*** NEW *** Dixie Plates 02 Swatches

Tuesday 31 May 2016

The second video showing off my stamping plates is up on my YouTube channel and I'm showing off Dixie Plate 02 today.

This plate is full of images - 30 to be exact.  So ideal for shorter to medium length nails.  Lots of florals with a few hearts and other goodies thrown in for good measure.

I'm also using my other stamper in this video, the clear one.  This is perfect for precision placement an also magnifies the image slightly.  It also comes with a lid to protect the delicate stamper head.

Dixie Plates will be released in June in my Shopify store, with a pre-sale to be announced soon.  Click HERE and sign up at the store for more details on when the store opens.

I am bringing out three plates, with the third plate up tomorrow and the first yo can find here.

The plates measure 14.5cm long by 9.5cm wide.  As well as the stamper in this video, check out the one in the first video.  I will be stocking both as they both stamp great with my plates and need no priming.

To stay informed about what's going on with Dixie Plates, please feel free to join my Dixie Plates Facebook group.

This group is for professional nail techs and non-professionals alike.  Everyone is welcome :-)

If you've got any questions, you can email info@dixiegirlxox.com.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Introducing DIXIE PLATES | My Line of Stamping Plates

Monday 30 May 2016

Finally the cat is out of the bag.  I'm releasing my own line of nail stamping plates.

Dixie Plates will be released in June in my Shopify store, with a pre-sale to be announced soon.  Click HERE and sign up at the store for more details on when the store opens.

I am bringing out three plates, with the first being the one in today's video.  The first plate features my Dixie Girlxox logo with a full plate of gorgeous images built into the logo.

The next two videos will be up later this week so keep an eye out.

The plates measure 14.5cm long by 9.5cm wide.  I'm also going to be stocking a couple of stampers, one being a large super sticky stamper and the other, slightly smaller and clear for precision stamping.

To stay informed about what's going on with Dixie Plates, please feel free to join my Dixie Plates Facebook group.

This group is for professional nail techs and non-professionals alike.  Everyone is welcome :-)

If you've got any questions, you can email info@dixiegirlxox.com.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Lust Have It Unboxing | May 2016

Sunday 29 May 2016

I've got my May Lust Have It unboxing up on my YouTube channel.  Another great box with loads of fab products and one major fail!

We got another gorgeous eyeshadow, this time from Teeez Cosmetics.  Not only is the colour I received a gorgeous rich gold, the packaging is super cute.

This bag really caters for Winter, with a mystery item AND a bonus pair of leggings from Razzamattaz.  Not necessarily what I would expect to see in a beauty subscription box, but great nonetheless.  With the weather suddenly ridiculously cold, I can wear these while I'm filming.  So where I wouldn't necessarily go out and buy the leggings, I am certainly grateful and I'll check them out in the supermarket next time I go.

One huge fail for me is the Starlooks eyeliner.  Not only did it take over five minutes to remove the plastic wrap (some of which was actually fused to the product), but when I tried it, it was NOT black (or even brown for that matter - the card and packaging don't mention a colour) but it barely worked with a washed out sludgy brown coming out.

Honestly, even if it had worked, I was so pissed off by the time I'd managed to get 70% of the wrapping off, I would have disliked it overall anyway.

Other than that, a great bag with a range of goodies.

Don't forget I've got a $5 discount off your first box.  Just enter DIXIEGIRL1 at checkout for the discount to be applied.


All products are listed in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox



Moyra Damask Drapery Plate Review & Swatches

Friday 27 May 2016

I've got the second video in my Moyra stamping plate series.  This one is showing off the gorgeous Damask Drapery plate.

Each of the Moyra plates I have measures 14.5cm by 9.5cm and unlike most plates of this size, the images themselves are larger than standard, measuring 2cm by 2.4cm.  This is great if you have slightly longer nails.

The images are just beautiful on this plate.  They really do remind me of fine drapery that I'd expect to find in a French palace (I have a good imagination haha).

The plates are well etched, the images are unique and I highly recommend you get your hands on some  of these plates if you are looking to add something new to your collection.

I stamped over a base of Indigo Indio from the Cali Dreamin' collection by Bundle Monster.  They do some gorgeous gel polishes and they're even better because they're a non-professional brand, so perfect if you like to do your nails at home.

I used Chromeo stamping polish from Hit The Bottle and stamped with my trusty Fab Ur Nails stamper.

I've listed all the products I used in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Maslow & Co New Zealand Box | Unboxing

Wednesday 25 May 2016

I recently had the pleasure of trying out a new luxury beauty subscription box service, Maslow & Co.

