Ishah x Beauty

I made this badass t-shirt at DressUnited.com

2013-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Press Sample

So, you may have seen this instagram pic I posted a while back:

Narcissistic and probably not true, but I love it anyway! I had seen shirts with 'My Blog is Bigger Than Yours' on them before, but I wanted one with my blog URL on it. Happily for me, I was contacted by Dress United (who are owned by the same company I got my business cards from) to create a custom shirt through their website.

Here are some more pics of the front and back.

The process was very easy and they give you the option to either upload your own image or use their text and clip art to create your t-shirt. The shirt I chose is a 100% combed cotton American Apparel shirt and I read that if you unsure about sizing, go up a size as they are fitted. The shirt is comfortable and feels good quality and the printing is clear and perfect. It definitely doesn't feel like one of those cheapo shirts that peel when you wash it. With a design on both the front and back and the better quality shirt the price ended up being around $30, but they have many other styles to choose from, some cheaper. I like the fact that you get such a large area for your design on both sides, which along with the great printing quality I feel justifies the price. Certain other t-shirt websites only give you a very small area to work with and it doesn't look as good or allow you as much freedom with the design.

I really love my shirt and it's a good way to shamelessly promote my blog ^_^

Dress United have given me a discount code for my readers! Go to http://www.dressunited.com/redeem and type in the code BLOG30OFF4U. This code will give you 30% off your first order and free shipping in the US.

Got2b POWDER'ful Hair Volumising Powder Review and Pictures.

2013-05-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

Press Sample

If there's one big hair peeve that I have, it's lack of volume. My hair is fine and can sometimes look a bit like an afghan hound's ears, sticking to my head (you just pictured me with afghan ears, didn't you). Well, to look less houndish, I usually use some type of volumising product - but sprays and mousse tend to be sticky and end up making my hair look clumpy and oily. When I heard about Got2b POWDER'ful, I was interested to see how the powder formula would work in my fine, flyaway hair.

The powder looks like baby powder, but feels tackier and disappears when you rub your hands together.When I rubbed it into my hair, I could feel it grabbing onto my roots and slightly thickening the texture. Because it turns invisible after rubbing, there's no white/greyish cast to the hair at all which you get if you use baby powder or some dry shampoos.

Before using Got2b POWDER'ful

After using Got2b POWDER'ful

I liked the volume boost the powder gave me, I didn't use a huge amount just what you see in the picture of the powder above. I did notice that after a couple of hours it starts to fall a little, but you can reactivate it by just rubbing with your fingers at your roots, no need to add more powder. I think it's a great product for natural volume that leaves your hair with a soft, light texture and won't make it heavy or oily. It may not be your cup of tea if you prefer big, dramatic volume - for that you'll still need a teasing comb and some hairspray.

I would probably purchase this product when I run out, as I have been enjoying using it. My hair doesn't play well with some products, as it's easily weighed down, so I love that POWDER'ful still leaves it feeling soft and natural. I do wish it lasted a bit longer without having to reactivate it, so if I found something that worked better I'd consider that instead. So far though, this is the best natural looking volumiser I have used.

What do you usually use to volumise your hair? Do you like natural volume or big Texas style hair? :p

Korean Drama's Yoon Eun-Hye Inspired Hair.

2013-05-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

I Bought This

Last year, I completely fried my hair with bleach. I didn't take the proper precautions before bleaching it (such as deep conditioning) and the hair treatments/conditioners I tried were only a temporary fix, so my hair was EXTREMELY dry and needed to go. Yes, it just needed to step on out and leave. One night, I was trying to comb a huge knot out of my straw-like locks and I had so much breakage, I myself reached the breaking point....

So this happened:

And then I looked like this:

......

Sorry, it's unbrushed and probably hadn't been washed for a couple of days (I have 3 kids under 6, ok?)...... Yeah it was pretty horrific. We were going to a wedding that weekend and I wanted my hair to look nice, so I decided to get it properly styled at a salon - that DIY look just wasn't cutting it ('cutting' it, get i-- yeah).

First let me show you the hairstyle I wanted; I have been completely obsessed with Yoon Eun-Hye's hair in the K drama, My Fair Lady (Or Taking Care of the Young Lady). It's a wavy, asymmetrical bob that just looks so fresh and stylish on her and I hoped that it would revitalise my near-to-death hair!

Isn't it cute?

The last time I got my hair cut was when I was still in Orange County, so I searched online and found a salon called Beauty By Bee quite near to my house that had good reviews on Yelp. I made an appointment for Saturday morning and it was pretty quiet at that time.The salon is bright and clean, despite being in the back of a building complex, behind a fitness centre.

My stylist was Kim and she was very friendly and professional. I did feel that she was rushing a bit, but that may have been because I asked at the last minute if I could get my eyebrows done as well and she was trying to make sure the wax technician could fit me into the break she had between clients. Despite doing things quickly, she was very thorough and gave me a good shampoo & condition, cut my hair, then blow dried it and cut it some more. She dried it straight so she could see the shape of the cut better and make sure everything was even.

