1. PIXI BEAUTY Full Coverage Foundation Brush ($15 @ target.com) – such a compact head but don’t let the lack of length fool you. It still does a great job at getting your liquid products into those corners and contours.

2. OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE COSMETICS Crème Colour Concentrate in Discipline ($23 @ occmakeup.com and nordstrom.com) – described as a bruised-bronze, this multi-tasking creamy color can be used on the eyes, lips, and cheeks (note that not all 17 shades can be used in the eye area).

3. L’OREAL Smokissime Infallible Powder Eyeliner Pen in Purple Smoke ($9.99 @ lorealparisusa.com) – if the packaging says ‘Infallible’ on it, I’m in! Seriously though, their Infallible line is flawless. And these fat liners are great for applying a smoking eye in seconds.

4. BENEFIT COSMETICS the POREfessional: License to Blot ($20 @ sephora.com) – this is the latest addition to the POREfessional collection and will be great for the upcoming season. It’s an instant blotting stick with tiny invisible spheres that will mattifying any oil your face puts forth. 

5. BEAUTY 360 Shape-Defining Nail File ($4.99 @ cvs.com and CVS stores nationwide) – this is my new favorite file! I’ve noticed that sometimes a file has to be “broken in” so it’s not too harsh on the nails. This one arrived perfect and ready to use. 

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

It never fails, I always find myself needing something beauty-related when I’m in the car going somewhere, so over the last year, I’ve put together a small kit that I keep with me in the front seat, so I’m never without ... anything. Here are 6 of my must-haves in the car. 

1. Nail Clippers, Nail File - REVLON Deluxe Nail Clippers ($2.49 @ bedbathandbeyond.com) – these clippers have been my favorite brand for years. The cutters are always sharp and it never falls apart. Of course things don’t last forever, so glad these are inexpensive. And for a nail file … I have my favorite that I keep in the house, so for the car, I just use the cardboard ones like these Beauty 360 Emery Boards from CVS ($1.99/10 pack @ cvs.com).

2. Tweezers – there’s always a stray brow hair that needs-a-pluckin’ and I’m in a serious relationship with ones from TWEEZERMAN. They’re strong, always there for me and I’m really attracted to their Pink Perfection Mini Slant Tweezers. $14 @ sephora.com.

3. Nail Polish Remover – L.A. COLORS Nail Polish Remover ($1.59/32 pads @ lacolors.com) these handy removers come in 6 different fruity scents and the grape-scented ones I have are actually able to mask the strong scent of the acetone.

4. Floss – I keep floss picks everywhere! In my purse, my car, my desk, hidden in a box on my coffee table. I’m not married to any particular brand but these Complete Clean Floss Ultra Strong Shred Proof Floss in Fresh Mint ($4.29/125 flossers @ target.com, amazon.com) by DENTEK work well.

5. Face Wipes - wipes are soooo handy to have in the car and they’re great for so many other things! After using one, I find myself using it afterward to clean parts of my car interior when I’m stuck in traffic. In my car now is BURT’S BEES Facial Cleansing Towelettes with White Tea Extract ($2.99/30 wipes @ walgreens.com).

6. Clear Nail Polish – great for touching up a run in a stocking, a loose thread on a shirt button and I don’t have a favorite brand. I just use whichever one I’m using on my nails that’s starting to run out. One I like is MAYBELLINE NEW YORK Show Nail Lacquer in Clear ($4.29 @ target.com).

Now when it comes to makeup, yes, a makeup palette will do but remember, we are talking about a very small stash of items for an e-m-e-r-g-e-n-c-y. I found a really cool 2 ½” x 1” x 3” tall kit that houses 4 swippers of eye shadow, a small eye liner, lip liner, mascara and lipgloss. White the products are not your Lancome kind of quality, it will get you by and I so feel like this kit was made just for this story!

It’s called the Majic Kit and is put out by MAJIC BEAUTY. Choose from Golden Peach and Healthy Nude for $19.99 @ amazon.com.

Do you have anything else to add to the Car Emergency Kit?

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

It’s been a moment since I’ve written about any nail polishes. Actually since this feature! And I’ve stuck to my guns as I really do think that the days of a nail polish chipping an hour after applying are over, at least for me. So let me try and sway you with these three pretties from the Summer 2015 Garden Muse collection from CND.

This collection is comprised of six of their Vinylux Weekly Polishes. Shown just above are three: Crushed Rose #188 (rose, opaque), Beckoning Begonia #189 (light pink sparkle, opaque), Wisteria Haze #193 (lavender, opaque).

As you can see from the above photo, I am so out of practice in painting just my nails and leaving my cuticles out of it. Oh well... And don’t forget, there’s no need for a base coat when you use these; just the Vinylux Weekly Top Coat to cure the color and it dry fast.

