Workout Fusion and Giveaway!

So for about a year now I have been a workout addict.  I hit the gym about five days a week and either do cardio or a variety of different fitness classes (my favourite is Group Power).  I find that if I miss a day I just feel so off; I’m pretty sure that I have an addiction or something, it’s weird.

Anyways, recently I got a Fusion Power Bandz to help with my fitness.  Basically what the band is is a silicone bracelet that is infused with tourmaline, germanium, silicone, and titanium (only the PRO model has the titanium).

Okay, say what? Let me try to break this down for you regular folk.  The key ingredient (in my opinion) is the tourmaline which emits negative ions which are healthy for you.  The negative ions are medically proven to provide a variety of health benefits including increased blood flow, balanced serotonin (a neurotransmitter that is found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets, and the central nervous system. It is known as the “happiness hormone”), increased energy and focus, and better sleep, among others.  The band is also supposed to relieve all kinds of body pain and increase energy. Click here more information about the technology and benefits.

Alright, so I know what you are thinking, sounds like a gimmick right?  Does it actually work?  Well, I myself don’t have any pain, so I personally couldn’t tell you if the band relieves pain, however, with that being said, I did let my mom try it out for a week or so and she said it actually does work.  My mom tends to get foot cramps at night and after a few days and nights of wearing the band (it is recommended to wear it all the time for it to work properly) she did say that she didn’t experience any cramps at all and she managed to sleep peacefully throughout the night.

As for the other benefits it promotes, I do find my balance to be much better when I am working out.  In group power we often have to do tons of dynamic lunges and stretches that require a lot of balance and usually I have to hold on to the wall or I’m wobbling all over the place.  With the band I have noticed an increased sense of balance and more sturdiness.

So how is this band different from those other ones out there?  I personally couldn’t tell you because this is pretty much the only one I have ever tried.  I can say though that it actually works.  There are medical studies to back it up as well as a variety of athletes that endorse the product.  The thing that is the most special about it is the minerals in the actual product.  Everything about it is supposed to help you health-wise.  From the silicone to even the hologram sticker, it is made in such a way to help your well-being (and the fact that it comes in cute colours is a plus in my opinion).

Sorry for the blurriness! Damn you auto-focus!

So where can you pick one up?  Well, they are available in a variety of different colours and two versions (FUSION Dual Hologram Ti and FUSION PRO Ti – the model with the titanium) and are available on their official website.

Ziggy loves his Fusion Power Bandz!

And now the fun part!  I am giving away a Fusion Power Bandz Dual Hologram Ti band in white (valued at $30 CDN) to one lucky reader!  The contest is open internationally from now until July 31, 2011!  To enter all you got to do is subscribe to my blog!  How do you subscribe you ask?  Look to the right of this page and where it says “Want Regular Updates? Subscribe!” click on the Sign Me Up button, enter your details, and you are all set!  If you want a double entry, then leave a comment below with your summer workout tips!  I would love to read them!  The winner will be chosen by random.org.  Good luck!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  Contest is open from July 7 – 31, 2011.  Winner will be contacted by August 6, 2011.  If the winner does not reply with their particulars by August 10, 2011 another winner will be chosen.  Contest is open internationally to both male and females.  If a male wins, the colour of the band may vary (due to sizing issues).  The winner will be chosen by random.org.

Please note that I have absolutely no affiliation with Fusion Power Bandz.  I do not work for the company and paid for my own personal band with my own money. The prize band was given to me for a giveaway from the company but in no way did that affect my opinion on the product.  I purchased my band about a month and a half ago so I have sufficiently tested it out and seen it’s benefits.

Beach Sexy

Hi all! I am getting mighty lazy updating this thing!  Well actually it’s not just all laziness, I’m kind of super busy some days too.  Anyways, I went to my friend’s pool yesterday and I thought that I could incorporate that somehow into a blog post.

