Gel Eyeliner, how I love thee....

Hello my lovelies!  Today I want to talk a little bit about gel eyeliners.   I've found some really great ones for you... and you guys know how I love a bargain!!

Let's start with Makeup Geek's gel eyeliners.  These are such high quality... go on really well and have great staying power.  They have some really nice colors as well.  The black is one of the best black gel liners I've used and is a staple in my kit.  They run $8.99, and are better than some way more expensive liners I have.

http://www.makeupgeek.com/store/eye-products/eye-liners/gel-liner.html

They have a decent range of colors.  There are the standards such as black, dark brown, metallic dark grey, and a metallic brown/antique gold.  They also have some colors such as a metallic turquoise-y blue, a matte electric blue, vibrant purple, a shimmery mint green, a matte blood red (yes red and it is amazing), a shimmery white, and a metallic yellow (gold, but yellow).  I have a few of them and have swatched them here.  Ignore my messy swipes... this by no means is a reflection on the liner, just me being tired when I drew the lines.

In the shot above, you can see the metallic brown (Rave) on top, next down the metallic grey (Twinkle), the metallic turquoise (Fame) and a little bit of the shimmery white (Cotton Tail).  The colors are very vibrant, even if you can't tell so much by my photos.  I love Twinkle and Rave as an alternative for black.  I will say Cottontail feels a bit soft, but I find that with most gel liners that are light colors.  The softness also makes for a rockin' eye shadow base.  

Here is a little better view of Cottontail, it's a really pearly white.  Poison, the red is really fun.  I've worn it a few times and it just pops.  The black looks a little washed out with my flash, but don't worry, it is a wonderful deep dark black that is so smooth and silky to put on.  

When I ran my finger through them, the did smudge, but I rubbed a lot harder than anyone would rub their eye.  I would call them waterproof, as soap and water doesn't touch them.  You have to use an oil based makeup remover to get these suckers off.  

My next gel eyeliner loves are by BH Cosmetics.  They have some really fun colors that I enjoy and a great price point at $7.95... actually I always see them "on sale" for 50% off and a 3.95 price point.  Can you believe that?????  I haven't tried a whole lot from BH, I sort of prefer Coastal Scents and they are very similar.  However, Coastal Scents has really boring gel eyeliner colors, and only 4 or 5 of them.  Meh. 

http://www.bhcosmetics.com/products/gel-eyeliners

I picked up 4 to just try them out.  From the bottom: Fairy, a WONDERFUL green with gold undertones.  Really beautiful.  Next is Fresh, a nice metallic pop of minty green.  You guys know how I love pink eyeliner and Blow is a fantastic metallic pink almost fuchsia.   Night is an almost black indigo-ish eggplant color.  Great if you want something dark, but maybe not quite black.  

These are such fun colors.  The lighter colors are a bit soft as Makeup Geek's Cottontail is... but I'm sort of ok with that.  That makes them versatile as a shadow base or hell, just a shadow.  For $3.95 I'm going to be picking up a few more colors that were out of stock when I ordered.  These are a really great value.  

They did also smudge when I ran my finger through them.... but as above, I ran it through harder than anyone would ever rub their eyes.  The staying power is great, it doesn't fade by the end of the day.  I would call these water resistant, as just running water on them they were fine, but soap and water does take them right off.  But they are so inexpensive and the colors so great, how can you resist???

The next thing I want to talk about in the realm of gel eye liners is brushes.  Get a GOOD brush.  I have several ranging from an angled flat brush, all the way to a square flat brush.  My favorites are the bent liner brushes, and my favorite I've found is Makeup Geek's.  $6.99 ladies, yep, a quality brush for under $10 bucks.  Best liner brush ever.  The thing that makes it different is that instead of it just being a few brush hairs in a small ferrule, it is like a tiny pencil brush.  The angled ferrule makes it really easy to use as well.  You can kind of see the comparison in my picture below.  

Most bent eyeliner brushes (or non bent ones for that matter) are like the black brush I have here... just a bunch of straight skinny bristles.  Which is fine if you want to do a really skinny line along your lash line.  But in the brush with the silver ferrule (the Makeup Geek brush) you see how it looks like a little pencil.  I LOVE this brush.  It's so versatile and you get great control.   I really recommend this brush.  

Lastly, I wanted to link to a tutorial on how to do quick perfect winged eyeliner.  This is the easiest most precise way out there... Yes I can do my winged eyes freehand, but when I'm in a hurry I use this tape method.  So quick and easy.  

http://www.makeupgeek.com/tutorials/the-1-minute-winged-liner/

That's it for today!  Stay beautiful!!

No Poo Shampoo Experiment Wrap Up

Hi my lovelies!  I thought I would do a sum up so you guys didn't have to dig through all my posts for information.

I love the no poo thing.  Just this last weekend I had someone touch my hair (because it was shiny) and they gasped and said "Oh my god, your hair is so soft".  It is...but it still has good body.  I don't use styling products besides my natural leave in conditioner type product which I'll talk about below.  Ok, If I wanted to do an updo I would probably use my hair gel and hairspray... but I don't use any products with silicone in them.  This isn't the best picture, but it is from this weekend... you can't really tell how shiny and soft my hair is but trust me... it looked great.

It takes every bit of a month to adjust, I would say more like 6 weeks.  Your hair will suck for the first couple of weeks, but it will gradually get better then be amazing.  There is some mental road blocks you will have to get past.  Your hair will feel different in the shower.  You aren't using shampoo that strips your hair of all it's natural oils, then conditioners that lay down artificial silicone to coat your hair and make it feel slick.  Your hair will not feel slick in the shower, it sort of feels waxy... but that is your natural oils that are coating your hair so that is actually what your hair SHOULD feel like.  The slick silicone coated hair is not what your hair should feel like.... But that's what we've known all our life, so it is a little hard to get past that mental block.  

My recipe:
You will tweak things and find a formula you like.  This is what works for me.

BS = Baking Soda solution ("shampoo").  Mix 1 Tablespoon of baking soda with 1 Cup of water.  I add 5-10 drops of Liquid Castile Soap.  I like the Lavender and the Almond.  It just gives it a little bit more "slip" (I'll talk about this below).

ACV = Apple Cider Vinegar ("conditioner").  1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 Cup of water.

My routine:
Every 3 days or so, I use the BS to wash my hair.  They say to try to only get it on your scalp, but it gets all over my hair since it is short right now.  I use a squirt bottle and add solution to my hair until it feels a little slippery.  Then I use my fingertips and "scrub" my scalp.  I let the BS sit on my hair/scalp for a few minutes (while I'm washing my body in the shower).  Rinse thoroughly.  My squirt bottles are sort of small, but I mix up a couple of cups and that gets me through the week if not more.  Same with the ACV.

After the BS, you need to return your hair's pH to normal, so you rinse with the ACV solution.  This you should just get on your hair, not your scalp, but again... it's a solution so it just goes all over.  I work this in (no scrubbing) and let it sit while I shave my legs.  Rinse thoroughly.  The vinegar smell will go away when you rinse.  

In between BS/ACV "washings" I sprinkle my hair with a cornstarch/cocoa mix, I really work it in and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.  I then rinse it out in the shower.   The cocoa is supposed to make it less noticeable on darker hair than just plain cornstarch... but if I use this and leave it in my hair looks matte and powdery, cocoa or no.  So that's why I rinse it out.  It absorbs any excess oil and smells like cocoa (YEA!).

