My Skin Care Routine-Blog Hop

Welcome to the first 2014 Blog hop, brought to you by all the lovelies over at our Facebook Page Beauty and Fashion Blog Community(if your interested in joining our group pleaes click here, we’re growing each day and have a lovely community going).  We’ve already did one blog hop at the end of the year, it was the top 13 products of 2013. This year we are starting up with our skin care Routine.

This blog hop is particularly exciting and I can’t wait to see what everyone else uses, and hopefully some of you will leave some comment love and let me know what you use. I’m always looking for something new to quench my skin.

I have a hard time keeping my combination (mainly dry and some oily spots) under control. I live in VA and the weather tends to be all four seasons in the winter.  My skin is really freaking out no knowing how to handle things.  I try to keep what I use very simple. I hate using a lot of items that either have way to many chemicals or just layer way to much that can cause my skin to do opposite of what I want it to do.

So these are the basics that I use weekly.  I try to use as much natural items that I can so I know what all is going on my skin.

My every day use of moisturizer

The Body Ship Vitamin E Moisture Cream.  This is the best moisturizer I have found for  pretty much all skin types. If you need hydration then this is the product for you. This retails for $16.50 but The Body Shop is always having a sale (usually once a month they do a half off sale).  Once I get out the shower I always put this on immediately.  The best time to put on a moisturizer is right after a nice hot shower so your open pores can drench in the moisture.  I can’t say how much I love this product. I have been using it for more than 5 years.  I highly recommend it, and the nice thing is, is if you don’t like it you can always take it back to the store.

Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray.  I never thought I was going to be someone to jump on this face spray prepper band wagon, but Sephora had a 500 VIB point Urban Decay gift and once I used this I was in love.  I recently did a review on it here, but to give you a little idea why I like it is what it does for your skin. This item is good for all skin types to prep you skin for moisture and make up.  You can also use it during the day, a little spritz will wake you up. It’s also oil free, so for those of us who has some slick spots, it won’t make your face extra slicky.

The Facial Cleansers

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads.  I just recently picked this up at Rite Aid. It was one of those front lane impulse buys.  Of course my curiosity kills me and I had to pick it up, and I like Aveeno anyways.  What I really like using this product is that one side of the pad is an exfoliate the other is softer for those sensitive spots around the eye areas. When I first used this I was so surprised on how much extra makeup I had on me.  This is a great product to keep on hand when you don’t want to do a full on facial at home. It’s quick and your face feels so clean afterwards.  I use this one only a few times a week because I don’t want to over scrub my face.

Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser- I use this about twice a week.  I keep this in my caddie in my shower.  If I’m feeling lazy and not wanting to go full on face cleanse and I didn’t wash my face the night before (yes I am VERY bad about that) I use this while I’m in the shower.  You can find this anywhere, I believe I purchased mine thru Ulta when I was getting a big purchase.  You can click here to go to their web site and it cost $6.99, I know you can get it pretty much anywhere.  What I love about it the most is that it has a light smell and isn’t harsh to your skin. Also another plus side is that it loves all skin types, no need to know if your a combo or oily face.

The Miscellaneous Face Items

Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes– So this isn’t totally skin care, but it removes stuff from my skin!  I love these and would be lost with out them if they didn’t exist. On lazy night (I’m not 100% lazy all the time, but I’m tired a lot….aaaaand a little be lazy lol) I like to use these to get mainly my eye make up off. But I also run one across my face to get the surface make up off. This allows me not to have my skin to clog up as bad.  The link I gave is to Ulta which has them for $8.99, which is EXPENSIVE!.  I get them at Target for $4.99, if you want to try them they have small travel sizes for $1.99. But if you have a Sams Club near you, you can get a three pack for $12.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink-In Moisturizer Mask-This stuff is amazing!  It’s not your normal mask.  It’s a mask that doesn’t harden. It’s more like a moisturizer that stays on top of your skin and after 10 minutes you wipe it off with a towel.  It leaves your skin smooth, cool and so moisturized up.  I use this once a week to give some life to my skin.  I feel like if I had to use it more than once I would become oily.  You can get the sample for  $2.50 or a full size for $22 but they are always running a sale online, which the store doesn’t have going (right now everything is 40% off and free shipping over $15).

