Sunday, January 24, 2010
Mineral Powder Review
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Cuticle Cream Review
Are you someone who loves taking care of your nails and hands? Yep? Then keep reading...
Spotlight on: Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme
In its packaging
Already hit pan (you can see my finger mark)
This is one of my HG products, in the nail care category. I got this from a drugstore for a couple of bucks; check your local CVS, they carry Burt's Bees for sure. It comes in the form of a small, round, tint jar. It also comes in a larger size, which I imagine you could use at home, in your nightstand for example. I really like the packaging because it fits anywhere and it stays moist, due to the way it "locks" itself after you close it. There must be some geometry involved in the making of its circular shape. The way you use this is by sticking your finger in the jar, quickly swiping some creme on top of all your nails; then, after all nails have been coated, just massage it for about 5 mins. If you do this after taking a shower or bath, it is much easier for the product to permeate to your weak cuticle areas, since they are still open and moist. You should follow this regime all the time, for the benefit of nail care. What I like about it:
- Burt's Bees is 100% natural and does not test on animals.
- The price is reasonable for the great quality product you get. Not that cheap, but still affordable.
- As the name hints, it contains a lemon scent and coloring. True lemon smell without it being overpowering!!!
- The ingredients include almond oil, beeswax, lemon oil, cocoa butter, rosemary leaf oil, sunflower oil, etc. These are all amazing for your skin and do not irritate it in the absolute.
- My own discovery has suggested to me that this also helps with nail growth and strengthening. I have not been using any other new product besides this one, and my nails have been growing tremendously. My nails have not been cracking or splitting.
- Not only does this lemon butter cuticle cream smell good but it also makes your nails whiter, because that is a property of lemon juice. So, if your nails have gotten a bit yellow due to intense nail polishes, this product offers that great extra help.
- Just like the feel of butter, it is super soft and easy to use.
- Double long lasting power - One refers to the longevity of the product itself in the jar. I have been using this twice a day, for over a month and I just dented it yesterday. It will take a long time until you hit pan on it. The other meaning refers to the creme in your nails. Just like skin creams/lotions, your cuticle area and nail absorbs it after massaging for a few minutes. If you do this at night, you will notice a huge difference in your nails' softeness the next morning. Please, do make sure to wash your hands and clean the area under your nail with some kind of nail brush. If there is any dirt, it will stop the creme from getting directly to your nail, which is counterproductive. So clean hands and nails = easier access to nail bed and cuticles.
- It does not make your hands and nails feel oil-y after use. It can also be combined with hand cream/lotion, so you can treat your skin and your cuticles at the same time.
- Great friend to recovering nail bitting addicts, like me ;)
I would not hesitate to recommend this cuticle cream. Have you tried it before? Thumbs up or down for you? If YOU have any suggestions in this field, tell me; I'd love to hear it.
~ TheBeautyBebe
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Makeup Removers Review
Don't you just hate it when you have all this gorgeous makeup on and at the end of your day, you have to go through the pain of taking it ALL off? Yep, that is how I feel. Secure bases for eyeshadow application, heavy eyeliner, multiple coats of mascara, foundation, blush, bronzer, highlighter, and why don't we throw some red lips in there as well... So much work, no wonder some people don't even take it off. But, that's bad! So you must work harder, right? Well, the answer is no. All you need to do is find the perfect makeup remover for your skin. I am one of those people who will try any new makeup removers on the market - gels, liquids, wet towels, etc. Some also cost more than anyone is willing to fork out of their pockets. Based on my experience, I have a few words of wisdom.
My favorite makeup remover is from Lancome, the famous Bi-Facial Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, which comes in a liquid form in a very cute packaging. You get familiar with a blue bottle with a rose in it, so gorgeous. I love it because it removes everything. When you wash your face after removing your makeup, no marks of makeup are visible. You pay $26 for 4.2 oz of product - pretty expensive! I got mine at a Macy's Lancome counter. It can be hard to find, sometimes. And it does have an oil-y feel to it, so, I will not repurchase it.
Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Liquid - The company claims that it is America's #1 makeup remover brand. I love Almay's products because they are so eco-friendly and natural (for people with allergies) but this one disappointed me. It takes off a good part of my makeup but I have to soak many cotton balls to get the desired result. I feel I waste so much product by using this bottle. The liquid itself feels harsh on the skin half the time, as if it resists being put it contact with it. I found that it feels very water-y. I think it is worth a try because it only costs a few dollars at any drugstore, but when there are alternatives, skip this. I have not tried the towelettes though. Maybe I'll decide to do that soon.
Neutrogena Oil-Free eye makeup remover - Again, a liquid form. You can find it at any drugstore. I got mine at CVS; 5.5 oz. of product for $7.99, I believe. This stuff works! It takes off a good majority of my makeup (lukewarm water can do the rest of the work) and does not irritate my skin. It is so easy to use and glides onto your skin. I really would love to try the gel form of it, which comes with a great pump. Perhaps on my next trip to Target.
Towelettes - Neutrogena, Target brand, Garnier Frutis, etc. I personally do not prefer using them because they make the job so much harder. I love the feeling of a soft towel next to my skin, but when I have to scrub to get rid of mascara, I know I am in trouble. These generally do not dry out on me, and I always get less than a 50 count. I do the trick of turning them halway so that they all remain soaked in makeup remover. They tend to smell a lot better than liquids, which is a bonus in my opinion. If you are an experimenter like me, give them a try.
