Fall is officially here. At least in my neck of the woods it is. The weather has turned cooler and the once green leaves on the trees outside my window are turning gorgeous shades of red and gold. Alas, I have traded in my blue jean shorts, tank tops, and flip flops for long sleeved shirts, jeggings, and knee high riding boots.
As much as I love wearing cozy sweaters and boots I'm sad to see summer end. I always get a nostalgic feeling. It takes me back to my childhood and for a moment I'm 10 again. When summer ends its like turning off a light switch, all of a sudden there is a difference in the air....there is a slight chill in the air there wasn't there before.
The things I will miss most are the warm starry nights when the full moon shown it's light all the way from space to create a spotlight on the water in the lake. I will miss the tiny fireflies dancing in the honeysuckle scented breeze and the cicada's singing their nightly song like a bedtime lullaby.
Summer is a magical time. Everything is alive and colorful and simply beautiful.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
Essie No Chips Ahead....The Best Top Coat?
I have been a long time fan of Seche Vite top coat. It dries quickly and makes your manicure last for days. The only problem is once you get about halfway done with the bottle the consistency changes. It becomes thick and stringy and just too messy to work with.
About 2 months ago I visited my local Ulta and they were having a special on Essie nail polish. If you bought 2 polishes you got a free top coat. I couldn't resist so I decided to try Essie's No Chips Ahead top coat.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this top coat. It keeps my polish from chipping for almost a week and I'm pretty rough on my nails. To help my polish last longer I apply the top coat right after I get done with my manicure then I do another coat of the top coat polish the next day and finally about 3 or 4 days in I will do another coat of the top coat polish.
If you are looking for a new top coat polish you should give this one a try and if you do let me know how you like it.
Have a great week!
About 2 months ago I visited my local Ulta and they were having a special on Essie nail polish. If you bought 2 polishes you got a free top coat. I couldn't resist so I decided to try Essie's No Chips Ahead top coat.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this top coat. It keeps my polish from chipping for almost a week and I'm pretty rough on my nails. To help my polish last longer I apply the top coat right after I get done with my manicure then I do another coat of the top coat polish the next day and finally about 3 or 4 days in I will do another coat of the top coat polish.
If you are looking for a new top coat polish you should give this one a try and if you do let me know how you like it.
Have a great week!
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Clarisonic Mia 2 and Acne Update
It's been a minute since my first post about the Clarisonic Mia 2 so let's refresh.
I have oily, acne prone skin. Occasionally in the winter I will get dry areas, usually on my forehead and nose. I have used every type of acne face wash, cream, and toner out there. I even went to the dermatologist and nothing they prescribed worked. I was told that my acne was hormonal and no matter how many times I washed my face it wouldn't matter. I still wasn't about to give up.
Long story short I finally gave Proactiv a try in 2010. It worked better than anything I had ever tried before. My breakouts didn't go away entirely but it did reduce the number and frequency. After using Proactiv for about a year or so I noticed that it seemed like it wasn't working as good as it used to. I had heard about people reaching a plateau and I knew I had reached mine. I continued using Proactiv because I was too scared to try another face wash. I was afraid that my acne would not only come back but come back worse than before.
Fast forward to August 2013.
I was watching QVC and they were selling the Clarisonic Mia 2 with some face products for a good deal. I had read a little bit about the Clarisonic and I watched a few reviews on Youtube by some of my favorite beauty vloggers. With QVC you have 30 days to return items so I really had nothing to lose by trying it.
Buying the Clarisonic was the best decision I ever made regarding my acne. My face felt cleaner and softer after the first use. I did a short review after using it for a few weeks but now that I've been using it for a year I wanted to update you all on how I've gotten along with it.
I started out using the Clarisonic twice a day for the first 4 or 5 months and then I started using it just once a day. If I feel like my skin is extra oily one day then I will still use it twice a day. It never irritated my skin I just felt it wasn't necessary to exfoliate twice a day every day.
The sensitive skin brush came with it and I really liked it so I continued to buy the sensitive brush replacements. In July, for my birthday, my mom got me the deep pore cleansing brush replacement. I have been using it for about 2 weeks now and I like it better than the one for sensitive skin.
