Easter inspired nails

Quick Tutorial here: With Easter coming this weekend I needed a fresh look... And..I didn't draw little bunnies and eggs and chicks or anything like that on my fingernails.. haha.. I just took 2 of my favorite colors - which are nice spring colors and now i feel my nails look like Easter eggs! I went for the half moon design and just wanted to share with you guys on how it was done!

Check out the pictures below and then go and create your own fun look :)

I started with Color Club - Peace Out Purple (which I recieved in my Birchbox last month! Check out my previous post for more info!) and then used Ulta's Mint Condition for the half moon...

After the base coat and your color are dry then apply manicure tape or some kind of tape to create a half moon look on your nail...Apply your next color!

Let that dry and then of course - time for the top coat!

And there you have it.. Easterish spring nails...and it also is a mod look so try it out and dare to be different!!! :)

Thanks for reading!

nerdiness and beauty unite

First Things First:
Follow me on Instagram! I am soooo happy that it was finally made available for Android phones!! Now I don't have to use my ipod for it..how to follow me you ask?? Search: applejax27
Photosharing Rules!!

Comic Book Release Party = Fun :)
Wow what a blast! Last night my boyfriend and I attended our first comic book release party for the new Marvel book - Avengers vs. Xmen #1.. and what a fun night it was. We are both huge fans of the local comic book store, Bedrock City Comics.. he is more there for the superhero stuff.. which I do like and I have my favorites (Wonderwoman, Xmen, anything Batman) but I also love all their pop culture products and vintage items.. plus they have tons of toys and things from our childhood.. anyways, they had Avengers cupcakes, yummy cookies and other snacks, free pins and posters, plus they gave away special edition books, some toys and a ton of shirts, which I got lucky and won an Iron Man shirt! Now I have to find the special Wolverine cover for my love, because unfortunately he did not win one and that was the only thing him and myself wanted him to win.. damn the luck! But on the bright side.. now I am an official nerd because I have bought my first comic book.. and it felt.. good :)

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!

Random Rant:
So isn't it crazy how social media is playing a huge part in our daily life.. where do you get your information from? where can you keep up with your friends and family in one place? and how about deals, coupons, special "facebook sales"... to me, it is truly incredible to think about how it has evolved..Remember when you were just on Myspace listening to music and posting Happy Birthday! graphics and then, noticing actual places of business were beginning to create accounts.. and now everyone is part of the "network" whether they are on facebook, twitter, tumblr and the now ever so popular Pinterest! Which is just on my mind because I just spent a whole hour of my life, mindlessly scrolling through a bajillion pins. I am starting to see the shift of "Corporate America" on the site, the more people that join the more another business will join. I think it's a good thing however, because it is just another way to inform and keep your loyal, money spending fans aware. BUT at the same time I like the fact it was originally people sharing THEIR favorite things, from their own source and not so drilled into our heads by the big guys. I like the small business approach though because I promote myself on pinterest, hoping to gain an audience but I am sharing things I love, in turn, the original Pinterest idea :) anyone else a veteran addict or a newbie addict of the site? follow me! http://pinterest.com/applejax27/

In Other News:
Besides being addicted to Pinterest.. I have become quite a fan of the reality show, Fashion Star, on NBC (Tuesdays @ 9pm) check it out! There have been a few really nice designs I want to buy, but let's be real here... I am a broke college student...The different designs are purchased and sold by either Macy's, Saks, or H&M.. and I have good news for any H&M fans in the Houston area... there is one opening soon at Willowbrook Mall! I'm sure that will be a crazy opening.. It has been LONG awaited and they are finally letting us Houstonians have a crack at em. Hopefully it will open before I leave for my study abroad trip to Prague/Vienna because I would love to get my hands on some trendy, fashion forward casual/business attire :)

Last Thought:
BIRCHBOX. I am loving having a subsciption to this company! You get a cute little box filled with beauty samples and random goodies.. you do pay a small fee, just $10 bucks a month - not bad and it's so much fun getting a package filled with products to test out and then you can buy them directly from their site for a special price.. such a great way to get your name out there, from a marketing perspective.. I just love the whole concept :) there's an example of a Birchbox below!! click to join birchbox!

