New Thrifty Find!!!

I am so excited to write about a new thrifty find for you all! It's by CoverGirl and it's in the new NatureLuxe line. This is the new line with cute little Taylor Swift as their cover girl. I bought the Liquid Silk Foundation and the Touched by Nature Gloss Balm. The Liquid Silk foundation I bought is amazing!!! It has an s.p.f. of 10 and it also has jojoba extract, and cucumber water in it. I love the smell of it and I have used a lot of different tinted moisturizers, most being over $35 and I really think this one is better than most of those! It gives you a good amount of coverage without being too sheer or too heavy and drying, which is the main problems with me and foundations/tinted moisturizers. This foundation is definitely something I am going to continue using and I would suggest this to anybody looking for a nice, light, medium coverage, tinted moisturizer. It's fantastic and it's only $11!!! The Gloss balm I purchased is Sandstone. It is a beautiful color! I am predicting the spring/summer looks and I think glossy is out. I think it's going to be a bold eye or lip in matte colors. This Gloss Balm has tiny little sparkle to it that makes your lips look bigger. It's amazing and smells wonderful. This gloss balm also has an s.p.f. in it which fantastic!! This gloss balm will definitely help you have the newest trends in makeup. The Sandstone is a nice neutral color but they have some brighter, bolder colors that will really go for that pop of color. The Gloss Balm is only $6.50! Try them and I hope you enjoy!!

Day 3 on my new skin care regimen!

Okay, so here's the update on my new skin care plan! So the first night I felt a little weird not putting moisturizer on but it went alright. That first night I used the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Milk first to remove my makeup, and if you know me you know I like to wear makeup, so I washed my face a few times with the cleansing milk because I do like the cleanser, it's mild and soothing, it's hydrating and good for your skin but I do feel like it doesn't take off enough of my makeup so I do cleanse my face a few times with the cleansing milk. Next week I'm going to invest in a good makeup remover so I can stop washing my face 3 times twice a day. So anywho, the first night I washed my face with the Cleansing Milk, then I used to Cleansing Cream which is Dr. Hauschka's scrub. It has sweet almond meal in it so it slightly exfoliates the skin while also helping lymphatic drainage. You don't scrub with the Cleansing Cream you press and roll your hands moving down the face and down the neck. So I used the Cleansing Cream and then the first night I decided to go right for the Rejuvenating Mask. It was fantastic!! After I washed the mask off I used the Facial Toner and then went to bed. The first night it felt pretty weird going to bed without a moisturizer because I am a firm believer in moisturizing at night. Let me also add the first day I decided to try this test my face was so dry!! I have pretty normal-to-dry skin but lately with all this cold weather and using the heat at home my face has been much drier than normal! I mean, my skin has been so dry I can barely put makeup on because applying the makeup makes my skin look flaky. So going to bed with no moisturizer was very hard for me! So, I went to bed and when I woke up on day 2 I couldn't even tell that I didn't wear moisturizer the night before. My skin didn't feel too bad! I washed my face that morning with Cleansing Milk and then toned with the Facial Toner and boy did that feel good!! Then I used the Quence Moisturizer, which quence hydrates and encourages skin's moisture balance, protects your skin from the environment, contains Witch Hazel which helps tone and balance your skin and really kept my skin fresh all day! Another good thing about Dr. Hauschka that I like is that I don't smell like essential oils all day. The products smell really nice and light. Sometimes I use certain holistic/organic product lines and they smell so bad I can't even use them! But Hauschka's line smells light and fantastic!! So, day 3 my skin has no flakes at all!! I actually feel like there is more moisture to my skin then there has been in I'd say 2 months! I'm really getting used to the no moisturizer thing at night and my skin is looking and feeling great! I will admit, I am not using a Dr. Hauschka eye cream yet. I don't have enough money to buy another eye cream...I will in a few days just to really go for all the products but I have been using my favorite Therapy Systems Line Tox for Eyes and I use the eye cream day and night. I do not use moisturizer, but I do feel like the eyes could go for some moisturizer day and night. If you haven't read my previous blog I will just explain that Dr. Hauschka does not believe in moisturizing at night because he believes that the night time is when your skin needs to rest and repair itself and slathering tons of moisturizer on it does not allow your skin to breathe and repair. So, that's the deal and so far my skin is looking and feeling better than it has in months!!

