9/30/2011

Five Favorites: September 2011

I cant believe its time for me to do another monthly favorites post, I feel like I just did August's. Time does fly, way too fast sometimes. This month, as far as beauty products was pretty simple for me. I don't feel like I used anything to fancy that much. I pretty much kept it simple, I find that I tend do this a lot in the summer months bc of the heat. Most of these products are ones I've had that I started using more this month. Hope you enjoy and please leave a comment :))

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moisture Treatment

Whenever I use this 3 minute miracle treatment my hair feels totally different. I've yet to find a regular conditioner that does what this does. I don't use it everyday, I probably would if I didn't have to wait 3 minutes to rinse it out. I know, I'm very impatient. I also found if I leave it in my hair for about 5 minutes the results are better. It's made for dry or damaged hair and its a simple solution to soft manageable hair. When I use this I can tell as soon as I start rinsing it out that my hair feels great. I have less tangles when getting out of the shower, I have an easier time blow drying and styling and I don't feel like I need to use as much, or if any kind of anti-frizz serum. One of the best things about this product is that its super affordable. This is my second bottle and I've never paid more than $3.99. The packaging makes it easy to get every last drop out of the bottle. I highly recommend this to anyone that deals with dry/coarse or frizzy hair. You can find it any local drugstore. 

e.l.f Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzer Duo

This is another great bargain, this cheap duo has gotten a lot of use from me all summer long. When I first opened it I didn't think I was going to like it because it lhas a shimmery look.  But once you put   it on you dont notice the shimmer. A lot of people have compared this to NARS Orgasam/Lugana Duo, I recently saw a YT video comparing the two and its not that similar but I like the elf duo better. I dont contour my cheeks everyday but when I do the bronzer works great for this and its buildable.  As far as the blush, I use it on top of my Milani Mineral Blush in Sunset bc its a peachy color. So when I mix it with a little bit of elf's blush it gives the peachy color a glowy light pink tint. The packaging on the other hand would be great if the mirror inside didn't fall off. But who knows, I could have dropped it a few times. I've never used the mirror anyway so it doesnt bother me. This was only $3 at Target! I know, only $3! If your local Target sells elf products you'll probably find it there or you can order it from the elf website.

                                    Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Primer

This is my favorite drug store primer because its not like the rest of the primers out there. It doesn't have that silky gooey feeling like the rest of the primers do. When I first tried it I got a little nervous bc it's not clear,its peach but when applied it blends right in and there's no traces of peach. Not only does this primer help my foundation stay on for a long time it also really evens out my skin tone. I know a lot of other primers promise to do the same but this is the only one that has delivered. On a good skin day, I've been able to leave the house with just the primer and a little blush or bronzer. It makes my foundation go on a lot more evenly too. I think I should go stock up on this in case it gets discontinued! On another good note it was only $7.99 and thats pretty good for me compared to the $50 I used to spend on Smashbox's primer. I've seen this at local drugstores (anywhere that sells Rimmel products)



Wet n Wild Coloricon in Lust 

I've been a huge fan of their new color icon palettes. I think I almost have every one. I'm missing a few but I'll defenitly get them. I'm so impressed with this new line. The colors are all so rich and pigmented and they last on my eyes for hours without that annoying crease you get with some other eye shadows. One of my recent  favs that I've been using more this month is called Lust. It has 6 different colors, 3 are matte and 3 are shimmery. The colors range from a light pale pink to a dark highly pigmented purple. You can make a very pretty purple smokey eye or an everyday pretty purple look. Some days when I dont have the time or dont  feel like doing a full eye makeup look, I will just use the pale pink or pale nude colors all over my entire eye lid and Im good to go. I love how you can get so many different looks with the colors in there palettes including this one. If you haven't tried these new palettes you really need to, take my word for it. I've read a lot of reviews that say they compare these to MAC's eyeshadows and I totally agree, except these are a whole lot cheaper. You cant go wrong. They have a trio palette's for $2.99, the 6 color palette's are $3.99 and the 8 colored ones are $5.99. You can find these at drugstores where Wet n Wild products are sold.  

L'OREAL HIP High Intensity Pigments in Progressive
This is actually a random eye shadow or pigment that I picked up over a year ago at CVS bc it was 50% off.  I forgot I had it until a few weeks ago when I came across it in one of my draws. It's so tiny its easy to look over.
I use this as an eye liner usually on my lower lid. It's a rich dark bronze color as you can see in the pics and  they call it Progressive for some reason. I either use it alone or over a brown eye liner. It really makes your eyes pop, especially for blue eyes.  I use a slanted eye liner brush to apply this. You just have to be careful because the fall out could be a little messy and I have to be careful not to get one of the tiny  particles in my eye. ( Its happened and its annoying lol). Before I apply it I make sure that the color is packed on to the brush well to prevent fall out. Im not sure if they sell them anymore, they might. I haven t actually looked for them. They had a few other colors, I think a pretty blue, a silver, pink and a few others. This is another product that can last you forever because you only need  a tiny bit. Too much wont look right .I wish I could remember how much it was. Sorry. If anybody's seen these or owns them, let me know! 




