Skincare miracle?

The title may be a bit dramatic, but read on. ;)

I'm always a bit hesitant to review skincare products since everyone's skin is different.  My own skin is always strange, it's either too oily or has dry patches and i've also struggled with really bad acne for a while now (thank god it's been under control for the past couple months *knocks on wood*).  I'm also really sensitive to fragrances, mineral oil, and parabens, so finding makeup & skincare products that suit my skin & that i actually like can be extremely frustrating.  But when i tried this product out, i knew i just had to have a bit of a rave on it.

The product in question is Yes to Tomatoes Skin Clearing Facial Mask from their "Clear Skin" range.  I'd been in the market for a face mask and heard good things about the Yes to Carrots/Cucumbers/Tomatoes (it varies haha), so i thought i would go with this one.  The first thing i did was look at the ingredients and saw that it was paraben-free and also had some really lovely-sounding ingredients in it (full list here).  I saw that it had fragrance in it so i was a bit skeptical about that, but it ended up not irritating my skin at all, big thumbs up.

I took it home and tried it out several times before i reviewed it for you lovelies so i could really see how it worked for me.  You only leave the mask on for five minutes - now, i was a bit confuzzled about that..i thought, how much could a mask do in five minutes?  But anywho...  So you put the product on your face and the texture is a bit, stiff?  Not sure how to describe it, but there's little particles in it (probably the Dead Sea salt).  It's not hard to put on though, just a bit less creamy than other face masks i've tried.

After you've left it on for five minutes, you wipe it off with a wash cloth and then close up your pores with a bit of cooler water.  I've found this face mask a bit hard to get off completely, but it's not too much of a problem.  My skin is left feeling deep cleaned and smooth, and then i just continue on with the rest of my skincare routine (toner & moisturizer).  I use this whenever my skin is breaking out with spots and nothing is seeming to help clear it up.  I do use this at night after i've cleansed my face and in the morning the spots have dramatically decreased in size and my skin is noticeably clearer.

I'm so glad i decided to give this product a try.  Since it's a product i use just once a week (at maximum.  I'd say i use this product like twice a month though) you don't go through it too quickly, so for $15, i'd say it's a pretty good value.  Again, i'm not sure how this product would work on drier skin types, as i have quite oily & acne-prone skin, but for those of you with skin similar to mine, i'd definitely recommend trying this out!

What are some of your favorite skincare products?

♥

skincare purchases

As those of you may know (if you follow me on Twitter ;), i woke up at the crack of dawn to stop by the DMV and get my temps this morning!  If you don't know what a temps is, it's basically saying you're legal to drive as long as you have a parent or guardian in the car, someone whose 21+ years old, or an instructor in the car.  You also can only have relatives in the car, or up to one non-relative.  If all goes well, i should have my driver's license by the end of July :).  My dad's taking me out driving tomorrow (in a vacant parking lot, of course!) for the first time, quite excited actually!  Fingers crossed i don't run into any poles....

Anyway, on the way home, my mom decided to stop by Target to treat me to a few things & pick up a few goodies for herself.  I have to say she is terrible at saying no to me putting things in the cart!

This 'haul' might be a bit boring to those of you who aren't to interested in skincare, but i thought i'd share with you all what i got anyway.

♥ Boots Botanics Organic Face Rosewater Toner, $7.99 - This is the main reason we went to Target.  I was running low on this toner & needed to pick up another bottle.  I swear by this stuff!

♥ St. Ives "Timeless Skin" Apricot Scrub, $2.99 - I was running out of exfoliator as well & thought i'd try something new.  I've been using St Ives Sensitive Skin Apricot Scrub, but didn't feel like it was really exfoliating my skin too much.  And anything that claims to "renew and firm" my skin sounds good to me :).  We'll see how this stuff goes...

♥ Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes - 30 count, $5.99 - I've been using baby wipes to take my makeup off for a while now & noticed that my skin gets a bit irritated (ironic, huh?) or that it doesn't really remove my makeup too well.  I've heard many good things about this brand so i thought i'd give these a go!  Cute packaging + lovely ingredients = muy bueno :)

♥ Yes to Tomatoes Skin Clearing Facial Mask, $14.99 - This was my splurge (well, my mom's :/) for the day & the product i'm most excited to try out.  Again, i've been hearing a lot of good things around the beauty community about this brand (same brand as the Yes to Cucumbers range), so i have high hopes!  My skin has been acting up lately so i've been looking to up the amp in my skincare routine.  Really hope this does my skin some good.

