COOLA Classic Sport SPF 30 Unscented Spray

Press Sample

Yesterday was soap, today is sunscreen?! Skin care is actually really important, especially when you live in a place where you have triple digits daily. I've been running my a/c since JANUARY. Blah.

COOLA is a new brand to me - it's an organic line of suncare products that are supposed to withstand even the sweatiest of summer days. I received the Sport SPF 30 Unscented Sunscreen Spray. Being that it's only SPF 30, you need to reapply about once every 40 minutes. The cool stuff includes that 70% of this sunscreen is organic ingredients and the SPF is Broad Spectrum meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Downsides - it's not cheap. You're going to pay $32 for just 6 fl oz/180 mL. The good news is that it does apply well and being it's unscented, it's great for those with sensitive noses.

The spray immediately attaches to the skin and leaves you protected without feeling greasy or oily.

It's nice to throw into the beach bag for the day but for my daily usage, I'd need something with a higher SPF and I do prefer a cream over a spray. Sprays can be great for kids though - always on the go!

COOLA [Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest] can be found be purchased on their website or you can use their store locator for in stores or other etailer locations.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

LVX Mynt

Press Sample

Getting towards the end of the Summer 2013 LVX collection, yay! This is LVX Mynt, which is a light green creme. I used a base coat of Cult Nails Get It On, 2 coats of polish and a top coat of Cult Nails Wicked Fast. Good consistency, opaque and a pretty green.

Because I was sorely hurting on the sun, this was in the shade. You can see that it's a nice creme but yes, still a ridge showing polish. Either buff your nails or get a ridge filler because these cremes hold no prisoners. 

In some indirect sunlight, this color looks a little more avocado than mint. Still lovely though.

By accident, I had the flash on during a photo and got this color. And you can really see how my cat made an appearance once again (the cat hair on the pinkie). Having a long hair cat is hard. Having FOUR is really hard.

This was my midrange pick for LVX. It's pretty but not something I'd wear very often. I'm still on the fence with green polishes.

LVX [Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram] is available on their website. It is 10-free to include Toluene and Camphor, vegan and cruelty free. Use promo code POLISHGALORE for 20% off your purchase!

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Layla Softouch 3 - Stone

Press Sample

One of my favorite things about Layla is the long brushes inside the glass bottles. I didn't think I'd like the long brush but it's actually easy to hold and handle.  This is "3" which is also called Stone in their catalog.

I didn't use a base coat (as Layla says not to) and two coats of polish. The Softouch line looks like a matte but it doesn't get glossy with a top coat, so I didn't add a top coat either. It's this lovely dusty purple gray. I kind of wish that it would turn glossy to see those shimmers but hey, I'll live.

Here it is in the sun. This is two coats of polish and you can see how it's soft, matte, and pretty at the same time.

Meanwhile in some indirect light, it looks more grey. Even without a base and top coat, this polish did well. It wore well on me without tip wear or chipping for four days. Also, it didn't stain my nails which was great. 

The price on these polishes do vary - the current price I've found is $9.95 but sometimes you can find them on sale at Ulta.

Layla Cosmetics [Website | Facebook | Twitter] is distributed to the US through the Luxcon Group who has a Facebook Page to several online websites including Ninja Polish, Zappos, AVEYOU, Brigette's Boutique, Amazon, and Drugstore.  It is also available at Ulta.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Crabtree & Evelyn Conditioning Hand Wash - Lavender

Press Sample

Today, I am writing about hand soap. Hand soap? Yes. The best freaking hand soap you'll ever see in your life.

I'm not really a fancy person. I have certain MUST HAVES including Charmin Ultra Strong toilet paper and lavender scents when all possible. Normally my hand soap is the 5 for $25 at Bath and Body Works in a range of scents. However, when I got a pitch for Crabtree & Evelyn's new Conditioning Hand Wash Collection that launched this past June, I had to see what made it so special.

So there are 8 different scents and them come in pretty jewel tones. The bottle is 8.8 oz/250 mL and claim to be luxuriously lathering and pH balanced to be gentle on hands.  Each Hand Wash is formulated without parabens, propylene glycol, phthalate or mineral oil.

The Lavender was listed as "A delicious way to enjoy the classic scent of Lavender every day. Embrace the scent of fresh lavender enhanced with violet, tonka bean, lemon leaf and soft musk." 

I immediately took it to work where I wash my hands the most, and put it in the bathroom I share with my coworker. Normally we have Softsoap liquid soap or lately it's been the Dial foam soap - both which create bubbles which my inner child loves.

The Crabtree and Evelyn Lavender Hand Wash however doesn't produce bubbles but does feel quite luxurious. The directions (yes directions) say to wet your hands first, then add the hand wash and yes, it does make a difference. The hand wash is thick like honey so when you add it to dry hands, it's hard to distribute it on your hands.

The hand wash comes off cleanly but leaves your hands feeling soft and smelling like lavender. I LOVE lavender so I was caught more than once smelling my hands but I'm not ashamed.

My coworkers however do not enjoy the smell of lavender and like their bubbles so I brought it home to be in my guest bathroom which is decorated in lavender towels and shower curtain. (And will be painted lavender when I get the chance.) 

Now at $18 a bottle, this isn't something I want my son to waste (he's 6) but I will definitely buy for my guest bathroom each time. I'm also wanting to try the Rosewater for my own bathroom. A local pharmacy downtown actually carries this brand so I'm heading over there this week to see what they have. It's a small luxury but if you're washing your hands twice a day (at minimum), then this will last you awhile. Plus it's pretty and smells amazing.

Crabtree & Evelyn [Website] can be purchased online or in stores. Check their Store Locator for both domestic and international locations.  You can like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

Holy cow and they have nail polish now too.

Photo Credit: Instagram

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

LVX Celeste

 Press Sample

Continuing with the LVX Summer 2013 collection, this is my personal favorite, LVX Celeste, a sky blue creme. I had this as my Twitter picture for a few months because it was just such a pretty color - and I'm not one to say that about blues normally.  I used a base coat of Cult Nails Get It On, 2 coats of polish and a top of Cult Nails Wicked Fast. Make sure that you use thin coats and let the polish dry fully before adding your second coat or it may drag across the nail like my middle finger did. Thanks middle finger. 

Tada, sun! You can see how it looks a little chalky on my middle finger - total user error. Also I hadn't buffed my nails in quite some time so you can see all the ridges.

Meanwhile in the shade, you can see lots of squishy goodness but it's definitely a creme - not a jelly.

I miss taking indoor shots like this with the sun streaming in through my storm door. My storm door met its demise last month at the hands of a weed eater. Boo.

If I had to pick any color from the Summer 2013 collection that was a MUST HAVE, it was definitely this one. If you weren't able to pick it up during the Gloss48 sale, you can still always pick it up on the LVX website.

LVX [Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram] is available on their website. It is 10-free to include Toluene and Camphor, vegan and cruelty free. Use promo code POLISHGALORE for 20% off your purchase!

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.