product review – Page 2

Micellar Water and Why It’s Great

February 3, 2016 No Comments

I’m guessing the proper way to photograph a bottle of something is to do it when the bottle is full. But I figured this showcases just how much I love the stuff, as I’ve used it all up.

Micellar water hit the main stream last year and is gaining traction. I just saw a commercial for a drugstore version, which means it’s going to be every where (watch out, BB and CC creams, there’s a new kid in town).

Here’s what it does…

The molecules inside the water are meant to attract dirt and makeup while leaving all the moisture in your skin. Even hard to remove mascara and lipstick comes off with this stuff because the magnetizing molecules in it ninja kick dirt and oil to the curb.

Here’s why it’s great…

I used to wash my face all the time with those cleansing wipes. I started noticing that those wipes don’t get everything off. After a while I slowed down my use to just one night a week (Wednesday’s are particularly busy, so as a treat, I let myself remove my makeup with a wipe). This micellar water doesn’t require rinsing, but still effectively cleans your face, so this and a cotton pad are all you need for a perfectly clean face.

Isn’t that wonderful? No more water dripping down your wrists and onto your pj’s every night!

The other great thing about it, is it doesn’t leave your face dry. Those wipes do contain alcohol (some more than others), so they can really dry out your face. As can toners. But this stuff doesn’t leave you with that dry, tight feeling – just a really clean face.

Here’s a cheaper version, and here’s a more expensive kind.

Beauty, wbir

Apps that Make My World Go Round

September 28, 2015 No Comments

As weird as it is to say it because most days I still fancy myself a goofy 24 year old…I’m a working mom now.

And working mom’s need as many shortcuts and help as they can get. Two days into this process and I’m already well aware of that.

So I wanted to share some of the apps I rely on to help keep myself organized and looking amazing (yes, apps can help with that).

1. Baby Connect

This app allows you to log feedings and poopings and all kinds of bodily functions of your baby so you don’t have to keep it all in your brain. You can connect the app with other people too, so my husband can look at this app on his Android phone (weirdo) and see when Jackson was last fed.

I love it for logging poop (the only time in the world that sentence will make sense and not be embarrassing), because it helps me to know if Jackson’s got a blowout coming up.

2. Groovebook

Maybe this doesn’t help my everyday organization, but it does make me feel better about myself. Of the thousands of pictures I take of this baby at least 100 of them will be in a hard copy every month because I’ve got Groovebook.

For $2.99 every month this app allows you to upload 100 pictures to a book and will send them to you in a book in the mail. It’s amazing and not only makes for the easiest photo albums EVER but also each one comes with a cute pattern on the front so I like to set them out on my coffee table.

Is it ironic that we went from wanting our pictures digitally to wanting hard copies now? Yes, yes it is.

Use the code “OGLE43” to get a free one.

3. WBIR Weather App

My husband makes fun of me for watching the weather forecast over and over again within the same hour. But I like to do that because it solidifies the weather in my mind and allows me to dress for it appropriately for the rest of the week.

This app allows me to sneak a peak at it in case I forgot what I watched without getting ridiculed ;)

4. Lose It!

I can thank Jackson for the fact that I’m still not in my favorite jeans yet. Whaaa whaaaaa. But I will be able to non-sarcastically thank this app for getting me back in them.

Hold yourself accountable with this calorie counter. It’s got a great library of restaurants (the best, I’ve found, out of any of the other apps like it), and allows you to scan bar-codes of things you’ve eaten for even faster entry.

5. OfferUp

It’s the garage sale of the 21st century – scrolling through people’s junk in an app.

Simply tell it what area you’re in and you’ll get to do all the browsing you want without the owner awkwardly watching you from deeper within the garage.

Pay the set price or make them an offer they cannot refuse.

If anything it will give you a break from duck-face selfies on Instagram.

