Oh My Lashes!

 

I’ve had a lot of interest in the eyelash extension post, and I apologize for not getting it up sooner. For some reason, even though it’s on the same day EVERY year, Christmas always manages to sneak up on me. I was busy doing a hundred million things before I headed out of town, including destroying my Holiday Manicure. I had naked nails all weekend! Yes, ME. But... the LASHES! The lashes made up for everything.

On Dasher, On Dancer, On Chancer, you Vixen!

Have you done your Holiday Manicure yet? Personally, my nails are a mess, but last week I scheduled appointments for a manicure, waxing and…. EYELASH EXTENSIONS, for tomorrow. I can’t wait. I knew if I didn’t plan ahead, it woudn’t end up getting done, so tomorrow I get to go have some professional primping. That means I have to get all my work done today. Hopefully.

December Birchbox

My December Birchbox arrived, and I think it’s one of the most exciting ones of the year. It’s definitely one of the most cohesive, not that that's really important, but it IS nice. It has a holiday theme, and it’s pretty cute.

Stockings

Jiminy Christmas! I keep not being ready, and yet the holidays keep coming. I think they are actually coming faster BECAUSE I’m not ready. Jerks.

Since there’s only a little over a week until Christmas, I’ve put together a list of stocking stuffers that can be easily found at the drugstore. And, since they’re stocking stuffers, and not GIFT gifts, each costs about $10 or less. These are, for the most part, for ladies, so if you’re not shopping for a lady, you can go ahead and forward this to whoever is shopping for you.

Gelishious

Today we have our first ever guest post! Friend and reader, Aline, tells us all about Gelish Soak-Off Gel Polish, and how to achieve the perfect retro red manicure. A classic holiday look!

Ice Ice... Maybe.

From the moment I finished my Wyndham Collection manicure, I’ve been dying to try the holographic Wyndham Overglaze Topcoat on other colors. I thought it would look cool and icey over light colors, especially metallics, so I tried it on a few of my palest and shimmeriest polishes.

Festive Flecks

This sparkly set of polish from Nails Inc turned out to be even more festive (meaning green) than I had imagined!

'Tis The Season... For Sparkles

If there was ever a time for a glittery manicure, it’s now. The holiday season always calls for a little (or a lot) of extra sparkle, and nail polish has been having “a moment” for quite awhile now. It’s probably due to the economy and the fact that you can totally splurge on an expensive nail polish for about $25. (PS. I dropped my Chanel Peridot today and smashed the cap. Luckily, the bottle itself is fine and the inner cap is intact. I’m still a little pissed though.) Wether it’s the economy or just a random boom in nail polish technology, it’s the perfect time to try something new.

Black Friday Fail

Did anyone score any goodies at the Sephora 10 for $10 Black Friday sale? I tried at 11am and everything was already sold out. I just didn't think of it when I first woke up, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. According to their facebook page, it was Missoni-level mayhem. The site went to shit, and everything was sold out early in the morning. Out of curiosity, I just checked eBay and the Buxom set I wanted is on there several times (with zero bids). Guess what, eBay Scalpers: The mascara is not limited edition, the eyeliner is not limited edition, the only thing that is limited is the number of boxes containing both. Why would anyone pay full price (or more) for them on eBay? Sigh* People can really be idiots.

What sucks is, I couldn't sleep Thanksgiving night and didn't think to hop on my phone and do a little shopping, apparently the sale started at midnight. Anyway, I got a whole lot of nothing. Comment below if you had better luck than me!

Black (Mascara) Friday

 

If you’re not a Sephora fan on facebook, you might have missed this. I AM a fan and I somehow missed it anyway. What’s crazy is that I found out about this from an old-fashioned catalog insert. So retro!

Anyway, “this” is a crazy promotion Sephora is having on Black Friday. They are offering 10 great things for only $10 each. Each of the items was originally valued at between $26 and $76 bucks. So yeah, they’re all STEALS which is what Black Friday is all about!

It’s ELECTRIC! Boogiewoogiewoogie.

I turned 36 this year, and I feel like the warranty ran out on my face. Gravity is definitely beginning to take it’s toll, and while I’ve done the best I could with my lifestyle choices and staying out of the sun, I guess a little sagging and fine lines are inevitable. Sigh*

Having A Ball

My new favorite drugstore impulse buy isn’t really an impulse buy at all. I had been checking out the eos lip balm for months, maybe even a year. The first few times, I knew nothing about it, but the shape grabbed me. It’s a ball! Why is it a ball? But I resisted. I didn’t need any new lip balm. Eventually, I started seeing ads and learning more about it. It has all the important “frees”: gluten-free, paraben-free, petrolatum-free, phthalate-free. And it’s 95% organic, 100% natural. It’s made with shea butter, vitamin E and jojoba oil. It really sounded like my kind of lip balm. Still, I resisted. I already have plenty of lip balm.

