posts by Kori
I am a gal who: has very little free time, can have jenky skin, loves potions and is nearing her mid-thirties. These powers combined have left me needing something nicer than bar soap for my face but something simpler than a “cleansing system.”
Browsing the store one afternoon, I found these: Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Cleansing Pads.
I know Aveeno is a trusted brand and frequently mentioned in Allure’s Best of Beauty line-up.
There are 28 pads in each container. One side of the pad is smooth and soft, the other side is textured for light exfoliating. The “clear complexion” claim comes from the pads containing 2% salicylic acid as well as natural soy. Salicylic acid can be great for rejuvenating skin in that it helps sloughs off dead skin cells and extra oils which can in turn cause breakouts.
The Aveeno site touts these pads as “hypoallergenic, oil-free, soap-free…gentle enough for everyday use and sensitive skin.”
I’ve used these pads for a week and am very happy with them.
Pros:
They remove my waterproof mascara.
The textured side is great for exfoliating and not at all irritating like the Buff Puff of yesteryear.
They’re easy.
They smell pretty good.
Cons:
They’re not high foaming. I like foam.
Skin is tick dry afterwards. I’m chalking this up to the salicylic acid.
All in all, I’m going to keep using these. I know this product isn’t alone on the market–it has many companions in the easy-wiping-easy-cleaning-easy-makeup-removal market. But I think Aveeno did a good job on the product and they’re worth the money.
Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Cleansing Cloths, $7.29 for 28, available at most major retailers and Drugstore.com.
Using Random.org, the winner of a $20.00 gift certificate to Beauty.com is…
Kristin C.
Congratulations!
I would, however, like to give mention to some of the hi-larious, blush-inducing stories from the entrants. Some of my favorites:
“The last time I blushed would have been when we were at a restaurant with my mom and son Eli, just as the waitress arrived for our order, announced loudly and gleefully, “I FART!” And then he just kept saying it…”
“…after I fell to the ground in my patient’s room when my back gave out causing me to crash to the floor and begin to cry. It was super embarrassing.”
“While taking the escalator to work one day, a lady behind me was admiring my skirt. Then, I realized the back zipper was down and you could see my patootie.”
“The last time I blushed we were outside and I am carrying my fitting toddler over my shoulder he then pulled up my shirt.”
Thanks for sharing!
Despite some sort of genetic anomaly that allows me to tan June through August, I’m really pretty darn fair. Pasty, if you will. Because of this lack of pigment I turn to blush to help others tell me apart from the Undead.
I have four different blushes in my makeup bag. Depending on the weather (cold? humid?), the condition of my skin (dry with a dodgy patch? too oily?) and the time I have available (weekend morning rush? weekday morning parenting tag time?)–I choose my poison.
The items in my stock:
Almay Smart Shade Blush in Berry.
Cost? Approximately $8.00
This the only product from the Smart Shade line that I’ve tried and it’s a blush I’m relatively happy with. A dab of color on the finger tip rubbed into the apples of my cheeks and the cheekbone create a natural looking color.
Pros: It blends easily, lasts throughout the day and doesn’t cause break-outs.
Cons: Once it hits the skin–despite the appearance that a little goes a long way, the color isn’t very intense so I end up using a tidgy bit of powder blush over it.
Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Soft Plum.
Cost? approximately $7.00
I’ve kept this one around but just this morning thought about tossing it. I used it for awhile since I was interested in the mousse consistency. It’s interesting. Given that it’s a mousse, it goes on fairly light and airy and kind of whipped; like that Yoplait Whips yogurt.
Pros: I like that the packaging is a nice, glass pot and that applying the mousse blush is fairly dummy proof.
Cons: The color was minimal and I was using the Soft Plum color. It also didn’t seem to hold up throughout the day and by 8:00pm, I looked washed out.
N.Y.C. Cheek Glow Single Pan Blush in Outside Cafe.
Cost? approximately $2.00
I’ve reviewed N.Y.C. lipsticks in the past and the blush is equally fabulous. Since it’s a powder, it’s easy to slap on if I’m in a hurry or need a quick pick me up. I tend to use a powder blush if it’s going to be a particularly humid day since my skin is fairly oily (even the cheeks) and wearing a liquid blush tends to add to the slippery factor.