$10.50 @ ulta.com. 

Ok, ramp up the parties and get gorgeous with any of these that were put out just for the holiday! Well, almost all of them (one I couldn't resist putting it in here). Which would you choose?

TARTE ‘Brushed with Destiny’ Set of 5 Bamboo Brushes & Makeup Bag - $44 @ tartecosmetics.com

PIXI BEAUTY Nail Colour in God Jul! $8 @ dermstore.com

CHANEL Reve D’Orient Quadra Eye Shadow - $70 @ chanel.com

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlights - $25/3-5g tubes @ ulta.com, amazon.com 

FERRO COSMETICS Mojo Glow Mineral Bronzer - $25 @ ferrocosmetics.com

DOLCE & GABBANA The Bronzer Collector’s Edition in Desert $51 only @ Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Macy's locations. 

ARDENCY INN MODSTER Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner Trio - $29 @ ardencyinn.com and birchbox.com

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

I’ve tried different versions of the below items in their categories and here are the ones I have found to work best. Yes, some may seem trivial (a nail clipper, really??) but only when I’ve used one that’s crappy, do I actually think about it. And now, you don't have to!

Do you have any beauty tools that you stand by? Do share in the comments!

Best Foot Exfoliator and Nail File - FAN OUT Foot Scraper (small $35, large $42) and Nail File ($42). Both @ fanout.com – when did I write about both of these? Wow, back on September 7, 2011 and both are still going strong and I use them quite regularly! Now that’s proof in the pudding.

Best Nail Clipper - REVLON Deluxe Nail Clipper - $2.49 @ ulta.com and bedbathandbeyond.com - I’ve tried a lot of different nail clippers over the years and these from Revlon truly are the best. They're always sharp and never break. I keep one in the house, one in the car, one in my purse. I think I own about 6 of these total!

Best Tongue Cleaner - BREATH RX Gentle Tongue Scraper - $6.99/3 scrapers @ amazon.com – I know, I know, who wants to talk about something as sexy as cleaning your tongue? Food can get caught in there and simply using your toothbrush to clean it just doesn’t do the job so invest in some of these scrapers and really get that tongue clean.

Best Hair Styler - INSTYLER 3-1 Rotating Iron ($99 @ kohls.com, ulta.com) – a great tool for quickly taking out bedhead kinks in the morning. And they just came out with a new MAX version. Details coming soon!

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

Unless I get the most perfectly applied prep, an at-home manicure never lasts past 3 days without chipping or peeling off. It’s frustrating! That’s why I’ve thrown out all my regular polish and become a full-time gel-polish convert. When they first came out a few years ago, they were only available in salons (the CND brand). Then, brands started making at-home versions that included a lamp to cure the polish. Ok, getting better, but now we have a handful of brands that have gel polishes that don’t require a UV lamp to cure. Some need a topcoat, some do not , so I put an asterisk next to the ones below that require you to use more than one product, like a base coat/primer and/or top coat, with it.

Are you going to join the “throw-your-regular-polishes-out” movement?

1. SALLY HANSEN Miracle Gel Nail Color shown here in Throwing Shade - $9.99 @ ulta.com.

2. *L’OREAL Extraordinaire Gel-Lacque 1-2-3 Nail Color shown here in Decadent Indulgence - $7.99 @ lorealparis.com. 

3. COVERGIRL XL Nail Gel shown here in Rotund Raspberry - $7.49 @ covergirl.com and walgreens.com. 

4. *CND Vinylux Weekly Polish shown here in Pretty Poison - $9.95 @ ulta.com.

5. NAILS INC. LONDON Gel Effect Polish shown here in Kensington High Street - $14 @ nailsinc.com.

6. *REVLON Colorstay Gel Envy Nail Enamel shown here in Wild Card - $7.99 @ ulta.com. 

Because I’ve tried everything to get my nails to grow, I’ve turned into a major skeptic as nothing has worked! And believe me when I say every thing but I hadn’t tried PROBELLE Touch N’ Grow Nail Hardener (Formula 1) and I’m a total convert. In almost 4 weeks, it has truly helped my nails not only grow longer but they are not peeling like usual. So how does it work? I looked at the ingredients but eesh, I don’t know anything about nail polish ingredients so I’m filing this one under who-cares-whats-in-it-as-long-as-it-works.

Nail Color - CND Vinylux in Wildfire

And they also have a Touch N’ Grow PLUS Nail Hardener (Formula 2) but make sure you start with Formula 1 to build the nails because if you start with Formula 2, it won't work. I started with Formula 2 without knowing this. They recommend you use this 2nd formula to maintain nails after achieving the length you want. It contains garlic and lime – the garlic keeps fungus away and lime will keep the nails white. Strange ingredients but ok!! Again, it works so I’m in. $14 each @ pro-belle.com. 

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided for review purposes.