Beauty, beauty products

2 Cute Things and a Game-Changing New Cleanser

June 12, 2015 No Comments

This weekend marks our 7 year anniversary. When asked how things were going in our first year of marriage, I’d always start gushing about how much fun it was. I’d then immediately be reminded by the person that it’s only our first year. Give it time, they’d say. *Blank face emoji

And while I know 7 years in isn’t much, it’s been enough for us to experience plenty of highs and lows. Turns out, if someone were to ask me today how marriage is – I’d still be gushing.

I’ve known for a long time that small things are just so cute. I wear a size 10 shoe, so I’m looking at you size 6 shoe wearers. But the cuteness factor in little boy clothes? Oh Lord, it just won’t quit.

When I lived at home my room was really far away from the bathroom. This prompted me to change my face-washing routine to using wipes instead of going all the way downstairs and splashing water on my tired face and having it annoyingly drain down my arms.

I’ve since learned that using face wipes every night probably isn’t the best way to go. You don’t get as deep or thorough as a clean with them. So I save the luxury for once or twice a week when I know I’ll be coming off a long day.

I’m excited to report that I get to bump that schedule up a couple of nights with this new product. It’s called “micellar water” and it’s French. It’s water that has tiny oil molecules in it that attract dirt and makeup from off your face. So the oil pulls out the dirt, while the water stays behind to hydrate, giving you a deep clean without that dried-out feeling.

It’s wonderful to use in the morning too because it makes your face feel fresh and hydrated before applying makeup.

Here is the brand I use. Of course you can go way up or down in price, but after looking around I felt like this was the best option for the cost.

To use it, all you do is squirt some on a cotton pad (much better than a cotton ball, I found) and wipe your face like it’s toner. I’ll sometimes go over my face a second time just to get everything. Afterwards, you’ll have a really clean face, but really feel as if you cheated because it was so easy.

Give it a try this weekend!

bare minerals, Beauty, makeup, makeup brushes, west town mall

The Makeup of the Future is Here and It’s Awesome

June 1, 2015 4 Comments

Full disclosure: I’ve left Bare Minerals before to try and find a better foundation. Actually, that’s half disclosure. Full disclosure is that I’ve left them twice in the past 4 years to play the field a little bit.

And “play the field” is the absolute best way to put it (why thank you) because I never had a good reason for leaving. I just wanted to try new things, sew my wild makeup oats.

The truth is I never strayed very far, because in all of my research and in testing other products I consistently found Bare Minerals to be the best.

My number one requirement? Match my skin tone. I switched to Bare Minerals because my last foundation was taking up too much of the spotlight. Not only does Bare Minerals blend well, but the original formula has SPF, leaves a gorgeous glow-y sheen (something I really missed when trying other products), and is made up of only FIVE ingredients.

One of the biggest selling points of this makeup to me was the fact that you can fall asleep in it and it won’t harm your skin. Now, I’ve never fallen asleep in my makeup ever EVER (and neither should you, young lady), but knowing that this stuff is that natural really gave me peace of mind.

But truthfully my goal wasn’t to talk about their foundation, I want to talk about some of their other great products…

They have a new brush bar that’s filled with luxurious brushes you are going to wish were king size so you could take a nap inside them.

Oh yeah and they also work really well to distribute product on your face (you know, that’s kind of a big deal). As I’ve said so many times before, brushes really take your makeup job to the next level and can easily and quickly give you more of a professional look.

And let’s pause for a moment of gratitude for the fact that they’re all reasonably priced around $30 or so.

Next on the list of things to try? Their lip gloss. It’s hydrating and wonderful and think of all the combinations you could create with this set!

Finally, their Primer.

Let’s say you’re not a believer in primer and that you think it’s a waist of time. If that’s the case then you probably don’t have wrinkles you’d like to minimize, or uneven skin tone you’d like to hide. I guess you’re living the good life with perfectly moist skin that’s not too oily and locks onto your foundation all the day long.

