Mini SS Review : MAC

Happy Weekend & Happy March kitty-cats and hood-rats! I am here today to send out a mini review on TWO products I think you need to add to your arsenal.....ASAP ;) Consider this a review and a favorites during the month of February, considering I purchased them a solid two (ok, three) weeks ago. Failed blogger much?!

I love beauty and hoarding products as much as the next superficial bitch, but I have never actually purchased MAC products before. Sure, I've stolen an eyeshadow or blush from my sister one or ten times, but that doesn't equate to actually owning my own items...until just recently. Here are the three I purchased on mere impulse.

First & foremost, I already send this review was on TWO products, but there are three shown here. WELL, dear readers, I am returning the foundation after only one use. I wanted so badly to love this Pro Longwear Foundation after hearing such rave reviews, but I think MAC's foundation colors are just too dark for my paler complexion. Also, the consistency felt tacky after a bit of time on my face. I went back to my Revlon ColorStay for my date night after wearing the MAC all day and my skin looked so much better. I swear, I have yet to find a department store foundation that I love as much as my drugstore Revlon and Maybelline products, fo' reals!
What are your thoughts on Clinique's EvenBetter Foundation (what I was going to buy before my MAC splurge)? My sister is a fan, but I didn't know if anyone out there had something negative to say about it. A foundation that works as skincare and isn't a BB cream is a-ok in my book! I may give it a try.....we'll see.

My MAC impulsive splurge wasn't completely lost, though, oh no, hunnies! I also bought the SkinFinish Natural in Light Plus and I cannot put into words how obsessed I am over this product -- it is unbelievable! It sets my foundation to last all day and it's never too cakey or chalky, even if I accidently put too much on my brush. It blends flawlessly, covers beautifully, and I don't even really need concealer after using it. If you have yet to buy a MAC product or you just are in the market for a new setting powder, THIS is the powder to buy. It makes my MUFE HD powder look like a whimpy bitch, no joke. Run to your MAC counter/store and buy this!

Now that I am back to my blonde locks (and damnit, it feels SO good!), I realize my lip colors from my brunette/auburn days only work if I add a bit of bronzer to my face.....which I habe been much to lazy to do lately. I wanted a lip balm that was a bit like a lipstick and the lip butters were recently sold out at my Target, and there I was in front of MAC's Sheen Supreme colors.......and found my darling, literally. Ultra Darling is the cutest stinking color out there right now, hands down. No matter how light or heavy of a hand I use to apply it, it always looks good! I have been applying it over my BabyLips balm (which is the best damn $2 I've ever spent!!) and it makes my lips look fuller and so healthy, I have used it consistently everyday since buying it and I cannot imagine life without it now! Really, even if the color isn't for you, buy another Sheen Supreme Lipstick, because they are fantastic.....I myself plan on finding another shade to enjoy just as my asmy pink darling ;)

There you have it, my two new favorite products. Please do yourself a favor and grab a Natural SkinFinish and a Sheen Supreme Lipstick in your favorite shade. You will not be disappointed in the slightest. After all, SS would never point you in the wrong direction ;) I got yo' back, bias!


Until next time, farewell pretty faces and beautiful people...............................

Superficial Review : Get Thirsty

It may have been the HH cocktails talking or perhaps just actual dehydration (from said cocktails....), but I had dreams last night.....about drinking water. No, no, not like dreams of me under waterfalls in wonderful lands, taking in all the freshness of the natural surroundings. An actual dream of yours truly, sitting at a plain desk, in a plain white room, chugging water bottle after water bottle. YEAH. It happened. Oddly enough (as if the dream itself wasn't the odd part!), I woke up after about the third chugged H2O bottle and went downstairs to drink.....vegetable juice.

I never cease to amaze myself.

Why talk about this dream and risk losing many followers out of the sheer fact that I am, in fact, not normal? Because it has to do with my latest review! Just go with me here, people.....

After a solid week (and some change) I have been using a new cleanser. In case you're new (welcome!) or just not too bright (sorry!), you should know that I love myself a good scrub. I need to feel the grit, the grime, the feeling of it sloughing away anything but pure beauty (ok, so I'm exaggerating here, whatevs).....but my new cleanser is the exact opposite!

I give you my review on..... 

