October Favorites

Sorry for being so neglectful- October was a busy month for me!

Back with a favorites post, soon to be on the Youtube channel as well.

So anyway, let's get into it!

Nail polish:

I was looking for a cheaper dupe of Essie's Loophole, which was the go-to silver color of the summer of 07. I still believe it is the best silver nail polish out there, I just don't like having to spend $8 a bottle on it, especially since I use it a lot. My only issue with the Essie color is that it chips easily so you need a strong topcoat on it. So I found that my grocery store started carrying Sinful Colors and had picked up a few of their colors to try them out. Then I saw their silver color Pure Spirit being offered at my store and after a few weeks of eyeing it, I had to pick it up. For $2, I could afford to be wrong. My biggest pet peeves with nail polishes, especially metallics, is that the formulation frequently is weaker so they appear more sheer. I like the Essie color because it goes on with one coat really opaque. To my surprise, so did Pure Spirit! With two coats, I felt it was perfect, only I even like their formulation a little bit better because it doesn't chip as easily as Loophole. I've looked around and haven't really found a swatch of Pure Spirit, but Loophole is pretty easy to find. Save yourself the money and get the Sinful Colors one.

Makeup:

I've been sticking to a neutral sort of eye this month, so my go to colors have been MAC's "Shroom" for highlight, "Omega" and "Soft Brown" for the crease, "Naked Lunch" for the lid, and "Mulch" for the outer corner. I line my eyes using Estee Lauder eyeliner in Softsmudge Brown and top it off with a couple of coats of mascara. For lips, I've been grabbing the lip balm in the form of Nivea's A Kiss of Moisture and mixing in MAC's "Faux" lipstick which is like a nude-mauve if such a color were possible. It's basically my lips but better.

Perfume:

I have a huge collection and I didn't really wear anything too often. I did wear Pink Sugar by Aquolina on more than one occasion, but that was because I'm around teenage girls a little too often. My go-to weekend scent was Burberry's The Beat. Also when I was just lounging around during the week, I wore Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena because it matches my shower gel.

Hair and Body:

The only new addition to my hair routine is Pantene Pro-V's Beautiful Lengths Replenishing Hair Mask. Frankly I just wanted a hair mask, and found this one on sale. I find it works best when I have time to coat my hair, wrap it in plastic wrap, and wrap in a warm towel for 10-15 minutes. Feels like a deep conditioning treatment that I'd get at my local salon. For body, I've been using the Bodycology stuff that you can get at walmart(the cheapie version of Bath and Body Works products). I got these from a girlfriend who got me some for my birthday. I've been using Coconut Lime which smells better than the BBW version. I also have the White Gardenia and the Vanilla Cupcake shower gels. I'm not too picky about shower gels as long as they foam up really well so I can use them in a bath as well. The scents don't linger long though as you're supposed to layer them. I frankly hate doing that because it takes too much time.

That's it for this month!

Depotting new MAC Quad style (Fabulous Felines)

The new MAC Quad style is not extremely friendly. The packaging is nicer and more sturdy than the previous MAC Quads but that means it is harder to depot the eyeshadows for use in your 15 pan palette. Usually you can use a flat iron to heat the back of the pan, but you can't do that with these quads. Also the plastic can't be released from the front, it must be released from the back. So here I'm going to give you a step by step plan for depotting the new style of quads MAC is using.

Materials needed: A pairing knife (or another sharp, skinny point knife), a lighter, paper towels, and a quad.

Time: 10 minutes or less

1. Start with laying your quad flat on a smooth surface. I am using the Palace Pedigreed quad.

2. Flip the quad over to the back. The bottom where the writing of the included shadows are is where you will want to use your knife to separate the front from the back.

3. Working from the bottom, insert your knife into the groove that connects the top to the bottom. Wiggle the knife around a little bit until you hear a snapping sound. This is normal.

4. Work around to the sides until the entire top and bottom separate.

5. When you separate the two, you will notice that near the bottom are slats where the top connects in, and the top part will have some grooves. Keeping these in tact will make it so the quad is reusable.

6. Use your lighter on the bottom of the eyeshadow pan to heat the plastic. Heat the plastic for about 30 seconds, or until you can see the plastic bubble.

7. Take your knife and carefully push the eyeshadow through onto a paper towel. Don't touch the eyeshadow as it will be very hot!

