I received an adorable package from Benefit .... just what a girl needs post surgery! Any of these products look familiar!?
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
XOXO
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
How I take care of my skin, Morning and Evening :)
Hello Everyone! I am so glad I finally found time to write again, I really need to make more of an effort to sit down and pour my heart out here more often! I had my wisdom teeth taken out yesterday, and it was an experience I am glad I will never have to do again! I am so mortified of the dentist! Needless to say, I have some time to sit down and tell you about my skincare routine before I go back to bed! (Luckily, you won't see my swelling through the blog!) I want to know all of your skincare routines as well! You always learn about the best products by asking other people! So, here it goes!
Morning Routine: Quick splash of tepid water, Clarins Eye Contour Gel ($34.00), Lancome Visionnaire Serum ($100.00) (Helps with wrinkles, pores, evenness), and La Roche Posay Effaclar K ($28.00) moisturizing lotion (Helps prevent breakouts and also contains Retin-A.)
Evening Routine: At the moment, I am using Marcelle eye makeup remover ($11.95) and my Shiseido cotton ($8.00) (Holy Grail Product!) followed by the Foamingly Clean cleanser from Benefit ($26.00). (Once a week I will use the Deep Cleansing Foam from Shiseido ... ($29.00)) after that I will grab for a toner (I have the Effaclar toner, Thermal Water and the Clinique #2 (All ranging from $14.50 to $28.00) ... All of these work well on my skin!) I then apply Lancome Genefique eye cream ($80.00), Clinique Spot Treatment Gel ($17.00), and then I will apply La Roche Posay Derm AHA serum (A resurfacing serum that exfoliates the skin, helps with wrinkles and skin texture) ($49.50) and as my moisturizer, I use La Roche Posay Effaclar K again!($28.50) I also use Biotherm's Lip Butter every evening before bed! ($20.00)
I do have some specialty products that I use here and there, depending on what my skin needs. Avene's Soothing Moisture mask is one of my favorites! ($39.00) I also get very dry skin in the winter time around my mouth, and I use La Roche Posay's Cicaplast ($19.00). This stuff is like gold to me! I apply it at night and wake up with smooth skin in the morning!
Now, working in the industry that I do, I am constantly trying new things. But this routine is something my skin really takes well to, so I think I will be sticking to this for quite sometime now :)
Now what I am DYING to know, is your skincare routine!! SPILL!!
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
XOXO
Morning Routine: Quick splash of tepid water, Clarins Eye Contour Gel ($34.00), Lancome Visionnaire Serum ($100.00) (Helps with wrinkles, pores, evenness), and La Roche Posay Effaclar K ($28.00) moisturizing lotion (Helps prevent breakouts and also contains Retin-A.)
Evening Routine: At the moment, I am using Marcelle eye makeup remover ($11.95) and my Shiseido cotton ($8.00) (Holy Grail Product!) followed by the Foamingly Clean cleanser from Benefit ($26.00). (Once a week I will use the Deep Cleansing Foam from Shiseido ... ($29.00)) after that I will grab for a toner (I have the Effaclar toner, Thermal Water and the Clinique #2 (All ranging from $14.50 to $28.00) ... All of these work well on my skin!) I then apply Lancome Genefique eye cream ($80.00), Clinique Spot Treatment Gel ($17.00), and then I will apply La Roche Posay Derm AHA serum (A resurfacing serum that exfoliates the skin, helps with wrinkles and skin texture) ($49.50) and as my moisturizer, I use La Roche Posay Effaclar K again!($28.50) I also use Biotherm's Lip Butter every evening before bed! ($20.00)
I do have some specialty products that I use here and there, depending on what my skin needs. Avene's Soothing Moisture mask is one of my favorites! ($39.00) I also get very dry skin in the winter time around my mouth, and I use La Roche Posay's Cicaplast ($19.00). This stuff is like gold to me! I apply it at night and wake up with smooth skin in the morning!
Now, working in the industry that I do, I am constantly trying new things. But this routine is something my skin really takes well to, so I think I will be sticking to this for quite sometime now :)
Now what I am DYING to know, is your skincare routine!! SPILL!!
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
XOXO
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
They say change is a good thing .... Right?
Hey there pretty lady! How are you this morning? While I am taking a rare moment without any chaos from the animals, my cell phone, or anything work related, sit with me for a minute! I wanted to tell you all about some changes that will be happening soon! As most of you know, I work Part Time at the Shoppers Beauty Boutique in Clayton Park. As of now, I am going to be working at the new Larry Uteck location! I had mixed feelings about this because I absolutely LOVE the girls that I work with in Clayton Park. (Seriously, I have made lifetime friends there!) but after meeting the new team at Larry Uteck I am optimistic that I will be just fine! Now for the makeup news! We will be a full boutique, and the exciting news I can share with you is we will be carrying the Stila line! I have used primers and eyeliners from this line and have been pleasantly surprised, so I am excited to get my hands in the products and report back to you all! We are still in the process of putting together the store, but will be having our Grand Opening on October 29th 2011!
