Completely Bare, Completely Smooth for Body

I am going to try this product simply for the sake of interest in how well it will work. 


Completely Bare is a laser hair removal, waxing, and spa-type location in NYC and Scarsdale, New York. It is definitely far too expensive for any normal individual, and will definitely not be on my list often as a place I am willing to buy products from. I have to pay bills at this point.


However, I cannot stand how freaking dark-haired I am. "Completely Bare’s completely smooth for body is an amazing product that stops the hair growth! It allows you to wax and shave less. It is clinically proven to visibly diminish hair texture by up to 55%, density by up to 50% and length by up to 30%. Apply the formula, twice a day, over the areas where you would like to reduce the growth of hair and watch as hair comes in finer and smoother."


We'll have to see about that. 

The bottle is pretty cute, I'd have to say,  but through my career as a makeup fanatic, I have learned that looks can be very deceiving. 

If this product really works, it may be the thing that finally relieves the agony of having to shave every two seconds. In every place you're thinking of. Would I pay $42 again for the results it boasts? Of course--if it really does what it says, which I, to be honest, don't think it will.

We'll see, I'm going to give it the 28 days it says. Wish me luck.

The last makeup-related thing I am going to buy all summer.

I'm going to have to start paying my own rent fairly soon, so buying things frivolously and letting my bank account slip into the abyss are no longer acceptable. As a final tease, I ordered Chanel Les Verins nail lacquer in Particuliere. 

The color is a chocolatey-brown gray taupe in hue, and has a very understated sexiness about it. It does not overpower and outfit, but gives the nails a sexy feel. Oh, it's on my toes too. I'm getting my money's worth.

Chanel's nail lacquers always have such a good consistency and life on the nail (I use Sephora by OPI base coat and top coat). I wish I could buy 100 of them, but I'll just have to rob my mom when she gets bored of colors instead. I am OFFICIALLY on a budget.

I can't explain why I like this color, but I do. And it matches anything and everything, and I've gotten so many compliments on it today. $23 is pushing it for a nailpolish, I agree, but I think it was worth it this time.



Long story short: I don't have that kind of money to spend, but I think Particuliere is going to be worth it.


Who's going to buy me gifts the rest of the summer?


Time for tutorials, I have to make do with what I have! Here's to being a grown-up!


xo

Italy Inspired Nails, World Cup 2010

Okay, I've been searching on YouTube all weekend for a nail/makeup design that I liked that various YouTubers have posted. It is, after all, World Cup season again, and I'm ready to show my pride. I'm Sicilian and I have to represent the reigning champions here in the tri-state area. I searched in English, Italian, and didn't find anything that I wanted to put on my face/nails. Green white and red on the eyes is just aggressive, and just blue is kind of boring. I've come up with something cute for the nails, and toned down for the face.

The nails consist of a royal blue with blue sparkles on top, and the ring finger is the colors of the Italian flag. I used the blue from the Migi Nail Art collection, just used the brush, and a Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear sparkle nail polish in Shooting Star.

 I just took that picture from Google so you can see what I'm talking about.

I used the Migi Nail Art pens to create the Italian flag, which goes green, white, and red from left to white. I first painted the whole nail white and then used the pens to create vertical stripes of green and red. I would have liked a lighter green, but I don't think I'd have any other reason to use green nailpolish, so I just worked with what I have. Very simple. A nice topcoat brings it all together.

And for makeup, I'm going to keep the Savoy Blue to the eyeliner to keep it toned down for work. I definitely can't wear royal blue or green white and red on my eyes during the day. However, maybe for future games I will put blue on my lids and get a bit of gold into the crease. I was going to incorporate gold into the nails and into my makeup for work, but overpowering gold is insulting on the face, and it just didn't seem to work on my nails. What can you do, I'll probably wear gold shoes to complete the look.


Forza Azzurri! If you have ideas of looks for your country, you should share with me.


kristie

Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner

Hello ladies! Summer has arrived! And of course, I am just as much of a workaholic now as I was before while I was studying for finals!

I've been on the hunt for a gel liner for a while now, but because I'm working during the summer, I've hardly had time to go to the store to check any of them out. In a quick run-through of CVS, I picked up the Maybelline gel liner and decided to try it out. I didn't really like the one I had from Coastal Scents, and it dried up really quickly.

I must say, I really like this liner. The brush that comes with it is still but super thin so it makes a perfect line. It's creamy but it doesn't get all over your eyelid, and it appears to last all day. What I also found was an important attribute was that I could also get it off. You may not think about it, but many liners that last all day seem to last forever, and they only get off with a lot of rubbing (a culprit for wrinkles!). This liner didn't appear to do that. So far, I've been wearing it to work on my top lids every so often, but I've toned down on the heavy lining because it's summertime. When I did wear it to work, I was complimented on the precision of the makeup, and the intensity it gave my eyes.

To put it on, I've been using short strokes and starting the line very thin. I make it so that the strokes overlap each other, and get fatter towards the outer part of my eye to give the liner some shape. I'm disappointed that I didn't take a picture, but I was so happy to be home after the long week that I immediately took off my makeup! When I put it on again, I will certainly take a picture: one in the beginning of the day, and one at the end.

I'll also have to see how it holds up against time, because the Coastal Scents gel liner dried up fairly quickly on me. This doesn't seem like it's going to do that, but you never know.

I'll add a picture as soon as possible :)


Long story short, I think this is a new staple. I enjoy that it's more intense than a pencil and more precise than those liquid liners that I manage to get all over my face.


kristie <3

Virgin Lush Haul!

