What's In My Hospital Makeup/Toiletries Bag?

Given my upcoming hospital stay for the birth of my daughters I have my second of two posts for you guys, as promised. In my first post (found here!) I covered the general contents of my hospital bags, one for me, and one for the girls. This second post, as you can see by the title, is a little bit more of an in depth look at what I am packing 'beauty' wise (this is a beauty based blog after all, so I couldn't resist!). 

(My toiletries bag - I'm using a makeup bag I received from e.l.f) 

Tresemme Dry Shampoo 

I decided it best to include this incase I do not feel up to washing my hair completely, for whatever reason, when I first get a chance to shower.

St. Ives Appricott Scrub

One of my favorite facial cleansers - so happy I found it in a travel size! 

Dove Deoderant (Cucumber Green Tea Scent)

So fresh and so clean! 

Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo/Conditioner

Josie Maran Argan Oil 

This might seem a little much, but I decided to include this for a couple of reasons. The bottle is so small first off that it really makes no difference in packing, it also functions as a moisturiser for my face, and for the bottom few inches of my hair (using this on my hair helps to tame and maintain my naturally straight style). 

Crest Mouthwash, Tooth Paste and Tooth Brush

Sephora wide tooth comb & hair ties/band 

(My makeup bag contents) 

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder Foundation

Mac MSF Natural 

Garnier Anti Dark Circle Roller 

Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer

Elf Blush (Peachy Keen)

Mac Paint Pot (Painterly) 

Elf Eyebrow Lifter/Filler

NYC Waterproof Liner (Brown)

Almay Liquid Liner (Black)

Covergirl Lash Blast Original (waterproof) 

Korres Wild Rose 24hr Moisturising & Brightening Cream 

Body Shop Born Lippy Watermelon Lip Balm 

Quo Duo Fiber Stippling Brush

Elf Blush/Bronzer Brush 

And there you have it! All the beauty related products I am bringing with me to my labour and delivery! Of course every one of these items is being treated as a luxury, and I am certainly not planning on straining myself, or taking time away from my family to utilize all these products if time does not allow. Having a little bit of makeup though is a nice reassurance, and I do want to look somewhat decent for all the pictures that will be taken afterwards (yes I am that vain, but I'm okay with that). 

I will keep you all posted on my progress as much as possible, and there will certainly be a birth announcement posted on here once I get the chance! 

Until next time! 

xo, Hannah

Through the Eyes of My Instagram #6

Fish tail braid on a hot day

Puppy lovin - how could you not love this face (this is our friends dog, not ours, although I wish it was!)

Went for a stroll with my mom down by the lake, saw these two hanging out in the sun 

Found this quote on Pinterest somewhere I believe and just had to re-post, I find it to be such a true statement

(Follow me on Pinterest if you are interested, I am simply addicted!)

Another visit from our friend and his new golden retriever pup, she is the cutest thing. Just napping on our living room rug after a long play session! 

37 weeks pregnant!

Late afternoon snack. Can't get enough of fruit, especially raspberries and strawberries lately. 

Snap shots from my freshly watered garden! 

Follow me on Instagram! - hannah_griffin 

Until next time!

xo, Hannah

FOTD Thursday June 28th

(For my base I used Bare Study Paint Pot by Mac - silly me I forgot to include it in the picture!)

Eyes;

Mac Quarry e/s

Mac Mineralize e/s Twilight Falls (this shadow was limited edition, but essentially any dark purply-plum would do for this look)

Covergirl Champagne e/s 

Maybelline Eyestudio Blackest Black Gel Liner

Covergirl Lashblast 24hr

Lips;

Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner in 030 Natural 

Loreal Color Riche l/s in 235 Nude

Hope you enjoyed this look - I personally loved it and got several compliments throughout the day on it as well. Also, the lip combo I used is my go-to combo at the moment, I absolutely love that Loreal lipstick! 

Until next time! 

xo, Hannah

Burnt Orange FOTD: Tuesday June 26th

Products Used;

Urban Decay Primer Potion - Eden

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil - Dark Brown

Orange e/s from Coastal Scents 76 Combo Palette 

Mac e/s Soft Brown

Mac e/s Mulch

Urban Decay e/s Dark Horse (Naked 1)

Mac e/s Honey Lust

Urban Decay e/s Virgin (Naked 1)

Loreal Liquid Liner - Brown Topaz

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Mascara

I don't ever do many face of the day posts as I feel I do many of the same looks, can you tell I love neutrals? I am going to make an effort to do better at this though and in doing so, use it as motivation to switch up my mundane routine of simple brown shadows!

xo, Hannah

Monday Questionnaire: June 25th 2012

1.) Mood:

Happy! Only about a week now until the much anticipated arrival of my daughters so obviously I am beyond excited! I am also extremely uncomfortable but the excitement is over riding that quite easily. 

