Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Bar

So here is another review of some of the fun free stuff that I got to test for Influenster!  Who doesn't love to test a free yummy treat?!

OK, Lets talk about something near and dear to my heart.....banana bread.  If you follow my other blog, you may or may not have seen my perfected fat free banana bread recipe.  If you missed it and are interested- here you go :)  I have spent a lot of time and energy trying various recipes and finding what I like and don't like about banana bread- so I feel quite qualified as a banana bread connoisseur.  So to be sent a free Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Bar, I was both enthused and nervous.  If I can find something at the store that rivals homemade that I can pack on the go- I am ALL about it!

So, that's maybe where I went a little wrong.  I was expecting homemade creamy soft banana bread.  I bit it and was a little surprised by the texture.  It almost had a crispy quality to it- like the innards of a Crunch bar.  There were little crisp pieces in every bite!  Not like my homemade recipe AT ALL.  Back to the actual bread part of the banana bread- it was good!  Not the same as homemade- but it was good!  It also had walnut pieces on it- which is great for nut lovers like me!  I prefer pecans on banana bread- but walnuts will do.  So all in all- I'm not RUSHING out the door to grab them but I would pick a box up if they were on sale.  Try them and tell me what you think!  They are different!

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color!

OK guys and dolls- its been a while admittedly- I don't have to tell you how insane the summers can be, especially with three kids and a Katy leaving for Romania!  WELL- I got ANOTHER Vox Box compliments of Influenster and I got some fun goodies to share with you!!

FIRST UP! Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color!  I had heard about these magnetic nail polishes and the theory intrigued me.  I have to admit, I'm a bit lazy and typically wont travel to many stores to hunt down nail polish.  When I saw that Sally Hansen was making one, I thought- GREAT!  If I love this, I can get it at Walmart!  They sent me a really pretty metallic silver and black color which as you know is RIGHT up my ally.  I loves me dark, sometimes vampy nail colors.  I was a little worried though because since getting my own gel nail system, I seldom use traditional nail polish.  This effect was so unique I couldnt pass it up for a try though!  

Isnt it cool looking!

Can you see the waves of color?

They sent me a cuticle and hand cream by Sally Hansen too!!

So as you can see- the effect is super cool!  You put on a base coat followed by a thin coat and let dry completely.  You then put a thicker second coat on and IMMEDIATELY hold the cap (which is where the tricky little magnet is hidden) over your nail for 10ish seconds.  When you remove the magnet- voila!  Rippled, waves of color!  

So what is my overall impression??  I LOVED the color, I really liked the effect and it dried somewhat quick for traditional polish.  You can only do one nail at a time because you have to get the magnet on there ASAP.  I actually waited just like 10 seconds to see what would happen.  It still waved but not nearly as crisply or as pronounced.  I would still recommend a base and top coat.  I am TOUGH on my nails so it only lasted about 3 days which is to be expected with traditional polish on me.  I really like it!  Its a really fun thing to spice up boring old manicures! 

OH!!  And I got a sample of the Nails and Cuticles Hand Creme too.  I have the most deathly dry hands and cuticles and so I am ALWAYS in need of a good moisturizer.  I really like this as a hand cream.  Its not as thick as I need a cuticle cream to be- but it worked great as a lotion.  It also absorbed pretty well and didn't leave me all greasy!  

Whats your new favorite mani for summer?

Nail polish obsessions....

SO... summer is upon us and I have had a change blow through me lately.  I am usually all about BOLD BRIGHT or DARK color.  Jewel tones are typically my go to pallet of choice.  All of a sudden, I find myself interested in pastel, nude and sheer tones.  Weird- huh?!  I am LOVING a sheer white/nude on my fingers and a pastel on my toes.  Right now- I am wearing Essie Limo-scene on my fingers alone.  I imagine that this shade was meant to be worn with a french manicure.  It is a SHEER white nude BARELY pink color.  Online its shown as pink- it is not AT ALL.  Its a sheer white nude.  

On my pedi- I'm wearing Essie Nice is Nice which is a pastel lilac lavender.  Its really quite beautiful.  I am not a purple fan- but I LOVE a lavender.  I tend toward the smokey gray purples but this is not that color at all.  Its a true lavender.  Its really quite lovely on the nail.  


