Uncurable Craving

Tag Sale Finds

2011-04-02T14:57:00.002-04:00

These last couple of weeks I've helped out at my dance school's tag sale and let me tell you, it's hard to stand around in a place, packed full of interesting, fun things, and not start putting things in a pile for yourself. In the pictures below are what I ended up with. It totaled $8 (And that includes 2 books not pictured that I bought for my mom!) Talk about a bargain for me, and all the money raised benefits scholarships for students and also goes for costumes.

From the left, a really pretty blue paisley scarf that I'm going to use as a headband, blue top, really warm grey vest that will come in very handy up here in New England, the book, Confessions of a Shopaholic, a little colorful ornament, a tan sweater with rose detail, long black skirt, a green top and really colorful skirt - seems good for spring/summer.

Liz Earle Eye Bright Soothing Eye Lotion - Recommend!

2011-03-27T16:32:00.001-04:00

I've been obsessed with this lately. My eyes, ugh, my eyes are really something else. They are really sensitive, sensitive to bright colors, to bright light, to many things. They often burn and feel dry and scratchy. I use Visine and my eyes only feel moisturized for about 5 minutes. Would you believe that? Visine resistant eyes. Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion does a superior job for me with getting rid of that burny feeling, alievates some eye pressure and strain I feel and helps soothe my tired eyes and eyelids. I highly recommend this. Whenever I sweep a cottonball doused with this across my eyes, it just spells instant relief for me. The combination of eyebright, cornflower, witch hazel and organic aloe vera just truly works so well.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Spring

2011-03-19T13:46:00.003-04:00

Spring by Rachel Green 860
I made this set on Polyvore to just express how I see the beginning of spring, the colors and feelings. Spring is such a welcome break from winter and it is going to be a good one.

Bubble Babez Marshmallow Buff n' Shine Scrub Bar

2011-03-16T10:37:00.004-04:00

I think one of life's simple but most incredible pleasures is a hot bath or a shower. They help ease achy muscles and the scents of good bath products can really take your head to a different place. I was very lucky to have won BubbleBabez Bath Company recent Twitter giveaway for a marshmallow-scented body scrub bar. I had a strong feeling it would smell very yummy and boy, was I was right. It smells incredible! The bar breaks up into useable chunks kind of like how a chocolate bar is pieced out. I needed just one square for a thoroughly scrubbly, deliciously scented shower. It made me feel both moisturized and exfoliated. I wish I could make my blog have a scratch n' smell capability, just so you could smell how good BubbleBabez scrub bar is! Recommend!

BubbleBabez Twitter: http://twitter.com/BubbleBabez
BubbleBabez website: I tried to access their site, but it looked down at this second. It is located at:
http://www.bubblebabez.com/

NOTD - Hard Candy in Beetle

2011-02-09T15:50:00.003-05:00

When I was working, a customer came in and she had on the most beautiful shade of nail polish. It was so incredible looking. I hadn't seen a nail polish quite like it on anybody. I had to stop her and ask what the color was. She told me it was Hard Candy - Beetle. What I found was so different and appealing about the color was about how the color changed with how she held her hand, the angles under the light. Sometimes it looks bronzy, sometimes I see this golden green sheen, other times it looks like a shimmery plum color. It definitely reminds me of a scarab or a beetle's shell, the rainbow-like sheen it can have.

When I tried finding the polish, let alone, the brand Hard Candy, I couldn't locate it. I guess the Walmart up here has a very limited selection. Luckily, Rai of Glam-Morena.com had a Walmart in her location that was fully stocked. Thanks to her, I have my very own bottle of Beetle!

A personalized touch from mySkin.com

2011-02-07T17:16:00.003-05:00

Sometimes skin can be so confusing, For many years of my life, all I wanted from it was for it to lie smooth, stay calm and act predictably. Over time, I remember trying numerous over-the-counter products unsuccessfully. Eventually, I needed to see a dermatologist who diagnosed me with serious cystic acne - those deep painful below-the-skin bumps, that can lead to scars.

Before I found a great dermatologist in my teenage years, I often suffered alone. Sure, of course, teenagers the world around suffer acne too, but my peers were less than tackful or understanding. I remember feeling very ostracized and my friends not having anywhere near as serious of a case as I did. I even remember the lucky few who had no problems at all!

Not too long ago mySkininc on Twitter put the word out there for bloggers to check out their website and write their opinions. I checked it out and thought it would have been reassuring and helpful if such a website existed when I was going through my troubles. With the website, you can "find your skin twin", by using the mySkin's Just Like Me search engine. This made me think of people quickly finding solutions by browsing other people's routines and favorite skin products. They might not feel as lonely too in whatever their skin problem might be, be it acne or excessive oiliness or dryness. Some other good features of the site are product reviews that are unbiased, you can find the best deals on skincare products with over 150,000 products to choose from and mySkin also offers skincare assessments based on the following factors: ethnicity plus skin color and eye color, skin type/tone and products you use and medical, as well as lifestyle choices.

