Beauty Hack - Baking Soda (These Might Surprise You)

I’m going to start sharing my beauty hacks on this blog. I’ve always been a pretty easy going non-glam girl type. Yes I like makeup from time-to-time but I’m not all glam bot,all day every day with a full face of pretty. My hope is to actually get my red drosacea (dry and rosacea) skin happy enough to use little to no foundation (we’ll get to that in another post). I’ve figure out a lot of beauty hacks through my own trial and error as I've gotten older. My first beauty hack is going to be about baking soda. Yes, the stuff you use to make cookies. It’s a very versatile little product and at under a dollar for a whole box, it’s very economical. 

Brush your teeth!

I’m sure you’ve seen the toothpastes that also use baking soda. You don’t have to buy those expensive toothpastes to get the same effects. You can either mix baking soda with a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution or you can just dip your toothbrush (toothpaste and all) into baking soda. Baking soda helps to polish the teeth and contains salt, which helps to kill bacteria. This is not going to taste good if you make your own paste with hydrogen peroxide but if you’re worried about toothpastes with chemicals it’s a good alternative. 

Mouthwash!

Just mix a teaspoon in 4oz of water (half a cup) swish and spit out. Unlike other mouthwashes it actually kills the bacteria that causes bad breath and will neutralize any odor. 

Exfoliator!

Mix 3 parts of baking soda with 1 part of water (say tablespoons of baking soda with one table spoon of water). This will make a paste that you can use to gently exfoliate your skin. Just apply and rub in circular motions. I use this on my body. I have a very sensitive face so I personally avoid that area. It is safe to use around the face though. Avoid your eyes! 

Wash your hair!

Mix some baking soda with your shampoo and lather up as normal. The baking soda helps remove your build up styling products. You can also massage it into your scalp as a scalp exfoliator. Spa day! 

Speaking of spa day… Body Soak! 

I’m not sure why this is not used more (or maybe it is and I’m out of the loop – very possible) but when I was a kid and had chicken pox my mother use to have me soak in a tub of water and baking soda. It helps with the itchiness. Another benefit – it makes your skin very soft. Oh, and other then soft it helps to get rid of oil and icky stuff on the skin. It also helps to neutralize your PH and we all know what happens with bad PH right ladies? 

And my NUMBER 1 use for baking soda - Deodorant! 

Since the age of 16 I’ve been using baking soda as deodorant. I’ve never liked the smells of the store bought kind. I also know that some are very concerned about the chemicals and additives used in baking soda. This solves all your problems! It is not an antiperspirant so if you sweat a ton you’re still going to sweat, you just won’t stink. The sodium bicarbonate actually inhibits bacterial growth (salt is a wonderful thing). Take a little tiny bit and just brush it under your arms. You could use a powder puff too if you’d like. It can cause irritation, say if you cut yourself shaving (salt remember) but I’ve never had a problem with it other than some stinging. Another plus (oh there is more) silky smooth underarms Seriously, Dove has nothing on baking soda. 

Arm and Hammer Baking Soda is $0.50 cents for 8 oz. How can you go wrong? Of course make sure you’re not allergic to it. It also may irritate your skin, so please patch test it. I don’t want any irate emails saying how you rubbed baking soda in every orifice on my recommendation and now you have hives (please don’t do that). 

Also, remember that baking soda has salt in it. Don’t put it on irritated or sensitive areas. It’s going to burn (in case I wasn’t clear). What kind of beauty hacks do you have? I’d love to know them!

Serenity + Scott Brow Gel Review - Is it a Holy Grail?

Two weekends ago I was able to attend The Makeup Show in Orlando Florida. There will be a haul blog soon but I have been sick. Did I say sick? What I mean is that I had that thing from the Mucinex commercials living in my nose and chest. I was going as Press to The Makeup Show but I was so Ill I couldn’t do it. So, I just went and bought some things (smile). I met a lot of great people at the show but by far the two people that I met that I have to mention are Serenity + Scott. If you don’t know who they are go here RIGHT NOW to their YouTube channel. I’ll wait (waiting patiently). 