This is my first time using Essie brand polish.  I am usually not a huge fan of traditional polish.  I have been converted to the UV polish world.  I tend not to have the patience for dry time, streaks, smearing.  I decided to try these polishes since I have heard such raving about Essie.  I have heard that they wear AMAZING and never chip and are really true to color. I must admit to you that I purchased both bottles on discount- so I didn't pay the full $7 that they retail for.  I got two for $7 at Ross.  I figured if I would try them out, I would pay less for them.  


The PROs to Essie polish is that it is really true to color and it dries hard and with a great shine- even without a top coat.  I put it on without base and top coat to see how it would wear.  Don't do it.  It wasn't great.  The CONs to Essie are mainly the brush is small and thin and I don't feel like you get optimal coverage which can result in streaky or uneven application.  To get the coverage that you see above, it really does take three coats.  This polish really benefits from a base and top coat.  Once on with base and top coat, I didn't have any chipping.  I had to pit a band aid on one of my fingers and the moisture locked onto the nail caused the whole nail to peel, which I think could happen to any traditional polish.

Personally, I don't HATE Essie polish but the OPI brush is like 1000 times better.  If I could use an OPI brush with the Essie polish, it would be perfect.  I give this 3 out of 5 overall.  You can find Essie at Walmart now for $7 a bottle.  Happy polishing!

Must haves to prevent summer meltdown!!

OK, So summer is here and it is HOT!  Whether you live in Florida or California- your weather and consequently- your skin needs will change.  I have deathly dry skin 9 months out of the year and then for a freakish three months, I get an oily T zone and normal skin everywhere else (except under my eyes).  Here is my list of must haves to make it through the summer!


#1- SPF!  I don't care if your moisturizer, your foundation, your powder etc has SPF, you NEED to wear SPF daily!!!  Even if its a cloudy day, you NEED to protect your skin.  A "healthy glow" is not worth looking like a piece of tanned leather in the end.  


#2- The Present by Philosophy.  It is the most AMAZING primer I have ever used.  BAR NONE.  You have to let it set for at least 2 minutes before you put your foundation on or you will have a mess that resembles Elmer's glue.  It evens out texture, it fills the lines and pores and it keeps your makeup LOCKED into place.  *note* it has lavender oil infused in it- so be careful if you are sensitive to it.




#3- Foundation in the correct formula.  I cant tell you how overlooked this is.  If you have oily skin and you are putting a formula on your face that is made for dry skin- it will never set and you will instantly have an oily mess on your hands.  My go to foundation is Revlon's ColorStay and every color comes in both a Dry and and Oily formula.  Be SURE to check and don't be afraid to buy both formulas.  The weather changing isn't the only thing that can change your oil production.  Sometimes just the time of the month can ramp up how oily your skin is.  


#4- Setting Spray.  I LOVE De-Slick by Urban Decay (by Skindinavia)  If you have oily skin, this stuff will keep your makeup set and prevent the meltdown effect.  For added staying power, spray it on under AND over your foundation.  For a cheaper version- try the ELF setting spray.  Not as amazing as Urban Decay but its a fraction of the price and its great if you are just trying setting sprays for the first time.


#5- Blotting Papers.  Remember those tissue paper things that came out in the 90's that you are supposed to use to remove excess oil?  They are back and really quite helpful.  They really do remove the oil without shifting and smearing your makeup around.  They also wont cake up like adding layer after layer of powder will.  Even if you just use them on your T-zone and then touch up with powder- you will see far less mess and a more natural effect.  





#6- Translucent Powder.  Duh- right?!  This is the tried and true thing that every woman has as a touch up in her purse.  Just refrain from putting too much on too often or over super oily skin or you will look like a pancake face.  Oh, and use a travel Kabuki or similar brush rather than those powder puff things. They sop up the oil but then they breed bacteria.  






And there you have it- your Summer Survival kit!  What is your favorite Summer product?

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy Independence Day to all of my American folks!  I LOVE Independence Day.  I love that it truly is a great reminder of how fortunate we all are.  No gifts, no pressure- just a great day to be surrounded with family and friends in celebration.  I also love that it is an amazing day to give thanks for all of the members of our military families that have fought to keep our Independence secure.  We had a fun and inspirational makeup morning with my tiniest of muses- none other than my beautiful Sophia.  She wanted to go all out so we did :)  Tiny muses are much harder than big muses not just because the scale is smaller, but because their patience for irritation is much smaller.  None the less- we persevered and had a blast!


Here is a few pictures and list of products used.  Have a fun day!!

