Sunday, September 25, 2011

Pump Up the Volume

Ah. I can't believe that I haven't done a post in so long! I've been busy and I had no time :(

TIGI BED HEAD Superstar Blowdry Lotion for Thick Massive Hair
My hair is all one length with no layers, so I really don't have any volume at the top. I'm always on the hunt for anything that promotes volume and this is a winner. I saw this at Target and it was buy one get one free, so I thought i'd try it. I've been using this for the past six months and it works awesome!

I was in a huge hurry when I was doing my hair today that I rushed through everything and I forgot to use this. I could tell the difference that this makes and without it, my hair is flat. It says that you can use it on damp or dry hair, but i've only used it on damp. I feel like if it were to be used on totally dry hair that it may be too stiff. This stuff is more of a serum than a lotion, it's watery and clear rather than thick.

I first towel dry my hair and add my other goodies, I use this product last. I pour a little into my hands and rub together, you don't need much of this at all, and I kind of scrunch it into my roots and concentrate it at the top. I blowdry my hair upside down until it's about 80% dry, then I finish with my head up. While i'm finishing drying, I over-part my hair so it's parted waaaay to the side, if that makes any sense, and i leave it that way until my hair is cooled. I do this because I feel like it helps with volume. This product definitely gives my hair a noticeable lift without it being sticky, stiff, or greasy. I love that this doesn't just last a few hours or even just the first day. It also protects against heat damage from styling! The bottle doesn't really give directions, so i wasted a bit of it trying to figure out how much I needed.

This is the best "volumizing" product that i've used and if your hair needs a little somethin' somethin', i'd give this a try.
xx

Monday, September 12, 2011

Pond's Cold Cream

I know I did a post last month about my favorite cleansing cream and how i'd never use anything else, well....I was kind of "forced" to buy something else. While I still love the Merle Norman Cleansing Cream, the new product i'm using is just as amazing.

I ran completely out of my cleansing cream and there isn't anywhere for me to buy it where i'm living, so I needed a cleanser until I move back to Texas. I wanted to get something very similiar to what I was using, so I looked around online and found Pond's Cold Cream. My face is very sensitive and I was thinking that I was going to have to try a few before I found something that my skin liked, but from the beginning it's been great. I've been using it since about mid August and I love it. The only difference between the two is the scent, other than that they do the same exact thing with the same result. The Merle Norman one is pretty pricey, so I was surprised to find something just as good for only $4.69 at Target.

Like the other, it's thick, creamy, removes all kinds of makeup, cleanses, and leaves the skin feeling moisturized and soft.
  • The first thing I do is get some product on a cotton ball and rub it over my eyes to remove my eye makeup. It doesn't burn or sting at all if it gets into your eyes.
  • Then, I wet my face a little and smooth it all over my face and neck and leave it alone for about 5 minutes. Sometimes at night, I leave it on a little longer and I put a hot wash cloth over my face and it feels so good.
  • The last thing I do is remove it with a warm wash cloth, dry off my face, and add my moisturizer. I use Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream at night, Benefit b.right Triple Performing Facial Emulsion SPF 15 PA++ in the morning, and Benefit b.right It's Potent Eye Cream morning and night.
I'm so excited that I found this cheaper alternative that will do the same thing for my face! I think that even when I move back home i'll still keep using this instead of the other, unless it makes my face suddenly freak out.
xx

Friday, September 9, 2011

Top 10 MAC Eye Shadows

I always enjoy reading top favorites of anything and it's fun to see what different people choose.
These are my top 10 MAC eye shadows that I wear on any given day. The shadows blend so well and are very pigmanted. These are in no certain order and are all in the permanent line.

