Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Nail Polish Alert!!! Summer to Fall 2013 Trend!

Hey guys!

I have a quick post for you guys about a NEW FALL TREND ALERT!

I absolutely love keeping up with trends and seeing what has been on the models for the upcoming seasons. For this Fall 2013, Gossip Girl inspired nudes, burgandy, and pearly/shimmery tones have been seen all over on the runways. People are loving colors that can transition between Summer into Fall!

Essie's Ballet Slippers
That being said, I finally gave in and purchased Essie's Ballet Slippers nail polish. I think this is an amazing color to transition both from Summer all through Fall. The versatility of this polish is my favorite part. With one coat, this polish can easily serve as your top coat for a French Manicure, as it is not very opaque. With 2 coats, it gives a pretty satin effect. You could easily stop here, but if you are looking for a truly pearly look (which is what I went for in the image to the right), I would suggest adding a 3rd coat and then a top coat. Some people find that 3 coats of nail polish is outrageous, but for the fact that I can get 3 different uses out of this one nail polish, I love it!!! Not to mention, this color has been EXACTLY what I have been looking for.

Essie's Ballet Slippers do have a little nude/tan undertone to them. If you are looking for more of a pink undertone, I would suggest OPI's Second Honeymoon. I have found that Ballet Slippers is the most versatile for many skin tones so that is my top suggestion for you! If you decide to try this color out, please send me your photos and I would LOVE to share them with everyone else reading this blog :)

Last quick update...I know I had mentioned I was beginning my own YouTube channel, but a few things came up and though it IS going to still happen, there will be a delay. Being a perfectionist is kind of a pain since I end up being my own worst critic, so I apologize for taking so long!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Monday, July 29, 2013

Why I haven't blogged lately :'(

So, I wanted to apologize for my lack of new blogs lately! Frankly, life just got a little too hectic. A few midterms later, a trip to Vegas and now finals...well it has sucked up all my time :(

BUT, fear not my beautiful readers. I have a bunch of new blogs waiting to post.

I have already gone through and captured pictures of all the things I wanted to show you guys and I cannot wait to share them in the next few weeks to come.

My first blog (which I hope to post by the end of the week) will be a picture blog of all the things I have purchased in the month of July and those that I recommend and those that I would definitely NOT repurchase.

I will also include a mini photo blog at the end about what I got for my birthday. I also want to create a blog shortly after about the outfits I put together for my day and nights in Las Vegas.

Check back later this week and leave a comment with what you want see me blog about next <3

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The Battle of the Beauty Boxes: Birchbox vs. Ipsy GlamBag!

Happy Tuesday! Today I will finally be concluding my analysis of which beauty box I think is worth the $10/month and gives it's subscribers the most for their subscription. Before I get started into the blog, I am sure there are more than a handful of readers that want the clear cut answer. And here is mine...
The winner (in my opinion) of the battle of the beauty boxes issssss:

IPSY GLAM BAG!

If you never got around to the review of Birchbox and want to see what I got in my Birchbox last month, please click HERE! If you want to see what Ipsy Glam Bag is all about, I'm going to say you should definitely continue the read :)

Now let's see why Ipsy Glam Bag won the battle :) Here are my top 5 reasons why I would choose an Ipsy subscription over a Birchbox one:

Reason #1 FULL SIZE PRODUCTS

Birchbox gives small samples. Of course there are the occasional full size bottles, but with Ipsy, you are almost always given a full size product. Let's be honest, if you want to buy a product, you need to be able to use it for a few weeks to decide whether it's right for you. A full size bottle comes in pretty handy, and for $10/month, this is a no brainer!

Reason #2 YOU GET A MAKEUP BAG WITH EVERY SHIPMENT

Though I do love that my Birchbox comes with my products all wrapped up in tissue paper and very pretty, I much rather have a cute makeup bag with all my products inside of it. It is much more practical since I can use the makeup bags :)

Reason #3 COLORS OF PRODUCTS ARE BETTER CUSTOMIZED TO MY SKIN TONES

Do not get me wrong. Birchbox customizes their products as well, but I have found that every single product in my Ipsy Glam Bag was perfectly fit to my skin tone, eye color and hair texture. It is as though I personally hand picked the products to try out!

Reason #4 GLAM BAG PRODUCTS ARE HAND PICKED BY SOME OF MY FAVORITE YOUTUBE GURUS!

There's just something exciting knowing that some of my favorite youtubers are picking the products that are mailed out to me :)

Reason #5 IPSY IS MORE MAKEUP/HAIR ORIENTED

In my first impressions post about Birchbox, I received a face mask, a tiny perfume tester I would receive for free at the mall and 3 sample tea bags. That post was written for a reason: first impressions. That box, whether indicative of a usual monthly Birchbox or not, did not live up to my first Ipsy glam bag experience. I think this is the perfect time to transition into what I received in my Ipsy glam bag this month: June 2013!

MY IPSY GLAM BAG JUNE 2013

The swatches above from top to bottom:
Chella Highlighter pencil in Ivory Lace
Starlooks Lip Liner in Tickle me Pink
Cailyn Gel Liner in Purple
NYX blush in Rose Petal
J.Cat Body Glitter is not pictured

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

More info about Ipsy Glam Bag: http://www.ipsy.com

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Top 10 ways to get HEALTHY NAILS this summer!⚘☀⚘

Happy Saturday everyone!! So, summer rolls around and all those dark nail polish colors we used throughout the fall and winter season has taken a toll on our nails! Why not start off the summer with beautiful, long nails to add some sparkly and bright neon polish to? Here are my top 10 things to do to get beautiful and HEALTHY nails this summer :)

1) MOISTURIZE! 