If any of those things describe your face – go ahead, live your primer-free life. You deserve it, Fancy Face.

Everyone else? Let’s prep our skin. This stuff goes on so smoothly and, depending on the formula you choose, can brighten your skin, even out redness, control oil, smooth away flakes, and set the stage for a flawless performance from your foundation.

Bare Minerals isn’t paying me to say this. I’m just a consumer truly happy with a product, and I think you will be too. They’ve got lots of great products in their store so check them out in West Town Mall right behind Starbucks.

If my word isn’t enough (as golden and true as it is, how could it not be?) what about a little deal sweetener…this weekend is Friends and Family discount days where you get 20% off (Friday, June 5th – Sunday, June 7th).

The fullest disclosure? That’s a deal.

Beauty, makeup, makeup brushes

Where to Save and Splurge with Your Beauty Products

May 12, 2015 No Comments

In a dream world we could splurge on everything and it wouldn’t affect our budget. Unfortunately that isn’t the case. We run out of everything at the same time, our panty hose run and our hair looks fantastic the day before our hair appointment – such is life. So we have to strategically splurge and save in order to get the most for our money and look.

My general rule of thumb is to splurge on your base products, save on the “fluffier” ones. I’ll explain that here in a second.

First, keep in mind the fact that when you spend a lot of money on a product, it is going to go a lot farther so your cost per use might be about the same as a cheaper product.

Now let me show you what I’m talking about…

Moisturizers: Splurge

It’s the first thing you put on in the morning and the last thing you put on at night. They sit on your skin for long periods of time and have long-term effects on your skin. Here’s what I use…

Artistry Brand Night Cream – one of the highest rated brands in the beauty industry. It runs around $100 (click here to get more info about purchasing). At night your skin cells are turning over while you sleep, which makes it even more important that you have quality ingredients helping your skin repair itself.

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate – Facial oil that also helps while you sleep. It’s going to really moisturize and help stave off wrinkles as well as help with putting good oil on your skin so that it doesn’t have to work hard to produce its own (which ends up in a breakout). This is around $50 at Kiehl’s.

Neutrogena Day Cream – while it’s not as expensive, it is a higher end drugstore product ringing in at $20. It’s got SPF and Vitamin C which helps keep your skin tone look radiant.

With all the money you’re spending on these moisturizers you can save it when it comes to face wash and body lotion.

Face Wash, Body Lotion: Save

Cetaphil: I’ve heard and read so many good things about this brand. And I’ve gotten from multiple sources that dermatologists recommend it. I’ve also tried a wide range of brands when it comes to face wash and this stuff does just as good of a job as the expensive brands. It’s only $6. The lotion is great as well, it really puts the moisture back in your skin without being greasy (it’s around $10).

Makeup Brushes: Splurge

To get the most professional looking makeup, you’ve got to have great brushes.

A cheap makeup brush isn’t going to last you as long, it’s not going to leave the product on your face well, and it’s going to start shedding little hairs all over your face.

Sephora has a great selection, MAC and Bare Minerals are also great places to go. I have an angled eye brush from MAC that I’ve been using every day for over 5 years and the bristles are still strong and useful. I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth out of it.

Mascara, Eye Makeup Remover: Save

Save some cash with your mascara and eye makeup remover. I’ve tried different expensive brands of eye makeup remover that do work great – but this Target brand does just as good of a job and it’s around $3-4 (and sometimes it comes in a two pack at a deal).

Same things goes for mascara. Sure there are some expensive brands out there that are going to be awesome, but with something like this that you have to replace every 3 months, go with a cheaper brand that’s going to work really well. I love this Loreal Voluminous mascara more than I’ve loved bigger brand name mascaras that promise all these different things but don’t deliver.

This one gives me full lashes, allows me to touch up without becoming crunchy and comes off easily at night.

I hope this has helped spread our your beauty budget as well as give you ideas on how to best take care of your skin!

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