So, I had been hearing quite a bit about Lush Cosmetics all over YouTube and from friends and things, so I decided to check out the website. Being a person who is at least modestly aware of the environment, the company immediately hit me in a soft spot. They use natural ingredients, and everything is hand-made and hand-packaged. Also, they don't test on animals and everything is a good value. I remember passing the store in New York  City on the Upper West Side a while back, and all the products looked absolutely delicious. So, I decided to try them out.

I ordered the "Naked Kit," Mudflats Soaps, a Sex in the Shower Emotibomb and a Sex Bomb bath bomb. A small sample of Mask of Mangaminty also came with my order.

Inside the Naked Kit (which was sent with all the products unpackaged for Earth Day) are:

Mini Squeaky Green Shampoo Bar--that green crumbly "sprinkles" type thing, which lasts up to 60 washes, and has been surprisingly effective. Lately I've just been ripping off a piece and lathering up. But think of it this way: if the entire population of North America used a solid shampoo bar (equivalent to three 8 oz. bottles), then it would save 122 million plastic bottles from being produced and ending up in the landfill. That is a terrifying fact for something that could be such an easy change.

Mini Buffy Body Butter-– the medium, sand colored square, packed with natural butters to moisturize, and sand to exfoliate. I've noticed a response from my skin--it looks more even and definitely feels more hydrated. And it's all natural, as I've mentioned 100 times. Which means I can look good and feel I contributed to saving the planet.

Choice of Toner Tab-– T-Tree (oily skin), Vitamin C (aging skin), Vitamin E (all skin types), and Q10 (skin soothing). I personally got the T-Tree tab, but I have yet to use it. Instructions say to drop it in a bowl of hot water and let the steam hit you in the face. The only reason I have avoided this is a) there is one and I'm taking my sweet time using this kit and b) steam cleansers a little bit remind me of being sick. It will happen, though, and I'll let you know how I like it.

Mini Therapy Massage Bar-–this organic massage bar has little balls and crevices on it that help to stimulate blood flow as it passes over your skin. It feels so soft and leaves your skin feeling so healthy. I love it. No preservatives! Vegan! Amazing!

Sexy Peel Soap-– with uplifting lemon and lime, this soap (along with all of LUSH soaps) is made with a palm-free base. a first of its kind, this revolutionary soap base has saved 133,000 pounds of palm oil from being produced, helping to save rainforests, indigenous people and orangutans in southeast asia.

Cleanser Fresh Farmacy or Coalface-–I chose Coalface because I do happen to have oilier skin. This soap smells really good, which I was surprised about, and the powdered charcoal in the soap is much less off-putting than I would have imagined. It has hints of sandalwood and other fresh scents, and the soap is made specifically to absorb excess oils from the face. I'm almost done with this soap--it's such a tiny little guy now. I am definitely going to get more after this one is done.


 I also bought the Mudflats soap, because I've noticed that if I get a blemish on my body, it never, ever seems to go away. I carry a history of my blemishes right on my body, which is all kinds of annoying. I decided to try the Mudflats soap to see if it would help with the blemish marks.

It comes in this brown slab, and the smell is more herbal than it is floral, which isn't necessarily bad. The scent is more surprising than it is insulting. I can't say I really love the texture of this soap--it seems to be too "soft" for my liking, and, well, if it's soft and brown, it's pretty much poop-esque.

However, in the shower, the soap is definitely an effective cleanser--you can feel it remove the yuckiness off your skin that other commercial soaps only mask, which I definitely appreciated. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly "clean". I must say--blemishes appear to be diminishing, which is exciting news. I've heard that Lush is going to discontinue this product, and I will be truly disappointed to see it go.


Now, the Sex in the Shower Emotibomb. I haven't used the Bath Bomb yet, because I don't have a bath at school. The Sex in the Shower Emotibomb "blurb" on the Lush website insists this is for people to use together due to the aphrodisiac qualities of the smell. You just throw it on the floor of the shower and let the sexy smells take you away as it melts. Sadly, I have no one to share a shower with, but the experience was definitely enjoyable on my own. The scent is woodsy and floral at the same time, and I got compliments on the smell of our room for the next few hours. It was definitely a sensual experience, and the next time I pass Lush in the city, I'm going to pick up about 20 of these.

How many times have you seen me try a mask? Mask of Magnaminty is exactly that typical mask--bright green with little aduki bean pieces in it. The peppermint oils were uplifting and refreshing, and I definitely feel like it got into my pores and reduced their size. My skin tightened up, and I was ready to get into gear, and sadly--study for finals :(


I think Lush is my new favorite store. I love their products, I love their goals, and I love their honesty. You should definitely try them out for yourself, too.


<3 happy lushing
kristie

The Most Random Thing I've Ever Bought--Tarte Cosmetics Celebutante

Why I decided to buy a coconut-scented body oil is beyond me. I am not the kind of girl who typically oils myself up, but Tarte Cosmetics always draws me in with the yummy goodness that they put in their products. Tarte says this:

"A few spritzes of this non-greasy, dry oil shimmer spray will give even the most office-dulled skin a glistening champagne-colored sheen while the coconut scent is sure to take you away."

First of all, I love love love the smell of coconut. It instantly reminds me of summer and deliciousness. Secondly, I've looked for a way to add shimmer to my skin without covering myself in chunky sparkles, and this seemed to be an effective tactic. This body oil is chock-full of vitamins A, B1, B2, D, E and anti-inflammatory and softening properties to boot. Here's a picture of it in my cute little beach chair soap holder thing.

