1st Blogiversary Giveaway

Welcome to my very 1st Blogiversary Giveaway. I'm so excited!! So I'm a bit late posting this giveaway. You'll understand how much of a dummy I am if you read my recent ABC Challenge post. For those of you who don't understand yet ... I thought it was the 17th instead of the 7th. They both have a 7, right? Ah well, onto the nostalgia.

There are days I still can't believe I made it a year. And to look back and see just how far I've come is, at times, utterly insane! I really couldn't be happier or more proud of myself. I can't remember to take a daily vitamin, but I spent an entire year posting to this blog. I guess it's all in what you love and my passion is nails. So, to show my appreciation for all those who read, follow, and give me such encouragement that it keeps me posting week after week I give you the chance to win some free stuff. :)

There are five prize packs in this giveaway, all bought by me unless otherwise stated; two for my US followers, two for my international followers, and the prize pack I have dubbed the Sample Prize Pack that can be won by anyone. My US winners will have their choice of two nail polishes from my upcoming Candy Coated Collection. From the moment I first heard of Indie polishes it has been a dream of mine to create my own Indie line, and it's a dream I am working hard to achieve, so I hope this will be the first of many Indie collections and polishes from me. What better time to announce this than my blog's first birthday?

There are 5 polishes in the upcoming Candy Coated Collection, inspired by Candy Land, from left to right: Lollipop Princess, Plum out of Chocolate, Peppermint Pinwheels, Glitter Me Gumdrops, and Frosting Coated Sprinkles. The winner of US Prize Pack #1 gets first choice of two polishes from this collection. US Winner #2 will get to choose two polishes from what is left. The last polish will be used in a Flash Giveaway on my Facebook Page so be on the lookout; there is still a chance to get one of my polishes completely free! I will also be posting this collection, both individually and as a collection, on my Etsy Shop. I haven't worked out all the kinks with the shop yet but you can favorite me there so you don't miss the release of this collection.

US Prize Pack #1

2 Polishes of Winner's Choice from the Candy Coated Collection

Glam Chick Caviar Nail Art Kit

Beyond Belief Wishful White Lotion

New York Color Liquid Lipshine in Nude York City (read my review)

Stache Your Cash - Hot Pink Money Clutch

US Prize Pack #2

2 Polishes of Winner's Choice from the Candy Coated Collection

A pack of eyeshadow applicators (I find these work much better than sponges. I've used them in gradient, texture, and even galaxy nails!)

Beyond Belief Frosty Pear Lotion

Mango & Coconut Body Fragrance Mist

L.A. Colors Brilliant Shine Glitter Gloss in Rosy Pink

International Prize Pack #1

Sephora Nail Bling in Red Chip

Blossom Gift Set (includes lotion and bath fizz)

Honey Vanilla Lip Gloss

Miscellaneous Nail Decoration (eight small bottles of caviar beads, sequin glitter, bar glitter, and shred glitter & a baggie of nail pearls and gold/black/silver nail studs)

Talk Nerdy To Me - Bright Green Money Clutch

International Prize Pack #2

Fing'rs Nail Strips (Nail strips are silver holo glitter)

Kiss Stickers & Stones (over 150 stickers and rhinestones)

Jasmine Petals Mini Gift (includes lotion and bath fizz)

EcoTools Mini Bamboo Nail Files

L.A. Colors Eyeshadow (12 eyeshadows in Glamorous)

Sample Prize Pack

This pack is made up of random samples and products I got free with orders, coupons, or in the mail. It's a little bit of everything, and I'm sure by the time this prize pack ships out I'll have tossed in a few more things. This Prize Pack can be won by anyone, US or International.

Things You Need To Know

See the Rafflecopter app's Terms & Conditions for full rules. A rundown: giveaway ends 12:01am EST February 1st. All entries must be submitted using the Rafflecopter app; attempts to enter using the comments (besides those asked for by said Rafflecopter app), or some other way, will not be counted. Giveaway is open to both US and international followers; however the prizes that can be won by each are labeled. Winners will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter. A winning email will be sent to each winner's submitted email address, and winners will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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R is for ...