Pros: Sooo cheap, quite a bit available given the price, stays on throughout the day
Cons: I can tell it’s not as heavily pigmented as another powder blush I have from the department store, but at a 1/5 of the price–I don’t consider this a major beef.
Stila Gel Cheek Color in Cherry Flush.
Cost? approximately $16.00
This is my absolute favorite. The color comes out of the tube like a gel which is a bit different and blends, I feel, the best of all the consistencies. Concentrated in color but wears uber sheer.
Pros: The color is sheer, long-lasting and provides the perfect pinch of pinky redness; the small tube lasts forever
Cons: At just over the $15.00 mark, it’s a bit of a splurge. Plus it’s becoming harder to find, so my assumption is that Stila is no longer making it but instead replaced it with this. Another pen!
So that you can find the blush that’s just right for you, Live Well Spend Well will send one winner a $20.00 electronic gift certificate to be used at Beauty.com.
To enter, leave a comment sharing the last time YOU blushed. Funny, embarrassing, blush-inducing stories are welcome.
If you refer others here and they tell us their story and that you sent them (“Amy sent me!”), both you and the person you referred will receive a BONUS entry.
You can also receive extra entries by following us on Twitter (@livespend) and by mentioning this contest by saying, “What made you blush? Giveaway @livespend (insert link to post) pls RT.” Comment back with a link to your tweet and consider that extra entry yours.
Giveaway will run until Friday, October 16 11:59pm EST. For full information on how giveaways are conducted, please see the Disclosure Policy.
In what seems to be turning into a trend involving makeup products in pen form, this week I’m reviewing the lipstain pen from CoverGirl.
I’ve been eyeballing this product for awhile and decided to take the plunge this week.
I really, really waffled on the color. Stain colors typically look deeper hue in the packaging, but wear more sheer. And, of course, it was absolutely ridiculous to try and use the little colored bits of paper near each pen to try and decide which one would look best on me. I was wary of anything too pink or anything too brown and decided on #425 Plum Pout.
The pen looks a lot like a marker: cap, felt tip, round mid-size barrel. After peeling off the plastic business, I whipped off the cap and kind of marvelled at how the cap was designed. Within the cap itself is a smallish dome that keeps the brush and its bristly-pen like top neatly contained and separate from the rest of the cap. I think this showed some thought in how to maintain the pen and the color.
I then touched the pen to see if color was already on it or, if like the OPI nail polish pen, I’d have to twist/crank/push something. Nope. The color is already saturated into the pen; again, like a marker.
Because of the lipstain’s pen-like design, you shouldn’t need a lip liner. It’s firm, relatively sharp tip allowed me to draw the outline and then fill it in with color with very little mess and “drawing outside the lines.” This is a plus because as much as I love lip liner (and some lip products actually require it), it can be kind of a pain to tote around.
The color. Weeelll. It’s kind of bright. It’s less plum (as pictured here on the drugstore.com website and also what the little paper swatch in the store advertised)…
…and more of a bright fuchsia. A little loud for me. Just now I realized that the color on my lips is pretty much the same color as the tube/package. Not sure if this is a fluke and applies to the other shades, but it may.
After absorbing the “HEY! LOOK AT MY LIPS!”-type of color, I pressed my lips together to see if it blended or smoothed out. Some stains are trick-kay in that where you put it–there it stays. I relined some areas and filled in others, pressed my lips together and things blended fairly well.
On the CoverGirl website they say that the color doesn’t have “the heavy look or feel of an ordinary lipstick” and I’d have to agree. I know I have color on my lips but there is nothing sticky, gooey, coated, lined or balmed about them. Just lips. I like this a lot because it means that I won’t feel compelled to lick or wipe or reapply what I’ve already put on (the look of chewed off lipstick is one my appearence neuroses).
As for the lipstain’s wearability, while wearing it I have finished a bottle of water, eaten a mini Snickers, attended a meeting where I had to actually contribute, talked on the phone and eaten a second mini Snickers. While my lips are slightly pinker than they would be normally, there is nothing remaining of what I applied a mere two hours ago. This contradicts the product’s claim that the “…color won’t come off, lasting for hours…” But what lip color doesn’t promise this?
