Pretty Kitty

PIGMENTS!

2008-09-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

hello readers! when it comes to addictions, i'm the first one to admit that i have many, but recently i have become addicted not to a substance, not to a product or a brand, but to a place...THE MALL! lately i have been a bonified mall-rat, seeing as how i bought and then returned the Chanel Exceptionnel mascara, then bought MAC's Creemsheen lipstick in Creme D'Nude (more on that later), then bought MAC's Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 along with a bottle of their Mineralize Satinfinish Foundation SPF 15, and then had to return that the next day because the SA had accidentally given me the wrong shade! so that makes for...ahem...four straight days of mall-going for this kitty. but that also makes for many, many posts and product reviews for all of my lovely readers!

colors left to right: Antique Green, Blonde's Gold, Copperbeam, Heritage Rouge, Mauvement, Museum Bronze, Vintage Gold, Mega-Rich.

so what i really wanted to bring to your attention today were the newest MAC pigments from the Overrich Collection. for those of you who aren't familiar, pigments are basically loose-powder eyeshadows in little screw-top pots which are very concentrated color-wise. a lot of brands do mineral versions (Bare Escentuals, Everyday Minerals, Fyrinnae, etc.), but in my opinion, MAC does them best. MAC's pigments are a whole addiction of their own, separate even from an addiction to eyeshadow (which is the most popular use for pigments), because these little pots of gold can be used for various different beautifying purposes. want a brand new, custom-made lipcolor? just take some balm or clear gloss and add some pigments! want to make your own shade of nailpolish? take your favorite pigment(s) and funnel them into a bottle of clear nailpolish, shake well and enjoy! need a highlighter to define your cheekbones? a neutral pigment will work gorgeously (some popular shades for highlighting are Vanilla and Pink Opal). want to stick to the classic use and create a beautiful eyeshadow look using pigments? i find the best brush to use is a firm, flat, synthetic-bristled one (like the 242) to pack the color on, and then a fluffier one (like the 217) to blend out any harsh lines.

although MAC releases pigments periodically with their collections, the ones from Overrich are outstanding in color, texture, and finish. there are 8 colors to choose from, and a ninth color (Royal Flush) available exclusively at Nordstrom's. my favorites are Heritage Rouge, Antique Green and Copperbeam, with Royal Flush clocking in very highly on the list as well. although a jar of pigment will cost you $19.50, it will last FOREVER! literally, i can't imagine using one up even if i wore it everyday for 2 years straight. stop at your nearest MAC counter ASAP to get a look at them before they're all gone!

have you ever tried MAC pigments? if so, what's your favorite color? mine's Blue Brown, and i'd love to know some of the ones you can't live without, so let me know in the comments!

picture of the pigments courtesy of the lovely Supa from MakeUpAlley.

Un-Excepchanel

2008-09-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

Hola readers! lately i've been a very busy kitten collecting and testing new products so expect lots of reviews and info-fests in the days to come! today i'm going to be telling you about my experience with Chanel's newest mascara, Exceptionnel de Chanel, $28 (YES, twenty-eight dollars!).

i should first tell you that in this particular case, the marketing got to me 98% and my love of mascara was responsible for the other 2%. i ADORE Chanel-- the clothes, the PURSES! the shoes, the jewelry! the CLOTHES! and the makeup. however, my being a basically champagne-taste on a beer-budget kitten, i don't have the opportunity to own very much Chanel at all. since i'd never owned a Chanel mascara before and heard many good things about them, i decided after seeing the amazing brush that comes with Exceptionnel that i'd jump and go for it once and for all. so after $30 had been liberated from my purse, i blamed it on the lure of the brush, not on my own lack of self control!

so let's get down to this mascara and i'll tell you what it's all about. first off, that wicked brush is a six-sided hybrid of a regular, basic mascara brush and the new silicone-bristled versions popular today. it has short, densely-packed regular bristles (the black ones) that are for amping up lash volume and long, thin silicone bristles (the white ones) that are for separating lashes and encouraging curl. the formula is a thicker, wetter one than i normally like, but that's just personal preference. it comes in four colors (Smoky Noir, Smoky Brun, Smoky Violine and Smoky Marine), and has a special 'rolling' application technique that is recommended. to get a better look at the brush and the how-to on application, go here and check out The Film (for fun), The Design (for a good look at that brush), and The Application Technique (which is self-explanatory).

so my personal experience with the mascara? i'll sum it up in a few words: not worth the money or the time! i hate to spit blaspheme on the name of Chanel but this is just an average volumizing mascara with a very fancy brush (that, btw, doesn't actually DO anything fancy). when i got it home i was so excited to try it out that i immediately washed off the mascara i was wearing and got to work on my application technique. on one eye i applied as i normally do, sweeping straight up, NO WIGGLING, with a light touch, and on the other eye i did the Application de Chanel, which is basically just rolling the wand as you sweep it through so that all sides of the brush come into contact with your lashes. not only did the lashes i did the Chanel application on end up overloaded with product, uncurled (the HORROR!), and clumpy (not in an actual 'clumps of mascara' way but in that other horrible way where several eyelashes fuse together and end up looking spidery and gross), it also was a gigantic pain in the ass to try to do all that rolling and rotating while putting it on. i kept having to pull the brush away from eyes and squint to see what i was hitting my lashes with, long or short? black or white? grrrrr! too much stress for one tube of expensive mascara! i'm going to stick to my beloved Covergirl Volume Exact for days and my Diorshow for nights (a mascara i've had a giant change-of-heart towards lately) and count all my money while laughing maniacally. oops, that's right, Chanel has all of it!

have you tried the new Chanel Exceptionnel mascara? if so, what did you think: heaven for a reasonable price or brush-luring highway robbery? let me know in the comments!

New Mac Collections!

2008-09-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

even though MAC comes out with a new collection every 5 minutes, i don't usually post about them because every other beauty blogger in the world covers them and i try to give my readers something new to digest when they visit my blog. regardless of the fact that i usually don't cover them, this new Cremesheen collection has really caught my attention (and now yours, too)! it consits of 14 new shades of lipstick and one new nail lacquer (shown in above picture). i think my excitement has something to do with the fact that A. i've never been a big lipstick person but B. MAC is the only makeup company that has ever been able to get me really, truly excited about buying lipstick. it's their colors, textures, finishes, and just general 'MAC-appeal' that have hooked me many times before and from looking at the swatches online, unfortunately may hook me again soon!

also exciting on the new MAC front is their upcoming Suite Array collection which consits of 8 new eye shadow duos and 8 new Pearlglide Eyeliners which are creamy, kohl-like liners in pearly, metallic finishes! how perfect will those be for the holiday season when you want something sparkly to glam it up without looking like a trashy disco-ball? i am extremely anxious to get my salivating self to the nearest counter and swatch these eyeliners on my hand to see what they truly look like. since MAC's online color swatches can never be trusted, seeing the colors in person is the only way to really know if you'll be head-over-heels for any of them, but if you want to get an idea what they'll look like, check them out here.

Recipe for Perfection!

2008-09-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

just a quick note to mention that i have found THE perfect recipe for smooth, sleek, shiny, blown-out hair! after trying out this styling treatment cocktail, you'll be getting stopped on the street by screams of "MISS ANISTON!" from 'Friends' fanatics who want your autograph and the secret to your famous mane! the ingredients that make up this recipe, Kiehl's Heat Protective Silk Straightening Cream, $16.50 and CHI Silk Infusion, $14.99, are two products that i have raved about many times before, so i'll skip the long, drawn out reviews of them (since they've already been written!) and just let you read about each one of them individually here and here if you're interested.

and now, onto the Pretty Kitty Sleekest Hair Cocktail! the recipe is very simple, just grab your tube of Kiehl's Heat Protective Silk Straightening Cream and shake (why, i don't know, but i do it everytime) before dispensing a blob about the size of a dime (or slightly larger depending on the length and thickness of your hair), then take your CHI Silk Infusion and add about 3 drops. mix together in your palm and distribute through hair before blow-drying and flat ironing. VOILA! gorgeous, soft, healthy hair that will shine like glass and feel like silk. although i absolutely adore each of these products used on their own, when combined they provide results that are truly spectacular! kinda like Jen when she was combined with Brad, if you know what i mean? fireworks!

what are your favorite homemade recipes for perfect hair? do you usually mix products or prefer to use one at a time? let me know in the comments!

Neglected Treasure

2008-09-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

have you ever had a brand new product sitting in your bathroom that you never got around to trying? maybe you weren't very interested in it, or it wasn't too thrilling of a product, or you just plain forgot about it, but this product sits sadly untouched for a very long time. then when you finally try it, you end up LOVING it and could just kick yourself for not trying it sooner?

it was about a year ago now that i was at Sephora, shopping around and attempting to use up a $50 giftcard when i found that everything i'd picked out came to about $47 (yay for Oregon's greatest feature-- NO SALES TAX!). i was determined to use every penny on that giftcard but the only thing i could find at the right price was the Sephora FACE Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover To Go, $3. i didn't really need eye makeup remover seeing as how i'd been a longtime user of Clinique's Take the Day Off but i decided to pick it up anyways and keep it in my purse for any desperate makeup-removal-related situations. since that day it's been rumbling around in the pocket of said purse until recently when i did a purse cleaning and decided to take that cute little blue bottle out of hiding and give it a shot. why not atleast try it out once, right?

since the beginning of my waterproof makeup wearing days, i've been pretty consistently faithful to Clinique's Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes, and Lips, $16.50. i was always reasonably satisfied with this formula; it took difficult makeup off without a ton of tugging and scrubbing and the greasiness left behind was washed away easily with whatever cleanser i was using at the time. there was one occasion when i tried a drugstore brand of makeup remover (i'm almost sure it was Neutrogena) and it was so horrible and ineffective it sent me running back to Clinique! maybe this is why i wasn't in any hurry to try the Sephora remover, i'm not sure, but i'm certainly glad that i did!

much like Clinique's makeup remover, Sephora FACE Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover is a 'two phase' formula, meaning it has oil and water in it that will separate in the bottle and will need to be shaken up thoroughly before use. i prefer these two-phase makeup removers to the single phase versions (usually labeled 'non-oily') because they seem to work much better and are gentler on the delicate skin around your eyes. the moment of truth for the Sephora FACE Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover came when i needed to remove not only waterproof mascara but also a good deal of MAC's Blacktrack Fluidline gel eyeliner. i squirted a small amount of the remover onto a cotton pad (far superior to a cotton ball for makeup removal, the balls just soak up the product), pressed it onto my eye to give it a moment to loosen things up, and swept away. it was amazing! the Sephora remover completely melted all of the hard-to-remove eye makeup in mere seconds. there was no tugging or scrubbing necessary, and with a few gentle sweeps everything was removed. although i've had a long run with Clinique's Take The Day Off, i'm happy to say it's being replaced by Sephora FACE Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover. Sephora's formula worked better and took less time to get the job done, and the best part? for the exact same amount of makeup remover (4.2 oz), Sephora's regular size version is $10, clocking in at $6.50 cheaper than Clinique's! who doesn't like to save a few precious pennies where they can?

and just a little tip: when buying cotton pads to use for makeup removal, toners or astringents, try to steer clear of the ones that are square-shaped and sectioned ('quilted'). i found these to be utterly useless because as soon as they're moistened, they start to tear apart at the little seams! the round ones, however, have no sections and work wonderfully. i usually buy my cotton pads at Walgreen's, so here is a picture of the type to avoid that are sold there. meow!

Target Beauty High-Ends It!

2008-09-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

if you didn't already know readers, your Kitty is a Target fanatic. lately a good 50% of all my new clothes are purchased there and everytime i go, i find more and more i want! i think the reason why i love Target's clothing so much is because it's cute, stylish and affordable (especially this adorable cardigan i picked up the other day for $19.99!). i am somewhat of a fashion obsessive who spends hours pouring over every available fashion mag and although i would love nothing more than to be able to spend $200 on a simple shirt, it's just not a feasible option for me. i need to be able to buy clothes that i love for reasonable prices, and that's where Target comes in. i think one of the greatest marketing ideas ever dreamed up was for Target to do their GO International lines, where different high-end designers create a line of clothing to be sold through Target at affordable prices. so successful was this venture that the next logical step was for Target to take that same high-end approach to their beauty department!

the new additions to Target's beauty world are less expensive makeup lines from Jemma Kidd ("JK"), Napoleon Perdis ("NP Set") and Petra Strand ("Pixi"). when i first saw them i was very impressed, they have testers for all the products and mirrors and q-tips and the whole shabang set up! although i was in a hurry, i did get to check out the different lines and saw promising things from each of them. i have to admit that i was most interested in the line by Jemma Kidd, whose makeup i have read a lot about but never had the opportunity to see in real life. her I-Tech Liquid Liners, $18 each, come in a rainbow of gorgeous colors and seem to be almost exact dupes of MAC's Liquidlast Liquid Liners. the I-Design Eye Color Collection, $18 each, are beautifully rich eyeshadows that have a very soft, velvety, blendable texture. what really caught my eye were her lipsticks, which come in two formulas: Classic Couture Collection, a creamy, high pigment formula for saturated, classic color and Sheer Vanity Gloss & Glaze Collection, a sheer, glossy lipstick that's heavy on moisture and light on color. when i tried on Belle De Jour from the latter group, i was instantly smitten! i am eternally on the hunt for the perfect nude lipcolor and this has become my new favorite. it has a similar texture to a very glossy lipbalm but significantly lightens your lip color, turning my naturally rosy lips into the pale, baby pink color i'm always chasing after. only problem is, much like MAC's Lustre lipsticks, Belle De Jour is the kind of lipstick that only looks good on lips that are perfectly smooth and flake-free. my solution for flaky lips? sleep with a thick layer of Carmex lip balm on and exfoliate with a warm, wet washcloth in the morning. your lips will be in the perfect condition for your trickiest lipsticks!

as for NP Set and Pixi, i can't share much information since i didn't get to try them out but i'll definitely be checking into them further the next time i'm at Target and will share my conclusions. although i'm very excited about these new additions to Target, i must say that their prices aren't so low-end. as a matter of fact, if you compare products from the artists regular lines to the Target-made lines, there is sometimes only a few dollars difference! if we just apply our regular high-end attitudes to these lines, only buying what we absolutely can't live without, then they will be a worthwhile addition to the Target beauty department, but don't get too caught up in the fact that these lines are supposedly 'inexpensive' and break your budget. happy Target shopping kittens!

have you tried any of the beauty products from the new Target line-up? if so, let's hear what they were and how you liked them!

Guess who's back...

2008-09-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

hello readers! are any of you still out there? i hope i haven't been deleted from your favorites list yet! your Pretty Kitty is back in action, all computer problems are fixed and i am ready to do a whole lotta bloggin' about all the things i've tried in my absence!

today i'm going to talk about cleansers, since i've been very interested in them lately. i have always been the type of girl who just washes my face in the shower with whatever soap i'm using at the time (usually Dove) and was totally loyal to Olay Daily Facial Cleansing Cloths while washing at the sink. after severely irritating the skin on my left cheekbone area with AHAs and retinol, i decided that i needed to start using something a little bit more gentle to soothe my angry skin. thus began my search for the perfect cleanser, and i've found several great ones that you've heard me talk about in past posts such as Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild (here) and Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Gel Cleanser (and here). since i suffer from the terrible "there's gotta be something better out there!" condition, i'm always trying new things even when i already have products that i love, and that's how i found these gems...

LUSH Coal Face Soap, $10.95 for 3.5 ounces, is something i never would have tried if the wonderful employees at LUSH hadn't offered to make me a goodie bag full of samples of their products upon my first visit. this black, slightly gritty soap wouldn't win any beauty contests, but i'm proud to have it sitting by my sink because of the great job it does at cleansing my skin! made with powdered charcoal to remove impurities and exfoliate, licorice to heal naturally, and sandalwood oil to tone the skin, Coal Face packs a powerful punch to regulate misbehaving skin. although it's recommended for those with combo/oily/troubled skin, it worked wonderfully on my normal/slightly dry skin without stripping it or making it feel tight and uncomfortable. it easily removes my makeup and cuts through the grime that accumulates on my face over the course of a long, hot day, leaving my skin feeling squeaky clean (but in a good way!). i even used it one night in the shower to wash my body with, and i loved it for that, too! the only time i would avoid this soap would be if my skin was being unreasonably dry, because it does give you a deep cleansing that might be a little too deep for say, the middle of the winter. stop by your local LUSH store and ask for a sample of Coal Face so you can see what all the fuss is about for yourself!

this next cleanser on my list is a true bargain for those times when you don't have the money to splurge but still want something that gets the job done. Clean and Clear Deep Action Refreshing Gel Cleanser, $4.99, is another product from this line marketed towards teenagers that my 25 year-old skin loves! (i recently wrote a post about Clean & Clear's Dual-Action Moisturizer) i picked this product up about a month ago when i was away from home for the weekend and forgot to pack my regular cleanser, so i just went for the cheapest thing at the drugstore i could find to use for a few days. the Deep Action Refreshing Gel Cleanser really exceeded my expectations by gently but thoroughly cleansing my skin without overdrying it, removing every trace of my makeup and leaving my skin with a refreshing tingle. i love anything minty/tingly and this one does not disappoint! because this cleanser is so inexpensive, i even use it as a bodywash after a hot, sticky day because it leaves my skin feeling so clean, smooth and refreshed. it now lives in my shower and gets used on a regular basis, and all this for the fabulous price of $4.99!

what are your favorite cleansers? do you have any suggestions for a face wash that really stands out from the rest of the pack? let me know in the comments!

It's the PITS!

2008-08-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

does everyone see the picture of the innocent-looking deodorant to their right? take a good long look at it so that you never make the mistake of purchasing this nightmare! it's seldom that i hate a product so much that i want to warn people about it, but this Almay deodorant has left me feeling desperate to prevent anyone from wasting their money on it the way i did! buyers beware!

Almay Clear Gel Fragrance-Free Antiperspirant & Deodorant, $3.09, looked perfect for me when i spotted it at the drugstore a few weeks ago. not only is it fragrance-free (which i prefer), but it's also hypo-allergenic and seemed to be a gentle formula that wouldn't cause any irritation. also a great plus was that the gel is clear as opposed to the white solids that claim to be clear but really leave you with visible white flecks (oh how i hate that! soooo not a good look!). although i'm pretty loyal to my Dove deodorant, i decided to give Almay a chance because it seemed like a great choice for the summer, wearing tank tops, etc.

the next afternoon i was planning to run around town with my friend and so after a shower, i applied the new deodorant. i made sure to carefully twist up only a tiny bit because i hate the wet, sticky feeling gel deodorants can leave you with when you've applied too much. right after i put it on it felt very sticky and slimy but i was in such a rush to get out the door that i figured it would dry eventually and off i went. huge mistake! as we were driving i was becoming more and more uncomfortable because instead of drying and becoming undetectable like it should have, the gel had only sort of halfway dried, leaving it feeling extremely tacky. it got so bad that i felt like i had covered my armpits in Super Glue! everytime i moved or lifted my arm the skin of my armpits actually stuck together! and when i touched the area where i had applied, it left my fingers feeling weirdly powdery but slick. it was unbelievably disgusting and i eventually had to go into a bathroom and wipe it off with a wet paper towel! can you imagine?!

as soon as i got home this monstrosity got tossed in the garbage can, and that's saying a lot because i almost NEVER throw away any kind of beauty products. it is officially the worst product i've had the displeasure of using in 2008. stay far, far away unless you have a thing for Super Glued pits! if you're in the market for a nice deodorant & anti-perspirant, check out Dove's range, several of which i've used and liked. they don't cause irritation, leave your armpits soft and smooth and hardly ever show up in little white flecks (especially if you only apply a small amount). i just got the Dove Go Fresh Cool Essentials Green Tea & Cucumber formula, $4.50, and not only does it smell great but it performs as well.

what are some of the worst products you've ever used? i'd love to hear about them so i can avoid them myself, so let me know in the comments!

Starflashing

2008-08-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

hello readers! if you've been wondering where i've been lately i don't blame you-- so have all my other computer acquaintances! the deal is i'm having very annoying computer difficulties and haven't been able to get online for about a week now. very frustrating! i don't want to lose all my loyal readers so i thought i'd pop on here and let you know that things will be up and running again ASAP (prob around the 18th). i'll be back in action and ready to review several new things that i'm dying to talk about! for now i'm going to give you a quick taste of the new MAC eye shadow collection that i'm very excited about...

Starflash consists of 12 new pearly eye shadows, 4 Kohl Power eye pencils, and Plushlash mascara. i really couldn't care less about the eyeliners and mascara, but the eye shadows! they are gorgeous! you really need to motor to your local MAC counter and take a look at them, they range from green to purple to copper to pink and a few more in between. as usual the texture, pigment and blendability are fabulous and the price is do-able at $14.50 a piece (that is unless you want to get them all, like i did!). i settled for Glamour Check!, a beautiful shimmery copper (described on MAC's website as "frosty reddish brown") that i plan to pair with an equally shimmery aqua (either Shimmermoss or Parrot) for a bright, fun summer nighttime eye.

if you're interested in the rest of the eye shadows in the Starflash collection, check them out here, and if you like what you see, hurry to your counter because these babies are limited edition (who would have guessed it?!). meow!

Sashay, Tarjay!