I recently watched a video on YouTube by Promise Phan (dope2111), Michelle Phan’s sister-in-law.  If you haven’t checked out their videos, then get on YouTube now (of course after you read this post!). Basically what Promise did was a waterproof tutorial using products that should stay on after some fun pool time! (You can check out the video here).  I totally got inspired to create my own look and see how good it would actually hold up, one because I was curious and two, I’m going to Vegas again at the end of August and plan to just bake in the sun all day.

I used a number of products that I thought would stay on after vigorous pool time and that would have an SPF so I wouldn’t burn.

I apologize, all the photos in this post were taken on my iPhone, hence then quality difference.

So let’s get to it!

For the face I tried out e.l.f.’s Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20.

My mom recently picked this up at Target and I thought that because it had an SPF in it it would be great.  The moisturizer is very sheer, so it doesn’t present a lot of colour, but I mean that’s fine because you are going to be in the water anyways and you don’t want your face to look cakey.  And, for you tanners out there, I found I did have to apply sunscreen on my face throughout the day to prevent burning.

For blush, I chose a cream product.  Cream tends to stay on better under water than a powder, it’s something to do with the formulation in the product.

I’m not a cream blush user because I find the product hard to work with.  I prefer a powder one because I like just taking my blush brush, swiping it on, and then I’m good to go.  The only cream blush I seemed to have in my collection is this mini one from Clinique that I’m sure I got in a gift with purchase.  It’s the Blushwear Cream Stick in 01 Glow Blush which is more of a bronzy colour, which is perfect for the sun and beach/pool.  All you got to do is dab it on your cheeks and then blend to perfection.

Next is eyes, which is my favourite part!  Just like the cheeks, a cream eyeshadow is preferred, however, because I don’t have any cream eyeshadows I grabbed my trusty Urban Decay Primer Potion and dabbed that on my lids instead.  I then chose Half Baked from my UD Naked palette for my lids.

I chose a gold colour because it’s very summery and perfect for the pool.  Looking back now, I totally should have lined my lower lids with a blue colour for that extra pop of colour to the look (MAC’s Surf, Baby! collection has an excellent waterproof blue eye liner).  You can of course choose to use any colour for this look, its not just limited to golds.  However, with that being said I would definitely use an eyeshadow primer if you are going to use powder eyeshadow.  There are a variety of them out there other than Urban Decay’s (Two Faced Shadow Insurance, MAC Paint Pots, Benefit Stay Don’t Stray, etc.)

To finish off the eyes I used a waterproof gel liner.  You can choose to use whatever liner you choose whether it’s a pencil, liquid, gel, or shadow, but make sure it is waterproof!

The eyeliner I used was Sephora’s Waterproof Smoky Cream Liner in the colour Must Have, which is just a matte black.  I like this product because it’s very creamy and goes on jet black.  I personally don’t find a huge difference between gel liner and liquid liner, if I don’t want my liner to smudge then I will go with this one, otherwise I usually stick to my MAC liquid liner.

To finish up the eyes grab your waterproof mascara and coat those lashes!  Like I have mentioned before, I have eyelash extensions so I don’t use mascara and they stay curly in the water anyways.   I am in the desperate need for a fill though!

For the lips I chose a lipstick with an SPF in it.

I grabbed my Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in the colour Fetish Pink (# 8).  This lipstick has an SPF of 15 in it so it has you covered for the sun (at least for a little bit).  I think that the lips are often the most overlooked when it comes to sun protection (for me), so you always want to make sure that you have some sort of lip product that offers a SPF.  If if comes in cute colours, then even better!

Alright, so that is all that I applied, here is the finished look.

I thought this look was very bare, it focused on the eyes and lips to create a pop of colour.  For my everyday look I use foundation and concealer, so I felt very natural without it.  And, I fully expected the lip colour to vanish throughout the day (which it did).

With my face being waterproof and full of SPF, I grabbed my sunscreen and shades and I was on my way!

Don't forget sunscreen! I like Hawaiian Tropic's Sheer Touch in SPF 15!

Alright, so now let’s fast-forward five hours and see how the look held up!

