Pop-arazzi Quick Dry Drops

I love these drops. I bought them on sale for $0.99 and they are definitely a steal. They come with a small rubber dropper and you just add one drop to help your nail polish dry. When I applied the nail polish in thin layers then applied the drops, my nails where dry in under five minutes.

Pop-arazzi Spice Is Nice Nail Polish

I love this nail polish. It is a beautiful red shade and applied without streaking. The color payoff is so great that you can paint your nails with only 1 coat.

Pop-arazzi Just Beachin' and Fuchsia in Show Biz Nail Polish

Pop-arazzi is a line of nail polish sold in CVS for $2.99. Usually they are on sale for $0.99 or 2 for $3. They are made in China. Unfortunately I found these two colors to be streaky. Thus, Just Beachin' provided me with an uneven application.

 

Joelle Cosmetics & Dermassentials Most Affordable Mineral Makeup

Over the past couple years I have been on a search for the best affordable makeup. Through ebay, I encountered Joelle Cosmetics & Dermassentials. For $8.99 I was able to purchase an 8 piece mineral makeup set. This set included:

• 2 foundations
• 1 veil
• 1 blush
• 1 bronzer
• 1 concealer
• 1 kabuki brush
• 1 instruction card

This set by far is the cheapest set of makeup I have ever seen that wasn't made in China or composed of perservatives and cheap fillers (for example talc).The best part is that all of their products are non-comedogenic meaning that they will not clog pores. Most drugstore and high-end foundations cite that they are oil-free or tested for acne, but it is rare to find ones that are non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic make up is especially important for someone like me with combination acne prone skin because it will not cause me to have more breakouts.

My reviews on each product...
The foundation
When you purchase the kit they allow you to pick two foundations in order to have the best match. I chose tan and medium. The tan matches me for the summer and the medium matches me for the winter. Since applying the foundation everyday for a week, I have had no breakouts at all. In addition, the foundation lasts throughout the day and stays strong even in the heat. Before applying this foundation, I reccomend that you moisturize and use a primer in order to help the foundation immediately adhere to the skin.

The veil
I applied the translucent mineral finishing veil as a finishing touch to my mineral makeup routine. The powder goes on completely clear and helps to mattify areas in the t-zone especially. I would reccomend bringing it in your purse if you need to blot and touch up throughout the day.

The blush and bronzer
Both the blush and the bronzer have shimmer. Thus, I would not reccommend using the bonzer all over the face. When I applying it, I use it on my cheeks and down my nose. I bought the blush in true rose. The pigmentation of the blush is excellent plus it lasts all day.

The concealer
Personally, I am not the biggest fan of the concealer the kit comes with. I just use the foundation because the concealer comes in only one standard color.

The Kabuki brush
The kabuki brush in my kit was excellent. I have had minimal shedding and it applies the mineral products beautifully.

The instruction card
The instruction card is counted as the 8th piece in the 8-piece set. Its basically a business card with a couple lines of instructions.

Link to ebay listing:http://www.ebay.com/itm/8PC-FULL-SZ-MINERALS-BARE-MAKEUP-KIT-U-CHOOSE-COLORS-/390295074433?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item99ac2ead23
Disclaimer: This is my honest review based off of my experience with these products that I have purchased with my own money.




Kardashian Kollection

• Beautiful clothing line at Sears! Who would have thought?
• The cut on all the clothes is extremely flattering. I recently purchased a dress from them and loved the fit so much I went back to the store and bought three more.
• Clothing is made for woman that actually have curves
• Come in plus size
• On trend for every season
• So far I love the dresses the best although I did purchase a couple shirts I will be reviewing.
• Material: polyester although the things I got from the line are very comfortable so it's not that much of a problem.
• Website:http://www.sears.com/shc/s/searsstyle-kardashiankollection/dapc
• Note: They are always having sales 50% at least which makes it pretty afforable.
• My favorites:
• http://www.sears.com/kardashian-kollection-women-s-sheath-dress-beaded/p-007VA66878612P
• http://www.sears.com/kardashian-kollection-women-s-moto-jeans-camouflage/p-007VA66562312P
• http://www.sears.com/kardashian-kollection-women-s-lace-bomber-jacket/p-007VA66629212P
• http://www.sears.com/kardashian-kollection-women-s-pencil-skirt-tiger-striped/p-007VA66877212P
• http://www.sears.com/kardashian-kollection-women-s-barrel-satchel/p-08890607199P?PDP_REDIRECT=false