Have any of you used any Stila products before? If so, let me know what you think in the comments!
I hope you can all visit me at work so we can chat and play with some new makeup arrivals! :)
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
Have any of you used any Stila products before? If so, let me know what you think in the comments!
I hope you can all visit me at work so we can chat and play with some new makeup arrivals! :)
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Beauty Shopping 101 ... What you need to look for!
It seems like everything in life requires little tips and tricks. Whether it's shopping for a car, or redecorating your home, I always recommend seeking advice from a professional. In my case, people ask me about beauty. Makeup mostly, but sometimes hair color etc. I have been hearing horror stories and have witnessed a few of my own about people shopping for cosmetics, and I just want to try and shed some light on the situation, as obviously there are alot of people who don't understand how to properly shop for cosmetics.
A popular cosmetic store that opened recently has been the setting for my newest horror story. This is the scene. Customer A and Customer B are asking about mascara, and the Beauty Advisor simply offers to try the mascara on both of them. Fair enough right? Well, clearly this clerk did not have cosmetic knowledge, knew nothing about bacteriology, and proceeded to hand the mascara wand (the real mascara wand, NOT a disposable!) to customer A, who coated her lashes thoroughly on one eye. The mascara wand was then dipped back into the tube, and passed back to customer A, to coat her second eye. Once again, the mascara wand was reinserted into the tube, and passed to customer B, who did her eyes one by one. The clerk then returned that tube of mascara to the shelf, and didn't blink an eye. I was FLOORED! So, that mascara wand is permanently contaminated, and even if used with disposable wands, will still create cross contamination on everyone who decides to try that mascara on. Even if disposable wands are used, you need to be cautious not to reinsert the disposable back into the product. This can cause eye infections, pink eye and that's just the beginning!
Same goes for the lip glosses! Again, I thought people would just know not to share lip glosses, but I see it all the time. People grabbing for the bright colored lipstick tubes and smearing them ALL over their mouths without even wiping it on a kleenex! (Not that wiping it on a kleenex will properly disinfect anything!) If you are in a retail setting and would like to try a lip color, ask for help. The staff (ideally) will know how to properly disinfect the product before use. That being said, glosses with wand applicators are almost ALWAYS contaminated, so I recommend looking for lip glosses that come in squeeze tubes. They are much more sanitary for use on multiple clients. Not only could you catch a cold, or the flu by using these products, but you could catch herpes simplex, which has NO cure and you will have to live with cold sores for the rest of your life! Is it really worth it?!
So, here are the basic things you need to watch out for while shopping for cosmetics:
1.) If you MUST try a mascara, make sure disposable wands are used, and not reinserted into the tube. (Please understand there is never a guarantee the products are clean, all it takes is one person to apply the mascara directly to their eyes for the product to be contaminated!)
2.) If you MUST try a lip color, try to choose lipsticks that can be properly disinfected, or lip glosses that are in a squeeze tube, which are more hygienic.
3.) Any brushes that are used on your face during a makeover (Powder brushes, shadow brushes, lip brushes ...) NEED to be disinfected with a brush cleanser. This is very important! Even if the makeup artist says they are clean, insist that they are sprayed down in front of you so you can rest assured you are not getting bacteria from other peoples faces all over your skin. If any brushes are dropped on the floor during the application, ensure they are once again disinfected before touching your skin.
4.) Make sure before the Make up artist touches you, that he or she have properly sanitized their hands. (After handling money, coughing etc hands need to be sanitized again!)
5.) This one is NASTY, but I have seen it done many times before and the client's never seem to say anything. If your Makeup Artist blows on a brush to get excess product off, or sticks a q-tip in their mouth before blending your shadows do NOT let them put the utensil back on your skin. This was done to me once and I literally grabbed the girl by the wrist. My wonderful teacher Donna Bramley once said "If you blow on a brush, you might as well spit on their face."
I hope these five tips help you guys out when you go shop for cosmetics. I apologize if alot of this was information you already knew, I have just been seeing these kind of things more than usual lately. Make sure the staff taking care of you are knowledgeable about the products they are using, and knowledgeable about the proper was to use them without spreading germs! It can be bad for your skin, and your overall health!
Do you guys have any horror stories!?