And the result?

I am loving it!! It looks edgy and modern, not like an old lady 'mom haircut' if you know what I mean. Kim did the layers beautifully and I love the way she blended the difference in length. It looks amazing straight, but the best part is that it looks great with hardly ANY styling. In the picture below, I washed my hair and then combed it while wet, left it to air dry, put in a small amount of volumising powder and this was the result:

The next day I didn't even have to do anything, I woke up and it still looked great! My dreams of easy, less than 5 minute styling have come truuue!!! I'm so so so happy with my hair and will definitely be back to pay Kim another visit :)

I'm loving shorter hair especially since the weather is heating up here. No hot and sweaty back of the neck for me. Do you like to cut your hair in warmer weather?

RiRi ♥ MAC RiRi Woo Giveaway!

2013-05-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

I Bought This

I have one of the sold out RiRi ♥ MAC RiRi Woo lipsticks to give away! This lipstick has been a huge talking point ever since it was first announced that Rihanna would be doing a MAC collection. Not surprisingly, considering all the hype, it sold out in 3 hours! You wont be able to buy it again until June, so to tide you over until then here's a chance to win it. You can check out my review and more photos here.

This giveaway is open internationally and you can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

RiRi ♥ MAC RiRi Woo on warm/yellow toned tan skin.

2013-05-11T20:30:00.001-07:00

I Bought This

So, by now you should have heard the hype over the MAC x Rihanna collaboration 'RiRi ♥ MAC' and its signature lipstick, RiRi Woo. I was lucky (meaning patient enough to sit on my phone for 2 hours) to snag 2 of these babies! One is for me and one is to give away to one of you lovely readers ;)

I know there are quite a few other people reviewing RiRi Woo, but I wanted to show you how it looks on my skintone which has a warm/yellow undertone. I honestly believe that this shade looks good on everyone, no matter the skin colour; it's a beautiful universal lipstick and I say kudos to Rihanna for making sure it was wearable. Unlike other certain music divas.... *cough*nickiminaj*cough* with a certain lipstick that made anyone darker than a snowflake look like Tyrone Biggums *cough*vivaglamnicki2*cough* >_>

RiRi ♥ MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick

RiRi ♥ MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick Swatch

RiRi ♥ MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick on warm/yellow toned tan skin - natural light.

RiRi ♥ MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick on warm/yellow toned tan skin - with flash

Don't know why there is such a disparity between my skin colour in natural light as opposed to flash... I'd say it's somewhere in between?

The finish is described as 'Retro Matte' and it is a beautiful, matte velvet red which takes its inspiration from the iconic MAC lipstick, Ruby Woo. I don't own Ruby Woo, but from what I've seen RiRi Woo is slightly richer, darker and bluer-toned, leaving Ruby Woo looking almost like a tomato red in comparison. It is also more of a velvety matte, rather than a satin matte.

RiRi Woo isn't a creamy lipstick, so it does take some maneuvering and a careful hand to apply, but it is beautifully opaque and smooth once on. It doesn't settle into lines or show your dry/flaky patches as a lot of other matte lipsticks do. I am ABSOLUTELY in love with the look RiRi Woo has, it's so chic and vintage. I own 2 other matte red lip products, but the quality and finish of RiRi Woo is much more superior. It was slightly drying, but not as much as I expected it to be and nothing a touch of lipbalm didn't fix. One thing I did notice was that after eating it did wear more on the inside and left that dreaded ring around the outer edge of my lips, so a touchup was necessary. This was probably because I applied lip balm over it to avoid it drying my lips out, in hindsight, I probably could have skipped the balm. I was able to drink without it fading, though.

This is actually my very first MAC purchase, ever. And needless to say, I do see what the hype is all about. I am in love with this lipstick and it will henceforth be my go to red lip! Yes, you can find cheaper matte red lipsticks, but I feel like the formula and finish are really worth the higher price tag. Honestly, it may be subtle, but I do think RiRi Woo is pretty unique with its soft as velvet retro glam.

Keep an eye out for my giveaway, coming soon!

Polish Days: The Number 5.

2013-05-07T12:01:00.001-07:00

This Polish Days theme is the Number 5, and it's completely and utterly perfect for me.

This month is my 5th wedding anniversary! I can't believe it's already been 5 years since my husband and I were married :) It's been ups and downs, difficulties and lots of precious moments and I wouldn't change the last 5 years for anything.

To commemorate this happy occasion, I decided to put a few things together in a manicure that mean a lot to me.

