Product Review: Nad's Facial Wax Strips

While it may be an embarrassing topic for many women, unwanted facial hair is a fact of life for some of us. If you aren't up to visiting your local salon or day spa to see your esthetician, there are so many products on the market to target removal of unwanted facial hair. The options range from creams, to gels, to at-home wax kits. I have tried products that run the whole gambit and multiple brands to boot, and I have come across one product that I found it important to share my experience. Enter: Nad's Facial Wax Strips.

How many of you started reading this post thinking its going to be a rave on some miracle product? Well let me stop you in your tracks and hold up the flashing Caution sign now!!! Let me explain. These strips come in a pack of 12 sets of two strips for a total of 24 strips. Made of a soft woven paper, the strips are coated with an approximate two in long by 1/2 inch tall rectangle of the Nad's natural wax formula, and two strips are fused together with the wax in between. In theory I thought these would be the simplest and most fabulous product to use for removal of hair on my upper lip, and in that respect I must credit Nad's because the use really was fool-proof. I followed my directions down to the very last dot to be sure and have the most flawless application I could possibly achieve. The pamphlet advised for the skin to be clean, dry, and free of oils or moisturizers so I made sure to wash my face and allow it to completely dry before application. The first time I did this I used one of the TWO desensitizing Kava wipes included in the pack which is supposed to help ease irritation resulting from waxing. I suppose it may have worked somewhat, but for the most part I thought the wipes seemed useless (not to mention that the pack is intended for at least 12 applications, yet they only include two wipes?). I am assuming they only want  customers to be desensitized for the first two uses and the remaining ten are all up to chance. Anyways, I digress, back to the use...

To use the strips you simply rub a set between your palms really quickly for a few seconds to warm the wax using the friction from your hands, then slowly peel the two strips apart and apply to the area you wish to wax. Firmly press down in the direction of hair growth 3-4 times and then, with one hand pulling the skin taught, quickly remove the strip in the opposite direction of hair growth. Sounds easy enough, and like I said it was. Now for the bad news... I am no stranger to waxing and don't particularly find the process all that painful anymore; however, this was a pain I hoped never to endure again. I felt like someone had taken a torch to my face and then poured acid in my wounds. At first glance the skin seemed to be fine, just a little red which is normal after waxing, but it was a few hours, then days later that the real problems came to light. The strips ripped off little patches of the top layer of my skin leaving it dry, itching, irritated, and flaking. Following this scabbing occurred in small areas as well leaving my skin broken out, sensitive, and clearly not flawless. My skin seemed to be smoother BEFORE I waxed. I thought maybe I had just done it wrong and I would allow my skin to heal and try again another time. After using half the box with the same result every time, (even when using right after a shower when my pores would be more open and waxing should be easier) I decided to give up and move on and chalk this one up to a poor product. 

I really was disappointed in this product because the concept is brilliant. Allowing us to wax at home without the mess is a fantastic marketing strategy, but unless you want to end up with your face peeling and scabbed over I would stay far far away from the Nad's Facial Wax Strips.

Summer Foundation & Everyday Makeup Tutorial

Just uploaded this video on my Summertime foundation routine and my basic everyday makeup look! Hope you enjoy!

Products Used:

Up & Up  Radiant Skin Moisturizing Lotion

Revlon PhotoReady Makeup: 005 Natural Beige

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder: Honey (Medium 3-4)

Sonia Kashuk: Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette

NYX Eyeshadow Base: Skin Tone

MAC Eyeshadow: Patina

MAC Eyeshadow: Satin Taupe

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette

Benefit Box Powder: Hoola Bronzer

NYX Rouge Cream Blush: 05 Glow

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara: 002 Black

Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara: 001 Black

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss: 122 Natural

Sigma Brushes available at : http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=54429 (Affiliate)

Disclaimer: ALL products featured in this video were purchased by ME with my own money.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about any of the products used in this video! Enjoy!