IMMEDIATE THOUGHTS:

"What is that smell?!"
"Shit, I just got that up my nose, gross."

"Did I not use enough?" 

"Screw it, just wash it off."

"Oooh, I suddenly feel fresh."

PROS:

Clean-zee-ness (If you don't watch RHONJ you won't get that last word....sorry!) - This is truly a "purifying" cleanser in the sense that it doesn't have shit in it, it's got a clean track record! No parabens, no sulfates, no silicones, nadda. Definitely one of the best factors to this BB cleanser.

CONS:

Invisibility Cloak - I am an HP gal as much as the next bitch, but I am not so keen on my cleanser doing the disappearing act. (Cue H2O dream....) This feels like WATER, screw the "gel" name. It foams ever so lightly if I vigorously scrub my hands together with it before washing my face. It squirts out like I'm using a water gun and no offense, those things have pissed me off ever since they came in our "favor" bags at family reunions and my dad and brother just destroyed us with them and I was left with soaking wet clothes (add that to top-five pet peeves of all time!) 

GOOD FOR:
Those who have the occasional skin issue. It could potentially cause dryness for those with normal/dry skin, but I'm on the combo side and with the right moisturizer, I don't see an issue. If you have more than the occasional skin problems, this seems too weak to do the trick!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

It works.

You can't tell that it's working.

But it does work.

Because my skin is smooth.

The smell is still there.

But it isn't so bad anymore.

Unless you like smelling like an odd medicine.

Like bark and calamine lotion combined.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

FINAL GRADE: B+....the only reason this isn't getting my 100% teacher approval is because of the smell and it's non-foaming factor. I like water (as I've clearly displayed in my dreams) but not for a face wash. The smell is fine not a deal breaker, if I could just stop accidentally getting it up my nose (failure).

I give it a B+ because it's like a student I had that tried really hard to do well in my class, but then just seemed sort of like a douche when I'd see said student trying really hard to impress girls. Just do you work, don't annoy me (or high school skanks) in the process....got it Burt's Bees? Thanks.

I'll still use it, don't get me wrong, but I'm still on the hunt for a cleanser that is like Philosophy's Purity (which actually does have parabens in it....shit!) but does the work of a medicinal cleanser like my Yes To Tomatoes or Neutrogena scrubs. Here's to the search.....once my spending freeze is over. Damn. Any suggestions?

What are your thoughts on "water" cleansers? Or just on Burt's Bees products in general? I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments!

Does anyone else have odd water dreams or are you also plagued by water guns, small and/or large? No? No one? Really? Just me? Cool, cool.....

Until next time, happy bloggin' lovahs.....

Superficial Skin : Review Time!

I'm back, bitches! ("Uhhh you just posted yesterday...") Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm back in the sense of beauty, though! Yesterday's post was all about something entirely unrelated to my usual shtick, and I'm still looking for more info and app ideas so if you haven't read the post yet, do it nowwww! (Read, commented? Great!) I'm slowly but surely building a fantastic phone, and I think this little dude and I are becoming fast friends.

I came back to do a review on a product that I (and I hope for the sake of this entry that also YOU) know little to nothing about.

Drum roll please....

"YES TO TOMATOES DAILY PORE SCRUB"

Let's break down the good, the bad, and the (maybe) ugly.

First & Foremost....This product feels like it's working. I've never been a foaming cleanser type unless it is to just remove my makeup. I like a bit more punch for my actual cleanser. I have said in several other posts that I was using Neutrogena's Stress Control Scrub for quite some time, but I was just in the market for something new but not drastically different. It was a creamier scrub, more like a thick cleanser with exfoliating beads thrown in. THIS scrub, however, has a lot more grit.

It feels like : salt or sugar mixed with water.
It smells like : so mild you can hardly tell, but I accidentally got it up my nose (awesome job) and it smells like the Earth, raw and natural.