Things to note:
Clarify your hair before you start.  I just picked up Suave's Clarifying shampoo and used it as my last shampoo.  No conditioner... just shampoo and let dry naturally.  Remember, you hair is going to suck for a few weeks.  But I feel this helped the transition period because it got rid of all the gunk in your hair.

If you aren't ready to go no poo, you can go low poo.  Instead of BS, you can use liquid Castile soap.   Liquid Castile soaps are made with various oils, tocopherol (vitamin E) and Potassium Hydroxide (None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin).  It lathers up, but is really quite natural.  It is a good alternative to BS, and what I use to wash the color out of my hair when I'm covering my grey.  (I love it as a shower gel!).  I like Dr. Bronner's, they have great scents and can be found at Target.  YOU STILL NEED TO USE THE ACV RINSE AFTERWARDS!!!!!
https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/category/LIQUIDSOAP.html

My hair went through a dry period, and still can be a little frizzy if I let it dry naturally.  You have worked hard to rid your hair of silicone, so don't use a styling product with them!  Anti Frizz products and leave in conditioners are chock full of the suckers.  I LOVE Shea Moisture's Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk.  The ingredients are all natural (Mostly different oils) but the texture is like a lotion.  A little goes a long way.  I run about a dime size dollop through my ends before letting my hair dry naturally OR blowing it dry with a hair dryer.   My hair texture is wavy and slighly frizzy.  This really helps, and helped with the dryness.  You can also find this at Target.  It is with the products for African-American Hair.  I really like every product of Shea Moisture that I've tried.  I'll eventually be trying their different hair products, just to see what else I like.  Good natural stuff.  It also smells quite good, and you all know how I like good smelly stuff.
http://www.sheamoisture.com/SheaMoisture-Coconut-Hibiscus-Curl-Style-Milk-_p_747.html

Speaking of smell, Since your hair just smells like nothing using this process...I wanted to fragrance my hair.  I found fragrance oils rated for use in soaps, lotions etc.  I put a dropper or two in with some distilled water and spray some on my hair before drying.  I find it works nicely, just shake the spray bottle before every use... oil/water... you know... don't mix.

This is my routine.  I have a few things I want to try, like an aloe and honey mixture to use as "shampoo", but this routine really works well for me now... so that's what I'm going with.  They say you should only have to no poo your hair 1x a week, but I'm finding 2x a week works for me.  Eventually I might get to 1x a week.

This is a commitment, but once you get through it, it is so easy and good for your hair.  I don't buy expensive shampoos or products anymore.  It's really great.  I had a friend tell me that she doesn't want to do it because she wears a helmet and gets sweaty and nasty under there... which is understandable, but just rinse your hair afterwards and you will rinse the sweat away.  You don't have to wash and strip your hair to get rid of sweat.  I have no problems working out and getting stinky hair, and I work out on days I don't BS/ACV.  I just rinse and it is fine.

I don't "do" my hair for work every day.  I dry it most of the time and am out the door.  On days I do "do" my hair, I have no problem drying and flat ironing.  As I mentioned above, I don't need any products to just straighten it, and my hair is super shiny and soft.

So that's it.  My No Poo formula in a nutshell.    

No Poo Shampoo experiment week 5ish

Hi Everyone!  I'm sort of losing track of what week this is in my experiment, but I think it is 5ish.  So I have a few things to share this week.  Let me start out by saying I feel like my hair is really well adjusted now, and I am enjoying no pooing.  So let me share with you some of what has happened in the last week.

1.  I had my hair cut.  My hairdresser knew I was doing no poo, and was very understanding.  I had "washed" my hair that morning with my BP/ACL routine, so she just sprayed it down with water and gave me a trim.  I will say this totally helped with my crunchy ends.  I'm going to let it grow out some, just do the collarbone length thing... Short is too high maintenance for me... I don't want it halfway down my back like I used to have it...but something that still looks stylish but I can throw back into a ponytail if I need to... so now I have 6 months or so of growing out to do.  Sigh.  The take away from this is still get your hair trimmed!!

2.  I colored my hair.  I still had some of my regular standard color that I've used for years, so I used that.  It took fine like it always has, but I did do something a little different when I rinsed it out of my hair.  I know you are supposed to just rinse color, but I can't stand that... it seems like if I do that I get color stains on my towels and sheets and it really hacks me off.  So I do like to shampoo the color out.  I did the color on Saturday, and it is now Thursday (keep that in mind).   So instead of my BP/ACL mix I usually use, I did use some liquid Castile soap.  The Castile soap is a great low poo method (I won't get into specifics here, but I've been using it as shower gel lately and I really like it).  You still need to do an ACL rinse to restore your hair's pH from the Castile soap, but it got the color out nicely.  My hair felt great afterwards, and not stripped of natural oils.  One note, I will say the new growth that I colored seems to have faded a little already.  I've read accounts that BP/ACV will fade hair color quicker and this may be the case.  It isn't horrible, but I did notice it is slightly lighter than my dark brown almost black color I've been using as of late. I low pooed on Saturday to get the color mixture off my hair, no pooed on Sunday (I had a date, felt like I needed fresh hair here.. I know... it's a mental thing) and no pooed Wednesday night.  I noticed the fading this AM.  

I am going to try the Henna/Indigo mix next... (I'm ordering today so I'll have it on hand when the bug to color my hair bites me).  I've heard that Henna does not fade.  Once it's on your hair it is on there.... so I'm hoping that it may not fade as the regular color seems to be doing.

3.  I tried an all natural leave in something.  It's not really a conditioner, or styling product.  But it is.  My hair is wavy/frizzy and I've been having some issues with that.  It has gotten better since the trim and my hair adjusting to no poo... but it still is a little fly away if I let it dry on it's own.  So I felt I wanted to put a little product in there, but something natural.  I know I have my coconut oil, but I wanted to try something that would be more portable if I wanted to travel.  So I found COCONUT & HIBISCUS CURL ENHANCING SMOOTHIE by Shea Moisture.  It is a nice creamy formula, about the consistency of hand cream.  Just a little goes a long way.  I put about a dime sized (or less) dollop of product on my wet hair and let it dry naturally.  I really loved how this made my hair feel.  Very soft, yet lots of body and waves.  I need to get rid of all my other unnatural styling products that have silicones and other bad stuff in them.  I need to do a serious purge.

So...... I do like how my hair feels now that it has adjusted.... When it dried last night it felt so soft yet has good body.  I'm looking forward to drying my hair with the Shea Moisture smoothie to see how it behaves.  I would say the dryness I was experiencing has subsided, and the trim helped that too.

My current routine that has been working VERY well for me is: BP/ACV (Shall we just call this no poo from here on out?) every 3 days.  In between no pooings I use the corn starch/cocoa mix and sprinkle that in my hair about 10 minutes before I shower.  I really work that in.  This soaks up any excess oil on my hair and makes it smell cocoa-y.  When I shower I rinse it out.  I don't like leaving the powder in.. personal preference.  My hair is looking really great with this regimen.  OH... I'll admit I've added just a bit of the liquid Castile soap in my BP wash. (Maybe 5-10 drops per cup) It gives it just a bit more "slip" and a touch of fragrance.  I know... I'm obsessed with how things smell.  The ACV rinse does kill the fragrance, but I like my mix.  The BP wash on it's own has a bit of slip to it, and they say to add BP till it feels slippery.  The thing to remember is try stuff, what works for me may not work for you.