Hello lovelies!! I have some awesome news and a bit of blushing to do. My 1 year blogiversary was the 7th. For some reason, I thought it was the 17th. Boy, color me embarrassed! I don't know why I didn't think to check before I started slowly gathering the things for my Blogiversary giveaway. With the thought that it was later in mind there was no rush to pick things up. I actually just picked up the last prize this Sunday ... so I've decided to continue and open the giveaway on the 17th. At least it has a 7 in it, right? That means the giveaway opens midnight tonight!!! So stick around. Now, onto the ABC Challenge.

R is for ... Rust.

I really do seem to be behind in everything! This was supposed to be done last Wednesday. This post was meant to be for the letter S. You'll understand when you read my giveaway post just why I'm so behind and out of sorts. :)

I used one coat of Pure Ice Silver Mercedes as the base for this mani. Using an eyeshadow applicator, I dabbed on a few smudges of Pure Ice Iced Copper. Using the same side of the applicator and while the Iced Copper was still wet I added a few dabs of Mabelline Color Show Bold Gold to the centers. I finished by mixing a bit of Iced Copper and Bold Gold together on my applicator and adding a few light dabs of that to the centers and outer edges up into the Silver Mercedes. I think it gave this mani a very nice 'rusted' look.

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Influenster Holiday VoxBox � Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal+

I had a horribly hectic weekend. Those of you who follow me on my Facebook Page know that I had a wedding to go to this weekend. Yes, my oldest niece is now married. Boy, does that make me feel old! She had one of the most beautiful dresses, and she looked so happy. On top of that, it didn't rain, snow, sleet or anything else, so I don't think it could have gone better for her with a January wedding.

Getting ready in the morning was insane! While rushing around the house trying to get my hair fixed, my dress zipped up the back, and wrestling my pantyhose on ... food was the last thought on my mind; I didn't get to eat breakfast ... or even lunch. Honestly, it all had me wishing I had a cup of Quaker Real Medleys just so I could have a quick, easy, and filling meal. Sadly, I ate the oatmeal the day my Influenster Holiday VoxBox came in the mail.

I received the Apple Walnut Real Medleys in my VoxBox. The front of the cup tells me it has sweet apples, tart cranberries and chopped walnuts along with multigrain oatmeal.

Looking at the ingredients tells me that that is not a lie. I was very happy to see that the first ingredients are whole grain oats and a multi grain blend for that extra healthy touch. After that is apples, cranberries, and walnuts. You don't see that often. Usually things like that are added last, after all sorts of preservatives and additives, so applause Quaker for being real!

The nutrition facts make me cringe a little. The calories are actually great for such a quick breakfast. Compared to the usual quick breakfast foods this is a godsend. The sugar is a bit higher than some of the ultra sweet cereals (usually ~15-20g) but compared to the doughnuts and cookies (most over 50g!) a lot of us reach for in the morning rush it's a perfect exchange! I've been using Weight Watchers for about two years now, so everything gets changed over into points for me, and I tend to base my eating choices on that number. With that in mind, I went ahead and entered the info. I got 8 points for Apple Walnut Real Medleys. That's definitely in the range of what I try to keep my breakfasts at. It's certainly better than using all my points on doughnuts and cookies for breakfast.

So, deciding that it's a good breakfast choice means it's time to actually make it. The directions read a bit like cup ramen. Pour in hot water to the line, put the top back on, and let it sit for three minutes. This would give you enough time in the morning rush to gather up your purse and coat, put the finishing touches on your makeup, or even just grab it and go - letting it sit as you make the drive to work. The only thing you need is a spoon; can't forget that! You can also use the microwave for even quicker cooking.