Maybelline 24 hour Color Tattoos in Tenacious Teal and Too Cool
Sugarpill Shadows in Love +, Tako, Afterparty and Bulletproof
Maybelline Master Drama liner in Midnight Master
L'Oreal Million Lash Mascara in Blackest Black
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Red Revival
Kiss Nail Stickers and Duo Clear Lash Glue

My favorite mass market products!

OK, So first off- I HATE the term "drugstore" makeup.  I feel like its really not a nice term- so I choose to call them Mass Market products.  Mass market products are things that you can find in your local Target, Walmart, grocery and yes- DRUGSTORE.  I use all of these products almost every day.  So here we go!

#1- ELF brushes- I stumbled across ELF a few years ago when they were online only.  I bought a few of their brushes and LOVED them.  My favorites are the black Studio line brushes.  I like the flat face brush, the C paddle eye shadow brush and the crease or pencil type brush.  All $3!!!


#2- Revlon Colorstay Foundation- I have had a love hate relationship with my Colorstay until lately.  They released a formula for Dry or Normal skin- which I have 9 months out of the year!  This is by far and away the number one foundation that I recommend to others.  Best color choices, and now it has two formulas to choose from.  AND IT STAYS.  I would say a solid 10-16 hours without any touching up.  LOVE it.


#3- L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lash Mascara in Blackest Black- My go to, holy grail, would cry if they stopped making it Mascara.  I cant say enough good stuff about it.  I have a problem with the original flaking but this one stays put!

#4- Maybelline Master Drama Eye Liner PENCIL- There are two formulas- the pencil and the gel pot.  I dont care for the pot for daily use.  The pencil is CREAMY and it stays put.  You can smoke it out pretty well too.  I love this one.  If you have ever use the Stila Smudgesticks in Stingray- its pretty much the same thing.


#5- Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eyeshadows- I HEART these so unbelievably much.  I have blue, white, gold, bronze, orange and taupe.  I wear these or a combination of them EVERYDAY.  They are amazing.  The gold and orange are my favorite for stand out color and the bronze and taupe are perfect for everyday wear.


#6- Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer- This stuff ROCKS for under eye discoloration.  I use the tiniest bit on a fluffy concealer brush daily and I look as though I slept for 10 hours!  Its WAY too creamy for concealing blemishes but IDEAL for the under eyes.  This even beats out my MAC concealer for under eyes!


#7- Covergirl Classic Color Blush in Soft Mink- its the perfect neutral super natural blusher I have tried.  Perfect for everyday simple sweep of color.  Its not too brown, not too pink, not too shimmery, not too matte- its perfect. 

#8- NYX Soft Matte Lip Glosses- I cant live without these.  They are AMAZING and they come in fun colors- not just your mauves or your nudes like most boring lip glosses.  They have tangerines, hot hot pinks, ruby reds, petal pinks and lavendars- you must try these.  (check out Ulta if you cant find NYX or haven't heard of them- WARNING- you will become addicted)


#9- Olay 7 in 1 moisturizer- the BEST daytime moisturizer for your money.  I LOVE IT.  I personally wear the "mature" formula since I was not always nice to my skin and smoked and tanned...yeah....anyway- I love it.







#10- V05 conditioners- they are a $1 and they are amazing for my curly hair routine!  I literally buy them 5-10 at a time!  I personally LOVE the kiwi lime.  Cant beat it!  And there you have it my friends!  What are your mass market loves?  What cant you live without?  

Color, color, color!

OK, so as most of you know- I LOVE me some color.  I gravitate to color over neutrals.  Some people think I am crazy, but I think that you can do color in a really natural way.  Have you ever thought of doing a smokey eye with purple, green or navy rather than brown or gray?  Have you ever thought of a sweep of apricot and a splash of light green rather than the traditional beige and taupe?  What if you chose to go PINK on your cheeks rather than *pink*.  What if you went RED with your lips, rather than chapstick- just for a day?  Would makeup become a fun way to be daring and step out of your comfort zone?  What do you think it would change?  Could you hold your head up high and be excited that you tried something new?  Can makeup change the world- probably not....but it can sure change my attitude.  What about you?

What is the Curly Girl Method and how I adapted it for me!

**AS A DISCLAIMER** I am not a hair stylist, I am not a pro, I just have curly hair and I know what works best for MY hair.  I am not saying that any one product is bad or that you should all jump on the band wagon- I am just sharing my opinion and experience.




