Eyebrows

As I am home for the holidays and am short on time, today I am reposting an oldie but a goodie. This entry was originally posted 6/7/06. Over six months later, I am still using both products and loving them every bit as much.

I've been battling my eyebrows for years. I began plucking at 18. My brows had always been... big. However, strange as it may be although they covered a large amount of space, there was actually little hair doing so. This has made shaping a buit tricky, and has made it necessary to use brow pencils or powder of some kind. I've been using a Revlon eyebrow powder kit for longer than I care to confess (it's only been recently that I started paying attention to those so-called make-up expiration dates), but have been wanting to find something new.

I recently got a gift card to Sephora and as I was browsing around in the store yesterday one of the lovely ladies who works there pointed me towards Stila's Brow Set. She recommended it highly, and helped me pick out the best color for me. I also picked up a Sephora Eyebrow Brush to go along with it.

I used my new brow powder and brush this morning for the first time, and immediately fell in love. It went on nicer and smoother and looked more natural than my old powder ever had! I don't know if it was the powder, the brush, a combination of both, or simply using something that was nice and new and fresh, but I'm loving it. I'm not in the habit of splurging on make-up like this (the brow powder was $16 and the brush was $9) but the brush will last me for quite some time and the powder for a good 2 years or so, so I'm satisfied. I have to say, the appeal of knowledgeable staff to help you out and being able to test the products before buying are starting to convert me to slightly pricier products over the drug store brands. Plus (such a frivolous thing) the packaging tends to be so much cuter.... =P

Good Skin Megabalm Ultra Soothing Lip Treatment

I LOVE this stuff. Good Skin's Megabalm Ultra Soothing Lip Treatment$9.50) is the BEST. It's so thick that it actually has staying power, and is so amazingly glossy so can be worn during the day as a gloss on its own. I usually slather some on each night, and it's definitely helped stave off dry-lips syndrome. All last week I was fighting a cold that rendered my nose useless as a breathing device. Normally the breathing through my mouth would leave me with dry, cracked, bleeding lips. But thanks to my awesome Megabalm, all I got was a bit of dryness.

Yes, it's a bit pricey for the small tube, but I swear it's worth it!

Boi-ing!

To be honest, I've kinda been scared to try concealer. I've heard such horror stories about it caking and cracking and basically looking obvious (which kinda ruins the whole ffect of using it to begin with). So I've kinda stayed away for a while.

But then I started looking through Benefit catalogues and such, and I have such a hard time resisting their products.... So one day I went to Sephora and just tried a ton of their products (the staff there mujst've thought I was nuts, I kept running back and forth from the Benefit aisle to the mirrors to where they stashed the cotton balls and q-tips, etc). And when I tried Boi-ing($18), I was quite pleasantly surprised to notice a difference. A good one. And suddenly I just had to have it.

I got the middle shade (02) which is the one suggested for anyone who isn't super light- or dark-complected, and I've been gloriously happy with it. It has NEVER caked or creased or cracked on me. By the end of the day it usually looks the same as it did when I put it on that morning. Sometimes I use my fingers to dot it under my eyes, sometimes I use my concealer brush, the effect is mostly the same either way.

Basically.. this stuff is awesome. And it certainly was a lifesaver for me recently, when my girl friend and I went to Vegas for the weekend and I had to cover up the massive circles under my eyes from getting absolutely no sleep. ; )

PS- In case you need an excuse to buy Benefit products, they're currently giving away a free Color Plump pencil with any orders of $65 or more. Check out the website for more details!

Lend Me a Hand

My hands always get dry and chapped every winter. I mean, they get bad-- to the point that putting lotion on stings. It must be a combination of the cold weather, heaters, and washing my hands every 10 minutes at work every day. Thus every winter I'm faced with the struggle to find a hand lotion that could work small miracles for me, but usually to no avail-- I still end up with chapped, cracked hands.