You would be surprised how much of a difference moisturizing your hand, nails and massaging the lotion into your cuticles can do. If you have extra dry hands, try using a cuticle oil and massaging it into your cuticles. I personally just use some body butter from Bath and Body works. I apply it while I'm watching tv or laying in bed and just massage it in, since I'm already just lazying around ;) Aveeno also makes various great lotions that are very moisturizing. As for cuticle oils, I would suggest the brand, OPI. 

2) DO NOT PICK AT YOUR NAILS

Picking dirt and playing with your nails is a sure fire way to cause them to chip and break. The alternative to this? WASH YOUR HANDS! If you wash your hands often, you will need to moisturize more. Healthy nails are ones that are left alone to grow. Similarly, chewing your nails is an immediate way to notice brittle nails that will definitely break off within no time (learned that the hard way!). 

3) ALWAYS APPLY A BASE COAT

So many people skip this step as part of giving themselves a manicure. It is very important you apply a base coat! Nail polish stains your nails. In addition, it strips your nails of their moisture. There are base coats specifically designed to avoid both these problems. A personal favorite is Nail Envy Dry and Brittle Nails by OPI. 

4) BE GENTLE WITH YOUR CUTICLES!

I have seen this mistake done by so many people! Pushing back your cuticles or even using a cuticle trimmer is perfectly fine. However, if you are hurting your cuticles in any way, you are hurting your nails indirectly. Your cuticles are what nourish your nails and protect them from germs and bacteria. If you trim your cuticles so much that they bleed, you are exposing your nails to infection. If you push your cuticles back so much that they hurt to touch, this could end up causing brittle nails. Your cuticles are there to protect your nails, so make sure you don't go overboard in trying to get rid of them!

On the left is a straight edge toe nail
clipper by Tweezerman. It works great
for fingernails to get a clean straight
edge. On the right is a curved edge
fingernail clipper. It will give a
rounded edge to your nails and can be
found in most every brand.
5) TRIM AND FILE YOUR NAILS REGULARLY

Nails, as anything, aren't going to grow exactly as you want them to. It is necessary to file and trim your nails to prevent chips. If you are a fan of round edge nails, almost all nail clippers come with a slight curvature. I personally have found these to make my nails more prone to chipping. I use a toe nail clipper by Tweezerman to achieve a straight edge cut on my fingernails. Find what shape works best for your nails! I would also suggest using a glass file, as they are more gentle on your nails and are less likely to chip your nails

6) USE A HAND SCRUB

I have found that using a hand scrub once a week on my nails has made them more healthy looking after the first use! Scrubbing your hands will stimulate blood flow as well as getting rid of the dead skin. Both of these are great for growing healthy nails and healthy looking nails! It will also help to strip the layer of "yellow" on your nails that are likely due to stains from nail polish. I like to concentrate the scrub for a little bit on my cuticles to get the blood flowing there. Make sure you use a gentle scrub, since your hands and nails are delicate! I use the True Blue Spa 60-second manicure hand scrub from Bath and Body works. Smells a little too lemon-y for my taste, but hey, works great!

7) DO NOT USE ACETONE BASED NAIL POLISH REMOVER

Did you know that insecticides, paint (to thin the paint) and shoe polish are some of the common household items with acetone in them? Of course, our body already produces small amounts of acetone and using acetone in moderation as nail polish remover does not necessarily cause some sort of dramatic effects to your health, however, why not use an acetone free nail polish remover when it is available? The acetone free nail polish remover will help your nails retain some of its moisture and will make them less brittle in the long run.

8) TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN OR BIOTIN

Let me disclaimer this one with, if you do not need additional amounts of these supplements, overdosing on vitamins is a waste of your time!!! Not only that, but all vitamins and medicines have an upper limit, meaning there is a certain amount beyond which taking them will actually
cause negative effects on your body!!! CHECK THE  UPPER LIMITS of vitamins and track your intakes. DO NOT take 5 different multivitamin pills and assume that your body will just be in better shape due to this. Whatever your body does not need, it will get rid of, and in some cases, will end up causing side effects. 

That being said, in moderation, a multivitamin a day or a biotin tablet a day when you are having trouble growing your nails or keeping strong healthy nails is perfectly fine for the average individua

l (again I say average since everyone has different things that work and don't work for them). I personally am a big fan of taking a multivitamin a day and taking a Biotin tablet every 3 days in place of the multivitamin. This has helped both my hair and nails grow healthier!

9) PROBLEMS WITH YOUR NAILS SIGNAL OTHER PROBLEMS IN YOUR BODY. PAY ATTENTION TO THEM!

Your nails are a direct result of what is happening in your body. If your nails are brittle and are not growing, you may have a calcium deficiency. If they are excessively dry, you probably are dehydrated or lacking vitamin E. If they are pitting and have dry spots, maybe it is a more serious condition such as psoriasis. If you see any odd changes in your nails despite actually taking good care of your nails, make sure you consult your doctor. There may be an underlying cause to it! 

10) DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

A simple and common sense tip, but often forgotten! Over 50% of your body is water. Water is needed as a fundamental for growth and nourishment in your body. Drinking enough water, especially during the summertime when you are easily dehydrated, will nourish your nails and cuticles and prevent dry, brittle nails. 