Serenity + Scott is a new(er) makeup line based out of Ashville North Carolina. I was very excited to take look at this line because I had seen a few reviews of their products online. All of Serenity + Scotts products are cruelty free, paraben free, and gluten free. Their brushes are high quality (I’ve added them to my kit) and their eye shadow pallets are highly pigmented. My friend purchased their powder and a pallet while I got their brow gel. Let me say that the brow gel was what I really wanted to try and I was not disappointed. 

Serenity + Scott’s brow gel comes in four shades (although I do see a photo of five shades on their website) Golden Blonde, Silver Fawn, Copper Auburn, and Bronzed Sable. I am going to use the brown gel in the color Silver Fawn.

On a personal note - I got to meet Serenity and Scott at The Makeup Show. It is obvious that they have put a lot of time, thought, and care into their products. They are also the most sincere and nice people who I’ve met in a very long time. 

A bit about me and my eyebrows - My eyebrows are natural. I don’t pluck or shape them in anyway. I love makeup but never really wanted to mess with my brows because I actually like them. However, with my chemo and hair loss they’re a bit blah, and I wanted to do something with them. I’m also not into the drawn on look that some people enjoy. I want them to look natural and just there. I began looking for a brow product and came across a few reviews on Serenity + Scott’s brow gel. To me, the product looked the most natural. The brow gel has reflective properties that help to make your brows look three-dimensional, exactly what I wanted! 

 

I’m only going to be doing the left brow in this review. Also, it should be noted that I’m going to be putting the product on thick so you can see how it still looks natural even if you apply a lot. I’m also going to be extending my brow so you can see how it performs on skin (no hair people, no hair - gotta love chemo). 

These are ma kinda patchy up close eyebrows. Ya know? I’ve never looked at my face this closely before. It’s rather scary. So I hope people are actually getting something out of this – laugh. Also, please excuse my crazy ass eyes. I don't know what the hell I was doing but maybe you'll get a laugh out of it. 

Here is after.

You can obviously see the difference. I’ve also extended my brown in the second photo and as you can see it looks very natural. I didn’t go further down because I would look like the dad from American Pie due to how thick I put the product on, but I wanted you to see that even with this heavy handed application it just looks like my natural eyebrow. 

The product also dries soft, not stiff like some brow gels can be (one of my other complaints as I was trying out brow gels). I am in love with this product. I have used this brow gel daily since I purchased it and recommend it to everyone. This is 100% my holy grail brown gel. Here is a link to their website, go nuts. 

http://shop.serenityscottbeauty.com/

And no, I don’t get anything for this, the above link does not come back to me in anyway. I bought this product with my own money and I’ll buy it with my own money a thousand more times - smile. 

Migabee, The Morning After (dramatic music)

As promised - my Migabee Verbena morning after photos. Yes I slept in. Ya know what? I would still be asleep if my dogs had not sat on my face and attacked me. I was up late last night trying to get some details worked out about a giveaway I’m planning. Then I got distracted and started watching “The Murder Station” aka The ID Channel (whispering investigate). It’s like crack for the eyes. Sorry, got distracted there... On to the photos! 

This is ma face after wearing the moisturizer for over 12 hours. As you can see I have no breakouts, my face is not red, and there is no irritation. My face is still hydrated and there are no dry or patchy spots this morning. This actually surprised me because, as I stated in last night’s blog, the moisturizer did not seem very thick. I really expected it to wear off overnight but to my delight it lasted. 

Overall I’m happy with the Migabee Verbena facial moisturizer and I think I’m going to rotate this in with my Kiehl’s Skin Rescue. I’m not saying this is a holy grail skin care product, that remains to be seen, but I am saying I like it and it should be safe to try (everyone is different of course) if you have dry, sensitive, and rosacea prone skin.

Overload of cuteness of dogs sitting on me (excuse the hot mess that I am in this photo). 