November Birchbox

I was getting ready to give up on my November Birchbox. I was sure it had been lost or stolen, but finally, it arrived on Monday afternoon. I don’t know why I’m not used to the idea that they arrive in the middle of the month by now.

Dr. LeWinn: All Up In Your Face

Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase is another product line I’ve been trying out for BzzAgent. They sent me full size tubes of their Under Eye Recovery treatment and Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion SPF 30. (But I don’t get paid for endorsing or not-endorsing the products.) I’ve been using the two products for three weeks now. Eye cream in the morning and at night, and the SPF cream just during the day.

Color Change Glows On

Hmm. Well, it seems like I could have dedicated a week to glowing instead of changing colors, because our final product for the week has Glow in the name too. Dior Addict Lip Glow.

Shadow of The Future

When I first heard about this (from a reader, thanks again B!) I thought it was just some sort of eyeshadow that changed colors on your face. Like, mood eyeshadow, or something, which would be pretty crazy. But this stuff is EVEN CRAZIER.

Glowing Review: Color Change Two

The next color-changing product this week is a little less dramatic than the nail polish, but has a much more dramatic name: Smashbox O-GLOW.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Well, it’s fall, alright. It can be a little confusing, what with the snow over Halloween weekend and then hitting 68 degrees today. (Not that I’m complaining.) But it's definitely fall. I mean, technically it’s been fall since September 23rd, but since we just fall’ed back the clocks, now we’re REALLY in it. 

In honor of fall, the season that would be totally awesome if it weren’t the farthest point from when it will ever be really warm again, I’m dedicating this week to color changing stuff.

A Mascara By Any Other Name

Oh, Mascara. One of our favorite subjects. One of our favorite things! I’ve already given you my thoughts on the advertising, but now I want to talk about the names. Just for fun.

How A-Peeling

I got a sample of Brazilian Peel as part of a VIB gift from Sephora. It seemed pretty dramatic, so I saved it to try when I didn’t have any plans for a few days, in case I got red or flaky. Good news! I got nothing going on...

Brazilian Peel is packaged in double-barreled syringe, I guess to give you the impression that this is SERIOUS BUSINESS, as well as to keep the two products separate until it’s time to activate them.

You “activate” the peel by removing the little tiny cap and dispensing the contents of the syringe into your hand, then mixing the two products together with two fingers. (I only used one finger, and it seemed to work fine.) The goo warms up, quite pleasantly, and then you spread it on your face, wash your hands, and go read the internets for ten minutes. I experienced some mild tingling at first, but that went away after about 30 seconds and I kind of forgot I had anything on my face until the timer dinged. The peel doesn’t get as dry as a clay mask or as fun as a rubber mask, it just gets a little tacky and crispy around the edges. I guess because it’s not a mask, it’s a PEEL.

Peels, if you don’t already know, don’t generally peel off. You just rinse them off. What peels off is YOUR FACE. Kind of, sort of! It’s a microscopic layer though, especially with an at-home treatment. However, Brazilian Peel does claim to be 5x stronger than any other at-home treatment, and like I said, the packaging was intense, so... Yeah, still, this is really just a fancy exfoliation. (Professionally done peels can get really cray-zay and have more noticeable results because they are done by pros that are specifically trained not to burn your face off.)

When I washed off the Brazilian Peel, there was no big reveal. (Also worth noting: there was no irritation.) My skin was softer, but that happens with EVERY product I try. I didn’t notice any reduction of red spots, which, btw, are all the rage for fall, according to my face. My skin seemed a little dewy, a little better circulation or something. Pink in the cheeks as opposed to just around my nose. But overall, I wasn’t really impressed.

You are supposed to do a Brazilian Peel once a week for four weeks, for the low low price of $20 a pop. (A four-pack costs $78 +tax at Sephora.) After four treatements and $80, I would hope to be impressed, and the reviewers on Sephora certainly are.

The next day my pores seemed a little smaller and my red spots a little less noticeable, so the peel was definitely worth doing. I didn't notice any firming or anything, though. I don’t know that it works any better than my favorite Dr. Gross pads either.  (And I don’t have any plans to spend $80 and a month to find out. But if you ever have a chance to snag a sample, do it!)

