Happy Holidays!

Just a quickie to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my amazing readers and all my friends, family, and loved ones! No matter what your religion and beliefs, no matter what you celebrate; this is a time to be together and enjoy good laughs, good food, and good company! So relax and enjoy. Hope everyone is having a great day :) <3

Foam hair color reviews.

A few months ago I tried the John Frieda Precision Foam Color. (in burgundy.)
I absolutely loved it! The application was super easy, full coverage no matter how long your hair is..
What I loved:

• Easy instructions.
• Thick black gloves. (most boxes come with cheapo gloves that tear)
• Amazingly easy application. (stayed foamy, went in smooth and didnt tangle my hair, and no missed spots)
• Smell was bearable.
• One box covered my entire head of hair. (most boxes need two for long/thick hair)
• It didnt get all over my scalp, forehead and ears like regular dye has a tendency to.
• Rinsed quick, easy, and felt soft after rinsing.
• Amazing conditioner included.
• Beautiful, shiny color. Exactly as pictured on box.
• Color lasted pretty well.

What I didnt love:

• When I bought it, the picture was black and white, the color swatch was in a weird place and made it hard to pick the color. (it has been changed since then, though)
• Color started to fade before the recommended next application, but still lasted longer than most.
• Price. Its one of the most expensive box dyes at walmart/target/cvs/etc., but its a whole lot cheaper than getting it done at the salon, and honestly its worth it to me. (to some it might be too pricey)

Id rate this dye a 5 out of 5.
All in all, I loved this dye, and it is now my go-to box dye. I recommend this to everyone, its easy for first timers and is salon quality for a fraction of the price. :)


Since I loved the John Frieda foam color so much, I thought Id give a cheaper brand foam color a try also.

So, I got the Nice 'N Easy Color Blend Foam. (In medium ash brown)
More trouble than its worth, this box dye isnt for me.
What I loved:

• Reasonable price.
• Easy to mix and sort of easy to apply.
• Came with two conditioner packets. (but each was only enough for one use each)
• Conditioner left my hair really soft.
• The final result, although not the color I wanted, is a pretty nice color.

What I didnt love:

• Cheap little gloves. The kind that always tears between the fingers.
• Absolutely horrible smell.
• As soon as you put the foam in your hair, the bubbles all pop and it doesnt stay foamy at all.
• As I was applying I thought for sure I wouldnt have enough to cover my whole head. (I did end up having enough, but if you have thick hair you might not)
• Sort of sloppy application. (sort of tangled my hair like regular box dye does, and it got on my ears forehead and scalp)
• Took a while to rinse, and my hair felt kind of dry after. 
• Stained my scalp, it didnt wash away from all spots.
• The smell stayed on my hair for a whole day.
• And my biggest complaint, the color was WAY dark. The box showed "medium ash brown" as exactly that, medium shade of brown, when I rinsed it, it came out almost black. Not even dark brown, seriously the closest thing to black you can get without being black. 

Id rate this dye a 1 out of 5.
All in all, I really did not like this dye. I wouldnt recommend this to anyone, color came out way wrong, the smell was seriously disgusting, and the application wasnt any easier than regular dye.

I would still like to try a few other drug store brand foam hair dyes, look for more reviews on them in the future!
Feel free to let me know your thoughts and experience with these, or any foam hair dye. :)

The products in this review was not provided to me for the purpose of writing a review. I purchased this product for my own personal use. I am simply sharing my experience with it. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own opinions. All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased.

What do you do when youre In A Pinch?

In A Pinch Presents makes these really cool and convenient bags full of everything you need when you find yourself in a pinch in different situations.
They have five different pinch kits for five different situations:

Caught Unaware - feminine cycle emergency.
Cold & Allergy Bomb - just enough of everything you need to make it through the rest of your day when your sick and off your game
Take A Note - for those that don't feel like bringing the whole office with them for a single conference or meeting.
Impromptu Date Night - For all those people that are ill prepared for that "Special Time" this the kit for you.
So Hung Over - This hangover kit comes with all the essentials.

Im going to give a quick little review on the Caught Unaware kit, and tell you how to make your own!

