Category: beauty

5 Essential Beauty Products I Always Keep in my Handbag!

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We live in a fast-paced world and sometimes we can’t bring ten million things along with you everywhere. That’s why my list of essential beauty products is very small and succinct. With these items in your bag you’ll be looking your best any time of day!

FLOSS. You can have the most impeccable makeup going for you, but if you have a stray salad leaf stuck between your teeth then you won’t look that appealing. Not to mention the potential cavities! So to keep both my teeth healthy and looking their best I always carry floss in my handbag.

MIRROR. This is a no-brainer, but honestly, sometimes you go to bathrooms that don’t have mirrors (travesty!) or since I’m nearsighted, it’s harder for me to notice lipstick smudges from far away, so this is an item I’ve always kept in my handbag.

LIPSTICK/LIP BALM. You never know when you’ll need a touch-up, or if your lipstick disappeared during dinner (or in most cases after kisses!) and merely left a stain, you can always apply lip balm on top and it’ll still look like you’ve got some color in your lips.

ROLLERBALL FRAGRANCE. Nothing freshens you up more than a so-called “whore bath,” or in less vulgar terms, a spritz of perfume on your pulse points to leave you smelling like you’ve just stepped out of the shower (nevermind that you’ve actually been sweltering for the past 8 hours!).

HAIRBANDS/BOBBY PINS. You never know when you’ll get caught in a windstorm or your hairdo begins to fall in the middle of the day, but with extra hairbands and bobby pins at your disposal you can always keep your hair looking hip and not resembling the crazy cat lady from two doors down.

What beauty items do you always carry with you?

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Review: Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink

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I love liquid lipsticks and since I was running out my Jeffree Star liquid velour shades, I was looking to find a much cheaper substitute. I know this is dumb, but the couple of years I spent working as a makeup artist had me acquire an elitist outlook on cosmetics that I didn’t have before. Suddenly, using drugstore brands seemed beneath me. But the past year I’ve decided to throw out that idea since prior to being a makeup I used to use drugstore brands all the time!

So when my local beauty shop was running a deal of selling these Maybelline liquid lipsticks for $5 a pop, I decided to give them a shot. After being impressed with the first shade I got I decided to purchase three more. I was impressed with all the shades and longevity!

Packaging: Not the best packaging, they’re kinda chunky and blocky, but it comes with a tapered doe-foot applicator with a small reservoir in the center that helps with the application.

What It Is: Matte Liquid Lipstick

Pros: Long-lasting, transfer resistant, and non-drying

Cons: Can take some minutes to dry down after initial application

Shades: Dreamer, Pioneer, Seductress, and Ruler

Verdict: I didn’t think I was going to love these liquid lipsticks, cause I’ve tried so many but haven’t been enamored by any of them, except for the Jeffree Star Lipvelours. Having said that, this lipsticks ALMOST are better than those in regards to being transfer resistant (meaning not even major makeout sessions can smear your lips) and they’re incredibly long-lasting (I literally partied my heart out, wore it for over sixteen hours, ate, drank, kissed, and fell asleep and the morning after my lips still looked amazing!). The third thing that I love about these liquid lipsticks is how PIGMENTED they are! These lipsticks aren’t wimps when it comes to their shade power. Do yourself a favour and pick up a shade or three!

Price: 7.99

Where To Buy It: Ulta, CVS, Target

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From top: DREAMER, PIONEER, SEDUCTRESS, & RULER 

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No More Acne Detox Tea!

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Who doesn’t want clear skin? For many people hormones, stress, and lack of sleep can do a number on your skin. So what can one do when you’ve tried all sorts of over the counter acne medications but still don’t see the clear skin you covet? Clear skin, unfortunately, is something that isn’t linked to the surface, and goes deeper, meaning that what you put into your body can certainly affect the health of your skin. This detox tea is amazingly easy to make AND it works in combating acne!

SKIN CLEARING TEA DETOX

Ingredients:

1 cup green tea (such as Twinings green tea)

Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Ginger Honey (such as Greenbow Organic Honey with Ginger)

Drink this tea first thing in the morning for best results OR right before you go to sleep. This tea helps skin to release toxins and keep any inflammations at bay.