Royal Wedding ♥ Inspired Nail Art

I was watching my daily dose of YouTube the other day when I noticed a video from FleurDeForce and her Royal Wedding Nail Art Tutorial and later that same day I was checking my Twitter timeline when I saw the other half of my Royal Wedding inspired look. The idea behind this look came mostly from the famous ring, originally Princess Diana's, that Prince William gave to Kate Middleton seen here: 

The color on my toes was inspired by the center stone and the jeweled look on my left ring finger was also directly inspired by the ring. Below are the pictures of my Royal Wedding inspired nails with details to follow:

Products Used and Process:

For both hands and feet I first use Orly's Bonder Base Coat. On my toes I painted a thin base layer of black nail polish using Orly Liquid Vinyl. Once dry I painted a second coat with China Glaze Frostbite. To paint the Union Jack (U.K. Flag) I used a nail art brush first in Orly French Tip White. Then using the same nail art brush I made the red stripes with China Glaze Salsa. In the Center I placed one single blue rhinestone  for a tiny pop of bling ;). For my hands I went with a very sheer pink/nude tone which I thought seemed very bridal. The color is Shell We Dance from Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure line. Using a combination of blue and clear rhinestones I mimicked the effect of Kate's ring on my left ring finger by painting a clear coat over the pink, then applying the stones. After everything was COMPLETELY dry I follow it up with a coat of Orly's Won't Chip top coat. Hope you all enjoy!

China Glaze Poolside Collection

Just a quick little post about my newest obsession for the Spring/Summer!!! Now to start at the beginning, anyone who knows me personally knows that I am obsessed with the color Coral and I am also obsessed with flip flops (like I really hate hate hate wearing regular shoes, its rare...gym and work only lol). Also, I 100% adore neon nail polishes...like A LOT. So I was "Googling" some stuff one day looking for a neon coral because I don't think it could get much better than that and I stumbled across a China Glaze nail polish that was exactly that AND the name of the polish is...drum-roll please....Flip Flop Fantasy. Yep thats right I think it should just be called Emily's polish because its pretty much my favorite. Sad thing is its discontinued. Anyways I was on Amazon.com and eBay.com looking for some bottles of it and came across it and I bought one single polish off eBay.com for around $5 which is pretty near the normal sale price, but thats O.K. because I love it. Well then I started looking into the entire collection that Flip Flop Fantasy was from a.k.a. the Poolside Collection and I proceeded to buy that on Amazon.com for around $25, so for six polishes, its like I got one free. Anyways below are some swatches that I did, but my picture just didn't quite turn out so there are better quality images right underneath found online. If you are able to get your hands on this you should because I love every single color in the entire collection!!!

For more great swatches visit this Website!

Courtesy Temptalia.com

*Swatches from left to right:

TOP: Pool Party, Flip Flop Fantasy, Sun Worshiper

BOTTOM: Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Kiwi Cool-ada, Towel Boy Toy

FOTD: Spring Turquoise Trend Look

So I was getting ready for dinner today and wanted to wear my new dress that I am obsessed with, and I decided that I wanted to do the lower lash line color pop again and keep my face pretty fresh and natural. I kept this  look minimal and will list the products used below. As always any questions regarding this look feel free to ask in the comments, on Twitter, or in an email....enjoy!

*Pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.

Products Used:

-Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer

-Maybelline Fit Me Foundation: Shade 125

-Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette

-NYX Eye Primer: ESB 03 Skin Tone

-Too Faced Natural Eye Palette: Silk Teddy (Lid to Brow) and Velvet Revolver (Crease)

-ULTA Single Eye Shadow: Breeze (Lower Lashes)

-Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen: 01 Blackest Black

-Rimmel London Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer: 261 Noir

-Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara: Black

-Benefit Box Bronzer: Hoola

-Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick: 225 Caramel Kiss

-Stila Lip Glaze: 07 Grapefruit

TREND: Lower Lash Eye Color

Its been popping up all over...YouTube, Runways, Music Videos, etc. Its a trend that I have fully embraced and absolutely adore!!! Neutral eyes with a pop of bright color following the lower lash line. I find that this look can be worn day or night depending on the products used. For a daytime look I would choose matte or satin shadows for the lid with a thin eyeliner along the upper lashline. For the evening, why not add some glitter or intense shimmer on the lid (while still keeping the color neutral) for some fun impact, and a thicker black liner along the top lash line. In the photos below I have chosen to do an evening look, but it can certainly be worn for day as well because the eye color on the lid is so neutral. This look can be done with ANY color that flatters your eye color, or that goes with your Outfit of the Day (OOTD)! For this look I chose to use a purple eyeshadow for two reasons; first because I have brown eyes and purple is a wonderful color to bring out the honey in them, and second because I am just plain obsessed with purple eyeshadow these days. For this look I kept the rest of the face fairly simple, no bronzer and a light pink cool toned (more bluish pink than peachy) blush with a pearl highlight on the cheekbones. I filled in my eyebrows using a matte brown eyeshadow, and the lips were lined with a light pink pencil and sheer gloss over the top. All the products used will be listed below. This is a fairly simply look to pull off but the impact is more than simple. If you have any questions about the process or certain aspects of this look feel free to message me on Facebook, Twitter, or leave a comment below! Enjoy...

