January & February 2012 Favorites!

Hey everyone! Hope you are having a great week! I can't believe February is over. This year is flying by and I am SO ready for March! I am continuing to buy such great must have products and these months (splurging after the holidays) I always come up with such fun things! Here is my new video! If any of these are your favorites I would love to hear from you. If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to my Life in Polish YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/lifeinpolish Thanks so much! This week I compiled my favorite products of January and February 2012. NEW VIDEO! ENJOY!

I am always the most bummed to see my favorite holiday scents go. Bath and Body Works has some of the most incredible holiday products and each year I always stock up. One of my absolute favorites is Bath & Body's Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Twisted Peppermint. The soap gives you a great wash without leaving your hands dry. This and Vanilla Bean Noel are too good. Twisted Peppermint smell just reminds me of everything wonderful about the holidays. You can purchase at any Bath and Body Works or check out their website.

PRICE: $5.50

www.bathandbodyworks.com

I am a huge fan of Yankee Candle! I have many faves and I just recently came across this gem. Yankee Candle (large jar) Garden Cucumber. Cucumber is one of my all time favorite scents. It is so fresh and so clean, clean (had to) & reminds me of the spa. That feeling of cool cucumbers on your eyes is just the most relaxing and this scent reminds me of just that. You can purchase at any Yankee Candle store, Hallmark stores or check out their website.

PRICE: $27.99

www.yankeecandle.com

Winter months leave my hands feeling beat up and dry. Thanks to this 'miracle', my hands feel healthy and hydrated. This is one of the greatest hand lotions out there! The secret to Avenno Intense Relief Hand Cream seems to be the "Natural Colloidal Oatmeal" that Avenno preaches to have mixed into the formula. This lotion is non greasy and Avenno promises it "lasts through hand washing" which is truth. There is no scent which helps your hands feel super clean. I am not a fan of stinky, slimy lotions. I just want a hand lotion to do it's job and get to the point. Avenno does just that. You can purchase at any drug store. HIGHLY recommended. 

PRICE: $5.99

www.aveenostore.com

I recently just came across this NEW release from Vaseline, Vaseline Lip Therapy. During the winter months I am always looking for hydrating lip formulas to keep my lips moisturized and healthy. This product is the perfect lip balm. The tiny jar is extremely easy to carry, just toss in your bag and go! You can purchase at any drug store and it's so cheap. WORTH IT!

PRICE: $1.87

www.vaseline.com

Out of all 8 products in my January and February Favorites, I have to say that this makes me the most excited. I mean c'mon??? Who thought of this brilliance?! It's just what we needed! Almay oil-free makeup eraser sticks! Perfect for effortlessly erasing mistakes during application without disturbing the rest of your makeup. We have been dumping our cotton balls & Q-tips in makeup remover to touch up forever now and we no longer have too! These eraser sticks are adorable. They are perfect for traveling and touching up on the go. All you have to do is hold the stick with the color ring up. Gently snap and the liquid remover will flow down filling the opposite tip. The soft, cotton ball tip allows to clean up any smudges. 

Hypoallergenic and Safe for Contact Lens Wearers. 

24 sticks comes in a package. You can purchase at any drug store.

PRICE: $5.99

www.almay.com

I recently got my makeup done by MAC & was turned on by this incredible lipstick called DIVA! (LOVE that name!) MAC's Diva is an intense, reddish-burgundy matte based, no shine lipstick. I was never into dark lipstick until I gave this shade a go. What is the most incredible about a shade like this is you can wear it with a nude, more natural eye or dress it up with a dramatic, smokey eye. Allure magazine featured this shade in The 5 Best Makeup Looks From the Fall 2011. Of course I wouldn't rock this deep dark shade everyday but when the time is right- you better work! 

PRICE: $14.50

www.maccosmetics.com

My cheeks have been happy in 2012 because of this product. I have worn this blush almost every day this year. An absolute favorite that I will continue to talk about over and over again. MAC Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre is described by MAC as a "light cool pink". It's a cool-toned, blue-based pink with a pearly, shine sheen. It was re-released December 26, 2011 in MAC's Daphne Guinness collection and originally released in MAC's Spring Colour Forecast in February 2010. Unfortunately Limited Edition, so when it's gone, it's gone. It is so soft and application is so smooth against your skin. It's natural sheen allows you to build to perfection. The Blush Ombres are the size of MAC's beauty powders or foundation powders, so their large and easy to work with. The 2 toned blush allows you to get 3 blushes in one, great for your money. A MAC FAVE! OBSESSED!