Thanks for reading <3

More to Offer

So it's kinda late but since it's quiet time my brain is flowing with ideas! I want to change the concept of my blog...I feel, that I have more to offer and have more to say..why limit you guys and myself to just a few obsessions..when I could just unleash them ALL on you ;) I want to share things like art, fashion, music and life experiences...it's nice to have a place to just let the thoughts flow freely and hopefully you enjoy reading and seeing what jibber jabber I've got to say!! :)

to be continued...

lol @ angry bird cakes

Spring Nails with OPI

Nail time, Nail time, NAAAIIILLL TIIIIME!!!!
I love expanding my nail polish collection, especially in my favorite colors..
Recently, OPI came out with the Nicki Minaj and Holland collections for spring. Although I chose some of the darker colors they still look fantastic and very trendy :) First, I want to show off the beautiful blue-teal color by Nicki Minaj.. it's called "Fly" and then the awesome maroon-dark pink/purple shimmer, Shatter polish, also by Nicki..which is called non other than, "Super Bass" Boom ba dum boom boom ba dum boom baby - that's that super bass....on the right....hah.

So I decieded to fancy up my toes a bit by using this duo.. see how it transforms below!

I think the flash kinda takes the teal color out of the nail polish, sorry :(

step one.. 

Apply a nice 2 coats of Fly and let it dry completely....

step two..

Apply 1 even layer of Super Bass Shatter and watch it, well, Shatter!!!

step three..

Let it dry and then apply a clear top coat to seal it all in and give your little piggies a nice shine!

I love to use OPI Start to Finish (base & top coat) it nourishes your nails and keeps them strong as a base coat and then can be used again as your top coat :)

and Ta-Da!.. ugh i cleaned up the messy edges after i took the pics sorry haha

  no laughing at my funny toes please.......lol

Another fun way to use the color Fly, is to pair it with Katy Perry's Last Friday Night, which is an AMAZING blue glitter with green/blue/yellow flakes...pictured on the left.. it's what I used to add a great sparkle to my toes and fingernails before doing the shatter look above..Nicki's collection is shown below!

And now a little review on OPI's Holland collection - while most of the other colors are a bit more bright pink and orange, a few nice pastels, and a couple dark hues.. I tried the more drab look with a surprisingly really cute greyish blue with silver/light aqua glitter called "I don't give a Rotterdam!" 

And a gorgeous dark purple with a touch of gold/purple (multicolorish) irredescent shimmer called

"Dutch ya just love OPI?"

Both turned out very nice after applying 2 coats... really don't need more than 2 with the purple..

I love them both and want to add more to the collection of course!!

Check them out at Ulta (which is where I usually go for most of my beauty products - and make sure to join the Ulta Club, it's free!)

OH!! and guess what is on the way for the new Spiderman movie this summer???

You guess it... an OPI collection!!!

check out these links below for more info... I'm already in love with a couple of the colors...

http://www.prettypurplepolish.com/2012/03/opi-amazing-spider-man-collection.html

http://www.stylebistro.com/Daily+Beauty+Buff/articles/5TWwRtCatHv/OPI+Spins+New+Spider+Man+Inspired+Nail+Polish

 Thanks for reading.. stay tuned for more :)

the beginning...

Okay, so this is the start to my blog about makeup, nails, and everything in between...I'm going to include some tutorials and lots of pictures!! I will also include reviews on my favorite products - new and old, and mostly Urban Decay products.. which was the reason I got this cosmetics addiction...

I am also a huge fan of doing my own manicures and pedicures! You would think it saves you money by buying your own polish and accessories, which it does in the long run, but when you begin to become addicted to getting the newest colors and products, it starts to add up. sooo now, I have become a bit more modest lately with my purchases but don't worry there is lots to show and tell!! If you click on any of the pictures below they will enlarge on the screen with a full gallery from the entire post..