Maslow & Co are an Australian company who source products from all over the world to feature in their boxes.  Each box has a theme, the current being New Zealand.

I can say without any hesitation, this is- in my opinion - by far the best beauty box on the market in Australia.  I was blown away with the quality (and quantity) of the products that the box contains.

All but one of the products are full size and they are all beautiful, high quality products.  This box contains no makeup at all, which I find very refreshing.  Instead it's choc-full of gorgeous New Zealand skincare products that are PERFECT for me.



I am 44 and I literally feel that Maslow & Co made this box just for me.  Everything is perfect for my skin-type, skin issues and also perfectly suited to my age group.  This is not to say that someone younger couldn't benefit from this box.  Far from it.  Everything in the box would suit most ages.

The boxes themselves are a sleek black with a pop of colour on the label.  The box arrived by courier and was well packaged when it arrived.



The Maslow & Co boxes are bi-monthly and there are several options you can choose when it comes to ordering:

1. An annual subscription with an up-front payment of $240.  This will give you 6 boxes with a value of over $700.  Also if you use the code DIXIEGIRL at checkout, you will receive the New Zealand box FREE!

2. Bi-monthly, billed bi-monthly at a cost of $44 per box with no lock-in contract.

3. Gifts.  Why not treat someone you love to these amazing boxes?  You can purchase a one-off box for $54, a six month subscription (giving you 3 boxes) for $132, or the one year subscription for $240.

I think these would make the perfect gift and I would be over the moon to receive this as a present.

The next box is due out in June and is going to be featuring products from the West Coast of the USA. Super excited for this box so stay tuned for a review coming very soon.  Subscription cut off for this box is 31st May.

I've listed all the products that were in my box, along with a link to Maslow & Co, should you want to purchase a subscription yourself, in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig Wednesday Weight Update #11

My latest Jenny Craig video is up on my YouTube channel.  Today is the end of week 11 so one more week and I reach the end of my first 12 week program and I've enjoyed every bit of it.

I was still a little unwell towards the end of this week so I had to take it easy for a couple of days - something which I am finding difficult and annoying.  Now I've got more energy (even when I am sick) I want to be up and outside and I HATE laying around watching rubbish on TV.

I've dropped a nice amount of weight this week, despite having to rest for two days.  I've been better (but not perfect) at remembering to eat all of my food.  I'm slowly getting better.  I just need to remember to take breaks or at the very least, take my food to my desk and eat while I am working.

I'm finding that 99% of my clothes are too big so I will have to think about getting a few new bits to tide me over.  At this stage I don't want to go out and buy an entire new wardrobe because I am aiming to get a lot smaller than I am BUT I do need to get a few bits so that I don't look like I'm walking around wearing a tent!

As I mentioned in the video, I am really enjoying the whole Jenny Craig experience.  I couldn't imagine anything worse than having to go into a group environment each week and weigh in in front of a heap of other people I don't know.

I love how I have a one-on-one relationship with my consultant.  If I am having issues during the week, I can ring Tammy and have a quick chat over the phone, or have a good chat about stuff when I go in for my weekly appointment.  I've felt really comfortable with the weekly meetings.  I'm not embarrassed about getting on the scale and I really enjoy catching up with Tammy to discuss my progress.

I'll have the photos of my progress and some of the clothes I was sent very soon.  I just want to lose a little more weight around my tummy before I get in front of a camera :-)

I've linked Jenny Craig in the description bar below the video if you would like to go and check them out.  If you are thinking about joining a weight loss program, I couldn't recommend Jenny Craig highly enough.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Lust Have It Unboxing | April 2016

Tuesday 24 May 2016

I've got my April Lust Have It unboxing up on my YouTube channel - a lot late - but better late than never right!

This is a great bag.  I really love the products they've sent this month, with my special favourite being the Manna Kadar 3-in-1 blush, highlight and eyeshadow.  I've been wearing it pretty much constantly since the bag arrived and it's just gorgeous.  It's a beautiful shimmery champagne colour that glides on silky smooth and lasts all day.

I won't ruin the unboxing for you.  If you're interested in seeing what else I got in the bag, you will have to watch the video.

I have a $5 off code for your first box if you are interested in subscribing.


All products are listed in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Wedding Season Acrylic Plate | Cici&Sisi

Sunday 22 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring a brand of plate that I haven't tried before.

Introducing Wedding Season 1 and Wedding Season 2 from Cici&Sisi.

I have a press sample plate so I have all the images on the one plate but when you purchase, the plate has been split into two slightly smaller plates.