This kit comes with:
- 1 pad
- 1 panty liner
- 1 tampon
- 1 feminine body wipe
- 1 sanitizing hand wipe
- 1 stain remover wipe
- 2 motrin
- 1 hair tie
- 1 hershey kiss

Thats seriously everything a girl could want and need when shes going about her day and that time just pops up out of nowhere.
InAPinchPresents.com puts all these items in a little brown paper bag. Dont get me wrong, I absolutely love this idea, but they want you to pay $6 for this kit, plus shipping im sure, and the site is kind of confusing, and honestly I dont even know how youre supposed to order on there,
So heres what I would do to make one yourself.

First, I would start with a small makeup bag or something cute to keep it in, not a paper bag. Something small enough to keep in your purse, car, work locker, work desk, where ever you need it; but big enough to hold everything you need. And if youre like me, youll probably have something lying around at home that would work perfect that you never use. (honestly I probably have 2 or 3)
And since you have pads and tampons and panty liners at your house already, just take one of each, or whatever you prefer to use, and put them right in your little bag.
I would suggest going and getting one of those small travel size ibuprofens to put in there, theyre of course refillable so youre not wasting money buying one, and youll have enough to last you the rest of the day.
I also suggest picking up one of those tide pens, rather than the wipes, it will last you longer, which is in the end saves you money.
The way they make hair ties anymore it seems like half the pack breaks as youre putting it in your hair for the first time, so I would definitely put two or three in there, or maybe even a clip instead.
As for the hand wipe, again, wipes only last once and theyre trash, so Id put a little $.99 bottle in there instead.
And for chocolate, the individually wrapped fun size candy bars might last longer than a hershey kiss, because its air tight and sealed, not just wrapped in foil.

So theres a few adjustments Id make to the kit when making it at home!

Nail Junkie?

Click here to recieve 20% off plus free shipping on your first purchase of $50 or more at Folica.com!

I used to do my nails every week, but Ive been running out of colors, or getting sick of what I have. And I havent gotten around to getting new stuff yet. Well I recently got a couple things from Folica.com, and I thought Id share!

Seche Once Coat Lacquer - Hypnotic

"Seche Vite One Coat Lacquer brushes on beautifully with one-coat coverage and dries amazingly fast!"

Most of the time "one coat" nail polishes really need two coats. And "fast dry" are still tacky for at least ten minutes. But honestly, with this, I was impressed! And I dont say that often about nail polish.

You can tell a little better from my image (sorry for the quality, its an iPhone pic) that the color is actually a little darker and 'pearlier' than the image on Folica. So be careful when buying any nail polish online because the colors are always different in person.

This nail polish is seriously top notch. In the pic above (again, sorry for the quality, and messy fingers) you can see just one coat. With one coat you get deep, rich color. And seriously, by the time I was done painting my pinky, my thumb nail was dry. It really is quick dry. It doesnt feel tacky..its smooth and dry. Now, I havent been wearing it long enough to tell you how long it lasts, but with such quick application and dry time, does it really matter? With this stuff you could easily change your nails every day.
*added* I wore this nail polish for over a week before it started to wear or chip!
You can get this for only about $8 at Folica or around $10 at Ulta.

Kiss Nail Dress - Babydoll

Kiss Nail Dress Strips are fashion that sticks!

These are kind of similar to the Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail polish strips. But honestly, about 20 times better. These are not nail polish strips. Theyre basically really really sticky stickers. The sally hansen strips are actually nail polish, so once theyre opened you have to use them or toss them. If you leave them opened they will dry out. But these are stickers, so they wont dry. I do recommend putting them in a ziplock bag or something to keep them from being exposed just in case, it does say to open them when youre ready to use. But Ive read reviews that say they last if stored in a ziplock bag.

