posts by Samantha
I don’t really wear foundation. I don’t because I have crazy dry skin, and every single foundation makes it look ten times worse. And yes, I’ve tried that one. And that one. Believe me when I say I’ve tried them all.
BUT. I’m still a sucker for a gimmick.
L'Oreal True Match Roller Foundation
And I don’t know why I fell for this one. For one, I HATE PAINTING. Like, with A VENGEANCE. Hate it with the fire of a thousand suns. If it came down to having to paint my house or be evicted, I may seriously check into the shelters around town because THAT’S HOW MUCH I HATE PAINTING.
Why did I think it’d be more fun on my face?!
Okay, now, the foundation itself? Meh, at best. It’s heavy, but it covers okay if you’re looking for coverage.
But the application?
So you know WHY I hate painting? It’s because no matter how many times you go in that stupid W formation on the walls, you still get streaks. SURPRISE, that happens on your face too. So the whole concept of it keeping foundation from your fingers is pretty much null and void because you end up having to blend it anyway.
My advice? Skip this one. You’ll save yourself the $14.95 and the frustration of feeling like an inadequate painter.
L’Oreal True Match Roller Foundation, $14.95 at Drugstore.com
Sarah can be found giving us giggles at The Anvil Tree and snarking at MamaPop.
Today the lovely AndreAnna from Diary of a Modern Matriarch and Bodies In Motivation will be sharing her experience with a blackhead removal scrub. Let’s look ten years younger!
The other day I destroyed my face. I found one blackhead on my forehead that was approximately the size of the moon. I squeezed and maneuvered my fingers in all sorts of positions so I could evacuate the asteroid from my face. And then I saw another one, down on my chin. And another on my nose! By the time I was finished I looked like a drunkard who had been left outside in the cold with nary a drop of whiskey. My nose was bright red, my face was splotchy. And worse, as I was doing it, I KNEW I shouldn’t be. I’m putting more dirt in my GIANT pores by using my hands. I’m making this worse, I said to myself. But oh god! They’re huge. You could land a 747 right there in that pore on my nose. How do I have friends? Don’t they get lost in the swirly iridescence on that giant pool of oil in that pore?
I decided I needed something other than the plain old gentle Neutrogena Liquid I’ve used for the last 15 years, which I’ve sworn by (and still do). Almost 30, I am not old by any means but the summer sun plus this new Midwest humidity, plus the general yucky thing of getting a bit older has my face looking…sad and blah. So I went to Target armed with not much else other than I needed something that said “Will Remove Giant Blackhead From Crater Pores.”
So I stood in the aisle, overwhelmed by all the brands and all the pore scrubs. Apricot! Tea Tree! Brillo! And I knew I loved the Olay body washes and I knew that my best friend back East (I’m from Joisey, yo) was a dermatologist PA and she had good things to say about Olay. So I stood in that section and ultimately left with this:
Olay Regeneriste Detoxifying Pore Scrub
I started using it at night before bed, and continued using my liquid Neutrogena in the morning’s shower. First impression: smells AWESOME. Easy little scrubbers, nothing abrasive like a lot of the blackhead scrubs out there made with tree bark and asbestos shards. After only three or four days, I saw a difference. I noticed it when I put my liquid foundation make-up on, something I don’t use every day. When I put it on, my skin looked kind of, sort of, what is that? Glowy! Like the makeup sat on my skin like it was supposed to rather than pool into the large pores on my nose and forehead.
People actually asked me that day in the store what I use on my face because it was so clear and again with this word – glowy!
Two weeks into using it and I can honestly say that at night, after my face-washing teeth-brushing stare-at-my-face-counting-wrinkles routine, I can see the pores getting smaller and have noticed less blackheads. My skin – which has always been clear of most blemishes – is now clearer of those wily blackheads. And the pores seem visibly smaller.
At under $9 in Target, you can get a pretty decent sized bottle. I only need a nickle-sized amount each night and after two weeks, the bottle still feels as heavy as it did the day I bought it. So I surmise it will last at least 2-3 months.
My goal is to own all of the Olay Regenerist products because if they perform half as well as the pore scrub, I plan on looking 21 again by Christmas.
