Coconut Oil... And Why I LOVE IT!

I know... you've probably read and heard a lot about Coconut Oil over the last several months and years, but I'm just now coming around so bear with me and my excitement, umkay?  :)

See this giant jar I got at Sam's...

It's SO wonderful.  It was less than $9 and I've barely put a dent in it in the last 3 months. What do I do with it?  Glad you asked.

• I cook with it sometimes... it's a great high-heat oil.
• I put a little in our breakfast smoothies to sneak some healthy fat in... And you can't taste it in there :).
• When my hair is feeling dry, I put a tiny amount in my hands, let it melt, and rub it on the ends of my hair... repairs damage and makes it SO soft!
• I keep a small container of it in the bathroom and use it remove my makeup (yes) and as a lotion for our incredibly dry winter hands. 

Happy little container of Coconut Oil for our bathroom.

Did I say makeup remover?  Yes... yes I did.  I am not sure when it was exactly, but sometime a few months ago it hit me: I wonder if coconut oil would be a good eye makeup remover.  I thought perhaps I'd pioneered a new beauty tip and I would quickly become famous because of my beauty genius.  Yah, not so much... if you google coconut oil eye makeup remover you'll see about 1000 people thought of it before I did :). Still, I was pretty pumped.  The coconut oil removes every drop of my waterproof eye makeup like a dream.  I'm a big fan of using makeup cleansing waters like Bioderma or my favorite (CHEAPER) option, Boots no 7 Expert Sensitive Gentle Toner, to remove makeup.  I feel like they remove makeup really well and then when you wash your face, you're actually removing dirt and oils that are down in your pores. But, after using the coconut oil to remove my eye makeup, I wondered if it would remove my face makeup well too... It did.

Here's how it works:  

1. I grab a small amount of coconut oil out of my container.
2. I hold it between my fingers and let it begin to melt.  The oil melts at 70 degrees so it will melt quickly in your fingers.  
3. Then, I rub the oil on my eyes... not my eyeballs, but my closed eyes :). 
4. I gently massage the oil into the lashes to remove all the mascara and eyeliner.  
5. Then, I look like a raccoon.  The oil does not hurt your eyes.  It may make your vision a little blurry for a minute, but that's it. 
6. I then rub the remaining oil over my face.  
7. Once I feel like the makeup is completely broken down, I use a warm damp washcloth to remove all the makeup.  I usually rinse the washcloth a few times and go over my face again, just to make sure I remove it all.  The oil does not leave my face feeling oily... just soft and moisturized.  Then I can wash my face, add my nighttime moisturizer, etc.  

When my face got REALLY dry this winter, I used coconut oil as my nighttime moisturizer and it helped.  I just rubbed some on and gave it about five minutes to soak into my skin before going to bed.  LOVELY.  My skin was super soft the next day.  

And the coconut oil was FANTASTIC for my kids's eczema.  Their hands get SO dry and red in the winter and putting this on before bed every night fixed them right up.  And when you consider that all of the lotions and creams marketed for eczema are around $15, coconut oil is a BARGAIN.  

Now, having said all this good stuff, I feel it's important to tell you I don't cook with coconut oil exclusively... There's still some debate over if coconut oil is as heart-healthy as everyone says.  It does contain a high amount of lauric acid which can increase your HDL (good cholesterol).  But, it also contains a high amount of saturated fats... which are not good, obviously.  Just wanted to throw that disclaimer out there :).

I highly recommend running out to your nearest Sams or Costco and grabbing a big ol' jar of this stuff.  You will smell all tropical and your skin will love you for it :).

First Impressions: Physicians Formula Conceal Rx

Well, I have to face it... I'm getting older.  And as I do, I've had some ugly sun spots appear on my face.  I hate them.  With a passion.  I am very serious about my sunblock now (after my grandmother died of stage 4 melanoma and my mother and brother both battled stage 1), but in my teens and early 20's I loved the tanning bed and "laid out" with my friends all summer.  Ugh.  Things I would change if I had it to do over.

So, I've had to use more and more concealer since I hit 30 to cover up these age spots.  Lately, my Revlon Photo Ready Concealer hasn't been cutting it.... It's definitely a full-coverage concealer, but I'm having a hard time covering the spots and blending it in... It's like, I can get that puppy covered up, but the minute I start to blend it streaks and you can see the spot again... So I either have an obvious spot of concealer on my face, or you see the sunspot.  FRUSTRATING.

