Review ~ Benefit They're Real Mascara

If any of you know me personally or follow this blog, you know that I adore mascara. I love to try all different brands, high end and drugstore. I am super picky when it comes to mascara, and if it flakes on my face, it gets returned for sure. 

Today I am reviewing  the "They're Real" Mascara from Benefit. I have heard mixed reviews, and I wanted to see for myself. The wand is dome shaped,  it has a little ball on the end so you can get into the inner corner lashes, so thats nice, however, don't poke your eye with it ~ Ouch! The description states that it lengthens, curls, volumes, lifts and separates. Also, that it won't dry out or flake. Sounded good to me!

Overall, it is not my favorite mascara, however it was good. It did not flake, it was very black, it separated the lashes. I didn't feel it curled very well and it is SUPER hard to take off ~ Get out your Olive Oil girls! I am not sure that I will repurchase it but this is just my first impression, maybe it will grow on me, pardon the pun!

Hope this post was helpful.. I should have done a before and after picture… But this is what my eyes look like open and closed with the mascara. Sorry about the weird eye pictures, and they are kinda blurry! oh well, you get the point.
 This is only one coat of mascara, I am sure if I built it up it would be more dramatic. 

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

I know Thanksgiving is over, and I should be posting about peppermint, but my pumpkin love still continues! I have come up with a treat like protein smoothie that tastes like pumpkin pie.. its full of protein, vitamin A, d and C and tastes amazing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

1 cup milk of choice, Almond, Rice, or Regular milk.

half cup of canned pumpkin puree

half tsp. of pumpkin pie spice

half tsp of cinnamon

1 scoop of your favorite protein powder, mine is plant based vanilla

1 banana

half tsp. vanilla extract

1 T. Honey

add some crushed ice and blend!

YUMM!

~ Whip cream optional :)

This is how I feel every fall!

Homemade brush cleaner

Why buy expensive brush cleaner when you can make your own! Use this favorite recipe to get all the grime off your make up brushes and they will smell so good too!



 Brush Cleaner

1 cup distilled water
2T. rubbing alcohol
1T. baby shampoo


fill a shallow bowl with the cleanser and swirl the brush all around. Let it sit for a bit and then rinse it in clean water. I like to fill another bowl with water and let the brush soak for a few minutes. Then wipe off the brush on a clean paper towel and air dry!

Holiday Gift Guide

Hi Everyone ~ I wanted to pass along some great holiday gift item picks. You can give these gifts to your mom, a teacher, a friend, a sister, daughter, babysitter or anyone on your gift list.

First up ~  Ciate Nailpolish gift set… who doesn't like a new set of nailpolish. This pick is adorable in individual ornaments, so you could give someone the whole kit, or separate them and pair it with another small gift such as a candle or a lipgloss and you have 6 difference gifts!

Lip gloss ~ a great stocking stuffer! My pick is the Lancome Juicy Tubes

Perfume ~ I love buying the roller ball sets, they are cheaper, and are so much more convenient. You can try out multiple fragrances for half the price of a full size bottle. It is also nice that you can throw them on your purse too! My pick is the Marc Jacobs Trio Set

Candles ~ This is so hard to pick one, there are SO many kinds of candles I like. But since this is a Holiday gift guide, I am going to pick a beautiful and festive candle, and that is Nest Holiday Scented Candle. It is a classy, gorgeous, festive and smells of the holidays.

Hand Cream sets or Bath and body sets… my pick is… Philosophy The cookie exchange, how adorable and fitting for the season,  who doesn't like to smell like frosting :)! As a girl who likes to bake a lot  ~ I know I would find this gift so "SWEET."

My hand cream/ lip balm pick is Bliss Mistle toe musts… How cute is this hand cream / lip balm duo! Great products for on your bedside table, moisturize your hands and lips before bed!

Hope this was helpful, have fun shopping! Happy Holidays!

Natural Beauty tricks

I have really gotten into the natural side of beauty, products in my pantry that can produce results even better than high end skin care products. It is also nice to know you are using natural products free of all the yucky chemicals.

Apple Cider Vinegar is a great toner for the skin, it is antibacterial and will balance the skins PH level, it is also great to use it full strength when you have an active break out. Coconut oil is also a wonderful spot treatment for acne. I know, why would you put oil on acne?  It works, trust me. I have a post on Coconut Oil.. read that for more information.

 Baking Soda is wonderful for exfoliating the skin. Mix it with your favorite cleanser or make a paste with some water and scrub the dead skin away.

For a nice body scrub, mix some sea salt along with baby oil and brown sugar. Scrub away for a spa like shower experience at a fraction of the price!



Your next beauty treatment is just as far as your pantry!