Olay Regeneriste Detoxifying Pore Scrub: $7.99 can be found at Target and drugstore.com
I’m a huge fan of Burt’s Bees products and use them whenever I am able. I’ve already sung the praises of their cuticle cream, and you’d have to pry their baby line from my cold dead fingers. So when I saw an opportunity to receive a free trial tube of their new toothpaste off their site, I leapt at the chance. Because hey, free toothpaste with the hope of using something containing 99.2% natural ingredients? Nothing funky getting swished around in my food hole? Aces.
Let me just say that I’m not a fan of tooth brushing or anything that goes along with it. I’m just not. The sounds and smells are all just too much. And I’m not even pregnant! I do it, yes, but it’s not something I’m enthusiastic about. Those people frighten me actually so if you fall in that category please, keep it to yourself. All this is to say that I do what I need to do to get the job done–I’m not a toothpaste connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination.
So I busted out the tube and brushed-brushed-brushed away. It felt a wee bit grainy but hey, it’s au naturale so I just figured I was brushing like the pioneers minus a bark toothbrush. I carried on. All was fine and good in the morning but then throughout the day my mouth felt gross. Like I hadn’t even taken the time and mental willpower to actually BRUSH my teeth. Seriously, by 3:00 I felt exactly like I do when I wake up in the morning and it was annoying. I wanted to scrape my teeth with a paper towel or something they felt so fuzzy.
I wanted to give it a try for a week so I continued to use it. About three days in I developed a painful sensitivity in one of my teeth. Cold water made me jump three feet out of my chair, and I won’t even go into detail about what happened when I had ice cream. This was totally unlike me and I wondered if I suddenly had a cavity, even though I visit the dentist regularly. The only thing new in my routine was the toothpaste so I switched back to my old brand and a few days later the sensitivity was gone.
I can’t say what could have caused it based on the ingredients and perhaps this is an isolated incident. But it’s not something I’m willing to continue to use when everything I had been doing before was working well. I am incredibly disappointed as I was excited to add more eco friendly products into my home, and hope Burt’s Bees will tweak whatever it’s got going on in there to knock this one out of the park.
Sadly, my mouth and I give it two thumbs down. If you try it though please, let me know what you think!
Burt’s Bees Natural Multicare Toothpaste, $5.00 for a 4 oz tube. Can be found at your local drugstores.
I have a fairly basic make-up routine and very rarely branch out beyond my traditional five items while getting ready in the morning. And since I rely so heavily on my beauty basics, I’m pretty picky when it comes to making sure I’m using stuff that I like and makes me feel good. My routine includes: foundation, mascara, eyeliner, blush and powder. Toss on a little gloss and BAM! I’m out the door. Ever since I started using powder I have gone the way of translucent as opposed to a “bronze” or a “honey” simply because I am not good at blending. Like, at ALL. And if the rest of my body is not classified as a color found in a travel brochure, then my face will be sporting a powder used for smoothing and not color enhancement. Trust me, it’s better this way.
I have been very fond of pressed powder and have only branched out in the loose powder territory because my mom bought me some for my birthday. I was, well how do I put this? I was SCARED okay? What about the mess? What if I sneeze and it all poofs away? What if I get too much on the brush? WILL MY FACE THEN DISAPPEAR INTO A TRANSLUCENT VORTEX? So many questions!
I hate messes and I hate waste so I was really questioning how I’d feel about this product. Yes, some will get on your hand or on the sink but if you’re diligent you can minimize the spills. Just don’t go on a weekend drinking binge and go to put your make-up on the next morning with a bad case of The Shakes and you’ll be good.
Here is a little snipped from Maybelline’s website:
Mineral Power Translucent Loose Powder with micro-minerals provides the finishing touch that perfects and sets makeup for flawless, healthy-looking skin.
- Natural, luminous finish
- Won’t clog pores
- Contains 0% oil, 0% talc, 0% preservatives and 0% fragrance
For Best Results
Use the 100% natural kabuki brush included with the Translucent Loose Powder.