♥ Sleeping mask & mini hand sanitizer, both $1 - Picked these up in the clearance section!  It's super bright in my room in the morning to i figured a sleeping mask might help, and how cute is it? :)  Also picked up a mini hand sanitizer for my purse by the same brand that's supposed to be "strawberry champagne" scented - i'd say more like strawberry smoothie spiked with strawberry Smirnoff, but hand sanitizer is hand sanitizer right? ;)

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Need to go to the mall soon to Back to MAC for a lipstick (i'm thinking Creme Cup maybe?), pick up more Studio Finish concealer, stop by the Clinique counter, and spend the rest of the money on my Forever 21 card!

Hope you're all having a splendid Monday <3

♥

Fab Friday 002 ♥.

Welcome to the second ever Fab Friday ladies!  Here's the first one if you missed it :)

This week has been kind of all over the place for me.  It started off pretty well, lots of laughter & fun times to be had.  As the week progressed, the days just seemed to get longer & the work load just seemed overwhelming.  I'm already getting behind in a lot of classes :/.

I want to apologize for being so MIA blogging-wise lately :/.  School has honestly just taken over & i really need to focus on that, which i hope you'll all understand ♥.  On to the post!

01. Ombre hair attempt II & The Scarlet Letter ♥

As you may have read in my previous Fab Friday, i was considering ombre-ing my hair & i even bought the dye.  After all your comments telling me to go for it, i finally did!  Well, maybe it just didn't put enough on, or maybe it was the dye itself, but it didn't do much at all.  I just went to Walmart today & bought a different dye - this stuff is scary, i must admit o_o.  Frost?  Eeeeep...worth a try anyway!

I'm reading The Scarlett Letter for English, and i actually really like it.  It's so beautifully written & is super intriguing, it's definitely a book that i would even pick up on my own.

02. Floral flyaways & hand-me-down computers ♥

Showin' my floral cardigan-sorta-thing from Charlotte Russe some love :) - love this thing!

It was recently my mom & dad's 25th wedding anniversary, and my dad gave my lovely mother a new, pink laptop, so i got her old (crappy...ahem) one!  Better than nothing i suppose.

03. Satin Taupe & b-liv skincare ♥

This past week, i did another MakeupAlley swap & this time i recieved MAC's Satin Taupe eyeshadow - it's soo lovely & smooth.  I'm actually wearing it atm :).  It feels so good adding eyeshadows into my MAC palette!  Although i only have two so far, i feel so proud hehe :)

I was kindly sent some lovely skincare products from the line b-liv by Cellnique, and i'm genuinely enjoying them so far.  A full review will be on it's way once i test 'em out for a few more weeks.

04. Random bits :)

This will never get old.  NIN forever ♥.

Anyone buy anything from MAC's Venomous Villans Collection?  I feel the need to make a purchase from the collection as i absolutely adore Disney, but i can't decide!

Ask me anything / Tweet tweet!

♥

July Faves :)

I originally wasn't planning on doing a July favorites post, mainly because i haven't really been wearing a lot of makeup & also because i haven't bought any new products in the entire month of July...crazy to think about, but yeah - i'm absolutely broke!  The times i have worn makeup in the month of July, i usually kept it simple or tried out new things - eg. different color eyeliners, different cheek colors, etc.

I have also been focusing more on taking care of skin this month, as the summer weather has really put a strain on it!  So my July favorites consist of one hair product, a few skin products, and just two makeup items!  I still hope you ladies enjoy this post :)

Dove Heat Defense Therapy Conditioner ♥

Whenever i blow-dry or straighten my hair (which admittedly, isn't too often in the summer!), i like to protect my hair from the heat as much as possible - starting in the shower.  I don't use this conditioner daily as it can cause buildup if used too frequently, but i be sure to use it whenever i know i'm going to use heat on my hair.  It makes my hair super soft & easy to work with!