I hope these 10 tips have helped you in some way. Please consult your doctor before doing any dramatic changes to your daily habits and diet, but these should be some easy tips to get you started on your way to beautiful nails! Have an amazing weekend!! 

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Friday, June 14, 2013

Hearts & Sparkle Nail Tutorial❤❤❤

Happy Friday lovelies! Today I am walking you through a very easy manicure. This mani is perfect for almost any time of the year! Red, black and white are classy and yet bold colors to wear. You can essentially substitute this look with any color you are loving right now! 


Now before I dive into the tutorial, I just wanted to give you all a heads up that I am in the works of trying to set up my own youtube channel with all my beauty tips and tutorials! I will be sure to post links and updates when the time comes :)

STEP 1: The basic polish step!

To start off, paint your thumb, pointer finger and pinky finger a solid shade of whatever color you are loving right now. I stuck with the bold, red/black/white with sparkle look. The red is my absolute favorite shade of red by OPI. It is Cajun Shrimp. I have talked about this shade multiple times, and if you do not own it, it is definitely a staple color! Next, I painted my ring finger an accent nail. I began by adding a base of Essie imported champagne. I then added a glitter polish over it. I used OPI Halo, which I have been absolutely obsessed with the past week since I purchased it ;) Last, I painted my middle finger an opaque white. I used Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in the shade White On.

Step 2: Add some design time!

In this step, we add a little fun to the nail! I used my Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear black polish. Any black polish will do. Using my dotting tool, I simply added to dots using the largest of the dotting ends I had, and then used a smaller dotting end to connect the two dots towards the tip of the heart. If you want to see a step by step visual tutorial on creating hearts on your nails using dotting tools, please click the following link to my Heart Mani Tutorial: http://girlotg.blogspot.com/2013/04/happy-monday-i-was-originally-going-to.html

Step 3: Rhinestones!

If you have a few rhinstones on hand, I would add a little rhinestone at the center of the heart. It adds a pretty and professional touch :) In place of the heart, feel free to add some polka dots, a chevron nail look, or even taking you nail polish of choice and adding a stripe down the middle or just creating a nail tip on the middle finger would add a special touch. The look of this manicure is to tie in all your nails with a color trend, but keep the middle two nails unique from the other 3. This is trending currently and I encourage you all to put your own spin on this look and have some fun with it! As always, don't forget to add a top coat to add some shine and make your mani last! As always, I used my favorite Seche Vite. Give it a try! You will fall in love with it :)

Send me pictures of your creations and I would love to feature them in my blog! Take care and check back for summer purchases/must haves (haven't quite thought of a title yet). It will feature a lot of my purchases I recently got this past Spring break and have been loving and using through the hot weather days :)

xoxo,
GirlontheGo





Monday, June 10, 2013

New Nail Polish find!!! ❃ Lovely Lilac Nails ❃

Hello lovelies & happy Monday!
I am a huge nail polish junkie. I absolutely love Essie, Zoya and OPI (personal favs). However, I recently stumbled upon a formula of nail polish that seems to be consistent with both Ubran outfitters and a local boutique called Francesca's. The formula is amazing! The nail polish goes on opaque and does not leave streaks! It is beautiful. The colors are vibrant and with a shiny top coat, the colors just come alive. 
I painted my nails with Beach Day from the boutique and used OPI's Halo to add some glitter accents and an accent nail to my ring finger. I used the Seche Vite top coat (as always) to top off my nails and make my mani last the rest of the week! Hope you are having a fabulous summer and check back for my summer must have's blog later this week :)

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

June 2013: Must Have Nail Polish Duo! ❁

I recently purchased two new nail polishes that I absolutely love! I paired the two together, with one color on four of my fingers and a fun glitter polish on my ring finger as an accent nail.

The first color I purchased is Essie's Imported Champagne. It is a beautiful pearl color with a hint of chrome in it. It is exactly like having pearl nails! I used the Orly Halo glitter polish as an accent nail. It is a gorgeous subtle gold polish (almost a silvery gold, not a pure gold color). It goes perfectly with the pearl tone. I love buying glitter polishes for accent nails since it is a versatile thing. You can pair them with so many different colors as an accent polish! I highly recommend these two as a staple to any nail polish lovers collection :)


Have a beautiful week lovelies!
xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Monday, June 3, 2013

Tiffany Nails mani ✼

Happy Monday!! I am all about having a pretty manicure, but I don't have the time anymore to give myself an intricate design that takes a long time to do. As an alternative, I have been loving giving myself a little gradient glitter tip mani. You can pair it with any color you would like underneath. I chose to start off with a base coat. Then apply Essie Turquoise and Caicos. Then, using Orly's Tiara, I start at the tip of my nails, so that most of the glitter begins thicker there, and then proceed halfway down my nail. I try to barely touch the nail as I am approaching the halfway point on my nail so that it gives the look of a gradient. I think apply a top coat (my favorite of course, Seche Vite) and that is it!
Feel free to pair this same look with different colors and different colored glitters. Another favorite of mine is to have a blue nail polish and top it off with either fuchsia glitter or a deep blue glitter for the tip. Enjoy!!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

First Impressions: Birchbox May 2013! ❤

Hello lovelies! I hope you have been having a fabulous week! I know mine has been hectic being out and about since I have FINALLY been on vacation :) And guess what came in the mail JUST in time for a little relaxation? My very first Birchbox! So I have never tried a beauty box before, and decided to give Birchbox a try for a month and then Glambag by Ipsy. Next month should be my glambag. I decided to do a blog post on my Birchbox while I finish up my Spring fling shopping spree blog post :) 

What is Birchbox and other such beauty boxes?

