Foundation routine and a brave girl

I know I haven't posted in FOREVER, I have not forgotten about posting but life/work has been in the way. I am going to try and revive the blog 2012. I did want to share this video though of Cassandra Bankston, a teenager that has some really great YouTube makeup tutorials. She does an amazing job in this foundation tutorial. She uses a TON of products, but it's a bit out of necessity. At the end though, she does not look like she is wearing that many products.

She is precious, and well spoken, and brave. I totally commend anyone who can just put themselves out there, especially with something they are very self-conscious about. I may try some of the products she mentioned, they sound good! (I also realized I need to quit freaking out about my very infrequent, very minor breakouts...they can easily be covered)

Links!

Got roses? Don't throw them out quite yet...make a rose bath for your feet (via Bella Sugar)

Cut 100 calories at any meal (via FitSugar)

REALLY cute straight hair style tutorials from Refinery 29. I LOVE the beach waves and the fishtail braid!

10 ways to make your old car feel new from Popular Mechanics (I DO read other things besides beauty articles, don't cha know) I mostly just need to CLEAN my car.

Three favorite topcoats from College Fashion. The only one I have tried is Revlon, and I do like it quite a bit!!

Easy Fall Makeup Shopping ideas (via Bella Sugar)

Oh, thank you Tom. Thank you Gisele, if you instigated this...that shag wasn't doing anyone any favors. (via People)

Dear Cable companies, DirectTV, all of you...DO THIS. (via Geeksugar)

How damn adorable is this outfit Oliva Palermo is rocking? (via Frugal Fashionista)

Info on when skin-care products expire (via Allure)

Um, I hate to say it, but I SO need this pronunciation guide for beauty and fashion houses. I blame my southern Alabama accent. (via Allure)

Flattering and cute coats for different body types (via Glamour)

Opinion piece

Ok. I'm not really one to get all opinionated, but I'm wondering what some of you think about this:

Beirut's beauty parlor for young girls (BBCNews)

There seems to be a bit of "outrage" and screams of "too-far!" on the internet over this today, but when I watched the video, I don't find it quite so bad. To me, it seems like a glorified dress-up place for little girls...not a legitimate "salon". The employee being interviewed frequently mentions "princess" or "rock star" which CLEARLY are not real-life situations. I don't have children, or a daughter, but who among us didn't play pretend and dress up when we were little? I remember putting on my grandmother's bright red lipstick at a very young age, so I'm not sure how this is much different except that you pay for the service (maximum of $13, I mean come on...a tube of lipstick is $7).

I don't associate this with the child beauty pageants, which I totally disagree with. Those mothers, and their daughters, are something else. This setting also doesn't seem to be in the "growing up too fast" arena either. That I don't have to watch BBC to see...I just go to the mall.

Here's where my opinion comes in, and again, I don't have a daughter. I don't know what I would do if it was my daughter, but I know what my mother did for ME. I turned out pretty well, I'd like to think. So let's talk about the mall. Have any of you passed by the "homecoming dress" section in the department stores lately? Some are "cute" but most of them look like this:

Macy's

Um, yeah see my mother wouldn't have let me leave the house. If little miss model there tries to sit her booty will show, I'm sure of it. I'm pretty sure every homecoming (which was SUPER casual, but regardless) I wore a longer skirt and a cardigan twinset. This is not just what seniors are supposed to buy, the 9th graders--14 year old girls--are supposed to be in this. Some of the dresses are over $200 as well. I don't get it, where are their MOTHERS? I mean, I know it must be somewhat difficult--what do you do? Make your daughter the outcast by not letting her dress sexy like everyone else? I like to think that my mom would have tried to find a happy medium (though I'm not sure where we could have found it, all of the dresses look like this...) cute but not sexy. Or she would have told me to suck it up and let me be an outcast!

Mall point #2. Go in Victoria's Secret. A large percentage of the clientele looks to be younger than 16. Buying thongs and sexy bras and whatnot...with again no adult in site. First, my mom would have LAUGHED AT ME for wanting to purchase a $40 bra and $9 underwear at age 13. Yes, VS makes some high quality bras that don't tear up, but it's the sexy factor I'm curious about...do these 13 year old little dudes macking on these 13 year old little girls even know that they are seeing a VS bra? I doubt it. Here's a secret, young teenage girl out there...your boyfriend doesn't know what he's doing any more than you do. At all. Bras, underwear, sexy stuff, all of that...he has NO CLUE, so no need to do something you don't want to try and please him.

Random point #3. My friend is conducting interviews for a world-class, very large corporation at a college this week. She text me to say that the outfits some of these college girls showed up in to the career fair were straight scandalous. Skin tight everything. Bandage skirts.

Herve Ledger via google images

Here, let's throw a blazer or cardigan over this and call it a day. Perfect interview outfit! No. Bandage skirts are not pencil skirts or suit skirts. Spandex shouldn't be in the interview room (unless it's Spanx, of course and we all know that's well hidden.)

The college guys seemed to have it figured out--suits only. Sexy and interview do not go together, I am so sorry. I wore a suit to my first interview junior year of college--it didn't fit me well, it was entirely too big, but I was covered head to toe. So what is up with this group of girls thinking this is appropriate?

Is it media? Surely not. Movie stars and TV stars have always dressed sexier than us "normal" folks. The Kardashians are way over the top, but if you watch the show, the younger Kardashian girls really don't dress like Kim, Kortney, and Khloe. Cause they are teenagers! So...why are middle America teenagers going crazy? Yes "sexy" is pushed down our throats every second of the day, but when did "overtly sexy" = "beautiful"? I didn't WANT to dress sexy in high school, it terrified the mess out of me to be revealing. Does it start with these "little girl beauty parlors" and that's why people are upset? I'm all about dressing nice to feel good about yourself and makeup and all of that, but it just seems like so much, way to soon for these young girls.

That's my soapbox. Thoughts from you, readers?

Coupon for Essie from RiteAid!

$2 off Essie polish, click below to claim

Rite Aid Offer

Also, Walgreens has been offering buy one get one half off on their Walgreens brand items. It's a good opportunity to stock up on lots of stuff from cotton balls to generic OTC meds and such!

Things I am irrationally obsessed with...

I have a tendency to start picturing things in my head and then becoming IRRATIONALLY obsessed with them. It is usually worse when the seasons are changing. So, for fun I thought I would share! In no particular order, and not limited to the following things:

• Essie's fall nail collection. I know. Me in love with nail polish YOU ALL MUST BE SHOCKED. But seriously, this is a fun collection.

www.essie.com

• Frye boots. I really wish these weren't $300+ Sigh...

image from google

• My Kindle and downloading every free book ever. Via the Kindle I somehow finally found Jane Austen at age 30, and now I'm obsessed with her too.