 It is definitely adorable packaging, as usual. The shininess absolutely got me hooked already. When I sprayed it on, I realized how absolutely true the blurb from tarte was. The consistency is very dry. When it is rubbed into the skin, the "oily" feeling absolutely disappears and the vitaminy goodness is completely soaked up by your skin.

Too bad I am Sicilian and my arm looks like a bear here, but I promise you in reality it's not this obvious. Thank you to the focus of my camera. I don't know if you can catch the sheen that it gives to your skin, but I am telling you this is going to be a daily spritzer when it starts becoming more summery. On the day of my best friend's birthday, I spritzed it all over my legs, and people definitely commented and noticed on how it brought a lot of good attention to my legs, and actually made them look "better." I had a nice, healthy glow and, quite frankly, I didn't look as pasty as I could have. I hate the winter.

My only concern with this product is that when you rub it in, the sparkliness gets all over your hands and you have to wash it off, which I haven't found is too much of a travesty for the pretty sheen it gives your skin. I guess I should expect that it would happen, but in reality it is kind of annoying to have to wash sparkles all off your hands before you think about putting on makeup or heading out the door. As I said, however, I think it's worth the wash.

Long story short: Sexy sheen, kind of pricey ($35), but prevention of free-radical damage while looking like a sex icon is FINE BY ME.

;) all my love
kristie


PS going bare again today--Smooth Operator and some mascara. And my eyebrows. That's it. :D

A Small Comment on Eyebrows...and Other Non-Makeup-Related Things

Recently, I have been going through Facebook photos of myself from freshman year as well as other pictures from high school. I want to go back and shake myself senseless. I need to show you a picture of what my eyebrows used to look like.

What was I thinking? My eyebrows are semi-circles! They don't complement my facial structure, and I look constantly surprised. Thankfully, I was able to grow them in and learned a thing or two about filling them in over the course of my college career.

My eyebrows are much more natural nowadays, and they actually require much less maintenance! They have found their natural arches (which I was lost about back in the day), and I have become much less obsessed with making my eyebrows twins. Here are my eyebrow suggestions for other people struggling with what to do with eyebrows.


#1: Your eyebrows are sisters, not twins. When you become too concerned with your eyebrows being exactly the same, you start to over-pluck. As I'm sure you've already noticed, I used to do this all the time, and gave myself non-existent eyebrows. Let your brows find their natural arch and work with what your momma gave you individually on both sides of your face. No part of your body is exactly identical, and your brows won't be either. Don't worry about it.

#2: Feel free to add more, but stop taking away too much. What I mean by adding more: to match one brow to the other, use a brow pencil or a brow powder one shade lighter than your natural hair color to fill in the spaces. Don't take away from the other one! Again, this is how I overplucked my eyebrows into oblivion. *Shudder* Even thinking about it getting me upset! Ha!

#3: Use those stencils you get in brow kits! They seem absolutely ridiculous, but I promise you--they help you find a shape that will complement your face, and you don't have to worry about planning out the shape yourself. Try it once, fill it in lightly. You'll thank me, I swear. They come in the Sephora brow kit, if you're looking to buy  one.


My brow regimen:
1) Wow, when I wake up in the morning my eyebrows are all over the place! I use a brow brush to brush through the hairs and tame them before I begin filling them in.
2) I tweeze unnecessary hairs that have popped up--but be careful! Don't tweeze hairs above the brow because it creates a really unnatural look and can ruin the height of the beautiful brow arch.

This Brow Tutorial Shows How to Create the Perfect Arch

3) I fill in my brows with a shade VERY close to my natural dark brown hair color. I have used Sephora's brow kit, and I am currently loving the brow kit I purchased from NYX cosmetics. You can find each of them on their respective websites, www.sephora.com and www.nyxcosmetics.com. FYI--the NYX kit is only $6, which I think is a steal because I can use it 1,000 times. No lie.

Use a small angled brush to create the top and bottom lines of your brow with a brow powder (I don't use a pencil, I think it is too aggressive of a line) and make sure to blend the lines you created up into the hairs. The more natural the blending, the better your eyebrows will look. To create a natural line on the inside-most part of your brow, use a brush that has a rounded edge--that way the line doesn't come out so angular. That would look unnatural.

4) Keep your brows in place all day with a gentle brow gel. I find some of them to be too "hardening". I didn't like the gel that came in the Sephora kit--I felt it "glued" my brows in place. Example: It's like the difference between a hair spray that holds your hair but lets it maintain its bounce, or a spray that literally turns your hair into steel. My favorite brow gel is the one that Chanel sells. It's the perfect amount of hold.

5) Highlight with a soft white underneath the brow to draw attention to the height of your brow bone--that will also deepen the crease color you put on when you wear makeup later!

I think my brows are much more natural and fit my face much better now. I hope you agree, and if you have brow questions, be sure to e-mail or comment.

IN OTHER NEWS: My room mate and best friend in the entire world, Jeanne, turned 21 this weekend--a total milestone! We threw her a great party at our favorite Italian restaurant and then went to New York City--the West Village is the "it" spot--I had no idea! The whole neighborhood was overflowing with the trendiest people, and everyone was relaxing and laughing and dancing and just living it up! We had such a great time down there that we're planning on going back at the end of the school year. I used a H.I.P. duo for gold lids that I hope to show you soon, by the way! She and I both had a truly great time, and I want to thank everyone who was a part of the festivities for making it a really great experience. I love her very much and I'm glad that she had a good time. So, Happy Birthday Jeanne! :D

This is a picture of us being silly from my Photo Booth Application--it's from freshman year! How far we've come! <3 LOVE YOU.