Migabee Verbena Cream, Memebox City Girl Product First Impressions

This is my first impression of the Migabee Verbena Cream. I was going to wait to try this cream but I decided to just go for it. I have dry, rosacea prone and reactive skin. If a face cream does not agree with me I can tell almost immediately. I think it’s the burning and sunburned look of my face that gives it away. I used this product this evening and I have a few opinions on it. 

The smell is very nice, is has a slightly floral smell but does not smell like perfume or an overpowering artificial smell. I’m very sensitive to crazy smells so this was a plus. It’s a very light moisturizer and I was not optimistic that it would actually hydrate my face. 

Here is a scary close up of my face. It’s angry (grr) because it’s cold out. Well, cold for Florida. My Dermatologist and I are working on this, and I have a feeling finding the right products for my face will also help. This is before washing (bathroom picture) of course. 

I don’t have an intense Kbeauty (Korean beauty for those that don’t know) skin routine yet. Like I said before, crazy skin (pointing at above photo), so I’m adding products sloooowwwwllly. I wash it now with my Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild. I’m not in love with it but my face doesn’t turn beet red, so I’m happy. 

The texture of the Migabee Cream very smooth and a little springy. As you can see it’s a very loose cream. If you’re looking for something thick to slather on, this is not the facial cream for you. I applied the cream and it actually does pretty good at hydrating. It also absorbed quickly and didn't leave a sticky oil slick on my face. The amount I had on my finger was enough for my entire face. and neck.

This is my face about a minute after I applied the cream. Notice no huge increase in redness and no reaction skin wise. I also didn't feel any burning or tingling when I put it on (something else that is common for me when the skin on my face hates what I put on it). You can also see that my face isn't shining. This cream absorbed very fast and there was no tugging feeling left (those that have had dry skin from water or face wash know what I'm talking about).

This is about 20 minutes later. Still no reaction and I am pretty happy with what I see. The moisturizer does its job well, there is not a strong scent, and my face seems ok with it. It does not leave my skin overly sticky or oily and I had no reason to worry about spots being dry. For my first impression I really like this. I'm not sure If it's going to get me to put down my Kiehl's though. We’ll see how the night progresses but so far so good.

Memebox Superbox #75 City Girl. Spoilers

Ok (looking around) for those of you who don’t know - I am half-Korean. SHHHhhh keep it down! For some reason I was unware of how much the rest of the world loved Korean beauty products. So, I ordered a few boxes from Memebox (FYI it’s pronounced Me Me). Memebox is a beauty box service. Rather than them sending you boxes monthly they have theme boxes and you pick and choose, purchase the one you want, and then viola, it is shipped to you from Korea. The boxes (for the most part) are mysteries with spoilers announced from time-to-time. The price isn’t set and can vary from 20 – 30 dollars plus shipping depending on the box. I’ve seen some skincare boxes cost more than $30.00 so just make sure you pay attention the price. I just received my first Memebox and I am going to post a quick review of it. Of course this will contain spoilers so please don’t read any further if you want to be surprised! 

I have to admit that I squealed like a 12 year old when I got this box. I was on the phone with a friend of mine and she thought I had lost it. My excitement level was really over the top but I was really that happy to see the pink envelope – smile. My first box is Superbox #75 City Girl. 

As you can see my box is a little damaged (and of course finger placed so crazies can’t find me). To my delight none of the products were damaged (whew). 

First product is the Mizon Oh! Shy Gorgeous On Liquid Cheek. This is a full sized product and retails for $15.00. This is a light-reflecting blush and lip liquid. I swatched this color on my hand and as you can see it gives a nice rosy glow to my skintone. I’m really excited about this because, if you have read my Boxycharm review, you’ll know that I’ve been in the market for blush. Perfect timing! 