2.) When making a sandwich, do you care if one of the bread slices is the end of the loaf?

I am one of those weird breeds that actually LOVES the end bits of the loaf - this works out well considering my man hates the end slices ha ha. 

3.) What is the weather like today?

Cloudy, gloomy day and slightly cool for this time of year. I must admit it was a nice break from the heat wave we had last week however - pregnancy and heat do not mix! 

4.) Current nail polish:

I'm caught at a very rare time right now, where both my fingers and toes are naked of polish. I just removed all my polish and am trying to decide on what to do for my next mani/pedi (I know boring answer right?) 

5.) What ring setting do you keep your cell phone on at night: loud or silent? (Or the phone completely off?)

I tend to turn the ringer completely off and just leave it on silent aside from phone calls, which I just have set to vibrate. I figure if someone wants to call me in the middle of the night it is probably important, but I'd much rather be woken up by vibrate than a loud ringer. 

6.) Current outfit:

Black LuLu Lemon pants, neon pink sports bra from VS and a grey tank from H&M maternity.

7.) What is your favorite Disney movie?

I have a hard time choosing as there are so many great classic Disney flicks that I wore my parents VHS player out with many years ago. I would have to say one of my top favorites is Beauty and the Beast though, as it features a main female character that is not depending totally on some man/prince to find and/or save her from herself, she shows much more strength than a lot of other conventional female roles before her by Disney. A more recent favorite is by far Finding Nemo though, honestly I have probably watched that movie far more times than someone my age should have, but I don't mind, it's such a charming story! 

8.) Can you whistle using your fingers?

No! It is a skill I've never managed to master, in fact I can hardly whistle in general (rather shameful indeed ha).

9.) When doing laundry, do you separate loads (lights/darks, delicates, etc.) or throw everything together?

I am a huge believer in separate loads, although I rarely go as far as creating a whole load just for 'delicates'. I always ensure my whites are separate and blacks/dark colors are also done apart from the rest though - no one likes the faded black look. 

10.) Weekly goals..? 

Just to enjoy as much relaxing time as possible to myself and with daddy-to-be before our bundles of joy arrive. Everything is all prepared and ready for their arrival so I just want to enjoy these last few days of being pregnant and having the house be occupied just by the two of us. 

Copy and paste the list to answer in a comment below!

1.) Mood:

2.) When making a sandwich, do you care if one of the bread slices is the end of the loaf?

3.) What is the weather like today?

4.) Current nail polish:

5.) What ring setting do you keep your cell phone on at night: loud or silent? (Or the phone completely off?)

6.) Current outfit:

7.) What is your favorite Disney movie?

8.) Can you whistle using your fingers?

9.) When doing laundry, do you separate loads (lights/darks, delicates, etc.) or throw everything together?

10.) Weekly goals..? 

Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit

Products Mentioned;

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Primer 

Covergirl Natureluxe Foundation 

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Powder - Sunny

Hard Candy Tiki Bronzer (Used for highlighting!) 

Wet n Wild Powder Blush - Mellow Wine

NYX Rouge Cream Blush - Rose Petal

Loreal e/s Quad - Canyon Stone

Elf Single e/s - Saddle 

NYC Waterproof Eye Pencil

Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

NYX l/s - Orange Soda

Rimmel Vinyl Gloss - Fashion Icon

Elf Lip Stain - Birthday Suit 

Any questions on specific products or review requests? Let me know down below! 

xo, Hannah

Through the Eyes of My Instagram #5

Gorgeous flowers from my garden - I didn't even plant these myself, they just popped up, the previous home owners unintentionally left me a lovely gift! 

A fedora kind of day

NOTD - check out my latest post for more details - the blue is 'Bikini So Teeny' for the Essie Summer collection

34 weeks pregnant with twins - my weekly photo shoot as usual! I'm getting so close, I can't believe this experience is almost over and I will soon be able to hold my baby girls! 