   So these are my five favorite products Ive been using over this month. If you have used any of these products leave me a comment and let me know how you like them. 






Please click on these links :)
        





10 Day YOU Challenge Day #2


TWO SONGS:
(These are my 2 favorite songs I'm liking right now)

1. Phive and KO Kid feat. Justin Timberlake- Always be Around

2. Alexandra Stran- Mr. Saxobeat 


Click the links below :)






10 Day YOU Challenge Day #3


Three Films:

1. Dirty Dancing
2. The Hangover 
3. Gia  


Click the links below:)



9/29/2011

10 Day YOU Challenge Day #1


Hey Beauties!! I decided to do one of these blog challenges that I've been seeing lately. I got this specific one from Nykki's Mane Blog and after reading through it, I thought it would be fun to do. Plus, I've never done one before. I know the rules say to start with day 10 (ten secrets) but I feel like starting off with day #1 makes more sense. Or maybe its just me. So, here we go with Challenge Day #1
Oh and please leave comments!!!!


The first challenge, Day #1 is to post a picture of yourself.  My friend who is a professional photographer took this pic a few years ago along with pics of me and my brother. That's what my mom wanted for Mothers Day that year. I cant believe how blond my hair was! WoW..lol




Please click the links below :)





NOTD: WINE NOT

*WINE NOT by SALLY HANSEN  Complete Salon Manicure*


I actually found this color in my mom's room the other day and thought it was a really pretty fall color. Usually I don't like any of the colors my mom has. Today was a bad day to try and take a good picture because it was rainy and cloudy out so there wasn't any natural light. So the color you see in the picture looks lighter than it is in person. So picture that color but not as glossy and a bit darker. When I'm looking at my nails now, its more of a burgundy color that reminds me of fall. That's why I like it. Damn camera, it never captures the real color. But the color is called Wine Not and its by Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure line.

I'm very picky when it comes to the size of the brush. For example this brush is short and a little on the wide side. I like the brush to be a medium width and long. Call me picky, but when the brush is to short and wide I feel like its harder to apply the polish. Besides the brush, the color went on easily and it seemed to dry quick. I had to apply 2 coats, the 1rst coat definitely wasn't cutting it. As much as I love trying designs or nail  art, I felt like this color looked pretty by itself. 
**Happy Fall Colors**

9/28/2011

Tell me About Yourself Award

Tell Me About Yourself Blogger Award

I just realized that Nykki at Nykki's Mane Blog awarded me this Tell Me About Yourself Award. Thanks Nykki!! For those of you that aren't following her blog already then you need to. She has a ton of great beauty posts on pretty much everything. She's also hosting a giveaway right now, so hurry up and check her blog out!
I love giving and receiving blog awards, this is my 2nd one I got in the past week. It's so nice to feel appreciated and to let others know you appreciate there work too :)


 To accept this award the rules are:
~Thank and link back to the person who awarded you
~Write 7 Random things about yourself
~Spread the love to 20 other bloggers

7 Random Things About Myself:
1. I have an addiction to spending money (I know its bad)
2. I hate country music but like every other type
3. I am a reality TV show junkie
4. I have the eating habits of a 5 year old.
5. I don't really enjoy going to the movies
6. My most hated beauty chore is washing my hair
7. I wish I was at least 2 inches shorter (I'm 5'9 and don't like it)

Now on to the love sharing...Here are my 20 (no particular order) 


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Wednesday's Beauty Tip

Beauty Tip of The Week

*ADD A LITTLE WATER TO YOUR POWDER FOUNDATION *

This is a tip I’ve been using for about over a year now and thank god for it! I use it when I apply powder foundation. Ok, here’s the deal.. Have you ever noticed when trying to blend powder foundation, it sometimes can seem hard to smooth out? Or it looks a little cakey and seems like it's just sitting on top of your skin instead of blending in? Well, all you have to do is just add some water! Or if you want, you can use MAC’s FIX +, i-Skin Hydrating Refresher, Evian Facial Spray or you can make your own spray for a few dollars. All of those products have a few things in common, they contain a very important ingredient called glycerin, they are hydrating and they can be used to set your makeup also known as a mixing medium. I use this when I apply powder foundation and it makes such a difference.

 Glycerin has an incredible ability to attract moisture and water to your skin. It's also added to many special beauty products to help your skin feel and look its best

I’ve used MAC’s FIX + and i- Skin Hydrating Refresher (haven’t tried the Evian Facial Spray) but they have all seemed to do the same thing. Then I saw a tutorial a while ago on how to make your own alternative MAC’s FIX +, so I tried it and its just as good as those other products. Here’s how to make it if your interested:

You need:
- an empty spray bottle
-distilled water or bottled water
-glycerin ( you can pick this up at your local drugstore) I bought a bottle at Walgreens for about $5.
What to do:
- Make sure the spray bottle is washed and cleaned out thoroughly (you can use alcohol to clean it out)
- Measure 3 parts of glycerin and 4 parts of distilled water and pour both parts into the spray bottle.
-Shake it really well to ensure its mixed

