Product Reviews and Favorites for June 2013! (Ulta, Rimmel, ELF, Cover Girl, Wet n' Wild...)

Hey there chickadees.

I believe my last post was also in June, but I have another bundle of goodies to review, so I'm just going to jump right in! As a reminder, I post the colors that I personally use, so they may not necessarily work for you.

First, I am going to start with lip glosses and lipsticks, and I even swatched them for you and got my wrist all sticky and glossy for yas. I tried to take my own pictures of these products, but my stupid phone decides when it wants to send pictures, so I could be waiting YEARS. I managed to get quite a few of my own pictures, but the rest I have to just use the stock photos. Bummer :P

Rimmel Moisture Renew cream lip gloss in Rose Cacoon (Around $4 where sold)
This lip gloss is one of my favorites that I keep buying again and again. Normally I don't find myself grabbing for the lip glosses with glitter in them, because more than likely, it's going to be very drying and feel like you have sand stuck to your lips, but this one is very smooth and moisturizing and you can't even tell their is glitter in it. It also smells like tanning lotion, which I don't know about you guys, but I love the smell of tanning products. Although fall is my favorite time of year, I love summery beach scents. In fact, I'm wearing it right now:)



Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Kiss-036 ($5.19 at Ulta)
I am not a HUGE lipstick person. I am one of those girls who somehow can never find the right shade, or I somehow manage to get it in my teeth, in my hair, etc. Ok, not really in my hair, but lipsticks are generally not my area of expertise. However, I am loving this one because the shade is more versatile and can be built on for more intense looks depending on your skin tone. As you know, I am pale, and I can make this work without trying. The formula itself does not dry your lips out and goes on easily. As far as lasting power, I'd say a few hours or so, but I cannot see any lipstick actually lasting ALL DAY as some of them claim. What's the big deal if you have to reapply it? It also smells like...marsh mellows possibly? Or candy? Either way, love it.

Wet n' Wild Lipstick in Dollhouse Pink ($2 where sold)
I was taking a big risk when I bought this lipstick (not really, it was only $2), because, as mentioned above, I suck at lipstick, BUT, that being said, this one is one of my favorites! Surprising too because of the price. It's such a bright, pigmented, and pretty color that really isn't showing much in this pic (it shows up better in the swatch below). It's a perfect color for summer. My suggestion to wear this, is skip the dark eye shadows and go with a few coats of mascara, some eyeliner (a cute cat eye if you can do it - I still have a hard time with it...)some bronzer/pink cheeks, and a few swipes of this, and you are good for a quick summer look on a hot day (yes, for you pale gals as well you tannies). 

Ulta Brilliant Color in Cupcake ($8)
Despite my disliking of Ulta products in general, I purchased two of these through the Ulta website recently so that I could try them. I basically just needed enough products to reach $50 to take advantage of their free shipping. As I've stated in previous posts, I love Ulta's baked eye shadows, which was ultimately what I was buying and decided to throw a couple of these on my order. I could definitely compare this to Rimmel Moisture Renew, but personally, I like Rimmel's better. This has a tackier, grittier formula, but I DO like these. Unfortunately, I think that they are WAY overpriced. (The other one I have is Petal Pink, which I do not have with me to swatch, but you can see it here).

Mary Kay Nourishine Lip gloss in Pink Parfait ($8)
Ok Mary Kay ladies...if this is not $8, please correct me because I honestly am not sure. I believe this was $8, but I got it at a party I had, so I really don't remember. This is a very rich, buttery lip gloss and I love how shiny and smooth this is. It lasts awhile, and doesn't dry your lips out. A perfect dupe for this lip gloss if you don't want to track down a Mary Kay consultant, is butter glosses by NYX. I have not bought any of these for myself yet, but I will eventually.


Below, I have swatched all of the colors for you:

(In order: 1) Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Kiss 036, 2) Mary Kay Nourishine lip gloss in Pink Parfait, 3) Wet n' Wild lipstick in Dollhouse Pink, 4) Rimmel Moisture Renew lip gloss in Rose Cacoon, 5)  Ulta Brilliant Color in Cupcake)

Face!

Cover Girl Simply Powder foundation in Natural Beige (pressed powder, $8 where sold)

This powder is one of my holy grail pressed powders. I have been using this powder for at least 10 years now. I watch a lot of YouTube make-up review videos, and I honestly am disappointed that Cover Girl never makes any lists, or always ends up on people's "hate" list. This powder is amazing. I've tried other setting powders, and I always find myself migrating back to this one. I never find one that is as good as this one. You get a little sponge with it, that you can wash (which I never do-whoops), but it applies the product flawlessly. I've been using Cover Girl products forever (blushes, mascaras, bronzers), and I've never had any issues with any of it. I've seen people in the videos say things like "It reminds me of when I was in middle school, blah blah blah", ok, and? Maybelline and Revlon were around then too (we're talking late '90's, early 2000's), so who cares? Give this a try, I bet you'll love it too.