My mother is not much of a makeup wearer, but the one trick she showed me when I began wearing makeup is to use natural ingredients to remove everything. I tried many oils (coconut and almond, basically because I love the two). Last stop was - olive oil, the miracle! It works perfect and I know it is working with my skin, instead of against it. After using it, my skin will feel soft to the touch and clean. I always run to olive oil for removing makeup (especially in the last few months since I have not bought any makeup remover). I waited to run out of them all and have filled the bottles with olive oil, after cleaning them of course. If you have Extra Virgin Olive Oil available, use it. If not, I find that good quality olive oil does the trick just as fine. And the best part is, chances are you have it in your pantry! So when you run out of any makeup remover you use, grab that bottle and help yourself =)
So these have been my experiences, my lovelies. Granted, I have tried many more that I feel were not worth mentioning or it might have been a long time ago. I also have tons to try in the near future. If you have any suggestions for me or questions about any of the above, go ahead and ask them, that is what I am here for.
~ TheBeautyBebe
PS. Thanks to my first follower/subscriber for the suggestion for today's post. Thank you!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Project 10 Pan
Title of this post is self-explanatory. I have failed FOUR times already with Project 10 Pan. The first time I tried was when the first hype of it got to youtube. Then, with each guru trying it, I was inspired to do the same. But, for some odd reason, I never succeeded to finish more than 3 products. So I just get tired of it. Nevertheless, I am giving it another try, #5! There are many products I want to get rid off. My problem is not the "no-buy rule." Au contraire, I just get bored of using the same products and feel pressured to forget experiementing with my makeup. Do you feel me here? I hate forcing myself to use a product I never grab anyways... But, I must!!! So that these 10 products won't be part of my collection anymore and I can finally breathe happy. Share your thoughts on P10P in the comments area - have you succeeded or not, what are your reasons for doing it or for not doing it, and on... Any questions on the following products, feel free to ask them.
The 10 products in the fifth round:
1. Clinique Foundation (Look for my review in this blog)
2. Carmex
3. Wet n Wild Pencil in Bronze
4. Wet n Wild Lipgloss
5. Foundation Samples
6. Estee Lauder Face Creme
7. L'Oreal Mineral Foundation
8. DK Creme Sample
9. New York & Co.: Uptown Angel - Vanilla Body Mist
10. New York and Co.: Downtown Darling - Passion Fruit Body Mist
Wish me luck please :) (Change of color from blue to maroon = product finished)
~ TheBeautyBebe
Skincare Product Review
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Clinique Foundation Review
The first thing I need to say is that I am in love with foundation. Now let's move on to the purpose of this product review.
Spotlight on: Clinique's "Almost Makeup" Foundation
I got mine for $21 at a Macy's counter, where I was able to get a shade matched to my skintone. My color is in 03 - Medium. Unfortunately, this comes in only 6 shades: Neutral, Fair, Neutral Fair, Light, Medium, and Deep. It is technically a tinted moisturizer, hence the name "almost makeup." However, from what I have experienced with it, I see it as a liquid foundation since it works like any other regular foundation. I suggest buying this at some sort of sale the Clinique or the store has. I do not suggest buying it online because I believe you would be way off in finding the right color for you. And we all have had bad experiences with foundation colors! I am usually around the medium color range in most foundations from any brand; however, with this one, I was originally going to get Light, since Medium seemed too far on the other side of the spectrum. Obviously, I was wrong and I needed the MUA to show me so.
This foundation is generally matte and gives a really dewy look which I love. So not completely matte in my opinion. It has a sheer coverage, which is great for those lazy days when I just need a thin layer to cover a few imperfections. It also has SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15, an ideal number for me (someone who never wears sunscreen, shame on me, I know!). It can last for many hours, such as a whole school day/work day. It is quite easy to take off. I stay away from makeup remover when taking off face makeup. Cleanser and water is enough for me. This does need to be set with a powder, whether translucent or with a shade.
I think this is great for dry skin, because it has moisturizer in it, yay. For normal skin, like mine, I'd say use fewer product because too much can make you look like you have oily skin. For those of you out there with oily skin, I have to tell you to stay away from it because it will worsen how your skin looks. As everything else from Clinique, it's fragrance free.
I have finished most of the bottle (1.5 fl oz/45 ml); I may be in the last 1/5 of it. It has lasted me for a long time, maybe 6 months. I do alternate between foundations. But this is my go-to because of its ease of application (gotta love using your hands for putting this on). The only down side about this, for me, is that it has a pink tint instead of a yellow one. Given my tan skin, it can make me look too hype and rosy. I have found a solution to that though - lightly applied powder foundation to top it (which also strengthens the coverage of this tinted moisturizer). I can honestly say it has never broken me out so far, so big thumbs up for that. Overall, I give this product an A because it is simply amazing.
For all of us lazy makeup addicts who sometimes wake up and have no time to do a full face makeup - this is perfect and I am in love with it. It has the miracles of SPF, moisturizer, natural looking finish, and sheer coverage. Go check it out and tell me how you feel about it. I highly recommend it.
PS. - I might not repurchase this once I am finished because I want to try so many other foundations.
~ TheBeautyBebe
Introduction and Inspirational
I bid thee adieu, and I am in your service,
~ TheBeautyBebe