**Important** Try to remember the date you made this because you should dump it out and make a new batch after 2 weeks. There are chemicals that can contaminate the mist and do more harm than good to your skin**

How to use it:

My personal routine when using this is to first apply my moisturizer, primer, then you can use any powder foundation you choose to and with a clean makeup sponge apply one layer to your entire face. Then with either your spray you made or bought, give your face a quick spritz and apply another light layer of the powder foundation. You’ll notice this will take away the powdery look from the first layer. It seems to melt together in a good way, almost like your applying liquid foundation. It also helps to cover up any redness or acne. The final step is to give your face one final spritz to get rid of any kind of powdery look and give it a flawless look. Try to use a kabuki brush, fluffy brush or any kind of brush that will help blend smoothly. Then use the brush (without any makeup on it) and start buffering your face for a few seconds. This should help your skin have a fresh dewy look without the cakey look. 

*Depending on your skin type you don’t have to apply 3 layers to your face, you can apply 2 if you don’t have any redness or acne you need to cover. It’s really up to you to determine how much or how little to apply*

*Even if you don’t have glycerin you can try using just some distilled water and you’ll notice a difference*

Let me know if you try this and how you liked it or if any of you have used this method before





Monday Beauties Blog Hop 9-26-11

This is my friend Nykki’s  weekly Monday Beauty Blog Hop at Nykki's Mane Blog. This week I’m posting it on my blog too because she asked me to be her co-host. This is the 3rd week I’ve participated in the blog hop and its really fun. I’ve found some really great new blogs from this. Hope you will participate Keep reading for all the information.


Hello Beauty Lovers and Bloggers! :) Welcome back to my Monday Beauties blog hop! I hope to create a place where bloggers can come together and share their links in a friendly and supportive manner! If you are saying "What the hell is a blog hop?" just click here to see my INFORMATION post! (You can also find the times and days of the event there) :)


Now let's get to business: Here are the very simple rules:
1.   Subscribe to my Blog Via GFC :) and leave me a comment below to let me know you are following (with your link) so I can subscribe back! :) 
Subscribe to my co-host Kelly's blog Just click here
2. Add your blog URL to the Linky Below! (make sure to include http://www.)
3. Check out as many blogs as you want and if you decide to follow leave a comment letting them know that you have subscribed and found them on Monday Beauties Blog hop! :)
4. Check out the featured blogs! :)
OPTIONAL If you want to be really nice to me! :)
♥ Grab the blog hop button and place it somewhere on your blog or in a blog post. (remember you will need to re-enter your blog every week, so you can make this a weekly post) - You can find the blog button code in my sidebar.
♥ Grab the linky code and place it in your post or anywhere on your blog. This way if somebody comes to your blog they can continue hopping along. You can place the list on your blog too. It will automatically update all of the blog URL's! Pretty cool huh? You can make it a weekly post too! :)


♥ Please share the link with your followers! If you share on twitter use the hashtag #mondaybeauties so I can retweet! :)
♥ If you are interested in co-hosting just let me know by sending me an email at nykki@mymaneblog.com! I will answer any questions that you have! :) I will only choose one co-host per week, but that doesn't mean that you can't put the linky on your blog and have a weekly post. If that doesn't make sense, just email me! :) 
I will choose 2 blogs each week via Random.org(random number generator) and mention them in my next weekly hop as "Featured blogs".
Thanks so much for participating! :) Let's Begin: 

  Featured Blogs:
 



Classic Beauty Blog Award


Michelle from Healthy Living Natural Beauty awarded me with the Classic Beauty Blog Award!!! Thank you so much Michelle!!!  I’m so honored and excited because this is my first blog award. This is so great because now I get to choose 10 blogs to pass this award onto. It’s defenitly going to be hard because there are so many blogs I really enjoy and love reading.


This award is to honor those who have written some good blogs about beauty products, inner beauty and showing their own beauty within their written words. Just like Michelle said, these blogs have made some kind of impression on me with their great beauty posts.

So here are the rules: Pass this award up to 10 different blogs you also love and feel deserve this award. Link them in your post; let them know you awarded them.
Here are my 10 picks for the Classic Beauty Blog Award, I wish I could list more than 10 because my blog list is huge and I feel like a lot of people deserve this. (in no particular order)

1. Exclusively Glamm
2. Nykki's Mane Blog
3. The Daily Frizz
4. Jenn's Beauty Confessions
5. Blondetxgoddess
6. Ms. Prettyful Girl
7.Seven things Beauty
8.Her Late Night Cravings
9.Monster Girl
10.jyz' pinkprint

9/21/2011

Wednesday's Beauty Tip


Beauty Tip of the Week


*THE SECRET TO A PERFECT BLOWOUT*





There’s more than one secret to a perfect blowout but there's an important one that I just recently learned about and it makes a lot of sense. Start with your fingers when your ready to start blow drying your hair. Pull your fingers through hair starting at the roots and pull hair out a few inches and hold it while you use the blow dryer to shoot air at the crown. Try to hold your hair super taut.

A brush can only get so close in so hold your hair super taut while doing this otherwise moisture will stay in the hair shaft and it will frizz up. It's very important to make sure your roots are dry first before going on to the rest of your hair.

