Even though I’m not Irish, I got into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit this weekend and painted my nails in green. I went with Sheswai Dig It. After seeing Kelly show off this gorgeous green, I had to have it. I am not a big fan of green in general but this one is so deep and rich that I had to add it to the nail vault.

This was my first Sheswai purchase but it will not be my last, I was really impressed with this formula. The color flowed on to the nail nicely and had the perfect consistency to it. The color leveled out nicely, even when my pursuit of the perfect manicure required that I tend to some nicks here and there. And you can see it is still not perfect, but it is getting better. Most importantly, the coverage I had in a single coat was even, practically full and didn’t streak whatsoever. This is what is convincing me to try more Sheswai shades.

To top things off, I used the new Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat. It’s one of the new gel top coats now in stores hopping on gel polish bandwagon. This top coat can be cured by natural light and comes off easily with nail polish remover.

This top coat dried pretty quickly without curing under a lamp and gave my nails a rich, glossy shine…more shine than a different gel-like top coat I mentioned a little while ago. I’m keeping an eye on how this wears, this is only day 2 but so far I might like this top more than the other.

What’s on your nails this week? Let me know in the comments.

Tomorrow on QVC, IT Cosmetics is launching their new Hello Beautiful 5-piece kit as a Today’s Special Value. For just under $60 (and also 3 EasyPay payments available), you can scoop up this kit and be on your way to looking beautiful yourself. Not that you already aren’t!

The inspiration behind this collection stems from the belief that you deserve to say Hello Beautiful to yourself every day, and you should really feel it and believe it. From your most beautiful skin, to a pretty flush of color to your lips and cheeks, to lashes for miles, this exclusive collection includes two brand new launches as well as three bestselling hero products designed to truly give you the power to look and feel your most beautiful, and your most naturally pretty self, every day.

Here is what is part of this set:

• Celebration Foundation – this anti-aging full coverage powder foundation has become my new go-to foundation for everyday wear and it wears super well. It gives me all day coverage and does not leave my skin looking dull or super matte, it gives me a nice natural finish.
• Heavenly Luxe Buffing Airbrush Foundation Brush - this brush is the perfect companion to this powder foundation. It is super soft but very effective at helping you buff on your foundation. This brush will become a staple in your makeup bag.
• Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Mascara in Black – this mascara gives lashes great separation without clumping and the tip is fantastic for helping you give your lashes a little more definition or building up your ends, which always seems to be my problem.
• Tightline Full Lash Length Primer in Black – this primer is exclusive to QVC until September and launches with this set. If you love the way the tightline technique makes your lashes look fuller and more defined, take this shortcut and save yourself some time! Mimic the effect with this primer by starting as close to the lashline as possible,
• Vitality Flush Color Stain Stick – another new launch and product exclusive to QVC until September  in Je Ne Sais Quoi, a sheer pink. On cheeks it will give you a nice flush of color as well as a soft dewy glow. On the lips, it glides on and wears like a lip balm but gives you long lasting color that is your lips but better.

I’ve been playing with this set for the last week and I’ve come to realize that all of the five pieces in this set will now take up permanent residence in my makeup bag. Together, they are the perfect pieces to help you achieve an easy and naturally gorgeous look in no time. I’ve never been that girl that does her makeup at home before work each day, I’m the one you see at stop lights putting on her mascara and lipstick. Each one of these pieces has helped me pull my daily look together in just a matter of minutes and it’s a look that is effortless yet pulled together and naturally beautiful.

The set comes in five color choices: Fair, Light, Medium, Tan and Rich – and is also available on auto-delivery. Tune into QVC today and watch Jamie Kern Lima break it down! It’s going to be your best decision all day.

From the moment I first saw glimpses of Jin Soon’s Blue Iris, I knew I had to have it. I ordered it from Space NK (where the a La Mode collection is exclusive) and shortly after receiving it, I ordered the rest of the collection. I was completely smitten…and I don’t even like blues that much! From that moment on, I was in a panic to get my hands on as much Jin Soon goodness as I could.

Blue Iris is stunning in the bottle where are all of its cobalt goodness is concentrated. When I started applying it, I worried that it was too good to be true as it seemed a little streaky. By the time I applied my second coat and followed it up with my new Jin Soon top coat, my fears went away. The formula is reminiscent of a jelly without the sheer coverage. This shade is simply stunning in person; vivid and jewel-like. This blue has made me re-think my whole blue philosophy.

The whole a La Mode collection is beautiful and when paired together, forget about it…it’s game over. Like I said, I went in for Blue Iris and came away with the whole collection. This was my first Jin Soon purchase but definitely not the last.

So, what’s on your nails this week?

In a perfect world, every single lip product worth its salt would come in a chubby pencil. Wouldn’t that be great? You could fit more lip color in your makeup bag! NARS is helping make my dream one step closer to reality with its new Satin Lip Pencils.

