NCLA Nail Wraps: Demo & Review

Hey everyone! A little while ago I posted my Little Black Bag haul/review, and I showed you guys that I got a pack of NCLA nail wraps in that order. I ended up really loving them so I thought I'd share my tips on how to apply them effectively. The set that I got is called "Electric Gradient". It comes with two manicure options: a blue-green gradient and a pink-red gradient. I tried different techniques both time I used them so I'll explain which one worked best!

You can purchase these nail wraps on nailpolishcanada.com for $16, and they come in a variety of patterns and colors :)

What you'll need:

• Nail wraps
• Base coat of your choice
• Top coat of your choice
• Nail file (there's one that comes in the pack that works fine)
• Scissors

First, you'll need to remove any nail polish you have on your nails. Then, cut & shape them any way you like. The nail wraps work better on a straight cut nail, but if you're dead-set on having round nails it will also work. I wouldn't cut your nails too short because you want to incorporate as much of the pattern as you can! Also, applying a base coat at this point is super important. The adhesive on the stickers is very strong and will damage your nails if you skip it! 

Next, pick a sticker that fits the size of the nail you're applying it on. When in doubt, use a smaller size rather than a larger one. If you use one that's a little too big, you'll have a hard time smoothing it down around your cuticle area. Smaller sizes might not fit as snug and there might be some space left between the sticker and your cuticle, but they'll apply much better. In the photo above, I chose a size that was too large and as you can see, there were some air bubbles left on the sides.

If you have shorter nails, the sticker will be much too long. I find them easier to work with if you trim them at this point. 

Bend the sticker over your nail. Try your best to avoid air pockets and smooth out any bumps. This will result in a clean finish. Also, bumpy nails will annoy the heck out of you (at least they did for me haha!). Again, if you pick a size that is slightly smaller than your actual nail you will have an easier time avoiding ridges like the one in the photo above. Once you're happy with how the sticker is placed, use your nail file to remove the excess sticker.

Done! Super cool gradient nails. If the white part of the sticker that came from filing it down annoys you, pick a similar color nail polish and run it along the tip of your nail to cover it up. 

If you have clubbed thumbs like I do, no worries! The largest size sticker that comes in the pack will fit. Generally, though, if you need to customize some of the sizes with a pair of scissors, don't be afraid to do so. These nails should last you a really long time, especially if you don't pick it off. Chipping is very minimal. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of this product and will surely purchase more in the future!

July Favourites 2013

Hey everyone! So I'm finally getting around to posting my July Favourites :) I was debating even posting them at all since I haven't been wearing much makeup this month, but I thought I'd share them anyway.

My only makeup-related favourite this month is this lipliner+lipstick combination. I discovered that dabbing a red lipstick over a light pink lipliner results in a really nice rosy pink color. On days when my eye makeup was super minimal (I'm talking mascara only), I would throw on this combination to add some colour to my face!

This month's book favourites were "Divergent" and "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth. There has been a ton of hype around this book series, especially since the movie based on the books is coming out soon & is said to rival The Hunger Games. I can't tell if I like these or Hunger Games better, but I will say they were equally captivating. I would definitely have to say that Divergent was better than Insurgent, its sequal, because the plot was more coherent. Insurgent was really long and the story was kind of muddy in terms of details. I was also a huge nerd and took some faction quizzes online, and I am definitely Erudite. Take that from that what you will!

In addition to the TV shows I already discussed in THIS post, I've also really been into Orange Is The New Black, a Netflix exclusive series about prison. It's really clever and raunchy and entertaining and perfect. If you're sensitive to adult content I would not recommend it, but if you want some fun and meaningful television in your life, give this a go.

My fashion favourite this month is this awesome multicoloured top that I picked up from TJ Maxx. I just find it really pretty and colourful and flattering :) I love a good TJ Maxx bargain because it feels like finding treasure. The clothes section is super hit-or-miss and you really have to dig through the racks, but it's satisfying when you find something you like!

To people that know me IRL this may come as a surprise, but I've got some health & fitness favourites this month! My fitness favourite are my Nike running shoes. I never realized how necessary a good pair of running shoes is when you work out but these are like, my saviours. They're so comfortable and it's motivating to know that your feet won't start randomly aching in the middle of a workout. My health favourites are hemp hearts and chia seeds. These are great to sprinkle on basically anything you eat. They keep you nice and full until your next meal, and they prevent random eating throughout the day!

My favourite beauty YouTuber of the month is Shaaanxo. She's from New Zealand and is overall super knowledgeable and fun to watch. Her "Get Ready With Me" videos are my obsession! I also enjoy watching her vlog channel because she posts healthy recipe videos and other good stuff. Check her out!