As you can see the lipstick vanished (although not as bad as I thought it would, there was still a hint of colour.  The eyeshadow and liner stayed on very well, however, there was some slight smudging under my eyes.  The tinted moisturizer wasn’t that pigmented so it wasn’t that noticeable to begin with before and after, and as for the blush it didn’t seem to make it.  However, if I used a more full-coverage foundation then the blush/bronzer would have been more noticeable.

Overall, I think the look worked.  I believe that Promise mentions a Maybelline foundation in her video to use, so if you want something with more coverage then give that a try.  I totally think the eyes worked and would definitely use these products again.

Let me know of any products you know of that hold well under water!  Also, keep a look out on my blog in the coming days and weeks, I have some very exciting news coming up!

Beauty Savvy: MAC Pro Palette

I got my first MAC eyeshadow when I was about 15 years old. I purchased it at The Bay in Eaton’s Centre in Toronto and the colour was Pink Freeze, a frosty iridescent light pink colour, which I actually still have.

Since then I have collected a few more over the years, not a ton though because MAC eyeshadows are quite expensive in my opinion.  They are almost $20 CDN ($17.50) and you only get one.  Now as we all know, one eyeshadow is not a lot.  You need a base colour, a crease, highlight, accent, and if you really wanted, a eyeliner colour as well.  That’s five colours and if you buy five of them from MAC that will set you back $87.50 CDN.  That’s a lot for only five eyeshadows (albeit that they do last you a long time).

Enter the MAC Pro Palette.  I discovered this beauty a few years ago when my city finally got a MAC store.  Previous to the store we only had the counters at The Bay where you had to buy the eyeshadows in the pan or you can buy the special edition palettes.

Colours from top to bottom, left to right: Carbon, Soot (pro colour), Black Tied, Cosmic (limited edition), Satin Taupe, All That Glitters, Sketch, Indian Ink (pro colour), Trax, Pink Freeze, Beautiful Iris, Phloof!

So what is it?

The Pro Palette is a palette (available in either four or 15 slots) that you put your MAC eyeshadows into.  It has a variety of benefits; it keeps your collection together in one handy tool, it’s great for travelling, perfect for organizing, it looks cool, and best of all it will save you money.  The individual pans for this bad boy are $14 CDN or $11 USD.  The potted eyeshadows cost $17.50 CDN or $14.50 USD. Let’s do some math here.

Let’s say we were to buy the 15 slot palette ($17.50 CDN, $14.00 USD) and 15 shadows to fill it:

CDN: 15 x 14 = 210 + 17.50 = $227.50

USD: 15 x 11 = 165 + 14.50 = $179.50

Okay now let’s compare that to just the eyeshadows alone if we were to buy 15 of them.

CDN: 15 x 17.50 = $262.50

USD: 15 x 14.50 = $217.50

Therefore:

CDN: $262.50 – $227.50 = $35 (the cost of two potted eyeshadows)

USD: $217.50 – $179.50 = $38

I’m in no way a mathematician but clearly the Pro Palette saves you a ton of money on eyeshadows.

When you buy the colours they come in the panned version with a magnet on the back to stick in the palette.  There will also be a label that says the name of the colour.

So with all these pros there has to be some cons right?  The Pro Palettes and the pans to fill them are only available at the MAC stores or MAC Pro stores (stores that sell the Pro line colours and products), you cannot get the pans or palettes at a MAC counter (like in The Bay).  Most of the major cities across Canada have a MAC store, but for those who do not and only have a counter you can order online through the MAC website.  Also, the limited edition colours are only available in the potted form (some counters will tell you differently, the colours I have ever wanted were unavailable as just the pan).

So what if I have a ton of potted eyeshadows?  Well, luckily there are tons of videos on YouTube that show how to depot your MAC shadows.  They are actually quite easy, all you need is a hair straightener, some wax paper, and a knife.

Once the pans are popped out you can add a magnet and sticker and write the name on the back and stick it in the palette, it’s that easy!