Skin Care Experiment!

Okay, I deal with skin every day. I think about skin conditions and what's best for my skin and people's skin all the time. I love my job and I think about skin care and make up constantly!! I have been in the cosmetics/skin care business for almost 5 years and I have always been curious about organic skin care. A lot of people, including myself, have researched about parabens and other ingredients that are added to a lot of cosmetics that are rumored to be bad for you. I get questions about it all the time and granted, I really like to idea of organic skin care and natural ingredients, I have really yet to try it. So--I am giving myself the Hauschka (How-sh-ka) challenge! Dr. Hauschka skin care is a German skin care line that mimics the body's natural rhythms which will help restore balance and really make your skin beautiful! Dr. Hauschka is a holistic pharmaceutical company. There's no hidden ingredients or questions about what's really in these products. In the United States the FDA does not have to approve cosmetics so Lord knows what people can put in these things and you're putting it on your skin!!! Just think about that! Since Hauschka skincare is from Germany this brand has to go through a much more rigorous test and in Europe they do have much higher standards and requirements for their cosmetics which is comforting!

I have always wanted to try a completely organic, holistic skin care regimen but I have yet to have the opportunity. I really like results so I have never really stuck it out with organic lines and I have always gone right back to the 50 ingredient, chemical-added products-which do work!! But, I really want to try something more natural and see how it works! So first I will show you my normal routine that I usually do and then I will introduce you to my new "Hauschka Challenge!"

My Regular Routine:

Cleanse face with either Mario Badescu Acne Cleanser, Therapy Systems Glycolic Cleansing Lotion, Therapy Systems Balancing Gel, Therapy Systems Treatment For Problem Skin, or Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm.

Tone with Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion, or Mario Badescu Special Glycolic Toner

Moisturize with Ren Daily Moisturizer, Therapy Systems Oil-Free Moisturizer, Neutrogena Self Tanning Face Moisturizer with SPF, or Murads Hydro-Dynamic Moisturizer

New Haushcka Routine:

Splash face with Lavender Bath

Cleanse with either the Cleansing Milk or the Cleansing Cream

Tone with Facial Toner

Moisturize with Quence Day Cream

Okay, I know this sounds like a small change but this is a huge change for me!! One main difference is that Dr. Hauschka does not believe in moisturizers at night because he believes the night time is where your skin and body can rest and repair and putting a moisturizer on your skin does not allow your skin to repair. I get it and I agree, but I also think that hydrating also keep your skin young...so we will see!! I will let you know what I think! Another main difference is that I use glycolic acids which are a chemical exfoliant and I use lots of moisturizers. So, this will be different for me and we will see how it goes.

Tonight was the first night I used Dr. Hauschka products and I must say my skin feels nice but without moisturizer it's tough!! First I cleansed my face with the cleansing milk because I love make up so I wanted to get it all off. Then I got me a warm bow of water with just a few drops of the Lavender Bath dropped in and splashed my face. I used the Cleansing milk to remove my make up again then I went ahead and went for the cleansing cream after that. The Cleansing Cream is an exfoliating cream that has sweet almond meal and anthyllis, calendula, chamomile, and St. John's wort which helps remove dirt. The Cleansing Cream helps with lymphatic draining and also is a really light exfoliant. Next, I used the Rejuvenating Mask, it felt really, really nice! I washed that off and then put on the facial toner. Now I'm sitting here wishing I had moisturizer on, but I'm not going to do it!!!

So-I will risk my skin and research skin care products for you so you don't have to deal with breakouts and break the bank trying something that won't work!!

Overall opinion on day 1-I really love and have always agreed with Dr. Hauschka's views on skincare my face feels dry and I'm just going to have to get used to it! Hopefully people are reading this and I hope you stick around so I can give you an opinion on a skin care line that does not have crap in it that's bad for your skin and hopefully will work for your skin and you will love it!

here is a link you can check out about the skin care line!!

www.drhauschka.com

Looks for Spring!!

