Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's Maybelline & some other stuff.

Last Friday, I posted about how to get flawless picture perfect make up with so many steps that no woman could or should do that on a daily basis. Yesterday, my mom asked, "What are you doing different to your skin? It looks amazing." Now, if you know my mom, you'd know she is very honest with me and so there must really be an improvement in my complexion or a decrease in her vision. One of the two?! Of course, she made the joke about me painting on a porcelain face, but yesterday I was slacking in the make up department, so I know it wasn't that! I have decided to share my daily routine when it comes to cleaning my face and general daily make up routine.

My nighttime routine:
I recently discovered Maybelline The Flash Clean Makeup Removing Lotion. I really, really like it. It goes on like a lotion and you wipe it off with a damp cloth to remove your makeup. It claims to remove makeup, cleanse, and moisturize in one. I don't know about all of that, but I do like it for a make up remover. It is even gentle on eyes; however, if my eye make up isn't wanting to come off I use Maybelline Clean Express Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover.
To cleanse my face, I use one pump of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and one pump of Clean & Clear Advantage 3-in-1 foaming acne wash. I am not sure if Cetaphil has their own acne solutions line, but at the time of the purchase I did not see any and I had the Clean and Clear leftover from before the purchase. The Clean & Clear has Salicylic Acid in it, which helps prevent breakouts.
If I am feeling overly ambitious, I finish with a moisturizer and like I mentioned in a previous post, I have been trying out Garnier Moisture Rescue.

My morning routine:

I usually just splash water on my face or I might use some MaryKay Blemish toner if my face feels ick.
Then, I have been using Maybelline Dream Fresh BB cream. I either wear it alone or under my Revlon PhotoReady foundation. I started doing this because Revlon PhotoReady does not contain an SPF, which is ridiculous. Maybelline BB cream has an SPF of 30! Heck yes for protecting our faces from the sun!
After I do all that, I apply eye make per my enthusiasm and I never do much with my lips except some lip gloss.

Three Day Military Diet Completed

Day three was by far the most difficult, because you are not even getting 800 calories for the day. By the end of the day, I was just blah. My overall review of the diet is this, it is o.k. and you will lose weight, but I don't think you can eat whatever you want for your four days off and actually keep any of the weight you might lose off. You need to stick to a low carb and low calorie diet even on your days off and if you want to restart with a set routine every week than use this diet, but do not expect it to live up to its huge claims. You cannot eat these foods then eat junk for four days and be 40 pounds thinner in a month. I mean I haven't even tried it for a month and I am smart enough to know that isn't so. The reason I was willing to try it was because the foods are not bad for you and I was already limiting my calories to 800-1200 per day anyway. I found an article on http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/features/the-3-day-diet that explains this diet the best and remember, they aren't saying it is a bad thing, they are saying the results are not meant to last unless you take other measures to keep the weight off. Next Monday, I plan to report back on my weight loss in numbers and explain my entire week, so you can make your best assessment of whether this diet is worth trying. One thing I will say, and I will end with this, is that the breakfasts you use for days one and two are great ways to start your day any day and I would recommend them even separate from this diet.

Dupe shupa dupe

I found a pretty nice drugstore dupe to one of my all time favorite products. I love, love, love Clinique Moisture Surge and I have used it for years (when I could afford it). Since I have used it since high school, there were some years during college and when I first got married that I couldn't use it. It costs approximately $40 per 1.7 ounces. I have never tried to find a replacement for it though. If I couldn't afford it, I just went without it or any other moisturizer. I would always bank on a Clinique sale offering me some in a sample to pull me through.
Recently, Garnier has been running a lot of coupons and I have read a lot of good things about their products, so I decided to try their Moisture Rescue for dry skin. Mostly because it looked so much like Moisture Surge by Clinique. And low and behold, a dupe was found. It is really quite similar. I don't think it feels as "smooth", but it is $8 (sometimes cheaper if you find a coupon like I did). I mean for $32 worth of savings, I think I can deal with a slight difference. I would not expect it to be a perfect dupe for the price difference, but dang, it is so close!
Check it out. It is worth it!

Three Day Military Diet: Day 2 Complete

Day two was easy aside from my midday headache, which was relieved by Excedrin migraine (probably because of the caffeine in it). Days 2 & 3, you can only have water. That's hard, but I drank 64 ounces yesterday. The foods though were much better and the breakfast and supper were actually somewhat enjoyable. I think today will be the hardest, but since it is the last day, I know I can do it.