Worth The Hype ~ Beauty Blender

The Beauty Blender, my new favorite thing.  If you have not heard of it, it is a cute pink sponge used to apply your make up. The smaller pointy side is great for patting in your concealer while the bigger side is great for applying your foundation. The trick is to wet the sponge, squeeze the excess water, (the sponge will then double in size) and apply your make - up with the damp sponge. The result is a nice airbrushed finish.

I bought this sponge at Sephora over the summer, and wasn't expecting to love it as much as I do. I reach for it everyday and it is worth the money. My only suggestion is that when you wash it after every use, use a bar of white dove soap. Beauty Blender sells a cleanser, however the dove soap gets it just as clean, smells nice and is cheaper!

Raw Honey for your face!

Raw Honey... not your typical honey that comes in the little squeeze bear that has goopy, processed, thick, sticky honey. Raw Honey in it's unprocessed form, I am obsessed. I put it in my tea, give the kids a spoonful for their cough, spread it on my toast, ahh..  as it melts I spread a little almond butter ( when my son with allergies is at school) and sprinkle some cinnamon, pure YUM. But aside from eating it, Raw Honey is amazing for your skin.  It is naturally PH balanced you can use it as a cleanser mixed with a little water, or apply it as a mask.  It is super hydrating.  Raw Honey also is great for acne and enlarged pores, rosacea, eczema, hyperpigmentation, sensitive, mature, dull and lifeless skin. Honey is a natural antiseptic and is antimicrobial. It heals cuts and burns by killing bacteria, It also contains gluconic acid that brightens the complexion. 

 If you don't want to spread honey all over your face look for products with honey in them! 

Fall Nails

The fall and winter nail colors have some gorgeous shades. This season, the on trend colors are beautiful and deep colors of blood red, grey, navy blue, burnt orange, teal, nude, chocolate brown and purple. I always think it's fun when you pick a color and paint one nail on each hand a different shade. My choice will be a chocolate brown with navy on the ring fingers.

I love the color above ~ it is butter London's "la moss'', it is a nice vampy dark red wine color that is perfect for the winter. I especially love butter nail polish because they are free of 3. That means free of formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP.  If you would like to try butter London, there is a promo code at www.skinstore.com for 20% off! Use code SEP20

I  can't wait to pick up some other colors to add to my collection such as Nars "seize the night falls" Orly, "prelude to a kiss", Laura Merciers ''cocoa suede''.


Hope you are enjoying the season!

Curling Irons

Before curling your hair you must choose what type of look you want to achieve. If you want big loose effortless curls, you need a big 1 to 1 1/2 inch curling iron.  Wrap the hair away from the face in big sections, spraying each section with a setting spray. If you want to have loose waves or even tight curls you can use a curling wand. Again sectioning the hair, bigger sections for looser waves and smaller pieces for a tighter curl.  The picture on the left is the result of a curling wand, where on the right is from a curling iron.

Just a note, the curling wand is clampless. It will get very hot and you need to use a glove. I bake and cook all the time but my burn marks on my wrist are from my curling wand! Learn from me and always wear your glove!

You don' t need to buy the most expensive curling wand out there. Here is my suggestion for a fair priced wand.  It is the Remmington Styling wand. The curling iron I that own and LOVE is by Hot Tools.

Hope this post is somewhat helpful, remember you can brush through the curls to give a softer look and  always finish with your favorite polish to give the curls shine and some hold and control. When I use my curling wand I like to run a product through that will give some hold, texture and body. I always reach for ~
Redken Wool Shake.

Spray with some hairspray for extra hold if needed.

Happy Curls!

BEST MASQUE EVER!

 Hi everyone! I am sorry I have been taking a bit of a break from blogging, I have been getting back into the swing of things with the start of school.  I hope everyone is having a nice September so far!

My skin has been having some hormonal breakouts lately and I wanted to get a treatment masque to try and dry up some active breakouts. I really didn't want to spend a lot and I wanted something gentle for my dry and sensitive skin. I had heard so many good things about the Queen Helene Mint Julip Mask, and decided to pick it up at Walgreens. I applied it after  I washed my face that evening.  I  looked like the wicked witch of the west for about 15 minutes!  The smell was nice and minty, but didn't have that cooling feeling, it felt very comfortable and I wasn't counting down the seconds to take it off as I do with other masques. After I washed it off, my face was smooth, not tight or dry and my red spots looked much calmer.  It drew out lots of clogged pores, and I was overall very happy with it.  I even have my teenage daughter hooked on it too . It is a great cheap but effective masque at under $5!  If you need a good treatment masque ~ give it a try! I am sure you will love it! leave a comment below and let me know your results!