Bottomline: Even though it lasts about as long as most average lip colors, it comes in a handy pen-like style and is very easy to apply. I recommend.
CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain Lip Color, prices ranging from $7.50-$8.00, available at most major retailers.
For the first of the “Power to the People” reviews, I went with Bridget’s suggestion and tried one of the nail polish pens.
I’ve seen these at Target and wondered what their story was. I am, however, kind of a lazy weasel and don’t often do my own nails at home. But since I am between pedicures and I’d removed the color earlier in the week (read as: toes unacceptable to show as-is but am too busy to make an appointment), I thought this was a perfect time to try out a nail polish pen. Also, I had a doctor’s appointment that involved stirrups and I did not feel comfortable having nudie toes all out and whatnot.
Anyway, so while in Target I picked up one of the pens, specifically Nic’s Sticks by OPI. I decided on what I’d hoped what a sheer pink color (“Feeling Girly,” I believe) but was a little peeved because I was only allowed a smidgeon of area on the actual pen to tell what color is truly inside. The rest of the container is all packaging. And while the package designers may have intended for the colored label to be the indicator for what lies inside, we ALL know that colored paper is not the same as the color delivered. Anyone who’s tried to shop for lipstick by those little 1/4″ x 1/4″ color swatches near the tubes of lipstick knows this. Pfft.
-1 point for not really being able to what color you’re purchasing.
Later that morning after taking my shower and trying to figure what I was going to stuff my pregnant can into for work, I decided to take a breather, crack out the pen and see what’s what.
I struggled with removing the clear protective layer, but that’s par for the course. After I had it open, I saw the the brush was white and not yet saturated with polish. So how do I get the polish from the tube to the brush?
I tried turning it like I would some of the lip gloss pens I have. No dice. The bottom of the pen seemed “depress-able” so I pushed on it a bit. Nothing happened.
So similar to when the elevator doesn’t arrive right away, I just kept pushing to see if something would happen. After probably appearing a little manic in my pen clicking, polish did eventually start to slooowwwly reach the brush bristles.
-1 point for the absence of instructions.
Okay, so polish is on brush–toes are ready–and paint.
The color went on kind of globby (I did roll the pen between by hands to warm it up just in case it had been on the shelf awhile) so when I tried to even it out by running the brush over it again–it turned even globbier! And smeared!
-1 point for odd color distribution with brand new polish
Also, I should point out that the brush is fairly bushy. On a standard nail polish brush, the brush is long and kind of narrow–making it easier to hit the nooks and crannies of those smaller nails (especially if crouched trying to see what’s what over a pregnant belly. Just sayin’.). The Nic’s Stick brush is shorter, wider and bushier. Kind of like the Crayola crayons for kids just learning to color. Because of this I found myself using nail polish remover to clean up from where I painted outside the lines.
-1 for bushy brush.
I wanted to even out the first coat that went on globby and thick, and, well the second coat just looked like a hot mess. In the end, I removed all of the nail polish and headed to my doctor’s appointment with nudie toes.
Bottomline: I don’t recommend.
Nic’s Sticks by OPI, $7.00, available at most major retailers
For those of you heavy sighing that I am reviewing Wet ‘n’ Wild…well folks, just hear me out.
I know this brand may hold memories of junior high or high school for you, but as an adult woman–don’t discount it.
One: Their product line is so ridiculously cheap, it’s nutty. A $1.49, people!
Two: Their eyeliner, particularly this eyeliner, holds up over the course of the day without fading into oblivion.
Three: If it’s a bust, you didn’t even spend six quarters.
Other reasons: the eyeliner is smooth and doesn’t pull on the eye, it lasts forever (since beginning to wear this brand of eyeliner over 12 years ago, I’ve only ever owned two pencils), is easy to sharpen and can be purchased pretty much anywhere.
But here’s the skinny on the white eyeliner …I love it. My eyes look less perky without it.
In the course of using it, I did learn that there is a margin of error when applying white eyeliner.
Applied too thick? Ugh.
Applied too thin and it is simply unnoticeable.
You know you’ve got it just right when your eyes look brighter and you have to leeeaaannn into the mirror to tell that it’s because of the eyeliner.