Three Military Diet: Day 1 complete

Day one of the military diet wasn't bad, but it is also the day with the most food. My biggest complaint with this diet is the tuna and do not get me wrong, I actually like tuna. But, plain tuna and 1/2 cup of it plain is a lot. I had trouble choking that down. Plus, maybe the measurement of meats is different but as far as I ever knew there are 8 oz in a cup. According to the tuna can, once you drain the water, there are only 2 ounces of meat per can, which means for day 1, I should have ate 2 cans and by day 3, I should eat four. I am guessing I skipped meat measurement conversion class and am missing something here, because that is a lot and there is no way that is happening. So, for day 1 at lunch I ate a little over half of the can of tuna and threw the rest away. As for everything else, I measured it precisely according to directions. I am trying to follow this diet as accurately as possible just out of the curiosity of whether it works or not. My mom thinks I am dumb for even trying something that makes such big claims, but the foods are healthy so I figure I am not hurting myself by trying it.
That is all for now. Guess I better go Google about precisely measuring meat.

Save your Money Monday: DG Eye Makeup Remover

I decided to try some Dollar General eye make up remover and make up remover whips. I think together, they cost $5, so not a lot of money to waste. I figured if I could find awesome products at the Dollar Tree, I might find some hidden secret magic eye make up remover at the Dollar General. In this case, it was a big, fat no. Don't bother. Just spend the extra $2.50 or so and try a different drugstore option. The make up remover whips were o.k., but they work better at cleaning off your product containers than getting make up off your face. I would say for $2.50 though, they are worth it to clean up make up brushes and palettes.

Mustard Curry Dip for your Veggies

My mom used to always make this for me and as weird as it may sound, I loved it with cauliflower. It was one of my favorites, even as a kid. Today, I decided to try to make it a little healthier and it isn't too bad. I have listed the new recipe and old one below.
(Just a precautionary warning. I measured and guesstimated to the best of my ability, but to me, this is something that you add to until it tastes right and always start light with the curry and add as needed because it is strong!)
Curry Mustard Dip: 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt. 1/3 cup yellow mustard. 5 tbs. No 7 Dijon mustard and about 1-2 tbs. Of Curry Powder= about 120 calories for the whole bowl and 140 mg of potassium.
The old recipe was 1 cup Miracle Whip, 1/3 cup yellow mustard and Curry to taste.

My Sassy New Do

Every mommy deserves hair that makes her feel like she can conquer the world....or at least her day.

How to get flawless skin

O.k. ladies, if you too have imperfect skin and are looking for a way to have beautiful flawless skin, I know what it takes! It is rather simple really and anyone can do it. All you have to do is paint on a new face. Oh, you may be laughing now, but after you read this product list and procedure, you'll be quoting Sweet Brown, "Oh Lord Jesus.....Ain't nobody got time for that."
And no, this is not my everyday routine, I am lucky if I get in two of these steps, because I am a mom and I ain't got no time for that neither. However! There are times in my life in which I want to look all pretty and I am willing to take a little extra time to do so.......like for weddings, photographs, date nights, or when I just want others to be undoubtedly aware of my flawlessness. That sounded vain. Blame my hairdresser. She gave me this sassy new do and now, I go around like I own the world.
O.k. I will stop blowing smoke and let you in on how to get this done. I recently discovered this technique. I owned and used all these products individually. Some of them, like the bronzer, I use almost everyday and others I bought just to try out for fun, like the BB Cream and E.L.F. coversticks, but recently while getting ready for a wedding, I discovered a routine that got me a lot of compliments so I decided to share that discovery.


Step 1:
Get out the primers. I have been using E.L.F. Mineral Infused Primer $6 and Wet N Wild's Fergie "Take on the Day" Eyeshadow Primer $4.99.
Smear those on your face and let them dry.


Step 2:
Use a BB Cream. This will even skintone. I used Maybelline Dream Fresh in Light Sheer $9.99. It has an SPF 30. Yeah, you are going down damaging sunrays!!! (I haven't discovered a favorite BB cream yet so I will have to report back. Those of you that don't like a lot of make up would probably like this stuff).

Step 3:
Conceal, conceal, conceal. You will probably repeat using these products but start now. BeautiControl Extra Help (approximately $12) is great for really bad complexion days, but I didn't use it today. I used an E.L.F. All Over Cover Stick in Rosy Beige $1 (I also have a cover stick in persimmon that is a good under eye concealer & highlighter in later steps) and Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser/ Concealer approximately $6. Apply to problem areas: under eyes, around nose, red areas and zits.