1.The beautiful rose shade with pink shimmer is OPI We Met On The Internet; a polish I just had to have as soon as I heard the name. My husband and I met way back in 04 on a website called Gaia Online, a community forum for anime geeks like us. We then reluctantly (since we were both against internet relationships) fell in love.
2. The Kleancolor moon glitter polish was part of my anniversary gift from my husband, he said it reminded him of Sailor Moon - one of my lifetime obsessions.
3. The moons and roses are a tribute to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask's love! The best love story ever, my husband is my very own Tuxedo Mask :p

The manicure is two coats of OPI We Met On The Internet, with one dabbed coat of Kleancolor Pinky Moon except on the ring finger. The ring finger is two coats of China Glaze Glistening Snow with freehanded roses done in We Met On The Internet, WnW Black Creme for the swirls and Sinful Colors Open Seas for the leaves.

I hope you like my interpretation of the 5 theme! :)

My Favourite Orange Lip Looks

2013-05-03T23:02:00.002-07:00

Orange lips are SO big right now. I think you can pretty much wear orange lipstick through Spring, Summer and Fall, so it's an extremely versatile lip colour. I've compiled some of my favourite looks that I've done with Orange lipstick, so check them out!

Layering with Maybelline Vivids Lipstick in Electric Orange and Baby Lips in Coral Crush.

Two Toned Lips using Maybelline Vivids Lipstick in Electric Orange and Shocking Coral.

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti, 1 & 2.

Orange can be worn in so many ways, subtly or as a bright pop of colour, I really love it as a change from my usual pinks and peaches. Maybelline Vivids Electric Orange is a beautiful bold statement shade, while Baby Lips Coral Crush is a nice soft wash of sheer colour, so whether you love to stand out or prefer to just dip your toe into orange, there's something for everyone. Orange also suits almost every complexion, so it's definitely one of the season's hot trends that I recommend.

Have you tried orange lipstick yet? What's your favourite?

Check out some other Orange Lip Looks here:

Japanese Gel Manicure at Atlas Studio

2013-04-29T22:43:00.002-07:00

Everything is better in Japan. Food, fashion, cosmetics, cartoons, music and nails. I love (mostly) everything that comes out of Japan (I draw the line at this, though). So a while ago, I went and got a Japanese Gel manicure from Atlas Salon in Costa Mesa. The Japanese Gel manicures can be a bit more expensive than your usual gel mani, but the quality of the products, technique and designs (I believe) are much more superior.

Atlas Studio is in a small shopping complex in Costa Mesa (Orange County CA), next to the Marukai Japanese grocery store. It is super clean, light and airy inside and although it isn't huge, it feels spacious.

Atlas Studio, interior

Atlas Studio, waiting area

Aaaaand, it just so happens that my BFF Mai of Rainy Nails works there! She was doing a trial period with them, where she showcased her skills using a model, so she asked me to come in. We decided to make a girl's day out of it and have dinner and a massage after she finished up for the day.

Mai and I! :)

Selection of gel colours

Japanese manicures are much gentler on your hands, as they don't cut your cuticles down or grind your nails down paper thin. They have a nice selection of shades to choose from at Atlas, and Mai can basically do any kind of pattern or nail art you can think of. Her designs are sooo varied and all really beautiful! I had a hard time deciding what I wanted, but eventually went with something simple and a little edgy, black and glitter half moons with rhinestone accents.

Freehand painting my half-moons

Half-moons with glitter and rhinestones.

I am in love with half moons, they look so cool. I do kind of wish I had gotten another colour instead of black, since it seemed a little dark for everyday wear. The gel lasted a SUPER, super long time. I actually started getting annoyed with how long it lasted, because I couldn't swatch the new nail polish that I bought, or try out any nail art. I'd say they lasted a good 3 weeks before I got them removed and there were no chips or peeling at all. As I said before, the quality of Japanese gel manicures are so good when done right!

Here are a few more designs that Mai has done at Atlas Studio:

Gotta promote my BFF a little! If you're around the SoCal area and want to get a Japanese gel manicure/pedicure, go and ask for Mai at Atlas Studio! ;)

Atlas Studio
2971 Harbor Blvd Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 429-1048

I love doing my own nails, but sometimes it's fun to get pampered a bit and I really love the Japanese style manicure; the designs are always so pretty and intricate. I only wish I could get my nails to be oval shaped, every time I try to file them oval, they end up breaking. I am doomed to have squoval tips forever. Anyone have any tips on maintaining an oval nail shape?

Easy 3 Step Covergirl Makeup Look + P&G Most Loved Giveaway!

2013-04-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Press Sample

P&G is a pretty well known company, but many of you may not know just how many of your favourite brands are a part of the P&G family. She Speaks and P&G were kind enough to send me a huge box full of their 'Most Loved' products to try out, including these three from Covergirl:

1. LashBlast Volume Mascara 2. Perfect Point Pencil Eyeliner 3. Outlast Double Lipshine

I used these three products to do a simple natural makeup look.

Line upper lashline with the Perfect Point Pencil Eyeliner in Espresso and use the sponge end to smudge and blend outwards.
Apply 2 coats of LashBlast Volume Mascara in Black to both upper and lower lashes.
Apply the Outlast Double Lipshine in Sheerly Nude, first the colour and once it's set, the gloss on top.