Not only is the brand new to me, the material that the plate is made of is new to me too.  The plate is made from clear acrylic, making it lighter than your standard stainless steel stamping plate.

The images themselves are etched into the plate it's acetone resistant.

Perfect for weddings or beautiful delicate nail art, this plate is well etched and full of gorgeous designs.  I found it very easy to stamp with and easy to clean.  Definitely a plate you need to add to your collection.

I've linked all the products used, in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Bundle Monster Blogger Collab Set 2 Swatches

Friday 20 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring a gorgeous set of stamping plates that have been designed by five well known nail bloggers and Bundle Monster.  So this set of plates is called the Blogger Collaboration Set 2.

I think it's a great idea that a company has collaborated with five great nail bloggers to come up with some super fun plates.

As usual the plates are well etched and stamp beautifully.

I've left links to all the products I used, in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

*** NEW *** VIP Collection | Magpie Glitter *** NEW ***

Thursday 19 May 2016

I've got an exciting new product to share with you today.

Magpie Beauty kindly sent me their brand new VIP Collection for review and O.M.G. they are just beautiful.  The VIP Collection launches at Beauty UK on 22nd and 23rd of May in Birmingham.  They will also be available to purchase online from 7.00pm on 23rd of May.

The four colours in the collection are:

Suzie - Light gold holographic

Peaches - Rose gold holographic

Tiffany - Turquoise holograpic

Millie - Pink holographic

The glitters differ slightly from others carried by Magpie Beauty.  The VIP Collection have different size particles, giving the glitter that extra bling!





The glitters are even more gorgeous in real life.  It's so hard to capture the sparkle in a photo or video, but trust me, you won't be disappointed with these beauties. 

The applicator brush is back in stock so go grab one if you've been waiting.  I tried the applicator brush for the first time today and I am replacing my old tatty brush immediately... in fact it's already been laid to rest in the rubbish bin.   

The applicator brush applies the glitters beautifully and I found it much easier than the old brush I had been using.  I'm going to have a go at applying pigments with it and I will report back soon.


I've linked Magpie Beauty in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig Wednesday Weight Update #10

Wednesday 18 May 2016

I'm BACK after a break of two weeks.

I caught 'Man Flu' from my darling husband so I decided to take two weeks off from my Jenny Craig program.  I decided to do this because, after much experience with being sick for extended periods in the past, I didn't want to waste the program when I was more than likely to be sitting at home not wanting to eat and not doing any exercise.

I have auto-immune issues that play havoc with my immune system so when I get a cold I am usually sick for more time than a regular healthy person would be.

This time was no different, BUT it did take me much longer to actually get sick.  Usually my husband would just have to breath on me and I'd be sick a few hours later.  This time it took almost three weeks for me to actually catch it.  So I am hoping this is down to healthy eating and exercise potentially boosting my immune system.

I took the two weeks off but I tried to remain healthy by eating good foods and keeping my water intake up.  I was taking some steroid-based medicine so that probably didn't help with the weight.

The one thing I didn't do was eat anywhere near as much food as I do when I am on the program.  I simply had no appetite so when I was eating it was soups and small bowls of vegetables, combined with Lemsip and Panadol.

I've also been really struggling with my illness-induced asthma.  Asthma totally freaks me out as I don't get it on a regular basis and when I do, it's either exercise-induced or because I am sick.  So when I find I am wheezy I am convinced I am dying and I go into a panic :-/

So this week I am feeling a lot better and I went in for my weigh-in today.  I've gained 1.5kgs over the two weeks whilst I was sick but I am actually surprisingly happy with that.  I knew I'd put on weight but was convinced it was a gain of something stupid like 4kgs.

I think I am changing the way I look at food and seeing it as fuel rather than something to simply stuff my face with.  I am also looking at exercise differently and enjoying it rather than it being something that is just an inconvenience.

Talking of exercise, before I got struck down with the lurgy, I was actually attempting a slow jog (more like shuffle) and really enjoying it.  I'm aiming to get back into this hopefully in a week or two when I've fully gotten over my cold.

So even though I've gained weight, I know I will lose it again very quickly and it's nothing to stress about.  We can't always have a perfect week where there's a weight-loss.  Things happen and it's just how life is.  So I am remaining positive and going to continue my weight-loss journey with Jenny Craig.

At the end of the 12 week program I am signing up for another 12 weeks.  I've seen a huge difference in myself after deciding to do the Jenny Craig program and I want to continue along a positive and healthy path until I resemble a SUPER-MODEL!  Well, maybe not a super-model.  Let's just aim to be fit and healthy and not have to shop only in plus-sized stores!

