Just in case you doubt my love

Just in case you doubt my love for Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB cream 8 in 1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector. I own it in every shade but Deep.  Summer has posed a major problem with finding the right shade, but I now have that covered!

Save your money Monday

I usually like Fructis products because they smell great, but this doesn't. I haven't tried it as an oil while flat ironing my hair but as for skin and face, it fails. I will let you know if I change my mind, but right now I say, save your money!

Get your tan on! Tips, tricks and best self tanners

I own a tanning bed and spent a month tanning before my vacation to Texas but my tan was a little more uneven than I wanted and I decided that I really wanted to try my hand at using self-tanners, so I found some good ones. Of course, I used drugstore brand, because this was something I had never really done before and I didn't want to waste my vacation money on expensive brands or a salon booth spray tan. Plus, I surely won't let an actual person spray me down. No scarring others in my pursuit of a good tan.
So here are my tips and tricks of using self tanners.
I started off by reading some reviews and then selected three. The first one I already blogged about: L'Oreal Sublime Bronze self-tanning mist. If you missed that post just know that unless you are really dark with warm undertones this probably won't work for you unless you want a job at Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. If so, then by all means go for it.
The second two products are considered lotions and I bought them  at the same time. One is a gradual tanner while the other is pretty much an instant tanner so comparing them seems unfair so I will just talk about the good and bad of both. 

I tried Banana Boat's Summer Color Self-tanning lotion in Light/Medium. They also make it in a Dark. I probably could have used it, but I was going for subtle and natural. All in all this product will give you the best natural color. It is tinted and almost starts working instantly so it is easy to apply. It has self-adjusting color so you just put it on at night and wake up with a gorgeous tan. One thing I did not know before using a self-tanner is to exfoliate, shave and moisturize. Doing all of these things will improve the quality of your tan. I started by applying lotion on thighs, mid-calves, stomach, mid-chest, and upper arms. That's where I started with my healthy "globs" of lotion and then I worked the lotion in circular motion around, adding and covering areas, while making sure my elbows, knees, and feet were not over covered with lotion. I washed my hands afterward with exfoliating scrub and/ or baking soda to remove tanner from palms.
My overall review of Banana Boat's tanner is that it works great. Banana Boat has been around for a long time so they make good stuff. It only cost around $6 so you cannot beat the cost. My one complaint, and it is one I did not read about, is that it takes forever to dry. So don't think you can slap it on right before bed and then just instantly jump into bed because it won't work out for you. It is a long process of drying. It feels a little tacky to touch for at least an hour. Also, my husband complained about how I felt greasy and oily. He did not like the feel this product left. It didn't smell too bad but it did have a smell, but it was one that went away with one shower as did the greasiness. Even though this product isn't advertised as a gradual tanner, the more you apply, the darker you get. Oh and it fades away with dignity and grace unlike the Sublime Bronze stuff. So good news, no looking like a leopard here.

The last product I tried is Jergens Natural Glow. It is a gradual tanner and it is pretty much awesome. It looks like a lotion, goes on like a lotion, dries fast and is very subtle. In fact, most of you white girls looking for a fast tan might not like it because it is so subtle. It would take time to build your tan with this product alone. But if you are looking for something that just improves the look of your skin while giving a soft glow, this is great. Also, Jergens improved the odor so no funky smells. I must admit I didn't build my tan with this so I am not sure if with multiple coats it would turn you orange or not. It seemed to have a different hue than Banana Boat, which was perfect for my skin tone, but I still think it looked really natural at least with a max of two coats which is what I tried.
Lastly, let's say one of these products doesn't work for you or let's say you try a totally different one and you look like an Oompa Loompa, do not panic. There is a way to fix or undo most of the damage.
Here is what you will need: exfoliating buffer, baking soda, Epsom salt, Olay Daily Exfoliating Body Wash, and Tree Hut's Shea Sugar body scrub. I am not sure if all items are necessary but I used them all. First, run a warm bath with about two cups Epsom salt added to it. I also added BeautiControls Detox bath soak. I don't think this is necessary to remove the tan but it smells good and is relaxing. I started by soaking awhile, just laying back and relaxing. After about 15 minutes, I started adding baking soda to my areas of biggest concern. I let it sit where I could and scrubbed it with the buffer. I scrubbed and soaked, using handfuls of baking soda and the buffer for thirty minutes or until satisfied with removal. Last I scrubbed down with the Tree Huts Shea Sugar scrub. It smells WONDERFUL and costs less than $5. By the way, at this point your buffer will be on its last leg and your tub will look gross!! I just scrubbed the tub while I was in there. Lastly, I shaved, and then used the Olay Daily Exfoliating body wash in the shower. I applied I love Cosmetic's "I love coconuts & cream" and my skin felt heavenly. In fact, even if you don't have a botched tan, I would still recommend this routine just to remove dry dead skin cells and make your skin soft and pretty. It works amazingly and you can get all the products listed (aside from the BeautiControl) at Wal-Mart.

