecoughcough...
14. Which is your weakness- cookies or pastries? Cookies. Nomnomnomnomnom.
15. What do you love about yourself? Everything. Duh. Just kidding... Probably my sense of humor. I crack myself up.
16. Do you have to match your nail polish to your toe nail polish? No. In fact... I can pretty much guarantee they almost never match. 
17. Tell us a few things about you that people would be surprised to know about you. I don't think there is much that would surprise anyone. 
18. Heels or flats? Wedges. They give you height without the balancing issues...
19. If you could do anything for one day and money wasn't an option, how would you spend your day? Dream big. I'd shop. A lot.
20. What was the last YouTube video you watched? ItsKeerstin- My Drunk Haul. I love her. She is hilarious. 
21. Do you have road rage? Yes.
22. What is your favorite Rock 'n' Roll song? Rock n' Roll?!? Ummmm... Oh! Here I Go Again by Whitesnake (That's Rock n' Roll, right???)
23. Who was your first kiss? Do you still talk to them? A boy named Matt, and occasionally on FB.
24. If you could have one YouTubers closet whose would it be? Marlena from Makeupgeek.
25. If you could have one YouTubers makeup collection, whose would it be? EmilyNoel83 just for the sheer vastness of it.
26. Do you have a nickname? Stevie. Long story short, there are toooo many Stephanie's in this world.
27. What do you think is the best thing about your YouTube channel? The fact that I don't upload! I use it just to watch. I am a voyeur. But not the creepy kind! Wellllll... Maybe a little creepy. Lol.
28. How many cars have you had? What were they? '96 Buick Regal, '01 Honda Civic, another '01 Honda Civic, and now an '09 Honda Accord.
29. What's your favorite pizza? Thin crust with bacon!!!!
30. If you could only have 1 lipstick for the rest of your life which lipstick would you choose? Mac. It's more affordable than most high end and there are so many different colors and finishes to choose from. 
Until next time!!!

#ManiMonday!!!

In honor of my new favorite WEEKLY holiday, I have a #ManiMonday post for you...
If you know me, or if you follow me on IG (@the_wonKy_brow), than you know I am OBSESSED with nail polish. Seriously, OBSESSED. In the last year or so, I removed my acrylics (which I had FOREVERRRRR) and started doing my nails at home. Now... I'm not a professional (YET. I'm working on that though) but I try... and I enjoy it... and it makes me happy. 
So without further ado... Here are some of my favorite manis:

Current #ManiMonday
Ombre on the Left, Water Marble on the Right (still practicing both, not as easy as they look) done with Essie's Playdate, Boom Boom Room, and Romper Room

Here's a few things I've learned in the last year... 

1. It's all about the brush. Wether it's eyeshadow or nail polish, it is ALWAYS all about the brush! So try different brands and find one that you are comfortable with. I prefer a flatter, wider brush (Rimmel 60 Seconds is a good example of this) especially because I'm an amateur.
2. Not all polish was created equal. And just because it's more expensive, DOESN'T mean it's BETTER. I love Essie... For their color selection. Formulation wise, eh... They kinda suck. My nails will chip within 24 hours. And sometimes you need three coats to reach the optimum level of opacity. THREE... Do you know how long that takes to dry?!?!? I can't. I just can't. Right now, my favorite polish for their formula is Julep. I also like to use nail wraps. I am a fan of Jamberry. They are much more high maintenance and more expensive than the Sally Hansen ones you can get at your local drugstore. BUT, they last a lot longer and are more durable than the drugstore versions. 
3. Take your time. It's Murphy's Law... If you're in a rush, you're gonna mess up. And always, always, always... Pee before you polish. Not trying to be gross, it's a simple truth. Nothing messes up a fresh manicure like a potty break.
4. Just like dogs, the polish can sense your fear. Relax, it's not life and death... So if you do screw it up, just start over. 
5. You don't have to cover your ENTIRE nail. Start a little bit above the cuticle and away from the nail grooves so that you don't get polish on the skin all around the nail (I still have trouble with this).
6. If you do get polish on your skin, use a short eye smudger brush dipped in acetone to remove it. Because these types of brushes are usually shorter and smaller, you can really get into the nail grooves to remove your renegade polish.
7. YouTube. There are a bazillion nail tutorials out there. For everyone, even the beginners. I like to watch MissJenFABULOUS. I also like to search Instagram and Pinterest. Everyone is obsessed with nail art right now. Finally, a trend that truly touches my heart...
8. Scotch Tape is for more than wrapping paper. You can use tape when doing nail art to get straight lines. Polish your nail. Let it dry (thoroughly). Place a piece of tape on your nail at any angle and polish again. Remove tape, instant nail art. Once you've tried it a couple times you can get a little more fancy... Like making triangles. Ohhhhhh yeahhhhhh. ;-)
9. Lastly, don't be scared. Have FUN and be creative. What's the worst that can happen?!? 