<3 all the best, kristie

My Makeup Life as We Speak

Dear World,

So I'm sure you can tell that the posts are lacking, but I'm going to have to admit to you that it is mainly just because I haven't been wearing that much makeup...at least not the same degree as usual. Like I've said many times, I always have my Smooth Operator tinted moisturizer from tarte cosmetics on hand, but recently I've just been throwing on some mascara and that's it. (Welcome to the end of the school year.)

However! My room mate, guy friend upstairs, and another friend of mine recently decided to go out and enjoy ourselves, and  I wore the Mac Russian Red Lipglass that I reviewed a while ago. I figured it was my only chance, so I decided to try it.

It. Is. Hot! I was really proud of how perfect and simple this red lip was, but I'm going to say this. Red lips are a lot of work. It is going to be an occasion few and far between that I wear this look, simply because I cannot cannot cannot stay on top of reapplying this stuff. If you eat dinner, of course it's going to wear off. I am too careless of a person to freak out constantly about what's on my face. Fortunately, I anticipated that. I reapplied it a few times in the evening, and by the time we went out for drinks and things, I took it off with the makeup remover and cotton balls I had in my bag! Wahoo!
Don't get me wrong though, those red lips are super sexy. But next time I'm not wearing them to dinner. :D

The rest of the time I've been wearing fairly nude colors, with a little bit of brown on the crease for definition. I recently purchased the NYX Cosmetics For Your Eyes Only Palette for Brown Eyes. The website cosmetic candy did some swatches, which I will post here.

At first I was disappointed in this palette because...let's be honest here...the colors are really boring except for the emerald green. However, I think this palette has grown on me and I will explain why. First of all, it is a nice compact place for all of your nudes and associated crease colors (The top four colors from left to right) Secondly, the deep burgundy-violet and emerald green are really really beautiful colors and I consider them a great acquisition. This palette is also well pigmented, which often is a hard thing to say when your purchase is such a ridiculously good price. I paid less than $10 for this palette, and I will probably have it for an eternity and a half. (In other news I really don't like the lavender/lilac color in the top right corner...we'll see what I can do with that)

All in all, I have two weeks left of school, and I will probably wear minimal makeup during that time. Expect to hear from me here and there until then, and then I promise this website will get an explosion of reviews.


Summer here we come!

<3

Long Time Ladies, A Review on Migi Nail Art

Wow, I can't believe how long it has been since I've written. Sadly enough, I haven't had much to write about. Either I've been focusing a lot on work or I've been out and about. Fortunately I'm back in the game with a lot to write about--in the near future is a NYX cosmetics review as well as another great Tarte product review.

For now, however, I have have HAVE to tell you about this nail art pen set that I found at, out of all places, the New York Auto Show! I had always wondered how people made such beautiful artwork on their nails. I had seen some videos on YouTube of different gurus using a nail art pen, but I never really made anything of it. The woman who was selling this nail pen at the Auto Show must have thought that I was the easiest customer to persuade--she literally had me hooked in five minutes. The set I got came with an amazing deal--if you send in the return they give you, you get free refills for live, minus shipping and handling! Amazing!

I tried out the nail pen in black first, and I decided to take on a daunting task and do a tiger print on my nails. Never in a million years would I have believed I could accomplish a design like this, but with this pen, not only did I actually make a beautiful design, but I also did my left hand...really well!

How adorable is that? Nail art is a perfect way to express yourself, and anyone that knows me knows that I love to change up my nail styles constantly. What's perfect about these nail pens is you can also take the pen part off and beneath it is a brush, so you can also use the colors to fill your nails. They come in an assortment of colors that include a compilation of regular colors, neon colors, sparkly colors, and french-inspired ones. With the white that came in the pack of regulars I got, I put a french tip on my toes in approximately five minutes. No joke. It would normally take me all night to try and get the line right.

The pack itself is $25, and that comes with eight colors that each have a brush and pen feature. Included in the pack is the "for life" refund thing I mentioned, as well as a booklet full of design ideas that will link you to their website which has even more ideas. I think this company mayyy get mad at me for using their "life" feature literally for the rest of my life. Visit their website PLEASE. I am so happy that I purchased this. I am going to add little flowery things to my nail designs foreverrr.


Migi Nail Art

Long story short: Stop going to get manicures. You can do it yourself.


<3 kristie

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/kristies2cute

Stephanie's Hunt for the Cutest Flatiron Ends up in Success

Steph's Sephora Flatiron Review.


Love love love how adorable this straightener is. Read up kiddies. Gonna do my review on my flatiron from Helen of Troy soon. Thank you Sally Beauty Supply.

As Spring Break Comes to a Close...My Makeup Life Right Now

Hi everyone! Spring break is coming to a close (I am crying a little bit inside), and I figured I would tell you where I stand with products that I've tried while I was home, and mention what's definitely coming back to school with me and what's not.

I have told you about my mascara issue. I tried out Covergirl Lashblast Length which they swore was just the better version of the Lashblast I was using before. I don't like it. At all. I get more length with regular Lashblast, and the execution is ridiculous. The wand is way too long and bends and I get it all over my face, which is not expected for someone who has been putting on mascara almost every day since middle school! I've been using Mac ProLash temporarily--I'm still on the hunt for that perfect mascara (I may never find it!). Until then, LashBlast length is staying at home...far away from my eyelashes.

YUCK.

Okay, another thing staying home is my dark nailpolish. It's not that I don't like it. Winter is over, folks, and it's time to bring out the colors! I'm tired of deep purples and reds and blacks...it's time for lighter colors! I'm most interested in the periwinkles and peaches and light pinks of 2010! I'm also really into the nude matte nailpolish colors! Nailpolish of interest that I'm getting tomorrow: Hot&Spicy by O.P.I.