And that’s not all! You can take the empties and if you have six MAC containers you can take them back to a MAC counter and exchange them for a lipstick of your choice, or at an actual store, an eyeshadow, lipstick, or gloss as part of the Back to MAC program.  It’s just win-win all around!

One more to go before I can get a free product!

I personally love my Pro Palette, I think it’s a super handy tool and it keeps my eyeshadows all organized, and not to mention, saves me money!

If you have any questions regarding the palette leave me a comment below!

A Day in the Sun!

Hi all!  So I have had requests for Ziggy to do a guest post, and when I sat down and discussed it with him (well kind of) we decided to do a photo blog instead!  It was pretty hot this afternoon so this is what Ziggy did.  Enjoy!

Ziggy has a dog house which he never ever uses (unless you count retrieving his ball from inside it).  Today because it was so hot we decided to set up his pool in front of it.  So yes, he has a house with a pool outside of it.  Lucky guy, huh?

It got so hot that he decided to take a dip with his favourite ball.  He gets pretty hot with that large winter coat he always wears.

Ziggy isn’t that much of a swimmer so he decided to go tan instead on his towel… he’s rather white…

Too sunny!!! Can’t see!!!!

Time to go inside now!  I’m hungry!

I hoped you liked this post!  I was a request and I always like taking photos of Ziggy.  Leave me a comment if you want other photo stories!

Help the World

So a different post for today.  As some of you may know, I manage my blog through WordPress.  Yesterday when I was looking at the different widgets I could add to make my blog better and cooler one of them caught my eye, SocialVibe.  Basically what SocialVibe is is a mechanism for using social media content to create donations for charities.  I thought this was such a cool way use marketing tools that basically everyone uses to formulate money for charities.

The charity I chose is the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an organization that is dedicated to protecting the future of nature.  From the WWF website:

For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF’s unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.

Mission

WWF’s mission is the conservation of nature. Using the best available scientific knowledge and advancing that knowledge where we can, we work to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth and the health of ecological systems by

• protecting natural areas and wild populations of plants and animals, including endangered species;
• promoting sustainable approaches to the use of renewable natural resources; and
• promoting more efficient use of resources and energy and the maximum reduction of pollution. 

We are committed to reversing the degradation of our planet’s natural environment and to building a future in which human needs are met in harmony with nature. We recognize the critical relevance of human numbers, poverty and consumption patterns to meeting these goals.

Goal
By 2020 WWF will conserve 19 of the world’s most important natural places and significantly change global markets to protect the future of nature.

So how can you help?  If you look to the right there is a badge that says “Help Me Support”.  If you click on the badge it will launch a screen that will prompt you to do an activity.  The activities range from entering contests to voting for things on Facebook, to even just watching videos from sponsors.  They don’t take long and they are completely free to do, all you need really is an email address and/or Facebook and Twitter account.  Once you complete an activity you can earn a number of pounds of greenhouse gases and it should appear automatically on the tally on the side of the page.  Those greenhouse gases can be used to make a donation towards the WWF on behalf of this blog.

So far through SocialVide the WWF has raised $59,980 to helping protect our planet.  With all these natural disasters going on (and not to mention the whole 2012 thing if you believe in that kind of stuff) it won’t hurt to set some time aside and help the cause.  Like I mentioned, it doesn’t take long, it’s completely free, and some of them are even kind of fun!

May Favourites!

Hi all! So way overdue but I finally got around to my May favourites.  It’s already halfway through June but I just had to do one, I’ve just been so busy/lazy!  And I’ve also been so excited about other posts I have been doing so I kept putting this one off.  Nevertheless, better late than never right?  I promise that I’ll get June’s up in time!

MAC Eyeshadow in Phloof!

I love this eyeshadow!  I got it in pan form because I have the Pro Palette so I just stick it in and it’s all organized and in one place.  But that’s for another post…

The thing I love about this colour is you can use it as a highlight, a base, a lid colour, etc.  It’s a perfect milky beige colour that should be a staple in everyone’s eyeshadow collection.