Mary Kay Botanical Effects Formula 2

I've been looking into this skincare line for year, so a couple months ago I decided to order it. I especially purchased it because my clean and clear continuous control cleanser with 10% benzoyl peroxide is extremely harsh on the skin. So I needed something to get rid of the redness and irritation while providing moisture to my skin. Thus, I purchased formula 2 of the botanical effects line instead of formula 3 for oily skin which is actually by skin type.
First Impressions:

• Cleanser: The cleanser is a milk cleanser which surprised me because I'm used to the clear cleansers for oily skin. This one is more of a white liquid almost like a moisturizer, and when I first tried it I hated it because I felt like it wasn't cleaning my skin.
• Freshener:The freshener is a toner but perfectly clear just similar to water, extremely gentle, and easiest to use by just spraying on the face then going over with a cotton ball.
• Mask: A clay mask with exfoliating beads that dries completely in ten minutes. It can be used as a mask or a scrub, and leaves the face feeling moisturized in certain areas after.
• Moisturizer: Extremely similar to the cleanser, but provides the skin with supreme moisture. Although personally I didn't find that it absorbed that well into the skin because I still felt in on my face after rubbing it in. Also, a small amount goes a long way, you only need about three pea sizes.
• Overall: I felt like the set was really moisturizing but that it didn't provide a deep clean.

After a little over a month:

• Cleanser: When spreading the cleanser on my hands then applying it to my face, I realized one day that my palms were really soft after which was a major plus that was hard to tell after just putting moisturizer on my face.
• Freshener: Overtime I got over the fact that it felt like spraying water on my face, and together with the cleanser it did a good job of cleaning my skin.
• Moisturizer: Now when I use it I use a very small amount so I don't have too much excess on my face.
• Mask: My favorite part of the regime, because now I can actually see it lifting away impurities to make my skin clearer. For example, on my blemishes I can see them opening and ridding themselves of the gunk inside them without rupturing the skin which can cause dark spots.

Overall Results so far:

• No irritation or redness even though I use a very strong acne cleanser in the morning
• My skin looks very healthy and bright
• My oil is the same unfortunately
• My cheeks broke out a lot in the beginning, however now they are clear and other sections of my face seem to be doing the same. This can be annoying because when you first use it your skin breaks out a lot, then breaks out in certain places till it clears up. However, a Mary Kay consultant did warn me of this because the system is supposedly flushing the skin of impurities and deep cleaning till it reaches it's normal state and is balanced.
• Since this system does balance and calm the skin, blemishes seem to go away faster since they are not irritated. Furthermore, irritation can cause more breakouts.
• Over exfoliation also can cause acne so I only use the mask every other day or a couple times a week which works out great.
• Con: System does have parabens :(

Harmful Cosmetic Ingredients

• Sodium Laurel Sulfate
• Phthalates:reproductive issues, may damage the heart, lungs, and liver
• Propylene Glycol:heart,kydine, liver damage
• Talc:lung disorders, cancer
• Formaldehyde(sometimes appears as DMDM hydantoin,diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate or quaternium-15): headaches, allergic reactions, breathing problems
• Parabens

Parabens

• studies have showed them to be linked to breast cancer
• potentially dangerous to skin
• it is recommended that everyone go through all cosmetic/ beauty products they have to check if they do have parabens
• when buying products make sure to check the ingredients

Avon Scenti Plum Twist

• perfume
• sweet smelling
• dark plum and red berry topped off with a praline drizzle
• shake it and spray
• definitely something I would buy again

Avon Foot Works Lavender Clay Mask

• leaves feet feeling soft, smooth, clean, and refreshed
• wait till the mask dries completely then rinse and dry
• inexpensive and effective
• right now it's only $1.50 in the outlet which is amazing
• http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?level1_id=300&level2_id=615&pdept_id=619&cat_type=C&pf_id=36676

Jelep Maven October Box

• a cute box with usually two incredible nail polishes and two signature gifts
• October box included: candy corn, nail glitter,quick dry polish drops, black crackle nail polish, and nail polish in the color Keira
• all the nail polishes are very pigmented
• each box is $19.99 per month but everything inside is worth twice that or more
• great way to try out the products and you can choose to order it only once or more
• the boxes allow you to get the best deal on Julep products and open the doors to a secret store online
• everything is packaged nicely with wrapping paper and confetti
• they are really fun to get in the mail, like a sweet little present to your self or a friend
• you can send your box to your friend whenever you want if you just sign in online
• Go to http://www.julep.com?r=23883702 to order

The Great Beauty Box

• beauty box delivered directly to your home with Great Beauty approved products
• you choose what category you would like your box to be in whether it be a mix, skincare,cosmetics, nails
• we choose custom products for you and send them
• all boxes will include at least 1 full sized item
• $13 per box shipped
• Discount of $3 for a box without shipping
• comment to order

