I received these samples for review a little bit ago, and I've been trying them out off an on since then. I feel confident on my opinions, so this will be a pretty quick review.

The first product I tried out, and was eager to test, was the Zim's Heels and Feet Crack Creme- $6.99 (4.8 oz bottle). The bottle states that it is a "natural herbal formula with Ariginine, Arnica and Aloe for dried, cracked, and tired feet." I don't have cracked feet, but were a teensy bit dry. I didn't notice much of a distance. Perhaps I don't have the correct problem that this particular product is looking to correct. Either way, not my favorite. I prefer my Julep lotion over this one, which pains me to say because I'm almost out of it.

The scent is difficult to describe. It definitely has that herbal hint to it, but not much aloe. It may not suit some people, but it doesn't bother me. The texture is creamy, and almost a watery consistency, so a little bit goes a long way. I recommend shaking the bottle before use. Maybe it'll work for you, but for me it just didn't do the job I needed it to.

On the other hand, I was very pleased with the Zim's Max-Freeze for feet- $9.99 (4 fl oz spray can). Spray it on, and your pain is meant to go away. It leaves behind a cooling sensation with no residue. It boosts that it includes organic ilex, aloe and arnica, vitamin e and tea tree oil (I do love tee tree oil). It can be used anywhere on the body, as expected. My husband used it on his knees, and said that it helped a lot (he has knee problems).

The claim is true; it does have 360 degree spray. The menthol is a kicker though. It'll get you as I learned when I was testing the spray claim. It's strong. It does the job. I really like it, and recommend it.

Zim's products are available online, and in store at your local drug store (for US, I'm not sure about international).

This post includes two pr samples:

Zim's Max-Freeze and Zim's Crack Creme

Wish Wish Wish

Wish Spring on the horizon, though let's face it I live in Florida so it's pretty much already here, I think it's time to improve my makeup collection. I've been lusting after most of these products for a while, and I think it's time to take the plunge.

1. Revlon Photo Ready Perfecting Primer - $13
2. Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup- $27
3. Laura Geller Spackle Primer in Bronze- $30
4. Origins GinZing Moisturizer- $27
5. Sonia Kashuk All Covered Up Concealer- $10

I think they're all going to make a difference. I may not get both primers, but I have tried the Laura Geller one, and I loved it. There are a lot of lip products that have been released, but I think I'm going to stay away for fear that I may want them all.

What have you been wanting lately?

Avon Smudge Corrector | Review

First thing I want to say is that this particular product isn't currently on the Avon website. Avon likes to take items off the site and then put them back on at a different time. This is the type of product that I would see some Reps carrying on hand, and keeping in stock. Also if you have a local flea market, check it out. I know the one close to me has a few venders that sale Avon. Ebay and Amazon are also an option.

Other than little disclaimer (do I also need to mention that this isn't mine, it's actually my mom's?), we can talk about the product!

It a simple concept. You smudge your nail polish, and you apply a coat or two of this top coat-esque formula to your nails and viola! Smudge be gone.

I applied two coats to my middle finger, as that is where I managed to smudge my nail polish the other day. It was quite difficult to capture the smudge, but I think you can tell where the smudge is. It does have to dry, like a top coat, so you will have to careful after using it so you don't smudge it.

I was impressed at how well it actually worked. I wasn't expecting a whole lot, to be honest. Smudge correcting was one of the things that I liked Seche Vite for, and what made it stand out of the crowd against other nail polishes. 

After the two coats dried I did notice that the smudge is slightly visible, though it looks like a small dimple is on my nail, and that isn't even noticeable unless you know it's there, and you're looking for it. I couldn't even capture it on camera. I don't think it would cover and fix a larger smudge, but I think it would make it better. Definitely a better option than starting over, if you ask me.

Also, I'm quite pleased with the shine it adds. It's much glossier than the top coats I've been using, which is just an added bonus that I wasn't expecting.

Are there a lot of smudge corrector products out there? Aside from Seche Vite, I can't think of any. I wouldn't be surprised if Sally Hansen has one, maybe OPI, but other than that I'm at a loss.

Either way, it's a good product, not a complete fix, but a good option if it was ever needed. It'll improve on most smudges, I believe, but not all. I remember using this a while back on a smudge on my thumb, and it didn't do much. It's kind of hit or miss. In this particular case, it made a major improvement.

Bedside Nail Essentials

It should come to no one's surprise that I keep an empty candle jar full of nail care supplies on my nightstand. I really like having these products close by so that they're easy to reach, and quite frankly lately it's the only reason I remember to use any of the cuticle products.

