Thursday, April 28, 2011

Stila Kitten

I purchased Stila Kitten eye shadow a few months back on , and I really only used it as an eyebrow bone highlighter (on occasion). It really has just been sitting in my drawer collecting dust. The thing is, I have been in search of a great cheek highlighter for so long. Little did I know... Stila Kitten is great for that, and I have owned it for months. I was playing with my makeup the other day and just happened to apply some on my cheekbone to get some shimmer. It works AMAZING as a highlighter (either applying with your fingers with the tapping motions or with a bigger brush and lightly blend). I was so excited when I realized that I didnt need to spend any money on anything else. This shadow does exactly what I wanted. Gives me the natural glow and shimmer all in one. If I put it on too heavy then I just use a clean blush brush and blend. If you own this shadow already, try it out! Let me know what you think. If you don't you can purchase Stila at Ulta, Sephora, or online. The normal price for Kitten in a pan is $18.00.


Monday, April 25, 2011

Eyebrow Tinting

I purchased Godefroy Eyebrow tint (in medium brown), and tinted my mom's brows. It's been many years since I did this but she was in desperate need. I dont know how long it's going to last, but application was easy. I wasnt able to use the wood applicators that it came with... I used pointed Q-Tips instead (much easier). I also didnt use petroleum jelly (like it called for). I was being lazy... you really should use it, especially if you are new to tinting. Overall her brows look much better. I kept the tint on her brows for approximately 1 minute.

As long as the tint lasts on her brows for 2 weeks then I will be purchasing Godefroy again (in the future). The pictures below are of the product, before picture of her brows, then the after pictures.

UPDATE: I dont think that this brand, Godefroy, is something that I would recommend. The tint itself only lasted approximately 1 week (maybe a little longer). I still have a few capsules of color left so I will be using that (for myself), and once I am done with that I am going to try another brand. Once I find something that I think is worthy of blogging about I will do so.


(before)

(one eyebrow done... the other not done yet)

(DONE!!!)

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Beauty Blender

I have been researching the Beauty Blender for the past few weeks. I am not a huge fan of sponges because of bacteria, and to me it never seemed sanitary to use a sponge more then a few times (on myself). My feelings aside, I have finally shelled out the cash and purchased it. Sephora was having their VIB sale, which saved me a few dollars. I bought 2 sponges for $22.00 (before shipping). I gave one of the sponges to my mom... I know that she is going to love it as much as I do.

The way that I used it was to wet it, and squeeze out the excess water (until it was just damp... use a towel to get out most of the water). Then I applied my foundation to my skin directly (dot of foundation on my forehard, one on each cheek, dot on my chin, and on my nose). I have also applied the foundation and concealer directly to the sponge. Either way works great! I then took the slightly damp beauty blender and dabbed it on my face. The beauty blender website calls it bouncing. To do your whole face you use the bigger round end. To get in tiny spots, like around and under your nose or around your eyes... you use the pointed end of the beauty blender. I did the same for my concealer... I put the concealer directly on my face (in the spots I conceal) and then did the bouncing with the beauty blender. Instead of using my big powder brush to put my MAC powder on (to set my foundation), I dabbed the sponge right into the powder and did the same thing... "bounced".

This does take a bit longer then your normal application for foundation, but the results are so much better. You do have an airbrush look... without using or having to pay for an airbrush machine. I know from my own experience that this does look like airbrushing... because I own the Dinair Airbrush System. Now, I didnt purchase the cleanser because I figured that I would just use a foaming facial cleanser.

I hope that this review helps some people decide whether or not the beauty blender is for them or not. I am very glad I made the purchase. I will be using the beauty blender from here on out... unless I actually airbrush.




(Sorry for the bad pictures... BUT my makeup does look airbrushed)


Friday, April 22, 2011

Vineyard Collection Grapes

This lotion smells incredible. I have never smelled anything as good as this (in a lotion) that actually lasts all day. It also leaves your skin moisturized without it being heavy and thick. This is the 2nd bottle that I have bought. I am not the kind of person that buys scents more then once unless its something that I love... and I love everything about this lotion. If you like sweet scents (that aren't overbearing) then this might be something that you are interested in. I actually could not wait to do a review on this today because I was out running errands and the man at the counter asked me what I was wearing because I smelled so good. After that little encounter today I knew that I had to write about this lotion.