ELF Studio Translucent Matifying Powder ($3 -  found at Target & Wal-mart, or EyesLipsFace.com)
This powder is very light so it's not recommended for tan skin. Even for me as a fair skinned person, this powder is even too light for me.  So what I do, is once I have my "face" on, I will use this powder under my eyes as as a brightener. Although it is too light to use as a setting powder, it works beautifully for under the eyes. I will be purchasing this again! I love the fresh, bright-eyed look I get from this! 




Rimmel Lasting 25 Hour Foundation ($7.29 at Ulta)
This is another foundation I always find myself reaching for. It doesn't look very impressive in it's basic little tube packaging, but it's staying power really lives up to it's name. Of course, I really don't think that anyone really NEEDS a foundation that lasts 25 hours. I guess some people might, but I don't. It feels a little tacky when you first put it on, but once it's set with a powder, I love the way it looks and how long it lasts for.

Benefit POREfessional ($30 at Ulta)
I did not actually buy the $30 dollar tube of this, but I bought a sample size from a local boutique so I could try it for $3. I hear so much about this that it was time for me to try it myself. I also use ELF mineral primer, and Mary Kay. This is very silicone based compared to the ELF, which is more gel like. This also has a slight tint to it. I love the coverage this has, and although I only have a small sized tube, this has lasted me awhile. I really only need to use it in my T-zone to get a good effect with it. Basically, I think that a full tube of this for $30 is way overpriced, but it IS a good product. 

Eyes!

I have been getting a tad crazy on the eye shadows  I absolutely adore baked eye shadows of any kind, and as mentioned above, I recently bought some through the Ulta website. ($8 a piece but keep an eye out at the store, because you can usually find them on sale!)

(From top, going right: Spellbound, Covet, Deep Blue Something, Natural Beauty, & Plum Gorgeous)

I find these baked shadows to be soooo pretty. I've been using Plum Gorgeous for the past few days and I love the look it gives (I have very dark brown eyes, by the way). What I do, is use the solid color for the lid, and use the blended side for the crease. These are all very pretty and shimmery. Deep Blue Something is my personal favorite out of these. You can find the rest of the colors here. The only downside to these shadows that I've noticed, is I kind of feel like you have scrape a layer off before getting the best results. Once you've 'cracked the shell' so to speak, these go on really nicely. I tried to swatch all of these for you, but it went well up my arm. My cat had also just clawed the crap out of me so my arm looked terrible!

Wet n' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio ($2-3 dollars where sold)

(From left to right: Spoiled Brat, I'm Getting Sun burnt, I'm Feeling Retro) 

Sorry for the bad pic of these. As you can see, I use the middle pallet a lot. The gold is an awesome crease color with neutrals. I also bought the the other two pallets because I wanted to use the colors individually. I love the red and magenta colors in the two outer pallets. The only issue I have with these is that they are very powdery so they flake out of the pallets all the time during use. That being said, when using them, make sure you tap access shadow off the applicator and DON'T scrape the applicator through it, or you will have a mess! I would actually suggest using your finger to blend these the first time just to see for yourself how they are. The first time I used the middle pallet, I didn't tap the applicator and I had shimmery brown shadow all over my face. Annoying when you are trying to get ready to go somewhere! Overall, I'd give these probably about a 7 out of 10. Keep in mind also, you are getting what you are paying for. Worst case scenario out of the 3 colors, you will most likely love at least 1! Can't beat that for 2 bucks in my opinion.

I tried my best to swatch these for you below, but I suck at swatching! It's also hard to take a pic of your own arm and try to catch it in good light. I'm thinking I will just do looks with the three of these one day and post pics of each.

Revlon Lash Potion by Grow Luscious Volume + Length Mascara - Waterproof ($7.99 at Ulta)

This, unfortunately, did not make the favorites this month, but I wanted to review it. I was sucked in my the pretty packaging, but once I finally got to try this, I learned pretty quickly that it's just not a good mascara. I know that I said I never buy waterproof mascara, and this was purely an accident. The problem I have with this is that it's very watered down. I have been putting on mascara since middle school, and for the first time ever, I literally had this DRIP onto my lashes off of the brush because it's so runny. I've never had this issue before with any mascara I've ever used, and I've used A LOT of mascaras. This made me really sad, I really wanted this to work for me. It's just not good, so please don't waste your money on this:( Revlon, please improve this formula.

ELF Mineral Eyeshadow Primer ($3 at Target, Wal-mart or EyesLipsFace.com)  I never really understood the point of using an eyeshadow primer, until I actually started using one. Luckily, I started out using the the Urban Decay eyeshadow primer so I am able to compare. I love the Urban Decay, but in my opinion, ELF works just as good. It goes on much like a foundation would, but dries quickly and leaves a nice base for shadow. I have been using this everyday and have not experienced any creasing. A little goes a long way with this product. I will be purchasing again.

Hair and Nails!

Megalast Nailpolish ($2)

I LOVE these!! As you can see from my array of colors. The brushes that come with these are very wide, and you can usually cover your entire nail with one swipe. They have about a billion colors, and eventually I will probably own each one. I also wanted to mention that the glitter polishes are actually glittery. I have bought glitter polishes before and when I use them it just comes out a clear coat with a few little pieces of glitter. So naturally, you keep trying to build the glitter and it ends up just being a gooey mess on your nails that takes 3 days to dry. Not these. Try one! Try 3! Also, make sure you use a top coat with these also to achieve the best look and prolong chipping. 

Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Blow Dry Straightening Balm and Flat Iron Straightening Mist (Both around $4 at Wal-Mart) - I really am not a huge fan of Garnier Fructis products normally, but I decided to give these a try because it was really humid here in Illinois for a few weeks there. My hair loves to kink, wave, crimp, curl, frizz, and do whatever else to annoy me when the slightest bit of moisture in the air touches it. I will literally straighten my hair, and 5 minutes later, it's kinking and waving in spots. So, I gave this a try and I have to say, I really like the way these products work together. My hair really felt soft and these products really seemed to 'work out the kinks' ;) It also looked shinier and definitely less frizzy. I can see myself buying these again and again. 10 out of 10.

Pink Ice ($10 at Rue 21) Lastly, I wanted to throw in a perfume that I believe is a perfect summer scent. I can see all your faces right now going 'seriously?', and yes, seriously. This is my second bottle of this. It's such a fun, and sweet scent. If you picture what 'pink' would smell like, this would be it. I own about 13 high end perfumes, and I am always reaching for this one!

***Also, I have one last thing! As you all might know, I am an independent Scentsy Consultant. I am trying to meet a certain goal this month and need your help. Please visit my website below and underneath my picture there will be a link that says "Order in July!", I would be so elated if you could help me meet my goal this month, by putting in even a small order. I promise you will not be sorry:) My e-mail is available on my website, but you have any questions about anything, you can comment here, or e-mail me (or if you know me personally, text me of course)*** 

https://brittneylove.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Home

*Click on the link above
*Click "Order in July"
*Shop away! You will be prompted to enter your shipping information at the end of your order. Make sure you check out the 'combine and save' link for special bundle packages! 

As usual, leave your comments below (Come on guys, I know you are out there reading!)

Love thy kitties, 
Brittney

What I'm listening too this week:

Body Work - Morgan Page (Awesome song to run too!)

Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun


Disclaimer: I purchase all of these products on my own, and am not paid for my opinions on these products. With the exception of the pictures I personally take, the pictures are simply used for enjoyment and I do not take any rights or own any of the stock photos used.

Target and Ulta Haul! (ELF, Revlon, Rimmel and Maybelline)

Hey there kiddos.

For my frequent viewers, you'll notice that I have given my blog a fresh new summer look and briefly thought about moving to a new site for a complete 100% makeover, but decided I'll stay put for a little while until I can find a good replacement.

So for your reading pleasure, I have done quite a bit of shopping lately. Personally, I LOVE watching and reading other peoples' haul videos (haul is basically just a way of saying that I went on a small shopping spree recently). I know it seems silly because you're like, "Why would I want to read about all the stuff you bought lately?" Well, the answer is, I don't know why. To clarify, I did not get these all at the same time, just over the past month or so. Also, keep in mind, that I also post the shade/color that I personally use, so what I use, may not work for you. I am very fair skinned, and instead of fighting against it and constantly trying to keep up with tanning, I've decided to just work with it! Fair skin is just as pretty as tan skin, you just have to figure out which colors work best for you. I'm going to review the products also, so lets get started.

ELF Cosmetics  (EyesLipsFace.com - Also found in Target)

Purchased:

Setting Spray - $6
Blush in Pink Passion - $3
Blush brush - $3
Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer - $6
Studio Concealer - $3
Pout Prefector in Glow - $3
Matte Lip Color in Riach Red - $3

 ELF Setting Spray - This is the first setting spray that I have used. I never have thought to use a setting spray until I started seeing a lot of reviews about them in YouTube videos. The spray IS a mist, but I would not say a FINE mist. Takes me about 3 sprays (about a foot from my face), to cover my whole face, just because it's not as "misty" as I would like it to be. Apparently there were a lot of complaints with the scent, but it didn't bother me. It's kind of a plastic smell and it does not transfer onto your face. I did notice that at the end of the day, my make-up is less smudged/blotchy. Nothing a little matte powder won't fix.

ELF blush in Pink Passion - I LOVE this blush. It's very bright and pigmented, and goes on very smooth. I normally use Cover Girl blushes, and this is just as good. I haven't tried any of the other colors yet, but so far, I have a feeling I will be buying this one again and again. 

ELF blush brush - I use this brush for not only my blush, but for my matte powders also. Obviously, this is not a top of the line brush (versus brands like Stila and Sigma which can run you from anywhere from $8-45 a brush), so eventually I will try to purchase a more expensive brush so I can compare (because I'm sure I'm missing out), BUT in the meantime, this brush works just fine for me;)

ELF Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer - For awhile now, I have been using Mary Kay face primer. I love the texture of the Mary Kay, which is a thick, non-sticky, clear gel, that goes on smooth and dries quickly. The ELF primer has a thinner texture that feels a bit more watered down. It has the consistency of a hair-gel. Once it's on though, it has nice coverage and I think that the appearance actually outweighs the Mary Kay. When I use it, I can see a reduction in the appearance of pores, and it helps with redness. 