OK, So I have referenced the Curly Girl Method before in previous posts and I have had many questions about it so I thought that I would touch on what it is and how I have adapted and modified it for me.  First of all, The Curly Girl Method is a book written all about curly hair, what its special needs are and how to properly take care and manage curly hair.  I mainly heard about it from my sisters of color who choose to wear their hair natural rather than relaxing or weaving their hair.  I wont be going into details of the book itself but I will tell you about my hair care regimine.  


I have black brown dry scalp, dry hair that is thick, thick, thick and very wavy and quite curly in spots.  (Duncan calls it fuzzy hair)  I decided to start wearing my hair in its natural state because I decided to grow it out.  It takes a LOT of effort for me to straighten my hair out on a regular basis.  I have dry scalp so I was using a dandruff shampoo, then my hair would get SUPER dried out from the harsh detergents, so I would slather it in a silicone based conditioner.  I would slather straightening serum and tons of heat protectant on it, blow dry the crud out of it over a round brush and then follow up with a flat iron.  Phew, I'm exhausted just typing that out.  It would take me well over an hour from start to finish and if the humidity rose or if I worked out, my results were all for not.  


The theory behind Curly Girl as I understand it is to keep the hair super moisturized and to really baby the heck out of it.  You want to stop using anything drying which includes shampoo.  Shampoo strips your hair- which is its purpose- to cleanse the hair.  You can choose what works best for you.  Some people use only sulfate free shampoo, some only co-wash (wash only with conditioner) some only use baking soda and apple cider vinegar.  You can also use products like WEN that are cleansing with essential oils.  They are pricey though...be warned. 


It takes some time for your hair to get used to any new routine.  I would say to expect it to take about two to three weeks for your hair to respond positively and to feel like you know what you are doing.  I experimented A LOT at the beginning to find out what my hair likes and doesn't like.  My hair hates silicon, sulfates and protein.  Silicon builds up and needs a detergent to remove it from the hair shaft.  If you use silicon and no sulfate, your hair will feel weighed down.  If you have waves and not tight curl, you don't want your hair weighed down- or it wont look curly, which is the point of this right?!


Sulfates are excellent cleaners.  That's what they were designed to do.  My scalp is very dry and because I cant comb my hair out when its curly, the hair gets dry on the ends because natural oils cant travel down the shaft.  I eliminated all sulfates and within a week my scalp was healed.  No more flakes.  Like EVER.  It was a MIRACLE.  My curls were formed better and the ends weren't nearly as hashed.


Protein is amazing for strengthening your hair.  I know a LOT of people who swear by protein and have AMAZING results from it.  My hair doesn't care for it.  It gets almost brittle and coarse when I use it.  I have used soy proteins primarily and never had good results so I just quit using it.  You may want to try it out- maybe you will have awesome results with it.  I hope you do!  I want strong hair...


So for ME, I stocked up on a silicone free conditioner (which is becoming harder and harder to find).  I did some research and found that the two most commonly recommended are VO5 and Suave!  I can do that, they are typically under a $1 a bottle!  (and you really want to stock up on like 3 bottles- you will FLY through this stuff)  I also bought a wide tooth comb, alcohol free gel, leave in conditioner, Moroccan Oil and Aveda Anti Humecant Pomade.  I also purchased one SMALL bottle of clarifying shampoo and one bottle of sulfate free shampoo.


I started the process by using my clarifying shampoo.  I really scrubbed the heck out of it.  I wanted to make sure all product build up was gone.  I HATED this part.  My hair felt like straw.  I then put on about 1/5th a bottle of VO5 conditioner (I think that it was the strawberry one) and rubbed it in like shampoo, root to tip.  I massaged the crud out of it and made sure that the ends were super saturated.  I was SHOCKED and worried about this conditioner.  I had always used a quarter size of SUPER thick heavy conditioner.  This is WATERY.  I was really concerned that I was not going to get results with it.    I then took my wide tooth comb and GENTLY combed out all tangles.  This is the only time my hair touches a brush or a comb.


Rinse out ALL of the conditioner and then the final step that I had to learn on my own is to do the final rinse with your head flipped over.  Gently squeeze out the bulk of the water and then wrap your hair in a turban.  I get out of the shower and get all dressed and then return to my hair care routine.  I flip my head back over to remove my turban.  Finger comb through the curls and kind of shake them out.  I then spray on leave in conditioner and then use some gel to scrunch- all while my head is upside down.  Make sure to scrunch the gel in really well and DON'T BRUSH or COMB your hair!!  You will have a frizz ball.  Your fingers are your only styling tool at this point.  