• Laura Mercier metallic creme eye color (which I will be purchasing before the week is up, I have no doubts) in Rose Gold

www.lauramercier.com

• Basically anything copper or rose gold for that matter

• Black and brown wedge heels...cause I wear heels all of NEVER. But I am still obsessed. 

• This dress by Sanctuary ($158 on Piperlime). Been staring at it for about two months now. And I. LOVE. IT.

piperlime.com

• Finding the perfect tinted moisturizer..light coverage but stays put, not greasy, right skin match. It's kinda getting to be a like a holy grail thing, and I'm probably going to end up with Laura Mercier here too, but we'll see.

• Cropped red or burnt orange skinny pants

piperlime.com

• Mustard yellow ANYTHING. I have a sweater similar to this from Urban outfitters (mine doesn't appear to be in stock anymore), and I kinda want to wear it every day.

www.urbanoutfitters.com

•  Pinterest.
• Chobani Lemon greek yogurt. 140 cal, no fat, and 15 g of protein. It tastes like lemon icebox pie, and you can see the little bits of ACTUAL LEMON in it. Delicious

www.chobani.com

•  This antique ring that I know is sitting at Lee Michael's jewelry in BR with no stone that wants to be in my life. Kinda like the one below, just no diamond in the center. "You finished your PhD" gift, perhaps??

Image from google

 Random, yes, but again just thought I would share! Any of you have some obsessions these days? Share in the comments.

Tuesday 9.20.11

Sorta slim list this week, but here are some fun links! I decided to not hop on the Emmy-fashion-review-train because A) I really didn't watch it and B) there were just too many people to discuss. Bella Sugar has a TON of reviews and such if you want to check them out, so does Beauty Blogging Junkie.

Also, I highly recommend picking up this month's Allure or going to their website HERE to peruse all their "Best of Beauty" winners. It's quite the expansive list. I can't really go through their items without basically plagiarizing, but definitely check it all out!

Tips for giving yourself a great manicure (or, the mistakes you make at home) from Beauty and the Budget. I am guilty of basically ALL of these.

And speaking of at-home manicures, I'm so about to try this top coat from Sally Hansen (thanks Jezebel)

If you've been thinking about cutting your hair shorter, here are some inspirations for different face shapes from Glo/MSN

It's not you, it's the clothes (from Already Pretty). It has taken me awhile to figure this out--that I could actually change things other than the hem--but now my tailor and I are tight buddies.

Zoe Saldana looking all chic at Micheal Kors (Frugal Fashionista)

I LOVE this rose-gold nail color by Deborah Lippman (Link from Bella Sugar)

Slideshow of models with little to no makeup and then done up all the way. While they are still really beautiful in the "before" shots they do feel a little more normal. Just goes to show what an amazing hair and makeup team can do. (W magazine, one pic NSFW)

I really can't deal with the cuteness

I usually save my links til Tuesday, but good LORD this girl was too cute to not share. I saw it on the Hairpin AND Boing-boing (link from Boing-boing).

Cutie-patotie Madison gives a Halloween makeup tutorial. STOP IT. She's got to be, what? 5? Adorable. My fav line? "I really love this you gotta try it" Homegirl will be backstage at NYFW one day..

Leather and beads

So before I start, let me give you a caveat and explain something about myself. Caveat: this post is not really beauty related, but I figure it's close enough. And then about me, or one of my quirks, if you want to call it that. When I learn how to do something, usually a crafty-type thing like making jewelry or painting or whatnot, I kinda become OCD about that certain thing for about a week or so, and then I trail off. My last obsession was watercolored cards--like for birthdays and such. I made a bunch in a short period, and then moved on to the next thing. And once again, I have been trapped by the craft bug and spent the last week all mired off in my obsession.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Which is...Leather and bead wrapped bracelets. I love (excuse me, LURVE) Chan Luu bracelets (above), but my budget these days is just not allowing me to have one. So while I knew I couldn't make one quite as pretty I thought I'd at least figure out how to make the style. Thanks to the internet, I did. I typed "Leather and bead wrap bracelet" into Google and viola! Bracelet time. I used this YouTube tutorial from Beyond Bracelets and this written tutorial from How-to-make-jewelry.com. Without these, I would have never figured it out. They also had some great tips, like holding the top of the bracelet down on a foamboard using a binder clip, that basically I can't believe I had to have someone tell me cause they are so obvious yet smart. So off I went to Michael's (and later Hobby Lobby for round 2) to get supplies. I spent about $30 at Michael's and $25 at Hobby Lobby, but still have a bunch of material left over. That's the thing about jewelry making I am coming to find out: you buy 50 yards of beading thread for $5, but it lasts for AGES. So I'm not sure how to break out exactly how much each bracelet costs, but it's definitely less than the $225 Chan Luu. The beads are typically the most expensive thing depending on how nice they are, etc. (I have also been making earrings lately, so I am starting to catch onto the whole supplies cost thing. I think Etsy supplies is going to turn out to be a better bet than Michaels, but we'll see...and I'm digressing...)

SO. The bracelets. I made two double wrapped and two triple wrapped bracelets. The hardest thing to find was a bead that could work as the closure, like the ones above. Also, leather choices were slim to none. Out of the bracelets I made, I liked working with the 2 mm round leather cord the best and 2 mm or smaller beads (as the tutorials point out, your leather and beads should be of similar size/weight). So I think in the future I will use those sizes the most. The Chan Luu ones above seem even smaller, I couldn't find the supplies for that, but plan to check Etsy at a later date. So here are the finished products:

The pictures aren't the highest quality, I apologize. It's hard to take pics when they are on your arm!! Oh, the little single bracelets are just beads on this strand called "Stretch magic". It's translucent and slightly elastic. You just put the beads on, double over-hand knot the ends, and then I placed a crimp bead (the little silver ones if you can see them) over the knot to hide it. Super easy, and they should be fun to layer with the wrap bracelets.

Anyway, I just wanted to share because it was easy like WHOA to make these. I'd say it takes about an hour per bracelet, and once I got the hang of how to weave it I could make it while watching TV. A few tips: Make the threading lace a LOT longer than you think it needs to be (and it will be annoying to deal with, but just deal with it). Also, the suede seems like it would be pretty (bottom pic, farthest right bracelet), but it's kinda hard to deal with and doesn't lay quite as well as the round leather cording. Make sure you choose beading thread or cord NOT wire, and don't buy the translucent plastic kind, it kinda sucks. I bought black Beadalon Wildfire beading thread, and it worked out great.

Ok! So there ya go, a nice little craft project. Not really sure when I'll get to WEAR all these bracelets, but hey, I have 'em if I want to!

The first Tuesday links of fall!

Up until Tropical Storm Lee hit this weekend it was still 100 F in Louisiana. But thanks to that, it's now in the 70s. Glorious...It's Sept. Football has started. So. FALL.

