Natracare's Make-up Removing Wipes

Natracare's Make-up Removing Wipes

Dec 31, 2014

I've said it time and time again that using makeup removal is essential to clean skin. If you wash your face without using a makeup remover all you're doing is moving that dirt around your face and doing more harm than good because all you're doing is moving those pore clogging dirt and oils around your face.

While I'm partial to using my Neutrogena Makeup Removing Cleanser but it's not the easiest thing to travel with. I just got back from a business trip and some of that, plus other liquids, ended up spilling. BOO! So this is where wipes come in handy. Natracare's Cleansing Make-up Removal Wipes are awesome. I like that the clothes are made or organic cotton and are really strong so I'm able to use both sides to remove my makeup when I'm heading to the gym or staying over at someones place.

Unlike other makeup removing cleansing wipes these don't have any heavy perfumes which is a huge plus. The last thing I need when I just cleaned my face and am going for a run or to bed is to be bombarded with a heavy perfume scent that won't rub off without me washing my face yet again!

If you're interested in starting the new year changing up your routine and adding green products to your shelf the Natracare wipes, as well as others from their product line, are a great way to start

Read More

It's About Time We Get These MaskIT Products!

It's About Time We Get These MaskIT Products!

Dec 29, 2014

Let's face it, as a chick, we all have to face with something painful and dreadful once a month that lasts about two weeks. We get hungry, bloated, tired, irritable, we're in pain and then we're in constant fear of how bad things are actually going to be when things really kick in.

Without getting into all that let's talk about a product that I recently discovered that helps keep that time of the month under wraps--literally! I'm talking about MaskIT products. I'm shocked that it's taken this long for something like this to be discovered. Or at least to be brought to my attention. MaskIt makes these awesome products that well, mask the fact that you've got something going on from anyone you have to share a bathroom with. They make a series of products that come in different sizes that not only let you keep your products discreetly discarded thanks to their large and opaque designs but that will keep you nice and clean throughout the process.

MaskIt sent me an amazing package with enough products to use for myself AND to give away to one of my lucky readers so here is your chance to take half of this amazing haul just by tweeting this post! Trust me, these pouches are def worth it and should have come to us decades ago! And if you miss the giveaway or just want to stock up on as many of these as possible for yourself or to keep in your bathroom for guests then you can grab these from Amazon right here.

Read More

The Power of Deluxe Samples

The Power of Deluxe Samples

Dec 27, 2014

Every time I purchase items from Sephora I make sure to get the best sample kit possible for two reasons. One of the reasons is because I love getting extras. Having samples, especially deluxe ones, lets me have products that I can comfortably fit in my travel makeup bag that will actually be used like mascara, moisturizers and glosses. The second and most important reason that I love getting tons of gift with purchase samples is because it gives me a chance to try out some products that otherwise would get lost in the shuffle due to there being hundreds of products that I look at on an almost daily basis.

My latest Sephora purchase came with A Bright Night Out which is a 9 piece deluxe sample kit that came in a super cute cherry red makeup bag. I had the option of getting a different kit but opted for this one because I needed a new eyeliner to try out, wanted to check out Pharrell's Girl perfume, am recently trying to get back into wearing red lipstick and because I adore adore adore Chloe. It was a winning choice for sure. The main reason why this drew my attention was that I realized I needed a shadow primer to help my ELF and Wet 'n Wild shadows stay on longer and a big Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer was also included. This primer is on par with the others that I've used before because it's got a great consistency and stays put within minutes of applying which is only a bad thing if you don't set it immediately after applying it.

So now, about two months after receiving these goodies I'm ready for my next Sephora purchase. I need to get a move on it in order to maintain my VIB Rouge status with them and I know exactly what I'm going to purchase: Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bachelorette, Urban Decay's 24/7 Velvet Liner in Black Velvet and Philosophy's Loveswept Body Lotion. I'm glad these of those items were included in the kit because I don't know if I ever would have gotten around to them otherwise. Along with Kat Von D's lipstick the kit also included a red gloss by Marc Jacobs Beauty that I adore and will most likely purchase when I'm ready to get some more glosses and Lancome's mascara if after giving it a fair shot against my current obsession: They're Real by Benefit.

I'm so excited to get the full versions of some of the things I was able to try out and can't wait to discover new products thanks to these sample kits. Trying things out at my own pace is so much better than doing it at the store where I can easily forget which shade or scent I tried on.