I think mySkin is helpful because I think it can help someone while walking down a confusing crowded skincare aisle and give them some guidance.

Zoya! New nail polishes for me.

2011-01-29T18:58:00.001-05:00

Yay these came in the mail today. I only had to pay shipping because of a promo I saw on Twitter. These are L-R Sarah, Crystal and Valerie.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

NOTD - OPI - Glow up already!

2011-01-15T18:46:00.003-05:00

3 coats. Sometimes application of glitter varied. It was hard to get the same amount of glitter on each nail - sometimes it was easy to get the glitter polish off the brush onto the nail, other times it was a struggle. Looks pretty incredible. Multi-color glitter mixed with gold. Used base and top coat. We'll see how long it lasts.

UPDATE: On my left hand I got a sizable chip on my pointer fingernail. Nail polish seriously doesn't last for me, but I do love it. The other nails look fine, but thought I'd write that a nail did chip already.

Some random beauty & scent thoughts of the day

2011-01-14T21:12:00.003-05:00

If you put Carol's Daughter Vanilla perfume on your wrists then slather your body with Skin Trip Coconut Moisturizer, you will smell like an incredible dessert.

Massaging lavender essential oil (I mixed it with Olay Regenerist Serum) and giving your face a massage relaxes you in two ways: through the act of massage and via the relaxing properties of the lavender oil.

I went to an office today and it smelled incredible. I asked the person working there what the scent was and she had something burning from Bath & Body called Bayberry and Cedar. It smelled AMAZING. Total just homey, winter-cozy, gender-neutral, non-intrusive, non-overwhelming, just GREAT scent.

notd

2011-01-08T21:41:00.002-05:00

This is my current manicure. It's a light blue glitter, 3 coats. It lasted about 2 days before showing wear at the tips of my nails. I used basecoat and topcoat. It comes in a set with other pastel glitters. They're all scented. I like that :) this one does really smell like candy.

This is the set that the blue, sparkly nail polish came in. It was a gift from someone from TJ Maxx.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Neutrogena Lip Gloss Wine Wellness Review

2010-12-31T05:58:00.003-05:00

I received Neutrogena Lip Gloss in Wine Wellness in a prize pack recently and I was curious about it. I'm prone to using wine colors, reds, etc., so I wanted to see how it applied and its' opacity.

Lately, I've been very much into a naked looking eye and really bold, look-at-me lips. Initially, I felt that this look was a bit too subtle, but looking back at the pictures I feel that it's very pretty in its own low-key way. It adds just a little bit of color for if a person just wants to wake up their face a little bit. I think I'd wear this to say, if I had to go somewhere very early in the morning because I'd feel a little awkward with my usual WHABAM bright lipstick at like 6 AM, at a gas station :) Or maybe, if I worked at a place where the office dress code was more strict (I work at a makeup store so pretty much anything goes - except for the very, very outlandish).

Pros: It felt very hydrating, definitely NON-STICKY. I liked the fruity scent a lot. It stayed around 2 1/2 hours on my lips with no eating or drinking. I'd probably rate it a 7.5/10.

Cons: I found that it tends to go a bit over my lip lines. I have a habit of pressing my lips together, with some products they stay put, but with this one I had to be careful not to smoosh my lips together too much. You can kinda see the lip gloss going over my lip line in the center picture on the left side of my lip.

I found the color a little light for me simply because I like drama, but I think that this would be great over a lipstick or a lip liner. Also, if I was in a different phase with my makeup like very into "the natural look," I don't think this would be an issue.

Sinful Colors 929 let's talk

2010-12-28T14:45:00.001-05:00

It took me a few days to photograph this nail polish so that it'd be true to color. It kept photographing really blue, but I finally got a shot of it looking its violet, exquisitely, vibrant self.

This is it on the third day. I used base coat but ran out of time when it was time to use top coat. Also I got lazy :) There is some wear at the tips of my nails where you can see the white.

I love the color (This is 2 coats) and the price $1.99 at Rite Aid. Each coat dried really quickly which I like so you're not waiting forever at the end.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

William Tell Me About OPI

2010-12-22T23:48:00.001-05:00

I really like this deep, deep purple. It's almost black. 2 coats.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Review of Wet n' Wild Spotlight Red 911D

2010-12-21T14:23:00.006-05:00

UPDATE: This lipstick is a complete WIN when I wear a light coating of lip balm (I wore Aquaphor) and then put it on.