Vaseline ♥

I think vaseline (or at least petroleum jelly) is a staple in any household, you can use it for so many things!  Every summer, my feet suffer from dryness & even cracking (sorry if you were eating!), so using the right products to help heal them is really important.  Before i go to bed, i slather this stuff on the bottoms of my feet, put on socks, dream for a bit, wake up, & viola!  My feet feel moisturized & the cracks in my feet have started to heal.  This stuff is a lifesaver.

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion in "Deep Natural Tan" ♥

I already did a post kind of reviewing this product (link here), so i won't go too in depth - but i've really been loving this stuff lately.  I don't like exposing my skin to too much sun (i sound like a hermit!), as it is soo damaging, but i still like to have a tan.  This product is a solution to that dilemma!  I think i look so much healthier & even thinner with a tan, so i really love this product.

Lush "Honey, I Washed the Kids" Soap ♥

This soap is one of the more popular soaps at Lush and gets a lot of hype on YouTube & in the blogging community, and i would say it definitely lives up to the hype.  It smells delicious - i actually may need restraint from eating it! - it is also quite moisturizing, and creates a gorgeous lather!  Definitely a product to try out :)

Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black ♥

I did a review on this product a long, long time ago, and i still love it.  I would be my favorite mascara i've ever tried if it wasn't flaky, but i digress!  The effect this mascara has on my lashes is amazing!  It makes them look thick & lengthens them a bit, it looks stunning!  It's also quite dark black, which is always a plus in my book.

Clinique Blush in "Iced Lotus" ♥

I swear this product has been in all of my monthly favorites ever, but i honestly love this stuff!  It's the prettiest color blush i own. I stopped using this for a while, but i've rediscovered it & have fallen for it once more.  It's very pretty & gives a very lovely, fresh look to the cheeks :)

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What have you ladies been loving this month? :)

Formspring / Twitter / Tumblr (:

♥

Deep Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes. ♥

As you may already know, it is very important to deep clean your make up brushes at least once a week, to get all the colors you used on them out, but to also prevent bacteria buildup.  If you let the bacteria build up in your brushes, you're more prone to breaking out - never a good thing!  Cleaning your brushes regularly can also lengthen the life of them!

So, what's the difference between deep cleaning & spot cleaning your brushes?:

Spot cleaning is a good, but temporary cleaning of your brushes.  There are many spot cleaning brush cleansers out there to use, and i use the MAC Brush Cleanser for this.  I use spot cleaning mainly for my eye brushes, since i use different color eyeshadows, as it allows me to get the color out & use a different shade of eyeshadow.  I also use it on my face brushes when i don't have enough time to allow them to completely dry.

Deep cleaning is obviously more thorough & 'deep' than spot cleaning.  How i think of the difference between the two is if you were to just rinse your hair under your shower head, without using shampoo, it gets out some oil & dirt, but doesn't truly clean your hair - as opposed to using a deeper cleaning agent, like shampoo!  Kinda make sense? :)

Now, onto the procedure! :)

Note the dirtiness & product still on the brushes - yucky!

So what you want to do is find a good deep cleanser to clean your brushes.  You don't want to use a shampoo that you use on your own hair, because that will be way too harsh for the brush's hairs.  My favorite product to use is Johnson's Baby Shampoo - it's super affordable & works really well!  This massive bottle costs under $10 & will last me for ages!

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♥ Step 1: Lay out your brushes on a towel next to the sink or wherever you're cleaning them.

♥ Step 2: Grab one brush & run it under warm water, make sure not to tip the brushes with the hairs facing upward at all after doing this, because it can cause really bad damage to your brushes - trust me!

♥ Step 3: Squirt a bit of your shampoo into the palm of your hand - the bigger the brush, the bigger the puddle needs to be!  Less is usually more, but if you didn't take as much as you actually needed, you can always take more shampoo or wash it twice.

♥ Step 4: Swirl the brush around into the little puddle of baby shampoo.  It'll lather up really nicely!  Occasionally squirt out the foam from the bristles between your fingers & thumb.

♥ Step 5: Once you think you're done, rinse hair under warm water & squirt out everything until the water runs clear.

♥ Step 6: Reshape & lay brushes flat to dry on the towel!  Depending on the brush, it may take a couple hours to a day.  I usually wash mine in the afternoon & leave them overnight to dry to be ready to use in the morning.

