Etsy Beauty: Bella A'more Shoppe First Impression

I've never actually tried anything from Etsy, but I've always loved the idea of anything homemade; especially homemade beauty products. Recently, I've had the privilege of trying some products from a shoppe called Bella A'more through some connections, and I thought I'd share my first impression of these products with you.

The first thing that I received was a soy candle in the scent "Passionfruit". At first I was a bit wary because I'm not much of a fruity scent lover, but I'll tell you that I was pleasantly surprised with this one. The candle burns well and the scent released is light but it still managed to fill a room without being completely overpowering. (Not to mention the packaging was super adorable.)

The next thing in this little haul of mine was a body lotion. Let me just say one thing about this lotion. I LOVE this scent. It's a lavender and chamomile body lotion that's super moisturizing, and like I said, amazing smelling.

Another quick thing that I love about this shop is the fact that it's not only homemade, but the ingredients are very natural and contain a lot of nourishing oils and substances that promote naturally healthy skin.

The next thing I had was an ombre lip balm trio. This product was so cute and the flavors smelled amazing. The actual balm was very moisturizing, and I liked the fact that, when applied to the lips, there wasn't much tint to it.

The next two things were actually body butters (or beauty butters if you want to get technical). One of the scents was "Lemon Cake" which was so amazing that I wanted to eat it. Not joking either. I kept finding myself just randomly opening the jar just to get a whiff of the delicious smell. The formula of the butter was great as well. As soon as I applied it the product instantly soaked into my skin, and throughout the day I got compliments on my soft skin whenever someone accidentally brushed up against an arm or a leg. The second butter was the same on formula but I believe it was another lavender/chamomile scent, but I'm not quite sure.

And last but not least, the final beauty item that I received was a hand scrub in the amazing scent "Lemon Cake". Not only was it a good moisturizing scrub for hands but I used it on my legs to exfoliate before shaving. (Shhh. I won't tell if you won't). Even in the shower, before shaving and after rinsing it off, I noticed a huge difference in the softness of my legs, and I loved it. The only downside to that was the fact that some of the left over residue kind of got in the way of shaving, but that's only because it was meant for hands and not legs. (Kind of a consequence for my inventiveness). :)

Overall, I've been really enjoying these products and would recommend this shoppe to anyone who has been curious about Etsy beauty products. 

'Til next time,

Beauty Bulletin: Cool New Collabs and Collections

If you couldn't guess already, this post is going to be a mix of beauty news that refers to some new collections. Recently, I've heard of three upcoming releases from OPI, Essie, and CoverGirl. When I saw what these companies are coming up with, it got me excited for the winter season.

The first thing I discovered was a recently curculated picture of a sneak peek of a new Essie collection. Essie released this photo of their Winter 2013 polish collection and are calling it the "Shearling Darling" collection. Personally, I think the shades are gorgeous and are a perfect staple for this coming winter's manis. I especially love the wine shade and the rich tones, along with the more gray seeming pastels. Essie has not mentioned the names for these shades, but I'm sure that whatever they come up with will be adorable as always. 

 The "Shearling Darling" Winter 2013 Collection

The next thing that I have discovered is that in January of 2014, OPI will be releasing a Carrie Underwood collaborated collection. The Nicole by OPI Carrie Underwood collection will feature 14 shades that include pastels, darks and glitter. Carrie is now a Nicole by OPI songstress ambassador, just as Selena Gomez is. There havent been any released photos of this collection yet, but some of the names of the shades will include "Southern Charm", "American As Apple Pie", and a specifically created textured gold called "Carrie'd Away". This special gold will be the first Nicole by OPI celebrity signature shade. And as an added bonus, this new collection will also introduce a new Nicole by OPI logo. Pretty exciting right?

Carrie Underwood (image via beautygeeks.com)

And last but certainly not least, CoverGirl has collaborated with the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Their new Flamed Out Line was inspired by the movie and used to create some district specific makeup looks that the brand has been releasing moderately. So far, I only know of two, but they are both pretty amazing.