Some fun new drugstore beauty products! (Bella Sugar)

You Beauty shares how to transition bronzer use into fall 

Every Cher outfit in Clueless in one minute. (The Hairpin) And FYI, Clueless is 16 years old. As if...

Zoe Saldana looking super cute for Jimmy Kimmel. (Frugal Fashionista) I am developing this obsession with coral right here as summer is ending, what is up with that?!

This has nothing to do with beauty, but it's hilarious and true. Why Yoga can be so Irritating (Although you should go anyway) from The Awl. I have been trying to get myself to go to yoga regularly, and I can relate to a lot of her points!

Another from the Awl/The Hairpin: The Olsen's new $39,000 bag. That's right. Three Nine Zero Zero Zero.

A Fall Trend Guide slideshow from Who What Wear. Now, this is a long slideshow. But ya know, maybe you're bored like I was!

How fabric softeners may cause you to break out. WTF?! T (the husband) has been breakin out for WEEKS...I wonder if this is it? (From Beauty Blogging Junkie)

Seems like with the Missoni line at Target coming soon, it's everything Missoni! Even Missoni-style nails (Bella Sugar)

How to get what you want at a salon from Real Simple. Listen. I am the most non-confrontational person ever. But if I am about to drop hundreds (and I do) at the salon, they are going to listen to me. NEVER feel like you can't say something at the salon if you don't like what is happening. Good tips on how to deal with these issues though.

Not beauty related, but I know a lot of you have read this book, so in case you didn't see it here's the first teaser trailer for the Hunger Games.  (MTV) It's definitely a teaser. Some woods. Katniss (who, btw, looks better than I thought when they first announced J. Lawrence in this role). Looking forward to seeing more!
---And speaking of Jennifer Lawrence. God bless her... just check out this vid on her 8 HOUR makeup call to just get in the Mystique costume for X-Men (from Bella Sugar. Note that there is some ever so slight nakedness, cause girl had to be painted from head to toe. So save for watching at home!)

Want a manicure that lasts almost a month? Sure you do...

Ladies. I finally broke down and got a shellac manicure last month. "Last month?" you're thinking..."Why is she just now talking about it?" Uh, because that's almost how long this stuff lasts. I'm not even kidding. It. Is. AWESOME. I totally forgot to take a picture the day I got it done, but let's just go ahead and review my THREE WEEK pics below:

Other than the new nail growth, which results in some peeling at the bottom, it still looked good as new. Was I careful with my nails during that time? Nope. Cleaned, cooked, worked (I work on a computer all day so there is a lot of typing going down), did everything I normally do. Nails still looked great! Regular manicures usually chip on me within, oh, two days.

So how is this better than acrylic or other fake stuff? Well, it is cheaper and easier to maintain for one. You don't like it you can have it removed the next day. Most importantly, it did not damage my nails at all. In fact, it made my nails feel thicker and stronger the whole time I had the polish on. I did go back to the salon to get it removed; you can't really get it off with normal polish remover. The lady there had me soak my fingertips for about a minute in this SUPER strong-smelling polish remover (she put a towel over the bowl so the smell wouldn't knock us out), then she gently scrapped it off and buffed my nails back to normal. This is where the shellac can sometimes go wrong. I had a friend get nail damage because the manicurist scraped too hard and into the nail bed. If you are having it removed and you feel like they are scraping too hard, just tell them to back off some.

I would also recommend you stick with lighter tones. The growth won't be as noticeable as it would be with say, dark red or plum. I only suggest this because it is more expensive than a normal manicure. This was $35, but I found out another, smaller salon near me does them for $25, so I would do some shopping around. When this first came out I think some of the salons had issues with taking this stuff off, leading to nail damage. It seems like now they are all up to speed though on the new technique, so you should be good to go. If you are nervous, try asking around. Find a salon where someone else has had it removed and make sure they didn't have issues.

I am a total nail color junkie, especially in the fall, so I can't commit to the price and single color all the time. I will definitely do this again soon though, most likely before a string of work meetings, volunteer events, and big conference I have in October, allowing me to have perfect nails all the way through each event.

www.cnd.com

If you'd like some more info, visit the CND website. This is the brand that most salons seem to carry right now. Have any of you tried it? Do you love it? Any recommendations to add? Put it in the comments!!

Link time

I think the two week span works better than the one week...it allows me to collect more fun tidbits from the internet!

So I love this post from Jane Marie at the Hairpin (who produces This American Life on NPR, which makes me geek out a bit) on Beauty Q&A. I love that she's honest, and I love the info on blackhead removal! I need to get one of those little tools...

Fun makeover apps and websites from the Hairpin (which, btw is my new fave blog)

A guest post from a personal trainer on Already Pretty about women, fitness, and how to break through workout barriers 

I never can decide if I like Katie Holmes or not, but I do enjoy these red skinny jeans she's rocking (Frugal Fashionista)

And finally, Bella Sugar had some fun links these past two weeks:

Easy hair tips for the last dog days of summer

LG--this reminds me of the tie-dyed nail look you wanted! Galaxy nail art

Emma Stone (who I love) talks to People online via PopSugar about confidence and beauty 

5 quick hair, makeup, body pick-me-ups!

Today I am 30...

Image from Google

Today is my 30th birthday. I have been thinking about things that I want to do differently in my 30s. I kinda like that it's such a big birthday. Really feels like a changing of the guard, ya know? While there are many existential things that I plan to be better about (being healthy, be more conscientious with my money, not taking my day out on T...etc), I have a few beauty/health things I've decided to really focus on. So here's my list!

1. Floss every day. I know. I KNOW. So crazy and gross that I don't. That's why it's #1
2. Sunscreen on my face. All the time. Not just when I'm at the beach or at the pool. Every beauty mag and blog and dermatologist says this is one of the biggest things you can do to slow the signs of aging. So I'm doing it.
3. Never sleep in my makeup.
4. Drink more water. I've pretty much cut out all soda except for the occasional Coke Zero, but I still need to work on drinking more water and staying hydrated.
5. Chill out with the impulse buying. This includes beauty products, clothes, shoes, and accessories. I donated three HUGE garbage bags of stuff to Goodwill from my closet a week ago. Some stuff I had only worn once. That's got to stop.
6. Eat primarily fruits, veggies, and lean proteins. Chill out on the refined carbs and sugars...unhealthy eating shows on your face, on your body, and everywhere. So I'm going to continue to try and eat nutritious meals every day (with a few cheat days on occasion!).
7. Start using a facial moisturizer with antioxidants and retinol at night. I read about this recently in Allure I believe...30s are the time to start using wrinkle reducing products!
8. Speaking of moisturizer, I also plan to start being better about moisturizing all of my skin. I tend to let it get dry in the winter when it's all covered up. Going to take better care of my skin in general!
9. Do something for myself once a month that falls in the "pampering" category. This doesn't mean I have to spend money--an at-home pedicure counts! Just take 30 min every once in a while to just relax.
10. More yoga. Self-explanatory.

