My Fave Beauty Products

Since Nikol keeps planting the idea in my head of making all kinds of lists, I thought I'd start off easy and do my favorite beauty products. I lovelovelove beauty products, but I wouldn't necesarily recommend each and every thing I've tried. However, I can think of some that are just so completely awesome that you should really just trust me and try them out.



So here we go....

1. Loreal Double Extend "beauty tubes" Mascara - My fave used to be Philosophy's Supernatural Mascara that was a similar formula but has since been discontinued. There are some pricey brands that have the "tube" formula, but this cheaper version ($9.49) is just as good. Stays on all day, doesn't flake or smudge, and no raccoon eyes when you wash it off....just use warm water and "rub" it off. I don't bother with the white conditioning stuff (takes too long to dry) I just use the mascara by itself.



2. Bare Escentuals Foundation - swirl, tap, buff. Lightweight, non-cakey, lets your skin breathe, easy to apply, no line of demarkation. Downside: the little pot of powder can get messy and not very portable/travel friendly.







3. Philosophy Purity Cleanser - gentle (you can even rub it on your eyes, it doesn't hurt!), non-drying, good on all skin types, removes dirt & makeup like nobody's business. I also use it to clean my makeup brushes. QVC has it in this ginorm size, which I totally recommend for value. I pour some of it in a bottle for my shower and each bathroom sink.




4. Bye bye blemish - I can't tell you how many magazine articles I've read where Hollywood types recommend Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion as their fave beauty secret. This is exactly the same product for only $10 instead of like $30. Its not always easy to find though...I have yet to spot it at Target or Walmart, which aside from Costco, are like the only places I shop these days. Try Walgreens, Longs Drugs, CVS, etc. This little bottle has a pink paste at the bottom and a clear liquid on top. DO NOT SHAKE THE BOTTLE. Its supposed to separate like that. Before bed, just dip a q-tip all the way to the bottom and dab it on your monster zit and let it dry. You will look totally un-sexay with dried pink paste on your face, but when you wake up, your zit will be all dried up, and then you can thank me for your beautiful complexion.




5. Jonathan Silky Dirt Shine & Define Cream - I would love it if my hair were no-muss, no-fuss. I'm essentially retarded when it comes to hairstyling. Seriously. My version of no-fuss means just pulling it back in a ponytail. Unfortunately, I realized last year that I look hideous with my hair in a ponytail. I ain't gettin any younger, girls, and it shows! I'm forced to cut my hair just short enough so that it won't go in a ponytail, just to avoid the temptation. Therefore, I require styling products. But when you're styling retarded, its hard to find the right product. No one wants crunchy or goopy hair. Sprays were too stiff and waxes were too heavy. This is my happy medium. My straight, fine hair stays soft and even manages to hold the style.


6. Gold Bond Ultimate Lotion & baby oil - During Santa Ana and Winter seasons, my skin gets all dry and itchy. To fix it, I keep a cheap bottle of baby oil in my shower and slather it all over before toweling off. It's the ONLY thing that works for me. During the day, I put Gold Bond lotion on my hands. It soaks in and is long-lasting. I keep some at each sink.

7. Amazing Grace Perfume - fresh, feminine, clean. Doesn't give me an allergic reaction where my nose burns or make me feel like I'm choking. One of Oprah's faves too.

8. Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift - gel on upper lid, cream on undereye area. Lifts saggy skin, smoothes lines, lightens undereye skin so you may not need concealer anymore. Sometimes Avon runs sales and you can get it for half price or less. See, it won awards and everything!

9. Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System - half the price of the Philosophy brand version, works just as good. Use once a week for great exfoliation. Your skin will be so soft! I keep it in the shower because I'm too lazy to stand at the sink & do it.

10. Lips! - okay, I basically love ALL lip products (gloss, lipstick, balm, etc). So picking out a favorite isn't very easy. Aside from the cheapie drug store brand stuff that we all find, my fave brands would probably be Burts Bees lip balm (mint & pomegranate), Philosophy lip shines (delish flavors), Bare Escentuals lip glosses any style (except the non-full color Buxom glosses, which are too sheer for my taste), or Smashbox lip gloss.

Team Puppets!

Twilight: The Puppet Saga

Was this inspired by Jason Segel's Dracula musical with puppets in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"? Eh, who cares? They're both hilarious.

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" Dracula puppet musical scene

Attention

The person maintaining this blog is temporarily unavailable and mentally unstable due to holiday stress. Messages will be returned at a later date...when I damn well feel like it.

Napoleon Dynamite dance

This was on tv last night and I caught the last fifteen minutes which is the absolute best part because it includes the dance. I laughed so hard that cried....and then I snorted, really loud, which only made me laugh harder.

Beauty Bash info

So apparently not all my friends think I am completely lame for wanting to go to this thing. Apparently a few of you think this would be a good girl trip to plan for next year. Well, I can tell you that the info is available on QVC's site...all the way at the bottom left corner, click on "Come Visit Us". The cheapest package they offer is if 4 people share a room. It includes one night in a hotel & the admission to the beauty bash at $550, which is $137.50 per person. Now obviously it would also require airfare and probably at least one extra night in a hotel, maybe rental car too. But if you guys are serious about wanting to go, we can look for the info next year and make plans.

QVC Beauty Bash

Two of my favorite things have merged into one spectacular event. Beauty Products and QVC.

Apparently every Spring, QVC brings in all of its beauty product vendors into a kind of convention for its customers. The owners/reps for the beauty companies and the hosts all attend and staff the different booths. So you might see Leslie Blodgett (Bare Escentuals), Laura Geller, Nick Chavez, Dr. Denese, that super hot Ojon dude, or that lady that owns Philosophy. And anyone who has ever attended a convention knows its all about the freebies that you get from the booths. Free makeup & beauty products? Where do I sign up? Well here's the big kicker...they hand out FULL-SIZE products at the beauty bash!

Last year I caught wind of this event after it already occured. Someone who attended estimated that they got something like $1200 to maybe $2500 worth of free stuff. So this year I put it on my must do list! Nevermind the fact that QVC is located in Pennsylvania. Nevermind the fact that my friends are not insane enough to want to travel all the way there for some stupid beauty convention. Luckily, my mom is just as insane about beauty and QVC. When I told her about this last year, we decided that we needed to go together as an early Mother's Day present to ourselves. Yay for mother-daughter bonding over eye creams and lipstick!

QVC just released the information and we just booked our spot! We're going the first weekend in April and bringing an empty suitcase to bring all our goodies home in. We can't wait to tour the QVC studio and shop in their store. We hope to eat in a Cracker Barrell and see some historic sites, including Amish country.

Christmas Shopping Panic

I am in a virtual state of panic over Christmas shopping this year. I have never, ever been this far behind before. In fact, I used to have all my shopping done before Thanksgiving. Of course, this was before I had kids and had plenty of time and disposable income. Unfortunately, my days of disposable income are gone, and I won't even be able to afford to start my shopping for another week. This means I will be doing ALL my shopping the WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS! I think I may hyperventilate. Panic attacks feel like heart attacks, right? I'm too young for a heart attack, aren't I?

Shopping, decorating, baking, christmas cards, parties, photos, wrapping,......GAH!

Being the planner that I am, I already have a list of gifts that I intend to buy. So at least I won't be standing in the middle of the mall, confused and glassy-eyed, wondering where to go next.