Maybelline Express Nails Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover Review

 I'm all caught up on The Guilded Age. Lucky for me it kinda picked up a little in the third season. One thing I am loving- the costumes. My favorite being this one that Miss Scott wears. There is just something about the blue and orange combined and then the way they look on her skintone. 

Then again, I think she just looks stunning in just about all the costumes in the show.

But anyway...back to a pretty basic and boring nail polish review.

Just some Maybelline. 

Maybelline claims:

Whether a glittery top coat or an elaborate nail design - the Express Nails Nail Polish Remover Acetone-Free from Maybelline New York removes any residue and ensures perfectly cleansed nails that are excellently prepared for the new manicure. The acetone-free formula is particularly gentle and does not stress nails and cuticles, but gives them rich care and valuable moisture thanks to the avocado oil it contains - also perfect for artificial nails.

made in France (bought in Germany- the US version is probably made in the US) 

I didn't know it was Acetone free when I bought it. I didn't read it. Actually as I'm doing the review I am just now realizing it's acetone free. I usually prefer Acetone removers because I find them to be most effective. I don't like removers that take a lot of rubbing to remove nail polish- or ones that feel so harsh like they are damaging your nails by drying them up. And usually I find that's what Acetone free nail polishes do.

Except this one. 

This one is pretty amazing. It melts the nail polish right off. I'm not left with much- if any under the nails or caught in the nail line. And it does all that without excessively drying my nails or causing them any damage. 

And it smells so nice and leaves a pretty nice scent. Or at least it smells nice when you consider that it is still nail polish remover and has that underlying smell.

I saved my Zoya remove nail polish bottle which I just refill. The packaging is not bad but I tend to pour too much and I just prefer the Zoya pump bottle. I'll probably keep and refill it forever. 

The only thing is it's pretty expensive for the amount you get- so I wouldn't buy it all the time. I think I might alternate with the the store brands local to me and I am definitely more willing to pick up and try the Acetone free versions now.

Ingredients:

ETHYL ACETATE, ALCOHOL, AQUA / WATER, GLYCERIN, PARFUM / FRAGRANCE, PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL / AVOCADO OIL, BENZYL SALICYLATE, BENZOPHENONE-1, BENZYL ALCOHOL, HEXYL CINNAMAL, LIMONENE, EUGENOL, LINANOL, HYDROXYCITRONELLAL, GERANIOL, CI 42090 / BLUE 1

Overall, I love it. It could be one of my favorite removers and bonus is that it is usually available pretty local to me. 

Lush Good Karma... Everybody Needs Some Shower Gel Review

 

I'm finally back to rotating in my Lush Shower Gels. I hauled a bunch quite a long time ago but I've been so focused on using all the bar soaps- I sometimes forget about the Lush. I've been doing a better job of using them- mostly because they have some other scents I would love to try but I can't justify buying more until I use some of what I have. I have mostly the extra large bottles left and they are all still pretty full.

Lush claims: 

Cleanse your body with this heady patchouli, refreshing orange oil, and zesty lemongrass shower gel for an uplifting experience. One of Lush’s most iconic fine fragrances, Karma has been a much loved scent at Lush for over 20 years, inspired by the sunny days and hippy vibes of a 1970’s London summer. Translate this feeling into good deeds for even greater Karma.

Made in Canada

What's in it for you?

- Fresh orange juice brightens and cleanses skin

- Many of Karma Kream's sister products, such as perfume, soap, and body lotion, can be layered to create a heavenly signature scent

- Patchouli, pine and Brazilian orange oils blend to create this iconic scent

Leaving the world Lusher than we found it

- We've made our recyclable bottles thinner to further reduce unnecessary plastic

- This self-preserving product is formulated to stay fresh and effective without added synthetic preservatives

- Our dark Sumatran patchouli oil comes from a remarkable producer, the Gayo Lues Permaculture Center in Indonesia. Their practices are designed to support the health of Sumatra and Borneo islands’ ecosystems, protecting the primary rainforest and its inhabitants, like the noble orangutans.

The Karma scent is really a classic Lush scent and one of my favorites that Lush do. Which is not surprising. They really know how to do a patchouli. I've tried a few things from the Karma line- the re-useable bubble bottle,  the bar soap and now I am finally reviewing the gel. It took them a few years to come out with the shower gel- but I'm really glad they did. It last's longer than the bar soap will and even though it's very expensive, I think you get better value vs the soap. But I do think I prefer the scent of the soap over the gel. It just smells a bit better. 

But this still does capture the Karma scent well. I love the scent- it's Patchouli- Orange. And maybe a few more scents blended in. I love it so much I have played around with making my own blend with essential oils. And I have gotten pretty close too. I even tried dupes off Etsy- but they are never as good as the scent from Lush. It's a very unique gel- I haven't smelled anything really similar enough from any other company. It's nice and strong in the shower and when my bottle was newer it really lingered around too. Not so much now that my bottle is getting a bit older though

I don't think the scent would be for everybody but I do think it's one everyone should experience just once. Even if you aren't a patchouli fan I would say this is worth sampling. 