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
A popular cosmetic store that opened recently has been the setting for my newest horror story. This is the scene. Customer A and Customer B are asking about mascara, and the Beauty Advisor simply offers to try the mascara on both of them. Fair enough right? Well, clearly this clerk did not have cosmetic knowledge, knew nothing about bacteriology, and proceeded to hand the mascara wand (the real mascara wand, NOT a disposable!) to customer A, who coated her lashes thoroughly on one eye. The mascara wand was then dipped back into the tube, and passed back to customer A, to coat her second eye. Once again, the mascara wand was reinserted into the tube, and passed to customer B, who did her eyes one by one. The clerk then returned that tube of mascara to the shelf, and didn't blink an eye. I was FLOORED! So, that mascara wand is permanently contaminated, and even if used with disposable wands, will still create cross contamination on everyone who decides to try that mascara on. Even if disposable wands are used, you need to be cautious not to reinsert the disposable back into the product. This can cause eye infections, pink eye and that's just the beginning!
Same goes for the lip glosses! Again, I thought people would just know not to share lip glosses, but I see it all the time. People grabbing for the bright colored lipstick tubes and smearing them ALL over their mouths without even wiping it on a kleenex! (Not that wiping it on a kleenex will properly disinfect anything!) If you are in a retail setting and would like to try a lip color, ask for help. The staff (ideally) will know how to properly disinfect the product before use. That being said, glosses with wand applicators are almost ALWAYS contaminated, so I recommend looking for lip glosses that come in squeeze tubes. They are much more sanitary for use on multiple clients. Not only could you catch a cold, or the flu by using these products, but you could catch herpes simplex, which has NO cure and you will have to live with cold sores for the rest of your life! Is it really worth it?!
So, here are the basic things you need to watch out for while shopping for cosmetics:
1.) If you MUST try a mascara, make sure disposable wands are used, and not reinserted into the tube. (Please understand there is never a guarantee the products are clean, all it takes is one person to apply the mascara directly to their eyes for the product to be contaminated!)
2.) If you MUST try a lip color, try to choose lipsticks that can be properly disinfected, or lip glosses that are in a squeeze tube, which are more hygienic.
3.) Any brushes that are used on your face during a makeover (Powder brushes, shadow brushes, lip brushes ...) NEED to be disinfected with a brush cleanser. This is very important! Even if the makeup artist says they are clean, insist that they are sprayed down in front of you so you can rest assured you are not getting bacteria from other peoples faces all over your skin. If any brushes are dropped on the floor during the application, ensure they are once again disinfected before touching your skin.
4.) Make sure before the Make up artist touches you, that he or she have properly sanitized their hands. (After handling money, coughing etc hands need to be sanitized again!)
5.) This one is NASTY, but I have seen it done many times before and the client's never seem to say anything. If your Makeup Artist blows on a brush to get excess product off, or sticks a q-tip in their mouth before blending your shadows do NOT let them put the utensil back on your skin. This was done to me once and I literally grabbed the girl by the wrist. My wonderful teacher Donna Bramley once said "If you blow on a brush, you might as well spit on their face."
I hope these five tips help you guys out when you go shop for cosmetics. I apologize if alot of this was information you already knew, I have just been seeing these kind of things more than usual lately. Make sure the staff taking care of you are knowledgeable about the products they are using, and knowledgeable about the proper was to use them without spreading germs! It can be bad for your skin, and your overall health!
Do you guys have any horror stories!?
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Natural Beauty blush by Carmindy makes me blush for under $15.00!
Hello readers, how is everyone today!? Fun fact: It's National Thrift Shopping Day today, and in order to get in the spirit, here's an amazing product that gives high end results without breaking the bank! Enter the blush line from Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy." The collection offers three shades of powders, and three shades of cream blushes depending on your preference. These come in at $12.49 before tax, and let me tell you ... It's a love affair that's growing like a weed. My first dabble into these babies was a shade called "Poppy", a coral-y almost red under toned blush that looks amazing on all skin tones! But my newest member in my blush drawer (Yes I have a drawer for blush, don't judge!) is a pretty pink shade "Ethereal" and it is on my list of favorites. These blushes are SO pigmented, and apply so easily! They blend easily, and they are very fine pigments!
This is my bargain of the day .... Don't you just love when you find a great deal!? Do you guys have any bargain find stories worth sharing?
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
This is my bargain of the day .... Don't you just love when you find a great deal!? Do you guys have any bargain find stories worth sharing?
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Cover Girl NatureLuxe Mascara vs Cover Girl Lash Perfection Mascara
Hi Everyone! I'm here with one of my favorite kind of reviews! Mascara Reviews! Although I found it a little strange Cover Girl came out with two mascaras at almost the exact same time, I thought it would make an interesting blog to use one on each eye, and see which one prevailed for me! The contender's are Cover Girl Nature Luxe Mousse Mascara in Very Black, and Cover Girl Lash Perfection in Very Black.
First up is the Nature Luxe!