Drug Store Favorites ~ Eye edition

The drug store has been coming out with some really great make up and some dupes for lots of high end products. It's fun when you can come across something that replaces your high end product and it delivers good results.  It feels good to save some money too :)

Today I am going to list my top 4 drugstore favorites for eyes....


First off, The Maybelline master drama eyleiner; very black, great formula, not dry ~ very creamy and stays put.

master drama eye liner

The Maybelline Color Tatoo Gel cream eyeshadow ~ Such a favorite! Wish they had more colors! Can be used as an eye base or on its own. Very creamy, easy to apply and blend. I like it better than my

Mac paint pot! Easy and foolproof!

maybelline color tatoo

Maybelline  Volum' Express The Falsies Big Eyes ~ you know I am a mascara lover, and this mascara is great.  I tried it because I do love the original falsies mascara.  I love the fact that this mascara has two ends, one for the upper lashes and one tiny one for the lower lashes.

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Big Eyes

Loreal Infallable Eye Shadow

I am IN LOVE with these pigments.  They give such a rich color. I like the neutral shades, perfect for a simple look. 

Hope you find something you like!

Eye base

Eye base Essentials

Today there are so many primers for your eyelids. I once fell into the hype of Urban Decay's primer potion, and at the time, I thought that it was THE BEST. However, looking back, it wasn't the best out there and I am happy to say I have found something that I like even better.

I was at Nordstrom with the kids one afternoon this summer, and I stopped by the Trish McEvoy counter to get a gel eyeliner, and as the girl was looking at my eyes, she said "you have no eye lid primer on today!" Why, no I did not! I was getting ready quickly and trying to get out the door with 4 of my 5 kids in tow... eye primer was not a priority that morning! She then proceeded to tell me my eyelids are oily. She really wanted to sell a primer, haha... but I guess my lids are oily! So I bought the Trish McEvoy eye base and have been so happy with it. It really takes the discoloration out of your eyelids and you really don't even need eyeshadow on. However, if you do put shadow on , it stays on, no creasing and no oil! Horray! This primer is dry, so if you like a creamy one, try THE BALM, "put a lid on it" eyelid primer. Trish McEvoy eye base essentials is not cheap ~ it is $25. The BALM's primer is around $18.

Beach Waves

Kate Hudson ~ one of my Favorites!

The beach wave curl.... it looks so easy and effortless, like you  are just out of the water and looking fab. We wish that was the case. Instead, we look like a frizzy mess, nothing like a Victoria Secret models hair! Obviously, when out for a photo shoot those models are in the chair for an hour getting their hair done just to look like they were just out for a day at the beach and the saltwater created their wavy hair.

 You too can achieve that look... with a little time and energy and the right products. You can sport your beach waves for a beach night out with your husband or friends.

Shampoo and condition the hair as usual.

Apply a leave in conditioner, such as Aussie "catch the wave"

Spray in a little sea salt spray. My favorite is Redken Sea Spray

Dry the hair and use a wave curling iron

Spray in a little more sea salt spray, and hairspray if desired.

OR... The Braid Technique

Shampoo your hair with a curl shampoo and condition as well
Towel dry your hair.
Part your hair in the middle and french braid both sides
Sleep in the braids and allow to dry overnight
In the morning, apply some sea salt spray and a pomade to separate the waves and give definition and shine.
Use hairspray if desired.

A Beauty Swap Party

via beautylish

You should see my cabinets. Under my bathroom sink I have a TON of products, most of them I do not use, and as you can imagine, I am kind a product hoarder.  I never want to throw anything away! So the products keep accumulating. For example, I just bought a body cream that came from the UK, they don't sell the brand here in the US, and I heard how great it was and how wonderful it smelled. So, I paid over $25 for a body cream I can't stand to smell, and they won't take it back.. Grrrr, how annoying is that! It was to smell of Rose ( which I LOVE, and honey, which I also LOVE) and you know what , It smells nothing like either. I can't even describe the smell, but once I tried it on my arm, it was so powerful and long lasting, I had to wash my arm off.  Normally that would be a good thing, because the goal always is to get the scent to last! Just wish it was a good scent. So, off it goes under the sink to join the other lonely products I give no attention to.

 So, this brings me to my point..... How fantastic would it be to get a party together with your friends and do a beauty swap! One girls trash  product, is another girls treasure  true match! Clean out your cabinets girls! This party you will walk out with a swag bag of FREE goodies :)

Here is how it would work~

~ Tell you friends to bring any products new or very gently used and ignored that they do not want anymore.

1. set up stations labeled with the products.

~ hair care, skin care, make up, nail polish, fragrance etc...