These new pencils are rich in pigment and give lips a rich and creamy finish in 13 new shades:

• Het Loo – cognac
• Floralis – light apricot
• Isola Bella – peach beige
• Lodhi – vibrant coral
• Biscayne Park – pink guava
• Rikugien – rose pink
• Golshan – spiced wine
• Majella – garnet
• Luxembourg – vivid watermelon
• Hyde Park – cardinal red
• Palais Royal – sangria
• Yu – shocking pink
• Jardin Des Plantes - fuchsia (exclusive to boutiques)

I am already drooling over these and can’t wait to get them into my hot, little hands. These new Satin Lip Pencils launch March 7th on narscosmetics.com  but in the meantime, check out the Pinterest boards for a little lip inspiration.

What shade are you coveting?

I’ve been making an effort lately, a full face of make up every day and changing up my nails every couple of days. You would think this would be easy for a beauty blogger but sometimes, you just want to go au natural. Since I’ve worn 4 different shades of nail polish during the last week, it is safe to say that this is not one of those times.

This week my pick was Essie’s Madison Ave-hue, from their new spring collection. I’ll admit that Essie has bored me to tears with their recent collections but they are taking a new direction now and it started with the long overdue addition of magnetic shades and nail strips. While I scooped up both releases, actual shades from a seasonal collection left me wanting more until now. I couldn’t resist this bright pink with micro glitter!

The shimmer is less pronounced on the nail but you can really see it on the bottle settled on the bottom. Either way, I’m still a fan of this shade. In the sun the faint sparkles really come to life. The formula was a touch streaky for me but two coats was all I needed for an opaque application.

The rest of the collection is right on trend with what we are seeing for spring, lots of cool pastel tones in pink, purple and blue. Essie ramped this up a bit my adding in a bright poppy red and a global chic perspective.

• Madison Ave-hue – Chic Upper East Side pink steps out in style, turning any ensemble into a million dollar baby. Cha-Ching.
• Go Ginza – Soft cherry blossom pink invites you into a world of quiet luxury and exquisite beauty. Domo arigato.
• Avenue Maintain – Fashionably adroit, lovely Parisian blue channels the je ne sais quoi allure of the capital of chic.
• Bond With Whomever – London’s calling. Pick it up in posh lilac and click with the cultured clique – here, there and everywhere.
• Maximillian Strasse Her – Bavarian style savvy rules this regal boulevard. In cool grey green, you’re promenade queen, no tiara required.
• Hip Anema – Sashay down a sandy runway in poppy bright red orange and show ‘me who’s the bossa. Work that beach.

So what’s on your nails right now? I’m loving this shade on me and might just wear it the whole week. I might just go back for more shades from this collection too!

I have been thinking a lot about my personal style lately. I open my closet and think about how I am in dire need of a wardrobe revamp. Since one of my resolutions for 2013 is also to take better care of myself (good progress there, 20lbs. down so far), one of the rewards I’m planning is a mini shopping spree when I hit 50lbs. down on the scale.

While I was doing a little browser shopping the other night, I ran across this old Spiegel catalog image. The logo instantly brought back memories of flipping through my mother’s catalogs and making shopping lists for orders I would never place. It was like playing dress up catalog style. It was fun imagining what my closet would look like packed with clothes from the pages in those catalogs.

I love how everything old is coming back again; Spiegel, Vidal Sassoon shampoo and now the old Herbal Essences packaging. What’s next? I nominate Maybelline Kissing Potions!

Need some ideas for your hair for tomorrow night? There’s no quicker way to add lustre to an outfit than with a main of glossy locks, Argos have come up with the eight on-trend ideas below to get your ‘do looking fabulous fast. If you try something you like, why not give a present to yourself and invest in your tresses? Argos has a hotter-than-hot range of Babyliss hair stylers and handy hair straighteners to help you get the look you love for the whole of 2013. After all, good hair is not just for date night!

Ballerina bun
Messy high-knots have been a hipster staple for a long time now – but a sleek-ified version will add a dash of glamour. Twist your bun at the top of your crown and secure with bobby pins and hair spray, making sure you catch all the loose ends. You could even twist a piece of hair around the base of the bun to neaten it up.

Hair accessories
Wear shorter hair swept to one side – an over-the-top, sequin-encrusted hair band with a detail that starts at your parting will complement shimmering makeup and loose curls.

A messy bee hive
A big, blustery, fluffy bee hive should be worn with smoky eyes and pale lipstick – make sure your fringe is neatly sideswept and accessorise with a black velvet headband for vixen-like, sixties-inspired style.

Braids
A crown of heidi-like braids is the perfect trend to work if you’ve got long, thick hair – if you’ve got short, fine, flyaway locks, use plenty of product to make your hair more obedient and experiment with French plaiting your fringe for an original, dressed-up look.

A twist on the retro twist
Part your damp hair messily and twist your hair behind your ears to the nape of your neck – secure with bobby pins and pair with a slick of red lipstick and you’ve got striking vintage style to go – of course, you can always wait until your hair dries and undo for casual, classy, heat-free curls.

