Maaaaaarvelips!

Soap and Glory's Marvelips is so phenomenal (both in name and product) that I don't feel the need to try to be witty or clever with the blog title tonight.



I've been a big fan of Soap and Glory for quite some time now, because the products have consistently exceeded my expectations and been quite easy on my wallet.
Marvelips is a double-ended lip pencil with a rosy-pink shade on one side and an almost pearly-white highlighter on the other side. The end results give you full, kissable looking lips without being too heavy.
I start out by lining just along my lip line- however, if you want your lips to look a bit fuller, line just outside your natural lip line. Make sure you don't line too heavy handed, or else it'll look very obvious.



I then fill in my lips, both top and bottom, and use the highlighting end on my cupid's bow, right in the peaks, and I draw an upside "T" on my lower lip. This helps to softly define the centre of your mouth, drawing attention to it and giving the illusion of fullness. (Added bonus, the pearly-white highlighter makes your teeth look brighter!)



(Do, please, excuse the hoodie and Cheshire grin. I've been working all day and am running on caffeine)

As you can see, Marvelips is not a super-bold, in-your-face lipstick. It's a very subtle way to draw attention to your lips and give a bit of beautiful definition.

Cost: $9.99 at Target
Grade: A

CoverGirl Disappointing Eyelights

As you can probably surmise from the title, I wasn't a fan of CoverGirl Exact Eyelights. I think it is overly hyped, messy, clumpy, and difficult to work with, without the benefit of full, pretty lashes.
I have loved coloured/tinted mascaras for as long as I can remember, because they do such pretty things to your eyes and are a nice way to change your usual day-to-day make up without being too drastic. Navy blues are great for a morning after not much sleep, as it brightens your eye area, browns and greys are a softer alternative to black, and plum is beautiful for gals with brown/hazel eyes, because it pulls the "muddyness" out.
After a long deliberation, I bought Exact Eyelights in the shade "black sapphire," and as far as I can tell, it's just a pale black with a bit of shimmer in it. The colour itself isn't anything special, I actually think it's very "ho-hum," and out of the corner of my eye, I can see the shimmer on my eyelashes, which I find extremely distracting.



Even at close range, you don't detect the "sapphire" that's supposed to be in it.

Now, I realise that in the pictures, my eyelashes don't look too clumpy- that's because I applied a coat of mascara, combed my eyelashes, applied another coat, and combed them again. To get my eyelashes to look moderately decent whilst using Exact Eyelights is too much work and impractical for every day use.



I particularly dislike the mascara wand, because I prefer the classic wands over the rubber, nubbly ones that are supposed to be better at preventing clumps. In my experience, the rubber, nubbly mascara wands cause more clumps than they prevent, and they're a bit difficult to work with.



Cost: $7.24 at Target.com
Grade: C

New Name

You may or may not have noticed, but Make Up For Recessionistas has now become Beauty for Recessionistas. Under the umbrella of "beauty," there are more things that can be posted about without people scratching their noggin and saying "it's cool, but it's not make up."
Of course, reviews of commercial cosmetic brands aren't going anywhere; that's my bread and butter. However, look for the addition of "at home" remedies, and perhaps even home goods and foods slipped in every once in a while.

Love and Kisses,
Ashleigh

Pamper Me, Please!

Every so often, we all need to take a break and have some "me" time. A little time away from the stresses of daily life, even if it's just for a few hours once a week, is one of the best things for you. I usually have my "me" time on a Wednesday or Thursday, as it gives me time to unwind so I can go into the second half of the week with a chipper attitude.
I like to start off my "me" time by slathering my hair with the fabulous Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment.



Since I use hot tools almost every day, my hair takes a bit of a beating, and I like to keep it as soft and healthy as possible. Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment is my go-to hair treatment, because it leaves my hair feeling soft and nourished without weighing it down. My hair is noticeably shinier, holds style better and has more bounce after leaving it on for about an hour. However, I will note that there are some nights where I have slept with the Restorative Hair Treatment on and my hair felt even softer the next morning.



As you can see from the picture, with the Restorative Hair Treatment on, the hair does not get oily looking, nor is it cloaked in pastel coloured goop like some hair treatments. If you really, really, really wanted to, you could run errands with it on to give it extra time to sit, as well as allowing you to multi-task.
Now, for the bad news... A 1.35 ounce pot of Restorative Hair Treatment will set you back about $21 depending on wherever you get it. I can honestly say that 1.35 ounces normally lasts me between six and eight weeks, and my hair is quite thick. That breaks down to about $3 per treatment, which is much less than what salons charge for a deep conditioning treatment. This product is definitely more of a splurge than an every day expenditure, but your hair will thank you. Some people may not like the smell of the Ojon line, because it is a very heady, Earthy smell that I would describe as very "masculine," however the smell is one of my favourite parts.