That's my 10 for 30. :) Please share any tips or tricks you've started in the comments!

The best primer/pore minimizer I've ever tried

Not enough links to fill Tuesday links, so you all get a review.

www.sephora.com

This summer, I purchased the Allure beauty box, and the Benefit Porefessional was one of the products for me to try. I have tried various primers and pore minimizer creams in my day to help with my sometimes oily/shiny T-zone, but nothing ever lasted all day. Until I tried this...this stuff is HANDS DOWN the best one I have ever tried. It comes out of the tube neutral, but goes on translucent. I can put this stuff on over my normal moisturizer or sunscreen and sometimes skip foundation all together. It keeps the shiny face away and doesn't clog my pores. A friend of mine recently mentioned to me that she had this new minimizer I should try from Benefit, and simultaneously we said "It's amazing".

It's $29, which may seem a bit steep for such a small bottle, but a little dab goes a long way. And it is SO WORTH IT. It gets 4-5 star reviews on Sephora and Benefit websites, which means I'm not the only one in love with this stuff. I think it's a great product year-round, not just for summer. Try it out and let me know what you think!! Any other primers out there you guys are dying over?

Exfoliate!

Summer skin got you down? I have a great product for you then! Typically you'd think summer, with all the heat and humidity, would keep your skin nice and moisturized. While it's much better than winter, I still found that all the sun exposure and tons of spray sunscreen left my skin looking a bit dull. So I went in search of a fun body scrub for the shower, and I hit on a major winner. Organix's Coconut milk brown sugar body exfoliating scrub.

www.organixhair.com

This product is fantastic! You just mix the oil and sugar that are in the jar and rub on any dry skin (or, like me, everything) in the shower (after you've bathed--body wash will rinse off the oils) and rinse off! The coconut milk/oil kinda seeps in your skin and is SO moisturizing. I got out with smoother skin and didn't even have to use regular moisturizer. Just what I needed to refresh my shoulders, arms, and legs! And it smells fantastic...like summer and the beach all wrapped into one! If it does this good of a job in the summer I can't wait to see how it helps me out in the winter when my skin is really a wreck!


I have tried Organix shampoos and conditioners with mixed results, but still trust the brand to be good quality and a low price. I got this at RiteAid for around $10 (lost the receipt). There were a bunch of different body scrubs, lotions, and butters available, which you can see HERE on the Organix website. Ulta carries a nice selection of Organix products, so if you can't find this in your local Walgreens or RiteAid, I would check there. I had a bit of trouble finding the skin care products online, so I would definitely snatch this up if you see it in the store.

Tuesday links!

I was WAY behind on my reader last week and this week. Like, way behind. I am slowly getting up enough links, here's a few from my first passes through Google Reader! I have some great products to review, but work is kicking my little behind. Hopefully I will update soon.

Frugal Fashionsita roundup: Reese Witherspoon (love), Rose Huntington-Whiteley (adore that pink dress. So much so that I might buy it...Debating between navy and the coral, and thoughts?)

Beauty steals for under $20 from Real Beauty! Sweet!

Fun...13 of the world's best beauty tips from Glamour. I want to try the coconut milk on the scalp thing...

Fall hair ideas from Allure. And I know it's still 1000 F outside, but we will all blink and it will be fall. Cute ideas here, but I'm not into this "intentional frizz" thing on slide 9.

Speaking of fall...probably gonna buy ALL of these from the Essie fall line (from Racked). I am a fall nail polish whore. No lie.

My little sis is an "Anthro" (Anthropologie) girl now, so here's Bella Sugar's link to an interesting interview with their beauty buyer . One day they will interview Mallory on her visual designs.

From GeekSugar How to touch up blemishes in photoshop!

Tuesday links from Massachusetts!

I all! Coming to you with a few links from a work conference in Easton, Massachusetts. Short but fun list below!

Another from the world of Martha and Real Simple: a video on how to clean your makeup brushes

The Makeup Girl discusses Aveda Air Control Hairspray, which is, in fact, supremely badass. I have a travel size that I keep on hand. Pricey though. I have found a close substitute is Garnier Flexible Control Anti-humidity hairspray.

BellaSugar reviews Three Pore Minimizing makeup primers. I own the POREfessional, it really works!

Oh hello memory lane. Thanks to Beauty Blogging Junkie for linking this from TresSugar about children of the 80s and 90s. Fab-u-lous. The only thing missing on the list is Saved by the Bell.

Links for the week!

A great article about turning 30, which I will do in exactly a month. Wow. I'll admit...it's weird. But it's also good!

Long lasting beauty solutions (think manicure, hair color, etc) from Real Simple

Tips for recovering Over-conditioned hair from Naturallycurly.com (hey, it could happen!)...Mar, you should check this out!

The beautybean.com shares some fun DIY facials!

My friend sent me this link to the new Bobbi Brown eye palette. Kinda obsessed and jealous she owns it. And Bella Sugar discusses it HERE! Though I don't totally agree that it's only for makeup newbies. I love it!

I'm sorry, what? A candle that costs more than a car payment (Bella Sugar). ORLY? YARLY....

Then just for kicks, after seeing them live, I've developed a serious girl-crush on Florence (Florence + the Machine). So here she is singing one of my faves.

Dual use item!

I love when I find a product that has multiple uses. Recently I purchased the Neutrogena Makeup removing wipes (Walgreens, $8) to remove my eye makeup at night and for quick cleanup before or after the gym. They work well, but I don't recommend them as a substitute for facewash. I used one last night instead of washing my face again, and my face felt a bit oily this morning. However, they are STELLAR for removing eye makeup.

www.neutrogena.com

Anyway, what's the dual use, you ask? They are pretty fantastic at removing makeup from makeup BRUSHES. I tried them this morning when my normal facewash just couldn't get my foundation brush clean. Viola! Removed I'd say about 70% (after a while I toss and start over with foundation brushes. They just never do come completely clean. Also why I don't buy expensive foundation brushes...but I digress...) Anyway, take a look at the cloth to the right. Gross huh? But it works! Only one cloth did the trick, I rubbed across the brush and then rinsed the brush clean. Good stuff!!

Better late than never links...

Sally from Already Pretty guest posts at the Frisky with info on what you need to know before getting inked. Having two tattoos myself, I highly agree with all her advice. And yes, if you don't know or you are unsure...do NOT DO IT. I love my tattoos. Love them. I forget they are there at times, but I never regret them. And I really, really, REALLY thought about them (for years) before I took the plunge. So. There ya go...

From the NY Daily News: The American Medical Association takes a stand against over-photoshopped ads. 

