My NYE Nails

Ermahgerd, two posts in one day?! Perhaps the Mayans intended for the world to end on the 31st instead of the 21st! Ah, I kid, I kid. I just finished my nails for the day, so I wanted to share because I liked how they turned out :)

I started off with China Glaze It's a Trap-eze! from their recent Cirque du Soleil collection. I painted them a couple days ago with Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat, and they've held up quite well. To add some bang for this evening, I put Wet n Wild's Hollywood Walk of Fame from the Fergie collection on top. And then, I took pictures!

DISCLAIMER: All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always honest!

Enter Cliche Happy New Year Title HERE ;D

Another year has passed, which never ceases to baffle my mind. I truly don't know where the time goes, but it certainly goes by way too fast.

2012 was a great year overall. I am very blessed and extremely thankful for everything in my life. I have two jobs that I find fulfilling and challenging, and both are always rewarding. I have such a loving boyfriend that I celebrated my 5 year anniversary with this year. I also have a great family and pets, both of which I love dearly. I am truly blessed, and incredibly thankful.

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve and that 2013 brings you wonderful things to come!

Thanks for being here to read my little blog :)

December Favorites 2012

Even though we are only halfway through December, I thought it would be fun to share some of the products I can't put down for the most wonderful time (or, shall we say, 'month') of the year!

It's certainly no secret how I adore indie products, and I'm like a broken record swooning over seasonal indie collections. So it's no surprise that the majority of my favorites are from winter collections from indie e-tailors! So let's get the ball rolling, because I have a lot of stuff to say, haha!

Bath & Body Favorites

Winter can really take its toll on our skin, making it dry and lifeless. (Wait, why does that sound like a commercial? LOL, I promise it's not!) I have been loving Haus of Gloi's soft bubbling scrub to rejuvenate my dull, dry skin. I've been using one of the Halloween scents (Spider Silk), but I just ordered and received Hearth bubbling scrub from the Yule collection. I have been using Hearth in place of Spider Silk ever since because it's so close to Christmas, and I wanted to use a festive scent :D I absolutely adore HoG's bubbling scrubs- they are scrubby enough to combat dry skin patches, but they don't leave your skin feeling weird or greasy. It leaves my skin so soft, and of course, smelling nice! I love how the water from my shower really brings this product to life.

I also like to use HoG's whipped soap as a body wash and shaving cream. I'm currently using the Hearth scent, but I have a backup of Three Treasures for when I run out since I go through whipped soap like there's no freaking tomorrow.

Above: Hearth Bubbling Scrub on top of Hearth Whipped Soap.

Perfume Favorite

There are a lot of beautiful scents with winter collections this year, so this was a hard choice. However, I cannot deny that I have been reaching for Smell Bent's Ice Station Zebra the most. I did a review on it here: http://brighteststarofall.blogspot.com/2012/12/smell-bent-ice-station-zebra.html . It really just smells like Christmas to me and makes me happy!

 Above: Smell Bent Ice Station Zebra

Above: Smell Bent Ice Station Zebra. I've used a lot so far!!

Eyeshadow Favorite

I never knew about the wonders of Aromaleigh before they went under new management. Therefore, I was never able to purchase a color I've been drooling over for over a year- Twinkling Lights. I've spent an embarrassing amount of time sighing over swatches and stalking eBay and Amazon to no avail. I didn't think any colors from the past would reappear on the Aromaleigh 2.0 website, but I almost had a heart attack when I saw Twinkling Lights back on there for this season. It was sold out last year, so I nabbed 2 full size jars immediately! And I am so glad I did! I've been wearing Twinkling Lights almost every day since I got it in the mail. It's such a perfect Christmasy green color with pink sheen and absolutely packed with pink sparkles. I adore it!

Above: Aromaleigh Twinkling Lights swatched on clean skin over DGC Glitter Glue

Nail Polish Favorites

There are usually pretty good options for holiday nail polish collections. However, I have absolutely never seen anything like China Glaze's Party Hearty. I did a post on it where you can see it on my nails right here: http://brighteststarofall.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-elusive-china-glaze-party-hearty.html . It is so beautiful, really Christmasy, and sparkly! I love how there are a lot of different festive colored sparkles in different sizes. Now that indie polish is gaining a following, I bet there are some other good options for awesome colors like this- which is totally awesome!

I also like China Glaze's Twinkling Lights. It is also very beautiful and festive. Twinkling Lights only has small sparkles in it as opposed to different sizes like in Party Hearty. It really is pretty though. I am wearing it now over China Glaze's Mistletoe Kisses. Party Hearty is from the 2010 Christmas collection, and Twinkling Lights is from the 2011 Christmas collection.

Above from L to R: China Glaze Twinkling Lights, China Glaze Party Hearty.