White eyeliner can be applied in a number of areas near the eye. For everyday, I line my upper lid close to and fully across the lash line. I have learned this: it’s brighter going on and bit thicker than one would think is going to look good, but then it is conveniently smudged and muted by the eyelash curler when I’m curling my eyelashes.
If I’m going out all fancy-like (and you can tell it’s been awhile by how I just phrased that), I will use the white liner on the inside corners of my eyes and smudge it a little to highlight the shape of the eye and make it look larger and brighter.
(*cough* Not me. Just in case you were wondering.)
Lastly, you can also rim the inside of your lower lash line to make the whites of your eyes appear brighter. I don’t personally go there myself only because it seems to wear off fairly quickly plus I’m a contact lens wearer. Oh, and it kind of heebs me out to put makeup in my eye. But I appreciate the look on others and think it works.
Also, I think using white eyeliner works with a variety of hair and skin colors. In doing a Google Images search online to verify this, it seems to be compatible on those with very fair skin, those with dark skin, those with light hair and those with dark hair. I have very fair skin and dark brown hair. So even with my Whitey Ford face, it doesn’t look like I’m drawing chalk on a white board.
So, here’s the thing—give the white eyeliner a try. With a tidgy bit of practice, you won’t be disappointed. But if you do decide that it’s a bust, well, you only spent $1.49 on it.
Bottomline: I recommend both the product and the concept.
Wet ‘n’ Wild Kohl Eyeliner in White, $1.49, available at most discount retailers.
I have fallen in to a deep crevasse of the makeup rut-variety. I am wearing the same face (concealer, powder, gel cheek color, eyebrow pencil, white eyeliner, mascara, lip color) day in and day out. I am getting bored with my face and need something new to sport. Even the bevy of lip glosses, lipsticks and lip what-nots I have in my bag are not doing much for this slump.
No doubt that part of this rut is due to pretty much wanting to do anything else besides put makeup on in the morning. I smoke through my morning routine and I’ve already thrown a wrench in system by deciding to grow out my hair (and this involves a hairdryer, potions and a flat iron).
While mulling over the face-rut one night in bed (approximately .006 seconds before I passed out drooling), a thought came to me:
Why don’t I try out new products that Live Well readers are interested in but don’t want to spend money on?
I figure it’s win-win for everyone! I get to try new stuff, write new stuff, perhaps get a new look. You get to suggest new stuff and read new stuff without spending a dime.
I already have two items that I am going to give a whirl, and they are:
CoverGirl Exact Eyelights Mascara
Revlon Creme Gloss
But that’s just two.
To provide a suggestion on what you’d like me to test run, document with photos and review (plus even giveaway?), leave a comment that provides the company/product name. Since I primarily write about makeup-y type things, that will be the stuff I’m looking for.
Remember in the spirit of Live Well Spend Well, items under $15 are preferred.
Submit away!
While I was pregnant with my son E, I was obsessed with reading books about getting babies to sleep, creating an environment where babies will want to sleep and putting babies on a sleep schedule.
Soon after delivering it all became just a pile of Crap I Wanted to Believe But Didn’t Actually Work for Us.
One of the few tidbits that did shake out quite well was the swaddling. Oh, the swaddle. How I (heart) you so.
I know that for some babies swaddling just simply pisses them off more. The gall of being wrapped up tight is simply a trigger for the rage. For others it is the highway to peaceful being.
E loved it from day 1 or…er…day 3 once we were home.
In fact he loved it so much that there was some concern brewing that he would be 12 and still want to be wrapped snuggly in a large blanket. Thankfully, this shook out around month 4 or 5–about the time he could sleep on his side and feel cozy.
There are many swaddling options on the market. They range from the ever popular Miracle Blanket (which I think Sam used for her son Theo) to just using a homegrown super effective technique with a standard blanket.
Husband and I wanted something fairly dummy proof and inexpensive so we went with the Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Wrap.
With its velcro-y strips on both the side and bottom of the flaps, it allows parents to wrap their baby as tight or as loose as warranted for the baby’s comfort.
What we also liked is that baby’s upper body can remain warm and burrito-ed, while having the lower pouch unvelcroed for easy diaper changing.