Tips for getting the smell out of vintage clothing from SF Indie Fashion. There was also a GREAT article about this in this month's Lucky mag. They discussed this product called Deo-Go as well. They said it works...I'm SO trying. So many of T's (the hubs) shirts have been ruined by antiperspirant stains. Have any of you tried this??

Refinery 29 reviews some eye shadow palettes that should make the "bright eye color" trend easier.  I mean, I like this trend on the runway, but not sure it won't look clownish in real life. Thoughts?

Of course Martha has good kit suggestions. Real Simple's 7 must have beauty kits I like the Elizabeth Arden sunkissed face kit. That brow kit seems awesome, but $65? No thanks.

Bella Sugar looks at some crazy celeb hair makeovers. Anna Faris? Whoa.

Yellow nails!!

Bringing you some Earth shattering news. Painted my nails pastel yellow for the first time tonight. I know. Try to contain your excitement. I've neen obsessing (OBSESSING) about it since I saw the lead singer of Paramour rocking them in Shape magazine last month. Anyway I just love them! It's my new neutral! This is Sunshine Sparkle by Revlon, and it was $4.79 at Rite Aid! Sally Hansen and LOreal also has similar shades. Enjoy!

Tuesday links

Um, how the heck is it almost JULY? I hope you all have a lovely 4th of July. I think I need to start reading more blogs, I never feel like I have enough links in here. I guess 5 is better than zero! Here you go!

These sound intriguing...Eylure false eyelashes. Beauty Bets claims they are the easiest ever, which is good because I am a total failure at applying false eyelashes. They sell them at Ulta (looking at you, Coco, you know you want to try them out!)

Absolutely nothing to do with beauty, but basil is my fav herb and I never know how to make it last. Now I do, thanks to Bon Appetit blog.

Oh shuuuttt uppppp Mad Men + Banana Republic? Can't wait!!

Interesting. What a professional styler has in her work bag. Woulda never guessed anything other than the fashion tape.

A few tips from Already Pretty about how organizing your wardrobe can help you figure out your style. I recently organized my clothes and shoes by color, then by type. I kid you not my life is changed. Shopping is so. much. easier. now, and I rarely buy things that I do not need or won't wear anymore.

John Freida: 3 day straight

I recently purchased the Allure Summer beauty box, and one of the products was John Frieda 3-day straight spray. I have been wanting to try this since it came out; all of the reviews in Allure and Lucky have been stellar. The Allure editors used the word "shocking" to describe it, so I knew it must be pretty different than other straightening products.

www.drugstore.com

And let me tell you, it is certainly badA. I can get my hair stick straight, but it takes a good deal of flat ironing in very small sections, which after time can be damaging. I have tried different smoothing products, and they work well but they do not last longer than a day. This stuff? It's unreal.

Let's go through my collage below, shall we? Let me go ahead and note that the instructions state clearly that this is designed for use with the flat iron, so you will not get 3 days of straight hair without the flat iron. Also, they mention you may have to touch up on day 2 and 3, and that if you shower, obviously the effects are gone. This is not a permanent styling like Keratin treatments, etc (which I'm starting to hear that Brazilian stuff is REALLY bad for you, so any of you doing it might want to research and/or stop doing it). Anyway, continuing on...so as you can see, right out of the shower my hair is pretty messy and wavy. The instructions recommend 7-15 sprays, so I started on the low end with about 7 or 8. I think I could have/should have done more, but 8 still did the job. Following blow dry, it was actually pretty straight. Usually it is much wavier at this point. Then came the flat iron; day one flat iron was probably the straightest I've gotten my hair outside of a salon. I didn't have to go over pieces over and over either, just one swipe did the job. If you have curlier/coarser hair, you may have to go in smaller sections, but you still shouldn't have to run over each section numerous times.

Day 2, right out of bed I had some flips and curves around the bottom of my hair, but this is much, MUCH straighter than my hair normally is right from bed. Usually it looks like a messy rat nest, to be honest. I added a little dry shampoo to my bangs because they have a tendency to get oily, and then touched up the bottom with the iron. I didn't have to do anything to the back. Again, the instructions note that you may have touch-ups, so my experience was normal. You can see in the pics that it definitely returned day 1 condition on day 2. It stayed like this all day, and I went out IN THE RAIN folks. Full on 95 degree 100% humidity Baton Rouge, and my hair stayed straight as a board. Unreal.  Then I went to yoga class, where the A/C was apparently broken, and I proceeded to sweat my butt off. I wanted to see how it really held up for 3 days, so I took a shower with a shower cap to avoid wetting my hair. Day 3 (today) I'm in a ponytail, mostly because my roots are just too oily and dirty for dry shampoo to help. But do you see my ponytail? SO STRAIGHT! And there is NO frizz in my hair. Not a bit. I'm very pleased with this product. I think that if I had even longer hair, it would be even better!!

Now for the potential downsides. I'm not sure how well this would work on shorter hair. I think it's designed for medium and long hair. As you can see, I have medium length hair, so it worked well. Also, for people prone to oily hair, you might not make day 3. As I mentioned, I wouldn't have made it, even if I had skipped yoga on day 2. 

In general the positives greatly outweigh the negatives, and it's only $9.99 at drugstores. I HIGHLY recommend!

Tuesday....review!

The links were kinda dull this week, so I am going to review a product instead: L'Oreal EverPure Moisture Deep Restorative Masque.

Photo: www.lorealparisusa.com

I bought this a few weeks ago for two reasons: 1) I had just dyed my hair a lighter shade of blond for the summer, so needed a protective product and 2) it's summer, and the sun wreaks havoc on my hair. I already use the EverPure line of shampoo and conditioner (LOVE IT), so I felt certain this product would not disappoint. I was right! It's like body butter for your hair...super thick and straight up luxurious. The rosemary mint smells great, even T (the husband) likes it. I don't recommend using it too often unless you have extremely dry hair though or your hair might get weighed down. I use it about once every two weeks, concentrating on the ends, and it leaves my hair silky smooth. My sweet 4 year-old nephew visited this weekend, and at one point I bent down to help him tie his shoe...he touched my hair and said "Aunt Court-court, your hair is so soft" If that's not a seal of approval folks, I don't know what is!

You can find this at any drugstore. I bought it at Walgreens (I think) for $8.99.

Changes coming to sunscreen labels!

Hi all! In case you've missed it on the news this week, the FDA will be rolling out some mandatory changes to sunscreen labels beginning in 2012. So why am I bringing it up now? Well, because some of the information is good to know ahead of time and all the time. The short version of the story is this: Manufacturers will now have make their labels much clearer as to what the ingredients are and what the product will do, making them more like an over-the-counter medication than a cosmetic item. The biggest changes are:

1. No more words like "waterproof" or "sweatproof" because that was kind of a marketing gimmick to begin with. If you swim, exercise/sweat, surf, whatever you have to reapply. Period. There will be instructions on when to re-apply on the label as well.
2. Only SPF 15 and above, broad spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) can claim to prevent skin cancer. Everything else will say "prevent sunburn" or something similar.