2. Have a sanitary station with alcohol to wipe and disinfect anything,  and a mirror to check yourself out!

3. have a gift bag station to stash the goods

4. Shop around and grab one thing from a station, when everyone is done you may go back again for a second round, you may trade with a guest if you want.


HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TIME! Now, go make your guest list!

Save or Splurge Eyebrows

Save or Splurge eyebrow edition! I love me some benefit, but believe me, the last thing I want to spend my money on is my eyebrows. So, I have found THE BEST dupe for Benefit's Brow Zings, which is $30.00. It is the e.l.f. eyebrow kit and it is, you guessed it, $3.00!

I know some people out there are VERY into their eyebrows, and love high end products to define them, I'm speaking to you Anastasia lovers! But for those who just want to get the job done with some money left over to buy something else ~ the e.l.f. is a GREAT option. I love it and recommend checking it out!

Happy savings!

Hair Care and my favorite protein mask

I have been highlighting my hair since I was 14 years old. That's a long time... I started out like any normal brunette, with subtle blond highlights. Then, like every brunette with subtle blond highlights, I wanted them lighter, and more of them, each time I visited the salon.  By the time I was 19, I was blond.   To my benefit, my boy friend, now husband, was a hairdresser~  good thing, It's expensive to be blond!  I have tried to go back a bit darker, and don't like it every time.  At this point, my husband will not even listen to me if I mention going darker.  He only will put some brown low lights for contrast from time to time, and that's about all I can handle.
Now with being blond comes damage to the hair. It's just inevitable.  I have been bad over the years taking good care of my hair with conditioning treatments etc.... but, the fact is, I need to.  My hair has changed so much over the years. It was so thick prior to having my children, and now it's thinner and breaks off so easily. So, I made a promise to myself, to get it into better condition. I have been using some great masks and wanted to share it with you.

Everyone who heat styles, highlights or colors, needs to condition and treat their hair. Maybe put a hair mask on, clip your hair up, and sit in the bath tub while it penetrates.  Sometimes, I use coconut oil before bed, put it on the ends of my hair twist it up in a bun and sleep with it in and shower it out in the morning.

 There are some great hair masks on the market... or you could make your own!

 A great protein mask is as far as your refrigerator and pantry!

Eggs' high protein content helps improve hair's resilience and luster. Whisk together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons coconut oil (rich in moisturizing fats), and 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Apply the mixture to dry hair and wrap a hot, moist towel around your head. Relax for five to 10 minutes. Without wetting hair first, work in a handful of shampoo, and then rinse and condition your hair.

 If you are not one for making your own hair masks, try a good protein mask such as Redken Extreme strength builder plus mask for distressed hair. 

Or.. a FAVORITE of mine is.....Macadamia Deep repair mask you can find it at Target and Ulta, it is great and smells wonderful too. It make the hair shiny and so soft. It is infused with macadamia oil, tea tree oil, argan oil, chamomile oil, aloe and algae extracts. 

Apple Cider Vinegar for the hair

I have been rinsing out my hair after shampooing with an equal part mixture of Apple Cider Vinegar and water then conditioning as usual. I have to say, I do believe it smooths out the hair and gives great shine. One night I said to Eddie " does my hair look shiny?" he replied with an enthusiastic "yes!" I then began to tell him my secret. " I put NO shine serum in and I rinsed with apple cider vingear." He was very surprised!

Apple Cider Vinegar is great for many purposes, but in this post I am focusing on the benefits it gives to the hair. When used as a rinse, the apple cider vinegar will balance the hairs PH and also get out the oil and grime. It smooths the cuticle and leaves the hair very smooth, soft and shiny.  It also helps with dandruff, so if you are looking for a natural way to control that, I would recommend trying this method. Purchase a high quality ACV, raw and organic.

The easiest way to do this is to get a spray bottle, fill it with one tablespoon  ACV and 2 cups of water, and shake it up. After shampooing and rinsing the hair, spray the ACV mixture all over your scalp and hair. Leave it in for a few minutes and rinse out. Apply your conditioner as usual. Do this a few times a week!

Feel and see the difference!

Save or Splurge!!!!

Hey Everyone! I wanted to share a dupe for the Nars Orgasm/ South Beach Blush and bronzer and the e.l.f. version.  If you want to spurge for the Nars thats great, but if you want to save, then the e.l.f. would be a good option. The Nars orgasm blush is a little more pink toned and sparkly than the one in the e.l.f. duo. The e.l.f. shade is more peach toned and has a powder like finish. The e.l.f. bronzer is very pigmented shade, but good for darker skin tones and good for contouring. The Nars is more sheer and comes off a more satin finish where as the e.l.f. is more of a powder finish. It is a personal choice which one to choose, I really love the orgasm blush, I love the color and the shimmer however, the bronzer is a bit too dark for my fair faced skin. For the money difference, I would go with the elf, and just also buy an Orgasm single blush and the cost will still be less than the Nars duo!

