more raves...

I have definitely had more product raves recently than I have in a long time. Maybe I've just got the good make-up chi going on right now, but I'm definitely loving whatever is sending this stuff my way.

#1 Benefit Playsticks Foundation (my shade is Tea Party): I started using this junior year of high school, and it was my first foundation ever. I bought it because my boyfriend at the time invited me to his homecoming dance, and my mom took me out to "prettify" me or something. It was a treat, bought a new outfit, and she took me to Benefit in Mill Valley to deck my face out. I stopped using this before I left for college, I just basically stopped wearing make up that summer. I was in the pool all the time and it wasn't a priority. (Duh.) Anyway, my skin dried out quite a bit this winter so my usual Bare Minerals routine wasn't cutting it. (However, Bare Minerals OVER Playsticks gives flawless coverage!) I decided to bust this stuff out and I am blown away by it, once again. Seriously. And, of course, just when I am rediscovering it, I find out Benefit is discontinuing it!!! I need to have me a serious talk with Benefit, they have discontinued some of the greatest stuff!! (Show Offs anyone??)

#2 Clinique Super Moisturizing Balm Gloss in Black Honey: Everyone knows what the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey looks like, and how phenomenal it looks on basically everyone, and this is the super glossy, super moisturizing gloss formula. This color is the perfect, just ate a whole bowl of raspberries or cherries and now my lips are this gorgeous color but glossed. Seriously. Fabulash. They also have this formula in a bunch of other colors. Worth checking out.

#3 NARS Lipgloss in Dolce Vita: This is like the "real" lipstick version of the NARS lipstick by the same name. The actual lipstick is a sheer, your lips but better color, the lipgloss is full color, glossy, opaque, pinky-rosy-nude gorgeousness. The lipgloss definitely has more color than the lipstick, but both are beautiful. The gloss is definitely on the stickier side, but it's worth it!

#4 Clinique High Impact Mascara: I wrote a whole post on this, so I do not feel the need to repeat myself. All I will say is: fake eyelashes for real. No lies.

#5 Milani Mineral Powder Blush (pressed) in Luminous: Perfect, peachy pink with teeny gold luminous flecks. Not even flecks. Just luminosity. And it's drugstore. Totally accessible. Perfect glowy, pink, healthy cheeks. Perfect with a light bronzer, like Dior's Matte Sunshine in Honey Matte. Love.

I'm in love with all these products, they will probably all be accompanying me to Milwaukee next weekend. I really feel like these are helping my face look....better. My skin looks glowy, healthy, my lips look full and gleamy...my eyes look ridiculous. Getting stopped on the street and asked if you're wearing false eyelashes is CRUCIAL. And amazing. So happy.

in LOVE

Okay, this may be a bit premature, I've only been using this product for two days, but I'm thoroughly impressed with it. I had heard rumblings on Youtube for a while about this leave in treatment for your hair from the It's a 10 line and, as I've been teaching a boat load this winter, and my hair is crunchy, dry & frizzy as a result, I was curious to try anything that supposedly is so great. According to vloggers, this stuff detangles, moisturizes, repairs damage etc. According to the packaging it repairs dry, damaged hair; adds shine; detangles; controls frizz; seals and protects hair color; prevents split ends; stops hair breakage; creates silkiness; enhances natural body; and is a flat iron spray and thermal protector. So, I immediately started looking around for places around town that sold the It's a 10 line of hair products. Nada. There is no Ulta near my house, and that seems to be the primary place these are sold.

Well, whaddya know? I'm walking through CVS the other day and I see a blue bottle that says It's a 10 in the shampoo aisle. Sweet!!! It was It's a 10 Miracle Moisture Shampoo, next to a tub of Miracle Moisture Repairing Mask. Whoosh! In the basket they go. Only, I still couldn't find the leave in treatment. Cut to two days later, I'm walking around and I see a Super Cuts, decide to walk in and see if they carry it. Score! I pick up a bottle and race it home to try it out.