Again, this won't take effect until next summer, but these things are good to know right now.

This article from Boing Boing on 4 things you didn't know about sunscreen is excellent, I highly recommend giving it a read.

Also, here's a video link to the Today show where they discuss the changes.

Link it up

Not much interesting this week, but here are a few fun things to browse! I got my Allure beauty box in the mail last week, so be on the lookout for new product reviews coming soon!

Elizabeth at Beauty Bets shows how to get rid of self-tanner streaks. Would have NEVER thought of this. Do as she says though and avoid your face...

Glamour mag's slideshow on 11 hot celeb haircuts and correspondingly, 10 ideas for summer hair.

Allure's list of drugstore beauty bargains. I'm a drugstore product junkie, I've tried a number of these. The Goody style pins are basically life altering, Sonia Kashuk brushes really are GREAT quality, and the Freeman avocado mask is also stellar. So, it's a good list! Also, they have a good post on how to nab deals, but still get good quality, on beauty products when retailers put things on clearance

Also from Allure, I'm loving these half-up hairstyles! (It must be the week of hair links, I'm finding them all over the web!)

Nothing to do with beauty, but Little Green Notebook has made me want to paint a door yellow. Here first posts on the process are here and here.

That's about it for today...work calls!

Links 5/31/11

Hope all of you had a fun and relaxing Memorial Day weekend! I know I did. Sorry the links this week are so sad and short. I always get sidetracked on long weekends.

Nice review of drugstore mascaras from Beauty Bets. I've been using Cover Girl LashBlast lately, but after reading this I decided to try Lash Stilletos. Uh, it's fab. More on that in a post later.

I'm not gonna lie, I don't think Kate Moss has been looking all that stellar in recent years (must be that crack pipe...) but Frugal Fashionista shows that here at her Mango Kate Moss show she looks really great!

Amber at BBJ reviews Covergirl's new lipstick, which sounds really awesome! I could use some help getting over my chapstick addiction

Allure's editor favs for the week. That Revlon crayon is looking neat-o. I will try that one out and let you know!

And just for kicks, a city guide to Florence from Design*Sponge, just because it's basically my favorite place on earth.

Delaying the links to bring you the Beauty box

I was a slacker on the links this week (weddings and work kicking my behind have left little time for Google reader). BUT I got my Allure this weekend and found the ad for the Summer Beauty Box.

virtualstore.allure.com

Y'all this thing is AWESOME. All full size products. Mostly drugstore brands, but a few higher end like Oscar Blandi. The only thing I don't care about trying in this set is the hairbrush! If you bought all this in the store it wouldn't be anywhere near only $40. I'm still using stuff I got in the box last year. Doesn't look like it comes with a bag this year, but that's ok. You can read about my geeking out over it HERE. Looking at the pic from last year, I think there is more stuff in the bag this year, which is awesome!

I recommend ordering it HERE on Allure's virtual store ASAP. Sale begins at noon today. The supply is limited as far as I know. Shipping is $10, which is totally bogus, but whatever. That bottle of Clean & Clear body wash would probably be about $8 at a drugstore, so it's still worth it. Last summer it took a few weeks to get it which is kinda bummer, but this year they are saying only 2 weeks for shipment. Trust me my friends, it's totally worth the $50.

Link time!

It's Tuesday, and that means it's link time!

Coinciding with my post the other day, the Glamour magazine folks detail some products to save your skin from razor burn

I think I can file this as the most bizarre makeup thing I have ever seen. Polka dot lips?? Talk about things you can't un-see!

This is just fun...Elizabeth Dehn shares 8 ideas for flavored water. I have the urge to host a summer brunch now...

This looks pretty interesting. Sally at Already Pretty reviews a new site where you can upload photos of your wardrobe, get feedback from other members, and even shop. And of course, there's an app for that: Go Chic or Go Home

Oh my gosh I want to distribute this to college campuses everywhere, especially Vandy. A nice infographic from Threadbared on whether or not you are wearing pants. I can go ahead and answer this for 99% of the Vandy undergrads...No, no you are not.

Tips from Allure on how to get in shape for Memorial Day. Um, so I guess we have two weeks to get ready?

Summer time beauty needs

www.nair.com

Well, if you're in the South we're about a month deep into summer weather. Gonna get a little personal here and review a product to keep your bikini area smooth for swimsuit season! I decided to try out Nair moisturizing bikini cream. I am not a waxing girl, always just used a razor, but I figured for $5.29 at Rite Aid I would give the cream a shot.

Since I have not used this product before I tested on a small spot a day ahead of time. I didn't notice any reaction, so I went ahead with the rest (not ALLLL the rest, mind you, just areas I deemed necessary...) Anywho, I left it on for 4 minutes, and it did a pretty good job of removal! It doesn't smell bad at all. There was a little twinge of burning near the very last minute, but once I had completely showered off it was fine. I'd say the results are slightly better than shaving. Now. One thing I didn't consider was avoiding putting the cream back on the same spot I had tested...I have some slight redness today in the "double application" area, but other than that fine.

Other reviews I have read online say it doesn't last too long, which I had already suspected. But again, it works just as well if not better than shaving, it's cheap, and it's fast (4 min!). So unless I break out in hives in a day (which I will obviously report back about), I will continue to use this product! They also make a version for sensitive skin, which I may try next. This area is prone to sensitivity anyway, as you all know, so if you even suspect you might have issues I would go with the sensitive skin version right off the bat.

Happy sunbathing (wear your sunscreen!!)

Tuesday links 5/10/11

Big congrats to my awesome baby sis for graduating college yesterday. War Eagle! And now I feel really, really old. Anywho. How about some links?

Fun tutorial from Glamour on looking flawless without much work Perfect Makeup in 8 Easy Steps!

And another from Glamour on Pantry items to spruce up your hair

How to shop for a bathing suit without having a meltdown Health for the Whole Self

Beauty Bet's thorough review of Self-tanners

Tuesday links 5/3/11

Found a few fun links this week. Enjoy!!

Orange is my favorite color, so here are 8 orange items to bring in summer for under $20 from College Candy

Fun SPF products under $25 from Frugal Fashionista

WTF designers. PICK A SIZE. No wonder it's so hard to find clothes. Women's dress sizes demystified from Flowing Data...and apparently this is getting a lot of press HERE and HERE.

Mar, this one is for you: New Fresh Sugar Honey Lip Treatment review from Beauty Blogging Junkie

Annual summer sunscreen tote!