Flip your head over and gently move your curls to where you want them.  You can then air dry or you can diffuse at this point.  It depends on the weather and how much time on my hands.  If I have to run, air dry is best- if I have 10 extra minutes, I will diffuse.  If I diffuse, I ALWAYS spray heat protectant just in case.  I turn on my drier to medium heat on low and I don't touch my hair.  I use the bowl of the diffuser.  I gently pile as much as I can in and then let the drier do its work.  I only let it sit on my hair until my scalp feels warm.  I do four sections.  The top of my head, each side and then a back section.  After I have done heat, I turn the heat off and have a cool drier on low and go back over the same sections.  That LOCKS my curls in SO SO SO much better.  I then kind of place stray hairs away and then the key- DON'T TOUCH IT.  When you break up the curl structure, you create frizz.  About 20 minutes later, when my hair is completely dry, I lightly scrunch one last time to ensure that the gel doesn't look hard or crusty.  AND THATS IT!


My maintenance routine from there is conditioner only.  I know people are confused how my hair is clean without shampoo- but it works I tell you!  I co- wash unless I feel like I may have put too much oil or pomade in- then I will a bit of sulfate free shampoo.  That is SUPER seldom....like once every two or three weeks.  The key is to use a generous amount of conditioner each and every time.  You might feel like your hair feels worse before it feels better- but within a week- you should really start to FEEL and SEE the difference.  Within a week, my scalp was flake free and my hair was easier to handle.  


BE WARNED- if you choose to straighten out your hair, it will be a little harder than it once was.  You hair will get trained to stay in its natural state after a while, and straightening it out may be a little more difficult.  It just encourages me to keep it curly- and it takes a 10th of the time to do too!!  The added benefit is that my hair has NEVER been this healthy.  I am still growing my hair out and I probably have two more years to go.  I can easily go four to six MONTHS between cuts because my hair isn't fried and my ends aren't split.  I'm not brushing, using heat and drying it out- so it stays pristine.  




OH!  And find a stylist that is specially trained in curly hair.  That is probably the most important thing for having a good shape.  You cant cut curly hair wet!  It is TOTALLY different wet than dry- and it will shrink up considerably once its been dried.  So take your time to find someone who is trained specially on curly hair.  Don't be afraid to ask questions BEFORE you make an appointment.  Ask them how they cut curly hair, do THEY have curly hair, have they had any specialty training like Diva Curl Training?  You will also get a feel for their personality and their professionalism at the same time.  Expect to pay more for a good curly hair cut.  Its a LOT more work than a straight cut.  The benefit is if you are taking great care of your hair, you wont need to go in every six to eight weeks- so your really stretching your dollar.


Phew, there you have it mon cheri!  My curly hair manifesto.  I hope its answered any questions you might have had.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!  I LOVE my curly hair!  I constantly get asked how I got my hair to look the way it does.  When I tell them its my natural hair, they are shocked. It's very bohemian, very beachy, very natural....and very easy!  

What I regret buying :( *womp womp*

So I thought that I would just let you all know a few products that I regret buying.  Some just weren't as awesome as I was expecting and others were a disaster and completely disappointing.  Here we go-


#1 Cover Girl Aqua Smoothers

So I have used other Cover Girl foundations before and they have been ok.  Not phenomenal, but OK.  So I was perusing and I stumbled across this little guy.  It was 5ish dollars and looked harmless.  Well, maybe I should have thought about it a little more.  AQUA= water= not really awesome coverage or staying power.  Not my thing but if you are a teenager and looking for something light and to last just a few hours, try it out.  I think you can find better products for your money though.




#2 Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

First of all, ALL of their colors are pink based.  ALL OF THEM.  Even their Ivory was REALLY pink.  I have olive/yellow undertone skin but I am pretty fair- so yeah- strike one.  These were really watery, but still managed to sink into wrinkles under my eyes, strike two.  These didn't conceal ANYTHING.  Wait a second, wasn't this called CONCEAL-er??  I'm confused.  These should just be chucked.  NOW.










#3 L'Oreal Souffle Foundation

OK, so I didn't actually buy this one (thank heavens!), I received a sample pack in a mailer.  IT. WAS. HORRIBLE.  First of all, they are REALLY silicone-y.   Just rubbing them on my hand, it was GROSS.  First, when you are rubbing it in, it pills up and makes little balls that are tough to blend in.  Once you get the balls rubbed in, the coverage is spotty- seriously- like a leopard.  You have little dots that are covered and others that aren't.  Third, the color pay off is horrible- and it oxidizes- which means an hour or two later you have an orangier face than you started out with.  PASS, PASS, PASS on this one.