8. Before the plastic cools, push the plastic back down into the pan so it is somewhat flattened. This will also allow you to reuse the quad.

9. Continue doing this until all of the eyeshadows have been released.

10. Snap the bottom of the quad back onto the top. As long as heat hasn't contacted the tongue and groove snaps of the quad, it will easily snap back into place.

11. Label your eyeshadows and place magnets on the bottom so you can put them into your 15 pan palette.

12. Now you should be able to take them out and carry them with you. The quad can also be used for travel.

(From Right to left, top to bottom: Courtly, Seedy Pearl, Russian Blue, Naked Lunch, Honestly, Palace Pedigreed, Quite Spoiled, Mulch, Star Violet)

Note that I tried using the tried and true method of the flat iron. It is impossible due to the edge of the quad being deeper than previous quads. You will end up completely destroying the quad and won't be able to reuse it. You can see in the pictures where I tried the flat iron. This quad is usable, but I will be using my Shadowy Lady quad for my travel bag because it ended up being released a lot neater.

Update: Garnier Fructis Blow Dry Perfector

It's been a week since I first used this product and I've washed my hair probably 5 times. Time to check in!

Over the course of the week, I noticed that the product kept my hair less frizzy during humid weather and relaxed the wave in my hair. That wavy texture was still there, but it was more controllable. Letting my hair dry naturally allowed me to see that the wave and curls were still evident, but they were smoother in texture and did not get frizzy outside.

When I blow dried my hair, I didn't have to spend extra time on face-framing areas that I usually do. Baby hairs were tamed easier and didn't require a flat iron.

When I flat ironed my hair, I noticed that a fair amount of static electricity occurred when I brushed through my hair afterwards. I found that by using John Frieda's Secret Weapon finishing cream helped tame any static. I don't recommend using a silicon based product such as a shine spray or the Frizz Eaze hair serum because that actually just helps increase the static and doesn't actually provide a moisturizing base to the hair. Flat ironing took less time and one swipe usually got the job done. I don't use a special flat iron- I use a Zoe black and white polka dot 1" flat iron that I grabbed at ULTA after my Revlon one died.

So here's the low down:

Cons:

-Smell is less than fabulous for the 20 minute relaxer

-Time increase doesn't actually help relax the hair more, it may just be causing more damage

-Static issues when flat ironing

-You must use heat to get the full extent of this product

Pros:

-Hair is more manageable

-Leave in cream smells good

-Blow drying time is cut short (not by half, however)

-Smoothes hair surface temporarily to reduce frizz

Overall Grade: B-

(Good product, wish it reduced the amount of heat required to style my hair)

Would I purchase this again? Maybe during hurricane season to make sure my blow-outs stay smooth without adding extra product. I would not use this in winter time (due to static issues) and would not use this repeatedly for long term maintenance. This product would probably work best for people with very curly hair who live in humid climates who like to vary their hairstyle from their natural curls to having the option of wearing it straight. I would not recommend this for color treated, damaged, or very fine hair. You also cannot use this product if you previously used a relaxer or product containing lye.

The Basics- Cleaning Your Face

We've all seen commercials for different facial cleansers. A model with perfectly clear skin and highlights and contours in all the right places. The model is almost always in her early twenties, has her hair pulled back, and elegantly washes her face with the cleanser and washes clean with a perfect spray of water. Realistically, this is completely opposite of us average people. Cleaning your face is something that you need to do frequently, and it's hardly ever elegant. Plus we're all dealing with different issues with our face- a wrinkle here and there, a zit that is coming to a head, a spot where the acne is gone but the mark remains, a scar from a fight with a dog when we were 5, etc. Here I give you the low down on how to really wash your face. This isn't a commercial, so feel free to get a little messy.

Prep: Make sure if you have long hair to pull it back away from your face. Your hair contain oils as well as product (usually) and if you get it wet, it can transfer to your face. A lot of us have had the issue of acne or clogged pores along our hair line- this is usually caused by transfer of product or conditioner from our hair to our face. Plus if you just meticulously flat ironed your hair, the last thing you want to do is ruin your hard work by getting it wet. Usually a high ponytail can get all of your hair in if it's long. If you have shorter hair, or bangs, feel free to use clips or bobby pins to set it back.

