"Winterize” your nails!

Trending nail polish colors for this winter.

Check out more Nailpolish colors on Julep

I like to keep it simple when I "winterize" my nails.

First off I always start with clean nails and hands. Doing this after a shower or

a bath is ideal. But it works fine with a long handwash with warm water and soap.

A nailbrush works for some, but I like to soak my nails in a bowl with warm water

(just enough to cover the nails) and anywhere from 1 TSP to 1 TBSP of lemon added

to it (Find out what works for you). The acidity of the lemon makes the nails whiter.

And it also loosens any muck you might have going on under the nail.

An orange wood stick (or cuticle pusher) is great to scrape off any of the much

that is stuck under your nails and of course to gently push back your cuticles. Make

sure your orange wood stick is clean when you go about doing your cuticles though.

If my cuticles are dry I like to use a Cuticle stone to remove any dry cuticles.

It also removes build-up from the nails.

Rinse your hands.

If my nails need shaping or shortening this is the time

to take out the file and buffer and get going. Don't over-do it

with the buffer or your nails could get really thin.

Applying nail polish is optional, and you can use any color you like. For best

result use a base coat. Apply 2 coats of your favorite nail polish and seal it all

with top coat. Put your nails in Ice water to dry the polish faster.

Apply a moisturizer. To get the blood going and flowing to your nails,

(after the "ice bath") rub and massage the nails, cuticles and fingers. It's good

for the nails and you get warmer hands - a Bonus in cold winter times.

My hands get really dry when it is cold outside so I really like to apply

generously of a really creamy moisturizing hand cream before I go to sleep

so that my hands are really soft and hydrated when I wake up.

How do you go about "Winterizing" your nails and hands?

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Sigma Beauty: Holiday Value Sets

Sigma Beauty: Holiday Value Sets

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December gifts from Sigma Beauty

10% OFF your order - Code: DEC2014

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Ethereal Radiance

News from Sigma Beauty

From subtle color-shifting neutrals, duo-chrome brights, to head

on glitter: it’s all about celebrating the season in-style. The most

festive time of year calls for the most jaw dropping variety.

Sets of loose shimmers and glitters are the starting point of any shimmer loving look, ranging from neutral to ball dropping glam. Use them anywhere from your eyes, lips to nail look.

Lip options are bold and ready for a good time. Lip bases in saturated strong and

deep hues can be glossed up with Lip Switch for a transformative effect.

Loose Shimmer and Glitter Sets – $30 each

Shimmer Cream – $16 each

Lip Switch – $14 each

Lip Base – $12 each

Brush Set – $76 each

Be the ice queen of a chilly evening soiree, or the shimmer baby

by the fire. The magic of the holographic effect is exemplified in this

collection of products that offer modern ethereal glamour to all.

Sigma Beauty: New Products

10% OFF your order - code: DEC2014

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ONE DAY ONLY: 20% OFF BRUSH KITS

One Day Sale at Sigma Beauty

For one day only, all brush kits will be 20% OFF with the code SIGMAKIT.

Offer valid Monday, December 8 until 11:59 PM CST.

Offer not valid for wholesale customers.

Sigma Beauty: Brush Collections

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Re-Pressing and De-Potting and DIY Palette

In my last post (check it out HERE) I showed you what I ordered from

TKB Trading. And now I want to show you what I have been doing with the

supplies. Plus a great tip at the end of the post for My fellow Penny Pinchers.

I asked my sister if she wanted me to re-press and de-pott some of her makeup

into a Z-palette. She gave me a box of makeup, I almost fainted. A few days later,

with black fingers and glitter and shimmer everywhere, a nice smooth and slim result.

A huge pile of makeup (Photo Collage Above), in 2 large zip-lock

bags, I managed to fit into a converted e.l.f Beauty Book (old style), a Z-palette,

a 26mm 12-cavity Charcoal Black Palette from TKB and 2 old style TKB 36mm

4-cavity Palettes and one of them I converted by ripping out the foam insert

and adding some more magnetic tape to the bottom.

Do you still have one of the old style Beauty Books or Beauty Encyclopedias from e.l.f?

Do you need somewhere to store your de-potted makeup?

Here's what I did:

• I took an old e.l.f. Beauty Book - like the Beauty Encyclopedias (that e.l.f UK does not carry anymore) - the new style beauty books with plastic inserts does not work.
• Removed all the pans and ripped out the foam under them.
• With a scalpel (x acto knife, carpet knife or similar) I cut the foam insert and ripped that out. Decided to keep the mirror. (No mirror in the Beauty Encyclopedias).
• I cut a Magnetic Sheet into size and glued it down. (search your Local Craft Store for Magnetic Tape or Magnetic Sheets).
• Place your De-potted makeup inside.
• Decorate outside as you like or leave as is.