Otherwise it works just like any other shower gel- lathers well, doesn't dry my skin (at all), rinses clean. 

Probably the best thing about Lush Shower gels- the ingredients. It has typical ingredients- but they always throw in some goodies which is pretty unique to Lush.  It has actual Patchouli oil, a bit of Orange Juice, Lemongrass...just all the good stuff that I like to see in an ingredient list. 

ingredients:

 Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, glycerin, lemongrass infusion, laurel betaine, fragrance, fresh orange juice, dark sumatran patchouli oil, Brazilian orange oil, lavandin oil, pine oil, lemongrass oil, elemi oil, lactic acid, citral, citronella, geraniol, hydroxycitronellol, limonene, linalool, red 4, 

Overall, even though I prefer the bar soap scent over the gel...I still really love the scent. It's something that I could see myself purchasing again and it's definitely making my year end favorites! 

Vitamix Cranberry Nut Bread and Turkey Meatloaf

We are knocking the posts out early today since I have a  list of things I want to get done today. This was an ok week in the kitchen.

I made a Cranberry Nut Bread. It came from the Vitamix cookbook and you are supposed to use the Vitamix but I couldn't bring myself to do it. You really don't need to Vitamix to make a quick bread. So I just made it like I would make any other quick bread. It was OK. I think my whole wheat flour is getting a little old- but I finally used up the last of it so I'm happy about that. I also used dried cranberries instead of fresh because fresh is not in season. Overall, it was OK. I also forgot- I reduced the sugar to about 3/4 cup instead of a whole cup. I do that in any bread I make. But yeah..just OK. Wouldn't make this particular recipe again. It made a decent snack for work though and I froze a few pieces for net week too.  This isn't the exact recipe but similar enough...

Then....meatloaf. I looked it up and the last time I made meatloaf was 13 years ago. I hated meatloaf dinner night as a kid. I''m finding it's not as awful as I made it out to be ( I was a very dramatic kid about food I didn't like) - but still not something I would make regularly. This was a Turkey meatloaf. I just processed Turkey Breast in a food processor for mine since I didn't feel like traveling far to get already ground Turkey. I also skipped the beef bacon...because I didn't think it would add anything for me. Oh..I also used shallots and used Panko instead of actual bread. It came out really, really smooth. I'm sure that's because we used the food processor. It wasn't bad, just a little dry but I think that's my fault. . Great lean and healthy protein option for dinner.  But I'm still not a meatloaf person....

And that's all! We shall see what next week brings up...

Trey Songz

I used to be Trey Songz biggest fan. I still remember when his first music video hit and they would play it on BET. It wasn't until he cut his braids and got a little thicker, that I did a little double take. And the smile. Can't forget the smile.

Luckily he's pretty talented too so I do have a few songs (songz?) in the Trey rotation. 

Starting with Dive in- because we are about to Dive in with these songs.

Next...Gotta Make it. Our intro to Trey. Cute little song that took a few years to grow on me. But I like it now. A lot.

Next up, Love Faces. We love a brotha in a suit. But looks aside- this is my jam.

Ah, it's Mr. Steal Yo Girl. He's not the original. I think Joe was. Maybe Mr. Steal Your Girl Part 2. I go back n forth with whether I like this song- then I put it on and start vibing and it stays in the playlist. 

Next up, Panty Droppa. A staple in the after hours playlist 😬 Of course a lot of these songs are in that playlist. It's the type of music he does best. 

Neighbors Know My Name is when I noticed the Trey glow up. I've watched this video a few million times- back to back. It's the smile (lips, body, everything really). I was bit obsessed. Good Times.  😍😍😍

Scratching My Up was like Neighbors Know My Name Part Two. Shoulda been released as a single.

Yo Side of the Bed- classic. And made even funnier by the vid posted below it. Still cracks me up. Yo Side of the Bed is very Prince sounding...Per Google it samples Purple Rain. I just learned that today. That's crazy. 

I have both the remix and OG version of this song. I'm kinda surprised at the views being so low because I thought it was a big song.  I can't post the vid cause I guess it's a Parental Advisory. 

I'm kinda shocked- there are more songs than I really expected. I love this one, once I listen to it's stuck in my head the rest of the day. Sounds like a Mario kinda song, right? 

Last Time isn't memorable until I listen to it again and then I put it on like- Hold Up. I like this. And then I like it all over again. Even though it's a lil trife.

I'm a bit surprised this was a single- even though I love the song...it's another one I forget until it starts bumping. I should listen to it more.

This is probably the last album I listened to by Trey. I think it was back when I listened to Apple Music- but it was free? The music video is also restricted so can't post here. I hope she left him though, I bump with the song but writer here is definitely trash.

Last song, Touchin Lovin. I suddenly have the urge to glue a bunch of gemstones to my lips. Maybe with some blue lipstick? I just need to find some gems.