I could not be happier with the results from using the Clarisonic. My breakouts are completely gone, except for every now and then around visiting time. Using the Clarisonic makes my blemishes go away much faster when I do get the occasional breakout and my skin is less oily. I only wish I would have gotten it sooner. If you are on the fence about getting one, just jump. It's expensive but worth every penny and then some.
I also wanted to update you on the Peter Roth gel moisturizer and face wash. In my first review I didn't like them so I put them in the cabinet. I ended up running out of my Proactiv one day and so I tried them again. This time I liked them. I believe I have the Clarisonic to thank for that. The moisturizer worked really well and it helped my makeup to glide on and the face wash doesn't make my face feel tight anymore, it just feels nice and clean. It wasn't the products that were horrible, it was just my skin.
I hope you found this helpful and if you want to read my initial review of the Clarisonic Mia 2 you can read it here.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
*This blog post is entirely my opinion and is not sponsored in any way
I have oily, acne prone skin. Occasionally in the winter I will get dry areas, usually on my forehead and nose. I have used every type of acne face wash, cream, and toner out there. I even went to the dermatologist and nothing they prescribed worked. I was told that my acne was hormonal and no matter how many times I washed my face it wouldn't matter. I still wasn't about to give up.
Long story short I finally gave Proactiv a try in 2010. It worked better than anything I had ever tried before. My breakouts didn't go away entirely but it did reduce the number and frequency. After using Proactiv for about a year or so I noticed that it seemed like it wasn't working as good as it used to. I had heard about people reaching a plateau and I knew I had reached mine. I continued using Proactiv because I was too scared to try another face wash. I was afraid that my acne would not only come back but come back worse than before.
Fast forward to August 2013.
I was watching QVC and they were selling the Clarisonic Mia 2 with some face products for a good deal. I had read a little bit about the Clarisonic and I watched a few reviews on Youtube by some of my favorite beauty vloggers. With QVC you have 30 days to return items so I really had nothing to lose by trying it.
Buying the Clarisonic was the best decision I ever made regarding my acne. My face felt cleaner and softer after the first use. I did a short review after using it for a few weeks but now that I've been using it for a year I wanted to update you all on how I've gotten along with it.
I started out using the Clarisonic twice a day for the first 4 or 5 months and then I started using it just once a day. If I feel like my skin is extra oily one day then I will still use it twice a day. It never irritated my skin I just felt it wasn't necessary to exfoliate twice a day every day.
The sensitive skin brush came with it and I really liked it so I continued to buy the sensitive brush replacements. In July, for my birthday, my mom got me the deep pore cleansing brush replacement. I have been using it for about 2 weeks now and I like it better than the one for sensitive skin.
I could not be happier with the results from using the Clarisonic. My breakouts are completely gone, except for every now and then around visiting time. Using the Clarisonic makes my blemishes go away much faster when I do get the occasional breakout and my skin is less oily. I only wish I would have gotten it sooner. If you are on the fence about getting one, just jump. It's expensive but worth every penny and then some.
I also wanted to update you on the Peter Roth gel moisturizer and face wash. In my first review I didn't like them so I put them in the cabinet. I ended up running out of my Proactiv one day and so I tried them again. This time I liked them. I believe I have the Clarisonic to thank for that. The moisturizer worked really well and it helped my makeup to glide on and the face wash doesn't make my face feel tight anymore, it just feels nice and clean. It wasn't the products that were horrible, it was just my skin.
I hope you found this helpful and if you want to read my initial review of the Clarisonic Mia 2 you can read it here.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
*This blog post is entirely my opinion and is not sponsored in any way
Thursday, August 7, 2014
The Long Absence and Face Cream
First off let me start off by apologizing for being away from my blog for so long. I won't bore you with the details, but I will make a promise to never neglect my blog again.
With that being said let's jump right in.
If you have read my blog then you probably know that I suffer from oily skin and acne. Due to my oily skin I never used moisturizer. I thought that using a moisturizer with my oily skin would only make my skin more oily and make my acne worse. That my friends is a myth.
