Monday, March 23, 2015

Physician's Formula Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit | Review


This is a sponsored post for Physicians Formula through Condé Nast but all opinions are my own.

Eyelash extensions freak me out. I'm just going to come out and say it. Not how you thought I'd start a review post, huh? There's just something about tiny fibers going onto your lashes that makes my eyeballs shudder. 


So when I was offered the chance to check out the new Physician's Formula Eye Booster™ Instant Lash Extension Kit, I was a bit hesitant but still curious. I mean, I've done this dance before and those fibers HURT if you get them in your eye. Why would anyone put themselves through that?

For beauty blogging reasons, of course to show that not every eyelash extensions kit is alike (oooh, spoiler alert)!

For starters, the fiber extensions are all-natural, made mostly from cellulose with panthenol, botanical extracts and Vitamin E. The mascara formula contains a lash-boosting peptide to also enhance your natural lashes while you're faking it.

First, you apply the mascara like you would any other mascara.
The next part is the tricky part: applying the extension fibers.
The process is pretty simple. 

1.First, you apply the mascara like you would any other mascara. To me, the mascara by itself wasn't that impressive and the formula was a bit too thin for my liking. I felt like application was like walking a very thin line between nicely coated lashes and spider legs. Tread lightly, my beauty babes. It slightly lifted and curled my lashes.

2. The next part is the tricky part: applying the extension fibers. Alas, I have figured out a pretty foolproof plan without getting any fibers in your eyes. My first tip is to tap the wand over the tube so they'll fall back in or over the garbage can if you don't mind losing some fibers to get off the excess. The next tip is to apply the fibers to lashes looking down so your eye is not really open to have fibers fall into. You'll want to apply the fibers to wet lashes so they'll stick.

3. Lastly, apply another coat of mascara to seal the fibers in and you're good to go!

Before / After


No fibers falling out here! Honestly, guys, I was surprised how much I really like this kit. Needless to say, all fiber extension kits are not created equal. As a contact wearer, sometimes my eyes like to get all sensitive on me (and I don't mean sending me love notes) and can water easily. This mascara did not budge or smudge nor did it irritate my eyes at any part of the day. My favorite part is how they made my lashes look like falsies. Nothing makes a girl happier than the look of false lashes without all the glue hassle. 

What about removal, you ask? I used my normal eye makeup remover with a cotton ball, closed my eye and massaged the ball down my lashes instead of rubbing it all around. I found that was the easiest and again, kind of promised a foolproof way to not get any fibers into my eyes.

Would you try a fiber extension kit? Which one is your favorite?

Physician's Formula - Facebook | Instagram | Shop
#EyeBooster
Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Nioxin | 30 Day Challenge for Thicker Hair


I participated in the NIOXIN Challenge blog program as a member of One2One Network. I received compensation but all opinions are my own.

If you asked me how to describe my hair in one word it would be thin. It always has been. Thin hair but lots of it. Well, until I had Hunter. After Hunter was born and I entered the fun post-partum hair loss stage and my hair got even thinner.

I decided to take the Nioxin 30 Day Challenge and put some oomph back into my sad, limp hair! 

Nioxin is a hair range made specifically for thin hair and guarantees thicker hair in 30 days or your money back. There's six different systems made specifically for your hair type. Mine is System 3 which is for normal to thin-looking, chemically treated hair. It "amplifies hair texture while refreshing the scalp and providing moisture balance to the hair". All systems consist of three steps to get your hair thicker in all of 30 days!

The three-step process is SO easy to use and doesn't really differ from anything I don't do already in the shower so there's no inconvenience or extra time added by using this system. 

1. Stage 3 Cleanser
So first I start with the cleanser which is just a really nice, light shampoo. It smells like a peppermint (which I love) but for those who aren't mint lovers, it's not too strong or overpowering where it would be a huge turn-off. I really liked that I could feel it working the first time I used it too. It feels tingly on the scalp the first couple of times but I've since gotten used to it and don't really feel it anymore. This cleanser helps remove follicle-clogging sebum, fatty acids and residues from the environment from the scalp skin and hair.