I do find it amusing that the packaging says “Antidote for Aging” because: Really, Brazilian Peel? Really? Hey everyone, they finally found an antidote for aging! And they sell it at Sephora! It's in A SYRINGE.

FYI: I didn’t really do this treatment the same week as the spooky rubber mask. I did the Bliss mask last week and saved it for my Halloween post.

No Zit, Sherlock

Every time I do a face mask, I think of all the kooky face masks I’ve seen on TV. They’re always super thick, super hideous, and super rubbery. They always, ALWAYS startle/horrify someone, usually the male lead.

High(-price) Gloss

As I mentioned earlier this week, I’ve recently gotten some great free stuff from BzzAgent. One of the things I’m trying out for them right now is the Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Collection. They sent me full size bottles of shampoo and conditioner, plus some little packets of styling cream to share. At this point, I’m on my third use (I only wash my hair twice a week) and feel like I have a good handle on wether or not $26 shampoo and matching $26 conditioner are worth it.

My first thought was: “No.”

My second thought was: “Probably not.”

My third thought was: “I mean, it’s nice and all but…”

And after that, well, you’ll see.

The Fekkai Glossing line sounds really great. “Renew shine, all day, minute by minute. Inspired by nature with its winning formula containing olive oil, Brilliant Glossing now features encapsulated technology that helps deliver even, reflective shine from root to tip, and refreshes your shine as you comb your hair for brilliant hair throughout the day.”

Sign. Me. Up.

The first thing I noticed, of course, was the smell. It smells FANCY. So there’s that. The bottles are pretty too, as far as shampoo bottles go. And it feels really nice when you’re washing your hair.

From the first time I used it, I noticed a difference in my hair. The thing about fancy shampoos, aside from their pretty bottles and pretty smells, is that they leave you with light, fluffy-feeling hair, like when you get it washed at a salon. I’m not really sure why that is, but it is.

My hair also felt significantly softer and silkier. For WEEKS I had been soaking my hair with coconut oil for a half hour before I washed it, and I didn’t get results like this. (Guess I won’t be writing a post about using coconut oil as a deep conditioner, like I had planned.)

But here is the problem: My hair FELT silky, but it still LOOKED frizzy. Even with my best blow-drying efforts. Even after using the Fekkai Glossing cream, carefully squeezed from one of the little sample packets BzzAgent sent me to share with my friends.

According to Fekkai, the Glossing cream is a “sheer styling cream with pure olive oil that helps eliminate frizz and adds moisture and shine to all hair types. For best results: Apply ‘pea size’ to damp or dry hair.” The first time I used it, I applied two “pea sizes” to damp hair, since my hair is so long. My hair seemed to be separating at the ends, so the second time I went with one pea on slightly less-damp hair. That worked better, go fig, I bet that’s why they put it in the directions. Still, though: Frizz. I mean, I could smooth it out with curlers or the flat iron, but I was really hoping to skip the hot tools.

By the time I was ready for my third wash, I was through messing around. I added an extra step: my tried and true Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum applied to wet hair. Then the blow dry, and THEN the Glossing Cream (ONE PEA!) on dry hair. And that, my friends, is the ticket.

Wondering if I was just missing one piece of puzzle, I looked to see if the Fekkai Glossing line offered a serum of some sort, but the only thing they have is a shine mist. I already have two different kinds of shine mist, or as I call it, shine SPRAY. But for me, it’s the serum that makes all the difference. (FYI, Fekkai does make a serum, it’s just not part of the Glossing line. It’s part of the intriguing “Silky Straight Ironless” collection.) Anyway, with a little extra help from Paul Mitchell, my hair is silky AND shiny. I couldn’t keep my hands out of it when I finished.

Then, last night, my husband told me my hair smelled nice. I told him it was a new shampoo. He said he liked it. I said “It’s $26!” He said “It’s worth it.”

Facepalm.

Super Grace

While I'm on the subject of great YouTube videos (see below), I might as well post the video of this fantastic little girl, Sophia Grace Brownlee, singing Super Bass. If she wasn't so talented, her adorable back up dancer would have stolen the show! I was obsessed with this one last week. Also, she was on Ellen and it almost made me cry.

Three Girls Are Very Good At Two Things

Know what? Sometimes I'm just going to post awesome stuff here. Because this is awesome and you need to see it. I bet if we practiced for one whole day, we could figure out how to do the plastic tub thing. Then all we'd have to do is learn how to sing pretty! I already know how to high-five, and to be honest, they could use some help there.