They apply the same way as the Sally Hansen strips, you just peel them off a sheet instead of each nail separate. I have read reviews that the ones with little jems or glitter apply a little less clean than the smooth ones; and that they dont last as long. (i guess because the texture) So thats something to consider.
I havent actually tried them yet, so I cant give you my own opinion on them, but I will come back and change this once I give them a try. (just waiting on the right occasion, probably thanksgiving or christmas) But Ive read a lot of reviews on them. I havent heard any bad things about them, they seem to last a while. They say up to 10 days, but if youre rough on your hands of course it will be less. One review said they had them on for five days before she took them off, and they were still perfect, just slight wear at the top, but basically the same as nail polish would.
If you think the application is easy, wait until you see how to take them off..basically you just peel them right off. No nail polish remover necessary. And for as easy as they are to remove, its amazing that they stay put on your nail for so long. 
*added* These applied pretty easily. I applied a topcoat to try to make them last a little longer. It sort of changed the texture of them though. The smooth parts sort of got bumpy. The tips started pulling up a little on a couple fingers. I applied them on Saturday, and by Tuesday I was ready for the day to be over, so I could take them off. They are cute for a christmas party or special occasion, but I wouldnt recommend them for everyday use.
You can buy these for about $7 at Folica or Ulta. 

Feel free to share in the comments your experience with either of these products.
:)

FTC Disclaimer: I received these products for free as a part of the Folica Review Program but the views and opinions are that of my own.

Frederick Benjamin Grooming

Click here to receive 20% off plus free shipping on your first purchase of $50 or more at Folica.com

I got these products from Folica.com.
First I wanna talk about the trouble I had with shipping.
It took about an extra week for me to actually get the package..they shipped with FedEx, signature required. Well, I wasnt available when they first shipped, so I signed the little paper they left on the door, and put it back on the door for them to deliver the next day. The next day, they never knocked, and didnt leave the package. They checked the second attempt box, but didnt actually attempt to deliver. I was home, but since they didnt knock I didnt even know they came. This happened two days in a row, The next day I was out fishing with my dad, so I told my sister theyre coming answer the door and sign for me. I left the paper off the door..they never even came! But I got an email saying they did. At this point I was just so fed up I sent FedEx an angry email. I left the paper on the door saying deliver the stupid package, and they still didnt. So finally Ill skip ahead to when I finally got it..
They sent it in a box that was about three times too big..for two little bottles..they didnt put any bubble wrap or anything in the box, so of course, the shampoo opened, and leaked in the box.
In case you didnt know, I was extremely irritated at this point.
Now that my shipping troubles are over Ill tell you about the product..
This is the Frederick Benjamin shampoo & conditioner.

Frederick Benjamin Invigorating Cleanser Shampoo gently detoxifies the scalp and hair without stripping; and Frederick Benjamin Invigorating Cleanser Conditioner replenishes moisture to restore softness and elasticity. 
Born out of the desire to find products that are not excessively drying, overly-fragranced and /or greasy and heavy; we have set out to create a premium grooming line that fuses the power of natural ingredients with the art of science.

After getting over the initial anger of shipping, I finally tried the product.
My first thoughts:

• Convenient pump on the shampoo.
• Smells good.
• Feels okay on my scalp..

Second thoughts:

• Starting to tingle..
• Rinses okay, but doesnt leave my hair feeling super soft and clean

Final thoughts:

• Felt like I was washing my hair with toothpaste.
• If you use it in the morning it kind of wakes you up..
• Really cleans your hair and gets rid of any build up.

All in all, for $12 each, Id rather stick with my favorite..Redken Extreme. If it was a little cheaper I might buy it again. But for now Ill keep it for special occasions when I need to get a deep clean and get rid of the built up hair spray and junk..

FTC Disclaimer: I received these products for free as a part of the Folica Review Program but the views and opinions are that of my own.

No More Nude!

Since I really havent been posting lately, and Im sitting here on the computer, I decided to do a quick "Look of the Day" post :)

Today is honestly the first day Ive done my makeup in like two weeks. My skin has been very sensitive lately, and has been breaking out so easily, so Ive just been giving it a break.

Ive been in a nude rut lately, doing a subtle eye, subtle lip, subtle cheek, everything. Ive been using light browns on my eyes, with just a bit of mascara, and calling it a day.
Well, I got bored with that; and decided to put some color on my eyes!
I know its nothing crazy, but its a big change from the usual.