Read More

Dream Cream Hair Moisturizer

Dream Cream Hair Moisturizer

Dec 26, 2014

Another goodie that I received a few weeks ago to try out was this Dream Cream Hair Moisturizer.  I'm usually skeptical about what I put in my hair because I'm a keratin junkie and don't want to ruin all the time and effort it takes to keep my hair pin straight but this moisturizer is totally okay for my hair. Aside from it having a bit of alcohol all the ingredients are very moisturizing. It's got cocoa butter, shea butter, aloe vera juice, vitamin E, coconut oil...all the essentials for super soft hair. It also smells really good which is a nice plus.

Now despite me loving all the ingredients in this moisturizer I'm not a fan of leaving any on my hair unless it's in the form of a mist so the way I use this is the way I use any deep conditioner. Once a week after I wash my hair I put some of this on and then sit under my hair dryer for about 20 minutes. After that I rinse it off and my hair is left super soft and smelling amazing. 

It's totally worth a try for anyone interested in finding a product that's almost 100% natural and that can also double as a skin moisturizer. And just because the company is feeling generous, I get to give one of these beauties away to one of my readers. So tweet this post for your chance to win it!

Read More

Phoneography Starter Kit

Phoneography Starter Kit

Dec 8, 2014

I've been into photography for as long as I can remember and was really excited to start taking pictures with my iPhone to make things a bit easier to save and share. Unfortunately I've never had a super top of the line phone (read I still have an iPhone 4!) that produced amazing photos.

So you can only image how glad I was to get Photojojo's Phoneography Starter Kit to try out. It really did help push my phonography game to the next level! Not only is the wide/macro lens a super cool feature to have pretty much built together but I'm able to attach a magnet to the end of my iPhone so that my photos come out perfect without having to spend time making sure their lenses and my phone camera match up perfectly!

In addition to the lenses the kit includes a cool filter that looks like an old school slide which lets you take pictures with cool filters from the start by just moving the filter around the lens. It's pretty cool and I like that it forces me to commit to one fun filter and take a chance!

Everything needed comes in a really cute pouch where I can store everything that came in the kit along with my phone and it also came with this super cool dinosaur that let me test my lenses out as soon as I got them!

I'm seriously in love with this kit and am constantly on Photojojo's site looking for the next great product to buy for my iPhone and iPad. Their products are really innovative, fun and super cute to carry around!



***I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Read More

Michael Todd's Soniclear

Michael Todd's Soniclear

Michael Todd's Soniclear is amazing. I was given the chance to start using it a few weeks ago and I'm officially addicted.

I heard about these fancy electronic face scrubbers over the year but never thought I needed one. My hands and fingers do a good enough job at cleansing my face and I never thought the money was worth it. I was also always afraid that I'd have to constantly replace the brushes because they'd get dirty due to my dark makeup and my love of bronzer and blushes. Luckily the Soniclear comes with a built in antimicrobial protection to keep stains and odor causing bacteria away which is a killer for clean and healthy skin.

The last skin care tool that I purchased was the Neutrogena Microdermabrasion System back in April of 2014 and while I really like it, I was ready to graduate into something more. Something that I could use daily, gave me a deeper clean and of course was fun to use. How is the Soniclear not perfect in that situation?


The Soniclear comes with the actual device, both a face and body brush, a charging stand and the power cord. I love that it isn't battery operated because I just have to put it on the stand to charge when I'm done and it'll always be ready for the next use. Another thing that I really like is that the box comes with a larger brush to use on my body because I like to use coffee scrubs and my St. Ives scrubs with salicylic acid to keep my super smooth and perfect.

Like I mentioned before, I haven't had the chance to use other popular electronic facial scrubbers but at this rate I don't think I have to. I'm currently away for work and the Soniclear is the first and last thing I use. It's also waterproof, which is amazing, because I like to take care of my entire morning cleansing routine in the shower to maximize time and give me a few extra hours of sleep!


***I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Read More

Organics Matcha Tea

Organics Matcha Tea

Dec 2, 2014

I've become a huge tea drinker recently and love discovering new types and their beneficial properties. Green tea has been on my short list for a few years because it's a main ingredient in my detox tea. But even then I only ever used tea bags and never tried making it with tea leaves or powder so I was eager to give Kiss Me Organics' Ceremonial Macha Powder that I got from Amazon.com a try.

Just like most high grade green teas, the Macha powder is a major antioxidant, helps with energy, is a mild mood enhancer and stress reliever.

I'm really into the fact that it's in powdered form because now instead of having to brew and cool down green tea for smoothies I can just put the powder in easily. I also really like it's vibrant green hue. It helps keep my green juices from turning brown due to the carrots and beets that I add in.

Read More