The Bzz

Do you like trying stuff that’s new and/or free? MEEE TOOOO! A long time ago (2006), I became a Bzz Agent, and since then, they’ve been sending me free stuff and I’ve been sending them my opinion of it.

Take A Bow

Hey! Remember those easy-to-make-but-I-bought-them-anyway hair ties? The ones that were basically a scrap of F.O.E. with a knot in it? Well, someone one-upped the Twistband people and made A BOW. It’s almost as obvious as the Twistbands themselves, possibly more so. It’s called The Bow, and it's adorable. I don't know where they came up with that name though.

Blinc Once If You Like It, Twice If You Don’t

It seems like punkahontas readers have strong opinions about Blinc mascara. From what I've heard, they don’t really like it. Since I got a “free” tube in my Birch Box this month, I figured I should check it out and see what the beef is. (Hahah. That’s not how I talk, but oh well!)

My (Semi) Precious

I subscribe to whole bunch of fashion magazines “for research” and I am pretty sure every single one of them has mentioned Chanel’s Peridot nail color recently. Once in awhile, Chanel comes out with a nail polish color that I consider splurge-worthy, and seriously, what else does Chanel make that I could possibly afford? I finally got a bottle last week, and it is, indeed, worthy-of-splurge.

October Birch Box

October Birch Box has arrived, and I think it’s a pretty good one. Definitely some things I’m looking forward to checking out, and only one “dud” which is probably just a matter of personal taste. Other people might enjoy eating little mints that taste like Pledge.

Drop Pick Up The F-Bomb

I really can’t remember the last time red lipstick wasn’t a “top trend for fall.” I feel like every fashion mag says it every year, like it’s a new thing. It’s not a new thing, it’s kind of never been a new thing, but there is always a new red lipstick. And this year, for me, the new red lipstick isn’t even a lipstick at all. It’s a lip… stick.

Girls’s Costume Warehouse

 Do you now what you’re going to be for Halloween this year? I thought I did, but now I don’t. And since I’m not a costume-in-a-bag person, I’m getting a little worried. If you need some ideas for what to do, or what not to do, here is my absolute favorite Halloween YouTube video ever, ever, ever. Unfortunately they put a commercial in the beginning, and they also won’t let me embed the video. It’s worth it though, trust.

Hey Bootiful!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects have gotten all Halloweeny! While I was at the drugstore this morning (I picked up a few things I’ll write about soon) I noticed a display of haunted nail polish strips. Ghosts, skulls & crossbones, red fishnet, a Frankenstein-y one called Hot Wired and, of course, spider webs. Actually, aside from the ghosts and the spider webs, these could be even better when it’s NOT Halloween. If there are any left on Nov.1, I might try to scoop some on sale.

Eeets-a Magnetic-a!

I read about Magneffect nail polish in a magazine and was going to buy it, try it and write about it. I heard it was coming out in October, but didn’t realize it would be, like, right away. It’s only October 4th! JEEZ. Anyway, I guess I don’t have to do all that now, because you can just watch this awesome video to find out all about it. Also, go fig, Sephora has a version too. You can get the real deal from a few different places online, like Planet Beauty.

Beautenizing!

I recently “went off” a bit about mascara advertising, because it's basically the worst way to learn about a new mascara. Well, no sooner had I written that, than I was presented with the BEST way to learn about a new mascara. A SAMPLE! Trying a mascara is obviously the best way to see how it works before buying it, but that’s not always an option.

Eye Don't Even KNOW.

I have some new reviews coming up for you, but I just need to show you ONE MORE crazy thing you can stick to your face: Fake eyelashes with silhouetted images!

The Future of Makeup?

Hey Everyone! I found something to wear with your eyeliner appliqués! Lip Tattoos!

Pack It Up, Pack It In…

I’m back! Sorry I haven’t posted anything earlier this week, but I had an unexpected and extraordinarily eventful long-weekend away from home. I’m still trying to catch up, but I wanted to tell you guys what happened, AND provide some useful packing tips.

TGIRainboots!

It’s the official first day of fall, and it’s raining. Again! Just like it did on the unofficial first day of fall, the day after Labor Day. And what’s in store for us this weekend? More rain! I’m glad I don’t have plans to spend the entire day outside on Saturday. Oh wait, yes I do! Yayyyy…

Maybe She’s Born With It. Maybe It’s Photoshop.