My stylist said my hair felt "different".  And it does.  The natural oils that are SUPPOSED to be there does make it feel different than hair that has been totally stripped of it's natural oil and silicones added to give it that "slipery" texture.  When my hair is wet, it isn't slippery like we are used to.... at first I wasn't sure how I felt about it... but now I like it.  I think it is how it is supposed to feel.

I still need to try the aloe/honey "wash" but I'm having such good luck with my current regimen I don't know if I'll change.  BUT, I will mix some up this weekend and give it a try so you don't have to.  Hahah.

I did make my own hair scent.  I found some fragrance oil that is rated to be used in lotions/soaps/etc.  I figured that those were safe to get on the skin.  I added a dropper of the fragrance to distilled water.  I've been spraying it on my hair before I dry and I feel that it works really well.  Now I just have to fine tune the scent to what I want.  The generic almond/honey is too almond-y and the lavender/vanilla needs just a bit more vanilla I'd say.  So now I'll be trying to find my perfect scent blend (I LOVE how honey sent smells!!).
So that is my update for this week.  I'll let you know how the aloe/honey wash goes and just keep you in the loop of how everything is going.  I will say that I think this is such a great alternative to shampoo and conditioner.  BUT you have to give it at least a month I would say.  Your hair will not be at its best till it gets used to the regimen... It could be dry or oily... but it will be freaking out for a while.

Hit me up if you have any questions!

No Poo Shampoo experiment week... uh...week 4??

Just a quickie tonight to update on the no poo progress.

The Hydrosols I ordered to fragrance my hair are AWFUL.  They smell like rotting vegetation with a slight smell of Lavender & rose.  Lucky they were inexpensive 3-4 bucks... but the spray bottles they came in are nice heavy glass, and I would have paid 3-4 bucks for them empty.  I'll be getting some essential oils and mixing with distilled water to make a hair mist in the bottles once I pour the stinky rotting vegetation stuff out.
I think my hair has adjusted, but I'm still looking for my perfect formula.  I have no trouble using the BP/ACV mix once every 3 days.  My hair does feel a bit dry on the ends however.  On in between days I have been using my cornstarch/cocoa mix, letting that sit for 10-15 minutes... then rinsing it out.  That has been working very well.

So this week I'm going to try the Aloe Vera/Honey "wash" in between BP/ACV washes to see how I like that.  I'll let you all know how that goes.

I also got Coconut Oil.  Today I rubbed a little on the ends of my hair and I think that makes for a nice "leave in" conditioner.  I've read it works well as a deep conditioner too, and will probably try that this week as well.  Gives my hair a nice beachy smell too.

Remember, my hair doesn't smell bad, it just doesn't smell like anything.  It is a mental thing for me that my hair needs to smell like flowers or SOMETHING.  

Lastly, I need a haircut BADLY.  Part of the dryness is due to that and I'm getting a trim on Friday.  So I'll report in next week with more progress.

I will say that I'm pretty happy.  Have I seen a huge change in my hair yet?  No... but I've seen small changes and I think they will start adding up.  Oh yea, It's almost time for me to color my hair.  I think I need to order some henna/indigo and give that a go.  :)

No Poo experiment end of week 2

So I'm still no-Pooing... and I'm still pretty good with it... but I do wish things would hurry up and progress.  With more reading I have discovered it can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks for your hair to adjust.  Here are some of my observations, and what I'm going to try to fix them.

Observations:
My hair seems pretty dry on the ends.  But in between my BS/ACV rinses I feel waxy near my scalp (I don't want to say greasy, cause that just isn't really right).  I still have crazy person hair if I let it dry naturally (aka, frizzy and quasi-curly) but if I dry it with a hair dryer and straighten the ends it looks really good (Except when I'm visiting Dad in Corpus Christi... HUMIDITY IS NOT MY FRIEND).  I can't go more than a day, max 2 in between BS/ACV rinses.... and I know I should.... but I'm really ready for my ends to catch up with my scalp.  I miss my hair smelling "good".  Not that my hair smells bad.... it doesn't smell at all... but it doesn't have that fruity, flowery or whatever smell that I'm used to my clean hair having.

Trouble Shooting Steps (yea, yea... I'm a computer geek)
1.  To help with the dry ends, I have acquired some unrefined organic coconut oil.  I'm going to try smoothing that on my ends.  If it is too much, I've heard it makes a great moisturizer for your skin.
2.  I am going to try an Aloe Vera and Honey mixture as an in between "shampoo/conditioner".  You "shampoo" in this mixture and leave it for a few minutes, then rinse out.  I've read that you may have a week of white stuff (build up from the evil shampoo and conditioner you used all your life) sloughing off your hair and scalp, but I'm hoping that since I clarified first, I won't.

• 1/4 c of aloe gel. Get good aloe vera gel, not the cheap stuff with dye and alcohol in it. I got mine here: https://www.mountainroseherbs.com
• 2 TBS Honey

3. https://www.mountainroseherbs.com has Hydrosols that I'm going to try in order to help girl up my hair scent.   Hydrosols are basically flower water made from steam distilling.  I'm trying Rose and a Lavender.  They are pretty inexpensive, but the more popular scents do sell out.  They are only distilled once a season.  Interesting.  

4.  I'm going to cut back on my baking soda in my mix some, see if I can find a concentration that works a little better without drying out my ends.  I know you are only supposed to BS on your scalp, but I have shorter hair so it tends to get all over.  I still don't see how people do this only once a week... but I'm still keeping an open mind, and giving this another month or so.  Worst case, I don't like how my hair feels, and I go Lo Poo....I'm sure that will be fine, as I'm about 75% of the way on board with No Poo... if it doesn't get better than 75%, I'll switch... if it does, then whoooo!!!!

Edit:  I've found an alternative I just might try... especially if it smells good.  I'm going to give the BS/ACV thing a few more weeks... but then I think I'll see how I like this:

http://www.healthyvegasvegan.com/2014/02/01/simple-diy-herbal-hair-cleanser-conditioner/

• The Cleanser – Yucca Root powder 
• The Conditioner – Amla Berry powder (aka gooseberry)
• The Detangler – Fenugreek Seed powder

Instructions:

1. Mix together equal parts of each ingredient, e.g. 1 Tbsp each*.
2. Stir in hot water to make a paste – not too thin that it all runs out of your hair but not too thick that it’s hard to spread. Let cool so it doesn’t burn you.
3. In the shower, apply and lather like you would shampoo**. Let it sit on your hair to sink in for five minutes.
4. Rinse it out. It’s a 2-in-1 with conditioner built in so you’re all done!

* Mixing 1 Tbsp each ingredient makes enough for four showers or over a week if you shower every other day. 

No Poo... Week 2

My hair at work today.. Quick blow out and it looked decent for work... you can see it is nice and shiny now, and has nice body even with no product in it.  The ends are a bit crunchy, but I think that is just due to my natural oils not making it down to the ends yet.  Or... could be I need a trim.  I'm letting it grow out some.  But I think the No Poo thing is a winner.  My hair isn't oily at all and feels great.  I think there is still adjusting to do, and I'm still trying to figure out how often to rinse or BS/ACV... My ends might be a little crunchy cause I'm doing it too often too...  I call this experiment a success.  

,

Day 5 and 6 of the "No Poo" shampoo experiment (evening of day 4 too!)

