Beachy Waves for Summer

When it comes to hair, it's all about messy beachy waves this time of year.  This is one of my all time favorite hairstyles and one that I tend to rock even in the depths of winter.  After watching a video by MakeupbyTiffanyD on YouTube (click here to watch), I was inspired to try out a new (to me) technique.

Products, Tools, and Technique

While this can easily be achieved with a wand, I used my 1" Conair curling iron (mine is super old but still works great).  I always use some type of dry shampoo and/or texturizing spray on my roots and through the lengths of my hair to prep it and give it some grit. Garnier's Texture Tease is a great (and cheap!) option.  I did my curls the way I normally do (starting near the roots and leaving about an inch out at the ends).  Instead of curling every piece away from my face as I normally would, I curled the front pieces away but then alternated every other piece (one going away from my face, then one towards my face, etc).  I loved the result--this really did help to achieve more of a wave than a curl.  I also thought it added more volume and dimension and gave more of that messy, disheveled look I was after.  After letting my hair cool for a few minutes, I ran my fingers through the waves and pulled them apart/fluffed/tousled them.  I added a bit more texturizing spray for even more of an un-done look, then I finished off with some Flexible Control Hairspray by Garnier.

If you're looking for a way to get beachy waves, I'd recommend watching Tiffany's video and trying this technique.  You can always try it and do little things and tweak it to make it your style.  

Thanks for reading!

CeraVe Cleansing Cloths: Ultra Gentle??

I've been loyal to CeraVe skincare for quite some time.  While I'm not a skincare expert, I do know that many dermatologists like this brand, and I also know that fragrance does not belong in skincare.  It's hard to find makeup removing towelettes that are unscented (the only ones I've found so far are by the brand Simple).  Therefore, I was psyched when I saw these wipes at Target and couldn't wait to try them out.  I figured if they're by CeraVe, they have to be good, right?  Boy, was I wrong.

First of all, I detected a scent right away.  It wasn't the typical floral or fruity smell that wipes usually have.  It smelled like... whiskey.  No joke.  This was an  unwelcome surprise.

Then... I used it on my face.  I've never had a more painful experience with makeup removing wipes.  It appeared to remove my makeup pretty well, but it stung my skin (and my eyes!!).  Since I've been using Differin and Aczone for my acne, I thought maybe it was just that my skin had become more sensitive, and I thought maybe they would be ok to continue using, even if they stung.  A few days later, I used one to remove my liquid lipstick... and it stung my lips!  That has never happened before, and there is no way my lips would be affected by either of my prescription creams.  That was the final straw, and at that point, I rendered these wipes unsuitable for the face.

If you can't tell already, I really regret this purchase.  Not only did they cause pain, but they were expensive--$8 for one pack!  I don't understand how this went so wrong--they are highly rated on beautypedia.com.  Who knows, maybe I got a bad pack, but I'm not willing to spend another $8 to find out.  I would not consider these to be "Extra Gentle" as stated on the packaging.  I'm very sad that these were a total fail for me.  If you are brave enough to try them, I would be interested to hear about your experience.

Thank you for reading!

Jergens Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse

Up until about a month ago, I had never tried a sunless tanning mousse.  Most of the ones I hear about are pretty pricey, so I was delighted when I found out that Jergens came out with one called Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse (could the name be any longer?).  I purchased the Deep Bronze color.  I read several reviews prior to trying this product, and they all recommended to use a tanning mitt instead of bare hands.  The one I purchased was this one by St. Tropez.

How I Used It
I took a shower and exfoliated my whole body with my favorite scrub, Tree Hut's Shea Sugar Scrub.  I toweled off and did not apply any lotion prior to using the tanning mousse.  I thought this stuff was pretty easy to use, especially considering that I'd never used a tanning mousse.  I just used one to two pumps at a time on the mitt and applied it.  As you want to do with all tanning products, I was careful to apply it sparingly on my knees, elbows, knuckles, and feet.  The mousse has a bronze tint to it that works as a guide to help you see if you've missed any spots.

Drying Time and Scent
Jergens claims that this mousse dries in 60 seconds.  I think it takes more like a few minutes, which isn't too bad.  Just to be on the safe side, I waited about 10 minutes before dressing.  I wasn't going anywhere for the rest of the day, so I just put on some loose sweat pants and a t-shirt.  I would recommend wearing something loose-fitting--I can't imagine that putting skinny jeans on while this is still sticky would be very much fun.  Although it dries in minutes, it stays somewhat sticky for several hours.  It didn't bother me too much, but it's something to be aware of.  When I first applied it, I was surprised to find that it didn't have that smell that all self tanners have; it actually smelled pretty good.  Over the next few hours (and even the next day after I had showered), the self tanning smell reared its head.  It wasn't terrible though.