PRICE: $26

www.maccosmetics.com

WOW! WOW! WOW! To conclude my January and February 2012 favorites, of course I had to add a nail polish. One of my faves of the season has been MAC's Spirit of Truth! Spirit of Truth was released in MAC'S Wonder Woman Collection that was out Spring 2011. Unfortunately this shade was Limited Edition so I am not sure where to find now, maybe amazon.com- Spirit of Truth is a creamy, deep, royal/navy blue. I love how vibrant and how 'blue' it actually is. BTW loving the idea of the theme Wonder Woman Collection, KUDOS MAC! Wish I bought more from it last year. I have not seen a blue quite like this. One of a kind. 

PRICE: $16

www.maccosmetics.com

Garnier B.B. Cream

Next best thing! Garnier B.B. Cream Skin Renew: Miracle Skin Perfector is a miracle! I started using this product a few months back and I am continuing to love it. If you don't want to use a heavy foundation or if you want a light, more natural coverage you will love this. This "miracle cream" is 5 products in 1. Women have needs when it comes to their face and fulfilling them with 1 product-you can't go wrong. 

Garnier promises 5 instant benefits-

1. Hydrates for 24 hours
2. Evens skin tone
3. Corrects blemishes
4. Boosts healthy glow
5. UV Protection SPF 15 

B.B. creams (B.B. standing for Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm) became popular in Asia and are just recently coming to the U.S & Europe. Garnier, claiming to be the first drug store brand creating a B.B. cream. Estee Lauder, Clinique, Skin79 and Dr. Jart are a few higher brands that also carry B.B. creams. I am sure sooner or later other drug store brands will release their version of a B.B. cream because it is easily becoming the most popular choice for coverage. If you are wanting a natural look, wearing this alone looks flawless, giving you a dewey finish (which I have been wearing often). You may also use this product as a primer/mosturizer underneath a foundation. It has a very quick & easy application making it very simple to blend to your neck and face. You may also use a setting powder over top to set face. It leaves your skin feeling super soft and look radiant. The bottle is 2.5 fl. oz which is great because the average bottle of foundation is just 1 fl. oz. The cons of this product is first off, their are only 2 shades, light/medium and medium/deep, which leaves a few people left out.


Overall I am loving this product and highly recommend it. It makes your skin look flawless and bright. Garnier products are consistent and usually work well for me. I love switching it up and going for a lighter, hydrating coverage during the dry winter months. If you have very oily skin, I don't recommend this product for you- it leaves you feeling so glossy and hydrated that you would be blotting every hour while wearing it. I have very dry skin in the winter so this keeps me hydrated throughout the duration of my wear. You can find Garnier B.B. Cream Skin Renew: Miracle Skin Perfector in the skin care section in almost every drugstore, Walmart and Target.


PRICE: $13 
www.garnierusa.com

Nails Inc. Magnetic Polish

Nail Art has been a huge trend this season with many companies giving you different options to create funky print nails. Nails Inc. has come up with the next fad- Nails Inc. Magnetic Nail Polish. Neat, right?! The bottle comes with a magnetic cap which allows you to create the given design. Now my question is, does it work and last? If you are fan of the magnetic polish and knowledgeable about it, I would love to hear your thoughts!
PRICE: $16
www.nailsinc.com
www.sephora.com

Nails Inc. Magnetic Polish in Whitehall Teal

The polish is visually gorgeous! It definitely gives you that WOW factor and it was created by a magnet! The application is easy to do and it only takes a few minutes. Now. How does Magnetic Polish Work?

According to Nails Inc. and Sephora: This unique formula has been specially developed with metallic particles to create a pattern on the nail using magnetic forces. As the magnet is held over the nail, the iron powder in the formulation gravitates toward the magnet forming the pattern/design secretly hidden in the magnet for an astonishing finish! 

Nails Inc. has created 5 magnetic shades.

Whitehall Teal is a metallic teal.

Houses of Parliament is a metallic royal purple.

Trafalgar Square is a metallic chrome.

Kensington Palace is a metallic raspberry.

London Town is a metallic taupe.

My first video! Winter 2012 Polish Favorites!

Welcome to Life in Polish! Winter 2012 Polish Favorites! 

My first video and I am beyond excited. My puppy Jake makes a few cameos as well. :) 

Please let me know your thoughts! Let me know what you think of the colors I chose and if any of them are your favorites as well. Happy Winter! xoxo

Please comment, rate and subscribe!

Enjoy!

Winter 2012 Polish Picks!

Hey everyone! Hope you are enjoying your week! Thank you so much for taking a looksey at Life in Polish! Do me a favor and hit, 'join this site' to follow this blog, MY blog, SO EXCITED! Please pass along to your friends too!