Voila!  You should be left with gorgeous, clean, nice-smelling brushes ready to use!


Hope i helped some of you girls :)



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May Faves! ♥

It's that time again!  Time to share with what products we've all been loving this month :)  The year's going by incredibly fast - we're already on the verge of summer!  Goodness... i'm afraid to blink because if i do, it'll be time to put up the Christmas decorations!

I degress...so with the sun showing it's face a bit more and with the air being more hot & humid, the products i choose to use everyday is changing, and i'm also using more products to keep my skin healthy and looking great!  This will be a long post, so i apologize in advance....Let's get onto it!

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1. Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof deodorant
Sure, this may be a bit embarrassing to put in this post, but i don't care because i have been totally loving it!  I have tried the regular Clinical Strength, but it doesn't work as well as the waterproof version, which makes sense.. ew, right?  Haha.  I'm just going to go straight into talking about sweat i guess, that's the only way to really say how effective this product is!  Ever since entering my teen years my hormones have gone crazy, and a side effect of that is sweating.  So that, along with the hot weather, is just a recipe for embarrassment & being uncomfortable.  Ever since using this, i have noticed that my underarm area is significantly drier & smelling fresh!  I believe i found my new favorite deo :)

2. Coppertone Oil Free Sunscreen Lotion
With the sunlight beating down, it's extremely important to protect your skin.  I have been using this sunscreen since last summer, and i really love it for everyday use.  It has an SPF of 30, which isn't too high, but again, it's great for everyday use - however, if i were going to the beach or planning to be outside all day, i would definately use a sunscreen with a higher SPF.  Since my skin is really sensitive to fragrances (esp. in lotions), this is a fragrance free lotion, but it still has that amazing, summery smell of sunscreen :)

3. Lush Vanilla in the Mist soap
You might've seen that i bought this delicious soap in a recent haul (link here), and since then i've gotten to use it quite a bit :)  I'll be writing up a full review on this product soon, but i wanted to include it in my May Faves because it's absolutely divine.  The scent is super warm vanilla, and almost coffee - it's incredible.  It's also quite moisturizing, which for a solid soap isn't something you come across too often.  I absolutely adore this product ♥.  Look out for a full review!

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1. Clinique High Impact Mascara in 01 Black

I did a review on this way back in the day, i kinda stopped using it since i discovered CoverGirl Lash Blast, but i've since rediscovered it.  I still use my Lash Blast, but i use this as on top of it, on the outer corner lashes - it really gives my lashes even more length & volume, and creates more of a cat-eye effect.  Love!

2. Double-ended eye brush

Whilst walking through a cosmetic aisle in Walmart looking for a blending brush, i came across some Revlon brushes, as well cheaper ones - of course i went for the cheaper ones.  I'm not sure what brand this one is exactly because the the label came off of the packaging... but if you spot the Revlon brushes in Walmart, i'm sure you'll find these right next to them.  I already own the MAC 217 brush, which is great for applying color to the crease & blending, but i wanted to find another one to use for when i'm using a look with multiple colors.  This brush is great for blending, i still prefer my 217, but this is a great brush - reminds me of the MAC 224!

3. CoverGirl Cheekers Bronzer in 104 "Golden Tan"

Before i got my Bare Minerals Warmth, i was running low on my favorite Clinique Bronzer ("Sunkissed"), so i went to Walmart (i'm noticing a pattern here...) & tried to look for a nice, inexpensive bronzer.  I landed on this CoverGirl bronzer, and i really like it!  I'll put a little swatch of it above here, it looks like the name sounds, goldie-brownie, but it comes up more orangey-brown on the skin - kind of annoying, but you can always blend it out a bit :)

4. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lipbalm

I'm pretty sure you've all either tried this stuff, or at least heard of it - with good reason too, it's really nice!  I have been using these for years, but went off it a couple months ago because i was trying to use up some other lip products.  Since i've used them all up, i repurchased this & have fallen back in love :)

So minty & fresh feeling on the lips!

