The Pond's Experiment

So I am eternally searching for a miracle facial cleanser.  I have really picky skin, and I have probably tried dozens of cleansers.  My skin is oily and sometimes I break out, but when I use products for oily skin, I get really dry and flaky.  Up next on my list of cleansers to try is Philosophy Purity Made Simple and products by Boscia, but I am always taking recommendations if there's a product you consider a miracle.

I was talking to my cousin the other day, and she told me she swears by Pond's.  Pond's!!  It seems so old school, I was amazed.  She has awesome skin, however, so my first reaction was I have to try it!  Thus began the Pond's experiment.

People have been swearing by this cream for decades, so I guess it must be working for someone.  It's not exactly a facewash per se, because you don't rub it onto your wet skin and  lather like most cleansers.  The point is that you massage the cream into your skin and then towel it off.  Weird.

I've only used it twice so far, but I plan to use it for a while to see how it works.  I'll follow up in a couple of weeks and see what the fuss is all about.

Hope you're all having a fabulous week!

Song of the Day

I know it's kind of old, but enjoy nonetheless!

Vampy lipglosses

I went to Sephora yesterday looking at different lipsticks, and I decided to pick this gloss up by NARS.  The gloss is called Bougainville, and the Sephora website describes it as "pomegranate".  I think this (and another similar gloss that had a bit of shimmer in it) is part of NARS' holiday collection.  It's a dark berry color that's dramatic without being overpowering, and there is no shimmer in it at all.  I really like NARS lipglosses, they feel great on and the colors are all so pretty.  I also think this gloss would look great with a deep lipstick underneath if you're looking for something more powerful.

Yesterday, my best friend Tori and I exchanged Christmas gifts (a little late, I know).  She got me this fabulous gloss by Kat Von D.  I really love Kat Von D's line of cosmetics; everything is super-pigmented and lasts forever.  This particular gloss is Hellbent, and to me, it's a perfect blood red.  It's one of the Painted Love glosses, meaning that it's more opaque and pigmented than her other glosses.  I love to wear a red lip, and usually I wear MAC lipstick in Brave Red with Lancome Juicy Tubes in Berry Bold over it.  This is a nice one-step product that gives a high-impact red lip.  My only problem with this particular product is the smell, which is kind of weird and fruity.  Not too strong to deter me, though!

I really love to do a dark, dramatic lip, especially in the winter.  I know the general rule is to wear neutral eye makeup if you're going to wear a dramatic lip, but I still wear tons of liner and mascara.  Below are some pictures of me wearing each color.  Pardon the messy application, haha.  Try one (or both) out, I think you'll enjoy them!

NARS Lipgloss in Bougainville

Kat Von D Painted Love Lipgloss in Hellbent

After a long night out...

While I hope everyone had an amazing time last night, I bet I know what everyone is dealing with this morning.  Personally, I didn't wake up until well past noon...I guess that's expected when you get home at 6 in the morning. :(  Not that I'm a party animal or anything, but seriously, when the party is only getting started at midnight, what do you expect?

So I know some of you may be tired, hungover, or let's face it, just feeling rough, here are some tips to ensure that your morning will be as fabulous as it can be.

ALWAYS, and I can't stress it enough, wash your face the night before.  No matter how tired or beat you are when you get home, there is no excuse for going to bed with your makeup on!  And honestly, I'm not crazy about makeup-removing cloths either.  I feel like they leave a weird film on your skin, and they are no replacement for water and cleanser.  Getting all that makeup and pollution off of your face will feel so good, and you'll be glad you did it in the morning.

The night before, and when you wake up in the morning, apply a nice eye cream.  This will help keep your eyes bright and refreshed, and helps to get rid of dark circles and shadows that are bound to appear after a long night out.  Using an eye cream regularly will also help with any puffiness.  I like All About Eyes from Clinique.  It's got a nice consistency and feels pretty luxurious on my eyes.  Make sure to moisturize your face in the morning to keep your skin from looking dull.

If your plans don't require a full face of makeup, I would avoid eyeliner and mascara.  You want to keep your eyes as bright as possible, and mascara and eyeliner might give you unwanted shadows.  Use some concealer (bonus if it's also an "eye brightener", like Touche Éclat from Yves Saint Laurent or Active Light concealer from Jane Iredale).  Rub some cream blush on your cheeks to give you a nice glow- I like MAC Blushcreme in Posey.  It looks bright in the pan, but it is a pretty pink color that will help you look alive.  Use a moisturizing lip balm and you're good to go.

Make sure you drink LOTS of water to keep your skin from looking dull and ashy.  Just because you partied hard the night before doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the next morning!  Have a wonderful day, and an even better year!!

Sigma Beauty brush

I am so excited because I just received my first Sigma Beauty makeup brush!! I read reviews about these brushes so I was really looking forward to ordering one.  I placed my order for the Duo Fibre F50 brush on Tuesday, and I received it today! Talk about fast shipping. I am definitely interested in ordering more. I haven't used it yet, but I'll let you know how it goes as soon as I do.