No Poo 7 month wrap up

Hidey Ho Lovelies!

I know, it has been a while since I've blogged.   Life has just gotten in the way.  Since my last post in August I have moved, gotten the holidays over with and gained 15 pounds.  Uhg.  I'm back in the gym training for the Triathlon I'm doing in June, so hopefully those 15 pounds will go away again soon.

So... I've been No Pooing for 7 months now, and I think my last "wrap up" was a bit premature.  After I wrote it, my hair started to feel heavy and waxy.  I struggled with it again and really hated it for a few weeks.  So my 6 weeks to adjust statement is false.  I'm going to say a good 3 months.  After the waxy period, it got even softer than it had been.  Like cat fur soft.  It was really freaking amazing. I think it is still that soft, but I'm used to it now.  I don't pet my head regularly like I was.  I just have soft healthy hair now.  It has great body and I still don't use product except on a rare occasion.  I've copied my last blog below, with edits after no pooing for 7 months.

I mostly agree with this paragraph still: 
It takes every bit of a month to adjust, I would say more like 6 weeks 3 Months.  Your hair will suck for the first couple of weeks, but it will gradually get better then be amazing and then suck again,but then be even more amazing.  There are 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.  Edit: My hair doesn't feel heavy and waxy like it did before, but it still does not feel slick like it did when I used shampoo/conditioner it is sort of a happy medium between the two now.  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 Castle Soap.  I like the Lavender and the Almond.  It just gives it a little bit more "slip" (I'll talk about this below).  I don't add the Liquid Castle Soap anymore.  

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.

I don't do the corn starch / cocoa thing anymore.  I don't need it since I got past that second waxy stage.  
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 Castle soap.   Liquid Castle 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!!!!!  Edit: I find that I will use the Castle Soap once every other week or so or the Shea Moisture products (see below)... it is probably mental, but I just like lathering my hair up every now and then.  I also feel if I had used the Castle Soap when my hair got heavy and waxy, it would have helped.  I think knowing what I know now, I would have added this into my routine.  Maybe once a week, maybe every other... hard to say in hindsight. It is still great to rinse the color from my hair when I do color it at home...
https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/category/LIQUIDSOAP.html

I also purchased some of the Shea Moisture shampoo and conditioning products.  I purchased the Coconut & Hibiscus shampoo/conditioner...  They are all natural and a good transition to Low Poo if you can't handle No Po.  They are also just convenient to throw in my gym bag when I have to shower at the gym and the hair is ready for a cleaning.  I'll admit lately I've been using this instead of the Castle Soap just for convenience.   But still only every now and then.  They still don't feel like normal thick shampoo and slippery conditioner... the shampoo does lather but not like traditional shampoos with crazy bad for you chemicals in them.  The conditioner just seems to vanish into your hair... I actually really like these products and can't recommend them enough over traditional shampoo and conditioner.  They are available at Target and not too expensive.   If I had it to do all over again, I maybe would have started with this shampoo and conditioner, then worked my way into no poo gradually.   

I still agree with the following paragraph... but I find I don't need the Curl and Style Milk anymore.  I'll still use a little if I'm letting my hair air dry, but just on the ends.  The dryness went away when the waxyness did.  
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 slightly 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.  I don't really do this anymore.  I've gotten over my hair not being perfumed up.  But it is still a viable option if I just wanted to smell nice.  

 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.  Edit: I can go once a week, but I prefer 2x a week... my hair starts looking dirty about day 5... which if I pull it back in a ponytail (my hair is long enough to do that now, yea!!) it doesn't matter.  

I stick by this paragraph too.
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 for Derby and gets sweaty and nasty under there... which is TOTALLY 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.  Again, the Shea Moisture products are a good alternative if you can't get past the sweaty hair thing.

I don't "do" my hair for work every day.  I dry it most of the time and am out the door. Edit: I now can throw it up in a clip and not dry it every day.   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. I also find I don't really need to flat iron it much.  It is bouncy but not frizzy anymore.  I really like my hair quality now.  

Tadah!  That is my 7 month update/edit of my recap.  I really encourage everyone to at least use an all natural shampoo and conditioner like the Shea Moisture products.  After a few months, your hair will thank you.  Oh, yea... I never made the switch to henna or natural hair color.  I am gradually going a little lighter so maybe I won't have to do it as often... but I'm still using normal hair color.

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!!

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

I'm too old to wear that.......

NONSENSE!!!!  Today I decided to wear a little neon on my eyes.  I softened it up with a lovely grey shimmery color in the crease and under my lower lashes.  I have a soft vanilla shimmer on my brow bone with my standard black winged liner. I wore this to work today and it was totally fun.  The pink, orange and yellow are matte shades (the yellow looks a little shimmery in this photo, but I swear it isn't).  I think mixing mattes and shimmers gives a nice dimension and is a good rule of thumb, but I digress....

My point I wish to make today is that there are ways for women at every age to wear something fun and trendy. I hate it when I hear a perfectly confident, beautiful woman who is no longer in her 20's or 30's say she is "too old" for anything.  It's all about making it work for you.  Usually all that means is toning it down a bit (which is something the youngsters should probably do too, but don't).  