If you are washing your face with a cleanser containing benzoyl peroxide (usually listed as the active ingredient on the front or on the back of the bottle), make sure you are wearing a white top or old t-shirt. Benzoyl peroxide bleaches almost all fabrics that come in contact. Common products that have benzoyl peroxide are the Proactiv system, most Clean and Clear products, and other acne cleansers. If it contains salicylic acid, it won't bleach your fabrics but I still recommend an older t-shirt as it can affect the fibers in your clothes.

Choosing a cleanser: Most teenagers and women in their twenties go through many different cleansers. In my opinion, the younger you are, the more likely you are going to pick a harsher cleanser because they are actively trying to banish oil and clear acne. This is actually counter productive because harsher cleansers affect the oil and ph balance of your skin. By zapping oil, your skin actively tries to produce more oil to replace what you got rid of. Oil serves a purpose on our skin- it protects us from natural environmental elements, it protects the outer layer of cells from damage, and it traps dirt and bacteria before it can enter our system. No matter what your skin type is, choose a cleanser that doesn't leave your skin feeling tight afterwards. You may need to wash your face twice if you have super oily skin.

If you are older or have dry skin, choose a cream or lotion cleanser as they don't typically contain harsher cleansers such as sodium lauryl sulfate or glycerine. If you have dry skin and are trying to combat acne, you often have to choose between an acne face wash or gentle face wash. Choose the gentle face wash instead to combat dryness and apply an acne treatment lotion afterwards only on spots that need treatment.

Wetting your face: Make sure your water temperature is warm- not hot! If you could see yourself sinking into a tub of this warm water, it's probably warm enough. Spend about 30 seconds thoroughly splashing your face with warm water- this will help open the pores and help remove surface oils. Then massage your skin for about 30 seconds. This helps increase blood circulation to your face and also can manually help open pores. Particularly focus on your T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and areas that you have spotting and discoloration.

Increasing blood circulation on your face can help with many things. First of all, as blood begins to move through your system, it picks up the left-over impurities metabolized by cells. It also carries oxygen to your cells allowing them to do their work. Blood also carries heat and helps open the pores further. This is also good for those of us combating wrinkles because it helps maintain nerve function and essentially becomes a workout for the muscles of our face.

Cleaning: Apply cleanser to the pads of your fingers and work the product in your hands first. This helps warm the product and begins to create a lather (some products will not lather, especially lotions and creams). Massage the product into the skin of your face. A lot of people only wash their face until they see lather. Think of it this way- you spend $10 on a cleanser, and because you're stopping at the half-way mark, you essentially are washing most of the product down the drain without it doing its complete job. Take about a minute or two really massaging the product into your skin. This helps the product get into the pores, kill bacteria and treat whatever acne is secretly lying beneath or that is present on the surface of your skin. Make sure you spend time on your hairline, near your ears, along your jaw (as well as beneath), and down towards your neck. Commercials never show the model going this far but this is essential real estate to your face. Rinse your face with warm water for thirty seconds to a minute. You can then switch to cold water to close the pores, or if you are going to apply a face mask afterwards you can simply pat the skin dry and go to town with a mask. If you are doing an extraction, you should find that pores are able to be extracted easier. In any case, if you are done with cleaning, make sure you pat the skin dry. Rubbing with a towel can cause the cotton fibers to become imbedded in the skin and is usually too harsh on the skin.

That's it! Enjoy your clean face!

Garnier Fructis Blow Dry Perfector- A Review

I have to admit: I'm addicted to smooth, straight hair. Unfortunately for me, since I am blessed with naturally wavy hair and those oh-so-cute-when-your-five Shirley Temple curls right around my temples, I have been forced into a life of wash, blow dry, flat iron, repeat. I blow dry my hair probably 4 or 5 times a week, which is A WHOLE LOT.

I've always gone to the precaution to put on heat protectants and make sure I only blow dry when my hair is 80% dry, but with the frequency that I blow dry, damage is still being done. So when I saw Garnier Fructis' Sleek and Shine Blow Dry Perfector, I was intrigued. Keeps your hair smooth through 7 shampoos? That would be awesome! It would definitely reduce the amount of heat I'm applying to my hair.