Photo: Sephora.com

Sephora's annual summer sunscreen tote is now available. I usually get this every year, it's nice to have the little samples to throw in your purse or beach bag. Plus, $25 is a good deal for all of this:

1. 0.03 oz Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 25 Mineral Veil
2. 0.5 oz Boscia Oil-free Daily Hydration SPF 15
3. 0.5 oz DDF Mattifying Oil Control SPF 15*
4. 0.7 oz Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30*
5. 0.5 oz Ole Henriksen Fresh Lips SPF 15*
6. 0.5 oz Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Moisture Lotion SPF 30
7. 0.4 oz Philosophy Hope Oil Free SPF 30*
8. 0.23 oz Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 60 PA +++** (Two stars for this one!!)
9. 0.25 oz Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15 With Dermaxyl Complex
10. 0.33 oz Supergoop! Everyday SPF 30+
11. 0.4 oz Supergoop! SPF 30 Sunscreen Swipe with Zinc for Sensitive Skin
12. 0.5 oz TanTowel Plus Self-Tan Towelette For Face & Body (Have heard good things about this!)
13. Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Mini Flawless Application Brush
14. Beach Tote (not the sturdiest, but a nice little bag to have around)

The asterisks (*) by the items are things I have tried and enjoy! You can order HERE at Sephora.com. Also, 100% of the proceeds go to the Skin Cancer foundation, so it's beauty for a good cause!!

Tuesday Links 4/26/11

Kinda a short list this week...traveling for work. But these will do!

My husband has the biggest crush on her. Hell, I might too. Frugal Fashionista pick of the week Alessandra Ambrosio in stripes

If you haven't tried these, you should. Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm review from Beauty Bets.

Eye4Style's review on Dove Visible Care Body Wash. I'm pretty interested in trying this stuff out!!

Refinery29's Top 10 Summer Makeup Bag Essentials I'm pretty much on board with all these options except the Revlon Lip stain. I have tried a stain before and HATED it. The stuff never comes off (duh, it's a stain), and it dries my lips out horribly. BUT, maybe it's just a personal preference. The Revlon one comes with a balm, which may help things. (Thanks for the link LG!)

No exciting links this Tuesday. How about a review?

This week was sloooww in beauty blog world, so no links this Tuesday. I do, however, have a new review! I have been meaning to write about it for over a week, and just got some free time to do so. I am happy to announce the re-birth of a 1990s FAVE of mine...the Clinique chubby stick. If any of you remember the original, it was a chubby little lipliner/lipstick combo in one that you had to sharpen like a lipliner. When they discontinued I was so sad to lose my super dark, wine-toned shade, Grapevine. I was so  tragic and unfortunate looking  hip and grunge back then ya know. BUT despite the uber dark shades, it really was a cool little product! Well, thankfully it's BACK. And BETTER.

Photo courtesy of clinique.com

The new chubby sticks are swivel, so you don't have to worry about sharpening. They come in a range of sheer, bright colors that are super fun. I had read excellent reviews about it HERE at Styleist and HERE at Beauty Blogging Junkie, so I finally bit the bullet and purchased a few weeks ago. I purchased Chunky Cherry and Whole Lotta Honey. Chunky Cherry is shown below (hopefully you can see the fun cherry tone!)

OMIGAH I LOVE THESE THINGS. They are light, the color is perfect (as IF Clinique lipstick would be anything but), and they don't dry out my lips. They are as easy to apply as Chapstick. Whole Lotta Honey was an impulse buy, and I am SO glad I bought it. It is the BEST neutral lipstick I have ever purchased. Ever. I even layered it with chunky cherry, and it looked great! They do need reapplying, especially after eating or drinking, but since they are described as a "balm" that shouldn't come as a huge shock.

These sticks can be found wherever Clinique is sold. The department stores were sold out at my mall, but trusty Sephora had plenty. They are $15, and totally worth it. 

Sephora "Chic week"

Starting tomorrow and running to next Thursday, Sephora is having a sale exclusive to VIB (very important beauty members...aka people who spend entirely too much time and money in Sephora.) So naturally, I have the code for you to use online.

Enter VIBCHIC to get 15% off everything. Think I'll use this opportunity to restock some Laura Mercier items!

Tuesday Links 4/12/11 (Dad's birthday)

First off, today is my Dad's birthday and he's pretty much the best Dad in the world. I will readily and happily admit to being a Daddy's girl. He doesn't know I have a blog and would certainly skip a beauty product blog, but happy day to him anyway!


Now, on to Tuesday's links! They are pretty paltry this week. Not much of interest in the bloggy world!

A little jolt of confidence and learning how to stop saying "Can't" from Already Pretty...Can't Wear That

Frugal Fashionista pick of the week (mainly because I'm loving her hair) Emma Roberts in Beverly Hills

For my new mom friends (or anyone who might be looking less radiant from lack of sleep) 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic's review of Make Up Forever Uplight (note, I have tried products like this before. They actually work well but you MUST keep a light hand when applying to avoid looking like you have reflective glitter on your face)

Sadly, that is all for the week! Happy Tuesday, I have some actual product reviews coming shortly...

Link Tuesday

What do you all think about "Link Tuesday"? I always see really great links to share with you in my perusal of the internet. So Tuesday seemed a good a day as any to share! So the first ever "Tuesday links" are:

How To: Beachy Waves photo tutorial from Cupcakes and Cashmere (The tip about not closing the clip on the curling iron was something I had not thought of!!)

And while we're at it...what curling iron to choose from Beauty Bets (the quick answer from the comments section...Hot Tools 1.5")

Here's a killer Nordstrom beauty gift with purchase from Beauty Blogging Junkie

My fav Frugal Fashionista outfits of the past week: Gwyneth and Nikki

And last on the beauty links, a slideshow from Glamour Mag's Girls in the Beauty dept on Spring's 5 best new hairstyles (I'm liking the long waves, but not digging that slick-back look at the end)

Unrelated beauty note #1: Grown up jello shots. Fantastic idea, IMO.

And on a totally unrelated beauty note...who has read the Hunger Games? I totally bashed (and continue to bash) all the Twil-hards, and now I'm all up IN the Hunger Games and can't WAIT for the movie. Karma's a bitch, huh? :) Anywho. They've cast the lead roles; Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss (which I haven't decided if I'm ok with or not), and now these two dudes as Peeta and Gale. Um, I'm not sure I'm feeling this. I kinda like the look of Peeta but are they going to dye his hair blond (and J. Lawrence's black, for that matter)? And the guy playing Gale was in Miley Cyrus's last movie...not a good sign in my book. What are your thoughts Hunger Games fans?