I did some research and discovered that sometimes oily skin is caused by dry skin. No matter the reason for oily skin, using a moisturizer is still a good idea.
I knew that I wanted to try a light moisturizer that wouldn't make my skin feel greasy and wouldn't upset my sensitive skin and cause my breakouts to get worse. I went to my local Sephora and picked up this wonderful concoction in a tub.
This heavenly moisturizer Ultra Repair Cream by First Aid Beauty is amazing. It's very light but powerful. It sinks into my skin pretty quickly and doesn't leave my face feeling greasy at all. And what is the best part about this moisturizer you ask? It didn't cause my skin to break out. That's always a winner in my book. I've been using this moisturizer for about 7 months and I've used about 1/3 of the product. You don't have to use a lot of product to get the job done and I only use it on my face and neck. You can use this all over your body, however there are much cheaper options for body lotions. This 6.8oz tub will set you back about $28.
This is the only product I have tried from the First Aid Beauty line but I am looking forward to trying some of their other products since I have enjoyed this one so much.
If you have a favorite moisturizer let me know what it is and why you love it.
Much Love!
With that being said let's jump right in.
If you have read my blog then you probably know that I suffer from oily skin and acne. Due to my oily skin I never used moisturizer. I thought that using a moisturizer with my oily skin would only make my skin more oily and make my acne worse. That my friends is a myth.
I did some research and discovered that sometimes oily skin is caused by dry skin. No matter the reason for oily skin, using a moisturizer is still a good idea.
I knew that I wanted to try a light moisturizer that wouldn't make my skin feel greasy and wouldn't upset my sensitive skin and cause my breakouts to get worse. I went to my local Sephora and picked up this wonderful concoction in a tub.
This heavenly moisturizer Ultra Repair Cream by First Aid Beauty is amazing. It's very light but powerful. It sinks into my skin pretty quickly and doesn't leave my face feeling greasy at all. And what is the best part about this moisturizer you ask? It didn't cause my skin to break out. That's always a winner in my book. I've been using this moisturizer for about 7 months and I've used about 1/3 of the product. You don't have to use a lot of product to get the job done and I only use it on my face and neck. You can use this all over your body, however there are much cheaper options for body lotions. This 6.8oz tub will set you back about $28.
This is the only product I have tried from the First Aid Beauty line but I am looking forward to trying some of their other products since I have enjoyed this one so much.
If you have a favorite moisturizer let me know what it is and why you love it.
Much Love!
Monday, December 9, 2013
Holiday Candles
A friend gave me a coupon to Bath and Body Works. I used to love their lotions and body washes but for the past year or so I can't seem to find one I really like. Anyway, I decided to run in to Bath and Body Works this weekend to see if I found anything that struck my fancy.
Well I did.
The candles.
They also had a buy any 3 and get another 3 for free deal going on. I figured I could not only get some Christmas presents but also get a candle (or 2) for myself. I deserve a little treat don't I?
I wanted to share my most favorite candles with you.
I love this candle. If I took Christmas and put it in a candle this would be exactly how it smells. It smells like apple cider, cinnamon, and pine. When I get a whiff of this candle I just want to sing Christmas carols. Not really but you get the idea.
This one is delicious. I love candles that smell like food. This one smells like vanilla with a hint of coconut. I'm really glad the coconut scent doesn't overpower the vanilla it just kinda adds another dimension to it.
This candle smells amazing! It smells like a red velvet cake. I confess I have already claimed and burned some of this candle. My fiancé loves red velvet cake as do I so this was a no brainer. I don't think I've ever seen a red velvet cake candle before.
Merry Cookie smells like a sugar cookie made with the really good vanilla. Every time I smell this candle I want a fresh from the oven homemade sugar cookie with the tiny silver balls made from sugar. It's too bad you can't eat these candles.
Marshmallow Fireside is currently burning right now and is my hands down favorite candle from BBW. I normally love foodie candles if you couldn't tell from my list but this one I wouldn't classify as a foodie type candle. It does have a sweet marshmallow scent but it also has the scent of burning wood. While you might not think that burning wood smells good it does in this candle. I think $20 is a lot to spend on a candle but I will definitely be buying another one of these.
