{Nails}: LEOPARD

I have always liked leopard and cheetah prints and I recently tried a little nail art incorporating the print.  I really like how they turned out.  What do you think?  What is your favorite type of nail art?

Base: Nina Ultra Pro in Beige-A Vu
Spots: L'Oreal in Walk on the Beach, O.P.I in A-Taupe the Space Needle, and Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint in Black
Top Coat: Seche Vite

Base: Essie in Turquoise and Caicos, ring fingers in Nina Ultra Pro in Beige-A Vu
Spots:  L'Oreal in Walk on the Beach, Essie in Turquoise and Caicos, and Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint in Black
Top Coat: Seche Vite

{First Impressions}: L'Oreal Miracle Blur Oil-Free Instant Skin Smoother and L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation

I was perusing around Walgreen's yesterday and I noticed they were running a L’Oreal BOGO50.  I have wanted to try these two products, but I really couldn’t bring myself to spend $24.99 on the Miracle Blur {I already have two pore refining products I currently use}.  Walgreen's is running a sale on it for $19.99 if you participate in the BOGO, so I figured I’d grab it while I could get some money off.  I checked out the Magic Nude foundation first.  I tested a few shades on my hand based on the shade names I currently use from other L’Oreal foundations and realized that this foundation is darker shade wise than some of the others.  I ended up testing shade 320 Natural Beige.  Because some foundations tend to dry darker than when first applied, I went to check out the Miracle Blur which was located in the skin care section with the other L’Oreal skin products.  This product is a supplement to their Revitalift line.  I’m interested in hearing how the other products are working – if you use any of them, please leave me a comment.  I grabbed the oil-free formula because I have oily skin.  By this time, the foundation had set on my hand and I decided it was a good shade to go with.  When I checked out, I used my Walgreen’s Balance Rewards card {free to sign up} and saved a total of $11.50 after the BOGO50 savings and the Miracle Blur sale.  I think this was a great deal considering I didn’t really NEED either of them and was taking a chance on trying them. 

I had already decided to do an egg white mask and yolk moisturizing session when I got home {I will cover this process in another post, it is EXCELLENT for your skin and pores}, so I really wanted to just see what the Miracle Blur was offering.  After my skin was clean and moisturized for the night, I put a little on my face.  It goes on like a lot of pore fillers, it has a hint of a powdery consistency, but it is more of a gel texture than the others I have tried.  It felt nice on my skin.  This morning when I was getting ready for work, I used it again – this time, I used a little more since I knew I’d be using foundation.  It does glide on very smooth and seemed to fill my pores like the other products I’ve tried.  This product claims to smooth out fine lines.  I don’t really think it does that too well.  I don’t have a lot of lines on my face other than a few laugh lines near my mouth, but I do get creasing under my eyes.  I didn’t feel that this really made a lot of difference in those areas, but I was impressed with the coverage around my nose and cheeks in regards to pores.  If you are looking for a product that does this, I would suggest it IF you can get it on sale like I did.  I think if I had purchased it without a BOGO offer or a sale price, I might be whistling a different tune.

In regards to the Magic Nude Foundation, I am still deciding.  I do like the feel of the product.  It is a bit runny and the bottle instructions suggest applying with fingers rather than a sponge or brush.  I don’t really like using my fingers a lot of my face, and I hate having to clean up after – so I did use a Sigma brush to apply it and then I blended it with my beauty sponge.  I will post an update of my thoughts on the foundation after I have worn it all day.  I do like the light coverage and it feels great on the skin.  I don’t feel cakey.  It seems to definitely   change from liquid to powder, but   when I touch my face, it feels like it hasn’t fully set.  I am not sure if this is because I didn’t use my fingers to apply it or if it just sits on the face that way.  So far, I like it and it feels very natural.