My favourite vlogger of the month is Shane Dawson. While I'm not always a fan of his main channel videos, his second channel kills me. Shane unscripted is absolute perfection. I always look forward to one of his daily vlogs because he never fails to make me laugh. I've also been loving his weekly podcast, Shane and Friends, which you can download for free on iTunes.

So that concludes my monthly favourites for July! Again, sorry for not really including many beauty-related things. And thanks to everyone who has entered my 1 Year Blogiversary giveaway! Good luck!

My 1 Year Blogiversary + Celebratory GIVEAWAY [CLOSED]

Hey everyone! So I know I haven't been the best blogger this year (compared to last), but I wanted to celebrate my one-year blogiversary nonetheless. Despite this year's lack of writing motivation, blogging has been a lot of fun for me. I love buying new products, sharing them, and hearing your opinion in the comments. I feel like one year of blogging is a worthy cause for celebration, so I've put together a little giveaway to thank you all!

PRIZES:

1) EOS lip balm in "Summer Fruit"
2) Maybelline Babylips in "Cherry Me"
3) Sally Hansen nail polish in "Pacific Blue"
4) Rimmel Kate Moss matte lipstick in 103 (dusty pink shade)

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

1) Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY
2) Must be 18+ years of age or have your parent's permission to enter
3) Must fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter
4) Must be willing to provide a shipping address if won
5) The winner will announced in a separate blog post and will be emailed
6) You are only eligible to win if you have not won a previous giveaway on Abundance of Erica
7) If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours, another winner will be contacted
8) All prizes will be shipped in pristine condition (none have been removed from their original packaging), but I cannot be held responsible for damages that occur in transit

9) Entering via accounts dedicated solely to giveaways will be eliminated.
10) GIVEAWAY ENDS ON AUGUST 24TH, 2013

Banner that you can add to your blog to gain an extra 10 entries (!!!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! xoxo

Tuesday In Love Nail Polish REVIEW

Hey everyone! Recently I was contacted by a nail polish company called Tuesday In Love, and I was asked if I would like to try out their line of water permeable nail polishes. Naturally, I agreed, because the whole idea of "breathable" nail polish is becoming super popular and it's so intriguing!

First, I'd like to talk about why this breathable nail polish has been gaining popularity. If you find staining to be an issue with painting your nails, this is a great option. The nail polish allows water to seep through the nail polish and onto your nail which is very hydrating and healthy. Some moms see this as a great option for kids who otherwise aren't allowed to wear nail polish.

In addition, many Muslim ladies have been loving this trend, since wearing nail polish prevents water from reaching your nails during wudhu. My Muslim friend Zeina explained it to me well and since I'm not a specialist I thought I'd share what she said:

"Basically when we pray we have to do this thing called wudhu, "ablution" in English, where we have to wash certain parts of the body (hands, mouth, nose, face, ears, neck, hair, arms and legs). When we wash our hands, it's been said if we have nail polish on then our fingernails aren't cleaned." (She mentioned that this isn't an absolute fact or anything, which is why some Muslim women don't care about nail polish)

"Because regular nail polish usually doesn't let water go through, our wudhu is nullified and our prayer doesn't count because our wudhu wasn't done properly! However, with this nail polish, it allows water to go through (YAY!) so while doing our wudhu our fingers and hands will get cleaned and our wudhu will count and thus our prayer will count while we wear nail polish."

"Usually we can only wear nail polish when we can't pray (during periods) or usually if we have a special occasion we do our wudhu and then wear it, but that limits prayer throughout the day. At a wedding once I wore nail polish and basically I couldn't pray 'til I got home."

1 coat Tuesday In Love pink nail polish + 1 coat Tuesday In Love top coat (also water permeable)

Pros:

• Incredibly opaque in ONE coat. As you can see on the left, there was a little bit of streaking but that would be easily smoothed out with a second coat. I was so impressed with the opacity that I didn't bother.
• It's totally peelable! I've tried "peelable" nail polishes before and none have actually worked aside from this one. Once it starts looking a little ratty you can peel it right off! No need for remover whatsoever.
• $12.47 price point as opposed to Inglot's $16 ($14 American)
• Portions of each purchase are donated to Plan Canada's "Because I Am A Girl" campaign (Read more)
• Water permeability test approved. When you purchase this nail polish you get a pamphlet with instructions on how to perform the test. Basically you paint a portion of a paper towel, drop some water on top and see if it seeps through.
• No need to worry about applying a base coat to protect your nails!

Cons: 

• Because it's peelable, this nail polish will not last more than a day. In my book that seriously sucks because I tend to keep my nail polish on for days, however if you do participate in wudhu or have a special occasion that calls for a nice manicure, this will definitely satisfy that even if just for one evening.
• As you can see in the top right-hand photo, the nail polish starts to change color as it gets worn. I assume this is due to water settling between the polish and nail. Again, this nail polish is really only for one day's use.