Last year I made a startling discovery though-- Hemp Hand Protector ($6 for 1.25oz) from The Body Shop. When I spread some of the tester onto my chapped hands, I felt immediate relief, that lasted. I used it constantly after that, though by then temperatures were already rising again and I was needing it less and less.

Well, as of this month I started noticing my hands feeling dryer again. I tried to put hand lotion on after each time I washed my hands at work (Bath & Body Works Hand Repair Healing Hand Cream, $12 or buy 3 get 1 free) which helped, but couldn't do enough. Then I re-discovered my Hemp lotion, and started using it every night before I went to bed-- and immediately I noticed a difference in my hands. Now I hardly even need to use lotion during the day, even after washing my hands so often. I'm amazed, to say the least. Now, this hand lotion can feel a bit greasy after I put it on, but that's why it's perfect for beditme-- I let it sink in overnight, and I get to enjoy soft, happy hands all day long!

Hemp Hand Protector, you are my savior.

Revlon Super Lustrous Goodies

I've been a fan of Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick ($7.99 at drugstore.com) for ages. I've had at least a couple tubes of it in my makeup bag ever since I started accumulating makeup (my current faves are Smoky Violet and Plum Baby). It's smooth, creamy, has beautiful colors to choose from, and has great staying power. What's not to love?

So really, it should be no real surprise that when I finally got around to trying their Super Lustrous Lipgloss ($6.19 at drugstore.com), I fell in love with it, too! I'm not sure why I hesitated for so long... maybe because of my ability to immediately become incredibly undecisive when faced with several color choices when trying a new product? I don't know. Anyway, I finally bought it (in Shine City), and I love it! Very light and non-sticky. I think this may be my new favorite lipgloss. I've been considering going out and buying another tube, just so I can keep one with my makeup at home and one in my purse. Which, at $6, won't break the bank... something I always appreciate in makeup! ; )

Neutrogena Mineral Sheers for Eyes

Several weeks ago I bought Neutrogena Mineral Sheers for Eyes in Shell ($7.99). I swear, I have used it almost every day since then! I LOVE the lighter color of the duo, I apply it to my lips and they instantly looks perked up, more awake, yet it's natural enough that it could potentially pass as no makeup at all. Last week I went ahead and bought another Mineral Sheers eyeshadow, in Stone (a purpleish duo) and have been very pleased with it, as well.

The colors are true to their name-- they are very sheer. But it's kinda nice that way, they just give a nice, light wash of color. And the staying power is pretty decent-- I put my makeup on at 8am and it's still there by mid-afternoon, and later.

I'm also partial to the packaging, with the slide-out cover. It's quite cute. ; )

Best of Sephora 2006, PLUS Sephora Blog!

I recently went over to the Sephora website to discover their new homepage listing all their Best Products (voted on by 150,000 Sephora shoppers)! Check out results such as Best Cleanser (Philosophy Purity Made Simple), or Best Lipstick (Nars Lipstick in Dolce Vita). And there's much, MUCH more where that came from!

AND get this... Last week Sephora launched its own Beauty BLOG! You bet your booty I'm adding them to my bookmarks list!

Is it silly how excited these 2 findings have made me? I'm positively giddy... lol! I guess that's what a growing addiction to beauty products will do to ya... ; )

Campaign for Real Beauty

I LOVE Dove's new ad campaign. I remember seeing the first of their Campaign for Real Beauty ads in a fashion magazine several months back and thinking "Hooray!" In the era of Mischa Barton, Nicole Ritchie, and The Olsen Twins, it's nice to see images of real females, with real bodies, not only being displayed but being celebrated!

I'm tired of hearing my gorgeous girl friends complaining about their bodies. I'm tired of seeing Hollywood actresses tout their refusal to "conform to the standards of Hollywood" one day, and revealing their secrets to super-slim downs the next. It's ridiculous the standards we set for ourselves!

