100th Post!!!!! 1st Giveaway!!!

To celebrate our 100th post on Sweet Glow Beauty we wanted to thank you guys with our very first reader giveaway!!! One reader will be selected at random to win a sweet little package with a couple of our favorite products and a few extra surprises! We want to thank you all for reading, commenting, and inspiring us to keep on posting. We started this blog because we both love makeup and wanted to share our finds with those of you who like it as much as we do!

So here is the deal, below are three questions we want you to answer. Leave a comment with your answers and your name and then we will randomly draw a winner. You have until Friday 11:59 PM to comment with your answers. We will pick a winner Monday and reveal the prize sometime next week. Goodluck and don't forget to follow us!!!

Here are the questions:

Name:

Question 1: How did you find out about Sweet Glow Beauty?

Question 2: Have you bought or thought about buying any particular products we have reviewed because of a positive review? Please name the product.

Question 3: What is your all time favorite beauty product?

Thanks again to all of our loyal readers! Look out for an actual review tomorrow and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

-M & T

OPI's Green-wich Village, $9

One thing I love about summer is the freedom to try wild colors on your toenails. Wild toenails and wild shoes--can't go wrong! I recently took out one of my old favorites: OPI's Green-wich Village from their Mod about Brights collection. The name always makes me think of New York in the summer.

The green is like a Granny Smith apple mixed with the upholstery of an awesome retro couch. I wore them with my awesome Seychelle heels. I like to use this as a touch of color in my outfit--keep everything else dark with blacks, grays, and dark denim.


Final verdict
Cost: Originally around $9, but can be found on Amazon for as cheap as $3.
Color: Gorgeous and rich, bright but not neon. Very retro! Definitely use at least 2 coats though, otherwise the color won't be as opaque.
Repeat offender: I love this color, and would buy it again if I run out! It's a great saturated green without being too powerful or young.

Hey guys, remember to follow us here or check out our Facebook! We're going to have something real special for one of our followers very soon!

-T

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller, $10-12

I've had the Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller since it came out. I don't use it very often but when I'm having one of those days (lack of sleep, staying out too late, stress, etc) I remember that I have this little gem and use it under my eyes. This product promises to instantly reduce under-eye swelling and dark circles, and overtime it promises that you will see the puffiness and darkness fade more. Well I never used this for a long period of time and to be honest I don't have the under-eye darkness or swelling enough to have to. But I can definitely say that you do see a change pretty instantly when you do use it.


To use it you just roll the roller from the inside corner of your under-eye area to the outside corner. The roller ball is a nice cool metal ball that also soothes as you apply the serum. The product is kind of a clear diluted gel that dries within seconds of application on your skin. Once it dries it actually feels firmer under your eye, what I mean is the skin tightens. You can definitely see an improvement in your under-eye area because of this.

Final verdict:
Cost: It is priced between $10-12. Kind of pricey but if you don't have to use it a lot it will last you a long time.
Does it do what it promises?: Short term, yes. Long term, I can't say. But it definitely helps give your face a pick-me-up. It actually has caffeine in it (don't ask me how they do this lol) but it is pretty much like a shot of espresso for your under-eye area.
Repeat offender?: Since this problem is pretty minor for me I think I would buy this again if I ever used it all up. If you have a more serious under-eye darkness issues I would suggest going with something that is maybe a higher quality for long term results.

-M

China Glaze Ghoulish Glow topcoat, $2-$5

Yesterday Mirna showed you the loveliness that is China Glaze nailpolish. I could tell from reading reviews on other beauty and nailpolish blogs that this stuff is legit. So, I decided to go crazy and try their Ghoulish Glow glow-in-the-dark topcoat. Because I still get excited over glow-in-the-dark anything. As you can see from the pic above, it's basically clear. It has a little yellow tint and tiny little specks, so it would probably be best to wear it over another color.

Let's get to the fun part. Does it really glow in the dark?
YES. You do have to "charge" it first (hold it under a light), but it definitely glows!

It glows under black light, too.
So fun!


Final verdict
Cost: $2-$5--awesome!
Does it glow?: Yes! It glows after holding it under a light, and under black light.
Quality: I was really impressed by the quality of the nailpolish. I thought it would be streaky but it's not at all. It's really easy to put on and dries pretty quickly. I've only had it on for a day but it hasn't started chipping (or showing signs of chipping).
Color: It's mostly clear but has a slightly yellow tint, so I'd suggest wearing it over another color (so your nails don't look dingy).
Repeat offender: Oh, I would totally buy this again. I'd recommend it to everyone, especially my clubbin' friends!