This mascara has a plastic brush applicator, which I usually enjoy for separating, so I am blaming my clumpy lashes on the "Mousse" formula! It is noticeably thicker than a regular mascara, and needs alot of brushing through to get rid of clumps. I did this step, but within a minute, my lashes were clumped together again, and I looked like I had six incredibly thick lashes. The mascara claims it uses "Synthetic polymers and natural beeswax to help make stunning volume feel luxuriously light on your lashes." I will give it this, my lashes do not feel hard or crusty. That being said, the clumping completley turned me off! Another "peeve" I have with this mascara is the fact that it's marketed as a "Natural" option. First off, there are parabens in this product, and it is far from a natural option. Simply because they added beeswax, does not make this a natural product! AND, within 30 minutes of putting this on, I was pulling it off my lashes because it was crumbling in my contacts.
Here are the before and after shots. Nature Luxe is applied on the right hand side, Lash Perfection on the left.
Hoping to get some better results from the Lash Perfection, I was very surprised at how easy it was to work with. The formula wasn't too dry or too wet, and it combed through my lashes beautifully! I felt as though I got a nice "fringe"with a nice flare on the ends. I was also able to get my itty bitty lashes in the corners! I still haven't picked at my eyes! Like the Nature Luxe, this mascara claims to be volumizing. "Individually wrap each lash for plumped lashes that resist clumping." This is rare, but I can say that I agree with them! I didn't get the same results as I do with some of my higher end mascaras, but for under $10.00, this one will do in a pinch! I am very pleased, and will be recommending this mascara for clients who want volume on a budget!
Close Ups:
First up is the Nature Luxe!
Hoping to get some better results from the Lash Perfection, I was very surprised at how easy it was to work with. The formula wasn't too dry or too wet, and it combed through my lashes beautifully! I felt as though I got a nice "fringe"with a nice flare on the ends. I was also able to get my itty bitty lashes in the corners! I still haven't picked at my eyes! Like the Nature Luxe, this mascara claims to be volumizing. "Individually wrap each lash for plumped lashes that resist clumping." This is rare, but I can say that I agree with them! I didn't get the same results as I do with some of my higher end mascaras, but for under $10.00, this one will do in a pinch! I am very pleased, and will be recommending this mascara for clients who want volume on a budget!
Nature Luxe. Clumpy Lashes that Stick to eachother! Flaking by the end of the day!
Beauty Rating: D
Beauty Rating: D
Lash Perfection.Separated long thick lashes, with no clumping or flaking!
Beauty Rating: B+
If I am ever in a jam, or I need a mascara for a weekend getaway, this is going to be my go to! Have you tried either of these mascaras?
Sorry about the quality of the pictures! I took them with my Iphone, as I no longer have an HD camera! :(
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sally Hansen new Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips !
So, as many of my personal friends and family already know, I have an obsession. I am formally addicted to Pitbull, and I am convinced we are going to meet and get married one day. (Hey, I can dream right!?) Well, this past weekend, with my bestie Lauren, I went to see him in concert, and let me tell you ... he can put on a show like no other. This was a great opportunity to buy several new outfits, new makeup and also a great time to try out Sally Hansen's new "Real Nail Polish Strips." I must say, I think I might be sold on them. There re some pros and cons to these strips, so grab some coffee and I will walk you through it! Included in your kit (Which I got on sale for $8.99, regular price $10.99) you get 16 strips, 1 cuticle stick, and a mini nail file/buffer. All you need to do is pre-shape your clean dry nails, give a quick swipe of color remover (to remove any dirt or oils) and you're ready to go! Simply peel the backing off of the nail polish strip, place on the nail, firmly press or run over it with the flat end of the cuticle stick, and shape the strip to your natural nail. I quickly noticed that you end up wasting alot of the strip, so I stretched the strip slightly, and was able to do two fingers with one strip! There are lots of different strip sizes, so for example, the strip that fit my ring finger, would end up doing both of my ring fingers. Once I got them on I was going to put a top coat on to prolong the wear time, but I decided to challenge their 10 day promise with just the product itself. I got to day two and had to replace one of my thumbs, but other than that they are holding strong and show no sign of lifting! They remove easily with polish remover, and I have never gotten more compliments on my nails! Even though my husband didn't pull me on stage and notice them, I am very glad I tried them! I will be purchasing the Zebra Print and perhaps the pink glitter ones ASAP!
Photo taken from www.vaingirlmemoir.com
We had a great time at the concert! We met JRDN, and the guitarist from These Kids Wear Crowns. It was nice to be in VIP, and there was magically no drama all night! All in all, successful!
Did anyone else go to the concert?!
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
We had a great time at the concert! We met JRDN, and the guitarist from These Kids Wear Crowns. It was nice to be in VIP, and there was magically no drama all night! All in all, successful!
Did anyone else go to the concert?!
Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture!
-S
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