The idea of converting a Beauty Book came to me when I was re-pressing and

de-potting my sisters makeup and relized I would not fit all of it in the z-palette. I had to

come up with something. I remembered the Magnetic Sheet that I've had for years,

wanting to do a similar storage as the z-palette, but just have not found the right box untill

now. The funny thing is that I have been cleaning out and re-organizing my makeup

stash and de-potted or re-pressed a lot of it. And just recently I gave away unused e.l.f.

Beauty Books with foam inserts and threw out a bunch of them that was empty. - *FacePalm*

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TKB "Press Pack"

TKB Trading is a great place if you like makeup, especially if you would like

to make your own. They have the supplies you need at a very wallet friendly cost.

I stocked up on MyMix Press-It Binder as it is a good all-purpose pressing medium. I still
had some My Mix Press Base left so I thought I would try out the TKB Matte Texture Base.
Lets see if I can see any difference. I use the My Mix Press Base and Binder to press loose
mineral eyeshadows and pigments. I also add them to any eyeshadow that is not perfoming
as I would like it too. Because they usually do get better as these products improves the slip
and adhesion. That way the loved eyeshadows that does not perform so well gets an other
chance of beeing used up. No one wants to throw away a color they love.

I ordered some more supplies I need for re-pressing my eyeshadows, blushes and

other makeup to place into my Z-Palettes. I almost got the FlexStyle palettes that TKB

Trading has, but then decided that three Z palettes is enough for me. Also realized that

one of them is currently empty. I also have six of TKB's 26mm 12-cavity Charcoal Black
Palettes and four of the 4-well magnetic 36mm cavity palettes (Retired - old Style). They

look like e.l.f Essential Elements Custom Palettes but a little bit bigger and black. (Anyone

looking for those TKB Old Style Palettes can buy them from me, just let me know). And at

that I have 2 Interchangeable Palette: 12 Piece from Coastal Scents. So I think that is

enough. Money is a bit tight right now so I have to sell something in order to get

something else. Have a look at my Blog Sales HERE you might find something.

26mm Round Tin Pans - 15mm Round Press Pack

I ended up buying more of 26mm Round Tin Pans as I have used up what I had.

And then I wanted to try out the 15mm Round Tin Pans so I got the Press Pack as

you get 9 godets with it. In those I can press eyeshadows that I only have very little

of left but would still like to use up. Look at how cute and small those 15mm pans are.

Then I was looking to get more large pans for blushes, contours and bronzers, as I have

filled up my 36mm round pans, but didn't feel the need to get 25 (that is the smallest amount

you can buy). So once again I got a Press Pack (Large  Rectangle 54x26mm)  that has 9

pans. I'm also planning on pressing my sisters eyeshadows into a Z-Palette, as a surprise

for her, so I got a differet style goddet for her, 26mm Square Tin Pans + the Press Pack

with 9 godets and the pressing tiles so I can make the makeup look nice and smooth.

26mm Square Press pack - Large Rectangle 54x26mm Press Pack

When blending a custom shade of eyeshadows I want to grind the
pigments together properly so I bought a Mini Mortar and Pestle. And
then pass it through the Mini Sieve so that I get a finer powder that is easier
to press and get it smooth. The small Spatula I got to scrape things out.
 

Spatula, Mini Sieve and Mini Mortar and Pestle

Z-Palette is having a Cyber Monday Deal - 20% off - Check it Out HERE

Are you lemming for a Z-Palette but don't want to splurge?

Check out TKB Tradings Flexstyle Palette. You get 2 for $15

TKB has declared that they will to do something special for

Cyber Monday (that's December 1st) so keep an eye out for that.

Update!

TKB's 2014 Holiday Sale is now live!

Cyber Monday Deal (good from now through Midnight EST 12/1/2014)

14% off all orders placed by Midnight EST (Eastern Time) 12/1/2014

if you use the coupon code: Cyber Monday (or, cybermonday). 

For Disclaimers and rules - Click HERE!

I'm off to press some eyeshadows so that I don't get tempted to look at all
the Cyber Monday Deals. But there is a great one from Sigma Beauty you can
check out. Just Click the link: Sigma Cyber Monday: 20% OFF Sitewide

Check out my post on what I did with the supplies from TKB Trading HERE

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Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday 20% off Code: CM2014

Happy Shopping at Sigma Beauty

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