I heard Ingrid Nilson, or Missglamorazzi, talk about the Physicians Formula Conceal Rx and how she felt like it was a dupe for Cover Fx Cream Concealer.  Am I speaking Greek to you?  If so, here's the gist... This $10 concealer is supposedly as good as the $27 Cover Fx concealer.  So, I wanted to try it out and I thought it would be fun to let you all experience it with me! :)

Here's what Physician Formula claims about this product:

The prescription is in for Any and All imperfections

• Concentrated Formula for:  Maximum Coverage, Maximum Comfort, Ultra-Long Wear, Natural Smooth Finish, No-Mask Effect
• Covers:  Blemishes, Dark Under-Eye Circles, Scars, Birthmarks, Age Spots, Bruises, Rosacea, Hyperpigmentation
• Lasts up to 12 hours!
• Hypoallergenic, Fragrance free, Non-comedogenic, Oil-free, Dermatologist approved

Just what the doctor ordered.
Conceal Rx™ Physicians Strength Concealer is the perfect solution to cover any and all imperfections.  High intensity pigments allow concealer to gently hide imperfections such as dark circles and blemishes, but also scars, birthmarks, bruising, age spots and hyperpigmentation without a mask-effect.  High-tech, concentrated yet smooth formula offers full and comfortable coverage, allowing skin to breath and letting your natural beauty shine through.

Stay put formula!
Non-oily and non-drying formula glides on smoothly to a semi-matte finish for all day wear.  Provides maximum coverage, smooth application and comfortable wear that lasts up to 12 hours.

Dramatic Results with Blemishes, Birthmarks & Moles, Hyperpigmentation

Here's what it looks like:

It actually only comes in 3 shades: Soft Green (for redness), Fair Light, and Natural Light.  I got Natural Light.  I purchased mine at Rite Aid and it cost $9.55 before tax.

Walmart is cheaper, but Rite Aid is more convenient to my house :).

It comes in a 0.49 Oz. squeeze tube and has a creamy consistency.

I tested it first on my hand.  I have a new scar on my thumb (sorry... I know, super gross) and I wanted to see how the concealer was able to cover that up.

Before:

After:

I was pretty impressed... especially considering I didn't have any primer or foundation on my hand before applying the concealer.

And something I noticed... As I let it dry, it became much more natural looking.  It's somewhat shiny when it goes on and then dries matte.  And without powder on top, it felt like it wasn't going to rub off easily.

Now, it's time for the face...

WARNING... this is never before seen documentation of my face without makeup.  Trust me, I debated whether or not to expose you all to this, but for the good of science and research and MAKE-UP, I decided we should all be brave and do this... Here goes.

Before pic of my most hated sun spot... blech.

After primer and foundation. Sunspot still visible.

After Physicians Formula Conceal Rx:

HOLY SMOKES.


First impression, I'm super impressed.  I mean... wowzers.  I can't see the spot. At all.  Even in my 10x magnifying mirror I can't see it.  Hearing the angels sing... but the true test?  Will be how it looks as the day wears on... So, here goes:

Seriously, this stuff didn't budge all day.  Even after my foundation started to break down at the end of the night, the concealer looked as good as it did when I first put it on.  I'm beyond thrilled with this product.

Thanks for enduring the no makeup shots and endless selfies in this post... Sheesh... But, if it helps one of you decide if this product is worth your money or not, then I've done my job.  If you have any scaring or age spots that you want to cover, this product will make you do a happy dance.  But, if you are cute and young and have nearly flawless skin, wear a moisturizer with sunblock DAILY, stay away from the tanning bed, and enjoy your lightweight foundation :).

Best Beauty Bargains--Wet n' Wild Walking on Eggshells

It's no secret, I love makeup.  LOVE.  And I love finding a bargain... So when I discover something that's a good dupe (makeup lingo for duplicate) for a higher-end makeup item, I get super excited!

My number one most recommended item to friends is the Wet n' Wild Color Icon Trio in 380 B Walking on Eggshells.

