Deborah Lippmann Summer Lacquers

Posted on July 26, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

One of my favorite parts of summer is being able to brighten up not only your wardrobe and makeup but also your nail polish. Bold colors are an instant pick me up when looking down at your hands and toes. You can all imagine how excited I was when I received the Deborah Lippmann 80’s rewind summer collection nail lacquers. These colors are super pigmented and the crème formula has a great consistency. There are some lacquers that are a bit runny or too thick but these are very easy to work with. I actually painted my own nails which is something I cannot do with every nail polish.

Here’s a closer look at these gorgeous colors

Left to Right: Whip it, Walking on Sunshine, Don’t stop believing, She drives me crazy, Maniac, Video killed the radio star

I am currently wearing “Don’t stop Believing” the perfect red-orange color

These Nail Lacquers are available online or at your local Sephora, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom.

Quick Links:
Deborah Lippmann
Sephora

* Special Thank you to Diana from Deborah Lippmann’s PR department for reaching out and being so kind to send samples over.

Happy weekend everyone!
-Gwen

4th of July nails

Posted on July 3, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

What better way to spruce up your 4th of July look than by adding a touch of fun to your nails. Below are some fun and easy ways to decorate them for this upcoming weekend.

4th of July nails by gwendolyn-pena featuring nail care

A simple red, white and blue nail polish can go a long way, all you need is some scotch tape and you can create all sorts of designs with it. Touches of gold, silver and glitter nail polish can also add a festive pop to your look. If painting your own nails isn’t your thing another alternative is nail stickers, they are super easy to apply onto your nails and the best part is there is no need for drying!

The most important part is to have fun with your creations and enjoy the fun filled weekend!

Happy 4th of July Everyone!
-Gwen

Revlon by Marchesa Review

Posted on April 28, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

I love me an at home manicure and what else is better than a cute set to keep my nails looking proper at all times! My lovely sister sent an awesome care package that included these products (will feature the rest in a different post). The packaging and design make all the difference with these everyday items. In collaboration with Revlon designer Marchesa added a touch of pink and florals that really make the average tools that much more awesome!

-The dual ended cuticle trimmer can be used to push back your cuticles as well as trim them up if needed.
-Nail clipper has a curved blade and small file
-The emery board has a floral design to file and also buff and shine on the opposite end
-The handy case protects and keep everything in place!

She also included a mini “to go” tweezer set that includes a slant and point tip for all of my tweezing needs! How freaking adorable are these babies?!

This and other designs can still be found at your local drugstores like CVS, Walgreens as well as Target.

Off to pamper myself!

-Ari

February Ipsy Glam Bag Review

Posted on February 21, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

The time has come again for my monthly Ipsy Glam Bag, this is my second one ever and I must say I am much more pleased with this one than my January edition. This time around it included more full sized items and actual products that I love and will use often. First things first is the constant incorporation of a new makeup bag, plain pink with white trim and I love it! This one will probably be re-gifted as well or used for traveling purposes. I received lashes from jcatbeauty, a body butter from pacifica, zoya nail polish, pop beauty lip gloss and a shadow tint from ‘tini beauty. Check out my pics and reviews below and also the Links at the bottom for products. Enjoy!

J.Cat Beauty “EL 20”
Lashes + Glue
These are very thick but still very soft to the touch, I may cut them in half to use as accent lashes instead of a full glam look. I usually prefer a slimmer band but nonetheless these are still great lashes.

Pop Beauty -“Fuchsia Freesia”
This mini gloss is perfect to throw in your bag and your’e out the door! The sheer tint is great over another color to mix or alone by itself for a natural flushed pink pout. Although I did not see the advertised “plumping” effects I did feel the moisture from the avocado and jojoba oils used in said product. I love it!

Pacifica Body Butter- “Hawaiian Ruby Guava”
This body butter is super moisturizing and smells like heaven on earth! Like all pacifica products it is 100% vegan and cruelty free. This isn’t for someone afraid of a strong scent you will be smelling like a tropical dream for the entire day!