I filmed my first video and I will be posting it on Life in Polish YouTube channel and here in the next couple days. SO thrilled to get started and for you to see! 

My first video is Winter 2012 Nail Polish Picks! I will be showing you my favorite colors of the season. As always following the video, I will post swatches of the colors & products so you can see. I can't wait to hear your thoughts, what you like & dislike, love & hate, & obsess over like I do!

Essie's Cocktail Bling Collection

The first polish of my Winter 2012 faves is Essie's Cocktail Bling collection. The entire collection, made up of 6 shades, is just perfect all around. The colors have a great formula and are very easy to work with. I love that all the colors in the collection have a blue-tone to them and look gorgeous on every skin tone. I AM such a fan of Essie because the polishes rarely chip, including this collection. These cream polishes are very pigmented and give a gorgeous finish. If you are heavy with the application you could get away with 1 coat but I just love the look of 2 coats.

PRICE: $8 each
www.Essie.com

Cocktail Bling

Cocktail Bling is the title color of the collection and stunning to boot. It is absolutely my favorite grey color out there. It is the most perfect light grey bluish creme color. The color is opaque in 2 coats with a super glossy shine. I also love that this is a color that could be worn all year round, not just in the winter. 

I feel like I will be rocking this color as a pedicure year round. Gorg!

School of Hard Rocks

School of Hard Rocks is a cool green based teal cream polish. So pretty. The color is opaque in 2 coats. This color is very original. What I love most is Essie rarely makes greens and if you love wearing green this is a must have!

Bangle Jangle

Bangle Jangle is a dusty pink-lavender cream color also with a blue-toned base. Opaque in 2 coats with an extremely shiny finish. At first glance it looks similar to Cocktail Bling but when you take a closer look it is much warmer. The lilac color makes it great for Spring too! It went on smoothly with no streaks, no bumps, no patches, just great!

Brooch the Subject

Brooch the Subject is a rich, creamy, light-medium beige color. It's opaque in 2 coats and application is wonderful. It is rare for a light shade to apply so even and smooth. Now I have to be in the mood to rock a mute neutral because I am a color sort of girl but this is by far my favorite nude out there. It's rich, glossy, super shiny finish will work on many skin tones. One word that comes to mind: Luxurious.

Size Matters

Size Matters (c'mon how fun is that name?!) is a deep ruby red blue-based cream color. So pretty! Great application, highly pigmented and seemed to apply itself. It's got this mirror-like shine that makes you gasp. Now I know there are a billion reds out there but there is something about this shade that is just a step above the others. I wore this during the holidays and didn't want to take it off for New Years to wear sparkle. Opaque after 2 coats and the shine will WOW you. Drop dead gorgeous sexy DIVA polish. LOVE!

Bobbing for Baubles

Last from this collection, AND CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, is my absolute favorite from this collection and one of my favorites THIS YEAR!! Essie calls this "a deepest, darkest, sapphire". Bobbing for Baubles is a deep dark super rich navy blue cream color. GORGEOUS! STUNNING! BEAUTIFUL! PERFECTION! I can go on and on.. I can't get enough of this color. A super pigmented formula, super smooth application, with a glassy-mirror finish. It's opaque in almost one coat but I always love me 2 coats. I have worn this color numerous times since it's release, was instantly drawn to it. It always gets compliments and never disappoints. Extremely elegant, rich, stunning polish. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Essie Holiday 2011 Luxeffects Collection are the trend right now. Textured top coats designed to wear over beautiful nail colors. I am going to do an entire video just about this collection because IT IS that wonderful but for today I just chose 2. 

PRICE: $8 each

www.Essie.com

Set In Stones

Essie 'Luxeffects' Topcoat Set In Stones is a silver small round glitter with large hex glitter in a clear base top coat. Now the reason I chose this as one of my Winter Favorites is because my favorite manicure of Winter thus far has been- Essie's Bobbing for Baubles (shown above) with Set In Stones 'Luxeffects' over top. 2 coats of Bobbing for Baubles and 2 coats of Set In Stones. 

GORG! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

These are my nails with 2 coats of Bobbing for Baubles, 2 coats of Set In Stones and Essie's top coat. 

Shine Of The Times

Essie describes Essie 'Luxeffects' Topcoat Shine Of The Times as "scintillating opalescence". Transforms any color into a gorgeous iridescent flaky glitter topcoat. I will get more into this when I review the entire collection in an upcoming video. If you are interested, get em' while their hot..this collection is very hard to find. 