Beautiful persimmon! Really into it!

Colors coming back with me are golds and peaches and nudes--I bought a white maxi dress that I am very excited to wear--it will definitely go with those colors. I also got a bonus from Clinique with standards in it like makeup remover (although I love my Lancome one, Clinique definitely is a contender), and Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (my mom is in her sixties and looks forty because she has been using that since she was thirty, my family swears by it), but it also has other cute little samples that I'll have to test for you. I'm still deciding on how I feel about the HIP shadow duo I purchased in "Gilded." I'll have to test out more looks before I get back to you.

I think it would be hot for going out...but wearing both colors would certainly not happen for during the day. As of what I have seen right now.

News: The Degree deodorant won the prize, although I am bringing both back to school.  Go buy it, I smell good, I am happy.

Still using the same face products, the same cleansing routine...going to miss my doggie terribly. Keep my warm and cozy inside, and give me new ideas. xo.

<3 kristie

Many Things to Discuss--Clinique almost powder makeup, Biore Pore Strips and the Cool Stuff I Saw in Seventeen

Spring break opens a world that I wish I could enjoy permanently. I have ample tine to search around and test products before I bring them back to school. Not to mention, I'm getting sufficient rest--my skin thanks me for that every day.

With that being said, there are a few things I am going to categorize under March Intrigue. I have found myself happy with these makeup and all-around-beauty products the first times around, and I am assuming it will continue. Included in this list are the following:

• Clinique Almost Powder Makeup SPF 15 in 02 neutral fair
• Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (I bought ULTRA)
• Crest 3D White Strips Advanced Seal (Advanced Vivid)
• göt2b smooth operator smoothing lustre lotion

The Clinique Almost Powder Makeup was a suggestion from a friend of mine (hi steph) because I consistently complain about looking too powdery if I ever want to set my tinted moisturizer. Clinique describes it as such: Antioxidants and SPF protect skin. This natural, perfecting “no-makeup” makeup is so lightweight, you’ll never even feel it. I'm going to have to agree with this one. It definitely sets your face and perfects your skin without looking like you have fourteen pounds of makeup on your face. I will probably buy eighteen of these in my lifetime. I also told all of you how important the SPF is! Yucky to wrinkles in the future. Definitely loving this one.

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips. Where to begin with how I feel about these. We will start with the sad case of TMI (that's "too much information" for all of you who don't speak internet talk). You know when the pores on your nose are overdosed with yuckiness, and you can feel the bumpiness as you pass your finger over it? Ew. The T-Zone of your face can be a disgusting, disgusting place. Well, these aim to counter that. The process goes like so: You wet your face, put one of the strips on your face, and then let it dry for fifteen minutes or so. When it is dry, it hardens up (the box says like Papier-mâché haha) and you are free to peel it off. I have to say, the weird gross tendencies my T-Zone has are gone, although I've seen no proof of where it has gone, gross enough to say. It doesn't really minimize to the nth degree, although I see some of that, but it definitely clears up the gunk. (for minimizing i'd suggest Dr. Brandt Pores-No-More Line) Also, peeling off the strip feels like taking a not-so-sticky band-aid off your face. Afterwards it felt good, but I was definitely scared to rip that thing off at first. I am confused--a happy confused--on this product. I will continue to use it, just like people continue to watch magic shows without ever understanding how they work.

I've noticed recently that my teeth are definitely not as white as they used to be. Perhaps it is the coffee, soda, and tea that I so often consume. I've whitened my teeth before, but it was years ago. The "technology," if you will, was very different. I found that the process for Crest 3D White Strips seems to be much easier, the bind between the strips and your teeth is much better, and I've only been using it for two days and I'm starting to see a difference. From what I've heard, the results last upwards of a year. I'm looking forward to it. Just in case it messes with my enamel, which unfortunately all teeth whitening processes do, even the ones at the dentist, I'm using an enamel protectant mouthwash. I should be covered.

I rediscovered smoothing lustre lotion by got2b this month. I left it at home when I went back to school and then completely forgot about it. I am never straightening my hair again without putting this in afterwards. It shines up your hair so well, and calms down flyaways like no other product. Pin straight hair cannot live without this product. Plus, the bottle is so cute and it smells like the most delicious bowl of fruit. (Note to the ladies: guys have mentioned that my hair smells delicious more than once when I've used this!!) How can you resist?


Some people may find it embarrassing that I still read Seventeen Magazine, but I've always enjoyed their Beauty Tips and they have certainly shown me some products that are my life's staples. (Allure wins for most suggestions, though) Anwyay I thought I'd share with you the things from Seventeen I'm interested in getting:

Tresemme FRESHSTART *foaming* dry shampoo! Do you think this is less annoying than the powder ones I've gotten that cost me an arm and a leg? Definitely getting this soon and trying it out. Take a look at the Tresemme website if you're interested, too. They have different kinds for varying types of hair.

Conair knows I like everything in mini form--I have a 4 pound Maltese and I can't get over puppies and kittens and infants. So, they enticed me with the Conair Minipro Curling Iron. This little thing is a mere five inches long, and comes with an adorable case. Easy to stash in your bag, or convenient for trips (we all know we need as much space as possible). I need this thing desperately! My curls always go flat halfway through the night. They also have a mini flatiron, for those who would be interested! Adorable! Thank you, Seventeen





 Really looking forward to the start of the warm weather with this army of great things at my neon pink finger tips. Let's pull out the tanks and the miniskirts and get on with it already.