Dip it: Dip brush into cap
Tap it: Tap brush to remove excess
Apply it: Apply to face using circular motion
It’s KEY to tap the brush on the side of the container–this knocks off any excess and helps the powder go on evenly while also reducing plumes of make-up wafting through your bathroom. The first time I tried this application it took forever because I was so overly cautious about not wasting any. My husband kept hearing “clack-clack-clack. . .clack-clack-clack. . .clack-clack-clack” like I was some sort of mini bathroom orchestra conductor. But since then I’ve done it a few more times and have found my groove.
I love the brush. It’s soft and firm without being too whisker-y. It’s all natural and the application is flawless with the circular motion application–you just can’t get the same results with a puff and pressed powder. I was also pleased to note that my face didn’t get nearly as shiney throughout the day as with my other make-up. The difference is night and day. I had smooth coverage which is what I wanted. WIN! Also, since I’m not a huge fan of break-outs I love that my skin can breathe as this is a natural mineral-based powder free of gunk. DOUBLE WIN!
The downsides, which wouldn’t deter me from purchasing this again, are the loose powder mess potential and the fact that the brush is not attached to the container. This makes me worry about throwing it in my make-up bag and the brush getting dirty. So I think I’d just use this at home in the morning, and apply touch-ups (though not many are needed, seriously) with the pressed powder throughout the day.
What powder do you stand by and recommend whenever you get the chance? Are you a pressed powder or a loose kind of girl? (OH STOP!)
Maybelline Mineral Power Finishing Veil Translucent Loose Powder, around $12.00 at local drugstores.
I’m not going to mince words: I hate being hairy. This is not to say I am meticulous in my upkeep as I can be a very lazy and tired girl. But nonetheless! If all the hair could be gone forever from the places I want it to be gone I like to think I’d never ask for anything ever again. (I can tell you right now that that is indeed a lie.) To combat this loathing of mine, I live and die by my nose and brow trimmer. I even take it with me when I travel as YOU JUST NEVER KNOW. Or heck, I should keep it in my car, since I always seem to find some unsettling whisker when the sunlight hits me juuuuuust right and there’s nothing I can do about it. (Wow, I’m beginning to make myself sound like the main character in Billy Goat’s Gruff.) Come, let’s bond over unwanted hair.
- I don’t go and get waxed as I’m too cheap and it takes too much time. So I maintain at home. My trimmer is perfect for my upper lip (it happens to the best of us whether we like to talk about it or not) and the few rogue chin hairs I’ve been blessed with since having our son.
- My eyebrows are currently sculpted so all I do is pluck to keep all the business in order, but to me there is nothing worse than perfectly shaped eyebrows with a few long scraggly hairs that make you look like the Juice Man. This is great for trimming up those soldiers.
- The nose. It needs some attention from time to time and I am NOT about to pluck. I just shuddered thinking about it, actually. THE PAIN AND TEARS! So that’s why I use this handy trimmer–never had an incident involving blood, and my nose looked good as new. Just, uh, give it a good wipe down when you’re done. *coughboogiescough*
Sadly, the one I have at home is no longer available as I’ve had it for years. But there are a few to choose from all in different price points, though most are in the fifteen dollar range. Some have so many bells and whistles on them that you could even share it with your husband and really get your money’s worth. Not that I’m insinuating you’re both hairy beasts. Not at all. Gulp.
I was lamenting about my quest to find the perfect drugstore mascara as I’m sick of being a slave to my department store brand. So spendy! And a pain to acquire! Little did I know that women love to chat it up about their tried-and-true brand and give detail upon emphatic detail as to why it’s The Best. It was really helpful and made it easier to narrow down what to look for on my next trip to Target so Katie and Kori and I figured we’d have a mascara round up. Our opinions: let me show you them.
From Sam: Clinique High Impact Mascara, $14.00 at Clinique.com
I can’t help it, I LOVE this stuff. It makes my eyes stand out with bold color and fullness (without having Hooker Eyes, natch) and minimal clumping. Others I’ve tried were either too thin or the brush drove me batty. I hate those cheaply made mascaras that flake off in the middle of the day so it looks like you work part-time as a chimney sweep over your lunch break. This formula washes off well, and by ‘well’ I mean with a baby wipe as I pass out on the couch without having first washed my face. It also has never irritated my eyes and I’m a contact lens wearer so it’s a HUGE requirement and AND sometimes there are free samples in their bonus gift bags. You see what they’re doing there right? Giving me free tastes to fuel the addiction. BECAUSE THEY KNOW I’LL KEEP CRAWLING BACK!