*Another great tip is to lock in style with the “cool button” on your blow dryer. If you blow dry your hair in sections like I do, once each section is completely dry, pull hair taut with your brush and blast it with the cool button on your dryer. Finish each section like this and the cool air will lock in shine and smoothness.



Do you guys have any blow drying tips when it comes to your hair?  Please share!!!


NOTD: Purple Avalanche

I was looking through my nail polish collection and decided to use Avalanche by China Glaze. I bought this color a few months ago and forgot about it so it’s the first time I used it. I was a little disappointed because looking at the color through the bottle I thought it was going to come out a little bit darker with more of a matte finish.  After applying the second coat I realized that it had more of a shiny glossy finish.  Don’t get me wrong it’s a pretty color and I like glossy finishes, but it depends on the color. I do like the brush China Glaze has, it’s the perfect length for me and it's not too wide.







Of course I had to have a design (that’s my new thing lately), I'm not very good at it but its fun. I realized that I never tell you all the products I use when I post these nail looks, shame on me lol


.







1. NUTRA NAIL BASE COAT & RIDGE FILLER-  sometimes I have annoying ridges in my nails and I like this base coat because it helps create a smoother surface for the nail polish.

2. AVALANCHE IN CHINA GLAZE- I really do like China Glaze, one of the reasons bc it seems like they sell every color in the rainbow and more. I hate when a brand doesn’t have a wide selection of colors.

3. WET N WILD FAST DRY IN BLACK- I used this for the black diagonal french tip I did. I'm really impressed with wet n wild’s new polishes, they’ve came along way.

4. L.A. COLORS ART DECO IN SILVER GLITTER- If you guys read my blog you know I love these art deco polishes. I used this for the silver line painted underneath the black tip.

5. L.A. COLORS ART DECO IN WHITE- this was used to draw the vertical lines on my nail. *tip- I heard if you hold your breath while trying to draw straight lines or if your hand is shaky it will help and it does!

6. SALLY HANSEN NAIL ART PEN IN WHITE- I used this to draw the tiny flower petals that are on the tip of my nail. These are good pens for drawing flowers, hearts or whatever you want. You just have to make sure the polish you have on is completely dry before using these pens or it will bleed into your base color. Then I placed a silver rhinestone from my nail gem collection for the middle of the flower. *when using any kind of nail gems or stones make sure to press the stone on the nail for a few seconds with either your finger or the tip of an orange stick, then apply extra top coat after placing the stone or gem.

7 & 8- SALLY HANSEN INSTA-DRI TOP COAT & INSTA-DRI SPEED DRY DROPS-  I hardly ever have a problem with my nail polish chipping and I'm convinced it's because I use both of these products together. After you apply the top coat you only have to wait 60 seconds to use the speed dry drops. There great, you just use the dropper to apply 1 or 2 drops to each nail and its extra protection. If you find your nail polish is  chipping too soon, I recommend either the regular top coat but if you can the speed drops too.

9/17/2011

Shopping with or without friends?

If there’s one group activity I don’t enjoy, its shopping with friends. Unless it's just browsing the mall and no real intent on actually looking for something you need, than I find it annoying or unless it’s my mom who always ends up buying me something (even though she swears as soon as we get in the car that she’s not) lol. Don’t get me wrong, I  love company and doing things with my friends but when it comes to serious shopping it can just turn into a mood killer.  Here’s why I prefer shopping solo:





1.You don’t have to feel bad about how much or how little you spent. It might just be me, but I'm pretty sure a few of my friends feel the same way without saying it. I can’t help feeling a tiny bit down when my friend leaves the store with 5 bags and I'm leaving with one or sometimes none. Or If I’m the one that got lucky that day and found a ton stuff while my friend didn’t. It can be an awkward feeling. You know what I mean right, even though their your friends and this shouldn’t count at all. But everyone loves the feeling of leaving a store knowing they just purchased a ton of great stuff, so when you leave the store with nothing it’s a bummer in itself, but if your with someone who’s beaming from their successful shopping session, it feels even worse.

2. You can take as much time as you would like.  Going through the whole entire sales rack or whole entire store can be boring if you’re not the one shopping, so I hate when I can sense that my friends are getting ancy and want to leave. Of course my friends would never say anything but they don’t have to, you just get this vibe and I know bc I’ve felt the same way when I have to wait more than 20 minutes for them. So you can't blame them, but me being  me, I’ll start to feel bad and end up leaving earlier then I wanted to. When your by yourself you can take as long as you want looking through everything.

3. Not having to show anyone how hideous the outfit you tried on is. Even though I feel completely comfortable around my friends there are those times when something looks really bad on you and you would rather not show them. But there on the other side of the door begging you to show them what it looks like. Plus, if your shopping for bra’s and under garments, that can sometimes be embarrassing. At least if your alone, you can quickly rip off that outfit that makes you look 20 pounds bigger and that’s the end of it.

