Who Loves Orange Bubble Baths? Liz Loves Orange Bubble Baths.

Oh the weekend, the best part of the week. I often enjoy a relaxing soak in the tub whilst I read my magazines. Yep I read real magazines that you can hold in your hands. This past weekend I used up the last bit of my favorite bubble bar, the lush Brightside Bubble Bar which reminds me of the cartoon-ish volcanoes I used to draw as a child. This bath bar has the most delicious citrus scent. I often find some of lush’s products to be overwhelming scent wise, this bubble bar is the exception. The smell is wonderful and very relaxing plus the fact that it looks like I am bathing in orange soda doesn’t hurt. I promise it doesn’t stain your tub! I wholeheartedly recommend this bubble bar, if you are going to try just one thing from lush.

bareMinerals BRONZED & luminous Palette Duo

So about a month ago I scored a great deal at Sephora in JCP, and purchased bareMinerals Bronzed & luminous Palette Duo for a very good price!

This has been my go to palette for those early mornings where I just don’t have the frame of mind to dig through my make-up to coordinate colors. I love how the bronzed works so well with my naturally olive skin to enhance my features, it is probably my favorite out of both palettes. I would definitely recommend the luminous palette for fair skinned folks to enhance a dewy glow.

I am not a big lip gloss gal but these are nice! I’d wear them if I were going somewhere fancy shmancy, they’re not sticky at all and smell nice!

If you’re looking for a travel companion or a go to palette I’d pick these up while you still can!

 

 

My Day & Night Routine at 25

As a woman of a certain age… that age being 25 I have started treating my face kinder than I have in years, no more direct sun exposure without sunblock, no more nights of going to bed with makeup on and waking up a smeared mess, and definitely no more just slathering on whatever cream was on sale on my face.

After some trial and definite error I have my day and night routine set in stone or at least until I reach another age milestone and have to change it up. I thought I’d share my routine to help other mid-twenty gals plan their day and night routines.

Day:

• Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer With SPF15 – If you’re not moisturizing at this point in your life you need to start like ASAP! Seriously use sunblock moisturizer to protect your skin from wrinkle and spot inducing rays. Remember to apply to your neck as well unless you find turkey neck adorable then don’t.
• Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner – This is rather new to my routine but its a permanent staple now, Toner cleans off anything your face wash may have missed. It’s great!
• CLINIQUE All About Eyes™ Rich – My under eyes are really important to me, if I miss even an hour of sleep my eyes start looking aged and tired.
• Rosebud Perfume Co. Strawberry Lip Balm – Lip balm is just nice and I love the smell, lips need some care as well a little lip balm helps with my chapped lip problem.

Night:

•  CLINIQUE All About Eyes™ Rich – see above.
• Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner – see above.
• Olay Age Defying Anti-Wrinkle Replenishing Night Cream – Love this! It’s a very moisturizing and the scent is relaxing. I use a heavier moisturizer during the night to help repair any damage done to my skin.
• Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes – I have been using these since I was a teen, they’re the best and easiest way to get off my eye makeup without rubbing the ever loving crap out of my eyes.
• Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant – This is rather new to the routine, the verdict is still out since I haven’t had enough time to use it, I did notice my acne dried up faster when I had a minor break out recently.(received from Influenster)

And that ladies & ladies is my day and night routine at 25. What products are you using?

Bobbi Brown – Hydrating Eye Cream

So I recently ran out of my usual under eye cream. I had been using it for a couple months and it didn’t appear to be doing much for me so I decided to try the Bobbi Brown eye cream. I had heard such great things from YouTube beauty guru’s I thought I’d give it a go.

I purchased it with a bit of sticker shock with it being 50 dollars and change with tax. I got it from the Macy’s counter where they helped me pick the cream that would be right for me.

I started using it and YOWZA did my under eye skin burn.  I am not sure if I just have really sensitive skin or if I am allergic to something in the cream but it was a definite bust. I used it twice thinking that first time was just a fluke but nope the burning sensation was there again.

