Monday, September 24, 2012

This....or That Makeup Tag!!

I was reading Glitz Glam Budget tonight and she tagged her readers to do this tag called This…or That Makeup Tag! 

I love tags... so of course I tagged myself!  

Blush or Bronzer?  Definitely bronzer.  I do not really contour because I believe my face is un-contourable, meaning, I can't chisel out cheekbones.  I've tried.  They are just so high, it looks ridiculous.  Trust me.  I do go through the process and if I'm in a hurry I like a light/medium bronzer like NYC Sunny to give my cheeks/face some color.  I do bring the bronzer up around my forehead as it pretty large (large brain that is!) but Idon't think it significantly changes my appearance.  I just like the application process!  :)  I remember really liking Bare Minerals warmth and want to get that again for this winter.

Lipgloss or Lipstick?  I don't have a sharply defined lip line so I have trouble applying lipsticks as they runall over the place if I am not careful. It takes me forever to get my lip line straightened out. I haven't found a 
"natural" looking lip liner so for everyday use, it's lipgloss all the way! Oh I love the YSL Glossy Stains.  They stay put and look wonderful.  I wore #7 Corail Aquatique pretty much all summer long.  I would like to add 
#5 Rouge Vintage and #9 Rouge Laque to my collection!

Chapstick or Lip Butter? Before the advent of Revlon Lip Butters I would have said chapstick but I really love those Revlon Lip Butters.  They are easy to wear and most of them are very moisturizing. I have a few of them and want some more!

Matte or Sparkle Eye Shadow? Because my choices are matte or sparkle, I will have to go with matte.  Sparkle to me implies glitter and I'm not into glitter fall out all over my face anymore.  lol  I loved glitter back in the day though!I tend to use shimmery or satin shadows exclusively.  I rarely use a true matte except to deepen my crease.  Oh and a highlight.  WnW Brulee is a staple!

Gel, Liquid, Cream, or Pencil Eyeliner? Gel.  I'm horrible at liquid liner application.  I'm great on the first swipe and then it all goes downhill from there.  Pencils are dry and pull and I hate sharpening.  As soon as I 
need to sharpen a pencil, it's done in my book.  I will try, but it never ends well.

Foundation or Concealer? I think concealer because I could sheer out it out with some moisturizer to use on my entire face and full strength for under my eyes and around my nose and to conceal the redness of my cheeks.  I'm going to actually try this with my Hard Candy Glamoflauge and see if it works out for me.  lol  

Liquid or Powder Foundation?  I used Bare Minerals for about 4 years and not really sure why I stopped. I think I just wanted a change.  It's been about 4 years now since I stopped.  I've had this love/hate  relationship with every liquid I've tried since.  I feel myself wanting to go back to powder.  It's a draw.

Neutral or Statement Eyes?  I just started with the neutral eye in the last couple of years.  Either it's my aging eyes or maturity or because no one in my immediate circle at the moment ever wears makeup, we are all young mothers with no time, but I feel silly getting all decked out.  Plus my nights of going out are over for the moment.  However, special occasions like holidays and the Marine Corps Ball, I'm game for a statement.   So for 362 days a year, it's neutral eyes. 

Pressed or Loose Shadows? Pressed shadows are very new to me, like in the last 2-3 years new to me.  But I have certainly made up for lost time.  Hello Urban Decay and Wet n Wild!  I did have a couple Cover Girl quads back in the day, like in high school but mineral loose eyeshadow was all I would ever use.  But then with 3 kids, getting "ready" really took a back seat and pressed shadow palettes are so much easier to use when you have 2 minutes to get ready.  And they are more portable.  Plus little kids like to dump mineral 
shadows...all over the place.  It's quite amusing to them.  :)

Waterproof or Non Water proof? It doesn't really matter to me.  I tend to think I like waterproof because my eyes are sensitive and tear frequently and I have hooded oily lids so everything kind of melts throughout day but I usually forget to use my waterproof items or forget to purchase them in waterproof.  In fact I just remembered that I haven't seen my waterproof AVON superSHOCK mascara in a long time.  I got it at the beginning of the summer.  lol  I have also found waterproof eyeliners to be a little irritating and make my eyes water even more.  With all the wiping, they eventually break down and run anyway.

Brushes, Sponges or Fingers?  I use them all!  I used to love the basic wedge sponge though.  I stopped using them when we were all told not to because it wasted product.  lol  I used them wet, well puffy and damp
which is the same concept of the beauty blender.  I have 2 beauty blenders, generic Target and the real deal. I don't often reach for them though.  It's another step in an increasingly stepped process.  lol

Powder, Cream, or Liquid Highlighter? A highlighter is the last thing this greasy face gal needs in the summer but oh how I love the application process so I do it anyway!  I have them all and use them all infrequently in the 
spring and summer.  I think a cream works best on me.  And now that fall is in full spring, I can load up as my skin is normalizing out!