There you go! This is what I keep my face so fresh and so clean clean.  Let me know if you have used any of these and what you thought of them.  Do you have any recommendations?

Also please go and see these lovely ladies and what they use!

• Michelle at Pretty in the East www.prettyintheeast.com
• Brittany at The Beauty Deputy www.thebeautydeputy.com
• Kristina at http://thefemininefiles.com
• Jeni at Gracious Luck – www.graciousluck.com
• Heather at Coconut & Cotton www.coconutandcotton.com
• Jenn at Little Bit of Girl Geekery www.icedwavez.wordpress.com
• Etta of Etta’s Threads www.ettasthreads.wordpress.com
• Kristy from Nailofatale : http://nailofatale.blogspot.com/
• Vivienne of Jolie Pagaille http://www.JoliePagaille.com
• Brittany at http://lipstickandyarn.blogspot.ca
• Nancy at  http://jumpingmouse9.wordpress.com
• Michelle at http://beautifulgoodies.wordpress.com
• Angela at http://themakeupslashphotographywhisperer.wordpress.com
• Bernice at http://www.darkbeautymakeup.com
• Christine at http://www.simplystine.com
• Sam at http://www.collegebeautybuff.blogspot.com
• Ashly Eyler at http://aeyler06.blogspot.com/

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Deep Steep Grapefruit and Bergamot Bubble Bath

Happy Friday!  I hope everyone is looking to a fun and awesome weekend, also a relaxing one.

This is how I relax….with a nice bath. My boyfriend bought me a smorgasbord of bath items, and Deep Steep Bubble Bath was one of them. He wanted to get me another option so I could stretch out my Lush Bath Bombs.  I wasn’t sure about the grapefruit, but he knew I love anything bergamot, so he know it was a winner.

Let me tell you how much I love this product!  Bergamot has a nice deep scent and the grapefruit gives a little tang to the smell so it’s relaxing and invigorating to your senses.  But the bubbles…oh my goodness the bubbles. I have never had a bubble bath that the bubbles were so luscious and over abundant with just a few drops of it.  I was in the tub for an hour and the bubbles didn’t even dissipate.  I was really impressed by that.

Here is another plus side to this product: It’s cruelty free.  But wait, there is more!  It’s vegan, gluten free, no parabens, no sulfate, mineral oils or artificial fragrances. It’s an all natural product, which the company prides themselves on.

If your interested here is the list of ingredients:

INGREDIENTS:

Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Infusion of Organic Herbs; Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Coco Glucoside, Glycerin (Vegan), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Aroma (Organic and Wildcrafted Aroma Blend), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Caprylic Acid (Coconut Fatty Acid), Tocopherol (Vitamin E) Natural, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.

If your interested in seeing more of their products go to the Deep Steep Site

I found the best prices at Lucky Vitamin and Vitacost

[picture from Deep Steep]

Lush Cinders Review—-Last One of 2013

 

Good Monday!  I’m starting my New Years resolution to posting 3 times a week a little early.  This review comes from one of my many bath bombs my boyfriend bought me for Christmas.  He knew how much I love Lush he bought me a dozen of them, as well as getting me some other bath accessories to make my down time relaxing.  I LOVE the pillow he bought me the most!

For my first bomb that I tried, I used Cinders.

It was a lovely light orange color with some red speckles that were pop rocks to give you a crackling sound.  The main smells of this one is of cinnamon and oranges.  I got more of the cinnamon smell then anything, but it wasn’t an overly powerful smell that I would thought I would have.  I was a bit disappointed when I couldn’t even get a crackling sound from the pop rocks.

Look at my awesome pillow! I just makes me want to sleep in there.  So the color of the water turns yellow.  Of course my dirty little mind goes….ewww pee 😛 yes I’m silly like that.  The smell filled of cinnamon filled the bathroom immediately, but once filled up the scent became lighter.

