Now this??

Ok, this is going to sound like a commercial...and it almost is.
I signed up with Ebates guys, and do you know what?
SEPHORA AND ULTA AND AMAZON AND TARGET are ON THERE!

I can't even tell you how dumb I feel having shopped directly from sites in the past. ALL THIS TIME I could have been racking up money and getting paid part of it back!! I FEEL LIKE SUCH A FOOL!!

When I first saw the commercials for Ebates.com, I thought "What a scam! It's probably for super obscure websites that I would NEVER shop." I'm gobsmacked, just about every online purchase I've made in the past year, I could have been earning part of my money back if I'd used Ebates.com.

I just barely signed up myself, but NOW IS THE TIME, they pay out quarterly, so you can start banking your bucks now! Also, you can have them send you a physical check or submit to your paypal account, love the options!

Anyway, here's the direct link too, it's my referral link so if you click and sign up (WHICH IS FREE AND SO SIMPLE IT'S ALMOST STUPID) that would be nice, there is a referral rewards program: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=gzzJ6d7juT1HBVaoQmmnaQ%3D%3D

I know, this isn't a product junkie post, but dudes...seriously??? MONEY!!

Beauty Blender vs Super Blender: What's the difference?

I did it. I finally bought a Beauty Blender. BUT NOT BEFORE I purchased a knock-off.

Allow me to explain.

A few months back I purchased the Super Blender Sponge from Ulta (which retails for $4.99 US), used it with a fairly heavy-duty foundation, and was very happy with the results.

But I couldn't help myself, around Christmas when the deals are-a-posting from everywhere, I saw a deal that I couldn't refuse. The Beauty Blender "Pure" WITH the solid cleanser bar, via amazon.com's Beauty Blender store for $23.95 (which isn't much of a discount, but it was enough to get me to the minimum dollar amount for free shipping, which is what I was really after). 

Beauty Blender with Solid Cleanser bar

Both sponges are to be used damp (run under water, squeezing a few times, then squeeze between a towel to get the right amount of damp) and then "bounced" or "pounced" on the skin rapidly, sectioning the face out to insure even application; which is a complicated way of saying Stippling. Both have a pointed end and a rounded end. The pointed end gives you better control of the little areas of the face that aren't flat, like the edges of your nose or under the eyes. Anywhere you usually have to use your finger to blend out. The flatter/rounded end is for the wider/flatter parts of the face, like the cheeks, forehead and top of the nose and chin. 

So what's the difference? One word. TEXTURE.

Sizes when dry and damp, very similar!

The pink Ulta sponge is more dense, even when dampened, and it sounds weird to say, but it makes more "noise" when you use it on your face. It sounded like it was a rubber ball bouncing on my face. Which almost put me off and simultaneously made me giggle. 

The Beauty Blender, once damp, was definitely softer. I did get worried that my foundation would be sucked into the center of it; but I was pleasantly surprised to realize that it didn't soak up as much as the pink Ulta sponge.

The resulting finish was fairly close for both; the big differences were that I felt I didn't use up as much foundation with the Beauty Blender as I did with the pink Ulta sponge, and when I washed the white Beauty Blender it seemed like anything that had gotten soaked up, was dispersed down the drain with that solid cleanser. When I washed the pink Ulta sponge, the water was pink-ish along with the foundation being washed out which means the dye washes out. Which freaks me out a little, but it's not a danger or anything.

Do you need this? Depends. Do you use liquid foundation? Do you find that you don't really like the finish of your foundation at the moment or that you're having to work really hard to get it the way you like it? Then maybe, yes. Personally, I really like the way the Beauty Blender and the Ulta Super Blender performed with my liquid foundation. But if you're content with a BB cream or tinted moisturizer then NO, you definitely don't need this. Otherwise it's up to you!

TIP: Go to YouTube and search how to use the Beauty Blender sponge properly BEFORE you purchase EITHER of these! You want to get a sense of "how" to use it before you buy it and then have absolutely no clue.

What do you think? Have you tried either? Did you have a terrible experience? Would YOU recommend either? 

What's in the Box?? (October 2013)

Guys, I've been meaning to confess, I've been a subscriber to Birchbox for a few months now.

Voraciously watching my email for my notification of "your box has shipped!" and checking and double checking the tracking link until my box arrives and I can tear into it like Christmas Morning. IT'S SO FUN!

I haven't been too excited about any of the boxes, some of the products have been fine. The random nail polish, the random lip color, etc. None have really caught my attention quite as well as two of the five products I received for October.