<3 kristie

PS--deodorant battle update, looks like the cake is going to degree right now. It held up better at the gym and glides on easier. In terms of smell it's a tie though. Neither are bad, though! MIRACLE!

Battle of the Deodorants

So a few weeks ago, I decided that I hate the smell of my deodorant. It's not that I don't like it when it's in the stick form, but (hold your horses I know this sounds gross) when it mixes with ME the smell is slightly different and I don't like it anymore. It was Secret in one of the Scent Expressions (I believe it was Cocoa Butter or Coconut something or another. Gave up on that realllly quick.


So I went to CVS and purchased two new deodorants (I made sure to smell them and think about it really seriously!) The battle is officially between Degree Shower Clean and Dove Original Clean. Both are invisible solids and both come in the 2.6 oz turny thingie.

What really makes me laugh is the little sticker on the Degree stick that claims, "Extra Responsive in Emotional Moments!" All I could think of was the New York term, "I sweat him," meaning you're into that particular guy. I'm never saying it again; I've realized just HOW disgusting that sounds.

So what I'm going to do is use each of them for a few days and tell you how it goes. I'm super picky about deodorant, and I'm just about ready to buy and try every one in CVS before I find the one I like.

From the beginning, I think I like the smell of the Degree Shower Clean just ever so slightly more. However, I'm not making any judgements off of that because I liked the smell of the one I used to use, too.


Let me know if you use either of these.


<3 kristie

It's Finally Here!!--Viva Glam Lipstick, Gaga Style!

Wow. Just...wow. Lady Gaga never fails to do something wild, yet somehow seductive at the same time. Mac describes this lipstick as a cool blue-pink. I wish the pictures I am taking would show it in a better light. I wore it out last night, and I got many compliments on the color! It's wild, but not ugly.  I can't explain it.

So, as I said, I wore this out last night, because I received it in the mail yesterday (haha can you tell I was excited?). I ordered it on eBay because I could not get it anywhere--as the saleswoman at the Mac by me said, "You won't find it anywhere--everybody loves Gaga!". First things first--the little tube is so cute. I am obsessed with Gaga to begin with, and having her autograph on my lipstick made me tingle a litte bit inside. Secondly, I noticed that the lipstick smells like a bakery! Seriously, it smells like sugar cookies. I cannot get enough of it. My mindset has been changing recently about lipsticks--I thought they were only for grandma's and my first grade teacher, but I am learning that I have been wrong!

This lipstick is "high lustre" and it really does come out very glossy, which is a cool feature. You don't need to put any gloss over it, although I thought it looked slammin' with Rags to Riches over it. Definitely enjoyed how unique I looked with it on along with some sultry brown/black eyes. It's a cute pop of color. Note: this lipstick is definitely layerable, if that is even a word. It can go on quite sheer, if that is your preference.

Something that bothers me about wearing a color on my lips--maybe I need to get a primer, but lipsticks always come off almost immediately. I took a few sips from a glass, and that was it. The reason that bothers me is because I end up using so much of the product just to keep my lips pink that I feel like I'm wasting it.


Note: I had a picture, but it looks ridiculous from when I tried it on this morning. I'm going to take another tonight and put it right here :)


Long story short: super wild and cute, very excited to find new looks to use this in.

<3 kristie

Lancome Juicy Tube--Berry Bold

It is spring time, lovelies! Sorry it has been so long since I've written about something--midterms time does not allow for outside foolery. Or makeup, for that matter. It only allows bare skin and hormonal imbalances.

So of course I came back with something when I peeked into Sephora the one time I was allowed outside of my dorm room.

It is the Lancome Juicy Tube in Berry Bold! I haven't had a Juicy Tube in a long time, and I remember always enjoying Lancome products...and that was that. I wasn't planning on buying anything, but this Juicy Tube smells how I imagine heaven must smell. It is a mix of strawberries and watermelon--I want to kiss myself when I wear it. If only that were possible...life would be much easier.

It gives my lips a nice gloss without being too overwhelmingly pink. I just throw it in my bag for whenever. For example, I just got back from a physics exam. I felt a little bit like how a full garbage dump feels right after the test was over, but then I put the Juicy Tube on and I was immediately reminded that it is a beautiful pseudo-spring day and I have nothing to do the rest of the night. The smell is really that magical.

As usual, though, I don't like the stickiness of lipglosses. It's definitely not as thick and sticky as the Mac lipglasses, but it still feels a little heavy. As I've also said before, it's something I'm going to have to get used to--lipglosses that are too runny usually come off instantaneously. So, push come to shove, it is a pretty legitimate balance between the two. Yay! I love this color! Spring time is here!

The real question is why this tube costs $18. It is a lipgloss, and it is definitely not Mac and it doesn't have any sort of special ingredient (besides the drug that makes this smell) that should compel me to have it. I do have to say, I did purchase it though, and I'm pretty happy. But now I'm $20 down...I need food, too. Just saying.


Long story short: The yummiest smelling, nice standard light pink lip gloss. For a little bit too much.


I promise I'll get back to doing these. Once spring break arrives.


Good health through these trying midterm times,
kristie <3

Here it Comes--Russian Red Lip Glass!

I whipped it out and tried the Russian Red Lip Glass from Mac! I'm going to admit to you, I've always been scared of red lips because I was young, and red was just not a color a teen girl could pull off. But we're women now, and I was ready to kick it up a notch.

 

The Russian Red Lipglass was my fourth (free) investment from the sweet deal at the Mac in the Nordstrom near my house. The makeup artist convinced me it is a staple for any makeup collection, and of course I agreed with her--someday, everyone has to get a nice traditional red. I had to test it out before I went out with it, and scoured YouTube to find out how to master the perfect red lip.