(ONE WEEK LATER: After wearing the Revitalift Miracle Blur and the Magic Nude Foundation for a little over a week now, I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied.  I love the way the Miracle Blur camouflages pores and how it makes my skin feel; however, when I put foundation on top, I feel like the foundation is not able to set.  I usually put on foundation first, then eye makeup in order to allow the foundation to fully set before I use concealer and powder.  With the Miracle Blur underneath, I feel like the foundation is still sliding around on my face.  I want to try it with another foundation soon.  I do love the Magic Nude Foundation, though.  I find it to be a little bit drying, but I also contribute this to changing moisturizers lately.  All in all, I feel they both do what they are intended to do, I'm just not sold on them as a combo.)

That’s all I have for today, I will post an update revision when the day is over.

Have a pretty day!

{First Impressions}: Mini Haul of Rimmel, Wet n Wild, MAC

I did a little shopping at CVS yesterday and at the MAC counter last week and I wanted to share my first impressions of a few inexpensive products {minus the MAC}.

EYES:

Rimmel London: Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer {not pictured}

I had a CVS coupon for $2 off a Rimmel beauty purchase, and my current eyeliner pencil {Estee Lauder} is now a nub that can no longer be sharpened, so I decided to grab a new liner to try.  First of all, let me say that the prices for drugstore eyeliner pencils have really elevated over the last few years.  I remember a few years ago a liner pencil by one of the more “prestigious” drugstore brands was less than $4.  As I was looking around at the Revlon, Covergirl, and Maybelline ones, I noticed they are now $8 or more.  I’m not opposed to paying top dollar for a good product, but if I’m going to spend that much at the drugstore, I might as well go back to Estee Lauder.  {I like the Estee Lauder one, but my goal is to spend less on things like eyeliners so I can spend more for the things I really love, like eye shadows}  So, after perusing through all of the eyeliners in the beauty section, I decided to just try a Rimmel one.  They have three different pencil style liners to choose from, but the Exaggerate one stood out because it was the only one with a smudge sponge on the opposite end, plus, it is retractable so I don’t have to worry with sharpening.  That makes a mess.  I picked up the Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Noir and I wore it when I got ready to go out last night and again this morning for work.  I do like the coverage and it glides on smoothly.  It is definitely waterproof, as I had trouble even removing it with my makeup remover last night.  The only con I see so far is that it does smudge a little.  I do have very moist eyes, so I’m wondering if that has anything to do with it.  I like it and will continue to use it throughout the next few weeks to see if I’m sold.

LIPS: 
Here are the swatches of the products mentioned below.

MAC: Lip Pencil in Boldy Bare

I saw this lip pencil on an Instagram guru’s photostream and she wore it several photos.  It’s a great nude shade with a hint of pink.  It couples great with the Rimmel lipstick and it also looks nice with a clear gloss.  I really like this shade.  I purchased it last Friday from the MAC counter in my town’s Belk store.

Wet n Wild: Megashield Lipstick in Birthday Suit

I decided to grab this because of two reasons: it was under $2 and it was a nude shade.  I really like it.  My lips are quite pigmented, so it just adds a little nude shimmer.  I cannot complain for something I got for a dollar and some change, plus it has SPF 15, which is an added bonus.  I’m not going to rave over this product, especially since I haven’t been able to wear it for even 24 hours yet, but I’m pleased so far, especially for the low cost.

Rimmel London: Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in Shade 14

I have been looking for a nude lip color for the past few weeks and I did pick one up at MAC, but I don’t really wear a lot of lipsticks and I’m considering returning it.  While I was looking at the eyeliners, I noticed Rimmel was BOGO50, so I decided to try a lipstick.  I grabbed shade 14, a nude with a hint of shimmer.  I like it.  I wore it last night and again today.  It doesn’t have a lot of staying power, but it doesn’t over dry my lips – which is the main reason I don’t wear a lot of lip products.  I coupled it with MAC Boldly Bare lip liner and applied Wet n Wild in Birthday Suit on top. 

Have a pretty day, lovelies!

{Tresses Tuesday}: Bun Edition

It’s Tresses Tuesday, and that means all things HAIR!  What I’d like to share today is not anything new, or revolutionary, but it has become WAY popular in the past few years.  It is the "sock bun".  I don’t make mine with a sock, but I have seen many tutorials on YouTube of gals that do.  

