Caviar Manicure Without the Price Tag

I've been fascinated with the idea of a caviar manicure for a while now. A recent trip to Sephora showed me how expensive the set was. For 25$ you get a simple black nail polish by Ciate, a bottle filled with tiny black microbeads and a little funnel for you to put the beads back into the pot when you're done. 

My caviar manicure cost me all of 8$. The nailpolish is a plain black by Essence and the microbeads are from Michaels. You get double the amount of beads that you would get in the Ciate kit and there are loads of colours that you can choose from. 

So what is a caviar manicure? All you have to do is paint your nails a base colour. I really wouldn't recommend using a fast dry nail polish. Look for one that takes a little while to set and fully dry. After you've applied however many coats you need, begin to sprinkle the microbeads on your nail and gently press them down. Do not apply a top coat when you're done. It's super easy and simple and can definitely be done for a fraction of the price!

Neon Nine Ways

1. HAIR / Emi Jay $6.50
2. SHIRT / Miss Selfridge $26.00
3. NAILS / Barry M $4.79
4. BRACELET / Juicy Couture $33.90
5. PURSE / Rebecca Minkoff $250.00
6. DRESS / Topshop $96.00
7. FLIP FLOPS / Melissa $50.00
8. HIGH HEELS / Jeffrey Campbell $150.00
9. EARRINGS / nOir $58.00

Fathers Day 2012: Easy Gifts for the Outdoor Dad!

1. If your Dad is a man who enjoys the outdoors, chances are he goes through his fair share of gas! He will surely appreciate a gift card that gets him some free gas! Usually available in a variety of denominations at your local gas station.
2. The perfect stainless steel grill set by Cuisinart is sure to please Dad by helping him make those perfect steaks on the BBQ! $34.99
3. Most Dad's are not so pro golfers. Give him some special golf balls for those days when he's on his game. Titleist Pro V1x golf balls are sure to make his swing look way better than it actually is. If your Dad is a bit better than average, you can personalize them with a little message! $53.99
4. Some Dad's prefer the lake over the putting green. If your Pops is one of them, grab him a kit filled with all the lures he'll need to catch the perfect fish. Bass Pro Shops has many kits for you to choose from. Each one with different lures to catch a different fish. From salt water to fresh water, there's always something at Bass Pro! $26.99
5. Beer is usually a hit with outdoors Dads. If he loves his Budweiser, he'll love the sauce. In four tangy and tasty flavours, these go perfect with his new grill set. Available at your local grocery store or online at Amazon! 

Review: got2b Powder'ful Volumizing Styling Powder

I have never heard of using powder to style my hair. When you think of styling products, you don't think of using powder to get the look and hold that you're looking for. Last week, I ordered TIGI Candy Fixations Sugar Dust Root Powder after seeing it on Annette's blog (Nettenestea) Since I'm so impatient, I also decided to grab this got2b Volumizing Root Powder from their Powderful line. 

First off, I found this powder at my local Shoppers Drug Mart on sale for $4.99. However, the regular price won't break your bank at $8.99. One tube comes with 10g of product inside which is a fair amount. Don't be alarmed at the light weight of the package. It's filled with product and you do not need a lot to get the job done!

The back of the package boasts that this product is weightless and creates maximum volume at the roots. Also, that you can apply it anywhere for an instant transformation. Sounds good right? Well, I managed to find some flaws. The instructions say to sprinkle a small amount into your palm and rub your hands together. However, when you do this the product becomes sticky and turns your hands into glue like magnets. I've adapted the instructions to just sprinkle into palms and pat onto my hair. 

Once the product is on your hair, you need to work it throughout your roots. You won't be able to run your fingers through your hair as the product feels like glue! My roots were so sticky after I applied. The product did last the entire day and my roots were more voluminous than natural. The root boost is definitely not instant as the instructions say. You almost need to let the product sit for a while and then go back and work your roots. 

After you've finished applying, you are really going to need to wash you hands. So the idea of it being able to be applied any time is not a good one. If you're somewhere without a sink, forget about it and deal with some flat hair. 

While the product does add extra oomph to your hair, it really is a bit of a burden to apply. You do get what you pay for though and if you're on a budget, this product does work. My hair remained voluminous for a while without any hair spray. However, my roots felt sticky and almost gritty. 

I'm looking forward for receiving my Sugar Dust in the mail shortly and will definitely be comparing the two. I'm really disappointed in the Sugar Dust already though! The bottle itself only contains one measly gram of product! That's like, a 1/4 of a teaspoon! For the price I paid, Sugar Dust better be made out of gold!

PRODUCT - 8/10 ● LONGEVITY - 9/10 ● APPLICATION - 2/5 ● PACKAGING - 5/5

Jewellery on Demand

I've never been a big jewellery wearer. Although I have my ears pierced, I just find wearing earrings horribly uncomfortable. So instead of wearing the jewellery for myself, I just make it for others. It's really more of a hobby than anything but it really comes in handy if you're looking for that specific piece that you just can't find anywhere else!

The ring above features a medium sized white rose cabochon which is made of a sturdy resin. These little flower cabochons are perfect for this kind of thing. They have a flat back and no hole so you couldn't use them for stringing. I set this little rose on top of an antique bronze adjustable ring base. I think these little things would be perfect for small bridesmaids gifts of favours for your party of some sort.

More recently, I've been making earrings for my friends who just want something to match an outfit that they're planning. I'm not quite sure what the flower above is, but nevertheless, they're super cute. These earrings are cute little dainty cabochons, set on a silver post. They actually sit quite nicely in your ears and they are not overly large, which is something that I'm not a fan of. 

Making jewellery is just one of the many things that have found it's way into my spare time. I've managed to collect a fair number of cabochons and keep them in a small little container. Once you start buying these things, It's hard to stop!