After combining a lot of advice, I came up with this: I filled my lips with a lip liner from Mac (in Cherry, another collection staple), added a touch of black eyeliner to the corners for contour and blended it out. Then, with a lip brush, added Russian Red lipglass on top, and then lined the outer rim of my lips with concealer to prevent feathering.

I don't think I've ever felt this sophisticated.  If anyone wants to see more pictures, let me know! It's unbelievable how this lipglass can really substitute for a lipstick. It is sooo pigmented and beautiful! Plus, it maintains the shine of a gloss without having to carry around two different products. It also makes your teeth look whiter! As a side note, all of Mac's lipglasses, including Russian Red, are really sticky, which I have come to realize makes them last longer, but I don't like the feeling on my lips too much. It's something I'll just have to learn to live with.

Also, I have realized that the concealer outline of the lips is vital! Otherwise the liner bleeds and your lips will NOT stay nice. Yucky.

As a color, I am really impressed with this lipglass. It is much more versatile than a lipstick and you can just throw it on and go out (a college advantage! I have barely any time to throw on a dress, let alone spend an hour on my makeup!). I am excited to use this much more often. Oh, another downer--no kissing with this, or everyone will see the dirty deed! ;)

Long story short: who is taking me out so I can wear this? anyone? ;)

<3 kristie

 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Deviant

So, the only reason I bought this pencil was because I passed by it with a friend of mine when we were at Sephora.

 

As you can see, the pencil in "Deviant" is blue--it is pretty, sparkly, and vivid night time blue. It caught my eye immediately, and the second I swatched it on my hand, I thought to myself, "There is absolutely no way I can pull this off, but it's so beautiful that I have to buy it and try it out." So, as usual, I bought it.

The way I decided to use this pencil would be to add a bright pop of color on top of a nude eye. I am officially obsessed with it, now that I tried it! It glides on so easily and it's incredibly deep in pigment. Not to mention it stays during the day (I do have a primer on...it would be interesting to see if it smudged if I wore it bare). 

The nude eye with Urban Decay 24/7 in Deviant ended up beautiful.

I think it definitely illuminates a brown eye!  I used Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and used my Coastal Scents Warm Palette to add a skin color on my lid, a vanilla highlight, and a light brown to my crease. A fluffy crease brush blends out the brown--feel free to deepen the crease to ask dark as you'd like. Eyebrows were done with a Sephora kit, and then I popped on Deviant. I added a touch of a light brown to my bottom lash line, a little mascara, and voila!

I think this blue would look good on darker eyes, for the most part. I'd love for you to comment and tell me what you think of what it may look like on a light eye.

Making an entirely long story very very short: a bang for the buck--I am going back to Sephora to buy this in many other colors (I'm thinking Stash and Lust)


<3 kristie

Mac Haul :)

I have been waiting for a haul for a very, very, VERY LONG TIME. Every college student knows that money is kinddd of hard to come by--"gifts" from mom and dad are few and far between, and money doesn't just come through the door when you only work two days out of the week.

So, in light of all of that, I have been saving up some buckaroos and decided that the text message I got from the Mac at Nordstrom saying there was a buy 3 lipglosses and get 1 free was a sign from above saying: KRISTIE! NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOUR HAUL!

I am very excited to share what I got with you. I wish you could be here to enjoy the pile on my bed.
Included in my haul were (ahemmm...):

• Mac 109 brush, a small contouring brush that seems to work well with...
• Mac Margin, a frosty peach powder blush with a tinyy bit of gold, definitely much less gold than Orgasm from Nars (which should be a staple in your collection, I may add). I tried it on--it's beautiful on my skin. It has a little bit of bronze in it, so you look nice and healthy.
• a lip pencil in brick, another staple in any collection--it's just a go-to red pencil. Excited for that.
• two eyeliners, one in graphblack and the other in purple dash. They say that plums really bring out brown eyes--we'll see, I tried it on and everyone said it looked nice.
• a liquidlast liquid liner in aqualine. Now this thing is absolutely crazy, but that's what I love about it. I came home and put it on immediately. As a top liner for a nude lid, it's the cutest pop of color. Absolutely loving it.

And for the lip glosses: (two dazzle glasses and two lip glasses)

• Rags to Riches--kind of a mauvey-pink with teal and pearly shimmer in it. Very soft. Beautiful
• Sugarrimmed--my favorite. Milky, neutral color with pink shimmer. Tried it on with bare lips at Mac, and I already know I'm going to wear it every day.
• Viva Glam VI--this lipglass is much more mauve and has a deeper pink quality than rags to riches. Kind of a gold shimmer tone. Plus proceeds go to a good cause.
• NOW FOR THE BIG ONE: Russian Red! Oh my GOODNESS, how to describe what this lipglass is like! Literally, you can wear this in lieu of red lipstick. It is so opaque and a perfect red--defintely a must-have! (Like a little black dress!) It was definitely the last one I chose, but the makeup artist at the Mac counter was like, "!!!! You must have this!"...so what did I do. It was my free lip gloss :)

Here's Mac Margin, in the worst light ever. Definitely not grandma's blush. ::shudder::

 

From top to bottom, left side to right side:

--Margin Powder Blush and three little samples

--Mac109 :D

--lip pencil in brick

--eyeliner in graphblack

--RUSSIAN RED :D

--viva glam VI

--sugarrimmed

--rags to riches

--eye pencil in purple dash

--aqualine liquidlast liquid liner

Expect many reviews to come your way, especially on the red liner and dazzleglass. If I can pull this off, a whole new world is going to be opened up to me.