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:

- Maybelline FITme foundation: Color 125 Nude Beige
- Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette
- Cool Pink Blush from Coastal Scents Palette (Top Center Color; Linked to product page)
- Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow: 730 Skinlights (Pearl shade used as highlight)

EYES:
- NYX Eyeshadow Base: ESB 03 Skin Tone
- Too Faced Natural Eye Palette: Silk Teddy and Nude Beach (apply to lid only)
- ULTA single eyeshadow: Mystique (through crease only)
- Rimmel London Soft Kohl eyeliner pencil: Purple Passion (lower lashes and waterline)
- CARGO Lumières du Monde Palette: Purple shade (used under lower lashes and again on waterline)
- Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen: 01 Blackest Black (upper lash line)
- CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara: Black
- Too Faced Natural Eye Palette: Velvet Revolver and Sexpresso mixed (used in brows)

LIPS:
- C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve
- NYX Lipliner Pencil: 854 Pale Pink
- Stila Lip Glaze: C1 Seashell

My View on Self-Tanners: The Good, The Bad, and the Bronzy

As Spring and Summer approach, the yearn for sundresses and sexy legs is also on our heels. The fact that I can tend to be deathly pale at the conclusion of Winter sometimes makes me cringe at the thought of my first outing in shorts and flip flops. Because I have fair skin and tend to burn in the sun, the process of building a tan for me is quite long and complex. I wish year after year to just hop outside for a few hours and come back bronzed, yet I am disappointed sunburn after sunburn. I have tried tanning beds and while eventually I can build quite a decent  tan, I find the cost just too much (considering I am living on a college student's budget). Spending nearly $40 or more per month just to achieve a warm glow is a bit absurd in my opinion. So what else is a girl to do but turn to sunless tanning products...

I want to be perfectly clear that I absolutely DESPISE the smell of my skin after using a sunless tanner, not to mention the dreaded orange glow. The reaction of the DHA (Dihydroxyacetone) with skin often produces a very distinct odor that I cannot even begin to describe other than god awful. However, it is impossible to find a sunless tanner that does not produce the smell because DHA is the active ingredient which creates the bronzing effect of the skin. There are so many options on the market and some products do produce less of a smell than others. I have finally found what I believe to be my sunless tanner of choice and below I will list my process of application that results  in as little DHA smell as possible.

First a little about the product. I present to you: Loréal Paris Body Expertise Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion (Color: Medium Natural Tan). This is a tinted self-tanning lotion that is gel based (not creamy in texture, more like a super thick serum) that contains Vitamin E to nourish the skin. It does feel quite sticky until it dries completely. It produces an instant shimmered bronze effect on the skin, but it is a time release formula that builds a deeper natural tan over a period of up to four hours. In the past I have not been a fan of self-tanners that are single application; I tend to use gradual tan formulas because I felt they didn't end up as orange on my skin. Loréal's Sublime Bronze though creates a natural brownish tan instead of the orange tint. The product claims to be streak free...note that I say claims.

 Many sunless tanning formulas claim to be streak free which is only as streak free as the application of the product, and in this case I feel that the tinted gel helps you see where you have applied product and where it may be sparse, thus allowing you to blend it perfectly for a streak free finish. I recommend avoiding showering, sweating, swimming, water in general, etc. for at least 8 hours to ensure absorption into the skin.