Thursday, April 21, 2011

Inglot

When I went to IMATS NY I finally bought a few Inglot eye shadows. I do love them... they are extremely pigmented. I am sad to say that all I bought was neutral colors. My plan was to go back to the Inglot counter and buy more before we left IMATS, but the line was crazy long. Inglot was the 1st place that we stopped when we got there and I didnt want to purchase alot of shadows before I walked around. Now it looks like I am going to have to purchase the fun bright colors online or I am going to have to take a road trip to North Jersey (to their store). I am trying to find an excuse to take the road trip because I know that I really want to play with the colors. Well here are a few pictures of the colors that I purchased. (When I swatched them, my camera did not pick up enough of the color. It's not worth posting yet. I need to find better light or a better camera.) ENJOY!!!


(From Left to Right: AMC Shine 30, Pearl 397, D.S. 461, AMC Shine 31, AMC Shine 42)


1st Haul (random fun stuff)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

e.l.f. Professional Mechanical Eyelash Curler

I was at Target one day (about 2 months ago), and it must have been my lucky day. I have heard numerous rumblings about Target carrying e.l.f. products but I personally have never seen anything of the sort at my local store. I was browsing down the makeup isles and saw a tiny collection of e.l.f. products. That day I bought a few e.l.f. products... but out of those few products I purchased, the mechanical eyelash curler was the best!

This curler was only $1.00, and it works wonders on my short lashes. I have read online that some people complain saying that it pinches their lids... but I think you can do that with ANY eyelash curlers. I have yet to find an curler that doesnt pinch (besides my heated curler). You just need to be careful. The $1.00 I spent on this was well worth it!!!!

Brow Powder

I have naturally blonde eyebrows. I get them tinted every few weeks because it is much easier that way. I still like to use something to fill in my brows to make them really pop. Eyebrows do frame your face. When I found Anastasia Powder Duo, I knew that I had to try it. I have heard such wonderful things about Anastasia Soare (the eyebrow guru). http://anastasia.net/index.php

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo is on the pricey side, but I have not found anything that I like nearly as much (as of yet). This product is lightweight, gives you sheer to medium coverage, and is smudge proof. When I was at Sephora I was advised by the sales girl to get Ash Blonde/Taupe (this is suggested for light to dark blonde hair). I opted out of getting that color and actually went a little darker. I bought Medium Ash/Medium Brown (this is suggested for light to medium brown and silver hair). I think that I made the right decision because I love this product. The suggested retail price is $22.00, but I do think its worth it. The only downfall with this product is that I only use the one side (the darker color). I have yet to use the lighter color. But, I have owned this product for 6 months (atleast) and I have not hit pan yet.

Application: Apply the powder onto the brow using a small angle brush. With short, light strokes, I apply the darker color first where the brows are sparse, then continue on to the rest of the brow. Once Im happy with the coverage I put clear mascara (Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara) on my brows to set the color and keep all my eyebrow hairs in place for the day.

This is just a side note... I have blonde hair and blonde eyebrows so I bought a darker color for my brows. When you have dark eyebrows, you should go 1 shade lighter. This is what I learned in school and I do see that it looks much better this way.

Twist & Pout

This was the cutest lip moisturizer I had ever seen, and could not resist... I had to purchase it. This was on http://www.hautelook.com/events a while back and I thought that it was the cutest lip moisturizer I had ever seen. (Side Note: Im doing this post now because Twist & Pout is going to be on Hautelook.com again on Friday April 22nd.) Plus it's a total bonus that it has a clip that you can clip anywhere. I bought mine for $8.00, but I think that they normally sell for $12.00 and up.

When I finally received it in the mail, I put it on my keys right away. (It's the worst when you are out and dont have any lip balm and you need it!!! haha) Not only is this little handy-dandy lip moisturizer cute, but it does moisturize very well, and it has a good citrus taste (which I like). When you visit the actual website for Twist & Pout (http://www.twist-and-pout.com/) you can see all the different collections that they have. One is cuter then the next. I will definitely be purchasing more of these sooner then later. Just like it says on their website... "Take a dip into each of the collections to see which T&P speaks to you and let your inner trend setter shine!"


Brush Cleaner

Regular cleaning of your makeup brushes will help your brushes last longer and prevent pimples. Dirty brushes can clog pores and provide a breeding ground for bacteria -- something you don't want near your face.

