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!

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.

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.

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!

Covergirl SmokyShadow Blast

So I had a couple extra bucks in my pocket this weekend and decided to try out a couple of new beauty products for fun. The first one I'd like to review is the Covergirl SmokyShadow Blast. I purchased "Bronze Fire" (dark brown and cream) at Rite Aid for ~$8.

Photo: www.covergirl.com

First, the set-up. Step 1, which goes over your whole lid is a rounded tip, and step 2, which goes along the lash line and in the crease is more pointed. Both sides are the consistency of typical wet eyeshadow or wet blush...fairly thin, definitely not like lipstick. It goes on smoothly, but I had to use my finger to blend it all in. I also needed regular eyeliner...the second step is not really eyeliner at all.

It looks pretty good going on, although it was a little bit light. At the end of today (4 pm) I can still see it some, but the "smoky" effect is definitely blended away. It's definitely not a substitute for a proper smoky eye with normal eyeshadow. For a weekday though, it works. It also would be a good tool to throw in your purse as a "back-up" tool for last minute plans or surprise work meetings where you need to freshen up your look. Also, it would be a good tool in a gym bag; that way if you shower and get ready at the gym you don't have to tote a ton of eyeshadow tools with you.

Overall, I give this a B- for ease of use but points off for light application and not staying on very well.

Bring some shine into your life (or at least your hair)

So maybe it's winter, maybe it's me, but I've noticed my hair has been looking super dull lately. It's no secret that I color my hair, but I'm on hiatus until my stylist comes off maternity leave (maybe. I'm not sure I can make it that long, but I'm going to try). However, yesterday in Walgreens I came upon this product:

Photo from drugstore.com

I am not new to the world of glazes; I tried John Freida a few years ago. That brand worked pretty well as far as shine goes, but didn't smell very good, the texture was more of a gel than anything else, and after using my hair was somewhat "squeaky" if you know what I mean. I hadn't used anything in a long time, so I thought about trying this. It was $6.99 ($6.00 at drugstore.com) for 4 oz, but that's not too bad for Aveeno. I have tried Aveeno active naturals shampoo without much success, but I was willing to give it a shot.

I'm glad I did, because so far I really like it. You just apply it post shampoo & conditioner in the shower, let it set 2-3 min, and rinse. Easy! Shine example to the right taken with my camera phone.

I didn't use any products post shower and didn't apply any heat tools other than the hair dryer and a round brush to try and make it look better. Pretty good, huh? Another bonus is the light and flowery scent (hence the "active naturals" I suppose). Also, it's a cream, so it goes on your hair easily in the shower, just like a conditioner would. When I combed through my hair I had zero tangles, which my expensive conditioner can't even do, giving it BIG points in my book as well. The only concern is there didn't seem to be many available on the shelves; I don't know if this is a new product Aveeno is marketing, or one that isn't doing well. I guess I'll have to wait and see on that.

The goal is to help extend color, not totally replace having your hair colored, and at first glance it seems to do the trick. I will report back if it washes out tomorrow, but otherwise I give this product a 4 out of 5.

Winter skin BEGONE!

I stumbled upon this on the clearance rack at Rite Aid last weekend. It was ~$4 if I remember correctly. I hope that it being on clearance was not a signal that St. Ives wasn't going to make it anymore, cause this stuff is AWESOME.

St. Ives Intensive Healing Body Cream

I mean super awesome. Rad-awesome. I was scratching my legs in my SLEEP they were so itchy, and in ONE day (1!!) it took everything back to silky smooth. I had been using just a generic Suave lotion, which was ok, but I felt like I had to keep re-applying and even then I still had dry, itchy legs. St. Ives took care of that. Plus, it doesn't feel greasy or too thick like some "body creams" or "body butters" can feel. I've been using it daily since I got it, which is a big deal cause I am horrible about applying lotion diligently, especially in the winter when no one but T sees my legs.

I'm rating it higher than more expensive stuff I've tried from Sephora, Korres, and Pacifica. If I see this stuff again I plan to stock up just in case it really is going away (please St Ives...don't take it away).

Post to share

Interesting. I had heard about this dry shampoo and was going to try it when I ran out of "PSST", but now I think I'll pass....The girls at College Fashion HATED TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo. Read about it HERE

Have any of you tried it and liked it?

Update on Pantene....

So a few weeks ago I posted about Pantene showing some signs of improving their product line. Feel free to review HERE. I have updates. They are sad updates. I tried a few days or so each of the Medium-Thick Frizzy to Smooth Shampoo and the Color Preserve Shine Shampoo and Color Preserve Shine Conditioner.

I give the Color preserve shine about a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. While it DID make my hair appear shiny, the texture was way out of whack. It felt stripped down and squeaky, if that makes any sense. It only took about 4 days of use for me to stop using this one. I started to get nervous of breakage. So, won't be buying this again.

The Medium-thick shampoo I will rate a little higher at about a 6. When I blow dried my hair it was pretty dang straight without much effort. But again, something was just not right with the texture and shine. Now instead of being squeaky and shiny, it's kinda dull. It just doesn't FEEL right, you know what I mean? And no amount of conditioner helped. So, I doubt I purchase this again. I may keep it around to use as emergency backup shampoo, but otherwise I'm going back to my expensive Brocato brand.

Kinda bums me out! I was all excited for a cheaper shampoo option. HOWEVER, the styling cream I previously mentioned still works great. So maybe for now Pantene is getting it right with the products but isn't quite there with the shampoo.

Did any of you try it and have a better experience?? Let me know in the comments.

Pshhhh....Who needs Band-aids?