How I got the look:
What I used:

• Global Goddess Upgrade Complexion Primer
• Covergirl Advanced Radiance Foundation
• Revlon PhotoReady Powder
• Bare Minerals Ready Bronzer
• Ulta Minerals Blush in "Sweet Pea"
• Urban Decay Naked Palette
• Pop Beauty in-liner in Black
• Too Faced LashGasm Mascara
• Benefit Theyre Real Mascara
• NYX Lipstick (I have no idea what color this is, I think its "Nude" but I really dont know)
• Lorac Couture Shine Lipgloss in "Haute"

How to Do It:

• Apply Primer, then foundation, then powder.
• Apply bronzer under cheekbone, and slightly up around sides of face. This will create the illusion of a more slender face, if your face is rounder. (you can also apply a little under your jawline and down the sides of your neck to elongate your neck and reduce the look of a double chin)
• Apply blush to apples of your cheeks and slightly curved up your cheekbones.
• Take a little bit of 'virgin' from the naked palette for a little highlight just above your cheekbone.

Now for the eyes :)

• I took a little bit of my black liner, applied it to the outer corner of my eye and slightly inward across my lash line. Then took a smudger brush and softened it out.
• Then took some 'creep' and applies it on the outer corner of my eye.
• Then I took 'gunmetal' and softened up the edges a little bit, blended over towards the middle of my lid, and blended it slightly in my crease.
• Then I look 'virgin' again and applied it the the inner corner of my eye and on my brow bone.

Make sure you blend them all together really well, or youll have stripy eyeshadow

• Then I took my liner again and applied it to my water line and used my smudger brush again to soften it up along my lower lash line.
• And with a small brush I softly applied 'gunmetal' under my eyes.
• Then of course curled my lashes and applied a layer of LashGasm, then a layer of Theyre Real mascara.
• I then finished it off by defining my browns with an angled brush and 'naked' shadow.

I know it looks like a lot of steps, but I promise you its really pretty quick and easy.

(I also curled my hair with the T3 Single Pass Whirl, click here for review. Let me know if you guys want a how-to on that!)

My experience with ProActive

Ive struggled with my skin for years. Ive tried so many things. Ive even gotten stuff from my doctor. Nothing ever seemed to work to clear up my skin, without over drying. Ive heard some really great things about proactive, all the commercials, although probably scripted, say when nothing else worked for them proactive did. 

So I saw the Walmart brand proactive for about half the advertised price. I did a little research on it, seeing if it was basically the same thing. Everything I found said it was the same ingredients, and everyone who used proactive said this stuff worked exactly the same. So I figured Id give it a try.

Initially, I loved how soft and smooth my face felt after using it. I was using all three steps morning and night. 

Now I have oily skin, mostly on my nose and forehead, and slightly on my cheekbone area. I tend to get breakouts around my jaw line. I have large pores mostly on my nose and cheekbone area. 

Like I said, Ive tried many many things, and while Ive somewhat controlled it, with a combination of products, its never gone completely away.

After a day or two, I noticed my face seemed to be getting oily again much faster than normal. Usually I can go most of the day after washing my face before it starts to get noticeably oily.

Another day or two, and I start noticing little bumps coming in on my forehead. Not zits or blemishes or anything, just bumps.

My best friend actually told me a few weeks before that she tried something from proactive and she started getting the same bumps on her forehead.

I also noticed anywhere that had blemishes before had become very very sensitive and tender to the touch. 

I didnt notice any drying out anywhere. I didnt notice really any improvement in blemishes or break outs. The only thing I noticed using this was increased oiliness and little breakout bumps on my forehead.

This is just MY experience with ProActive, or the off brand, Im not saying it doesnt work for anyone. Im sure there are people who it works great on. Im just not one of them.

Please feel free to share your experiences with proactive, or any skin care products that either worked or didnt work for you.

The product in this review was not provided to me for the purpose of writing a review. I purchased this product for my own personal use. I am simply sharing my experience with it. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own opinions. All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased.

This blew me away..

Click here to get 20% off plus free shipping on your first purchase of $50 or more at Folica.com!

