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!