4. You get to pick the stores you want to stop into without feeling judged. I shop at a wide variety of stores. For example, Claire’s is known for more of the teenage group but I still like to look because you can find some cute things for good deals. Some of your friends might not feel the same way so when you drag your friends in their (knowing there rolling their eyes) you’re not going to really focus on looking, you’ll be more focused on the fact that you’re the only one that wants to be there.

5. You don’t have to worry about how your shopping partner treats the employees. Thank god I don’t have any friends that would act this way…anymore. But I have and it’s the most embarrassing thing when you’re with someone who finds it okay to treat the sales assistant  like crap for no reason. It’s not their fault the store is packed and the lines are long or they don’t have your size in the pair of shoes you wanted, and it's not like giving them an attitude and treating them like your better than them is going to help anything. That’s happened to me before and I had to just walk away because I was so mortified. If I’m by myself I know non of that will be going on.

6. If you really like those pair of jeans you can buy them even though your friend might disagree. I hate when I really like something and want to buy it but then have someone next to me telling me it’s the ugliest thing they’ve seen and would never wear it (my mom has known to do this). Well, that’s fine, everyone has different styles and opinions. Plus, that’s why they give you receipts and have return policies. You can buy whatever you like without wondering what your friends really think about it.

There are a few downsides to shopping alone:

Could get lonely especially if this is a three hour shopping session. You might get bored after a while and wish you had someone to talk to, but that’s why you have your cell phone Smile 

Shopping to me is more like a mission that I want to get accomplished so that’s why I feel its annoying with all those distractions. It has nothing to do with worrying about what other people think, it’s the fact that it takes away from your retail therapy.
I’ve always felt this way about shopping, and I always seem to regret not going alone. Nothing against my friends, and I'm sure some of them might feel the same way. It’s just a lot easier for me and a lot less stressful shopping alone. What do you guys think, do you prefer shopping with friends or by yourself?



 

9/16/2011

10 Things You Should Never Stop Doing in a Relationship

This isn’t going to be one of my normal beauty posts but that’s okay because I think you guy’s will enjoy this. So, I was reading every woman’s bible aka Cosmopolitan magazine, of course lol. I came across this article in the October issue, “50 Things You Should Never Stop Doing in a Relationship “and found it really interesting.

You know, when your still in the honeymoon stage of a relationship and you think everything about your partner is fabulous, even when you notice how they sometimes hum to themselves. But then after the first few months that humming becomes freakin annoying among some other little habits. Even if we don’t realize it, it goes both ways because they feel the same about us (shocker)!






I picked 10 of my favorite “things you should never stop doing in a relationship” out of Cosmo’s 50. All of these 50 actually make sense but these are the ones that stood out to me and could help your relationship from going south. Or not, who knows, but it was fun to read  



1. Playing it cool on Facebook- no need to post on his wall every single day…or even every other. Virtual absence: It makes the heart – and other parts – grow fonder.



2. Quickly running to the bathroom to brush your teeth before morning sex.



3. Not commenting on the fact that your ex is way worse. Nothing is more of a mood killer than bringing up either of your romantic pasts.



4. Occasionally packing your weekend schedule with all sorts of activities that don’t include him so he has (almost too much) room to breath.



5. Wearing cute little lounge clothes on Sundays. C’mon, yoga pants are just as comfy as sweats.



6. Flirting innocently with the cute waiter or bartender so that he never forgets just how freaking doable you are.



7. Sucking it in and strutting your stuff when he’s watching.



8. Keeping your body complaints to yourself—the more comfortable you get, the more you may find yourself proclaiming that you feel fat or that your nail beds suck…something you would never do when you were the hot new girlfriend.



9. Choosing sex over kickboxing class on Saturday mornings.



10. Picking up his favorite type of beer or snack on your way to his house or on your way home from work. You know how amazing it feels when he sends you flowers “just because”? It’s like that.



COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE- OCTOBER 2011



After reading this article, I thought about a few of my past relationships that were long-term and realized there were definitely a few things both of us stopped doing. Not saying it would have saved the relationship, but its good to know that these things could help. Gotta love Cosmo and their great advice!



Which number can you relate to or that you’ve been guilty of?

Leave a Comment!!!

xoxo

9/14/2011

Wednesday's Beauty Tip

Beauty Tip of The Week



A NOTICABLE BRUISE CAN BE COVERED






Usually when you get a bruise, especially if its not on the face you don’t think of trying to cover it up. I don’t at least. Plus I get bruises all the time, I am a little clumsy but I swear I feel like they come out of no where sometimes.

Have you ever had a bruise on your face and thought “oh well, hopefully this fades quickly'” Or do you try and cover it up with makeup? I’ve tried before but only to have it look more noticeable. Kind of like covering up a pimple with the wrong color makeup. Well, you really can effectively cover up any bruise as long as you understand color correcting.

This is when the color wheel is handy and you’ll need a palette that’s made for color correcting with a range of shades that will hide any bruise, one like Make Up Forever 5 Camouflage Palette. Then you have to figure out the primary color of the bruise and then offset it with the opposite shade (so if it’s a reddish color use green, blue, yellow etc.). Then top that with a concealer that matches your skin tone and finish with powder. You should have concealed it enough where you’re not embarrassed to leave your house. Not saying this will make the bruise look invisible, but it will make it a lot less noticeable.