My hair is about mid-back now, so it's quite long. I cut my own hair about every 6 weeks to get rid of split ends. The longer your hair is, the more you have to baby it. My current routine involves Joico's Moisture Renewal shampoo and conditioner, Argan oil on my ends when its wet. I change products around for styling, so a few things are always in rotation: Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship split end mender, Neutrogena's Triple Moisture leave in cream and split end mender, Pantene Pro-V's Combing Cream for Extra Straight hair (which they don't even make anymore since Pantene has repackaged most of their items), and Bumble and Bumble's Styling Lotion. I blow dry frequently, but only flat iron maybe once a week. Most of the wave of my hair can be worked out in a blow dry, so flat ironing is only when I want super straight hair, or want my wave to stay at bay during a concert or while outside.

First impressions: The package comes with two tubes, one which is a clear serum that smells like Drano. No kidding! This stuff smells like rotten eggs, which means it has some sulfur to it. It probably qualifies as a low-grade relaxer. So if you're used to coloring your hair, this probably won't be as noxious as those fumes tend to be, but still be careful. The second tube is the smoothing creme that you use after you wash the serum out, which smells familiar to all of the Garnier products- fruity! You also get directions and gloves (much like a hair dye kit).

Directions:First you shampoo your hair, and then apply the serum to your hair while wearing the gloves. You can comb the serum through to make sure your hair is coated. With my length hair, I probably only used one-quarter of the amount of the serum you get in the package. Let the product go to work for about 20 minutes, wash out, and then towel dry your hair. Apply the smoothing creme and then blow dry your hair. You really need to use blow dryers or flat irons with this product because it is heat activated.

During the process: My hair felt like it had been coated in hair gel while it was damp. I kept it off my shoulders with a banana clip, applied a face mask, checked my email while it was going to town. The smell didn't really travel with me, so it dissipates after application. When I went to wash my hair, my hair felt like it was hanging really straight and heavy. It didn't exactly feel sleek because I associate that more with silicon products, along with the softness you usually get. I washed my hair for probably two or three minutes straight to make sure there wasn't any of that stuff left.

I towel dried my hair, applied about a quarter size of the smoothing creme, applied a dime size of Argan oil on the ends, and then set about combing it. It feels smooth and silky after I applied the creme and definitely smells pleasant. It reminds me of how my hair feels after a nice deep conditioning treatment. I did notice that I got two knots in my hair, but I combed through them. I usually don't get knots, so I associate this with the chemical process and its nature to slightly dry out the ends. Again I let my hair dry a good bit before I applied heat. I blow dried my hair on medium using a large paddle brush, focusing on the hair that frames my face as this is the area that I typically get the most curl action and where I have to frequently apply the most product to tame.

The after: My hair is smooth, and despite a few areas that I would touch up with a flat iron, the one place I don't need to touch is the hair around my temples! The wave is definitely gone, and there are fewer flyaways. My ends don't feel dry, but I attribute this to my use of Argan oil in addition- frankly, if this didn't work with the oil, I wouldn't use it.

The next part of this test is to see how it withstands shampoos. Like all chemical products that are to be used for long-term (or in this case, short term) on hair, using shampoos and conditioners that include sulfates as their primary ingredient can strip the effects of the chemicals used, so I'm going to switch to my MOP (Modern Organic Products) C-Straight shampoo and conditioner, which are both sulfate and fragrance free, for a week. This is the true test as to whether I would buy this product again. I'll check in a week and tell you how it's going (I doubt I'll get to 7 shampoos, but we'll see where I get to!)

January 2010 Favorites!

I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of my new digi so that would be why there's no video to this..... yet!

Favorites for the month of January:

Clinique All About Eyes moisturizer- great before bed, before makeup, just any time you wish really. Gives a great surge of moisture and is water-based so it doesn't hurt if you get a little in your eyes.

ELF Mineral Eyeshadow Primer- I think that the only stuff at ELF that is worthy of purchase is their mineral products and some of their brushes. I bought a ton of their mineral products when they were 75% off, so I got my eyeshadow primer for a buck I think. It is quite comparable to the Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP) and I find it is best used for the work day, that way you can save your UDPP for the weekends/cocktail hour(s) on Friday. It is water based so it is safe for your eyes and it dries to a slight powder finish.

Joico Moisture Recovery system- I was kind of hesitant to try this out, but it left me with fabulous results. The pH of the shampoo and conditioner were both slightly acidic (they even post it on the bottle) because of the sea kelp in the treatment. What a slightly acidic shampoo and conditioner will do is actually close the cuticle of the hair leaving it shiny and smooth.