Comparison to Inglot O2M nail polish:

The major company specializing in these kinds of polish is Inglot which also has a line of breathable nail polishes. I personally haven't tried the Inglot polishes, but my friend Zeina has and is graciously willing to provide a comparison. She says that the Inglot polish lasts longer, however the formulation is incredibly thinned out and requires like five coats to render it opaque. The Tuesday In Love is therefore much easier to apply. Again, there is a $4 difference in price point between the Inglot & Tuesday In Love.

Verdict: Would I purchase another Tuesday In Love nail polish? Probably not, because I prefer a long-lasting manicure. That said, the Inglot nail polish seems to have an equal number of faults and if these are the only two options for Muslim ladies, Tuesday In Love definitely has its advantages. It honestly just depends if you're looking for something longlasting or temporary!

OPI "Chic From Ears to Tail"

Hey everyone! A couple days ago I blogged about OPI's "A Definite Moust-Have" so today I have part 2 - "Chic From Ears to Tail". As I said in that previous post, the new OPI Couture de Minnie collection, although not particularly unique, had some really great staple colours. This is one of them.

If you feel like your collection is lacking a bubblegum pink, this is a great choice. I have to admit, it's a little on the thin side, so you might have to lay it on thick if multiple-coaters aren't your thing. Otherwise, the formulation is creamy and the brush is ideal - not too dense and easy to use. If I'm not mistaken, I detect a really slight shimmer, but it's probably just there to give it some extra shine. I definitely foresee myself reapplying this a couple more times this summer.

The entire collection is available on nailpolishcanada.com.

What I'm Watching: Summer Edition

I'm on summer break and I don't currently have a full-time job, which means I'm basically always watching TV or reading a book or watching movies to pass the time. Also, I'm curious about what TV shows everyone's watching so I thought I'd discuss some of the summer shows I'm loving, and you guys can let me know what you're watching in the comments & if we watch the same stuff, I'd love to chat about it :)

I figured I'd get the show I'm least excited about out the way first: Pretty Little Liars. Ugh, this shoooow. I'm going to be honest... I'm not into it anymore, but it's on its fourth season and I feel like I'm in too deep to back away now. I hate-watch it now (kinda like how you hate-read Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey). It frustrates me to no end, but somehow, I'm stuck on it. I have major issues with this show, not because of the mediocre acting, but because of the writers. Mysteries from seasons past are left unsolved, and I feel like they constantly bring up new elements instead of tying loose ends. Overall, really unsatisfying. Would not recommend. If you watch it too, please tell me you feel the same way?! I think I have hopes that they'll somehow revive it and make it worthwhile... Sigh.

Canadians, you can catch up on episodes at MuchMusic.com.

Big Brother: I'm not by any means a BB superfan like most of this show's viewers, but I've definitely enjoyed watching the past couple seasons. My only problem with it is that it's difficult to keep up with because it airs Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Other than that, it's really interesting to watch! I love seeing who befriends who, who wins what competition, which alliances are strong and which ones die... It's a lot of fun. Admittedly, most of the contestants are shallow and unidimensional, but Big Brother makes for the best "guilty pleasure TV show". I'm not absolutely loving anyone right from the start this season, but my favorites so far are Amanda and Nick.

Canadians, you can catch up on episodes at GlobalTV.ca.

Skins (!!!!!!!!) I recently re-watched seasons 1 through 4 of Skins on Netflix so I'm really excited about the 7th season. If you are unaware, this will be the last season of the show and will only be 6 episodes long, highlighting the lives of Effy Stonem, Cassie Ainsworth, and James Cook (all past characters). So far, only the first episode has aired and personally I think it's still too early to decide whether or not this is a good idea. I'm already sad about what they did to Naomi's character, but we'll have to see how everything pans out in the next episode. I'm excited for it!

Torrent this to catch up!

My Netflix summer pick is Psych, a hilarious and smart detective show. I happened to catch an episode of this on TV one day, never having heard of it before, and to my delight the first six seasons happened to be on Netflix! I'm not that big on violence and suspense which my only issue with detective shows like CSI, but Psych has that super satisfying crime-solving element mixed in with a humorous main character - keeping it light but still mysterious at all times. Plus, I'm a sucker for classic Holmesian problem-solving. Overall, really entertaining and sustains the waits between my other TV shows lol!

You'll need American Netflix to watch this. Just do a quick search on how to get it if you're Canadian.

There you have it! If you have any other recommendations for me (preferably on Netflix) please let me know :)