 Here's a shot of how I sport my bun!

My hair is super thin and if I try to create a bun by simply twisting my hair into the bun shape, it is a very tiny little bun.  We are talkin’ teeny, tiny, baby bun.  After scouring YouTube a few months ago {more like six months ago}, I saw that a lot of girls are using two “bun helpers”: the sock and the “doughnut”.  I know what you are thinking – DOUGHNUT?  It’s not the kind that you eat, it’s made of mesh and it is one fantastic invention – we will get into it later.  If you are a sock wearer and happen to have some longer socks hanging around in your drawer that are similar to your hair color, I suggest trying those first.  You simply cut the toe section off straight across, and roll the sock down onto itself until you have something that resembles a huge scrunchy.    Then, you use the over sized sock-scrunchy to create a bun.  If you’d like to learn more about this method, simply type “sock bun” into the search box on YouTube and a blue million tutorials will appear. 

Now, if you are like me, and only wear ankle socks in an array of bright colors that would show through your hair, you may want to stop by your local beauty supply store and pick up a hair doughnut.  I purchased mine at Sally Beauty Supply and their exact name for it is “ Mesh Chignon ".  These wonderful little doughnut shaped pieces of hair wonder are offered in three colors: blonde, brown, and black, and they come in three sizes. I purchased the middle sized one in black because I dye my hair a super dark brown that is too dark for the brown colored chignon.  The color does not have to match your hair color exactly, but should be close, as sometimes it can show through your bun after long wear.  Now, I know you might be wondering how to use the “magic doughnut bun maker of joy”.  There are several ways, two of which I will describe to you here.

The first step can apply to both methods.  Create a ponytail with your hair.  It can be high, low, messy, slicked back – however you choose.  I generally tease the crown of my hair and create a high ponytail.  Then, lightly tease the ends of your hair to create some texture. 

Method 1: The Roll Down {Uniform Bun}

Now, grab your “mesh chignon” and insert your ponytail inside of the hole.  Using one hand, hold the chignon and use your other hand to wrap the ends of your hair around the chignon until you have it somewhat covered and then begin to roll the chignon down {similar to how you would roll a pair of socks after washing them}.  This will combine your hair around the chignon and create a bun shape.  Keep rolling down until you reach the base of your ponytail and you will have a uniform bun shape.  At this point, I just secure it with a few bobbie pins and that’s all.  Complete the look with hairspray.

Method 2: The Pin in Place {Messy Bun}

Complete step one and then insert your hair inside the hole of chignon, only this time, bring the chignon all the way down to the base {it will look like an over sized ponytail holder}.  Now, take pieces of hair and start wrapping them over the chignon, covering it and using it as a filler.  Pin the pieces as you go and create whatever shape you’d like.  If you do this tightly, you can still create an elegant bun.  If you allow some of the pieces to be tightly secured and some to be more loose, you’ll get a messier look.  Complete the look with hairspray.

Have fun with this – it doesn’t have to be perfect!  Have a pretty day, y’all!

{My Faves}: July 2013

July Favorites!

I realize we are half way into August, but I really wanted to start offering a monthly favorites post which highlights some of my favorite products that I use every month.  In the future I will try to post these within the first few days of the following month so I can accurately document month to month what I currently love just for you!  So, let’s get started!

HAIR

L’Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray

I am IN LOVE with this Hairspray!  When I say IN LOVE, I mean it’s a true affair – now, I might not be ready to rank it up there for my feelings for boys; however, it may be up there with how I feel for chocolate! {ha ha}  I purchased this for the first time back in June and surprisingly it took me until last week to use up the first bottle.  Now, with that being said, it is pretty pricey for a drugstore brand.  I’ve found the general price in my area to be around $14.99.  I know… go ahead and gasp, I’ll wait.  I did too when I first went to purchase it.  I saw a lot of my favorite YouTube gals using it in their hair tutorials and I figured I’d go and grab a bottle for around $5.  Much to my surprise when I got to CVS and it was $10 more than I expected, I still decided to give it a whirl.  Now I’m hooked and my wallet is sad, but at least my hair is fabulous! 