9/13/2011

Updated Full Review: Elemis Fresh Skin Products





Do you guys remember last week when I did a post on how I won a giveaway from the beauty site Daily Glow? Well if you didn’t you can check it out real quick here Review: Elemis Fresh Skin Products. I promised I would come back to give you a full honest review on each product. Here’s a quick recap about Elemis:

This is a new skincare line formulated for woman in their teens and twenties. All products are made with raw ingredients, specially chosen for their ability to help cleanse, exfoliate, prevent damage, moisturize and boost skins elasticity to keep it youthful for longer.



They sent me a variety of their products and I finally was able to use all of them. Here’s my opinion on each:




  • Peach Perfect Gentle Face Wash: This has a pleasant sent and I felt like a little went along way. It also was light but had lots of suds which made it easier and quick to thoroughly wash your face.

  • Skin Glow Exfoliating Scrub: I would say this was a decent exfoliator, the beads were a little too big but overall my skin did feel softer and fresh.

  • Dreamy Sleep Night Time Moisturizer: The first night I used this I was expecting it to be a thick lotion but it wasn’t which I liked. I woke up and my skin felt super soft but a little on the shiny side and my skin hardly ever gets oily. I used it again the next night, then I noticed that I had 2 pimples the following day. So I put two and two together realizing that it made my skin oily which caused me to breakout. So I haven’t used that again.

  • Tired Eyes Soothing Eye Rescue: I used this on a morning where my eyes seemed really tired and puffy for some reason. I noticed a slight difference with this, but not enough to make me not go get cucumbers to put on my eyes.

  • Softly Softly Daily Moisturizer: Overall I was pleased with this, it was very light and had a pleasant smell. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it doesn’t contain any SPF which I was a little surprised about. I only use moisturizers that have SPF in them for added protection. It’s still a good moisturizer though.

  • Loving Lips Quenching Lip Balm: They weren’t kidding when they called this “quenching” lip balm. Although it does make your lips smooth and conditions them, it's almost too much. I have to use my fingers instead of the tube to apply this because so much comes out at once. Then I usually end up getting it in my mouth, yuk. lol

  • Deep Clean & Magical Face Mask Duo: Now these I love! The package comes with two different masks; a clay purifying mask and a moisturizing mask. The clay mask really makes your skin feel so clean while soft and smooth. The moisturizing mask is like an instant boost for dry skin, my skin felt as soft as a baby’s bottom. lol. I would definitely recommend these two products.

  • Make-Up Away Cleansing Wipes: One product I always have to have are facial wipes, I use them everyday and night before washing my face. These did a good job at taking off my face and eye makeup. I’ve been using them everyday since I got them and really like them.


I'm not 100% satisfied with all the products, I feel like they might make my skin a little oily, especially the night time moisturizer and I don’t breakout on a regular basis so that makes me a little nervous. So far, the other products I’ve used haven’t so I will still use them. I'm very happy with the face masks and would love to purchase more when I run out. I think the results of these products depends on your skin type. If you have oily skin, I probably wouldn’t recommend these. Even though there are a few products I don’t love I'm still happy to have received this skin line.

9/10/2011

Video Review: Got2b Powder’full Volumizing Styling Powder

I recently started filming videos and started a YouTube channel, I’ve wanted to do this forever but I never had and still don’t a good video camera. I’ve been using my webcam which is okay for now. So I apologize in advance if the quality is poor, I’m hoping to get a good camera soon.

I hope you will guys subscribe to my YouTube channel. I would really appreciate it!!!! xoxo














9/08/2011

The Lo-Down on Teeth Whitening

Dazzle Your Smile

WITHOUT MAKING A DENTIST APPOINTMENT AND TRY SOME GREAT AT-HOME TIPS TO GET A BRIGHTER SMILE….





 I’m not sure about you girls, but I think I’ve used every at home whitening treatment out there including some home remedies. The truth is I’ve always had white teeth, but when I look at pictures from when my braces were taken off to now ( about 13 years).  My once pearly whites that I got complimented on almost everyday don’t seem as pearly as they were. Of course I should have done something different to prevent that but you live and learn. Anyway, I’ve pretty much always been obsessed with making sure my teeth were as white as they could be and no that picture above are not my teeth, (I wish). I’m not going to lie because my teeth are still white, I just wish they were as white as they used to be.

Coming from someone who has tried pretty much everything except professional in-office whitening, I wanted to share how some of these products work. 

WHITENING STRIPS are actually very effective and I’ve seen great results by using them. Here are a few tips that they don’t tell you on the back of the package:

 First: be cautious of products that promise a dazzling smile in one session, they don’t always deliver.

 Prep: wait at least 6 hours after brushing your teeth or using mouthwash before whitening; any sooner and the fluoride in those products could prevent the bleach from doing its job.  Wipe your teeth with a tissue right before applying white strips to help them adhere better.

Treat: When placing the strips, place them across your teeth without letting them touch your gums (the peroxide can be irritating). If the strips are too large you can cut them. Use the side of a toothpick to mold the strips in place, and push them into the spaces between your teeth. Defineity don’t eat, or drink while their in your mouth. Try not to even talk, which can shift the strips out of place. I used to always talk with them in and noticed they weren’t in the same place as they were when I put them in.