Simply lay the baby down and line their shoulders up with the two seams at the top; put their legs in the lower pouch; wrap the left hand flap over the baby and secure the velcro at the bottom; then wrap the right hand flap over the rest of the baby, securing it to the other fabric-y side. Voila! Baby burrito.
Other features we loved about the Kiddopotamus:
–Ridiculously affordable at usually only $9.99 a pop
–Available in organic and bamboo fabrics (for only a slight increase in cost)
–Also, available in many colors, patterns, plain cotton or toasty fleece
–Works well on the lower 1/2 of the body when a baby would like his/her arms free to drape dramatically over their eyes
We adored the Kiddopotamus and can’t wait to use for future babies.
Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Wrap, price ranging from $9.99 to $15.99, most widely available at Babies R’ Us.
This morning while I was wrestling a very pissy 15 month old, Husband comes into the nursery and says, “Hey! I have something for you to put on your blog.” Lordy.
“What’s that?” I say. Meanwhile wishing he’d just contend with his son who recently decided I’m chump change and his father is King of All That’s Better Than Mom.
“You should talk about name brand things versus generic!”
(Blank stare from me.)
“You know that deoderant I used earlier in the week? Well, that was a store brand and I was stinky by 2pm. The other stuff is fine through the day and I’m not rank.”
And there you have it: one man’s experience with Old Spice deoderant v. jenky store brand.
I’ve been mulling it over all day and have decided to not do a review today, but simply put it out to the masses for you to tell us what’s been better in your experience: generic or name brand?
Leave your feedback in the comments section and be sure to mention a specific product and let us know whether you thought the generic or name brand version was better.
I constantly feel like I am on the prowl for The Perfect Lipcolor. That perfect shade of pinky-brown that is long wearing and not too glossy or slippery. I feel that I may have found some of these things in CoverGirl’s Outlast All Day Lipcolor.
You may have seen this product advertised–it’s that one with the two tubes. One that is color and one that is some sort of clear, moisturizing business.
I went with color 621 (pictured above), Natural Blush. According to CoverGirl, this falls under “Neutrals & Nudes,” but I find it a definite rosy color. I also have used 619 Lingering Spice but found it a tidgy orange for my coloring.
Anyway, because this lip color involves two tubes the packaging has very clear instructions. Something along the lines of (my words below, not CoverGirl’s):
1) Apply a layer of color on your lips. Do not rub your lips together to even out the color.
I can attest to this. I ignored the clear instructions and rubbed my lips together. It then created a weirdo line on my top lip that dried and remained there for the bulk of the day; never to be blended out again.
2) Wait one minute for the layer of color to dry and then apply the clear, moisturizing topcoat to activate color.
I usually apply the color while I’m in the car after leaving the house in the morning and by the time I get to the first stop sign on our block, I slap on the topcoat–not even really needing the mirror.
From here you can rub your lips together and I sometimes even blot or blend it with my finger. And you’re good to go.
The CoverGirl site claims that this lip color “lasts up to 16 hours” and is “food, kiss and workout-proof.”
The great thing about this product is that it does stay on infinitely longer than any gloss or tube of color. It hangs on. Once the topcoat wears off, my lips are just kind of pleasantly stained with color. Reapply the topcoat and the color is a bit richer and your lips will feel much more moisturized.
There are, however, a few drawbacks to All Day Lipcolor. For one, I don’t reapply it after 3pm unless I’m looking ahead to a serious evening of drinking and/or making out. The reason being is that once reapplied and given NEW strength–well, you’ll be going to bed with this stuff on your lips. For real. No soap, makeup remover or rubbing with a washcloth will get it off. Like I said: it hangs on.
Secondly, I am on my almost-gone-second tube of moisturizing topcoat and I haven’t even made a dent in the tube of color. I find myself reapplying the topcoat all the time, sort of in the vein of lipbalm, in order to keep my lips from getting weird and chapped. I think CoverGirl must of foreseen this inequity in use and thankfully you can buy additional tubes of topcoat separately from the color.
But even given those two considerations, I still wear this on most days. I like that it goes on without being sticky. I like that I’ve found a shade I can wear dressy or casual. And I like that it really withstands use fairly well.
Bottomline: I recommend, with some caveats.
CoverGirl Outlast All Day Lipcolor, under $10.00, available at Target, drugstore.com and most other major retailers.
