Clear and Clear Mattifying Review

Kristin, why are you blogging in the middle of the day?  Because I'm home sick from work.  Being sick sucks, but it allows for some good blogging time. :) Anyways...

Last week, I purchased the Clean and Clear Mattifying Cleanser and the moisturizer.  This is just a review on those products.

Let's start with the cleanser.  The texture is a cross between a foam and and exfoliating wash.  It's super lightweight.  I'm not huge on gritty things being used daily, but it's not chunky grit.  It's fine like sugar sort of.  Maybe a little finer.  It has a an extremely light scent.  It just smells clean.

I've been using it for about 5 days now, and I must say that I'm super impressed.  Initially, I thought it would be drying and make my skin look like I had on a full face of powder.  But it's not like that at all.  It really does help control the oil without making me look dry at all.  The texture of my skin feels smoother and appears clearer.  I'm in love with this stuff.  It doesn't create that gross cakey look on the skin.  That's a huge plus.

The moisturizer is a bit tricky.  See, it has a sunscreen in it which is fantastic for the skin.  But this is not a chemical sunscreen, so applying too much will make the skin look chalky.  However, it applied in small amount and full rubbed into the skin, it does the job of mattifying and controlling oil.  I would recommend mixing a tiny amount with a daily serum or tinted  moisturizer to get the coverage and protection.

Like the cleanser, the smell is very light and clean.  It absorbs into the skin fairly well.  I also like the way it makes my skin feel.  It's smooth and gives a youthful look.

I would recommend this duo for combination/oily skin.  It gets the skin so clean.  It's rejuvenating.  Not to mention, it's fairly inexpensive.  I got them at Big Lots for just 3.80 USD a piece.  I hope this review was helpful and that you all give it a try. :)

A Little Big Lots Haul

I love Big Lots.  I don't know why.  I just do.  It's just awesome.  I'm not going to try to explain it.  LOL.  At any rate, here is what I got today.

This is a mattifying cleanser and moisturizer that I got.  I won't lie.  I was attracted to the packaging.  Plus, I know that Clean & Clear make pretty decent products.  Plus, I'm wondering if this product can achieve the matte look without drying my face out.  I was looking to a cheaper alternative to the Too Faced Primed and Poreless.

Hmmm....This pic keeps turning the other way.  Oh bother.  Anyway, these are just some fun sleeping masks that were only a dollar each.  I got them because I heard that sleeping in complete dark could help you fall asleep faster.  Well, I have a child, and I don't trust the dark.  LOL.  So I got these instead  so that I can still get the darkness I need.

These E.L.F. brushes were only 95 cents a piece.  I couldn't pass that up.  So I got a smudge brush and a concealer brush.  I like their brushes. :)

I know.  It's childish, but I LOVE Barbie.  I always have.  Even as a child.  And this little bottle is perfect for the purse.  It's a light floral scent and it was on clearance for a dollar fifty.

That completes my little haul.  I'll be back to review the facial products and makeup brushes.  :)

Too Faced Reviews

A few weeks back I had a post up of some items I'd purchased at Sephora.  One item was the Too Faced Beauty Editor Darlings.  It's a set that includes deluxe sample sizes of some the most popular items offered by the brand.  This is my review of those item.  To get the proper name of the items click the link HERE.

Mascara:  I love it.  The brush is probably the reason that I love this mascara.  The way that it's made is awesome.  It actually separates the lashes while holding enough product to distribute the product evenly.  The mascara itself coated pretty well.  I love voluminous lashes that aren't caked up, and this happened for me after giving this a try.  I think the only thing that would hold me back from buying a full sized version is the price.  I use lots of mascara.

Shadow Insurance:  There is nothing more important than keeping eyeshadow from creasing.  The hype behind this product is worth it.  Just a little bit goes a long way.  Not only did it help my shadow stay on, but it held my eyeliner just a well.  I would pay the price for this just for being able to maintain my eyeliner that has a tendency to slide around. :)

Lipgloss:  I don't necessarily need a lip plumping gloss because my lips are naturally full.  I will say with this lip gloss, the coverage was nice and it made my lips feel soft and supple.  Also, the plump sensation was painless.  It was more of a slight tingle.  This one has been in my purse and used everyday since I tried it.  It's highly likely that I'll purchase this in the future.