Perfect:  After the recommended time, remove the strips and wipe your teeth with a tissue again, then try using a whitening pen to cover any areas that the strips could not reach (usually near the gums, or where teeth are crooked). I found using a whitening pen to be effective for this reason. You can brush your teeth afterwards if you want but avoid drinks and food that are dark for at least 36 hours (because that’s when your teeth are more prone to staining).

 If you dedicate your time everyday to using them and use all the strips you will most defiantly see a good difference. Choose strips that are designed to be used daily for a week to ten days like  (Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips have a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide than over the counter whiteners).

BLEACHING PENS (Go Smile On the Go Teeth Whitening Pen)

This pen uses a 5.25% hydrogen peroxide bleaching gel delivered from the brush. You use this almost like you would use nail polish applied to your nails. The brush on pen works by brushing the gel onto each tooth one at a time. They are very handy when it comes to using them between meals, you can keep it in your purse and use it in the bathroom quickly. The brush tip allows you to apply the formula in tight areas between the teeth. These pens are actually more useful for touch ups or after treatments. I used this pen by itself and then a week after I was finished with the white strips. By itself, you can’t notice too much of a difference but using this after a whitening treatment helps to boost that treatment even more. They also usually take one to two weeks to work.

NATURAL 5 MINUTE TOOTH WHITENING SYSTEM

This is fast and easy to use because of the duplex mouth tray that allows you to whiten both upper and lower teeth at the same time but it's not too effective. These mouth trays are usually used for people who have crooked teeth and if you want it to really work the dentist is the way to go but you’ll end up spending about $300 on a custom molded tray. I saw the 5 min. tooth whitening system online one day and was so excited to try it, bc the person that was advertising it made it seem like it worked wonders. Then a few days later I found the same brand, the whole set ( mouth tray and the whitening gel) at the dollar store  So of course I bought it bc it wasn’t a knock off, it was the real brand. I used it for about 2 weeks and honestly didn’t see any results. That’s the last time I ever tried treatments that included mouth trays, but who knows, their might be some other brands out there that are more effective.

WHITENING TOOTHPASTES

Whitening toothpastes wont dramatically lighten your teeth, but they contain mild abrasive silica to get rid of new stains, which is better than nothing. Don’t think that using a whitening toothpaste will remove stains from your teeth like whitening products. However they will help to remove any stains that could result from the color of food you just ate.  My personal preference is: Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid  Enamel Renewal Toothpaste

Some Tips & Tricks:

1. If you just got a professional cleaning from the dentist plan on whitening your teeth one to two days after

2. If your teeth are sensitive to cold or heat, they might also be sensitive to bleach which can cause discomfort when using some of these products. To help this you can try brushing your teeth with a desensitizing toothpaste (such as Sensodyne) for about a few weeks before whitening your teeth and take one ibuprofen an hour in advance.

3.Don’t consume dark foods or dark drink for at least 72 hours after whitening. If you’re a coffee lover and can't survive without it, chase it with water immediately then brush your teeth.

4. To brighten your smile between treatments, gently rub your teeth with a washcloth dipped in hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide lightens stains, and the cloth is better than a brush at scrubbing stains away.

5. To make yellow teeth appear whiter, wear glossy, blue based lip colors like cherry red, wine, or berry shades. Skip pearly lipsticks, matte finishes, and beige, brown or yellow undertones, all which bring attention to discoloration. One exception: coral, which makes gray teeth appear whiter. (Clinique.com)

Home Made Remedies:

* Drink a cup of tea with lemon in it once a day and you’ll see a change in your smile

* Take one or 2 strawberries and mash them up in a small bowl and add a bit of baking soda to the mix. Mash it all together really well with a fork. Then use an old or disposable toothbrush and spread some of the mix onto the brush. Start brushing your teeth for about 2 minutes with the mix, then try and hold it on your teeth for a minute. Then spit it out and brush your teeth like you regularly would.

This is really great because strawberries contain Malic Acid which is great for removing stains. Its super easy and if you do this about twice a week (or more if you’d like) you’ll probably start seeing results anywhere form 2 weeks to a month. I was actually really surprised to see how well this whitened my teeth. Actually, some famous celebrities swear by this and say this is how they keep their teeth white.

How do you guys feel about whitening products, have you tried any? If so which ones did you like or dislike….let me know  






9/07/2011

Wednesday's Beauty Tip

Beauty Tip of the Week



JUST ADD SOME SUGAR!!

+



So you go to get out your favorite exfoliating scrub, start squeezing the bottle but then realize, oh yea, I forgot that I used the last of it the other day.  It’s happened to me, I have a bad habit of putting back empty bottles of face wash, shampoo, etc. It’s okay though, you still can get a decent exfoliating scrub by just adding a little bit of regular sugar to your everyday facial cleanser and there you go, you just made your own facial scrub.