I then pulled out this primer. This is the Shara Shara Dew Veil Primer balm. It is a full sized product and retails for $13.00. The formula is based on avocado oil – rich in vitamin, iron, and niacin. It neutralizes skin tone, soothes dry patches creating a flawless canvas for makeup application. (I hope you guys know I’m taking these blurbs from the information card… I don’t talk like this). Love the packaging (yeah I said it – don’t judge me – laughing). It has to have a SPF in it because it smells like it does. For those that have used products with sunscreen you’ll know what I mean. I have makeup on already today so I haven’t tried it on but I did put a little on my hand. It has a smooth consistency but doesn't seem as smooth as my Urban Decay Primer potion. I’ll let you know how it works after I use it as my primer. 

Now we come to a moisturizer and I really am excited to try this. I have dry rosacea prone skin (can we make this a new word? Drosacea maybe?) and I am super excited to try Korean products on my skin. The Migabee Verbean Cream is full sized and retails for $29.00. Migabee Verbean Cream is a nourishing night cream and a daily moisturizer. This cream promises a supple silky smooth complexion. It’s formulated with a blend of shea butter, peptide complex and natural moisturizing factors. It improves skin elasticity and strengthens skin’s innate ability to maintain moisture. I haven’t opened this yet. I’m not ready to use it so I don’t want the product to degrade by exposing it to the environment. I’ll start using it in about a week. I will 100% report back on how this works. 

This is the original raw Multi Pigment – I am Designer set in Star Orange, Star Beige, and Star Pink. This is a full sized product and retails for $42.00. The product claims you can kiss bulky makeup bags goodbye. The card states the Multi Pigment set can do everything from eye makeup, to lip and cheek makeup. The creams are enriched with amethyst, sunflower seed oil, pearl powder, and ruby powder. Who doesn’t want RUBY powder on their face? I am going to have fun with these. I feel like a mad scientist when I mix pigments and I cannot wait to try these. 

Last but the product that I am most excited about, is this Migabee Pure Berry Oil Soap Honey - full sized retail vale $29.00. This is an all your parts liquid wash. Hair, face, body, feet, toes, fingers, bum, and all other parts wash. Migabee Pure Berry Oil Soap Honey contains saponin complex for creating soft, creamy bubbles which soothe and hydrate sensitive skin while deep cleansing. The Honey blend is made with bee venom (YES BEE VEONOM!), honey, propolis, and acai extracts. The bee venom is what makes me happy and excited. I’ve read a lot about bee venom in Korean beauty products and how it can help with sensitive skin. Since I have drosacea (is it catching on?) I’m all about helping my sensitive skin. I will try this in my next shower. 

I paid $27.99 for this box with shipping. I really enjoy this box and I think it was worth the price and then some. I have a handful of other boxes coming in the next few months. I’ll be sure to review those and update you on if I loved or hated these products. 

Boxycharm November 2014 Unboxing and Review

Hi everyone! This is my review for the November Boxycharm box. This is my first Boxycharm and I have to say that I’m very impressed. If you don’t know Boxycharm is a monthly beauty subscription service which gives you deluxe to full sized samples each month. The cost per month is $21.00 and if you live in Florida you have to pay taxes (I live here so I had to pay taxes). If you have not received your box and you want to be surprised please stop reading here. 

The first thing I saw and grabbed out of the box (because it was huge) is this Keven.Murphy Color.Bug. This is a full sized product and retails from $20.00 - $25.00. This is a color chalk which you wipe on and wash out easily at the end of the night. My bug is in silver and while I have not tried this yet I’m really excited to try it. 

I was so excited to see this MicaBeauty Eye Primer(who am I kidding when I opened the box I was excited – I really need to get this lighting fixed so I can video my facial reactions). This is a full sized product and it retails for $44.95. This is a waterproof primer for eye shadow. The consistency is really nice and it goes on smoothly with no creasing. I used this for some eye shadow and it worked perfectly. I’m a huge Urban Decay Primer Potion fan but this outperformed that. I think I may have found a new primer. 