Birchbox and other beauty boxes are a monthly subscription. Bichbox costs $10 a month with free shipping. Other beauty boxes cost around the same for the most part (at least Glambag does). These beauty boxes give a handful (usually 4-5) of different beauty items for you to try. So for people that like to experiment with different brands and different products, but don't want to go out and purchase a full price product without knowing what it is like first, this is a great option! Birchbox comes with TRIAL sizes of the products. I have heard that other beauty boxes come with full size products with the downside of being more expensive or having fewer items. Glambag has a variation of full and trial sizes, and is still the same $10/month.
What I got in my Birchbox this month?

So lets get down to it...what did I get this month?! First, I got a Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel for sensitive skin. It is an exfoliator and skin brightener. It smells delicious and I will definitely be trying this one out! My favorite thing in the Birchbox this month is the Cargo water resistant blush. The blush is the perfect color for me and the waterproof is an added bonus! I also got Coola Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber moisturizer. Nothing to rave about, but nice to use up. Next I got a small sample size of Isaac Mizrahi Fabulous perfume. This stuff smells amazing, but keep in mind, it will probably last me about 6-7 uses. Lastly, I received Runa Guayusa Tea bags (4). I haven't tried these out yet, but if you are interested in knowing how they taste, leave a comment!

What I ❥ love  about Birchbox?

As raved about by other bloggers, the packaging done by birchbox is adorable. It comes in a cute Birchbox box and is wrapped up in hot pink tissue paper. It also comes with a nice description notecard of everything you received. I was surprised to see that the blush and the face peel were a generous size. I feel like they will last me a good while, especially the blush!

What I dislike about Birchbox?

The main thing I do not like about Birchbox is that I do not care so much for the perfume samples and the random "Lifestyle" samples, aka the tea bags. The perfume samples are so stinkin' small that I could walk into Sephora and have the lady pour me a sample of Coach for the exact same size and for absolutely free. Are they really trying to kid us about this? But before I run my mouth on Birchbox, I look forward to comparing it with Glambag and seeing what all the rave is about that first!

All in all, I won't lie, receiving a little, cute package in the mail with beauty supplies is pretty exciting. It just may be worth the $10 regardless of what is in the box :)

Hope you are all having a fabulous Spring! Check back soon!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Nail polish worn in photos: Essie Tart Deco

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Madewell Earrings! ✿

First off, can I just express how happy I am that finals week is over! ^_^ And of course as any girl would, I went on a shopping spree to begin summer break AND I will be doing a blog post on my splurges in the next few days! Just as a quick sneak preview, some of my favorite shopping spots that I hit up included Charming Charlie, H&M, Lush, Sephora and Target! I cannot wait to share with you all what I have bought and what purchases I am currently loving for Spring!


One of my favorite purchases has to be my Madewell earrings. If you have no made your way to a Madewell store, I would definitely do so! The prices are on the higher end, so go in there with the mind set that you are ready to have a little splurge. The jewelery, for the most part, is decently priced. I got these adorable chandalier earrings for 15.99 USD. I'm in love! The pretty soft gold and coral goes great with so many spring and summer outfits and I love it with my new gold Fossil watch I bought.

Just as a heads up on upcoming blog posts, I have several step by step nail tutorials, shopping haul and a night out dramatic eye look using some of my favorite shades by Urban Decay. Hope you are having a fabulous day and  check back for a new blog post on my shopping spree in the next few days!! 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Q&A: Does dry shampoo really work and how?! ☀

I have been asked this oh so many times! What's the scoop on these dry shampoos that are gaining popularity lately?!

Well, I'm sure almost all of us are quite familiar with second day or even third day hair (depending on the thickness of your hair and how often you wash it). Let's admit it, at the end of day 2 or 3, our hair is not as bouncy and pretty as it was when we washed it. The oil buildup at our hair roots begins to show its effects, and that's when we throw on our favorite headband or opt for a cute updo. Wellll, how about we just add a few spritz of dry shampoo and restore the "just washed" appearance of our hair for a few more hours or another day?

How does this work you ask?

There are two types of dry shampoos on the market. There is the actual powder shampoo (which was used as a trick long ago with ladies just applying baby powder to their hair and rubbing it through). This shampoo is one you actually sprinkle into your hair and rub it through your scalp lightly. I don't prefer this one because it leaves white specks in your hair (cause who wants dandruff looking hair that was just washed...). The other type (the type I use for a quick fix) is the spray on dry shampoo. It goes on like hairspray. You add it wherever you feel oily after a good shake (shake well before EVERY spritz for best results) and then just pat it in. The way these dry shampoos work is similar to the same way they worked for ladies back in the day using baby powder...they absorb oils. It's that simple. So if you are in need for that quick fix, reach for these! 

Is it bad for you?

Well, there are chemicals in these dry shampoos, but guess what? There are chemicals in your regular shampoo too (sodium laurate sulfate being a prime culprit in most shampoos). Not to mention, washing your hair often will strip your hair of natural oils that will actually make your hair weaker and not grow as fast. Perhaps dry shampoos are onto something? Only time will tell. But for now, all I know is this is a great fix when I am on a time crunch!

Which dry shampoo should I use?

My personal favorite is Treseme Sleek and Straight Dry Shampoo. It has a nice, even mist. It doesn't leave a powder in my hair and IT WORKS! Catwalk by TIGI also makes a dry shampoo that works really well. Got2B Fat-tastic makes a collagen infused dry shampoo that really voluminizes the hair (I recommend this one too). 