My October Birchbox (photo from Birchbox.com)

photo from Birchbox.com

I'm familiar with The Balm Cosmetics, having purchased a concealer pot from them several years ago and never hitting pan no matter how much I used it. Which, is incredible. So even though I knew their products were great and affordable, I never really purchased more.

I might actually buy this when I run out!

The Balm Staniac is a little tube, about the size of a cotton swab, of cherry colored jelly with a doe-foot applicator that is easily used as a lip stain or cheek stain.  Yes the tube is small for a price point of $17, BUT it travels better than the fantastic lip and cheek stain BeneTint by BeneFit. (Which is widely recognized as the best lip & cheek stain)

photo from Birchbox.com

I'm a big fan of lip balm, BIG fan. From my first swipe of a LipSmacker, I was IN. But ChapStick, never really was appealing to me. Too waxy, smelled weird, etc.

This little beauty, ChapStick Hydration Lock, was a special "find" from Birchbox. Which means it wasn't really a part of the monthly box, but IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN! 

 Reluctantly, I opened the package and swiped on the product and was instantly impressed! My lips felt smoother but not waxed over (a huge complaint of mine for ChapStick products) and they looked smoother! I've been battling with a super dry and flaky patch on my lower lip for weeks and the ChapStick Hydration Lock completely obliterated the look of it! And did so for at LEAST 4 hours. Which to me, is an eternity when it comes to lip balm reapplication!

The product states that the "flavor" is Vanilla Creme, but I couldn't smell or taste anything. I'm probably desensitized by my use of the EOS lip balms. 

There is no price point on Birchbox.com for this product since it's a "find", but I'm sure you could find it in your local drugstore or box store.

I can't wait to see what's in my next Birchbox!!

It's time for WEN Fall Seasonal scent, but not Pumpkin???

Fall Apple Spice WEN

Last year, I professed my undying love for the WEN Fall Seasonal Scent in Ginger Pumpkin, and I'm still deeply in love with it's warm and delicious scent (still available on Amazon.com if you can find it!) and was looking forward to the Fall Season on QVC and restocking my beloved Fall WEN.

Much to my dismay...THE SCENT CHANGED!! After gasping and clutching my pearls, swooning in shock; I saw that the new scent is Fall Apple Spice. So I closed my eyes and clicked here, ordering my first 16oz bottle. 

Naturally, as soon as my regular sized bottle had shipped; QVC offered the BIG MAMA 32oz Fall Apple Spice WEN (pictured above). Not wanting to repeat last years mistake and NOT purchasing the BIG MAMA straight away, I ordered again. Blindly. 

I'm very pleased that I did! The Fall Apple Spice scent is delightful! All the benefits of regular WEN, but with a soft warm but fruity-sweet smell that lasts while your hair is damp (longer if you use it as a leave-in too), and fades away as the other scents do (as far as I've noticed, I don't spend a lot of time sniffing my own hair throughout the day.)

Slightly spicy, and I mean slightly, the scent is fruity and pink (yeah, the product is pink and it smells pink) but without a powdery linger. More sweet than anything, it's less a cinnamon spiced apple cider and more of a Candied Apple from the Farmers Market or Local Fair. 

Last years delicious Ginger Pumpkin smelled warm to me, and while this Fall Apple Spice has a similar push, it's not nearly as warm smelling as it's predecessor.

Do I like it? YES!! Is it as good as the Ginger Pumpkin? Well...no. But I still like it and still recommend it to people who enjoy WEN and all of Chaz Dean's WEN products.

 

It may stay for long, if I don't WASH IT OFF FIRST!!!

ARE YOU SEEING THIS???

Ugh, Gross. 

THAT is my FACE with the BeneFit Stay Flawless 15 hour Primer and a foundation over the top.

I know it's out of focus, but you can still SEE THE PORES and the surface dryness that I don't have in real life!!! Ok, well, everyone has pores but I work really hard to make mine as invisible as possible!

I'm going out of order. Sorry! Let me begin.

I was super excited to hear about the BeneFit Stay Flawless 15 hour Primer stick, it looked amazing in the demos! A few swipes here and there and presto! Your foundation would remain in place!

WELL, it does. With a few problems.

It's sticky. Like, "Just rubbed a glue stick on my face" sticky. It has a cooling sensation when it first goes on, but there's zero dry down. It stays tacky until you put something over it. And then, the nightmare began for me.

I used this with BB cream (solid and liquid) and it beaded up like crazy! No matter how much I buffed and buffed, I wound up with CLUMPS all over my face. BLECH!