The first look that I discovered was a very glamorous look for District 1 called "Luxury". And I feel that this represents the district perfectly.

The second look is named after District 4 and is called "Fishing". I love the colors used in this one and it is simply mistifying in my opinon.

So that is it for my quick little mash up of random beauty news. I hope you enjoyed and are just as excited for the new polish collections as I am!

'Til next time,

YouTube Style: Cute Kimono Trend

Recently I've been seeing adorable kimono style coverings in a lot of haul videos from all of my favorite beauty/style gurus on YouTube. They have especially been talking and raving about the ones from Tobi, an online boutique that has a ton of really cute clothing. I thought I'd share some examples of these cute pieces from the official Tobi website.

I personally love the comfy yet cute look of these pieces. And I'm certainly tempted to add one to my own closet. This trend seems like a good way to transition some of the lighter features of summer and use it in some fall fashion. 

What do you think of this guru shared trend?

'Til Next Time

Beauty Bit: Beaded Nail Art

The beaded/caviar manicure has been around for awhile, but there have been different version of it, and different embellishments brought to light to achieve this look. I'll admit, the idea is pretty neat, and the results are advertised as gorgeous, but how long will something like this last?

I've considered trying this style of nail art with very tiny beads, but each time I've thought about doing my nails this way, I chicken out and worry about whether or not my mani would last as long as I wanted it to.

Here's a gorgeous, pearly example of the style at its best. I just wonder how the manicurist/nail artist got all those pretty pearls to stick. Surely a simple top coat wouldn't cover it, would it?

Another great example in a girly shade. I just feel that those little beads would fall off after a days worth of wear and tear. Something like that would leave a random array of not so attractive holes and bumps in your polish. It's a pretty effect, but is it worth it? 

What do you think of this style of nail art? Do you feel the same way I do about it? I'm almost tempted to try it and give it a trial run. I'm still at odds with it though. If you have any tips are ideas for getting this style to stick, let me know in the comments.

'Til next time,

YouTube Beauty: Gurus Galore

Believe it or not, YouTube has been a big inspiration for me when it comes to beauty. I am currently subscribed to dozens of beauty gurus, each having their own style and their own unique knowledge of the beauty industry and how to incorporate it easily into something more wearable. This post will be acknowledging some of my favorite YouTube gurus and what I like about the content on their channels. This is in no particular order, so I figured I would jump right into it. :)

Guru:Lindsey, Channel:beautybaby44

Lindsey is someone I can really relate to. She's just your typical (yet super gorgeous) teenage girl with an obsession with beauty. She's not afraid to be herself in her videos and all of her content is flawlessly put together.

Guru(s):Tracy & Stefanie, Channel:eleventhgorgeous

These two are just plain fun. They upload frequently and their personality in their videos is what makes me never tire of them. They are super honest when it comes to products and extremely entertaining to watch.

Guru:Arden, Channel:arose186

A geeky, yet gorgeous personality sets Arden apart from other gurus I watch. She is not perfect, but that is what's best about her. She doesn't care about a perfect looking background in her videos, as long as she can upload a beauty video and be 100% herself in front of her viewers. I love this girl and admire how unique she is.

Guru:Bethany, Channel:macbarbie07

Bethany is someone you can easily see yourself being best friends with. She has a super fun and young spirit that gives you the confidence to not be afraid of being super girly or still loving some of the cutesy stuff from your childhood. Not only does she grow on you, but she is an expert at any kind of beauty she does.

Guru:Bunny, Channel:grav3yardgirl

Bunny is the wacko of the gurus (said lovingly). She probably has one of the goofiest personalities that you can't help but love. She's hilarious and loves her viewers just as much as she loves sipping on some sweet tea. This southern girl is the life of the party when it comes to beauty videos.

Guru:Leighann, Channel:leighannsays

This girl is model gorgeous and always has some of the most beautiful makeup looks. She is another very honest guru who is just as obsessed with drugstore beauty as I am. Her videos are always interesting and she posts some of the most helpful reviews and first impressions on products.