PERKS
1. It is 97% natural AND paraben-free...woo! I am not the "use everything organic" gal but I'm certainly not opposed to using a product that boasts natural ingredients like bamboo, tomatoes (duh), and fruit acids to help control the oil production on your face.
2. It leaves a very soft finish behind; almost as if when you rinse it off, you just moisturized, too, if that makes sense.
3. After almost a solid week of use (or five days...whatever), it has already helped the mini breakouts on my skin. It definitely does work and it seems to complement my MB drying lotion and vitamin E lotion very well.
*Note : The mini breakouts came from using Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse Blush. I didn't look at the ingredients when buying it about three months ago and have used it maybe three times total (the last time being last week) but WOW, it has tons and tons of parabens and silicone ingredients...like, way more than any one tiny little blush container should have...tossed it right then and there! You've been warned....(read THIS post for more information on skin busters!)

NOT-SO PERKY
1. Rinsing it off can be a hassle....be sure to splash your face and ensure that all the grain and grit is off your face before drying and adding your moisturizer. Otherwise, you'll be rubbing the grainy stuff in still and that'll just cause irritation.
2. It's $10 for a 4 ounce container. My Neutrogena cleanser was a smidgen bigger at 4.2 ounces and it was half the price. I don't mind spending $10 every so often for it (if I plan to stay with it), but it could be a deal-breaker for others...and a blow to my beauty ego when I realize I'm paying more for less product.
3. I would only use this scrub if you do not have large areas of breakouts. It seems like it would irritate the larger, cystic-like breakouts even if it does say it's gentle enough for daily use.

OVERALL RATING
8.43 out of 10 >> Why? Well, it not only feels like it's working but it shows proof that the little grains and grit are hard at work fighting the oil and bacteria on your skin. I'd like it to have a better smell and cheaper price, but that's really all I can find that busted its final grade.
NOTE: My local Target had a "Starter Kit" for the "Yes to Tomatoes" line which is an acne-fighting collection, so if you're interested in trying out the whole package (I almost did!), they're selling four products for $30. Check out your Target if you think you'd like to try out the whole line.

Think you'll plan on trying it out? If you've been using the same old cleanser for over a year, switch it up! Just like everything else in life, change is needed to see new results. Your skin will thank you for feeding it something good (and natural!) Let me know if you plan on trying it or even write a review on your own for this product; I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts!

Until next time, enjoy yourselves...

Superficial Skin : Enemies & Friends

Stress is usually the #1 suspect when my skin strays from serenity (nice alliteration, right?) but now that my college days are (somewhat far) behind me and I'm no longer freaking over finals, ranting with roommates, or busying myself with boys, my skin has had the chance to calm down. Plus, it doesn't hurt that I've gotten smarter since my freshman days in college where I would slap just about anything on my face...ugh, I currently shutter at the thought!

Here's a (somewhat) simple post of what didn't help my skin in college and what saves it now!

Skin Busters...The Enemies!

1. Mineral Oil - Rarely put in products now (phew!) but it can mostly be found in sunscreens, lotions, and makeup removers, so beware! Not all oils are bad (even for oily skin gals) but this one is certainly a pore-clogging whore. Stay away.
WATCH OUT FOR THIS IN: NARS Cleansing Oil
2. Silicone - Ever wonder why your primer was causing breakouts, perhaps, even though it was oil-free? This won't be seen on an ingredient list, but it's conspirators will; watch out for Dimethicone and words that end in "cone" because even though they can suck oil out from your face (which helps your makeup last longer), they can bring about breakouts with it. Silicone is meant to sit on your skin to keep in moisture, but it also keeps in any excess oil or debris on your face, clogging it in a secret, sneaky way. It doesn't make everyone breakout, but it created small whiteheads for me on my nose and chin. PRIMERS have a ton of silicone ingredients so that it has the silky finish and texture that most primers boast, but I'd rather opt out of primer (kind of sounds like optimus prime, hah! ok...I thought it was funny, anyway...) than worry about small, pesky whiteheads. Anyone know of a water-based primer that doesn't have this culprit?
WATCH OUT FOR THIS IN: Bare Minerals Prime-Time Primer
3. Parabens - These are nearly impossible to avoid, so like almost everything in life (except for coffee, shopping, and wrestling in the sheets), take these in moderation. They shouldn't harm you unless you already have skin issues, because parabens tend to only make matters worse without actually creating any issues in the first place. They won't cause the breakout, but rather, make it last longer if it is already there. I noticed this in college when I was using a foundation that had a ton of ingredients that ended in "paraben" (similar to silicone, it won't be listed alone but rather at the end of other big, fancy names) and my breakouts were getting worse instead of getting better, despite my routines to avoid breakouts. I actually use a foundation now that has parabens, but like I said, if there isn't a problem already, this one won't cause much trouble, and it really only creates an issue for your skin if the paraben party on the ingredient list exceeds one.
WATCH OUT FOR THIS IN: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

Skin Savers...My Best Beauty Friends!