This hairspray is very lightweight on the hair, but still holds like the crunchy hairsprays do.  I’ve never been able to find a happy medium when it comes to hairspray – they either work great and leave my hair crunchy, or are super wet and add too much weight or moisture to my hair.  The Elnett is a spray and stay without the crunch.  It comes in several holds and the option of scented or unscented.  When I got my first bottle, I picked up the unscented {pretty much because I didn’t even pay attention} and I didn’t really notice any kind of odor from it.  With this last bottle, I decided to live on the edge a little and check out what it smelled like by purchasing the scented bottle.  For some reason, I expected a sweet scent from this product; however, what I got was a time warp back to the days when I spent a lot of time with my Granny.  For lack of a better way of putting it, it smells like old lady hairspray.  My Granny was a classy lady and went to the salon once a week to get her weekly style.  She slept with a foam head wrap every night to keep her style shaped and every morning after using her pick to even out her do, she would go to town spraying away with a spray that smelled just like the Elnett.  Some would find this to be a negative aspect, but every day when I use the spray, I remember my Granny and it takes me back.  Wondering how to try the Elnett without paying so much?  Well, right now I have three suggestions for you:

• CVS offers bonus bucks for frequent purchases when using their customer card.  I save those extra savings for purchases like these.  If you don’t shop at CVS a lot, still grab a card and go in periodically just to swipe your card at the coupon kiosk – they have coupons every week and usually they are geared toward beauty or hair care.  This week I got one that was $3 off any hairstyling product of $10 or more.  That would allow me to get the Elnett for $3 off… better than the full price.
• Ulta is another great place to buy it.  Sign up on their site and they will send you their catalog every other month.  There is usually a $3.50 off coupon on the back of the catalog.  I used this to purchase my bottle last week.  Don’t have an Ulta?  Wait until you need several things to justify shipping costs and use the coupon for online shopping. 
• Ulta also has travel size bottles of the Elnett for around $6 {I’m sure other stores do, too, I’ve only noticed it there}.  To me, I think that is a joke because the bottle is tiny and the size comparison from spending $6 -$15 is not worth it; however, if you are skeptical, it is worth it just to try the spray.  If you like it, that small bottle can be your purse/travel bottle when you buy a big one – which I’m sure you’ll want to do!

Tangle Teezer Brush

I had seen these odd looking brushes for a while and just never really felt the need to get one.  On the flip side, the longer my hair has gotten, the more difficult it has become to brush – especially when I neglect getting it trimmed and my layers start to grow together.  It is also much easier to damage your hair when it is wet due to the elasticity changing with the abundance of moisture.  I saw the Tangle Teezer online about six months ago and pinned it to one of my Pinterst boards for later evaluation.  When I was at Sally’s Beauty about two months ago, I saw them and decided to just get one and see what I thought.  I picked up a hot pink one {the only other choice in stock was purple – I pinned a leopard print one…but, we all have dreams} and tried it the very same night.  Amazingly, it runs right through my hair with minimal snags in comparison to a regular brush.  I find the top of my head to be the most tangle prone area for me due to the amount of products I use on a daily basis and the teasing I do – this little brush really helps get those tangles out without the breakage.  I use this after every shower after I have towel dried my hair and it gets everything smooth.  I really recommend this brush for those with long hair or sensitive scalps.  These are $13 at Sally’s.  I had a $5 off coupon from a previous purchase and I have a Beauty Club card, so my savings were well worth it.  They can be found all over the internet if you don’t have a Sally’s Beauty nearby.  I did not notice them at Ulta when I went last week {you know I was still looking for that leopard one}. 