ELF Studio Concealer - This is a really nice spot concealer for blemishes or under eye circles. I tried to use this has a highlighter and it doesn't work well for that, definitely use for a spot concealer after priming and before foundation. Tip: I'd try using the beauty blending sponge to blot areas that need to be 'concealed'. Using your fingers could just smudge the concealer off the designated area. If you need a blending sponge, you can get a whole package of the triangle shaped sponges for a few dollars at most drug stores. 

ELF Pout Prefector in Glow - This is pretty much self explanatory. It's a lip gloss. You're only supposed to use a dab or two in the middle of your top and bottom lip to create a "glow" over your lipstick/chap stick or lip gloss.

ELF Matte lip color in Riach Red - I think the color is actually spose to be Rich Red, but the tube I have says Riach...Did I pick up a Spanish version of this or is this a typo? I love this lipstick, but it does tend to dry your lips out. Tip: Use it, blot it with tissue, then use your favorite gloss over it.

That's it for my current ELF products, and my final thought is that I would definitely recommend all of these to a friend. That being said, I do have some good news and bad news with that. I think that ELF has a bad reputation, based on it's rock bottom prices. My opinion on this, is if you can get decent products for such great prices, why not? Especially considering you get so much product with each one. The only issue I have with ELF is their eyeshadow sponge brushes - so petty, I know - but they are so teeny and rough. I just use other brushes/sponges when applying the eyeshadow. I definitely plan on purchasing more ELF cosmetics in the future. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Sandstorm ($5.27 at Ulta)- I really like this powder. It's light, and gives a really nice coverage without looking too powdery. If you want to try this, I would suggest getting a slightly darker color then your skin tone because the powder does go on lighter. I actually had to return this one the first time and get a darker one because I over judged how 'ivory' I actually was, and girls, I am pale and proud! Note: This does not come with anything to apply it with. I use my ELF blush brush.

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation in Natural Beige ($11.99 at Target) - I really like this foundation. I've always been a fan of the whipped foundations, but this really matches my skin tone perfectly and looks "flawless" and I don't use that word a lot.

Revlon Photoready Eyeshadow ($7.49 at Target)- I cannot even tell you how much I LOVE this eyeshadow. I have a lot of eyeshadow and I have honestly been using this over my Urban Decay pallets lately (shhh!). Obviously you can see where you are supposed to put the colors, but you can also use each color separately, which I do all the time. Or I use the middle color for the lid and use the lid color for the crease for a "smoky eye" affect. I love the shimmer in these eyeshadows. In my opinion, the color goes on just as good as my Urban Decay (for about a fraction of what Urban Decay costs), and they come in so many pretty colors. One of the best things about this, is that is does not build up in your crease throughout the day. It still looks the same from the time I leave for work in the morning, to the time I get home and wash it off. I have a really hard time choosing new ones whenever I go to buy new make-up because they are all such awesome pallets. In my opinion, a must have.

Mascara

Maybelline Colossal Volum' Cat Eye -  ($6.19 at Target) - I go through mascara's frequently, and this one is my favorites that keeps circulating through my collection. The shape of the brush is small, but I love the curve because it seems to 'hug' my lashes while I'm applying it. I also like that the brush is small because you can use it more precisely than a larger brush and get the smaller lashes in the corner that are generally missed. This mascara does not make you have a "cat eye", but the packaging is cute, so it's ok. I'd rather look at this cheetah print mascara tube, then look at the girl on the Rimmel commercial with Chiclet teeth.

Maybelline Mega Plush Volum' Express ($5.64 at Target)  - This was the first time I've tried this mascara, and I absolutely hate it. Ohmuhgosh, do I HATE this mascara! I always love Maybelline's mascaras, but this was a flop. I'm not sure what they were thinking with the revolutionary 'flexor brush', but this just was not a good idea. Am I completely missing the point of this design? Can someone explain this to me in the comments if I am, because I just could not figure this one out. The brush itself is just an ordinary brush, no big deal, but whenever I try to apply, the brush just bends away from my lashes. There is nothing plush or voluminous about my lashes when I use this because I can't get the brush to work properly because it's always bending in the other direction. Why Maybelline...WHY?!


Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express ($5.89 at Target)  - This is a rubber tipped mascara, which I don't normally get, but for the purpose of my blog and my own curiosity, I have to try as many as possible. Aside from the Colossal Cat Eye, this is my go-to mascara. The one I always find myself reaching too first. It really does volumize lashes, and doesn't leave them clumpy. 

As a side note, I NEVER buy waterproof mascaras. I used to buy nothing but the waterproof brands, but I felt like when I washed my face at night, instead of it just washing off, product would linger on my lashes and break off while I was sleeping. I had some funky lashes for awhile. Of course, this could have been easily prevented with a simple make-up removing wipe, but nonetheless, I have 86ed waterproof from my life. I live in Illinois so there really is no reason for me to have waterproof mascara since the most swimming I do is in the shower in the morning. 