Lip Insurance:  This is a product that I didn't know much, but I'm glad I do now.  The problem I've had with lip gloss and lip stick is that it runs all over the place, the color fades, and I have to reapply several times a day.  This helps that problem and will actually keep the lips from drying out.  It's a keeper.

Face Primer:  The texture is similar to other primers I've used.  It's like a cross between powder a lotion.  It's hard to describe.  At any rate it smooths on nicely.  It also doubles as a perfecting cream.  It makes the pores appear smaller and you can use it alone.  I do like this product a lot because I can use it in the place of a tinted moisturizer or BB cream.  It makes my skin feel good.  I would consider buying this in the future.

I hope this review was beneficial.  Maybe you will enjoy these products as much as I have.  I also hope that the message of trying before committing  is very clear.  LOL.  I would hate to be stuff with a full sized product that I don't like.  :)

When You Lose Those You Love

I didn't get the chance to share this last week.  I don't know if it was because of shock, disbelief, or wanting to avoid the inevitable.  But there was a significant loss in my life.  She was an 11 year old girl in my neighborhood that just so happened to be one of my best friend's niece.  She had been sick for some time, but I guess it didn't sink in until I saw her just before her passing and the day of her services.

This little gem of a person was my friend.  Went spent many hours having great conversation and just enjoying the company of one another.  I've met many children and have a child of my own.  But there was something about her that was different.  She seemed so mature for her age and always had a smile on her face when I saw her.  I can close my eyes now and see her face.  She had big blues.  She was so beautiful.  I  just loved her to pieces.  I still do.

Last week, on Saturday morning, I got a phone call at 7 in the morning from my friend.  I knew when I saw her number appear on the screen that the time all of us hoped wouldn't come had.  My little friend had passed away.  Her battle with cancer had ended.  The lights had gone down and the little sparkle that was her had faded.  I took in the news and just sat there dumbfounded.

Just a few days before she had passed, I'd walked over to her house just to peek in to see how she was doing.  That day she was too weak for visitors, but I stood in the doorway talking to her mother just peering through the door at her.  A moment or so later, she opened her eyes turned her face in my direction and smiled at me.  It was the most precious thing because I knew how much pain she was in and how difficult it was to perform that small task.  As happy as I was to see those blue eyes again, I knew that would be the last time.

Dying and witnessing death is multifaceted.  Everybody grieves in different ways.  Here I was thinking that I was at peace with her passing because I didn't want to see her in pain anymore.  And before then there was the false hope that she would get better when it was clear that the hour was upon her.  The week leading up to her memorial I was convinced that I was okay.  I was "glad" that she was in heaven, smiling down and free from disease.  But a corner of me had been suppressing what I was really thinking.  Last night I unraveled completely and fell apart.

In my heart, I was angry.  The frustration over being helpless to a child in need had eaten away at me.  I wanted her to live because I knew what this angel had to offer this world that we live in.  I saw the little bits of life that she had left in her, and I just wanted her to try to hold on to it.  But then I came face to face with reality.  Cancer had devoured that life.  She just couldn't fight anymore.  There was nothing more she could give.

Then I began to think of how selfish I was.  Here she was at a crossroad of Heaven and Earth.  Silly me wanted her to come back to the physical realm and be here.  But I think that anybody who was at that point would choose the welcoming and peaceful realm of Heaven and its angels over the demented and sad existence that we call life.  Especially if that person had been arm wrestling a disease that had already taken so much from them.  How could I do such a thing by asking her frail body to cling to this world when she was going to be free from suffering, finally?