It looks so yummy once it's done. I used the exact amount of water called for, let it sit, and gave it a good stir. I know others who reviewed their Real Medleys said it was runny, but I had no problems with this. It was thick with just the right amount of creamy. At first taste, it was oatmeal. What is there to really say about oatmeal? It's pretty tasteless, and again, other reviewers said it was much too sweet. I didn't find it sweet at all! I actually added a scoop of sugar and some milk to sweeten and thin it some more after pictures. As for the walnuts ... I'm actually not a fan of nuts (unless it's almonds) so I could have done without the walnuts ... but I have to admit they weren't bad. Eating this, I was really reminded of Autumn with the apples and cinnamon and Christmas with the cranberries and walnuts. It was the perfect blend ... homey and comforting. It also kept me full past lunch; full enough that I only had a mid-sized snack between lunch and dinner.

Quaker Real Medleys comes in not just Apple Walnut but also Cherry Pistachio, Peach Almond, and Summer Berry which contains strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Personally, I'm really looking forward to trying the Peach Almond Real Medleys. Quaker Real Medleys retail for about $1.79 per cup. Much cheaper, and healthier, than a fast food drive through!

*All products were sent to me for testing purposes, completely complimentary, from Influenster. All photos and opinions are my own.

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blue and pink hair?!

When i first saw these purple and blue temporary hair dyes my initial thoughts were something like - 'there's no way i'm using those, what I am 10?' Silly, silly Kia look at me now. I started off by googling blue hair and found this picture of demi lovato, doesn't her hair looks amazing! So i went for it. On my first attempt i may have spray a little too much (whilst wearing my white work top,oopss) as you can see in this photo i tweeted. Luckily, it washes out really easily with a bit of shampoo. On my second attempt (above) I sprayed small sections of my hair whilst holding a piece of kitchen roll behind to protect my top. It kinda reminds me of Topshop's Sandstorm collection advertisement. I never thought i'd be that girl with coloured hair but i like it a lot.

Blue/purple hair spray: Colour Xtreme* �2.99 Boots
Lipstick: Natural Collection Crimson �1.99
Jumper: Ever ours

Make sure you use this in a well ventilated room as it's quite strong. Also, wear a cape or something to protect your clothes. They do all sorts of colours, go crazy :)

Twitter | Bloglovin' | Hellocotton |Pinterest

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Influenster Holiday VoxBox � NYC Liquid Lipshine

I can't resist posting another product from the Influenster Holiday VoxBox. This post is for NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine. I think this is probably my favorite thing from the VoxBox. Don't get me wrong, this Box was perfect for me. Seriously, it couldn't be more perfect; I loved every product inside. But, this lipgloss is the thing that is going to get used the most.

I received Nude York City in my Holiday VoxBox. It's a gorgeous shimmery nude that adds a hint of shine to your lips. I think this is the perfect color for anyone since it doesn't have much color of its own; it simply enhances your own lips.

This is my Instagram filtered shot. I just had to share because I love it. I am not photogenic at all!! I can take 100 pictures of myself and only get one that I consider the best of the worst. So I'm pretty proud of this one, lol. :)

Here is a close up of the original, unfiltered photo so you can see the actual lipgloss. You can see the gorgeous shimmery shine of Nude York City over my naturally bright colored lips.

One of my favorite things about this lipgloss, besides everything, is the application wand/brush. It's nice, long, and flexible. It gathers more lipgloss than the regular non-flexible, angled flat tip brush and applies it better too. I didn't have to dip back into the bottle and the long brush means it didn't clump into smears on my lips. Just one smooth stroke.

I loved Nude York City enough to go out and buy another shade of Liquid Lipshine: Prospect Pink. The price is amazing! There aren't many quality lipglosses you can buy under $5. Well, this retails for $2.49. I picked it up in my area for under $2!! Talk about a steal! Under $2 for a Vitamin E infused, non-sticky lipgloss that comes in 10 shades? Yes, please!!

I've never had any lip color, whether it be lipgloss or lipstick, actually look pink on me. My lips are just too red that pinks turn weird shades on me. Prospect Pink is amazing. It can make my lips actually look pink. I was devastated last year when the most gorgeous pink ever that I picked up for the beach turned a weird shade of purple on my lips. So Prospect Pink is so going on vacation with me this year!