Sugar produces glycolic acid, one of the natural alpha hydroxy acids that exfoliates the skin.  That’s why theirs so many natural homemade facials that includes sugar. Sometimes I’ll add a little sugar to my everyday facial wash just to give my skin a little extra care.

Gotta Love Sugar!!!

9/06/2011

NOTD: Blue Me Away!

BLUE ME AWAY!

by Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Polish





I’m really liking Sally Hansen’s Xtreme Wear Polish, I think this is the third color this month I’ve bought in this exact brand. I saw this at CVS the other day with all the other colors and it was like it was screaming “buy me, buy me”! lol. Well you know what I mean, this color just stood out and I feel like it's probably going to be one of the last summerish colors I'm going to wear. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, I probably still have a few more colors to sneak in before fall.






When I applied the second coat I was like whoa! this is definitely a bold bright color but extremely pretty at the same time. I always use my Sally Hansen INST-DRI top coat, but I guess it’s time to buy a new one. Before I even went and  applied it on my nails I could tell just by the brush that the polish was getting thick and gooey (I think that’s the word to explain it lol). So I had to use a top coat that came with one of the nail art kits I have. I feel like it worked well, especially because I still had my INSTA-DRI speed drops that I swear make my manicure last twice as long. Anyway, that’s my little top coat story…




I wanted to do some sort of nail art or decals with this color and I thought pink and yellow would make the blue pop even more. Nothing fancy at all, I just used L.A.COLORS ART DECO in pink to make a few lines. Then I went through my old nail art kit that has stickers, gems, decals, etc. and I found pretty little yellow flowers that matched great with the blue and pink. ( I thought so anyway). This would actually be a really pretty spring look.



QUICK TIP:  To really ensure that your nail polish is sealed and dry, wait a few minutes after applying your polish and soak them in ice cold water for a few minutes. I was hesitant to try this at first but afterwards I could feel that the polish had hardened and was confident that I wouldn’t have any chipped nails the next day

9/03/2011

It Aint That Simple Featuring Latorsha

I know some of you might be married already and some may not, like me. One of my favorite blogger friends, Latorsha has a great blog called Life is Hard, Laugh Anyway She is married with a young son so she always has great posts about what its like to be a wife and mom, as well as some stories that will have you cracking up. I thought I would ask her to come on over here and tell those of us aren’t married yet what it's really like. This is supposed to be a funny post, so I don’t want any of you to read this and swear off marriage lol. Thank you, Latorsha for taking time out to deliver this great post!!!! Hope everyone enjoys it and don’t forget to check out her blog.

It's Ain’t That Simple

Many of you that are single are probably dreaming of finding the perfect man, getting married and living happily ever after.



Well, let me give you my run down on marriage. I like to call it “It ain’t that simple”.

Today I'll share with you 5 reasons I believe It ain't that simple. Reasons 5-100 I'll let you figure out on your own. Consider learning those as part of your initiation to marriage. Good luck!

Let’s get started.






1. Don't think after marriage you'll go home, take off your make up, hair, nails, etc sit on the couch and have a glass of wine.

Oh no! Hubby will look at you, I mean won't look at you and will ask where dinner is?

Didn't realize you'd become the chef at the altar did you?

2. Back to the hair and makeup

Remember those days before dating him when you walked around your home in flannel pajamas looking a hot mess, watching Sex and the City and eating ice cream.

Well hubby doesn't, because you never let him see you like that. So don't think that is going to go over well. You'll be cuddling all by yourself.

3. Those days before marriage when you were aggravated and had major bouts of PMS, you’d tell him I’m staying in tonight and I’ll see you tomorrow.

After marriage, it is not so simple. It’s kind of hard to say that when he is laying right beside you and his name is on the mortgage too.

4. So you like your place nice and clean.

I mean no dishes in the sink or dirty clothes on the floor. Hmmmm might want to rethink that. I know what you are saying, no my man’s place is always neat.

Of course it is. Who doesn’t make a good impression when they are dating? Browse back over points 2 and 3.

5. Exercise, remember it well.

People have a way of being more relaxed when they get married. Sure skip a day here or there, lay on the couch a little more, eat a little more, and essentially transform into a new shape. You know, like a circle.

Okay. I’ll stop here because I don’t want to ruin the surprises for you. Just consider yourself warned, I mean filled with anticipation.

These are just a FEW reasons that living happily ever after may not be as simple as you might imagine.

I recommend that you continue to take notes here at Beauty Obsessed so you can find some ways to keep and maintain a beautiful look.

The other stuff, well I am still trying to figure that out. After 9 years of marriage you learn to go with the flow.

I wish you all well in relationships, marriage, and of course living happily ever after.

Note: To my dear husband, if you finally stepped out of the box and made your way here by actually reading my blog I just want you to know that I was held against my will to write this and may have been under the influence of wine. Again, they made me do it.
Cause baby, you know we living that happily ever after.


Latorsha, is the blogger of Life is Hard, Laugh Anyway, a place where she tries to remain optimistic by any means necessary, mostly laughter. She especially loves connecting with new people. On twitter you can follow her at @AnOptimisticMom. You can check out her blog Here or contact her at AnOptimisticMom@ gmail.com

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