So give these a try the next time you find yourself oversleeping, having a hectic day, travelling or just need that extra day to get around to washing your hair :) Have a great rest of the week!!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Eye Pencil vs Liquid Eye Liner vs Gel Eye liner ♡

Have you ever gone to the store to pick up your usual eye tool to line your eyes, and wondered 1) why there are so many brands making the exact same product 2) what all the rave is between eye pencil, liquid liner and gel liner? Well, hopefully today's blog will help you out a little bit!

Side by side comparison
From left to right we have:
Maybelline Line stylist, Revlon Gel Liner, Maybelline
Master duo liquid liner.
Over the years, I have definitely tried my share of all three of these eye products. Let's start off with the evergreen eye pencil. Now I've found that the biggest difference between drug store brands and the more expensive brands is a) the richness of the color b) whether it rubs off easily (especially on your waterline) c) how smoothly it glides. That is not to say that a drug store brand will NOT provide these qualities, nor will an expensive brand unconditionally provide these qualities. It just takes a little bit of testing. I have found that Covergirl easily rubs off the eye, most especially the waterline. I have also found their colors to not be as intense. I have found myself reapplying this eye pencil about 3 times throughout the day. The plus of this liner is that it does easily glide onto the eye and easily comes off with a wash with a cleanser. There are two eye pencils I would particularly recommend. One is a drug store knock off, and it is the Maybelline Line Stylist. This eye pencil is retractable. It gives you a nice edge to easily line your eyes and create a sultry cat flick. The color is very rich, and the black color is absolutely gorgeous. The CG eye pencil pales in comparison. That being said, the Maybelline liner hardly pales at all, in that it takes a good scrub to get this thing off! I would highly recommend getting a MAC makeup remover, or prepare for a scrub off. The next recommendation is Stila's eye pencil. These go on ever so smoothly and will last all day! If you ask me, it is worth the splurge, but Maybelline does a pretty darn good job if you don't quite see yourself splurging on eye pencil!
On the left is Maybelline New York Line Stylist.
On the right is Maybelline Master Duo Liquid Liner
The top and bottom right images show how rotating
the liquid liner wand can give a thinner or thicker line.

Now let's move on to liquid eye liners. I have always been a fan of liquid liners, personally. I think they are ridiculously quick to put on, since you add a couple strokes, a quick cat flick and go about your day. They stay on until you wash them off and since it is liquid, you don't have to reapply to get the depth of color you want, making it that much quicker! My absolute favorite liquid eyeliner that I have recently started to use is the Maybelline Master Duo. It has the perfect liquid liner wand which can be flipped from side to side, with one side being thick and the other thin. This lets you control the line you want to draw. My only main complaint about this product is that it gets all over your eyelashes (well at least mine!). On a bright note, I don't really need mascara since this liner coats my eyelashes already. Keep in mind, this liner dries rather shiny, giving it a permanently "wet" appearance. That may not tickle of the fancy of some people, but going over it with eye shadow instantly gives it a matte look. Also, make sure to give this product a good shake before use though, or you will get a big hot watery mess :/ But other than that, LOVE this product!!! A tutorial on how to create the perfect winged eye liner using this product will be coming up soon :)

Now let's talk about gel liner! I am pretty new to the gel liner product, and I have found that I absolutely love it, IF I have the time that day. Gel liner takes me a lot longer than eye pencil and liquid liner combined to apply. Since I have to keep re-dipping the brush and reapplying the gel liner in small strokes to get the right shape and consistency, I have found that it takes me a while to get my desired look. The plus side to gel liner? It stays on all day long, doesn't budge, and can look absolutely stunning if you put in the time and effort. I have been loving the Revlon Gel Liner. It comes with a little brush that is stowed away in the screwable cap itself, so it is very small and sleek to take with you on trips. The gel liner itself is a very rich color and goes on very smoothly.

I hope this was a helpful post for you. If this helped you in any way and you'd like to read more on beauty and fashion tips, please subscribe! Have a lovely week!!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Q&A: Why use a moisturizing oil spray for your hair?

A lot of my friends always ask me why people use a moisturizing oil spray for their hair, when your scalp naturally produces oils? Well I have the answer for you!

As a generalized statement, most men wash their hair every day, while most women wash their hair every 2-3 days. This is perfectly normal. It is bad for your hair to wash it every day, especially for women, since we have longer hair. Oils produced by your scalp is good for hair growth. Your hair needs moisture to look healthy and grow strong. However, by the time your scalp produces oils from the time you wash your hair to before you wash it again, there is no way there is enough oil that is produced to travel to the ends of your hair (especially if you have medium to long length hair). So for all of us girls that have medium to long length hair, a moisturizing oil spray is fabulous!

How do you apply a moisturizing oil spray?

I usually apply the oil spray when my hair is damp. Apply it from below your ears down. You don't want to add the oil spray to your scalp (well you can, but I usually don't as I don't want a greasy appearance to my head). I apply to the ends of my hair and then run my fingers through it. I let the damp hair and spray dry and then comb my hair through.

Which oil spray should I use?

If you have read my blog before, you know I am a huge fan of Macadamia healing oil spray. This stuff smells good and does NOT leave your hair greasy or looking like you didn't wash it for a few days. It dries clean and you can still get that bouncy, shiny, just washed look!

How often should I use the spray?

