Friday, November 12, 2010

Workspace Makeover!

Happy Friday!!

Okay so I went through a cleaning spree and re-did my "Beauty Space."
(Maybe this will inspire you to have a little 'project' for the weekend ;)

First of all, I decided my brushes needed a happier place to live:






















Then, I decided I had too many nail polishes.
I went from this:












To this:















And then I decided my old caboodle (featured in the banner up top) just wasn't cutting it. So I hit up Target and found a very nice Caboodle!














































































It's about $25~ which is significantly cheaper than an actual "Make-up Train Case" ($50-$150!) but definitely something to only buy if you really need it... or just want it. ;)
I will admit- it IS nice to be able to see everything!!

I also went through my make-up and had keep/give/toss piles.. but I'm embarassed to show that =P

When's the last time you went through your make-up?
Did you know: You're supposed to throw things away after a certain amount of months?
Example:
-Mascaras -- 3 months
-Eyeliners or anything creamy-- 6 months
-Foundation and lipstick, and nail polish -- 1 year
-Powder blush and eyeshadow, and pencil liners -- 2 years

Have a nice weekend!!

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven

The Doctors!

Hello there!

So one show I love is The Doctors on NBC in the afternoons. Today they had a neat show with "The ABC's of health." I decided to take notes and share!! I didn't do some letters, like E.. for Erection, lol. But anyhow, I found it interesting and wanted to share!

Age Spots:
Use pure lemon juice- rub it on spots like on back of hands and let it dry completely. To be effective you must apply it a few times a day, over a prolonged period.
You can also use over the counter products, and look for the following ingredients:
-- Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Kojic Acid, Retinol

Bad Breath
Solution: Apple cider vinegar, freshens breath and kills bacteria.
Mix 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar to water. Be sure to just gargle it, don't swallow!

Canker Sore
Sauerkraut~ acidic which could kill harmful bacteria, fermented so contain probiotics to promote healing. Has to be fresh.. canned has vinegar which can hurt.
Sores can mean deficiencies so see your doc!

Diarrhea
Dehydration is the big problem, especially in children. Make your own popsicles to help rehydrate kids. Ingredients: Water, carrot juice to soothe stomach, limes and blueberries to kill pathogens that cause diarrhea, unsweetened yogurt with live cultures to replace good bacteria, and a pinch of salt for electrolytes. Like a frozen smoothie!

Flatulence
Caused by broccoli, chili beans, etc.
Grapefruit aids in digestion, either the fruit or grapefruit seed drops.
Tip: use Greek yogurt to make dip instead of sour cream.

Gingivitis
FLOSS (85% of Americans have some sort of gum disease!)
Don't brush too hard.

Hiccups
Use a spoonful of sugar, place it on your tongue and allow it to melt.

Jiggly Arms
#1 complaint on problem areas in women.
Moves:
Push up - works shoulders and triceps, with the added benefit of abs and chest
Bench dip - works shoulders and triceps
Shadow boxing with light weights

Knee Pain
RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

Lips
How to make lips smooth kissable and soft!
Paste: butter (natural moisturizer), turmeric (natural antiseptic), and nutmeg (locks in moisture).

Nosebleeds
Don't tilt your head back! Lean forward and pinch your nose, hold it for 10 minutes. Pressure will stop the great majority of nose bleeds. Do not lay down! Keep your nose above the level of your heart.

Oily Skin
Do not use a harsh cleanser, it ends up stimulate the skin to produce even more oil.
Use a gentle cleanser with a low pH.
Use a clay mask for a weekly deep cleanse.
If it is severe talk to your doctor about a prescription such as Retin-A.

Quit the Clean Plate Club!
Plate sizes have grown over time! If you quit the habit, you could lose 28 lbs alone! People underestimate how much they eat.

Spotting
If you spot for 3 days in a row for more than a few months, see your doctor!

Tampons
Change it frequently, every 4-6 hours. Try to sleep with a pad, not a tampon.

Ulcers
Most common symptom is abdominal pain, feels like a gnawing sensation. An ulcer occurs when the mucus of your stomach lining thins enough to where it is exposed to the stomach acids. Cabbage juice could heal up to 95% of ulcers (in the study it was a quart! ehh).

Vertigo
Dizziness where you feel like your surrounding are moving.
Hard to treat, but there is something new available-- DizzyFix hat (.com)

Weight Loss
Healthy diet and regular activity is the best way to lose weight.
Spices that could aid in weight loss:
Cinnamon -- a good alternative to sugar.
Cayenne pepper -- may act as an appetite suppressant.
Black pepper -- can boost metabolism by 8% for up to several hours.

Yellow Teeth
Natural remedies: mashed up strawberries which contain acid which kill the bacteria that causes yellow teeth. You can also rub orange peel which can lift tarter and plaque.
GOSmile smile whitening light system, similar to what the dentist uses in the office. Can lighten your teeth 6 shades. http://www.gosmile.com/teeth-whitening-light.html

Zits
Use cucumber! Which cuts the bacteria inside zit.
Brush on a puree, or dip a cotton ball in cucumber juice. It has an astringent effect, and also an anti-inflammatory and calming effect.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Speaking of Ulta...

So I think I should just work at Ulta, I'm there so much, haha!