Sunny day snack outside - I have an addiction to watermelon and strawberries

NOTD - Faded floral nails (tutorial will be posted here on my blog, as well as a video tutorial on my Youtube!) 

35 week bump - can't believe that in 3 weeks or less I will have TWO daughters, I'm so lucky! 

Who remembers this book? It's such a classic children's book - my mom picked it up for the girls the other day. I'm also a huge fan of Robert Munsch (who isn't though?) 

Follow me on Instagram! - hannah_griffin

xo, Hannah

What's In My Hospital Bag? Labour & Delivery Essentials

My bag - Which is actually my spare diaper bag (by the brand Skip*Hop) 

So as you may all have realized from my Instagram posts, as well as various tweets (if you follow me on Twitter), yes I am indeed pregnant, and yes it is in fact twins! Needless to say getting two for the price of one came as a huge shock, but the biggest blessing I could ever imagine! 

That being said, I am going to attempt to do more posts on "motherly" topics - if you guys respond to this well, then I will certainly make a point to continue on with this habit. For the time being I am going to focus a couple posts on things that are slightly related to the usual topic of my blog though (I don't want to dive into diaper posts with you when you've clearly become used to beauty related topics, haha). 

So for my first of two posts I have planned I am showing you all what I have packed in my labour and delivery bag(s). As I am having twins there is a chance I will be staying in the hospital a little longer, which has lead me to pack extra things for both me and the babies. I am using my spare diaper bag (for convenience purposes) for my things, and my primary diaper bag for all of their things (seen in the photos above). 

As I am writing this post it is still a go for a vaginal delivery, despite baby B being breach, my OB is confident this will not be an issue for me, although there is always the possibility of a C-section. I did much research online, as well as asked friends what they have needed/recommend, this is what I have come up with! If you have any further suggestions please feel free to let me know! 

Maxi Pads;

I just grabbed store brand as I expect to be doing through them rather quickly, the hospital should provide some to you as well so there's really no reason to be spending too much $.

Nursing Pads;

These are essential, you don't want to end up ruining any of your bras/tops as a result of any leakage you will be sure to have regardless of if you choose to breast feed or not. 

Full Cover Panties;

For full coverage, comfort, and to prevent the worry of ruining any of your own - I grabbed a pack of 4 from Walmart for about $6. 

Hand Sanitizer;

Good for both you and your guests - although I know the hospital has sani pumps absolutely everywhere I just feel good about having and extra supply. 

Slippers/Comfy Socks;

Nothing beats having your own things, and being able to walk around in comfort - going bare foot in a hospital setting can get rather chilly. 

Robe;

Same thing... comfort! Also, hospital gowns leave little to the imagination if you are wanting to get up and walk around during labour. I may not end up using it, but it's nice to know I have it anyways. 

Comfy Post Labour Clothing;

Loose t-shirts/tanks (a couple of each incase my stay is prolonged), black track pants/yoga pants (black to avoid "accidents"). I will utilize these items for 'coming home' as well, but I also included a maxi dress incase the day we leave is hot/humid, and let's face it, when your possibly all swollen and still looking about 5 months pregnant you do not want to be squeezing into tight clothing. 

Makeup/Toiletries Bags;

I will be doing a separate post on what I have packed for both these bags - I figured it would only be fitting to do so as I have based this blog around beauty products after all! 

The girls' bag - My actual diaper bag I plan on using (made by 'Soothtime') 

All other baby supplies;

Obviously each hospital is completely different, and when preparing for your hospital stay you should look into your hospital/birthing centers policies and the kind of items that will be available to you. Luckily for me I have friends who work at the hospital I am going to be giving birth at, so it was easy for me to gain info on what would be a good idea to pack. 

I have included - diapers, bottles, formula, baby wipes, and pacifiers. I have also included a couple outfits for going home purposes, their own hats, socks, and finally several receiving blankets (which I intend to use for swaddling purposes). 

Aside from those items mentioned, the only other things I believe we will be bringing is items for 'daddy-to-be', such as a change of clothing, an extra pillow and blanket and some snacks. 

I hope this was helpful, and if you have any suggestions please feel free to let me know! 

Otherwise I will try and update you on how useful or not all of these items were for us. 

Keep an eye out for my makeup/toiletries post, 

until next time! 

xo, Hannah

Top 5 Blushes of the Moment & Swatches

These 5 blushes I have chosen are what I have not been able to keep my hands off for this Spring season, and also plan on using well into the summer months ahead. 