I usually only use the spray once after I wash my hair, and my hair is still damp. This holds me over until my next wash. I also have fine hair, so I don't need the repetitive sprays. If you have thick hair, perhaps spraying again the following day will help tame frizz.

If you would like to check out my favorite hair products for this Spring, I blogged about this not long ago and you should check it out!
http://girlotg.blogspot.com/2013/05/may-2013-shower-hair-favorites.html

I hope this helped answer a few questions! Let me know if you have any questions you would like answered, and I'd be happy to blog about it :)

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

My week in a nutshell and new purchases! ﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿

So I have been behind on blogging and I decided to tell whoever is reading this why! I have finals. It is a dreadful time in any person's life, and trust me, it only gets worse the higher education you pursue. So, I have pretty much been sitting in a corner of my room staring at my screen, studying away from 9am-2am every day *sigh*

With that depressing thought being said, I decided to purchase a few things to make my week better (cause what girl hasn't resorted to retail therapy at some point).

First, I purchased the fairly new Esse Penny Talk nail polish. It's from the line of nail polishes that has the metallic/chrome effect. They are beautiful! The only thing I want to add about this polish is that if you do not add a top coat, IT WILL CHIP. Almost instantly. It requires top coat. Also, it almost looks like a matte nail polish with a chrome effect. So, if you think the top coat will make it shiny, it really doesn't add that effect. But, it is beautiful nonetheless!

The second purchase is two of the Maybelline Baby Lips tinted moisturizer. Aaaand, oh.my.gosh, these are fantastic!! These are limited edition, so if you are reading this when it is posted, go purchase some! The colored ones are my favorite. I purchased Coral Crush and Pink Punch.
I know there is a mint scented, as well as a few others, that are not tinted, but I feel it defeats the purpose of why I love these lip products. the color they give is beautiful. It glides on creamy and really moisturizes your lips. After I wore mine for a few days, I had people asking what I am wearing, and were surprised to find out it was a moisturizer by Maybelline!



I finally gave in and purchased the Tarte Amazonian Clay 24 hour Blush. If you are looking for that classic "blush" color, I have found it! Tarte's Flush is absolutely beautiful. It is the perfect vintage rose color. It looks classic! The best thing about Tarte? It lasts ALL day and just a tap in the blush will be more than enough blush per cheek. Yes, it is a bit expensive, but it will last you a long time!


I also got a piece of jewelry at American Eagle (I hardly ever purchase things there besides jewelry). I love the jewelry at American Eagle because it is the perfect blend between simple with a few stylish touches. I purchased a
necklace with some neon pink strands intertwined with silver. Neon is VERY much in this Spring, so don't be afraid to go bold!


Hope you all are having a much less stressful week than yours truly. Take care lovelies!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

The Best Nude Nail Polish Color ☼

I don't know about you, but I have been on the hunt for the best nude nail polish for quite some time now. Colors are either too light, too dark, a pink tone, a brown tone, but nothing ever matches that truly nude shade that has been in style for quite a while now! Well lovelies, I have hit jackpot for the PERFECT nude nail polish. It is OPI Samoan Sand. Pair this beautiful color with the Seche Vite top coat for high shine, and add a few rhinestones for a classy touch and a beautiful and easy manicure! Check back later this week for blog post all about eye liners! Have a lovely Wednesday :)

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Simple mani & L'oreal Spring nail polish review (◡‿◡✿)

Happy Sunday everyone!

A new week is upon us, and I thought I'd give you a quick and easy idea for a manicure that uses a color I have been in love with from the new L'oreal Spring nail polish collection. It is the Violet Vixen #500. It is a cross between plum and pink and it is beautiful on the nails. You can easily get away with one single coat if you want more of a pinkish plum, but add a second coat and get a deep plum (as I did in the pictures shown). My favorite thing about the new L'oreal colors is that they are very rich and glide on pretty smooth. My main problem with this nail polish is that it is almost too thick of a polish. Though I cannot make any conclusions yet on this product, I feel like since the consistency is so thick, it will likely get even thicker pretty soon and I won't be able to use it without it gettin' a little too messy for my taste :/ My other complaint is that the bottle cap is way too frickin' tight. I have never had problems opening OPI, Chine Glaze, Esse or Zoya (which are my favorite nail polish brands), but this one needs some major man muscles for me to be able to use. Rather frustrating!

To finish off my manicure, I went ahead and added a rhinestone to my thumb and middle finger for an added touch and I painted my ring fingers with Orly's Tiara. If you are looking for a glitter nail polish that is going to pack on glitter all over your nail with high shine and sparkle, try out this nail polish! I guarantee it will not disappoint! I finished off all the nails with my FAVORITE top coat, Seche Vite. If you want rhinestones to stay on your nails, I HIGHLY recommend a top coat around and over the rhinestone, otherwise it will flake off.

I have several ideas for upcoming blogs with how-to picture tutorials, so check back this week lovelies! I hope you are having a beautiful weekend and an even better week :)

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

May 2013 Shower & Hair Favorites! ☀

I don't know about you, but showering is the one time I can truly relax and be at peace from my crazy day! Aaaand, what better way to unwind than using some amazing shower products that will be calming, smoothen your skin and make your hair soft and shiny! Today's blog will be my top picks for shower products for this Spring ❤

Let's start off with a great scrub that I've been loving this season. It is the Loofah exfoliating oatmeal and honey scrub. This stuff isn't the best smelling (smells a little too honey-like for my taste), but I love it since it is not too abrasive and does not leave a residue like a lot of the new sugar scrubs do. I try to exfoliate once or twice a week for a smooth and soft feeling after scrubbing off those dead skin cells!