Have you tried NYC Liquid Lipshine? Will you be looking for it on your next shopping trip? What's your go to shade? You can visit their website here to find your perfect shade of Liquid Lipshine.

*All products (unless otherwise stated) were sent to me for testing purposes, completely complimentary, from Influenster. All photos and opinions are my own.

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My Nail Care Routine

I've been asked many times how I keep my hands/nails/cuticles looking so nice. Well, after taking off my latest polish I realized it's that time of the month � the time when my nails are starting to look a little long and ragged and I have to do a complete work over on them. I do this once, maybe twice a month, and do multiple smaller touch-ups between. So, I decided to snap a few pictures and attempt a short video in an attempt to explain how I keep my nails in shape. You guys asked for it!! :)

Here are the main things you'll need. I use non-acetone nail polish remover and a cotton ball to remove all my nail polish. I use so much of this stuff that I go for the cheaper Equate option. It works just as well as name brand and costs less! I bought the nail trimmer from the Born Pretty Store over a year ago, and I still love this thing! I recommend getting a six (or seven) sided file; I prefer my Revlon Shape 'N' Buff six sided file. And, the only lotion I will ever use is Aveeno, usually Daily Moisturizing. If you use something else make sure it is not water based. Check the list of ingredients and make sure water is near the end of the list. Water dries out your skin and nails, so I have never understood why you would want to use a water based lotion in an attempt to cure said dry skin. Aveeno Daily Mouisturizing has a dimenthicone skin protectant (a breathable barrier that locks in moisture) and is natural colloidal oatmeal based (which will help soothe and soften dry skin). You'll also need to have a sink and some soap nearby.

This is my elusive right hand immediately after removing polish and washing my hands. It needs a lot of TLC, right? Sadly, by the time I made the decision to do this tutorial I had already done my (prettier) left hand. What this means is that this hand will be a lot more ragged. Since I am right handed this hand takes all the damage. This also means the results of my overhaul will be a little less perfect since I'm cutting and filing with my non-dominant hand. Here is what I start with: dry skin, long nails that are growing out of their squared shape, peeling tips, and hideous cuticles. The end results will be a drastic change!

There will be no editing in these pictures (except light quality if needed) so you can see the true, unaltered nail makeover. The first thing to do, after washing and drying your hands, is to trim your nails.

Be careful after cutting your nails as they will be extra sharp. :)

Here is where the file comes in.

I use the previous pictures white side to file some extra length off my nails, creating the squared shape I like, and then round out the edges a bit. After that, I use the blue side to even out my nails. The pink end is used to smooth both the tips of my nails and the ridges on my nails.

You're nails will start to look worse before they look better. Be very careful if you have ridges that need filing. You never want to file too much off the tops of your nails!!

Next I use the purple and dark blue sides to lightly buff and shine my nails.

They look pretty bad, right? They'll look a little better after you wash off some of the dust and dandruff left behind by filing. Use some soap and water and be extra gentle.

Next up: lotion, lotion, and more lotion. It's far better to have too much than have not enough. Put a large dollop in your palm and cover your hands in lotion; then focus on massaging the lotion into your nails and around your cuticles. See the video below.

Forgive me, I really hope this works. This is my first video, and I really don't have the setup for this. I had to balance my camera on my knee and hope I didn't knock it over while filming. It's a bit out of focus in some parts, but it gets the point across. Don't forget to get some lotion under your nails too.

Let the lotion sink in for a few minutes before even thinking of touching your cuticles. The lotion will soften them and make pushing them back easier. After a few minutes go ahead and push your cuticles back. GENTLY!! If they don't move easily use more lotion and wait a bit longer. Better to wait a few extra minutes than to tear your cuticles attempting to push them back. Not only would that be painful, but there's always the risk of infection with damaged cuticles.

Finally, after the lotion has all sunk in and your hands are silky smooth but dry, apply a base coat. I just got this OPI Matte Nail Envy in the mail (bought with an Amazon gift card I received from Swagbucks.com) so I decided to give it a try. This is two coats. I really love how it's not truly matte but more the matte of your natural nails. It leaves a bit of shine behind that looks really nice. It also left my nails so strong and with a nearly perfectly arched shape after about an hour on my nails! This will certainly contribute to their overall strength. It does leave me wondering if I'm supposed to use my usual base coat over this or if this subs as a base coat. The big question is: will it protect against staining on its own?