If you would like to see the video on these picks, including a more detailed description of why I love them so much, click here!

(Left to Right) Elf 'Peachy Keen', Hard Candy Fox in a Box 'Smooth Talker', Rimmel 'Pink Sorbet'

MAC 'Melba', MAC 'Subtle Breeze'

(Left to Right)

Elf 'Peachy Keen'

Hard Candy Fox in a Box 'Smooth Talker

Rimmel 'Pink Sorbet'

MAC 'Melba'

MAC 'Subtle Breeze'

Peachy Keen;

This blush is not only one of my favorite affordable blushes, it is one of my favorite blushes of all time, hands down. It's the perfect peachy shade, with a slight hint of golden shimmer. I believe this is one of those colors that would flatter pretty much any skin tone. How can you say no for $3 after all? The pigmentation is also very impressive (not just on this shade, but all shades I have sampled from their studio blush line). 

Smooth Talker; 

This blush is a mix of four separate shades (although you could technically attempt at using each color individually, I really don't believe it's worth the struggle). It includes a peach, a lilac-esk shade, a coral and a basic pink. When mixed together they form a light peachy color. As you can see from the swatch, it is similar to Peachy Keen, but just on the lighter side. All the shades are matte finish. For darker skin tones this could really be used as more of a highlight. I love it if I'm not looking for a ton of color, but just a nice glow, without my cheeks being frosty or shimmery.

Pink Sorbet;

I actually have an entire separate blog post on this blush, so I will try not to bore you with the details of this product again (see my entire post here). To make it short and sweet, it is a light pinky peach (more pink I would say though) which comes off with a slightly frosty finish. Again this is a lighter shade, which for my skin tone adds a lovely pinky glow. This is the blush I tend to grab when I have a darker eye look and am unsure of what blush to reach for. 

Melba;

This is a blush I also recently acquired, which is shocking because it is right up my alley, and if you have ever heard anyone speak of MAC blushes, you've probably heard Melba come up. I have a full post of this blush as well, which can be found here. It is the best natural matte peach shade - very pigmented - it can be used with a light hand to give a subtle wash of color, or can very easily be applied for a bolder statement. 

Subtle Breeze;

Unlike Melba, this is a mineralize blush, which is slightly less pigmented than the original MAC powder blush line, but still very workable - I am always happy with the color pay off, although it may not be impressive enough for some. This appears much more of a pinky mauve in the container than it actually comes out to be - turning out more of a pink than mauve (as seen in the swatches). This blush is especially great for people that are starting out in makeup and are intimidated by heavily pigmented products that require some practice to apply and blend. This color is also very wearable for all skin tones. 

What are some of your favorite blushes? Have you ever tried any of the ones I mentioned? If so, which ones? And if not, would you be interested? 

Until next time! 

xo, Hannah 

Tutorial!: NOTD Faded Florals

Colors used - (left to right) Essie Blanc, Cute as a Button, Bikini So Teeny and Tart Deco 

You will need!

- A base coat and top coat (I used Revlon Colorstay base and top coat from their newest line of colorstay polishes)

- A white or light colored base 

- Several colors of your choice (I used 3 light summery colors, but you could use more or less, and customize the colors to the time of year you are doing the tutorial!)

- A plate, or something to place your nail polishes on for mixing

- Paint brushes (you will need one for each color, including the white)

- Nail polish remover 

1. Begin by applying your base coat. After allowing time for this to dry begin applying two coats of your light/white polish - you want a nice opaque result so your design will stand out. 

2. Once you have allowed your white base to dry grab you plate and place a dot of each colored polish you have chosen on the plate, leaving room in between each as you will be diluting and working with each color. 

3. Pour your nail polish remover (I just poured mine into the cap of the bottle)

4. Grab a paint brush (be sure not to mix the brushes into the different colors - use only one brush per color), and begin diluting the colored polish with the remover - you are looking to create the consistency of a stain. Just stick to doing this to one color at a time (dilute, then apply.. dilute, then apply.. etc) 

5. You can then begin applying each diluted polish to your nails. Use a stamping motion to create flower shapes, remembering to leave room for the other colors you will be applying. Don't worry about making them perfect, I found the ones that looked least perfect were my favorites in the end. 

