Sponsored Giveaway - Open Internationally

   Hello Princesses!  I have a treat for you today - the opportunity to win three matching glass nail files, graciously provided by Mont Bleu.  These have remained my favorite files to use since my introduction to the brand last year.  They have made a huge difference in my nail care routine.  So when I was offered the chance to host another giveaway of course I said "yes!", of course I would!

   I picked out this gorgeous pastel set, which you can view right on their website, in case you're unfamiliar with their products.  This giveaway will run until Nov 15th at midnight.  Widget for entering is below, so keep reading!  Please click the "Terms and Conditions" link at the bottom of the Rafflecopter widget, that is where you will find the rules!  Thank-you!

   Things are looking up!  My last doctor visit went well and my fluid levels are where they are supposed to be.  So long as this continues I should be able to safely carry this baby to term!  As of today that only makes 3 weeks to go, anyhow...  I'm fine with her waiting until then to come out, haha.  =)

   So, this month... kind of made up for buying so little earlier in the year...  Some things were gifts though, too!  And pretty much everything else in this picture was on sale.

   Usually I would have a bunch of pictures and list off everything that I accumulated, but I'm not doing that this time.  (Combine a busy week & weekend with the exhaustion of pregnancy...)  Instead I'll leave links to what I've already shown on my blog!

   I've already tested more of what you see here... tune in next week for Nyx swatches and more Laquerlicious eye candy!  I think I want to try out the nail decals or foil sheets I found next...

Review

   I won a giveaway!  =D  Caboodles held a giveaway on their Twitter account for a nifty acrylic organizer, and last week it arrived at my house!  I put it to use straight away and have really been enjoying it, so here is my review, as well as some before and after pictures...


   This is called the Social Butterfly Acrylic Organizer.  I found it listed on Target.com for about $15, and considering there are no Target stores near me I'm pretty happy to have gotten one after all!  It is bigger than expected.  I was originally planning to use it at my make-up dresser, but when I opened it I realized it was very similar in size to something that desperately needed better organizing...  Enter my manicure "caddy".


   A handy hexagon-shaped box crammed full of what I need to keep on hand for doing my nails.  It's a good size to grab-and-go, but as you can see it ends up very messy... and what I need ends up on the bottom, of course!


   So, let's take a look at the things I had to sort out...


   Nail polish remover, a small bottle of straight acetone for clean-up, a glass jar filled with files, brushes, tweezers...  My tube of cotton pads, dotting tools, a nail buffer, assorted base and top coats, polish remover pads, my glass nail files, and my tin of cotton buds. Some things I realized weren't needed for constant use, so I took them out altogether!  I also threw out some of the old disposable nail files that I don't use anymore.


   And so my new case went from empty... to nice and full!  The only thing I couldn't fit in the organizer was my bottle of nail polish remover, which is too bad.  But, everything else has it's spot.


   All the tall stuff gets sorted into the upper compartments, and my most used nail treatments, bases, and toppers are in easy view.  I think I'll finally stop misplacing them!  Little things are stashed in the lower drawers.  I was apprehensive about having doors swinging out on something that I do pick up and move frequently, but that hasn't been an issue at all.  I've been using this organizer for about a week now and I'm really happy with it.  I love the clear acrylic, which somehow stays smudge-free and of course keeps everything perfectly visible!  This is definitely a step up from a single small box.

   Huge thanks to Caboodles for the awesome prize!  For those curious, this was my winning tweet:

   Hello everyone!  I'm hosting a fantastic giveaway sponsored by Mont Bleu!  Let's give them a big thank-you for the opportunity because these prizes are awesome, and they are available to everyone following Princessly Polished!  =D  What are you waiting for?  Read on and get to earning those entries!

   First prize - a 20€ Gift Voucher to be used on www.Design-Glassware.com

   Second Prize - a set of Glass Nail Files

   I chose this pretty set as an example to use for second prize, but if pink and purple isn't your thing, that's okay.  Mont Bleu is offering to let you choose your own mini and full size file from their store to create your own set!  If you win second prize you'll be able to choose from...