Top L-R - Mystery, Folie, Sable, Satin Taupe, Shale
Bottom L-R - Club, Mulch, Tempting, Patina, Shroom

Mystery satin
Cool toned dark brown with no shimmer -
I use this in my crease, outter corner, and as an eyeliner.
Folie satin
Warm reddish plummy brown with no shimmer -
I use this in my crease and outter corner.
Sable velvet
Plummy brown with a pinky bronze metallic shimmer -
I use this all over.
Satin Taupe frost
Plummy brown taupe with a grayish frost -
I use this all over.
Shale satin
Dirty plum with a mauve gray frost -
I use this on my lid. This might be my top favorite?
Club satin
Warm reddish brown with a green sheen -
I use this all over. It's such a fun color to play with. It goes on brown with a green sheen then is blended out to a warm brown.
Mulch velvet
Reddish brown with bronze shimmer -
I use this all over.
Tempting lustre
Light brown with bronzy gold shimmer -
I use this all over. This color is so rich, creamy, and fantastic! I do get a lot of fall out but it's worth it. Every time I look at it it reminds me of jewels.
Patina frost
Light golden brown with a tarnished gold sheen -
I use this on my lid.
Shroom satin
Pale beige with a soft frost -
I use this on my brow bone. This is my favorite highlight color with the perfect sheen and no heavy shimmer.

I used to not care for shadows with shimmer, but now I love them!
xx

Sunday, September 4, 2011

On the Spot

Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment, Vanishing Formula
Aaaaamazing!

It is a small tube, at only .75 oz, but you only need a teensy bit.
I woke up with a red spot on my face a few days ago and I just left it alone and didn't mess with it. Now, usually when I get spots they go away on their own but this one was being stubborn. It just got bigger and was very sore. I've never bought or tried a product that claims to make a pimple disappear but I was getting desperate. I looked at all the options at the store and I liked what this one offered the most, and there were only two left so I took that as a good sign.

You of course wouldn't use this much on one pimple, but this is how it looks. 
Last night I washed my face and then applied it on my big, red pimple and went to bed. I didn't really rub it in, I just placed it directly on the spot. When I woke up this morning I was amazed! The redness was completely gone, it had shrunk like over half the size, and it was no longer sore. The soreness was my biggest issue. It didn't irritate my sensitive skin at all, but it did dry my pimple out a bit. I'd rather have a little dry skin that can be fixed with moisturizer than spots. It's hard on the pimple but gentle on the skin while killing the acne. You can apply it gradually up to three times a day but once a day seems to work fine. It says that it's good to use a THIN layer all over where you have or get acne to prevent new pimples from forming. I love how this product is cheap and it truly does make your spots vanish!!

I'm so excited that I found this and I can never be without it! It really is the perfect fix.
xx

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

August Favorites

Wow! I really can't believe that I have 100 followers! Thank you and I appreciate all the sweet comments, it does means SO MUCH to me : )

I really loved a ton of stuff this month, but I thought more than seven things may be a bit much.

TRESemme Instant Heat Tamer Spray
I've only started protecting my hair with stuff the last 6 months or so and I can really tell a difference than before. I got a trim in July and usually my hair would already have split ends. I use this before I blow dry my hair and before I straighten it and it works so great. It smells good and you only need a few sprays. I really think it's important that everyone should use a heat protectant if you're not already and this is a great one with a low price.

MAC Tempting Eye Shadow
I've been wearing this lightly all over my lid on it's own on the days where i'm in a hurry but I still want a little something. It's a shimmery bronze, golden, light brown color that is so so beautiful. The texture is smooth but it does have fall out so you have to be careful when you put it on. This is for sure one of my top favorites.

MAC Shell Cream Color Base
You can do a lot with this product, but lately i've been liking it as an eye shadow base. It really makes my eye shadow stay put all day and you don't need a lot of it. It's a shimmery, light bronze, pinky color that isn't too dark or light.

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes
I used this a few months back and I thought that it was just okay and it wasn't anything special to me. I ran out of mascara and I thought i'd give this one another chance and now I think it's amazing! It makes my lashes look so full and long. It doesn't flake or smudge under my eyes like some mascaras do to me. I think the reason why I used to not care for it was the way I was applying it. I used to wiggle it on my lashes and rush, but now I just blink and slide it through, much better.

Nivea a Kiss of Rejuvenation Q10+
If you have dry lips, or if you just like amazing lips, then this is the best thing. Ever since I bought this i've been using it non stop. It has kept my lips so soft and it actually looks good on, like it SLIGHTLY nudes out your lips. Slightly. I haven't really been wearing too much lipstick recently because this looks so good. I'm not sure if it's just in my head BUT this does seem to plump my lips! It stays on a long time and it doesn't have a funky taste if it gets in your mouth...or your husbands mouth.