So there you have it!  If you are reading this...consider yourself tagged!!!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Big Money

I love the name of this polish.  I was in Walmart the other day and on my way out... Well that's not completely accurate, before heading to check out, I always swing by the cosmetics section, yeah it's totally out of the way...  So as I swung by, I saw this polish literally all by itself in a display on the end cap.  The absolute last one?  Absolutely.  I had to rescue this lonely beauty!

I feel like I have or had something similar but I can't put my finger on it.  I really need to get my nail wheels done, meaning I need to get to Sally's and buy a few sets of nail wheels and paint them, or I was going to do nail sticks.  Hmm...

Back to Sally Hansen's Big Money!







It's has tiny gold glitter and larger pink glitter pieces.  Oh so shiny!  I started out with one coat of Zoya Pandora followed by one coat of Big Money.  This glitter is so opaque that you would only need 2 coats to cover the nail completely.  I also have 2 coats of Seche on top.

So yesterday was my little one's 2nd birthday.  I actually got reminder call from my sister yesterday morning.  lol  It completely slipped my mine or was I subconsciously denying it's existence?  Yes, that's it exactly.  This mama is so sad to see them all grow up so fast!


We are actually celebrating his birthday in a couple of weeks while my husband is away for work.  Whenever he is away it is like Ground Hog day, all the days mesh into one so it didn't even occur to me that yesterday wasn't just any other day!

Quickly I made some pancakes with sprinkles and chocolate chips and we sang happy birthday followed by a very exciting trip to where else?  Chuck e Cheese!  I actually detest that place, but hey, the kids love it!  They really need to get some better prizes though.  Look at all those tickets!


I worked my a#$ off at the balloon popping game (hahahaha!) to get a couple hundred tickets only to come home with a twizzler, a pseudo makeup kit and some weird piece of paper that cost 20 tickets.  Great picks.  Go us!  




Thursday, September 13, 2012

New beauty deal site alert! Coterie.com!

Well this is very exciting!  Just bought my first 4 Butter London's (blogpost coming up shortly) and now I just added 3 more and a topcoat for $11.

Coterie is a new site that is launching for all of us beauty obsessed.  Feels like a Hautelook with flash sales so far.  And so far so good because today the deal is choose 3 Butter London Lacquers, get all 3 for $11.

Here's how:


Sign up for your own account with my referral link, if you wish...  http://www.coterie.com/d?r=l3NUQ

Then go to http://www.coterie.com/preview to place your order...

Click on Shop...

Your access code is... OBSESSED-VIP

You can choose 3 lacquers and a matte top coat or 3 lacquers and a hardwear topcoat...

Then checkout...

Your Promo Code... is VIPMEMBER  (takes $25 off $36 subtotal)

Place your order!!!  $11 plus free shipping

You will also receive a referral link to receive incentives.

If 6 people sign up under you, you will receive $20 off your first purchase.  If 30 people, free shipping for life!  Not a bad deal.  Especially if they are offering deals like this even once in a while.

I would get on this before they are sold out!


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Rachel K CC Cream

I know what you are thinking "What the CC cream?!"  You may or may not already be in the know so let me briefly get you up to speed if you are not.

We all know BB cream, Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm, those all-in-one wonder creams that combine skincare, sunscreen, skin lightening and foundation all in one.  Super fab right?  Finding the perfect one for your skin type and tone can be particularly challenging.  I've tried dozens.  Some I love, some I hate, some are just so so.

If my skin was dry to normal, I might have better luck but with my oily skin combined with the heat and humidity that we experience in North Carolina, most (the American versions, specifically) just slide off my face.  Everything does really, foundation, tinted moisturizers, primers, powders...  Give it time, it will melt.

Enter Rachel K CC cream.  What is it?  Well it's similar to a BB cream but the CC stands for Color Correction. It focuses on evening out your skintone as well as smoothing out the surface of your skin.  Goodbye pores?  Well not exactly but it minimizes the appearance of them significantly.  They are tinted like a BB cream as well but Rachel K CC cream is lighter in texture and feels like nothing on your skin.


According to the press release on the Rachel K Cosmetics website, CC cream in an improved formula than a Blemish Balm with "10 benefits in a single application."  One of the 10 that I am completely in love with and benefiting from is that the CC cream is longer lasting on my combo/oily skin than any BB cream that I have tried.  Does it last 10-12 hours?  No, it's not a miracle oil stopper, but it holds everything in place for a lot longer than just a primer or powder.


That's a lot of claims..  Whitening, brightening and moisturizing with SPF PA 35 ++ protection as well.  It's perfectly moisturizing for my oily skin, but dryer skin types will most likely need a separate moisturizer.  I love that it dries to a semi-matte finish and after a couple of hours it's still dewy.  After about 3.5 to 4 hours I do need to blot but it's still there and looks good.  They have also added a CC powder to the line which I am anxiously waiting to order!

I was introduced to this amazing product through YouTube's LisaLisaD1.  She has a beauty channel and a store on her beauty blog.  Let me tell you, her skin always looks fabulous.  She became a distributor of Rachel K in the U.S. and as soon as she started selling the Rachel K CC cream, I ordered one immediately.  Unfortunately, after a few shipments, there was a problem with one going through customs.  The company Rachel K is working through the specific customs forms and permits that are needed for these products to be released and hopefully I don't run out before then!