 The Nars Orgasm/ South Beach Blush and bronzer duo is $45 while the e.l.f. studio conturing blush and bronzer is guess how much... drum roll please....... $3.00! Sounds like a great deal to me!

Cupcake Mask

 I am so into these DIY facials. I love to know what specific ingredients are doing to my skin and it's fun to make. All the ingredients are fresh and yes, another use for my coconut oil! This delicious Cocoa face mask literally smells like chocolate cake batter on your face and looks like it too. Your kids may be tempted to eat it, you may be too! I won't tell, I promise.

 The ingredients in this face mask have lots of benefits for your skin, try this mask out and I guarantee your face will feel so soft and smooth after you rinse it off.

Benefits of honey to the skin:

• moisturizing
• antibacterial, anti fungal
• suitable for sensitive skin
• helps with acne
• naturally cleans your skin

Benefits of Coconut oil for skin:

•  antibacterial
• anti fungal
• moisturizer
• helps with wrinkles and acne
• antimicrobial

Benefits of Cocoa to skin:

• full of antioxidants 
• helps with sun damage 
• anti aging

How to make this YUMMY facial:

2 T. Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 T. melted coconut oil

1 T. Raw Honey

Mix together and apply to the face. Enjoy the delicious smell, throw in a load of laundry, scare the kids,  ( my kids barley react anymore!)  watch some Bravo,  time yourself to  see what all you can do in the 15 to 20 minutes that is is working wonders on your face, then rinse off. Follow up with a moisturizer.

You are welcome. Enjoy!

COCO CRAZY!

My Love of Coconut is making my family a bit concerned. I think it started when my teenage daughter caught me in the pantry one evening rubbing coconut oil in my hair, and then I proceeded to put it on my arms too... I didn't know she was there, and then we both busted out laughing.  She knows I'm crazy, I know I'm crazy and we can have a laugh about it. Hey, its so good for the skin and the hair and I smelled like a tropical vacation, awesome!

I drink coconut water, eat coconut chips, use coconut oil spread in place of butter on my toast,  add it in my smoothies, the list goes on and on ~yes, I'm coco crazy!

 Let's get into the benefits of this little jar of magic. Coconut oil is not just for cooking ~the oil is a wonderful moisturizer for the hair and body with antioxidant Vitamin E and lauric acid.  It is one of the worlds  most nourishing  super foods.   There are many ways to use coconut oil in your beauty routine, and one jar can replace a lot of different products!

• use it as a mask on the ends of your hair at night before bed, washing it out in the morning very thoroughly
• replace your make up remover ~ Use the oil to take off your make up, I keep a jar under my sink. great for eye make up!
• use it as a lip conditioner
• a body lotion
• to soften your cuticles.
• suffer from canker sores? a dab will speed up the healing process.
• add some to your toothpaste to shine up your teeth.

Enjoy your new found friend :) Be sure to buy EXTRA VIRGIN!

ZAP that Zit

I know some of you out there believe in the old toothpaste trick ~ Sleeping with the white paste on your pesky little zit and it will dry it out by morning. While toothpaste will be sure to dry out your skin and possibly dry out that pimple, toothpaste is made for the teeth not the skin! It will irritate your skin causing more redness and dryness and then you will have more problems than you started with.

Turn to a product that will clear it up the correct way, a product that is made for your skin.  Try a spot treatment. Spot treatments can be very effective in getting down to the bacteria in the layers of your skin that cause the pimple.

If you want to go the natural route, I have often applied straight tea tree oil to the irritated area, and that seems to work well. (If you don't wan't to use straight tee tree oil add some aloe vera gel to it).

 But one of my favorite products from Lush contains tea tree oil as well as some other great herbal ingredients including thyme and rosemary as well as grape juice. It is called Grease Lightning and one bottle will last you forever and you can apply it under your make up throughout the day because it is clear.

Add caption

Another spot treatment that I have used forever and my teenage daughter uses it as well, is Mario Badescu's drying lotion. It contains salicylic acid as well as calamine and camphor. This is actually always in my medicine cabinet, I use it on mosquito bites as well! It really soothes and takes the itch out!
 Just remember to NOT mix this product together. The liquid separates from the pink calamine looking part and you just dip a q-tip in the solution and take straight out and apply. My daughter and I always laugh at each other because we both look hilarious with light pink dots all over our face before bed :)

*A great drug store alternative is the Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment. It has salicylic acid and it is a gel formula and you can conceal over top of it.