My daily routine between these overhauls usually consists of lots of lotion and some less frequent filing between old and new polish. I use nothing but non-acetone remover, and I never trim or in any way remove my cuticles. Really, nothing too intensive.

What do you guys think? Definitely easy enough that anyone can do, right? There's no reason not to have beautiful hands and nails. Give it a try and let me know if this works for you. :)

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Influenster Holiday VoxBox � Kiss Nail Dress

This post is very image heavy so I have applied a cut to make loading easier for everyone.

I've been chomping at the bit to start reviewing the products I received in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox. And, now that the Brand Challenges have opened up I can finally start my review posts. Since I'm a nail blogger I decided to start with the one nail related product in this VoxBox. Kiss Nail Dress in Princess!! Love me some leopard print. ?

I did a review of these previously and after the disaster I made of them, I vowed never to try them again. Well, I'm happy to break that vow. These went on surprisingly easy, passed all my 'tests', and came off with little damage to my natural nails.

To apply, I used the Nail Dress of course and the provided file. I also used a pair of scissors, tweezers, and a cotton ball with a bit of rubbing alcohol. The cotton ball and alcohol was used first thing to clean my nails of any dirt, lotion, or natural oils. This will provide a clean surface for the Nail Dress to stick to. You'll get a lot of lifting, if you can even get these to stick at all, if you don't clean your nails first. You can also use nail polish remover.

Here is a close look at the Nail Dress, front and back. These are clear sheets that hold the Nail Dress and it's a wonderful idea. It makes these so easy to size!! Simply hold the sheet up to your nail and choose the closest size.

Once you have chosen the closest size peel it off the clear sheet and center it on your nail. I work from the cuticle, but I've heard of other people working from the side or the middle. Pick what works best for you and smooth the Nail Dress onto your nail. Like I said, I work from the cuticle and pushed pretty hard working my thumb in circles to prevent bubbles and bunching.

Trim off the excess, leaving a small amount hanging over your nail. You'll need to be extra careful around the tip of your nail. Pushing too hard may cause a break but not pushing hard enough won't get the Nail Dress to stick and will lead to lifting later.

This is were the file comes in. I used the pink side since it was a softer grain and was likely to cause less damage to my natural nail underneath if I filed too much.

It really doesn't need much filing before the edge starts to come right off. Remember to do the sides of your nails! Get you file into the crease of your nail and file as much as you can. The corners and edges of your nails are where the Nail Dress is most likely to lift, so you want to get as much of that off as you can.

Continue with the rest of your nails using the tweezers to press out any bubbles or bumps. The tweezers are perfect for getting between the 'bling'. I did both hands at the same time (both thumbs, both index nails, etc) so I didn't forget which size I needed.

Shortly after taking the last picture I realized I needed to file a bit more off the tips. Simple things like typing, scratching an itch, or even going to the bathroom were causing some serious lifting so I went back and filed off a small amount of the tips. You can see it very well here, but it was completely unnoticeable in person and it got rid of any and all lifting. I'm sure this amount of filing might be more noticeable with some of the other Nail Dress, but it worked very well with Princess.

The only thing left to do was pair it with an outfit. Luckily, I had an adorable gray top with a gold leopard print heart on the front. Paired with a red lacy cami, black jeans, and a pair of cute heeled boots, I was completely ready for my Girl's Night Out!!

I put these on Friday morning and took them off Monday night. Here is a picture before I removed them. The tips are a smidgen more ragged but otherwise there was no difference between when I put them on and when I took them off.

Removal was easy. I simply picked a corner near my cuticle and the Nail Dress peeled right off. Some of the sticky glue got left behind and there was a bit of scuffing along some of my nails but there was no damage that a good wash, a layer of hand lotion, and a light buffing didn't clear up.