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray

I have tried a lot of dry shampoos over the past year and there was only one that I was really unhappy with {Got2b Rockin’ It Dry Shampoo – it was too powdery for my dark hair}, and I can honestly say most of the ones I have tried all work the same.  The reason I think this one tops the list is because it’s super cheap {under $3}, works just as well as the $6 brands, and it smells GREAT.  It has a very citrus/fruity smell, but clean.  My hair is very prone to becoming limp and oily after washing and I also use Moroccan oil when I blow dry if I’m using a straight style.  Sometimes only a little bit of that oil can really ruin the volume and body of my hair.  I can spray a little dry shampoo at my roots once I’ve blow dried and it sucks out a lot of the oils and leaves my hair looking super clean, volumized, and smelling great.  I also use this after a long work day if I’m going out or to an event and don’t have time to wash my hair – it makes it smell so good, sometimes people ask what shampoo I’ve used.  I highly recommend it as a competitor for the more expensive brands.  The only small downside is that is does run out faster than some of the others I’ve tried.  Not super fast, and not enough to matter for the price, though. 

MAKEUP

L’Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara

I mentioned this mascara in a first impressions post back in February and I’m still involved with it.  The mascara and I are taking things slow, but I really see a future!  Really, I’ve purchased three of them since February.  I love it.  It makes my lashes so long and full.  The only downside I have found about it is that it is very wet and slow drying.  I have to really pay attention to blinking quickly and looking up for a few minutes after I’ve applied so that it doesn’t deposit onto my lower brow bone.  I’m usually pretty mindful of this and it isn’t really that much of a burden; however, I have had some surprise sneeze attacks immediately after applying that have really done a number on my shadows that I applied beforehand.  I couple this mascara with it’s cousin, L’Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions, and they really do make my lashes look flawless.  Save by waiting to shop until your drugstore does it’s L’Oreal BOGO for the month – buy one and get one half off.  If you only want the Carbon Black, get two and put one in your stash for when you run out!

L’Oreal True Match Foundation

Wow, I just realized just how much L’Oreal I have purchased lately – they are really climbing the drugstore brand ladder!  This foundation is great.  I’ve had a lot of issues with dryness lately.  It’s very strange.  My skin is oily, but then it gets super dry on the tip of my nose, so I combat that with some super moisturizer {Clinique Moisture Surge – heart it}, which then makes me a little too oily.  It’s a process I cannot explain.  Either way, I get really cakey when it comes to foundation.  I was using the Covergirl 3 in 1 for a while and I do love it, but I think it will be more of a winter makeup for me.  The True Match has really proved to be a great little foundation!  It goes on easily, is buildable, and sits on my skin nicely.  I do have to powder after a few hours, but when I do, I rarely see any buildup like I do with other foundations.  They also have a wide variety of color choices and a diagram for choosing based on warm, neutral, and cool skin tones.  I do find that when swatching on your hand in the store that the foundation does go on lighter at first and changes once it has set to a shade slightly darker.  I had to exchange the first color I chose in the store due to this.  I use shade W5 Sand Beige.   I would suggest swatching the color you think would best match your skin, go do your other shopping for a few minutes, and then look at the swatch again and see if it is too dark.  This foundation is under $11 at my CVS and you can also take advantage of the BOGO sales with it and the mascara {or go cray cray and get a new liner or eyeshadow}!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment + Concealer

Umm… the name is aMOUTHFUL, but the product is aMAZING! {see what I did there?} 
This is another flashback from my February first impressions post.  I LOVE the product, but I do very much dislike the packaging.  It comes with a sponge attached to the end and you simply twist to replenish product into it.  This is very wasteful and I honestly don’t feel like the sponge does much good.  I removed it and I just twist out product and apply with my finger tip or with my concealer brush.  This product really does brighten my under eye area and doesn’t accentuate lines under the eye.  I set it with my Ben Nye Banana Powder, but you can use any translucent powder you’d like.  I chose the Brightener 160 shade.  I paid around $8.99 for this at CVS and I will purchase another when I run low.  

NAILS

My most recent nail polish purchase is made by Essie.  It is in the shade Turquoise and Caicos.

I love the pretty minty shade and it's perfect for summer! This polish was $8 at CVS.



That's all I have for my favorites for July.  Check back next month for August favorites!  

Have a pretty day, y'all!