You can pick up this bad boy for a whopping $2.99 at Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart.  The shadows are so velvety and the color payoff is amazing.  It's an amazing bang for your buck.  But, the best part?  These shades are amazing dupes for some of my favorite shades from the Urban Decay Naked Palette (retail $52).  Let's take a look:

On the left I've swatched the eyelid shade from the Wet n' Wild Trio, and on the right I've swatched Urban Decay's Sin.  Impressed?  Let's keep going.

Here I've swatched the Crease shade (left) and Urban Decay's Smog.  Smog shows up a bit more metallic, but the Wet n' Wild is still a good substitute.

Now we're looking at the Browbone shade from Wet N' Wild (left) and Urban Decay's Virgin.


I've seen on Pinterest that these shades are exact dupes for Mac's Shroom, Cork, and Naked Lunch.  Those shadows run around $15 each, or $45 for all three... Insane.

So, are you running out the door to buy your Wet n' Wild Walking on Eggshells yet?

How I Clean My Makeup Brushes

Those who know me, know I can be a bit of a germaphobe.  I love bleach. And anything with "antibacterial" written on it.  And when I think about how many germs my makeup brushes collect on a daily basis, I squirm.  So, I wash my brushes once a week.  And if I'm doing makeup for someone, I always clean them before and after.  But, if cleaned improperly, brushes can be easily damaged or destroyed.

So, here's how I clean them and keep them in good condition :).

Here's what you need:

• Makeup brushes (duh!)
• Hand Towel
• Paper towels
• Olive Oil
• Dawn Dish Soap (original)

Start by gathering your brushes, a hand towel, and a couple paper towels folded into squares (the square part is optional... it's just what I do :)) and head to your sink.

Grab your favorite olive oil and pour about a Tbsp onto one of the paper towel squares.

Rub your brushes over the olive oil, onto the paper towel.

It will start to look gross.

The olive oil breaks down the product on the brush and the friction of rubbing it on the paper towel removes a lot of it from the brush.

Set your brush aside and move on to the next brush. 

When you have rubbed all of your brushes over the olive oil paper towel, then it's time to wash them in dawn to remove the olive oil and remaining product.

On the larger face brushes, put a dab of Dawn on the brush and wash the brush under the water, kinda like washing your hair... just be gentle and don't the water get past the metal on the brush... If water gets under there, it could dissolve the glue that holds it to the handle and make it fall off... Not cool.  

When all the soap is out of the brush, squeeze out the excess water and shape the brush like so.

Use your clean paper towel squeeze out some moisture.

Place it flat on the hand towel to dry.

For the smaller eye brushes, I just put some dawn in my hand and run several of them over my hand, under the water and let the soap work on the brushes.

Just make sure they all get thoroughly rinsed.  Squeeze out the excess water and shape them, then place back on the towel to dry. 

It's best to let these dry overnight before using them.

And my brushes are mega cheapies.  Most of them are Elf Studio or Sonja Kashuk (you can get these at Target), but by properly taking care of them, they have lasted for years.  I very much want a Sigma or Real Techniques complete brush set... someday :).

I Heart Drugstore Makeup Tag!

1. What is your favorite drugstore makeup brand overall?

That would have to be Revlon. Their foundations are phenomenal as are their most of their lip products. I have several of their nail polishes and they are some of my favorites. All-in-all, I think they have the most consistent quality of all the drugstore brands. 

2. What are your favorite face, cheek and lip products?

Face: Pixi Correction Concentrate for my dark circles.

Cheek: Elf Studio Contorting Blush and Bronzing Powder. Fantastic pigmentation and quality... and CHEAP!

Lip: NYX Mega Shine Lip Glosses. So pretty and taste yummy!

3. Least favorite product?

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain... I know... Lots of people love these.  But, #1, I'm not a fan of the minty lip products.  Not my thing.  #2, Both shades I own (Honey and Lovesick) go on one color, then an hour later, my lips are a completely different (not pretty) shade.  I'm not a huge fan of bold lip colors, so I stick mostly to neutrals.  Honey is gorgeous when I first put it on, but then turns hot pink after just a little while.  Am I the only one that's experienced this?  I wanted to love these so much :(. 

4. What is the best makeup bargain?

Covergirl Eye Enhancers 1 Kit Eyeshadow in Tapestry Taupe.  For $3.19, you get an exact dupe of Mac's Satin Taupe which would run you $15.  And you get a ton of product.  This eyeshadow looks amazing sweeped over the lid with no other shadows.  And it looks amazing on everyone.  