Ok folks... here it is.  So I just rinsed my hair on Thursday night and I'll admit it did feel pretty "heavy" on Friday, not quite but almost on the verge of dirty.  Which it was Friday, and the end of the week, so I put a wide fabric hair band to cover as much hair as possible and didn't worry about it.  Friday wasn't what I would call horrible... but on that day I would say I was ready for my hair to do the magical adjustment that I keep reading about.  I didn't have any plans on Friday night, so I hit the gym after work and went home and chilled.  (Side note, I finished my 10 week zero to running program and ran a little over 2 miles in 30 minutes.  Slow but I ran for 30 minutes straight, and I was thrilled with that!!)  I did a quick rinse off before I went home.  I was planning on hitting a spin class Saturday morning, so I figured I didn't need to be squeaky clean to sleep, and I was going to change my sheets anyway on Saturday so I just didn't care.  :)  So what, call me dirty.  This is the end of day 4.  So Thursday rinse, Friday Rinse.

Saturday rolls around and yea, I'd say my hair was dirty.  I hit spin, then cleaned up at at the gym because Kerri and I were going to go get pedicures.... I rinsed my hair at the gym and let it dry naturally... because let's face it, the hairdryer they have at the gym sucks.  My hair still did it's curly frizzy crazy woman thing... and I didn't like how it felt, but again, I survived.  I ran errands that day and eventually made it home.  That evening I decided I needed a proper shower and was going to baking soda/apple cider vinegar my hair.  The difference is I decided to blow it dry vs. letting it dry naturally.  Uhm.  My hair looked and felt great.  I didn't use any smoothing products (like I usually do) and just blowing it dry it looked pretty darn decent.  I pulled out my flat iron and ran it over the ends.  Wow... my hair looked really great.  It looked like it does when I spend a lot of time on it and use all kinds of "hold" products.  It was smooth and shiny, but still had body.  I kind of fell in love with the no poo thing last night.  Would I say it was perfect and totally adjusted?  No, not quite yet.... but it's definitely on the upswing.

IS my hair totally adjusted?  No... I think I still have another week till I really see a difference, then maybe another one or two before I see a difference letting it air dry.   I may be wrong...but we shall see.  I think my hair is short enough that a once a week baking soda/acv rinse won't be enough.  But It's easy enough that I could do it daily if I wanted.  Today (Day 6) I haven't done anything to it besides roll out of bed, and I think I could get away with just a rinse.  I know you have to find your right "formula", and every one's is different... so I'm thinking for now I'll BS/ACV every other day... and see how it goes.  I think this is going to be a success.  The key is just sticking with it.  How many years have I been stripping the natural oils out of my hair?  Uhm, all my life.  I really recommend this no poo thing, just give it 2 full weeks.  If your hair feels too dry, cut back on the BS/ACV, too oily, do it more often.  I will say I think the clarifying shampoo I did (no conditioner) on my "day 1" helped.  That stripped all the silicone and other crap out of it, which is making for an easier adjustment period in my opinion.

I will keep giving updates until I feel my hair is totally adjusted and give a final thumbs up or down.  As of today, I think it is going to be a thumbs up.  Now I'm really determined to go natural for my hair color too.  Uhg.  I know how much of a mess henna (and how much it stinks) is... but I'm going to give it a go in another few weeks.  I will for SURE write about that.  And no, I won't do straight henna.... I like my dark hair... so I'll be doing a henna/indigo mix.  Yes, the same indigo that is used to dye jeans.  Man, am I turning into a hippie tree huger?  Nah.  But maybe modern technology doesn't always have it right.

No Poo Shampoo experiment Day 3 and 4

I know I slacked off yesterday and didn't provide an update.... sorry about that!!

So, I said I was just going to rinse for day 3, and I broke down and did the baking soda and apple cider vinegar thing again.  As usual, I let it dry naturally that evening, and for work the next day I did use the cornstarch/cocoa mixture to soak up some extra oil.  Not that my hair was greasy really, but just felt "heavy" like when you get too much of a silicone based product in there... like I described on the first update.  So I did my homemade dry shampoo.  Sprinkled it in my hair close to my scalp, sort of worked it in and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.  It did an adequate job of soaking up any extra oil, but when I brushed it out I had corn starch everywhere.  I had to rinse my brush out... and my hair looked dull.  I'm wondering if this might be better to do BEFORE you get in the shower, then you can rinse it out.... on days you just rinse not "wash" with Baking soda.  I will say my hair did smell cocoa-y, which made my inner child happy.  My hair does not look greasy or dirty, it just feels like I went 2 days without washing it... I am looking forward to things evening out some like every post I see says it will.

So, today... day 4... I did just rinse my hair last night... air dried and shot it with the hair dryer this AM so it looked quasi ok to go to work.  I will note that I NEVER do much to my hair for work.  I dry it and that is it.  I've struggled some (ok a lot) with this hair cut because unless I spend LOTS of time "doing" it, well, it looks like poop.  This is a big reason why I have decided to let it grow out just a bit.  I like doing different things to it too, and when it is short I feel like I just have to wear it that one way.  But I need it to be easy for work, and this cut just isn't.  I told my boss that my hair was just going to look bad till it grew out some, and she just shrugged her shoulders and said "ok".  My point of that ramble is since I already warned her about my hair not looking its best for work because of the cut, and the past month or so it hasn't... I'm not too worried about it looking any worse as my hair adjusts to the no poo treatment.  

THAT being said, Day 4 with just a rinse is going ok... it looks about the same, and smells like 2 day old hair.  Not bad, but not fresh either.  I'll definitely be "washing" it with my baking soda mix tonight.  I need to see if it is looking less frizzy, but I'm really not holding my breath on that for another week or two.  

I started this experiment because I had changed shampoo's (to Suave Professional's Naturals... the one that is supposed to be as good as Pureology...yea... that one... and IT IS... so if you don't want to go no poo, I highly recommend it!) and I noticed a rash on my neck.  So I have changed soap, laundry detergent and now shampoo... the rash still persists, but I'm going to change my soap one more time back to something I've used before with no problem... I like fancy soaps and maybe my skin doesn't.  Dove, here I come!

So, there is my update... :)

No "Poo" Shampoo experiment day 2

Well, this is just going to be a quickie....I don't have a lot to report today.   Last night I did do the baking soda and apple cider vinegar routine... it felt fine afterwards... still a bit frizzy like the day before when I did a clarifying shampoo.  I'll tell ya I put the apple cider in a squirt bottle, the kind you use when you work out... and it worked really well.  I'm going to do the same for the baking soda solution.  It was hard using a cup to get the baking soda solution just near my scalp... I ended up covering my whole head.... It was much easier to target the ends of my hair with the ACV in the squirt bottle.

Again, I let it dry naturally before going to bed.  This morning I did wake up to a bunch of body and curls...but still frizzies.  A couple shots with a hair dryer and it looked good enough to throw a headband in it and go to work.  I wouldn't say it feels greasy today, but a little heavier... like when you get just a little too much product in your hair... There is no bad smell either.  Just smells like me.  Tonight I'm just going to rinse it out with hot water.  I think I'm going to do a every other day baking soda routine for the first couple of weeks, then back it off to hopefully once a week.  It is easy enough I could do it daily... but part of the beauty of this is you don't have to.