So, I know we are in the middle of winter and us here in TN have had more snow than we could have ever imagined in one winter season but I'm thinking about spring already! I haven't done much research on the spring trends but I wanted to talk and give a few of my opinions on what I think will be big! I could be wrong but I'm going to go for it! Here are my thoughts:

Look 1:

The Minimalist-This look is a nice, fresh-faced look. Think All-American girl. Lightly pink-washed cheek, very light and minimal. The foundation is very true-to-skin color, not a lot of bronzer and just really fresh. I think a golden glow is beautiful but I think people are going more for a fair skin look. I think people with a darker skin tone will have another look that will work better for them! So for the cheeks, go with a nice bright but sheer pink, I love Sheer Pink from Therapy Systems it's beautiful!!!! I use it all the time and I really cannot find another color that does the trick! That's the problem with affordable, drug-store brands with blush, they just don't show up and it's a waste of money! Back to the look, do a great fresh, clean face for foundation and a bright but sheer pink cheek and the eyes go real natural. I think color is beautiful but for this look go real natural I like the Bare Escentuals eye shadow in demure, just pick any color that almost matches your skin tone I go a little lighter than my skin tone and put it all over from lash line to brow. This alone will open up your eye and instantly make you look awake and beautiful! I would also suggest you put the light skin-tone eyeshadow under your lower lash. This will really open up and brighten your eyes. You could just do this color alone but I would suggest a very light brown or purple or gray right in the crease of the lid. When I say light I mean really light, we want it to look nice and natural. I love Bare Escentuals dove eyeshadow for gray, faux fox for a brown, and Smashbox Cabernet eyeshadow for the purple. Now for eye liner you are going to either go two ways-one don't do liner and just go right for a great black mascara. This look will be super beautiful, think Kate Bosworth. Unfortunately, I cannot get away with this look I need liner. If you're one of those girls like me then this is the liner option for this look. I first line my eyes with a powder eyeshadow. You use a flat liner brush and I use Mambo by Paula Dorf. Not only is this a beautiful color to line your eyes but it's a beautiful color for your eyes. This color is a beautiful black/brown with gold flecks all in it it's beautiful!!!! So, I line this color right on top of my lash line and I only go 1/4 of the way in on the outside of the bottom lash. You don't want to line the entire bottom lash because this will ruin the look you're going for and it tends to shrink the eyes. So after I line with a powder then I go back over it with a pencil and I always use a black pencil. Other colors I would suggest would be a beautiful gold/brown or gray liner. I love Wet 'N Wild Eyeliners they are cheap and the work great. Other great liners that work beautifully are Jemma Kidd and Urban Decay Liners. These both go on very smooth and stay on really well. They are about $17 but if you have had no luck with liners try one of these two brands they are fantastic! They stay on well and they have beautiful colors, not to mention that they go on like a dream! Okay so back to putting the liner on, I do a very, very thin line on the lash, I tend to go a little thicker when I get closer to the end. I like a more cat eye so I go thicker on the outer edge. Once you line put some great black mascara on & you're done! I love L'oreal Voluminous Mascara it's fantastic!! So to finish the look off add a great lip color. Here are the options- add a beautiful bright pink, like Tarte Charmed natural lip stain. These are amazing!!! They go on like a sheer beautiful stain but they don't dry your lips up like most stains do. These are all amazing. If you don't want to go pink you could really choose any Tarte lip stain to finish up this look and they would look amazing for this look. The price is $24 and they are amazing!! Another great pink is Wendy from Jemma Kidd. If you wanted to go more natural go for Juliet from Jemma Kidd as well. What I love about these lipsticks from Jemma Kidd are that they have a lip balm on one side and the lipstick on the other!! To add some dramatics for night I would do a beautiful bold lip like Runway Rouge from Therapy Systems or do a great red like Nars Jungle red. For a cheaper option I like CoverGirl lipstick in #430.

Look 2:

Golden Goddess-This look would go great for people of all skin types. Match up your foundation and we'll go from there. Once you have your foundation and concealer down put bronzer on. I apply bronzer all over. One of my favorite bronzers is Physician's Formula Powder Palette Multi Colored Face Palette. You can get this at any drugstore for around $12. I am super pale and this bronzer adds a glow and warmth to my skin but not too dark. This bronzer could work for anybody. After you do the bronzer all over I would get Blunt blush from MAC right under my cheek bones, think of the application this way---you are contouring your cheek bones to really look like you have that runway model sunken in cheeks look. Using this blunt cheek color right under the cheek bones will help chisel the face. After that, get a beautiful shimmer, I like MAC Silver Dusk. It's huge container so this should last you a while! I put a little right on top of my cheek bones and then apply a beautiful blush. My blush for this look could be Caramel Sugar from Therapy Systems. It's beautiful and multi-purpose! You can use it right on the apples of your cheeks or use it as a contour to chisel your cheek bones. For the eyes I would apply that great shadow that matches your skin tone and then apply a Bare Escentuals yellow color on the lid and crease. This will add a little more dimension to your eyes and create a pretty shimmer. I like Fire Opal. Next I would just add a beautiful darker color in the crease like the Paula Dorf Mambo I was writing about earlier or do a color like Sex Kitten in Bare Escentuals. For another look I would do the Smashbox eyeshadow color in Enchanted on the lid and go up to the crease, also put a little of this Enchanted eyeshadow on the bottom lash line as well. Just use it like a liner and do it all the way across the lower lash line. I would use Smashbox 24k on the brow bone and line under the lash line with this color as well. Smashbox eye shadows are $16 each and I hate to pay that much for an eyeshadow but these are amazing! Purple and gold are my two favorite colors to use in eye shadows and I have searched high and low to find the perfect color and these two are it!!! Next I would like my eyes with powder shadow first, like the Mambo from Paula Dorf and then line with black liner. I would add a thicker line for this look and then finish the eyes off with mascara and do a lip in a beautiful sheer lip gloss. I like Nars lip gloss in Moon Fleet. This would be the perfect look for a golden goddess glow! It's a beautiful sheer, shiny gloss with gold flecks in it! For a cheaper option I would suggest Revlon in Sparkling Champagne. Another look I've noticed is this beautiful golden look with a nice bold eyeliner in black with a great bright pink lipstick. I like Lancome lipstick in S.O.S. Pink. It is beautiful!! For a cheaper option I would go for N.Y.C. in Flirty or Blossom. You can get this brand at any drug store.

I hope this made sense and I hope this will inspire you for some fun, spring looks!!!

High to Low deep-pore cleansers!

I just found a new product that I absolutely love!!! Luckily, in my job I am introduced to new skin care products and I get to try them out. Unfortunately, there are some products that I love and they can be a little pricey. But this product is so amazing that I thought I should share it. I would never expect anyone to drop everything and go out and spend $100 on a product no questions asked. But, I thought I should write about this product for anyone who has wanted clear skin and has tried different skin care and who is willing to spend the money for perfect skin. If you just can't spend the money on it, I'm going to give you other suggestions for deep-pore cleansers from high to low pricing. So here they are:

High option *but amazing*

Brand:Omorovicza

Omorovicza is a family-owned company from Budapest and the products are based on Hungary's thermal waters and Budapest's ancient thermal baths. These baths are filled with healing minerals and can change your skin when you introduce your skin to the thermal waters and minerals. They base all their skin care on these waters and minerals and I was hesitant at first but after 4 days my skin looks completely different! This brand also has no parabens, petr0-chemicals, PEG, silicones, synthetic colors, and so much more!!

Price:$102

The Product:Thermal Cleansing Balm

When I did the training the educator told us it was the best cleanser we would ever use and she was right!! It is a black balm that cleans pores, detoxifies skin, revitalizes and nourishes your skin, and it really makes your skin glow! The balm has Hungarian Moor mud which has calcium and magnesium carbonates that pull up dirt and debris from your pores. The product also has their custom blend of minerals called "Mineral Cosmetology" that will help your skin get firmer, more supple, and younger looking skin.

How to use it: Scoop out about a dime-to-almond size amount and rub in your finger tips to get a slick feel. Apply directly to dry skin (you can put right on your eyes to remove eye makeup too) I start on my cheeks and do large circles all over my face. I do remove my eye makeup as well with this! You do circular motions and just blend in all over face. I do this for about 1 minute, you don't have to do this so long, but I like to. Then all you do is just wipe your face with a damp cotton pad. I was very skeptical at first but I wiped the balm off and I used 2 damp cotton pads just to make sure. But, afterwards my skin felt amazing and then in the morning I looked in the mirror and honestly my pores looked cleaner! I have used this for the past 4 nights and I just had to write about it!!! I have always had clogged pores on my nose and chin and I have just a few clogged pores on my chin, not one on my nose anymore! You only use it at night and the jar should last about 4 months, I think I could stretch it longer and maybe get 5-6 months out of it. So yes, it is pricey but if you are desperate and have tried anything and everything and are willing to spend the money it's worth it!! Go get this product and save yourself the time and money on wasting it on other products. Another nice thing is if you have clogged pores most products will pull up a lot of dirt and you will have to deal with breakouts for a few weeks before it gets better. You will not have to deal with any breakouts with this product just clear skin! If you're just not sure go to The Cosmetic Market and they will gladly give you a sample to see for yourself!! This is a fantastic product that will completely clean out your pores and help keep your skin young!!