Randoms

Big Sexy Hair volumizing root lifter foam spray ($17.95 where product is sold)- I never buy Big Sexy Hair products because seriously, who wants to spend $17-26 dollars a can of hairspray? I know I don't. But, Ulta was having a sale, and I got this for $10 bucks. I can understand now why this product is so expensive. It works SO good with my hair. I can feel the difference immediately after I blow dry it, and it takes minimal effort to get it how I want it. My hair felt much thicker, but soft. Other products I have used (Ahem, Bada Bing Gel) leave my hair feeling like straw and causes a lot of breakage and damage while trying to style. Buying this may have just swayed me to suck it up and spend the money on this brand more often. Not to mention the bottles are huge, so you definitely get your moneys worth. 





NYX Jumbo Eyeliner Pencil in Milk - This is pretty much self explanatory. It's a cream shadow pencil (or crayon) and is awesome for highlighting brow bones, and corners. You can also use it as a base under shadows. I always have white pencils on hand, so this will be in my collection for a long time.






And last but not least, chap sticks...

Nivea - Mints and Minerals - No explanation needed.

Vaseline - Lip Therapy in Cocoa Butter - This little tub of Vaseline is the cutest thing I've ever seen.



Of course, I would not have known about most of these products, without Nicole Guerriero, my absolute favorite person on YouTube, besides The Angry Video Game Nerd. 

Well gals, that was my haul for this time. I think I've developed carpal tunnel. Anyway, as usual, any comments, leave them below. Let me know if any of you have used any of these, and what you think.

-Britt

Disclaimer: I purchase all of these products on my own, and am not paid for my opinions on these products. With the exception of the pictures I personally take, the pictures are simply used for enjoyment and I do not take any rights or own any of the stock photos used.

Most Hated and Most Loved products, Part II

So, awhile back, I did a 5 most loved, and 5 most hated products.  So, I decided to do a part 2. I was having a hell of a time coming up with 5 for both categories, so I have downsized to 4. Sorry to disappoint.

A short disclaimer with regards to the make-up/hair products I review:  I am not a hairdresser, I am not a make-up artist. I wish I was, but I'm not. I just love wasting countless dollars on beauty products, and reviewing them and painting my face with them, and gooping up my hair with them. Eventually, if I can figure out how to use the web cam on my computer, I want to start a video blog.

Did anyone try any of the products from before? I'm curious to know how they worked for you.

Once again, I will start with the bad, and end on the good.

1) Beyond Zone - Bada Bing Gel

Ok, I don't completely hate this one, but I don't have an in between list, so this made the hated. You can generally find Beyond Zone products at Sally's Beauty Store, so of course, they are in the $7 dollar range. As I've said before, I have pretty flat hair, so I got this gel to give my hair more volume. I made the mistake of using about a quarter sized amount of this pasty glue-like substance all over my head. Let's just say, it worked, but with consequences. My hair was...bigger - but it felt like hay. When I got done styling and straightening, my sink looked like it was going through puberty with all the bits of hair everywhere. I still use this gel, but instead, I avoid the roots on crown, and work it more underneath into the roots in the back to give more lift where it counts.

2) Secret Deodorant - Any Scent

For as far back as I can remember, I would wear Secret Deodorant, I mean, from the time I was starting to go through that awkward, smelly preteen phase until well into middle school, I was wearing Secret. I always thought that I just had overly active sweat glands or something because the stuff just didn't cut it. No matter which scent I used, it just smelled -- weird. It wasn't until I finally switched brands that I realized that Secret just sucks. Every scent, every kind (gel, powder, whatever), just smells bad. I loathe this deodorant. It may work for some people, but not for me. To clarify, if you use this, I'm not saying you smell bad, but some people's body chemistries just don't work with certain products. Hence, why a perfume that you LOVED on your friend, smells like farts on yourself. (I switched to Dove in case any of you are wondering - what a difference).

3) Febreze - Brilliant Spring Blossoms

This scent is awful. It's also the spray scent that is currently in our bathroom at work, so whenever I have to smell this, it's also mixed with an array of other smells, that leaves me thinking about my dad's favorite joke:

"A lady farts on an elevator, and sprays a pine scented spray she happened to have in her purse. A man gets on with her, and asks, 'What is that smell?", She replies "It's pine! You like it?' He says, "Smells like someone took a shit in a pine tree".

Needless to say, trying to comb through the scent of poo with the scent of flowers, results in the smell of someone pooping in flowers. A little tip, matches work much better. The irony? We have an economy pack of this scent from Sam's club, readily on hand for at least, the next year.  (My favorite Febreze scent? Vanilla Lavender and Comfort).

4) Victoria Secret - Love Spell


Please stop wearing this. It smells like barf. Seriously. (My favorite scent? Bombshell)







Now for the good!


1) Baby Lips by Maybelline

These little beauties, are basically chap stick in a fancy little casing. They come in different shades, and go on with just a little bit of tint. I have 3 of them right now. Best part, they are inexpensive, and you can get them the dollar store.





2) Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow Box & Marisopa Palette

For the longest time, I was wanting an Urban Decay palette. Having an obsession with make-up, it seemed necessary that I own at least one. Urban Decay is one of the best brands out there, and for good reason, but I could not bring myself to spend $40-50 on one palette. A co-worker brought to my attention recently, that Ulta had a sale going on and these two pallets were marked down from $40 a piece, to $13 and $15, PLUS a free shipping code for mother's day. I could not pass it up. I bought both, with tax, for $28. The top palette also came with a primer. I am SO in love with both of these. The primer keeps the shadow in place, and is a light texture. It's not greasy, and dries almost instantly. I thought maybe the fact that they were marked down so low meant they weren't very good, but it certainly didn't. I wanted to use all the colors at once, but Ben probably wouldn't have let me leave the house, and I would have tried. As I said, it's expensive for good reasons. I noticed that with some off brand eye shadows, it takes a million coats to coat my eyelids how I want them and has a rougher texture. This glides right on, is very smooth, and a little goes a long way. What colors you see in the palette, are exactly the colors that you see when applied. Easy to blend, and awesome colors. The applicator brush in the bottom picture works great for applying and blending, which is a big plus for me. So, if you are ever standing in Ulta, staring at something you want, and circling it around it like you're going to tackle it, (like I always do), any Urban Decay make-up is going to be worth the money, so keep that in mind.


3) Got2B Sexy Volume Hairspray

You guys know I love Got2B products, and this is just another for the list. Perfect for teasing, and body and smells really good. Says it's super hold, but it still gives enough flexibility to use for pretty much any style. When I showed this to Ben (who never cares), I told him that this will give me big sexy hair. He just shook his head. Men don't understand.




4) Suave Products

I kept seeing these commercials, comparing Suave products to professional salon products, so I decided to put them to the test. I bought Suave volumizing shampoo, dry shampoo, root lifter, sleek anti-frizz cream, and shine spray. I just have to say, that Suave lived up to their slogan. I LOVE all of these. I use at least one of them daily. The only complaint I have is that the dry shampoo smells a little too...citrusy to the point that it's overwhelming. One thing is for sure though, I will always keep dry shampoo on hand. It really does work wonders for those days you just REALLY don't feel like washing your hair.







So that, my friends, are my current hated and loved products. There are a lot of things that I could have added to the "loved" section of this post, but there really is no appropriate descriptions for them. Therefore, I leave you with food! Food I love of course!

1. Archer Farms organic black corn chips with flax seed (Found at Target and awesome with the Archer Farms salsas - and to answer your question, no, these do not give you uncontrollable bowels because they have flax seed in them. The bag is also resealable so they last a lot longer then regular brands.)

2) Vitacoco - Coconut Water (For the acquired taste. I did not like this at first, but it grows on you).

3) Near East Couscous (An alternative to rice - better in my opinion. I make this ALL the time.)

4) Thomas' English Muffins - Whole Grain (I make an egg muffin for myself every morning. This is a household necessity for me)

As usual, any comments, suggestions, or your own products you'd like to add, leave them below!

 

Disclaimer: I purchase all of these products on my own, and am not paid for my opinions on these products. With the exception of the pictures I personally take, the pictures are simply used for enjoyment and I do not take any rights or own any of the stock photos used.

 

Housework Is Never Done

Hollywood Studios, Disney World, Orlando, FL - February 12, 2013

 

This is why we cannot keep toilet paper out.

Sorry for the long delay between posts. I was trying to get better at updating my blog regularly, but sometimes it seems impossible due to the volume of work that is always rolling my way at the office. We finally got a chance to take our honeymoon and decided to go to Disney. It was a long, fun week, but there really is no place like home. Of course, when I got home, I was welcomed with floors full of cat litter and generous bushes of fur covering every inch of my house. There was also shredded paper littered around the toilet from Andy digging in the trash like always.
 
 
I am well aware that my cats roam the house with no boundaries when we are not home. I found cat litter on my counters, my kitchen table, my side tables...which I find absolutely disgusting. I love my cats dearly, but I do not approve them walking around on surfaces with poo paws where we set or prepare food. This is especially annoying for a person who has an obsession with cleanliness. I am constantly sanitizing the surfaces in my house. I have an after work ritual where I will walk in, and immediately grab the broom, sweep the litter, wipe the counters, dishes are done while the dinner is cooking (unless I'm presenting an astonishing display of boiled turkey dogs and steamed veggies in the microwave) and vacuuming just about every other day. Disciplining them with spray bottles and "cat off" spray, is always a pointless punishment. Although Andy despises the "Cat Off", Poster happens to enjoy it. When we lived in our apartment a few years ago, and Poster was but a wee lad, I took drastic measures in keeping him from constantly getting into everything. I sprayed the spray around the base of the TV (since he was always behind the TV, rolling around in the wires), and around the side table/cabinet where he enjoyed the noise the dangling handle would make as he batted it around. Much to my disbelief, he promptly walked over, sniffed the area near the TV, and then proceeded to roll around in it, happily. I had been defeated by a tiny bear. A tiny bear who winked and smiled at me as he did so.