Let me know if you try this and how it works for you!

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Beauty: Spooky Spiders Manicure

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I was at Shriekfest last weekend and since October always prove to be an incredibly busy month for me due to work and events, I knew that I needed to find both fast and cost-effective way to have awesome nails stat! So when I came upon these nail stickers in September I just KNEW that I needed to grab two. I’ve used this company before and my previous experience with these kinds of stickers at that time wasn’t so positive, but I decided to give it another go a second time.

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I LOVE how these stickers provide an easy no-dry time solution for some of us that have problems with sitting still for a full hour (cause no matter what the nail polish bottles claim, it still takes a FULL HOUR for any of them to truly dry and not get indentations).

Plus, how can you go wrong when your nails look this fabulous? Nail art like this could easily cost over $40 or $50 at a salon, not to mention the time required to sit there for it. I stuck these babies on in less than ten minutes and literally went on a date afterward! Yes, it’s THAT EASY AND QUICK! Plus, who doesn’t want amazing nails under $10?

So grab yourself a pair or two, and don’t worry if you mess up, the Halloween packs come with six extra stickers in case you do or need to replace one later on if it comes off. (So far it has been over a week and it hasn’t popped off, which was a major issue with the ones I had tried earlier this year, so maybe that pack was just faulty).

You check out more options on their website.

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Review: Pixi Overnight Glow Serum (Concentrated Exfoliating Gel)

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This is the third skin product that I’ve tested by Pixi and I’m truly loving it! (You can check out one of my Pixi reviews here). I know that you may think that I’ve been reviewing a ton of skin serums lately, but alas skincare means more to me than cosmetics. If you have an amazing skin you won’t need that much makeup, so that’s why I’m so obsessed with keeping my skin looking top notch (which I know is usually easier said than done!). But that’s why I wish to share with you any skincare product that can help you achieve that amazing skin that we all crave!

Packaging: Like most serums, this comes with a drop dispenser, and in keeping with the Pixi brand it’s a light shade of mint.

What It Does: Gently exfoliates to reveal a healthier and more even skintone. Helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and fade superficial sun damage over time.

Active Ingredients: Glycolic acid, aloe vera, and cucumber

Verdict: What I love about this serum is that it’s thick and feels extra emollient. The glycolic acid stimulates cell turnover, while the aloe vera helps to heal and soothe skin, and cucumber calms and relieves puffy skin. After using this serum for two weeks my skin became instantly smoother and softer. I initially purchased this serum because of the glycolic acid and the promise of it helping fade sun damage (especially since I’m so deathly pale and I live in So-Cal). In two weeks I can’t really tell whether it has helped with any possible sun damage, but it has helped in fading any past acne scars. The serum feels ultra luxurious, as though you were applying an insanely expensive serum, but in reality you’re just splurging the same amount that you would for a MAC lipstick. I recommend this serum, and if you’re acne-prone and oily, this serum keeps the zits away and doesn’t cause one to breakout or increase the oiliness either.

Price: $24

Where To Buy It: Target or https://www.pixibeauty.com/

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Empties Post – First One Ever!

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Ever since the internet went crazy with “Empties” posts, I’ve been wanting to write one for this blog. The only caveat? Being able to accumulate enough used up products to write a post about. Seems simple, right? Not when you have far too many products and keep switching from one to another, and the guilt of throwing out something you’re not crazy about seems almost wasteful. So for me, using up a product and thinking about repurchasing the same item again means that I need to have thought it was absolutely AMAZING and willing to go through the experience all over again.

So without further ado, here are a few of my empties:

Honest The Younger Eye

I wrote a full review of this product here if you wish to read more details about it. What can I say? I absolutely LOVE this eye cream! It’s everything an eye cream should be and I think it has greatly improved the skin around my eyes tenfold.

Would I repurchase: HELL YES!

Everyone Face For Every Day Tone

I included this product in my skincare routine post. This is one of my favourite toners because not only is it lightweight, but it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. It also has contributed to keeping my skin acne-free!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Korres Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer

Even for this, I wrote a full review of this product here, if you wish to read a more detailed description. I’m usually not a huge fan of moisturizers cause even the most lightweight ones tend to make me break out, but this one lived up to its claim of being gentle for acne-prone skin, and I fell instantly in love!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye

This cream is a restorative eye treatment for undereye skin. I like that the cream was thick and emollient, and did work in diminishing fine lines caused by fatigue. I didn’t find anything NOT to love about this cream, but at the same time, I didn’t fall in love with it as much as I did with the Honest eye cream.