I do keep my OPI Nail Envy in the jar. I usually take off my nail polish while sitting on the bed, and then I immediately apply the Nail Envy. It's a life saver for my nails, and acts as a base coat. I also keep two top coats for the simple reason that this seems to be the only place I don't lose them. Both by Avon. One is a Color Shield Top Coat $4, and the other is a UV Gloss Guard $6.50. They're not the best top coats out there, but they do the job.

I have three cuticle products; Avon Green Tea Cuticle Serum, Sally Hansen VitaSurge Cuticle Gel (which is on its last leg), and Julep Essential Cuticle Oil $18 (I tend to reach for this one less often). I don't notice a huge change with any of these products, but I like to think they're helping.

The last thing I have is the Sally Hansen Dry Kwik. This is what I have been using to replace the Revlon Quick Dry, and I'm still loving it. Target is actually stocking it now (figures, right?), but I'm going to stick with this bottle as it's less greasy. It does wonders for my manicure, and dries the polish pretty darn quick. A staple for when I apply my nail polish.

The jar is an empty Bath and Body Works candle jar. I like using these because I already have them, and it's so much cheaper than buying containers.

Do you keep any nail care items on your bedside table?

Venique Nail Lacquer | Review

One. Coat. Wonders. First words about these nail polishes that you will hear grace my lips. I'm not talking one coat is yo apply just a teensy bit more polish than normal, no. I mean opaque like you just emptied the bottle. But you didn't, because you found this little baby.

One coat wonders are underrated, in my opinion. I mean, how fantastic is it to cut the nail drying time AND use less polish? Amazing, let me tell you. That's why I always try and relish my OCWs, and will keep a special place in my nail polish filled heart.

Too dramatic? Maybe. Or maybe this is Venique's way. When the offer to sample these lovelies graced my e-mail, I'll be honest, I was skeptical. But, when I realized that we are in an age where nearly everything is available via internet and UPS, it shouldn't be too difficult to locate these for yourself.

I did a quick search and found a bunch on Amazon and eBay. I'm sure there are other places, but I didn't do to much of an extensive search through the interwebs.

Sleepy Slippers

No chip count: 5 days with top coat, chipping was minimal.

This is my favorite color in the bunch, and the first one that I tried. Sleepy Slippers is a silver metallic shimmer that tends to lean more on the purple side.

Up To My Knees

No chip count: 1 day for the first application (no top coat), and 4 days for the second application.

Up To My Knees is a is a copper metallic with bits of silver and gold shimmer. It's beautiful on the nails, and really compliments my skin tone. Easily the most wearable color that probably would look great on any skin tone.

B-utiful Bold

No chip count: 1 day first application (with top coat)

B-utiful Bold is the color that I was a bit skeptical about. In my experience colors like this tend to be a bit streaky on the first coat. This is where Venique's formula really shines. Not only did it require only one coat, but it also remained streak free. I did notice that it needed a bit more product than the other two (but then again metallics usually are easy to apply on their own), but nothing too bad. It's a bright pink color with a hint of red to it. The above picture is a pretty accurate representation of the true color. As close as I could get it, any way. Brights tend to be a bit difficult to photograph.

Either way, if you do see this brand in a salon check it out. The formula is fantastic, and the colors are beautiful. I wish nail polish like this was more readily available, but sometimes it's nice to have a little treat when entering a salon. They're definitely worth it, in my opinion. Not to mention if you add in the little fact that this is the age of the internet, and nearly anything is at your fingertips, a quick check out away.

How do you feel about nail professional exclusives? Do you think they hold a candle higher than your retail brand, or are they about the same?

PR Sample provided for review

Weekend Reads №8

I'm sorry I've been so mute lately. I had a fever earlier this week, and I'm finally feeling human again. I'm sure I'll be back to regular blogging this upcoming week. For now, check out these blogs from this past week =)

• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura loves her first Wantable Makeup Box of 2014! See what she got! 

• Mama Fashionista: Quinn shares her Top Ten facial scrubs of 2013! 

• lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Looking for a fabulous new foundation with anti-aging skincare ingredients? Say hello to Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup! 

• Adore A Polish: Kristina shares her favorite nail polish of 2013.

• TheFabZilla: Kathryne from TheFabZilla suggests 6 ways to update your look in 2014. 

• Makeup Demon: My beauty products discoveries of the year 2013!