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Urban Decay Eyeshadow in "Mad Hatter" (Original name: "Twice Baked")
I absolutely adore this color.  I use this in the outer corner & blend it into the crease, and it looks really nice!  I've tried using up other colors, from Urban Decay & other brands, and i always come back to this.  There are glitters in it, but it really isn't noticeable once applied - still a nice little touch :)

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1. DIY Sailor Button Earrings
So i was having a crafty day a couple weeks ago, as you may know (I did a blogpost on it!  Link here :), and on that crafty day, i made these earrings out buttons & old earrings!  I wore them so much this month, they go with soo many outfits!  Love, love, love - and they were free, eeeee!  Guilt-free accessories :)

2. Sally Hansen Teflon Tuff 10 Day Nail Color in 06 "Violet Frost"
This gorgeous color has been on my nails for the majority of the month!  It's a very pretty, uhh... violet frosty color?  Haha :).  I rediscovered this baby while taking photos for my recent nail polish collection post (link herezzz).  I received many compliments on it - that's always nice, right? :)  The formulation is so-so, probably because i've had this for years & years - it's still a very pretty & somewhat easy to work with polish.

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Say cupcake five times fast if you actually made it through this post!  Hahaha :O
What have you ladies been loving this month?


♥

Review: Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup.

A couple months ago, i bought a Bare Escentuals Starter Kit from Sephora, after recommendation from my dermatologist.  My dermatologist said that the foundation i was using (Revlon Colorstay) wasn't doing my skin any good, since it was a liquid.  She said that a mineral powder foundation would let my skin breathe and also my blemishes to heal faster.

Sorry, they're a bit dirty!

♥ Let's start with the brushes.  The kit came with all of these, from top to bottom: Full Flawless Face Brush, Flawless Face Brush, & Max Coverage Concealer Brush.

I use all of these everyday and under each separate review, i say which one i use for what job.

Overall, i really like these brushes.  I've heard reviews about them saying they shedding excessively, and sure they do shed a bit, but it doesn't make me like them any less.  The only real downside to these brushes i find, is that they take a while to fully dry after cleaning them.

My favorite brush out of all of these is probably the Full Flawless Face Brush because it picks up a lot of the product and really gives pretty nice coverage - which i need!  It's really dense, it's basically a kabuki - and i also use it to blend my contour & blush out a bit.

The Flawless Face Brush is thinner, longer, and less dense, so it doesn't pack the product on as easily, but i still really like it.

The Max Coverage Concealer Brush is really nice as well and works really well to apply your concealer - i use this with both my powder concealer, as well as my creamy Studio Finish Concealer from MAC.

♥ Bare Escentuals Prime Time

I got a sample size Prime Time in my Bare Minerals starter kit and loved it, so i bought the full size (not pictured) and use it everyday.  Prime Time is a primer that only contains 11 ingredients - no parabens, no fragrances, and no preservatives & it also contains vitamins and antioxidants - it's really natural, and contains gorgeous ingredients.  Prime Time minimizes my pores, as well as fine lines and the bumpiness i have going on on my forehead atm.  The only downside to this is that it doesn't control my oiliness all day long, i still look oily, but that's also because of the finish of the foundation, but we'll get into that later!  That's a downside really, but for less oily skin types, this would probably work fantasically!  For me, PT creates an amazingly smooth base.

I apply Prime Time with my hands.

♥ Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil

 In the little information pamphlet that came with my BE starter kit, it says that people with oilier complexions should apply Mineral Veil before your foundation, so i do - i also apply this after my foundation, bronzer, and blush to blend the colors in a bit, to prevent shininess, and to set my makeup.  Mineral Veil is a translucent powder, but unlike most powders, you can pack this on & not look powdery or cakey at all.  It gives a really nice finish - it makes your skin look so luminous and glowy, which is a slight problem for me, as i have oily skin, but for people with drier skin, i think it would look stunning.  The only other problem i have with this is that when i apply this after my foundation, i feel like my blemishes are exposed even more, although i just covered & concealed them. 

I apply Mineral Veil with the Bare Escentuals Flawless Face (on far right of first photo) brush using the swirl, tap, buff method.

-With heavier hand before foundation.

-With lighter hand after foundation, basically dusting it on.

