Totally Crazy! But hear me out!

Hi girls!  I have a product I want to share with you.  But before I say what it is, I want to say that the first time I heard about using this product I was really skeptical!  But, I saw enough youtube videos, and read a few other blogs and all the girls were saying the same thing.  This product really works.

We’ve all experienced our applied eyeshadow disappearing, creasing, and generally not looking as fresh in the evening as it did when we first applied it in the morning.   In the past, I’ve used Urban Decay’s primer potion to remedy this problem.  It is a great product.  I’m to arguing that it isn’t.  However is it a bit pricy, and the packaging makes it a bit difficult to get the last little bit of the product out. 

So, I tried the product that the other girls were talking about. I was surprised.  It worked so well!  By the end of the day, my eyeshadow still looked as fresh as it did 10 hours before!   

So girls... are you ready to know what it is....

 drum role please...

Monistat Chaffing Relief Powder Gel!  Wait!  Before you think I’ve totally lost it... let me explain...

First, it is not a medication.  There is no medication in the product whatsoever!  The only ingredient in Monistat Chaffing Relief Powder Gel is Dimethicone.

Dimethicone is a non greasy skin protectant which dries to a powdery finish.  It is colorless and odorless.    Although Monistat uses Dimethicone as a solution for chaffing, it is actually used in a wide array of beauty supplies.  According to http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ Dimethicone is a silicone based product that is used in many cosmetics, lotions, hair shampoos, as well as other hair supplies.  Dimethicone is used as a hair protectant, skin protectant, hair conditioner, skin conditioner and surface modifier.  

After doing this research I went on a Dimethicone easter egg hunt, and found that it is in my conditioner, a few of my hand lotions and... Lancome La Base Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer!   Oh Yes Ladies! Lancome’s makeup primer at $42.00 a pop consists of two ingredients; Cyclopentasiloxane and Dimethicone Crosspolymer.  So, Dimethicone is already used as a makeup primer by other highly respected cosmetic manufacturers!  

So ladies,  although I love Lancome, in this particular case I can not see my self spending $42.00 for the same ingredient which Monistat sells for $7.50.   If you want your eyeshadow to stay on all day, ignore the name of the product, and try the Monistat Chaffing Relief Powder Gel. Call me crazy if you want, but it really works!

Moroccan Oil

Today I wanted to talk about Moroccan Oil, a new hair treatment that I have been loving.  I have heard mixed reviews about this product, from other blogs, and youtube videos. For the most part, the reviews are positive.  The negative ones that I heard say that this product leaves your hair heavy or greasy.   So, when I purchased a bottle, I got the small one only because if I didn't like it, I didn't waste my money on product I wouldn't use.  Now, I am wishing I had purchased the larger bottle.

I love this product!  It leaves my hair silky and shiny without needing to use a lot of product. Even after straightening my hair, it is still soft, and it does not feel dried out. I've been using this product for about a week, and I really think it has helped the condition of my hair.  

I can understand how people have been saying that this product leaves their hair greasy or heavy. However I think it is because they might be using too much.  I have very long hair, and I use less that a dime sized amount.  I also focus using this product on the ends of my hair and work my way up. I try to avoid the hair closest to my scalp.   A little goes a long way.  

If you have tried this product in the past, and did not like it for the above reasons, I encourage you to try it again. Experiment with the amount you use. You might just be surprised.

Sephora in Warm Tones, and my new all time favorite... Kat Von D!

Hello Ladies :)
I hope the New Year is treating you well, and that you haven't broken your New Year's Resolutions... yet ;)

Today, I wanted to talk about two pallets I got from Sephora around Christmas.   They are the Kat Von D eyeshadow pallet in Beethoven, and the Sephora pallet in warm tones.   First off, lets review the Sephora pallet:

This was one of their products during the Christmas season, and it was priced at only $18.00.  It includes one blush, eight eyeshadows, four lip glosses and a mirror.  For the price, it is a really nice pallet.  The colors are pigmented well, the glosses are not sticky.  (I'm not a big fan of sticky lip glosses.)

The top row of eyeshadows are what I used the most during the holidays.  The colors remind me of the Body Shop Shimmer Cube Pallet in #06, but are slightly richer and more vibrant.   I've used most everything in the pallet except the two glosses on the far right, and I am pleased with their quality.

Although the pallet is great, I find my self gravitating to the eyeshadows the most.  The blush and the glosses are nice and will be used, but are not my favorite part of the pallet.  What's nice about this pallet is that it is compact, making it a perfect all-in-one makeup pallet for traveling.

And now on to a new favorite... the Kat Von D eyeshadow pallet in Beethoven!!!

This pallet is a dream!  I absolutely love all the colors! They are super pigmented and easy to blend. Dare I say these eyeshadows are comparable to MAC eyeshadow quality, but less expensive.

The whole pallet comes with eight shadows.  Each individual shadow is 0.05 oz.  (So that is a total of 0.4 oz of total product) The Kat Von D pallet costs $34.00. That is an amazing deal for the amount of product you get, and in such beautiful colors too.   To get the equivalent amount of product in MAC would be slightly pricier...

