Do It Yourself Essie Nail Kit

If you're like me and don't do your own nails then you know a good portion of your paycheck is spent on the luxury of going to nail salons. I have been going to nail salons for the past 10 years - I cant help myself, I just love the feeling of getting pampered and having a good foot scrub/massage.

Now that I have more expenses (one of which is a new car) it finally hit me that I need to save money on at least one of my beauty splurges. Clothes, makeup, and haircare are definitely out of the question because seriously those are female necessities I don't care what anybody says.

I've been able to spend less on food by eating smaller portions and cutting out things I don't really need (appetizers, frozen yogurt, pastries, etc.) After some thought, I decided one thing I could lessen is nail care. A lot of my girlfriends dedicate a day of the week to do their nails at home and with all of the right tools, it's definitely something I can do myself. I stopped by the Target Nail Supplies section to pick up the essentials: Nail polish, base coat, nail cutter, nail file, cuticle removers, nail polish remover, and a foot brush.

I do have to say the Sally Hansen cuticle remover is amazing! You can also use it on feet calluses as a temporary callus remover. I immediately wanted to try the Essie Gel-Setter since I usually get gel nails in the salons. I currently have the gel color Sunday Funday which is a peachy shade and fun for the beach. (See below pic)

The Essie Gel-Setter is good but I don't know if I would repurchase - it chipped after 6 days and is nowhere as near long-lasting as doing gel nails in a salon (which can last up to 3 weeks). I much prefer using regular Essie polish with a base coat and top coat - that would give me about 8 days without any major chipping. I'm still a huge fan of all Essie colors though! :) 

I'm going to update with more pics if I try any new colors I get!

Cocktails & Convo Blogger Event by 365Hangers

On July 21st in Downtown, Los Angeles, I was invited to attend the "Cocktails & Convo" event by 365Hangers.

Some of the top bloggers/web entrepreneurs were guest speakers and brought some great tips on how to be successful online, whether it be blogging or owning your own online business.  The speakers were Amina Mucciolo, Chanelle Laurence, Deniz Selin, Courtney Messerli of Nasty Gal, and Moderator Wendy Bendoni.

There was such a great group of people with lots of energy and I was so excited to be apart of it all! I want to share with you all some of the things we covered:

• Be sure to utilize all kinds of social media: Pinterest, Polyvore, Facebook, Lookbook, Chictopia, etc. The more you are exposed and seen online can only help you. Use hashtags and always add a link to your blog whenever you post anywhere.
• Make sure to add labels. For example, if your post is about a little black dress, use a "Little Black Dress" tag. Don't forget to also label your images accordingly as this will pull up in search engine images and drive more traffic to your site.
• Make sure your website is mobile friendly. You can work with your web developer if you need help.
• Spend half an hour a day networking with other bloggers, commenting, and liking other posts (make sure you are honest with your likes!)
• Frequently update your blog (I definitely need to work on this as well!) Google will deem your site as active and credible if you do.
• Make use of Google Trends as they will help you see which posts are more popular.
• Feel free to reach out to your favorite brands and let them know you're interested to work with them if they have a blogger program. Let them know what your blog is about and what type of audience you attract. Be creative when pitching why you are unique from other bloggers and what you have to offer. You have to sell them on you. For example, "I may not get tons of hits but I have 'X' type of audience and can influence 'Y' type of viewers..."
• Guest post whenever possible.

We even got to enjoy some wine and goodies at the event. Pictures below:

 

 

 

Overall, it was a great learning experience for me as I networked with a lot of girls with similar creative interests. I would definitely love to attend any future events similar to this as I love learning from experienced bloggers and social media experts. Hope to attend many more! :)