Game changer

I love products, I think they are all super fun and will test anything you give me. Rarely though, do I find something that is a total game changer. I have posted before about my shoe situation and how working from home has turned me into a wuss when I wear any kind of normal shoes. My solution then was to use First-aid tape, described in THIS POST.  Now, I still stand by this and still use it. Usually it works like a charm, but here's the problem. If the tape comes off and you get a blister, or you don't tape a part of your foot and get a blister then you can't use the tape. You can't put this stuff over an open wound, it's bad news. Usually my back-up is Band-aids, which work but can come off or not provide enough cushion. Or worse, I don't have a Band-aid on hand. Anyone who has suffered through walking with a blister knows that you would almost CUT YOUR FOOT OFF than continue to walk. Which is the point I had come to when I walked to my boss's office for a meeting the other day and asked for a bandage, cause I was dying.

Enter in quite possibly the world's greatest product (well, for feet at least). Band-aid advanced healing blister bandages. These.things.are.awesome. I put this one and almost fell over I was so happy. They are so awesome I want everyone in the world to know about them, cause no one should be denied them. Shall I go down the bullet-list of great things?

Photo: www.bandaid.com

 

 

 

 

1. They last for days. DAYS. I ran in one, showered, ran again, walked to and from work in Nash (in the cold rain), wore heels, wore flats, ran errands, etc. It didn't budge or get gross.
2. It actually heals the blister! Helpful, right?
3. They are flesh-toned, so no one will ever know you have it on. (That's the one bad thing about tape or band-aids, it can sometimes look tacky with your shoes)
4. They are like a gel, so they have much more cushion than a Band-aid or tape, so you can even wear one preemptively, say if you know you are going to wear shoes that could cause a blister. They nip that right in the bud.
5. The drugstores and basically all brands have a version, so you don't have to search. They all cost about $4.50 to $5.00 a pack and come in various sizes.

My boss said she never leaves for a conference without them. I will NEVER be without these from now on. I will continue to use tape and Blisterblock for short-term activities, but these are really the best option for work and working out (any runners out there? These are fantastic for running, guys or girls). I really can't say enough nice things. I HIGHLY recommend. 10+ stars!

Sample spree

This is the world's most boring and shortest post, BUT just an FYI, if you need anything from Sephora, order online this week and you can pick 5 free samples out of any skincare product line. They are small samples, but hey. If there is some $70 cream you've been DYIN to try, now would be a good time! Ends April 5th.

Happy Wednesday!

We need to chat about E.L.F. For reals.

Time to end the bloggy silence of the past few weeks. So I have blogged before about E.L.F. (eyes lips face), but never really got around to trying their products. For those who didn't read the old post, the premise of this company is that every product is $1. That's it. Good quality, LOOOOWW price. What's not to like, right? Anywho, they caught my eye in Target a few times, but I'm like a child in there easily distracted by shiny things (read: cheap clothes, swimsuits, handbags, candles, home decor, etc etc. You know how it goes down in Target. You know.). However, my trip Friday night I couldn't resist this nail set...for FIVE DOLLARS. 5...dollars....:
 

I mean, shut up. One BOTTLE of OPI is $9 on sale. And these colors are totally with the trends of the season (two pastels, a coral, and two purplish pinks)...FOR FIVE DOLLARS. (Obviously I'm impressed with this price point)


Anyway, I bought it. When I got home I thought, "I'll bet these are going to be crappy quality" You know what? They really aren't at all! As you can see in the pics below, the bottle width is thinner than NARS, but no smaller overall than other nail polishes. The colors on my nails below are one coat only. I apologize for the photo quality, but just take my word for it that I am DYING over the pastel blue and purple and that coral orange on my middle finger. I'm having a hard time not changing my polish daily. The brushes make an even coat, and when I did my normal clear base, two coats, and top coat on my toes with the blue, it turned out just fine. I was complimented numerous times today on my pedicure color, so that's a great sign. On my nails I might do three coats, but for the price you can afford to do as many coats as you want.

All in all, I'm impressed. I really wondered about the quality with the price point, but have been pleasantly surprised. I plan to try out some of the other products. For a dollar each, you can really try EVERYTHING and not feel the least bit bad about throwing it out if you hate it. Let me know in the comments if any of you have tried this brand! If they keep throwing out products like this, they are definitely going to have a new fan-girl on their hands!!

E.L.F. is available online and at Target.


P.S. I edited the blog text, layout, etc today. I know most people are probably reading through RSS feed, but if you aren't and the new text/layout/etc is hard to read, PLEASE let me know. I like the way it looks but the readers preferences trump my decisions! Let me know!

Not that I want you all to compete with me but...

Holy MOLY look at the giveaway from Beauty Blogging Junkie. I really want this all for myself, but I had to share. Click the link to her post HERE to read all about the bajillion things (51=a bajillion in the giveaway world) she is giving away and follow the instructions if you'd like a chance to win.

I might fall over if I win, just a heads up.

Winter vaca 2011...aka how I saved my skin

Hi all. Sorry as usual for the lack of posts, I actually have quite a few products I want to comment on, but haven't had the time! Hopefully the next month or so I will get better about it. (I do say this every month don't I? Well. Here's hoping).

Enough rambling. I wanted to share with you a pretty old school product that basically saved my face on my vacation. T and I just returned from our week-long ski trip to Steamboat Springs, CO. It was absolutely fabulous, and I am very depressed to be home and working again. However, I do feel better in being a little more prepared this year to deal with the cold, wind, and altitude change! Last year it took about 2 weeks for my skin to recover, but this year I feel normal already! Here's some tips for any winter vacations you may have in the future.

1. Get a humidifier in your hotel room. I know. Any readers outside of the south are probably laughing at me, but whatever. I am Southern through and through, and my skin, sinuses, and eyes just CANNOT handle the dry, cold air. Last year I was miserable by day 2...this year the FIRST thing I did was ask the hotel for a humidifier, which they promptly provided so I must not be the only person in need! I may complain about the humidity when my hair is in full on freak out, but I sure do appreciate it when I'm NOT in the steamy South!

2. Chapstick. Copious amounts. No brainer.

3. Visine. I had two bottles--one in my ski pants pocket and one in the hotel. Again. Copious amounts.

www.walgreens.com $5

4. Aquaphor. This is the old school product but by God, it's GENIUS. It's basically straight Vaseline on your face, but I guarantee you will wake up in the morning with all traces of windburn GONE. Lifesaver this trip. Lifesaver.







 


5. Sunscreen. Just because it's snowing does not mean you don't need sunscreen. I'm in LOVE with Neutrogena Ultra sheer SPF 70. Best. Sunscreen. EVER.








I did not have any of these items last year except the sunscreen, and I was pretty miserable with the dry skin and such by the last day. I was a bit #fail on my hair this trip, it's dry and a bit messed up now so I'm going to work this week on repairing that mess. Maybe next year I'll get skin AND hair down. :)

Now I have officially had my fill of winter...bring it ON Spring!!