Holy. Crap. The first time I used the shampoo and mask, I liked it. It definitely made my hair softer and more manageable, but still a little frizzy. And when I was rinsing the mask out in the shower, my hair still felt a little ratty and rough. Second time in the shower, it was like SILK. Oh my goodness. Getting out of the shower, my hair was so manageable. I couldn't believe it. When I finally got the leave in treatment, and used that after my shower, I was thrilled! My hair was totally detangled, no pulling, no tugging, and it felt soooo soft. And, for any Ralph by Ralph Lauren fans, the leave in treatment smells JUST LIKE IT!!! So, I'm waiting for my hair to air dry right now, to see how the treatment does. Hopefully it doesn't leave my dry hair feeling greasy like some products do. If this works out, I can throw out my Biosilk, Bumble and Bumble tonic & prep sprays and the million and one shampoos and conditioners in my shower, except for maybe a lighter conditioner, for when my hair's not so damaged. So far, I love this stuff. Check it OUT!

Mascara Gods

I have been begging the Mascara Gods for a new favorite/bomb.com mascara...and I have finally found one!!! Don't get it twisted, I still love my Diorshow Iconic, Make Up Forever Smoky Lash and Covergirl Super Thick Lash, and I definitely rotate in the YSL and Rimmel Lash Accelerator, but I have found one that is totally different from every single other mascara I have ever tried. (No, really.)

I was rummaging through my make up at my parents' house, which is pretty much just a mish mash of random products that I either don't use anymore, or only use part of the year, (i.e. darker foundations from summer), or that were absolute misses, or testers, and found a teeny tester of a Clinique mascara. My aunt always gets me a little something from Clinique when she's here, and always manages to get like a free gift set with whatever she buys and gives me that as well. I guess this came in one of the gift sets, and thus, as a tester, it was relegated to one of the junk drawers at home. Well, I was so bored with all my mascaras and so I decided to try this one out, it's the Clinique High Impact Mascara, which is supposed to be a volumizing mascara. I'm not sure if it's also intended to be lengthening or defining, but all of the above happens for me when I use it. This, with two coats, makes my end lashes wing out like none other, separates and defines and makes my lashes look super long.

I was walking through CVS picking up body wash or something, and one of the make up artists from Beauty 360, the higher end beauty store connected to CVS, was walking through the store as well and she stopped me to ask if I wanted to try a new concealer. Well, no, I didn't, but she stopped me mid-sentence to ask me what I was wearing on my eyes... Only the High Impact mascara. She was shocked, "you're not wearing fake eyelashes?" Then she inspected my eyes, looking for the tell tale sheen from eye lash glue or the band along my lash line. None to be found. (Duh, I've only worn falsies maybe twice in my whole life.) I told her what I was wearing and she was quite impressed and said she'd definitely be checking it out. "I can't believe how long your eye lashes are, hella long!" Thank you, random make up artist. Definitely the response I am looking for with my mascara, I love crazy long lashes and getting that from a tube is wonderful. She even asked me if I used Latisse or some other prescription crazy lash serum. (No, definitely do not.)

My only issue with this mascara is that it dries, and isn't necessarily stiff or crunchy, and certainly doesn't flake, but it does feel more "set" than any other mascara I've used. It feels kind of like a waterproof mascara does when it's fully dry, definitely stiffer than plain mascara but not always gross. This one is the opposite of the Diorshow Iconic, which keeps your lashes really soft, thank you silicone based formula, while you're wearing it. However, the Clinique holds a curl better than any other mascara ever. I don't even actually curl my lashes anymore because this mascara does it all for you, and your lashes stay curled all day long. It's also really easy to get off at night. It comes right off in just warm water with a little face wash, no rubbing, pulling, tugging or make up remover necessary.