If I'm running late or need to get out the door in a hurry, this is all I use on a good skin day.  If I need more coverage or if I have more time, I will layer a foundation, powder or liquid over this.   Like I said previously,  I will need to blot after 3.5 to 4 hours of wear but it doesn't slide about.  It doesn't transfer and when you do have it on your face and it is truly undetectable.  It does a particular good job of grabbing hold of powder foundations and keeping liquid foundations stay put.

I've layered everything over it, BB cream, foundations, tinted moisturizes and the lasting power is incredible.  When I've been in a hurry and needed extra coverage, I just mix the CC cream with my poison of choice that day.  In addition to prolonging the formula, it helps with oil control.  Again, not a miracle, but definitely HG status for me.

Rachel K CC cream comes in 3 shades, fair, neutral and sunkissed.  I have neutral.




The best way to apply Rachel K CC cream is to take the time to gently pat the cream into the skin.  No rubbing or swirling, just use the tips of your fingers to pat.  This ensures even application and doesn't stretch the skin, leading to wrinkling.  I wish you could feel how soft my hand was compared to my other hand.  It feels wonderful.

Oh, so is it really waterproof?  Yes.


Rachel K CC cream really does give the skin a nice look and feel.  I've been using this product since the beginning of the summer and I will always use it.  Just as long as I can get a hold of it.  Squeezing just this tiny amount in the above photos made me realize that I do not have much left!  Trust me, I've been rationing this baby.  I hope I will be able to order more soon!

Have you tried Rachel K CC cream yet?  What do you think?

Saturday, September 8, 2012

NOTD!

I painted this on my nails last night and was totally in love, was in love until they just peeled off!  Easy removal but I wanted to wear this combo on my nails at least another day!

1 Coat ZOYA Kelly and 2 coats Nubar 2010









Not sure if it was the top coat or not.  This was my first time using Revlon's Quick Dry Top Coat.  I noticed that it changed the color of the manicure significantly.  I remember that Milani's Quick Dry Top Coat would do the same thing.  Not sure if this will be a replacement for Seche, but it is a couple dollars less expensive.

Do you use Revlon's Quick Dry?

Friday, September 7, 2012

mark. got the goods multi-benefit foundation lotion

mark. has come out with it's very own "American" BB cream!  Though they are not calling it a "BB cream" specifically, all signs are pointing that we could indeed categorize it as a BB cream.  And so I had to get my hands on it!

mark. got the goods multi-benefit foundation lotion



Oh look!  A pump!  Love that.

It has a broad spectrum SPF 15 sunscreen with Octinoxate, Titanium Dioxide and Oxybenzone.


This product is "enriched with super fruits, orange and lemon for a double dose of antioxidants, plus, willow bark to help smooth and improve skin texture and tone by moisturizing."


After looking at the ingredient list there is also olive root extract as well as carrot root extract.

I ordered full sizes in two shades as I am always in between shades.  I first put on Light/Medium 5 and felt immediately it was too dark out of the tube.  Blend, blend, blend with my fingers and after a few minutes, found it does blend seamlessly and nicely into the skin but still a touch dark.




Both shades do look scary yellow as you start to blend them in, but for me, I didn't see any trace of yellow after blending the initial application.  Light/medium #5 is yellow/pinky beige NW 25/30 and Light #4 is a yellow light beige, NC 20/25.

I do find the coverage a bit sheer on the first application.  2 thin to possibly 3 thin layers, will give you about medium coverage.  For my combo/oily skin and my light skin tone, that's as far as I will take it with the layering.  #1 I do not need the extra moisture that this product provides and #2, the yellow tint does start to show on my skin tone more with subsequent layers.

I feel that this product will be best for normal to dry skin, combo/oily folks will need to set it with a powder and keep blotting papers on hand.  Which is quite normal for me no matter what foundation, tinted moisturizer, BB cream I use.  I do not like a matte foundation face, I prefer a natural, semi-dewy finish.

The finish of this product is very natural looking with a healthy luminous glow.  There is no shimmer in this product, I suspect it is from the added sunscreen/moisturizing ingredients.  This can be toned down significantly with a powder, however, if you do have dry skin, you will welcome the radiance that it gives to your skin.

Staying power on my oily/combo skin was not great.  One important factor to note:  I live in an extremely hot and humid climate (Southeast US).   It stays tacky indefinitely before powdering, most likely due to the added sunscreen.  3 hours in, I need to blot and powder, 6 hours in, the multi-benefit foundation lotion begins to break down, almost pooling up in the oiliest places on my face, ie chin, around my nose, forehead.  Not a cute look.  This occurs with or without primer.  So this formula isn't an all-day wearing foundation for me.

What I like about mark. got the goods foundation lotion for is an effortless, no makeup look so I can quickly run out of the house on some errands and I don't look like I'm covered in foundation and trying too hard.  If you have some problem areas, you will need some concealer and if you are looking for full coverage, this is probably not the product for you.

The range of shades is phenomenal, 14 in total.  There is no doubt that you will find a shade that works for you.