‘Tini Beauty-Eyeshadow Tint “Spiced Rum”
I have never heard of this line until now and they offer an array of nail products, eyes and lips as well. This eyeshadow tint is creamy, blends well and can be used as a base or by itself for a subtle look (on my skin tone). The packaging on the site is very cute with all of the products sporting an alcohol related theme i.e., “dry gin top coat”. Very cool concept!

Zoya- “Odette”
This pretty purple is perfect for an everyday mani. It was a nice consistency and one coat is good enough for a nice finish. Ive always liked Zoya polishes and Im glad to add this to my collection!

-Love,
Ari

Pacifica “Hawaiian Ruby Guava” Body Butter
Zoya “Odette” Nail Polish
‘Tiny Beauty “Spiced Rum” Eyeshadow Tint
J. Cat Beauy Eyelashes
Pop Beauty “Fuchsia Freesia” Lip Gloss

My girl Autumn… pt 2

Posted on September 25, 2013 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Hey Everyone I’m Back! Part two of the “My girl Autumn” series is Fall nail polish. What better and might I add easy way to dive into the new season than by adding some cool hues to your hands and toes, it’s like an instant pick me up!(well for me it is anyway). This season it is all about metallics, dark navy’s and bold berry’s. Here are my top five must have picks.

From Left to right: Sally Hansen “Teal-y Fast” & “Shoot the Moon”, Revlon “Rich Raspberry”, Essie “For the twill of it” & “No more film

“Teal-y fast” is an amazing teal with lots of shimmer that reflects beautifully in sunlight.
“Shoot the moon” has a graphite look to it thanks to the smooth metallic particles in pewter and gold which also reflect amazingly in direct light.
“Rich Raspberry” is described perfectly, as it has a true berry “richness” to it.
“For the twill of it” is a multi chromed metallic which gives off pops of teal and purple, it is such a gorgeous color!
“No more film” has more of a creamy texture and it is a deep blue-ish violet.

Swatches (with Flash)

Swatches (No Flash)

Color I am currently wearing: (With Flash) Revlon “Rich Raspberry” in number 250 and it is my absolute favorite right now!

Color on my nails (No Flash)

What’s great about nail polishes is that there is no need to worry about sizing or a right fit, find a great color, layer it on and you’re pretty much set!
You can find these as well as other colors at your local Walmart or drugstore. Ulta is also great at carrying the most current colors.

Stay tuned for my last post in the My girl Autumn series… here’s a hint: This item will give you an edge while keeping you warm.

Hasta Pronto amigas (y amigos)
-Gwen

Glitterati Nails

Posted on August 12, 2013 by itsapplesandorangesblog

So my mom recently went H.A.M on some nail polishes and I am lucky to be able to gain from her splurges. She recently discovered Essie’s luxe effects edition polishes (forgive her she is super late) and purchased all three … Continue reading →

Easy 4th of July Inspiration for Nails

Posted on July 3, 2013 by itsapplesandorangesblog

July 4th is upon us! A time where we get to gorge on food cooked on a grill, drink heavily and light up the night sky with fire works all in the name of America. This holiday is always fun and festive partly due to the explosives involved and partly because of the awesome patriotic gear one can rock. Cut off denim, boots, or pretty much anything with an American flag count towards this day. I’ve chosen to rock some particularly fun options in the past (patriotic lip tattoos) and this year I want to go more subdued and just do something fun on my nails. Here are some of the following options/inspiration.

You can go with the classic All American flag look

The firework aspect might be of interest using nail stripers and glitter

I personally would like to try this just because its out of the ordinary…

Last but not least you can choose to represent any one of the amazing groups that make up the military, after all they fight every day to allow us to keep our freedoms that we enjoy!

** I do not own any of these pics, these are simply articles found online thought to inspire some creativity for this wonderful holiday

Violent Lips- Patriotic Lip Tattoo

Stay safe and enjoy tomorrows festivities!

Love, Ari

Grow Longer Nails Faster!

Posted on June 19, 2013 by itsapplesandorangesblog

My nails have never been able to grow to any decent length ever and I always came to the conclusion that I had reached my terminal length (such with my hair). Genetics plays a huge role in nail growth and … Continue reading →