2. Stage 3 Scalp Therapy Conditioner
Next, I move onto the conditioner. This one is a super light-weight conditioner that helps control moisture balance as well as hair resilience. I actually like to use this starting at the roots and working my way up to my scalp. I leave it on for about five minutes and rinse. I absolutely love how light this is. My hair and conditioners usually aren't seen together because most conditioners are way too heavy for my hair and instantly make it very greasy. With this conditioner, my hair felt nice and soft. This also has the peppermint smell but, again, it isn't super overpowering.

3. Leave-In Scalp Treatment
Lastly, I end with the scalp treatment. After I'm all done shampooing and conditioning, I apply a small amount of this treatment onto my damp hair and then dry and style like normal. It contains antioxidants and botanicals to refresh your scalp. It's incredibly lightweight which plays nice with my hair and doesn't weigh it down and greasify it.


30 days (and a haircut later!), I'm done with the 30 day challenge and very, VERY impressed. The results of Nioxin actually gave me the confidence to cut my hair. Before, I would've never cut it because my long hair kind of gave me a false sense of thickness. I think it's safe to say the pictures speak for themselves. In the before picture, my hair was limp, thin and oily by the end of the day. The Nioxin has really cleansed my scalp of build up and, as you can see in the after, has way more oomph in it.

I would love to see you take the 30 Day Challenge and share your results on Nioxin's Facebook and/or Twitter with #NioxinChallenge! 

Now's your chance to try the Nioxin 30 Day Challenge - Nioxin is giving my readers a chance to win their own 3-Step Hair System Kit ($44)! You can choose your own for your own hair type from the six systems available. 18+. US only. Good luck, babes! xx


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Friday, March 13, 2015

Saving Money | With T-Mobile's Simply Prepaid Samsung Avant


This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChangingPrepaid #CollectiveBias

With a baby, a new house and a makeup addiction, sometimes it's really tough to cut corners and save money. I mean, do babies really need diapers? (Yes, yes they do.) It always seems like once we have a little extra jingle in our pocket, life happens and either the car needs a new part, baby needs new clothes (how can he be in nine month clothes one week and 12 month old clothes the next!?), a bill is unexpectedly high or a limited edition makeup collection launched (well, I am a beauty blogger after all).


While you can't control life's little surprises, I do have a way to make sure your cell phone bill isn't one of them!


Recently, I headed to Walmart to check out their prepaid phones and came across T-Mobile's Simply Prepaid plan. Introducing the T-Mobile Simply Prepaid plan at Walmart! For just $40 a month you can get 4G LTE data with unlimited talk and text. No hidden fees. No surprises. That means mama can buy that new lipstick, pay the rest of the bills AND buy a few new outfits for the baby!

Unfortunately, there are so many pre-paid plans out there that have hidden agendas with iffy networks, slow data and a pretty stinky selection of phones. 

With T-Mobile's Simply Prepaid plan, you can get your choice of a high-speed data amount, unlimited talk/text and data and a great selection of phones. I picked up the Samsung Avant from the Simply Prepaid plan and have been lovin' it!

The Samsung Avant has an enhanced camera, 1.2GHz processor and this really cool, textured backing to the phone that reminds me of leather. The Samsung Avant is just one of the many smartphone options you have to chose from with the T-Mobile Simply Prepaid plan.

Owning a prepaid phone from T-Mobile's Simply Prepaid plan has really helped with saving money. We don't need to worry about any extra fees or hidden charges we'd normally face with a normal phone bill and can put that saved money towards something else - like that new mascara I had my eye on. Or bills. We'll go with bills.


