Beauty

For the most part, I’d consider myself a girly-girl. I like to dress up, wear makeup, paint my nails, etc. However, spending a lot of time and money on makeup has just never been my thing. I usually find something from the drugstore or Ulta that is reasonably priced and stick with it. In college, I had a roommate who adored makeup. Amber loved to go to Sephora and get samples, have them color-match her, and so on and so forth. One time she made me go with her and get color swatched by one of their professionals in black…I was slightly shocked by what a difference it made. For the first time in my life, I spent more than $12 on foundation […]

The Tarte Maraca Creaseless Concealer has a mixed group of lovers and haters. I actually do like it, but it is very different in some aspects. So let’s dive into that… First, Tarte is a cosmetic company that leans toward the “healthy” side of things. This particular concealer is actually vegan friendly. As a company they are relatively “cruelty free”—except to beetles. They use those to achieve a carmine color (bright red) for some of their makeup products. Moving along…what is Maracuja? It is an oil made from the seeds of passion fruit and it’s an excellent emollient for our skin. Ooo…so exotic! The packaging for this product is so lovely and nods toward the green side of life. I’m sure you know by now

A few years back a new trend emerged that was a little overwhelming, and frankly, it still exists on too may faces: the bold brow. You’ve seen it. You’ve been caught staring. The big, bold, über-defined brow. Just typing it makes me cringe. I’m here to say that every woman should most definitely up their brow game. But not like that! Making a point to fill in your brows can make your face look finished. It can pull your makeup together and make a significant difference. And it can be done quickly and easily! Now a simple Google search for “defined brows” can land you on a 15-step tutorial using 5 products. 15 steps for your brows? As a makeup junkie, I can’t even get behind

Today I’m looking at the HASK Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioner Packette. I color … and curl … and straighten my fine hair on a regular basis. Because I color, curl, and straighten my hair on a regular basis, it needs some extra “love!” Repairing and restoring shine and strength is my M.O. for my hair. I love this Hask Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioning treatment because it hydrates my thirsty, damaged hair. The argan oil helps the product absorb into the hair shaft. It also smells awesome with notes of citrus.  I pick this up at Wal-Mart or Target and can get two treatments out of one package. I try to use this (or some type of) mask weekly. This particular one is inexpensive

Today I’m looking at Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder. Beach in a box! This is a must have staple in my makeup tool box. Not even kidding friends! This is the best! This bronzing powder will give you that sun-kissed glow and contours your face like a professional makeup artist! I love this stuff! I was told about this product from an amazing makeup artist who regularly makes the stars look like … well, stars! Benefit has some of the best products, and they package them to look so cute! I love the packaging of Hoola. This is one of the very rare cases where I think a product’s included brush works like a dime! Swish brush over bronzer, tap off excess, and sweep across cheeks, chin, and

Today I’m looking at Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream. Disclaimer: my dermatologist got me started in Neutrogena land long ago. In general, I’m a fan of Neutrogena products, but I will try to be unbiased here with this new product. So … here goes. I love it! The buzzword used in this product is hyaluronic acid. I’m no chemist, but according to www.paulaschoice.com: “When it comes to skincare, hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate can reduce the appearance of fine lines, promote younger-looking skin, and help create a healthier barrier. When these ingredients are combined with an anti-aging routine that includes gentle products and daily broad-spectrum sun protection, you’re stacking the deck in your favor for younger, supple looking skin!” So—that’s good! But … how

Today I’m reviewing Simple Cleansing Micellar Water. Micellar Water has been around for a long time, beginning in France. Ooh la la! So chic! There are tiny oil molecules, called micelles, suspended in water that are attracted to dirt, oil, makeup, etc. … and they draw the lil’ nasties away from your face without a harsh stripping cleanser attacking your skin and drying it out. Your skin should feel hydrated after using a micellar water. Directions: Apply the water to cotton rounds and wipe away grit, grime, and makeup. I think it works great! I really love using Simple Cleansing Micellar Water to remove makeup or to freshen up a makeup-less face after exercising. I would like to add that this particular micellar water does