I have dry under eye skin which is the main reason I purchased this cream, I think perhaps it has to do with my skins makeup but I recommend asking for a sample of this before actually purchasing it.

If you have a different eye cream you swear by please let me know in the comments as I am definitely 0n the market for a new one!

Battle of the Lip Balms

I am a frequent sufferer of chapped lips no matter the season I will always have chapped lips. I think its due to the sheer size of my mouth but either way chapped lips is not a good look. I have tried most drug store and some higher end lip balms so I thought that as this Nor’easter approaches the East coast some of you would need a good recommendation against these wind gusts.

Batten down the hatches ladies and gents here we go. Let’s start off with the duds, and believe me there are plenty, also these are just my opinions and experiences; it is different for everyone so what worked for someone else may not have worked for me. I absolutely loathe the Neutrogena Norwegian Formula lip balm; this does nothing for me other than coat my lips in an oily formula that tastes like nothing. This lip balm lasts all of 5 minutes on my lips before I need to reapply, I really don’t recommend this useless stick of oil.

Let’s move on to regular good ole chap-stick brand lip balm, this a classic and for the price it works pretty well. Granted you do have to reapply every half an hour to an hour but for the three bucks you shelled out I wouldn’t complain. The biggest perk is that the taste is pretty OK! I would pick this up in my local CVS any time.

My all-time favorite drug store lip balm is by far the Carmex kind; it doesn’t matter if it’s in a squeeze tube or a jar that stuff is MAGIC! This lip balm has a kick so if you’re sensitive to menthol, skip it. I personally love the menthol feeling and it really is one of the longer lasting lip balms on the market, I can go a couple of hours with the stuff and it’s really great at preventing my chapped lips. This is a definite must have.

Now let’s talk about these lipstick/lip balm things that have been on the market lately, they come in fun colors and great taste but I have yet to try one that does anything to protect my lips from the harsh East coast weather. I would definitely buy these as sheer lip coverage but not for lip protection.

So you make the big bucks and have money burning a hole in your pocket? Well I would buy the FRESH Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 its almost thirty dollars! But I splurged one day and bought even though I am poor post-grad, but the positive on that is that I can tell you what I think about it. I think … it’s the BEST, yes I said BEST out there; this lip balm is so moisturizing and protects your lips all day with a few applications. It smells great and tastes just fine. I love this product and will re-buy it again when I hit the lottery… but for now I am sticking with my more affordable Carmex.

Let me know what you consider your Holy Grail lip balm, and good luck keeping those lips un-chapped this winter!

EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Eye Shadow

The “EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Eye Shadow” is a mouthful to say but this product is a hit off the bat. I purchased two colors the Barley Branded (pictured here) and also the Electric Blue. Both absolutely in love with the Barely Branded as a base for my champagne colored eyes shadows.

Firstly I just have to start off with, the fact that this did not cause me any eye irritation and I have very sensitive eyes. I am allergic to most mascaras and many eye shadows cause me eye irritation. I wore this all day long and didn’t have a single issue!

Secondly the pigmentation is wonderful on these, I apply them by dabbing them on my ring finger and tapping it on my eyelid, it applies very smoothly but dries quickly so you are going to want to blend it in speedily. I love the metallic colors they are my favorite kinds of shades to wear on my eyes. I think these look great on any skin tone and are a wonderful base for a bold or neutral look.

I use the Electric Blue as my eyeliner when I want a pop of color and it works wonderfully as a liner. These are versatile and a must have, especially for the price! I bought mine at Walmart, but they are available at most drug stores as well.

Let me know what other colors i should get and how you use them!

Related articles

• Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow. (erinlouisehunt.wordpress.com)
• REVIEW-24H Cream to Powder Shadow (canadiansassysally.com)

Battle of the Foundations

Today I am going to compare the two foundations I most reach for, one is drugstore and the other is “high-end”. First of all I will say I have combination skin and lots of tiny scars and such on my face, don’t pick your zits kids it doesn’t end pretty. I usually look for a medium-coverage to full-coverage foundations for everyday application.