From left to Right:

Very Light #1, Very Light #2, Light #3, Light #4, Light Medium #5, Light Medium #6, Medium #7, Medium #8, Medium Dark #9, Medium Dark #10, Dark #11, Dark #12, Deep #13, Deep #14

For reference, the inside of my arm is very pale, NC 15/20.

Overall, mark. got the goods multi-benefit foundation lotion is a nice product.  The formula gives the skin a healthy, luminous glow.  For the oily skinned however, this is not the ideal product for your skin type.  It is moisturizing and it oxidizes slightly.  It is also borderline for combo/oily types, make sure you bring your blotting papers and powder for touch ups.

mark. got the goods multi-benefit foundation lotion retails for $18 for 30 mL/1 fl. oz. of product.

And as always you can order all your AVON and mark. products here!  Link!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

August Empties

Still behind but more on time with this post!

Most of these empties were travel sized bits from Birchbox, Glossybox etc. that came in handy for our 2 week vacation at my brother's lakehouse.  I was so efficient in packing, so careful to not overpack, I actually  did not pack enough.  I quickly ran out of everything, shampoo, lotion, razors even after rationing!  I was "forced" to drop by CVS and Walmart for supplies.

Am I being dramatic?  Of course!  But lesson learned, better to over pack slightly then to under pack.

Oh and I am happy well not that happy but the environment will be, that I have cancelled Birchbox and Glossybox and I am about to cancel Julep.  I am keeping BeautyArmy solely for the reason that I can skip a month if I feel the need.

I have way too many sample sized products in my house.  It didn't happen overnight of course, just way too many subscription sample services.  I love trying new things but I've found that I want to try ultra expensive and lux products like La Mer and Kate Somerville, and Dior..... I won't buy those products because they are too expensive but $10 a month adds up yearly and multiplying it by 3...  Madness!

But I was also thinking about the impact that these tiny sized plastic containers have on the environment.  It's enormous.  Have you ever heard of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?  Google it.  There is also one in the Atlantic ocean.  It's scary and sickening.

Yes I recycle, I try to do my part but for instance...  Where we were at the lakehouse in Southern VA, recycling really hasn't taken off.  Yes you can drive 45 minutes to a recycling center at the local Walmart, but how many vacation goers or locals take the time?  I feel that this is true in many parts of the country.  We are busy, I'm not passing judgment either.

I took my recyclables home to show you of course so this wasn't an issue for me.  I really don't want to get all environmental on y'all, but it's something to think about while I show you all the new plastic I am introducing to the environment.  Ugh, I feel sick about it now.  :(


  1.  John Frieda Root Awakening Shampoo:  I think this is the last of my stockpile.  Lovely shampoo, nice scent, does the job.  I'm sure I will repurchase someday.

  2.  John Frieda Full Repair Conditioner:  I like other repairing conditoners much better but this works well. I don't see myself repurchasing in the near future however.

  3.  Satin Care Dry Skin Shave Gel:  I think I picked this up because one, my husband likes it and two, it's cheap.  I think at the commissary it's $1.49, add a coupon, even cheaper.  I will repurchase.

  4.  Aveeno positively nourishing hydrating body wash:  I believe this came in a Birchbox a really long time ago.  I've been saving it for an extended vacation.  It's okay.  It has a very strong scent, kind of like Bath and Body Works Country Chic.  Flowers and sticky sweetness.  It has some nice fruit oils in it.  However, I don't see myself repurchasing.

  5.  L'OREAL Sublime Sun Advanced Sunscreen 50+:  Dang this stuff is expensive.  1.7 fl.oz for like $12 or $15.  I had a coupon for like $2 off 2 but there was no way I was going to buy 2.  At first I really liked it.  You need to shake up the product before dispensing a thin, very runny white liquid.  It definitely smells like sunscreen but it has a lighter texture.  It has a nice slip to it when/if you apply makeup over it.  I did notice that when you reapply it, say for instance at the pool/beach, it really stings the face.  It actually brought my daughter to tears.  I thought I got it in her eye she was so hysterical.  It was burning her face.  I felt the burn on my face, it was significant, but I felt it before in the past with other products.  I won't repurchase this one.

  6.  AHAVA Mneral Botanic Velvet Cream Wash:  I'm not sure if I ever tried anything from AHAVA before.  Anything with Dead Sea Minerals I really like, this was no exception.  The scent was Hibiscus and Fig which smells really nice and leaves the skin soft.  I don't see myself purchasing this however, I didn't look up the price but I'm sure it's out of my range.  I've got kids to feed and college tuitions to save up for!

  7.  Rite Aid Makeup Remover Wipes:  Speaking of kids to feed and college tuitions to save up for, this however, was not an example of a money saving alternative.  I did not like these at all.  I still have another pack which I use as hand wipes.  I do not recommend them for the face.  The cloth is not soft, nor does it have enough moisture.  I also feel that it doesn't do a great job at removing makeup.  I wouldn't even go near your eyes with these either.  Splurge on the Noxema.  :)

  8.  Yves Rocher Agave Moisturizing Body Lotion:  Smells nice but I'm not into slaving parabens all over my body which I did to use up this product.  Smells nice, didn't crazy hydrate but did the job.  Won't repurchase.  I think that this was a free gift with my order anyway.