REVIEW PRIOR TO UPDATE:
I bought this Wet n' Wild lipstick because I saw the most beautiful picture of Youtuber @ShadowNukks on Twitter wearing it. It made me think about it several times a day, my brain repeating: Buy Spotlight Red! Buy Spotlight Red! I heard through the grapevine that it's a good dupe for MAC's Ruby Woo, and knowing that it's cheap ($2.99) and easily accessible at Rite Aid made it very enticing, all feathers in the bargain lipstick's proverbial hat.

I wore it right after I bought it without any liner or lip balm. With several brands of lipsticks, like Rimmel and MAC, I don't feel the need to prep my lips in any way. I've found with this lipstick, there is a need. I can't just put it on in my car's mirror and then quickly just drive off and expect it to look perfect. It is long-wearing, but it tends toward being dry. I'll find myself putting more on, but it won't really add more moisture, it will only look brighter Additionally, I found a unique problem: the lipstick didn't look neat on. I would look in the mirror while at work and there would be smudgy edges around my lips, smears. Luckily, at my work, there are Q-Tips around... but you know bright red lipstick, it stains the skin around your lips!

When I wear it, I see it as a true, bright red. I got a lot of the lipstick allover a white paper cup when I was drinking tea, and it looked like it had a ton of pink undertones in it.

That being said, I love the color and the price! $3? That can't be beat! Ok, it could be beat if it had a better texture ;) but nevertheless. I will probably end up trying to prep my lips with exfoliation, then balm, then lip liner and see if that improves some of the issues of the lipstick that I noticed. I wouldn't dissuade anyone from the lipstick, but I would just keep these things in mind.

What are your favorite bargains? Let me know! I love that sort of thing.

Bésame Sweetheart Balm in Sweet Rose - Review

2010-12-09T18:29:00.004-05:00

Besame Cosmetics are inspiring to me. I love anything with a nod to times gone by, and I find that the aesthetic of Besame echoes vintage and Old Hollywood very well. One of my biggest makeup inspirations has been my grandmother on my mother's side. Gabriela Hernandez, the creator of Besame Cosmetics, also was very influenced by her grandmother. In fact, Hernandez's grandmother's original lipstick tubes from the 1940s, along with drawings, ads from the past, etc., helped shape what Besame's modern lipstick is today.

I received Besame's Sweetheart Balm in Sweet Rose in the mail the other day and I found it to be such a beautiful jar of balm. I even liked the box the jar came in which had drawings of sparrows and flowers on it. It just reminded me of something a beautiful actress or glamour girl from the 40s or 50s would have in her purse, and I fell in love with it.

The glossy, moisturizing balm lasts for about 2 hours on my lips which is a decent, slightly higher than average time I'd expect from a lip balm, especially a glossy one. It is a thick consistency that I like especially because it's winter and I like a nice protective coating. I didn't find it sticky. The color is very interesting. In the pot, it looks like the lightest sheerest pink, but there is this opalescence to it that can be seen on the lips and on my finger when I apply it. It is so pretty like the inside of mother of pearl shell. It has a delicate rose scent that reminds me a bit of Smith's Rosebud Salve, but even softer and more lovely.

Ah well - you can see up my nose... but! You can see that iridescent sheen I was talking about really well.

The lip balm is made without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, artificial sweeteners and phthalates. Glad all those nasties are left out! With its' nourishing formula with ingredients like aloe leaf extract, shea butter, jojoba oil, vitamins C and E and rosa canina extract, I find this to be pure soothing indulgence.

The lip balm retails for $18. A bit on the higher end of the price spectrum, but the balm has really nice ingredients and looks so pretty on! Besame makes me interested in what else they have, especially their red lipsticks. Ah I'm addicted.

Disclosure: I received this free as a winner of a RT contest on Besame's Twitter. I was not compensated or asked to write this review. I simply really liked the product and felt like writing it.

my red lipstick addiction looms large

2010-12-04T18:50:00.001-05:00

Soo I think it started a month or two ago, but I became more interested in a more subdued, makeup look. Minimalist to say the least, it usually just consists of my favorite eyebrow pencil to thicken in the thinner half of my eyebrows (The ends of my brows have always been razor-thin, especially when compared to the beginning half of my brows. That's why I try to even them out) and a red lipstick.

The one in the pic is Estee Lauder Double Wear Lipstick in Stay Raspberry. It is very long-lasting. I don't find it lasts the full 12 hours as per Esteelauder.com, but it does stay vibrant and on my lips for a long time. I'd estimate closer to 4, tops. The lipstick applies creamy and it dries to a smooth, tackiness. For a long-wearing lipstick, I'm just glad it's not super dry like so many others.

This lipstick retails for $22 on esteelauder.com or at one of their counters. Frankly, I think the price is high, but I do love this color.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Fave things of Sunday

2010-11-29T07:27:00.001-05:00

~ the moment I got out of work ;)

~ when I turned on the radio (weqx 102.7), right after work, I heard two ammmaaazzzzinnggg songs for my mood: Mumford & Sons - The Cave and Violent Femmes - Add It Up.