#4 Maybelline Superstay 24 Hour lipstick

So I was REALLY hopeful for this one.  I have big lips.  So I tend to be a "lippy".  I like lip stuff alot.  I HATE touching up your makeup and I hate the mess of traditional lip stick.  Its on my teeth, its on my cups its on my kids....you get the picture.  Well I picked this bad boy up thinking that this would solve all my lippy problemos.  Nope.  first of all, it is SUPER drying.  It comes with a gloss, but I felt like I had to put it on every ten minutes and mush and mush it to get it to absorb.  When you mush so hard, the product pills up and flakes off.  What the ?!  And then there are holes where the product used to live- so you have bare holes of flesh peeking through color?!  Useless. 




It takes a while for me to actually have enough products that I am not crazy about to do these kinds of posts.  I also have a LUST list.  Its products that I am drooling and coveting.  Maybe I should do one of those too.  What are product fails you have encountered?

Whats in my purse??

OK, so WHAT is it that I tote with me when I am out and about?  As I have children, I tend to over pack just about everywhere I go.  I have a cosmetic/emergency kit with me that is the size of most women's normal cosmetic bags....its true.  So I thought that it might be fun to tell you all of the crap I haul around with me.  Now that I write that, it doesnt sound as fun as I thought it would- oh well- here goes!


-A bottle of dermacil lotion
-A tooth brush and mini toothpaste (Crest Pro-health compliments of my dentist)
-A travel bottle of Opti-Free Replish Contact lens solution
-A contact lens case
-A spool of floss
-Secret powder fresh deoderant
-Lyson Disinfectant Spray (mini bottle)
-Opcon-A Allergy eye drops
-Two cotton balls
-Two cotton swabs
-Chapstick brand chapstick
-Revlon lip butter in Berry Smoothie
-Fingernail clippers
-MAC Turquatic perfume
-Sephora mirror
-Bare Escentuals flawless face brush
-Maybelline Fit Me Powder
-Two size 2 Huggies Diapers
-Full size baby wipes- I seriously go through them like CRAZY
-2 pens, one black, one green
-Checkbook/Wallet
-random receipts, crumbs and lollipop sticks


Phew, what do you carry in your bag?  Is mine out of control??  What am I missing but the kitchen sink?

Revlon haul!

Ok, I am REALLY excited about all the new Revlon stuff that is coming out.  Revlon has REALLY stepped up their game in my eyes and really is becoming one of my GO TO brands.  I have LOVED their Color Stay Foundation in my Pro kit for years BUT- I have dry skin.  The original Color Stay is awesome for oily or combination skin- yucky for dry skin.  Revlon just produced a Color Stay for DRY SKIN!   I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.  Seriously- I love it better than Mac Studio Fix liquid foundation.  It runs about $10 at Walmart and it's my Holy Grail, go to foundation.  


So when I hear that they are coming out with a Photo Ready line- my heart skips a beat.  The hot thing right now is foundation that is good under HD photography.  HD photography is NOT forgiving.  Seriously- ever watch the news under HD and realize how different they look?  Yeah, not forgiving at all.  If anything- it can accentuate things you don't want accentuated.  SO- cosmetic companies have been more than happy to find a formula that gives you that airbrushed, flawless finish that you NEED under HD.  My favorite HD formula is Make Up For Ever HD.  The only thing that sucks is that I have to refinance my house to afford it.  It's $40 a bottle.  Yup- $40!  That's more than a box of Huggies Diapers at Costco!


I went to Walmart to pick up a bottle of this Revlon Photo Ready and guess what- SOLD OUT.  I went to Walgreens, SOLD OUT.  I went to Smiths (Kroger) SOLD OUT.  This stuff was HARD to find.  I ended up getting it from Ulta for BOGO 1/2 off- so I picked up the foundation AND the finishing powder.  

I got the color Shell since I am a fair olive toned beige

I can already tell you, I'm THRILLED with the packaging of the liquid foundation.  A PUMP!  That is the thing I have been wishing and hoping and praying for with the Color Stay foundation.  (Color Stay you have to pour out and I always get worried about bacteria growth)  The packaging for the powder is not my favorite.  I like that there is a clear lid so you can see what color you are grabbing, but the mirror inside is TINY!!  You need to see your FACE when you are putting on powder and a mirror barely the size of your lips does not suffice.  It also has one of those dumb brushes.  Those are HORRIBLE.  I wish cosmetic companies would just save their money and quit putting them in their packaging.  

