Healthy Flush

I like my blushes to be pretty, pink, and healthy looking- never clownish like some of the girls I see when I'm out and about.
I picked up some of Boots Blush Tint Creme in Blossom at Target a few weeks ago, and I really love the blush, because it's in solid, stick form which is perfect for portability. I blush to admit (no pun intended) that most of the time, my make up is done on the run and since this Blush Tint Creme is solid, I don't have to worry about spilling it all over myself or the car. It has a smooth, creamy finish that blends seamlessly into my skin. I just use two quick swipes across my cheek bones, blend with my fingertips, and I'm good to go!


Before blending


After blending

Blush Tint Creme is hypoallergenic and, according to Target's website, comes in at least three different shades, though I'm relatively certain I saw more actually in store.


Swatch on my wrist so you can see the actual colour of it.


Price: $9.99 at Target
Grade: A

Economically friendly find

The theme here lately has been soft, well maintained lips, and this post is no exception. A few days ago while standing in the check out line at Walmart, I saw a small display for Nivea creme in a tin for about $2. I snatched it up and as soon as I got to the car, liberally applied it to my hands and my lips with very soft results.
I don't particularly love the creme for daily use on my hands, because it seems to take a while to absorb completely and until it does, my hands feel a little sticky. This is probably because the creme is petroleum based with lanolin added to it.
I do really like it for my lips, because even though the cream is white, it goes in clear and leaves lips with a nice, healthy shine while intensely moisturising them.




Cost: About $2 at Walmart, though the tins do come in larger sizes
Grade: B

A slight diversion from our usual route...

I know, I know, jewelery doesn't really fall under "beauty," but I have to make a quick detour to tell you about my beautiful ring!
UntamedMenagerie is a shop on Etsy where they offer wonderful, whimsical pieces that are truly "wearable art." I bought a ring named "Perched," which is a cleverly designed stainless steel cut-out of a bird that looks as though it is perching on your finger. I've been a fan of UntamedMenagerie for quite a while and, though I don't know the ladies personally,I do know they're from my home state of TN, which coupled with the very quick delivery of my ring, means they're awesome. Wow, that was a mouthful of a sentence, but I hope you understood it!



They can be found at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/UntamedMenagerie

D.I.Y: Lip Scrub

Hello, lovelies! As we all know, having smooth lips is a beauty must have! Well hydrated lips retain lip colour better and longer than dry lips, and smooth lips make lipstick look so much prettier.
There are several lip scrubs on the market, most of them ranging upwards of $10, but why buy one if you can make it at home, using items that most people already have in their pantry? Making a lip scrub at home means that you know EXACTLY what's going into it (and on your lips), and you don't have to worry "Oh, what if I accidentally get some in my mouth?"
I'm quite fond of mixing sugar with olive oil, or almond oil, when I make my lip scrubs. Sugar is a natural exfoliant when in it's crystallized (i.e. 'regular') form and olive oil is wonderful for adding moisture, since it's full of fatty-acids.

Obviously, you will need:

• Small bowl (for mixing)
• Measuring spoons
• Olive oil ( I recommend Extra Virgin)
• Sugar
• Food colouring (optional)

Start by measuring out about a tablespoon of sugar and pour into a small bowl. Follow by adding approximately two teaspoons of olive oil over top. Using your finger (or spoon!) mix the two together until the mixture kind of "clumps" together. If you'd like your scrub to have more of a paste like consistency, add a bit more olive oil.

Since I like colourful things, I usually add a few drops of food colouring to mine. If you add food colouring, be warned: some may stain your lips for a few minutes. Be sure you spot test this!

I, of course, made mine red. :)

Once your scrub has been mixed well, dip your finger in, and lightly rub over your lips in a circular motion to slough off dead skin cells. Rinse with warm water and follow up with your favourite lip balm.

I would post an "after" picture of my lips, but they were photographing with some super glare because of the lighting! Trust me, they're soft and ready for a gorgeous shade of classic rose.

Cost: Free, since most of us already have sugar and olive oil at home

Grade: A. It's super effective, and best of all, you didn't have to spend any of your hard earned money on it.

And don't forget to bring your own Merlot!

I love mint, especially when it's added to lipglosses and lipsticks, so it's no surprise that I adore C.O. Bigelow's line of mint infused lip products.

On days that I want to wear my "signature" red lips, but don't want a bold lip, I turn to C.O. Bigelow's Vitamin Mentha Tinted Lip Balm in Merlot. Merlot is a beautiful, sheer, wine coloured red that softly defines my lips while conditioning them and freshening my breath.



According to the Bath and Body Works website, Bigelow's Tinted Lip Balm is packed with nourishing vitamins, mineral, and goji berry extract, which explains why my lips always feel so soft and supple after use.
Since I'm the kind of gal who likes to coordinate my nails and lipsticks, the Tinted Lip Balm is great, because it's sheer formula is such a no-brainer and looks wonderful with just about anything.



The only thing I don't particularly love about Tinted Lip Balm is that it's very soft and has a tendency to break on me, so my lipstick is always slightly tilted and I have to look in a mirror while applying.



Cost: $7.50 at Bath and Body Works
Grade: B+

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