I really liked all three of these Covergirl products! Click here for a mini review and a chance to win a huge box of P&G Goodies!

CLICK HERE FOR THE REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY!

Disclosure: Products are press samples received from She Speaks for review.

Check out their nail art: Winners! RCM Gel System Mani Madness Contest.

2013-04-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

The winners of the Mani Madness RCM Pro Gel Kit contest are as follows:

Sam M. - Chosen by me.

I love this idea! Sam did Basketball Net French Tips W/ Basketball Halfmoons & 3D Fimo Clay Basketballs on Index & Pinky. The little 3D basketballs are my favourite, they are super cute.

Lisa F. - chosen by Mai.

Lisa did a cool manicure with logos of all the teams in the final four. Michigan has glequins because she was rooting for them! Mai liked her use of freehand painting and the gorgeous holos and glequins that really made it stand out.

Sammy T. - chosen by my husband, Mr. IXB (lolol like that hun?).

Sammy did a simple but flawless March Madness mani. Mr IXB loved the clean lines and the little Jordanesque jumpman on the pinky.

Congrats to the 3 of you, please check your emails!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest, I have a couple more giveaways coming up soon and my big blogiversary giveaway coming in June, so stay tuned!

Winner! Geo Nudy Grey Circle Lens Giveaway.

2013-04-08T08:50:00.002-07:00

What better way to start out a Monday than to announce my giveaway winner!

The winner of my Geo Nudy Grey Circle Lens giveaway is:

Thais M.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Thais! Please check your email :)

The winners of the Mani Madness Contest will be announced later today, so stay tuned!

Blogazons Roundup 4/7

2013-04-07T11:07:00.001-07:00

Spring has sprung, with lots of new collections, fragrances, beauty looks and more. An alternative to the $40 brush glove? A review on the Milani Grandissimo mascara? It's all here in the Blogazons Roundup.

Mama Fashionista: Mama Fashionista shares the perfect fragrance to transport your senses to Provence and put you in a Spring state of mind!
TheFabZilla: Get 'Yo Funk on with Eddie Funkhouser New York Makeup Line!
Ishah x Beauty: One of the hottest Spring makeup trends made easy: Ishah shows you how to get Two Toned Lips 3 easy ways.
Emily hudspeth, hair and makeup: Freshen up your look for Spring without Spending too much time or money!
Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: How many facial cleansers does a girl with a penchant for skincare need? Find out here!
Midnight Manicures: Are you looking for a great volumizing mascara at an even better price? Jayme has your answer, the new Milani Grandissimo Lashes Incredible Volume Mascara.
Cosmetics Aficionado: April is Beauty Blogger Appreciation Month at Cosmetics Aficionado!
Harajuku Girl FL Beauty: Lady Grenade Cosmetics has reopened, check out swatches and a special deal!
Beauty Apocalypse: Beauty Apocalypse reviews a new clear skin regime.
Beauty by Arielle: How to Volumize Fine Hair.
MakeUpMom123: Light It Up Blue.
Beauty by Miss L: This week Miss L showed her March favorites.
Love At First Site!: Reviewing Lait des Bienfaits by Roger & Gallet.
Rachel's Makeup and Skincare: Rachel weighs in on some of the products from Burberry's Spring 2013 Collection and it sure was a hit!
Shades Of Beauty, Inc.: If $40 is outside of your budget, how about less than $4?
Beauty Professor: Now that it's soon to be sandal weather, the Beauty Professor embraces a "do-it-yourself" springtime pedicure!
Beauty Madness: Want to take care of those hideous pimples, quickly? You're gonna love this!

Wet n Wild MegaPlump Waterproof Mascara Review

2013-04-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

I Bought This

So I had to rush out of the house the other day and had no time to put on any makeup. I usually carry a small arsenal of the basics: mascara, lipgloss, lip balm and creme blush, but due to switching purses for a wedding, I was without my trusty mini sized Urban Decay SuperCurl mascara! Since I was going to Target, I decided to pick up a new mascara to try (as well as 128792647 things that I don't really need... you know what Target is like).

I was at the Wet n Wild display and this bright pink tube attracted my eye, the Wet n Wild MegaPlump Waterproof Mascara:

What it claims:
5x Plumper!
Plump It!

Very Black Mascara
Up to 5x the Volume of Your Natural Lash
Instantly Plumps for Maximizing Effect
Cruelty Free

MegaPlump™ Mascara
Plump up the volume! Get 5 times the volume with this mascara that amplifies and plumps for plush, dramatic lashes. This volumizing formula delivers thicker lashes in an instant. The voluminous brush wraps around the entire lash line for full impact without clumping.

My opinion:
It has a big brush which seem to catch all the lashes, but the formula is dry, dry, dry. I don't know if it was that I had an old dried out tube? Or this is just what the formula is like? It didn't coat my lashes very well. The picture above is 3 coats. Yep, three. It would probably work better for someone who prefers natural looking lashes, I like super dramatic, full lashes. I also noticed that my lashes seemed to drop after a couple of hours... not so Megaplump :( It doesn't flake though and I had no smudging. It leaves my lashes still feeling soft and removes easily with makeup remover. It just doesn't give me that plush, dramatic volume that I'm looking for.

