Shellac and Gel nail polish alternatives

Fed up with my nicked nails by the time I returned home from my weekly manicure, I wondered, "Do drugstore nail polishes really work? Is there an alternative to Shellac?" I'd been trying a couple of things to try to extend my manicure past, oh say, 2 hours, and I think I've found the solution in Revlon. Yes, you read that right: Revlon! I'm so impressed with the durability of my newfound favorite nail polish that I've been taking it with me to the salon to get manicures. And no, I'm not being paid to say this! The photo below was taken 7 days after my manicure!

But why, you might ask, do I not like Shellac or gel manicures? To me, they hurt. It hurts when it's time to take off the polish, and then my nails hurt for days afterwards, which makes me wonder what else is coming off my nails besides the nail polish. But boy did I love those 2 weeks of not worrying about my hands.

Although Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy won't last as long as 2 weeks, but if you apply the topcoat every couple of days, I've been able to stretch my manicure to 10 days. And there's no UV light.

I'm loving these Revlon polishes so much that I went out and bought 2 more colors! I hope you like it too.

xo ~Kim

Lanakin

Throughout my entire life, there’s only been one thing that I’ve been jealous of my brother for. It’s not that he’s smarter than me, that he has a better sense of style than me, or that his level of common sense definitely out ranks mine; it’s the fact that his eye lashes are so luscious. Ever since the day he was born, he’s had amazing eye lashes while mine have been on the more “stubby” side. It’s something that I’ve learned to live with and throughout my years living with him, I’ve learned that he will forever have the better genes in the eyelash department.

However I felt my luck in the lashes department start to change when Lanakin reached out to me asking if I wanted to test out their  eyelash lengthening formula. I was all ears/all lashes. Anything to make my eyelashes look more luscious and beautiful than my brother’s oh so perfect lashes is seriously right up my alley. These are just the before pictures, but in just a few short weeks I’ll be back with an update post letting you know how awesome my new and improved eyelashes turn out to be, and if it really is possible to pull through and have the best eyelashes in the undeclared sibling war.

If you’re interested in purchasing Lanakin, feel free to use our discount code to get 10% off your order! The code is POPCO10

Have you ever used anything to help your eyelashes grow? If so, I’d love to hear about your results! xox Chloe

Morning Routine

My friends and I were having a conversation about whether we were morning or night people the other day, and it really got me thinking. What is is that makes us favor one or the other? I know that I love to wake up early, get my boring "to-dos" out of the way, and have the rest of the day left to diddle daddle and relax. Some of my friends would rather snooze all morning and then feel a sense of dooming pressure in accomplishing their "to-dos." I just think it's so weird how we're all wired so differently but all so similar at the same time. Anyway, this trail of thinking somehow got me inspired to share my morning routine with you lovely readers. I don't really think I do anything special, but I love seeing what products other people use so I thought, "what the heck."

And here we go..

+The first thing I do is lotion my body. I have extremely dry skin, and living in Colorado isn't doing my skin any favors. I absolutely adore The Body Shop's lotions and the Coconut flavor has such a subtle and clean scent. I would totally try this one out!

+Next, I apply deodorant. This might be TMI and you probably don't care, but I sweat profusely. I joke around and say that my armpits are geysers, but I'm not really kidding. They literally leak. This Dove deodorant works wonders and it smells great too! Plus, Costco sells it in a super size pack if you're into buying in bulk.

+I then move onto making my face look pretty. I usually start with curling my eyelashes, and I use the Shu Uemura curler. I swear it's the best eyelash curler out there. I'm clumsy, as you might know, so putting a metal clamp near my eye is dangerous, but I have yet to pinch my eye lid with this curler (I knocked on wood as I typed this).

+I then apply some eyeliner and mascara. Nothing too fancy happens here. I use Chanel's Noir pencil eyeliner. I change my mascara pretty often, but I love Maybelline's Colossal Mascara. +Next, I add a quick swipe of blush to my cheeks. I actually just recently started wearing blush and I feel like it makes my face look more awake and interesting. Dumb? Maybe, but whatever. I use Mac's Mable. If you have any suggestions for a good blush, let me know!

+The next step I take is spray a little splash of perfume on. I think if I had to only choose one of these steps to complete in the morning it would be this one. I don't know why, and I know it's weird, but I love smelling good. It's an instant confidence booster. Lately, all I've been using is this vanilla perfume from Anthropologie. My cousin and I tried it on randomly while shopping together and we both fell in love with it. Everyone smells something different when it's on, from marshmallows to hot fudge to fresh baked cookies. Everyone loves it though! This Anthro perfume is also a great option!

+Lastly, I brush my teeth because I'm human and I have basic hygiene. So go me, I guess. And that's all! I don't really do anything extraordinary different than the rest of the female population, I don't think, but I thought it might be interesting for you all to know what I do in the morning to make myself feel more presentable.