If you've made it through this entire post, you deserve a gold medal! Thanks for stopping by, and have a very wonderful day!

DISCLAIMER: All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and 100% honest!

Solstice Scents Snowshoe Pass Review

Hey hey! So, today I have another perfume review. Solstice Scents released their winter collection on Saturday, 12/1/12. I ordered a full size perfume in Snowshoe Pass, and a whipped soap in the same fragrance (though I'm just reviewing the perfume for the sake of time).

Okie dokie, let's get into the fun stuff, shall we? I'll begin with Solstice Scents' description of Snowshoe Pass, because it will surely surpass my words! This description is from http://www.solsticescents.com/SNOWSHOE-PASS-PERFUME_p_351.html

SNOWSHOE PASS
White Amber, White Musk, Vanilla Accord, Peppermint Cream, Cold Winds

A chilly white blend of an ethereal snow blanket and cold winter winds, Snowshoe Pass combines pale white amber, delicate and smooth white musk, a sweet touch of vanilla and a faint whisper of creamy cold peppermint. The result is a unique take on a winter scent inspired by heavy snows and desolate rural regions. On cold sniff and initial application a creamy peppermint note is detectable as a top note, though it is a careful addition that takes a backseat to the other notes as it wears on the skin, ultimately receding entirely. There is just enough peppermint to enhance the coolness of this plushly white blend. The other notes swirl together to evoke not only a snow covered landscape that may only be traversed with snowshoes and a pioneer spirit, but the calm and intense silence after a snow deep in the wild.

Can we pause for a moment and appreciate that delightful scent description?

Geez, I don't even want to try now. Haha. Okay, let's have a picture-infused intermission. :)

Photo Credit: Solstice Scents

http://www.solsticescents.com/SNOWSHOE-PASS-PERFUME_p_351.html

 

 

 

 

Above: My bottle of Snowshoe Pass. The packaging was amazing. It came with festive colors of crinkley paper, these two vintage bells, and a clipping of an evergreen tree. So festive and adorable!

My take on Snowshoe Pass:

 

Snowshoe Pass, above all, brings the color white to my mind whenever I sniff it. It is so beautiful, unique, and really sexy- a very awesome take on a winter scent. The scent description on the website is spot on about the peppermint being prominent immediately upon cold sniff/initial application; but it quickly runs away to the back to let the white musk and white amber notes become the stars of the show. The vanilla accord is a wonderful addition to this scent, and it really balances everything out.

Snowshoe Pass makes me think of a classy winter tea party in a breathtaking vintage house in the middle of nowhere. While the guests have their tea, snow falls outside, creating a fresh blanket over the already white-with-snow landscape.

Snowshoe Pass is extra awesome, because the 'white' I get when smelling it really reminds me of snow; and it's the only snow I'll get this year :( At least I don't have to shovel it!

Also, the silage is absolutely fantastic, like with all my Solstice Scents perfumes. It's really nice to smell great for hours without having to reapply the product!

I think it's worthwhile to mention that the TAT is absolutely phenomenal with this company. Even though I ordered my products the night of a huge winter release and live all the way across the country from the Solstice Scents wonderland, I got my products 4 days later (and one of those days was a weekend day). Angela is seriously a magical princess.. She makes the greatest perfumes ever, and ships them right away. She's also super sweet and always replies to my messages when I have any comments or questions.

If you so desire, you can also be the proud owner of Snowshoe Pass! Head over to http://www.solsticescents.com to get a whopping 10mL roller ball bottle for just $14 USD. It's a steal, I tell you!


Thanks so much for stopping by and reading! Stay warm, happy, and smell pretty!

DISCLAIMER- All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are always my own, and always 100% honest.

 

Smell Bent- Ice Station Zebra

Lately, I've been looking for a Christmasy perfume to wear. I heard about a fairly new indie perfumery called Smell Bent through hottiemcnaughty. Smell Bent recently released a holiday collection called Holiday Happening. I decided to order a rollerball of Ice Station Zebra.

Perfume description from Smell Bent:

"howling arctic winds, cracking ice, frozen earth, and crisp evergreen buried under a drift of snowy
musk"


My Perception:

Ice Station Zebra is a perfect wintery scent. It is so crisp, like a snowflake melting by your nose. The evergreen adds a special Christmasy kick that is ever so lovely. Once the perfume is dry, the notes that stand out to me are the evergreen, musk, and a very slight sweetness that balances everything out. It is a delightful blend that I really enjoy. It's definitely not for everyone, but it's a lovely, icy blend perfect for what my heart has yearned for this holiday season!

Scroll down if you'd like to see the pictures of Ice Station Zebra!


Stay Warm and Happy!

Rachel


DISCLAIMER: All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. My opinions are my own and always 100% honest!