NARS Lose Yourself Blush/Bronzing Powder Duo and Lipgloss Set

So remember when I said in my NARS cult collection post that I really wanted the Laguna bronzer? Well, I got a gift card from Sephora for my birthday (thanks Allison!) but I didn’t necessarily want to buy the bronzer because I already have three of them from different brands that haven’t even hit pan.  Then I saw this set that comes with a blush/bronzer duo in Laguna and Angelika with a travel-size Angelika lip gloss.  So I bit the bullet and got my mom to chip in the rest for a birthday gift.  I absolutely love the duo.  I don’t think there is anything special in particular about Laguna.  Don’t get me wrong, it looks nice but on my skin it looks like any other bronzer I have.  I will say however, that it’s not as obvious a bronzer than other ones I have, it’s subtle but in a good way.  The Angelika blush is also gorgeous; I use them together for the perfect summer look (I also tried Laguna and Orgasm together and I think they work awesome as well).  It’s not as pink as it appears in the packaging and I didn’t notice an abundance of glitter on my cheeks (it’s super glittery in the pan).  I would definitely recommend this blush.

As for the Angelika lip gloss.  It is definitely more pigmented and longer lasting than Turkish Delight. I also find it stickier than it as well, however, maybe the stickiness makes for the long-lasting wear it presents… who knows?  It’s a pretty gloss, not the same shade as the blush, but still a pretty fuchsia pink.

This set is available at Sephora, Sephora online, and I believe The Bay (it’s apparently a “Sephora exclusive” but I think I saw the box at the NARS counter at The Bay).

ELF Taklon Powder Brush

So it seems like in every favourites post I feature an ELF brush.  Well, this post is no different.  I absolutely love ELF brushes, they are so fantastic and the best part is they are like $3 USD.  Amazing right?!

I picked up this powder brush at Target and the thing I like about it is it has a flat top, so it’s perfect for contouring.  I usually use this to apply bronzer on my cheekbones and then use a blush brush to apply blush.    If you are looking for inexpensive brushes, definitely check out ELF (in particular their Studio line, I wouldn’t bother with the other lines).  They are super cheap (in price), soft, synthetic, and vegan-friendly.  Whenever I’m in the States I seem to always pick one up.  I don’t think they sell ELF items separately in Canada (you can find the gift sets at Winners and Zellers around the holidays), but you can order online, although I heard that it takes forever to ship.  If you live near the border and near a Target then I would for sure check them out.

ELF Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths

Speaking of ELF…. I absolutely love their makeup wipes!  I find MAC Wipes so expensive for what you are buying so I have never even bothered getting them.  For $3 USD you can get the ELF version and they are so great.  For the price you wouldn’t think that they would do the job, but they remove even the toughest of makeup and are super gentle.  The only thing that sucks about them is that there is only 20 wipes.  I need 100! Oh well, for $3 you might as well stock up.  Definitely recommend these.

Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Rouge Volupte Lipstick in #19 Frivolous Pink

My holy grail of lipsticks, YSL Rouge Volupte may be expensive but it’s worth every penny.  From the gorgeous casing to the mango scent to the SPF 15 to the creamy texture, this lipstick is pretty much perfect. I am truly obsessed, so much so that when my friend asked what I wanted from Vancouver I said one of these right away (he got me #8 Fetish Pink by the way).  These lipsticks are just so creamy to apply and the colour goes on very pigmented and not to mention long-wearing.  They are quite pricey, $37 CDN (my friend’s text – “I got you the #8, 42 dollar lipstick!!!!!!”) but if you want to splurge on something luxurious then this is it.

Matthew James Root Lift Spray

I was given this product by my neighbour who was going to toss it in the garbage because she thought it “smelled bad” so I grabbed it, and I’m glad I did!  I’m always skeptical on products that say they “lift your roots”, I figure that a little hairspray and a teasing comb is the trick to volume.  That was until I tried this product.  This spray is in your hair all day, unlike hairspray which can fall flat after a while. My hair still feels as much backcombed at the end of the night as it did when I first did it in the morning.