During my "me" time, I also like to use a good masque so that my skin has that nice, clean feeling that everyone loves. A while ago, I did a post about Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque, and while that is one of the best ones, I'm also quite fond of Soap and Glory's The Fab Pore.



The Fab Pore is a slightly pink clay based formula with little green balls of "Poreshrink-R Complex" scattered throughout it. As you apply it with your fingertips, the green balls break and the contents mix with the rest of the masque, giving an even application across your skin.



The Fab Pore is great for those of us who have oily/combination skin or who have enlarged pores. As I've mentioned before, I have combination skin that gets oily in my T-Zone, coupled with slightly enlarged pores. The Fab Pore has absolutely worked wonders with my skin- my pores are noticeably smaller and my skin is much less oily after use. I've also noticed that my skin is more receptive to my moisturizer and foundation after use, so that's definitely a benefit!

Compared to Ojon, Soap and Glory is more in everyone's price range with The Fab Pore running $12.99 at Target.

How to...

Patch a nail!

Earlier today, I snagged my index fingernail and wound up taking off a layer of my nail, leaving it very weak. Since I've been growing my nails for about two weeks now, I wanted to save it, instead of having it break off and leaving me at square one.

You'll Need:

• *Tea bag
• *Krazy Glue
• *Scissors
• *Nail file
• *Tweezers

Step one: Clean the nail using non-acetone nail polish remover, to ensure that there is no oil or lotion that may prevent the tea bag from adhering to the nail.

Step two: Cut a small rectangle of tea bag material, enough that it will cover the area of nail that needs to be patched.

Step three: Put a couple of drops of Krazy Glue on your nail and, using the tweezers, place the rectangle of tea bag over the affected area.

Step four: Trim any over hang.

Step five: Lightly file over the top of the patched area to smooth it out.

Now, do keep in mind that it takes a little practice. If you mess up, soak it in nail polish remover for a few minutes and try again.

Cost: Free, most people have these things around the house. If not, under $5

Is It Worth It: Yes!

To Whiten or Not to Whiten, That Is the Question

Everyone wants some pearly white chompers. They make everything about you look better; your skin looks clearer, your lipstick looks more vibrant, you look younger and healthier and well, richer.
Sure, you could go to your dentist and have your teeth whitened for a couple hundred dollars, or you could use one of my many at home methods that are flooding the market, most priced for below $30.
During one of my many rendezvous at Target, I came across their brand of whitening trays. With high hopes, I took my trays home, opened them up, and applied them.

Pros:

• *Two trays for a package, clearly labeled so you don't have to guess which is top and bottom

• *Whitening gel is already in the trays
• *Cheap

Cons:

• *Foam trays do not conform to teeth very well, so there is not complete contact with each tooth
• *Whitening gel is absolutely vile tasting
• *Gel liquefies, making it more of a mouth wash, that the box warns not to swallow
  
• *It hurts

After using the whitening trays twice, I had very noticeable tooth sensitivity, which is a big no-no to me. Beauty costs, but it shouldn't make you not want to eat or drink. Due to the sensitivity I experienced, I stopped using the trays, so I don't know if they whiten and I don't care. I do not recommend them at all.

Cost: about $15.00 at Target
Is It Worth It: Absolutely not.

On the other hand, I love the classic Crest white strips. They're relatively inexpensive, work very well, and are practically goof-proof



Pros:

• *Top and bottom strip in one package
• *Works quickly (thirty minutes, twice a day, you see results in about three days)
• *Not much of a taste
• *Relatively inexpensive
• *Strips stay on well
  

Cons:

• *You have to ensure that you actually press the strip down against your teeth for a good seal.

Crest White Strips are my favourite at-home whitening methods I've ever used. As a matter of fact, I usually keep a few strips in my purse so I can apply on the go.

Cost: $19.49 at Target.com
Is It Worth It: Do you like white teeth?

Lather, Rinse, Don't Repeat

I'm a Clinique gal, no doubt about. I've been using their skin care line on-and-off for the past seven years and it's one of the best, if not the best skin care lines I've come across. A few weeks ago, I got a full-size tube of Clinique's Rinse-Of Foaming Cleanser Mousse, which I was extremely excited to use.



The first three days I used the cleanser, I loved it- it did every thing that I want a cleanser to do, including removing all traces of that day's make up. However, on day four I noticed that my skin had become extremely dry, flakey, and red throughout my T-Zone. I was, understandably, distressed! You can't have lovely, flawless looking skin if it's red and peeling. At first, I thought that it was perhaps the colder weather we've been experiencing here in Texas, but after testing all of the products I had been using lately, I found the culprit: my Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser. Alas.



If you're like me and you have normal/combination skin, I'm going to go ahead and tell you to pass on this product. BUT, if you have extremely oily skin that does not dry easily, this may the perfect cleanser for you.

Cost: $18.50 at the Clinique counter
Is It Worth It: Not so much