1. Vitamin E - I noticed that when I started using a Vitamin E night cream at the beginning of this year, my face was cheery as hell. My combo skin practically turned normal and the issues were few and far between. This is great, too, for those gals that pop their breakouts and are left with scarring (apply pure vitamin E during those beauty-mishap moments). It helps with almost any skin issue. I just pop the gel pill and apply the stuff right to my face for a simple mask, but watch out..it has a gooey effect. For everyday vitamin-e use, I apply a night cream before bed.
LOOK FOR THIS: The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream, Pure Vitamin E Capsules
2. Salicylic Acid - Pretty obvious one, sure, but I apply this even when I don't have breakouts (just a thin layer every night). I was using so much benzoyl peroxide in college and it never worked for me. Why? The harshness of the product just made my irritated skin that much more irritated. You cannot overdo it when it comes to acne products; a little goes a loooong way in this case (something we all learn the hard way). I only use benzoyl peroxide now if I have one of those big, under-the-skin issues around "that time" and it helps eliminate it, but I never apply it to my entire face. I also use a 2% salicylic acid cleanser (Neutrogena Stress-Control) to keep my skin at bay.
LOOK FOR THIS: Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Wash, Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
3. Birth Control - You may have seen me discuss this very briefly in my "Bag, Bitch" post, but it fits in perfectly here. I chose to take a birth control that actually has ingredients to help curb breakouts because I'm a vain son of a bitch and wanted them all gone, gone, gone! Almost all birth controls help with breakouts to some degree, but there are only a few out there that are designed for it. It takes a few months for your skin to adjust, and I'm not without the occasional breakout around "that time" but overall, it's probably my #1 weapon against bad skin; the more specific kinds actually help your skin produce less oil, eliminating pore congestion. "Talk to your doctor to see if birth control is right for you." Ok, commercial over, channel change.
LOOK FOR THIS: Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Tri-Sprintec (generic form of Ortho)


LAST MINUTE ADVICE
ALWAYS wash (always, always, always - yes, I'm talking to YOU late-night lazies. I've been there! Break the habit!) and ALWAYS exfoliate....gently. Your face needs attention but not aggression. If you're using a scrub for your daily wash, rub it in small, slow circles to avoid unwanted redness - it's a scrub for a reason, it can do the job without you pushing it! Daily exfoliation has helped my skin tremendously, too. I flip between Philosophy's Mircodelivery ($25) and Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant ($50). Both are extremely gentle and formulated for even the most sensitive skin - yay! I cannot go a day without using one or the other, truthfully. I swear on my twin brother by both products! (Why him? We used to say that to my parents when one of us did something and tried to get out of it; "I swear on my twin sister I didn't meeeean to!" Like the time he threw a hairbrush at my head when we were jumping on our beds as little tykes and my blonde hair turned ginger from all the blood...yep. Awesome. Side rant over.)

Now I want to to know what works for you or if there are any other culprits out there I should know about? I think I've said this in past posts, but I'd rather shell out on good great skincare products and be a cheap whore thrifty when it comes to makeup; a lot of drugstore makeup boats nearly identical (good!) ingredients without the huge price tag. My top three drugstore brands are:
1. Maybelline...have yet to use their products and find an issue.
2. Neutrogena...they're the #1 dermatologist-recommended brand for a reason.
3. Physicians Formula...gentle, paraben-free, and nearly organic (nearly, not completely).

So there you have it, my superficial rant on skincare busters and savers. Every face is different but it still helps to know what works for some, and I tend to enjoy reading posts like this, so why not write one?! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the issue :)

Until next time, farewell...

My FIRST Review

I mentioned in my April Favorites how I went my whole first month of blogging without a single review - ludicrous, insanity, preposterous!

So here is my first review...keep in mind it's quite simple but also my first go at this!

