Almay One Coat Get Up & Grow - Blackest Black

My lash prior to mascara

After mascara application

I was trolling around my local drugstore looking for a new mascara and well, to see if anything was on sale. Because nothing beats getting more makeup for less money. I don’t have glamorous long eyelashes so when I  saw this anti breakage and pro-vitamin enriched mascara that promised to make your lashes to be longer and stronger, I knew I had to get it. The inky black formula went on smoothly but it smudge like crazy and was impossible to remove before going to bed.  The mascara didn’t make my lashes longer, fuller or thicker even with regular usage. I wasn’t quite fond if the mascara and probably won’t be buying it again.

Sundari Gotu Kola and Walnut Body Exfoliator

 

Photo Source: Sundari

This spicy citrus scent body exfoliator uses natural ingredients to exfoliate, firm, and regenerate skin. The body exfoliator is packed with Walnut Shell Powder, Gotu Kola [no idea what that is...], Rosehip and cardamon oils. The scrub felt a bit drier than I expected but I was quite happily surprised when  I found out it foams generously. I love how soft and smooth my skin felt. I didn’t notice my skin any firmer but that’s okay because I only used this product once so far. I did love how buttery soft and smooth my felt after applying L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream. I will definitely use this again for Spa Day Sunday.

OPI Nail Lacquer Shatter - White

Before the Shatter [Sienna]Julep Nail Polish - Sienna

It reminds be of birch wood.

I recently went shopping to my local drugstore and saw these on sale for $4.99 and decided to pick up a  couple of colors. I was actually quite surprised they still made these but guessing these are no longer on trend. The color was a bit a bit streaky and watery [I guess that's why it is on sale]. The "shatter" effect doesn't last very long, I am guessing because the polish is old but I do like the effect. I used Julep Nail Polish - Sienna  underneath the white shatter.

Glamour February 2014

Shake-Up Your Makeup -

1. Violet Eyeliner

2. Two tone nails

3. Look - at - Me Nails

4. Super Coral Cheeks

5.  Major Blue Eyes

InStyle January 2014

Find Your Perfect Midi Dress

1.The Cut - ideally, the hem should hit where your leg starts to slim, slightly below the widest part of the calf. Taller can carry off any look [straight silhouettes are particularly flattering]. If you’re petite, a pleated skirt will add some shape. Got curve? Choose a skirt with volume [think A-line] for a wasp like waist.

2. The Fit  - Longer dresses need to be fitted to keep them from looking dowdy.

3. The Shoes - since midis cut across your calves, they can make legs appear shorter.  Heels - ladylike pumps or over the knee boots - are a must.

Hello, Cheekbones!

1. Hit first base - and second. Along T-zone area and up to the tops of your cheekbones, apply a foundation that’s the same color as your skin. Next, add a second foundation, just one shade deeper, to the hollows of your cheeks. Blend both shades for a seamless finish.

2. Contour the hollow - dust a shimmery bronzing powder just beneath the cheekbones for more dimension.

3. Let it pop - the final move: make the apples of your cheeks stand out with a hint of peachy blush.

Cosmopolitan January 2014

Look Hot with a Hangover-

1. To start - odds are, you didn’t do the best cleanup job last night. Double -up now with a gentle scrub [to life surface dirt and makeup] followed by a foaming face wash to deep clean pores. A cool rinse helps calm ruddy skin.

2. Next up - your four big challenges: redness [booze causes blood vessels to dilate], under - eye circles [from crappy sleep], plus dry skin and bloodshot eyes [liquor dehydrates]. Apply an extra moisturizing BB cream

3. Almost done - since upper eyelid skin is thin, redness is extra noticeable. Use neutral shadow with a hint of shimmer to conceal and reflect light. Line your top lash line in navy, and apply blue black mascara [blue undertone help brighten the eyes].

4. Finishing touches - to fake a well rest glow, sweep a soft pink blush along cheekbones [not apples, which can just look ruddy when you’re hangover]. Last, swipe on bold lipstick to focus attention on your gorgeous pout.

Post-Rager Eraser

1. Apply a chilled, hydrating paper mask. They’re more concentrated than regular masks.

2. Use blue eye drops, best for making the whites of the eyes pop, and close eyes for 30 seconds to let the formula absorb.

3. Neutral under-eye shadows with a pink-base concealer at inner corners, then dab illuminating concealer along under-eye bones and blend upward to the lash line.