• Full-size Crystal category (1 item)
• Mini nail files (1 item)

   Check out my review of the glass nail files from Mont Bleu - they are fantastic!

   Third Prize -  a pair of Eyebrow Tweezers

The Rules:

   You should either be 18 years of age or older, or have the consent of your parents/guardians to enter.

   All entries are recorded using the Rafflecopter widget below, and falsified entries will be removed.

   The selected winners will be notified by E-mail and each have 24 hours to respond before another winner will be chosen.  I will put the responding winner in contact with Mont Bleu so they can receive their prize!

   Any questions or clarification needed, let me know!

   Wow, it's been awhile since I did a haul post!  After my very successful low-buy month of February I continued the trend right through the rest of spring.  Sleeping 90% of the time you aren't working really helps the wallet!  ;P  Alas, I did pick up a few things this month...

   In helping my Mom sell off extra polishes in her collection I ended up with more in mine... funny how that works.  This is what I picked up from her sale:

Left to Right:  Zoya Yasmeen, Caresse, Simone, Jasmine, and Sarah

Left to Right:  Zoya  Posh, Minka, Giselle, Scarlet, and Blossom

   These are some really pretty colors!  I still have several bottles available on my Blog Sale page, check it out if you have any Zoya colors on your wishlist!

   I also snagged a couple clearance Essie nail polishes, a basic red and a sheer french shade that has the prettiest microshimmer in it, which didn't show up in my picture.

Left to Right:  Essie Lollipop and Vanity Fairest

   I spotted this EcoTools brush set at Big Lots for only $4.50!  Considering it isn't discontinued and retails around $13 Online I was very happy with this score.  It is from their collaboration with Alicia Silverstone, who I could really care less about...  What can I say, I'm more interested in the item than the name on it!

   Still, it's a really nice little set.  I've been meaning to get myself an actual powder finishing brush, and this one is perfect!  The eyeshadow brush is something I'll use - I can never have too many brushes for all my powdered shadows.  And it's been a long while since I've had a good lash & brow comb in my collection.


   The cup is of course meant to hold your brushes, but I don't keep my brushes in a cup, and already have a cup at my make-up station.  So, I'll be using it to corral my new nail polish swatch sticks until I get them properly sorted out!  Isn't it cute like that?



   Swatch sticks were my other June investment.  I'm working on organizing my nail collection better, and these are the best way to do it as far as I can tell.  I bought the natural color for opaque colors and clear ones for sheer polishes and glitter toppers.


   Now that I have them I'm loving the "swatchsicles", and once I get more painted and sorted I'd like to do a post about them!  I took way too long in buying some of these!  How do you keep track of your colors?

   So, that was my hauling for June.  I also received a package from Influenster, and you'll be seeing more of those items soon!

Beauty Tool Review

   Today I'm talking about the tweezers I was sent for review from Design Glassware by Mont Bleu.  If you didn't see my previous post about their products, click here!  I'm loving those glass nail files!  I really wondered to myself "would the tweezers be as good"?  They look pretty, but what matters most with any beauty tool is functionality.

Eyebrow Tweezers - product page (about $20 USD)

   Design Glassware has many different types of tweezers embellished with crystals, the type I have being listed as "Black Simple II Pink".  They are stainless steel tweezers with a black silicon coating that gives them a very nice, slightly rubberized grip.  They also have two pink "buttons" for an even more comfortable grip, and are accented with matching pink Swarovski crystals.  They come in a slipcase so they won't get damaged while floating around in your purse or make-up bag, and a little rubber ring to keep them in a closed position.

   It isn't easy to photograph rhinestones, but I tried!  The items from Design Glassware look great, I know I keep saying it, but it's true!  Along with their looking good, I was happy to find that the tweezers work perfectly.  Anyone who has ever tried to pluck an eyebrow hair with cheap tweezers, and missed that hair again and again knows that low-grade tweezers are a complete waste of time.  I was able to pluck each hair on the first try with these, as well as invisible baby hairs that I didn't know were there.