Bellaboo Three Step Natural Skincare System

• 99% natural skincare system
• no harsh chemicals
• smells like candy or flowers
• leaves skin smooth and refreshed
• makes your skin so soft and clean after
• since it gets all the dirt from your skin, when you use toner you won't see any dirt on it unlike other cleansers which is fantastic
• if you get the set, you should also get the mask because it enhances the system and provides a deeper clean along with better results
• for oily/combination skin
• works on acne
• made in Australia

Julep Nail Polish

• High pigmentation
• Easy: it only takes one coat to get a strong color
• Gorgeous choices

The Five Minute Face

1. Tinted Moisturizer: hydrates, protects, and evens out your skin tone
2. Mascara:Defines the eyes; do two coats on the bottom and top of your lashes
3. Blush: Brush on just the apples of your face

• Tip:When applying tinted moisturizer use a foundation brush to get the best effect

Disappointing Facial Products

Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Pore Refining Scrub

When you can, it is great to buy natural products for your skin that aren't full of chemicals, alcohol, fragrance, etc. But this product I was deeply disappointed. First, it does nothing for acne at all, I used it and found no results whatsoever. Second, it leaves a residue on your face that makes you want to wash and scrub your face all over again.

Clearasil Daily Facial Scrub and Daily Facial Cleansing Pads

The facial scrub is gentle on the skin and won't cause over drying or anything but again it does not work at all for acne. If you have acne, don't even bother trying it. The Daily Cleansing Pads are supposed to work like a toner but they are too strong especially for sensitive skin. They leave the face red after and will causing over-drying to occur.

Benzoyl Peroxide Products

Most products that contain benzoyl peroxide will leave the skin with excessive drying, peeling, itching, and redness. People that have sensitive skin definitely should not use anything with it, and if you have normal or oily skin and do use it make sure to apply moisturizer a couple of times of day to prevent it's side effects. Also, for some people it may give you a rash or an allergic reaction.

Fast Acne Regimen

In the A.M.:

1. Cleanse
2. Moisturize with an oil-free moisturizer
3. Medicate: Girls with concealer and guys with clear acne medication

In the P.M.:

1. Cleanse
2. Exfoliate by gently pressing a facial scrub into your skin
3. Medicate by applying spot medication to blemishes

The Beauty Uses of Baking Soda

Baking Soda can be used for:

• brushing your teeth
• as a paste to dry a pimple overnight
• getting rid of bulid-up in hair created by styling products
• an exfoliant on the face

"Less is more"

Natural beauty is important when it comes to makeup. Always remind yourself to put a little bit, but enough to make your facial features pop. For example, when I do my makeup I try to make my eyes pop, they are big and dark brown.  I usually just put on mascara, but when I want to make my eyes appear darker and have a bit more of an edge, I wear eyeliner. Girls with darker eyes should wear dark blue or black eyeliner, it makes their eyes appear larger and fuller. Girls with blue or light green eyes should wear brown eyeliner or an eyeliner that matches their eyecolor because it makes their eye color more noticeable. My makeup friend is foundation, I recommend using MAC foundations or just all MAC products because I love the way it looks, and it's very good for your skin. When it comes to wearing eyeshadows, I think it's best to wear them when you aren't wearing eyeliner, unless you're going to a party. Always remember about your lips ladies...always put something nice on them to help them look appealing, I do not recommend chalky colors or anything pale looking, we have to let our lips look nice and pink or red. When it comes to blush, you should put a pinky looking color on the apples of your cheeks and put a bronzy color on your cheek bones, this look leaves a blushy yet tan complexion. Now, I know people have problems with acne like the bumps and marks, I think the risk of popping pimples is a risk to take, especially white heads (please be careful with your cheeks ladies!!!)...but it's important to wash your hands before doing it and put alcohol on them to help with bacteria and all of that yucky stuff. I also recommend using Neosporin for scars, and for acne itself, it's important to switch products so you can see a change in your skin. It's also very important to wash your face day and night to wash away all of the dirt and oil...and drink lots of water, eat fruits and veggies. If anyone has questions, please comment so I can help you guys out :).

Mary Kay's Velocity Facial Cleanser

• Oil-free
• Has little beads to exfoliate
• It is recommend to use the moisturizer with it, which is actually a great product since it is light weight and helps with oily skin
• If you don't use it with any moisturizer, it makes your skin dry which is pretty bad
• Unlike other products, it does leave little some dirt and dead skin after use which you can see on a cotton ball after you apply toner with it
• Contains parabens: beast cancer, fertility issues