Results
I was very happy with the color I got from the mousse.  I could see results right away, and it continued to darken throughout the day.  The color lasted on me for close to a week, and it didn't get all weird and patchy when it faded.  I should mention that I did not put this on my face, and I don't think this is recommended for facial use.

Final Thoughts
I'm definitely a fan of this stuff.  It's reasonably priced, easy to find, easy to use, and the results are great.  Let me know if you give it a try!

Favorite Lip Liner/Lipstick Combos

I never used to be into lip liner--I thought it was too high maintenance.  I still don't use it every day, but I do love the effects it gives when I do wear it.  You can apply it all over before lipstick to make it last longer, or you can just line the edges after lipstick to smooth out the lines.

MAC Subculture Lip Pencil/MAC Blankety Lipstick

Left: MAC Subculture Liner
Right: MAC Blankety Lipstick

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Native/MAC Creme Cup Lipstick

Left: Urban Decay Liner in Native
Right: MAC Creme Cup Lipstick

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Liner in Forever Rose/MAC Please Me Lipstick

Left: L'Oreal Lip Liner in Forever Rose
Right: MAC Please Me Lipstick

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in East End Snob/Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick

Left: Rimmel Lip Liner in East End Snob
Right: KVD Lipstick in Lovesick

Clearly, my favorites are nudes and pinks.  What are your favorite combos??

New Discovered Use For Flat Foundation Brush

Chances are good that you have a flat foundation brush just like the Real Techniques Essential Foundation brush pictured above laying around somewhere in your house.  You might also be wondering what to use this brush for.  In my opinion, these have never been the greatest for applying foundation.  I like using them for undereye concealer.  As I was getting ready for an event a few minutes ago, I tried something new... and I can't wait to share it with you!

I used this brush for contouring.  For contour powder, I used NYX's Highlight and Contour Palette.  I dipped the Essential Foundation Brush into one of the contour powders and softly applied the contour line in circular motions.  I went into the hollows of my cheeks and on my forehead and jawline.  I even (and I have never done this in my entire life, but I thought hey, why not try it) contoured the sides of my nose.  I was blown away by how well this brush worked!  It applied the most perfect contour lines.  They weren't too sharp, nor were they too soft.  I did go over the lines with a fluffy powder brush and gently buff them out, but they didn't even look like they needed it.  This brush worked better than any other brush I've tried for contouring!  I think it would also work well to buff in a cream contour product.

If you try this out, and I hope you do, please let me know what you think!

Makeup Removing Products 101

I've harped on the importance of removing your makeup prior to washing your face at least a few times on here.  I once read somewhere that washing your face without first removing your makeup is like taking a shower with your clothes on--it's an interesting analogy!  There are so many different makeup removers--and types of makeup removers--out on the market right now.  I thought it would be cool to do a rundown on some different varieties, my favorites in each category, and how I use them.

Oils/Balms
I like the quickness and ease of an oil or balm--it's one product that removes both your face and eye makeup and doesn't require any cotton balls, washcloths, etc.  They are made to melt down your makeup while your face is still dry, then you rinse them off and wash your face afterwards.

Balm vs. Oil: A balm is a solid version of an oil.  Other than that, they're pretty much the same, and it comes down to personal preference.  I prefer an oil--there's just something about digging my fingers into a balm that doesn't appeal to me.

Pros: They're quick and easy, and they also condition your skin and lashes.

Cons:  They tend to leave behind a mess in your sink.  It's nothing that won't come off when you clean your bathroom though.  It just won't be pretty to look at until it's cleaned.

Favorite: Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil is my favorite of everything I've tried.  I love how it's non-scented too.  If you're looking for a balm, their Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm is pretty good too.

PS--Don't be alarmed if your vision gets a little cloudy after using a cleansing oil or balm.  It'll go away.  In my experience, the cloudiness was a lot worse with the Clinique balm than with their oil.