For years I would use a straightener that would dry my hair as it straightened. Mostly because i HATED blow drying my hair. I have naturally curly, somewhat thick, hair. So blow drying was a nightmare. It would take forever, and always end up looking like a frizzy mess. Ive tried many different straightening products, different brushes, changed my dryers settings. I found a few things that helped, but I still couldnt stand it. Until I found this:

Sedu Revolution Pro Tourmaline Ionic 4000i

Sedu Revolution Tourmaline Ionic 4000i Hair Dryer has 60% more power than a conventional dryer. With the most effective tourmaline coated ionic generator, this dryer reduces frizz and static by 90% and cuts drying time in half.

Like I said, I have naturally curly hair, so to blow dry straight, I use it on low heat, high speed, with ion on. I part my hair into sections, starting from the bottom, clip up the rest.

This dries my hair so fast, and leaves my hair super soft, AND mostly straight. I just quickly run a straightener through it to get out a few kinks and my hair is perfect!

First thing I noticed when I opened it up, this dryer is super compact and cute. :)

Compared to my old dryer, and other dryers Ive used, this one is quite smaller.

Its a professional hair dryer, so it has a super long 9 foot cord.

I found that this dryer compared to others is a little bit quieter, but not like amazingly quiet.

It comes with 2 different concentrator tips, and you can buy diffusers that fit on there too at folica.com.

It does have a 2 year limited warranty, so if youre having any problems with it you can call them up and theyll help you out.

This is definitely in my top 5 hair products ever. 

Overview.

What I love about this product:

- Dual functionality; ion switch allows you operate with or without ionic generator 

- For smooth and straight: with ion 

- For volume: without ion 

- Ionic generator seals the cuticle, locking in moisture 

- 40% more compact than conventional dryer 

- 30% less weight 

- 6 speed/heat settings 

- Cool shot button 

- Long lasting motor with 1875W of high power to produce unsurpassed air speed 

- 80 mph record air speed 

- 86m3/h air flow 

- Includes 2 concentrators for versatile styling 

- 9 foot cord

- 2 year limited warranty

What I hate about this product:

- Tips are somewhat hard to get off.

- Now I wouldnt say i hate this, but its the one thing that was annoying at first..the switches are on the opposite side as my previous dryer, so it took a few days to get used to. But now I dont even realize or care.

You can buy this at Folica.com or at your local Ulta or Sephora; for around $160.

To find out more about this, and other Sedu products go to Folica.com/Brands/Sedu.

FTC Disclaimer: I received these products for free as a part of the Folica Review Program but the views and opinions are that of my own.

Beach Feet

Summer is here! yay :) And everyone is making their way to the beach.
Keeping your feet in, sometimes, tight shoes all winter can do some damage.
Calluses, corns, dry, cracked feet. No one wants that. So heres what you can do to prepare your feet for those sandals.

One of my favorite things to do is sit back on a comfy chair with a massaging cushion, and soak my feet. Its amazingly relaxing.
If you dont have a foot bath, you can find some really good ones for cheap on Amazon.com, or just soak them in your tub or some sort of pan big enough. You can add oils or salts to the water to soften your skin.

After soaking, another great way to get rid of dry skin and calluses is using a pumice stone.
Theyre cheap, and super easy. You can find them at almost any drug store, beauty supply store, and even some grocery stores. You can get them for anywhere from $.99-$5.
To use:

• Soak feet for about 5 minutes, to soften skin.
• Wet pumice stone.
• Rub stone on dry spots on your foot for around 30 seconds to remove dry skin.
• Rinse foot and stone, to remove excess skin cells.
• Repeat until smooth.
• And dont forget the other foot.

Be careful not to scrub too hard, you can scratch or cut your foot, leaving it prone to infection.
And always make sure to clean the stone once youre done, and leave it out to dry.
As with most things, youre not gonna see a drastic change in one use, so you might want to do this 2-3 times a week before seeing baby soft feet. And you can keep doing it once a week to keep feet soft.

After soaking its always good to moisturize, make sure feet are clean and dry, then apply your favorite foot cream. You can find some really good ones at Ulta for under $10.

To prevent calluses from coming back, make sure youre wearing the right show size, and avoid shoes that are uncomfortable or squeezing anywhere. Calluses are your skins natural way of protected itself, so if your shoes are pressing against your toes, your skin will build up to prevent injury. So make sure your shoes fit. :)

Dont forget to pretty up them toes nails :) And have a wonderful summer!