Today I’m looking at Maybelline New York SuperStay 24 Lipcolor (2-step system). I’m all in for a long-wearing lip color! The issue that people have with these are that they can leave your lips feeling dry, or can cause this kind of gummy ring to form inside your lips after wearing for a while. I haven’t experienced those issues with this particular lip color. It has a micro-flex formula that glides on easily, dries fast, and has an all day staying power. I’ve used this for a long time and I don’t have issues with crumbling, caking, fading, feathering, or transferring. Both of the two steps are in one convenient tube for carrying and application. In addition, it’s available in 30 long

The bold red lip is a timeless, classic look that any woman can pull off. And this fall, it’s coming back with a vampy spin; introducing … the dark red lip. If you’d like an even more dramatic look, try a dark plum lip, which is also huge this season. Whether you’re a plum or a red girl, you absolutely cannot go wrong. If you aren’t sure which color to rock, I’d encourage you to visit your local Ulta or Sephora and ask one of the skilled gurus to test some shades on you. They will help you figure out which color and shade works best with your skin tone! Here are four dark lip colors that I’ve tried and highly recommend. They

I feel like all of the oily ladies out there are going to love me for this one! Essential oils have become big, and I bought into the craze purchasing a full box of assorted oils. Honestly, I struggled to use them daily, until I discovered this trick! When I open a new tube of mascara I always add 1-2 drops of lavender essential oil. It helps boost my eyelash length and fullness! I’ve definitely seen a noticeable difference! Plus, it smells great! Warning, don’t add the drops if you plan to apply the mascara right away. I usually add the lavender oil when I don’t plan to use it for at least several hours, preferably the next day even. I usually

Today I’m looking at Maybelline Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayon in 705 Pink Parfait. This is a creamy, super pigmented, convenient stick format of eye shadow. Sometimes I have an annoying allergic reaction to pink eyeshadows. My eyelids turn red, puffy, itchy, and kind of scaly. Once this happens I have to go without makeup for about four days for every day that I wore the pink offender. People that have this problem are often affected by purple eyeshadows too, but I don’t seem to have that problem. And … I don’t always have it with pinks. I’ve been told that the reason this happens is because of an allergic reaction to the crushed up shellfish in the product, or to the red dye in the

I’ve tried it all, it seems. I love makeup and “girly stuff”! I’ll be sharing my product reviews with you and would love your feedback on what I should try, too! Today I’m looking at bareMinerals Tinted Mineral Veil. About eight years ago, bareMinerals makeup was all the rage! Remember the endless commercials? All of us who used it learned how to cope with a messy makeup area after every use. No matter how hard you tried, that powder left some fairy dust everywhere! But … we loved it, and so did everyone else! It’s still in makeup stores, but I don’t know many people who still wear it. I am ever loyal to the Tinted Mineral Veil though. It’s a sheer finishing powder

I’ve tried it all, it seems. I love makeup and “girly stuff!” I’ll be sharing my product reviews for you and would love your feedback on what I should try, too! Today I’m looking at Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Waterproof Mascara. I tried this both in waterproof and non-waterproof. The big picture: I really love the waterproof, but do not like the non-waterproof. Both formulas lengthen, volumize, and separate, but the non-waterproof bled and transferred under my lower lash line. Not my fav. This is a deal breaker for me; I need to cry and sweat with dignity. I did like the way it made my lashes look, which is why I bought the waterproof version. That was a game changer. This, in waterproof, is for the win for me!

I’ve tried it all, it seems… I love makeup and girly stuff! So I’ll be sharing my product reviews with you and would love your feedback on what I should try, too! Today I’m looking at Dolce & Gabbana’s 3 L’Imperatrice perfume. I think everyone needs their own “Signature Scent”—you know, when people catch a waft of a scent and they instantly think of you? With that in mind, we better make it a good one! Our senses act as a major touchpoint in our lives. I can hear a particular song on the radio and it automatically transports me to a memory. The same thing happens with scents. I smell a particular fragrance and, without effort, I relive a memory, am carried off to a specific place, or identify a person.

I’ve tried it all, it seems. I love makeup and “girly stuff!” I’ll be sharing my product reviews with you and would love your feedback on what I should try, too! Today I’m looking at Physician’s Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls. I’ve started a hunt for an excellent highlighter at a drugstore price. While I do use both “higher end” and “drugstore” make-up products, I always do an extra jig when I find great make-up at a bargain price. Especially when this is not a necessary product—it’s sort of an extra thing to play with. No one knows how much I paid for it once it’s on my face, right? They just know if it looks beautiful or not, and I know if it