Would I repurchase: Maybe

Skin & Co. Roma Truffle Therapy Eye Concentrate

I was sad to see this finish as I added this as one of my favourite eye creams that I recommend. This cream feels luxurious and incredibly hydrating. Even a year later I still love it!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Pixi Beauty Sleep Cream

This cream was just a little too much on the thin side for my liking. I’m more into creams that feel very moisturizing and this was a little on the light side, however, it DID keep my skin hydrated and didn’t cause any breakouts. If you want to read a more detailed description, check out the review here.

Would I repurchase: Maybe

Clinique Moisture Surge

I know this is the holy grail of moisturizers for many people, especially if you’ve got oily skin. I was given this cream as a sample by one of the Clinique reps at a cosmetic shop with the promise that I would love it. Well, sorry to burst anyone’s bubble but this is simply too watery for my taste. I guess the lightweightness of it is what makes it perfect for oily skin, but I kinda love thick creams.

Would I repurchase: No

Medusa’s Makeup Grapefruit Astringent

I’m a big fan of toners and this one simply smells amazing! It left my skin feeling refreshed, and kept it from becoming oily too soon.

Would I repurchase: Yes, but they have two other scents (Rose and Cucumber) and I’m curious about the cucumber version.

There’s a satisfying feeling of completion when you get to the end of a product, and I think this is why Empties Posts are so popular. Do you have similar feelings? Would you try out any of these products?

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Review: Medusa’s Makeup Afterglow Facial Serum

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I’ve been a fan of Medusa’s Makeup for awhile, because not only are their products edgy looking and all around awesome, but they’re vegan which is always a plus in my book. They recently debuted a Facial Serum, and being heavily into skincare I was happy to find it in my September Beauty Box.

Packaging: A cute glass bottle with a dropper dispenser.

What It Does: Keeps skin hydrated, use morning or night.

Active Ingredients: Grapeseed Oil and Grapefruit Oil

Benefits: Grape seed oil is non-comedogenic, treats acne, tightens skin, helps diminish dark circles around the eyes, moisturizers, and reduces scars. Grapefruit oil can help curb hangovers, headaches, mental fatigue, and depression. It is also known to treat acne, prevent oily skin, and help reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Verdict: This serum is amazing! Especially if you have oily or acne prone skin as myself. It is lightweight enough that if can be worn under makeup in the mornings, although I prefer to use it at night before going to bed. It’s never sticky and smells fresh, so if used in the mornings, it feels very refreshing. I find that this serum helps curb my oily skin, leaving glowing but NOT oily skin, looking youthful and fresh-faced. I absolutely recommend this especially if you have problem skin and wish to keep your skin hydrated without clogging up your pores even more so.

Price: $16

Where To Buy It: Medusa’s Makeup Site

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10 Things You Don’t Know About Me

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A candid photo from when I got talked into modeling for Back to School attire (P.S. that’s vegan leather so no worries!) 