The cons? Filing the tips as much as I did prevented lifting but left them slightly sticky for the first day. They attracted fuzzies that I had to pick off. Not a big problem. The biggest problem was the 'bling'. It was raised up just enough that it caught on everything: clothes, hair, random objects. Personally, I hated it most when it caught on my hair. It hurt!! However, by the time I took these off I had learned to be extra careful around my hair.

This was the only thing I was careful around. I didn't go easy on these nails. I put them to the ultimate tests. Hours after putting these on I took a bath and washed my hair. I then proceeded to do blow dry and style my hair and do my makeup. These held up to not only all that but Girl's Night Out and a weekend of shopping. Impressive!

Overall, would I recommend these? YES! However, I would recommend them with a warning. Your first try with these is likely to piss you off something fierce. Probably even make you vow never to try them again. But really do give them another try!! I am so happy I did. And this time I knew just what not to do. :) Hopefully, this little tutorial post will help you get it right the first time.

*All products were sent to me for testing purposes, completely complimentary, from Influenster. All photos and opinions are my own.

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Tinsel Town � Read My Palm

Hey everyone! I hope you had a great first 2013 weekend. As for me, I've been doing some swatching. I eyed, hemming and hawing, over the Sephora by OPI Tinsel Town Collection for weeks and weeks before I finally broke down and bought it. This collection was actually part of a Christmas gift for myself, and I'm happy to finally be able to start swatching.

I started with the one that caught my eye first, a gorgeous mint named Read My Palm. I love mint polish!!

As far as mint polishes go this is one of the better ones I've found. It went on fairly smoothly, though I did find the formula a smidgen too watery. You can see one coat of Read My Palm here. It's slightly streaky and patchy, but covers well for only one coat.

Two coats fills everything in and leaves behind a nice finish.

Look how smooth and shiny this polish is with two coats and no top coat!

Want to know how Read My Palm holds up to my two favorite mints? Read My Palm is on my index and pinky nail while my middle nail has Sally Hansen Mint Sorbet and my ring nail is painted with Wet n Wild I Need A Refresh-Mint.

Sally Hansen Mint Sorbet is what I think of when I think mint. It reminds me of mint chocolate chip ice cream and is the perfect mint green in my opinion. Wet n Wild I Need A Refresh-Mint is the complete opposite. It's the perfect cool and refreshing minty blue of wintergreen gum. It's also the color I turn to when I need a sky blue color. As you can see, Read My Palm is leaning heavily on green and is a much darker shade than Mint Sorbet. It's been labeled a light jade green, and I can definitely see that. I think I might just have the perfect ombre shades here.


Color: Mint green with a definite lean towards green. A light jade green.
Finish: Creme
Application: I found the formula slightly watery. One coat went on streaky and patchy but built up nicely with no streaking. The dry time was amazing!
Coats to Opaque: 2
My Rating: 4.5 � if it lost the slightly watery quality it might just have tipped into a 5. I love mint shades and this is the perfect addition to my collection.

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my new years resolutions

New year, new start. I welcomed 2013 with a swim in the sea. You can't tell from the photo above it was chilly but i can assure you it was so COLD! In 2012 i don't remember setting any resolutions but i really want to this year. Here they are....

- Do yoga 3 times a week 
I already do yoga a little bit but i'd love for it to become a regular thing. I've just discovered a yoga app on my tv so i've got no excuse now!
- Learn a water sport
I've lived near the sea nearly all my life and apart from canoeing a few times i don't have a lot of water sport experience. I would like to learn a new skill, i'm thinking maybe paddle boarding?!
- Eat healthier
Classic resolution but it has to be done. If you follow me on twitter you'll know just how much junk i eat.
- Travel more
I love travelling and definitely want to go abroad more this year, i keep checking for late deals!
- Take Moonie to the next level(whatever it is!)
If your not sure what Moonie is - it's my own business, click on the link above & prepare to be flabbergasted...

I didn't want to go crazy and write loads of goals, i've only chosen a few in the hope i'm more likely to achieve them!

I'd love to hear what you resolutions are this year :)

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