DIY skin brightening mask.

As you may know, I love DIY beauty stuff. Its cheap, easy, and most of the time works GREAT.

You know exactly what youre putting in it, so you know its gonna be good for your skin. And most of the time its all natural, and you control the ingredients so you know youre getting the best.

Heres a quick and easy mask to help exfoliate and stimulate circulation, to make your face glow.

Three simple ingredients, all available at your local grocery store.

Heres what youll need:

1/2 cup diced unripe papaya*

unripe papaya contains something called papain, an enzyme which helps dissolve dead skin cells.

1 tsp plain yogurt

adds lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy, and gives the mask a creamy texture.

1 tsp honey

helps skin retain moisture.

A quick blend in a food processor until its smooth and youre ready to apply.

Apply to clean face with clean hands, leave on for 8-10 min (mask should tingle a little)

Rinse with cool water, pat dry, and apply a moisturizer. 

In a short ten minutes you will have beautiful glowy skin!

*if you have sensitive skin or prefer a gentler exfoliation, use ripe papaya, which has less papain.

InstaCanvas

IM SO HAPPY!!
My InstaCanvas gallery is now open!
You can go to instacanv.as/xlaraleex and buy my photos!

Thank you so much to anyone who requested to open my gallery!
<3

Insta Canvas

If you follow me on twitter you probably see me post my instagram pictures a lot. Well now there's this really cool site InstaCanv.as where you can buy instagram photos. Theyre only opening so many galleries a week and they're starting with the most requested. So I would love you forever if you could go to instacanv.as/xlaraleex and request to open my gallery. Once my gallery is open I plan to do a giveaway of two of my photos! So hurry up and help me get my gallery open! Yay :)

Here's a few samples of my photos:

Top 5

TOP FIVE BEAUTY PRODUCTS.
Here is a list of my top five beauty products that I couldnt live without.

5. Im gonna cheat a little and have two products in one. Theyre kind of a set, but theyre sold separately. And they are:
Too Faced Primed & Poreless
Primer and Powder

Ive talked about these two before. I loooove these two together. They are seriously the perfect combo for perfect skin.
The primer goes on smooth and helps cover everything making your skin look gorgeous.
The powder is so soft, this on top of finished makeup, or just on top of the primer will make your skin baby soft. You wont wanna stop touching it.
They both go on clear, so theyre perfect for any skin type, no matter how light or dark.
4. My number four has got to beeee
Benefit Sugarbomb Blush

What they want you to do to apply this is swirl all four colors around and apply it, but what i do is take the top and right color shown in the picture above and apply the darker pink to the apple and the lighter as sort of a highlight, and it gives really nice color and looks perfect on my skin. But I always use a bronzer with this to really define my face, otherwise it looks unfinished.
3. Numero tres.
Jabot Glamour Lip gloss

This is my allllll time fav lip product. Its a lip plumping gloss. So it makes your lips nice and full and perfect. But its not super tingly like other plumping products. You can feel it, but your not gonna wanna wash it off. It feels kinda like chewing minty gum. And this is the smoothest silkiest lip gloss Ive ever used. The colors are gorgeous. And for $15 you get two colors. Each gloss has a gorgeous color on one end and a nude shade on the other.

2. This little thing is amazzzzing. I looovee these
Benefit Brow Zings

I use this every day. Its perfect to keep in your purse or in a travel bag, its an awesome gift for makeup lovers. Its so convenient and cute. It has the darker cream color you use to define your brow, with the included angle brush. Then the lighter powder you use to fill in and set with the little blending brush. It also comes with a little pair of tweezers. It has everything you need for perfect eyebrows in one little package.
1. Lastly, my number one must have
Lorac Lotsa Lash

This is the most amazing mascara Ive ever used. It has microfibers in it to make your lashes look amazingly full and gorgeously long. The brush is nice and big and volumizing. The black is deep and dark. The only thing I sort of dislike about it is that the little fibers make a mess on the top of the brush and when you clean it off on the tube it can be a little messy too, but its so worth it. This is the best mascara EVUH!