Step 4: E.L.F. Tone Correcting Powder. $3. This stuff is amazing. Mix colors and apply all over with a bronzing brush or use the separate shades to correct imperfections.

Step 5: Highlight under eye with E.L.F. Coverstick in Persimmon and then apply foundation with a foundation brush. This is where you literally paint on the new face. For this I use Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup in shade 200 Sand Beige approx. $12.99. It is a heavy makeup so I only wear this for special occasions. Let it dry before proceeding.

What step am I on?
Step 6: Apply any additional concealer, usually one more time under eyes for good measure and then use E.L.F. Translucent Matifying Powder. $3. Another great E.L.F. product that actually sets your make up.

Step 7: This is pretty much the putting on the finishing touches step. Apply a bronzer. My favorite is NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Powder in shade 720A Sunny. $2.99. I think it would work for almost anyone.
Last apply your favorite blush. I have been using an E.L.F one $3 and as much as I love my E.L.F. products, I don't really care for it. It is in shade Tickled Pink. It is o.k., but a little too pale and dry for me.

Optional: Step 8: Spray face with E.L.F. Makeup Mist & Set. $3 It contains aloe, Green tea, and Vitamins A, C, & E. This isn't really necessary, but adds a little extra moisture and sets makeup. It just feels nice.
Now, you have to put on the rest of your face like lipstick and eye make up. So, I suggest using Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded (approx. $6) as a base to start your eyeshadow routine.



Phew, hope you had time to read all that. Now, go be flawless and beautiful. ;)

**please excuse the unfinished look of no eye make up or lipstick** ;)

Favorite Foundation

Revlon PhotoReady is my favorite drugstore foundation for everyday wear. I have worn a few of the shades depending on the time of year and how tan, or more often how not tan I am and they always blend so nice. I have a pretty neutral skintone though that doesn't have a lot of yellow/olive or pink/ orange undertones. I have read other reviews say that with certain undertones that Revlon does not offer a lot of shade options, but for me it matches and blends very well. It wears well and does not cause breakouts. My biggest complaint about any drugstore foundation is trying to find the right match when you cannot test the product,  but I was recently told Walgreen's will return open makeup products if you do not like them. I am not sure how true this is or how many other stores have this policy, but it is definitely worth looking into if you are trying out a foundation for the first time.

Neutrogena Skin Clearing Make up Review

Since I missed "Save Your Money Monday," I guess we will go with a "Try at your own Risk Tuesday." Good title, right? The topic of this post is Neutrogena Skin Clearing oil-free makeup with Microclear technology. It claims to have a blemish treatment and contains Salicylic Acid. This make up has been out for awhile and may have went extinct for all I know or care. I am pretty sure this bottle is expired and I am pretty positive the reason the bottle is still almost full is because I did not like it. I obviously purchased this in the summer because it is in the shade of Fresh Beige. I believe I bought this when I was first trying to find a drugstore foundation alternative to my usual Clinique foundations. LOVE Clinique foundations by the way. A lot of them! But ANYWAY, I am sure my hope was that Neutrogena's Skin Clearing foundation would be a replacement for my Clinique Acne Solutions foundation. It wasn't and while, I cannot remember much about this foundation, I do know that it could never compare to Clinique. It swatches super dark and seems orangey after drying and boy, oh boy did that swatch dry. I would wager to bet it also sucks the moisture right off your face, so if I were you, I'd save my money on this product no matter what day of the week it is! Check back tomorrow to find out what drugstore foundation I did find that works great as an alternative to my beloved Clinique.

Daylight savings Sunrise

Monday morning, right after the time changed, I woke my sons to get ready for school. They were slow to get up so I went back to my room to finish changing into my work clothes when suddenly my youngest came running into my room.
"Mom, mom! I see the sun coming up. I see the sun coming up! Come see! Come see!"
I was mid-changing clothes so I said I would have to wait.
He said,"Hurry, hurry!!! The sun is coming up and you will miss it. It is beautiful. Can I take a picture?"
So, we did and here it is.........
It is quite beautiful.

