Anastasia of Beverly Hills & Wild as a Mink

Recently I was approached by a media team partnering up with Anastasia of Beverly Hills.

They asked me if I'd be interested in joining their Blogger Appreciation Program, and I was more than stoked to do so.

Anastasia is a skincare and cosmetics line based out of Beverly Hills.  They are currently stocked at Sephora nationwide.

The company has done campaigns for Diesel,  Flaunt Magazine, and Bebe as well as some of the looks/publications shown below.

So, when I was asked to review one of their many products, I chose the Hydra Full Lip Gloss.

It's on its way in the mail so I hear...and once I receive it I'll make sure to report back to you with a full, honest review.

I'm not one to dance around the truth...so expect nothing less than my god-honest opinion of the product.

I look forward to collaborating with Anastasia of Beverly Hills in testing new products and offering upcoming giveaways to my readers. 

Lets hope my time with Anastasia is mutually beneficial and lucrative so I can offer you a chance to win some of their products and you can give them a test-run yourself!

Now wouldn't that be ideal???

Um...YES!

In the meantime, while we wait for me to receive the lipgloss, and while we wait for a future giveaway, make sure to visit their site and check out their full line of merchandise.

And, don't hesitate to learn a thing or two about beautiful brows while you're at it.  I watched it, and I can definitely say I should probably invest in Ms. Anstasia Soare's brow kit.

Well because...um have you seen my brows?  

Yeah...YIKES!

So make sure to stop back by in a few...I can't wait to tell you what I think about their Hydra Full Lipgloss, let alone my experience with their products.

Yay!  I'm excited!

I am indeed a girl that likes her makeup!

FAVE RAVE: DARKROOM

9 out of 10 manicures I get, result in using

SEPHORA by OPI's DARKROOM

(See Sephora.com for details)

My fondness of dark colors started when I had my first bottle of Wet N Wild's classic BLACK.

(As I'm sure you've all owned at one point or another as well).

Then in college I got my first real manicure,

(I know, right? Forget what my nails looked like before then....YIKES!)

for my sister's wedding. I chose O.P.I.'s BLACK TIE AFFAIR; and it was love all over again.

Then a few years ago, we all feel for Lincoln Park After Dark, in fact I still use it. And then the following autumn brought RUSSIAN NAVY, MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW, etc etc etc...

But of all those colors, while tried and true, I have yet to fall for them quite as I have DARKROOM!

I love the deep, almost black shade, with the undertones of green and teal.

In real life it comes out so dark that you almost have to do a double take at times to realize it's true color.

Shown below, the lighting (not my hand or picture by the way)must be hitting in all the right ways because the dark green of it all is really showing.

It's a classy and chic, yet maintains a girl's need to sometimes look like a "bad-ass".

(And it looks pretty cool when it starts to chip too!)

As we gear up for spring, I'll of course opt for some bright cheery colors here and there.

But I'm certain I'll somehow manage to keep Darkroom in my usual mani/pedi routine.

Just because the weather eventually will warm, doesn't mean I have to rid my life of my favorite nail polish shade! Season appropriateness be damned!

So Darkroom...you're alright by me!

______________________________________________________________

Putting together these quick pics, I came across some awesome nail blogs.

And once again my curiousity and secret love for nail art is ready to come out and play.

(On occasion I've been known to take sides with the chicks who're rockin' some crazy get-up on their nailbeds. Sometimes it just beats a boring solid color like those uptown lassies, no?)

Right now, I'm particularly fond of what I saw on NailArtWorld's Dec. 30, 2009 post:

"Happy New Tiger Year"

You might notice her leopard print/tiger stripe nail-art.

Well I was inspired to whip out my Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen and go to work.

Unfortunately, Sally Hansen has let me down...and I have to give a big

THUMBS DOWN

to her Nail art Pen.

It blows!

So sorry, no leopard print nails for me, so no picture for you :(

Fave Rave

I'm introducing a brand new, on-going, segment to my blog.  I call it, "FAVE RAVE".  It will consist of my fave things of the fashion, beauty, or random world I live in.  The raves may be a classic, or just a passing trend, but they're all something I HEART big time.

And now, I give you my FAVE RAVE #1:

Bonne Bell Dr. Pepper chapstick is as American as Apple Pie, and I figured today, being America's birthday is the best time to let it do it's thing.  I will be wearing it today and slathering it all over this kisser of mine.  

I have been wearing this since I was 10 years old, and I still purchase it with enthusiasm.  I think 19 years of constant use makes it a CLASSIC!

While Bonne Bell has a whole treasure trove of flavors, Dr. Pepper will forever by my first and fave choice.  It gives your lips a slight tint of color that the others just don't provide.  It's a perfect sheer wash across your lips.

I'm not one to wear lipstick often because I find it gets all gloppy and nasty and wads itself up on my mouth.  This is thru fault of my own I know, but Bonne Bell does not do that....lick after lick; licking because Dr. Pepper tastes so good, it doesn't get all gross.  Luckily it's nontoxic because I'm certain over the years I've eaten my weight in Dr. Pepper chapstick.  

I would suggest forgetting the fact that this is made for tweens, foregoing the idea that you're too old to purchase it, and buy yourself a tube today!  

Oh, and a big Happy 4th of July to you all!

(come back tomorrow for a review of my firecracker good time I'm going to have today)