So there is my top five products. It was pretty hard trying to pick five and figure out the order. But regardless, here they are. Please feel free to share with me your thoughts on these products, and share your top five products.
:)

Update.

Hey everyone. I just wanted to do a quick little update on me before I wrote todays post.

Ive been absent for a little while and havent been writing any of my blogs. Im not really sure why, I was just starting to feel like this was all a waste. I was doubting myself, and now I feel so bad about that. I would think to myself "No one reads my blogs anyway, so I dont need to post anything."
But looking at that now I realize how stupid that sounds. And I look at my stats page, and see that even when I dont write I have readers. And even if no one is commenting on my posts, there are still people that are reading. And I kind of feel guilty now and wish I would have just sucked it up, its been since Feb since my last post. :(

But anyway, enough rambling. I really just wanted to apologize to my followers and readers. I plan on getting back on the blog train, and will start writing every day.

And for those who do read my blog, please feel free to comment. Even if you just say you have tried and loved (or hated) something ive written about. A little encouragment makes a big difference. :)

Annnnd lastly, I wanna say a little thank you to everyone who does read my blog :)

Dry Winter Hands?

Dry skin is a very common skin problem and is often worse during the winter when environmental humidity is low.

Everyone is always looking for a new hand cream or lotion to help sooth and moisturize aching dry hands.
Well look no further, Ive got two amazing products just for that.

My new all time favorite is
Eos Cucumber Hand Lotion.
Ive never been a big fan of hand lotions, every one Ive ever tried has left my hands feeling oily and slimy, and they always make my hands sweat. Until I tried this.
Infused with moisturizing shea butter, oat extract, and a generous helping of antioxidants and vitamins C and E, eos hand lotion will leave your skin feeling soft, supple and radiantly healthy long after you apply it.


Things I like:

• 97% natural formula
• For all skin types
• Paraben-free
• Phthalate-free
• Lanolin-free
• Dye-free
• Dermatologist tested
• Hypoallergenic
• Only $4
• My favorite Scent
• Fits perfectly in your purse or pocket

Things I dislike:

• It is kind of on the small side (1.5 fl oz.)
• You might become addicted to it.
  
  

Eos products are available at Walmart, Target, Ulta, Walgreens, CVS, and more, or online at evolutionofsmooth.com.

Another great hand cream I recently tried is
Soap & Paper Factory's Midnight Hand Cream.
The first time I tried this, was in the summer, my hands werent dry, so it sat on the surface for a while, and made my hands sweat and feel slimy. So my first thought on the product was I do NOT like it.
But now that its winter, and my hands are pretty dry, I figured Id give it another shot.
I applied it only to the backs on my hands where theyre more dry, and Im actually really pleased with it.


Things I like:

• Paraben-free
• Phthalate-free
• Petroleum-free
• Not tested on animals.
• Made from recycled products
• Made by hand
• Made in the US

Things I dislike:

• Very strong scent, overwhelming if you use even a little too much
• Hard to find in store
• $18 for small-ish tube

Soap & Paper Factory products are available at soapandpaperfactory.com.
The product in this review was provided to me for the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own opinions. All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS :)

My first giveaway is finally over.
The winners are Decaf, winning the "grand prize" of $250 in beauty products.
And Stefanie Gladden, winning the "runner up prize" of $60 in beauty products!

Please contact me either on here, facebook, twitter, or email me so i can get your address to send you your stuff! :D

Congrats on winning ladies, and thank you to everyone who entered. Look forward to my second giveaway coming up soon, this one will be open to everyone, and will feature even more stuff! yay :)

Beauty Maven?

ma·ven [mey-vuhn] 
noun
an expert or connoisseur.

Are you a beauty maven?
How about a Julep Maven!

Julep is a nail polish and nail care company. They offer 60 nail polishes, and over 15 nail care products.
Julep offers professional quality “4-free” nail polish formulation, developed without carcinogens such as formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene and DBP. $1 from every nail polish sold will be donated to organizations that support women, through their Powered by Girlfriends program.

One of the things I love about this company is they have the Maven program.