Recently, a friend of mine asked me if I had tried the new Doll Lashes mascara from Lancome. I admitted it had piqued my interest, but I hadn’t bought it. I told her to let me know what she thought if she ended up trying it. The next day, she reported back that she had gone to check it out but she didn’t like the brush and the mascara had a weird smell. I gave it a whiff when I was in Sephora earlier this week, and I agree. It smells... gaudy? It smells like what fake flowers would smell like if fake flowers had a smell.

It got me thinking about buying mascara in general. The only way we can find out how/if it works is by buying it and trying it ourselves, or by getting feedback from people who have already bought it and tried it. Because, really, mascara ads are total bullshit.

CURL-er-MAAAAN!

Actually, it’s Super Curl, who I assume can leap tall buildings… in heels? I don’t know how many of you were interested in the new-style cage-free eyelash curler when I wrote about The Revolution, from Urban Decay, whenever ago, but Tweezerman (TWEEE-zer-MAAAAN!) has a similar option called Super Curl.

Salute The Salux

In my reading of the internetz, I’ve heard again and again about Salux, the Japanese “Beauty Skin Cloth”. People swear by them for smoother skin, so I finally decided to get one to see what all the fuss is about.

September Birchbox

I just got my September Birchbox! On September 13th! Which is exciting, but leads me to believe they just send it out whenever they feel like it.

New Shoes: Breaking Ground That Maybe Shouldn't Have Been Broken

 

If this is the future of shoe design, my bank account will be very, very happy. 

But I will be very, very sad.

Hit or Miss(oni)

Today was the launch of Missoni for Target. I had been anxiously awaiting the new line, and got more and more nervous every time I saw another ad. It seemed like the most hyped designer partnership they’d ever done and I was hoping they would be able to back it up, and put their merch where their mouth is.

Don’t You Step On My New Suede Shoes

Yes, I know it’s Blue Suede Shoes. But blue suede shoes are even LESS practical than black suede shoes.

Why is it that in the fall, I always have an uncontrollable urge to buy suede shoes? One reason is that all the stores push suede shoes for fall, so they’re in your face all the time. And the cozy texture of suede hits you right in that end-of-summer-sick-of-your-clothes-cooler-weather-need-new-stuff place. Suede has that feeling of relaxed luxury, like cashmere. Doesn’t everyone want to feel relaxed and luxurious, all the time? Plus, suede shoes always seem like they’ll be more comfortable than regular shoes, which I don’t even think is true. It’s all part of the magic of suede.

The Twist

You’re never going to believe what’s been in my hair, on my wrist, or on my bedside table since the day I got it. Is it a bird? NO. Is it a plane? NO. It is the Twistband? YEAH. I am totally hooked on what is basically a loop of elastic, tied in knot.

You Say You Want A Revolution

I’ve never understood why eyelash curlers had to have those bars on the sides. Why couldn’t someone just make a hinge on the back, so we wouldn’t have to worry about getting our lashes pinched in the corners? Well, it took 80-ish years, but Urban Decay finally did it.

Grumble Crumble

Despite my grouch-tastic post yesterday, I really do love autumn, and I’m excited for some cool, bright, fall days. I love fall fashion: the textures, the colors, the layers, the opportunity to wear something different than a sundress and a bun. I love the seasonal fruits and veggies, and I love that they don’t spoil as quickly as the delicate summer stuff does. I love the cozy comfort foods of fall, and I love that it’s not too hot to cook. I love that it’s not “too hot” or “too cold” to do pretty much anything you want to do, aside from swimming or sledding. I love fresh school supplies, even though I don’t have a good reason to buy them. I love the change and the newness of all of it. (But I still HATE THIS RAIN.)

Since those of us in the northeast are stuck in this awful winter preview, but still have access to summer fruits, here is a half-assed recipe that is a fully-awesome way to use up a bunch of fruit before it goes bad. While a chilled bowl of berries was lovely last week, this week, I want something warm. This is a great thing to make when you want something good, but you don’t feel like doing a whole lot, or even looking up a recipe. You can probably just remember this, because it’s basically a formula, and it’s a good thing to know.

September: Off To A Glorious Start!

Just kidding! Can you imagine a yuckier way to begin the week? It’s not even Monday, but if feels even worse than a Monday. It’s like a rainy Monday, and also you’re already a day behind on everything you wanted to get done this week.

This Figgin’ Thing!

I bought this eyeliner a few weeks ago and have been alternately loving and hating it ever since.

Ahoy! Eye “Patches”

Yesterday, I got an interesting email from Sephora about a new product: Adhesive Eyeliner. Apparently, Dior has made “a set of innovative eyeliner ‘patches’ that are ready to wear in minutes.”