I have purchased MAC's Brush Cleanser ($12.00 for 7.9 oz.) a few times. The one thing that it is missing is a spray cap. Personally, when I clean my brushes I tend to pour out to much (wasting alot). I only clean my smaller brushes (eyes and lip brushes) with the MAC Brush Cleanser. I use Johnson's Baby Shampoo for the bigger brushes (facial brushes). This is my normal routine for cleaning my brushes. Once a month I will do a deep clean of all my brushes with Johnson's Baby Shampoo. Overall I think that MAC's Brush Cleanser is worth the money. It doesnt have a strong scent like some other products that are out there. When the scent is strong you tend to feel the need to rinse them after. With MAC's Brush Cleanser I dont feel that way. I clean them and put them away (without a rinse).

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

e.l.f. Eye Transformer

In the palette you get 4 shades of the transformer ($3.00). They look very, very pale and milky. From left to right is green, yellow, pink, and blue. If you swipe them with your finger, you'll see the milkiness vanish and just the shimmer will appear.

These really don't work on their own, unless you are using it in the corners of your eye (tear duct area) for highlighting. There's absolutely no point in applying these on your lids as regular eye shadows. You'll just see the barest hint of colored shimmer and nothing else. These work at their best over black liner, or black eyeshadow (something that is on the darker side).

When you apply these over black liner, black cream eye shadow, or a black powder eyeshadow these "transform" into the most amazing jewel colored shimmer... and much brighter.


I originally bought this as a highlighter and to go over lighter shadows to give them a new "look". So needless to say, this was not what I expected from this. I do think that it works great over dark shadows, but that is all that I would ever say that it really is good for. Even though it is an inexpensive product... I was still bummed.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Smashbox Photo Op

Smashbox make up artists have apparently raved about this... saying that it's a photoshoot staple, and that it almost eliminates the need for concealer. Sadly, my friends, Photo Op was a total bust. If this eliminates the need for concealer for you, then you probably didn't need much concealing in the first place.

This slightly shimmery apricot-tinged liquid is far too thin and non-pigmented to do any good. What it does do, is add a slight gleam or reflectiveness to the under-eye area, but it doesn't really aid in the concealing. Because it does have a slight gleam I have used it as a highlighter at times. This product was not cheap ($18.00 for 0.24 oz.) so I am going to use it until its gone. I dont think that this is a product that I would necessarily recommend as a concealer, but if you are looking for something to add some gleam to your under-eye area... then maybe this is a good product.

Clinique Chubby Stick

The Clinique Chubby Stick is the best of a lip balm, lip-gloss, and lipstick all in one. It’s moisturizing like a lip balm, glossy like a lip-gloss, and tinted like a lipstick. It can be applied with a light hand for a sheer wash of color or applied liberally to give your lips a lovely pop of color.

The Chubby Stick is a great alternative for those days when you just don’t feel like bothering with a lipstick, but want something with a bit more color than a lip balm. It’s also perfect for applying on the go without a mirror. It’s definitely not a high maintenance product and is perfect for someone new to the lip product world. Also, unlike some lip products, it won’t highlight any dry skin on the lips, but will rather help to combat that issue and moisturize your lips.

I purchased Whole Lotta Honey (02), and Graped Up (08). Each one was $15.00. I actually did get a small discount on these because I had a family member working at Macy's at the time and I was able to use her employee discount. Anyway... I love these Chubby Sticks. I am thinking about going back (before the summer), and getting brighter colors to wear over the summer.

In the picture, the top swatch is Whole Lotta Honey, and the bottom swatch is Graped Up. They are both on the brown side and yes... kinda similar. But I couldn't decide which one I liked better so I got both. HaHa!

Hard Candy Glitter Glue

Hard Candy's Show Girl's Secret Glitter Glue comes in a 0.86 fl. oz. clear bottle with a hot pink cap. It is used to keep glitter in tact. It is liquid; not sticky at all. The glitter stays put and applies more opaque then just applying glitter alone. To get the glitter liner look all you do is put a drop into the cap dip the brush (that comes with) into it then dip the brush into your glitter and swipe... it's that simple. If you want the glue to be all over your eyelid, then you can just use a small eyeshadow brush, dip your brush in the glue then put the glue on your eyelid. Then take the same brush (or a different one... its up to you) and put the glitter on top of the glue that you placed on your eyelid. This product is also really affordable! It sells at Wal-Mart for $5.00. I really love this stuff. Also Hard Candy does NOT test on animals! :)

Beauty Experiment: Monistat As Foundation Primer

After a lot of research on the web and trying to find an inexpensive foundation primer, I have finally found something that works GREAT... Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel (side note: this is NOT a yeast infection cream). It cost me a little under $9.00 for a 1.5 oz. tube. I bought this at my local CVS (drugstore), but I have read on other sites that you can find it for around $7.00.