My mom has a small decorative wreath with knitting in the middle that has survived our several moves that reads, "A mother's housework is never done", granite I am not a mother of two human children, but I do have a house, a husband, and two 16 pound cats, so I think this applies to me too. That little wreath is right, it's NEVER done. I swear I did 12 loads of laundry when we got back from Florida last weekend, and the minute I turn around, there is a pair of dirty underwear in the basket. WHERE did they come from!? Did those underwear spring tiny limbs from a drawer upstairs and parasail into the basket? At what point during my days worth of washing and folding hundreds of articles of clothing, did those underwear appear in there? I felt inclined to do a whole load of laundry with the contents being only those underwear because I was so frustrated with them. I thought about just throwing them in the garbage. But alas, the underwear remained there, and I finally got to relax on the couch with my nice washed blanket, fresh out of the dryer. Ben hates putting things on that just come out of the dryer, so I like to throw the hot clothes on him when the cycle is done. This usually results in clean clothes all over the room, but it's worth it.

So, as I promised, I was going to give you an update on the green coffee bean trial I did - or...didn't do.

I took the pills as directed on the bottle for a week straight, and although I did not notice a spike in energy or any difference at all really, I did notice that I seemed to get worsening symptoms of acid indigestion. So I stopped taking it. Ben on the other hand, took it for about two weeks, and between eating better, running and taking green coffee beans, he lost around 13 pounds.

So ultimately, my results were inconclusive. Normally I would not encourage pills as a part of dieting (especially Hydroxycut and Ephedrine-these do NOT work and are very bad for you), but these are actual coffee beans. If you choose to try a trial of these yourself, look for the all natural ones.

In truth, sticking to good old fashioned exercise and good eating habits, is the appropriate and healthy way to achieve the best results.

Also, I wanted to point out again that my good friend Danielle is the health coach and owner of Refresh. She has amazing tips and is an inspiring and awesome person all around. Check our her 'about me' to learn more about her story.

Thanks for reading. Have a litter free day :)

The "P" Word

So as of this month, it is my 3 years sticking to my path of weight loss. I cried, I conquered, and I finally got to throw up victorious fist pump when the scale was finally reading the number I worked so hard to get too. Then, once I got to that number though, it stopped. The scale (give or take a few pounds every now again) stayed pretty much the same for about a year. I'd hit that dreaded 'p' word. (For dramatic effect, picture this being said in the voice of James Earl Jones) -- The PLATEAU.

I wasn't complaining too much about it because, after all, I'd reached my number. Then I made the decision that I could do better.

As I stated in my earlier post, I am an annoying label reader, but I wasn't actually adding up the calories. I consciously would add them up in my head, but lets face it, that doesn't work. So I downloaded an app on my phone called MyFitnessPal. You enter in all of your information and it will give you a calorie limit based on your lifestyle and how many pounds you want to lose in a certain amount of time. Mine was 1200.

So I started following the calorie guidelines, which was a bit of a challenge at first, but once you find a balance in what you are eating, it becomes a routine, then eventually, part of your life without you even having to think about it anymore. The app is handy too because you virtually type in any item from any restaurant, and it will be there. Each night when you log your total calories, it will give you the weight you should be at in a certain amount of time, given that you follow your daily calorie intake.

My husband finally decided to jump on the bandwagon with me. I was ecstatic! I finally have someone to annoy and coach. I didn't have anyone for me when I was starting this process. I learned a lot from watching The Biggest Loser, reading articles, reading other blogs, and eventually putting together my own pieces.

Now, I don't normally fall into the traps of pills and fads, but I recently heard about Dr. Oz's theory on the green coffee bean extract being a good jump start on weight loss. Apparently there was no jitters or anxiousness, which is what I was worried about, naturally being the most nervous person in history. So my husband and I decided to take it together as a "trial" run with it and see what happened.

At this point, (a Tuesday) he'd already been running a mile and half for 4 days and eating better. We started taking them on a Saturday. The following Tuesday (at this point for him, he'd run for 6 days, was eating good and taking 2 pills a day for 4 days), and had already lost 6 pounds. Unfortunately for me, I had to stop taking them on Tuesday because I got a case of winter flu going around and had to take antibiotics instead and didn't want to mix them. However, I followed my calorie intake (and was under) and did take the pills for 4 days. I got on the scale this morning, and much to my disbelief, I'd lost 5 pounds! I finally broke my plateau! Of course, I didn't believe it and had to weight myself 12 more times, but the number checked out and put on some clothes and skipped out of that bathroom like a ribbon dancer from this 1994 commercial.

(Edit: In case you were wondering, Ben and I did not feel any noticeable side effects from the green coffee pills - to clarify, I cannot pinpoint that the coffee pills had anything to do with the weight drop, but I will post an update on this after I complete my 15 days).

So, now that my husband and I had joined forces on the matter, dinner would be so much easier for me. It's hard to prepare somewhat healthy meals, when the other party in the house doesn't like it. But, to ease his man mind a little bit, I have been trying to make healthy meals, disguised as what would normally not be healthy at all.

Two websites I love for this are TasteofHome Healthy Recipes and SkinnyTaste.com. Since I usually share a recipe with you, the one for this entry will be from SkinnyTaste.com.

Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken takes my winning vote today. I left out the bacon (Yes, you CAN eat bacon in moderation while dieting, I just chose to leave it out because quite frankly, I hate making it), but the chicken was amazing and low in calories. I will definitely be making this again!

That is where I leave you this time, friends.

Any comments, suggestions or website recommendations are welcome.

Pulled Beer Chicken & Geetars

I wanted to share a recipe with you that I found (probably on Pinterest) and can take no credit for. However, I definitely took bragging rights the night I made this delectable pulled chicken. If I hadn't known that it was chicken, I would have never known that it wasn't a good cut of pork. You can find this recipe here:

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/10/crockpot-bbq-beer-chicken/

She used an amber beer, whereas, I used an American pale wheat ale called Gumballhead from Three Floyds Brewery in Munster, IN. You can use a little less beer then 8oz if you want too, only because when I made this recipe, it was a little TOO juicy to the point where it was almost disintegrating the bun while you were trying to eat it. So I would suggest using maybe a little under a can of a beer, but that is up to you. The beer was very distinctable among the other ingredients, so I wouldn't use a milk stout or a chocolaty beer.

Moving along, I'm not sure if you've read my past posts about my uncommon love for someone my age, with the Monkees. It sounds funny even saying it out loud, or typing it on the keyboard with my sausage fingers. To reiterate, despite their most popular era being the late 60's, that did not and still doesn't sway me in the least. I grew up normally. I had a My Little Ponies palace with a swimming pool, and played with Polly Pockets. I frequented in dumping Lego's on my floor and pulling the pants off of all of my Barbies. I also loved dinosaurs, my Sega, and my beanbag chairs. I just happened to also grow up with a father who explained a few things to me at an early age. Don't open doors for strangers, rap is crap, and the Beatles were the best band in history and always will be. I also learned every word to the Queen greatest hits album when I was a kid because that's what we listen too on our way to Yogi Bear Campground. Music has just been a part of growing up for me.

When I was about 8, around Christmas time, an extremely large object was being housed in our family room with a sheet over it. My dad told me it was a carousel horse for my mom like the one we would always see driving along Route 50. I believed it. Christmas came, and under that sheet was no carousel, but a piano--for me. I loved to belt out the most obnoxious of songs and thought I was a regular Beethoven. A few years later, my dad took me on a trip to Guitar Center and had me pick out a guitar. It was an acoustic Ovation, with a natural wood finish, and was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. He took me to guitar lessons and instead of teaching me notes, the instructor would just teach me Beatles songs. Looking back on it, I wish he'd actually had taught me notes, but it didn't matter to me, I was shredding my guitar with my 10 year old sausage fingers and loving every minute of it.

Shortly after this, I was watching (probably Nick at Nite at the time), and the Monkees came on. That was it. Just one episode of the Monkees is all it took and they became such an icon in my life. I would watch their shows and movies and learn different chords on my guitar from them. I was by far, the nerdiest kid ever.  They stuck with me into my adulthood, my guitar came with too. At one point, while struggling to pay bills, I considered selling my guitar and even got a quote on it, but then realized I'd rather be homeless then sell it. 

This last November (2012), I dragged Ben to a Monkees reunion tour after Davy passing away. I somehow managed to get 4th row pit seats, which I feel like I deserved. The pit only sat about 30 people, and was a section where the orchestra would sit normally. Ben and I sat right next to the small staircase up to the sage, which you can somewhat see in this terribly dark picture of us...

...but you can see how close we were. The seats wrapped around in a banana shape too, so although we were in the 4th row, we were only about 6 feet from the stage.

This was Mike...

And Micky during "Randy Scouse Git", which you can see on the big screen, is the original video for this. He put on the same thing he was wearing in the video.

The pictures don't even do this justice. There were a few times where Micky was so close to us, I could have reached out and shook his hand (which I was hoping for). I thought my arm was going to fly out of the socket when he asked for a 'guest singer' during Daydream Believer. I would have immediately overcome my fear of singing in front of people to have that opportunity.  That part was staged I believe though, because the 'guest' he picked (which happened to be the guy right in front of us), was just too calm up there. I guess it's good he didn't pick me, because I probably would have just stood there, starstruck, and cried. Ben would have had to come get me off the stage.

So overall, we left that night and I felt very accomplished. It was so amazing to see them (again) in person after so many times of only seeing them on TV, and not just from distance, but only a few feet away. Davy was missed, but they did a great job keeping him "in the show", by playing videos with him in it and having the band play along.  I got to see him in 98' too, so I've seen them all collectively. I sat in the nosebleed section at a Paul McCartney concert too when I was about 14, despite the seats--the fact that I got to see a remaining Beatle play Beatles songs was surreal to me. 

I am fully aware that I was not born in the 50s, and I am a "90's kid". Of course, I broke away from my wannabe hippie life to enjoy the fine fruits of my own time. The Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, Nintendo 64 (particularly, Wave Race and Mario 64), and "hanging out" with friends, because "playing" with friends was lame after you hit 12.

But they always stuck with me.