2008-08-01T16:17:00.001-07:00

happy August everyone! today marks the beginning of the hottest month of summer, which i hate, but also marks the unofficial last month of summer, which i love! just seeing those big, fat, juicy September issues of all my favorite fashion mags on the newsstands makes my heart pound! i love the Fall and can't wait for cool weather, sweaters, boots and blankets again!

but anyways...since there are still a few months of warm weather before us, i wanted to alert you all to my latest adorable fashion finds from Target. i freaking LOVE Target and think it's the best thing since TiVo! Target has adorable affordable clothes and shoes, a fabulous beauty section, great things for your house and kitchen and food to boot! what more could a bargain-savvy girl ask for?! the only thing that could make me love Target more would be if they had an in-store Sephora or they gave me an unlimited free gift card.

first there's this adorable striped dress for $15 which looks about a thousand times cuter in real life than it does in this picture! i'm not really a dress person per say because i feel that my legs aren't exactly up to supermodel standards but even i can rock this casual dress. it's easy to wear, not too short, looks cute with flats or plain old flip flops and the pockets don't accentuate your hips. i love it so much i got it in this color and green, too!

next is this tiered dress, $15 also, which looks a little 5th grader-ish in the picture but is adorable and not too elementary school in real life. i think this dress is really versatile because you could wear it just the way it is with flip flops or heels when it's warm out and then when it cools down, you could add a cardigan, a cute scarf, tights and/or knee boots and it would still look great! you could keep it super casual or dress it up (somewhat) for a date or a night out with the girls. i also got this one in 2 colors, grey and turquoise (hey, i know it's not super adventurous to get several of the same dresses in different colors but i got a little overexcited that i had finally found dresses i liked myself in!)

next is this really, really cute green tunic-style shirt, $9.99 (which also looks not-so-cute-at-all in the picture; what's up with these pictures?!) that i almost didn't try on because i find a lot of shirts with elastic under the boobs very unflattering even on 90 lb models, but i'm glad i did because it's really nice! it comes in several different colors and is a really easy throw-it-on-in-2 -seconds-and-still- look-decent kind of shirt. love!

last of all there is this simple but interesting tank top, $9.99, that comes in several different colors of which i picked white and grey. it has ruching along the neckline, sleeves and hem that just adds a little something to an otherwise standard wardrobe staple. the white one looks especially adorable with a long gold chain necklace, my super dark skinny jeans cuffed at the ankle and bright red strappy stilettos! classic with a twist, and perfect for a hot summer night when you want to be comfortable but still look your most adorable.

these are just a few of the treasures to be found at Target. it should be your first stop if you're looking for camisoles or spaghetti strap tanks to go under things, flip flops in every color of the rainbow or some cute new pajama pants. what i love most is to see the type of woman who's not so hung up on status and labels that she can mix a ten dollar shirt from Target with a $175 pair of jeans, $2 earrings from Forever 21 and a $300 handbag and end up looking a thousand times more unique and fabulous than the fashion victim in head-to-toe designer clothes! this is my fashion inspiration.

Tried and True (Blue)

2008-07-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

remember Bath and Body Works? i know you all do, because you went there during high school everytime you hit up the mall to get your Cucumber Melon lotion and your favorite Juniper Breeze body splash! then, like me, you probably outgrew B&BW and moved on to Sephora, Nordstrom's, etc. for your bath and body needs. what we didn't know was that while we were ignoring B&BW all these years since, it was growing up right along with us!

although it's still not my most beloved store, there are definitely some things worth checking out at the old B&BW. what i'm really into right now is their True Blue Spa line, an in-house brand of goodies that is supposed to give you a spa experience in the comfort of your own home. they have tons of products ranging from lotions to hand creams to scrubs and even self tanners (one of which The Beauty Addict is a big fan of!). the product that's getting the most love from me at the moment is their I'm In The Mood For Scrub Foaming Body Buff With Shea Butter Beads, $20 (for 16 fl. oz.). this bright blue scrub works overtime at getting your body smoothed, exfoliated, and softened. i don't know about you but i like a really good buffing from my scrubs, and it seems that a lot of them don't get the job done at all! they're either too creamy with not enough beads, the beads are too gentle or they just plain don't work any better than a washcloth! definitely not the case with I'm In The Mood For Scrub, which really attacks that dry, scaly skin and leaves your body as smooth as glass! it only takes a small amount massaged into wet skin, making sure to really hit all the dry areas like elbows, back of arms, knees and shins, to leave you as soft as a baby's bottom. it's the perfect thing to use before self tanning because although the shea butter beads leave you moisturized, they never leave you greasy or with a film lingering on your skin. this scrub rinses clean and as an added bonus, it smells great! although $20 might seem like a lot compared to the scrub you use now, it's worth it to have a product that really does it job and lasts for a long time. i'm planning to try more things from the True Blue Spa line, and i'll report back on what other gems there are waiting for us at B&BW!

what are your favorite scrubs? any tips or tricks on how to get your bod in tip top soft and smooth shape? let me know in the comments!

WTF?!

2008-07-31T14:14:00.001-07:00

can someone PLEASE tell me what in the f**k is going on with Katie Holmes these days?! girlfriend went from an adorable, super stylish and age appropriate young mom to a 75 year old crazy lady circa 1986! i don't care if she's shooting a movie or not, i wouldn't look like this in public (or private!) for 10 million dollars a DAY! how can you go from looking like this (right) to that scary 80's Mary Kay grandma up above? she needs to straighten out that HIDEOUS hairdo, wash off all that theatre makeup and start from scratch. has anyone else been wondering what's up with her lately besides me?

ISO Summer Moisture

2008-07-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

it's officially summer, and i couldn't be less thrilled. YES! i said it. i am not a big fan of the summer anymore! when i was younger and summer meant no school, running around free with no responsibilities and swimming and sunbathing all day, me and summer were very close. now that i'm all grown up and responsibilities never end and i don't get to swim, to me summer is just a hot, annoyingly long stretch of feeling sweaty and extra pale. plus, in the summertime wearing makeup isn't half as much fun because no one wants to feel anything heavy on their faces. because of this, the first thing that has to change about your summer routine is your moisturizer! you've got to go lighter, sheerer, and for most people, less moisturizing.

during the colder months i love to slather all kinds of luxurious, thick, super moisturizing creams on my slightly combo skin but in the summer that would be a recipe for disaster. instead, what i like to look for is a product that is light and easily absorbed but still does it's job making sure my skin doesn't get flaky without also turning it into an oil slick. one of my newly discovered favorites for this job is Clean and Clear's Dual Action Moisturizer, $5.99. now i know what you're thinking; Clean and Clear is for teenagers! and yes, it is a line marketed towards younger people, but this moisturizer is worth venturing into teenybopper territory. it's oil-free formula is perfect for hot, humid summer days when your skin needs hydration minus the extra greasiness and the small amount of salicylic acid included helps to clear pores and fight breakouts without drying out your skin. it's light, absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and ready for makeup. an added bonus? after applying, the Dual Action Moisturizer gives your skin a refreshing cool tingle! it might surprise you at first but it's a very nice pick-me-up on a muggy morning!

if you're looking for a lighter moisturizer but don't need salicylic acid or a tingle, another great, affordable option is Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion, $10.99 (for sixteen ounces, a LOT of product!). i've had my bottle of Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion for almost three years now and still haven't finished it up! i absolutely adore this lotion and it's heavier, cream counterpart for moisturizing my thirsty skin and creating a perfect canvas for makeup (especially when used under the eyes, it really sets the stage for a smooth concealer application). the lotion is a perfect summer choice because it's light, soothes and plumps up the skin without leaving it greasy and absorbs without leaving behind any stickiness. it's important to use only a small amount of this lotion because applying too much could leave you shiny, but when used in moderation it's great! non-comedogenic and perfect for sensitive skin, Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion contains no lanolins, parabens, and is fragrance-free.

if you're looking to treat yourself to something special, then Ojon's Tawaka Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cream, $55, is the product for you. this 99% natural cream is chock full of wild-crafted antioxidants including savage cacao, which has the antioxidant equivalent of 204 pounds of blueberries! hypoallergenic, preservative and color-free, Tawaka moisturizes the skin and protects it against damage from free radicals. why do i love this so much? first of all, although it has a hefty price tag, you're getting 6.1 ounces of product in this jar--a humongous amount! most face creams of the same price give you 1.5 ounces if you're lucky, so if you look at it the right way, Tawaka is a bargain! the cream itself is almost the texture of a balm but somehow manages to completely disappear once you've applied it to your skin! now, let me tell you, your face is left unbelievably soft and hydrated, but there is absolutely no trace of any kind of 'product' left behind on your skin. it makes the most amazingly PERFECT base for mineral makeup of anything i've ever tried, acting as a kind of natural primer that holds the minerals and makes everything look smooth and glowy. i've never had it cause any kind of irritation or breakouts, and on the contrary it actually seems to soothe troubled skin. although i reserve this cream for my face, you can use it all over your body and even in your hair! it's a perfect do-it-all product for summer and even better for traveling since it eliminates lugging along a moisturizer, makeup primer, body cream, and hair smoother. i've had my jar for atleast 6 months now and still haven't put much of a dent in it, so it'll last you quite a while if you can make the initial splurge.

using a lighter moisturizer in the summer will help to prevent all kinds of nasty occurrences like clogged pores, mid-day oil slicks, and makeup meltdown. what are your favorite products to use when the temperature rises? let me know in the comments!

Clean and Clear and Cetaphil products can be found at your drugstore and grocery stores and Ojon's line can be purchased from QVC.

Lash Stash

2008-07-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

i just happened to come across this on Sephora's website and wanted to share--swoon! SEVEN mini mascaras for the price of one expensive mascara ($28)?! now that's a collection i can get on board with! there is nothing i enjoy more than buying/testing new mascaras so of course this Lash Stash really gets my blood flowing. only problem is, i've found in several cases (such as Too Faced Lash Injection and Benefit BAD Gal Lash) that the mini versions of some mascaras are NOTHING like their full-sized counterparts. i have no idea how this could be, seeing as how i'm sure the formula is the same (how could it not be?) and the brush is also the same design, but i'm telling you it's the truth. there is no comparison between the mini Lash Injection and the regular one! the mini gives no volume whatsoever and you're left with the most average results you can possibly imagine. i've never tried the full-sized BAD Gal Lash, but the mini didn't give me any volume or length, either, and i know that the original is supposed to give you mega-lashes. any ideas on why the smaller packaging changes the final results of the mascara?

More Chi for Me!

2008-07-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

you know how sometimes you're using a product that you're totally thrilled with but after you've been loyal to it for awhile you start to notice your eye wandering over to something else? this is exactly what happened to me recently after using my beloved Kiehl's Heat Protective Straightening Cream,$15, for a little over a year. it works wonderfully, is top tier in my personal Hair Product Hall of Fame, and does everything i need it to do, but...i want to try new things that work even better! and so goes the life of a beauty junkie.

when i was doing research on Folica.com before purchasing my Babyliss Pro NANO Titanium Flat Iron, i read a lot of customer reviews that recommended using CHI (pronounced "chee", i always thought it was pronounced "kai"until my hairstylist embarrassingly corrected me!) haircare products and they really peaked my interest. i had never tried any of CHI's products before except for one of their flat irons, and with all these rave reviews i figured it was high time i give them a spin.

since i like my naturally wavy hair to be as flat, straight, and silky as humanly possible, CHI's Silk Infusion seemed like the product for me. Silk Infusion is a serum that was designed to be used as a leave-in treatment to smooth, soften, and strengthen the hair using ingredients like silk, wheat and soy proteins. it doesn't cause build-up (supposedly, i'll have to report back on that claim after further use), leaves the hair super shiny and protects against heat-styling. now i used serums when they first came out back in the original Frizz Ease days, but for quite a few years since i've moved on to hair creams, so i was very nervous the first time i used Silk Infusion since we all know that if you use even a drop too much of serum it can ruin your whole blowout and leave you with a total grease mop! because of that fear, i didn't use enough and my results were only so-so. the second time i used Silk Infusion (always on damp hair before blowdrying) was last night and i conquered my serum overload fear, used the right amount (i'd say about a dime-sized drop distributed evenly throughout my hair but concentrated more towards the ends), and got the most amazing, exciting, jump-up-and-down results from a hair product that i've gotten in years! my hair was literally as smooth as silk and as shiny as glass! and remember, it was just last week that i got my hair dyed, bleached, and highlighted, so it's not in it's most naturally shiny state. i only had to run my flat iron over each section of hair one time and it fell completely flat and silky, as straight as a poker, just the way i like it! and the smell- the SMELL! it's the most luxuriously expensive salon smell i've ever smelled. total haircare heaven! the only not-so-heavenly part of Silk Infusion is that it can be pretty pricey; i got my 2 oz. bottle at Walgreen's for a wallet-breaking $13.50, and let me tell you that 2 oz. is not a lot of product! the only good things about this are 1. you only need a tiny bit so a 2 oz. bottle should last you a long time and 2. you can definitely buy bigger bottles or find better prices online.

as if one amazing product from CHI isn't enough, i also recently acquired their Shine Infusion Thermal Polishing Spray, $10.99, which is a weightless shine-enhancing finishing spray that leaves your hair soft, de-poufed and perfectly 'done'. it's a miracle fix for your second day hair that is feeling a little dry and fuzzy and needs something to make it look brand new again! now i know that just a few posts ago i went on and on about how my L'oreal Studio Line Shine Seeker Glass Shine Spray is such a great product for such a great (low) price and how i felt no need to use something three times as much just because it was high-end but...well... isn't there room for more than one shine spray in every girl's bathroom?! ok, now i know i'm rationalizing, and if i was ever low on funds my L'oreal shine spray would be just fine, but i think i like the Shine Infusion just a little bit more! i really prefer how Shine Infusion comes in an aerosol can that sprays out an extremely fine mist as opposed to the pump spray of the L'oreal product. and once again, the Shine Infusion has that amazing expensive salon smell that i just can't get enough of! the point is, they're both fabulous products and i will continue to love and use them both.

after trying and adoring these two products from CHI, i'm wondering what other things i'm missing from this incredible brand! what are your favorite CHI products? have you ever tried Shine or Silk Infusion, and if so, what did you think? let me know in the comments!

Egg Crazy!

2008-07-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

ok readers, today i have two little words for you: PED EGG! this little contraption has completely won me over and now i am ready to get on top of buildings (or on my webpage, same diff) and sing it's praises! this amazing little tool is my newest must-have and just might be my favorite purchase of 2008 so far!

you know how after a spring and summer of wearing nothing but sandals your feet get all heinous and hoof-like? well, mine do. since i basically start wearing sandals in April and never go back to shoes until after September, my feet start to resemble those of a Cro Magnon. my heels get rock hard and all scratchy, i get a bump on the outside of each big toe, and i am horribly embarrassed to wear cute, strappy sandals when my feet are the texture of concrete. i mean craggy concrete feet don't exactly beg to be put into a pair of Manolos, do they? or, in my case, a pair of really cute sandals from Target! i have a heavy-duty pumice stone that i keep in the shower and even though i go crazy on my feet every few nights, they never get smooth or soft like i want them to be. i've tried those salicylic acid creams, metal exfoliators, sandpaper-like devices, and nothing works well enough. enter the Ped Egg!

the Ped Egg is actually a plastic egg-shaped device that has stainless steel micro-files on one side and a little area to catch the dead skin that you remove when you use it (and a truly wonderful thing-- once you wear out the blades on the file that comes with the Ped Egg, you can purchase three replacement files for only $9.99!). it's quick and easy to use, fits comfortably into your hand, is easy to wash with soap and water, costs only ten dollars and works better than ANY OTHER FOOT SMOOTHING TOOL I HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE IN MY LIFE! even after a top-notch $40 pedicure my feet have never been half as smooth as they are after using the Ped Egg for under ten minutes. it basically just shaves off the old, hardened, dead skin that accumulates on your feet and is impossible to remove any other way. it gets rid of years of craggy heel build-up and leaves your feet perfectly smooth and soft! and the best part? it doesn't hurt a bit. not even a teensy little bit, and believe me, i would be willing to put up with a little discomfort to get results this amazing, but i don't have to!

since i'm a weirdo person who enjoys things like facial extractions and Biore Pore Strips, my favorite part of the Ped Egg is taking off the lid when you're done and seeing all that dead skin that you've just removed! it's highly gross and super satisfying. i thought since i try to practice full disclosure with my blog and really give you my honest opinion on the products i write about that i'd show you what was in my Ped Egg after the first time i used it. reader beware!

i really hope that if you have any roughness on your feet, you'll give the Ped Egg a chance. you will fall in love with how simple, painless, and easy it is to have baby soft feet again after suffering from hooves for so long! i bought mine (a limited-edition pink version supporting breast cancer) at Walgreen's and you should too because if you end up not liking it, you can return it with no questions asked. now go get Egging!

the Ped Egg and it's replacement files are available at drugstores like Walgreen's and Rite Aid, Target, WalMart, and at their website.

Hair Color Upkeep

2008-07-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

HOLA readers! i'll just jump right in and tell you that the odd mystery-face picture you're seeing above is The Kitty herself! last Tuesday i had an appointment for a cut and color by the fabulous Katie at Wack Salon here in Portland, OR and after over four hours in her chair, i emerged a brand new woman! well, a brand new looking woman that is. does anyone else seem to find that every time they go for a major cut/color it takes them this long before they're finished? i feel like i'm the only weirdo out there who's hair always takes over four hours to do! anyways, i had my shoulder-length, faded auburnish-brown hair transformed into a mid-neck length A-line cut with some cute bangs in a fresh auburn shade with some bright coppery highlights! and i LOVE it. i would highly recommend going to see Katie if you're ever in the area, because she is amazing!

now that i have my naturally mousy dishwater blonde hair cleverly disguised as a gorgeous deep red, i'd like to prevent it from fading and becoming boring, so i thought today i'd give you my tips on how to keep newly colored hair looking as good as the day you left the salon! if you're interested in maintaining your own freshly dyed hair, read on!

most traditional shampoos contain harsh detergents and Sodium Laurel Sulfates (or SLS) which are the ingredients that give you the lather that you think is responsible for cleaning your hair. problem is, SLS can strip the healthy natural oils from your mane and also destroy your expensive color! i know the thought of using a shampoo that doesn't lather is very weird to most people, as it also was to me, but i swear, you can get your hair clean and soft and full of body without the suds! one of my favorite ways to cleanse my hair without the suds (also posted about here) is by using WEN Cleansing Conditioners, $28. created by L.A.-based hairstylist Chaz Dean, WEN Cleansing Conditioners clean your hair without the harsh chemicals and detergents that most shampoos contain. by using natural astringent and antibacterial qualities, WEN leaves your hair soft, silky, clean and healthy, all the while perfectly maintaining your dye job! there are several different WEN formulas, but my favorite is the Fig Cleansing Conditioner that was created for dry, damaged, or ethnic hair. it leaves your hair super hydrated without weighing it down at all, and it (like all of the Cleansing Conditioners) can also be used as a leave-in treatment! so put away your shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, and styling cream and just get yourself a bottle WEN, stat!

if you just can't part with those beloved suds, another great shampoo and conditioner set you can try is Pureology's Anti-Fade Complex Hydrate Line. these formulas are not only gentle, hydrating, and super concentrated, but they're also sulfate and salt-free, 100% vegan, and are never tested on animals. their Anti-Fade Complex Hydrate Shampoo, $23.95, produces tons of luxurious lather that deeply but gently cleans your hair, leaving your color as rich and beautiful as the day you got it done. it's also extremely concentrated, so although it's pricey, this shampoo will last you many months used a few times a week. and if you're paying good money for quality hair color, isn't it worth it to buy good products that will help to maintain your look? their Anti-Fade Complex Hydrate Conditioner, $23.95, uses jojoba oil, shea butter, and a multiweight protein complex to restore moisture to your hair and leave it soft, smooth and bouncy. an added bonus is the stimulating tingle you get on your scalp from the peppermint oils that this conditioner contains! i LOVE it!

to keep your colored hair in tip-top shape, a deep conditioning treatment used once a week is also essential. right now i'm loving Redken's Smooth Down Butter Treat, $14.25, for extra hydration. it uses an ionic smoothing complex of macadamia oil, candelilla wax, and cationic refiners to restore your hair's lost oils, smooth roughness and unruly texture, and zap your frizzies with a humidity resistant finish. this deep conditioner is thick, smooth, and seems to melt right into your hair, leaving it super soft with just the right amount of slip. for strengthening hair that's lost some of it's muscle due to coloring, i adore Joico KPAK Deep Penetrating Reconstructor, $16.95. this intensive protein treatment has a balance of 19 essential amino acids that adhere to your hair to reconstruct it in the places it's weakened and protect it from further damage. it smells absolutely amazing, like clean, fresh bananas, and there is a noticeable and visible difference in the health of your hair after ONE treatment! after my last hair dying debacle where the stylist messed up my color and had to dye my hair TWICE and tone it THREE times, Joico KPAK DPR was my savior! in one ten minute treatment, my hair went from over-processed straw to the soft, silky texture i'm used to. this is one little tube that i cannot live without!

other tips for keeping your hair color from fading? using a leave-in product with some sunscreen in it, wearing a hat or bandana when you know you'll be out in the sun, and saturating your hair with conditioner before going swimming in either chlorine or saltwater. if you're dedicated to being vigilant about protecting your color, you'll save yourself a lot of money the next time you have a hair appointment and end up only having to get your roots touched up! good luck from The Kitty, and i'll let you know how the products i've recommended here today work at keeping my red bright and fresh! meow!

Electro Flash Mineralize Eye Shadows

2008-07-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

well readers, you may want to remain seated before you read this next bit of news, but...it seems that MAC has a new collection out! LOL! how shocking, right?! i'm only joking, i adore all things MAC and i love their many, many collections and never miss a chance to run to the nearest counter to check them out! which brings us to this post, which is on the stunning Mineralize Eye Shadows that are in the Electro Flash collection. check out all nine of these beauties, below...

aren't they gorgeous?! i looked at all of them in person today at the MAC counter and i have to say, although all nine are really amazing, my favorites are Sea & Sky and Odd Couple (which looks much prettier and brighter in real life)! these shadows are incredibly pigmented and look gorgeous used as both shadow and as liner (i even tested some out wet! they were fab!). for $17.50 a piece, you're getting a large amount of shadow, several different colors, and endless eye shadow combinations! not a bad deal.

there are also lipsticks and glosses in the collection, which you can see here, but the eye shadows are the standout product. have you tried or purchased any of these shadows, and if so, how are you liking them?

above photo of the eye shadows was borrowed from ebay.