Example: my hand after my last visit:






















A few weeks ago, I was in the check-out line and spotted these little Stila "Passport to Beauty" palettes. I had seen them on the blogosphere, but not yet in person. They are so cute! And I am a sucker for palettes.. do dooo.

And for just $10? Yes, please! I picked up "Passport to Paris":























SO cute!

1 convertable lip/cheek color and 4 shadows:
(With flash)





















AND a mirror?!
(Without flash- truer to color)















Swatches:


















Eyes:
(I used the matte brown as a liner.)








Cheeks and lips:









































Aren't they just great? Unfortunately, I think they were a summer promotions, but I saw some left at my local Ulta, so it's worth taking a look!!

BTW- Stila = heaven. Their eyeshadows are hands down my favorite, and the convertible color is a great multi-use product that doesn't clog pores and has pretty decent staying power.

Have you seen any new Holiday palettes/sets that you're drooling over? Do share!!

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Breaking News!!

Not really, but I just saw this via CoverGirl's Facebook page~

They have a new lipstick coming out to rival Maybelline's Color Sensational Line. Whaaaa? Good luck, CG! I truly wish you luck, because if you can do better than Color Sensational... you will exceed expectations!!

Here are some promo pics:
















Description:
Lip Perfection is CoverGirl's iconic, prestige-inspired lipstick. Lip Perfection is a new kind of lip transformation; lipstick that transforms your lips instantly with gorgeous color and transforms dry lips to noticeably smoother/more gorgeous lips in just 7 days.
Contains a silk therapy complex beautiful rich lip color infused with silk protein to help sustain moisture levels so the more you wear it, the more gorgeous your lips become.

What do you thiiiink? =)

NAILS!!

Hi there!!

Ok, so there is only 1 thing I love more than mascara.

And that's nail polish!!

There is just something so FUN and fancy about painting your nails =D
Just ask my old college roommate.. I used to re-do my nails every Sunday, haha!!

I recently picked up some new shades at ULTA. Let's take a look, shall we?














Ok, we have:
OPI "The Show Must Go On" and OPI Show It and Glow It!" from their new Burlesque inspired line.
ULTA Brand in "Chic Peek" and "After Party."

And on, in the same order~ (please excuse the nasty nails, I had just cut them down, and then found these beautiful shades, ugh!)













And here are some close-ups:

The Show Must Go On
- This one was hard to photograph~ it's a pinkish red with orange micro-glitter. Check out this blogger's site for awesome swatches!
















Show It and Glow It!






















Chic Peek






















After Party























They are all SO pretty!!

I think my fave for this fall is definitely Chic Peek-- it's grey and dark, without being too dark, and comes off a bit purple-ish and almost brown-ish, too. So pretty! Though, in the pics it just looks silver =\ Trust me- YOU WANT THIS COLOR! Also, most of the time, ULTA has a BOGO-free sale!! (And After Party layers well on other shadows ;)

What are you wearing on your nails? What are you looking forward to wearing for the fall/winter season??

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Review: e.l.f. Contouing Blush and Bronzing Powder

Hello!

Well the e.l.f. posts recently had me realize that I never did a review on the bronzer/blusher duo!! (Sorry, Emily!) SO here are some pictures and comments for you all!! =)



















I tried to go all contour-happy Kardashian (man, they really know how to do it!)





















...but mostly I just ended up but a funny look on my face =P




































































I had to be verrry light-handed with the bronzer because it's a bit deep for me. Though, with a smaller blush/contour brush AND being aware of not adding too much? It was quite nice!
The blush reminds me of the cult-classes NARS Orgasm~ though I think this one deposits more color, which is nice!
Both had decent wear times-- I have a hard time keeping powders on my face, (I tend to touch my face, bad, I know..), and because of this I did notice that the bronzer was verrry easily transferred. I mean, if you hugged someone who was wearing a white shirt, it would be quite embarassing! It might be better with some kind of face-setting mist, but who wants to invest in that for a $3 duo?

However! I don't want to end on a bad note-- this really is a good product, e.l.f. continues to surprise me!-- and for $3 it's hard to beat. I'd definitely pick one up!! And gift one to your beauty bud, they'll LOVE it!!

What do you think? Will you check this out? Want any more pics? Let me know!!
(Remember! You can comment without having to sign-in, so say hello! =)

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven

BTW! You can find this at Target~ they just didn't have a link on the website. *

Monday, November 8, 2010

Fun Finds!!

I figured a nice happy post would be appropriate for a Monday. =) I had some fun finds at Target over the weekend!

(BTW listen to "Love Like Woe"-The Ready Set while you read for double happiness!)

First up: e.l.f. has some fantastic make-up sets available at Target! I scooped up this 100-eyeshadow palette (and let momma know she got me a great Christmas present, haha!)

PICS:









































































IS IT NOT BEAUTIFUL?!
Each color is about the width of ... a quarter. That's a good comparison. So they're not wimpy little squares! And this has a truly great range of colors~ I always get upset because there are never good purples! But this one has wonderful neutral and also brights to play with. Score!

And yes-- you did read it correctly-- IT'S $10 !!!!!!
(I must admit-- they really do have nice, pigmented color, but I do have an issue with e.l.f. eyeshadows and the fall-out~ see review below.)

Link: e.l.f. Eyeshadow Palette - 100 shades

Think you'll be picking this up? Cause you probably should. ;)

Until next time--
~Beauty Maven