I really like most of what Wet n Wild has to offer, but this mascara just didn't work for me.

Free Julep Nail Polish from Shoedazzle

2013-04-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Affiliate Links

Just received this email from Shoedazzle! You can get a free Julep nail polish in one of three pastel shades with their 'Daily Fix', which is a new style that's discounted today only.

I am SOOOOO tempted to get this! The sandal is gorgeous and I am all about pastel shades at the moment. I'll probably debate about it for a couple of hours and then end up buying it =_= I'm so weak when it comes to shoes, add free polish into the mix and it's pretty much a done deal.

Get your personalised Shoedazzle profile and check the deal out here.

How To Do Two Toned Lips! Runway Trend Made Easy

2013-04-01T09:18:00.001-07:00

Two Toned lips are all over runways and fashion magazines at the moment. I think it's one of the hottest trends for Spring and Summer, so I wanted to show you a few super easy ways to do it using drugstore makeup!

No. 1 - Bright Coral and Orange:

Products Used - Maybelline Vivids Lipsticks in Electric Orange and Shocking Coral. Pink and orange is the one I most wanted to try, it looks so high fashion and edgy! I wanted to use a pink that was similarly toned, so I chose a bright, warm coral pink. I used two lipsticks from the same line so I knew they had a similar formula and finish. It was very simple, just applied Shocking Coral on the top and Electric Orange on the bottom. Viola!

No. 2 - Shades of Pink.

Products used: Wet n Wild Megalast Lipstick in Dollhouse Pink and Mauve Outta Here. For a more subtle two toned look, using two different but complementing shades of pink does the trick. This is Wet n Wild Dollhouse Pink on the top and Mauve Outta Here on the bottom. This is a good way to just dip your toe into a high fashion look that makes it more wearable for every day. You could also do this with two tones of red!

For something a little more elaborate, check out this post I did on an ombre lip look using lipstick and gold eyeshadow:

For more info and how I did it, click here!

All three looks are super easy to do, but the last one is probably the most wearable. You also don't have to worry about messing it up if you press your lips together, whereas the first two, you have to be careful not to smudge the colours.

I'm so excited about all the Spring Trends, there are so many vibrant, edgy looks to try!

What Spring Trend are you loving?

My Easter Nails: Sweet Purple Candy

2013-03-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

I Bought This

Easter is just days away! I don't celebrate Easter religiously, but I like to celebrate holidays with my family and good friends. It's another excuse to get together, spend quality time and eat good food. In the past few (4) years ~~basically since I moved to the states~~ there have been numerous dramas surrounding the holidays, due to an inability to see eye to eye with certain people. I'm determined to pass this Easter peacefully.... This means I need pretty things to look at. That always keeps me calm.

Soooo I pulled out this gorgeous purple combo to put on my nails, Revlon Girly & Zoya Marley.

I did one coat of Marley and two thin coats of Revlon Girly. Girly is opaque on it's own, but it tends to have a LOT of glitter and I wanted the glitter to be a little more sparse. The result was this purple candy confection:

My camera freaked out a little on the purple and wanted to show it as more pink than it is. I tried to colour correct a bit, but it is slightly more purple toned than it looks. It's pretty true to what it looks like in the bottle in the top picture. I love both of these polishes so much! Marley is slightly streaky and can be a bit thick, but I think a drop or two of nail polish thinner might fix that. Girly tends to get a bit muddy looking if it's applied too thickly, that's why I prefer to layer it :)

Ok, so now I'm set! Now I can stare at my pretty nails all day and not worry about anything else. Easter is for chocolate!

Feelin' Springy FOTD.

2013-03-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

I am SO ready for Spring and Summer! Snow is nice and all, but warmer weather is...... wait a minute. I live in Southern Cali, wtf am I talking about? Ok, so it's always pretty warm here, but we did have a few weeks of really cold .. uh.. somewhat cold weather.

Whatever. I'm in the mood for bright colours and light makeup anyway, so here you go.

FOTD:

Face:

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31
Benefit Hervana Blush

Eyes:

elf Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium
Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Perversion
Silk Lashes from Born Pretty Store
stila eyeshadow in Karat
Dolly Wink Volume Mascara
Geo Angel Blue circle lenses

Lips:

Maybelline Vivids Lipstick in Electric Orange
Maybelline Baby Lips in Coral Crush

Shades of orange are in the air... Bright, vivid colours are so much fun and always make me feel good. If you're ever feeling down, a bright pop of colour will cheer you up! I think the Maybelline Vivids lipsticks are perfect for that.

Spring has officially sprung! It's almost Easter you guise! Somebody send me lots of Cadbury Creme Eggs, I can't find them anywhere here.. those little things are addictive, they're like crack but harder to find O_O

Mani Madness Contest! Win a Red Carpet Manicure Gel Nails Pro Kit!