Mademoiselle

Next Winter Favorite which is an all-time favorite of mine is Essie's Mademoiselle. Essie describes as "the most classic grown-up pink". I love how smooth it applies and it has the perfect sheer pink application for a french manicure. 

PRICE: $8 each

www.Essie.com

Enough with my obsession with Essie onto my next obsession, OPI- LOVE ME SOME OPI!!! You will see lots of OPI on this here blog. And for OPI's debut..(drumroll please)...

PRICE: $8.50 each

www.OPI.com

Jade Is The New Black 

OPI's Jade Is The New Black is from OPI's 2010 Hong Kong Collection. Jade Is The New Black is an understatement. A bit muted yet vibrant Jade green with a blue undertone. MAJOR! OBSESSED! For example: One of my best friends bought me this color as gift, (I knew the name of it before I even looked at the title because it is that one of a kind..and I'm an addict..haha) and loved it so much I then bought it to give to another one of my best friends (who also is a polish addict) and SHE LOVED IT!

Jade Is The New Black

One of my ALL-TIME favorite OPI shades, that I do find myself wearing in the Winter ALOT, that I have loved for as long as I can remember loving polish..

You Don't Know Jacques!

Funny story about this color, that you'll have to watch my video review to hear about.

Whenever I wear this color, people say, "Is that You Don't Know Jacques???" And I reply, "Why yes, yes it is!" I can't get enough of this name. Too funny.

The shade originated in OPI's 2008 La Collection De France Collection.

You Don't Know Jacques is a difficult shade to describe because it is SO UNIQUE! YDKJ is a taupe, mushroom, clay, brown, tan, lavender creamy matte shade. (<- - - reaching, huh?!) Told ya, it's a tricky one. It's a neutral, classy, rich shade of nail polish- extremely creamy with a perfect shine that tops it off. I ALWAYS get asked about this color and ALWAYS get compliments when wearing. 

Victoria Beckham, Lauren Conrad, Ashley Tisdale & Heidi Klum have said this is their favorite shade of polish! OPI just recently came out with a MATTE collection, which this shade is included in a MATTE form. I have yet to use it but am very interested in trying it out. Now OPI's formula can sometime be tricky, not as consistent as Essie, but this formula works well. Also OPI's brushes are much wider then other polish brands and are more difficult to apply with.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER USED THIS SHADE, I WOULD LOVE TO FIND OUT HOW YOU LIKE IT!!!!!!!

Please write me or send me a video (subject: You Don't Know Jacques) with you wearing it and tell me what you think! I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW and I'll repost here!!!

Both L'Oreal and Revlon have incredible nail polishes. I'm a huge fan of both and will dive into both companies many a times. I recently came across a color that got me very excited and I was pleasantly surprised how satisfied I was.

L'Oreal recently released a new, improved collection titled, 'L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche'. Within this 

collection, L'Oreal released or revamped 42 "new" shades. They promise intense color, shine and 10 day wear. I recently picked up a few and one stood out to me this winter. I think it was the name that sold me.

Because You're Worth It

L'Oreal's slogan. This has to be one special color for the company to choose it to represent their slogan. Because You're Worth It is a very smooth luxurious gold coin creme polish. Very easy application and the brush is a really great quality (not wide like OPI, but long and slim.) The color holds up very well, minimal chipping and continues to shine. The shade looks good with 2 coats but even better with 3 coats (not including base coat and top coat). I will definitely be purchasing more shades from L’Oreal since this applied so effortlessly. Another perk is you can find it almost anywhere. Walmart, Target, WalGreens, CVS, Ulta, etc.

PRICE: $5.99

www.lorealparisusa.com

Nail Polish Addiction

Witness my Nail Polish obsession. 

2011 I started buying polish. LOTS of polish. The funny thing is I hate polishing my own nails. I love getting a fresh manicure. Last year I began to love so many colors that I just wanted to own them before I couldn't find them any longer. I had no where to store them. I always had the idea of getting a wall unit like the nail salons had. So for Christmas I received a wall unit (holds 42 polishes) which filled up rather quickly.

After filling up so quickly I had to invest in another.

The second unit I bought holds about 90 polishes.

2 racks later we are filled. SOLD OUT! 

What do I do now?!? :)

ENJOY!

First Post

Hey Friends, Family, Guys, Gals and Pals!

Thank you so much for checking out my new blog, Life in Polish!

For such a long time I have been fans of so many different blog "gurus" out in the world of internet and I decided to join in on the fun. I will be posting daily/weekly posts of all things product. Posting Photos, Swatches, Reviews, Hauls and much more. Please let me know what you would like to see. I am looking forward to sharing so many different products I love with you. Let's get this show on the road! 

xoxo Dani 

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