Don’t scrimp on the crimp
It’s time to get original with your crimpers: crimp part of your fringe to sass up your style, or get your hair big and cloud-like with a spritz of glitter for a fun, snowpuff style.

Quiff
Use your hairdryer upside-down to create plenty of volume for this look; it’ll suit whether your hair is short or long. Sweep it back, eliminating any trace of a parting, and make sure you’ve got plenty of definition by running your fingers through your hair and spraying.

Half-dos are a do
Smarten up soft waves by taking two small sections from eyebrow-height at each side of your face and secure at the back with a glittering gold slide, or add glamour to big curls by teasing the crown of your hair at either side of your parting into a volumous half-pony.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post brought to you by Argos.

While I’m pretty confident in my makeup and skincare game, my hair game is faltering a little bit. This year, as one of my beauty resolutions, I decided to give my hair the attention it so rightly deserves. I can style my hair adequately for a special occasion but it is not quite what I would like it to be. I want body and lots of lovely free flowing waves framing my face. This girl needs to enlist help to make that happen. To that end, I’ve been making more of an effort to get out of my usual everyday routine.

Aside from my beloved BaByliss hair dryer (T3 who?), two tools have helped me inch my way to hair bliss: the BaByliss Pro Nano Titanium Triple Barrel Waver and the CHI 1″ Ceramic 1″ Flat Iron. Both of these and other beauty products are available at Beauty Stop Online. I would usually pin my bangs back into a faux pompadour and put the rest of my hair into a ponytail. It’s super quick and easy in the morning when I’m dragging and usually running behind but I’ve been taking the time to dry my hair lately and actually do something with it. Shocking!

The waver is a great fake out for me, I get all the waves and body of a mane full of curls without spending all that tedious time wrapping strands around the barrel of a curling iron. It’s the perfect compliment to a flat iron. Then of course the flat iron smoothes everything out for when all I want is perfectly straight hair. A little flick or the wrist and I can also give my hair a little curl with it. This may be old news to you but being hair styling challenged, it’s opened my mind to a whole new realm of possibilities.

So how about you? Are you styling challenged or a seasoned pro? What are your favorite tools? Tell me all about it in the comments.

Make Up For Ever is doing something no other make up brand has done before: they are inviting folks to bring them their make up bags and they will teach them how to use what they already own… regardless of the brand! What brand do you know doing that?

Their goal is to teach you how to actually do your own make up instead of having someone else just apply it on you. They have partnered with Christina Ricci to create a special make up bag for this tour, which will be availablefor purchase at all stops.

This Mobile Make Up School is coming to a city near you:

• San Francisco, CA: February 9th – 10th
• Las Vegas, NV: February 16th – 17th
• Dallas, TX: February 23rd – 24th
• Miami, FL: March 2nd – 3rd
• New York, NY: March 9th – 10th
• Boston, MA: March 23rd – 24th
• Chicago, IL: April 6th – 7th
• Toronto, ON: April 13th – 14th

You can book an appointment for a 30 minute one-on-one session where a professional artist will go through your bag, provide an interactive, hands-on lesson explaining how to apply your products, and show you how to supplement what you already own to create your most flattering look. You’ll walk away with a new make up bag, a custom face chart and a list of any additional products recommended by the artist. Sessions are available from 12:00pm – 8:00pm on Saturday and 11:00am – 7:00pm on Sunday.

Bonus: a professional photographer will also be on-site to capture each client’s “after” look, which will be uploaded to an album on the MAKE UP FOR EVER USA Facebook page. Nice way to spruce up that profile picture, don’t you think?

Winter has arrived.  This week has been cold everywhere — experienced the first subzero wind chills in Chicago in what feels like two years, how about you? Everything is just so dry. I have stepped up my moisturizer game in a big way. I mean business. My hair wants in on the moisture blast action, too. Last night, I took myself to George the Salon in Chicago to experience The Vegetarian Miracle Conditioning Treatment. In short, it’s everything for dry ends. I woke up with the softest tresses this a.m. And my blowout is completely intact — I plan to ride it out for as many days as I can manage.

A bit of background on George. The man behind the salon, George Gonzales, worked for Oprah and the Harpo team for more than a decade and opened his own salon about five years ago. One of the lines he’s been carrying since opening is from eco-friendly Davines, and the Vegetarian Treatment is the newest addition. Part one is an intense conditioning treatment featuring nourishing ingredients like rice, red algae and avocado. The final touch is the Living Enzyme Infusion Spray which targets brittle hair with wheat proteins, olive oil, cotton bloom and a special enzyme that fights free radicals (yeah, they attack your hair just as they do skin!)

My hair has way more shine and bounce than it should for January, and I’m thrilled. The service costs $20 — and is perfect for someone like me who gets as few trims as possible. I think a regular treatment like this can help me keep my ends in better shape.

Anyone else feeling winter’s drab effect on hair? What are you doing to remedy the situation?

Note: Services were provided free-of-charge for editorial consideration. Opinions are my own.