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From L to R clockwise:

Nail Love - CUCCIO Colour Nail Lacquer in Java Va Voom and Cream & Sugar from the Café Cuccio Winter Colour Collection - $8.50 @ hbbeautybar.com - a really great quality nude is seasonless and this Java Va Voom one is the perfect shade of coffee with 2 creams in it and when you need a little extra zhoosh on tips or toes, Cream & Sugar is a darker nude with tiny flecks of multi-colored sparkle.

Cheek Love - BENEFIT Majorette - $28 @ benefitcosmetics.com – and blush that gives you that sexy flush is never out(it) of season and this pinky-peach, cream-to-powder one will give you an instant boost. Wear it alone of under other blushes. And I love the slight tangerine scent to it!

Primer Love - NYX 'Honey Dew Me Up' Primer - $17 @ ulta.com – it’s certainly no secret that I love honey and seek products out that contain it, this one that uses it in a primer surprised me. First it’s in the gel form and it has tiny gold flecks that help with overall radiance. Ok I guess! What really impressed me is the way it felt while applying it and after applying it. Unlike most face primers, this one didn’t instantly disappear into my skin and actually did make it feel a tad dewy until it set. My skin really felt soft, smoothed out and “prepped” for the next step, which is an overall first. Big recommendation.  

Face Love - PACIFICA ‘Perfect Lotus’ Universal Powder - $16 @ smallflower.com – this buildable pressed mineral powder really brightened up my complexion and I was really surprised how universal the Light shade was! It blended in nicely and didn’t sit on top of any lines in my face.

Fragrance Love - CARVEN L’eau de Toilette - $79/1.7, $104/3.3oz only @ carven-perfumes.com – I’ve become quite the eau de parfum snob in that I feel I’m sort of wasting my time by choosing an eau de toilette as that scent is not as concentrated as a parfum version. Well this one may change my mind.
Aside from the lovely fresh, grassy, and totally feminine fragrance this one imparts, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say it’s the more concentrated version as it certainly wears like one! This release is considered the “younger sister” of the Le Parfum that came out in 2013 as they share the same bottle design and some of the same composition like sweet pea, freesia, white hyacinth and white woods, among others, this one is considered the “sweeter,” of the two.

Zit Love - COVER FX Blemish Treatment Concealer - $38/2.5g @ sephora.com – I’m always so hesitant to put any makeup on a blemish for fear of making it worse but thanks to CFX, they want to take that fear away. The formula contains 10% Salicylic Acid to treat and Babchi Seed Extract to increase cell renewal. Check out the other new products in the blemish treatment collection.

More Nail Love - MILANI Color Statement Nail Lacquer in Mauving Forward - $3.99 @   walgreens.com – I’m finding myself not quite ready to jump into the fall just yet but am inching my way towards it with this shade of purply-mauve. 

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

Are you a fan of the subscription box craze? I have not deboxed one in some time but I got my unboxing on with the latest one from a collab from GLOSSYBOX and CosmoProf North America (CPNA). By now you know what Glossybox is but what is CPNA? It’s one of the biggest beauty tradeshows that takes place in Las Vegas every July, so this year’s took place just a few weeks ago. When I attended the first one ever many years ago, it was different than what it is now, which is more brand-friendly, so I may check out next year’s show.

Anyway, back to this beauty box. The collaboration called Boutique ~ GLOSSYBOX, debuted at the show and allowed attendees to hand-pick 7 deluxe samples from 20 featured exhibiting brands and this one I received to check out came with the following:

• Mastey Color Protecting Leave In Therapy Spray (8oz)
• OPI Nail Lacquer in Pink Through It (full size)
• Dr. Lili Fan Probiotic Age-Defying Eye Serum (.5oz)
• Be A Bombshell Cosmetics The One Stick in Flustered (full size)
• Skin Nutrition Cell-CPR (.34oz sample size)
• Royal Apothic Cream Crème Moisturizing Body Crème (.5oz sample size)
• Kokostar Deep Conditioning Steam Hair Wrap (one piece)

Some pretty great stuff inside this one but know that once this one sells out on their site, that’s it. What I like about this one is that it contained some brands I was not familiar with! Yeah! I love to try new-to-me brands. This limited edition box is $40 and goes on sale @ glossybox.com starting tomorrow August 15^th, so make sure you get yours! 

1. MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Vivids Lipcolor in Fuchsia Flash - $7.49 @ ulta.com

2. SUGARPILL Dollipop Pressed Eyeshadow - $12 @ sugarpillshop.com

3. ESSIE Nail Polish in Style Hunter - $8.50 @ ulta.com

4. LIME CRIME Zodiac Glitter in Sagittarius - $13 @ limecrime.com

5. MAC Lipstick in Candy Yum Yum - $16 @ nordstrom.com

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.