Long post...but I had fun taking a little trip down memory lane. 

NYX Long wear Slim Eye Pencil in Brown

I should probably take a break from NYX liners. Really seems like that's all I know how to buy. In the meantime, although I always want vivid shades of liner- I decided to just go with brown. I thought I could add a small amount of definition to my eyes instead of all out black. And I've been wanting to make a salty smoky warm smoky eye look. It's almost impossible to do on my complexion since the only brown shades that stand out on my skin-tone tend to be on the cooler side. 

But back to the NYX.

Claims:

Slim, trim, but never prim. Our Slim Eye Pencils come in a variety of entrancing shades—from seafoam green to black shimmer. The creamy long-wearing eye liner formula goes on easily and resists bleeding. Available in 31 stunning shades!

Made in Mexico 

I love the color. It's a very warm brown- I think it has a lot of reddish tones mixed in. So it looks exactly like what I wanted- but it just doesn't show up enough on my eyes to make a difference. Not even a subtle difference. I also think the color could have a little more dimension to it or maybe I'm asking too much from a drugstore liner. 

So the color didn't work on my eyes like I thought.

And I also don't like the texture. I wanted it to be more creamy but it tends to tug on the eyes and take a bit of pressure to get it on. I've had much creamier and easy to work with liners. Wear time is ok. It's not a liner that sets. So not long wear- definitely not waterproof. It seems to wear fine on my eyes- but then again not sure how much I could tell since I could barely see it. 

I wasn't impressed with it as an eyeliner. So it's been repurposed to a lip liner. And I LOVE it as a lip liner. It's dark enough without being too dark. It makes all my lipsticks blend better. It also isn't as waxy as a lip liner so I find it wears away evenly with whatever lipstick and I'm not left with a line. It goes well with my skintone and it goes well with whatever I pair it with. 

Not my favorite eyeliner. But I would still try it in other shades if only just to play in other colors without dropping a lot of money. For this one, I'll happily use it up with my lipsticks and see how much I miss it once it's gone. It's possible I may buy it again for the lips.

Oars + Alps Alps Bar Soap Review

One more post for the day- dabbling in soaps marketed to men. Created by women that were tired of their husbands stealing their stuff- so they created an entire line. Diabolical. I respect it though. 

Oars+ Alps claims:

With ingredients from alpine and forest terrains, our Moisturizing Alps Bar Soap provides intense hydration for dry and dehydrated skin.

Shea Butter and Alpine Caribou Moss™ deeply moisturize, while crushed juniper berries sourced from the mountains of the Pacific Northwest mildly buff away dead skin cells. To help remove impurities, we include clay from the Amazon Rainforest. Larch Tree Extract creates a barrier on the skin to lock in moisture.

Light, clean scent. Suitable for every skin type, so lather up and #taketotheoars. 

1. Shea Butter provides intense moisture for dry and dehydrated skin.
2. Crushed juniper berries mildly buff away dead skin cells providing ultimate cleanliness.
3. Amazonian Clay sourced from the Amazon Rainforest helps remove skin impurities.
4. Larch tree extract creates a barrier on the skin to lock in moisture.
5. made in usa

I am finding most soaps marketed to men to be unisex. I just like soap and will buy them regardless of who they are marketed too. It works out if you like woody or more outdoor type scents in the shower. I really loved the scent of the first soap I used from them and I had high hopes for this one.

I think the scent is nice. It's high quality and smells really good. Very much so a unisex scent. It's not my type of scent- but I did still enjoy using it. It's just not a scent I would seek out in soap form again. I feel like it kinda reminds me of a scent you might get in a baking soda carpet refresher but not really. That sounds bad, but I mean it in the best way possible. Nice scent- just not my cup of tea in particular. 

This is supposed to be the moisturizing bar. As opposed to the many exfoliating options they offer. It was drying at first but my skin seemed to get used to it and hasn't been as dry as when I first started using it. 

It does have juniper berries that it says are good for exfoliation. No. There aren't enough and the one that makes contact with the skin can feel a bit scratchy. 

It lathers well though. Cleans nicely. Rinses easily. 

It has very interesting ingredients. I almost feel like bars marketed to men have way more interesting ingredients in them. It says it has handcrafted shea. Handcrafted is better than machine made anyway. I just hope it's fair trade. Clay from the rain forest. I think all their bars have clay though. It has actual moss (extract) in it which is also supposed to be very beneficial for the skin. It also has larch tree extract. Whatever that is.

Ingredients:

Sodium Palmate, 

Sodium Cocoate (Or) Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Glycerin (Plant-Derived), Coconut Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Galactoarabinan, Sodium Gluconate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Cladonia Stellaris Extract (Alpine Caribou Moss), Kaolin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Juniperus Communis Fruit (Juniper Berries).

Overall, it's a very nice bar. The scent wasn't my particular cup of tea although I still very much enjoyed it. I've really been enjoying the brand and looking forward to opening up the last one I have in the collection and even getting a few more later on.