Let's just start with a few points.
1. I'm sorry I am so lax on blogging. I have a list of products I must discuss, I really do (including my hairstyle the other day that some of you just RAVED over...) I have just been crazy busy with work. Will try to get better.
2. I am so tired of being hot. Today it was 95...NINETY FIVE...in Baton Rouge. Ugh. I can't take it anymore. SUMMER WE BROKE UP. GO. AWAY.

Now. Let's talk products. This is not so much of a product, but an idea. Some background. The transition from summer to fall involves changes in makeup, clothes, scents, foods, and, one of my favs...shoes. The flip flops get pushed to the back of the closet in favor of flats, heels, and boots. Now. Typically this is not a huge issue. If you work in an office, you are pretty well equipped to wear close-toed shoes. However, if you work from home you may have some issues. I may or may not have spent 99% of the past couple of months completely barefoot. So when I went to work a few weeks ago with my new ballerina flats, I had some blister management to take care of.

Typically, I prevent blisters and such with Band-aids. Pretty standard procedure, right? Well. Thanks to two dancer friends (A and K) I have found something better, cheaper, and sturdier than Band-aids. Plain old first aid tape.

Photo courtesy of walgreens.com

There's paper, cloth, waterproof, you name it. I personally prefer the cloth. It's basically transparent once on your foot (see the pic below? You can barely see the tape). And it stays on MUCH better than a bandaid.

And this stuff is cheap. I was wasting money buying Band-aids. I mean, they are handy for having in your purse in an emergency, but Band-aids are really meant to protect cuts not stop blisters. Blisters are formed by friction between your shoe and the upper layer of skin (science lesson o' the day), so all you really need to do is prevent rubbing directly ON the skin. That is easily accomplished with tape.

And let's just talk savings here for a second. My hubs, T, has recently gotten ALL KINDS of interested in our personal finances, so we're trying to budget a bit better. The little things add up. If one Band-aid is 1", and 30 come in a box for $4, that's $0.13 an inch.  Compare that to $4.50 for 20 YARDS (720") of tape...that's $0.006 an inch. You basically get 720 Band-aids for the price of 30. I mean, you can even triple layer the tape if you need to make SURE you don't get a blister (one layer stopped it for me). For reals. Cheap cheap cheap.

I may be totally late to this party. But when something like this occurs to me, I just have to share.

Review: PedEgg

I thought I would post a quick review of the PedEgg since I used it this morning and thought "Huh, I should talk about this on the blog"

Anywhos. I'm all about some at-home pedicures. Don't get me wrong, I love the real thing. Especially the ones with the salt scrub on the legs followed by hot towels. Fantastic. I also credit my little Korean manicurist friend here for giving me the correct advice on keeping my toenails looking good even though I run (the key is to keep them trimmed VERY short and neat). Anyway--I'm digressing once again.

Point is, I can't always afford the real pedicure. I've got the painting and such down pat, but the buffing and smoothing isn't quite up to par. I have tried foot scrubs (Got2Be makes a good one with pumice stone and olive oil), pumice stones, etc. I recently bought the PedEgg for $10 at Walgreens, and here is what I think so far.

It does not really compare to the razors at the professional nail shop. However, it does smooth some calluses and improve the overall texture. I think it works better than a plain pumice stone. The instructions say not to use it right after a shower or bath, but I find that actually helps remove calluses better. You just have to be careful not to scrape too hard since your skin is soft coming out of the water. The blades dull pretty quickly, but replacements packs of 3 are available for $10 at Walgreens. I felt like I had to scrub for a good 5 minutes to really see results, but again, it did improve the appearance of my feet a bit.

Bottom line? For $10 it's not a bad deal. It does not compare to the salon, but it will do in a pinch! And since I'm either barefoot or in flip flops every.single.day of the warm months, any little bit will help.

Photo courtesy of Walgreens.com

BOGO half off at Rite Aid!

There's a sale at Rite Aid this week! Buy one, get one half off options galore. You can choose ANY two nail polishes (any brand), Covergirl eye color and lip color, Maybeline eye or nail color, any Aveeno lotion, or you can do a Revlon lip color + nail color. I chose this option, getting their Colorburst lipstick in Soft Nude and nail polish in Craving Coral (above). I'm LOVING coral and yellow this spring, be ready to see me in it frequently.

Here's the link to the Rite Aid weekly circular for the East US!

Picture courtesy of drugstore.com, where they are ALSO having a Revlon sale!!

Things I didn't know...but sure wish I had earlier!

Um, so did any of you know that Rite Aid takes returns? As in you bought a beauty product...ANY product...and didn't like it so you can return it for a full refund?

CAUSE THEY DO.

I bought my husband some hair pomade...but accidentally bought the wrong one. We realized once it was opened and being used that it made his hair all Backstreet-boys-circa-99 shiny. Not cool. But I still had the receipt and had seen a small sign last time I was in there about returns. I thought surely they wouldn't take something back that was opened AND used. Wrong...they totally did! $18 bucks (yep, boys have expensive products too) right back in my pocket. I'm pretty sure they just toss the opened products, so you don't have to worry about getting something that someone else has used there.

Of course, be reasonable on your returns. It needs to be pretty obvious that you either never used it or only used it once. Otherwise I doubt they will take it back.

Soooo...lesson learned. If you are trying out something new--lipstick, foundation, shampoo--and realize pretty quickly that it's not going to work, at least at Rite Aid you can return!

BlisterBlock

So I realized this weekend at a wedding that I hadn't mentioned this neato little product. It's from Band-Aid, and it's called Blister Block. It's this little stick that you rub on your feet before putting on shoes, and it's supposed to help prevent blisters. It actually works VERY well. Now, if the shoes are too small, or REALLY uncomfortable, then you may still get a blister. But I use it ALL the time...and I realized I hadn't mentioned it cause my friend said "How do I not know about this?!" and then all the bridesmaids proceeded to use it. Good stuff. In the first aid/bandaid aisle.