Sinful Colors Miami Heat
Beautiful!!! It's sheer with one coat and two coats make it perfect. This is my favorite blue nail polish and my husband likes it on my nails too. It really makes my wedding rings sparkle and is so pretty and shines in the sun! It's royal blue with blue shimmer and it lasts on my nails for a good while.

Earrings
I got these from Target and they quickly became a favorite. I love the shape of them and they're not too too heavy. They look so good on and the gold and black really show up against my dark hair.

I can't believe it's already September tomorrow! Gosh, it seems like 31 days ago it was just the beginning of August...joking.
I hope that this is a GREAT month for everyone and lots of good things happen : )
xx

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Purchases

....Because I couldn't buy only the 3 things I "needed".
We went to church this morning and the mall is RIGHT THERE...kinda...so we had to go.

-MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Foundation
I'm STILL trying to find my favorite foundation, so we'll see if this is it. I've seen a few people do posts about this lately and I decided i'd try it out.
-MAC Fix +
I've been out of this for a little while now and I can tell a difference with how my makeup looks. I like it MUCH better when I use this after and I really recommend it.

-15 Eye Shadow Palette
Just needed another one, nothing special.
-MAC Eye Shadow Twinks
Beautiful! It's a smooth, shimmery, plummy bronze brown color. I'm excited to wear it tomorrow!
-MAC Eye Shadow Shale
I watched Kandee Johnson use this in a tutorial and it was so beautiful. It's a gray lavender with a little shimmer. TO ME on, it kind of reminds me of Quarry but with shimmer.
-MAC Penultimate Eye Liner Rapidblack
I had this a while back and I liked it okay, but once it was out I didn't repurchase it. I've been wanting a liquid type eye liner that would be quick to use and something I don't need a brush for. This is VERY black and stays put.

-MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick Supremely Confident
The best nude lipstick that i've ever used. Seriously. I've gone through plenty and it's amazing. So creamy and glossy!

-Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy
First of all, the bottle is amazing right? It's sweet and kind of floral and really just a happy scent!
-philosophy coconut frosting shampoo, shower gel, & bubble bath
I love anyting coconut but when I saw "frosting" it kind of turned me away. Anything with a cake or frosting scent gives me a huge headache but this doesn't smell anything like frosting. As soon as I smelled it I knew I had to have it. Mmmm

-Claire's earrings
I love Claire's for their stud earrings! You get so many for such a small amount of money, buy 2 get 1 free. I haven't been in there in years and it made me feel so old with all the cute little girl things.
-Sephora by OPI Nail Colour Just a Little Dangerous
This is a beautiful purple with pink and blue shimmer. Lovely!

That's it, as if it wasn't enough. I hope everyone has a great week :)
xx

Thursday, August 11, 2011

EOTD

MAC Paint Pot Chilled On Ice - as a base all over the lid
Urban Decay Eye Shadow Sin - lightly over inner half of the lid
MAC Eye Shadow Sable - all over the lid
MAC Eye Shadow Satin Taupe - on the outter corner and in the crease
Clinique Cream Eyeliner True Black - on the lash line and water line
L'oreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara


I just ordered a few things from Victoria's Secret and right now when you spend $75 you get a free weekender bag. It's dark pink and light pink stripes and a good size! The offer ends August 14th!!
xx

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

FOTD Simple Everyday

It's not as vibrant or smokey in pictures as it is in real life, so i'll keep working on it.
I do this look when I know i'm not really going anywhere and I really like it.
*I couldn't decide on the lips, so here's both.



lips
REVLON Just Bitten Instinct (first picture)
MAC Lipstick Creme d' Nude (second picture)

face
MAKE UP FOR EVER Mat Velvet +
Garnier Anti-Dark-Circle Roller
MAC Bronzing Powder Refined Golden
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Soft and Gentle
NARS Blush Deep Throat

eyes
Urban Decay Eye Shadow Sin
MAC Eye Shadow Quarry
MAC Eye Shadow Omega
Clinique Cream Liner True Black
L'oreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara

This is one of my favorite everyday looks.
xx

Monday, August 8, 2011

Cleansing Cream Love

Merle Norman Cleansing Cream
This stuff is amazing! I guess not that many people know about it because I never see it spoken about.
My skin is very sensitive and more on the dry side, so a lot of face products don't work for me. My mom has used this for years and years, so she had me use this as my makeup remover/face wash when I started wearing makeup. I really trust this because my moms skin looks amazing and she does not look her age. It goes on smooth and gets off makeup so well (even the blackest waterproof mascara), cleans the skin, and leaves it feeling moisturized. It's so thick and creamy and it will sooth any cracked skin that you may have. It doesn't leave the skin feeling tight at all.
  •  The first thing I do is wet my face with warm water.
  • I then use a cotton pad and I scoop enough out for my eyes. I gently rub this over my eyes, it doesn't burn at all, and then I remove my eye makeup.
  • Next, I flip the pad over and scoop more out for my face and neck. Remember to clean the makeup off your neck if you use any there. I rub it all over and it removes all traces of my makeup. It will leave a film behind but it doesn't feel icky at all.
  • Then I take a clean cotton pad, run it under warm water, and again go all over my face to remove the product left.
  • Lastly, I dry off my face with a clean towel and add my face and eye cream.
*You don't need much of this stuff at all and if you don't have any makeup on, like in the mornings, then you will need even less.

The container is HUGE and the product smells amazing! I will never clean my face with anything else and I recommend this to everyone. It's a winner.
xx

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

July Favorites

I wanted to share a quick deal with y'all. My mom's birthday is the 4th and I couldn't think of what to get her. She's been meaning to order a book of pictures from my wedding and I came across a website, MyPublisher.com, and their photobooks are on sale. AND if you're a new customer it's buy one get one free, so that's awesome!! You can design the whole thing yourself which is great. I freaked out when I found it! The offer ends August 8th so if you need gift ideas this is neat.

Now onto the point of this post...
Wow, I can't believe it's August already! This summer is going by so darn fast. HOPEFULLY this is the month that we're moving back to Texas yay!

Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream
This stuff is the best night cream i've ever tried and one of my all time favorite products. I use this all over my face and neck every night and when I wake up my skin feels amazing. It's thick but not at all greasy. It smells awesome and it feels so nice immediately when you apply it. It feels like silk and that's really the best way to describe this. Sometimes if I know i'm just staying at home all day I will put this back on in the morning and leave it all day.

Fix +
As you can tell from the empty bottle, I love this stuff. I like to spray my face before my moisturizer and again after my makeup is done. The results are beautiful and makes my makeup last all day. I also really like this for spraying my eyeliner brush, dipping it into an eye shadow, Beauty Marked from MAC to be exact, and using it as an eyeliner. To me it seems as if it makes it waterproof. Is that the idea? I'm not sure but I really like everything about it.

Jergens Natural Glow
I've been using this all summer and i really like it. I can tell a slight difference in my skin color in one use and a significant change with two. I put this on all over before bed and in the morning i'm tan! I had never really tried a gradual tanner before now and I was kind of iffy about it but it really is great. I use this as my all over body moisturizer and it makes my skin super soft.

MAC Brit Wit Cremeblend Blush
I've been using this blush towards the end of July and I love it. It's a dusty rose color that provides a very pretty flush. It's very long lasting and goes on so smooth. When I put this on I feel like my face is complete.

MAC Sable Eye Shadow (left)
I've been using this a lot lately all over my lid and it's so beautiful. I love how easy this eye shadow goes on and how blendable is it. It's like a plumy bronze color with a sheen and it seems like everything I pair it with works.

Urban Decay Sin Eye Shadow (right)
I use this all over my lid everyday pretty much to start of any look. Sometimes it's a lot and sometimes it's only a teensy bit. It's very shimmery and my favortie champange color. I also love that it's not too pink. It's so velvety and wonderful!