5. What is your favorite underdog product? (Something you love that often gets overlooked?)

Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Fast Nail Colors.  Most the time, I can get these polishes for under $3 on sale and they are one coat, super fast dry, and stay on my nails for daaaaays.  And yet, I never hear anyone talk about these in the Beauty Blogger world.  

6. A drugstore product that is overpriced?

L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Pro Smokey Eye Shadow.  $10.49 for an eyeshadow quad that barely has any product and you are literally supposed to take the sponge and rub it over all four shadows and then just sweep in on your eye?  Um... no.  I love L'Oreal, but no. Not a good bargain and I just can't see how this product would be something I would ever use. 

7. Show your best drugstore dupe(s)!!

Wet n' Wild Color Icon Trio in Walking on Eggshells.  These babies are exact dupes for some of my favorites from the Urban Decay Naked line (Sin, Smog, and Virgin)... and they cost $2.99.  You can't beat that!

8. Drugstore product that isn’t worth the hype?

Maybelline EyeStudio Master Drama Eyeliner in Midnight Master.  Can you say Smudgey McSmudgerson?  I bought this after several beauty bloggers raved about it and tried to use it several times.  I tried putting black eyeshadow on top to set it, used every eye primer I own, but nothing helped.  I was a raccoon in a matter of hours.  I know several people who love this, but if you have trouble with smudging eyeliner, you may feel the same way that I do.

TAG, you're it!  Comment back with your answers :).

My Top 10 Makeup Must-Haves!

I've always loved makeup. As a teen, I read my YM Magazine religiously for the latest makeup tricks and tips (anyone else remember YM? Good stuff :)). I frequented the drug stores for the latest makeup and hit up the Clinique counter for lipstick and face powder... Good times.

But, my makeup "obsession" truly began a few years ago.  I stumbled across a makeup tutorial on youtube and discovered the world of beauty bloggers... Oh, what a fabulous, pretty world.  I learned so much from MissGlamorazzi, Kandee Johnson, Fleur de Force, and Emilynoel83. Thanks girls! :)

So, slowly, I began trying new products and adding to my makeup collection. I started out with mostly drug store finds and then my husband surprised me a few years back with my first high-end makeup palette (The Rockstar Palette from The Balm). Now, my collection consists of a good mix of high-end and drug store products...

But there are 10 products that stand out. If I lost one or all of these, I would running to the nearest Ulta and Sephora to do some serious repurchasing :). Here they are:

My Top 10 Makeup Must-Haves!

1.   Pixi Correction Concentrate in Brightening Peach

I have horrible dark circles... always have. Stupid allergies. But this stuff... oh, it's my friend. It makes that horrible purpley yuck go bye bye. It's thick and covers SO well. The peach color cancels out the purple and brightens your eyes. Seriously, I bought my first little pot of this stuff a year ago and swore off all other under-eye concealers. I've only had to repurchase once... a little goes a LONG way.  At $12, this is teetering between drug store and high end price point, but I feel like it's worth every penny.  It's available at www.pixibeauty.com and most Target stores are carrying Pixi products now.


2.   Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup in 250 Medium Beige

My skin has gotten dryer as I've gotten older (hello, 30's...), and this foundation has been perfect for my skin type. But I've also used it on friends who have more oily and combination skin and set with a good powder, and it looked just as lovely on them and never looked greasy. It stays on all day and doesn't come off until I wash it off. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.  The regular Revlon Colorstay foundation is good as well, but I love the consistency of this product and how smooth it goes on.  And a jar lasts a LONG time because you only need a little bit to get good coverage. There are tons of shades. The 250 is better for when I have more of a tan in the summer, but right now I'm mixing it with a bit of 150 Buff and it's matching my paler, winter skin perfectly :).


3.  Maybelline New York Dream Matte Powder in Beige Medium 2-2.5

This stuff is so popular, that it's hard to find. I just bought the one in the picture on clearance at a discount store. It seems they are out of stock in several stores and online, but it's available at maybelline.com. This powder is the best I've ever tried. It's got really good coverage for a face powder and helps mask my pores and set my foundation. I go through these pretty fast and my only complaint is when I run out and they are out of stock... grrr.... but a good substitute is the Revlon Nearly Naked Powder (thanks girl at the makeup desk at Walgreens for the suggestion!).


