From My Beauty Box: Moisturizers!

Winter is hard on the skin... here are some of my favorite moisturizers to fight off the flakes!

BODY:

MALIBU TAN

HEMP BODY MOISTURIZER    $5 -$7

After showering, I use Malibu Tan's Hemp Body Moisturizer. It can be found in original scent, or in several other scents including Tropical Mojito, Acai Berry, and Cherry Almond. I purchase mine at Walmart and the prices range between $5 and $7.

FACE:

CLINIQUE

DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT    $24

I use this product every day after cleansing my face and before makeup application. It can be found in two consistencies, lotion and gel. I have tried both and my personal preference is the gel. I purchase this product at a local department store. If you want to check it out for yourself, here's the link for the lotion, and here's the link for the gel!

CLINIQUE

MOISTURE SURGE    $34

For extremely dry patches, such as the T-Zone or around the nose after a cold, I use Clinique's Moisture Surge. After a day or two of using this, my skin is back to it's healthy state. At 34 bucks for only 1.7oz, this product is a bit pricy. However, if it is only used for extreme dryness it will last quite a while. Also you can use this product rather sparingly as a little will go a long way. I also purchase this product at my local department store. If you would like to read more about it, here's the link!

~H20+

FACE OASIS HYDRATING GEL    $34

I received this moisturizer as a gift and have been using it after cleansing my face, before going to bed. I absolutely LOVE this product! It is a bit pricy at 34 bucks for 1.7oz so I am using it sparingly. If you are looking to splurge on an EXCELLENT facial moisturizer, this is the product for you! Here's the link!

HANDS:

BATH AND BODY WORKS

LAY IT ON THICK HAND CREAM    $13

Use this product before bed and your dry, cracked hands will become soft and smooth! Get it at your local Bath and Body Works! Here's the link!

LIPS:

~H2O+

LIP MENDER    $10

This is the BEST lip mending product I have ever used! Put it on before bed every night and kiss those chapped lips goodbye! Find it online, here's the link!

I hope to be trying out more of the ~H20+ products! Stay tuned for updates!

These moisturizers should help you get through the winter without the irritation of dry skin! If you like what you see, be sure to post it on Twitter and Facebook using the buttons below! Happy Shopping! XOXO

Nail Designs! Snowmen!

It's time to get festive! Today I decided to show off my creative side with some DIY snowman nails!!

CHECK IT:

First, I started with a background color. I picked a bright blue hue! I did one coat, waited for it to dry, then applied the second coat. This varnish is named "Fresh Water" and I picked it up at Claire's.

Next, I used a white two way nail art pen and brush to draw two circles for the snowman's head and body!

Once the white circles had fully dried, I used a black two way nail art pen and brush to draw two stick arms, two dots for buttons, two dots for eyes, and then a smile. I then used the same product, but in pink, to draw a top hat and scarf!

Once the nails are fully dry, apply a topcoat for shine and longevity!

I used the pen part on the two way varnishes. Simply pull the lid straight up instead of unscrewing!

PRODUCTS USED:

White - $5.50                             Blue - $4.00

Black - $5.50                             Pink - $5.50

          SALE: BUY 1 GET 1 50% OFF

I was lucky enough to score these on a discount! They make excellent stocking stuffers so be sure to grab some while they are still on sale!!

Comments are welcomed! If you like what you see here be sure to share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter using the buttons below! You can follow me on twitter for updates @ashNICOLEley! Have a very merry Christmas and happy shopping!! xoxo

It's T-shirt Time!!! And I'm not talkin' Jersey Shore...

On my latest interwebz surf sesh, I decided to hunt down a site that sells the best T's! But don't worry Franchize Boyz, you can still "hit the mall in your white tee"... Although, I think you might be bringing back one of these instead...


DESIGNBYHÜMANS

I chose this website because... well... it's pretty much awesome! Artists and T-shirt lovers alike submit their designs, giving the rest of the world an opportunity to purchase a work of art to wear! Here are a few of my favorites, you can check out the entire collection here!
 
FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX    $21

By Studio8Worx from Philippines-Hong Kong.
Here's the link!


THE SIREN SONG    $21

By sirensong from Philippines + India.
Here's the link!


HOLY MAN    $21

By amscime from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Here's the link!


WONDERLESS    $21

By SheViper from Japan.
Here's the link!


THANK YOU    $19

By robsoul from San Diego, CA.
Here's the link!


"...Whoever that you might see
I know they got a white tee
Uncle brother sister mother dad or ur wifey
Hanes or fruit of the loom be the
Name of my white tee
I gotta change man its a stain on my white tee..."

 
If you like what you see, be sure to repost it on Facebook and Twitter using the buttons below!
Follow me on Twitter @ashNICOLEley !!!  Happy shopping! Ciao!

Nail Designs! Funky Fab... DIY!

Show off your artistic side with these "do it yourself" nail designs! It's easy, thanks to Claire's "two way nail art pen and brush"

Here's what I came up with...
CHECK IT!