Welcome and ENJOY!!!!

For my first tutorial, I want to show off a couple eye makeup designs using Urban Decay's 15 Year Anniversary pallete, which has LOTS of shimmery, glittery colors and neutrals and one black matte - Blackout (the perfect black matte). The palette's  package itself is really pretty and shiny (i love shiny), and features a nice big mirror under the lid and also a secret (small) storage compartment under the eyeshadow palette.

Up first - I'm going to show you how to do a shimmery neutral eye with a pop of pink and then a dark smokey shimmery aqua look.

I ALWAYS start with Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion... just dab some on you eyelid with your pinky or I personally like to use the old wand from their older genie bottle version. The primer comes in different formulas too: Original (invisble) , Sin (champagne shimmer), Greed (gold shimmer), and Eden (nude matte). It makes your eyemake up last ALL DAY no joke, don't take it off when you go to bed, and it looks just as nice the next morning.. how I know that.. well, there have been a few of those nights of course!! anyways.. next step..

Neutral eye with a pop of Pink! [ ps- dont laugh at my nerdy pictures :) ]

For this look I started with Junkshow (hot pink shimmer) putting it in the inner corner of my eye and some on my lid...

and then follow that with Chase (gold shimmer) on the lid...

and thennnn use M.I.A. (dark brown shimmer) for the crease...

Then I like to take a little bit of Midnight Rodeo (Brown glitter) in and a little above the crease, then use Midnight 15 (very light brown glitter) to highlight up to the brow...

Next a little eye liner, I like to put some under and on top of my bottom lash line...also a little on the top lashes... I used Urban Decay 24/7 waterproof eyeline in Whiskey...

Then simply use an angled brush to put a little more of that lovely pink Junkshow shadow under the lashes and blend into the lid some....

The final touch - mascara!

I LOVE Urban Decay's Supercurl Mascara.. it's just black magical waterproof mascara.. I didn't really put too much on in the photo but I think the final outcome looks great!!!

I think this would look better on maybe a darker skin color and also mixing it up with a teal hue instead of the pink would be fun too!!

..........AND NOW FOR A DARKER LOOK.........muahahaha......

Start the look with the gorgeous aqua shimmer of Deep End... again, put it in the inner corner of the eye and a little on the top lid...

Follow with Evidence (Navy shimmer)..start at the outer corner of lid and crease and put on a nice thick coat of it.. then get a little bit of Ace (gray shimmer) and brush a little bit of that right above the navy and blend a little....

You might notice a little hint of a white shimmer above the gray, and yes I cheated and used a color from another palette (Zephyr - Book of Shadows IV).. use your favorite white shimmer to highlight the eye and make the colors flow!

Take some black eyeliner - I used this great black liner - Onyx from Estee Lauder, which my boyfriend got me for Christmas with some other goodies, inside a snazzy Michael Kors makeup bag!

I decided to just put a little bit on my bottom lash line for defintion because I didn't want to go to heavy by putting it on the top lash line and taking away from the pretty eyeshadow!

So of course the final step blend the shadows, add the highlighting white shimmer and some supercurl mascara.... and BAM!!!!!!!!!

So there you have it! 

the lesson here: DONT BE AFRAID OF COLOR!!! EXPERIMENT!!! HAVE FUN!!!

That is really the key to makeup...so go pick up a well worth the money Urban Decay eyeshadow palette, eyeliners and mascara and make a statement - be even more beautiful :) I hope you enjoy these looks and give them a try... and please don't mind my crazy eyebrows which now I realize they are lookin a little wild!! Below I posted the palette again and my brushes, etc......

Urban Decay 15 Year Anniversary Palette

from left to right: ud primer potion, naked UD lipgloss, brushes..., estee lauder liner onyx, ud liner whiskey and ud supercurl mascara

Thanks for reading - post any questions or comments!