How do you save money in your household? Do you think a prepaid phone would help save you money? What would you do with money saved?
Thursday, March 12, 2015

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation | Review


Some foundations can be tricky. You have to be cool, calm and collected around it (kind of like winged eyeliner) or it can just crease, cake up or slide off your face with the slightest touch. 

Where, oh where, can a girl find a foundation that just...won't? On top of that, I'm looking for the same foundation to be long-lasting, natural-looking, great in photos and great coverage.

Well, ladies and gents. I've found it! 

This foundation promises 15 hours of wear time through heat, humidity and non-stop activity. It's oil-free, fragrance-free, non-acnegenic (won't clog pores) and has a nice natural, matte finish. YES, makeup gods, FINALLY a foundation that promises to do everything I want - all in one. Now, I've heard a lot about this foundation in the beauty world. It's the holy grail foundation for a lot of beauty gurus so I finally decided to give it a try.

I went down to my local Macy's and got a complimentary foundation match consultation using their iMatch System. She ended up matching me with 1N1 Ivory Nude which is the lightest neutral shade in the collection and matched perfectly with my skintone. I actually loved the way it looked so much I bought two! 
From eight in the morning to nine at night, between running around after a newly-mobile six month old, doing laundry, running errands, dancing to Lion King's "Hakuna Matata" for the tenth time and doing Mickey Mouse's Hot Dog Dance, this foundation kept me looking super fresh-faced. This foundation DID NOT BUDGE which also kept the makeup on top of it in place.

I also really enjoyed knowing that there would be no transfer onto my little babe even with his new favorite game of "Grab Mommy's Nose"...and cheeks...and chin...and lips... I didn't have to worry about it getting all over him or transferring onto his clothes or skin.

Lastly, I love that you can control the coverage by the beauty tool that you use. With a foundation brush (like the one shown in the picture), you can get medium-full coverage. With a damp beauty sponge, you can get a nice, sheer finish. It's really nice to have a good foundation that you can do that with.
Bare face || Face with Estée Lauder

Overall: This foundation does every it says it does which is a huge deal for me. It's so hard to find a foundation that does it all and Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation does!

Estée Lauder - Shop | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Complimentary product and compensation was provided from Estée Lauder via  Conde Nast Sway.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Sunkissed "No Makeup" Makeup Look | featuring Victoria Jackson Cosmetics


Hellllllo there gorgeous! Today I have some wishful thinking for warmer days with this super simple, sunkissed "no make up" look. And don't worry - this look is REALLY just the bare necessities and letting your natural beauty shine through featuring a gorgeous blush, foundation duo, (my absolute new favorite) mascara and bronzer all from the lovely Victoria Jackson collection!

Victoria Jackson Cosmetics motto is "This is not a mask. This is make up. And at Victoria Jackson Cosmetics, we believe it’s all about letting your natural beauty shine through." and I absolutely love it. They're all about natural beauty and emphasizing it.

Okie dokie. So first, I started with the Victoria Jackson Foundation Duo (in the shade Light). Real talk: I thought it was going to be powder when I opened the compact so imagine my surprise when I found out it was cream! Not just any cream but the most amazing, smooth foundation cream my face has ever had the pleasure of meeting. The compact includes two oil-free cream shades that can used separately (one as foundation, one as a concealer) or blended together for a custom shade. 

The shade on the left is a light, pink-toned color while the one on the right is slightly darker and yellow-based. I applied the yellow-based shade all over my face using a  no-name foundation brush and then applied the left shade as a concealer. I really loved that it brightened  up underneath my eyes without looking ghost-like. Also, I didn't set this just to see what it would do on its own and was super surprised to see neither the foundation nor the concealer creased on me. Thumbs up! Both shades can be built up to be full coverage but I kept it sheer and really loved that even with one layer, it covered up my flaws and left a super natural, dewy look. My skin felt so nice and breathable. Definitely a huge fan!