MAC Supremely Confident Sheen Supreme Lipstick
I'm completely out of this and I desperately need to go get another. It's very creamy and glossy on. It's great to put it on all over or just to dab on so it's not too opaque. This is my perfect nude yada yada yada. What's not to love?

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color Lacey Lilac
Purple is my favorite color and I love any shade of it. I have a few of these nail polishes and I really love them. At first it was a bit streaky but with the second coat the color applies very nice and it doesn't chip on me. It's the perfect lilac for me and it looks so nice with a tan.

I hope that August brings wonderful, happy things for everyone!
xx



Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sunday Funday

I really want to do FOTD posts but everytime I take pictures I can't get them to look right. Any tips? The eye shadow always looks nonexistent even when it's dark in real life. Oh well, i'll keep working on it.

Me and Steve went for a walk near where we live and I wanted to share a few pictures. It's hard to believe I live in such a beautiful place.

It's neat to look to your right and see the beautiful beaches and look a head of you and see amazing mountains.

Today started off great! We woke up just in time to hear it rain for a while. I can't remember the last time it rained here but I missed it so much! It's so peaceful. That's one of the things I miss most about Texas, the crazy thunderstorms with loud thunder and pouring rain.
I'm so excited, me and Steve are going to get pedicures today! I talked him into going with me after he got out of boot camp and he's been going with me ever since. He loves it, just like I told him he would. I don't see anything wrong with guys taking care of their feet.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.
I almost forgot, HAPPY SHARK WEEK :)
xx

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Rediscover & Regret

I've recently run completely out of my favorite lipstick and with no time to get another, i've been forced to turn to oldies. It's a good thing this happened because I have fallen back in love with MAC Creme d' Nude and The Faerie Glen. Since i've bought MAC Supremely Confident, i've been neglecting my others and have forgotten how awesome both of these lipsticks are.

Creme d' Nude is so creamy but lip balm is a must underneath because my lips tend to be dry. My lips are quite pigmented so nudes don't look crazy on me, just more natural than anything. Sometimes all I care for is one quick swipe across my lips to tone down the color and other times i'll do more to actually change the color. This is more of a peachy nude on me and i'll buy it forever. (The reason for the leopard tape is so that it stands out from the others. I can reach into my bag when I need to reapply it and I don't have to figure out which lipstick is which. That's how good of a lipstick this is, I would go back to it over and over again.)

Ahhh, The Faerie Glen. Such an amazing color and i'm sad I didn't buy more when I had the chance because it's limited edition. This was from the MAC holiday collection last year, A Tartan Tale. I guess I didn't use this as much because I know what's it's gone, it's gone. This has got to be one of my top lipsticks ever. It's my "my lips but better" shade and i'm in love. It's a pinkish beige and is so smooth and looks amazing on.

Has there been a product that YOU loved but your SKIN didn't?? Such a sad thing.
 So almost two weeks ago I purchased MAC Strobe Liquid and I fell in love with it, or so I thought. I've never used a MAC foundation or anything that goes completely over my skin before but I have heard of people breaking out from some of their face products. I've been mixing it in with my foundation and it's made my face not so dull and brighter....and two massive friends on my chin. I never have a problem with acne aside from the occasional "monthly" blemish, so when my chin went crazy I was almost certain it had to be this. I looked around online last night and sure enough people have had the same problem. This is the only different thing that i've been adding into my routine, so I can't imagine that somethine else is causing it. I guess that this product was too good to be true for me and that makes me sad.
xx

Monday, July 25, 2011

Help. Advice?

Yesterday was the worst ever. Wait, i'm allowed a day to whine right?
I'm tired of sitting around feeling anxious, sick, and unable to do anything so i'm posting this to ask for help.

I suffer from ridiculous migranes and the past two days have been horrible. The first thing that happens before the pain is I get tunnel vision, see black specs, start to shake, and I have a hard time talking. Usually people can understand me enough to figure out what i'm saying, but last night my husband said he had no idea. As soon as those happen, I immediately take medicine but it didn't stop it from the headache coming on. I've tried so many different kinds but nothing seems to help. Mine have lasted three days before, so that's three days that i'm useless. I've tried cold towels on my head and eyes, being in the pitch dark, pressure points, hot baths, and caffeine. Ugh nothing seems to ease it. Sleep is the only thing that helps, but going to sleep takes forever and once you wake up the pain is there waiting for you. The absolute worst thing do do while your head is pounding is to cry, but when you're in so much pain is hard not to, ya know? I couldn't walk or do anything by myself so I had to rely on my poor husband. He was up with me off and on all night last night and he had to be at work early this morning. He takes such good care of me.