Do we use any of the same products in our morning routine? If so, let me know! What does your morning routine include? Thanks for reading! xox Chloe

Summer's End and My Ideal Image

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ideal Image. All opinions are 100% mine. I can't believe it's the end of summer! It seems like just yesterday we were packing up the house and planning our big cross-country move. Now that summer's fun and our vacations *sigh* are over, I'm reassessing and doing my annual what needs a fall tune-up: the yard, the kitchen, the office, or...  me?

I've been taking extra-special care of my skin since moving to Denver. Being outside for just a short time in the "mile-high city" can result in a serious burn and it's always sunny here. All of our activites are outdoors, which I love, and our vacations are especially centered around being outdoors. We bike everywhere, and have been taking long weekends to the mountains. We've been rafting, hiking, exploring and even getting back into running without the benefit of oxygen. Of course I wear my sunscreen and I even try to wear a hat and sunglasses too, but crow's feet and lines are creeping in faster than ever which had me noticing in my very few vacation photos I'm wearing sunglasses to hide the effects. Does anyone else avoid the camera or wear sunglasses? It's time to step in front of the camera & take off the sunglasses!

So I was excited when when Ideal Image contacted me to tell me about their Ideal Image Facial Rejuvenation services. They are offering 25% off Facial Rejuvenation for a limited time. I'd heard of their laser hair removal, and was interested to hear they offered Dysport, Ultherapy and Restylane. Ultherapy tightens and lifts loose skin around the neck and face, like a non-surgical facelift. Right now I'm interested in Restylane, a filler for deep wrinkles, and Dysport to help crow's feet. I still want to look exactly like me, but I guess you could say an "improved version" of me!

And wouldn't you know, this is one of the top 3 reasons people want facial rejuvenation. All 3 reasons are to look younger, have more confidence, and look like yourself, only better. I'm curious if any of these reasons appeal to you. If one (or more) does, click to request more information and let me know.

xo ~kim

3 reasons to try Sephora Color IQ

I don't wear foundation... but this ad for Sephora Color IQ totally and completely intrigued me to the point of luring me in my local Sephora when I was recently at the mall. I could have my own Pantone color? Who knew! I don't like to buy or wear foundation because I'm not good with colors and am worried that since I can't tell if my makeup matched my skin, I'll be "that lady" walking around with an orange face and a very obvious line at my chin or neck. I'd rather have a few discoloration spots than have on too much makeup. Since I usually purchase a new sunscreen for spring and summer, and my skin is becoming more and more discolored lately, I thought it might be time to start using either a powder with coverage or a tinted moisturizer + sunscreen. I was curious what would be recommended by the Color IQ "test."

So off I went. I immediately found the Color IQ test at the front of the store and a salesperson who placed a wand against 3 spots on my face and gave me my number - the entire process took about 3 minutes. She emailed me the list so I could do my research at home (without adding me to a marketing list - hurray, no spam!) but also gave me samples.  I'm trying Laura Mercier and so far, I'm very pleased with it.

I'm a 1R07 and a few of my recommendations are:

Since both of my kids were with me, we decided to go ahead and test the system a little bit and see if, perhaps, we all ended up with the same Color IQ. We didn't, and I left impressed with the results, and the fact that I can finally know what shade to pick without simply guessing anymore. The Sephora Color IQ system is ingenious and 3 reasons I'd suggest it:

1. No more guessing which shade is closest to your skin color. 2. You can read the reviews for all the colors and brands that are suited to you. 3. You can sample those colors and brands for the perfect match to your needs.

When summer arrives and my skin tone changes, even though I will be wearing sunscreen, I'll go back for another Sephora Color IQ test and see if I need to switch shades. No more worrying about being the lady with the orange line on my face anymore!

xo ~kim

PS: This post is NOT sponsored, I simply wanted to share my experience with you.

Easy Criss-Cross Top Knot

No time to wash your hair or style it… or just looking for a quick fix? Nothing is more simple than a messy bun or a top knot and we like this criss-cross top knot because it adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the messy vibe. A little yin and yang showing that a bit more effort was put in than just twisting it up into a bun, but it's still fast enough to get you out the door when you're pressed for time, and easy enough that it only takes a few minutes.

Directions

• separate your hair into three equal sections - top for the bun, middle for the 1st wrap, & bottom for the last wrap. the easiest way to do this is to wrap a pony tail holder around each one. you’ll look like a freakazoid at first, but it’ll all be good in the end.
• take the top section of your hair and twist it into a bun (photo 1). once you’ve twisted all your hair, secure it with a bobby pin. don’t worry about how this part looks, because it’ll eventually be covered up.
• take a 1" section from the middle section and twist it. once you’ve twisted it, then twist it around the bun. (double twist action going on here!) then secure with a bobby pin.
• continue to wrap 1" pieces of hair from the middle section around the bun. make sure to leave the bottom sections of hair down.
• from the bottom section of your hair, divide it in 1/2 (left and right). take half of the hair and wrap it around the opposite side of the bun. this will start to create the “criss-cross” effect that adds a little something special! then take the second section and wrap on the opposite side of the bun. Criss cross complete!

there ya have it! the flawless criss-cross top knot!

xox ~chloe

Thanks so much to Michelle Brooks of Headz Inc. of Louisville for working with us to create this great 4-part series!