   To me, these tweezers from Design Glassware are on-par with my Tweezerman brand tweezers, which have outstanding quality.  They are priced similarly, too.  I never had my "good tweezers" with me in my purse, though, because they are an ugly shade of glittery pink.  These ones are so much nicer to use in public!  Also, I haven't ever seen tweezers with the unique comfort buttons in their handle - it does make them easy to hold.

   So, if you're looking for a new pair of good tweezers, or are familiar with Tweezerman quality and want something similar, but sparkly! I recommend picking up a pair of these.  And here is something just for you: a coupon code for their website!  What will you buy?

Use the code: BLOG for 20% off your order!

   Disclaimer:  This product was sent to me free in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way affected my opinion of it!  All thoughts in this post are my own.  See my full disclosure here.

Beauty Tool Review

   Today I'm sharing two fantastic products that I was sent for review purposes from Design Glassware by Mont Bleu .  They contacted me asking if I'd be willing to test and share their tools, and of course I said yes!  In addition to the files shown above I was also sent tweezers, which will get their own review posted separately.

   I'll start off by saying that I live in the US, and Mont Bleu is located in the Czech Republic.  Their website is easy to navigate and has quick currency conversion for worldwide shoppers.  (In view of fluctuating currencies I will only mention the approximate prices in USD.)  While 2-day rush shipping is available I was happy to see that the shipping on the above 3 items was less than $5 if you could wait for Priority Airmail!  That is a fair price, and competitive with US-based businesses.  These items also arrived well-packed in a box with plenty of bubble wrap, so they were safe and sound in their individual cases.

   Mont Bleu has opened their Online shop, aptly named Design Glassware.  They specialize in items decorated with Swarovski crystals and have a wide range of decorated files.  So, lets take a look at what they sent me!

   If you're not familiar with the benefits of using glass files, here is a quick run-down.  The abrasive surface files your nails in a gentle way, and is generally faster than using an emery board.  Being made of glass, they can be washed to keep them sanitary.  They don't wear out and need replacing, and they are stylish.  Glass nail files are an eco-friendly, long term investment!

Foot Scraper File - product page (about $21 USD)

   Alright, I'll admit that the extra-large orange file is not intended for nails... it is meant for removing callouses.  However, I don't really have much by way of rough foot skin.  What I do have are fingernails that fare best with filing to remove length, rather than typical trimming.  Filing off length is a time-consuming process, and the average glass fingernail file is not beefy enough for the task.  When I received this foot file I was excited to try it on my nails.

   The file has a lot of heft to it compared to the usual nail file, but is easy to hold.  While one side is more abrasive than the other, both qualify as 'high grit'.  The edges are rounded and abrasive, as well.  Care should be taken that you don't accidentally scratch anything by being clumsy with it, and I'll be sure to keep it in it's clear case when I'm not doing a manicure.

   Recently my nails grew out very long without any breaks.  They were sort of fantastic, but on the verge of being dangerous.  It was the perfect time to try this file!


   This big tempered glass file works perfectly for my needs.  It removes length very quickly and it won't get worn out with continued use.  I definitely prefer it over the emery boards I had been using.  I also tried washing it and it came clean with a quick rinse under water.  Considering the time saved filing and the fact that I won't have to keep buying disposable files this product is definitely worth the price!



Crystal Glass Nail File - see the collection (about $13 USD)

   I didn't find the exact color and design of file they sent me for review, but they have a variety of designs to choose from.  I like the happy yellow crystals on my file, and they really pop when stored in the velvety black sleeve.  The tempered glass has a very fine abrasive grit.  I found it to be very effective for filing without having to use much force, and a very light touch is all I needed for buffing the edges of my nails.  The file is slim, easy to use and rinsed clean easily.  This is a high-quality nail file and reasonably priced for being decorated with Swarovski crystals.