I was a little disappointed that I felt it wasn't oily enough to use my cornstarch/cocoa mixture to help absorb some of the excess.... I'm sort of wanting to use that.... and still hoping my hair comes out smelling like cocoa.

My No Poo experiment, kicking shampoo to the curb... Day 1

Ok, so I've been reading about the no shampoo craze that all the kids are doing now days.  Ok, actually, it's not really hipster I just like to think it is.  But I've decided to give it a try.

In a nutshell, you mix baking soda with water, pour it on your head and sort of massage it in...rinse then you use Apple Cider Vinegar in water as a conditioner.  (I'll post links with more specifics below.)  It's cheap, and you only have to do it 1-3x a week... just rinse your hair in warm water between poo's.  It is supposed to completely change your hair for the better, if you can live through the adjustment period of 1-2 weeks.  So shampoo wasn't even invented until the 1930's.... and if you look at old pictures, the ladies had really lovely hair.  The no poo method is supposed to completely get rid of frizzy hair and make your hair healthy and shiny... most of the people who have tried it said they also gave up styling products except for maybe hairspray for an updo... supposedly they didn't need other products (to boost volume, smooth frizzies, etc) after going no poo.  So shampoo strips your hair of it's natural oils, so your scalp produces more.  Same concept as people with oily skin stripping their skin with harsh cleansers... it makes your skin more oily (yes, I love the oil cleansing method... and use it on my oily skin.  It has never looked better).  So, I'm convinced this is going to work for me.  One of my friends who does it says it even stopped his hair loss.  That's pretty awesome.

Last night, I shampooed my hair for the last time.  I read using a clarifying shampoo helps with the adjustment period... so I used one last night.  No conditioner... just shampoo and air dry.  I will say that my hair felt soft... but was a bit of a frizz ball.   Yes, this picture was taken as I was getting ready for bed... don't mock my sleep shirt.

So, tonight I'll just rinse.

Some things I was concerned about and found satisfactory answers for:

• What about when I work out?  Uhm... rinse the sweat out of your hair.  It won't stink. Ok, that's easy enough, and my biology knowledge does back that one up.  
• What about when I swim?  Wear a swim cap and rinse afterwards.  
• What if I just feel too oily to go to work while adjusting?  Use cornstarch with unsweetened cocoa powder to absorb excess oil.  That's more or less a natural dry shampoo.  The cocoa doesn't do anything really, except add a little color for brunettes so you don't have a white haze in your brown hair.  Personally, if it adds a little cocoa smell to my hair...bonus.  
• What if I want my hair to smell flowery and good like my shampoo makes it smell?  A few drops of essential oil rubbed in your hands then rubbed through your hair will do the trick.  
• What will my hair smell like?  Nothing really... sort of like your skin just smells like you... your hair will just smell like you.  

So I went to the grocery store and got my supplies.  Arm and Hammer baking soda, Apple Cider Vinegar, Corn Starch and unsweetened powdered Cocoa.  Conveniently all found in the baking aisle.  I did also pick up a boar hair bristle brush....I remember them being super expensive, but found a Conair one with a wooden handle that I liked for $10.  There was also a Goody one with a plastic handle for about $6.... but I liked the feel of the wooden handle so I splurged.  The boar hair bristle brushes are supposed to help distribute the natural oils your scalp produces all along your hair.

Depending on how this turns out, I might go natural with my hair color as well.  I JUST colored it last weekend, so I have some time to decide.  I can do a blend of  1/3 Henna, 2/3 Indigo and Alma for my cool dark brown.  If it isn't dark enough I can up the Indigo.  I know Henna is a mess and not quick (you have to let it sit for 1-2 hours on your head... but regular hair color is 45 minutes, so it isn't that big of a deal... Stay tuned for updates on my going hippy natural with my hair.

No Poo links:
http://www.love-yourself-naturally.com/2013/04/welcome-to-no-poo-hair-care/
http://hhandtw.blogspot.com/2013/06/no-poo-method.html

There is lots of no-poo info out there...these are the two that I found helpful.

Re-packaging Lip Tar, Too Faced Melted Lipstick isn't all that, DIY Cosmetics and other ramblings...

Hello my lovelies!

So, today I have a bit of a ramble... The main point being that I totally totally transformed a product that I wanted to love, but just didn't.  After one small change, I'm in love now.  

The backstory: Too Faced just released their Melted Lipstick product, and I didn't want to like it... but I do.  You all know I'm a bit of a bargain huntress, and I think there are inexpensive options that are just as good.  I'll admit I really like the delivery of Too Faced's product, and the bold bright colors are really amazing. But..... after I actually wore it for an evening it felt a little drying and I had to apply it more than I thought I should.  That doesn't mean it isn't a great product...but I probably won't buy another one.  Part of what I really like about this product is the delivery system.  It is in a squeeze tube with a fuzzy tip applicator... but even that I have a like/don't like relationship with.  It is great.... but with color this bright and opaque, I think it should be more precise.  (Bonus Mini Review achieved!)  Bottom line, I like them, but don't love them.

  

Of course I started to search the internet for an inexpensive but similar product.  I found one by LA Girls, with similar colors, but the review I read said it was more like Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar.  And I didn't like the tube it came in...the applicator was just a hard plastic slant with a hole in it.  If this product is like Lip Tar... that applicator will just be bad.  I know this because I have 8 Lip Tars.  (This brings me the long way to the point of this blog.)

I have 8 lip tars... but I NEVER wear them.  Why you ask?  Certainly not because the product itself is inferior.  Not because I dislike the colors.  It is because I hate that I have to apply them with a lip brush.  While the squeeze tube / brush seems like a good idea... it just isn't.  The lip brush lends itself to getting too much product on your lips, and isn't practical for reapplication when you are out and about.  Sure, OCC gives you a little plastic pouch to stash the mini lip brush and the lip tar in, so you can throw it in your purse (can you say gloppy mess if you don't wipe your brush off before throwing it in the pouch?)... but we all know that touch ups with a brush are just a pain in the ass.  Add a few beers into the mix, and I'd rather go without anything on my lips vs. touching up with a brush.  So yea... I never wore them.

I started thinking about the review of the LA Girls product, and how it compared them to OCC Lip Tars.... and it compared the Lip Tars to the Too Faced Melted Lipstick.... that they were actually pretty similar, EXCEPT the Too Faced product had that cool applicator.  That's when it really hit me... I didn't "like" my OCC Lip Tars because they didn't have an applicator!!!! I jumped on the interwebs and went over to diycosmetics.com and ordered 8 empty lip gloss tubes with an applicator like this:

And can be found Here:
 http://www.diycosmetics.com/lip-gloss-container-matte-silver-top/   

For $1.60 each, I figured I didn't have anything to lose.... maybe I'd ruin one of the Lip Tars and throw it away... no biggie for a product I NEVER wore.  So I took my least favorite color, Yaoi and squirted it in the tube.  It was easy to do, and just took a few seconds.  OMG.  This changed my life.  Having the doe foot wand makes this product SUPER amazing.  I excitedly did all 8 and I am totally in love!  Putting the Lip Tars into a tube with a wand makes this an AMAZEBALLS product.  The Lip Tars (when in a tube with a wand) totally kicks Too Faced Melted Lipstick in the crotch.  Ok, maybe not in the crotch... but I like it better... and OCC has SO many more colors than Too Faced's (yawn) 5.  Another benefit... the crystal clear tubes let you really see the color.  The Matte squeeze tubes don't.  Black Metal Dahlia shows it's true glory in the tube.  I forgot how beautiful that color is and can't wait for Fall to come back around so I can rock it every day (Seriously, if you don't have this color go order it NOW... with an empty tube and wand too).  The Lip Tar's aren't cheap ($18), but I might actually start buying them again.... there just isn't anything out there that can compare to the colors.  Don't like opaque color? OCC also has Stained Glosses.  Amazing colors but a little sheer... and they stain the heck out of your lips.  Oh yea, Lip Tar's are cruelty free and vegan.