Dove is not only taking a risk by choosing this alternative model type (which is fabulous, by the way) but they are also taking strides to help girls all over the world gain better self-confidence and feel better about themselves in general. According to a world-wide poll by Dove, almost 70% of women ages 15-64 have withdrawn from life-engaging activities because of their negative views of themselves and their bodies. As a response, Dove has created their Self-Esteem Fund, and has tools available on its website (a downloadable workbook, ideas and exercises) to help mothers and daughters (almost 70% of teenage girls reported that their mothers have an influence their feelings about themselves and their beauty) reconnect and feel better about themselves.



I applaud Dove for celebrating all the various shapes and sizes we come in, and taking the steps to help our young women attain better and healthier views of their bodies. Perhaps If Dina Lohan can snap out of her desire to be 21 again, she can look up some of these tools and help save her daughter from a drunken and undernourished demise....

The Beauty Brains (my new fave site)

I found this website (thanks to Delightful Blogs) last night, and have hardly been able to tear myself away from it since! (ok, so I slept for a few hours between perusing it last night and this morning...) The bloggers behind The Beauty Brains are professional cosmetic chemists whose job is to create and test different beauty products. Their blog is a series of question-and-answer posts about everything from shampoos and conditioners to makeup, and how it all works. This site is AMAZING! I keep clicking through their old posts and learning all sorts of new things! For example:

What are the best cheap hair care formulas?
Are expensive beauty products really worth it?
What do antioxidants and vitami C really do for your skin?
Do sunscreens work on hair?
How well do anti-aging products really work?
Are salon products sold at Target, etc, trustworthy?

And much, much, much, much, MUCH more. There's also a link to a cosmetics ingredients dictionary, and general info on how products like shampoos, conditioners, face lotions, etc actually work. This is a great site to get information on what's behind the marketing ploys of different new products, and how to educate yourself to be a better, smarter consumer so you can known what you're buying and get what you want. Go check them out!!

The Brush Off

We all know the importance of a good set of makeup brushes. They help make application easier, smoother, more pleasant (hello super soft brushes!). Here's 2 makeup brush kits that are both adorable and good buys, both from Sephora:


My husband got me this Two Tone Portfolio Brush Set ($42) for christmas last year (yay amazon.com wishlists!). It's a great deal when you consider that you're getting 6 quality brushes plus the cute carrying case. The kit includes a blush brush, a powder/bronzer brush, a lip brush, a concealer brush, an eyeshadow brush, and an eye countouring brush. I use these brushes almost exclusively now, abandoning my old drugstore-bought brushes.



This other set (Mini Clear Brush Set, $6) I just found on monday... and immediately bought it. This set includes a mini blush brush, eye shadow brush, eye shadow applicator, eyeliner brush, and lip brush. Ok, so the "blush brush" is probably too small to actually use, but all the others should still work fine even though they're so small. And the case itself is only about 3 inches long, so it's absolutely perfect for stashing in your makeup bag when you're travelling. Plus, it's only $6. You can't beat that.

I have a couple other beauty buys from today, including the Benefit Bright Eye pencil and Maybelline Great Lash mascara that I snagged at Target for under $4. Those reviews will be coming soon. ; )

Flirt! SEE-YA Makeup Remover

I've tried various different eye makeup removers, from cheaper brands (like Neutrogena) to more expensive ones (like a sample of a Laura Mercier makeup remover a friend gave me) to good old-fashioned baby oil, and the one I keep coming back to is Flirt! SEE-YA Makeup Remover ($10 at Kohls stores or kohls.com). It removes my eye makeup quickly and easily, without feeling oily or leaving a greasy residue on my eyes. I normally am a product chameleon, trying one thing for a while then getting bored and trying some other brand or formula. But this makeup remover is one of those rare tried-and-true beauty products that I have remained faithful to for some time now.

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask

If you use any sort of heat styling on your hair (or you simply have dry, delicate strands) it is imperative that you use a deep conditioner once a week. Ever since I've started using one, I've noticed that the number os split ends I get has been reduced to nearly zero, and my hair just feels softer and healthier overall.