2013-03-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

Press Sample

I am so excited to share this with you guys!

I am hosting a March Madness inspired 'Mani Madness' Contest sponsored by Red Carpet Manicure! Now is the season for sports nuts and people who are normally indifferent to sports to unite! Whether you love Basketball or love nails, I am positive you will LOVE the prize for this contest. The 3, yes THREE, best manicure looks will win a Red Carpet Manicure Gel Nails Pro Kit!

The Pro Kit is a $79.99 value and includes ALL of this:

Professional LED Light - LED Gel-Curing Light (AC Power Cord Adapter Included).
Prep - MAX ADHESION PREP
Structure - BASE COAT GEL
Brilliance - SEAL & SHINE TOP COAT GEL
Revitalize - NOURISHING CUTICLE OIL
Red Carpet Reddy - LED Gel Polish
Purify - PRE & POST APPLICATION CLEANSER
Erase - GEL NAIL POLISH REMOVER
RCM Instructions Card

If you've ever wanted to do your own Gel manicure at home, this is a great option. You can see my review of the RCM Starter Kit here.

For the contest - here are a few rules:

You must be following Ishah x Beauty. It can be by GFC, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
You must create a manicure with the theme 'March Madness'. Nail art is encouraged, but it doesn't have to be complicated! It could be your team's colours, nail stickers, stamping, elaborate acrylic painting or a simple dotticure, anything you come up with.
You must take a picture of your manicure with a piece of paper that says '#IXBManiMadness Contest'. I need to know that they are your nails! You can email me the picture (ishah AT ishahxbeauty DOT com), post it on my Facebook page or upload it to Instagram and tag @ishahxbeauty with the hashtag #IXBManiMadness.
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON! Please only submit one picture of one manicure. You can make a collage of the manicure, but it has to be one image file.

Here is a quick, crappy example I did for you guys. I'm sure you can do a lot better than this! Lol.

The contest is open to US ONLY and will run from today 3/25/2013 through to 4/7/2013, the day of the Championship game. It will be judged by my friend Mai, of Rainy Nails, myself and my husband who is an avid basketball fan ;) We will each pick our favourite manicure to win a Red Carpet Manicure Pro Kit.

Winners will be announced on my blog and social media channels and also emailed. If they do not respond within 48 hours, new winners will be picked.

Now go forth and create some awesome March Madness manicures! I can't wait to see what you all come up with :)

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color: How to make them work.

2013-03-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

I Bought This

So there has been a lot of negative buzz about the Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color, mostly that they are drying and settle into lines. I also found that to be the case when I tried them out. Even if I applied lip balm first they still seemed to be drying and unflattering, but I really wanted to find a way to make them work since they are such pretty shades!

Don't Click On My HyperPink

Do I Make You Blush?

Cherry On Top

The applicator is a flat two sided paddle which picks up A LOT of product. I mean, this thing was almost dripping with lip colour and deposited a HUGE amount of product when I swatched them.

L - R: Click On My HyperPink, Do I Make You Blush?, Cherry On Top

You can see that they are matte and look super pigmented, but they also look very dry and almost cracking. On my lips they looked even worse! You can see how dry and flaky looking Do I Make You Blush? was here:

Super dry and disgusting looking!!! But is it possible to make it work?

So I thought, maybe it's just TOO much product and the thick layer is what is making it look so bad. I decided to apply lip balm and then when I applied the Liquid Lip Color, scraped off the excess product onto the side of the tube opening, so only a VERY little amount was left on the applicator. I rubbed it on lightly and was left with a MUCH better result.

Click On My HyperPink

Do I Make You Blush?

Cherry On Top

The beautiful colour still comes through, but it looks SO much nicer! My favourite is Cherry On Top, it's such a beautiful, rich satin red. Click My HyperPink was still a little chalky for me, but it'd probably work better on a lighter skintone. I couldn't believe the difference in how it looked on. Let me show you again how horrible it was in comparison:

The ONLY difference is how much product I applied. The top pic is straight out of the tube and the bottom pic is after scraping the excess off. I am pretty happy with how I managed to make them look good and they still had good pigmentation, lasting power and a satiny matte finish. It's not really that much work, since you just have to wear lip balm and scrape off the excess before you apply, but I know some people do prefer something they can easily slap on and go. Are you going to try the Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Colors, or do you prefer something you don't have to work with?

The Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Colors retail for $2.99 and can be found at Walgreens and CVS among other major drugstores.

Google Reader is sinking, so it's time to jump ship.

2013-03-24T13:24:00.001-07:00

I'm sure you know that Google will be pulling the plug on Google Reader on July 1st and I just wanted to show you what I will be using to easily import my feeds into other readers and keep up with ALL my blogs without having to go around and resubscribe to everyone.

