Sunday, January 10, 2016

How To: Pedicure In The Shower

I used to go every 3-4 weeks (in the winter) and every 2 weeks (in the summer) to the nail salon to get a pedicure.  Well those were the days! I realize now how expensive it was getting. Although it's nice to be pampered every once in a while, I find it more rewarding to do it myself. Let's get started.  Links are provided for items needed.

Things you will need:

Pumice Bar or Stone
Callous File
Foot Scrub
Foot Lotion
Foot Mask - Optional

Step 1:
I cut and file my toenails before I get in the shower.  After I wash and condition my hair, I use the callous file to scrape off the dead skin off my feet.  If you don't have dead skin on your feet I envy you and you could skip this step.  By doing this step after you've washed your hair, it allows the water to make your skin soft just as if you soaked them.

Step 2:
Then I put the foot scrub on the pumice bar and scrub the bottom of my feet and sides of my toes.  This ensures all the dead skin is wiped away and makes your skin smooth.

Step 3:
When I get out of the shower I rub the foot lotion all over my feet.  Every once in a while I will use a foot mask to make my feet super smooth and moisturized.

Now go paint those toes! I hope this has helped you.  This is a great way to get a pedicure done when time or money doesn't allow you to go to the salon.


You can use any type of foot scrub or foot lotion you would like.  These are just the ones that I personally use.  Also, since I am the only one using these pedicure items, I just leave them in my nail care drawer and sanitize them after each use.






Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Colour Pop Super Shock Shadows


Hello beauties! As I was shopping last week the for Colour Pop Lippie Stix, I also bought some of their Super Shock Shadows to try them out.  First off, I love their names.  Just like the Lippie Stix the names are cute and edgy.  They are also only $5 for a 2.1g/0.07oz eyeshadow! The rate for shipping is the same as the Lippie Stix, spend $30 and get free shipping.

These shadows are super pigmented, creamy and easy to blend.  Colour Pop recommends that the best way to apply this shadow is with your finger and they are right.  You can use a brush but there is some fall out during the day when applied that way.  Enough talking, let's go straight to swatching!






Bae
Bae is a surprise color.  In the pot it's this blueish iridescent color but when swathed, its a purple with blue sparkle.  Such a great all over lid color or an outer V color for a smokey eye.



Hammered    Jewelry from The Limited

Hammered is a bronze-taupe color with gold sparkle.  Wonderful all over the lid color for that pop of color.



Game Face         Jewelry from Princes P Jewelry
Game Face is a very coopery color.  It's an excellent dupe for MAC's Amber Lights Shadow, just a lot cheaper.  If you are looking for an all over lid color for a copper look, this is it!


So Quiche
So Quiche is a taupe color with pink sparkles.  Beautiful lid color, the picture says it all. 


Get Lucky
Need I say more?  Get Lucky is a gold color that is so pretty as an all over lid color.  Are You Lucky?



Smash            Jewelry from Hot Topic


Smash is edgy and amazing.  Its a very creamy light brown color.  Can be used for a crease color or all over lid color.


Desert            Jewelry from Swarovski
Desert looks more sparkly than it really is in the pot.  It's a creamy matte light brown color.  I use it as a crease color and all over the lid.


Amaze
Amaze...the name speaks for itself.  A beautiful highlight color or all over the lid color.


I <3 This
I <3 This is great sparkly light pinky brown.  Good to use as a brow bone highlight, inner corner highlight or allover the lid.  A great dupe for Stila Kitten.

Until next blog, thanks for listening, Sarah

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Picking apart the Tarte Away Oui Go Limited Edition Holiday Palette

 
I don't know about you guys but when I travel I want options, so I bring along a bunch of different palettes, blushes, mascaras, foundations, etc.  That bit me in the ass last February when my husband and I went to Las Vegas.  We paid an extra $25 for my luggage because it was too heavy and my makeup made it heavy.  I won't do that again!

This Collectors Set and Portable Palette by Tarte is a cool idea.  It has 4 small palettes in the box with 4 eye shadows (2g/0.07oz) on each palette and an Amazonian Clay blush (4.5g/0.158oz), that's a total of 16 shadows and 4 blushes.  It also comes with a carrying case that fits each palette on its own.  There are 3 fl oz Marajuca lip glosses (1.8ml/0.06) in different colors and 1 Lights, Camera, Flashes Mascara in black (4ml/0.13 fl oz).  Each color in the palette has a Parisian themed name.