4. Trace lower inner rims with nude eyeliner.

Woman’s Day January 2014

Clever Uses for Sponges -

1. Prevent pedicure smudges - for at home nail polishing sessions, cut a sponge in half lengthwise, then cut four slits along one of the long sides of each. Use them to separate polished toes until they dry.

2. Hydrate Houseplants - place a sponge in the bottom of a pot before adding the plant and extra soil. The sponge will help retain moisture until the next watering.

3. Secure soap - rest your bar of soap on a sponge in the shower or bathtub. Because of its uneven texture, it will stop the soap from slipping off the dish or tiles when wet.

4. Protect Floors - to keep chairs from scratching wood or vinyl surfaces, trace the bottom of a chair leg onto a sponge and cut it out; repeat until you have as many as you need. Secure each piece to the bottom of a leg with a dab of hot glue [press it on firmly to prevent wobbliness]

5. Make an ice pack - put a wet sponge in a zip top plastic bag and freeze. Grab it instead of a package of peas to soothe bumps and bruises or toss it in a lunchbox to keep the contents cool.

Did you know? Kitchen sponges carry more bacteria than your toilet! Microwave wet sponges for 2 minutes at least once a week to kill those germs.

Make Clothes Last Longer

1. Don’t wring out wet garments after you hand wash them. Use a salad spinner to remove excess water, then hang dry.

2. Swap in thin, velvety hangers to keep clothes from slipping onto the floor and to prevent irreversible dents in fabrics.

3. To keep delicates from stretching in your washing machine’s spin cycle, place them in a  mesh wash bag.

All You October 18th, 2013

Bold Brows & Lips

Brows

1. Keep brows in shape by combine hairs upward and tweezing only the ones that fall outside your natural arch.  Then, fill in with an angled brush and brow powder, using short, quick strokes that follow the growth of your hair. If you don’t have brow filler, matte eye shadow will work in a pinch. Just be sure to pick a color that’s one shade lighter than your natural brow color, otherwise; it can look too severe.

2. Comb through brows to help soften the powder and set the shape. If your brow hairs tend to stray throughout the day, apply a light coat of gel to keep them in place. To finish, curl lashes and apply mascara.

Lips

3. Exfoliate by gently brushing lips with a dry toothbrush. Rinse and pat dry. Prime with a moisturizing lip balm, and blot excess with a tissue.

4. Apply lipstick with a lip brush - deep, saturated colors require precisions. Stick to satin formulas; avoid super glossy finishes because they are more likely to migrate.

Metallic Eyes

1. Prep lids with a base - you can use a primer, foundation or concealer - then layer on pressed or translucent powder to set it [and add staying powder] before applying color. Use cream shadow? Skip the powder step.

2. Brush metallic shadow across the lid only; don’t go above the crease. The more glittery formulas can draw attention to crepey skin, so opt for  shadows with just a hint of luster- they’re much more forgiving.

3. Curl lashes and finish with a swipe of mascara. Be sure to keep the rest of your face simple: Use a lightweight foundation to even out your skin tone, and apply just a hint of color on cheeks and lips.

Dewy Skin

1. Start with a brightening primer followed by a lightweight foundation. Or skip a step and opt for an illuminating tinted moisturizer [like the primer, it contains tiny flecks of light - reflecting particles to give yo

ujju a glow]. Stay away from matte foundation, which can’t give you the dewy results you’re after.

2. Use your fingers to blend a little bit of cream blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Dab a drop of highlighter on the cheekbone and cupid’s bow above your upper lip.

3. Pat foundation, concealer or primer over eyelids. Choose a subtle nude hue that has a hint of shimmer and quickly sweep it across the lid. If you want, use brown eyeliner to faintly line the upper lid along the lash line. Curl lashes and finish eyes with a swipe of mascara; add a sheer lip color and you’re done.

Self February 2014

Power of Tea

Peppermint Eases Cramps - the oil, extracted from the herbs leaves, relaxes muscles in the GI tract and reduces stomach pain. Try a cup at the first twinge of discomfort and you might not even need to pop a pill.

Ginger Curbs Hunger - have this tangy sip with a meal and three hours later you may be less peckish. The spice generates a sense of warmth in your body that can make your feel full longer. Get the effect from 1 teaspoon ground ginger root dissolved in 8 h ounces hot water or try the equivalent in a tea bag.