I swatched these on my hand as I already have my "face on" (I sound like my mother) for the day.  I was a bit surprised with the fact that the droplet I put on my hand seemed a little watery.  Once I started to blend though, it was really nice and velvety smooth.  It also has a dewier finish than the Color Stay- so I think it looks more like your SKIN than makeup on your skin.  That's awesome!  

The powder I'm on the fence about.  I will need to wear it for a while to see if I really like it.   Its actually quite comparable to Mac Studio Fix Powder.  It's more a light foundation powder than a setting powder.  I can see this getting cakey throughout the day if you touch up quite a bit.  I personally don't touch up much at all- but that's me.  It definitely gives a really flawless finish on top of the foundation though.  REALLY flawless. You can tell it has some minerals in it too.  It has that nice mineral reflection in the finish.

The other thing that I am completely in LOVE with right now are the Revlon Lip Butters.  I have talked about the new pigmented lip balms in the past- but the Revlon ones are the Cadillac of them all.  20 shades and in my opinion best hydration and all around best product.  My favorite day to day is the Pink Parfait.  Its ALWAYS in my purse/diaper bag.  This one is another tough find.  I went to three places looking for this shade before I found it at Target.  

Do you have a product that is tough to track down and that you hunt for?  What is your go-to foundation?

All for you....

OK, so I did something tonight that I don't do.  I just dont do it.  I did it for you.  Yes, you.  Sitting here reading these words right now.  I. washed. my. hair.  Yup- I used shampoo.  *shiver*  OK, now that the dramatics are out of the way, let me explain.  I promised myself that I would try things outside of my comfort zone and give an honest opinion for my blog- For you.  I don't want to be recommending things just willy nilly.  I really truly believe in the stuff that I recommend.  SO- I received some trials in a package this week and one of them was for the L'Oreal Ever Sleek system.  I received shampoo, conditioner and the leave in.  

As I have explained before- I am in the midst of the grow out process.  I think I have about two more years left.  Because I am growing my hair out, I am avoiding using heat products as much as possible to reduce damage.  I have totally wavy hair that I have learned to embrace and love.  I have learned what works best for me to have the waves I want and to have the moisture that I need.  I don't shampoo my hair.  Ever.  I adhere to the Curly Girl Method pretty diligently.  I have a post all about that if you are wondering what that is....ANYWAY

I gave the system an honest go of it tonight.  Because I used a system aimed at sleeking out my hair, I blow dried using a 2 inch boar bristle round brush to straighten.  SO- I don't shampoo anymore and I HATE how my hair feels in the shower now when I use shampoo.  This shampoo was no exception.  As I rinsed my hair out, it felt like straw.  Then I used the conditioner.  You can feel how much silicone is in it just by rubbing it in your hands.  I put it on my ends and about 2/3rds the way up my hair.  I left it on for about 5 minutes.

After I rinsed my hair completely out, I used the leave in treatment.  That was the deal breaker for me.  I'm not a big shampoo and conditioner person but this one wasn't all that bad.  The leave in that I put in made my hair feel...coated.  I only put it on the bottom half and you can feel a difference between the top part of my hair and the bottom.  icky....  I don't feel like my hair is any smoother now than it is using my normal routine...just more coated.  I wonder if I would have liked it without the leave in...

It wasn't horrible shampoo and conditioner- actually pretty run of the mill.  Its sulfate free for my colored haired ladies....and its supposed to be very gentle.  If I were to go back to shampoo-ing, I would stay with a sulfate free one since my hair is so dry.  I would take the shampoo and conditioner but bag the leave in.  I really didn't care for it at all.  Over all- I would give it a B- without the leave in, and a C- with the leave in.  I wouldn't rush out and pick up a bottle but if it were on sale I might consider it.  Honestly- I think that there are much better options out there for comparable money....Now how do I wear my hair straight for the next couple days?

Glaminar!

I have officially renamed the beauty workshops into....*drum roll*.... GLAMINARS!  So I am wondering if there is enough interest in hosting another in May.  What do you think?  I will wait to see what you say.  If you could make up your own glaminar- what would it look like?  Think about it, comment or email me at kristen.parsons@yahoo.com- seriously! DO IT!

5 Random facts....

OK, so there has been so much review-age lately, I thought I would do a little change up.  What are 5 random facts that you may or may not know about me....here we go- and if you have any other random questions- feel free to email me at kristen.parsons@yahoo.com!


