Pump Up Your Lashes!

New product test time!!

There are a lot of consumers who feel Maybelline makes great products like the Colour Tattoos, Colour Show nail lacquers (a favourite of mine) and several different kinds of mascara.  Personally I have never tried a Maybelline mascara that I liked. I have always been a L'Oreal Voluminous girl. I've tried Illegal Length, One by One and the favourite of many, Falsies. None of them really gave me the results I was looking for. I really wanted to love these mascaras cause it seemed like I was the only one who didn't!

I am a huge sucker for eye catching packaging. When I saw the new Pumped Up Colossal Volum' Express mascara by Maybelline, I knew I was about to drop some more money on a mascara was assuming I'd probably use twice. The tube is GIANT and hot pink, it catches the eye right away. And they really get you with the display with the gigantic brush. The display just looks fun. 

So of course I grabbed a tube and threw it in my basket. ( Probably rolling my eyes while I did).  When I got home I immediately removed the makeup I was wearing and got to testing it out.  The formula is nice, not gloppy or strong smelling and the brush is nice and big, just how I like it.  I like a fat, full brush.  When I started to apply it I was reminded of my beloved L'Oreal Voluminous, it went on smooth and I immediately noticed my lashes were looking fuller.  There were no clumps and the way the brush is tapered at the end it is great for those tiny corner and bottom lashes.  Also, I never curl my lashes, just not something I ever got into, and I swear this stuff curled them!

I would defiantly give this mascara and A. I cant say for sure I'd repurchase it as I am still hooked on my Voluminous, but I will for sure continue to use it.

Check out this before and after:

 

 

 

-Rachel :)

 





DIY Hot Oil Treatment

Those of us with hair  us are all to familiar with the dryness, dead ends and fragility that come from chemical treatments, dye jobs, bleaching and hot tools. Hair can become brittle and even break off without proper care.

There are a TON of masks and treatments on market that aim to prevent dryness and breakage. The unfortunate thing is some of these treatments can be a tad pricey. If you're like me and like to get a lot of product for a little money, I've got a great treatment for you to try! There are only 3 ingredients and you can get  all at any grocery store. 

When I was younger there was a treatment called V05 Hot Oil, this is a take on that. To make your treatment, you will need:

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Avocado Oil

1/4 Cup Almond Oil

(if you can't find avocado or almond oil, melt 1/4 cup coconut oil in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time and mix in)

Mix all 3 oils together and heat for 20-30 seconds and apply to dry hair. Really saturate your hair.  Put your hair up with a clip, cover with a shower cap and then a towel. Leave on for 1 hour then rinse and shampoo well, condition as normal. 

I like to pour the mixture in a spray bottle then bend over my tub and spray it in. I also like to use a towel that is meant for babies. They are just the right size and not bulky. I wear this treatment to bed sometimes, just put an old pillow case on your pillow. Or sleep on a towel. 

My hair is so soft and shiny after this it's insane. Plus, this mixture lasts forever and a little goes a long way! If you're having issues with dryness or heat damage, give it a try!

-xo Rachel 

Makeup Geek

Good Morning,

I wanted to share a few new items I have been loving in mymakeup kit this week.
I am a self confessed YouTube addict and one of the channels that I have been following for some time now is MakeupGeekTv.

MakeupGeekTv was started by Marlena Stell as a way to share her philosophy that all woman are beautiful no matter her size, shape, skin tone, etc. Makeup Geek is also a website and online forum with videos and a store. Makeup Geek now makes their own line of products which I am  LOVING. Currently they are offering, brushes, eyeshades, lipsticks, pigments, and gel eye liners.

When I went to place my first order a couple months ago almost all the eye shadows were sold out! These things are getting crazy popular. And for good reason. The price is right, a single shadow sells for $5.99 and a single eye shadow compacts sell for $6.99. The pigmentation is great, vibrant and colorful, not chalky and easily bendable. I ended up ordering 4 shadows in the compact and got them at a special price of $5.99 due to the amount of product that had been out of stock. I also decided to try 2 Makeup Geek Lipsticks.



A look at everything I got

The eye shadows I chose to try out were: Shimma Shimma, a great highlight color, very comparable to MAC's Shroom, Prom Night, a shimmery taupe brown shade, Cosmopolitan, a metallic-y bronze and Mango Tango, a fun pinky orange with a slight gold shimmer to it.



Prom Night, Shimma Shimma, Mango Tango, Cosmopolitan

I've gotta say. I was impressed with these shadows for all the reasons I've listed above. These shadows are very comparable to the quality of MAC shadows and you cannot beat the price! I love the packaging, its cute but sturdy as well. I'm not worried they will open and crack in my kit and if I decide to pop them out and into a compact it looks like it wouldn't be an issue at all.