  1. I’m bilingual. I’m fluent in Italian and English.
  2. I was born on a Thursday, January 8, just like David Bowie.
  3. I drink every beverage with a straw, and yes, this also includes hot tea and coffee. (Method to my madness, drinking from straws lowers your chances of damaging your teeth and staining them).
  4. I studied piano for close to ten years. I had a love/hate relationship with it, as I love music and loved playing it, but hated the long practice time (over an hour every single day) of it and being forced to study Bach by my teachers (when I preferred Beethoven, I actually decided to learn to play the piano because I was obsessed with his music).
  5. If you only know me through blogging, then you may not know that I’m a writer, and have several books up for sale on Amazon including a paranormal urban fantasy: CUT HERE, a collection of short stories: DOLL PARTS – Tales of Twisted Love, and an anthology I edited: MY AMERICAN NIGHTMARE – Women In Horror Anthology.
  6. My first celebrity crush was Leonard Nimoy who played Spock on Star Trek when I was two, and yes, I did prefer him because of his quirky ears and thus began my path of crushing on odd dark-haired men.
  7. My favourite city in the whole world is London, England. I love it so much that I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to it.
  8. My love for lipstick started at the tender age of three when I begged my aunt to leave me one of her lipstick tubes. I haven’t stopped wearing lipstick since.
  9. The historical figure I’ve been obsessed with since I was three is the last French Queen Marie Antoinette. Watching the anime Lady Oscar – The Rose of Versailles for the majority of my childhood did have a hand in that.
  10. My four favourite novels are novels I’ve read more than once (which I often don’t re-read novels as I have a good memory and find it hard to reread something I already know everything that’s going to happen) are: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde), Interview With the Vampire (Anne Rice), 1984 (George Orwell), and A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens).                                                                                         White and Pink Strikeout Cosmetics Beauty LogoDid you enjoy what you just read? If yes, then FOLLOW THE BLOG, give the post a like, or leave a comment! New posts are up every Tuesday & Thursday!

6 Skincare Secrets to Beautiful Skin!

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Photo courtesy of advanceantiagingskincare.wordpress.com

Exfoliate lips using a toothbrush.

One sure-fire way to keep chapped lips at bay is to exfoliate lips using a toothbrush. I usually do it in the morning, you can use either a lip scrub with it or a pinch of Vaseline and gently scrub your lips. You can either scrub in circular motions or horizontal.

Use a Peel to brighten your skin tone.

Peels are extremely easy to use and can remove dull skin cells from the surface, which in turn helps brighten up your skin tone. Since most peels have acid, I’d suggest once a week usage. I suggest my fave here.

Invest in a good eye cream.

Most people will say that you can use regular moisturizer around your eye area, but they are wrong. The skin around your eyes is thinner and absorbs product much faster, so I recommend using a cream specifically made for the eye area, as it’s easier to cause irritation if you use ingredients that are too harsh for the delicate skin. Need ideas? Here’s a list of some of my favourite eye creams.

Use ice to reduce a pimple.

If you have to go out and have a huge raging red pimple, here’s a quick-trick. Hold an ice cube wrapped in a washcloth against your pimple for fifteen minutes. The ice will help reduce the inflammation and redness, allowing you to apply concealer much more easily. For added benefits, make ice cubes out of rose water for an extra skin-soothing treatment!

Don’t remove eye makeup with a makeup wipe.

Makeup wipes are too harsh when trying to get rid of mascara (especially if you’re scrubbing your eyes, a major no-no since it promotes premature wrinkles and wreaks havoc at the delicate skin). What I do is break up the makeup using Johnson’s Baby Lotion by placing it on a cotton ball and gently applying it to my closed eyes. I let the lotion soak in for a few seconds and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Not only will your eyelashes be moisturized, but it’ll also cause less breakage. Added bonus: this method removes all of your eye makeup in less than ten seconds!

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Review: Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

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If you’ve been following my blog, then you know that I have a soft spot for skin oils. I know that it may seem counterproductive to use oils if you have oily skin (like I do), but in reality, in some weird way, drying out oily skin actually creates more oil than applying oils. So when I received this product in my latest Allure Beauty Box, I was thrilled to try it out.

Packaging: A gorgeous glass bottle with a dropper dispenser.

What It Does: Moisturizes, eliminates redness, fights wrinkles, makes pores smaller, and improves damaged skin.

Active Ingredients: Retinol and chamomile.

Verdict: Now, I know that some people may not be into this oil because it does have some fragrance to it (and maybe it can be irritating to sensitive skin). But the fragrance that it does have is due to natural essential oils from neroli, blood orange, ylang ylang, and vetiver. But if you don’t have sensitive skin, then this oil may be perfect for you. I really loved how it made my skin feel so velvety soft in the mornings (after applying it at night) and also making it plumper. It truly gave me the dewy skin that is oh so coveted by the beauty world. What I love is that the oil is very lightweight, and it’s perfect even for acne-prone skin as myself. I highly suggest to check it out if you need an oil, but if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to skin oils, then check out my favourite Vitamin C oils here.

Price: $105

Where To Buy It: Sephora.com

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