Maybe you love red lipstick... if you feel like you can't pull it off anymore, go with a red stain or gloss... Or a tinted balm. But keep rocking those red lips!  Do you love glitter as much as I love glitter?  Look for finely milled glitters that aren't so disco ball chunky.  My favorite look is a wash of iridescent glitter on my lids over a pearly white base.  Just simple and very beautiful in the sun.  It is a great day look.  Or go with a glittery shadow maybe just in the inner corner of your lid... or on the outer corner.  

I have a great example of a look I feel like I can't pull off anymore... (I do question if anyone can really pull it off however!)  But the dark eyes with dark lips look.  I used to rock this look all the time in the 90's.  I'd do a deep red lip with dark smokey eyes.  Yes ladies, this was before the term "smokey eye" had been coined.  But now, I feel it is too much for me.  What do I do?  If I rock dark smokey eyes, and want to do a red lip... I do a sheer red.  Easy peasy.  It just softens it up enough that it doesn't look harsh on my not 20 something face.  I found my balance.  (I will say that now I prefer a nude lip with smokey eyes... I just really like that look... even if it is a darker nude lip... meow!)

So ladies, find your beautiful.  

Take that trend you are coveting and make it yours.  You can do it, I know you can.  

Kisses, Paula

Hi, My name is Paula, and I'm a makeup addict.

Hello!  Welcome to my first Blog!

I thought I would take my first blog post and tell you a little bit about myself, I'm Paula by the way. 

I am a 40 something single woman finding her way through life, love and health.  I live in Dallas, Texas and can't see myself anywhere else.  I grew up on the Texas coast in Corpus Christi, and lived in Austin for a while before finding my way to Dallas.  I consider myself an Urban warrior, and live downtown.  The suburbs make me a little crazy.  I like having things that I can walk to.  I don't like depending on my car all the time, I drive as little as possible.  

I have 2 sides.  (I'm a Gemini, go figure).  I work in Information Technology, but I am also very creative.  When I first took a stab at college, I was an Art Major at the University of Texas.   I wasn't a terribly talented artist compared to other students at U.T., and eventually threw in the towel.  After struggling with what I wanted to "be" for several years, I opted for a more practical education path.  I started my professional career as a medical laboratory technician.  I soon realized I was better with the instruments than anything, and that evolved to a career in Information Technology.  I have my Master's of Science in Computer Information Systems from St. Edward's University in Austin.  For many years, I turned my back on my creativity.  In the past few years, events in my life made me realize I need a creative outlet to be happy, and feel balanced.  

My makeup journey started with my mother taking me to the Clinique counter when I was 14 or so for a makeup lesson.  I didn't think much about that, I was given the basic tools needed to do my own makeup and maybe not look like a complete hot mess.  The "hot mess" days were pre-makeup lesson.  Oi!!  Later, while I was trying to figure out what I wanted to be, I worked in a department store, in the cosmetics department.  I was good at doing makeup, and thus selling makeup.  Through the years I've always dabbled in makeup, but never took it too seriously.  I was a makeup artist for a Glamour Shots type photography company and I also did stage makeup for a community theater I was involved with (Harbor Playhouse in Corpus Christi). I think makeup was my way of painting, and a face was the canvas.  

Since I began my romance with makeup in a department store, I was a makeup snob.  But, you have to understand, back in the day grocery store makeup was not so good.  Generic offerings of ANYTHING were sub par.  Sure, there were classics such as the pink and green tube of Maybelline Great Lash mascara that deserves it's cult following.... but in general, you couldn't beat the cosmetics offered at the department stores.  I've spent more money on makeup than I even want to think about.  But....In the past few years there has been a shift.  You can get really great quality makeup from the grocery store now, and generic products from food to moisturizer are stellar quality as well. 

That being said, I bug my friends all the time with my little "finds".  As sort of a hobby, I've been reading and watching video and non-video beauty bloggers.  I've found brands that I've never heard of that are amazing, and I've rekindled my romance with makeup.  (We sort of broke up for a while.)  One thing I noticed however.... and there is nothing wrong with this... BUT... most of the makeup bloggers are YOUNG.  I can't tell you how many times I've come across comments on a product review that goes something like, "These do look like beautiful colors, but I'm too old to wear them".  Seeing comments like that made me want to start my own blog.  So, here I am.  

With this blog, I want to show women of all ages that you are never too old to do something that makes you happy (I was seen sporting neon eye shadow this weekend).  I want to talk about some of the beauty gems I've found and love....Maybe do some tutorials on how to make trendy young looks work for women over 40... I'll probably talk some about my quest to get some weight off that I've put on in recent years..... Maybe discuss some life lessons I've taken to heart.  I'll say that my inspiration is MakeupGeek.com 's Marlena. She seems like such a beautiful person not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. What I like most about her is that she isn't perfect.  She's human, and not afraid to show that.  

So bear with me as this will be a work in progress and will be growing and evolving as I get my blogging chops.   I've got some things to figure out... and content to work on... but for now, hello.  Just because you are over 40 doesn't mean you aren't beautiful.