To be honest, I don’t know too much about this brand other than you can pick it up in beauty supply stores and salons.  But if you see it, give it a try, it really does work.  And for the record, I didn’t think it smelled bad…

St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse

I am a huge user of self tanners.  I don’t tan very well in the sun and I’m quite scared of using tanning beds, so self tanning is the way to go!  I was sent this product at work for review and trial (we featured it in one of our magazines) and I think it is a great tanner.  It is quite pricey ($40 CDN I believe) but if you want a good self tanner that gives you a tan right away, this is it.  One application of this bad boy will leave you with a gorgeous bronze glow, not orange, bronze.  I often apply it at night and then in the morning rinse it off (it says to rinse off after four hours) and if I want something deeper I will apply it twice a week.  According to the St. Tropez website it also reduces the aroma of tanner by 70 per cent.  It isn’t as noticeable as other tanners out there (Jergens I’m looking at you) but it still has a scent to it (more noticeable if you are working out).  I also wouldn’t wear this in a hot tub (but then again all self tanners come off in a hot tub).  Anyways, if you are looking for a self tanner that leaves you with a true bronze glow, then this is it.

Phew!  Long post!  I didn’t think I had that many things to report on but apparently I did!  What were some of your May favourites?  Have you tried any of the products I mentioned?  Love em or hate em?  Leave me a comment!

Spring/Summer Trend: Feathers

Hair, makeup, and photography by yours truly!

Hi all!  So I had a photoshoot today for photos to accompany an article I wrote for Clippings magazine on hair trends.  I had so many photos that I thought I would post some on here so I don’t feel like they were wasted.  One of the trends I talk about in the article has been seen on everyone from celebrities to even the runways of some of the hottest brands.  Wanna take a “wild” guess? Yup, it’s feathers!

Basically what they are are rooster feathers that you can straighten, curl, and wash.  They are attached using a microloop and then fastened on a small section of hair.  They are relatively inexpensive and add some flair and a pop of colour to your hair instantly.  It’s a neat trend for summer for sure and have been spotted on such celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Ke$ha among others.  In fact, they have been so popular that fishermen have been complaining because people interested in the fad have been buying the feathers that are for fishing.  It’s being said that the hair industry has single-handedly wiped out the rooster feather industry and there are some shortages to get your hands on those colourful feathers.

Some salons offer them or you can always order the supplies online and do it yourself.   There are a number of online retailers and manufacturers that you can get them from.  If you don’t want them attached semi-permanetely, you can also get yourself a pair of temporary clip-in feathers from Sultra ($25 USD, available at Sephora).

They are super fun and definitely my go-to hair trend for summer.  And, if you want your furry friend to spot that same trend, Puppy Locks offers fur feathers that you can apply onto Fido (Condition Culture, the company that makes Puppy Locks also make Feather Locks for humans).  How cute is that? I’m not sure that Ziggy would like it but it’s still pretty cool regardless.So what do you think? Are you on the feather bandwagon or are you gonna let this one fly by?

 

Wild for Animal Print

So for the past few years I have been in love with zebra print anything.  And then came Keeping Up With the Kardashians and that totally escalated my love for animal print to a whole new level.  I am pretty much obsessed.  Seriously.  I cannot have too many leopard print anything.  Well actually, that’s not true, there is some gross leopard print stuff out there.  But the point is, if it is animal print, I love it.

L-R: Forever 21, Forever 21, Sace

The thing about animal print, although wild, is it’s a nice burst of colour and print.  If you don’t like floral things (they can tend to be a bit grandma) then go for some fun leopard or zebra, or even giraffe, I have been noticing an increasing amount of giraffe print clothing and accessories.  Now with that being said, make sure you don’t go over the top and do head to toe animal print.  It works wonders as a statement piece, not as a whole ensemble.  Like take for instance, if you are doing a leopard print top, I would match it with some dark denim and nude pumps or black stilettos.  If you do a zebra print dress, pair it some some neutral coloured shoes.  As for accessories, make a statement while wearing an LBD with some leopard print heels or clutch.  The pairings are endless.