The Kat Von D pallets also comes with two little brushes. Although they are cute, they are very small and not too useful.  They are almost not necessary.   With that being said, this product is a favorite of mine.  I will definitely be purchasing the other eyeshadow pallets soon!  I can't express how excited I am about this product.  Girls, you just have to try it!

That's all for now :)  Have a beautiful day!

Review of Sephora's glitter eyeshadow applicator.

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all enjoyed yourselves, and had fun last night.

As promised, I wanted to give you a review of the glitter eyeshadow applicator I purchased from Sephora. 

The label states that it helps prevent glitter from falling where it is not wanted while applying it to the lid.   Regular brushes supposedly create more fallout, while this silicone applicator holds the glitter until it adheres to the eyelid.
To test it, I chose one of my favorite holiday eyeshadows: Urban Decay's Midnight Coyboy Rides Again. Although I love this shadow, I tend to struggle with it because there is usually a TON of glitter fallout.

Usually, I apply this eyeshadow with my ring finger and press in into my lid.  I have never been able to successfully use a brush with this eyeshadow without getting glitter on my cheeks as well.  This was a true test for Sephora's silicone applicator.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  It does lessen the amount of glitter fallout. Dare I say it is comparable to the amount of fallout I get when using my ring finger to apply the shadow.  Although the fallout is less than a traditional brush, and a bit more sanitary than using my finger, there is a down side to this brush.  I found it takes a few more layers of shadow to build up the same payoff of color and sparkle when using the brush instead of applying it with my finger. (I was able to finally get the same look, it just took a bit longer in the application process).  For a more subtle sparkle this brush is absolutely perfect!

Overall I am happy with the brush... and at only $13.00 why not?

Sephora brushes, and great customer service!

Hello everyone!  I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday filled with fun, family, and friends!   I also hope you all cashed in on the fabulous sales after Christmas!

Today, I want to share my after Christmas shopping goodies from Sephora, and also discuss a shopping mishap in which I was pleasantly surprised regarding the outcome.

First off, lets start with the goodies I purchased:

I purchased four of their brushes.  They are less expensive than most MAC brushes, and their quality isn't bad either.  I am pleased with them.  The only negative quality about these brushes is that the handles are a bit short.  If you prefer longer brush handles, then these might not be for you.    

The first three brushes are similar to other brushes and aren't really unique.  The brush on the far right, however, I am really excited about!  The packaging it came in had a very bright little label which stated it was a specifically designed brush for glitter eye shadows. It is a silicone applicator which helps prevent fallout, and also helps the glitter eyeshadow stay on the eyelid.  I will have a review on this product soon!

After I got home from Sephora with my purchased brushes (as well as some other goodies which I will discuss in another blog soon), I looked at my receipt and discovered that I was charged an additional $16.00 for a product I did not purchase, nor was it in my bag.  Unfortunately, by the time I discovered this, the stores were closed.  I thought there wasn't much I could do anyway to prove I paid $16.00 for nothing.  But, the next morning I called and informed the store manager of the mistake.  I wasn't expecting anything, I just wanted her to know about the mistake.  Instead, she told me to come back to the store to refund my money!  No questions asked!  I was amazed!  Also for my trouble, she gave me a free sample of Smashbox lip gloss!  So what could have been a major bummer, turned out to be a fabulous experience!  Hooray for Sephora!

Christmas In and Out

In:

Relaxing watching old Christmas movies

Hot Cocoa!

Twinkly Christmas Lights

Seeing friends and family

Christmas Decorations!  :)

Out:

Crowds at the stores

Finding out the store is out of stock of the ONE item you need... Bummer.

Feeling like the Christmas season snuck up on me this year!

Paper cuts from wrapping packages... ouch!

Cleaning up after Christmas parties.

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Stay tuned!  I'll be back soon!

*HUGS*

Finals Week Fashion!

         Hi everyone !  I haven't forgotten about you!  Here is a little update on my life currently.  As you might know, I am a graduate student... and that means... Finals Week fast approaching!   My life is crazy busy with numerous papers, exams and last minute projects for my classes.  (I know... I'm a huge procrastinator!) But being stressed and having little time doesn't mean your style has to suffer.  And that means no going to class in PJ's!  There are plenty of ways to be comfortable and look great!
          Prep and plan your wardrobe a day in advance (it only takes a few minutes) that way you aren't scrambling right before you have to leave for class.  Choose comfortable clothes like a favorite pair of well worn in jeans, a cute sweater and ballet flats, or try a pair of leggings, a cute tunic and some uggs.  Your main goal is comfortable style.  You need to be focusing on your exams and not how tight your pants are ;)
         Make up doesn't have to take forever for it to look great.  Sometimes the simplest make up is very stylish.  Try this for a simple, quick and fresh face.  

Try moisturizing serum like Burts Bees serum with Royal Jelly, and then brush a quick powder foundation over that (I've been using Maybelline).    Then use you favorite shimmer eyeshadow and a quick smudge of  black eyeshadow along the lash line.  (I've been loving pop beauty's eyeshadow in black, and the light shimmer from Body Shop's pallet #06 coupled with a little MAC Star Violet).  Don't use too much of the black shadow if you've been up all night studying. It will make you look more tired. Focus on a light shimmer to brighten those tired eyes.   Finish with a quick coat of mascara and you're done.
       Good Luck Girls!  And I'll be back soon ;)