Xoxoxo...

Trash Talk! August Empties...

Another month, Another pile of trash... Let's just jump right in...

Bath and Body Works Villa Bergamot three wick candle. It's one of those scents that comes and goes with all their different sales. I'm sure it will be back, and when it is, you NEED to check it out. It smells delicious. It smells like... Man. I said that to The Boyfriend and he looked at me like I was crazy. But once you go smell it, you'll understand. Hempz Vanilla Plum body lotion. I loved this lotion. It just smelled nice. Not overwhelming. Just Nice. And the lotion it's self was great. Not too thick, not too thin. It was juuuuust right. (I sound like Goldilocks). It blends right into the skin and it moisturizes. I'm sad it's gone and I would definitely buy it again... Once I've run out of the hundred-slight exaggeration-or so other body lotions I have. European Wax Center's The Exfoliate. Ok. Soooo... I go every month to EWC for my wax. And every month they try and sell me products. You'd think after almost two years they'd realize, I AIN'T BUYIN'. Just wax me up and let me go... Howeverrrrr. My girl said "let me show you..." and put this stuff on my hand and gave me two samples to try at home. This right here... It's a must have. It is a gentle exfoliator. You use it on DRY skin, rub it on in circular motions and literally watch the dead skin peel up and away. The best part is... You can use this on your face (I mean come on, if it's gentle enough for your schmundi, than it's gentle enough for your face). So if you have sensitive skin and can't use those harsh exfoliators, go check this out ASAP.

Lush's SuperBalm Scalp Treatment. Ummmm. No. I bought this hoping it would help with my flakes (yes, I have flakes. It sucks and it's a battle I'm currently losing, so if you have any suggestions PLEASE mention them in the comments below). It did not. It did nothing in fact. Except stink. And go bad. It was a greasy mess and I just hated using this. Matrix Exquisite Oil Shampoo and Conditioner. I got these samples packs when I placed an order on Ulta.com. I usually love Matrix products and hate having these little samples lying around so I used them right away. And then I dumped them out. These left my hair feeling sticky and dry at the same time. I don't know how that's possible, but somehow these managed to do just that. I wasn't willing to try them again to see if that was a fluke. #nothankyou Stila All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner. I have a love/hate relationship with this liner. I love the fact that it has an easy-to-use marker-like tip, I love the formula, I hate the way the tip frays. This liner would've lasted me longer but the fraying tip just ruins it. There's nothing like a winged liner with an extra little branch coming out of it... Really though, this would be an amazing liner that would last a long time if only the tip was as durable as the formula is. That's all I've got this month... Thanks for reading and I hope you follow me on BlogLovin' and Instagram!!! Until next time...

Is Ipsy Worth it???

Short answer: YES. 

Longer answer. My favorite day of the month is the day I open my mailbox and see the famous pink bubble mailer in it. It just makes me happy. 

Ipsy is a beauty subscription service (formally known as MyGlam) that you sign up for. It costs $10 a month and you receive 5 sample, trial, or full sized products plus a cute lil' cosmetic bag. Every month is different. When you initially sign up, you take a beauty survey so that they can gear the products you receive to your specific likes/dislikes (no worries though if your preferences change, you can retake the short quiz anytime to update it). This isn't a guarantee but it helps. There is a wait list once you've signed up, however, I've been told if you "share" that you've signed up on FB it significantly decrease the amount of time you are on said wait list. 