  9.  First Aid Beauty Cream Smooth Shave Cream:  Now this stuff is worth the splurge.  I frequently get razor burn so I can only shave my legs every 3 days or so.  However when you are on vacation and are in a bathing suit all day, you need to shave every day.  This worked wonders for me.  I will look into repurchasing.

10.  Professional Sebastian Color Ignite Color Protection Shampoo:  I really like this shampoo.  I actually have another one.  I won an August Glossybox but they repeated the July Glossybox so I got 2 of everything.  Super disappointed since the August Glossybox was amazing.  I'm just going to stop watching those Glossybox YouTubes and blogposts.  No need to see what I am missing.  Anywho...  I'm glad I have another one of these.

11.  Professional Sebastian Color Ignite Color Protection Conditioner:  This product is so cool!  You shake it up like a can of mouse and it come out in this thick foam.  Be sure to squeeze out excess water in your hair before applying this.  But it moisturizes well without weighing down your hair.  I really like it.  I'm glad I have another.  I think I might be purchasing this for my everyday conditioner.

12.  NIVEA Extended Moisture Daily Lotion:  This stuff is amazing.  Smells good and does the job!  My skin was severely parched at the lakehouse and this did a great job.  I need to get a full size like now.

13.  NIVEA Touch of Serenity Moisturizing Body Wash:  It was nice but the orange blossom scent is my absolute favorite.

14.  Wella Professionals Enrich Moisturizing Treatment for fine to normal Hair:  This works amazingly well.  I used it up after my home coloring experience.  Leaves the hair soft.  I would like to pick up a full size of this someday.  Smells really good too and the scent lingers throughout the day.

15.  Rembrandt Whitening Toothpaste with Fluoride:  Great stuff and it tastes a whole lot better then just plain ole baking soda and peroxide mix.  But since the plan ole mix is cheaper and very effective, I might just stick with it.  Unless I hit up a sale of course...

16.  Kiehl's Eye Alert:  I need another one of these STAT!  The only thing I didn't like about it is if you use too much, undereye concealer will slide all around.  But it did a great job de-puffing and I've noticed some darker area under my eyes since I haven't been using it.  Coincidence?  Not sure.  I want to get another one though.  :)

17.  Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment:  This works wonder at hydration under the eyes.  I found that when I loaded this up at night,  I was definitely less puffy in the morning and very refreshed looking.  More so than when I used sparingly.  It didn't do anything like erasing fine lines or anything but I could definitely tell a difference when I skipped a night and used something else.  It went fast towards the end.  I feel like Kiehl's Eye Alert in the morning and the Creamy Eye Treatment at night were a winning combination for me.

18.  Pantene Flat to Volume Conditioner:  I used this to shave my legs.  Works really well actually.  I did use it on my severely parched blonde hair once and didn't notice a difference.  It's also for fine hair, I don't have fine hair.  It works well for shaving though and it smells nice.

19.  Aveeno Smart Essentials daily detoxifying scrub:  I've used other scrubs that I like much better.  There wasn't anything particularly wrong with it, smells nice, works okay at smoothing the skin.  I much prefer my Shea Terra Rose Hips Black Soap for exfoliation.

20.  Yves Rocher Soothing Anti-Puffiness Eye Gel:  I've had this for a while and when I ran out my Kiehl's combo, I picked this back up to use up.  However, last night I was looking at it and say that it had expired 03/2012.  No good.  Time to let it go.  I remembered really liking it before I got the Kiehl's for Christmas.  Going to stick to Kiehl's.

21.  Jason Vitamin E oil:  Another expired product.  Need to repurchase.  It's a but thick and sticky.  It was my first Vitamin E purchase so I might so a little research and see if there are other Vit E oils that are thinner and less sticky however....  But I use it on scars, around the eye when I do masks, it's really hydrating and a healer.

22.  ANEW Platinum Day Cream:  This is very moisturizing so a little goes a long way for my oily skin.  it's intended target audience is women with dry skin and deep set wrinkles.  Not me but I used it sparingly and I liked the results.  It also has a strong scent that I didn't really mind but didn't really like.  I don't care for heavily scented products unless made with natural oils.  This isn't something I will repurchase but will use if it is a free gift with purchase like this was.

23.  Phyto Dry Hair Mask:  This smelled eerily of Soft Scrub Bath and Tile Cleaner.  Weird I know, but I just couldn't get it out of my head that it smelled like a lemon bathroom cleaner!  Yes it worked, but I've gotten better results with Aussie 3 minute miracle.  I thought about purchasing it and if there is a good sale, I might pick it up just to have on hand as it is probably better for my hair than Aussie.