Speckles for eccentricity, stripes for Independence, swirls for whimsy, zig zags for indecision, and polka dots for possibilities!



I made sure to use the same designs on both hands but, I switched up which fingers I put the designs on. I also inverted the color of the polka dots to keep it funky and unpredictable!


PRODUCTS USED:

CLAIRE'S
TWO WAY NAIL ART PEN AND BRUSH    $5.50

I found these at Claire's. When you unscrew the top the brush is long and thin, perfect for feather like strokes. If you pull the top straight off, the tip is a pen. I used the pen to create these designs!

Be sure to use a clear coat for shine!!

I hope you like this funky style!! Be sure to share it with all your friends on Facebook and Twitter!! xoxo!

Hiking, Climbing, Skiing... Layers Keep You Warm!

This one is for the dudes!

Hate the cold, but love the great outdoors? Well, with the appropriate layers, you can enjoy your winter time outdoor activities... without freezing your gonads off!

And ladies, don't fret! All of these products are available in women's as well as men's! Not only that, these would make excellent Christmas gifts for your nature loving hunny!

CHECK IT!

BASE LAYER:
The base layer is meant to wick away moisture. The more you move, the more you perspire. The material in this layer pulls that moisture away from your skin, allowing it to evaporate. This keeps you from freezing when you stop moving. There are lightweight base layers that are best for higher levels of activity or less severely cold temperatures, midweight base layers that are best for less activity or colder temperatures, and expedition weight base layers that should be worn when you are going to be participating in very little activity or severely cold temperatures.

PATAGONIA
CAPILENE 3 CREW TOP    $49


This is a midweight base layer by Patagonia. It is made from 65% recycled Polartec Power Dry polyester and 35% Polartec Power Dry polyester. I found it at REI! Here's the link!


ARC'TERYX
PHASE AR CREW LS $65 SALE $52


This is a midweight base layer by Arc'teryx. It is made from Phasic™ AR. I found it at Mammothgear! Here's the link!


MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR
MICRO POWER STRETCH LONG SLEEVE CREW    $75

This is a lightweight base layer by Mountain Hardwear. It is made from Polartec Micro Power Stretch (90% polyester, 10% elastane). I found it at Moosejaw! Here's the link!


MARMOT
LIGHTWEIGHT CREW LS    $42  SALE  $37.95

This is a lightweight base layer by Marmot. It is made from Polartec® Power Dry® with Cocona® performance technology. I found it at USoutdoorstore! Here's the link!


INSULATING LAYER-FLEECE:
The fibers of the material in this layer should trap air to create an insulating layer and give warmth. Like the base layer, you can find these in varying weights.

PATAGONIA
R1 PULLOVER    $119

This is a polyester fleece by Patagonia. It is made from 93% polyester (41% recycled), and 7% spandex. I found it at Zappos! Here's the link!


ARC'TERYX
CALIBER MEN'S ZIP NECK FLEECE    $119

This is a lightweight fleece by Arc'teryx. It is made from Polartec® Classic Micro Velour Cord Fleece. I found it at Arc'teryx! Here's the link!


MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR
MICRO GRID ZIP T-SHIRT    $85

This is a polyester fleece by Mountain Hardwear. It is made from Gridlock Fleece (100% polyester). I found it at Moosejaw! Here's the link!


MARMOT
POWER STRETCH HALF ZIP    $95


This is a versatile fleece by Marmot. It is made from Polartec®Power Stretch® 88% Polyester and 12% Elastane. I found it at Marmot! Here's the link!


SHELL:
This layer is meant to protect you from wind and water. This layer should also be breathable so that perspiration does not get trapped inside the layers and can evaporate.

PATAGONIA
STRETCH ASCENT JACKET    $299

This is a Patagonia shell. It is waterproof, breathable, and stretches. It is made from 2.5-layer, 50-denier 4.1-oz 100% all-recycled stretch-woven polyester with a waterproof/breathable H2No barrier and Deluge DWR (durable water repellent) finish. I found this at Moosejaw! Here's the link!


ARC'TERYX
ALPHA SV JACKET    $599

This is an Arc'teryx shell. It is waterproof, breathable, and has a hemlock that keeps it in the harness while climbing. It is made from 480N Gore-Tex Pro Shell 3L. I found it at Moosejaw! Here's the link!
 

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR
ALCHEMY                                 $200  SALE  $149.95

This is a Mountain Hardwear soft shell. It is stretchy, wind proof, water resistant, and breatheable. The body is made from Alchemy Stretch Softshell (6% elastane, 94% nylon) and the panels are made from Schoeller NanoSphere Softshell (51% polyester, 47% nylon, 2% elastane). I found this at o2gearshop! Here's the link!


MARMOT
PRO TOUR JACKET    $275

This is a Marmot soft shell. It is water repellent, highly breathable, and wind resistant. It is made from Polartec Power Shield 02 100% Nylon. I found it at Moosejaw! Here's the link!