My process to avoid streaks and smells*: 

First I exfoliate my skin using a sugar scrub on any parts that I will be applying sunless tanner ( I tend only to apply to arms, legs, neck and chest). After showering, I allow my skin to dry completely before I apply the lotion; if the skin is wet, the lotion may not absorb completely resulting in streaks. I like to apply a thick lotion such as a body butter or a shea butter formula to my ankles, knees, elbows, wrists and hands before the self-tanner. This helps the hydrate the skin in these streak prone areas so that it doesn't absorb as much of the sunless tan lotion. To apply the lotion I make sure to wear disposable plastic or laytex gloves; when I don't, no matter how much I scrub my hands, I always have orange palms from the application (also I find this to part of my body to produce the strongest smell and when my hands are near my face I feel like my whole body smells this way, so if you wear gloves I promise you will immediately notice a reduction in the smell no matter what product you use). After my skin is dry I apply my self-tanning lotion  until completely blended. When I finish application to all large areas I remove my gloves and throw them away. Then using a cotton ball, I apply a small amount of lotion to the tops of my hands and blend into my forearm. Try to let your skin dry for at least 10 minutes before putting on your clothes; if you don't have time to wait, blast your body with cold air using a hair dryer to speed up this process. 

*I like to apply self-tanner before I go to bed at night so that when I wake up, I hop in the shower very quickly and using my hands (not a puff, washcloth, or sponge because I don't want to remove the skin I just tanned and remember I showered completely the night before) I wash my body with my favorite shower gel to rid myself of the DHA smell as much as possible. After I get out of the shower I apply a regular scented lotion. If you can manage to follow all of the steps I mentioned above and do this BEFORE bed, you should notice a dramatic reduction in the smell. When I complete the process as described, I notice almost no odor at all and I finally feel that I have a safe and healthy way to jumpstart my summertime glow!!!

**Disclaimer: Products were purchase by me with my own money; I am in no way sponsored or affiliated with Loréal Paris.

FOTD: Evening Bronze Look

So today happened to be Valentine's Day, and my wonderful boyfriend and I decided to keep it casual this year. We are going on a trip to Las Vegas in less than a month which will soon be followed by our anniversary, therefore we swapped the candy hearts, calorie packed chocolate, and dust collecting teddy bears for some Five Guys burgers (and FRIES yum) and the movie "Just Go With It" featuring Adam Sandler & Jennifer Aniston =). It was the PERFECT way for us to spend Valentine's Day, relaxed and truly enjoying each other's company (even though I love a good excuse to get glammed up and dressy!!!). Just because we were keeping it a jeans and cute top kind of night didn't mean I was going to skimp on my makeup though..oh no, not I. I decided against the overtly expected pink or purple eyeshadow and went for a brown/bronze smoky eye instead. Neutral enough to fit with my jeans and flip-flops but still glam enough for an occasion such as V-Day. Here are a few Face of the Day (FOTD) pictures and a list of products used to create my look:

Makeup Used:

FACE:

-No 7 Stay Perfect Foundation: 05 Cream

-Everyday Minerals Semi-Matte Foundation: Medium Beige

-Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette

EYES:

-ULTA Professional Eye Primer: Nude

-ULTA Professional Secret Weapon Concealer: Light to Medium

-Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette

-Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow: 730 Skinlights (Bronze: outer corner and Pearl: inner corner)

-ULTA Single Eyeshadow: Lustre (all over lid, and up to the brow)

-Almay Intense i-Color: Trio for Browns (Center Brown color used in crease and outer corner; also used to fill in Brows)

-ULTA Single Eyeshadow: Mink (Outer Corner and blended half way through crease)

-Cargo Lumières du Monde Eyeshadow Palette: Dark Brown (outer corner)

-Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition: What Glitters Glows Palette: Dark Gold Glitter Shadow (all over lid)

-Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition: What Glitters Glows Palette: Dark Brown Shadow (Smudged outer half of bottom lash line)

-Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition: Facing Stardom Palette (Brown Eyeliner smudged through top lash line)

-Maybelline Define-A-Line Eyeliner: Brownish Black (Waterline and Tightline)

-Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof mascara: Black Brown

CHEEKS:

-Benefit Box Powder Bronzer: Hoola

-Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition "Facing Stardom" Palette: Cream Blush (lighter shade)

-Benefit Box Powder Blush: Coralista

-Maybelline Mineral Power Illuminator: Nude (used across top of cheekbones)

LIPS:

-C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries Rose Salve

-When applying foundation, just rubbed over lips as well to create nude surface

-Stila Lipglaze: N° B1 Kitten

*I wanted this makeup to stay pretty natural but just slightly amped up for V-Day...Hope you guys had a great Valentine's Day celebrating the one's you love be it family, friends, or someone special!

Much Love...