Moral to this story?  Sometimes products are amazing, but how you apply them just don't work.  Don't be afraid to de-pot, repackage, etc. It very well may change your makeup life.

End Notes:

 Just FYI, Rimmel's Show Off Lip Lacquer is pretty amazing and very similar to TF's Melted Lipstick, and OCC's Lip Tar (a la Paula) with a much smaller price tag (approximately $5-6).   The colors are a little tamer, but they have 13.  It is a really good product that I might like better than the TF Melted.

I also want to mention that DIY Cosmetics has mineral foundations that are amazing!!  I got a "sample" for $5 which is enough to fill my empty Bare Minerals container.... it is beautiful!  The website isn't the best... but I emailed their customer service department and they guided me to a color that was closest to what I wear in Bare Minerals... and it is actually a BETTER color for me.  Bargain Huntress strikes again!!! 

Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Haul

Hi my lovelies! 
I'm sitting here at Genghis Grill waiting on my food so I thought I'd do a quick review on my lovely Makeup Geek eye shadows I just received in the mail.  I ordered the following: 

Shark Bait -  a matte medium teal
Rockstar -  a silvery nude duo chrome with a pink shift
Simply Marlena -  a lovely medium matte bright pink
Corrupt - black black black
Drama Queen - a dark purple shimmer
Razzleberry - berry red with gold sparkle
Pop Culture - medium lavender shimmer

http://www.makeupgeek.com/store/eye-products/eyeshadows/makeup-geek-eyeshadows.html?p=1

Shark Bait - feels smooth and soft in the pan, great color, but sheer.  Will have to build this one up if you want an opaque look.  It's nice to have a matte shadow feel soft and buttery to the touch.  

Rockstar - If you only buy one Makeup Geek eyeshadow this one should be it.  It is a silvery duochrome with a pink color shift.  Think mother of pearl.  It looks quite grey/sliver in the pan, but it just blends in with your skin and leaves an iridescence that makes you look ethereal.  Really beautiful... Marlena did a great job with this shadow.  Soft and buttery feel in the pan as well.  

Simply Marlena - This is a fun bright matte pink.  It feels dry and chalky in the pan, but still goes on great, has amazing color payout, super blendable and easy to work with.  I say it all the time, mattes are hard to formulate... even though this feels chalky in the pan, it is not on the skin.  Really nice pink.  Very happy with it.  

Corrupt - This is the blackest black you can buy.  There is very subtle glitter in there... and I mean very subtle.  It just gives the black a little dimension.  This also feels a bit dry and chalky in the pan but wow, it is my new favorite black.  SUPER pigmented, super blendable... VERY happy with this one too!! 

Drama Queen - Very dark purple with warm shimmer.  This is like if an eggplant had a baby with Corrupt.  It's super pigmented, very soft and buttery in the pan... This is a great dark color if you want something softer than black.  You can blend it out for a soft but dark look, or build it up.  Will be great for an alternative color for a smoky eye.  

Razzleberry - Berry Red with gold glitter.  This is a really pretty matte berry red that has some fun gold shimmer.  Like the other mattes it feels dry and chalky but has great color payout, pigmentation, is super blendable and easy to work with.  Love this color and can't wait to wear it.  It's a berry red, but sort of warm if that makes sense.  

Pop Culture - Nice iridescent lavender shimmer.  This one is a nice shadow but sort of underwhelmed me.  It is sheer, and it says so in the description.  Soft and smooth in the pan, has good color payout but is VERY sheer if that makes sense.  If you want to see this on your skin at all you will need to wear a primer.  Without primer it is like a watercolor wash on your lid, which can be pretty too.  This will be a good versatile shadow that can be worn sheer for day, but built up if you want more of a pop of color.  

That's it!!!  I really like the MUG shadows.  Everything I have ever purchased has been excellent quality (Except for Neptune... I was really not happy with that one) and are a great price at 5.99.  The swatches below are without primer.  I really built up Pop Culture, but everything else was one swipe of my finger in the pan and rubbed on my skin.  Great colors!! 

  

Battle of the Inexpensive Mascaras

*Note: Yes, I call Miss Manga, Miss Magna....Magna made more sense to my brain, but it is in fact Manga.
Hello my lovelies!!!  Today I'm talking about Mascara.  Anyone who knows me can tell you that I 100% do not believe in buying expensive mascara.  There is absolutely no need for it.  I've tried them all.... and you can get an amazing mascara that does what you want for under $10 (Knowing what you want it to do is the trick).  IF you pay for luxury brand mascaras you are an idiot and a fool... No offense meant, but really.

So, I have been a Maybelline mascara addict for a very long time.  The Volum' Express line is amazing, and I've tried most the variations of them.  (Note, they have a new one I have not tried, Pumped Up! and I'll have to try that one soon...).  I personally like a curved brush, so I usually bounce back and forth between the Falsies Black Drama and The Colossal Cat Eye products. The Cat Eye mascara has a little stiffer brush, and I sort of like that... so that's what I've been using mostly for the past year.  I totally love this mascara.  One swipe and I was good to go.

I've been reading how MakeupGeek's Marlena loves L'Oreal's Voluminous Carbon Black.  The more I read about it, people compare it to and like it BETTER than DiorShow, which is sort of the holy grail standard of mascaras.  So I've been thinking about stepping out of my comfort zone and trying it.  I've walked the makeup aisle at Target several times.... went so far as to put it in my basket... but couldn't bring myself to try it.  Then I saw a new product in the Voluminous line pop up, Miss Magna.  Interesting.  I did some more reading, and people tend to like the original Voluminous vs. the spin offs... so I sort of wrote of Miss Magna.

Well, then I read on Facebook my friend, Molly Johnson, purchased Miss Magna.  Her initial reaction was that the brush looked like something an "alley cat chewed on", but then she was really amazed with the product.  That sealed it.  I was going to have to pick up both the Carbon Black and the Miss Magna... and I did, today.

So this is what my lashes look like with no mascara....no makeup at all here. I will admit I was blessed with pretty good eyelashes, they are just light.  I don't care for lengthening mascaras because with the natural curl I have in my lashes it just makes them too long and I get mascara all over my lid.  I prefer volume building formulas.  (And yes I know I need to do some eyebrow grooming, I'm going next week to get threaded... I was letting them grow out after a technician got them just a bit too thin for my taste, and I've been a little lazy...so don't judge.)

This is my much loved Colossal Cat Eye... ignore the bottom lashes, I didn't do a great job of applying it here.  This is 3 coats and as you can see quite lovely.  I love the stiff curved brush... This has been my go to mascara for the last year.  And yes, I mark on the tube with Sharpie when I opened it, so I know to throw it away after 3 months if the mascara makes it that long (It never does though).  This is non clumping and builds great volume.  One coat will just color your lashes, and looks pretty natural, just better.  I still really love this mascara. 