I have been trying out another scrub. It is the Paris Amore Golden Sugar Scrub from Bath and Body Works. This stuff is AMAZING smelling. However, the downside is that it leaves a greasy residue. Clearly it has a bit too much vitamin E action going on. I use this scrub at nighttime, and though it leaves a residue, when I wake up, my skin is ridiculously soft and hydrated. Not my favorite product, and I probably wouldn't repurchase it, but perhaps it'll strike the fancy of a few of you out there.

This season, I have been loving the Paul Mitchell Shampoo and Conditioner with Awapuhee. This shampoo/conditioner have been perfect for adding volume to my hair without drying out my scalp and ends! I personally like to combine the awapuhee shampoo with a strengthening conditioner. And may I just add, this stuff smells amazing!!

A new product that I must RAVE about is the Macadamia oil spray. This stuff is AHHHmazing! It makes my hair soft and silky and doesn't make it oily. It is made of all natural products so I know I am not just adding a ton of chemicals to my hair. I usually add a few spritz of this to the ends of my hair to prevent dryness and split ends, and also to prevent brittle hair that is prone to breakage. It smells amazing and a little goes a long way with this stuff, so even though it is expensive, it is worth the buy!! I plan on purchasing a few more products by Macadamia and will be doing a product review in the near future.

Lastly, I wanted to tell you guys about my favorite body wash this season. It is the Enchanted Forest Bodycology wash. This stuff smells insanely good and is a foaming body wash! I love that it lathers up and isn't greasy, but adds enough moisture to not dry out my skin. I do believe this is a brand new scent from Bodycology, so I'd suggest giving this a try!

A nail tutorial is soon to come lovelies, so check back in the next few days and please subscribe!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Top 5 Skin Care Must Do's! ❀

Just like most girls, I spent a good majority of my young teen years, frankly, not giving my skin the time of day other than to make it look decent and go about my day. It wasn't until years later that my love for playing with colors and makeup led me to actually care about what was going on my face, and making sure all that stuff comes off at night, so my skin can rejuvenate. Let me tell you, that revelation made ALL the difference. Who woulda thought, right?

Now that I'm wiser in the department, I'd like to share with all you, both just starting to get into a makeup routine AND those of you who are just looking for more advice on the matter, what I do to make sure my skin looks healthy. Remember, healthy skin cuts your makeup application time and you will have more fun playing around with makeup rather than being frustrated in using your makeup to cover up your skin (which in turn will clog your pores intensifying your problem...kind of a catch 22). Soooo, bottom line, take the time to take care of your skin! I promise that after following this routine a few times, it should not take you longer than 5 minutes to complete in the morning and at night!
Here are my top 5 skin care must do's:


Skin Care Must Do #1
Use a Cleanser!

I would advice using a foaming cleanser. I spent a lot of my time loving the Aveeno Brightening Cleanser, but have recently switched to Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser and I absolutely love it. It doesn't make my skin oily or dry. It completely removes my makeup in just one simple wash!

Skin Care Must Do #2
Use a Toner!

If you have dry skin, I would advise using an Alcohol-free toner. Alcohol tends to dry out the skin. I personally love using Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner. It is cheap and does an excellent job removing dirt. I also advise using an exfoliating cotton pad. They do a great job in removing dirt from your pores. I have been using the exfoliating cotton pads from Ulta, and I do not recommend these, as they fall apart in just a few strokes on your skin *sigh*

Skin Care Must Do #3
Use a Moisturizer!

During the day use one with SPF and during the night use a night cream. I have been a die hard fan of Aveeno's Positvely Radiant SPF day time moisturizer. It adds an ever so slight shimmer which is an added bonus. I also love Oil of Olay Anti-wrinkle night cream. It smells divine and really helps to seal in moisture without making me oily in the morning.

Skin Care Must Do #4
Use an eye cream!

I am a recent fan of eye creams. With my ridiculously hectic schedule, I have found that my little sleep nights are prone to giving me circles and bags under my eyes (surprise surprise!). Sooo, I gave in and bought the oil of olay 7 effects under eye cream for nighttime use. I dab it on under my eyes with my ring finger and voila! My puffy eyes have been significantly under control. Bobbi Brown Hydrating eye cream has been raved about as well, but I haven't been able to let myself spend quite so much on that stuff!

Skin Care Must Do #5
Always test new makeup on the back of your hand!

Okay, so this one isn't quite so much of a daily routine skin care must do. This is more of a trick I've picked up over the years as a result of sensitive skin and loving makeup. If you are like me and have sensitive skin, please do not purchase a new makeup product, slap it on your face and then have a reaction that is going to make you wish you stuck with your old favorite. Always test new products on the back of your hand. Wait an hour or two and make sure you do not react! If it is eye makeup (eyeliner, concealer for the under eye), I would even leave it on over night or for a few more hours and see what happens! Better safe than sorry.

Those are my suggestions for maintaining healthy and glowy skin. Of course I could go on with a few more, but at the very least, please try to fit these into your busy schedules! If you get into the routine of these steps, I assure you it will go by in 5 minutes and you WILL see results of better skin in no time!

Please leave me a comment down below and let me know what YOUR skin care routine is and what you think I should add to my top 5 list of skin care must do's!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Monday, April 22, 2013

Hearts and Dots Nail Tutorial ❤

Happy Monday!!