From Katie: Maybelline Full ‘n Soft Waterproof Mascara, $6.59 at drugstore.com
For years, my favorite mascara has been one I selected entirely at
random several years ago off a Walgreens shelf. Maybelline Full n’
Soft waterproof formula in brownish black makes your lashes long long long and darker without adding too much gunk or drama for daytime. It adds definition without being too…much. It truly is waterproof, my lashes feel soft not crunchy, and it doesn’t fleck off and leave me looking racoony by the end of the day- and I touch my eyes a LOT. I’ve tried several other mascaras, many of them a lot more expensive, but I always return to this old standby.
From Kori and Amy: Maybelline’s Lash Stiletto Mascara, $7.99 at drugstore.com
K: Not to put too fine a point on it, but I demand perfection from my mascara. For years I mourned the discontinuation of Maybelline’s Sky High Curves. The creme de la creme of curling mascaras, I finally had to accept that it might be time to move on. Just recently I have found a mascara that is pretty darn good: Maybelline’s Lash Stiletto Mascara (you know, the one in the ad that looks like the heel of a shoe). Lash Stiletto does a great job of holding the curl from an eyelash curler; really, really lengthens lashes; doesn’t flake off throughout the day; employs a fairly good brush/applicator; and the waterproof mascara generally comes off with a bit of makeup remover. The biggest con is that you might need an eyelash comb to really separate lashes and get the best look, but I’m okay with this extra step. Overall, I really recommend.
Max Factor Extreme Calorie was always my go-to mascara. It perfectly plumped up and highlighted my lashes without any of the goopy mess I associate with other mascaras. I never cheated on this mascara until they stopped carrying it in the Ultas, Walgreens and CVS stores in my area. I spent years trying out other over-the-counter mascaras, but constantly checked store aisles to see if they began carrying Max Factor again. They never did, but I got savvy and looked online. I’ve been reunited with my mascara and I couldn’t be happier!
From Sarah: Rimmel London Sexy Curves Mascara, $7.49 at Sears.com
I’m a compulsive eyelash curler (in fact, I actually put my curler under a blowdryer for 15 seconds to get it warm before I curl and the curl lasts ALL DAY), and this mascara not only accentuates the curl, but it washes cleanly off and comes in great colors. LOVE.
From Allyson and Jen: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara, $6.99 at Drugstore.com
A: I had a favorite for YEARS and I haven’t been able to find it in a while. And naturally, the name escapes me at the moment. But I use this one and dig the long brush.
J: I usually switch mascaras every time I buy it, but I just bought this one twice in a row. That says something, right? I usually blow on the wand for a few seconds to let it dry a bit before applying (sounds weird, I know) but it keeps it from clumping and it goes on great. And it never smudges!
And there you have it! What is YOUR favorite mascara and why? We obviously love talking about this stuff so please share.
For me, the easiest way to experiment with my hair is to change up my shampoo and conditioner regimen. I mean, we all know that if our hair is weighted down by gunk it can be heavy and lifeless and if we use something naughty it can strip all the essential oils away and break more easily. I always start with the source if my hair is suddenly acting persnickety. Instead of spending money on STYLING products first, I make sure my hair isn’t getting the shaft. (HA HA get it? SHAFT? *wipes tear*)
I’ve mentioned before what I’m dealing with up top, which is thickthickthick hair that has a natural wave. I am sensitive to perfume-y smells because, call me crazy, I hate to be followed around all day by a dish of my grandmother’s old and dusty potpourri. Since my hair is so heavy I have to be careful when selecting a shampoo as it needs to rinse clean, and the conditioner has to be thick enough to get out all the tangles and snarls without me stepping out of the shower like a greasy monkey. See what I have to put up with? So it’s a tough match with me and my cleansing products is what I’m saying.