Here is the L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon black.  I accidentally picked up the waterproof version, and I really dislike waterproof mascaras.  It's nice, but I think I like my Cat Eyes better.  I'm wondering if it is because it is waterproof, so I'm going to return it and get the non waterproof version.  Actually, the original Voluminous (not the carbon  black) had a curved brush version.  I think I'll give that a go.  You can see it goes on really nicely, isn't clumpy and is very black.  This is my crazy eye with curly eyelashes, so I have problems applying mascara and not getting it all over my lid.  The fat straight brush did a pretty good job.  I did wipe the brush off before using though, I don't know why makeup companies can't come up with a tube that wipes more product off the brush as you remove it... but that is a cosmic question I can not answer.  This is a good solid mascara.  I do give it a thumbs up, but think I would stick with my Cat Eyes over this.  I will update if I like the non-waterproof curved brush version better.

And here is the Miss Magna.  Wow.  I think I like this a little better than my Cat Eyes.  I feel like I'm betraying an old friend.  The brush does indeed look like an alley cat chewed on it, but that is what makes it great.  The bristles going in crazy directions ensure that every lash is coated from every angle.  There is also a "joint" below the brush so that it moves a little when you apply.  I'm usually not a fan of the wiggly brush, I do like my stiff curved brush.  I feel like the brushes that are stiff let you push the product onto the lashes...and the wiggly brushes let your lashes push the brush.  Does that make sense?  But I think I could get used to this brush.  I did have to wipe A LOT of product off of the brush before using.  Keep that in mind before you cry that this is a clumpy mascara.  I think the pictures of Miss Magna and the Cat Eyes are pretty similar, but where I saw the difference was in just putting on one coat.  Miss Magna wins hands down if all you have time for is one coat.  BUT if you want something that is a little more subdued for daytime, Cat Eyes is pretty versatile. 

So I would say all 3 of these are really great mascaras.  As I mentioned above, the key to getting a great inexpensive mascara, is knowing what you want it to do.... and what kind of brush you like.  If you want lengthening, get a lengthening mascara.  Thicker lashes, get a mascara that builds volume, like one of these 3.  Want both?  Get one of each, and do a coat of lengthening first, then the volume mascara.  I go through a tube of mascara in about a month.  I find that even though it might not be empty, after a month I don't like the texture anymore.  This is why I've never spent more than $10 on mascara.  With a little experimentation, you can find a really great mascara that you love.  Keep in mind that not everything works for everyone, this is my opinion on these mascaras.  I know people who SWEAR by the Cover Girl mascaras, and I personally can not stand them. So, get out there and find what works for you!  If I helped, I'm glad!

Kisses! ~Paula

**** Update:  While I really do like the Miss Magna, I find myself reaching for my Colossal Cat Eye still.  L'Oreal needs to improve the packaging to wipe more of the product off the brush when pulled out of the tube.  Having to wipe it off manually is getting to be a bit tiresome for me.  I still really like the mascara, and it is my go to when I'm doing "good" makeup... (aka non quickie work makeup).  But for my everyday needs, I grab my Cat Eyes.  I have yet to make it back to Target to exchange the waterproof Carbon Black for non-waterproof.... I will give status on that as soon as I can!!

***** Update x2:  I got the Original Voluminous with the curved brush.  I like it!  The brush is curved but fat too.  I think the formulation of the product itself is similar or the same to Miss Manga, it's the brushes that are different.  Again, it is all up to preference.  But this is a very solid choice for a mascara.

I also wanted to say I got a sample of Makeup Forever's mascara.  Meh... I like these 3 inexpensive products much better.

Just a quickie today... I'm ready for the holiday!!!

So I was looking on the interwebs today... and found this... I knew Lancome was a Loreal brand... but I had no idea so was Urban Decay!!!  Oh and my favorite mascara is Maybelliene... yep L'Oreal brand too.  (FYI I'm going to break my loyalty to my FAVORITE Maybelline mascara and try L'Oreal's Voluminous Carbon Black.. I hear it's better than Dior Show, but I love Maybelline's Colossal Cat eye brush, so I see myself going back and forth between the two)... And No wonder I love L'Oreal AND Garnier hair products... Yep... Garnier is a L'Oreal brand too.  Interesting what you find when you are counting down the minutes waiting for the holiday weekend to start.

So to augment my last post, just because it is a drugstore brand... it still could have a pretty amazing pedigree...

Texas Rangers Inspired Makeup

So, one of my besties had tickets to go see a Texas Rangers baseball game.  Of course their colors are red/blue so I felt the need to do some Rangers inspired makeup.  Here you go!

NYX HD Eye Shadow primer

NYX Eye Shadow Base in white

Coastal Scents Shadow - Chamois Nude

Coastal Scents Shadow - Icicle Blue

Coastal Scents Shadow - Vibrant Red

Sephora Long Lasting Liquid Eyeliner - Color has been discontinued, unsure of the name.  (It looks like it is the same color as Revlon ColorStay Skinny Liquid Liner in Electric Blue... which you can buy now)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner - Chaos

Maybelline The Colossal Cat Eye Mascara in black

I used Vibrant red in my outer V, and blended it lightly in the crease. I then swept it under my eye.  I used Icicle blue on the lid and blended it over into the Vibrant Red.  Be careful and don't blend too much or you will get purple! I just lightly buffed them together to soften the lines between the 2 colors. I used Chamois Nude on my brow bone and blended into the Vibrant Red and Icicle blue to soften the line in the crease.   I did a winged eyeliner with the bright blue liquid eye liner and used UD's Chaos on my waterline.  

Since I was doing such bright colors, I kept everything matte.  My cheeks were a soft pink, and my lips a red sheer gloss.  

 Yea, the flash washed me out some... please ignore the pancake face! (And the green shirt!)  :)  

At the Game! 

Green Goddess....

I've discovered the hardest part about beauty blogging is taking photos. But... Here I share with you a green look I decided to do today. All the shadows are from the Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Pallette.  I used Emerald Ice as a base color on my lid... Chamois Nude (sorry not in the Pallette... But a great nude color for us fair skinned girls)  for the brow bone. I then used Fresh Chive as a crease color and in my outer V. I patted a little python green on the middle of my lid for highlight. Green Goddess liquid liner by Bed Head. (It's old,  I'm sure they don't make it anymore)... And NYX waterproof eyeliner in Green Papaya under my lower lashes.  My favorite The Colossal Cat Eyes mascara by Maybelline. Whew!  I do want to note that Fresh Chive is a bit hard to work with. If you apply it as a color on its own it goes on a bit chalky and splotchy.... However if you put it over a shadow that is smooth and blends well it gives you a great sheer dark green accent. The Python green is a bit sheer too... But was perfect for a little green highlight. Cheers!  Stay tuned for my Texas Rangers look soon!   Yep... Going to a baseball game today. Remember...  Take chances... Getting older doesn't mean you can't have fun with your makeup.

Beauty Bargain Huntress....

Hi guys!  I know... it's been a while... but I'm new at this... :)  So today I want to talk about beauty bargains.  Eventually I'd like to do some reviews of specific products, but today I'm going to speak in general terms.  Well, I will give you a heads up on some things I love!