Now I'm not gonna lie... I have not loved the products I've received EVERY single month. It can be hit or miss. But I'd say I'm extremely happy 90% of the time. Even when I don't love the items I've been sent, the value is still worth more than the $10 I've shelled out. Also, it's a great way to learn about or try brands and products I wouldn't normally choose for myself. 

Another cool feature Ipsy has going for it is the IpsyPoints system. You can earn points a couple different ways. One, sharing on FB (gives you 5-10 points). Two, reviewing your glambag every month (gives you 10 points for each item you review). Three, when a friend uses your referral link to also sign up for Ipsy (250 points every time). Once you've reached 1000 points you can then redeem for a number of different items. I just redeemed mine for the first time. I chose a cheek/lip stain and mineral bronzer from bellapierre cosmetics that I should receive next month (I am unsure if these items are full sized or not- but since I am going to start a monthly Ipsy blogpost, I'll let you know as soon as I receive them).

So what came in my GlamBag this month, you ask? Take a look...

Cute silver bag with silver studs.

September Glambag "Street Style"

Pacifica Nail Color in Red Red Wine (Full size. $9 value)
Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask (1oz sample size. $4.95 value)
Crown Brush Infinity Eyeshadow/Crease Duet Brush (Full size. $6.99 value)
NYX Hot Singles Eyeshadow in Velvet (Full size. $4.50 value)
Cailyn Air Touch Tinted Lip Gloss in Basic Instinct (Full size. $19 value)
I'm extremely happy with this month's products. The bag is adorable. I love getting nail polish. I'm excited to try the deep conditioner (I've never heard of the brand, but it smells great). I've always wanted to try Crown Brush brushes and this gives me TWO. I love NYX, love their eyeshadows and this is a great neutral shade. The lipgloss is a decent size and color, I just don't love lipgloss. I'll pass this one along... But 4/5 is a solid "A" for me.
Here's a collage of some of my past Ipsy bags, decide for yourself... Is Ipsy worth it???

If you are interested in signing up for Ipsy you can do so here. Like I said previously, this is a referral link and I will receive points if you choose to sign up through it (Disclaimer- I am not sponsored, endorsed, or affiliated with Ipsy. I was not paid to write this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own).
Are you an Ipsy subscriber? Is there a better subscription service out there?? Let me know in the comments below! xoxoxo

Life Happens...

I know, I know... I have been AWOL. But I swear it's for good reason. Two good reasons actually. One is that August was an extremely chaotic month with having to get FOUR kiddos ready for school. Four supply lists, Three Meet-N-Greets (Yes. We missed one. For shame...), end of summer camp stuff, all kinds of crazy. But we got it done.
The second reason isssss... I started school. Esthetics and Nail Technician. I am going to be a Full Specialist. I am soooooo excited. I have been wanting to start beauty school for a loooong time now. And finally I made the decision to just DO IT. No more waiting... And regretting...  I am starting with the nail portion of the class and will be focused only on nails until November when the skincare portion will begin.  I am attending school three days a week (until Esthetics and then I'll increase to 4) because, again... with four kids and The Boyfriend's work schedule, things are hectic. 
I just finished my first week so there isn't tooooo much to say, yet. The school is a technical school and so you pretty much learn at your own pace. It's not like "regular" school where everyone starts at the same time and works on the same chapters all together and then takes the test the same day. It's much more individual. Which I like. Some girls started right away practicing their nail art "skills", while I prefer to get all my book work and tests out of the way. So when I get back on Tuesday I will already be taking the test for chapter 2. #boom
Also really random but I've had the song All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor STUCK IN MY HEAD for three days now. Cuz I mean, really... I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble. ;-)
So that has been my little life update and where I've been. I know I'm late but I'll be posting my August Empties shortly, I also have a Product Fail for you guys and a Beauty Tag post coming up. So I have been working on some stuff, please don't be too mad at me for the lack of content. Life tends to happen. xoxoxo