Matte Powder and Bronzer!

 This Cargo Hybrid Touch up Powder has been a staple in my easy 5 minute make up routine.

After applying my BB cream, I swirl this genius powder together, brush it over my whole face, apply a little

blush, mascara, lip gloss and DONE.

It sets your bb cream, tinted moisturizer or foundation and gives a bronze glow to the skin, all in one step.
 It comes with a  medium shade matte powder and a perfect shade of bronzer with a beautiful sheen. It gives
a sun kissed look to the face all while absorbing excess oil and shine.

Great to carry in your purse for a mid day touch up. 

 This is a great product that I am sure you will enjoy. A setting powder plus bronzer in one, YES, PLEASE!

June Favorites

Hey Everyone! I can't believe it is already July! Why oh Why does the summer go by so super fast!
 I wanted to share some of my favorite hair and body products that I have tried for the month of June.



The TIGI S Factor Diamond Dreams Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner, it smells nice and makes the hair really shiny and soft.

Pacifica  Tuscan Blood Orange Body Wash  It smells so good and it is sulfate

free! It is rich and creamy with lots of lather. It is very moisturizing, and I love to follow 

up with the Blood Orange body butter.

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour Cream

This is a cult favorite and I really can't believe it has taken me this long to buy it myself. I bought the

fragrance free version since many complain about the smell. This skin protectant is going to be a staple for me. It is amazing, it really does work. I put it all over my lips, hands and feet before bed and it has made a world of a difference. It has multiple uses, click the link above and read all about it. 

Chanel Inimitable Mascara 

The best ever. Adore. Move over DiorShow. Nuff Said.

Do's and Don'ts for hair!

Could you be making some mistakes that are actually making your hair frizzy and contributing to breakage? Yes, you probably are... I am guilty of some of the below mistakes and I have been  trying to make changes.  I am finally seeing some changes and I wanted to pass along some tips and tricks to you.

Let start with the Do Nots!

• Do Not put your hair in a ponytail or bun overnight. The hairbands pull and break the hair and creates tension on the scalp.
• Do Not Shampoo your ends or condition your roots. The dirt is at the scalp and 1 inch into the hair shaft. Scrub the scalp and the first inch of the hair through the mid shaft letting the shampoo run down to the ends. Your roots will be weighed down if you condition them causing a lack of volume in the hair.
•  For dry hair use a gentle shampoo, I prefer sulfate free,  and treat your problem with conditioner ~ use a moisture rich conditioner and a masque once a week, if you have oily hair use a shampoo and conditioner for oily hair. 
• Do Not do the towel like a turban after your shower. You hair is very fragile when it is wet. The towel is pulled tight and tugs at the fragile areas of the hair especially the crown of the hair. It can cause more breakage and you guessed it.... FRIZZ! Instead use a microfiber towel or even a t-shirt to squeeze the water out of the ends of the hair, and don't RUB!

Macadamia Oil No Tangle Brush!

DO's

• Brush your conditioner or masque through your hair while in the shower.
• Rinse the hair with a cold water wash before getting out ~ this closes the hair shaft and makes the hair smooth and shiny.
• Use a heat protectant before heat styling
• After you are  done round brushing your hair with the HOT setting, use the cold setting on the dryer to lock in the curl with the round brush ~ a little trick ;) It will set the curl.
• Don't forget to use a clarifying shampoo once per week!

Mascara Hoarder

 What is the one make up item you can't live without?  As a mom, concealer is my best friend, but  I  will leave that for another post. Today I am speaking of another dear friend, mascara. I love it. I am a mascara hoarder. I love to try new ones, high end and drug store, and this is what I have come to realize.  Why spend $30 dollars on a high end mascara when it dries out within a month, and you have to replace it! There are so many drugstore good quality mascaras out there that give great volume and length without the $25 to $32 dollar price tag. For around $8 dollars, you can have a great mascara.

I  do still love a high end mascara, My all time favorite mascara is Dior Show. However, in the picture above I have Dior Ionic over curl. I just bought it so we will see if I will keep it or exchange it for regular Dior Show.

Everyone looks for something different in a mascara, so my favorite may not be your favorite. I do not like my lashes to feel crunchy or clump together making you look like you have 2 eyelashes because they are all stuck together,  NOT CUTE!  Or, one that flakes all over your face. Double NOT CUTE! I like them soft with volume, length and curl. That's it, is that too hard? No, it is not and there are some great ones just as far as CVS or Walgreens. So grab yourself a Starbucks, head on over to the drugstore and treat yourself to a new mascara, or two!

