A peek inside my GlossyBox

Scott and I always manage to miss the postman whenever he attempts to deliver packages for me.   Inevitably I have to make the trek to the collection facility, which is a mere two blocks away; however trying to get there during their operating hours proves to be the trickiest part.  Thankfully I made it in time to get my Glossy Box before it was shipped back to wherever it came from.  This month did not disappoint. It's Valentine's Day themed and everything!!

The thing that I love most is Bobbi Brown's Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara.  I first tried another variant of Bobbi Brown's mascara during my lesson with Cindy and was so excited to see it in February's box.  I'm not terribly picky with my mascara, but I love the fact that you can put on coat after coat of this stuff and it never manages to clump.  If I could make another mascara recommendation to Holly of Nothing But Bonfires I would, but she's already narrowed down her selection.

The rate at which I devour mascara is really similar to the pace of a snail.  I'm still using a tube I purchased in January 2010; I know, it's probably past it's prime, but I see no signs of pink eye!  Gross. If I do the math for the tube I received via my special delivery, I figure it is valued at $24.00 AUS given it's half the size what's sold in store ($48.00 AUS for 6 ml).  And I'm lost - I don't think I have enough fingers and toes to compute the rest.  Put it simply, my lil' treasure is a steal!

Here are my lashes with a healthy coat of Lash Glamour… mascara followed up with a comb through. If you ever get a chance to splurge on a monthly delivery service, do it!  Given the current state of the world's economy, most women are reaching for lipstick, because it's far more affordable than buying those really cute boots or designer purse.

Lead in lipstick, who knew?!

I have a bit of a tendency to live under a rock during the week; news and current events are pretty much off my radar until the weekend is upon us or when Scott shoots me an e-mail or text about something super newsworthy.  Case in point, I received this little gem last week..

Colour me shocked!  Could you hear the sarcasm in there?  If you keep up with celebrity gossip as much as I do, you would know that something bad would eventually happen.  This is the only mention WH gets on here, because I've found the excessive coverage about her to be completely nauseating.

Onto much, um, lighter things in the news.  According the Washington Post, the FDA (America's Food and Drug Administration) have tested and found 400 shades of lipstick from various brands sold across the U.S. contain "trace amounts of lead."  But how much is too much, especially when many women reapply throughout the course of the day?  There's a reason why lead-based paint used in homes remained a hot button issue for so many years.

Here's a list of the top ten culprits that contain the highest amounts of lead:

1. Maybelline’s Color Sensation in Pink Petal. (Lead content: 7.19 ppm)

2. L’Oreal Colour Riche in Volcanic. (Lead content: 7.00 ppm)

3. NARS Semi-Matte in Red Lizard. (Lead content: 4.93 ppm)

4. Cover Girl Queen Collection Vibrant Hues Color in Ruby Remix (Lead content: 4.92 ppm)

5. NARS Semi-Matte in Funny Face. (Lead content: 4.89)

6. L’Oreal Colour Rich in Tickled Pink. (Lead content: 4.45)

7. L’Oreal Intensely Moisturizing Lipcolor in Heroic. (Lead content: 4.41)

8. Cover Girl Continuous Color in Warm Brick. (Lead content: 4.28)

9. Maybelline Color Sensational in Mauve Me. (Lead content: 4.23)

10. Stargazer lipstick in shade “c.” (Lead content: 4.12)

Halzack, Sarah. Lead in lipsticks: Which brands are the worst offenders? The Washington Post, 14 February 2012. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-checkup/post/lead-in-lipsticks-which-brands-are-the-worst-offenders/2012/02/14/gIQAfNkiDR_blog.html

The other thing worth mentioning was the fact that there was no direct correlation between price point and lead content.

Will you give your shade of choice a second thought before applying?

Essie's Peach Daiquiri - weekly nail review

Last week I failed to write my weekly nail review, because I was feeling a bit uninspired as a result of hating my manicure.  I wore Essie's St. Lucia Lilac and was immensely disappointed by the overall quality of the application.  I guess my denial of addressing and or writing about my experience last week is an absolute disservice to the review process.  Essentially, I thought my nails looked like crap and I was afraid to admit it. If you couldn't already tell, I'm a bit of a perfectionist; I've been like this for as long as I can remember.  Also, the fact that I paid $40.00 for my lackluster mani and didn't complain is ultimately my fault.  If I don't speak up, no one will ever know.  I really don't want to throw this person under the bus, because I found out the manicurist in question was flying solo on a busy Saturday afternoon. I'm willing to cut her a little slack, but if it ever happens again I think I'll be forced to speak up.

Raggedy cuticles and uneven application

I know what you're thinking, I must sound like an absolute princess - but I work really hard for my money and don't throw it around on just anything.  The only thing that could lift my spirits was to go with a bright and happy colour; this, my friends, is where Essie's Peach Daiquiri comes in.  Punchy, pink and perfect.  Those are the three words that encompass this summery offering.  By week's end, this hue leaned a bit orange and the finish remained in tact.  A sip of an adult beverage transported me away from the isle of dissapointment and regret.

I hope..

You had a lovely Valentine's Day.  Sorry for being so late with my wishes for you, but it's been an insanely busy week for me at work.  One day I will figure out how to balance my time appropriately. Until then, enjoy some images of this sweet treat baked up by one of my colleagues, Justine.