For Web:

Bloglovin - This one is pretty popular with a lot of the other bloggers too. They have an easy 'Import from Google Reader' button which instantly pulls all the feeds you're subscribed to on Reader into your Bloglovin list.

For Mobile:
Pulse - I really like this app because you can choose which feeds you want and see all the articles/posts in that specific feed. It also has a nice looking interface. It also allows you to read feeds from Twitter, Facebook and lots of other sources.
Flipboard - Really nice looking app, it gives you a multitude of options for sources and also displays articles/blog posts in a magazine style. You flip the 'page' to get to the next article on your list. The only thing I wish you could do is choose specific feeds to view.

To see even more alternatives, click HERE and HERE :)

I hope you all find a good alternative to Reader. I know I'll miss it, but hopefully the other RSS readers are just as good. Go do it soon so you can keep my updates in your life! ;)

AAAAAAND go enter my circle lens giveaway.

Giveaway! Geo Nudy Grey Circle Lens.

2013-03-24T10:16:00.001-07:00

Press Sample

The eyes are the windows to the soul (or so they say) and sometimes you want to switch it up a little! If you have ever dreamed of having, soft, dewy, doe-like eyes (kinda like Bambi) then you will LOVE this giveaway. Along with the Geo Magic Black and Geo Angel Blue lenses I was sent for review, Angel Contacts kindly sent me one of their most popular circle lens, the Geo Nudy Grey. This lens is extremely well-loved by gyaru and ulzzang alike and used by many popular Japanese and Korean models! They are a natural looking lens that give a soft, pretty shine to eyes.

From AngelContacts.com:

The Look

Light, playful, angelic. The GEO Nudy Circle Lens series is our most natural look.
They will be head over heels for this new elegant gray in town
Lense Information
Diameter : 14.2mm
Base curve : 8.6mm
Center thickness : 0.04mm
Water content : 38%
Lasts up to 1 year after opening.

I wanted to share with one of you lucky readers, so I am doing a giveaway!The giveaway is open internationally and you can enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. If you are on mobile and the widget doesn't work for you, you can enter by following my blog and commenting below with "I love circle lenses!"

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck everyone! For more information regarding circle lens use and care, and to see all my circle lens reviews click here.

Why I won't be needing botox.... (yet).

2013-03-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Press Sample

Botox. Why the heck am I talking about botox? I'm only 27, but I have a long history of baking away in the scorching Australian sun. Right under that hole in the ozone, you know the one, making the Aussie sun a bajillion times stronger than here in the US.

Oh hai...

This picture was taken on the Gold Coast, 8 years ago, the height of my sunbaking days... The beach was my second home - And yes, I had cheesily edited it so it looks like a still from a bad soap opera. That was back when I was still learning how to use photoshop, okay? Okay. - So while I was doing all that baking away, do you think I used sunscreen? Ohhh nooo, I was trying to get as tan as I could be. You know that girl out at the peak of the day, slathering coconut oil all over herself? Yeah, that was me. And like most sun happy idiots, the result is... dun dun dun! Sun damage!

And now, I obsess over these two annoying fine lines in my forehead... put there no doubt, by the misuse of coconut oil and not enough hydration over the years. So, this is when you turn to botox, right?

Wrong.

DAT SERUM.

From Reviva Labs website:

"Revolutionary" Swiss Apple Stem Cell Booster Serum. (Helps combat skin aging.) A.M. and P.M. apply stem cell serum before your day or night cream to boost effects of your regular cream or serum as you add dramatic anti-wrinkle and texturizing benefits. In our advanced formula, we have blended in select organic botanicals that provide additional anti-aging benefits.

Special Benefits:

Swiss apple stem cells help revive skins own dormant stem cells and can help bring new life and energy to the epidermis. Recharging epidermal cells with our stem cell serum makes skin more responsive to the day or night cream applied over our serum. Overall results are accelerated and remarkably improved.

Swiss research showed a major decrease in appearance of lines and wrinkles in 30 days. The study with volunteers aged 37 to 64 determined a significant decrease in crows feet wrinkle depth for 100% of the participants.

Our advanced formulation also features select organic botanicals that provide additional texturizing and anti-aging benefits. All skin types can improve from the properties of the Swiss apple stem cells. But mature skin, whose cells have been most affected by normal aging, sun and pollution damage, will benefit most.

Yeah. Stem Cells from apples. Swiss apples. If you ask me why Swiss apples, I couldn't tell you... maybe they're at a higher altitude, so the air is better? Don't ask me, I'm not a cosmetologist or a farmer or wtf-ever. All I know is that they do good things to my face.

The Stem Cell Booster Serum feels nice and hydrating when it goes on, and absorbs quickly into my skin. It has anti-aging properties on it's own, but what it's also supposed to do is boost the effects of your other face creams, so I have been using it under my L'Oreal Youth Code day lotion. From the first use, I definitely felt that my skin was much smoother and softer. Over time, I have also noticed a slight reduction in the appearance of those two pesky lines on my forehead and I've only been using the serum for about 3 weeks, so I'm looking forward to even more results. It's not an instant, dramatic difference, but it is certainly working much better than I expected (since I am always skeptical of the claims on anti-aging products).