SALLY HANSEN SALON EFFECTS - REAL NAIL POLISH STRIPS

(website)

I saw these in a magazine back in February and "had to have them" immediately. When I went to my local Target, they had a very limited selection left and when I went over to the local CVS, they had one decent choice so I snagged it. Since then, I've tried four different kinds and here's what I think.

I am pretty decent when it comes to painting my nails, but I'm also extremely lazy. These little bad boys are so simple to apply, it's for the lazy bitch in us who still wants to feel pretty! Here are some photos (taken from the bberry so the quality is "meh") to show you some of the "shades" I bought.

The "shades" are Misbehaved, Girl Flower, and Laced Up. These are in the order of when I wore them, too! Again, sorry my phone can't focus on close-up photos, but you get the idea!

I also bought the "Glitz Blitz" (gold glitter) and decided, on a whim, to try them out on my toes. GENIUS! It only takes three strips TOTAL to cover an entire foot (if you have really small piggies like myself, anyways). I was able to go back and use the other packet again on my toes and they have now lasted chip-free for two weeks - that's well past the "up to 10 days" that the package claims, so kudos to Sally Hansen! I also have the animal print called "Kitty, Kitty" but haven't used it yet, so in all, I've tried/purchased 5 of the 24 - gotta catch 'em all (I hope at least one person gets that reference!)

Simple Steps:
1. Wash your hands & run nail polish remover over each nail. Let dry.
2. Take the clear cover off. Apply strip to the nail.
3. Edge around the nail with the soft pink edge of the file included. (Be sure to do this enough so it easily pulls away from the nail - 3 to 4 runs of the file worked best for me.)
4. Pull the "excess" slowly away from your nail.
5. Smooth over your nail with your finger to flatten it.
(OPTIONAL) Apply top coat once all fingers are complete.

POSITIVES:
*They last for as long as the package says, if not longer - I got sick and wanted something new sooner than the actual 10 days, but they definitely do have staying power. Most of my manicures chip after only 4 days, and these never did for over a week.
*They're so FUN! They add so much flair to such a small portion of your body (that sounds awkward?! hah), so it's fun to pick a bold color/print knowing you can take them off and reapply again.
*They're as cheap as $8.50 (about the price of Essie or OPI) and give such a better effect than a normal monotone color polish - at least in my opinion!
*They can be found relatively anywhere. I have found them at Ulta, Target, CVS, Walgreens, and even Walmart. They are anywhere other nail polish is sold. They can go up to $9.99 depending on where you buy them, though, so if you're worried about price, go to Target or Walmart.
*There is no awkward hand motions for 45 minutes waiting for them to dry (you ALL know what I mean!) - they really are ready to go once you apply them, so the whole process takes less than 10 minutes. I actually showered and dried my hair after applying them the first time and my nail strips weren't affected at all.
*They really DO look like polish (They even smell like polish when you open the air-tight packaging). I felt a bit childish saying "uhh, they're strips" like those nail art strips you find next to the Lipsmackers for 10 year olds, but these look so much like the high-quality MINX manicure at such a smaller price; it looks professional and certainly not like you borrowed your little sister's nail kit.

DOWNSIDES:
*If you try to "stretch" them like it says you can, be careful! They do not have nearly as much give as they may appear to have, so it's better to just try to go "up a size" in the strips than to stretch it out.
*I have never used all of the strips. I'm usually left with 3 or 4 and can't really do anything with them. This makes the price seem a bit overzealous. NOTE: This happens even more so when you use them on your toes. Word to the wise...only open ONE packet when doing your toes and keep the other packet closed for the next go round. Once you open them, the strips dry out a bit (just like an open polish container would!), so they should be used immediately after opening or they won't stick nearly as well (learned that the hard way).
*Not the easiest to remove; definitely soak the fingers with remover before trying to wipe them away. They "peel" easier once you have remover on them though, so although it creates a bit of a mess, it's a simpler method.

BOTTOM LINE:
BUY! They are worth the $8.50 to $10 because they are so  fun! I got some many compliments on them. I still want to try the color that looks like denim ("Skinny Jeans") and the black and white version of the floral print ("Cut It Out"), because the colorful floral print was fun but a bit too young looking for me. My favorite is still "Laced Up" because it has such a gorgeous effect.

Have you tried these before? I have seen them in stock much more as of late than I did earlier in the year when I first bought Misbehaved. Try them out and let me know if you agree with my review!