I do my normal "makeup prep" routine that I always do. I put my eye cream and face cream on (and let that dry totally), and then I put on the Monistat. The Monistat gel has a nice texture--sort of powdery, as it's name implies. It made my skin matte and soft, and my foundation and concealer went on smooth and seamless. I set both with a dab of translucent powder.

My foundation stayed in place all day and my skin looks and feels wonderful with it on. I was a little skeptical at first about this product... but I must say that I dont think that I will ever purchase one of those expensive big name brand primers ever again.


Sunday, April 17, 2011

Philosophy Hope in a Jar

I received this as a gift around the holidays this year and I was totally excited. I heard rave reviews about Hope in a Jar... plus it was one of Oprah's Favorite Things. Now this was one of those face creams that I personally refused to spend the money on ($38.00 on 2 oz.) because I was scared I was going to fall in love with it. So instead one of my best friends decided she wanted to try it so she bought herself one, and me one at the same time.

Just like I thought... I LOVE THIS MOISTURIZER. It truly melts into your skin...just glides on and disappears like magic, leaving your skin comfortable, moisturized and luminous. This moisturizer is for all skin types, which I think is great! I think the smell is calming. It reminds me of a day at the spa. I have heard that some people are bothered by the scent, but not me.

The only down fall now is that when I run out of the 2 oz. jar that she bought me... I am going to have to purchase another one on my own. I am truly addicted to Philosophy's Hope in a Jar. I have been using this same jar since Decemb
er 2010 and its now April 2011. I would say that I am about 1/2 way through the jar. I use the moisturizer atleast once a day... sometimes twice, depending on how much my skin is craving it.

Overall... I would give this product 4 1/2 stars our of 5. I am taking away a 1/2 of a star because of the price. I do think it is a bit on the steep end for the little amount that you do get. But for anyone that actually does try it, I do think that you will be happy with the way your skin looks and feels. Sometimes you need to spend a littl
e money on skin care products, to help make your makeup (expensive or inexpensive products) look their best on your skin.

NYX Eyeshadow Base

I have been on the prowl for inexpensive makeup and skincare items. I was at Ulta the other day and purchased NYX Eyeshadow Primer in white (ESB01) and Skin Tone (ESB03). I normally wear Urban Decay's Primer Potion, but $18 is not cutting it this month and I was in need of a new eyeshadow primer.

I would have to say that I have mixed feelings for this product. When you apply it, you need to be careful not to apply to much of it or your eyeshadow will crease throughout the day. I use my fingers to apply so I know how much is going on my eyelid. This product really does make the colors of my shadows more vibrant (which I love). It does have a smooth application, and doesn't turn oily (on my lids... but I dont have oily skin either). One down fall is that I do think that my shadows did seem to fade a little by the end of the day (but not much). Overall, I do think that the product was worth the money. It was only $6.99 for each one. I think that if you are trying to save money, this might be a good option for some people.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Makeup Forever HD Foundation

This is the 1st foundation that I have purchased in a very long time. I have been airbrushing (Dinair) for over a year now and I love the way my skin looks when I do it. When I am totally lazy or just going to class I normally just put on tinted moisturizer (Origins) because Im not really looking to impress anyone and Im normally leaving the house super early.

When I was in NYC this past weekend, we decided to stop off at the Makeup Forever store and pickup a few things. I needed to get my concealer (Lift Concealer #2) and we shopped around for a bit. I decided to try the Makeup Forever HD Foundation (#125 Sand). (Side Note: There are 25 color options to choose from so you should go to either a Makeup Forever store or Sephora to get matched.)

I must say that I was impressed the second it touched my skin. It goes on extremely silky smooth (nothing like anything I have ever experienced with any foundation before). It's the thinnest full coverage foundation that I have ever used. They say it will cover skin imperfections flawlessly and create a soft-focus effect (with pictures). After testing it, my complexion had a natural glow, not really matte (that is until I added powder to set the foundation). Right now I am liking the matte look so that is why I added the powder but I dont think it is needed. In the summer months I am sure I will be going more for the natural glow look.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion

This is my 1st Burt's Bees product that I have ever purchased. I am realizing how much I love the scent of honey and I am in search of a honey lotion and/or honey perfume. This is my first try at it. Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion contains milk (which softens the skin) and honey (which nourishes the skin) as well as botanical moisturizers including coconut oil, grape see oil and sunflower oil. The fragrance is 100% natural with its notes of honey, vanilla, lemon and mint. It’s great for normal to dry skin and has been clinically proven to moisturize for 24 hours. I think that it works great for softening my skin, Im just not in love with the scent. I dont think that it really smells like honey. It gave off more of an artificial coconut smell to me. It's not a horrible scent, it's just not what I was looking for. So my search continues. I am looking for something that actually smells something like the LUSH "Honey I Washed the Kids" bar soap but in a lotion or perfume.

Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara

I personally never understood the purpose of clear mascara for your lashes unless you are 12 years old and want to feel like you have makeup on. I bought this clear mascara to tame my eyebrows. My brows are not crazy untamed but there are times that a few hairs will go out of place. I never noticed this until I started getting my brows tinted, but since then I have needed something to keep them in place. I purchased Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara and I must say that it works wonders. It is totally worth the $5.00 that I paid for it. I have not experienced flaking of this product through out the day. I can't comment on the wear of this product as a mascara as I've never tried it like that, but I have a feeling it would do nothing as a mascara, because it is colorless and weightless. If it does anything... it will probably just separate your lashes.

Side Note:
Maybelline treats this product as a mascara, not as an eyebrow gel. This is what http://www.maybelline.com/ says: "The mascara that conditions as it thickens. Lash-doubling formula glides on smooth to build great-looking lashes. Lash building brush makes it easy to get a full lash look without clumps or globs. Contact lens safe and hypoallergenic. Washable; also available in waterproof formula and with curved brush."

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Feather Hair Extensions

I am loving my new feather hair extensions. I ordered my first bundle from Plumeuphoria on Etsy. Here is her site. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Plumeuphoria OK... with her site you are able to customize what color feathers, each individual color, (and she sends the microlinks with a plastic tool to install) you would like... which is why I picked her out all the companies and sites on Etsy. I received my order within 4 days which was great because I wanted to have them in, in time for IMATS NY on Saturday April 9th. Now the only problem was I had a little bit of a hard time putting them in. I actually thought that I was going to since I am not great with hair stuff. I cant even braid the back of my hair. haha!!! So I decided to go to a salon and have them do it for me. They gave me such a great deal that I ended up buying more from the salon. (I couldnt resist... I am loving feathers these days, hehe!!) I now have 3 bundles (which consists of 5 feathers in each bundle) on the left side of my head. I am loving it soooo much I want more. I thought that I was going to want the neutral look and I was wrong. I want to be BOLD. I want hot pink and blue. Since I spent a good penny this weekend in NYC I am going to hold off a bit on buying more feathers, but once I have some more $$$, I am going to invest in more bold colors. Here is a picture of what I have. Now dont mind my hair. It is stringy because I didnt blow it dry last night but I want you to see how cool they look. I hope you love this look as much as I do!

YouTube Video

So... I put my 1st YouTube video up. I used my laptop and there is a CrAzY delay. I guess I need to use my camera for now on. It wasnt charged so that is why I used my laptop. Next time I will try my camera. I dont have a mount for it, but I will figure it out. I filmed something quick (kinda quick) about IMATS. I dont have anything swatched JUST YET... this was just about my experience. If you are interested... check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/user/RachieRach1981?feature=mhum

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Feather Earrings

I am having a slight obsession with feathers these days. This is the 1st of many posts that I will be doing on feathers. I am waiting for my feather hair extensions to come in the mail (any day now) and I will be doing a post about that. I also bought this really pretty necklace from Forever 21 and I want to chat about that but I am waiting on that for after NY (IMATS).

Now onto my new beautiful earrings. I purchased these earrings from etsy.com from the seller birdcrap. You can also check out their website www.birdcrapfeatherwear.com. These are beautiful long grizzly feathers that dangle nearly 12 inches and are capped with an incredible bead cap. 

One of my favorite shows is Pretty Little Liars. The character Aria was wearing a really cool pair of feather earrings by the designer Una Maes. Check out this link to see what I was trying to match up. http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/pretty-little-liars/photos-details/style-story-kill-mocking-girl/480263/480172
I wanted something that was similar... and this was the closest that I have found.

I love my new earrings. They cost me $28.00 plus $5.00 shipping. The seller is very nice and responds in a timely manner. I cant wait to wear these. I am trying to decide if these are going to be good for IMATS?!?


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

LUSH Buffy Body Butter

Buffy is a body moisturizer and exfoliator in one. I must say that appreciation for this product is an acquired taste. This is not a soap. It doesnt lather or actually clean your body. It is meant to sloth of dead skin. Because this doesnt "clean" your skin, I use it after I use my soap.