Iconic Show

2008-07-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

so readers, today i got the scoop on a new DiorShow mascara, and i'm not sure but i think i might be the first person to be reporting on this! i just saw it today at Nordstrom's and my eyes almost popped out of my head because it looks VERY PROMISING!

Iconic Show is it's name and it's housed in a very sleek, glam silver tube (it looks a lot like the white tube pictured to the right except it's silver) and it has a silicone brush that has bristles on it in rows at an angle...kind of like rows of little silicone bristles spiraling around the wand! i didn't get a chance to try it on my lashes (because by that time i had already piled on about 15 different mascaras!) but just the appearance of it looks very exciting! the silicone bristles are short, small, and placed very close together, which makes me think that it would be EXCELLENT at lengthening, separating, and fanning out your lashes instead of spiderfying them like the original DiorShow. now i know i might get flamed for that prior statement because many, many people adore the regular DiorShow, but i've tried with three different tubes and several formulations (regular, waterproof, Ultimate, Blackout) and none of them have really wow'ed me the way they're supposed to. i have searched far and wide online and can't find one picture of Iconic Show or any information on it, but i did call a Dior employee and they told me that this new mascara is slated for a Fall release and isn't available for purchase now; it's currently being displayed in the stores to create a buzz and so people can lust after it (i'm guessing). strange because i don't remember the Dior SA i talked to today in Nordstrom's telling me i couldn't buy it...but that's what the Dior person said on the phone. so, very exciting news for those of us who don't yet have a DiorShow mascara to call our own!

if anyone has tested out Iconic Show at their local Nordie's, let me know how you like it! and remember, you heard this fresh-off-the-counter news here, first! ;D

Drugstore Buys

2008-07-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

hello readers! boo, it's Monday! Monday's are the worst because they're the very first day of a long, 5-day work week that seems to stretch on and on forever. my prescription for a way to get through a never-ending Monday? planning an evening trip to your local drugstore to haul some fun, inexpensive beauty goodies! lately i've realized that my recent posts have been mostly about drugstore items, and i wanted to let you know that i have not shunned high-end beauty booty, i've just been on a drugstore streak lately. i promise lots of pricey, high-end reviews in the weeks to come!

to begin my recommendations for great guilt-free drugstore buys, we'll start with my new favorite cleanser, Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Gel Cleanser, around $6. i decided to pick this up on a whim last week because it was on sale for the ridiculously cheap price of $3.19, and because i've been curious about the Garnier skincare for a while now. let's just say i was not disappointed! this cleanser is chock-full of good-for-your skin ingredients like vitamin E, grape extract, green leaf extract and vitamin B5. it's also oil-free and non-comedogenic, so it's safe to use for those who are acne-prone as well as those who aren't. it's allergy and dermatologist tested, and it gently cleanses without drying the skin. i am in love with this cleanser because it lathers up nicely with one pump, smells clean and fresh, takes off every speck of my makeup (including eye makeup) and doesn't leave my skin feeling tight and dry. the apple green packaging is cute looking and super convenient with it's pump dispenser that can be turned to the 'closed' position so that it won't leak product if you have to throw it into your purse or travel with it. i feel that this cleanser really gets my skin squeaky clean in a way that some others don't, and i like that especially right now in the hot weather that makes my skin feel more sweaty and oily than usual. so far after using it for about 3 days, my skin is calm, clear, and soft. i'm sold!

next up is something that i'm very excited about finding! Dove's Cream Oil Ultra Rich Velvet Beauty Bar Soap, $3.89 for two bars, is the second version of this hydrating Dove soap formula. first there was the body wash version, which i own and like except for the fact that the lid traps water from the shower and won't let it out, so when you pick it up to use it, old, cold shower water squeezes out along with your shower cream! this really grosses me out, so much so that it prevents me from using the body wash, because i just imagine that there are all kinds of nasty germs and bacteria brewing in that trapped water! not the kind of thing i want to rub all over my skin. such a shame, because the formula has oil in it and really helps to moisturize dry, flaky skin. i'm so happy that now i can use it without the gross water problem since Dove has introduced the bar version! now that i've washed with both formulations, i even think i like the beauty bar better because it's lather seems fluffier and i feel slightly more moisturized and smooth after my shower.

if you're like me and are always on the lookout for that perfect lip balm, i would highly suggest giving Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, $3.49, a shot! this 95.29% natural lip balm is packed with healthy, hydrating ingredients like ultra-emollient lanolin, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and beeswax to seal moisture into the thin, delicate skin on your lips. what has me hooked on this lip balm is it's light, smooth texture. when i first applied, it seemed like i wasn't really getting enough of the balm to transfer onto my lips no matter how many times i swiped! this frustrated me, and i almost wrote it off as a miss, but it was after i went on with the rest of my day and noticed that over an hour later the balm was still perfectly in place and my lips were very soft and smooth! i guess i'm used to a more heavy, waxy feeling texture, but this featherlight balm stayed intact for longer than any other balm i've ever used. it has no taste, which is a huge plus for me, and no artificial smell! score! and, since this balm is so thin while still being very effective, it makes it perfect to layer underneath glosses or lipsticks when your lips need some extra hydration. a great buy for under $5, these balms also come in different flavors and formulas, like Medicated, Lifeguard's Choice, Honey, and Replenishing Balm with Pomegranate Oil!

last but never least, if you're looking for a waterproof mascara to keep your lashes looking lovely in the rising temperatures, i would highly recommend Cover Girl Volume Exact Waterproof Mascar a in Blackest Black, $7.50. as i've written before, i'm a big fan of the regular version of this thickening, lengthening, non-clumping mascara, and the waterproof version doesn't disappoint. i decided to pick up a waterproof mascara because it's been ungodly hot here and i didn't want to risk having a mascara meltdown, so i went with a trusted favorite, and i'm glad i did! although the waterproof version of Volume Exact seems to be a tiny bit less volumizing, it still gives the same great results as the original, and it comes off easily with my Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes, and Lips, $16.50. i've used Take the Day Off exclusively since i was a teenager, and it works so well that i've never even felt the need to experiment with other makeup removers! i usually tend to avoid waterproof mascaras like the plague because i think that all that extra pulling and tugging to remove them wreaks havoc on delicate lashes, but sometimes it's a necessary evil, and as long as you remove the mascara correctly, your lashes should be ok. my tip for tug-free waterproof mascara removal is to take a cotton pad (NOT a cotton ball, i don't think they work half as well), saturate half of it with makeup remover, and press it onto your lashes for a good 1-1.5 minutes for each eye. this will begin to melt and loosen up the bond the mascara has created over your lashes, so that you will only have to use the most minimal pressure to remove the pigment. after holding the pad over your lashes for a minute, apply gentle pressure and sweep the pad straight downwards, repeating as necessary. never, ever wipe back and forth over your lashes with the pad, it will cause unnecessary pulling and tugging on the fragile skin around your eyes and damage to your lashes. it's my personal belief that unless you have major mascara smudging problems, you should only use waterproof mascaras on special occasions, and your lashes will thank you for it!

what are your favorite drugstore guilty pleasures? your favorite, cheapest finds? let me know in the comments!

THRILLED!

2008-07-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

after what seemed like an eternity (but was actually only 8 days), my Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1-1/4" Straightening Iron arrived at my doorstep this afternoon! i have been so insanely excited to get it that when i actually saw the package sitting at my doorstep, i was overcome with a gut-wrenching terror that i had chosen the wrong iron, it would suck and i would really hate it which would then result in me spending even more money to send it back in and wait another decade (or 8 days) for a new iron. but...turns out i was wrong!

i ran upstairs, plugged it in, selected my heat setting of 375 degrees (one great quality about the PRO Nano Titanium is that it has five heat settings ranging from 300-450 degrees, so you choose the one that's hot enough for your hair, and don't have to use a temperature that's too high and potentially damaging to your hair type) and was amazed at how insanely quickly it heated up! now i've had other high-end flat irons, and they also heated up pretty quickly, but it seemed like the moment i pressed the ON/OFF button, the Babyliss was already hot! this is a wonderful thing for those times when you're rushing around like a scalded flea, trying desperately to get out of the house because you're running late. do you remember the days of waiting for 20 minutes for your flat iron to heat up? i used to get so mad at my friend Tara when we were getting ready to go out and she'd sneak into the bathroom and used my iron when it was at the peak of it's hotness! the next time Tara comes to visit me, there'll be no fighting over the flat iron and waiting around for it to heat up, because this Babyliss is white hot in seconds!

after the iron got hot, i took a small section of hair and, mentally crossing my fingers, slid the iron down the locks. what i noticed immediately was how smooooothly the iron glided down my hair, there was no skipping or tugging required, and not ONE hair snagged in the irons plates. this was a huge annoyance to me when using the CHI, because unless you had your hair perfectly centered on the plates, it would snag and rip out strands of your hair. not only was this painful and annoying, but extremely damaging to my hair! after straightening my whole head of hair with the PRO Nano Titanium, there wasn't one strand snagged. so far, so good!

as far as the actual straightening goes, i was majorly impressed with the results i achieved! although i consider myself a hair-straightening guru, i have NEVER gotten my hair straighter than i did using the PNT. even my ends, which are rightfully fried after 6 months without a trim, are pin straight. that is quite a feat at this particular time because my hair is at that weird, in-between short and medium length where it's just skimming my shoulders, and it's impossible to keep it straight when it's constantly being pushed up by my shoulders (does that make sense to anyone?). although it got my hair completely straight, the PNT didn't make it feel dry or fuzzy like some irons can. it left it very smooth and shiny! although some people skip using products altogether when straightening their hair, i think it's extremely important to use something that protects your hair from the heat and also makes it soft and silky. my pick for a straightening styling product is Kiehl's Heat Protective Straightening Cream, $15, which i've reviewed before. it's an amazing product, and currently the only thing i have to use to keep my hair looking great!

so far, the Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1-1/4" Straightening Iron gets a 9/10 from the Kitty. the reason for one point being subtracted is the price, which is very expensive! although it is extremely pricey, it is a quality product and it does come with a 4 year warranty, something unheard of for a hair appliance! (the CHI only has a ONE year warranty) if you consider that you'll get atleast 4 years of use out of the Babyliss iron, the $130 pricetag doesn't seem as bad. all in all, it seems that i picked the perfect model for my straightening needs! this Kitty is one very happy cat! meow!

Shine On (A VERY Cheap Thrill)

2008-07-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

you know how there's some days when you've done your whole hair routine and you're getting ready to walk out the door but your hair just looks bleh? it might be kinda fuzzy or poufy, or the ends are looking parched, or it could just be lacking sleekness and shine. well my dear readers, i have the perfect inexpensive product to solve all these hair dilemmas. L'oreal Studio Line Shine Seeker Glass Shine Spray, $3.99 (at Ulta), is the perfect final touch to hair that's not quite behaving. it's your typical silicone-based shine spray, but what's different about Shine Seeker is the fact that it's super light weight and doesn't weigh down your hair in the least bit. a lot of shine sprays can give you that greasy, heavy-feeling hair that looks like it hasn't been washed for days and leaves you with comb tracks after brushing. gross! not the look i'm ever going for. Shine Seeker just gives weightless gloss, smooths flyaways and gives a sleek look to fried ends that are in desperate need of a trim (i should know, it's been almost 6 months since my last cut! don't worry, i have an appointment on Saturday). just to be extra careful that i don't overload on any particular section of hair, i spray two spritzes in my palm, rub my hands together, and then smooth my hands over my locks, starting around my ears and going down, concentrating the bulk of the product on the last 2 inches of my hair. it always gives my hair a little sleekness, and you just can't beat the price! i've had the bottle i'm using now for atleast 3 months and haven't even put a dent in it. you could always use a high-end shine product and spend 6 times more, but why do that when L'oreal's is holy grail material? this is a definite must-have for any beauty queen, whether you're a straight girl or a curly girl (when my hair was long and i air-dryed it loose and wavy, this gave me great shine, which can be hard to get on curly hair). an easily awarded 10/10 from this Kitty!

L'oreal Studio Shine Seeker Shine Spray can be purchased at most grocery stores, Target-type stores, and Ulta, where i've found it's the cheapest. enjoy!

Colossal Lashes

2008-07-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

the other day as i was strolling through Walgreen's my eyes focused on a giant, neon yellow display of new mascara! as you may guess, my heart started beating double-time and i was shamefully running to the checkout counter moments later, new mascara in hand. what was this mascara you ask? none other than Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express, $7.99! this is obviously Maybelline's version of Cover Girl Lash Blast; after that mascara's wild success they must have been desperate to put out a competitor! i wish Maybelline would have had the guts to go a different way, though-- everything from the chubby, neon tube to the huge brush and the promise of super thick lashes just screams "Lash Blast copycat!" however, in my opinion Colossal Volum' Express easily beats Lash Blast hands down! it is a much better mascara.

we'll start off with the brush: it's fairly big, but not so big that it's impossible to use (i'm talking to YOU, DiorShow!). surprisingly, Colossal Volum' Express did not follow suit with all the newer mascaras and use rubber bristles, it has a regular 'teddy bear' brush with old-school bristles. i bought Glam Black, and i'm not sure how it differs from Classic Black or Soft Black (the other color offerings in this mascara), but it's a very nice, dark and sooty matte black, very pleasing! there is nothing worse to this Kitty than a dull gray mascara that claims to be black. as for the application, after i carefully curled my lashes (a must!) i swept this on without wiggling as usual, and had no problems with clumpage or overloaded lashes. it took me two coats to get the coverage i like, and although sometimes two coats results in thick, spiderly lashes with other mascaras, Colossal Volum' thankfully didn't go that route. the results i got were very long, very dark and just-thick-enough lashes that looked nice and feathery and stayed curled fairly well. all in all, i would give this mascara a 7/10. it's very nice, and i will definitely throw it into my mascara rotation, but it didn't WOW me the way i was hoping it would. i still prefer my drugstore favorite, Cover Girl Volume Exact, over Colossal Volum' Express, but that's not to say that this isn't a very worthwhile mascara. it's definitely worth a try at under $10, and i'd happily recommend it.

above picture of the mascara wand courtesy of peacegiraffe on Make Up Alley.

Happy 4th of July!!!

2008-07-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

today is the 4th of July, and in it's honor i thought i'd do a fun, quick post on one of my favorite red, white, and blue products! so enjoy, and have a wonderful 4th!

Aquafresh Extreme Clean Whitening Toothpaste, $3.99 (red, white and blue!). Aquafresh is a brand of toothpaste i've been loyal to for years now because of it's mild taste and fantastic tooth-cleaning abilities! most other toothpastes are just too strong and minty for my taste-- some actually burn my mouth and that's no good! Aquafresh cleanses your teeth without discomfort, whitens them significantly and the Extreme Clean formula foams up to release thousands of germ killing bubbles that refresh your whole mouth! the price is definitely right for under $4, and one tubes lasts forever since you only need a little bit for each brushing. all the makeup in the world can't help you to look good if you have mossy, yellow teeth so go to your dentist regularly and brush atleast twice a day!!!

We Have a Winner!

2008-07-03T22:05:00.001-07:00

after much back breaking research over the Great Flat Iron Debate 2008 (haha!), the one i settled on and ordered was this gorgeous icy blue number, the Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium 1-1/4" Straightening Iron, $129.99! although i'm still in sticker shock over the heinous price, i'm very, VERY excited about the arrival of this couture flat iron. it has longer plates than normal to make straightening easier and comes with a 4 year warranty, which i think says a lot about the quality of the product because if it wasn't well made and fairly durable, they wouldn't give you a warranty that lasted that long! it also has amazingly positive reviews on both Folica and MUA, so that gives me great hope that it will be a match made in hair straightening heaven. since i ordered s&h free from Folica.com, the price wasn't as bad as it could have been if i'd purchased from a salon or highend haircare store, so let's just hope it was worth the loot. it should be arriving within a few days, and i'll be reviewing it immediately if not sooner. wish me luck!!!

Cheap Thrills

2008-07-03T21:28:00.000-07:00

lately i have been extremely interested in body washes, scrubs, and other shower goodies which is odd because i've been a strictly Dove soap girl forever! it was the Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castille Soap that i bought a while ago that sparked this latest fixation and ever since then i've been sniffing around for other interesting bathing products. this little gem pictured above is from a line available at Target called Soap and Glory. it was actually created by Marcia Kilgore, the genius behind Bliss products, but Soap and Glory comes at a more affordable price for those of us who can't pass up a good bargain...like...ME!!!

the Clean On Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel, $9.99, is a fantastic bargain at under ten dollars for a whopping 16.2 fluid ounces! the 'gel' itself isn't actually a gel at all; it's more of a rich, moisturizing shower cream that foams up to produce satisfyingly fluffy lather! it cleanses your skin thoroughly without stripping it and leaves it fairly hydrated once you've dried off, even without using an additional moisturizer post shower (quite a feat for my very dry skin!). to my nose it smells pretty but some reviews i've read said that it's floral fragrance can compete with your perfume, so sniff before you buy if you're sensitive to that kind of thing. the 2 ounce travel size bottle i bought was only $3 so if you're not sure, pick up that size and test it out. i'm definitely planning on buying the regular size! not that it really matters, but even their packaging is adorable in a retro, 50's housewife, Benefit sort of way! it would definitely look adorable sitting in your bathroom. besides the shower gel, i'd also like to try some of Soap and Glory's other products, like their Righteous Butter Body Lotion, $9.99. even better yet? pick up the Scrub Triangle Mini Gift Set, $9.99, to get mini bottles of the shower gel, body butter and their body scrub! it would make a great gift for any of your girlfriends...or if you're me, for yourself! ;D

the next time you're at Target, stop by the cosmetics department and check out their whole line of products, which includes a much applauded lip plumper called Sexy Motherpucker! yes readers, shocking 'sex' marketing sells, much to the dismay of little old ladies at Target's nationwide! meow!

To Grow or Not to Grow & How to Look Like Bardot

2008-07-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

ever since i saw the sleek new haircut Michelle Monaghan has been sporting lately, i've been wanting to grow my hair out and run to the nearest salon! i love the shiny, perfectly straight shoulder skimming length and the heavy, eye flattering bangs. VA-VA-voom! as i've been mulling over the idea of trying this haircut out, i realized that this isn't the first time i've been infatuated with this look, i loved it on Heidi Klum a few years ago, too! i think the reason that i'm so taken with this particular kind of haircut is that in my opinion it's very modern-day Brigitte Bardot, and i looooove all things Brigitte Bardot. i mean, has there ever been another woman who even came close to being as sexy as she did?! i don't think so!

on the beauty side of this post, if you'd like to incorporate a little bit of Brigitte sexiness into your life, i'd start out in the shower with some majorly volumizing shampoo and conditioner, making sure that you only condition from mid-shaft down, as you don't want to weigh down your roots. after towel-drying, you'll need a volumizing product like Aveda Volumizing Tonic, $14, to rub into your roots for some lift. then take your blow dryer and a round brush and blow out your hair without making it too straight, you want it to look messy and sexy! hold your hair straight up from the roots and blast them with the hot air, it will help them hold their height and give you luscious volume. after you're done blow drying, skip your flat iron and tousle your hair into shape with your hands.

for the makeup, you'll want to paint on a thick, sharp, winged line of black liquid liner to give you irresistible doe eyes! my favorite liner for this kind of look is MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, $15, or for a less expensive liner, try Physician's Formula Eye Definer Felt-Tip Eye Marker, $6.95. either one will give you the perfect look, just make the line thick enough and be sure to get it right down into your lash line to avoid the gap-between-the-lashes-and-liner look. rim the lower lashes also, but only bring the line in halfway to the inner corner of your eye to avoid closing your eye up and making it seem smaller. skip eye shadow, and instead give your brows some natural definition with a pencil like Maybelline's Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil, $6.50. for your lashes, you'll want the biggest, flirtiest, lushest results you can possibly get, so i'd recommend falsies if you're going to be sporting this look at night, or a mascara like Christian Dior's DiorShow Mascara, $24, if you aren't a false-eyelash guru. for the lips, you'll want a soft, petal pink color that gives you the nude effect turned up just a notch. i'd recommend either MAC's Blankety lipstick, $14, or NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer, $24, to get the perfect pout. last but not least, Brigitte always had the perfectly tawny, sun-kissed skin, and although natural always looks best, we certainly don't want to court the disaster that laying out in the sun brings. for a faux beach bunny look, try a bronzer like Benefit's HOOLA, $28, Guerlain's Terracotta Bronzing Powder, $42, or if you don't like powder, NARS The Multiple in Palm Beach, $37. sweeping any of these across your cheekbones, forehead, nose and chin should give you a beautiful golden glow without any damage being done to your skin.

no matter what look you're going for, confidence is key. don't wear clothes that make you feel uncomfortable, don't wear makeup that you think isn't you, and don't do anything to compromise the most important beauty rule: be yourself, because you are beautiful! au revoir, mon cheries!

CHI Goes Kaput!

2008-07-02T12:19:00.001-07:00

there are few things in life that i truly consider myself an expert on, but flat irons and hair straightening is one of them. i've been straightening my hair in some form since the tender age of 13 and have learned quite a few lessons, tips, tricks and NO-NO's over the years, thereby earning the expert status in my opinion. i was the first one of my friends to own a flat iron and i'll never forget the exciting results i achieved with that magical Helen Of Troy tool!

over the years i moved up in the world of flat irons, eventually going from ones bought at Sally Beauty Supply and Target to the CHI iron which i've been using faithfully for the past 6 years. YES! you read it correctly, six long years. i've read many reviews where people say that they hate CHI irons because they die so quickly but with mine this was not the case. this flat iron lasted me six long years of daily use and so let's just say i wasn't exactly surprised yesterday when it up and died on me, the little red light giving one sad flicker before going permanently dark. this was a death i had been long expecting, and instead of being upset, i'm actually very excited that i now get to pick out a new flat iron! today i'll be giving you my recommendations on some of the models i've used and also asking for your help picking out a new one. so please readers, use that comment feature and give me some feedback!!!

if you're just now contemplating purchasing a flat iron and aren't sure you'll use it all the time, i would recommend buying an inexpensive one to play around with. if you find you don't really like it or only use it on special occasions, it would be kind of silly to spend over a hundred dollars on it, right? there are several very good flat irons out there that won't cost you an arm and a leg, and i especially like Conair's Professional 2-1/2 Inch Ceramic Straightener, $52.99. it has nice, wide plates that work well on long or short hair, heats up in 60 seconds, has 25 heat settings, is comfortable to handle and straightens hair quickly. this is an iron i used for a while when i was bored with my CHI, and i now keep it on hand as a back-up for times like right now!

another inexpensive option is the Helen of Troy line of flat irons i previously mentioned that are sold at Sally Beauty Supply (and can also be found online and many other retailers). for a starter iron, these get the job done without massacring your wallet. they have a wide variety of sizes and features, and usually last atleast a year or two before burning out. if you decide you really love sleek, straight hair and want to upgrade, you can always splurge on a more expensive iron, like...

one of the models i'm trying to decide between. although the CHI served me well, i have brand ADD and would really like to try another type of flat iron. so far the candidates for purchase are...