I am very happy with how my skin looks and feels using the Stem Cell Booster Serum (find it here) and it is a product that I would purchase once it has run out. At the moment it is $30, which seems expensive for 1oz of product, but I think skincare is something we should invest in and if it works then it's worth it. I mean, botox is like 10x that amount. Plus the needles. Don't forget the needles o_o I think I'll be fine using this serum to make my lines disappear, and leave the frozen foreheads to all those Real Housewives of OC.

Reviva Labs products are available at their website, RevivaLabs.com.

Disclosure: Product received for review consideration. All opinions are my own and 100% honest. For more info see my Disclosure Policy.

Geo Angel Blue Circle Lens Review

2013-03-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

Yay, another circle lens review! Yes, I'm excited :p

In addition to the Black Magic lenses I received from Angel Contacts, I also got my first blue circle lenses! This is the Geo Angel Blue lens.

From AngelContacts.com:

The Look
The GEO Angel Circle Lens series offers maximum definition for your eyes, for a bold, beautiful look.
Can you say royalty? Flaunt these luscious royal blues the next time you see your prince charming.

Lens Information
Price: $25.00
Diameter : 14.2mm
Strength: Plano 0.00
Base curve : 8.6mm
Center thickness : 0.04mm
Water content : 38%
Lasts up to 1 year after opening.

When they first arrived, one of the lenses was really uncomfortable so I let Brenda from Angel Contacts know and she promptly sent me a new pair. Lovely service! They are really helpful and very communicative. The new pair was perfect. Contact lenses should never feel painful or too uncomfortable. If your lens is really uncomfortable, you may have a defective lens, have it in backwards or need to wash it in lens solution.

Geo Angel Blue Lens, Natural Light

Geo Angel Blue Lens, Artificial Light

Geo Angel Blue Lens Close Up

The pattern is very pretty and quite similar to my Honey Wing lenses, but more vibrant. The colour and pattern are bright and vibrant enough for dark eyes, but natural looking enough for lighter coloured eyes. At 14.2 mm they give a subtle enlarging and still can be worn easily. I do slightly feel them from time to time, whereas some of my other lenses are like air, but they aren't uncomfortable. Those with sensitive or dry eyes will probably get 4-6 hours of wear without having to apply eyedrops, but normally you'd get 8 hours or more without having to apply eyedrops.

Here is my video review of the lenses, watch it to see them in action :)

I am in looooove with the colour. When I was young and foolish (aka in high school), I hated my brown eyes and deeply envied a girl I knew who had mocha coloured skin and beautiful blue eyes. The contrast was so unusual and pretty. I'm not so adverse to having brown eyes anymore, but I love that I'm able to switch it up and have that jewel toned blue I so admired.

Natural Light

Artificial Light

I have been wearing the Geo Angel Blue lenses quite a lot recently, they're my new favourites :) Keep a look out for a Circle Lens giveaway coming soon! I'll be posting it at the end of this week. The lenses I am giving away are also from Angel Contacts, the beautiful Geo Nudy Grey lens that are very popular with a lot of Gyaru. Make sure you keep an eye out!

Polish Days: Vintage Nail Art

2013-03-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

I love the vintage theme! Polka dots, stripes and roses are the usual thing in vintage nail art, but I love the look so I just went with it. I originally planned to do a Flapper style half moon mani, but I really wanted to try this scalloped lace technique that I saw on Eki's blog :) Mine isn't as perfect as hers, but it's my first time trying it so I'm sure practice will make me better!

I used Wet n Wild Private Viewing (the nude colour) and Wet n Wild French White Creme and then a few Kiss nail art polishes for the roses. The whole look was done using a dotting tool and the Kiss striping polishes, so it was fairly easy :) I finished with a coat of Out The Door top coat and done!

Vintage Nail Art

Vintage Nails

WnW Private Viewing is such a perfect nude colour for me! It's warm toned, so it suits my skintone perfectly :) Sadly, my nails have been subjected to some harsh treatment (that being me peeling gel polish off) and were peeling horribly, so I had to cut them down to within an inch of their life =_= The nails on my right hand are even shorter! I'm so sorry nails, I'll never peel again ;_; I only hope they'll grow back ok... A few people recommended I try Duri Rejuvacote, so I might give it a go. Does anyone have a place they recommend buying it from? I have seen it on Amazon so I might just buy it there.

I hope you like my Vintage nails as much as I enjoyed doing them :) I think the roses are so pretty and easy to do, I'll definitely be using them in more of my nail art looks! What do you think of when you hear 'vintage nail art'?

Decoden iPhone Case Giveaway Winner!

2013-03-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

Aaaaaaaaand the winner is:

Jennie J.!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Jennie, please check your email!

I'm having another giveaway next week, so be sure to stay tuned ;)