Melt on Down to Sunny Santiago

If only a Chilean vacation were in the cards at the moment.

Recently, I had the pleasure of being in my local Anthropologie and caught a whiff of a deliciously fruity scent.  I searched a bit and realized it was a Voluspa Santiago Huckleberry Candle.

Image via Beauty.com

They had both a large version and a mini candle available and, not wanting to commit to the large version should the scent of it have a deleterious effect on the health of my sinuses (review of culprit to follow shortly), I selected the mini version.  Happily, no such effect has occurred, so I will definitely be investing in the large glass iteration when the time comes.  The scent is fruity and mellow at the same time, and subtly fills the room with it's slightly tropical fragrance.

This week is going to be smell-tastic, as I've recently gotten into candles and scents, with some big hits and at least one conspicuous miss.  This one definitely falls into the hits category, so sniff away, my lovey-dovies.

Essie Sleek Stick Nail Appliqué Review

Last week, I found myself in CVS for some necessities, but, as usual, found myself perusing the cosmetics/skincare area of the store.  Having successfully convinced myself not to purchase anything extra for a change, I started to head toward the checkout.  It was at this point that something new and unfamiliar caught my eye.

Essie Sleek Stick Nail Appliqués

So I picked up a set in Over the Moon, a kind of gray-mauve with a smattering of cool silver dots near the nail bed.

I prepped my nails as suggested, and then went ahead and applied.  The stickers are, according to the packaging, UV cured, with the idea being that they are as durable as a no-chip manicure.

I found them relatively easy to apply accurately, although one of my nails stubbornly refused to let me put the sticker on correctly (but I'm pretty sure that has more to do with the deficiencies and shape of my own nail).  As you can see, they're pretty nifty looking once they're on, and the variety in sizes means I got at least a pretty good fit for each finger.

So, did it last?  Well, kind of.  The appliqués certainly don't live up to the standards of a good no-chip manicure, which I know from personal experience last at least ten days with no visible signs of wear.  After only three days of wear, the tips are unattractively shredded, enough that I'm going to remove them and use some good old fashioned glitter polish to brighten my day.

Not my fave look.

All in all, for $10, I wouldn't make this a regular habit just based on how quickly they look raggedy, but to jazz up my nails for a fun night out, or just a new and different look that I totally couldn't replicate on my own, I'll definitely look toward these snazzy new patterns.

If any of you have tried this product and found a way to make it last longer, do let me know!  Happy New Year to everyone!

Things that smell good.

Guys, I filmed a video for you all!  It's all about some of my new favorite bath time treats!  For the names of the products, check out the video on YouTube.  I apologize for the low quality of the video.  Anyone who wants to make fun of it can just save themselves the trouble and head straight to hell :)  Enjoy!

Check out Vivianna Does Makeup for great beauty product reviews from across the pond!

I like you guys enough to show my face,
Harris

Look what I made!

I'm so proud of myself.

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