Smokey Eyes in 10 minutes or less for Under $10

This is for a friend of mine. I wanted to make it more of a tutorial but it didn't work out as well as planned so for now, this is more of a checklist and review of products needed to get a smokey eye look without paying a fortune since I know my friend would never spend a ton of money on make up. You will only need three products and a couple of make up brushes.
My first suggestion is to pick out an eye shadow palette. There are lots of high end and drugstore options, but for the pictures you will see in this post, I used a Michael Giordano Colors palette. I got it for 99 cents at Walgreen's and for fifteen shades with enough pigment to get a smokey eye look, it is probably the best deal around.
To get the smokey eye look. You will begin with one of the lightest shades. I prefer one that closely matches your natural skin tone. You will put this shade all over your lid and up to your brow line then you will pick the second darkest shade and put it all over your lid up to eyelid crease (usually a brown or grey), followed by the darkest shade on the outer part of the lid and eye crease (usually a matte dark brown or black) and last use the second lightest shade to highlight your inner lid (usually something with shimmer).
The second product I would recommend is a gel liner. One of the best is also the cheapest and that is Wet N Wilds Black Gel Liner. I believe it costs $1.99-2.99. It is currently kind of hard to find because of Fergie's new line. You want the original Wet N Wild gel liner, not the limited edition Fergie kind.
When applying the eye liner you can use an eyeliner brush to get liner close to lashes for a fuller look. I line completely around my eye.
The last product you need to finish the look is a Maybelline mascara; whichever you like will probably work, because Maybelline makes awesome mascara. But, for this look, I used Maybelline Express Falsies Blackest Black mascara. My favorite is Maybelline Express Turbo Volume in Blackest Black. Most Maybelline mascaras cost between $5-$7 and coupons are usually easy to find to get them even cheaper.
When applying the mascara lift lashes and try to apply to all lashes, let dry and apply another layer.
Lastly, if you want to ensure your eye shadows are dark and stay put, you can go over the $10 budget and buy an eye primer. For this, I would recommend the limited edition Fergie eye primer called Take on the Day Eyeshadow primer, which you apply all over eye lid up to brow and even under the eye before following the above mentioned steps.
And that's it. I didn't even use expensive brushes. I used a couple that I bought at the Dollar Store for $1 each. Once you get the hang of it, you can accomplish this look in ten minutes or less.

Save Your Money Monday

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Make up. It has an spf of 55, which is awesome for summer. If it was not so oily, thick and horrible to blend. Save your money on this messy make up.

Hard Candy Pallette in Naturally Gorgeous

Hard Candy just came out with a bunch of new palettes and they are only $6 each. I picked this one up to try and it isn't bad for $6, though some of the colors swatch in pretty much the exact same shade so that's a little odd and pointless, but overall, good for the money.

Save your Money Monday Review

L'oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray for color treated hair. The bottle looks vintage and the spray smells vintage and not in the good way. By "it smells vintage", I mean it smells like 1970s bug spray crossed with your grandma's cheap perfume. The least it could do is provide Aqua Net style hold or something to match everything else outdated about it, but it doesn't. The only positive thing it provides is UV protection, which is awesome, but oh the smell!! I am grateful that it came attached to another product as a free sample, because if I had a full bottle of it, I might cry. It might work for me as a light weight option to hold my straightened tresses in check, but I may never know, because of the horrifying smell. It does also "claims" to protect from humidity and once again, that may be a plus, but the smell! Have mentioned it stinks? If I were to give this product a second try, which is a HUGE IF, I would have to try the unscented version, but for now, just hand me a bottle of my trusty Salon Grafix Professional Shaping Hairspray. That is a hairspray worth the money and it costs less than half of L'Oreal's Elnett Satin stink sprays.

Dollar Tree Coupon Organizer

I had to share this little $1 treasure.

Friday Favorites

Tonight, I am going to focus on two of my favorites. First, we have a newer product, Revlon Nearly Naked pressed powder. It is so silky and smooth. I have found that a lot of powders feel too dry and cakey, which is very uncomfortable. But, Revlon's Nearly Naked powder does not do that. One thing to note about it is that it looks really dark in the packaging but goes on much lighter. I bought the "light" powder, which in the packaging looks like a natural beige, but it blends perfectly into my skin tone. This product obviously, as the name implies, doesn't provide a lot of coverage, which makes it a great everyday powder to use. It evens skin tone and looks very natural.
The second product is Maybelline's Eye Studio Master Drama eye liner. It goes on so smooth and so black. It feels like a gel liner but is in a retractable pencil.
It is pretty nice, not as good as a real gel liner, in terms of longevity. I keep one in my purse at all times.
This is it for tonight. It has been a long week. If you have any questions please comment below. On Monday, I will be doing a "Save Your Money Monday" review of products I have bought and did not like.