So, all my life I have been a beauty snob.  Grocery store makeup just wasn't good when I began my journey into makeup madness.  Remember, this was almost 30 years ago.  My mom was kind enough to buy me Clinique and Este Lauder makeup when I was a teenager... But in recent years, grocery store makeup brands have come a LONG way.  I think mascara was the first to make the leap into "as good as expensive brand" territory.  For a long time I've refused to pay $20+ dollars for expensive mascara when a) you are supposed to throw it away after 3 months (mark dates on the tube with a sharpie!!) and b) some of the cheap stuff is BETTER than the expensive stuff.

That being said, there were some things I just wouldn't skimp on.  Foundation, eye shadow and eye liners mostly.  I am an Urban Decay junkie... I found that nothing could touch their eye shadows and eye liners... I never joined the cult of MAC, but UD was my holy grail.  I'm also a BareMinerals girl.  Nothing gives the kind of natural look as mineral makeup.  But dang, it gets expensive to keep me in "good" makeup.

So I have started experimenting with inexpensive cosmetics... and you know what?  Some of them are AMAZING!!!  I also have found that I like Garnier and Loreal hair styling products better than the expensive stuff I got from my salon.  The key is, you have to be willing to experiment some, and you won't like everything, but you just may love a few things.  At the cheaper prices, it won't hurt so much if you don't love something.  And hey, don't be afraid to take something back if it just doesn't work for you or is the WRONG color.  Below are some of my favorite finds:

Makeup Geek - www.makeupgeek.com
I stumbled on this website and instantly fell in love with the hostess, Marlena.  She cracks me up, and she created her own very high quality makeup line.  I have tried a few of the eye shadows (5.99 each!!) and while I didn't love them all, I sure loved them enough to buy them again (but there are expensive shadows I haven't loved too...it happens!!). The ones I loved I would put neck and neck with Urban Decay shadows. Her gel eye liner pots are also amazing.  Best gel liner I've ever used. She also has great reviews and convinced me to give Revlon Color Stay foundation for oily skin and NYX cosmetics a try....(see below) Actually I blame Marlena for opening my mind to inexpensive products.

Sigma - http://www.sigmabeauty.com/
So, makeup brushes are expensive.  But I love them.  In my searches for value cosmetics I kept hearing that Sigma makes the best brushes and they won't break the bank.  SO TRUE!!!  They have really great quality brushes (most are about 12-16 bucks).  They are very high quality, the handles have a nice heft to them so they feel balanced.... just good darn brushes.  They have cosmetics too, but I have not tried any of them.  Their eye shadows run about 12 bucks and since Makeup Geek is less expensive, I just ordered brushes from them.

Coastal Scents - http://www.coastalscents.com/
So after I ordered from Makeup Geek and Sigma, I stumbled on Coastal Scents.  They also do inexpensive brushes... way inexpensive!  And all kinds of makeup.  I wasn't sure about the makeup, the palettes looked sort of like what you would get as a kid, so I figured I would just order some brushes to see how they stacked up against Sigma.  They were 1/3 the cost of the inexpensive Sigma brushes.  (Can you say kabuki brush on a stick for around 6 bucks?  YES PLEASE!!).  The thing I loved about CS is that they have SO many brushes, and all of them come in synthetic and natural hair bristles.  I like synthetic for liquids and cremes, natural for powders.  But I could get any brush in either bristles!  Score!  Now I will say that I love sigma brushes, they feel expensive and luxurious... but the CS brushes are very high quality too.  The handle isn't wood, and doesn't have the same "heft" but the brushes themselves are great.  There is a little shedding till you wash them a time or two (you do wash your brushes... right????) but they are really amazing for the price.  Most kabuki brushes run you at least $30 bucks.  I got one for under $5.  The crazy thing is... they sent me an eye shadow sample... and it was pretty darn good!  I decided to order one of the crazy 252 color shadow palettes (it was $15 bucks I think... way cheap).  Well, the amount of shadow you get for each color is small.... about the size of a dime... but OMG, I'm a convert.  Not every color is a winner...but some hit it out of the ball park. It is like you get samples of most of their colors (they have over 300) to try and see what you want in full size.  Pretty darn amazing.  Color payout is great on some, they are silky and blend well.  Best part, their website is pretty descriptive.  They tell you if it is matte, shimmer or satin.... opaque, semi-opaque, semi-sheer or sheer (not sure what the difference is between semi opaque and semi sheer, but I like that they tell you).  Best part:  Individual eye shadows are 1.95.  Yep, under 2 bucks. They also carry ingredients if you want to make your own makeup, fair trade black soaps, etc.  Yes, I'm sure the makeup is made in China, but dang... it feeds my addiction without breaking the bank.  I've been experimenting and loving it.  The colors shown for the eye shadows will vary from computer monitor to monitor, so buying a specific color may be hit or miss... but for 2 bucks....  Read the reviews, that helps tell you more about the colors.

NYX Cosmetics:
I could go on and on like I did for Coastal Scents.  But I'll just say NYX (pronounced Nicks, NYX is a greek goddess or something) is inexpensive and great.  Again not everything is a hit... but try some things.  My favorites are the Butter Glosses (OMG GO GET SOME NOW) and the Butter Lipsticks (watch for the lighter colors, not every one is a winner).   The HD powder is the exact same thing as Makeup Forever's HD powder.  How do I know?  They both have one ingredient, Silica.  (Which, you can buy silica powder in bulk at Coastal Scents... just saying).  MUF's is 40 bucks I think.. NYX, 9.99.  WIN.   I also like their blushes, their powder foundation, their Stay Matte not Flat powder, pore hiding primer (just like Benefit's POREfessional... feels exactly the same!!), the shine control primer.... etc... etc.  Really good stuff.  Oh, I like their eye shadow primer almost just as well as Urban Decay's. Great every day inexpensive alternative.

Pallidio Cosmetics:
Their eye shadow primer feels exactly like Urban Decays and is cheaper (but you don't get a WHOLE lot in the tube).  The ingredients are similar as well.  (The NYX primer feels a little different, but not better or worse in my opinion just different...) They also have great tinted lip balms.  I haven't tried much else, oh, but the Rice Powder is legendary.

Maybelline Mascara.  I love the Falsies line... and the Colossal line.  There is one for everyone.  If you don't like one formula or brush, try another.  NEVER BUY EXPENSIVE MASCARA.  I've heard that Loreal's Volumionous Carbon Black is Similar BUT BETTER than Diorshow. There is no need to spend 20 bucks on mascara. I'm going to try the L'Oreal mascara soon. .. I'll let you know what I think. I also love Maybeline Elixir lip colors.  But NYX's Butter Glosses have moved into my #1 spot in my heart.

Revlon Colorstay foundation.  Ok, I tried it when it first came out and it was super heavy and cakey... But they have come out with an oily skin formula.  Yea, for every day... it's pretty darn good.  I'll probably still wear my BareMinerals for going out and such... but for work... this stuff is the bomb.  Stays well, has a nice finish (you can mix it with a little moisturizer if it is too thick) and cheap.  

Hair Products:
I love Loreal's new line.  I have their Curl Taming Creme and their Slick It frizz vanisher.  LOVE both products.  Garnier... oh... Garnier... I love their hair products. They do tend to discontinue stuff then bring it back with a new name and a slightly redone formula... but they still work better than the expensive stuff I buy from my stylist once a year or so out of guilt... And in hopes I'll find something I like better... But it never happens.

So my bottom line... experiment.  Inexpensive stuff isn't always great... but when it is... it is.
Kisses!! Paula