Cinders was a limited Christmas edition bath bomb and is no longer available.  Thou if your interested this is just some ingredients and write up from the Lush site:

Almond oil, sweet orange and cinnamon leaf essential oils give a festive, fruity scent with a touch of spice to lift the spirits and linger on the skin. We’ve also put popping candy into the mix, which will gently crackle like the sound of a warming fireside. Take Cinders into the bath if you want to hide away from the big bad world and feel the comforts of home. Also great if you want to clear out the cobwebs from your mind, or the dust and soot from your body.

 

Quantitative Ingredients

Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Coarse Sea Salt, Popping Candy, Perfume, Gardenia Extract, Almond Essential Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, *Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Limonene, Colour 14700

 

***I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Years!  What are you all doing? I’m having a few friends over for some finger foods, movies and board games!***

Tonight a little me time

The last two day have been kind of hectic at work. I trippled my work load while sitting in for someone who was out due to a car wreck. Thankfully she was fine,her car didnt fare well but at least it took the brunt of all injuries.

Right now work is extra crazy since we are zooming in a month from the soliders going on their break.  Which means that everyone now has a special circumstance to get out of here and go home.

So luckily my gift of a bag full of bathbombs arrived on time. My boyfriend’s parents came back from SC and brought back my favorite cupcake bathbomb in the beach Myrtle Beach sent from Sudz. And since my trusty Kindles battery is dead right now I picked a real book you guy! A real one off my shelf. And decided on some Jane Austen short stories.

I hope everyone has a great night. Im going to get my relax on!

Lush Bath Bomb Review…Big Blue

So I’m down to one more bath bomb.  I have to wait till Monday to reorder so more. I’m now getting past trying all the ones to find out what I really like.  The other night I used Big Blue it had some great reviews and when you tell me it reminds you of relaxing by the shore I immediately say “take all my money”.

The description on lush says:

Take a dip into the deep blue sea of our Big Blue Bath Bomb for an inspiring getaway to the seashore. Lavender is instantly relaxing on the body and mind, and lemon oil helps to keep you afloat. For a truly authentic experience, we’ve added in some of nature’s finest ingredients – sea salt and seaweed. Packed with minerals, salt helps the body rid itself of toxins, while seaweed softens and soothes your skin. Just lay back and sail away to shores of uncluttered thoughts, softer skin and warm, blue seas.

What was really cool was that there was actual seaweed floating around in your deep blue bath water.  I loved the smell.  It reminds me when we go and rent a condo at the beach every year, it’s just that clean fresh beach smell.  I hope you know what I mean.  I was a little taken a back that there was so much seaweed so I hope it doesn’t end up clogging the pipes.  Over all I think I will buy this one again, this was my second favorite one I bought so far.

Have you tried this one?

Leather my Nails!

Well the other night I found out Sephora was doing away with their OPI line they are working on their own line of polishes that are suppose to be cutting edge and ahead of the trends. Its suppose to be called Sephora X. Im excited to see what they come up with but said to see OPI go.

I did pick up the leather effect for $6. I really love the color. I think the new red trend is going to go more ox blood. More of a darl red with some brown undertones.  I have the black version of this and love it. Its pretty chip resistant and only wears off lightly. I tried taking a pic outside so you can get the leather look.

Lush Bon Bomb Review

Tonight I rewarded myself with a bath, a happy bath.  I usually take a bath after a hard days work and when I’m grumpy, but today I had a good day.  I’m looking forward to a four day weekend, a UFC fight, and I got out of jury duty (yah for moving!).  I also wanted to finish this book I  have been working on reading for about over a week. 

Tonight I used my Bon Bomb. Lush site desribes it as:

Lemon-lime sorbet bath

Don’t be deceived by Bon Bomb’s stature; this ball of sunshine packs some serious citrus punch. It’s our world-famous Butterball Bath Bomb’s cheery cousin, with flecks of skin softening mango and avocado butters and the uplifting, zesty fragrance of sweet orange oil and lime. Bathing with Bon Bomb is like soaking in fresh lemon sorbet. If it’s soft skin and a happy disposition you’re after (and frankly, who isn’t?), you’ve found a friend in Bon Bomb.