This is a very warm neutral palette, with maybe 2 cool toned shadows.  I like the idea of having the choice of taking only one small palette with you but the colors are similar, lots of browns and purples.  There are 7 matte shades and 9 shimmery shades.    Not every small palette has a good brow bone highlight, actually only two do, those colors are snow angels in the parc (shimmer) and private chateau (matte).   The glosses are a little sticky, they remind me of the MAC's Lip Glass formula.  Lights, Camera, Flashes is actually one of my favorite mascaras, the brush is amazing and I always get a good curl with it. 

This palette was $58 at Ulta.  It's a steep price but with all of the products you get in this set, it was worth it.  Would I buy this palette if I wasn't a make up junkie? No.  I do see myself using this to travel because of it's size.  The shadows are really creamy and the blushes are the same pigmentation and formula as the regular Amazonian Clay blushes. 

Here are the swatches of all the products in this set.  Enjoy, Until next blog, Sarah


Tarte Away Oui Go Palette Collection

All the goodies



The Small Palette
Pop the palette right in!




Lights, Camera Flashes Macscara - Love the Brush!
Blush swatch - Then the 4 shadows


Blush swatch - Then the 4 shadows

Blush swatch - Then the 4 shadows

Blush swatch - Then the 4 shadows
 
Marajuca Lip Glosses
 

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

You Tube Made Me Buy It...

Hello, again.  I was thinking the other day about some purchases I have made because of some recommendations from You Tubers, some I am more than happy with and some I regret.  Here is a list of my top 5 worst and best purchases because You Tube made me buy it, Part 1. 

REGRETFUL PURCHASES:

1.  Colleen Rothschild Radiant Cleansing Balm:  This product retails for $65.00.  I used a coupon code (and someone gained commission) and got  it for $50.00 with s/h.  It comes with a Muslin cloth that retails on her website for $19.00.  Yes it takes off all of your makeup at one time, face, eyes and lips but it makes me feel greasy after I rinse it off, almost as if I have to use another face cleanser after this one.  The You Tuber claimed that the Muslin cloth gets clean with just a rinse of cold water every time she used it, maybe she got the super Muslin cloth that I didn't get, it has mascara marks like crazy.  Also the fragrance is just ok.  It's a cross between eucalyptus and vapor rub.  I will not be repurchasing this product.
 








2.  NUME Curling wand:  I have learned that when a You Tuber says they have a coupon code that can get you $120.00 off a product, don't buy it! I bought this curling wand for $35.00 after the coupon code, it retails for $165.00.  I bought the 32mm one and it does not curl my hair.  I have very manageable hair that can be worn straight or curly but this wand didn't do the trick.  I have to agree that it is very hot, they give you a heat protective glove and it come in a nice box.  I will not be buying anything from NUME in the future.  I am happy with my Sultra wand.



3.  Look Book Store:  Awesome idea, cute clothes great prices.  I ordered my first shirt and it took 3 weeks to arrive, it was $21.00 with free shipping.  I received a lot of compliments on my shirt so I decided to buy another.  I measured my bust, arms and waist the way the website told me to, I purchases a size US 8, sounded big enough for me (sigh) but it wasn't.  This online "boutique" is in China, am I really going to wait 6 weeks to return the item and wait for a bigger size? No, so my little sister has a nice new shirt.  I find it kind of weird that the website only has selfies of girls neck down wearing their clothes and not models picked out by the company to showcase their items.  I will not be repurchasing from the Look Book store in the future as it does not seem to conform to the curvy girl figure.

Such a cute shirt that I can't fit into but the measurements said I would

4.  Gerard Cosmetics/Whitening Lightening:  I bought into the hype, I bought some of their lip glosses, lipstick and brow bar to go.  I got coupon codes from You Tubers and they even had some great deals going on.  I put this company into my regretful purchases category because almost every You Tuber that I watch mentions their products and raves about them but no one says the negative aspects about them.  The lip glosses are merely just liquid lipsticks that's why they are "sooooo pigmented" according to every review I've sat through.  The lipsticks are ok, the formula is a little dry and rough to get on your lips with out having lip balm on before applying it.  I only just used the wax from the brow bar because the powder is decent but it's better as an eye shadow.  The prices are a reason I dislike the product.  Before any discount codes, the price is $19.00, then someone dazzles you with a code and the price drops down to $9.00, which is the same as the drugstore.  Their slogan should be "Champagne prices with beer qualities."   I probably will buy again from them though, it's like crack, lol. 

