Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Experience: Highlighting! Revlon Frost and Glow

Okay!

So this weekend, I had a NEW experience~ I got to highlight my friend's hair, eee!! I have dyed before, but never HIGHLIGHTED. It was so exciting!

Here is the kit we used:

Revlon Frost and Glow


















It's like most dyes where you mix together the dye, but this one you put in the little box it comes with~

















But first! You use the cap and crochet-like needle to pull the hair to highlight through the cap, ah! Once I got the hang of it, it actually was pretty quick. And you know, I can't even really explain HOW to do it, but I could show if anyone ever needs help, lol!






















Instructions for how to use the cap for what effect you want. Hehe doesn't she look so happy?

I think you can gather from the illustration what the cap looks like.
So here is a picture once her hair was pulled through the cap~























She pulled the rest of her hair in a ponytail to keep it out of the way. You then apply the dye with a little spatula like tool (included) and then pile the hair on top and put this other loose cap on, to make sure you don't lean on anything with the dye, I suppose lol.

Ok so I'm a bad reviewer and forgot to take a BEFORE picture, so here is the most recent one I could creep on Facebook with her hair straight =):






















After!:






















ISN'T IT GORGEOUS?!
I was really super impressed with this kit! There weren't any chunks and the color is even and beautiful-- nice job, Revlon!

Makes me want to dye my hair!!!!

Have you ever used at-home dye or highlighting kits before? Tell me stories!!

Until next time~
--Beauty Maven

Monday, November 15, 2010

Red: Part 1/4 -- Red Lips!

Hello all!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!! I'll tell you about mine tomorrow~ for now, I want to share some red lip colors for my lover reader Emily!!

Ok, so every girl needs red lipstick, right? Maybelline claims that their color "Red Revival" from the Color Sensational line is the "#1 Red" on the market right now. Let's take a look!













As you all know, I am a big fan of the Color Sensational line, so I was excited to try this shade! When I got this, they had a BYGO-free so I also got "Park Avenue Peach."

Swatch:
Park Avenue Peach and Red Revival




















Bare lips:















Park Avenue Peach:












Red Revival:












Park Avenue Peach is a good peach shade, but I didn't fall in love with it.
Red Revival, on the other hand, is a GREAT blue-based red!! I would definitely recommend it, especially since it's on the deeper side of red instead of the normal fire-engine BRIGHT reds that are out there. Thumbs up!

The ONLY "ehh" I have with these colors it that, for some reason, the red ones seem like the formula isn't as creamy. It took just a little bit to get them on perfectly aka they didn't just 100% easily glide on. Odd! But that also gave them really spectacular staying power, so maybe that's it? I wonder if maybe mine were just messed up?? lol!

Approved! Great red, Maybelline!

What do you think, Emily?? Also, another good red is Revlon Red-- I have heard, at least ;)

Until next time~
--Beauty Maven

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