1. the Sedu Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron, $115.95 (and free S&H at Folica.com!). clocking in at 1-1/2 inches, this iron is the model rated #1 by all the customer reviewers at Folica, and that's something i take very seriously. who better to trust about the integrity of a product than the actual people who have bought and used it? and when 3,145 reviewers give a flat iron a 5 star rating, that makes this Kitty stop and take notice. the only problem is, from all my QVC watching i've been slightly seduced by...

2. the T3 Narrow Tourmaline 1" Flat Iron, $129.95 (also free S&H at Folica!). this sleek, slim black iron seemed to work wonders on the super curly hair of the QVC model, but we all know how television can skew the realities of certain things (heLLLLLO, Tarte EmphasEYES eyeliner!). for some reason i feel that T3 makes the Rolls Royces of flat irons, but the reviews on MUA are throwing me off...is it worth the money? $130 is a LOT of money for a person like me, and i don't mind making the initial investment if the iron is going to work wonders and last a long time. i mean, there are just some things that you need to spend some money on to get the best, and flat irons are one of them, in my opinion. if it's not going to be the T3, then my next option is...

3. the HAI Convertable Ceramic Flat Iron, $70.95 (free s&h at Folica). this iron also gets amazing reviews on Folica, but for some reason the lower price is throwing me off and making me think that it won't be as high quality as the others (stupid, i know!). it seems to get really great reviews on MUA, and like i said before, i put a lot of faith into those people's opinions. the most important qualities i look for in a flat iron are that it doesn't snag and rip out strands of my hair (an annoying fault of my CHI), it straightens and flattens my hair completely, it seals the 'straight' into my hair and helps to maintain the style all day, and it's comfortable and easy to use. so this is where i need your help!

what is your favorite flat iron? if you've used any of the three i've mentioned above, which one do you like the best? what's the worst flat iron you've ever wasted your hard earned money on? let me know in the comments!

Sirop

2008-06-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

my newest lip obsession of the moment is Chanel's Glossimer in Sirop. it turns out that i'm probably the last person alive in the free world to not have known about the magic of this lip gloss! it is revered for it's ability to flatter anyone's skin color and how versatile it is with different types of looks. it is unlike any other color i've ever come across, and i've gazed upon many, many glosses!

i think the thing that is making me so crazy over this particular lip gloss is the fact that i am very much not a 'pink girl'. i don't like pink lipstick, pink lipgloss, or pink blush. since i'm very fair with pink and yellow undertones, i feel like i look like a creepy babydoll when i try to wear pinks. not so with Sirop, which is like a light coral/pink color that's almost fluorescent but very sheer and juicy looking. that's about the best i can describe it, you'll have to experience it for yourselves. this color just lights up my face and brings some oomph and volume to any makeup look i'm doing (particularly working well with my crazy electric winged liner days of late). i am so excited about it, i'm actually thinking about springing for a full-sized tube, at the OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive price of $27! right now i'm babying the small sample-sized tube i have, and counting my precious pennies.

what's your favorite i-would-spend-$400-on-it-if-i-had-to gloss? have you ever tried Sirop, and if so, do you love it like i do?

Wing It, Again

2008-06-27T22:50:00.001-07:00

so one of my last posts was about me being fixated with colorful, dramatic winged eyeliner, and i have to say that since that post, i've discovered and tested out a few things that i wanted to add, so i'm doing a little sequel post here for anyone interested! anyways...

the Too Faced Liquif-Eye, $17.50, a felt-tipped liquid eyeliner-style tool that sits in a well of clear liquid turns any eye shadow you have into a sharp, waterproof, liquid-liner looking masterpiece! a few days after writing about it, i returned to Sephora to pick it up and it turned out to be well worth the money! i got the sharpest, clearest line and it was incredibly easy to use. i think it will pack the most punch when paired with dark, shimmery, metallic-looking shadows that are well pigmented and soft in texture. so far i've used it with the following eye shadows: MAC's Deep Truth, Contrast, Urban Decay's Last Call and Smoke and that was only in a few days! i am addicted to this little product, and if you love a liquid liner look but don't want to buy a bunch of different colors, this will be a great buy for you, too.

for those who don't want to commit to buying an eye shadow-to-eyeliner creating product until they've decided they'll really put it to good use, you can test the waters first with Visine Eye Drops! yes, i tested it out for a few days before buying the Liquif-Eye, and it works very well and much better than your standard water from the sink. i'm sure any other saline type eye drops will also work well, so if you're more of a Clear Eyes girl, no big deal. just dip your eyeliner brush lightly into a bit of the Visine and then stroke the surface of your eye shadow to pick up some color and draw away! for some reason the Visine helps the color to go on smoother, stay fresh longer, and look more vivid and metallic. it's definitely a good choice for experimenting, so try it out!

although i think that liquid liners give the best result for this type of look, you can also use pencils if that's what you're most comfortable with. i've found a really nice, soft yet precise and affordable pencil in Prestige's Soft Blend Kohl Eyeliner in Lagoon, $3 (around there, always under $5). Lagoon is a gorgeous, bright, vibrant teal color that stays put and makes a powerful pop above any eyelashes. Prestige also has amazing colors in their liquid liners (pictured at left); the purple, gold and green are my personal favorites! another good pick if you're looking for pretty colors in a pencil form are any of MAC's eyeliners. they have every color of the rainbow and the quality is phenomenal! i love Fluidlines for doing winged liner, but their pencils also make great, bright lines.

do you have any tips or tricks for doing bright winged liner? if so i'd love to hear them, i am obsessed at the moment!

Cheers & Jeers

2008-06-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

hey readers! today i'm going to be giving some opinions on a few things i've tried lately, some good, some very, very bad! a few days ago i went to Mecca (A.K.A. Sephora; to all who may take that offensively, i'm only kidding, promise) and of course, it was a wonderful, manic, exciting experience with me breathlessly running around, eyes as big as saucers, not knowing where to start or what to pick up first! the main reason for my visit was to purchase the Kat Von D for Sephora eye shadow palette in Beethoven, $34-- i was majorly yearning for this palette after looking at the pics of it online and reading all the gushing reviews on MUA, but when i got face-to-face with it, my mature, frugal side caught up with me. although it's gorgeous, i have a dupe of almost every color in it, and i really didn't need to splurge on it at that time. even so, i would definitely recommend buying it if you don't already have similar colors-- it's a phenomenal value for $34 and the shadows are very pigmented and blendable!

next up on the list of things to check out was the Tarte EmphasEYES High Definition Eye Pencil, $18, (posted about recently here). this pencil was made specifically for lining your waterline (or the inner rim of your eyelids) and promises to stay put all day and be very easy to apply thanks to it's slim size. unfortunately, i did buy this one, and wish i had not! while the pencil is a great size and does glide on, that's about where it's attributes end. the color it applies to your waterline is far from the dark, sooty black it should be, and it only stays put for about five minutes before making a getaway to the area beneath your bottom lashes. i was shocked and appalled by this because when i see it demo'd on QVC it looks perfect and seems to stay put! needless to say, this pencil is going straight back to Sephora and i would definitely NOT recommend it if you're wanting it for it's designed use. it may work wonderfully as a regular eyeliner, but that's not what it's marketed for, and not what i wanted it for! BOO!

the next thing i tested and fell madly in love with was Bare Escentuals Multi-Tasking Face (concealer) in Summer Bisque, $18, with the Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush, $20. i have also watched this countless times on QVC but i have never, ever believed that anything in the form of a powder could work on the undereye area without highlighting every tiny, usually invisible line, but... somehow it does! i don't know how, but it works! this concealer went on smoothly and covered up the remaining darkness that my regular concealer had missed, didn't look dry or cakey, didn't accentuate any lines and stayed put for the rest of the (hot) day, all while protecting the delicate undereye area with SPF 20! i am very impressed! kudos to Leslie for a job well done! i would definitely recommend testing this out the next time you're at Sephora or a BE boutique, you may be as surprised as i was!

last and certainly least, today i am thanking the gods of Sephora for the choice i made to take home a sample of Ojon's Hydrating Styling Cream, $10-30, instead of buying the $10-sized tube. this styling cream promises to "dramatically smooth and hydrate dull and damaged hair, adding definition, moisture, and brilliant shine with a blend of 100% pure Ojon palm nut oil. it helps reduce breakage caused by thermal styling, protects hair against UV rays, and prolongs the life of hair color." well, let me be the first to tell you, it doesn't do any of those things (unless it protects against UV rays, i couldn't vouch for that claim). first off, the styling cream has all these tiny orange balls in it, i'm assuming which contain the Ojon palm nut oil, and they have the appearance of those Vitamin E balls that are in some soaps and burst when you touch them. problem is, these do NOT burst, even with vigorous rubbing, and so when you try to smooth the product through your hair, you can still SEE some of the orange balls! yuck! i would be willing to look past that annoying complication if this styling cream left my hair soft, smooth, and hydrated, but it does NONE of those things. instead, after blow-drying and flat-ironing, my hair feels coarse, dry, and straw-like. and my hair isn't even moderately damaged, i would say it's in fairly good shape for being color-treated and heat-styled on a daily basis. so if this styling cream couldn't smooth and moisturize my hair, i can't imagine how horribly off it would leave truly damaged hair! and another thing: i am not super sensitive to smells in products, but many people are, and this weird, cigars-mixed-with-chocolate smell that the Ojon line uses is not pleasing. i know many people who wouldn't use any of the products based solely on the smell alone! this rip-off product gets a big thumb's down from the Kitty, who will never go near it again.

what are your new favorite finds? i'd love to know, so please share!

Oscillation Fascination

2008-06-21T14:29:00.001-07:00

ok, so if you haven't already read on a billion other beauty blogs, this is Lancome's new Oscillation Mascara, set to launch in Fall 2008. so what's with all the buzz on this mascara? well, it's because it actually buzzes! yes, this mascara gives no less than 7,000 vibrations per minute to give you 360 degree lash coverage which i guess equals a perfect fringe. what i'd love to know is how adding vibrations to a rubber-bristled mascara brush is going to make my lashes look perfect? wouldn't it just make it harder to get an even application? wouldn't the buzzing cause many mascara mess-ups? i'd love to know what you all think, so...

Wing It

2008-06-21T13:14:00.001-07:00

lately i have been very fixated on colorful winged eyeliner, and instead of buying a thousand different colors of liquid or gel liner to get this look, i've been using my eye shadows! i already have a bathroom full of eye shadows, and this way i can wear a different color everyday if i want without spending a ton of money. now, there are a few different ways to do this, the better way being to use a liquid specifically designed for this purpose that helps the shadow to go on smoothly and stay on all day! some good options for this are products like MAC's Mixing Medium, a liquid that you add to shadows or pigments to get a liquid color, but unfortunately you can only buy this from the MAC Pro line, which you need a membership to (if interested, go here to join). for those of us who aren't MAC Pro members, i know of a very simple recipe to make a homemade version of the Mixing Medium that works just as well! check out this post from Pursebuzz for the ingredients needed and directions, and start lining! if you're not interested in making your own version, Too Faced has a product called Liquif-Eye, $17.50, which is a clear liquid housed in a little well with a felt-tipped applicator that turns any shadow into a waterproof eyeliner! and if you're me, you just use tap water for the job, LOL!

once you've secured your mixing liquid, you'll need an area to moisten your shadow and make it into a liner! a little tip i've learned is that the easiest thing to use for this is a clean contact lens case! just think about it, it has two perfect little wells where you can mix whatever you'd like, and is inexpensive and easy to clean. perfect! now choose your shadow; i personally like dark, shimmery colors, my current favorite being MAC's Deep Truth eye shadow, $14, a jewel-toned blue color. eye shadow pigments work perfectly for this job, and whether you use one from MAC or one of Bare Escentuals loose shadows, you'll need a brush to apply. my favorite for the job? MAC's 209 Eyeliner brush, $17. if you aren't using a loose shadow, my recommendation is to only moisten your brush slightly and use one small corner of your eye shadow pan to pull color from, so you aren't adding moisture to your whole pan of shadow. do a few practice strokes on your hand to make sure the color saturation is right, and line away!

i think that a bright pop of winged liner looks so modern and fresh, especially for the summer. my favorite way to wear it? without any other eye shadow to complicate things on a slightly bronzed face with sharp, groomed brows and neutral, glossy lips (might i recommend MAC's Bonus Beat lipglass from the Heatherette Collection?). you'll love this look, so don't be afraid to experiment and try it out! and when you get countless compliments, don't forget to thank the Kitty! ;D

Monne (That's What I Want!)

2008-06-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

a while ago, i mentioned that i had purchased a self tanning product from QVC called Monne Express Self Tanning Liquid, $24.50. i was extremely excited to try this but somehow when it finally arrived at my house, it got shelved in the bathroom and slightly ignored. on a whim the other day i tried it, and mon dieu! i am shocked, stunned, awed, wowed-- you get the drift. this is THE FIRST SELF TANNING PRODUCT I HAVE EVER USED THAT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE A REAL TAN! i truly cannot believe it! after testing so many gradual tanners and regular self tanners and bronzers and lotions, i have finally found THE ONE!

anyways, the Monne Express Self Tanning Liquid comes in, of course, a liquid form, which is very thin and basically the consistency of water. i was very worried about how i would apply this smoothly seeing as how i knew it would take ten years to do using cotton pads the way they demo'd application on QVC, so after reading some reviews i went out and bought a foam brush (left), which is basically a sponge on a stick, a very common art/craft store tool that cost me a mere 79 cents at Fred Meyer. this turned out to be one of the best investments i have made in years! i would say that the foam brush was crucial in getting a nice, smooth, QUICK application of the product. at first i tried the cotton pad method and basically it was garbage and was taking forever, plus i can barely stand to touch cotton, it makes me cringe! using the foam brush, i squirted a small amount of the product onto the sponge and then dabbed it on my body, blending in circular motions with first the sponge after i had it in the right spots, and then my hand. this worked like a charm! very easy, i would recommend this method to anyone (like myself) who is NOT a self tanning expert. you could also mix a small amount of the liquid with your regular body lotion if you'd prefer to apply that way! it definitely did help to have my boyfriend present to do my back, but i'm sure everyone has a friend who could help them do this, or if you're an expert, you've figured out a way to do this by yourself (how?). after i had applied the product to my whole body, including face, i was very pleased at how it dried immediately and didn't feel the least bit sticky. however, i noticed a few spots that looked a tiny bit streaky, and since you are directed to apply the product to clean, moisturizer-free skin, i also looked somewhat dry. i solved both these issues by applying lotion and rubbing it in very good, which blended together any streaky areas, kept my skin soft, and helped everything turn out very evenly. literally, i have not ONE word of complaint!

after initial application, i looked very nice and naturally tan, but that was because of the guide color of the product (which did not rub off at all on any of the clothes i wore that day or night). when i woke up later that evening after taking a nap, my body was nicely tanned in a subtle but still very noticeable way! when i washed my face however, it looked kind of pale. i was disappointed, and did another quick facial application, and the next morning when i washed my face again, it was golden tan perfection! absolutely NO streaks, no tell-tale orange areas, just a perfect golden-brown tan in my naturally tanned-skin color. i just couldn't (and still can't) believe it! i truly thought i could never find a self tanner that i would be happy with, and i am ecstatic with my Monne!!! several days later, my tan is fading evenly and slowly. i am in LOVE with this stuff! i would do free advertising for them, which i guess this post is, because i beg of you-- TRY THIS PRODUCT! you will ADORE it! i could go on and on, but i'll spare you my insane gushing ;D

so far, the only place i've found Monne available to purchase is QVC, where they carry the liquid version and an Express Self Tanning Spray Duo where you get two 5.29 fl. oz. for $39.84, a fabulous deal in my opinion. visit QVC and order some for yourself, and let me know how much you love it!

For Anonymous's Brow Question...

2008-06-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

after a recent post i did entitled Brow Business, i received a comment from a reader, Anonymous. i decided after reading it that i would do some research for her and instead of posting my answer in the comments where she might never see it, i'll post it here, and also repost her question for all to read:

Thank you for the suggestions on brow products. I desperately need them.

My problem has to do with almost all of my eyebrows falling out.
Granted, I do have hyperthyroidism which I take medication to control. also, I am prescribed Adderall which tends to cause hair loss in me.

The real brow loss began, though, in earnest, when I started using the drugstore eyebrow pencils to fill in my sparse brows. By the end of one week of using eyebrow pencils, ALL of my brows had fallen out. It was one depressing site, I can assure you.

Sorry I didn't have a real "tip" to offer - other than to caution women who have a problem with hair falling out easily to avoid drugstore brow pencils and to avoid a heavy hand with the brow pencil since it dislodges the brow hairs.

Do you think there is a toxic ingredient contained in certain drugstore pencils that might be contributing to this problem? I am curious as to what your opinion might be on this topic.

so, i must first say that, of course, i am not a doctor, and these following opinions are just that- opinions. nothing to take concretely, and i would of course consult a doctor or several before trying any of these. now that the disclaimer is out of the way, i have to say that i am so sorry for your troubles! losing your eyebrows would be extremely upsetting, and would make you feel very self conscious. if you have the cause narrowed down (the Adderall and hyperthyroidism medication), then the first part of the battle is over. if those meds are what's causing your hair loss, maybe you could talk to your doctor about trying different versions of the medication to see if the side effects lessen? and also, have you considered that you may be suffering from Alopecia? Alopecia, for those who aren't familiar with the term, is a disease that causes the body to believe that any (or certain) hair follicles are bacteria, therefore causing the autoimmune system to attack the hair follicles in order to protect the body. if Alopecia is the cause of your hair loss, then there is a very good chance the hairs will eventually grow back, since the stem cells in your hair follicles will still be able to grow since your white blood cells don't have any role in the attack against them, and so when new cells form, your hair will start growing again. another issue that could be causing the hair loss is stress or a poor diet, and while i'm sure it's probably not a poor diet, maybe you are under a lot of stress? stress can do many, many upsetting things to a person's body, and so if you think this may even have a tiny part in your hair loss, try to find some time to relax and get some relief from the stressful things in your life (we all have them, and most of us never deal with them properly).

as for the part of your question about the use of drugstore brow products in relation to your hair loss, i would think that maybe if you were in the process of losing your brows any kind of touching, tugging, or brushing of them (all things you would do while applying makeup to them) would only hasten their departure. rather than thinking that there is a toxic ingredient in the products, i would hypothesize that you personally may have a sensitivity to one of the ingredients in one of the particular items you used, or that since your brows were already in a compromised state, maybe something in the products aggravated them further. since all cosmetics companies use a self-policing system (the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board) that scrutinizes cosmetic ingredients to see if they are safe to be used in various ways and then publishes these results, i doubt that anything toxic could slip by and into your brow product. although unfortunately, the FDA does not require the cosmetics industry to prove their products safe and effective or that the promises they make have any real standing, which i think is terrible. all they are required to do is have their cosmetics be "safe when used as directed in the labeling or under usual customary conditions of use." terrible!

if you aren't able to attain any regrowth on your brows naturally, there is still hope. several companies offer therapeutic serums and gels that help to regrow brows, including Anastasia Brow Enhancing Serum, Peter Thomas Roth Lashes to Die For Nighttime Eyelash Conditioning Treatment (which can be used on brows), and Talika Eyebrow Lipocils. and if these don't work, a surgical procedure called eyebrow restoration is gaining popularity and uses the same technology as other hair restoration implants. from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery's website:

Similar to hair restoration of the scalp, brow restoration takes single hair grafts and places them at specific angles and directions of growth in order to mimic the natural eyebrow. It must be carefully planned and executed since the brow’s visibility is much more noticeable than the scalp. On average, between 200 to 250 hair grafts are implanted on one female brow, and 400 – 500 grafts on a male brow. The procedure may take between three to four hours. Unlike hair restoration, brow restoration usually is completed in one session; this is a great advantage for the patient. The new eyebrow will look very natural. Patients are reminded that they will have to trim the transplanted hair periodically, as it will continue to grow much as it would have on your scalp.

i have also read several times on MUA that this procedure is not outrageously expensive at all, and even under $1000. so, hopefully this information has helped, atleast somewhat. good luck, and keep us updated on how things are going!