INSULATED DOWN:
These are meant to trap body heat and protect from external cold. In extreme conditions, you will want to layer this underneath the shells shown above.

REI explained it best.....
"Not all down is created equal: Down is graded according to fill power, which indicates how many cubic inches 1 ounce of down occupies when placed inside a container. (In lab testing, the typical container is a tube.) Down ranges from 450 to 900 fill power. Higher numbers indicate a higher quality of down, with more air-trapping ability. Down with higher fill-power numbers includes fewer feathers and uses bigger, more mature down plumules. Larger down clusters are more durable and can better withstand repeated compressing."  Check out more of their shopping advice! Here's the link!

PATAGONIA
DOWN SWEATER FULL ZIP HOODIE    $250

This is a Patagonia 800 fill goose down. It is wind proof, water resistant, and made from recycled Ripstop polyester. I found it at REI! Here's the link!

MOUNTAIN HARDWARE
NITROUS                                 $220  SALE  $153.95

This is a Mountain Hardware 800 fill goose down. It is made from Sensor Ripstop (100% polyester). I found it at o2gearshop! Here's the link!

If you think this looks familiar, you may have seen it in my earlier post: Fashion Find! Ditch the Marshmallow!

MARMOT
ZEUS JACKET    $164.95  SALE  $128.95

This is a Marmot 800 fill goose down. It is made from Bantam Rip 1.1 oz 100% Polyester DWR and Micro Poplin 1.8 oz 100% Polyester DWR. I found it at e-OMC! Here's the link!


SOCKS:

Check out: DarnTough!

LIGHTWEIGHT
WIGWAM IRONMAN SURGE PRO    $11

Here's the link!


MIDWEIGHT
SMARTWOOL PHD    $21.95

Here's the link!


HEAVYWEIGHT
ICEBREAKER X     $24

Here's the link!


I hope this post can help you prepare for winter fun! Please be sure to share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

Also, I'd like to thank one of my best friends Aaron, for helping me with this post! He is an awesome rock climber and does pretty much every outdoor sport imaginable! Thanks to him, I stayed cozy today in my Arc'teryx pullover he got me for Christmas one year! Thanks Bro!

Paris Hilton Replicas? Or Designer Pumps for Less?

On my latest surf across the interwebs, I noticed that Paris Hilton's line of shoes were... well... eerily familiar.

So, I did a little research and this is what I found, CHECK IT:

SERGIO ROSSI
ELISA STRETCH AND PATENT BOOT   $1,285  SALE  $769

If you prefer the real thing, I found these at SergioRossi.com Here's the link!


PARIS HILTON
STELLA BOOT    $99.99

When comparing the two boots above, you can see slight variations. The Sergio's have a slimmer, more dainty heel and the Hilton's have a larger bow. Overall, the differences are minimal... except for the difference in price! With the Sergios retailing at just over a grand and the Hiltons coming in at just under a hundred, I don't think I have to tell you which pair I'd get! If you want to grab a pair for yourself, Here's the link!

CAMILLA SKOVGAARD

WOMEN'S S10001 SANDAL    $547  SALE  $253

Camilla Skovgaard fan? I found these at zappos.com! Here's the link!


PARIS HILTON
BARRY                    $109.99

Ok, so there is one major difference between these two, the platform. Skovgaard has their signature tread sole, while Hilton has a basic platform. Personally, I'm not a fan of the tread. If you love this look but aren't feeling the funky soles of the Skovgaards, you can grab a pair of these Hiltons, Here's the link!


CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
BOW SATIN D'ORSAY         $402  SALE  $895

Louboutin, how I love thee, let me count the ways! If you love him too, you can get this shoe at Neiman Marcus Here's the link!


PARIS HILTON
SUAREY                $94.99

Between the two shoes above, its a battle of red sole VS pink sole! If you don't want your bank account in the red, you may want to go with the pink! Here's the link!


VALENTINO
COUTURE HALF D'ORSAY    $695

Need a little Valentino in your life? I found these at Neiman Marcus Here's the link!
Also, these shoes look excellent in nude! Just check it out on my post: Nude Heels... OH JOY!

PARIS HILTON
SENORITA          $94.99

I absolutely LOVE these shoes! I have a pair of these myself and wore them in my photo shoot with Ron Dressel Photography. You can check them out on my "Photo Shoots" page. However, mine are not the d'Orsay version.
I must say, you do have to be careful while walking in these. While strutting my stuff downtown, I caught the bow of one shoe on the bow of the other and face planted into the ladies restroom! Oh the hilarity! Anywho, these shoes are definitely worth the risk involved.... Here's the link!

Well, personally I'm glad Paris Hilton is a copy cat! That just means more affordable shoes in the styles that drive us wild! Id love to hear your opinions, comment below! Also, don't forget to share this with all your friends on Facebook and Twitter! You can follow my blog or follow me on Twitter @AshNICOLEley. Happy Shopping!

All of the Paris Hilton Shoes shown here are from http://www.heels.com/.