6. Continue on with this same process for the rest of the colors you've chosen.

7. You then want to grab your white polish and make a dot on your plate, and then proceed to dilute it as you did the other colors. 

8. Grabbing a clean brush, you will apply the white polish to the center of each of the flowers you've created. If it is diluted enough the polish should run slightly, which adds to the 'faded' effect. 

9. Finally, wait for all the designs to dry well and then add a top coat to finish off the look. 

If you would like to see the tutorial in action, click the video to watch my Youtube tutorial! 

The finished look! 

This look was inspired by thebeautydepartment.com - check them out for tons of great ideas! I am personally addicted to this site right now! 

Hope you all enjoyed this look! Let me know if you would consider trying this look, or if you do, show me how it turned out! 

xo, Hannah

Monday Questionnaire: June 11th 2012

Picture of my nails from question 4!

1.) Mood:

Honestly I am slightly grumpy right now, and it all has to do with how hot/humid it is here right now. If you've ever been pregnant during summer months you will understand me when I say, pregnant + heat = bad news bears. 

2.) What do you hear right now?

I have the radio on right now, it's just set to a local station, they're playing U2. 

3.) Do you have any tattoos?

Yes I have 3! A dove on my right shoulder, a piece in the center of my back based around a Beatles song I love, and a side piece going down my left side from my ribs to my hip bone of 3 flowers. 

4.) Current nail polish:

It is a faded floral patter that I filmed a tutorial for today! Will be up on my Youtube channel and a blog post will be up soon as well! 

5.) What is your favorite pair of shoes?

My favorite pair lately has been a simple pair of black sandals with black flower details on the straps (pretty and yet easy for my 34 week plus pregnant self!)

6.) Current outfit:

White maxi skirt from Motherhood maternity and a grey tank (simplicity on this hot day) 

7.) Do you collect anything?

Well, unless you are completely new to my blog and or Youtube channel, you will know I collect both makeup and nail polish. Aside from those products I love collecting both CDs and record albums! 

8.) What is your favorite perfume (or body/soap scent if you don't wear perfume)?

I haven't been wearing perfume much lately, I just feel it's too heavy for these hotter months. Lately I have been just enjoying my usual body spray from Bath&Body Works 'Japanese Cherry Blossom' - I swear I will never ever get sick of that scent! 

9.) Do you feel younger or older than your current age?

I think I have moments where both can be true - a lot of the time I feel younger than my true age as I still love to 'play' and have fun in that type of light hearted way. But I also feel older than my current age when I am required to be my most responsible, adult self, especially now that I am an expectant mom.

10.) Weekly goals:

This week I want to get as much blogging/filming done as possible - I want to start preparing for the temporary leave I will be taking after my daughters are born by having material ready and waiting to post for you all! 




Go ahead and answer the questions yourself if you like! 
I hope you guys have a lovely week! 


xo, Hannah

Wet n Wild Greed Palette; Review & Swatches

I'm sure you will all be shocked to know this, but yes it is true, this is my very first Wet n Wild eye shadow palette. I cannot believe it has taken me this long to try one of these bad boys out, especially considering the constant hype they seem to get for being such good quality for such an affordable price.  

As you can see, this specific palette is called 'Greed', I think I chose this one specifically just to try and shy away from the typical brown/bronzed drug store palettes I always seem to end up with (especially when trying out a new product... can you say BORING!). It's not like this one has that much flash to it either, but you can't expect me to change completely. 

It has a balance of 3 matte shades (on the left of the palette), and 3 shimmery shades (on the right). I enjoy that they included both so that you could be versatile with the looks you create. 

The matte shades include a creamy neutral pale highlight shade, a peachy shade, and a basic run of the mill matte black. 

The shimmery shades include a light blue/violet toned shade, a pink champagne like shade, and a shimmery black. 

To me I would have liked to see a shimmery highlight shade, as that is what I tend to prefer when it comes to almost every eye look I find myself doing, and I think they could have sacrificed one of the black shades (do you really need 2 in a 6 color palette?). For a mere $5 CAD or so though, you really can't become overly critical. 

As you can see (or not see) from the swatches, the lightest shade is pretty much an exact match to my skin tone. Also the lightest shimmery shade of blue/purple is not overly pigmented (when doing a look with this palette I have enjoyed using that shimmery shade along my bottom lash line for a little pop however!). 