Next, I applied the Give Me Sun Bronzer with the majority of the product right underneath the apples of my cheeks and then brought the rest up to the apples to create a natural contour. I also applied this to my forehead as well as under my jaw. This bronzer creates a gorgeous, matte, sunkissed glow on almost all skintones and since it has Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate and soften your skin.

We're almost done! Taking the Perfect Everyday Blush in Garden, I applied just a light swipe over the apples of my cheeks. This blush is extremely pigmented and can definitely be built up to be bold. Garden is a beautiful rosy pink with a very subtle bronze shimmer. I mean, very subtle but does add a little somethin' somethin' to the shade that I can't explain. It creates this beautiful, natural look. I absolutely love it!

Lastly, I used the Lush Mascara which is - hands down - my new favorite mascara! The consistency is firm and a teensy bit on the dry side which is my absolute fave. For me, a drier mascara is easier to work with and doesn't clump very often. This mascara volumized and lengthened my lashes for a super whispie lashes.

 The final look! 

Overall: I'm absolutely in love with all of these products! I enjoyed that they were light and left a natural feel. The bronzer and blush worked amazing together and created a super pretty natural sunkissed look. The foundation duo was awesome and left great coverage with little product used. I will definitely be looking into using more Victoria Jackson products!

Click here and use promo code: LOVEVJC for 25% off!
Victoria Jackson - Shop | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

I participated in this sponsored campaign on behalf of Victoria Jackson® and One2One Network. All opinions stated are my own.

Monday, March 02, 2015

ColourPop Matte Super Shock Eyeshadows - Girl Crush, Hanky Panky,Cop-A-Feel, Bill, Doe-A-Deer & Bill | Review


Awwwwyus. I'm back again with some more super gorge shadows from probably one of my most favorite companies ever - ColourPop. The day they announced they were making more mattes, I nearly fainted from excitement. Combine my love of ColourPop with my love of a nice, matte finish and the end result is enough to make me go woozy in the knees.

I think my favorite thing about all of these shadows - and really all of ColourPop's shadows whether they're shimmer, satin, whatever - is the unique formula. All of ColourPop's eyeshadows are an almost cream-like, pressed powder. They kind of feel wet to the touch but aren't really? I don't know. I leave the folks at CP to figure out the physics of it (pigment mixed with unicorn tears?).

  • Cop-A-Feel | a cool-toned creamy beige. It's somewhat comparable to MAC Painterly but feels a little lighter when applying and not as opaque on the lid. It's still a great base for another eyeshadow but can also chill by itself for a nice natural look. 
  • Girl Crush | a mid-tone true grey. This shade pulls slightly almost lavender-grey on my skintone. Definitely one of my favorite shades from the mattes that CP offers. I also have to note that the pigmentation was on point without having to layer to build it up.
  • Doe-A-Deer | a blackened violet. I love this shade for a few reasons. For one, the pigmentation is so on point. Secondly, it blends like a badass. I popped just a little in the outer v and it just blended out like butter. Ugh. So pretty.
  • Bill | a muted plum beige. When I first bought these, I thought Girl Crush and Bill were basically the same shade. In the containers, they look similar. Even though this is described as a plum-beige, I would describe it as more of a pinky-beige. Super pretty, smooth and blendable.
  • Effect | a blackened teal. I love a good forest green. They're kind of hard to come by and are usually chalky. This shade is anything but! Silky smooth, pigmented and blends like whoa (do people still say that?)
  • Hanky Panky | a soft, cool-toned taupe. My new favorite crease shadow. It seems a little warmer toned on my skin but I have a hunch it ones of those shades that changes color with different skin tones. Pigmentation and blendability are on point! 
* I recommend applying these eyeshadows with your finger or a flat shader brush for the best results.

Cop-A-Feel as a base and in the inner corner. Bill in the middle of the lid. Girl Crush in the outer v as well as Doe-A-Deer to deepen it. Hanky Panky in the crease. Effect on the bottom as well as Doe-A-Deer blended out.

ColourPop || Shop - $5 each

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