The first foundation I will talk about is the Make Up Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation in 125 Sand. This foundation is pretty awesome but also pretty pricey, costing $42 YIKES! It is a medium coverage foundation, it covers most of my lighter colored scars so that’s a plus since I don’t have to use a lot of concealer. It also comes with a pump which is a major plus since you will not waste a lot when pouring it out. I apply all my foundations with a knock-off beauty blender type applicator from Walgreen’s which gives me a very even and smooth application. This also lasts all day I wear it from 7 AM until around 8 PM and it holds up really well. I would recommend this to anyone with combination skin and cash in their wallet.

The other foundation I am using is my Maybelline New York FIT me! foundation in the shade 210 which runs from $7 – $10. This is a definite bargain in comparison to the “high-end” brands. The major con to this foundation is the lack of a pump, I feel like I end up  wasting a lot when I have to put it on the back of my hand to apply to my face. The coverage is definitely medium coverage and with a dewy finish, I set it with my matte powder since I am not a fan of looking dewy. It lasts most of the day, I do notice around 5 PM when I get home from work the areas around my nose and under eyes need a touch up. It also has SPF 18 which is nice since I am a big proponent of wearing sunblock. I would definitely recommend this to anyone on a budget looking for a quality foundation. I do not recommend this to people with oily skin since it would probably make you more shiny.

My verdict is that I will be repurchasing the drugstore product and not the “high-end” product, the quality difference is not so great that I am willing to spend an extra $30 on the high end foundation. I think if you have the money to spend on the more expensive foundation and are looking for it to last ALL day then go for it, for anyone else highly recommend the Fit me! foundation as it last relatively long and is a great product.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

I have come to profess my ultimate love of the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner! I have finally found a liner that makes the perfect wing without smudging. I have tried my fair share of liquid eye liners, both drugstore and high end. I have come to find only one that worked well from the drug store but alas I had it so long that the name wore off and I have no idea what it was… well since then I have tried many brands that I thought might be this wonderful eye liner but nope not a single one of them were the same formulation or applicator. So I finally decided to shell out the $18 dollars it costs to get the Kat Von D tattoo liner since I have heard such wonderful things.

I am here to report that all those wonderful things are quite true! I applied the tattoo liner in my usual winged style and it worked wonderful, you can build it up so that you have a thicker line or leave it think, my favorite thing about this liner is that i can start at my inner corner thin and gradually increase the thickness of the line creating the effect I want. Also i took a nap with my makeup on and my makeup DID NOT RUN! This is what I call a miracle since I usually wake up with smudges under my eyes and needing to touch up my eyeliner. Another sweet bonus is that I , the most allergy prone person on earth, did not have any allergic reactions to the makeup!

If you’re looking for a higher end eye liner that is worth the money I would definitely recommend the tattoo liner.

theBalm – Nude-Eyeshadow Palette & Eyelid Primer

I recently made a purchase off of Hautelook, a flash sale site, of theBalm products. I purchased the Nude’tude palette as well as the Put A Lid On It eyelid primer.

The palette is AMAZING! I love the color selection and it was the main reason I purchased the palette, I am a nude eye-shadow fanatic and I loved the Urban Decay Naked palette but I was looking for something with more light shades. The Nude’tude Palette was the solution to my light eye-shadow problem. The pigmentation is great and not at all powdery. I haven’t experience any fall-out issues which is my number one concern when applying eye-shadow. Also the glitter colors don’t come out looking tacky which is a plus, the glitter is pretty fine and just adds a bit of glamour to your look.

As for theBalms eye-shadow primer, I have nothing but good things to say. I liked the consistency I found it to be more light weight than the Urban Decay Primer Potion. Also the consistency seemed to be more liquid like than solid which I prefer, it was easy to apply to the eyelid with minimal tugging. As for the longevity of my eye-shadow it definitely lasted all night without creasing! I love this primer and I will definitely be repurchasing it.

Hope this helps you in your hunt for the right nude eye-shadow palette & primer!

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