Neutral Smoky Eye

I just wanted to write up a quick post about my newest YouTube tutorial. Its a basic evening neutral smoky eye. This look could be worn for daytime if you skipped lining the waterline and tightline and only applied the cake liner to the upper lash line followed by mascara. If you have any questions about any of the products (or anything else) featured in the video, please feel free to comment below and ask!!!

FOTD: Blue for Brown Eyes

So I was tweeting around today about my lack of enthusiasm for my brown eyes & that I wanted to try blue eyeshadow, but I feared it would look just plain awful. Typically in the past I feel like I've jumped right out of an 80's movie if I attempt blue eyes, but today a fellow tweeter and beauty blogger (YouTube: lozrii) urged me to give it a try assuring me that blue shadow looks great with brown eyes! Well I took her advice and gave it a whirl, and here is the end result (excuse the hair, this is immediately post shower makeup time lol):

 Makeup Used:


FACE:


-ULTA Professional Matte Prime Facial Primer
-No 7 Stay Perfect Foundation: 05 Cream

-Everyday Minerals Semi-Matte Foundation: Medium Beige

EYES:

-ULTA Professional Eye Primer: Nude

-ULTA Professional Secret Weapon Concealer: Light to Medium

-Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette

-Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow: 720 Moonlit Jewels (Blue: outer corner and Gold: inner corner)

-Cargo Lumières du Monde Eyeshadow Palette: Blue color used (used in crease, outer corner, and on waterline)

-ULTA Single Eyeshadow: Lustre (all over lid)

-SEPHORA Collection Mono Eyeshadow: Aspen Summit N°23 (just under brow bone)

-Femme Couture Ultra Smooth Gel Eyeliner: Black

-Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof mascara: Very Black

CHEEKS:

-Benefit Box Powder Bronzer: Hoola

-Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition "Facing Stardom" Palette: Cream Blush (lighter shade)

-Benefit Box Powder Highlight: 10 (only used pink side)

LIPS:

-C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries Rose Salve

-ULTA Professional Secret Weapon Concealer: Light to Medium

-Stila Lipglaze: N° 28 Guava

How To: Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Now I know there are hundreds of videos and blog posts on this very same topic, but I feel  like its always a good one to include in the archive. There are two main ways that I clean my makeup brushes: spot clean and deep clean. I spot clean my brushes after every use and about once a week or so, I deep clean my brushes (usually on Sundays). To spot clean my brushes I switch back and forth between the MAC brush cleaner and the ULTA Professional Brush cleaner, depending on the store I'm closest to at the time that I realize I'm out basically. At the moment I have ULTA Pro cleaner so that is what I have used in the picture. I always refill the same spritz bottle with whatever cleaner I am using at the time because its easier to use.

Typically what I do is spray 2-3 pumps (depending on the size of brush) of the brush cleaner on a paper towel, then I just swirl the brush around the paper towel  moving around to clean areas. Once there is no more makeup coming off of the brush onto the paper towel you are done with the spot clean.

To deep clean my brushes, I use Johnson's Baby Shampoo: Calming Lavender. It doesn't matter if you use a baby shampoo, I just find it to be affordable and not too abrasive (plus I like this scent), just be sure to use a mild or clarifying shampoo; avoid ultra moisturizing or conditioning formulas because they may cause build-up in your brushes. I put a pea size drop for eyeshadow brushes, or a 1/2 inch circle drop for larger face brushes, in the palm of my hand and soak the bristles only in luke-warm water. 

After wetting the brush I swirl it in the shampoo in the palm of my hand and rinse under the running water ALWAYS with the bristles pointed down so as not to draw water up into the brush handle (may cause rusting). Sometimes for face brushes, primarily foundation or bronzer, I may repeat the process 2 or 3 times with a new drop of shampoo each time. Gently squeeze the water out of the bristles. After washing, I lay all brushes out on a towel to dry overnight. Some of the smaller brushes may only take a few hours depending on the size. That's it for cleaning your brushes. Its a simple process, but its so important; clean brushes can help to maintain healthy skin and prevent the spread of disease or skin irritation.