Thus enters Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly line. I have begun embracing my messy waves (that long ago were actual CURLS but apparently having a baby made my body re-set the hair function as well as turning a number that rhymes with blirty.) All I did was roam the aisles at Target and the fabu purple bottles jumped out at me. I was sold by the advertising that said “Embrace your softer side with perfectly imperfect hair” because DUH I could totally do that! I’m soft AND imperfect! I tossed my bottles in the cart and actually looked FORWARD to taking a shower. Seriously, I might have done a casual glassade into the bathroom.
I loved the shampoo and conditioner right away. The wild violet & pomegranate had a clean and romantic aroma which my husband has said on more than one occasion ‘smells heavenly’ which, I think we can agree, is never a bad thing. My waves are less frizzy and there is no added weight to my hair. The conditioner is fab in that it’s thick out of the bottle but spreads evenly over wet hair without glumping all over the place. It rinses well too. Herbal Essences also has a bunch of styling products to complete the whole tousled process but I’m not quite there yet. Just still enjoying the freshly clean and messy look I’m rocking over here.
All I’m saying is try it. You’ll like it. Each bottle is around $4.00 depending on where you go. It looks like it’s not sold online but I see it in stores all the time.
No go be imperfect!
(Welcome Allyson from Pocklock! Take it away!)
I live with one rosy cheeked little girl.
My daughter’s skin is super sensitive and it has been since birth. She’s also very allergic (she got that from her mama) to everything. I’ve always been super cautious on trying any new bath or lotion product on her after her hypersensitivity was called out during our first vacation to visit my mother in Miami when she was just eleven weeks old. I had asked my Mom to buy all the same lotions we used on her skin at home which she did, however, on the third day we were there Lyla’s legs broke out in this horrible looking rash. She was too young for sunscreen so we weren’t taking her outside without being fully covered. When I called the pediatrician, they recommended Aquaphor.
The Aquaphor caused the rash to become even more red and BLEED. And the child? Screamed her head off.
My kid is allergic to Aquaphor. Go figure.
In the winter time here in New England, she’s prone to her skin chapping and bleeding much like it did that one time in Florida. I worry most about this when it comes to her face. Most Mom’s recommend using Aquaphor on their kids to prevent chapping in the winter. And um. Well, we know how that turned out last time.
Instead, I’ve started using Boudreaux’s Baby Kisses. I apply it after bath at night before bed and in the morning before we leave the house. She also has a tube that I keep in her cubbie at daycare and her teachers apply it before they go outside and before nap. The ointment is not too think or greasy. It’s quickly absorbed so it doesn’t immediately get wiped off. If I stay on top of the applications, the difference is truly noticeable. And the best part? She has zero negative reaction to the product which is a huge win in my book!
Oh, and I totally have nothing against Aquaphor. It just doesn’t work for us. (Please don’t send me hate mail!)
Boudreaux’s Baby Kisses, $3.99 at local stores and drugstore.com
(The lovely Jen from Jayesel! Take it away!)
I’ve always struggled with my skin. I’ve never had acne so bad I needed professional intervention, but I do have large pores and a pretty uneven skintone, plus the occasional nasty breakout (thanks, PMS!) My skin was never going to be perfect peaches-and-cream, so I knew I’d have to fake it with makeup. And once I started wearing makeup in junior high, I was on a mission to find the Perfect Foundation.
I tried regular foundation in a glass bottle. I tried the weird powder-to-liquid foundations. I tried going with no foundation, just loose or pressed powder. I either ended up with goopy, heavy coverage that felt like I was wearing butter on my face, or I had too little coverage that still showed the unevenness of my skin.
Boo.
I never really settled on a foundation that would ‘work’ for more than a couple of months… either my skin changed, or I grew tired of fooling myself into thinking whatever I was using was working. Basically, whenever the Product Of The Month ran out, I didn’t love it enough to purchase it again. I was on a never-ending carousel of foundations. It wasn’t very fun. And it got kinda expensive.