Don't forget to follow us here or on Facebook! We have a special surprise coming up soon. :)

-T

China Glaze Sacred Heart, $2-5

You all know by now that I am a self proclaimed OPI loyalist, but lately I've been drawn to China Glaze nailpolish. They have just as many fans as OPI and just as many beautiful and interesting colors. I made the splurge and bought a few to try out. This lovely red polish is called Sacred Heart. It is made to resemble the red of a sacred heart tattoo, since the particular color collection is inspired by tattoos.

I just got the polishes I ordered yesterday and have been itching to get a manicure/pedicure so I settled on the classic red color to take with my to the salon. I don't get my nails done very often and I used to just use whatever color I liked there, but since I now own tons of my own polishes I just choose something I have.

This vibrant red is very reminiscent of pinup girls and classic beauties. I love a nice red manicure and pedicure because it is super simple yet is still the cherry-on-top of a look. I am very happy with this polish because it went on very evenly in just two coats.

Final verdict:

Cost: You can find this polish anywhere from $2-5 which is a really good deal for the quality you are getting. I am definitely drawn to it more because of the cost. I ordered mine online because I honestly don't think I have ever seen China Glaze polish at any local stores.

Is the polish true to the name?: I definitely think this red polish has a badass quality to it like the name Sacred Heart. It is a perfect red, it doesn't lean toward orange or pink so it is a pure red.

Repeat offender? Hell yeah. This goes up there right next to OPI's Vodka and Caviar red nailpolish which was my go-to red. Now that I started the China Glaze kick I have a feeling you will be seeing a lot more of these reviews!

PS--We are getting ready to let you know about a special surprise!! Don't forget to start following us to be able to participate!

-M

L'Oreal HiP Studio Secrets Shocking Shadow Pigments, $9-$12

Well, I tried High Intensity Pigment's cream eyeliner a little while ago and didn't have that much luck with it. In the same trip to CVS I grabbed one their Shocking Shadow Pigments in Exciting.

I'm not sure why but I was under the impression that HiP's colors were generally matte. When I picked this up though, all I could see was the beautiful purple-pink-white iridescence. And if you know me, you know I can't resist anything that sparkles.

The color is predominantly white with a pink iridescent shimmer.

The eyeshadow is a loose powder in a tiny little 0.05oz. jar, which can get a little messy if you're not careful with it. Make sure it's closed all the way but don't close it too tight (stripping the inside)--I've learned from past (dumb) experiences! But, this closes pretty securely, so I'm not really worried about it leaking.

One thing that made me okay with paying $11 for eyeshadow is the free brush. It's a pretty good size (especially for the small container) and is soft. It grabs the powder well and makes it easy to apply.

As you can see, the color shows up really well. It would work great for any part of the eye (lid, eyebrows, corner) and as a highlighter. It blends well and seems really subtle at first, but then sparkles when you turn.







Final verdict
Cost: $9-$12, depending on where you get it. (Look for it and other colors on Amazon for around $9).
Color: Wow, the color is incredible! Dynamic, iridescent, and subtly dramatic (what a great oxymoron). If all the colors have this much life, I'll buy 5 more.
Easy to use: The brush it comes with is a great size--much bigger, softer, and more useful than most free eyeshadow brushes. The powder goes on easily and blends and builds well.
Repeat offender: I'd definitely buy this again! I want to go out and try other colors, too. HiP, you disappointed me with the cream eyeliner, but this totally makes up for it.

-T

Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter, $3.00

I tend to gravitate toward Burt's Bees lip balms when I need a new one, either because I lost all of my other ones or somehow managed to finish a tube without losing it! As I was browsing the lip balms looking for the original slightly minty variety I noticed that there are at least 5 different varieties of Burt's Bees lip balms but not the one I was looking for! However this one made with mango butter stood out to me because I love the smell and taste of mangos.


I have tried the Burt's Bees pomegranate lip balm so I knew that their fruity flavor wouldn't be too much. The Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter is a really good, lightly flavored lip balm. It goes on nice and smooth and doesn't cake up at all. It also feels like it is on my lips for longer than a few seconds. It doesn't leave a greasy feeling, yet it feels like it is working minutes after applying it.

Final verdict:
Cost: $3.00 at drugstores and online (I remember when you could only find Burt's Bees and Whole Foods!).
Does it soften lips?: After using it for one day I already feel like my lips have softened.
Repeat offender?: I definitely will use Burt's Bees lipbalms. I can see myself tiring from the mango flavor eventually but for now it is perfect!

-M