While I love candles I don't normally splurge on buying the really nice expensive ones. I love burning scented oil. It has wonderful scent payoff and it's not very expensive. Every so often I will treat myself and get a nice candle. I love candlelight and where these candles have 3 wicks they give off a nice glow. I also love the scent payoff on these. They will make the whole room smell nice and cozy. Another nice thing is they burn evenly. I absolutely hate when a candle does not burn evenly. You miss out on a lot of product unless you want to melt the wax and repour it.
I used to buy the Keeper of the Light candles. I think they still sell them in some stores but mostly are available online. There was a tiny shop in a town close by that I used to visit and purchase those candles but they closed down. Now those candles blow BBW out of the water. The scent payoff is amazing. Those candles will smell up your whole house. My favorite is Maple Syrup Pancakes. It smells exactly like maple syrup pancakes.
All in all I'm very impressed with BBW candles. I will for sure be getting a few more holiday candles before the season ends.
Well I did.
The candles.
They also had a buy any 3 and get another 3 for free deal going on. I figured I could not only get some Christmas presents but also get a candle (or 2) for myself. I deserve a little treat don't I?
I wanted to share my most favorite candles with you.
I love this candle. If I took Christmas and put it in a candle this would be exactly how it smells. It smells like apple cider, cinnamon, and pine. When I get a whiff of this candle I just want to sing Christmas carols. Not really but you get the idea.
This one is delicious. I love candles that smell like food. This one smells like vanilla with a hint of coconut. I'm really glad the coconut scent doesn't overpower the vanilla it just kinda adds another dimension to it.
This candle smells amazing! It smells like a red velvet cake. I confess I have already claimed and burned some of this candle. My fiancé loves red velvet cake as do I so this was a no brainer. I don't think I've ever seen a red velvet cake candle before.
Merry Cookie smells like a sugar cookie made with the really good vanilla. Every time I smell this candle I want a fresh from the oven homemade sugar cookie with the tiny silver balls made from sugar. It's too bad you can't eat these candles.
Marshmallow Fireside is currently burning right now and is my hands down favorite candle from BBW. I normally love foodie candles if you couldn't tell from my list but this one I wouldn't classify as a foodie type candle. It does have a sweet marshmallow scent but it also has the scent of burning wood. While you might not think that burning wood smells good it does in this candle. I think $20 is a lot to spend on a candle but I will definitely be buying another one of these.
While I love candles I don't normally splurge on buying the really nice expensive ones. I love burning scented oil. It has wonderful scent payoff and it's not very expensive. Every so often I will treat myself and get a nice candle. I love candlelight and where these candles have 3 wicks they give off a nice glow. I also love the scent payoff on these. They will make the whole room smell nice and cozy. Another nice thing is they burn evenly. I absolutely hate when a candle does not burn evenly. You miss out on a lot of product unless you want to melt the wax and repour it.
I used to buy the Keeper of the Light candles. I think they still sell them in some stores but mostly are available online. There was a tiny shop in a town close by that I used to visit and purchase those candles but they closed down. Now those candles blow BBW out of the water. The scent payoff is amazing. Those candles will smell up your whole house. My favorite is Maple Syrup Pancakes. It smells exactly like maple syrup pancakes.
All in all I'm very impressed with BBW candles. I will for sure be getting a few more holiday candles before the season ends.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
New Eyeshadow Look
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
We had family time and I did not go shopping on Friday. I haven't started my Christmas shopping yet so I need to get on it.
So this weekend I played around with my eyeshadow again. Umm and please ignore my eyebrows. lol
picture taken with Cannon camera
picture taken with iPhone
Needless to say the camera wins.
I'll share with you how I did this eyeshadow.
I love the Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows. They are so pigmented and they really do wear for a long time without an eye primer. I have really oily skin and eyelids so I have a huge problem with my eye shadow creasing.
I took Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze and applied it to the inner half of my lid. I then took Maybelline Color Tattoo Metals in Electric Blue and filled in the outer half of my eyelid.
The next step is very important. I took the Bad to the Bronze and lightly blended the line between the 2 shadows. This will make the two colors fade into each other and appear seamless. This is very important to do any time you are mixing shades.