Zebra print dress by Soho (Mexico)

Zebra print cardigan from Wet Seal

You can have a lot of fun with animal print as there are many ways to wear it. Some of my favourite pieces are a zebra cardigan from Wet Seal (which goes with practically anything), a giraffe print clutch from H&M, leopard heels also from H&M, and a leopard print shirt with 3/4 length sleeves from Forever 21.

Clutch from H&M (bought in May 2011)

Shoes from H&M

Sequin zebra print flats from Forever 21

If you don’t have some wild patterns in your closet already, go out and pick up some key pieces.  My favourite stores to shop for animal print anything are Forever 21 and H&M, not only do they have on-trend items but they are affordable as well.  So what are you waiting for?  Go wild!

The Cult Collection: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

So I haven’t blogged in a few days just out of pure laziness but I am back! And what better to blog about than a cult collection post?  This time we are looking at Seche Vite’s Dry Fast Top Coat.

According to Seche Vite’s website:

 

Seche Vite™ dry fast top coat is widely acknowledged as the world’s finest top coat. Specially formulated to penetrate through nail lacquer to the base coat forming a single solid coating over the nail plate for a much more durable finish. Guaranteed not to yellow while leaving nails silky, stronger and resistant to chipping and peeling.

Seche Vite has quite a cult following behind it (just Google “best top coat”).  It is known for being super shiny and super quick to dry.

A few months back I needed a new top coat so I got OPI’s version but I just didn’t find that it made my polish shiny at all. Then I heard about Seche Vite.  I didn’t want to get another new bottle of top coat because I basically just got the OPI, but I was at Sally’s Beauty Supply and they were offering a free Seche Vite base coat when you bought the top coat so I thought why not?  I can’t remember the Canadian pricing for the top coat (I think it was around maybe $10-11 CDN, it’s 7.99 USD online), but if Sally’s offers a 2 for 1 deal again, I would snag some, it’s so worth it.

Alright, so does it do what it says.  I can say wholeheartedly that yes, it presents your nails as super shiny and it takes about a minute to dry.  This stuff definitely does what it says and deserves it’s cult status.  Your nails look super shiny after you apply it and you don’t have to wait around and not touch anything for at least 10 minutes.  It does dry super fast, but I would still be mindful of what you do with your hands or feet at least half an hour after you paint them.  It’s not completely dry, but it’s dry enough to go about your day.

Although it looks great over basically any polish, Seche Vite does wonders over China Glaze’s neon polishes, which I find dry very matte.  The top coat really makes them shiny and as bright as they are in the bottle when you get them.  It also makes the shatter and crackle polishes amazing.  When I first used OPI’s Black Shatter I thought it was okay, but not amazing.  As soon as I applied the Seche Vite, that made all the difference in the world, I don’t know how to explain it, but the black looked darker and really made the effect stand out.  Here’s a tip: If you use a China Glaze neon polish under a shatter polish (like in my Turtle Nails post), put some Seche Vite over top of the colour before you apply the shatter.  Shatter works best over shinier surfaces for some reason.

So is it worthy of cult status?  Yes! I would for sure buy this again and I honestly haven’t even touched my OPI top coat since I got this. This is the only top coat I’ll use from now on.  Like I said, your polish just looks so much better with it over top.  It can change a drab polish to an amazing one all with one stroke.  It’s hyped up, but deservingly so.  This is a staple in my nail polish collection.

Have you tried Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat?  If so, what were your thoughts?  Love it or hate it?  Cult-worthy or over-hyped?

NOTD: Birthday Nails!

So it’s my birthday coming up in a few days so I thought I would paint my nails to reflect the special event!  I recently picked up OPI’s Teenage Dream, a pink sparkly polish from their Katy Perry collection, and I thought it would look great over my favourite polish, Spa Ritual’s Knowledge is Power. I was so right.  My nails are like a mix between barbie and cupcake nails.  Love them!

Star Trek?

 Love it! What are your thoughts?

And as a final side note, I thought I would post this scary photo!