24-26.  Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Seaweed Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash:  This is my all time favorite scent and shampoo and conditioner ever.  I first tried it at a hotel we stayed at in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.  Fell in love!  Price?  Not so much.  I think the shampoo is something like $25. I will have to look it up.  Actually $18.  Not bad.  I picked up the travel set on clearance at Ulta a while back for like $5.  Couldn't pass it up.  I've been using it during all our trips this summer.  I will eventually repurchase.  It a nice set for have for a spa night at home. It is such a light, calming sent.  Everyone will ask me what perfume I am wearing when I use everything together.  Win!

27-28.  L'OREAL Professionals Mega Browns BR7 Chocolate Level 4 red-violet base:  This is what I used to cover all my damaged bleached out blonde NC sun hair!  Covered beautifully I might add.  Much darker than I expected but for my color the red-violet base works perfectly.  Before when I dyed my hair dark, I also got something too orangy brown or golden brown.  This color looks wonderful!  I will always go back to this.  It is quite mess though.  I had super long hair at the time, that probably contributed to the problem but I had hair dye dripping everywhere and I am pretty careful neat freak.  I should probably do a separate review on this.  I just might.  I took a ton of pictures.  My bad hair cut at Ulta pretty much ruined the experience for me but all is sort of better now, expect for the weird layered hair I am trying to grow out.

So there are my August plastic to be recycled!

I don't foresee a ton of stuff for September since I started new with everything coming back from vacation but I will continue to use up half bottle of this and that...  You all know how it goes!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

NOTD!



I love this combination.  It's a winner!!!  OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, which is my all-time favorite polish and a topper of Nicole by OPI One Less Lonely Glitter.   






What do you think?!  Can't stop looking at my nails!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

TAG: Most Worn Summer Items 2012

Since summer has now officially ended with the passing of Labor Day, I thought it was most appropriate to get out my Most Worn Summer Items of 2012 tag!  This TAG has been going around YouTube so I just went ahead and tagged myself.  hahaha

The questions and my answers!!!  

1. Most worn nail polish?

I rarely repeat but I've worn Cult Nails Scandalous and Captivated 3 times each now!  That has to be some kind of record.  I will wear Scandalous and then Captivated as an accent nail.  Last night I did Scandalous on all my nails and used Captivated on the tips.  Love the look!

2. Most worn hair product?

I actually don't use a lot of product in my hair but since my most recent hair cut and then hair cut fix (there will be a long blogpost...) Before the cut, I did frequently use Nexxus Split End Remedy and Coconut Oil for deep conditioning overnight.

3. Most worn bag?


I've been wearing my Vera Bradley Hipster.

4. Most worn shoes?


Clearance green flip flops from Old Navy.

5. Most worn accessories?


My wedding rings!  Seriously too hot to deal with anything around my neck during Summer in the South.  

6. Most worn clothing item?


Either a pair of white shorts from Banana Republic or a melon/orange pair from GAP.

7. Most worn foundation?


BB creams all the way!!!  First it was Garnier, then L'OREAL Magic, then Maybelline 8-1n-1, and now it's mark. Got the Goods Multi-Benefit Foundation Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 15.  It's not even out yet and I am loving it!

8. Most worn blush/bronzer?


MAC Highlight Powder in Crew from the Hey, Sailor!  Collection as a blush and NYC Sunny.

9. Most worn lip product?


Any of the Revlon Lip Butters that I have or the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains.  Love them too!

10. Most worn mascara?


I have 2 that I layer.  Maybelline Falsies and Maybelline Lash Stiletto.  It's a lethal combo that I was informed my Melissa from YouTube channel 30plussome.  Check her out!

  11. Most worn eyeshadow?

Maybelline Eye Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze for sure.  I layer a lot of shadows over it but it is certainly a staple in my eyelooks

So if you are reading this...  I TAG you!  Leave a comment with your links!

July Empties!

I didn't forget. This is how far behind I am.  I meant to get this done before we left for vacation but I ran out of time.  Warning:  I've finished up a ton of stuff in July.  Recyclables are piling up over here!



Again, this is in a random order.

  1.  Act Restoring Anticavity Fluoride:  You need fluoride in your life.  Also now in "modern times" (lol) we are drinking filtered and bottled water and the fluoride that is in our water supply does nothing for our teeth.  Fluoride re-mineralizes "soft spots" on your teeth, that left untreated, will develop into cavities.   So long story short, rinse with fluoride after brushing and flossing every day!  :)  Will repurchase.

  2.  Olay Luscious Embrace Cleansing Bodywash with Jojoba butter & crushed orchid extract.:  I've had several of these from my coupon stockpiling days and by the 3rd or 4th bottle, I am quite sick of it.  It has a pleasant but very strong floral/fruity scent.  I don't think I will repurchase but I never had a problem with Olay bodywashes.  This one is not particularly moisturizing.

  3.  Yves Rocher Botanical Scrub:  I placed a Yves Rocher over the summer and I don't believe I ever blogged about it.  It was a strange sale, it was place any side of order, free gifts, free shipping and a free product of your choice.  So of course I picked a very expensive night cream.  I will review later of course...  But back to the scrub.  The scent was unremarkable, has some nice botanicals; organic agave sap, organic almond kernel powder and sesame oil, apricot kernel powder, saro essential oil and Madagascar mangliferine (have no idea what that is!).  But unfortunately is has larger synthetic scrubber beads and filled with parabens... Yuck.  Will skip this one in the future.