Wipes
Wipes are perhaps the least messy option of the bunch.  I always have them, although I don't normally use them to remove my makeup at night unless I'm traveling.  I keep them at my vanity and use them to clean my hands off as I put on my makeup, and I also keep them in my gym bag to either a) remove my face makeup before a workout if I'm wearing any or b) clean the sweat off my face after a workout.  If I'm using them for the latter purpose, I always follow up with a regular moisturizer with SPF or tinted moisturizer/BB cream type product.

Pros: This is a hassle-free, mess-free solution for makeup removal and are great to have on hand while doing your makeup.  They'r also great for travel.

Cons:  They can be expensive if you use them every day unless you buy them in bulk at Costco.  They can also be drying on your face.  Some do a decent job of removing non-waterproof mascara, but I like to pour some eye makeup remover on the wipes for my eye area if I'm using them for makeup removal.

Favorites:  
*Costco's Daily Facial Towelettes are nice and wet, so they'll get the job done.  And they're a great value.  They are lightly scented, but nothing crazy.
*Simple's Micellar Makeup Removing Wipes are also great.  I have seen them sold in 3 packs at Costco.  They have no scent.

Micellar Waters
These have been big in Europe for a while now.  I've only ever tried Simple's Micellar Cleansing Water.  I've never tried the ever so popular Bioderma that every beauty blogger on YouTube seems to love, so I don't know if it's really worth the hype.  Micellar water is intended to remove face and eye makeup.  I found the Simple one did accomplish that task, but I needed a couple cotton rounds to remove everything.  It also left my eye area feeling a little dry.  I've found that it works well  as the pre or post gym remedy I mentioned above with the facial wipes.  Since I always have wipes on hand, I don't know if I'll continue to repurchase the micellar water.

Pros: It can remove all your makeup as it claims, and it's a nice way to refresh your face if needed.

Cons:  It takes several cotton balls when used as a makeup remover, and it's doesn't offer the conditioning benefits (especially around the eyes) that an oil does.

Eye Makeup Removers
If you're looking for something specifically formulated for eye makeup, I'm a fan of the two phase kind that you shake first.  Though most of these claim to remove waterproof mascara, I prefer to use them for regular mascara.  For waterproof mascara, I prefer baby oil.

Pros:  These are good for cleaning up eyeliner or mascara mistakes when putting your makeup on.  They work well to remove regular eye makeup.

Cons:  The obvious downfall here is that you'll need something else to remove your face makeup.  Though they will remove waterproof mascara if you work hard enough, I've found that baby oil works better.

Favorites:  Neutrogena's Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover is affordable and gets the job done.  I've also purchased the Equate and Up and Up brands, and they are even cheaper and work just as well.

I hope this was helpful.  Let me know what your favorite makeup removing products are!  Thank you for reading!

Maybelline Better Skin Concealer

After running out of my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, I was in the hunt for something new.  I decided to try their SuperStay Better Skin Concealer and hoped it would be as good (if not better than) the Fit Me.

What I Look For In Concealer
A professional makeup artist will tell you that you need two different concealers: one for under your eyes, and one to spot conceal.  Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, this may be true.  But for the average woman doing makeup on a daily basis without serious dark circles or discoloration, I think it's fine to use one product for both.  I look for a concealer that is a good match for my skin tone (one that is too light would only be appropriate for highlighting or under the eyes) and blends in quickly and easily.

Thoughts on Better Skin vs. Fit Me
*Both have a doe-foot applicator.

*The Fit Me formula is thinner and more liquidy.  The Better Skin formula is more gel-like.  I prefer the Better Skin formula, as I think it blends in more quickly and sets better (and lasts longer!).

*My shade in Fit Me is Medium.  When looking at the Better Skin concealers in store, they seemed to run pretty dark.  I opted for the shade Light/Medium, which is a pretty good match for me right now.

Light/Medium

*Better Skin is almost twice the price of Fit Me.  That being said, they are still both drugstore products with drugstore prices.  I have no problem paying $9.00 for Better Skin--it's still less than a third of the price of Urban Decay, NARS, or some other popular high end concealers.  You get almost exactly the same amount with each one--Fit Me is 0.23 fl oz, while Better Skin is 0.25 fl oz.

*Both are great to wear over foundation or on their own.  In the photo below, I am wearing no foundation--I just put the Better Skin concealer under my eyes and over some blemishes and areas of discoloration and set my whole face with MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder in Medium Golden.  I also followed up with bronzer and blush.

Better Skin blends in well with a brush, a Beauty Blender, or your ring finger.  It's quick and easy and does the job.

I hope this post inspires you to give Better Skin a try!  Thank you for reading!