<3 see you soon, kristie

Skin Routine :)

 

A lot of people ask me how I keep my skin the way it is. I'm going to admit, it's a little bit of genetics and a little bit of tender loving care. In terms of genetics, I suppose in many ways I just lucked out. A lot of time acne and blemishes and sensitivity comes from the simple fact that it's in your genes. Fortunately, I have none of that. But don't be fooled--I am still completely prone to pimples and unevenness, and my skin needs just as much care for the future as the next person's does.

The following are some skin care tips I have acquired:

1) Please, please, please moisturize before you hit the sheets, especially in the winter time. I moisturize with Olay prodcuts most of the time because they market moisturizers that are made for controlling fine lines around the eyes. If you've see me smile, you know I'm going to have to watch those crow's feet for life!

2) SUNBLOCK. I know it's hard for me to say because a tan is such a beautiful, healthy look. But I promise you, day by day the UV will accumulate and the wrinkles will begin to appear. The tinted moisturizer I use in lieu of foundation has SPF 20. Stay covered. Wear a hat. They're cute.

3) Speaking of moisturizing, any time you remove yourself from warm water, I expect you to moisturize. Exfoliate every once in a while, too. That's where the pimples come from. Dead skin tends to clog pores--you have to get rid of it. But remember to moisturize after! Dry skin is unhappy and prone to wrinkling!

4) Stay healthy overall--aka drink a lot of water and take vitamins. I have been so bad with the vitamins since I've been at school, but your skin needs nutrients just like the rest of your body does. I take Viactiv, which is a supplement for women (you have to start early, ladies, this is preventative!) It's super yummy. I am pinky swearing with you right now, when the stress levels get high and I don't drink water and take my vitamins, the pimples come out like it's their job. Throw in some crystal light if water is too boring for you. Or tea. Green tea is great.


Now, as for my routine, this is what I do in the mornings and evenings. It's literally five minutes:

1) If you cleansed and moisturized the night before, a splash of warm water on your face is all you need. Sometimes I use a Neutrogena scrub that is exfoliating. Maybe once a week? Something like that.

2) Tinted moisturizer. I use Tarte's Smooth Operator; I did a review on it before and mentioned that I use it every day. Smooth Operator is filled with all sorts of good nutrients for your skin, it supplements the supplements! Haha!

3) I use Coastal Scents Concealer Quad in my skin tone's colors--the quads come with four different colors, so feel free to mix and match. If I'm especially sleepy, I'll put a little bit of the white it comes with right on the tear duct of my eye. Brightens you right up.

4) If I want to set it, I use Coastal Scents loose powder, and just dust that ever so lightly. Usually I don't, but if i need to look extra uniform and matte, that's what I'll do.

5) If there is no time for anything else, I will run some mascara through my lashes. At this moment I'm using Lash Blast, but I have a feeling that that is going to change some time soon. I'm going to test other ones out. Curl them for a few seconds, and it opens your eyes right up.


At nighttime, you have to take all of your makeup off. ALL OF IT. Recently I bought Lancome Bi-Facil and it is definitely really good at removing eye makeup. And the bottle lasts forever.
Remember--moisturize before you really jump in bed--don't let the 12 hours you're in your bed ruin your beautiful complexion!

Lather, rinse, repeat :)

It seems like it's a lot, but your skin loves you, and you should love it back. Five minutes of care will definitely show.


<3 kristie

Covergirl LashBlast: Volume Blasting Mascara

 

I bought this mascara after seeing it in Allure Magazine. I already have fairly long eyelashes, so I don't really need length, but volume is always an eyelash attribute that girls are looking for.

  

LashBlast comes in this adorable chunky orange tube--I use very black, but it comes in a regular black and a black-brown and brown color, although I don't think I saw that in the drugstore that I bought it in. You can definitely order it, if you are lighter skinned.

 

Here is my eye without any makeup on. Literally, I have nothing on my skin. I put on Lash Blast--a few coats. When you open the tube, it seems very liquidy--maybe a little TOO fluid for a mascara. Which ends up being true--although it really does give your eyelashes the volume that it boasts, it also manages to get all over your face if you blink too early.

 

Another annoying thing--this tube is "aged" a little bit; I've had it for a few months, and I've been wearing it on and off. This tube is beginning to clump--the newer ones literally just coat every eyelash rather than causing that one clumpy thing that happened in the middle of my eye in the picture above. I promise you it will get worse--I recommended this mascara to my mother, and she has had the tube since the summer, and I called her and insisted that she not use it anymore. Clumpiness on women who have aged a little bit more is literally the most unattractive thing I've ever seen--worse than seeing it on a young woman, or at least I think.

On a more positive note, in the beginning of Lash Blast's life, it really does make my eyelashes incredible. Length and volume like I can't get from other mascaras. And in the beginning, feel free to dole on the coats--I used to put on so many coats without one hint of a clump.  I am telling you in complete honesty that I think that in the beginning of its life, it is better than DiorShow. Lash Blast has a rubber bristled brush which definitely does not accumulate the nastiness on it that regular bristled brushes do. You know what I'm talking about. When it gets kind of dry, the regular bristles turn into one enormous mass? Ew.

My main issue with Lash Blast is the flaking that happens at the end of the day. I have consistently patted under my eyes at the end of the day to figure out what that dusty stuff under my eyes was. Oh, of course, it was black smudgy dots from my mascara flaking off of my eyelashes. Really. Annoying. If you touch your face without wiping gently, you will assuredly get black smudge marks all over your face. 

long story short: for like, $6, this mascara is worth a try. in the beginning. the minute it gets thick, don't hope for anything good.

<3 kristie