A close up look at the Makeup Geek eye shadow compact

The lipsticks are awesome as well. Nice and creamy, very pigmented and the tubes themselves are good quality and not cheap feeling like some drugstore brands can be. The 2 colors I got were Adorable, a beautiful creamy pink and Darling, a darker nude shade. The lipsticks are also well priced at $6.99 and there are 16 shades to choose from. One other thing worth mentioning as well is the shipping cost is very low and Makeup Geek does ship world wide.

Adorable, Darling

Overall I give Makeup Geek a big thumbs up and look forward to trying more products from them very soon.  I have just gotten a couple pigments so I will make a "part 2" to this post when I play around some more with those. I have a feeling Makeup Geek is going to be huge, the quality is excellent and Marlena has said there are blushes to come. That girl does not rest!

Thanks for reading,




-Rachel



Check out Makeup Geek on Twitter +Makeup Geek  https://www.youtube.com/user/MakeupGeekTV

Investments In Cleansing

 I am going to be honest I hate, HATE washing my face. It's not a sensitivity, I'm just lazy. There has never been more of an internal fight than the one that goes on inside my head every night. Good Rachel, Lazy Rachel, and the fight over will I or won't I just take the few minutes and get it done. Until now...
 
A few weeks ago I decided to invest in the future of my face and purchase the Clarisonic.  BEST DECISION EVER!! This brush has changed my night time routine and for the way, way better.  And the best part is, it only takes 1 minute. Literally 1 minute and you're done.  The Clarisonic is not really something new, it's been around for a few years now and has a couple different versions but the basic design hasn't changed.  If it ain't broke...
 
So what is it? What does it do? And most importantly to a lot of us, how much is it gonna cost me? 
 
The Clarisonic is a skin cleansing system that is targeted mostly for the face, but can be used on your whole body. The unit itself is a small hand held device (see photos below) with a brush head attached to it.  The way the system works is you either wet the brush or your face, put a dab of your cleanser of choice on the brush head and push the button.  You move the brush in circular motions around your face sticking to one area until you hear the beep and then move onto another area. Total cleansing time is 1 minute. You then rinse and continue on with whatever your regular routine is.
 
 The Clarisonic has several choices in brush heads, like sensitive, delicate and normal.  There is also a body brush and an extension handle you can purchase for reaching say the backs of your arms or legs. One thing this brush is wonderful for is keratosis pilaris or KP. KP is when you get those small red bumps on the backs or side of your upper arms etc. KP is generally harmless but can be annoying for cosmetic reasons and that's where the body brush comes in.  Since the Clarisonic allows for all the dirt, oil and dead skin to be buffed out of your pores, topical creams and serums can penetrate the skin better and really sink down in there.  The Clarisonic comes with the sensitive brush head which is intended for the face.  For me personally I have always, always had an issue with blackheads on my nose and after one use, I was shocked to see most of them were gone after I washed my face with the Clarisonic.  My pores were clean! I have also noticed and overall improvement in the texture of my skin. It feels softer and smoother than it was before.  I also really like that the creams and serums I spend so much money on are now able to penetrate thoroughly since all that dirt and oil is gone.
 
Ok so now the biggie: How much does this thing cost? Well that's why I call it an investment. The Clarisonic Mia2 (the second generation model) retails for $180.00.  This includes the unit, charger and sensitive brush head.  And this price also includes a 2 year warranty from Clarisonic.  The brush heads should be replaced every 3-6 months and a charge will last about 30 days give or take.
 
Final Thoughts:
Pros:

• love the cleaning power
• a charge lasts forever
• great selection of brush heads
• unit is water proof
• 2 year warranty

Cons:

• first time users can experience breakouts, make sure you start with the sensitive brush head
• the price tag

In my opinion, this product is SO worth the price. One tip when shopping around is make sure you check out the return policy where you buy you Clarisonic.  It can take some time for your skin to adjust to being exfoliated every night/day but if after a month you're still not feeling it, return.   Check out the links below for more info and links to where you can get your hands on a Clarisonic of your very own.
 
The Clarisonic Mia 2:

www.clarisonic.com (not an affiliate link)

Sephora.com: (not an affiliate link)

http://www.sephora.com/mia2-skin-cleansing-system-P296898?country_switch=ca&SKUID=1608850&om_mmc=ppc-GG&mkwid=pla08459&pcrid=17130472697&pdv=c&site=ca_search&country_switch=ca&lang=en

 

-xo Rachel