Review: Sephora Collection Mono Eyeshadow

Back in November, I was out beginning some Christmas shopping and I decided to pop into SEPHORA just for a look around. I have never tried the SEPHORA Collection eyeshadows, and I was interested because they offer quite a few shades at a fairly reasonable price. I was having a look around the different shades trying to decide what I would be most willing to waste $ on if it turned out to be a bust when my eyes caught sight of one of my favorite beauty packages...a mini set. I LOVE mini sets, they allow me to try out products for a fraction of the price and I don't feel like I'm throwing my money away on a full sized item. I bought the SEPHORA Collection Mini Colorful Mono Eyeshadow Set - $20 (pictured below).

The set came with six different shades which were smaller versions of the SEPHORA Collection Mono Eyeshadow. Below I have a swatch of each color in the numbers listed here:

#1) Made in Manhattan N°55  #2) Engagement Ring N°01  #3) Aspen Summit N°23  #4) Midnight Kiss N°34  #5) Sweet Candy N°28  #6) Swimming Pool N°37

I find the overall texture to be fairly smooth, with the exception of Engagement Ring, mostly because it has silver glitter specks in it so it is slightly more gritty. I really do like most of these eyeshadows, and it is such a disappointment to me the one I don't. I was really excited  to try the  4th color, Midnight Kiss. It is such a stunning purple in the pan with an almost blue iridescence, but on the skin it seems to have very little pigmentation and requires several  layers to get a decent color pay-off. Apart from the purple the other 5 colors have something that I really love about each one. Made in Manhattan is a fantastic neutral gray that is a fabulous crease shade while Aspen Summit is a beautiful frosty highlight color. It is very pigmented, however, and unless you're going for that "white, up to the eyebrows, drag queen" look, use VERY  little on the brush and lightly dust under the brow bone. Again Engagement Ring is a great silver if you're looking for a dramatic finish, but the glitter in this color tends to create quite a bit of fall-down so be careful with this one unless you want glittery cheeks! Sweet Candy  is just a soft satin pink and looks beautiful with a light brown in the crease for an everyday look. And last but certainly NOT least is Swimming Pool. I love this color again in the pan, and I like it on the skin, but I find it takes a few layers of application to really live up to its potential. One applied tho, its a beautiful  turquoise that doesn't disappoint.

My overall impression...if I were investing in single pan eyeshadows, I would spend $2.50 more and buy MAC, but I wouldn't say don't purchase these at all. At $12 for a single eyeshadow, they aren't a bad price, nor are they a terrible product so if you are in SEPHORA and see a shade you love, I would say to pick it up without regret.

Bargain Beauty: Crème Eyeshadow

Today I would like to share with you one of my favorite drugstore makeup products that works as a fairly comparable dupe for a higher end product category. Cream eye shadows. Sometimes if I know I am going to need my makeup to last for quite an extended period of time (like through school, work, or a day of running errands), eyeshadow primer just doesn't cut it. After applying an eyeshadow primer I often like to use a cream eyeshadow  in a similar color to my intended eyeshadow lid color. Because some of the higher end brands, such as MAC Paint Pots - $16.50, Stila Smudge Pots (also can be used as gel eyeliner, but "kitten" is a gorgeous neutral) - $16.00, or Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows - $19.00, can be quite pricey for those with a restricted budget for makeup, I suggest to you a great alternative in Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow - $4.99-$5.99 for FOUR colors, not just one. Need I say more than...BARGAIN!

Quad Colors Listed from Left to Right: 755 Khaki Suede, 715 Precious Metals, 720 Moonlit Jewels, 730 Skinlights, 701 Wild Orchids, 710 Not Just Nudes 

Now I know that these won't provide as much product for each individual color, but the amount you need to use is so small, that they last forever. These shadows are amazingly pigmented as well without being too thick. Each set of four contains at least one if not two, or even three, amazing neutral colors so they will blend with almost any makeup look, and you won't have to purchase multiple quads ( I just happen to love them so I have quite a few). For the best quads for strictly neutral shades I suggest purchasing #710 "Not Just Nudes" or #730 "Skinlights". Now for the advantages of cream shadows. They intensify the color of your powder eyeshadow if applied over the cream shadow. They act as a second primer because these particular cream shadows don't crease if allowed a few seconds to set before applying powder shadows on top. Also, if you choose not to apply powder eye shadows over the top, the four coordinating colors can be used to create a dimensional look or even a smoky eye because the product is so smooth and super blendable. If you are someone who prefers to apply cream products with a brush, that is fine, but I will suggest to you that after doing so, you pat over your lid with your finger to smooth out any streaks left from brush bristles. I find that the warmth of your finger helps to melt the product  onto the skin and  blends better than using a brush alone. I actually do NOT use a brush with this product because I find it easier, faster, and actually better to use my finger. I hope you guys find these handy little sets as useful and interesting as I do! 