Once you start to rub Buffy on your skin (lightly) you will feel the little scrub bits on your skin. Once you wash them away you will feel how soft your skin is... (soft as a babies butt, hehe). You will also notice that the shower water is beading on your skin. When you get out of the shower, lightly pat dry.

I love to exfoliate atleast once a week in the winter, if not more. Coming closer to the summer I do it more because I know that I will be showing more skin. I dont exfoliate in the summer because I dont want to get rid of whatever tan I did obtain. But once the colder months are approaching my skin is itching and I know that my skin is craving a good exfoliation. I will be pulling out my Buffy!!!

L'Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara

I love love love this mascara. I used to be a sucker for the expensive mascaras and then I finally realized that this was one of those things in makeup that you didnt have to splurge on. My eyelashes are not long, and not dark. It seems that the men are the lucky ones who get the beautiful long full lashes in my family. haha!! I was in Target one day and this mascara was on sale and I needed a new one because the one that I was using started to smell like crayons. (oh... just in case anyone didnt know, if your mascara smells like that, its time for a new one.) So I bought L'Oreal's Telescopic Carbon Black. WOW!!! You need to put 2 coats on, but it works better then anything I have purchased before. It makes my lashes not only appear longer, but thicker. The mascara also does not flake off through out the day. It is not waterproof (I dont know if it comes that way). Here are a few pictures. The 1st one is without the mascara, then the second is with the mascara. You can see for yourself how well it works!

(oh and if you were wondering... I am wearing makeup from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I dont have much on. I was just running to class)




Monday, April 4, 2011

Hair Pins

I hate when my hair wrap slips from my hair. I am constantly taking my hair down and putting it back up. I know if its bothering me, it must bother other people too. I found these Spin Pins made by Goody last summer and they are amazing. Once you put them in, they will stay in all day. Your hair will not slip from them. Now your hair does have to go in a "bun-type" look but you can make it a "messy bun", so you dont look so library school teacher (no offense to anyone...we all know teachers and librarians are every mans fantasy, haha). These spin pins are not hard to use!!!

Depending on where you buy them at, the price ranges anywhere from $6.00 to $9.00 (on average). You can get blonde or brunette. I dont think it came in any other color, but dont quote me on that. I just personally havent seen them in any other colors.

I wanted to give you an idea of what you can do with the spin pins. I am putting up 3 pictures. One with my hair down so you see how much hair I have, and 2 with my hair up.


Cosmetic Wipes

I used love MAC Cosmetic Wipes... the whole idea that it would swipe all my make-up off with just one sheet. Most of the time I didnt even have to rinse my face off after (I know, gross... right! haha). This was especially great for late nights out, and I just didnt have the energy to wash my face. BUT... the one thing I hated about MAC wipes was the price. It was $18 for just 45 sheets.

I was at Costco one day about a year ago and saw that they had their own brand of Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes. It was a great deal considering there is 150 towelettes in this box (divided into different packages, some small enough for your gym bag which is fantastic) for around $20.

The first time I used their towelettes I realized that their wipes are actually made stronger then MAC's. Not in the rough on your face kind of way, but in the 'it wont rip' kind of way. Plus I think they have a nice flowery smell, not over-powering. I have sensitive skin and I did not break out from these towelettes.

If you belong to Costco (or know someone that belongs) and are looking for Cosmetic Wipes, I would say try this out. I dont think that you will be disappointed.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Tinted Moisturizer

I purchased Vita Zing from Origins after I heard about it from the makeup guru TiffanyD. I was looking for an easier way and a faster way to do my makeup before class everyday. Who wants to have a full face of makeup to go to a three hour class at 8am?!? When I heard about this... I ran right over to Macys and purchased it. This was my first purchase from Origins.

I still need to use a daily moisturizer (sometimes... depending on how dry I am) under the Vita Zing but this product fascinates me. It goes on like a regular moisturizer (white) and by the time you start rubbing it into your skin, it MAGICALLY turns into your skin color. Voila... Tinted Moisturizer. Personally, I like more coverage so I use MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish on top of that. I also still use concealer to cover my hideous dark circles (haha) but I do love this product. On days that I am just lounging around at home. I just use this alone. (I rarely go a day without any makeup.)

For people that are looking for minimal coverage... I think that this is a great option. If you are looking for something with more... eh, then maybe not. This works for me because I have my lazy days and the last thing I want to do is put a full face of makeup on... but I still want to feel fabulous (and this does the trick).