Straight Talk

2008-06-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

last night it occurred to me that in almost three months of writing my blog, i haven't mentioned my Holy Grail hair product ONCE! this is preposterous seeing as how this product has completely won me over and knocked out every other hair product from my beauty arsenal. i have naturally wavy hair that's fine in texture but very abundant, and ever since the tender age of 13 i've been struggling to get a perfect, silky, shiny, poker-straight blowout. i am literally obsessed with sleek, straight hair, and my quest for perfect straightness has led me down many different paths and through many different products, but this one product has topped them all! what is this miracle product you ask? it's the fabulous Kiehl's Heat Protective Straightening Cream, $15! this ONE product has replaced the FOUR other products that i used to use to blowout and straighten my hair, and it's considerably cut down the amount of time it takes me in the bathroom! what is so wonderful about this product, in my opinion, is that it does everything you need a product to do when you're straightening your hair. after my hair is about 60% air-dried, i use a dime-sized dab of the cream (the perfect amount for my just-skimming-the-shoulders length hair) and work it through, concentrating the bulk of the product on the lower half of my hair and especially the ends, and then gently brushing throughout my hair to distribute evenly. after that, i blow-dry and then flatiron, and my hair turns out sleek, silky, and straight without a bit of frizz and not at all weighed down. this cream doesn't build up on your hair, doesn't kill volume, and doesn't leave you feeling greasy or dull, either. i used to have to use a straightening cream, split-end mender, and serum before blow-drying and then a shine spray afterwards just to get the beautiful looking hair i now achieve with this one fabulous product. and the price is very reasonable for higher end haircare, the 5 fl. oz. tube lasts for atleast six months when used three times a week! if you have wavy hair that you prefer to straighten, this miracle cream is definitely worth a shot.

what's your favorite, can't-live-without-it hair product? let me know in the comments!

Bellisima!

2008-06-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

hola amigas! happy monday to all! i have something very special to share with you today...one of the most gorgeous smoky eyes i have ever seen! although i wish i could claim this as my own handiwork, this phenomenally beautiful look was created by my fellow MUA'er, Skylersomething, and she even took the time to give me a step-by-step how-to so we could all recreate this sultry look. the products she used, all by MAC, are as follows:

Bare Study Paintpot as a base
eye shadows in Rondelle, Gentle Fume, Waft, Carbon, Woodwinked, Amber Lights, and Retrospeck
Fluidline in Blacktrack, Powerpoint Pencil in Engraved, Blitzed Glitter Liner
mascara in Plushlash

in her own words, here are the steps she took to create this eye:

First I applied Bare Study Paint Pot on my lid up to my brow bone. Next, I put Rondelle e/s (Gentle Fumes Quad) all over my lid up to my brow bone as well. Then, I put Gentle Fume e/s on the inner third of my lid, followed by Waft e/s in the center, and Carbon e/s in the outer 'V' and crease. Afterwards, I went over the Gentle Fume and Waft with Woodwinked e/s and Amber Lights. Then I took Retrospeck e/s and put it on my browbone. I also took my crease brush with some more of Carbon and put it in my crease again to darken it up a bit. I used Blacktrack fluidline on my top lashline and Engraved Powerpoint on my waterline. I also put Blitzed glitter liner over top of Blacktrack to give it some shimmer. Last, I used Plushlash mascara for my lashes.

there you have it! i'm going to try my best to duplicate this look, and if you attempt it, i'd love to see your results! thanks again to Skylersomething for taking the time to explain how she created this beautiful smoky eye.

Gwenny Had a Little L.A.M.B...

2008-06-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

i am so NOT a fragrance guru, but lately i am really loving the perfume L, a L.A.M.B., by Gwen Stefani. i couldn't being to tell you exactly how it smells, but if you're interested the notes are listed here at the fragrance's official website (i know, what?! since when does a perfume have it's own website?!). i think Gwen is amazing, i love her unique style and i'm happy for her that she finally got her happy ending, but usually i'm not such a fan of celebrity fragrances, mostly for the fact that the celebrity usually has NOTHING to do with the perfume's creation and just uses their fame to sell a product to the gullible public. then again, if you love the smell, why not wear it? i know i am, and i'm really loving the fresh, girly scent. what do you think of celebrity perfumes?

Almost Perfects

2008-06-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

happy weekend readers! today i'm going to start by reviewing Fresh's Supernova Mascara, $25. we all know that i'm a certifiable mascara FIEND, and i'd like to start reviewing each and every mascara that i buy/try so that you can always come to The Pretty Kitty and do a search if you're looking for an opinion on a particular mascara! i like to attempt to try almost every mascara known to man, so keep your eyes peeled for many mascara reviews, and please add your own opinions in the comments section if you've tried the mascara i've posted about, too! now onto the goods...

life is full of things that are almost perfect, but not quite there...the jeans that would be heaven-sent if they were just a half a size bigger, the boots that would be killer if the heel were just a touch higher, the delicious ice cream that you could gorge on if only it were sugar/fat/calorie free...and you use and accept them because their good qualities win out over their bad, right? i call these the Almost Perfects, and there are a lot of makeup products that fit into this category. read on for two prime examples!

if you're looking for a nice, dark black, day-to-night formula, Fresh's Supernova Mascara is almost too good to be true. if you can afford to spend over twenty dollars on a tube of mascara, this is a good way to go. the formula is very sooty matte black and dramatic without being clump-heavy. i find that if applied with a light hand (a must in all mascara application to avoid clumps, spider lashes, and withering curl) this mascara holds a curl fairly well and and keeps lashes defined and feathery without being too thick or spidery. it also lengthens fairly well, and the overall results are beautiful! the formula contains panthenol, protective linden extract, and nourishing meadowfoam oil to condition and strengthen your lashes so they stay as long and thick as possible. the downfall? i find that this mascara tends to flake quite a bit as the day goes on. now, this is something i probably wouldn't mind so much if i didn't take a considerable amount of time to perfectly conceal my dark circles, but since i do, i can't be wiping at my undereye area and disturbing my concealer throughout the day! all mascaras flake a teensy, tiny bit, and i can handle that, but these flakes are a few too many for a mascara that'll cost you $25. because of the flake-age, Supernova gets an 8/10 from me, and is firmly filed under Almost Perfect.

next up is Maybelline's Define-A-Brow Eye Brow Pencil, $6.50 (at Walgreen's website). this slender green pencil caught my eye because it looked a lot like the Prescriptives Groom Stick for Brows, $18.50, that i had been thinking about buying recently, but at a fraction of the price! much like Prescriptives Groom Stick, the Maybelline Define-a-Brow pencil is very, very thin which allows for a more precise application to the brows. the thinner the pencil, the more easily you can apply to just the area you want to fill in, and the more natural the results. the color i chose, Light Blonde, would be perfect for anyone with hair ranging from platinum blonde to light brown to grey to auburn (my current shade). i think the name is a bit misleading because the color of the pencil is definitely not too light, it's the perfect shade of taupe to flatter a variety of brow colors-- not too warm but not too cool either, it seems to be a perfect match! i really like the mechanical aspect of the pencil, because sharpening is a giant pain in the arse and very messy, too. the pencil is easily blended, waterproof, stays on all day, and looks very natural. the downfall? the texture of the pencil is so soft that you have to stop several times while doing each brow to turn the dial and produce more product! not so terrible, but since the pencil is so soft, it will be used up very quickly, probably in less than a month! for $6.50 and only .05 grams, this is actually not such a great deal if you need to buy a new pencil each month. also, the dinky plastic comb on the end of the pencil is virtually useless! it doesn't blend the product into your brows whatsoever, so you have to lug a separate brow brush around in your makeup bag for application. close, but no cigar. the Wet'n'Wild Kohl Brow-Eyeliner Pencil in Taupe 648 that i reviewed here performs just as well for a lot more product at a fraction of the cost, and i would definitely buy it again before i'd repurchase the Define-A-Brow pencil.

are there any products that you consider Almost Perfects? if you find a makeup item that you adore but it has a fault, do you keep using it or continue your search for the perfect one? let me know in the comments!

Dark Circles Part 2: CONCEAL

2008-06-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

hello readers! after a few days of no posting i am back and ready to tackle the second part of my post on help for concealing dark circles. it's not easy to successfully cover dark circles; either the darkness shows through and you still look tired and like a raccoon or your concealer looks too light or the formula you choose gets cakey and accentuates your lines and-- grrrr! it can be difficult. for all the knowledge, tips and tricks i've gathered over the last ten plus years of working on my circles, read on!

the very first step to concealing those nasty dark circles is making sure your delicate undereye skin is adequately hydrated. if that skin is even the least bit dry, forget about it! your concealer will look terrible and obvious and it will probably make you look even worse! for moisturizing you'll need a rich, hydrating eye cream to wear at night to bed and a lighter one for the daytime that absorbs well and acts as a good base for your concealer. for night, i would highly recommend Prevage Eye Anti-Aging Moisturizing Treatment by Elizabeth Arden, $95, which is the only product i have ever used that successfully lightened my dark circles AND erased my fine lines. $95 is a horribly large amount of money and i hate that i've become dependent on a product so expensive but it just plain works amazingly well and i can't live without it! it's definitely an investment, but a worthwhile one. for daytime, i love Clinique's All About Eyes Rich eye cream, $27.50. for under thirty dollars, this eye cream is a really great buy. it intensely hydrates your skin without being greasy and really plumps up any fine lines you have. over time it claims to help with dark circles and boost your skin's natural collagen production--now i don't know if it lives up to those claims, but it works nicely under concealer and keeps your skin smooth and hydrated. once your undereye area is prepped and ready to go, choosing a concealer is your next step!

picking a concealer can be a very personal thing, and many people search for years before they find the perfect one that seems tailor-made to work for their skin type. i know that i couldn't begin to know everything about concealers and be able to suggest the right one for every person, but after many purchases and testings and disappointments, i feel like i have some worthwhile information to share. i suppose we'll start off with colors: if your dark circles are blue or purplish in color, a concealer with a pink undertone will work very well for you. if your circles are more brownish or grey, a peachy tone is the way to go! for a long time i thought a peach-toned concealer was a one-size-fits-all prescription for dark circles, and one definitely can be used with moderate success for a person with blue/purple darkness, but after a very helpful sales assistant at a Bobbi Brown counter did one of my eyes in a concealer with peach undertones (the Peach shades, Light Peach in my case) and the other in one with pink undertones (the Bisque shades, Light Bisque for me), i was sold. the side with the pink, Light Bisque concealer not only looked a lot more natural but the darkness was better covered using less product. at that time i had been using a peachy concealer but switched immediately!

now that you know what shade you should lean towards, i'll tell you some of my favorite concealers. since we've already mentioned the Bobbi Brown brand, we'll start with her Corrector, $22 (at left). the Correctors are different from a traditional concealer in the fact that they were designed by Bobbi to use under her regular, yellow-toned Creamy Concealers, $22. the idea is that you use the Corrector to counteract the darkness under your eyes and then you use the Creamy Concealer on top to blend the area into your surrounding skin. i've tried this method and feel that the Creamy Concealer on top is unnecessary, i have very dark circles and do fine using just the Corrector, but if it works for you, great! i'm definitely not knocking it. the Corrector is an amazing product because it's creamy without being greasy, doesn't accentuate or settle into fine lines, stays on all day without creasing, and really brightens and neutralizes the darkness around the eyes. i use it on the darkness on my upper eyelid as well as beneath my eyes and it even makes a wonderful eyeshadow primer!

another concealer that gets an honorable mention is Laura Mercier's Secret Concealer, $22. not to be confused with the denser, drier Secret Camouflage, the Secret Concealer is made specifically for the eye area and comes in a little pot. this cult favorite concealer is very moisturizing and does a great job at covering darkness-- it was my one and only for almost 2 years! i've since moved on because i have product ADD, but that doesn't mean this concealer isn't still worthy of top billing. since this concealer is very moist to keep the delicate undereye area hydrated, it does need to be set with a powder, and Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder, $22, is a great product to use with it or any other concealer in your arsenal. it not only sets your concealer, it also helps to brighten the whole eye area!

next up is Benefit's Erase Paste, $26, my current favorite does-it-all concealer! this superstar product covers circles, blemishes and red spots equally well and also brightens any area you use it on. to read more about how much i adore this concealer and how well it works, check out this in-depth post that's entirely devoted to it's greatness!

now it's time for a concealer made to hide the very deepest, darkest circles your eyes can muster! if you've never been able to find a concealer that completely hid your circles without a hint of shadow peaking through, then Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer, $28-40, is the one for you! this concealer is in a tiny tube and when you pick it up you think 'there is no way i'm paying $40 for this little thing!' until you try it on. AMAZING! literally! when i bought my tube they only had the original size, but now they have a travel size for $28 which is a much better buy because the concealer is so concentrated, you literally only need a dot the size of half a grain of rice to do each eye! the first time i applied this concealer i was shocked because it was the first time i saw myself with absolutely NO darkness under my eyes at all, and i was instantly sold. i like to use this concealer on the very darkest parts of my circles that sometimes can't be covered by my Erase Paste or Bobbi Brown corrector, and it always works like a charm. if $28 is still a little too much for your budget, Physician's Formula's Conceal RX Physician's Strength Concealer, $7.95, is a phenomenally effective drugstore version of the Amazing Concealer. same type of very full coverage, only a tiny dot needed, and stays on like a charm, all without looking like heavy, cakey concealer. i own both the PF concealer and the Amazing and i can't even decide which one i love best, so both are fantastic and deserve to be given a shot!

those are my top picks for the kings of concealer, and i hope they have given you some ideas to go on if you're tired of dealing with your circles. my advice is to go to a department store without any of the concealer you're currently using on your dark circles and just test different brands and formulas out until you find the one that suits you the best. for the best application of your concealer when attempting to disguise your circles, first make sure your skin is well moisturized, and then pick up a tiny bit of concealer, either using your finger or a small, pointed brush (i recommend MAC's 194 Concealer Brush, $18.50). if you're using a brush, paint on a thin layer of concealer covering all the darkness on your undereye area, making sure not to forget the inside of the bridge of your nose near your eye's corner, and then take your ring finger and gently tap, tap, tap over the concealer to smooth and blend it. the heat from your finger will warm the product and help it to melt into your skin. repeat as necessary until your circles are concealed, and then set with a very finely milled powder to keep it in place (i would recommend using something like Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder or Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil). try to avoid using heavy mascara and eyeliner on your bottom lashline because it can smear and make the undereye area look even darker. for an extra pop of brightness to wake up especially tired eyes, take a small eye shadow brush and a light colored shimmery eye shadow (i am currently liking Stila's Kitten eye shadow, $18, pictured here, for this purpose) and carefully apply to the inner corner of your eye, around your tear duct area. this helps to open up the eye and brings light into the eye's corner which can be especially dark from the natural shadows of your face.

if these method don't work for you, nothing will! no, i'm only kidding, but i think they should definitely help in the battle against dark circles. what are your favorite tips and tricks? as a circle sufferer myself, i'd love to know, so please share!

MUA Help

2008-06-06T20:31:00.001-07:00

not sure exactly what the problem with MUA is, but if you can't use the regular version of MUA then try this:

http://beta.makeupalley.com/

you can use the Beta version until the regular MUA is fixed, or until whatever the problem is that's making some of us not be able to use MUA is corrected.

Interesting...

2008-06-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

"Jeepers Peepers!" seeing as how i am obsessed with all things eyelash-related, i found this (linked above) article from The New York Times very interesting, and you might, too! but before you panic, neither of the eyelash conditioners i have recommended in this blog (Mavala Double Lash & Talika Lipocils Eyelash Gel) contain bimatoprost (a glaucoma drug that sometimes causes eyelash growth as a side effect). there aren't many things i wouldn't do to get long, gorgeous lashes, but endangering my eye site is one of them. so read on, and don't miss the adorable purple illustration with the tweezers and eyelash curlers!

Cheap Thrills: A Series Event!

2008-06-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

today i was thinking about a recent post i did entitled "Cheap Thrills" where i wrote about two inexpensive drugstore mascaras that i adore, and decided to make "Cheap Thrills" an ongoing series where i can share the amazing products that i discover at even more amazing prices. i mean, who doesn't love finding something that works great for dirt cheap?! i even know that mega-rich celebs love a bargain because they constantly blab about it any chance they get, probably to make us feel like "Wow, they're people just like us!" in that whole US Magazine-esque way. so if you're a tightwad and you know it, clap your hands (and read on)!

last week when i was wandering around at the grocery store i came upon the Wet'n'Wild display, which seems to be getting more fancy and updated each time i see it. what i will never understand is why in God's name they're introducing all these new products but no longer stocking their very best product ever, All Over Shimmer 832D (the most amazing highlighter i've ever used, check out my feelings on it here). anyways, as i was looking over all the goodies i happened to notice their Kohl Brow-Eyeliner Pencil in Taupe 648, $.99, and what a perfect color it seemed to be to match my own dark blonde brows. the problem with having (nearly invisible) blonde brows of any shade is that to have them look fierce you need to fill them in, but most pencils or powders for blondes are usually too warm and too auburn looking against pale skin. even if the product is amazing, if it's too warm-toned then your brows are left screaming out "Look at me! i'm wearing brow pencil!" and that's never the look i'm going for. even a lot of high-end brow products (e.g. Benefit Brow Zings) are too warm in their lightest shade, so i certainly wasn't expecting Wet'n'Wild to get it so right, especially for the price of $.99! this pencil is a steal for under a dollar, and the color is so perfect i can't help but wonder why the high-end cosmetic companies can't take notice and get it right?!? the texture of the pencil is very soft, so it takes a light touch to get a natural look, but filling in my brows with it couldn't have been easier. i just penciled in my thin sections and then brushed through my brows with a browbrush to blend, and voila! perfectly defined yet still natural looking brows. and it's lasted all day, as well! now i'm not certain that this pencil would last through hot, humid, grueling long days but at this price, having to touch up is not a problem. this pencil would suit any girls from the lightest blonde end of the spectrum to medium brown, grey, and auburn (my current color). pick one up and try it out today, what have you got to lose except the spare change jingling around at the bottom of your purse?

MUA?

2008-06-06T13:03:00.001-07:00

good afternoon all...are any of you having trouble getting onto Make Up Alley today? i keep getting this:

The error has been logged and the MUA administrators have been notified.

strange, right? just wondering if it's happening to everyone, or just me. if you're having trouble too or happen to know what's going on, let me know in the comments.

Dark Circles Part 1: CONQUER

2008-06-05T14:31:00.001-07:00

dark undereye circles...they are probably the most common skin problem that women suffer from next to acne. you would think by now there would be a concrete solution for this annoying, persistent problem, right? wrong. sure, there are things you can do to try and help them--lasers, allergy medicine, diet changes, getting more sleep, different cosmetic products--but there is no actual cure for them. in the battle to extinguish or even reduce your dark circles, you need to first identify which kind you have, and then proceed accordingly.

first off, there are many different types of dark circles that people suffer from. the easiest dark circles to remedy are those caused by lifestyle: staying out late, partying, not getting enough sleep, etc. if these are the type of circles that plague you, thank your lucky stars! you can easily rid yourself of these by getting more sleep and taking better care of yourself in general. another type of dark circles are those caused by hyperpigmentation, an excess of melanin in the skin that causes the area to darken, most often found in people with darker skintones (Latin, African American, or East Indian people are likely to suffer from this type of dark circles). finally, there are those of us with the type of dark circles that don't respond to extra sleep or allergy medicine, and for us the diagnosis is not so good. many people (myself included) have genetic, inherited dark circles that take up a permanent residence on their face. these can be exacerbated by allergies, anemia, certain medications that cause blood vessels to dilate, and how pale/transparent your skin is (another inherited characteristic). this type of dark circle problem tends to be the most chronic and troublesome with the added benefit of being the most difficult to treat. so what to do if you suffer from dark circles? read on.

when Hylexin first burst onto the market a few years ago, i was literally almost dying to try it. this was the first time an eye cream had been created for the type of chronic, seriously dark circles that i suffered from! it promised to 1. strengthen and thicken the skin, making the circles less visible 2. stop the blood from oxidizing under the skin and prevent the dark blue/purple color from showing and 3. to keep the problem from reoccurring again. i read a few positive reviews in several beauty magazines and that was all the further push i needed to run out and get myself some! thank GOD for Sephora and the fact that the generous employee there gave me two small sample-size pots of Hylexin to try before i forked over the $95 for a tiny tube myself, because it didn't do one damn thing to my circles after two+ months of use. i consider myself pretty level-headed regarding fantastical claims made by cosmetic companies and always expect realistic results, but they really did a number on me with this one because i was expecting considerable improvement in my circles and i saw NOTHING. and it wasn't just a fluke with me, either, check out these reviews on MUA for evidence that Hylexin didn't do jack for almost anyone else who made the mistake of buying it. the only thing Hylexin did do to my undereye area was attract a small amount of light there courtesy of the mica particles that are in the cream, a total smoke-and-mirrors trick to fool a person into thinking the area looks a bit brighter. i can easily do that with some shimmery white eyeshadow and save the $95, thanksverymuch. not only did it not help my circles at all, but Hylexin wasn't the least bit moisturizing, and actually even slightly dried out the delicate skin under my eyes. so i would NOT recommend Hylexin and would encourage you to pass it right up if you ever see it, but your mileage may very, as usual.

now onto brighter pastures...after the Hylexin debacle, i had completely given up on the idea that any cream would ever make a difference in my dark circles. i continued to use the Clinique Repairwear Intensive eye cream i had, just for moisture (which is the only thing this very overpriced eye cream is good for), until i decided to test out a sample packet i had of Elizabeth Arden Prevage Eye Cream, $95, just for fun. i loved it immediately upon first application because of it's rich, smooth, hydrating texture and the fact that it instantly plumped up my undereye area, making it look amazing. i never thought that it would actually make a remarkable difference in the darkness under my eyes, and wouldn't have believed it until i saw it myself. eureka! this very expensive eye cream actually made a very noticeable positive difference in the permanent darkness under my eyes! now, don't get me wrong, i am far from free and clear of dark circles, but they have been reduced by at least 50% over the course of 6 months! i've been using the cream for almost a year now and the results seem to have plateaued, but i continue using it to keep the darkness away and because it's remarkable as a moisturizing, anti-aging product. another thrilling result of usage? before i started using Prevage, i was noticing that when i set my concealer with pressed powder it was highlighting all these formerly invisible, tiny hair-line wrinkles right underneath my lower lashline! i was NOT pleased by this, being only 24 at the time, and cringed every time i attempted to set my concealer without highlighting the lines (an impossible feat). a while into treatment with the Prevage i noticed that i was being more and more careless about where i powdered my undereyes and the reason was that the little lines were no longer visible, AT ALL! completely gone! how amazing is that?! it must be the magic ingredients that Prevage contains, I-Seryl Complex and Idebenone, which is actually clinically proven to fight aging. whatever it is, it works for me!

so far, this is the only product i've found that actually works to decrease the prominence of dark circles. for those with circles caused by hyperpigmentation, lasers have been shown to be somewhat effective, although costly and requiring much research and some downtime. other than that, all you can do is get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet, and sleep with your head elevated above a few pillows to try and prevent water retention in the undereye area.

next up after conquering your circles? CONCEALING them! stay tuned for part two of Dark Circles where i'll cover various concealers and techniques to hide those nasty circles.

do you know of any products that help with dark circles? ever tried lasers or fat injections? i'd love to hear any information you might have, so don't be afraid to share!