Roses are Red...

So lately for some reason I cannot STOP biting my lips, licking my lips, etc. and thus they have taken a beating. I have tried sugar scrubs and lip balms galore to try and fix this problem but everything is either to waxy or too abrasive for my pucker-ups...until now! Enter: C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries "Rose Salve".

I purchased this product about a week ago from Bath and Body Works for $5.50 and I am in love. It is essentially a petroleum jelly (Vaseline) based product with Rose extract which helps to smooth and soothe any dry skin. It can be used on elbows, lips, cuticles, face, and knees. I originally bought this product strictly to be used as a lip balm, however, I recently got attacked by some pretty nasty allergies and this product helped to heal my irritated and sore skin around my nose (from using all those darn tissues) overnight!!! YES overnight. I do believe that I have found my miracle product. Oh, and if you're anything like me, I'm not a huge fan of flavored lip products so BONUS it has no taste AT ALL, and the smell is so light, not heavy at all...it honestly smells like a fresh cut rose, so pretty. If for whatever reason you don't have a Bath and Body Works location near you, you can get the product online at BigelowChemists.com, if you don't wish to search the MANY products on the site, here is a direct link to the Rose Salve. Happy healing everyone...

Freshly "Minted"...

So I was passing by the beauty section in Target the other day (like I do almost two or three days a week =\) and decided to pick up some new nail colors. My favorite by far has been Revlon's "Minted".

I absolutely LOVE this nail polish. It has lasted five days without chipping (I also use Orly's "Bonder" base coat and Seche Vite top coat). Even when using base and top coats before nail polish typically lasts 2-3 days on me without chipping (I don't like to be too careful with my nails). The color is beautiful, and it looks just like it does in the bottle. I did two liberal coats and got wonderful color payoff from this nail polish. Its worth it for sure, check it out!!!

Lets build our foundation together...

So many of you don't know a lick about me so here goes in terms of skin:

I have pretty even skin with just a few breakouts about once a month or so, but my skin is super super oily. The tone is mostly even with a little lightness in certain areas. I am on the lighter side and I freckle like crazy, burn without an SPF, but will tan if I take the necessary measures.

That being said I have been in search of a way to keep my skin looking radiant without using a "glow" foundation due to my oiliness. My answer has been to use a facial matte primer, a matte liquid foundation, and after applying my eyeshadow, etc. I follow up my routine with a loose powder mineral foundation. Yep, you read that right, I powder with a second foundation.

I was using Bare Minerals original formula for the longest time but I found that it made my skin super itchy. It was unbearable in the summer time especially, the humidity and heat make me sweat slightly which only intensifies the discomfort. Help!!! What do to, itch, or look like a grease ball???? My answer came to me through various blog posts and beauty forums. The brand is called Everyday Minerals. The products they produce are great quality and about half the price of Bare Minerals. The products from Everyday Minerals lack the mineral Bismuth Oxychloride which is the primary ingredient in most mineral makeup that makes the skin itchy. The Price of Bare Minerals is $25 for the standard size foundation pot, and a container of Everyday Minerals Base is $12.

If you go to the website, EverydayMinerals.com, you can actually order a sample set of foundations. They send you 5 small containers (each good for 5-7 average applications to face and neck) of differing shades and formulas they offer. This was great on their part because it is an online company so no going to a counter to swatch colors for a match. The cost of the samplee is $5 plus approx. $3 shipping, BUT they give you your first sample set FREE!!! It only cost me $2.99 to find my perfect combination of Medium Beige in the Original Glo Formula. =)

The Original Glo formula is actually recommended for Normal to Dry Skin, but I love it because it gives me the luminous properties that I love from mineral foundation, and since I use a primer and matte foundation I feel that I can get away with using this base. For those with oily skin though, they offer a matte base, an intensive base, and a semi-matte base to help keep oil under control if this will be your only foundation.

In a nutshell, I am loving this product at the moment, I have been using it for about a month now and no itching what-so-ever to report! Yay!!! Give it a try if you feel like you had any of the issues that I mentioned, its worth a shot, and you can't beat the price.