♥ Bare Escentuals Original SPF 15 Foundation in Fair

Bare Minerals Foundation is the only powder i've ever used that hasn't made my skin look chalky, powdery, or cakey.  Like with the Mineral Veil, i can pack this stuff on & my skin will still look very natural.  Even though it's a powder, BE doesn't dry out my skin.  The way this foundation applies is delicious, haha.  Bare Escentuals claims that although it's a powder, it goes on like a cream - and it really does.  Sure it doesn't literally turn creamy, but it applies smoothly, even without much thought.  The finish to this stuff is also super amazing - it's luminous and healthy-looking.  

As for helping my acne to heal, i feel it does help a bit.  I feel like the liquid foundation i was using before had so many ingredients (BE has seven) and was so heavy that it was just smothering my skin and not allowing my skin to heal as quickly as it could.  Since this foundation has fewer ingredients and the texture is fine & light, i feel it really allows my skin to breathe and within the first week of using this, the texture of my skin & my acne had honestly improved a smidgen.

On my "good skin" days, i use this foundation as a concealer.

The packaging of this product makes it as little messy as possible, if you're careful.

I apply the Bare Minerals foundation with the Bare Escentuals Full Flawless Face brush (it's more dense & packs on the foundation amazingly - on far left in first photo) - using the swirl, tap, buff method.

I apply the Bare Minerals foundation as a concealer with the Maximum Coverage Concealer brush using the swirl, tap, buff method as well.

♥ Bare Escentuals Warmth All Over Color

Let me just start by saying this product has just three ingredients.  Three!  Am i the only one amazed?!  Again, preservative (paraben) free, fragrance free, etc.  Warmth is a bronzer basically, so i do the "three" motion to apply it (forehead, cheek region, & underneath jawline) and with the little bit left on my brush, i lightly go over the rest of my face.  Warmth can also be used as a subtle contour.  It looks natural - when i wear this i get comments from people IRL saying that i look tan (trust me, i'm not tan).  Warmth applies really smoothly & i think this stuff will last a long time since you need so little of it.  I've recently discovered that this product goes a little red in pictures on me - this may be my fault because of how i apply it, how much i apply, etc. but either way, no es bueno!

I apply Warmth All Over Color with the Bare Escentuals Flawless Face brush.

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Overall
I really love the concept behind having makeup that's good for your skin, and i really love Bare Escentuals as a company.  If you're curious to try these product, i recommend getting a Starter Kit so you can test these products out, but not have to fully commit with your money to purchasing the full size of everything & purchasing the brushes individually.  In my opinion, mineral makeup is for all ages, races, and skintypes because it's so easy to use, it looks like your not even wearing makeup, & there is a wide range of colors.
♥

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USA: you can buy Bare Escentuals at Sephora in stores & online, as well as on the Bare Escentuals website

UK: you can buy Bare Escentuals on the UK website, as well as in stores (i'm not sure where =/)

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♥

My Dry & Chapped Lip Musts!

I got a question about what i use to heal dry & chapped lips on one of my previous posts and i thought it was a fantastic idea for a post!

I would say i'm lucky to not have extremely dry & flaky lips, but Winter weather and cosmetic products on them can really do some damage.  When i was little i used to have extremely chapped lips but now that i take care of them more, i don't have so much of a problem *knock on wood* :)

One of the most essential things of course is a lip balm or chapstick:

Carmex

Carmex is a pretty popular brand here in the US (i'm not sure about other countries.  I use this product at night after i'm done with my routine - washing my face, brushing & flossing my teeth, and putting my retainer in & such (haha..retainer :).  It's really thick & goes on very smoothly, but i find that it takes a looong time to sink in - which is why i only use it at night.  Sometimes i'll even wake with it still on the surface of my lips, which kinda grosses me out a bit..not sure why!

I would also say it's not amazingly moisturizing, but it does a adequate job :)

Burt's Bees

Burt's Bees is another really common brand in the US, with good reason!  Burt's Bees chapstick is really moisturizing, goes on smoothly, absorbs fairly quickly, & if you get the original flavor, it makes your lips feel really refreshed (it contains menthol).  The flavor i have contains pomegranate oil & has a bit of a tint to it (which is pretty sheer), hence different color cap.  I have to say i prefer the original kind to the one pictured just because of the scent/flavor, i don't like the scent of the pomegranate one at all & it's not as refreshing.