Here we GO!


#1- I used to hate nail polish on my hands until I started using Gelish polish at home.  Now I am obsessed with it and its very rare you see me without crazy polish on my fingers.


#2-  I hate buying shoes.  *GASP*  *SHOCK*  *STUNNED*  I have a condition- its called Flinstonefeettanitis.  I have LARGE (size 10) and wide feet and it makes it nearly impossible to find shoes that not only fit, but are semi cute.

#3- My food cant touch on my plate.  It totally grosses me out.  Ick.  Salty with salty and sweet with sweet.  Maple syrup on eggs is a total gross out!


#4- Speaking of food- I could eat my body weight in cheesecake.  No really- I am pretty sure I could do it.  In fact- I'm up to the challenge- anyone want to make me a cheesecake?


#5- My favorite color right now is hot orange.  Not coral- but HOT orange.  Isn't that amazing?  I want to wear it on my face, on my nails, on my shirt, and I want to smell like it too.  Hot orange- bringing back the 80's 1 color palette at a time.

NYX Haul!!

First of all, may I start off with the fact that I hate the word haul.  Its just some stuff I have but people don't love things titled- "stuff I have".  Anyway....with that aside- NYX!  I know a lot of people are still in the dark about NYX cosmetics.  Time to see the light and get to an Ulta near you.  NYX is awesome.  You really do get high end results with mass market prices.  Today I picked up some NYX stuff and I thought I would share witcha-

I picked up another Cream Blush in Hot Pink (I hit the pan in my last one- time for a refill!), another Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk and a Boudoir  Mascara in Pin Up Tease.  I LOVE their Cream Blushes!  They are AWESOME and SO pigmented!  The Hot Pink is universally flattering and my favorite.  It gives you the most AMAZING flush- "I just got done working out"- look.  take a peek

I also picked up ANOTHER Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk.  These are on my HOLY GRAIL list.  You know- beauty products that you just cant live without?!  Yeah, these have achieved that status.  I use them as an eye shadow base when using really vibrant colors.  They make the colors POP!  They are also awesome for inner tear duct work- to open the eye.  I'm sure I will post some pictures to come with it featured.  LOVE them.  

The only thing that I was worried about is this mascara.  I got it because it was on for 1/2 off and I have heard great things about NYX mascaras.  I opened it up and right away noticed how globby it is.  Not good.  I put it on OVER my go to L'Oreal Million Lash.  It actually looked good and was pretty easy to work with.  We will have to see what it does on virgin lashes- I will have to let you know what I think down the road.

Have YOU tried NYX?  What are your faves?  

L'Oreal goodies!

A little while back I posted that I really wanted to try out the L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadow in Eternal Sunshine.  I saw it swatched online and it is BEAUTIFUL.  I LOVES me some gold...REALLY loves me some gold.  I love the shimmer, the metallic finish- everything- so when I saw this shade I knew it was meant to be mine.  The L'Oreal Infallible shadows are almost IDENTICAL to the Armani Eyes to Kill.  The packaging is the same, the product is the same, the finish is the same- but the price is definitely not the same.  The Armani version runs $32 and the L'Oreal version runs $7.  Here are pictures so you can see-

Armani Eyes to Kill

It is the most BEAUTIFUL finish.  They are velvety and easy to blend, metallic and pigmented.  It is basically a pressed pigment shadow which means it can have some fall out (where you have little pieces all over your face after).  I would suggest using a damp brush and mushing it in the cap until you have a really emulsified texture before you put it on your eye.  These are AWESOME- definitely something I would pick up another 4 or 5 colors...hee hee.  

The other thing that I picked up from L'Oreal was their Color Riche Lip Balm.  There is a new trend right now for you lippies out there.  It's the pigmented lip balms.  I love this idea- especially for spring.  We are all out and about, hiking, swiming, BBQing, and you dont want to wear a heavy lip stick.  The colored lip balms are light, hydrating and protective like a lip balm but they are tinted or pigmented like a gloss or a lip stick.  Best of both worlds!  I love them because you dont have the horrible lip stick lip peelage problem.  You know what I'm talking about- two hours after you put lipstick on, your lips are dry and peeling.  Not with these.  

Caring Coral

Swatched- its very sheer

As you can see- this one isnt super pigmented- I would say its closer to a gloss.  I put it on though- and it is NICE on the lips.  This is one for the purse FOR SURE.  Have you tried any of these fun L'Oreal products?  Which ones did you get? Did you love them or leave them?