4.   EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Summer Fruit

This is the best lip balm ever. Hands down. No, I mean it. I used to struggle with horrible chapped lips every winter and I honestly have gone a couple years without that issue since I started using this lip balm daily.  It's 100% natural, made from vitamin e, shea butter, and jojoba oil... and the summer fruit is my favorite flavor, but there are several to choose from. My daughter has one too and I never worry about her using too much because it's so good for her skin!

Typically, I will put this on when I'm moisturizing my face before applying makeup and let it soak in while I'm getting ready.  Then, when I put on my lip products, they just glide on beautifully.


5.  Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo Metal in 70 Barely Branded

I've tried a lot of eye primers and honestly, the Maybelline Color Tattoos (which can be worn without any shadow on top... they look amazing on their own) work the best for me. This is a cream shadow that just glides on like a dream. You can apply it with a brush, or your finger. This color is fabulous and is the perfect base for most my eye looks. It gives the shadow something to cling to so it stays on allllll day. Also, 25 Bad to the Bronze is another amazing shade, but Barely Branded is my most loved :).


6. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero

Okay, you may be thinking "A $19 eyeliner?!?! Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" But, stay with me here... Eyeliner is crucial to me... When I don't wear it, I feel like I look sick... and dead... and decaying... and just not cool.... really, it's bad when I have no makeup on, but no eyeliner is just bad news bears. I have an issue of eyeliner smudging on me because of watery eyes (those stinkin' allergies again!). I like Rimmel's ScandalEyes waterproof pencil in 001 Black a ton... and maybe if your eyes aren't crazy watery like mine, it could work for you and it's only $4.49 at Ulta. But everytime I wear it, I'll look in the mirror and have a giant black blob in each tear duct... YUCK!.  But, that never happens when I wear the Urban Decay pencil... it just stays where I put it... until I take it off.  And honestly, I bought the pencil pictured last May and I'm not even half way through it and I use it a ton. To me, it's totally worth the money. A lot of times you can get a sample of this from Sephora as a gift with purchase if you want to try it out before shelling out $19.

7.  Maybelline Volum'Express The Rocket Waterproof Mascara in Very Black

Now, while I love me some high-end eyeliner, I'm a drug-store mascara girl all the way. I've tried a ton of different mascaras and Maybelline seems to always have the best of the best.  The Rocket though... oh, how I love it. I can put on a light coat for daytime or really build it up for a fun night out. It's so happy. The rubber bristles get smaller towards the tip so you can get those little baby lashes that like to hide. And seriously, WATERPROOF. I used this on a friend for her wedding and that stuff stayed on SO GOOD through many tears and hours of fun at the wedding and reception.


8.  NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Perfect

The NYX lip glosses taste like fruit punch and they look amazing. I keep a NYX lip gloss in my purse at all times. This particular shade looks great on my lips on it's own or on top of any lipstick. The glosses are not sticky and they stay on for hours and hours. Another favorite shade is Beige which is totally does not look beige :)... it's a happy, girly pink.


9.  Balm Jovi Rockstar Palette, from The Balm

Where do I start... the velvety, high-pigmented eye shadows?  The perfect pinky-peach blush?  The highlight that can make the most tired of moms look youthful?  The vanilla tasting lip/cheek stains?  This was the first palette I ever got (Valentine's present from my awesome husband a few years ago :)) and it's still my favorite. I use the blush and highlight daily. I can get so many looks out of the eye shadows.  There's a great mix of matte and sparkly shades.  The cheek/lip stains are the least used, but they are great too.  This would make a great gift for someone who's just getting into makeup because you get SO much in one palette.


10.  Urban Decay Naked Palette

This my friends, is worth all the hype. I can get so many looks out of this lovely little palette. With just a few swipes, I can get an amazing daytime look... Add some of the darker shades, and I get an incredible smokey eye. Add some of the glittery shades, and I can get a fabulous nighttime look. The shadows glide on so perfectly and the pigmentation is phenomenal. I have the Naked2 and the Naked3 palettes as well, but neither of those has as much versatility as this palette. If you don't own any high-end eye shadows, but want to try some, start here. You won't be disappointed.


I hope you enjoyed this!  What are your makeup must-haves?