My favorite deep conditioner is Neutrogena's Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask ($6 at drugstores). It's inexpensive, feels nice and rich going on, makes my hair feel unbelieveable soft and silky after rinsing it out, and just makes my hair feel so much nicer in general. I've briefly tried other deep conditioners to see what else is out there, but this one is by far my fave. Yet another success by Neutrogena.

I normally would have a really hard time trying to keep track of when I did x, y, or z for the week so I was initially unsure of how well I'd remember to use this conditioner once each week. What I've found really works is to use it on sunday night (or whenever night I wash my hair that's closest to the weekend/beginning of new week border). The switch from one week to the next is enough of an "event" at the end of each weekend that I can attach this little extra shower routine to it and can remember to do it a bit more easily. This is what works for me, y'all can certainly figure out what works best for you and your beauty routine. =)

Neutrogena Clean Lash Tint

My eyes can be kinda sensitive at times, and I've found that many mascara formulations will irritate them. Thus I don't wear mascara very often. But I still occasionally try to find products that will work for me, when I want that extra lash "oomph." One of my more recent tries has been Neutrogena's Clean Lash Tint mascara ($7.99 at drugstores). It promises to go on clean and clump-free, have vitamins and proteins to help keep lashes healthy, and be safe for contact lens wearers and those of us with sensitive eyes.

Upon using it I found it gave my lashes as bit of extra body, made them a bit more noticeable. It's not a huge difference, but that's kinda nice because it still looks natural (as opposed to other mascaras that leave that I'm-obviously-wearing-mascara look). And it doesn't seem to bother my eyes at all. Perhaps I'll get into the habit of using mascara more often.... ; )

Beach Hair

I have been loving the whole beachy hair trend that's been going on for the past year. it allows me to wear my wavy/curly hair naturally and still be stylish! My favorite hair product all last summer was John Frieda's Beach Blonde Ocean Waves Sea Spray.

I would simply let my hair airdry overnight, then in the morning I'd spray a bit of this texturizing spray over it and voila! I had easy breezy beach hair.

I've been quite dissappointed recently to find out that this product has either been discontinued or for some other reason seems to have become very hard to find. =( In trying to find a replacement I tried out John Frieda Sheer Blonde Tousled Tresses Fine-Mist Wax , but all it seemed to do was make my hair look like it badly needed a wash.

Today while shopping at Long's Drugs I found this: Garnier Fructis Style Surf Hair Texturizing Spray. It makes the same promises as my beloved Ocean Waves Spray did. At $3.99 for the bottle, I decided to give it a shot. As soon as I got home I sprayed it in my hair, and I have to say I'm fairly pleased-- it gave my hair a bit of texture without feeling sticky or making my hair look greasy. I'll have to give it a few more tests (i.e. wear it out a few times, see how my hair behaves) before giving a deifinitve answer, but so far so good! Yay!

My Favorite Shadow

(Photo courtesy of Ulta.com)

I am still very much upset that there are no Ulta stores close by me here in Cali. It's usually one of my must-see stops when I go home to Austin to visit the fam. One of the things I love about Ulta is their Ulta brand of make-up, particularly their eyeshadows. They have TONS of absolutely gorgeous colors available for testing and playing around with, and the best part is that almost every time I go there they have a 2-for-1 special going on. This means I can buy 2 eyeshadows for $6.50. That is friggin sweet.

My current go-to eyeshadow is pictured above, Lustre. It's always kinda hard to tell from a computer picture, but this color is absolutely fantabulous. It's a shimmery gold, which I never thought I would like this much. The thing about it is it's not obnoxiously or even obviously gold-toned when it's on. It's actually very subtle, simply giving me enough shimmer on my eyelids to enhance and bring focus up to my eyes (especially when paired with my current favorite eyeliner, Flirt!'s Look of Love Eyeliner Pencil in Purple Rain). It's the perfect look for a subtle-and-natural-yet-still-sexy summer look.