Green Tea Burns Fat - you first heard it touted for  its cancer fighting abilities; turns out if may boost weight loss, too. This beverage contains EGCG, a substance that could help you metabolize fat faster and slow any weight gain from the food you eat by up to 45 percent, research indicates. Getting in shape just got a whole lot easier.

Chamomile Lifts Your Mood - downing this herb reduced negative feelings by 20 to 30 percents in depressed patients, a study found. Its flowers pack flavonoids that may increase the feel good hormone dopamine and serotonin.

Hibiscus Ups Immunity  - vitamin C can help you fight off bugs, colds and other nasties - and make skin healthier, too. Made from hibiscus flowers, a single cup has close to 60 percents of your daily requirement. The vitamin helps maintain collagen, which keeps skin smooth and radiant.

Marie Claire September 2013

Eyes SOS

1. Dim the lighting - the screen lighting, that is: eyes get fatigued with high contrast, so adjust the brightness to mid-level.

2. Gaze ahead - humans were engineered to spot prey at a distance, so looking at close range for hours is unnatural. Make sure to look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

3. Stretch and  massage - a few times a day, close eyes and look up, down, and side to side, then gently press lids. It relaxes muscles - and just plains feels goo

BBW Cucumber Melon Shower Gel

Photo Source - Bath and Body Works

The fresh scented shower gel is packed with aloe vera and nourishing Vitamin E. The crisp scent is perfect for a luxurious spa day at home especially during late Spring or early Summer. The shower gel gave lavish lather and left my skin delicately scented and soft. Overall, I love this scent in the warmer months because the scent is not overpowering but light and fresh. Although, still left my skin moisturize.

Covergirl Eye Enhancers Eye Shadow - 610 Sapphire Sparkle

The silky eyeshadow promises to go on smoothly, but it goes on chunky with the mediocre sponge applicator. It is a medium blue eyeshadow with chunky silver glitter. The eyeshadow goes on chalky and doesn't have much pigmentation. Be warned, the palette breaks easily when it falls.  But around $4 a pop, you do get a lot of product.

Tresemme Platinum Strength Renewing Deep Conditioning Treatment

Photo Source - Tresemme

Tresemme promises salon quality hair products at affordable prices. It can repair damaged hair with 5 uses if used with Tresemme Platinum Strength hair protocol. According to the instructions, after shampooing apply a generous amount from mid length to your ends and apply what is left over to the roots. Wait 5 minutes and then rinse off. After I applied the fresh scented hair mask, I used a shower cap and then I took the hair dryer and blasted my hair [ with the shower cap on ]  for a couple of minutes to let the mask sink in. I then washed it off and let it air dry. The end result? Super soft, manageable and OMG frizz free hair! While it seems to be a lot of steps, trust me the end result is worth it. I kept getting asked if I got my hair done. And the answer is yes, but I did it myself for one - fifth of the price.

Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Pudding

Photo Source - Sephora

With a name like “pudding”, who wanted to try this luscious whipped cream? Full confession - I am not one to really like putting things in my hair or doing anything with my hair for that matter. I figured new year, I might try something new. The creamy pudding is not formulated with parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes and petrochemicals. The multitasking  product “promises to define, control, and mold curls, coils, kinks, waves”. I figured that I would used it since my natural hair texture is wavy and a bit unruly. Even on a good day, my hair looks like I just rolled out of bed. I decided to use the pudding after washing my hair. While applying the pudding to my wet hair, my hands felt sticky after applying the product. I was going to heat style my hair but decided it would be easier to tie my hair in little buns and  style my hair in the morning. So was not the case, my hair was thick, greasy, knotty, linty and just plain gross. I couldn’t wait to wash out the gunk from my hair. I am guessing, I have used a bit too much product. The second time I used less product but I didn’t really notice anything. I presume, that I probably need to use heat the next time I use this product but I am in  no rush to try it again. 

Dial NutriSkin Dry Skin Replenishing Lotion

After running out of lotion and having a coupon for this lotion, I decided to buy it. The lotion promises to last 24 hours, packed with Vitamins C , E, and F , Omega 3, aloe and amino acids. The cocktail of “bio nutrient complex” promises protein building blocks, supports moisture balance and improve elasticity.  While the Aloe extracts hydrates and moisturizes. The non-greasy formula goes on easy and absorbs quickly. My skin was soft and smooth after using the lotion.  The lotion doesn’t last 24 hours but I noticed my skin doesn’t get as dry and scaly between uses.  I would definitely buy this again if it was on sale.