I used the color Chopper from the Naked 2 palette and blended the bronze inner side out so it wouldn't be a harsh line. I also took Chopper and lined the first half of my lower lash line. Next I took Busted also from the Naked 2 palette and blended the outer blue half of my eyelid and lined the lower outer half of my lower lashes.
I used Blackout from the Naked 2 palette to line my upper lashes. For mascara I used L'Oreal Voluminous Definition mascara.
I love this eyeshadow look. It looks very cool in person and it's not too much so I think it will be easily wearable.
You can use this concept with almost any color eye shadows.
We had family time and I did not go shopping on Friday. I haven't started my Christmas shopping yet so I need to get on it.
So this weekend I played around with my eyeshadow again. Umm and please ignore my eyebrows. lol
picture taken with Cannon camera
picture taken with iPhone
Needless to say the camera wins.
I'll share with you how I did this eyeshadow.
I love the Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows. They are so pigmented and they really do wear for a long time without an eye primer. I have really oily skin and eyelids so I have a huge problem with my eye shadow creasing.
I took Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze and applied it to the inner half of my lid. I then took Maybelline Color Tattoo Metals in Electric Blue and filled in the outer half of my eyelid.
The next step is very important. I took the Bad to the Bronze and lightly blended the line between the 2 shadows. This will make the two colors fade into each other and appear seamless. This is very important to do any time you are mixing shades.
I used the color Chopper from the Naked 2 palette and blended the bronze inner side out so it wouldn't be a harsh line. I also took Chopper and lined the first half of my lower lash line. Next I took Busted also from the Naked 2 palette and blended the outer blue half of my eyelid and lined the lower outer half of my lower lashes.
I used Blackout from the Naked 2 palette to line my upper lashes. For mascara I used L'Oreal Voluminous Definition mascara.
I love this eyeshadow look. It looks very cool in person and it's not too much so I think it will be easily wearable.
You can use this concept with almost any color eye shadows.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Winter Snow and OOTD
It SNOWED!
I woke up this morning to a white fluffy blanket of snow. I love snow if you couldn't tell. I love how snow looks on the trees and the sound of it crunching under your boots. It's like you have been transported to a magical wonderland. I don't mind the cold as long as there is snow.
So last night one of my favorite movies came on. Austin Powers International Man of Mystery. This movie is hysterical. In fact I love the first and second Austin Powers and I detest the 3rd one Goldmember. He had to go and mess up a good thing. I had a stressful day and I so needed to watch a funny movie. I love when little things like that happen. I'm glad He is watching out for me. :-)
I tried the new hair mask last night. I probably shouldn't have since I just used a different hair mask a couple of days ago but I was dying to see if it works. It smells really good and it's really creamy but my hair still feels dry. I mean my hair does feel better than it did but it could be way better. I'm going to try it for a couple of weeks and see if my hair makes an improvement before I give up on it. I'm debating getting some macadamia oil and putting it just on ends of my hair. I have oily hair but only at the scalp and my ends are dry. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
I will leave you with an outfit of the day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I woke up this morning to a white fluffy blanket of snow. I love snow if you couldn't tell. I love how snow looks on the trees and the sound of it crunching under your boots. It's like you have been transported to a magical wonderland. I don't mind the cold as long as there is snow.
So last night one of my favorite movies came on. Austin Powers International Man of Mystery. This movie is hysterical. In fact I love the first and second Austin Powers and I detest the 3rd one Goldmember. He had to go and mess up a good thing. I had a stressful day and I so needed to watch a funny movie. I love when little things like that happen. I'm glad He is watching out for me. :-)
I tried the new hair mask last night. I probably shouldn't have since I just used a different hair mask a couple of days ago but I was dying to see if it works. It smells really good and it's really creamy but my hair still feels dry. I mean my hair does feel better than it did but it could be way better. I'm going to try it for a couple of weeks and see if my hair makes an improvement before I give up on it. I'm debating getting some macadamia oil and putting it just on ends of my hair. I have oily hair but only at the scalp and my ends are dry. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
I will leave you with an outfit of the day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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