I'm totally stoked. New mascara that literally makes me look wide awake, doll eyed and fake lash adorned in two coats. Love it. My lashes look insane when I wear it. I don't need fake lashes because my lashes already look dope with this stuff. It's dramatic enough that it can be the only thing you put on your eyes, and get compliments galore, but it's also wearable for every day. Definitely repurchasing this one when mine runs out. (I bought a full size after I realized how great it was. Still have the tester, probably taking that with me on the plane to Milwaukee in a week and a half.) Seriously, go check this stuff out, it's incredible.

beauty wanderings

This is going to be sort of a ramble. I'm in bed sick and have been thinking quite a bit. First of all, I was told that I looked great last night, even though I've been in bed for days in and out of sleep. I've never been told that I looked great while sick before. It occurred to me that the only thing I've been really paying attention to is my skin. I'm convinced that even if you're deathly ill, if your skin looks decent, so do you. Healthy looking skin really keeps you looking better than almost anything else. I think if nothing else, having clean skin, nails and hair will make you look better even if you feel like crap. That being said, I'm definitely on another skin care kick. I've rotated out my Clinique Moisture Surge and am trying the Ole Henricksen Sheer Transformation creme. So far, so good, it's supposed to help deal with hyperpigmentation and the like, and while I can't say if it's done that, I've only been using it a few days, I do like the moisturizer. It's lightweight and soft and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and smooth. I've even started using it on my neck and chest instead of my Benefit Firmology.

Second, I'm currently obsessed with OPI's Ski Teal We Drop. I love it on long nails, short nails, it's a freaking fantastic color. Not too blue and not too green. It's a perfect cream, and it's glossy and rich. You can definitely get away with only one coat, but I prefer two. While we're on the subject of nail polish, I want to talk about top coats. Seche Vite has had everyone's hearts for quite some time, but I have to say I have a bone to pick with it. Yes, Seche Vite dries super fast and makes your nails glossy and hard to chip. But, it also makes your nails prone to peel. Yes, peel. I've noticed that because it seems to have a thicker consistency than most top coats, it can cause your polish to actually peel off in chunks rather than chip. I'm not a fan of my nail polish peeling off. Other than that, it is a decent top coat, but that's a pretty hard to look past when it's supposed to make your nails last longer. Hmm. So at the moment I'm favoring OPI's top coat, just plain old top coat. It works fine for me. I don't expect manicures to last too long on me, since I'm always picking at something or other. That being said, one coat of OPI's base coat, two coats of Ski Teal We Drop and one coat of top coat works wonders for my nails.

I've been using a new shampoo and conditioner lately, the Pantene Pro V Beautiful Lengths frizz control. I like it quite a bit, it keeps my hair manageable and works well with my Bumble & Bumble tonic/prep sprays and my Biosilk serum. The line also has a leave in conditioner that I'm liking, especially since I've been back in the water over the last couple of weeks teaching. The pool kills my hair like nothing else, it's terrible. I'm always looking for a great leave-in conditioner, so if anyone knows of one, hit me uppp!!!

I have a minor obsession with Victoria's Secret body lotion in Love Spell. I'm not entirely sure why, it's one of those scents that easily err on the side of 'baby prostitute' but can also be quite lovely. I definitely bought three tubes of it the other day. I've been seriously into lotions for the body and hands recently, the pool not only kills my hair but my skin, as well. I've been loving using Neosporin cream with Burt's Bees Cuticle Butter with either Neutrogena Swiss Hand cream or Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand cream. The Burt's Bees hand cream has quite a strong smell, very herbal, and while it does make my hands very soft, can also easily feel quite greasy. I use this combination at night only, so my hands can really soak up the moisture and have time to repair without being interrupted by the day time tasks of dishes, washing hands etc. Anyway, that's my ramble for today, while I'm sick in bed. I haven't been using much make up, duh, and so I haven't really got anything new and exciting for you all. Off I go to rest in bed with The Tudors on dvd.