I smeared this bellapierre Shimmer Powder on my hand as soon as I opened it. This is a full sized product and retails for $14.99. This is a mineral powder and adds a really nice shimmer to your eyes (or like me wherever you want to be shimmery). 

I continued my boxgasm with this TARINA TARANTINO Eyelicity Glitter Liner. This liner is full sized and retails for $16.00. I almost bought a similar product at The Makeup Show this past weekend and I am so glad I did not. I love this shimmery eyeliner. You can use a little to make your eyes look larger or completely glam your eyes up to the high heavens. 

I saved this one for last on purpose. This is the OFRA Cosmetics Pressed Blush in paradise pink. This OFRA Blush is full sized with a retail value of $24.95. This color looks a bit dark in the pan and if you’re very light skinned it won’t work for you (or maybe it will depends on the look you like). I however, love the tint and again, almost bought a blush in the same tone this weekend. Boxycharm was psychic for me this month! 

Here is a swatch off all the colors blush, eye liner, and the shimmer in that order from bottom to top.

I am in love with this box. If this is the type of product’s I can expect from Boxycharm then I am going to be having a boxgasm every month. They hit this one out of the park for me and I can’t wait until December's box. 

November 2014 Ipsy Bag Unboxing (bagging?) and Review Spoilers

Hi everyone! This is my review of the Ipsy November 2014 subscription bag. There will be spoilers. So if you want to be surprised please stop reading – smile. For those who do not know Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that sends 4 – 5 sample to deluxe sample size products. I did receive a full sized product this month but from what I’ve been seeing full sized products are not the norm. The bag is only $10.00 per month. This price includes shipping and a cute accessories bag that holds the products. I’ve done something a little different with this bag. Usually, I do an unboxing (bagging – I’m going to keep doing this I think) and do a quick review and/or first take. This time I’ve actually used the products in the bag. 

Please excuse the horrible lighting for the photos. I'm rectifying the situation as we speak and I promise they'll be better next month. Let’s get to it!

November is my first Ipsy bag and I like it. The theme this month is glitter EVERYWHERE (actually it’s called Girl Meets Glitter but I like my title)! What I like about this bag is that the glitter is not actually on the bag. Glitter and I have a problem with each other. It seems to hate my eyeballs and I hate it in my eyes. The problem is if there is glitter on it, it’s going to find a way into my eyeball. Since we know I already have needles jabbed into my eyes, I’d like to avoid the glitter. So, the fact that the glitter was not glued on the bag was a plus for me. 

The glitter bag is not really something I’m going to keep. It seems good for a tween or teen and I’ll be giving it to my God daughter the next time I see her (I say that but look at my matching nail polish). 

I was excited to receive the ITcosmetics Bye Bye Under eye. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this but I used it this past weekend. I attended The Makeup Show in Orlando and I decided to see how the concealer held up to hours of wear and walking through a convention floor. It worked really well. I’m actually going to buy this concealer I was that impressed. For me this sample was worth the bag itself. 

This is the Starlooks eyeliner in Ultra Olive. The color is nice and I also used this. This eyeliner also has glitter. See my above comment about glitter? The eyeliner went on well and blended great. I also got great wear out of it. I’m not sure I want myself to look totally glittered out on a day-to-day basis, but it’s something fun to use for a special occasion.

The next is this J Cat Wonder Lip Paint in Red Potion. Great pigment, great color for me, looked good on my lips, and isn’t overly sticky. Not much more to say other then I liked it (smile). 

This is SeaRx Birch Sap Moisturizing Lotion. I have not used this. I’m really picky about what I use on my skin so I cannot give you a review. However, this is such a small sample I’m not sure I would even know if I did like this product before it ran out. 

The last thing is the Marc Anthony - Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray. Meh. It’s fine as a hairspray but I didn’t see any volume or shine when I used it. This is a great travel sized hairspray though so I’ll get some use out of it. 

That’s my bag. Overall I was happy with what I received. In my opinion the eyeliner, lip paint, and concealer sample was worth the $10.00 price tag. I can’t wait to see what I get in December.