   By the end of my manicure session my nails were happy and I was converted to these glass files.  I have other "no name" glass files in my stash that were just... okay.  These I'll be reaching for again!

   I am very impressed with these products from Mont Bleu.  I may not have ever found anything like the foot file if they had not contacted me, and now I don't ever want to be without it!  I highly recommend checking out their shop; they have all sort of goodies.  What item catches your eye?

• www.Design-Glassware.com
• Follow Mont Bleu on Facebook
• @MontBleuEU on Instagram

   Disclaimer:  These products were sent to me free in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way affected my opinion of them!  All thoughts in this post are my own.  See my full disclosure here.

   Here is my last haul post for 2012!  I'm looking forward to the content I have planned for next month, some of which has to do with what I found this month.  Not very much to show in this Haul post, so here we go...

   I managed to snag some more of the Pure Ice limited edition colors, which sold out at our local Walmart very quickly.  Last month I picked up Treasure Hunt, and I should have grabbed a few more of the pretties that were on the shelf then...  Oh well!

   Top Row: Vintage Glam, Internationally Known, Monte Carlo

   Bottom Row: Blue Midnight, Ruffled Sheets, Get Low, After Hours

   Of course I also snagged a few of these polishes for my giveaway, which will be running until January 11th; did you see that post?

   I picked up Sinful Colors Hazard and Mint Apple, and Salon Perfect Silver Sparkler.

   My Sephora haul was made possible by a coupon given to VIBs.  I picked up Dior Crème Abricot and two of Sephora's glitter liner-and-mascara combos.  I started using the Crème Abricot right away, and will be officially trialling it next year!

   And of course there was my special CosmoVoxBox from Influenster, which I've been having fun with testing and reviewing.  So far I've gotten to post about the Gillette razor and Forever Red perfume.

   Finally, I wrapped up my expenditures at Sally Beauty, where I grabbed a container of Bubble White and Orly polishes Green With Envy and Miss Conduct.  Green Wtih Envy seems to be one of those polishes that doesn't want to photograph accurately.

   With all the awesome end-of-year sales that are happening now I'll probably have a more exciting haul post next month, though for budget's sake I'm trying to resist!  As always thanks for reading and I'll blog to you all next year!  ;P

Review

   When my Influenster Cosmo VoxBox arrived I was happy to see that they included a razor.  My last razor had been serving me faithfully only to have its refill cartridges discontinued.  I knew I was going to have to either hunt down refills for it Online or... be brave and try something else.  So thank-you, Gillette! for giving me a new razor to try!  In fact, I have two razors to test.  A new Venus & Olay blade cartridge was included with the Venus Embrace blade and handle.  So, what did I think of these products?

   First off, the handle.  As you can see in the first image it works very simply - a nice grippy stick with a glittery plastic button that you push forward to pop an old blade off.  Then you can put any new Venus blade on because they are all interchangeable!  As for the overall comfort and ease of use, it's good.  The button stays well out of the way of my hand while using it and the entire handle has a jelly grip.  I've seen a couple other colors this razor comes in, where the jelly grips are purple, blue or pink.  Being the girly-girl that I am I would have chosen one of those colorways instead of green and blue, but that's a small thing.  Razor looks are probably the least important part of shaving, but I love the idea that if you're going to shave with Gillette you can track down whatever handle you like best, and then put your desired blade on that handle.

Venus Embrace

   The Venus Embrace cartridges are 5-bladed and surrounded by moisturizing strips that produce their own sort of shave gel in the shower.  It's actually dubbed "Ribbon of Moisture" by the company.  As soon as the blue ribbon gets wet it starts leaving a slickness on anything it touches and has a stringy consistency.  If you don't rinse your razor off after use this will hold onto any bits of hair or fuzz that land in it.