~ hanging out with my mom and the pets before work

~ the second my head hit the pillow, and I fell asleep. I was really exhausted.

What were your favorite moments of yesterday? I'm curious!

FOTD

2010-11-27T18:50:00.001-05:00

Focused on my eyes instead of my lips today. It's been awhile since I did that. Been very focused on doing red lips, but I guess I wanted to do something different.

Here's what I used:
Eyes
No shadow used, just MAC Black Russian eyeliner on upper and lower lashline. I don't use this on my waterline because it has small silver glitter in it. On my waterline, I used Prescriptives Kohl Eyeliner in Black. No mascara.

Face
Used some Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions in Shade 01 on any old breakout marks and new spots.

Lips
MAC lipstick in Phlox. I've almost used this all up. I love this sheer pink color with bluish, lavendery shimmer.

What feature do you like to focus on, eyes or lips, or are you torn between the two like me?

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Outfit of the Day :) Stars and Stripes

2010-11-20T19:04:00.001-05:00

What I wore today to work:
Jockey white tee with rouching at collar
Striped J J Brand sweater
Bullhead jeggings
Blue BCBG bag
LEI mocassins
A Nashelle Designs Hope necklace
And wearing MAC lipstick in Ever Embellish

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

My Current Skincare

2010-11-18T15:08:00.001-05:00

Pictured here are all the skincare products I use. Now that I see them lined up this way, it looks like quite a lot of items.

The top row is my AM skincare. From the left: I use Proactiv Cleanser, then their Revitalizing Toner, followed up by their Repairing Treatment. When I use those products twice-a-day, and use their Refining Mask a few times a week, my skin remains clear! It took consistency and time, but it is working to control my chronic, cystic acne.

After I use the Proactiv products in the morning, I use MD Skincare Hydra-Pure Radiance Renewal Serum. I like how this feels on my face and neck. I can't tell if it makes me look any more radiant, but it feels very good. After this, I use good skin Clean Skin Oil-Free Lotion. I bought it for its' SPF and non-acnegenic properties - it has SPF 15. I wear this whether it's sunny or not, UV rays get through no matter what the weather. To finish, I use this trusty concealer by Clinique called Anti-Blemish Solutions Stick. I really like this item because it helps hide any pimples that pop up well and helps to dry them out. It has salicyclic acid in it.

At night, I use the same Proactiv regimen to cleanse, tone & treat. Instead of the SPF lotion, I use the oil-free moisture gel by Clinique called Moisture Surge. It makes my skin look and feel dewy and hydrated. If I feel like it, I use that MD Skincare (from the AM) serum prior to the moisturizer, but I don't always. I don't love too many steps at night. Then, verrry important, I use lip balm. Pictured here is Smith's Rosebud Salve, but it's not the only one I use. Just an ole fave :) I tend to bite my lips at night, so I try not to forget about this. I also load up on wearing it during the day.

On occasion, I use Dermadoctor's Wrinkle Revenge (Best name ever) on my eyes. I love how hydrating this is. I haven't noticed any eye wrinkles cropping up (Thankfully), but I also haven't noticed any improvements in undereye darkness or puffiness. I highly recommend it if you're strictly looking for a luxe-feeling eye cream to ward off eye wrinkles.

So what's your skincare like? Is the AM different than the PM? How many items is in your daily routine? Oh and any favorite skin products?

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

NOTD Sinful Colors Pinky Glitter

2010-11-10T10:20:00.001-05:00

My nail of the day :) This is 2 coats of the color Pinky Glitter #830. The color looks deeper in the bottle. With just one coat, my nails looked just like they were coated in a clear or light pink polish with iridescent small and large glitter. One coat was nice, but I was curious to see if a second coat would bring the manicure closer to what the polish looks like in the bottle. I surmise that a third coat would make the manicure look even more like the color in the bottle which is like a salmony pink color with glitter.

I'll update on how well the polish wears during the week.

Sinful Colors retails for $1.99 at Rite Aid.

Update: I noticed a medium-sized chip on my right thumbnail on 11/12. By 11/13, at the end of work, every nail was chipped. Today, the 14th, I began my odyssey of removing this glitter glue. I did the whole thing of soaking a cotton ball in remover and holding it on each nail for a minute or so to help loosen the glitter, and it didn't help much. The only thing that's worked so far was washing the dishes in warmish-hot water. It made the nail polish chip in bigger pieces. It'll take a few more rounds with the remover and washing the dishes to get almost this off. I used polish remover with acetone but not pure acetone. Trust me: if you try this polish you're going to want the pure acetone, I know I wish I had some (Hard to get a hold of around here, rural area).