TiGi Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner

My hair is color treated. My natural hair color is dark blonde and I lighten it. So I do use shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair to try and maintain my color. I go for shampoos and conditioners that smell yummy. When I was at the beauty supply store with one of my friends I remembered that TiGi Bed Head had a great smelling Shampoo for Red Heads because I had smelled it once before. I figured I would see what they had for blondes.

TiGi Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo says that it is perfect for highlighted or bleached hair, that this revolutionary shampoo strengthens, repairs and prevents breakage.I cant explain the smell, other then it smells sweet and fantastic. It left my hair feeling soft. It lathers and left my hair looking shiny.

TiGi Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Conditioner is ultra moisturising without leaving my hair heavy. I have thinner hair to start with so that is something that I need to watch out for. I left this on for about one minute and when I rinsed it off, my hair was extremely soft. When I got out of the shower and ran a comb through my hair, I had not one knot. That is so not normal. I am normally pulling and tugging at my hair.

When I blew my hair dry, it had volume and I could still smell the wonderful scent of the the Dumb Blonde. I really like this product.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

I know that I am extremely late posting this. But since this is my 1st day doing this blog... I dont care. haha. This is my FAVORITE makeup. I wear this makeup everyday. Every skin-tone can wear this palette and it was worth every penny I spent on it (Which I think was around $45, if Im not mistaken). I was one of the lucky ones. I got this when it came out (I think it was the summer of 2010) . I know that some people waited and didnt get it. And then it was sold out everywhere. Who would have know that I would have picked up such a hot commodity. If I knew that... I would have bought 2 and made some $$$$. HAHA.

ANYWHOOO... back to me review. I am a huge fan of neutral colors. Yes, I do like to have fun and wear brights on occasion; but neutral is more me. This is what this amazing palette contains:

Virgin: pale, shimmery nude
Sin: Champagne with a pinky frosty feel
Naked: matte, brown beige
Sidecar: shimmered bronze
Buck: darker matte (darker version of naked)
Half Baked: copper bronze
Smog: medium bronze with a sheen
Darkhorse: deep dark brown, chocolate
Toasted: pink brown with shimmer
Hustle: purple chocolate with shimmer
Creep: blackened blue with silver shimmer
Gunmetal: bluish gray metallic

The pencil that originally came with palette was double sided. The one side is:
Zero: Jet black
Whiskey: Brown with red undertones. (so beautiful)

Instead of the double sided pencil, the palette now comes with a makeup brush. I heard it was because of slow production (but this could all be rumors). The brush is called the Good Karma Shadow Brush. I have no experience with Urban Decay brushes so I dont know if that is good or not. But I have heard that brought the price of the palette up a few dollars.

The palette also comes with Urban Decay Shadow Primer Potion. This is one of my favorite primers. I have nothing bad to say about this primer. It is travel size, so I have it tucked away in my travel makeup bag.

The colors I wear the most are Virgin, Sin, Naked, Buck, Smog, and Sidecar. I also wear the 2 eyeliners everyday. If I am going out at night and want to spruce up what I already have on then I just darken my look up with Hustle and Creep... and sometimes Gunmetal. There are so many looks that you can do with this palette. That is why I love it so much. I get so many compliments on how pretty my makeup looks. I always try to make it look a little different. It is possible with this palette... that is why I love it!!! If you have a the money and want to buy something new, I would say buy this. This was my first time (last summer) buying Urban Decay. Their shadows are pigmented, and beautiful. Also... I havent had to buy any new neutral colors. These were full size shadows. Worth every penny!!!

Eye Cream for Fine Lines (FACEPLACE)

I had been looking for an inexpensive eye cream that would work a miracle on my aging eyes. Yes, I know that I am ONLY 29, going on UGH... 30, but my eyes sometimes look older. Now, some people would say that I am nuts, but I do have tiny lines under my eyes. They had started to become very noticeable when I would put my makeup on in the morning (and then 10 minutes later, my concealer would be right in those fine lines). I know from going to school for skin care that it is all genetics, and ohhh and from the sun. There is nothing that can correct this little problem of mine (besides injections or surgery). I know that part of my "problem" is dehydration and lack of sleep.

After a few weeks of research and trying out one type of cream (which I didnt like too much) I received an email from a company that I WON a FREE Jar of Eye Cream. I knew that I wrote on the wall of a company that was offering this promotion, but I never would have thought that I would have won. BUT I DID!!! I never win anything. If I have any luck at all, it is normally bad luck. The email was asking for my home address so they could mail me a jar of their Ultimate Eye Repair Cream from a company called FACEPLACE. I was psyched (to say the least). I didnt hold my breath, just in case it got lost in the mail?!? Lo and behold... a week later, it was at my house.