I now regret typing this and staring at the screen this long but I need help :( Please excuse any grammar errors, i'm not even going to re read this.
What do you do when you've got a killer headache? Silly home remedies are welcome!!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Favorite Makeup...as of now.

My most favorite makeup products as of this moment...

foundation
MAKE UP FOR EVER Mat Velvet +
Honestly, i've never actually had a "favorite" foundation. Since I need one for this, i'm just going with what I use currently. This lasts all day until I wash it off, even in 105 degree Texas weather. It goes on easy and smooth and you can't "feel" it on your face. This is too matte for my liking (my only downfall), so I mix MAC Strobe Liquid and it's better for me.

concealer
MAC Studio Finish Concealer
This works amazing! I use it where my eyes are dark, near my inner eye, and if I have any blemishes. This is my perfect concealer.

powder
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
I don't always use powder, but this is the best one if I ever do. When I do use it, it's over a foundation. My skin is too dry to wear a powder on it's own. It doesn't look cakey on me at all and I don't need to reapply it throughout the day. I just wish it had a mirror.

highlight
MAC Shell Cream Color Base
FAVORITE. HIGHLIGHT. EVER. I use this on my cheek bones, center of my nose, brow bone, middle of my lips, AND all over my lid. I've read that it creases on the lid, but not on mine. This is the perfect color for me and it sets on the skin so nicely. Such a beautiful glow!!

bronzer
MAC Refined Golden Bronzing Powder
WOW. I've tried so many bronzers and I recently just bought this. I am so glad I did because it's the perfect color for me. There's shimmer but I don't notice it on my skin. It is buildable so there's no way I can add to much accidently and go overboard. It doesn't look fake or muddy at all, it's very natural on me.

cream blush
Revlon Rosy Glow Cream Blush
The texture is so creamy, goes on so easy, and blends very nicely. I've been using this non stop for a few weeks now and it's amazing. It really is a "rosy glow".

powder blush
NARS Deep Throat
I can never get over this name! This had been my favorite powder blush since I bought it because it's amazingly beautiful. It's a glowy peachy pink color with the perfect amount of shimmer. A little goes a long way for me and it stays good all day. This is great when I am tan and not so tan.

eye shadow
MAC Club
I love to wear this all over the lid and blended into the crease. Let's see if I can find the words to describe this. When you apply it straight on it's like a brown with green shimmers, but when blended out it's a warm brown. You can use this one color and it looks like you've used many. Depending on how the light hits your eyes, it'll look different but always beautiful.

eyeliner
Stila Stingray Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner
This waterproof eyeliner stays on my waterline great and I rarely have to apply it, it's the best i've ever tried. It's creamy and goes on smooth so that you don't even have to work with it.

cream liner
Clinique True Black Cream Liner
I've been using this for a long time now and I will never look for another. In fact, it's the only one i've ever used. No matter where I use this it lasts all day.  It's very rich and creamy but after it has set it won't budge. I like how it gives you a little time before it sets to blend out for a softer look. Also, the lid seals tight so it won't dry out!

mascara
L'oreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara
I haven't been using this very long but it's awesome so far! It makes my eyelashes long and thick without clumps. It says, "With continued daily use, lashes appear longer, thicker, fuller." So we'll see.

lipstick
MAC Supremely Confident Sheen Supreme Lipstick
I've always tried to find my "perfect nude" and this is it. It is very creamy so it seems like it gets used up real fast. I'm already about to start my third tube and they came out in March. Sometimes I put it on all over and other times I dab it on so that it's not too opaque. I'm not big on lip glosses but I do love how glossy this lipstick is.

Favorite posts are my favorite kind to read!
xx