I was originally going to wait until Saturday for my next post, but why wait on a good thing? Today I want to share with you guys a nail tutorial I think is perfect for any occasion! 


If you are in search of the perfect nude nail polish, I have your answer! OPI's Samoan Sand is absolutely the perfect nude shade for almost all skin types. I used a contrast color for the added details. My pick was L'oreal's Violet Vixen #500. To add a pretty touch to your nude nails, I used a dotting tool add some dots to my thumb and ring finger, and using the same dotting tool, added hearts to my middle and pinky fingers, but later decided if I were to do this look again, I would only add the hearts to my middle finger and leave my pinky and ring finger completely nude (As shown in my finished image to the right).

To make the heart, I placed to dots in the center of my nail. I then used the dotting tool to connect the dots and bring it down to make the tip of the heart. Follow my images to recreate your look and let me know how this look worked for you!

Hope you are having a beautiful Spring day!

xoxo,
GirlontheGo

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Spring 2013 Nail Polish Trends ☀


OPI Cajun Shrimp
Hello lovelies! I hope you are having a fantastic weekend! With Spring here, I thought I'd go ahead and post my nail polish blog a little early!

Spring time is the PERFECT time to bring out those bright and fun colored nail polishes. Here are my top picks for this Spring's best nail polish shades!

OPI is one of my all time favorite nail polish brands. They glide on smooth and last a pretty decent amount of time. Both during springtime AND during fall, OPI's Cajun Shrimp is a staple in my collection. This coral infused red tone is perfect all year round!

Zoya Arizona
If you're on the hunt for that perfect orange nail polish, Zoya's Arizona shade might be worth giving a try. I found that it adds just enough bright orange with still a more sorbet color so that it doesn't look like you're rockin' neon.

I have recently picked up this fancy little nail polish by Inglot. It is shade #203. It seems like just an iridescent nailpolish you could pick up anywhere, however, the small glitter flakes are anything but! Apply your favorite dark toned nail polish and apply these flakes on top, and it will add a 3d nail art effect with no effort at all. This nail polish is not available everywhere, but at select Macy's stores. You c
Click for larger image.
Top row shows Inglot#203.
Bottom left is Essie's Off the Shoulder.
Bottom right is OPI's Lucky Lucky Lavendar.
an however purchase it online through the Inglot store. It is rather expensive for a bottle that looks like a trial size, but for occasional use, this is truly worth the buy for any nail polish lover!

Violets are a great color for Spring, and OPI's Lucky Lucky Lavendar is my favorite lilac shade. It adds a classy touch to my nails and the nail polish goes on opaque with a glossy shine. You could probably even get away with a single coat and no top coat with this one!

What is Spring without a great pink shade? Essie's Off the Shoulder is my absolute favorite. It screams girly and cute and is one of the prettiest pink colors I have seen!

Essie Absolutely Shore
For the perfect light mint green, Essie's Absolutely Shore is one of my favorites.

Francesca's Mystic Shores
My pick for the BEST Spring nail polish color has to be a  bright mint color. I personally love the nail polish colors form a local boutique, Francesca's Boutique. Here I picked up the shade, Mystic Shores, and it is my absolute favorite. I have received compliments on this color each and every time I wear it, and it has currently been on my nails for about 2 weeks (which is saying a lot since I change my nail polish a little too often!). If you cannot get your hands on this nail polish, you can find similar colors to this one. I would suggest Essie's First Timer or OPI's Pea's and Q's (by the Nicole Collection).

Forever 21 Red/Black Arrow Bangle
Also, I could not resist myself and absolutely had to show you guys this adorable bangle set that I picked up at Forever 21 this past weekend. Unfortunately I could not find the exact bracelet on the online store, but I did find the same bracelet in gold and black, so I will go ahead and link this down below as well if any of you are interested in purchasing it. I am loving the cute arrow detail and the bright pop of color.

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking a quick read. Please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think I should blog about next Saturday!



Xoxo,
GirlontheGo


Click here to view the Arrow Cuff Bracelet in Black and Gold


Saturday, April 20, 2013

Brightening Concealer Review: Maybelline DreamLumi

Happy Saturday, lovelies!

As the beginning of the new week is just around the corner, I thought I'd share with you my new under eye concealer purchase! Maybelline DreamLumi Highlighting Concealer. For a girl on the go who has nights of little sleep and hectic days, I have been on the hunt for the perfect under eye concealer to hide those dark circles and tired eyes. In the past I have tried a few MAC products along with a few drug store finds (Revlon, CG), and finally decided to give in and buy the DreamLumi that I have been eyeing for quite some time now.

My thoughts?

Upon first opening the product, takes a good 15 twists to get any of the product out (I definitely thought I was doing something wrong...). Putting a few strokes under my eye in an inverted triangle fashion, I found that this gel-based concealer was a bit sticky and dried rather quickly. Taking my ring finger, I dabbed it to blend, and then finished off with some powder to set the concealer and prevent it from settling throughout the day. My overall verdict on this product is that, although the product is rather sticky to the touch after application, it is one amazing under eye highlighter! The clickable dispenser and brush are a convenient way to apply the right amount of product exactly where you want to blend the concealer. It really brightens up the under eye area and is a thick enough concealer to really hide those dark circles.

Would I repurchase?
YES!
Maybelline DreamLumi shown in the top left. Top right shows the convenient clicker. Bottom right shows how smooth the DreamLumi blends into the skin and does not settle in creases.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think I should blog about next week!

xoxo
GirlontheGo