That night when I washed my makeup off, I started using this cream. With small circular motions, I dabbed a small amount of this cream around my eyes. My eyes were loving it. The next morning, I did the exact same thing. When I went to put my makeup on, I saw a huge difference ALREADY. My makeup did not go into my tiny lines. I was ecstatic. I still have the tiny lines, obviously... but my makeup goes on so much smoother. I do notice now (3 weeks into using the cream) that the cream is taking much longer to settle into my skin. Which is OK by me. My skin must have been extremely dehydrated originally.

I have started to look at what other products http://faceplace.com/ has to offer. Their eye cream is great and affordable. I went on the website the other day just to see how much they were charging for the jar that they sent me which is .5 fl oz. They charge $40. This jar will last anyone a very long time. I am starting to look into their suncare items for this summer. I would recommend the Ultimate Eye Repair... it is a great product.


















LUSH Products

I have known about LUSH soaps for a long time but there hasnt been a LUSH store local to me (on this side of the bridge), so I haven't tried any of there products. Finally a LUSH store opened at a mall 20 minutes from my house. I found the time to go the other day. Now the reason I havent ordered anything online from http://www.lushusa.com/shop/ is because I am not a huge bath person. I just have an average bath (one that you would probably wash a child in). It is not one that I would just take a bath in. I prefer showers. Now if I had an over-sized tub, that would be a different story.

In my opinion LUSH is the kind of store for bath people. Yes, they have other things... but I was totally jealous that I didn't have an over-sized tub. I ended just buying "Honey I Washed the Kids" ($7.95 for 3.5 oz.) I loved the way they cut it and wrapped it like it deli. Too cute!!! This soap smells like honey and toffee. It smells so good you can almost take a bite out of it. The sales girl that helped me told me that the smell will last on my skin for most of the day. I dont know if it was just my skin (or if this is everyone) but it lasted approx. 20 minutes (if that long) after my shower and then it was gone. That was a real bummer. I really love this smell. I think that LUSH should make a body lotion in this scent, especially because they say that this is their *best seller*. Now my new obsession is to find a lotion or scent that smells like this. I would love to smell like this all day. haha. Anyway... the soap did what it was supposed to do. It cleansed my skin. I do think that LUSH is a tad on the expensive side. I will go back to LUSH to check out their products in the coming months. (Right now I have been saving most of my money for IMATS).

Fortune Cookie

I have FINALLY made my first purchase from http://www.fortunecookiesoap.com/. I originally heard of this website from makeup guru xsparkage and I was extremely intrigued. I too have a craving for scents that are cinnamon or pumpkin. It is also said that men LOVE and are drawn to women that smell of cinnamon and vanilla. I have wanted to try a lot of things on this site but unfortunately I dont have the money. But I was in need of a new lotion, and I was starting to run low on soap so I figured I would spend a little extra money this month on this. I decided to order 1. Cinnamon Rolled Bar Soap ($6.95), and 1. Cinnamon Rolled Body Butter ($10.99).

Shipping was pretty fast. I am very impressed with that. When the box arrived. I started jumping like Carrie did in "Sex in the City" when she got excited over the tiniest things". Well... that was me yesterday. haha. As soon as I cut the seal of the tape of the box, I could smell the cinnamon. It smelled like Cinnabun (like from the mall).
I instantly but the body butter on, and it seeped right into my skin. It didnt leave that film on my skin that I hate. You know... that film that you get that you feel that you cant touch anything because you feel sticky. You dont get that with this body butter. My hands and forearms were moisturized. It was fantastic! And the smell... the smell is sooooo good. If you like cinnamon, then you will love this body butter... PERIOD!

Now onto the adorable Cinnamon Rolled Bar Soap. It is not only so cute, it smells good enough to eat. My dad was around when I was unwrapping the soap and he was amazed at how good it smelled. He thought it smelled like Cinnabun (from the mall). I was so excited about this soap, I had to try it out. I had already showered for the day, but it didnt matter. I took another shower that night. It smells fantastic when it hits the water.

http://www.fortunecookiesoap.com/My overall experience with Fortune Cookie Soaps (so far) is great. I give them 5 out of 5 stars. I cant wait to try more. They have the cutest collection of fortune cookie soaps that I know that I will be buying as gifts for people. There is so many more yummy scents that I cant wait to get my hands on.