I carry my Burt's Bees in my bag (note the beat-up label :) and apply it before i apply lipstick in the morning & throughout the day as i feel necessary.

Along with moisturizing lip balms & chapsticks, an lip exfoliator is an essential.  Just like you exfoliate the skin on your face or body, it's important exfoliate your lips.  I saw that Lush came out with lip scrubs, but i'm really disappointed that they aren't sold in the US :/

I didn't want to spend money on an exfoliator, so i do as anyone would do..i Googled it!  I ended up finding an amazing DIY recipe for a sugar lip scrub by Elle, Allthatglitters on YouTube, (link to that video HERE).  The only two ingredients are olive oil & sugar, which everyone has in their kitchen!  It really works, it's inexpensive, & i love it :)

I do this once or twice a week.  It's especially great if you wear lipstick because exfoliating will get rid of all the flaky skin, letting the product apply smoothly & look better.

Extra tips

♥ drink plenty of water - you've most likely heard 100s of times how important to drink water & stay hydrated it is, but it truly is & water really does wonders for the skin

♥ keep a chapstick or lip balm handy!  i feel completely lost without one in my bag :)

♥ during the Summer, find a lip balm with an SPF in it, the sun can burn lips too!

♥ don't lick your lips!  it may feel moisturizing, but it actually drys them!

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Product of the Week: Lush's Candy Fluff Dusting Powder ♥

Last time i went into Lush, the lady that was helping me showed me this product.  It was on my wishlist, but i didn't think of buying it at that time.  Well, i did anyway :)

The product is Candy Fluff Dusting Powder.  Dusting powders are like baby powders, but with a better scent, so any way you would use a baby powder is how you could use a dusting powder.

Scent: Candy Fluff is an amazing sweet, candy/bubblegummy scent.  It's sooo wonderful & whenever i smell it i can't help but smile!  If you like the scent of Rock Star, Snow Fairy (review HERE), or Creamy Candy bubble bar (review HERE), i'm certain you'll love this.

Texture: This powder is pretty finely milled, so it blends into the skin really nicely

Durability: This scent lingers for SUCH a long time!  I shower at night and put this onto my body & when i wake up in the morning, i can still smell it :)  It lasts all day as well

Glitter: There are tiny bits of glitter mixed in & it's noticeable on the skin.  I would say if you work at an office job or something that is a bit more serious, or you're older, you wouldn't want to wear this, but if you don't work at that type of job or you're going out at night or something, it's awesome!

Packaging: I've heard of people having problems with the packaging causing a bit of a mess, but i haven't really had that problem!  I shake a bit into my hand & then use it however.  One the top, there's a sifter on one side & a wide hole on the other side, so you can choose which side you'd like to use

Price: Candy Fluff is $11.25 or £6.10 & that's seriously a wonderful value :)

Uses:

♥ after showering & applying lotion, rub this into your skin

♥ after styling my hair, i sometimes dust a little bit of this on, it makes it smell amazing

♥ if you have greasier hair & you don't feel like showering, you can rub a bit of this into your scalp & it'll help to soak up some of the grease & leave your hair smelling delicious

♥ i haven't tried this yet but i read that you can dust a bit of this into your underwear drawer, or on your bedsheets, & such!

Overall

I'm definately going to be repurchasing this product again, and again, and again...xx

I recommend Candy Fluff Dusting Powder to anyone that loves sweet, candy scents :)

5/5

Don't know how to take a proper Lush bath?  HERE's my recipe for a perfect Lush bath :)

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Lush Review: The Godmother Soap

I got a big chunk of Lush's The Godmother soap in a recent haul & after using it for about a week, i decided to do a review :)

The Godmother soap is marketed as more of a hand soap, but it can be used as a body soap, and that's what i use it as because i prefer anti-bacterial soap for my hands.

First of all, the scent..it smells exactly like Snow Fairy Shower Gel from the Christmas collection..SO DELICIOUS!  I smelled them side by side & they do smell exactly the same, but if you are feeling very particular, i suppose you could say Snow Fairy is a tad bit sweeter than The Godmother, although TG is still very sweet.

You may be wondering why i bought The Godmother if i already had Snow Fairy, if you read my post on Snow Fairy, you'll find out link HERE.