Drug store mascara all time favorites:

Maybelline the falsies flared

L'OREAL Telescopic  I have the new on the shocking extensions, and really like it :)

L'OREAL Voluminous Carbon Black

Maybelline The Rocket

High End Mascara All Time Favorite:

DoirShow Mascara

DIY Beauty Survival Kit!

Just SOME of the items in my Kit, more items listed below.

The picture is upside down ~ for the life of me I tried to get it straight. I't would not cooperate and I have no patience for it! You get it right?

How cute are those little mini beauty survival kits! The are so cute but why buy one when they are so easy to create yourself and so much fun to put together! You can customize them to your needs and always be prepared. How often do you find yourself having food in your teeth and you are at a stoplight searching in your center console  of your car looking for a business card to scrape it out with? Is that just me? Probably.  How often are you going somewhere important and notice that you have a spot on your blouse, probably from fixing the kids a quick dinner before making it out the door, and no time to figure out a new outfit! Or that little stray hair on your eyebrow that is driving you crazy and you can't wait for the next red light to pluck it.  Still just me? Probably.  Well, at least you know that I am a multi tasker and don't waste any time! And, now you know what I do when I'm at stoplight if you ever see me, and I don't look over to wave, I am busy not only looking for food in my teeth but plucking my eyebrows too! Hey, natural light is best! :)

Now onto the fun part ~ Putting together your very own Beauty Survival kit for your purse.
 If you have a huge bag like me, you can make two and separate the "beauty" type stuff from the
"first aid" type stuff. What ever you want~ it's your little kit!

1. Get yourself a cute small make up bag or two!
2. Tide to go ( for the stains)
3. Chapstick or clear lip gloss ( for dry lips of course)
4. A saftey pin ( you never know)
5. A nail polish remover wipe!  A GREAT BRAND is La Fresh
6. Mini hand sanitizer
7. A tampon
8. A hair tie
9. Hand/ body lotion ( a small travel size) 
10. Tweezers
11. Individual deodorant towelette
12. Single use tooth flossers
13.  Listerine breath strips or breath freshener 
14. I even carry the single tooth brushes! Comes in handy when  going out and I ask the kids, "who didn't remember to brush their teeth?"... always a "me" will follow.
15. Tylenol or advil ( not the whole bottle, just a small container of about 5, a zip lock bag works too)
16. Kids pepto chewables ( for tummy aches)
17. Bandaids
18. Neosporin to go
19. Benadryl itch relief stick ( I get eaten alive by mosquitos and so do my kids!)
20. Single dose Benadryl... ( I have peanut allergy kids) find at CVS only

 * replenish as you use your items, and guess what, you will always feel prepared. Now that is a great feeling for anyone!

A tinted balm, good for the beach

This is Bobbi Brown's Extra Tinted Balm SPF 25.  It is a tinted balm that is ultra rich and full of moisture. It gives very sheer to light coverage. I picked this up because we are going to the beach and it is a great balm to wear when you are out for a day at the pool or the beach. I wear sunscreen under it and put this on top. It evens out the skin tone and looks like you are wearing no make up at all. Very super natural and has the added benefit of SPF plus some other wonderful ingredients.

 I would not recommend wearing this as a your daily tinted moisturizer, or in replacement of a foundation, but I am sure people do.  It smells kind of "beachy" and soaks into the skin nicely.  The cost is pricey, but one jar will last forever. As I have said before, I have dry skin so my skin likes a product like this, so if you tend to be oily, this is probably not the product for you!  This balm is enriched with shea butter, glycerine, and squalane that deeply moisturize. Also, vitamin A and carrot extract that reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles. In addition it has angelica seed and chamomile oil to help soothe and calm the skin.

Nobody wants a full face of make up at the pool or beach and this product won't make you feel like you have anything on.  It is like a scented, tinted sunscreen. It makes the skin dewy with a nice color finish and protected at the same time ~ who does't want that? It's better than having a pale sunscreen face right?

Happy First Day of Summer!

my fab four!

I wanted to share with you today some favorite products for the hair. Since my hair is color treated ( highlighted) and damaged, I am on a mission to get it in better condition.  I use products that treat these issues.  So here we go..... this is what we want to accomplish~ Cleanse, Treat, and Prime. What does that mean? Shampoo and Condition, then apply your heat protectant followed by your serum. Then after blowdrying, apply a polishing balm, or whatever you prefer. I have tried MANY and I tend to go for a cream shine product instead of the spray shine. For the simple fact that I do not like my hair to feel oily and I have more control with a cream.  If you do like a shine spray, a way to control the amount you spray is to spray the product on your hand and then run it through your hair avoiding the roots. You can purchase Kerestase and Redken at your favorite salon, or online.