Curler Crazy

2008-06-04T18:55:00.001-07:00

with a blog as obsessively devoted to perfecting your lashes as mine is, i figured it was high time i did a post on the best eyelash curlers. in my opinion, (and i'm chock full of them) having a great eyelash curler is just as important as having a great mascara in the quest for your best possible lashes. and who needs to be using an eyelash curler? EVERYONE!!! but not everyone should go blindly running out to purchase the Shu Uemura curler that all the magazines recommend; getting a great curl doesn't have to be expensive, and eyelash curlers are not one-size-fits-all.

in my own testing, i've tried dozens of eyelash curlers from expensive to super cheap, but these three stick out in my mind as the best possible buys for each price range. starting off at the lower end, the N.Y.C. (or New York Color) Eyelash Curler, $2.99, is a great buy. found at lots of drugstores and any Target, this eyelash curler gets the job done with no pinching and no damage to your lashes. the one i'm recommending is metal with purple accents-- make sure to pick up that one because the plastic one that N.Y.C. also makes is utter crap. and while we're on the topic, i just have to say that i think all plastic eyelash curlers are crap and should stop being manufactured. they just plain don't work well at all! you may have had different experiences and if you're happy using a plastic eyelash curler then by all means keep it up, but that's my story and i'm stickin' to it. also worthy of a mention for those on a fixed budget is E.L.F.'s Mechanical Eyelash Curler, $1 (pictured at right). this smash hit of a curler has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Make Up Alley's review boards, a rating so high it's almost unheard of! check out the amazing reviews here and read for yourself how many reviewers would pay fifteen TIMES as much for this eyelash curler.

next up on the list is the very first eyelash curler i ever purchased, Maybelline's Expert Tools Eyelash Curler, $5.79 (at Walgreen's). for those who can spend a little bit more but still aren't ready to pony up almost twenty dollars, Maybelline's curler is sturdy, dependable, and long lasting. as a matter of fact, i used mine for years before the rubber pad finally gave out and cracked! (note: never, ever use a curler with a cracked pad, it can break or pull out your lashes and those cracks are breeding grounds for all kinds of nasty bacteria that can cause eye infections!) another great reason to use and love the Maybelline curler? it's easily found at any drugstore and you can also purchase replacement pads for it when yours wear out!

now onto the high-end eyelash curlers for those who want to splurge, and the first thing i want to address is the misconception that the Shu Uemura curler is the be-all, end-all king of curlers and the only one you should have in your arsenal. i know you've read countless magazine articles singing the Shu's praise but don't be fooled into thinking you have to buy it just because everyone says it's the best. after using many fabulous eyelash curlers for years i still felt like i was always missing out on something because i didn't have the Shu, and when i finally did spring for it, guess what? it didn't even fit my eye shape! yes my loyal readers, i got better results with my $1 E.L.F. curler than i did with the Shu. now this isn't to say that you won't fall madly in love with it, i know many people swear by it, but make sure you test it out at the department store and see that it fits your eye shape before you hit the checkout. and one more negative thing about the Shu? after you've paid $18.50 for it, you can't even purchase a replacement pad once your original pad is out of commission! yes, that's right, they don't sell replacement pads. so i'm left to guess that if you're a faithful user of the Shu and your pad wears out you just...buy a whole new curler? i don't think so. moving on...if you're going to splurge on a high-end curler, my recommendation would be the Shiseido Eyelash Curler, $17.50 (at left). after my extreme disappointment with the Shu, this sleek little silver curler saved the day! the reason that this takes the #1 top spot of Best Eyelash Curler ever is because it's the first and only one i've found that gets every single eyelash curled in one quick press of the handles! usually i have to curl the inner half of my eyelashes and then reposition and curl the outer half to get everything even, but not with the Shiseido! it manages to get everything from the tiny, inner lashes to the very last impossible-to-grab lash on the outer corner of my eye. not only that, but when you're using the Shi you only have to press very gently to get a perfect, sharp curl! with most lash curlers i've found that you have to press down really hard to get a nice, even clamp on your lashes but not this one, it grabs all your lashes so easily there's no pressure needed. and two replacement pads are only $5, so if you take care of your Shi the way you should, you can keep it in tip top shape for years to come. for an honorable mention, i also really love the Japonesque Power Curl Eyelash Curler, $16.50. i used this curler for atleast 6 months until i bought my Shi and it works almost as well! it does everything correctly, from giving you a great, even curl to keeping it's shape and never pinching the delicate skin around your eyes.

some tips for getting the best possible curl?

always curl your lashes before you apply your mascara and never after you've put it on; the mascara can make your lashes stick to the metal of the curler and rip them out or break them off!
before you curl, turn on your blowdryer and aim it at your eyelash curler to heat it up slightly. before you put it up to your eye, make sure to test it out on your arm first so you don't burn yourself! this turns your eyelash curler into an eyelash curling iron and really helps to lock in your curl so it stays all day.
when curling your lashes, position your curler near your lashes roots and press once, holding it for a few moments. repeat if you'd like, but don't move the position of your curler. i find that if you only curl your lashes in one spot, it helps the curl to stay longer.
keep your eyelash curler in a safe place so it doesn't get bent; if it loses it's shape, it can pinch your skin and break off your lashes.
always keep your eyelash curler clean and replace the pads as needed.

i hope you've enjoyed this eyelash curling manifesto, and haven't fallen asleep halfway through! if you have any tips or tricks for curling lashes or getting a great looking fringe, i'd love to hear them! meow!

Love Me Tender

2008-06-04T18:21:00.000-07:00

while visiting the MAC counter the other day, i came upon their new summer release of Tendertones Lip Balms. these little glass pots contain a product that combines the thick, smooth feel of a balm with the color and slip of a gloss while having the added benefit of SPF 12. never having tried one until that day, i was really surprised by how addicting the feeling of that balm was! they almost felt like a thicker version of Vaseline on your lips, but in a really good way-- not the super greasy, slippery Vaseline-feel but much nicer and somehow...soothing. i only tried on a few of the lighter colored Tendertones which had basically no color payoff, so i can't speak for the deeper colors, but $14.50 seems pretty steep to me for a pretty much clear lipbalm. i'll stick to Aquaphor for my slick lip needs! and there's always the ick-factor of the lip product in a pot: they may look cute, but most likely you'll be using your finger to apply and then you're stuck with sticky-finger-with-nowhere-to-go syndrome. not good! the only lip product that i've found that is worth having sticky-finger syndrome is NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer, a gloss that needs to have a full-length post devoted to it (it's THAT good my friends!). if you have money to burn, and don't mind running around with your finger held up in the air until you can find a tissue, then purchase away! i wouldn't mind having one of these to toss in my purse, but i can think of other things i need first.

Tendertones are available in nine (soon to be ten, according to the website) colors and retail for $14.50.

Magic Mushrooms, Magic Prices!

2008-06-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

ciao bellas! i'll begin today by telling you how absolutely ecstatic i am about the purchase i made this afternoon. if you've been reading here recently, you saw my post on the Origin's Dr. Weil Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Serum that i've been using lately to reduce redness and promote general skin fabulosity. since i've been liking the serum so much, i wanted to try out the face cream as well, but wasn't feeling so great about spending $65 on it. today i was at the mall checking out the Origins goodies when the very sweet saleswoman showed me a gift set they were selling that contained not only a 1 oz. size of the Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cream (regular size is 1.7 oz.) but also a 1 oz. of the serum and a 1.7 oz. sized Plantidote Cleanser for...wait for it...$60! can you believe it?! that is a ridiculously great deal, being that just a new serum and face cream would cost you $130. so naturally i had to buy it, who could resist such a catch? i'm very excited to try out the face cream due to the rave reviews it gets on MUA, so i'll definitely be updating when i've given it a good trial run.

interested in this great deal on the Plantidote products? i got mine at Macy's but can't seem to find the set i purchased anywhere on their website, so you should definitely stop by your local branch and ask if they're carrying the Skin Care Starter Set.

do you think your skin will benefit more if you use a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer from the same brand's line? or is mix-and-match skincare just as effective? let me know your opinion in the comments.

Pop Tarte

2008-06-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

i think everyone who reads my blog knows i'm helplessly addicted to QVC, right? i mean i TiVo every single show that has anything beauty-related on and watch them numerous times! (more on my QVC obsession here) well Maureen Kelly, creater of Tarte Cosmetics, is a regular fixture on the Q and i always enjoy watching her presentations because A. she's gorgeous and always has the most perfect dark manicures and fabulous long red hair and B. she's sweet and very 'every woman' and C. i always want to buy her products! the only times i've dabbled in Tarte makeup were when i bought their Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara (which i felt was very mediocre) and a single eyeshadow pan (color: Luuucy I'm Home, a very beautiful shimmery grey which i would highly rec!), but lately i've been getting lulled into wanting to try out one of their famous cheek stains, $28.

the cheek stains are what Tarte is best known for, and they've won several Allure Best Of Beauty awards and many other awards from other beauty mags, too. what's different about them is that they're a water-based gel cheek color, and they're oil-free and alcohol-free, and contain super fruits which are very beneficial for your skin. since they're not a dry dusty powder or a greasy cream, they are undetectable on your skin and you actually look like your glow is coming from within. they were the first of their kind, and people went craaaazy for them, but i've never tried one, so i'm wondering if you all could tell me what you think about them if you've tried them before. they're available in nine shades at Sephora and i think i'm leaning towards Sunkissed and Tipsy...

anyways, the other Tarte product that i'm craving is their EmphasEYES High Definition Eye Pencil, $18. lately i've been rocking the black-liner-on-the-inner-rims look, and this is exactly what EmphasEYES (it's so annoying to write it that way each time!) was created for, being that it's super thin with no sharp wood surrounding it's tip and it's formula
includes palm oil for a smooth glide and silicon for long-wear that your eye's natural moisture won't wash away. i think it's a little bit gimmicky but as of right now i don't own a pencil that will stay put on my waterline and using my MAC Blacktrack Fluidline is too much fuss; a pencil is just so much more convenient (and i'm lazy). it comes in four colors, black, brown, green, and plum, and only QVC has it in navy.

so what's the verdict, readers? have you tried either one of these products? if so, please let me know what you think of them! and also, if you have a favorite black eyeliner that stays put on the waterline, i'd love to hear about it!

Cheap Thrills (AKA The Anti-Wiggle Post)

2008-05-31T20:30:00.001-07:00

hey all! so in case you're wondering why this isn't a knock-down, drag-out review of everything i loved and hated about SATC: The Movie, i'm just a bit SATC'd out at the moment, i'm going to really get into it in a day or so here so check back. if you're sick to death of the SATC obsessing, then here's some makeup obsessing to fill the void ;D

i might as well have just called this blog "One Woman's Obsessive Compulsive Journey Through a Thousand Tubes of Mascara" because there is quite a bit of time focused on lash-worthy products! i promise i'll branch out, but i'm just eager to share the things i've learned with all of you, my lovely readers, and since i never stop buying mascara, it seems that a good portion of my knowledge lies there... anyways, i know that a lot of readers (myself included) don't always have $25 to spend on a tube of mascara that only lasts a few months, so i want you to know that there are really, really good buys waiting for you at the drugstore! you can look like a real-life Betty Boop with a mascara that costs less than $10, i swear! i have tested tons, and two of my all-time favorites are...

1. Cover Girl Volume Exact Mascara, $5.99. this was the first rubber bristle brush mascara that ever worked for me, and i have really grown to love it! you know how people always describe certain mascaras as giving 'false lash' results? well they are usually talking about an ultra volumizing, super dramatic and most of the time clumpy mascara. if you actually look at a pair of false lashes, they don't look a thing like that! they are very long, wispy, feathery, and defined looking. each lash is perfectly separated and curled. CG Volume Exact mascara will actually give you 'false lash' results! this mascara coats each lash and gets right down to the root, something especially important if, like myself, you have naturally blonde lashes. it never clumps, and your lashes don't get fused together as long as you take your time applying and use a light touch, something invaluable in mascara application. we're always taught through magazines and makeup artists advice that the way to apply mascara is to wedge the brush into your lash base and then wiggle it up and out through our lashes, right? well i used to always apply my mascara this way and could never understand why my lashes clumped, couldn't hold a curl, and just generally looked like crap. let me tell you why: applying mascara that way overloads your lashes with product and does NOT give you your best result. maybe if you have really long, thick lashes to begin with the wiggle method works well for you, but for those of us not blessed with naturally thick lashes, it's not the magic method! if you've been applying your mascara using the wiggle method forever and think i'm crazy, do me a favor and just try this out one time: curl your lashes, grab your mascara wand and *LIGHTLY* brush through your lashes without wiggling at all. just wedge the bristles into your lash base and sweep straight up, being very careful to only gently touch the bristles to your lashes as you sweep. repeat a few times until you're happy with your results. this will put on the perfect amount of mascara on your lashes so that they don't stick together and they stay curled perfectly. anyhow, back to CG Volume Exact-- this mascara holds a curl so well it makes me want to jump up and down! to me, one of the most important qualities a mascara can possess is being able to really lock in the curl i spend 5 minutes pressing into my lashes. this one does not dissapoint. as a matter of fact, for the last week straight i've ignored every other mascara and only used this one, quite a feat for a person who usually uses a different one each day. Volume Exact is cheap, doesn't dry out quickly whatsoever, and works brilliantly. it's very black and doesn't flake or smudge at all, yet easily melts off with soap and water at the end of the day. pretty much perfection by my standards! next up, another mascara that deserves a 10 out of 10...

2. Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender Mascara, $6.49. another mascara that gives you a real 'false lash' look, this slim black tube houses a powerful lash glamorizer! after reading countless gushing reviews on MUA, i decided to pick up this mascara and try it out for myself. at the time i was on a very narrow-minded path with mascaras as i was only interested in super volumizing formulas, so getting a mascara that was specifically marketed for lengthening lashes was a stretch (no pun intended) for me. let's just say i was not the least bit disappointed! this mascara actually has lycra in it to help stretch and lengthen your lashes, and boasts the ability to hold your curl for 14 hours, which it lives up to! the swirling-shaped tube feels very substantial in your hand as you're applying and the thickly bristled brush sweeps the formula through lashes perfectly with no clumps in sight! the only time i've had any smearing or flaking with this mascara is when i fall asleep in it, and even then it's nothing a moistened Q-tip can't handle. the results you get when using this mascara are long, separated, defined, fluttery lashes that stay curled until you decide to wash your face. it is truly a phenomenal drugstore find! i've even gotten my mom attached to this mascara and she is a no-muss, no-fuss kind of gal who would never put up with a mascara that required too much effort!

so if you're finding yourself in desperate need of a new tube of mascara but with insufficient funds for a trip to Sephora, never fear! the Pretty Kitty is here to help you find your way!

what are your favorite cheap thrills? let me know in the comments!

Cover Girl Volume Exact mascara and Rimmel Lycra Lash mascara are both available at drugstores everywhere and their respective websites, which are linked above.

drumroll please...

2008-05-30T20:22:00.001-07:00

i went, i saw, i LOVED! the movie was everything i'd hoped it would be and i am totally thrilled and satisfied with it, it was well worth the wait. i'm very exhausted and tired from all the hoopla so there'll be more tomorrow, just wanted to give you my opinion, if you're on the fence about seeing it, don't be- GO!!!!!!!!!

Talika Lipocils

2008-05-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

you know how sometimes you use a new shampoo and get fabulous results, but after you've been using it for about a month or so it seems to not work so well? that's because your hair adjusts to it, and gets used to it, and then you have to go find another formula to get those amazing results again. i'm hoping that eyelashes work the same way, because i've been faithful to Mavala Double Lash Eyelash Conditioner for over a year now (read about it here) to get longer, thicker, stronger lashes, and have recently decided to try out a new lash conditioner, Talika Lipocils Eyelash Gel. although my beloved Mavala hasn't stopped working for me, i'm curious to see if Talika can give me even more length and take my lashes to the next level. i'm thinking that maybe the new, different formula will kick-start my lashes into another growth phase? maybe i'm delusional, but i'm testing it out anyways, and it's just been a few days but i will gladly give you my initial findings.

Talika Lipocils promises longer, stronger lashes in 28 days from using their formula which contains soy lecithin liposomes that are said to stimulate lash growth. a few points from Talika's website that make their claims promising:

Lipocils is the only lash product on the market to rightly claim and prove eyelash growth. It is the only product ever to be authorized in France to advertise this claim
Lipocils can be used everyday and is suitable even for the most sensitive eyes (Except in the extremely rare event of an allergic reaction)
Effects are proven by clinical tests

from my own preliminary testing of the product, i can tell you that i really like the delivery system of the Eyelash Gel. instead of coming in a little glass bottle like Mavala Double Lash, Talika comes in a regular mascara-like plastic tube which is much more user friendly. the mascara brush applicator that you use to apply the gel is much bigger and more densely bristled than Mavala's, making it easier to coat all your lashes thoroughly with one quick sweep of the brush. compared to Mavala's whitish tinted product, i prefer Talika's lighter, clear formula because in the morning when i wake up i can't even tell there has been anything on my lashes. with Mavala, sometimes i will wake up and find tiny little white flakes on my cheeks from where the product has dried and fell off during the night. so formula and packaging-wise, i already prefer Talika. however, the most important thing to me is that what i'm using promotes eyelash growth and keeps my lashes strong and healthy, and i know Mavala does this well for it's $18 pricetag. Talika is over twice as much, clocking in at $40 (eeek! i know!), so it had better show me some significantly more noticeable results if it wants to become a permanent member of my beauty arsenal. stay tuned for updates on how it's working out and whether or not you should splurge on your own tube!

have you ever tried Talika Lipocils? if so, what was your experience?

Magic Mushrooms

2008-05-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

alright, a break from the SATC nonsense now :) ever since my face turned bumpy, itchy, and raging bright red from testing out Philosophy's Hope In A Jar (buyer beware!), i've been trying to go extra easy on it, especially since a lot of dermatologists theorize that wrinkles can be brought on by facial irritation. i've quit exfoliating each time i cleanse and instead started using Clinique's Mild Facial Soap, (still loving it soooooo much, i wish i could send each and every one of you a bottle of your own to fall in love with!) stopped with any kind of potentially irritating BHA/AHA acid treatments, and have started using Dr. Weil for Origin's Plantidote Mega Mushroom Face Serum.

created by Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard-trained medical doctor, botanist, and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, this line of products was made to calm what Dr. Weil calls "the fire within", a combination of dryness, redness, irritation, wrinkles, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation in the skin that give you a less-than-stellar complexion. also included in the line is a cleanser, two treatment lotions, a cream, and an eye serum that you can check out here. so far i'm about a week and a half into testing the serum and i'm liking it very much! it's very light and absorbs into the skin quickly, yet is hydrating enough for me to skip using moisturizer afterwards, although this is partly due to the fact that the weather is warming up significantly. in the winter i would definitely need to follow the serum with something more hydrating, and i'd really like to try the Plantidote Mega Mushroom Face Cream for this. when i wake up in the morning my skin is calm, hydrated, and smooth, and the persistent redness that has been lingering since my HIAJ trouble seems to be fading slightly. i'm going to give the serum a solid month before i expect a great improvement in the redness, but after a week and a half i'm very pleased. this serum is the perfect summer moisturizing treatment, light yet nourishing, quickly absorbed and a good base for makeup. i'll update in a few weeks to report more on how the treatment is going, and if you'd like to learn more about the Mega Mushroom line of products, visit the Origins website and click on "Dr. Weil".

have you ever tried the Mega Mushroom Face Serum? how about the cream? let me know in the comments!

WTF!?!

2008-05-28T21:43:00.001-07:00

that's all i have to say. there are no more words to describe my feelings on this "headdress". this is SJP at the London Premiere of SATC: The Movie, and i think her hair and makeup look phenomenal, but that piece of hideousness on her head...tsk tsk tsk. also, what was up with Kim Cattral's outfit this same night? she looked about 300 years old! i really, really do NOT like her hair pulled back tightly and that dress! oy vey! dios mia! she looks like Mrs. Claus or something! i also have to say, i saw Kim on Oprah (at left) recently when the girls were on to promote the movie, and she looks stunning for 51 years old- i mean clear skin, no wrinkles, just plain glowing, but from the clips i've seen of the movie, i don't think she looks good at all! i'm guessing it's the too-long hair, my favorite hair on Kim was in Season 3 and 4 when she had that really sharply cut, just-touching-the-shoulders length hair with pale blonde highlights. my all-time favorite moment for Samantha was in Season 4, episode 63 "Change Of A Dress" when she was at Richard's fundraiser and ended up having sex with that J.J. loser in the bathroom. she had really straight, sleek hair and was wearing the most fabulous black and white dress and she looked perfect!

as for Cynthia Nixon and Kristen Davis, i think they both got it right at the London premiere. Kristen looked adorable and as posh and tailored as always in her fitted red dress. i am loving her hair the way it's styled here, she wore it the same way on the episode of Oprah they were on and she also looked absolutely stunning! just as beautiful as ever, actually even more luminous than she did four years ago when the show ended. i love how she embraces her womanly shape, she has a very sexy, 1940's glamour girl thing going on and the way she dresses always accentuates it flawlessly. Cynthia Nixon looked very glam in her low-cut, black satin gown although i am not liking her hair lately, either. when she was on Oprah i swear she looked like she had driven for an hour in a convertible, stepped out of the car and then hairsprayed the whole mess into place! it was very strange! (check it out below) other than that, she was radiant and seemed incredibly happy about her relationship with the woman she has been linked to since the end of SATC. good for Cynthia! i'm excited to see what they wear to the NYC premiere, and in my opinion, shouldn't SATC: The Movie have premiered in NYC first?! i mean the show is all about NYC! just my opinion. the big day is coming tomorrow and i'm hoping to be able to make it to the theatre sometime in the early afternoon to see it, and don't you worry, i will definitely report back with a no-holds-barred review for all my fellow SATC lovers. and to those reading my blog who couldn't care less about SATC? i promise the obsessing is just about over and things will revert to normal, makeup-based information soon.