www.omorovicza.com

Medium option

Brand:Therapy Systems

Therapy Systems is a locally-owned brand that has powerful ingredients so you get quick results!

Price:$36

The Product:Glycolic Cleansing Lotion

I have used this product for about 4 years and it's a must in my cabinet! The second ingredient in this cleanser is glycolic acid which is really rare. Most products dilute the glycolic so it's weak and it won't work as well but this product is the second ingredient! I like the lotion cleanser better because they also have the Glycolic Cleansing Gel but I find it's a little too strong for my skin and my skin gets a little dry. Men love the Cleansing Gel! But, back to my cleansing lotion it's fantastic! I have been testing out the Omorovicza cleansing balm for the past 4 days and I love it! But, I'm going to have to rotate every few nights to use the Glycolic Cleansing Lotion because it's just a must! Glycolic acids are small molecules that can go really deep into the skin and help pull out dirt and debris. This acid is also a chemical exfoliant so even though there are no scrubs in it you are still getting a great exfoliation every night. I love that glycolic acid can help exfoliate, deep clean, lighten any skin discoloration, and help with fine lines and wrinkles. I have one bottle I use every night and it lasts me about a year!

How to use it:At night I will apply this cleanser to damp skin and massage it in for about a minute and then rinse off. That simple!

www.therapysystems.com

Low option

Brand:Mario Badescu

Mario Badescu is a fantastic brand from New York and the prices are so affordable and amazing! They always send you tons of samples when you order products from them and their products are gentle to use on sensitive skin.

Price:Acne Facial Cleanser $15, Seaweed Cleansing Soap $12, and Enzyme Cleanser $12

The Products: Acne Facial Cleanser, Seaweed Cleansing Soap, Enzyme Cleansing Gel

I wanted to put 3 down because I wanted to give options here. The Acne Cleanser has salicylic acid that helps dry up blemishes and keep pores clean, but I also like that it has Aloe and Chamomile to soothe acne and calm your skin. The Seaweed Cleansing Soap has tiny bits of seaweed to lightly exfoliate your skin without being too harsh or irritating. Seaweed is great for your skin as it is mineral rich and has anti-inflammatory properties. The Enzyme Cleansing Gel will also lightly exfoliate your skin since it has papaya and grapefruit and help eat away at dead skin.

How to use it:All of these cleansers you can use day and night since they are so gentle. You simple apply to damp skin and massage in and rinse!

www.mariobadescu.com

Okay, that's the overview here! I hope you enjoyed and I hope you give these products a try!

I'm back and ready to give you new skincare tips!

Okay, so I'm back and ready to write about make up and skincare! I have been a little busy getting married, celebrating the holidays, and a new job. But, I have had so many ideas and tips that I want to write and share to you. This is something I'm dealing with right now....dry skin! I got married in December and I didn't want to mess with my skin too much so I kept it pretty easy to avoid breakouts. Now I'm back to my regular deep pore cleansing routine and I'm having dry skin after dealing with breakouts. This is my cheap trick to smooth, brighten, and really hydrate your skin! The product brand is Alba. It is an organic line and it is fantastic! Some of the Alba products are sold at Target but this one is not sold there. The only place I have found it at is Whole Body. I've seen it sold on Amazon as well. It stinks that it isn't available everywhere but the nice thing is it is only 2$!!! The name is Alba Un-Petroleum. It really feels like Vaseline but it doesn't have petroleum in it so it won't clog your pores! I put it on at night because it is a little heavy so I let it absorb while I'm sleeping. I put it all over my face and neck. When I wake up in the morning my skin feels amazing! I feel like my skin has a glow to it and my makeup goes on a lot smoother and overall my skin just is better. I hate that it's not available everywhere but it's definitely is a must if you are suffering from dry skin over the winter!