~ The Kerastase is the higher price point, the Redken is a great alternative at a lower price.

Here is my current hair care routine:

1. Cleanse: Kerestase Bain Force Architecte alternating with Bain Chroma Riche

2. Treat:  Kerestase Masque Force Architecte

3. Prime : This is when you need 2 important products. One being a heat protectant to protect the hair before blow drying or heat styling. Second, is a serum, to polish the hair, seal it, make it soft and shiny.

Nectar Thermique ( heat protectant) OR Redken Satin Wear Blow Dry Lotion

Elixer Ultime or Elixer Ultime Rose Millenaire ( serum)

4. Finishing products:  Hairspray favorite is Kerestase Double Force
looking for a drugstore favorite? It will always be  Loreal Elnett my husband swears by it and I must say I like it a lot and I am picky with spray, okay, I am very picky with spray all products. I don't like my hair to feel oily, dirty, or stiff.  When I need some hold these two hairsprays are the only ones I will reach for.

5. Shine: Redken outshine. I love this cream shine product. It is not heavy and gives the hair a nice sheen, a polished look, without feeling heavy or looking greasy.

Hope this helps make you hair sleek and shiny!

Pedicure Picks

Toes in the sand! It's almost time :) I always tend to do my own toes and nails, I don't always make it to get a pedicure! But, it's fun to have a girls night and paint your own nails and toes! :) My girls love it, and we normally do it together.  I have selected a few colors that the girls and I think are great for summer nails and toes and wanted to share with you! What are some of your favorite colors? Leave a comment below! In addition to the colors above, a great orange is Orly's "Tangerine" nice and bright for the toes!



Essie: Watermelon

Essie: Cute as a button

Essie: boom boom room ( boom boom room has been really hard to find! I found Revlon's Bubbly to be a nice dupe!)

Orly: Gumdrop

Orly: Tangerine

Not my nails, but how cute??

Detox Water

Essence water, or "spa" water is so easy to make and very detoxifying for the body. Making your own infuses more of the fruit and herbs releasing the vital nutrients, so when you can make your own is more beneficial. It becomes more of a "detox water".  However, if you are in the mood for just a flavored water, with no added ingredients such as sugar, calories etc.. Hint water is a good choice.

  I buy  the "hint" brand of water from my local health food store in flavors that I can't make fresh, such as watermelon or honeydew hibiscus, hint has lots of nice flavor combinations. But, you can make a whole pitcher of your own flavor infused "Spa" water and the whole family can enjoy it. The only thing I recommend is buying organic produce especially since they will be sitting in the water.  Or, an alternative is to purchase a fruit infusion pitcher.

~ I also add ginger to mine ~ I just LOVE ginger, but if you leave it out, it's just as good!

P.S. I have read that mint hinders milk supply so breast feeders beware!

You will need:

2 liters water
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
6 mint leaves

~ and a pitcher! 

Lemons add Vitamin C, Potassium, balances ph levels and aids in digestion. they hydrate and detoxify the body. Cucumbers have vitamin C, K, A,  iron, potassium, hydrate the body and are a diuretics. 

Mint aids in digestion and is very soothing, plus, it makes your breath fresh! Ginger, aids in digestion, is anti- inflammatory and has multiple medicinal benefits, it is truly an amazing herb to add into your diet. It is strong and not for everyones palate, so use sparingly especially for kids, they find it very spicy, most don't like it!

Friday Favorite Urban Decay Flushed

Happy Friday Everyone! This Friday's favorite is a make-up favorite. It is a fairly new product from Urban Decay that launched January. 2013. I love the Urban Decay Naked Palette, so when they came out with this bronzer, highlighter & blush palette I was excited to try it out.

 It is  $30.00 and  includes a bronzer (described as a sheer medium bronze satin), highlighter (described as a soft pink champagne shimmer), and blush (described as a dusty rose satin with a hint of shimmer). Honestly, I like the blush and the highlighter a lot. The bronzer is actually really sheer with not the strongest color payoff, but I still like it.  You can actually tell in the picture above, the pigment of the blush is great as well as the highlighter, and the bronzer very sheer and natural. You can apply the colors separate; the bronzer to contour, the blush on the apples of the cheeks and the highlighter on your cheekbones and in the corners of the eyes, or swipe them all together to apply. Whatever you wish works and will look beautiful. 

Palettes are perfect when packing your make- up for summer vacations.  They are super convenient  and reduce the amount of products you have to bring along. If you are looking to downsize the amount of make-up you pack while traveling, I suggest you try out this  naked flushed palette, it replaces the need to pack a separate bronzer, highlighter and blush and it is really pretty.

Have a great weekend!