A Vogue Idea

2008-05-28T15:27:00.001-07:00

in keeping with the whole SATC-crazed countdown theme, i wanted to mention the amazing June issue of Vogue with SJP on the cover! although her mouth looks a little wonky, i think it's a beautiful picture, and the article inside is a must-read. if you haven't had a chance to pick up a copy, you can read the full article here, and don't miss out on the pictures and the behind-the-scenes video on the photo shoot! enjoy my fellow SATC maniacs!

SATC: 2 Days to Go!!!

2008-05-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

hello all! in honor of the final two day countdown to the premiere of the Sex And The City movie, i'm going to give you my top five favorite looks that Carrie ever wore! this has taken a lot of deliberation because there are so many beautiful outfits throughout the series, but i think i've narrowed them down pretty well. here they are, in no particular order:

#1. from episode 34 "Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl" i adore this outfit that Carrie wears ice skating with her bi-sexual boyfriend Sean (also Rachel's assistant boy-toy 'Tag' on "Friends")! season 3 was the season that i loved the most-- not only do i think that the episodes from that season including the whole Carrie/Big affair were the best of the whole series, but i think SJP never looked more beautiful! her hair was beyond gorgeous, that darker underneath, lighter blonde highlights on top with the loose curls? beautiful! in episode 40 "Easy Come, Easy Go" when Samantha throws the part at her new apartment and Carrie first confesses to her about the Big affair, there is a moment when Carrie is looking out of Samantha's window and i think it is her most beautiful moment of the whole show!

#2. from episode 92 "Splat!" next to the above discussed shot of Carrie in Samantha's window, i think that this might be SJP's second most beautiful look in the whole series! this pale blue Marc Jacobs dress is soooooooo breathtakingly beautiful, and i also love love LOVE her hair here, it's almost the same style as in Season 3 except it's darker and a little more beachy. i also really enjoyed actress Kristen Johnston's cameo as Lexi Featherston, the obnoxious party girl who Carrie catches snorting coke in the bathroom and then sees fall out the window to her untimely death!

#3. from episode 19 "The Chicken Dance" i was absolutely smitten with Carrie's gauzy pink Donna Karan dress from this episode the moment i laid eyes on it! i was determined then (at age 16) to model my own wedding dress after it, i loved it that much! looking back now, i still really like the dress, but i have to say i thought Carrie's hair looked awful for a lot of this season, very drowned rat-esque. anyways, here is the beautiful poem Carrie wrote for the couple who were married during this episode:

His hello was the end of her endings
Her laugh was their first step down the aisle
His hand would be hers to hold forever
His forever was as simple as her smile
He said she was what was missing
She said instantly she knew
She was a question to be answered
And his answer was "I do"

#4. from episode 61 "The Good Fight" this adorable Roberto Cavalli outfit appears at the very end of the show, as Carrie leaves her apartment wearing it. when Aidan is moving in with her, they try to clean out her closet, and it's an outfit she decides to throw away to make more room for him. i would never throw this outfit away, and thankfully, neither does Carrie. i think SJP looks striking with her hair pulled back into this clean bun that really showcases the intricate design of the shirt, and the white skirt (slip dress?) also looks flawless.

#5. from episode 84 "Boy, Interrupted" finally last but not least, i love this simple striped Ella Moss dress, i think it's beautifully made and very interesting, and naturally, SJP looks perfect in it! i really also liked her hair at this period in the show, she was growing it out from Season 5's short, chin-length cut, and it was very sleek and simple. i didn't really care for her hair super short, especially when she wore it big and curly, i thought it was disastrous and made her face look even longer and skinnier than it is naturally.

we all know that there are many, many more beautiful outfits Carrie wore and many more that i also loved (and am probably forgetting about at the moment) so tell me what your favorite outfits of hers were! what about her worst moments? ugliest outfit? and don't tell me it was the outfit from Season 1 that she wore to the picnic, that's too easy!

Brow Business

2008-05-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

happy memorial day everyone!!! i hope you're all doing something very fun and have enjoyed the 3-day weekend. today i'm going to be discussing one of the most important parts of getting your makeup right, and that's making sure your brows look fierce! i know that a LOT of people don't bother with their brows and that is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. for a very long time i didn't define my own brows, and i can't tell you what a HUGE positive difference it made when i learned how to do them correctly. if, like myself, you ever watch QVC, you'll see a lot of before and after pictures of the models with their brows done while they're demo-ing brow products, and i have yet to see a model that didn't look 50 times better in the after picture. not only does defining your brows frame your face and showcase your eyes, but it makes you look more polished and gives your face a noticeable life (especially important for anyone worried about looking a little bit older).

first off on the mission to get gorgeous brows is, of course, making sure they're the right shape and having them correctly groomed. if you've never plucked your brows and they're completely au naturale, i would strongly recommend going and getting them professionally shaped. it will only take a few minutes and cost under $20, and that way you will have a beautiful shape that you can easily maintain at home by plucking away the stray hairs. once you have a flattering shape, it's not hard to keep them up, it's getting the shape in the first place that can be very scary! the picture to the right shows a before and after of a well shaped brow. the lines that are going across the picture show you how to line up where your brow should be, and you can do this easily using a long eyeliner pencil or regular pencil, too. grab a white eyeliner pencil (Wet'n'Wild makes a cheapie one for under a dollar) and make a mark where your brow should be, then you can go back and tweeze away the strays that don't fall into the lines. some commonly made mistakes? plucking too far into the start of the brow, putting your arch in the wrong place, and just plucking too much overall. see this is why it's a good idea to get a professional to help you if you're starting off with brows that resemble Pai Mei from Kill Bill!

once you've gotten a beautiful brow shape, the best way to keep it up is with a pair of quality tweezers. now i must confess, for years and years i thought that it was incredibly foolish to pay more than 99 cents for a pair of cheapie Walgreen's tweezers. i mean, come on, tweezers are tweezers, right?! WRONG. i was SO wrong! and until i got my first pair of Tweezerman Animal Print Slant Tweezers, you couldn't have convinced me otherwise. but the difference is, with a pair of good tweezers, you can grab the teensiest of tiniest brow stubble and you never break the hair off mid-shaft, and they are just so precise and last forever! i highly recommend investing in a pair of Tweezerman tweezers, they have a million different kinds for every different plucker, and they even sharpen them for free anytime you'd like!

now that you have your brows shaped and the tools to keep them looking gorgeous, it's time to define them and fill them in. now don't let the thought of this scare you, i'm definitely not recommending that you paint on Joan Crawford-esque brows, i hate too dark brows and think they make a person look harsh and old, but accentuating your brows subtly can make the most beautiful difference! i flip-flop back and forth between loving pencils and powders with waxes, and i'd recommend them both, just pick the one you feel most comfortable using. and believe me, you don't have to spend a ton of money for a nice brow products, i have found fab ones for under $5 that i love just as much as the ones for $25! one of my favorite brow do-it-all kits is Benefit's Brow Zings, $28 (pictured to the left). it includes a brow powder, wax, two brushes and a pair of mini tweezers to keep in your purse! how cute is that?! it comes in 3 colors, Light, Medium, and Dark. the problem i've found with Brow Zings is that the Light version that i own seems to be on the warmer side, i know when i had my natural hair color of dark dishwater blonde i had to be very careful that my brows didn't come out too reddish looking. now that my hair is dyed dark auburn my Brow Zings is perfect, but i would definitely test this one out first if your have ashy blonde or cool brown hair. it might not work so well for you. if you're trying to save some of your hard-earned money, i would also highly recommend the Sephora Brand Eyebrow Palette, $12 (at right). it's basically a knock-off of Benefit Brow Zings, except it's missing the tiny tweezers. i had this one before Brow Zings and i have to say, i think it's just as good, and given the opportunity i might just buy this one and skip the Brow Zings because it's basically the same exact product for a whole hell of a lot less!

if pencils are more your thing, try out the Chanel Le Crayon Sourcils Precision Brow Definer, $28 (pictured at left). now i know that $28 is insanely expensive for an eyebrow pencil, but there's just something about this one that i can't exactly explain that makes it beyond fabulous! the taupe shade, which i own, would be perfect for anyone with hair ranging from platinum blonde to medium brown to red to gray. it stays on so well thanks to it's long-wearing, vitamin E enriched formula, and comes with a little mascara spoolie on one end so you can pencil in and then blend without searching through your stash for a separate eyebrow brush. the texture of the pencil is kind of on the harder side, but this is a positive thing, because i find that with some of the really soft eyebrow pencils it's easy to overdo it. with the Chanel pencil, you can really get in there and mess around without having to worry about coming out with crazily overdone brows. it also helps if you're a brow beginner since it's easy to use, and the fact that the pencil isn't super soft means that it will last a long, long time. a great cheaper alternative to the Chanel pencil is Prestige's Eyebrow Pencil, $3.45 (at right, available at drugstores). this is actually the very first brow product i tried and thankfully, i happened to pick a great one! the Taupe is a nice, natural color, the formula wears well and the brush on one end works nicely to blend the pencil into your brows for a perfect look.

a few tips i try to follow when doing my brows? use a light touch, you can always add more but it's much harder to take away excess product. but isn't that the golden rule of all makeup application? and when it comes to plucking and filling in your brows, stick with your God-given shape. a fuller, more natural brow not only always looks best but is very "in" right now! just get rid of the strays that grow under your natural browline and keep your arch looking clean. and never, no matter what, shave your eyebrows! i mean not even as a quick touch-up! yuck! step away from the mirror before things get close to that!

any favorite tips for doing eyebrows you'd like to share with me? what are you favorite brow products? let me know in the comments!

OBSESSION ALERT!!!

2008-05-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

the last time i was at Nordstrom's i happened upon the section of the store where they have Juicy Couture Jewelry! (who knew JC made jewelry?!) i have NEVER seen anything so adorable in my LIFE! they're all so cute and glam that it was impossible to choose a favorite one. i am beyond obsessed with their jewelry now that i own the Pink Cupcake Necklace, and plan to add more of the gorgeous charms to my collection! check them out below!

you can see the outrageous prices of these charms and the rest of the Juicy Couture Jewelry line here, at Nordstrom's website, or in Nordstrom's stores. enjoy! and don't be mad at me for sparking obsessions, i'm just passing along the information...!

Tan Faker

2008-05-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

happy Thursday readers! today i am going to be telling you about a fabulous bronzer i have discovered for faking the PERFECT sun-kissed glow, and the best brush to use with it. read on if you're ready to kick that ghostly pallor to the curb!

unfortunately for me, summer has arrived, and with summer comes the yearning for tanned skin. i especially crave the look of a tan because for my super pale self, nothing works better for hiding my dark circles, making me look healthy instead of anemic, and slimming down everything a pinch! it was extremely difficult, but 2 years ago i quit tanning for good and have stuck to it with amazing dedication. ever since i gave up the beds, i've been trying out self-tanners and bronzers and anything i could get my hands on to replicate a natural looking tan, and to tell you the truth, i haven't had that much luck. you know the trouble with bronzers, they're either too orange, too yellow, too muddy brown, too shimmery, too matte and dusty, etc etc etc. but this all changed when i tested out Benefit's HOOLA, $28! this bronzing powder is the most perfect natural tan color i have ever seen! i'm telling you, when i dusted this on my face, i was stunned by how completely genuine it looked! it made my skin look exactly the same way as a few hours in the sun would, not 'brown' per say but just warmed and so naturally tan looking! since it's completely matte, there are no tell-tale shimmers to give away the fact that you're wearing bronzer, and although i do love me some shimmer, i find this perfect because you can always add some sparkle if you'd like, or not if you want to look completely natural. i have to admit, i was hesitant to spend almost $30 on a bronzer, but it was well worth the cost. HOOLA comes in a cardboard box that is loaded with product, and the powder itself is super finely milled so you only need to tap your brush lightly onto it's surface to pick up enough bronzer to do your whole face. even if you used HOOLA everyday from now until September, you'd have boatloads left, and i'd say it will last me atleast a few years. so yes, $30 is a lot, but it will last and the quality is top of the heap!

now, when i first bought HOOLA, i tried using all the makeup brushes i had in my arsenal to get a perfect application and just couldn't manage to get it right (and as for the brush that comes with HOOLA? cute, but don't even think about actually using it, it won't work well enough for a precise application). even my trusty MAC 187 brush wasn't giving me the subtle wash of color i needed, so i went on a quest to find a brush that would get the job done. enter Posh's Purse Powder Brush, $16, which i have fallen head-over-heels in love with! if you've read my blog for a while now, you know i'm very faithful to MAC brushes, but this Posh brush is about 100 times softer and better than any MAC brush i've ever owned. i know, i know, i can hardly believe i'm saying it myself! the bristles are so thick and soooo soft, and the way they're cut and tapered is just phenomenal for dusting on and blending powders (and especially bronzer). using my Posh Purse Powder Brush, i was able to apply a very light layer of bronzer all over my whole face and then add a bit more to my cheeks, nose, and chin, blending it all together to create a seamless looking, natural, perfect tan! i know that Posh brushes aren't by any means inexpensive, but like i've said before, brushes are crucial to getting your best possible makeup application and are something that should be splurged on. i'm all for saving money where you can, but your tools are not a place to scrimp.

not only does this HOOLA + Posh Purse Powder brush combo work perfectly on your face, but i also successfully bronzed my neck, shoulders, and chest with it! i'm sure you could also do your legs, too, if you wanted. i give both these products my highest Pretty Kitty rating and hope you'll try them out, soon!

Posh Cosmetics brushes can be found at Fred Meyer grocery stores, Bed Bath 'N' Beyond, and their website. Benefit HOOLA can be found at Sephora and their website, as well.

Battle of the Balms!

2008-05-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

so i'm sure you guys know that there are people SO addicted to their lip balm that if they had it taken away, they'd be in desperate need of a 12 Step program, right? i remember in high school my friend Jill would sometimes sleep in her dark brownish-red shimmery L'oreal lipstick when she couldn't locate her favorite balm just so her lips wouldn't feel dry! i'm something of a balm lover myself, but haven't gone quite that far yet, although i'm guilty of always buying tons of different tubes and trying to find my favorite, can't-live-without-it version. recently, i've found not one but two great ones to chatter about! here goes!

up first (and in actual LIFE SIZE!) is C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries Mentha Lip Balm Stick with SPF 15. i bought mine at Bath and Body Works for $7 which i think is kind of expensive for a lip balm...unless it's one i love THIS much! i know everyone's been going insane for the squeeze-tube, gloss-like versions of the C.O. Bigelow lip balms but i had tried them and while they were nice, they weren't anything i was going to buy again. the problem with them, in my opinion, is that they give the look of a lip gloss...great, right? well no, not great, because they last on your lips for a grand total of 3 minutes, tops, and they're gone! since they're more like a gloss than a balm, they also don't leave your lips very moisturized. if i want shine i much prefer going the MAC route where atleast i know my super-glue gloss is staying on for good! not the case with the stick version pictured here, although it says on the tube "No Shine Formula", it does give your lips a very pretty subtle shine that doesn't interfere with the balm's moisturizing capabilities. if you're looking for a completely matte look from your balm, this isn't the one for you. but i happen to love the slight shine this one gives, coupled with it's nice, minty flavor and subtle sweet taste (and i HATE super sweet tasting balms, believe me, for all you taste-haters, this one's ok). it stays on for a good amount of time, leaves my lips soft, and the best part! i almost forgot! applying this balm is heavenly because it glides onto your lips soooooo super softly and smoothly. it's incredibly addicting! if you ever try it you'll see what i mean. and i hope you do!

next up is a balm that's waiting for you right at your neighborhood drugstore (can't you hear it calling "come buy me! come buy me!"?). Neutrogena's Lip Moisturizer is one i have been meaning to try for quite a while now but only recently got around to, and i'm kicking myself for waiting so long! i had been a faithful Carmex user since i was 14 (not kidding, either) when i first discovered the pleasures of the original pot version, which i used nightly until about a month ago. a few years ago i had also started using the stick versions. Carmex is ok, i'm not going to trash talk something that i relied on for so many years, but i've found that for overnight use Aquaphor works just as well without Carmex's thick stickiness and for daytime use, just about anything works as well without the 3-inch layer of wax that the stick version leaves you tasting. but i digress, Neutrogena's Lip Moisturizer is the real deal, my friends. it applies in a nice, thin layer with absolutely NO waxy feeling at all! this is a huge plus for me since i've woken up from my Carmex haze. it instantly leaves your lips feeling softer and somehow taken care of. it also has a PABA-free SPF 15 included to keep those lips safe from the sun (and we know how important this is, right readers? your lips are the thinnest skin on your body and therefore need extra TLC!). this one leaves you with a more matte finish, but there is still some slip to your lips when you're wearing it. i think a touch of this would be perfect for wearing underneath lipsticks and glosses when your lips weren't in prime condition. check this one out if you're looking for a little pick-me-up while waiting to get a prescription filled, it's only about $2.99 at Walgreen's!

so what are your favorite balms, readers? are there any out there that you feel don't get enough love? let's hear about them in the comments!

the Mild side

2008-05-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

hello long lost readers! are any of you still checking in after my 6 day absence?! i hope so! it's been ungodly hot here in Kitty Land and i've been insanely busy, but i'm back to report on my newest fixations!

when it comes to face washing, i'm part of the crowd who believes it's insane to spend huge amounts of money on a cleanser packed with antioxidants and peptides and other magic potions because it's only on your skin for a very short amount of time before you rinse it (and your hard-earned cash) down the drain. when you aren't a millionaire and you have to pick and choose what to splurge on, i'd much rather spend a lot on a moisturizer or serum that's going to have long-term contact with my skin. case in point, my favorite way to wash my face for a few years now has been using cleansing cloths. i see-saw back and forth between Dove, the generic Target brand, and Oil of Olay as my favorite brand, but these cloths are wonderful! they're not the pre-moistened ones that you might be thinking of, but the dry ones that are impregnated with soap so you just add a little water and then you have lather that washes, exfoliates, and supposedly tones your face. i don't know about the toning, but these cloths take every speck of my makeup off and always exfoliate my skin the perfect amount. i highly recommend these for the budget conscious person who wants the most from their cleanser.

anyways, back to my point, lately i had been getting restless from using the same cleanser for years and started looking around for something new...since i have been trying to be extra gentle with my face after my Philosophy Hope In A Jar ordeal, i wanted something mild...enter Clinique's Liquid Face Soap Mild, which i am in LOVE with! i first got my hands on a tiny, GWP size tube to try it out before buying a regular size, which i highly recommend you do also if interested. i'm sure a Clinique counter person would be happy to give you one for free and if not, try Ebay (as always!). this soap is clear, lathers nicely, rinses completely clean, doesn't dry out your skin or strip it but completely removes every trace of makeup, even mascara. also, it will hardly dent your wallet since you're getting 6.7 ounces for $14.50, which should last months and months since you only need a tiny bit for each washing. here's how i use it: i first splash some warm water on my face to moisten it, then take a little bit of the liquid soap and lather it up about halfway in my hands, then massage my face with it for a minute or so. i swear my skin has been looking better since i've been using it, and this doesn't surprise me because i used the Clinique 3-Step System in high school and had gorgeous skin!

now i've been using the Mild version of this soap in the hopes of babying my skin, but if Mild doesn't do it for you, it also comes in an Oily skin version and an Extra Mild version, also. i can't imagine needing the Extra Mild since the Mild is so wonderful, but everyone skin is different and some people have very sensitive faces! if you didn't already know, everything Clinique sells is fragrance-free and allergy tested, which i adore because i really do NOT need my makeup to have a fruity smell. i mean, i know tons of people adore fragranced products, but i definitely don't need anything perfumed on my face. agreed?

if you're interested in the Liquid Facial Soap, stop by your local Clinique counter or head to their website. and make sure you let me know which Clinique products you swear by, too!

still here!

2008-05-20T08:27:00.003-07:00

hey readers! sorry about the absence, been very busy, new posts coming later today!!! check back in soon! :D

Juicy Booty WINS!

2008-05-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

ok so, i am OBSESSED with America's Next Top Model, i've watched it religiously since the second season and i can't stop myself! even though i despise Tyra i can't get enough of the girls, and the makeup (shocker!), and the photo shoots, and the drama. it is such a guilty pleasure and i adore it, and i was so thrilled that Whitney ended up winning! finally the world and the media and especially the modeling industry (even though ANTM is not the real modeling industry by any means) is accepting and celebrating normal sized women. i am so sick and tired of every tv show, movie, magazine, and commercial showing impossibly thin women that only make all the normal women feel bad about themselves for not being part of the 2% of the population who are a natural size 2. so bravo, ANTM! although i have to admit, i had Anya pegged as the winner from the 4th episode on, and i think she is a much better model photo-wise, and the judges seemed to think so too...so i'm wondering if there was more to picking Whitney than meets the eye?

do you think ANTM picked Whitney just to make a statement or do you really think Whitney was the better model? tell me what you think in the comments!

not your average 'Jo'

2008-05-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

hello, all! today i'm going to be talking about a new product that i've been testing out for about a week now with pretty stellar results. it's one of those amazing multi-purpose products and we all know how i love those, so i thought i would share it with you guys so you could possibly benefit from it, too. read on!