 

I’m not a citrus person, but between this one and Dragons Egg I really am enjoying the citrus scent.  It filled up the bathroom with a fresh smell that really added to extra lightening up my mood.  But the one thing I didn’t like was the floating bits of the body butters.  It ended up sitting on my skin like globs of congealed butter.  I’ll think twice about getting this one, but I’ll end up getting something else citrus smelling.

 

Have you all used this bath bomb? Or Lush in general? What produts do you like?

Lush Phoenix Rising bath bomb review

Another day and another bath! My order funnaly came in from Lush and it couldnt have been at a better time. I decided to use Pheonix Rising and it really looked like it is pictured above.

The web site descirbes it as Features

• Spicy and fruity: The Phoenix has a refreshing orangey twist to lift your spirits.• Baby, it’s cold outside:Perfect for warming up in the tub on a crisp autumn or winter night.• Sparkling cinnamon fizz: The spicy scent of cinnamon is excellent for stimulating tired minds and bodies.

I really felt I was bathing in a tub of hot spiced cider. I was worried I wouldnt be able to handle the cinnamon since I get headaches from it when its to powerful. To my delight it wasnt.  I really enjoyed the scent and the lovely punk water. And with all that gold glitter it didnt leave a horrible residue. This will be great to reorder when it gets colder outside to get into the fall spirit.

Here are a few pictures of the color it came out as

Lush Bath Bomb in Sex Bomb

So I finally used my last bath bomb from lush. I saved the prettiest one for last called Sex Bomb.

The sight describes it as: Scintillating jasmine, clary sage and ylang ylang are powerful aphrodisiacs that are known to relax you as they warm your heart, and other body parts too. Soya milk makes the water milky, softening your entire body.

You can really smell the jasmine, but I’m not sure so much on the aphrodisiac part.  I was to relaxed and wanting to go to bed to get anything going on.  In fact when my boyfriend asked me how I felt I told him I was off to bed to sleep!  So the relaxation part is very true.  I loved the scent and the color that it turned my water, and also left no residue. The little rose in the middle does not evaporate and ends up floating around the whole time.  It was kind of cool that some of the petals came off and made it seem like you were taking a romantic bath.  I wish I could have taken a good picture of it but the color blended in so well it was hard to get.  The only down side for me was it kind of dried my skin out, which is a shame, and I do not have dry skin on a normal basis.

I would recommend this if you love jasmine and just a soft feminine scent, but do recommend that you lotion up right after.

Now I’m  just waiting on my new shipment and I will share more.

Here are a few pics of the bathtub at various stages, I do love the pink color!

Sephora new Natural Instincts pallete

I have been saving this review all week trying to use different looks with the colors in here. Last Friday I went to Sephora to finally buy Urban Decays Naked pallete that I have been wanting it for awhile. I went to Sephoras section of make up to restock my purple liquid liner and I saw this! At half the cost and much of the same color pallete I decided to pick this up instead.  I love Urban Decay, it was actually my first big brand buy and I will always be loyal. That being said I like Sephoras own brand and was excited to to save some money.

Here is the lovely color pallete with and with out the flash

My first look I wanted to do a contrast from my outfit which was a bright yellow dress. Each photo was taken in day light (in my car since I have been running late to work lol). So I used the silver and smokey colors. I tend to like to do more evening coloring with bright colors to not only show a contrast but that evening colors can be used all day with any wears.

The next day I could wait to use the greenish colors which I find myself using those more than anything. I even matched it with a green shirt.

Finally I used the more natural colors. The lighter ones I am going to use as a brow bone highlighter since they dont do much noticable impact.

I really do love this product. Sephora never disappoints me. I highly recommend it if you want a great pallete under $30 and dont want to drop a whole bunch of money even if Urbam Decay is a great investment.