   I found that this razor gives a very nice shave.  The 5 blades make for a close shave while protecting your skin from nicks.  But I'm not loving the Ribbon of Moisture feature.  It adds a lot of bulk around the blades, and apparently I'm the type of person that would rather have to deal with lathering up before shaving.  Because the moisturizing gel doesn't show up on skin I also had to be extra thorough about rinsing.  When I went to touch up a few spots out of the shower the wet moisture strips left stringies of goo on my skin.  I dry shave with a wet razor, so this doesn't work for me.

Venus & Olay

   On to the head from Olay.  If I thought the Embrace cartridge was bulky this one seems absolutely massive compared to anything else I've used previously!  This is another 5-bladed option, and rather than just a ribbon it has what I would dub "Pads of Moisture", haha.  These are on flexible plastic wings that angle down towards your skin, and you press the razor's head down to get the blades against your skin.  This isn't noticeable while shaving, and it's nice that they designed it in such a way that those moisturizing pads should stay against your skin as they are being used up!

   I like the above photo because it shows how open the blades are from the top side.  The Embrace cartridge is the same way.  This makes it super easy to rinse the razor blades clean!  The Venus & Olay cartridge produces a light lather as you use it which has a faint scent.  Once again this falls into the "not good for dry shaving" boat, but the 5 blades do give a very nice shave in the shower.  Another thing to note about both of these blades is that they need to find a home in your shower where the blades won't rest against anything else.  I've ended up with little chunks of dried gel on whatever happened to be within reach of my Venus razor!

   I will use both of these razor cartridges until they are dulled and actually need replacing, because while I'm not a fan of the "no shave gel needed" feature it isn't horrible.  It does make for a smooth shave and I do believe they left my legs a little softer, so they are fine for use in the shower.  They just aren't cutting it for dry shaving touch-ups.  Gillette included a $2 off refill coupon with this Influenster trial kit so I've used that to pick up some of their basic blades.  Once I get around to trying them I'll post my findings on the blog!  I expect that they will be more to my liking.

   These razors should be perfect for someone who likes their shave gel to come with the razor.  I also think that they would be good for beginners because the 5 blades are gentle to your skin.  I'm loving the fact that everything can be swapped between handles and cartridges.  I'd say that this is an eco-friendly move, and as someone who hates waste and would never go to disposables it's nice to know that I shouldn't ever be left with a handle that I can't get any blades on!  Even though this hasn't become the perfect shaving product for me yet, I have high hopes that it will be.  I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to try something different and hope that you found my review helpful.  Thanks for reading!

   Hiya everyone.  Sorry for the unexplained absence from the blog.  I underestimated how busy I would be last week.  This week should be business as usual but I will be taking another week off for the end of December.  =)

   Today I'm sharing the products I was sent to review from the site Influenster.  They showcase reviews and reward good bloggers with products to test.  And it's way more than just girly beauty products with them, too!  They have pretty much every category covered so any type of blogger can join.  It was exciting to be picked to receive one of their boxes, and then very suspenseful as the contents are a surprise!  Without further ado I present my Cosmo VoxBox!

   Straight off one thing that was both surprising and refreshing: no frou-frou packaging.  Everything arrived in a compact, plain-white box.  They include a card introducing the products they've sent, that is all from their company!

   I was really surprised, and happy! with the variety in this box.  I mean, they sent me chocolate!  To review!  A razor I had been expecting based on past boxes, and it even included a coupon for more refills.  The Forever Red perfume is a mini size, though I will admit I think it should have been wrapped somehow for safety during shipping.  And then there are two pens - FriXion gel pens from Pilot Pen.  I was really happy to see these because I knew just what they were and have almost bought them before.

   I'm not going to list the full descriptions in this post as I will be picking each item apart by itself later on, but I will talk about the razor here a bit.

   So, you can look forward to seeing my reviews of these items over the next few weeks.  You can find my profile on Influenster here!  Right now Influenster is invitation-only, and I have a few invites to share with my fellow reviewers.  If you're interested in joining leave a comment or send me a message, I'll help if I can!