Jojoba Oil (pronounced "Ho-Ho-Ba") is actually a liquid wax produced in the seeds of the Jojoba plant, a shrub that grows naturally in Arizona, California, and Mexico. the fascinating thing that sets Jojoba Oil apart from other oils is that it's chemical make-up is extremely similar to human sebum, the oil that our skin produces. because it's so close in consistency to our own skin's oils, when Jojoba Oil is applied topically it actually tricks our skin into thinking it's already produced sufficient oil and so it stops the skin from releasing more, thereby drastically reducing the problem many people have with overly oily skin! i know it seems contradictory to add more oil to oily skin but it works wonders. Jojoba Oil is also an excellent moisturizer because it prevents the skin from losing water while allowing the skin to breathe, unlike petroleum jelly or other barriers that lock in moisture. although it's an oil, when massaged into the skin it quickly absorbs and doesn't feel greasy or uncomfortable at all, something i was hesitant to believe until i saw it with my own eyes!

what i've been doing at night is applying Jojoba Oil after i've washed and blotted my skin dry. i dispense 2 drops of Jojoba Oil into my palm and then dip my fingertips into it, dotting it on my skin and massaging in gently. the key to getting good absorption is using the right amount, and 2 drops is more than enough to cover my face, even leaving me with a bit to rub into my elbows. if you used too much i think you might be left with a greasy feel and that wouldn't be good, so go easy on it and start off with one drop, adding more if needed. after i give it a few moments to settle i pat on a tiny bit of moisturizer (i'm currently using Ojon's Tawaka Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cream) and i'm done. when i wake up in the morning, my skin is exceptionally soft and calm. the persistent redness that i've had ever since the Hope In A Jar debacle seems to be getting better, which makes me deliriously happy! i've had no breakouts or clogged pores, and actually on the contrary, the tiny pores on and around my nose that i'm constantly battling with have been clear as can be. i'm sure this is because blackheads are just oxidized sebum and since my skin isn't producing excess oil, there is no sebum around to be caught in the pores. and that's A-OK with me!

using Jojoba Oil as a skin moisturizer is just one of it's many, many uses. it's wonderful when used on the hair and specifically the scalp, since Jojoba Oil loosens and dissolves the hardened sebum that can clog and eventually kill hair follicles. on the hair, Jojoba Oil removes product build-up and penetrates deep into the shaft, strengthening and hydrating the strands while also majorly increasing shine and your natural hair color. used as a deep-conditioning treatment, Jojoba oil will leave your hair soft, strong and shiny and your scalp deeply cleansed! here are just a few more of the things Jojoba Oil can do for you:

fights wrinkles with it's high tocopherol levels that act as an antioxidant
helps the skin to heal
provides relief from psoriasis and eczema
moisturizes without blocking or affecting pores and hair follicles
removes makeup
treats dandruff
can be used to shave with

ok, if you're not convinced by now that this is a product everyone should have in their bathroom, you must be unreachable! this is an oil that packs a lot of punch for it's price and can be used in so many ways! the brand i purchased is Desert Essence (pictured above) and it's a very popular distributor of Jojoba Oil, i would recommend seeking this particular version out. i found mine at Fred Meyer, and i know they also carry it at natural grocery stores like Whole Foods and New Seasons. if all else fails you can order it online from Desert Essence's website.

do you use Jojoba Oil? if so, what are your favorite uses? let me know in the comments!

Dr. Bronner's Miracle Soap!

2008-05-12T14:46:00.001-07:00

have you ever heard of Dr. Emanuel Bronner? in 1948 he started a soap-making company called Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps and it's been gaining popularity ever since. recently celebrating their 60th anniversary, Dr. Bronner's soaps are more popular than ever, and that's probably because in today's ecologically conscious world consumers appreciate natural, organic products more and more. so what's so special about these soaps? i'd be happy to tell you!

made with Certified Fair Trade and organic oils, these vegetable based soaps are completely biodegradable and free of synthetic foaming agents, thickeners or preservatives. they come in liquid or bar form, in nine different formulations, and have over 18 different uses! here are just a few of the things you can use Dr. Bronner's soaps for:

body, hair, and hand washing
laundering clothing
light cleaning
toothbrushing and mouthwashing (!!!!)
washing makeup brushes
cleaning toilet bowls
shaving

so, as you can imagine, after reading the many wonderful reviews on Make Up Alley, i became fixated with trying out one of these soaps! i settled on the Peppermint formulation because i'm a sucker for anything tingly, and it did not disappoint. i would recommend getting a big sponge to use with the liquid soap because i found a regular shower puff didn't work up a good enough lather for my liking. washing with the soap left me clean as can be with a very refreshing minty tingle, which would be amazing on a hot summer day when you're desperate to cool off. a word of caution when using as a body wash: avoid your lady parts! many of the reviewers on MUA had unfortunate incidents where they got a little too tingly, haha! i would avoid using this as a shampoo on a regular basis because i'm sure it has the potential to really strip and dry out your hair, but maybe once in a while it would work well as a clarifying rinse if diluted properly. it even provides interesting (if somewhat crazy) reading material while you're bathing! the label on the packaging (which is made with 100% post-consumer recycled cylinder bottles and paper labels) is filled with rantings and ravings of Dr. Bronner himself. this is a great product to keep in your shower, and is popular with men, also. it would be perfect to take along when camping or traveling since it would save the space of several other products. i'm looking forward to trying out the other formulations now, too!

what's your favorite Dr. Bronner soap? do you know of any multi-use products as fabulous as this one? let me know in the comments!

you can find Dr. Bronner's products at their online store, health food markets, Walgreen's, and some grocery stores.

K P'd Off!

2008-05-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

have you ever heard of an annoying condition called Keratosis Pilaris? there's a good chance you haven't, even if you suffer from it yourself. Keratosis Pilaris, or KP, is a genetic follicular condition that affects about 40-50% of adults and is more common in women than it is in men (lucky us!). you might have heard of it referred to as 'chicken skin' because of it's bumpy appearance. it almost looks like goosebumps that don't go away, and is sometimes red and inflamed looking. it's most commonly found on the backs of your upper arms, although it can also pop up on the lower arms, legs, buttocks, and face. the only place it can't appear is on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet. so why does this annoying condition plague so many of us? here's what Wikipedia says...

Keratosis pilaris occurs as excess keratin, a natural protein in the skin, accumulates within the hair follicles forming hard plugs (process known as hyperkeratinization ). Bearing only cosmetic consequence, the condition most often appears as a proliferation of tiny hard bumps that are seldom sore or itchy. Though people with keratosis pilaris experience this condition year round, it’s during the colder months when moisture levels in the air are lower that the problem can become exacerbated and the "goose bumps" are apt to look and feel more pronounced in color and texture.

Many KP bumps contain an ingrown hair that has coiled. This is a result of the keratinized skin "capping off" the hair follicle, preventing the hair from exiting. Instead, the hair grows inside the follicle, often encapsulated, and can be removed, much like an ingrown hair, though removal can lead to scarring.

vomitous, right?! well i happen to fall into the group of adults who got blessed with this lovely affliction, and since i had never really known what it was while growing up, i decided to post about it and help the people who are also in the dark. luckily, i only have a very mild bit of KP on my upper arms, but i know how much i hate it and how bothersome it can be. until recently, i was using Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment with 2% BHA and it was working wonderfully to keep my skin clear and smooth, but when i went to reorder the other day, i was met with an 'out of stock' sign and a notice telling me it wouldn't be available again until Winter of 2008! eeeeeek!!! triple eeeeeeek! wouldn't you know they would be out of it right when summer is beginning and it's time to wear tank tops and t-shirts and such! i'm still floundering for a new product to take it's place, but i wanted to give some advice on what i've found works best to keep it at bay.

Beta Hydroxy Acids work by getting inside your pores and exfoliating any blockage from the inside out, so they are perfect for dealing with KP bumps. salicylic acid in particular has helped me, and can be found in many acne medications. problem is, the pH balance of whatever product you're going to use has to be low enough to properly exfoliate, and not all of them are. i look for a pH balance of around 3, which will exfoliate both the skin's surface and the inside of the pores. other ingredients that are said to help KP are alpha hydroxy acids, urea, and lactic acids. here are some products that i've used, read about, and/or plan to try, all of which should help you if you are having KP issues.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment with 2% BHA (paulaschoice.com)
AmLactin 12% Lotion (available at drugstores)
Glytone Keratosis Pilaris Kit: Retexturize Exfoliating Body Wash & Lotion (Amazon.com)
Neutrogena Body Clear Body Scrub & Body Wash(available at drugstores)
DERMAdoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Moisturizing Therapy For Dry Skin (sephora.com)

for other treatment ideas, check here. i've been using the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Scrub and having pretty good luck with it, i like it a lot so far. what i do is wash myself with whatever soap or bodywash i'm using at the time in the shower, then after that i take some of the scrub and apply it to my upper and lower arms and massage it in, letting it sit for awhile before rinsing. not only is it good for KP, but it also works well if you're having below the neck breakouts and i like to also use it for exfoliating my legs before i self tan. after using the scrub in the shower, it's a good idea to apply a lotion containing some of the above listed ingredients nightly to keep your pores clear. i would recommend doing this EVERY SINGLE NIGHT without fail to see the best results. i'll be ordering and reviewing the Glytone Retexturize Body Lotion soon, so stay tuned!

for more information on Keratosis Pilaris, you can visit these websites: KP Help, Mayo Clinic KP, Medline Plus, and many more on Google.

2008-05-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

did you ever notice when you were watching cartoons that the way the illustrators distinguish a girl character from a boy character is by giving her long, flirty eyelashes? sometimes they throw in pink lips or a bow, but it's always the eyelashes that prettify a cartoon character girl. it's my opinion that enhancing your own eyelashes is one of the quickest, easiest ways to beautify your face and open up your eyes! this is how i justify my obsession with lash products.

i try an abnormal amount of mascaras, everything from drugstore to department store to anything foreign i can get my hands on! for some reason it's the one thing i can never talk myself out of buying, and therefore i consider myself somewhat of an expert on it. when i find something i think is really outstanding, i can barely contain myself! i want to get on top of a building with a megaphone and scream it out so that all my friends can use it and fall in love, too. the great thing about the internet is i can scream it out from right here in my comfortable living room, and here goes!

my latest lash acquisition is Missha The Style Mascara Base. now Missha is a difficult company to get the 411 on here in the U.S., as far as i can find, there is no active (or atleast not working on my computer) U.S. branch of their website. the link i have above is to their Australian site, where you can atleast see and read about the products if you're interested. they are a Korean company that first started out on the internet, from what i can find. i first heard about this mascara base on Make Up Alley (the start of sooooo many lemmings! damn MUA!) in the product reviews, and luckily i was able to swap for a new, sealed tube from another MUA member. the reviews (check them out here) absolutely raved about this mascara base and how amazingly it performs for it's $5 price tag, comparing it to Shiseido's Base which retails for $22 and is a favorite (although i don't think it's that great myself). anything that people rave over AND is a lash product AND clocks in at under $5 gets my heart racing! i was so excited to try it out!

when i did finally receive it, i was so anxious to try it that i ran into my bathroom and washed off the mascara i already had on. i curled my lashes, unwrapped the tube, and was very surprised when i pulled out the wand because of it's unusual hourglass shaped bristles! when i applied the base, the first thing i noticed was that it did NOT overload my lashes with clumpy, opaque primer and instead seemed to attach itself to my lash tips and lengthen them. score number one! i hate it when a lash base gives you thick white spider lashes. secondly, it seemed to really hold the curl i had pressed into my lashes, a big plus for me because i like my lashes curled STRAIGHT up in the air with a precise, L-shaped bend (yes, i know, this is a big no-no and all the magazines tell you NOT to do this, but when you have shorter lashes this definitely does make them look as long as possible). when i used the base, i only used it on one eye, and then applied mascara, and afterwards, i noticed that the eye i had used the base on retained it's curl much better than the plain mascara lashes. it also lengthened a bit and didn't make my lashes too thick and gummy looking, which i LOATHE. all in all, a score in my book for $5!

if you're a lash maniac like me and you'd like to try Missha's The Style Mascara Base, i would suggest trying Ebay. most of the people who wrote the reviews on MUA purchased theirs this way, but there are a few Missha stores scattered throughout the U.S., so look it up, you might be one of the lucky few that live near one! and if you're interested in reading more about the company, check this out, it seems to be the most thorough source of information i've found.

what's your favorite mascara base? let me know in the comments!

Express Yourself

2008-05-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

hello readers! today i'm going to give you a few of the reviews i've been promising, starting off with Jergens Natural Glow Express (pictured above in Medium and Medium/Tan). this new product from the Jergens self tanner + moisturizer-in-one category promises to give you a deeper, darker tan in less time than their original Jergens Natural Glow. the package says...

now the Jergens brand gives you natural-looking summer color faster than ever before. only Jergens natural glow express moisturizer is formulated with our exclusive Glow Perfecting Complex. this proprietary blend of skin tone specific color enhancers and anti-oxidants is designed to give you natural-looking color in less time.

i never tried Jergens original Natural Glow because i heard and read the many horror stories about how it stunk so bad people actually had to take another shower after applying just to rid themselves of the stench! the first one of the self tanner + moisturizers i tried was Dove's Energy Glow which was nice in texture and moisturized well but turned me a deep jaundiced yellow color instead of the natural brown/tan that i was going for. i had very high hopes for this new Natural Glow Express because people had really loved the color they got from the original Jergens and when i smelled this lotion in the store it didn't stink at all. i hopped in the shower 3 nights ago and exfoliated thoroughly, dried off and applied, making sure i took extra time to massage the product in evenly. the texture is heavenly! it's very nice, not a bit sticky and absorbs quickly leaving your legs soft and moisturized. i went to sleep eagerly anticipating my soon-to-be bronzed legs! in the morning, however, i was not so enthused.

i woke up to very orangy legs and lots of spots and patches all over my feet! now i'm the first to admit i'm no expert at self tanning, until two years ago i was a bad kitty who laid out in the sun and even frequented tanning beds, but this was pretty splotchy for a product that promises to be user friendly since it's not straight self tanner. if the only problem had been my feet i would still give this a stellar review but there were definitely areas on my legs where the self tanner had tanned better than others as well. plus there's the color! not natural looking! not hardly! maybe i should have tried the version for Medium skintones instead of Medium/Tan seeing as how i am very pale to begin with, i don't know. i'd be willing to test out that version and write another review if the results were different. i figured since there was some uneveness after the first application i would do another that night to try to make it more uniform, but the next morning i just woke up to a darker orange 'glow'. very disappointing! also there is the factor that at $8 (give or take), the product is only 4 fl. oz. i can't see how it would last for very long if you were doing your whole body as i'm sure most people do. for me this was definitely a miss, but i do encourage you to test it out the next time you're at the drugstore, it could give you beautiful color, you never know. i would rate this a 4/10. hopefully when i get around to testing my Monne Express Self Tanning Liquid i'll have better results!

interested in Jergens Natural Glow Express? check it out here, or at your local drugstore.

Say WEN!

2008-05-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

ok readers, i know i was absent for two days before today so i'm making it up to you with a double post! the picture i have included above for your viewing pleasure is a collection of WEN Cleansing Conditioners created by hairstylist to the stars Chaz Dean. what is a Cleansing Conditioner you ask? it's your shampoo, conditioner, and styling product in ONE convenient bottle. it is free of the sulfates and detergents that are found in (almost) every other brand of shampoo, and because of this it never strips your hair of it's essential oils, moisture, or color. have you ever noticed after dying your hair that when you shampoo you can actually see some of your color being rinsed away in the suds? or maybe you haven't, but you've definitely noticed that after a month or two the brilliant auburn or golden chestnut brown color that you paid an arm and a leg for at the salon has faded into something more along the lines of "blah". well this is because the detergents and sulfates in shampoo (the ingredients that give you the suds and foam) are stripping the bejesus out of your hair!

so what's the solution? WEN of course! each of the 5 Cleansing Conditioners cleanses your hair without any detergents or sulfates, instead using natural astringent properties that leave your hair soft, healthy, shiny, bouncy, and undamaged. skeptical? i certainly was, i must have watched Chaz's demonstrations on QVC atleast 500 times before i decided to give it a try (30 day money back guarantee, how can you not love the Q?!) because i just couldn't imagine getting my hair clean without shampoo. i was wrong! i didn't even have to go through an adjustment period of figuring out how to use it correctly (probably because of the aforementioned thousands of times i watched Chaz do it), it was so easy i got fab results the first time.

so how to do it? it's actually fun! what you do is hop in the shower, rinse your hair out really thoroughly under the hot water, and then wring it out so it's damp but not sopping wet. then you take about 5-10 pumps of the Cleansing Conditioner and apply it to the left front of your scalp, then the right, then the crown, then the back/bottom, etc. after you get your scalp covered (using 5-10 pumps for each section), you wet your hands and then massage your scalp really well (just like you would while shampooing) for about 2-3 minutes, concentrating on covering each inch of it with gentle, circular motions. you won't get any suds, but the product will kind of foam up a little bit. i use the Fig Cleansing Conditioner, and i loooooove how it's minty and super invigorating and while you're massaging it in, your whole scalp is tingling and smelling amazing! after your massage (which can help to stimulate hair growth, btw), you take another 5-15 pumps (depending on how long or thick your hair is) and work it through the length of your hair and the ends. after that, take a wide-toothed plastic comb and comb it all through, securing it on top of your head with a hairclip or elastic, and leave it until you're ready to get out of the shower! then you rinse thoroughly with warm water, then a quick cold rinse, and you're done.

you won't even believe how soft and untangled your hair is before you even towel dry it! not only do you shampoo and condition with WEN, you can then add another 2-3 pumps to damp hair to leave in as a styling creme or leave-in conditioner. you can also use WEN to wash your body with, or to shave your legs with, or even to wash your pets with, although at $28 for 16 ounces, i'll be saving it for my hair. although the price is steep, it does last for quite a while, and the results are amazing! super soft, shiny, bouncy hair, not the least bit weighed down or gross. i was pretty shocked by how completely clean it got my hair, and if you can believe this, my hair seemed to stay cleaner for longer when washing with WEN compared to using regular shampoo and conditioner. weird, huh? i just ordered another bottle of the Fig Cleansing Conditioner, which is a much better deal when you're getting 32 ounces for $44, and i can't wait until it arrives! Fig is formulated for dry, damaged or ethnic hair, but there's a formula out there for everyone! Cucumber Aloe, Sweet Almond Mint and Lavendar are suitable for all hair types (especially fine to medium hair), while Tea Tree works wonders on sensitive scalps that suffer from irritation and flakes. i would definitely give these Cleansing Conditoners my Pretty Kitty Stamp Of Approval, and i hope you'll have the pleasure of trying them out soon!

interested in doing more research? you can find WEN products at QVC and Chaz Dean's website.

Emjoi Yourself!

2008-05-05T18:47:00.001-07:00

happy Tuesday all! today we'll be discussing my newest experiment, the Emjoi Optima Epilator. as you all may or may not know, an epilator is an electronic device (either corded or cordless) that looks like an electric razor but instead of shaving the hair off at the skins surface, tweezes the hair out from the root to give you smooth, hairless skin that lasts several weeks. it's sort of like waxing with a little electric device! i have never tried an epilator before, but, like all of you i'm sure, hate to be a slave to the razor every other day, all summer long, so i thought hey, it's worth a shot! i'd heard a lot of positive feedback on epilators in general (thanks to Pursebuzz for her helpful advice!) regarding the hair removal, but the opinions on the pain factor varied. i don't consider myself to be a person with a low pain tolerance at all (hello, tattoos and piercings that i ENJOYED having done!) so i have to admit, i wasn't the least bit worried about it. then the package arrived and i tried it out, and EEEEEEEEEEEK!!!

ok, YES, it is VERY painful at first, but supposedly the pain lessens each time you use it until it's relatively nothing. i have only tried it on my legs so far but i will say this, if you plan on testing out an epilator, make SURE you hold your skin taut (almost the same as you do when you're about to pull off hot wax or cloth strips) when you're running the device up and down your legs. this significantly lessens the pain AND helps the machine to remove the hair from the root. as for hair removal? i would say it removed 90% of the hair from my lower legs, and since hairs grow at different speeds and are all different lengths, this seems ok. when you first start epilating it's advised that you use your epilator everyday for a while until you achieve total smoothness and then you can just use it to touch up every so often. the pros of epilating (much like waxing) are that removing the hair by the root damages the hair follicle and causes the hair to grow back finer and more slowly as time goes on. and, of course, you stay smoother much longer than shaving, which only removes the hair at the skin's surface.

here are some valuable tips to take into consideration if you're planning on trying out an epilator:

work in small sections and take breaks if the pain gets too severe. taking an Ibuprofen or Advil
35 minutes beforehand is supposed to help lessen your sensitivity to the plucking, and also some
people like to use a bit of Benzocaine to numb the skin, especially the first time you're epilating.

some say taking a hot shower and exfoliating beforehand helps to get the hair in prime position to be removed (although, i must add, i find this tip to be contradictory because i would think that taking a shower, which softens the hair, would make it more likely to break off mid-shaft instead of coming out by the root? your mileage on this tip may vary).

after you've epilated, moisturize the area daily (try Jergens Naturally Smooth Shave Minimizing Lotion) and when showering make sure to exfoliate thoroughly to avoid ingrown hairs (i seem to read that people have the most luck with sugar scrubs for this particular purpose). if ingrowns are a problem, try TendSkin (available online or at Ulta and Sephora) which contains salicylic acid and helps to exfoliate the blocked hair follicle from the inside out.

some people also think that it's a good idea to get the area you're planning on epilating waxed first and then using the epilator as a maintenance method, because epilating full grown hair is much much more difficult and painful. i didn't get waxed first, but i made it through (but not without some pain!).

interested in the Emjoi Optima? check it out here. the $100 pricetag is pretty heavy but consider all the money you'd be saving on shaving gels, razors, waxing, etc. and also that of the reviews i've read, most people have had their epilators for 5+ years and they're still going strong! other companies that make epilators are Braun, Remington, and Panasonic (weird, huh?) and you can find these at their websites or your local Target-type stores. good luck, and lmk what you think of epilating in the comments!