  4.  Organix hydrating macadamia oil intensive moisture mask:  I really need another one of these after my disastrous hair experience last week.  I am working through not one but 2 Aussie 3 minute miracles at the moment.  I didn't pack enough conditioner for our 2 week adventure at my brother's lakehouse and all the sun and swimming was extremely drying. (I grabbed the Aussies at CVS 2 for $6 with a $1 ECB and 2 $1 MC's.  $1.50 a piece.)  So yes, I will repurchase.

  5.  Suave Professionals Men 2-in-1 shampoo conditioner:  This is been in the shower forever.  It would probably take my husband 2 years to finish this bottle on his own.  He bought this when he was away for work earlier this year.  I ran out of shave gel so I used this.  Not a bad alternative, but not ideal either.  I can't guarantee this will be repurchased.

  6.  AVON Advanced Techniques Professional Hair Color:  I should do a separate review on this and I think I will actually.   But it's a nice color, it did turn a little orange on me but that's my hair talking, it likes to pull red.  Nothing my purple shampoo couldn't handle.  It comes with a pre-treatment and an after conditioner.  I like that.

  7.  Johnson's natural head-to-toe foaming baby wash:  I used this for my kids and my makeup brushes.  I don't think I've ever used baby wash for my makeup brushes before.  I really like that this was a foaming cleanser, rinses well and cleans very effectively. Need to repurchase!!!

  8.  Colgate Total Whitening:  Not bad, not memorable either.  Hey it's toothpaste and a necessity.  I'm not that particular.

  9.  Pantene Beautiful Lengths Breakage Defense Shampoo:  Nice shampoo.  Pantene has never let me down.  Yeah it coats your hair, etc, etc...  But if you want fab looking hair, Pantene will not let you down.  If you are scared of build up, have a few different brands in rotation.  That's what I do!  I rarely, umm, let's just get it out there, never just use one bottle of a single brand of shampoo.  It just doesn't happen.  Never happened growing up either.  My mom always had different shampoos in the shower.  See!  Not my fault.  :)  Probably will repurchase in the future.

 10.    Green Cream High Potency Retinol:  I need to do a separate review on this.  And I will.  Already repurchased and it's on auto-ship from dermstore.com.

11.  John Frieda Sheer Blonde  Enhancing Conditioner.  So if you have blonde or highlighted hair, you need John Frieda in your life. This conditioner is lovely.

12.  Target Up&Up Maximum strength acne medication benzoyl peroxide gel:  I've been getting really weird breakouts, just one, every couple weeks or so consistently really, since we've been in NC.  I am assuming it is from the humidity and the sweating and all the pore clogging associated with that kind of weather.  I like Target brand products and used to buy them frequently.  I picked this up for the treatment of that occasional blemish.  However, I don't think this does anything!  I think it's benzoyl, not Target's fault.  I tend to see more results from salicylic acid.  This is very drying though at a 10% strength.  Be warned.

13.  AVON Moisture Therapy:  We've been flying through the lotion over here.  Even though summer is hot in humid in NC, The sun and surf is very drying for this skin.  This worked fine, not really the consistency I prefer.  It's very watery and takes extra time to dry.  I prefer a thicker cream/lotion.  Smells like an AVON product.  If you are in the know, you know what I mean!

14.  Thicker Fuller Hair:  Yes it's still full.  This was one of those random clearance drugstore pickups.  Didn't need it but at an insane price with coupons, I couldn't pass it up.  I shouldn't have however.  This stuff is crap.  I really don't need to thicken my hair anyway.  That was my fault.  It leaves the hair sticky and stiff and you can't even get a brush through it.  Blow drying my hair was an awful experience.  I washed it out immediately.  YUCK!  Stay away!

15.  Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller:  Love this, need to repurchase.  It's not completely empty but I think I've had it close to 2 years so it's time to repurchase.  When I initially purchased this, I had my Northern pale skin going on and it was way too dark for under my eyes.   I used it to conceal around my nose however and it worked out great.  Since living in NC, my skin is much darker and I can wear this under my eyes.  Still a touch noticeable, but with blending, it works out nicely.  I have the non-tinted version currently in use, equally lovely but since the tinted matches now, I will repurchase when finished.

16.  John Frieda luxurious volume full clarity purifying shampoo:  Everyone should have a clarifying shampoo within reach to use, at the very minimum, once a week.  This one is clarifying but not stripping, so I prefer this one.  And it's by John Frieda.  He never let's me down.  I will admit in the beginning of our relationship, back in college, the products were quite drying, but now they are good.  Need to repurchase.

17.  Clearasil Rapid Action Face Wash:  I have an automatic dispenser in my shower.  I rarely use this for my face though.  I use it mostly for my back and feet.  Sounds weird to use it on my feet my the 2% salicylic acid really keeps my feet soft!  The starter kit came with 2 refills and the automatic dispenser.  I really like the dispenser.  Perfect portion size.  I am currently using the other refill.