1995 and All Dolled Up
Do you see the gritty formula?  It's not smooth like other lip products


5.  NARS ITA Brush:  This retails for $55.00 and is rarely in stock.  When it popped up back in stock, I bought it.  I thought this brush was going to make my contouring game strong, it doesn't have super powers!  Only practice does that I realized.  It's a cool concept, the brush is expensive and it sheds a lot when you wash it and/or use it. The rubber handle gets dirty fast, especially if you have any product on your hands.  I wouldn't buy this product again but I'm kind of glad I got it, I know, I know this sounds like an oxymoron.

 

 
Thanks for listening, Until next blog, Sarah

Monday, November 17, 2014

Inexpensive Gift Ideas.... ColourPop Lippie Stix

Hello beauties, happy Monday!  Thanksgiving is next week and that means Christmas will be here before you know it.  I like to start Christmas shopping around the first week of October (I hate crowded malls and long lines) so I am always looking for small inexpensive gifts to give the special beauty lovers in my life.

 I initially heard about ColourPop through CoffeeBreakWithDani on Youtube when she was launching her signature color Frida.  I liked it so much on video, I had to have it.  It's the kind of color that is effortless, a color you can wear to your kids school functions or meeting the boyfriends parents for the first time.  The great thing about ColourPop is that all their products are just $5.00 each and if you spend $30 shipping is free.  Here's a secret, you might as well spend $30 because shipping is $5.95 each order. 

There are 40 colors with a wide variety of shades to choose from.  They come in 3 different finishes, Matte, Glossy and Satin.  The Matte lippie Stix, I find to be long lasting but drying so make sure your lips are exfoliated and moisturized.  I didn't pick up any Glossy or Pearlized ones but the Satin finishes are fabulous.  You can also purchase the matching Lippie Pencil to go along with the Stix.  I would recommend using a lip liner for the Matte Lippie Stix, you don't want them to run over your lip line.

ColourPop's customer service is great.  They got my order wrong, I emailed them and they sent me the right items right away.  The only negative is that one of my Lippie Stix broke already, I just clicked it once and the product won't come up.  I will be emailing customer service again. 

Here are the swatches of my lippie Stix that I bought. 

ColourPop Lippie Stix, names are as marked.  Each Lippie Stix is 1.0g/0.0352oz


 
They come in these cute tubes that click up the product and can fit in your pocket, clutch, etc. 
I would have to say that my favorites out of this bunch are Bichette and Frida.  I am not normally a darker vampy color girl since I am so pale, but they were only $5.00 so I thought I would try it out.  Check these out for inexpensive gifts or stocking stuffers. 

Thanks for listening, until next blog, Sarah

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Quick Inexpesive Holiday Gift Idea - BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlight

Hello Beauties!  I am here to tell you about some inexpensive...and maybe some expensive gift ideas for the Holiday Season.  You can gift a beauty lover basically just about anything, because we all love gifts but if you are looking for a great gift idea that's cheap but doesn't look cheap, here it is.  The BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlight in 3 colors, Champagne Gold, Opal and Pearl.

I have wanted to buy one of the BECCA skin perfectors but I didn't want to spend $41 on a 1.7 oz that comes in 5 colors because you know I'm going to want them all.  I saw this little Holiday Pack when I was in Ulta, it was the last one there so I grabbed it. These are the perfect highlighters.

I already have the Opal Pressed Skin Perfector and I LOOOVVEE it.  Here are the Swatches below.  The 3 pack retails for $25 for three 0.17 oz. bottles. 

Thanks for listening, until next blog Sarah

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector $25



Swatches of Highlighters








Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Dupe for Gerard Cosmetics 1995!

Hello beauties!  I have found a dupe for Gerard Cosmetics 1995 with a better formula and a well known name.  It's MAC's Del Rio.  It retails for $16.00 but they have a recycling program with their makeup tubes that you use up.  It's called Back to MAC and if you return 6 empty primary packaging items, you get a free lipstick of your choice.

I like MAC's quality of their formulas, the smell of the lipstick and it's a brand I trust.  Just not their foundation because it's orange and dries me out!

Gerard Cosmetics 1995 on top and MAC's Del Rio on bottom




 
 
 
 
 

 
Thank you for listening, until next blog Sarah