I'm not posting this because I'm looking for sympathy or anything like that.  I'm just venting because it's what seems natural.  Also, being that it is holiday time, I want to remind everyone to realize how precious life is.  Hug those you love and tell them that you love them.  Tomorrow isn't promised.  This life that we live is short.  In eternity, it may as well be nonexistent.  The point it is cherish those who cherish you.  Spread love.

Rest in peace my dear friend.  Hopefully one day I will be as lucky as you and walk in eternal peace.  In other words, I hope I go to Heaven to be with the Heaven Father too.  I miss you and I will never forget the love and happiness you brought to my life.  You were and always will be special and beautiful to me.

Sampling Before Committing

While I don't see myself participating in another Black Friday ever again, I can't say that it was totally fruitless.  I made a stop at Sephora because I couldn't resist and picked up a few items.  I had a theme though.  I don't want to be stuck with expensive products, so I did everything on a small scale.  I got trial size items except for the nail stickers.

This is waterproof makeup remover.  You can't have enough makeup remover if you are wear eye shadow and eye liner on a regular basis.  This little bottle was about 6 or 7 dollars.

This is a set by Too Faced that contains a lot of goodies and makes a perfect gift or stocking stuffer.  It includes mascara, eye shadow primer, plumpling lip gloss, lip primer, and face primer.  This a good starter and gives gives the opportunity to sample something before you buy it.  This retails for about 22 dollars which is about the same price as just one of these items.  These are all mini sized items.

The last item is really trendy right now.  These are nail art patches.  These retail for about 7 dollars for one application.  This particular print is called "Chinese Blossom".  This is another item that would make a great gift or stocking stuffer.

I'll try to get some reviews of these items up as soon as possible.  I hope that you all had a happy Thanksgiving and continue to do so into the rest of the holiday season. :)

Computer Love...It's Not What You Think

I am so glad to have my computer back.  She was sick, but the guys at PCWarehouse came right on through and made her better.  It was agony not being able to do virtually anything.  It think it would be messed up to compare it to losing a limb, but that's how I felt about it.

I do have a product that I want to review today.  It's the Buxom Big and Healthy Lips Polish.  It was free because I used my beauty points with another purchase.  That's always a plus.  And the sample size is deluxe, so that sweetens the pot.  :)

Where do I begin....  I wasn't paying attention to the box when I chose it.  It was more like a split second decision.  And who turns down free lip gloss?  NOT me!  At any rate, I was excited because I had never tried anything from the Buxom line which I've heard so many great things about.

The fact of the matter is that this is a plumping gloss.  Every tried one of those before?  Well, I haven't.  And boy, was I in for a shocker.  I glided it over my lips and rubbed it in.  They were instantly soft and supple.  I was in love with it.  Then a few moments later, my mouth suddenly felt funny.  It was tingling.  Then it was a little sting.  Then my lips felt like I put mentholated rub on them.

I'm not used to plumpers.  I have naturally full lips, so it's not anything I've ever looked in to.  Eventually the sensation did go away or I didn't notice it anymore.  I kept using it throughout the day to adjust myself to the sensation.  It seems to have worked.  It's still a little intense when first applied, but I actually like it.  Beauty is pain, you know...

BTW, I'm not sure if it actually plumps the lips.  I'm such an airhead that I forgot to look in the mirror to see. Oh well.  Just give it try.  It's a great moisturizer.  I like it so much that I would consider buying it in the future.  Plus it retails for only 10 dollars.  You can't beat that for the work that it does.

Love those Lashes

I'm a little late posting the pics of the items I picked up off Ebay.  Super busy these days.  At any rate, here they are :)

Here's what I got. :)  On the far left are regular eyelashes.  They have this really pretty crisscross pattern that looks super natural.  They're not too long, but not too short.  And the quality is pretty good.  I think I paid two dollars for the ten pairs.

In the middle is a device used to apply the lashes to the eye as well as hold them in place while adding glue.  I did get a chance to try this, and I like it.  This was about a dollar I think.

The lasts item are bottom lashes.  This is something that I'm still fairly new to.  These are handmade from what I understand, so they cost a little more but still insanely cheap at about 2.50 USD.