Then, about 4 years ago, my sister hosted a Mary Kay party for her mother-in-law who had just started selling the stuff. I knew a little bit about Mary Kay but I had never been a User (ha, sounds so illicit!) We had a great time at the party, and after trying it out during the ‘makeover’ portion of the party, I decided to give the Medium Coverage Foundation a shot.
Four years later, I’m still loving it. And this coming from the girl who changed foundation every other month for 15 years? Is a big deal.
It’s the perfect weight for my skin- not too heavy, and it rarely feels greasy and heavy (a little bit in the summer when it’s hot, but I think that’s more because OMG HUMIDITY than anything with the product. I just use a bit less in the warmer weather.) For my weird skin, the coverage is perfect. It’s easy to blend, and it hides just about everything but feels very non-gross (technical term!). I love that I can put it on in the morning, pair it with some concealer for any major blemishes, and just touch-up with powder throughout the day. They also have a ton of shades to choose from, and if you have a local Mary Kay rep, you can easily try a few to find that perfect match.
I have received several compliments on my skin in the past few years since I started using the Mary Kay foundation, and part of me finds that HILARIOUS, looking back on all the years I spend struggling to find something that worked.
And probably the best part is that it’s only $14 a tube and it lasts a LONG time. I think one tube can last me at least 6 months (though I don’t wear make up every single day, maybe 4 or 5 days a week, typically) So for a product that works so perfectly for me and costs so little in the grand scheme of things? I SAY SCORE.
Mary Kay Medium Coverage Foundation, $14.00 at MaryKay.com
So! *brisk handclap* It sure is winter around here isn’t it? Whether we’re in the middle of a snowpocalypse buried under four feet of snow or skidding around on icy side walks, chances are no matter where you live it’s colder than normal and rather dry. It doesn’t take an expert to tell you that this combination can turn your skin all wonky. Especially your lips. And with Valentine’s Day right around the corner (Pssst. It’s Sunday) you need to get your pucker in tip-top shape. Enter ChapStick Overnight.
I have been using ChapStick Overnight Lip Treatment religiously for years before I go to bed and holy geeze can I tell the difference. I’m not going to come right out and say I give Angelina Jolie a run for her money, but you’re intelligent people and can deduce what you’d like. The point is, this stuff works. It hydrates, it protects, and it truly stays put throughout the night. I don’t get any results from regular lip balm because it’s not thick enough to last six to eight hours. With this balm, my lips are shielded from our dry central heat air, and don’t feel like they need a drink of water when I wake up. Another happy bonus? There’s no tell-tale evidence on my sheets the next morning. I’m a tummy sleeper so I always worry about getting my nightly beauty routine all over our bed but by some miracle, this stuff stays on lips and refuses to budge. Sort of like a strip of velcro, if velcro were a lip treatment.
Do you ever get dry and scaly skin around your lip line? It’s not a hot look. I have been prone to it more times than I care to admit so before I fall asleep I go to TOWN and apply this beyond my lip line. My husband says I look so shiney he can see me in the dark (which is a total exaggeration, btw) but hey, we’re married. It’s not all perfumed sheets and Victoria’s Secret up in here. Is it a wee bit goopy? Yes. But it’s not like a spider web forms between your lips if you try and talk, because that would be horrific (and kind of awesome all at the same time). It’s more substantial than your basic gloss, yes, but it does it’s job. It doesn’t really have a flavor to it for better or for worse, and after a bit your forget you have it on. Though SOME bedmates may not.
I’ve skipped a few nights here and there if I find myself unexpectedly staying overnight, or if I forget to pack it when going out of town and trust me, I can FEEL IT the next day. Flakey and sandpaper-y and BLECH. It’s easy to become addicted once you start using it, as your lips will feel like they are eighteen again. And with the most romantic holiday rapidly approaching it’s important to make sure they are primed and ready to go. Your lipstick will look better. It will slow you down from looking like a sour puss. Good morning smooches will be all the more enjoyable. And for $3.99 at most drugstores you really can’t go wrong.
Take back the night and show winter who’s boss! Happy and hydrated makes for a good night’s sleep.
ChapStick Overnight Lip Treatment, $3.99 at most drugstores and drugstore.com