So I tried it with liquid foundation twice. Again, with a brush because I've grown accustomed to using a brush. And lo and behold the clumps the clumps! I thought I was using too heavy a hand, so I lightened up my grip on my brush, tried to stipple, tried to lighten my stroke.

Nope. No matter what technique I tried I got the clumps. The only positive I have to say about BeneFit Stay Flawless 15 hour Primer stick is that yes, my makeup DID stay on for about 15 hours. It just didn't look the way I wanted it to look for those 15 hours.

I wanted to like it, I wanted to love it but I don't. I really don't. I made my $32+tax(US) purchase at Ulta and that's precisely where it's going back. 

Below is a picture from CanadianFashionista.net (with a post that likes the product so you can read both), I highly recommend you make up your own mind before blindly purchasing like I did. 

That's just how I am though, I'll read posts here and there, but ultimately if it's something I desperately want to try, I'm buying it. 

Image from http://www.canadianfashionista.net (it's a good post!)

Top 10 Beauty items in my Beach Bag

Let's be clear: I'm not really a "Beach Person". I'm barely a "Pool Person". But, it's Summer and Beach/Pool products are flying off shelves.
Here are 10 I would keep in my arsenal.

1. Sunglasses. That's a "duh"
2. Sunscreen: my favorite spray is Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunscreen SPF 70 since I'm super fair.
3. Sunscreen Face: YES YOU NEED TWO. Clairins used to make a broad spectrum 55+ oil-free for face, which I still own but can't seem to find on clairinsusa.com now.
4. Contigo water bottle, the trigger one. It's just easier!
5. Giant towel and small towel. One to lay on,  one to use as a pillow or actual drying.
6. Contact solution and lens case. (See below) Because there's nothing worse than trying to rest and relax while wearing lenses. If you manage to nap, it feels like potato chips in your eyes once you wake up.
7. Decently SPF-d lip balm, colored or not. A little lip balm color isn't tacky, I promise.
8. Some sort of bag to carry all your stuff,  preferably one that is easily washed.
9. A wide tooth comb and some sort of leave in treatment, like an Argan oil for your hair. DON'T oil your face and bod.
10. Some sort of cleaning wipe that can be used on face or body. Somehow, somewhere you're going to touch something sticky or dirty. Have baby wipes in your bag, trust me.

AND DON'T FORGET TO HYDRATE!



NUMBER 6



Contour? Bronzer? YES PLEASE TO BOTH!

I've been meaning to post about this next little gem for a month.
With summer (in this part of the hemisphere) threatening to burn us at every new dawn; it occurred to me "HOLY BIKES, I AM PALE!!" Normally this doesn't bother me, but now and again...YIKERS!
I'd been reading and seeing a lot of this next little beauty product for several weeks and decided, what the hey, I'll bite and try it and so far I'm very pleased!

CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel is a cream/gel bronzer that LOOKS scary but performs beautifully with minimal effort. I'd seen it used on Pixiwoo all the time. The more I saw it used, the more obsessed with it I became! I HAD TO HAVE IT. So I called up my nearest Macy's, connected to the Chanel counter and made sure they would have this must have item. With it being Spring, I really doubted they would have it in stock. Luckily for me, they did! At a hefty $48.00 (U.S.) this was a major purchase for me. Needless to say, I did a fair amount of research and testing before I laid my money down.

Much to my happy surprise, there's little to no shimmer! There is a teeny tiny amount, but it's not truly visible to the naked eye. It's more of a blurring element than a sparkle. The texture is dreamy; smooth and creamy, easily picked up with a dry brush, easily spread over bare skin or foundation (in my case I used it over this BB Creme and continue to be impressed by the results.

On the LEFT I used the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel as a contour (pre-blended, obviously); and on the RIGHT I used the same product with the same brush as a bronzer. The effect is much more subtle, you may not even be able to see the difference, but it's there. I promise.


Real Techniques - Expert Face Brush (I purchased at Ulta) is the perfect tool for the creamy bronzer. It's not-too-soft, not-too-hard synthetic bristles are almost stubby in the rounded shape but that is exactly what gives you all the control you need! I also used the same type of brush for my BB Creme, but to insure I keep the brushes separate, I painted the bottom of the brush handle with a gold nail polish to remind me this one is for BRONZER. With the brush price point of $8.99, having multiples of this brush is virtually guilt-free.


Recommendation: If you can afford it, I say go for it! The consensus in the vlog/blogosphere is that the product lasts for years and is easily used every day for every look. The blendability is off the charts; while being so emollient, it's not greasy at all which made me even happier with my purchase.