I've linked Jenny Craig in the description bar below the video, in case you are interested in a program yourself.  I highly recommend it.  It's been an amazing experience so far.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

***NEW*** Über Chic Beauty Set 9 Stamping Swatches

Monday 16 May 2016

YAY don't you love it when the postman brings you nail goodies first thing on a Monday morning!

I got a delivery from ÜberChic Beauty and I always get excited when the lovely Brittany sends me a parcel.  Today I received the brand new Set 9, along with a couple of other goodies that I will show in another video.

Oh my goodness, what gorgeous plates - not that I expected anything less than that.  There are some super cute Summer appropriate images, along with some fun patterns and of course, the gorgeous florals that I always love to see on ÜberChic plates.

These plates are always packed with gorgeous, unique images that are well etched and stamp perfectly every time you use them.

If you are a beginner or expert you will love using these images as much as I do.  Super easy to use and just gorgeous on your nails.

I've used quite a few products in this video so I've linked them all in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

***NEW*** Collector Plate Holder | MoYou London

Friday 13 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring the brand new Collector Plate Holder from MoYou London.

This is a gorgeous zipped folder that contains enough space for 54 places, plus six side pockets for extra storage.  The folder itself is silkscreen printed with a beautiful fun design, has a high quality zip and will sit perfectly on a shelf.

The holder has a detachable spine so you can easily slip all your plates in and the individual slots hold the plates nice and snuggly so you don't need to worry about them falling out.

This is yet another beautiful product to be released by MoYou London.  Innovative and hight quality and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

I've linked the product in the description bar below the video, should you be interested in purchasing.  I think this is a fantastic product for storage and even better if you are an avid MoYou London collector.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Madam Glam Gel Polish Swatches #2

Thursday 12 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring the rest of my collection of gel polishes from Madam Glam.

I uploaded the first video last week and you can watch it HERE if you are interested in seeing the latest colours to be released by Madam Glam.

The gel polishes are beautiful to use, reasonably priced and a great size at 15ml.

Even though Madam Glam is not a professional brand, you won't be disappointed by the quality of the products.  I use Madam Glam on my nails on a regular basis and get the same amount of wear time as I do if I use a professional gel polish.

If you are interested in seeing any specific nail art tutorials or you would like to see swatch comparisons of any of the colours I've shown in the videos, please leave me a comment and I'll get it done for you.

All the names of the colours, along with links, are listed in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Moyra Fabric Texture Stamping Plate

Wednesday 11 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring the Fabric Texture plate from Moyra.

This is a new brand to me and they have some really beautiful plate designs.  Obviously this one is all sort of different fabrics.  

The plates are 14.5cm by 9.5cm, the same size as Über Chic Beauty and B.loves Plates, and the Moyra plates have 20 images on them. They've managed to add some more images, and also make them larger, by making the space between each image slightly smaller.

The images are larger (around the size of a standard Australian postage stamp) and great if you have longer nails.  

The images are well etched and easy to stamp.  The plates also come in gorgeous colourful sleeves, to protect the plate from scratching.

I have six plates in total so I will review each one individually.

I believe there are a couple of suppliers in the UK who I can highly recommend.  The first being Rainbow Connection and the second being Susan's Nail Store.  Both are highly reputable and I have several friends who order from both.

I should point out here, I will not recommend a supplier I do not have faith in.  I don't want to recommend someone to you that I wouldn't buy from myself.

I've used a base of several gel polish colours from several brands and stamped with my trusty Fab Ur Nails XL gold stamper and Snowed In from Hit The Bottle.

All products used are listed in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Caribbean Collection | Gel II

Tuesday 10 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring the lovely new Caribbean Collection from Gel II.  In the video, I show each colour, along with a selection of similar colours from the shades I already owned.

The colours are gorgeous and vibrant, perfect for Spring and Summer.

The shade names are:

G206 Floral Flirtation
G207 Mango Tango
G208 Tropical Craze
G209 Caribbean Vibe
G210 Flora Bora
G211 Purple Twilight

Each shade is nicely pigmented and you get a good opacity with two coats.

There are a couple of significant changes with this collection.  The first being a label change.  The old labels were predominantly black with a band of colour at the bottom.  The new labels are the same colour as the shades in the bottle, with the name of the colour in a white font across a small black band in the middle of the label.

The other more significant change is the cure time.  Each colour coat needs to be cured for 50 seconds, rather than the original 30 seconds.  This change relates to this collection, and all colours going forward.