All of these gurus are gorgeous, and I find myself searching their channels for new videos on a daily basis. I love watching them and draw inspiration from them for my own videos. I hope that I will eventually be able to create beauty content somewhat close to their amazing standards.

Are you as much of a YouTube beauty geek as I am?

'Til next time,

Lusting After: Nyx Parallel Worlds Box

I have always been a fan of the Mortal Instruments series of books by Cassandra Clare. The danger, fantasy, sexy wit, and trials of relationships have always kept me craving more. Once I heard about the books being created into movies, I wasn't so sure how I would like them. First of all, the casting was off by a lot (in my opinion), even if I did love the lead actress Lily Collins in other roles. Second, some of the crucial details of the shadow hunter world were completely changed (such as the look of the seraph blades). 

However, anyone who has read a book before it is rewritten for the big screen will always have high expectations that most likely won't be met. I have decided to give the film a chance and put my expectations aside (as I have done for similar situations). 

Anyway, a while back I discovered that Nyx had put together a limited edition "Parallel Worlds Box" inspired by the movie. I was even more thrilled when I discovered that the makeup and provided look book captured the characters more than the film did. As a plus, all of the full size products in the kit are gorgeous and could be used for many different looks. The packaging itself (which I'm sort of a sucker for) is very cool.

The box retails for about $24.99 and can be found at Ulta or Hot Topic stores. I will admit; I am lusting after this product! I've heard so many good things about Nyx cosmetics and have decided that this box would be the perfect introduction to the brand and the perfect thing to feed my fan girl ways. The box comes with a six shadow "Smokey" palette, a pigmented powder blush, a jumbo eye pencil, a liquid liner, a lengthening and volumizing mascara, and a very pretty pink matte lip cream.

Here's a look at the box (pictures from Ulta.com):

An overview of the box.

A closer look at the products.

I am so excited for this box, and will definitely be purchasing it before I go and see the movie! I may even post an unboxing and review here on my blog and on my YouTube channel (UniqueGrrrl).

What do you think of this box and the movie it's inspired by?

'Til next time,

Beauty Inspiration: ZZ Ward

I have always loved ZZ Ward's unique voice and soulful sound. Lately though, I've been envying her effortless, yet flawless and minimalistic looks in some of her videos. Some of her looks are a little more smoky, and some (like the look from her music video for "365 Days") are gorgeous, in the simplest of ways. 

Let me show you what I mean:

Flawless skin, big lashes,messy waves and minimal makeup everywhere else. A look to lust over. (Snapshot from her video "365 Days")

This look is a bit more smokey and dramatic in the eye area, but again, the more simple makeup and the luscious waves add the the gorgeous goddess girl next door feel to it. (Snapshot from her video for "Put The Gun Down")

She rocks a signature look that I would kill for (so to speak). She pulls it off so easily, especially her well loved fedora's, which seem to have become a part of her. 

I absolutely love her! (You can say she's a bit of a girl crush for me). If only I could pull off such a great look!

I hope you enjoyed this little beauty inspiration! And if you would like, you should go and listen to her songs "365 Days" and "Put The Gun Down." They are catchy and definetly full of girl power. :)

Stay Unique, Beauties!

Beauty Bulletin: New MAC Collection, Antonio Lopez Inspired

MAC just announced that they have been inspired by the illustrator Antonio Lopez and will release a limited edition collection of cosmetics.

The packaging is supposed to feature the illustrator's work and draw the eye with its colorful and gorgeously crafted themes.

Judging by the sneak peak picture (see above) that was posted on Facebook, the collection will indeed include some gorgeous pieces on the front casing of some equally gorgeous palettes.

The collection is said to make its debut in September.

It looks like a very promising collection, but once again, it is limited edition. So if any of you beauties are interested, I would keep my eyes peeled and snatch these products up when you get the chance!

Stay Unique,

Mutiple Monday Manis and Mantras

I have found so many inspiring quotes and cute manis this week. So I have decided to just dedicate this post to those two things, and those two things only. (With no commentary from me.) I hope you enjoy this variation of the typical Monday post. :)

And that's it! Have a wonderful week! :)