Over all the colors have a good color pay off. They are slightly powdery so you must be sure to tap off the excess on your brush before going right in for application, but overall I really can't complain (again the price makes it worth the while). With a primer - I always use Urban Decay Primer Potion (original or eden) - the colors wear really well throughout the day. 

I am thinking I will have to check out more of these palettes in the near future, I know they have trios as well, so that might have to be my next purchase! I am also thinking of doing a tutorial on my Youtube channel using this palette, let me know if you would be interested in seeing that! 

Until next time,

xo, Hannah

Self Tanners: Best, Worst & My Recommendations

I am a huge fan of self tanning, whether it be winter and I feel I just need a little bit of a glow, to this time of year when I utilize these types of products to even out and improve the natural tan I have. 

I have compiled all of my tanning products together, which range in quality and price, so that you can gain an understanding of some of the products out there, as well as my experiences with them. Click the video below to hear more about what I have to say about these products, as well as to get a more up close look at them.

Loreal Sublime Bronze One Day;

The most temporary tan solution I have ever tried - washes off easily with soap and water and has no residual tan effects. Perfect for a night out when you need a little extra color on your legs etc, but don't want to commit to more long term option. It is also affordable and readily available at many stores.

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer (For face and body);

Creates a subtle and gradual result. I find it looks extremely natural (you don't go from being pale one day, to super bronzed as if you just spent a week in Cuba the next). Very easy to use, even though it has no color to it - I have never had any mishaps with this product and I have been using it since I was in high school. Pleasant smell, not overly bold/strong, and does not linger on the skin long. Both the body and face lotion are also readily available and affordable. 

Loreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Gelee;

By far my least favorite out of all the products shown/spoken about in my video, and the product I would recommend most to avoid. It is not easy to blend or work with, regardless of how I have tried to apply it. It also does not have much color to it once applied to the skin, so any mistakes cannot be seen until the product has had a chance to develop. The color pay off isn't terribly natural either (and isn't that what we're all looking for if we choose to save our skin the UV rays and fake tan?) This also has the unappealing signature 'self tan scent'. 

Loreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion;

My most loved low-end self tanning product EVER, hands down. As the name states, it is a tinted lotion, so not only is application made easy by being able to see where you have applied it, but the formulation makes it a pain free experience as well. The scent is that of a 'self tan' kind of smell unfortunately, but that is really the only down side I can think of. The color result is lovely, and can be either applied a couple times a week for a lighter result, or daily to bring out a more dramatic 'tan'. This product can be found very easily at drugstores etc, and is very affordable as well. 

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Lotion & Mousse;

These two products (which I myself find extremely similar - it is all about personal preference to formulation when deciding between the two) are by far the most amazing self tan items I have ever used. I am a true believer in the St. Tropez brand, and although they are much more costly than the other drugstore items above, to me the cost is worth it. The result is the most natural looking color you could possibly imagine - not orange, not streaky, and bonus.. it doesn't smell like self tanner! And although this product takes the most time commitment, I have found ways to easily work around this. It also lasts the longest out of any of the products I have mentioned as well. 

St.Tropez Website - sttropeztan.com

I hope some of you have found this information useful. If you would like any further details regarding any of these products then please just let me know!


xo, Hannah

Nail of the Day - Essie 'Bikini So Teeny' & Luxeffects

I made a little trip out to grab some essentials, and as usual I ended up browsing around by the polishes. I noticed they finally had put out the newest Essie polishes from the summer collection 'Bikini So Teeny' - I couldn't help but pick up the polish that shares it's name with the collection itself.
I also finally got around to picking up 'Set in Stones' which is from the Luxeffect collection - it came out around or just after christmas this past year but it is still readily available in most places that sell Essie near by me. 

'Set in Stones' & 'Bikini So Teeny'

I am in love with this blue, it is completely unlike anything else I have in my collection - it's a light blue/periwinkle with a slight hint of purple. 

As for 'Set in Stones' am I extremely pleased that I finally did decide to purchase it - I had seen many blog posts and raves about it and I now understand why. It is by far the most incredible silver glitter I have ever owned. I think the various sizes of glitter is what makes this so impressive looking. 

Both polishes only took two coats to gain the opaque results I was looking for.

I have my eye on a couple of other colors from the Essie Summer collection, including one in a fabulous mojito green. 

Do you like the collection? If so, what colors specifically might you be picking up?

xo, Hannah