If you've ever used a Lush soap before, you'll probably agree that the scent doesn't linger for very long on your skin, but it is a really nice aromatherapy while you're washing with it.  Although The Godmother isn't any different, i do still like this soap.

I found that compared to Rock Star (my favorite Lush soap :), The Godmother isn't very moisturizing.  Rock Star is quite moisturizing and leaves my skin feeling soft & moisturized (let's count how many times i say "moisture" in different forms ;).  That's really the only downside to this product.

The Godmother i find lathers very well & you can get many uses out of one bar.

I would reccomend this product to anyone who loves Snow Fairy but can't wait till Christmas-time, and also to anyone that likes Rock Star but doesn't want to scoop the extra couple $$$.

(Rock Star is $7.95 per 3.5 oz [£2.90 /100g], The Godmother is $5.95 [£2.65 /100g]).

Overall:

3/5 & i will most likely be repurchasing Rock Star before i repurchase The Godmother, just because it leaves my skin feeling more moisturized :)


Don't know how to take a proper Lush bath?  HERE's my recipe for the perfect Lush bath :)

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Lush Review: Butterball Bath Bomb

I purchased the Buttercup gift set from Lush, & this bath bomb, along with the famous Honey, I Washed the Kids soap was included :).  For good measure, i'll tell you that this is the second bath bomb i have ever tried, Jacko being the first.

I absolutely adore Butterball & much prefer it over Jacko (although Jacko smells amazing).  At first i really didn't like the scent, but as all Lush scents seem to do, it grew on me & especially during the bath it was very relaxing.

So after i filled the tub, i hopped in it (well, carefully stepped in :) & dropped this wee ballistic into the bath.  Before it even disolved completely, my skin felt softer & my jaw dropped!  I knew this bath bomb was moisturizing, but it was even better than i imagined.

(PS: the reason the bomb makes your skin so soft is because cocoa butter is one of the ingredients :)

I'm not a big bath bomb girl, i love bubbles :D, but i would definately reccomend this product to you lovelies & repurchase it for myself again and again.

The Buttercup gift is $9.95 (£6.95) & Butterball individually is $4.85 (£2.25).

Overall:

4.5/5

Don't know how to take a proper Lush bath?  HERE's my recipe for a perfect Lush bath :)

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How-To Enjoy a Lush Bath :)

I was in the middle of soaking in my Lush bath the other night when i came up with the idea of sharing with you lovelys how to fully enjoy your own Lush baths!

Bathtime, to me, is not just lounging in a water-filled tub for 20+ minutes, it's that special time that you can just relax & escape reality for a while.  In this post, i'll tell you how to make the most out of that precious time :)

What you'll need:

♥ a tub

♥ hot water

♥ your favorite Lush products - a bath ballistic, melt, bubble bar, soap, shower gel, etc. (my faves right now are The Comforter bubble bar & Rock Star soap)
♥ candles, they're optional, but they can really help to create a relaxing mood :)

♥ hair tie

♥ a nice cup of caffine-free tea

♥ light food (fruit, crackers, etc.) or my favorite..chocolate!
♥ something to do so you don't get bored as quickly - a book, iPod, etc.

Instructions:

1. Get everything you need together & lay it out in an organized fashion so you don't forget anything or have to rummage around.

2. Leave your phone & anything work or school related out of the bathroom - this is your time to completely forget about those things :)

3. Remove makeup & tie hair up.

4. Start running hot bath water.

5. Pop your favorite Lush products into bath (This is my favorite part!  Well, aside from enjoying the bath a'course ;)

6. Hop (haha, pop...hop) into bath & turn off water (or other way around).

7. Time to get cheesy....Take deep breaths, close your eyes, and really soak in the scents & warmth of the glorious bath.

8. Enjoy for as long as you please ♥

9. Don't forget the tea & snacks!  If you start getting bored, listen to soothing/comforting/happy music, read a good book - just be careful not to drop it into the water!

10. Wash with soap of choice.

11. Drain bath water & run shower, i usually shower in cooler water after a bath, it just feels nice & refreshing - shampoo/condition hair, wash face, etc.

12. Dry off, moisturize, put on warm, comfy PJ's, comb hair, brush teeth, etc.

13. Get into bed & dream pleasant dreams.

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