I've listed the products in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Bundle Monster Poli-Peel Review

Monday 9 May 2016

I've got a short video up on my YouTube channel reviewing Poli-Peel from Bundle Monster.

Poli-Peel is a latex-based cuticle barrier you can use for stamping, water marbling and any kind of nail art where you are likely to get product on your skin.

It's a great product that goes on light pink and dries within about 20-30 seconds.  When it's dry, it turns a dark pink.

The Poli-Peel is a very thin formula, goes on beautifully with a generous brush and comes off easily in one piece.

As with all latex-based cuticle protection, it has an interesting odour, but nothing you can't deal with.  Just don't stick your nose too close to the bottle!

In my opinion, this is a great addition to your nail art kit.

I've tested the Poli-Peel out by doing some stamping over my nails.  I've listed all the products used in the description bar below the video.

NOTE: If you have an allergy to latex, then don't use this product.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox



Kaleidoscopic Stamper & Fashionista 16 Plate Review | MoYou London

Saturday 7 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring the new Kaleidoscopic Stamper and the new plate 16 from the Fashionista collection.  Both products are from MoYou London and they ship worldwide (with some exceptions).

I've used black stamping polish from Nail Stamping Queen and I am stamping over a gorgeous base of LadyLike from Madam Glam.  I am currently obsessed with this colour, a gorgeous shimmering light rose gold / bronze colour.  A nice twist on the nudes that I usually wear.

The Fashionista plate is all lace images and they are just stunning.  These would be perfect for bridal nails, or anyone that loves lace.  The images are well etched and I had no issue with picking up perfect stamps every time.

The one thing I will say, when cleaning the plate with a cotton pad, I found I got a lot of fuzzies stuck in the etching so I went over the plate with a lint-free cloth.  Obviously this is not an issue.  It's a sign that the etching is very well done.

The stamper is fantastic.  I love the long handle and the fact that you can precisely place your image on the nail with no issue, due to the clear stamper.  I was a little worried that because the stamper wasn't sticky, it would be tricky to get a clean image.  Not the case at all.  The stamper picked up perfectly every time with no priming or cleaning before use.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the Madam Glam products, I have a 30% off code.  Simply enter kate30 at checkout for your discount to be applied.  This is not an affiliate code.

All products mentioned are linked in the description bar below the video :-)

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Pastel Collection | Cuccio Colour Veneer

Friday 6 May 2016

I've got a new video up on my YouTube channel showing you the gorgeous Pastel Collection from Cuccio.

The bottles are 13ml and matte black with a little heart cutout on the front so you can see exactly what colour is inside.  Cuccio is a professional only brand, so if you are after something for DIY nails, then check out some of my other non-professional brand videos.

The pastel collection consists of six creme shades and they are just beautiful.  The consistency of the product is quite thin and you get a good opacity with two coats.

Cuccio Colour Veneer is a lovely product to use and after this swatch video, stay tuned for some nail art tutorials using each shade.

All product information is listed in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

***NEW*** Madam Glam Gel Polish Colours

Wednesday 4 May 2016

There's a new video up on my YouTube channel featuring 15 of the new colours from Madam Glam and OH MY GOODNESS some of these colours are stunning.

Every colour I bought is lovely and I've mentioned at the end of the video my three favourites.  Madam Glam colours are highly pigmented, with many of the colours only needing one coat.

They are a non-professional brand so anyone has access to these beautiful gel polishes.  Another great thing about Madam Glam gel polishes is that they are 5 free and cruelty free.

There is also a good range of regular nail polishes, chameleon gels and lamps to choose from, should you want to purchase from them.

Shipping is very reasonable, and as I mentioned in the video, you can either use my 30% off discount code kate30 at checkout, or look out for other great offers from Madam Glam by signing up to receive their news letters.

All the colours I've swatched, are listed in the description bar below the video.



Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

***NEW*** Hit The Bottle Stamping Polish Swatches

Monday 2 May 2016

New video up on my YouTube channel where I'm showing you the latest ten gorgeous stamping polishes to be released by Hit The Bottle.

Hit The Bottle is an indie brand of stamping polish, proudly made in Australia.  Michelle, the owner of Hit The Bottle, has done a fantastic job of coming up with some lovely colours with super cute names.  Not only are the colours just beautiful, they stamp perfectly over black... or whatever colour you want to use.

The polishes are 5 free and there's no overpowering odour with these stamping polishes.  Check out the Hit The Bottle store for a full range of colours and check out the other goodies while you're there.

I've listed all the products used in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Hayley Larue Design