A couple of great facts about hair:

• If you use salon brands, try not to use as much shampoo as you usually do. This is because salon brands are generally more concentrated so you actually need less.
• Salon brand shampoos are generally milder. Cheaper shampoos contain ingredients that are very basic in pH, which are very harsh for our hair and skin.
• Hair is made from keratin, which is also found in our fingernails. If you find you are losing a lot of hair or have brittle fingernails, try increasing the amount of Biotin in your diet by taking a supplement or increasing the amount of food with biotin in your diet. Some great sources of Biotin include eggs, liver, wheat bran, and avocados. Pregnant women have great skin, hair, and nails because Biotin is frequently used in prenatal supplements. This is no guarantee as I am not a doctor.

Parlez-vous OPI? Nailpolish by OPI- A great all-purpose dusty purple. If you wanna go the route of dark nails and want to make it work appropriate, try out this muted purple shade.

To Tone or Not to Tone

Toner.

I used toner a lot in my preteens when I went all-natural with my facial products. I used witch hazel as a toner following cleansing. But then again, I was using a glycerine-based facial soap that wasn't pH balanced.

Nowadays, almost all facial cleansers are pH balanced. Toner was used primarily to restore the natural balance to our skin because our skin has a slight acidic pH. Basically what happens is when you wash your face with soap, you are adding alkaline products that will slowly raise your skin's natural pH. Naturally, your skin begins to produce oils and works naturally to return back to its natural acidic (less than 7 on the pH scale) state. With toner, you are basically making it easier for your skin to return to normal. Also, toner can remove any left over residue that your facial soap may leave and may also treat areas where oil tends to get out of control.

A lot of people with dry skin choose to avoid using toners for fear that they may dry out of their skin worse. Look for a product that is moisturizing with aloe or that is water based. I have dry combination skin and I use Clinique's Clarifying Lotion #2 in their three part skin system.

Do not look for a toner with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Toners are alcohol based and they will evaporate off of the skin over a short period of time. For acne treatment, stick to creams- something that stays on the skin.

So should you tone or not? A lot of people incorporate toners into their daily routine in the summer, but I feel toners can be used year round. If your current cleansing routine is working for you and doesn't contain toner, don't mess with a good thing. If you find your skin is dull or that your cleanser leaves a film (many cream cleansers do), maybe adding a toner into your routine can help your skin change. If you are not sure, I recommend starting with witch hazel which is usually less than three dollars. If you have dry skin, mix equal parts water with witch hazel. It doesn't smell great, but it doesn't stay on your skin forever.

And always, moisturize and add sunscreen after toning! That's just good skin care.

Where NOT to spend money

In my opinion, mascara is one product that I will never buy a department store brand.

Why?

Mascara should be replaced every 3 months. Over time the product consistency changes, the formula begins to age and flake, and you are essentially pumping fresh bacteria back into your tube. After three months, you need to chuck your mascara. Why spend $20 or more on mascara if you are going to have to trash it anyway?

Drugstore brand mascara's are a bargain, and there are so many different formulations. $5-7 is a lot easier to part with.

Now with that said, if you love love LOVE mascara and want to go the department store route, at least try to get a good run out of the product. I personally love getting the sample sizes of Estee Lauder or Clinique when I get a gift with purchase. But I just can't see myself putting out the money for something that goes bad quicker than the rest of my makeup.

With all of the variety at your local drugstore, I don't see why you need to go the route of MAC Plush Lash or Benefit's BadGal Lash. Splurge on your favorite lipstick, save on your mascara.

Now if you find that a drugstore formulation doesn't do what you want or you get an allergic reaction to one, switch it up. If you have a tried and true formulation, stay with that. No need to mess with something if it's not broke!

My favorite mascaras include Loreal's Double Extend Tube mascara, Maybelline Lash Stiletto, and Cover Girl Lash Blast. I say it's a good idea to have a black, a brown, and a clear mascara on hand. I can get all three usually for less than the price of one MAC mascara.

For when you have questions...

ask!

Ever wonder what's really in the makeup products you use? Confused as to what type of acne product to use? Want to go green? These are often the type of questions I wonder as I am getting ready for my day. I'm sure you've thought of them too!

This blog is to help answer any questions that may have come up or maybe you just want a new view on some thing tried and true.

Instead of scouring the internet, magazines, or even asking your dermatologist, the Life and Style Researcher is here to do the dirty work for you.