• daydreaming beauty: How about a bright and cheerful Gelish mani for this cold first week in January? 

• Adna Cristina Beauty: kaeso Beauty - Review & Photos 

• Glamorable!: Check out this roundup with Anastasia's favorite nail polishes of 2013! 

• Beauty by Miss L: Madara is Latvian eco-friendly and cruelty free beauty brand. This week Miss L reviewed their Regenerating Night Cream. 

• ColorMeSoCrazy: GOT Challenge! Are You Pink Enough?!? 

• BellBelleBella: Check out the 2014 color of the year with Sephora & Pantone Universe Radiant Rush Matte Lipstick

• Put On Your Big Girl Lipstick: Put On Your Big Girl Lipstick reviews one of her new drugstore favorites - Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara 

• Never Say Die Beauty: Will Studio Gear CC Cream make it into my arsenal of foundations? Check out my review

Favorite Nail Polish of 2013

This may be my favorite round up that I do at the end of the year. Some of these shouldn't come to you as a surprise, so I didn't have to think too hard. I narrowed it down to my top 5 of 2013. (in no particular order).

Essie The Lace is On is one of the newest additions to my little family. I didn't buy a lot of nail polish this year, as I'm pretty happy with my current collection. I loved having this on my toes, and wore it for months after I bought it. It's such a beautiful shade.

Zoya Mia is one that I probably wore on my nails for a month straight, which for me is a very long time. I didn't like it so much when I first bought it when I realized that it was a near dupe for a color that I already owned, but it grew massively on me this past fall. Not to mention I realized my love for Zoya's formula.

The next Zoya nail polish that I loved was in the beginning of 2013, and I bought it in their Earth Day sale; Zoya Julie. It has a shimmer to it, and is very nice on the nails. Definitely was my go-to for Spring.

I'm pretty sure that I obsessed over Essie Cocktail Bling in 2012, but it reached a new high in 2013. I love the muted color to it, and I think this is the reason I found myself gravitating toward this greyish/muted colors.

Last, but definitely not least, is the most expensive nail polish that I own. I was apprehensive on buying it, but I'm glad I did since it is my favorite shade of 2013. NARS Orgasm is a lot of things, and beautiful is definitely on the top of the list. It's probably the brand's most popular shade (considering it's in a multitude of product types), and it's very easy to see why. The wear, the shade, all of it is beautiful. 

What were some of your favorite nail polish shades?

Favorite Beauty Products of 2013

Happy New Year everyone! I'm super excited for this year. I have a lot of things planned (not necessarily for the blog), and since it's Year of the Horse (my Chinese Zodiac), I'm hoping things will be great!

I narrowed it down to six products, though it wasn't all that hard. I didn't buy a whole lot this year, and I wasn't loving the vast majority of what I did have. These products did stand out in my mind, and they were definitely used more than the rest.

My bottle of Origins Checks and Balances is looking a bit worse for wear. It's nearly done, and I'm savoring it. The smell, the results, just everything about this cleanser is heaven in a bottle for me. The next skincare product I ended up loving is the Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub (which was a PR sample). I love it just as much, if not more, than when I first reviewed it. My skin is so soft, and smells fantastic. A real winner for me, and I'll be sad when it runs out since there isn't a Body Shop near me anymore.

I just reviewed this product not to long ago, so you all should be familiar with the secret love affair that I've been having with my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink. I find myself reaching for it even more the longer I have it, and really loving it as a base for some of my other eyeshadow shades. This one was a no brainer in the favorites department.

I managed to trade my beloved purple eyeliner for the Avon Glimmersticks in Brown Glow. I've mentioned it before, but I haven't actually discussed how much I love it. It's the perfect shade to be paired with Inked in Pink, and the two really compliment each other.

Finally I have my two favorite lip products. Revlon Honey is one of those colors that everyone loves. It really deserves it too. It's a beautiful shade that applies effortlessly, and smells fantastic. I do love mint. My Maybelline Color Whisper in Pink Possibilities is one that I don't hear a lot about. It adds a sheer pink tint to the lips, and has a your lips but better sort of effect, in my opinion. I wore it for several months straight, ignoring everything else I owned. Even when I decided to give it a break to use something else, it was still in the back of my mind.

Even though 2013 wasn't the best year for me in the way of beauty products, when I found something I loved, I stuck with it. These six are definitely going to be used well into 2014, and who knows. Maybe they'll make a reappearance.

What are some of your favorites of the year?

PR sample mentioned: Body Shop Scrub