Money is money

So the other day, I was shopping at the ol' Wal-Mart when I came across a discovery, they sell a very small hydrogen peroxide bottle with a spray top. It said for easy use. Blah. Blah. Blah. But, the disturbing part was it costs around $1.25-1.38 ish (not a lot, BUT.......). It was only eight ounces when you can buy a 32 ounces of Hydrogen Peroxide bottle for .88 cents. You can use a leftover sprayer from a Windex or any other cleaner and it will fit the big hydrogen peroxide bottle. You have to cut the straw of the sprayer to fit the bottle and wash it, but that is it! So get more for your buck by using this easy trick.

LeeAnnism: Weight Loss & People that annoy me Part 2

O.k. ladies, I apologize now, but another group of dieters that annoy me are those losing weight for their "man."

Let's all pause a moment while I filter the profanities.

Are f-ing kidding me ladies?

No, no, no I do not want to hear it.

The "my man said I needed to lose a few pounds", "I don't think he's attracted to me anymore", "he said I might not want to eat that because it will go straight to my thighs" crap will not be tolerated in these here parts.

None of the above or anything in its similarity are acceptable.

My husband has never once said I wasn't anything less than perfect and has always made sure I feel beautiful. It could be out of fear, because I'd slap him silly if he said anything any different, but the point is, he has never been dumb enough to even try to be so rude.

Every time I hear this b.s. it infuriates me and most of the time it is coming from skinny girls and I am left thinking, "what has he done install carnival trick mirrors in your house?"

Seriously, a guy like that should be lucky you aren't a pencil or another man might pick you up and carry you away right before his pathetic eyes.

So do me a HUGE favor and the next time your "man" tells you that you are fat or even implies it, say,"Honey, I have to stay this weight, because if I were any skinnier or hotter I'd be out of your league. Oh wait.. I already am!" And then you walk your perfectly acceptable booty out the door because even if you aren't a size 2, you are still perfect and don't deserve that crap!

Mixing it up Monday

Helllooo!! <--- That was in my best Mrs. Doubtfire voice by the way.
Yes, yes. It has been awhile ol' chum. I bet you've been wondering for weeks what to do without me. ;)
Between work, Internet problems, almost running over my data usage limit, vacation, life stresses, and being a mom, I have forgotten to do something I really love to do, which is blog, so prepare yourself for blog post overload!! We've got a lot of catching up to do!
First things first, it is save your money Monday so that's what this blog post is going to cover, except this is a first impression review as well. With that being said, I was running late for work and may be judging it harshly.
But here it goes, we have So Gorgeous Volumizing Root Mousse from Sally's Beauty Supply and in all fairness, I am pretty sure I used it incorrectly. I was going for a spray and go mousse. I sprayed and it went.........everywhere.
It was like a winter wonderland in my bathroom!!!! The kind where you look in awe at your walls, mirrors, countertops and ceiling. How did that get up there?
It was the kind of mess where you don't have time for it and you dread the clean up that will follow.
But to be fair had I had time to read the directions, it says to squirt in hand and work through hair and style. Yep, I definitely skipped that step. But, my biggest complaint is it smells more like a product I would use to clean my bathroom (like scrubbing bubbles) than something for my hair. Yuck!
Maybe I am being mean, but I wasn't really sold on this product mostly because of the smell. My recommendation is to spend the extra $10-12 and get some Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Spray Mousse, because it works great and smells amazing.