18.  Bath and Body Works Country Chic:  I got this sometime last year or the year before for free during some promotion in-store.  It has a strong floral/fruity/sweet scent.  Not my favorite, but it smells nice.  I just got a whiff of it and it reminds me of our house in NY...  I probably won't repurchase.  I don't find myself in B&BW very often unless it's the Buy 3, Get 3 sale every 2 years or so.  :)

19.  Schick Intuition Naturals Cartridges:  I love these, I didn't realize how much I loved them until I got a 10-pack of the regular ones.  The regular ones are causing subtle irritation, drying out the skin on my legs, my armpits absolutely hate them.  I didn't realize my mistake and the difference until I compared the packaging.  These are made with 100% natural aloe and Vitamin E.  Got to love marketing  "100% natural" but the original version irritates, the "natural" doesn't. So do I like the naturals version?  Yes.  I need to get some more.

20.  Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub:  I absolutely love this stuff.  The scent, the consistency, how it makes my skin feel, the fact that it is 99.93% natural.  99.93% hmmm....   I will repurchase this again and again.  Though I haven't yet.  It's very difficult to find around here.  I thought Target had it but when I tried to repurchase, it wasn't on the shelf, ditto Walmart and CVS.  I wonder if I ordered this on-line.  I need to do some research.  It does have a glass jar so careful in the shower.  I don't mind it.  I exclusively used it at the sink.

21.  elf brush shampoo.  Works really well, $3. Brushes nice and soft and clean.  But I really like a foaming cleanser like the Johnson's natural foaming baby wash.  I will have to price check though.  I'm assuming elf is cheaper.  But I still like baby wash better and I don't have to pick up 2 separate products.  I like multitasking products.  :)

22.  Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover:  This was given to me by a former MK rep friend.  I remember loving this stuff!  Nothing took off my makeup gentler and thoroughly.  Well what I didn't remember was cloudy, stinging eyes.  I held on to this and tried it out every once in a while thinking that my sensitivity was a fluke, possible allergies though I've never had any...  Well I will take that back, it seems when I move to a new place, VA, NY and now possibly NC, the first couple of months I might have watery eyes, etc...  So I waited the grace period, but still cloudy, stinging eyes.  It might have been expired.  But I won't seek to repurchase.  Currently I am using jojoba oil or olive oil.  Still cloudy annoying eyes.  I guess I used to ignore it.  So currently I am seeking out an eye makeup remover!

23.  Boots Overnight Skin Cream Bergamot:  I grabbed this on clearance at Target of course.  I loved it.  Not for my face but my chest and hands.  It has a lovely scent too.  Pretty strong for those faint of heart (does that even make any sense?)  but very lovely and luxurious feeling.  It was a dip-in glass jar.  I know how people feel about glass and sanitary issues with the dipping.  But I liked it just fine.  I would repurchase if they still sold it at my local Target.  I checked, no dice.

24.  John Frieda Precision Foam Cleanser Conditioner:  This came in the box dye.  I really wish they would bottle this up full size and sell it.  There is definitely a market out there for it.  Please John Frieda, please sell your box dye conditioner full size!!!

25.  elf Golden Bronzer.  I did hit pan on this.  I absolutely love it.  Will repurchase though I haven't yet.  Though not completely used up, I had to pitch it after I used this and it broke out my neck.  Big time.  And yes it was this.  I was bronzing up my neck one day for some reason. I'm hoping it was because it was expired or something.  I don't remember it happening before.  I hadn't used it since last summer and I believe it is about 2.5-3 years old.  Need to look up expiration on products again and go through everything.

26.  bareMinerals Active Renewal Night Serum:  Lovely stuff and a good sample size to actually try it out.  I currently have a full size Indie Lee Squalane oil.  Not a need to repurchase right now.  I did notice that it absorbs more readily than the Squalane oil.

27.  Udderly Smooth Udder Cream:  Last but certainly not least...  I love this stuff!  It goes on sale frequently at 99 cents at Rite Aid.  Pick it up.  You won't regret it.  Takes care of dryness right away and is non-greasy.  Has a nice scent and semi-thick consistency.  Will repurchase at some point.  Probably at Walmart.  I have found myself in drugstores this summer, even though I banned myself.  Oops!  I'm still under 10 times though I've lost official count.  So I think that's pretty darn good!

28.  Dermalogica Clean Start hit the spot:  This one has also benxoyl but at 5%.  Still didn't work that great but I think better than the Up & Up.  Not as drying but it is more of a gel and the Up & Up is a white cream.  I could wear this during the day under makeup, Up & Up was strictly used at night.  This came in a trial sized kit that was on clearance at our Marine Corps Exchange.  I might be interested in picking it up again.

29.  rareMinerals Blemish Therapy:  I've had this for years.  Literally years, like more than 5.  I would pull it out every once in a while when I remembered I had it.  Usually it was lost in the under the sink abyss.  It was time to pitch.

Alright so there it is.  July empties.  Lots of plastic, a little cardboard and glass, all to be recycled.

Now let me get August's empties going...