As a Julep Maven, you will have access to the hottest trends in nail color and the latest Mani Care and Pedi Care products - delivered right to your doorstep, just like the beauty editors do.  And you'll have access to these trends and products before anyone else.

I had a coupon code to get my first Maven box for only $0.01!
So I figured its worth it to check it out!

The Julep Maven Program cost $19.99 a month. Every month you get an exclusive personalized box of over $40 worth of trendsetting polish colors and cutting-edge treatment products. 20% off all orders on Julep.com. Free shipping on ALL orders. And a "surprise and delight element."

In my first Maven box I got:

Julep Nail Polish Marisa - Dark, rich cobalt blue shimmer. $14.
Julep Nail Polish Oscar - ultra chic, multi-dimensional gold glitter. $14.
Julep Essential Cuticle Oil - All-natural blend of essential oils and Vitamin E. $18.
And the "surprise element" was a piece of dark chocolate. (lol :P)
All together the products cost $46 (plus tax where applicable)

I really like the nail polishes I got, and the cuticle oil is pretty good too. I would pay $19.99 for it, but Im way happy I got it for a single penny :)

Although I canceled my Maven membership, I would definitely do it again. (if I had the extra money to be spending on nail polishes every month) And if youre a nail junkie, and have the extra $20 for nail polishes a month I for sure recommend it to you! (plus you get a referral code, 2 credits=a free month)
There are a lot of benefits to the program, and I think its a really great idea.
I will for sure be doing it again in the future when I have a little extra money to spend. :)

Check out the Maven Program and all of Juleps great products at Julep.com.
The products in this review were purchased by me for the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own opinions. All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased.

An Inspiring Story.

KTO is THE WORLD’S FIRST Chemical Free Skin Care Line passionately formulated by a Cancer Survivor to protect.



"I am convinced that Kelly Teegarden Organics is my why for getting cancer. I am not a doctor. I never went to medical school. I do not diagnose or recommend treatments for disease. I am an average person that has discovered many scientifically proven facts to staying healthy and remaining cancer free. Unfortunately, I had to learn the very hard way."
(click to read the rest of Kelly's amazing story.)



Kelly Teegarden is an amazing woman who has gone through so much. But through her trials and tribulations, she created KTO, Kelly Teegarden Organics, The worlds first chemical free skin care line created by a cancer survivor. Doing over 5000 personal hours of research she found some shocking and disturbing information on cancer, and cancer causes. Including:

• The World Health Organization released a statement saying that 80% of the epidemic of cancer is due to cancer causing chemicals in skin care, oral hygiene and cosmetics.
• There is regulation of cancer causing ingredients in skin care.

The mission of KTO is a Chemical Free Skincare is to heal, nourish and protect.

The following are the Benefits of using guaranteed KTO Chemical Free Skin Care;

• Made with Certified Organic and Natural  ingredients
• No cancer causing ingredients
• No hormone disruptors
• No Organ Toxicity
• No Toxic Levels of Ingredients
• Natural Preservatives based on salt
  

KTO is a line of 100% chemical free, organic skin care products. And now lip glosses.
They recently released 10 shimmery, hydrating lip gloss colors. Which btw, feature an applicator with an LED light that shines perfectly on your lips.
• Dragon’s Blood • Nourishes & Heals
• Natural • Wild-Crafted • Organic
• Non Toxic • No Carcinogens • No Parabens
• No Feathering • Hugs the Lip Line • Non-Sticky
• No Animal byproducts • No Animal testing
• LED Light lasts 100 hours • Side mirror
• Made in USA

I checked out the shade Jen, which, at first glance, its not the prettiest in my opinion..not something I would normally even look at in the store. But I tried it anyway, and when I put it on, I was actually pleased with the color. Its just a light bronze color, with the perfect shimmer to it.
The glosses have such amazing qualities, listed above. If you care about your body and what you put in and on it, it is worth every penny of the $25 youll be spending on these gorgeous glosses.
Normally I would be like what $25 for that size gloss, but the benefits are way worth it.(plus it has an LED light on it c: hehe)
The glosses are currently sold out and back ordered until March 18.
But you can check them out at KellyTeegardenOrganics.com, where you can also check out the other amazing skin care products they offer.
Including:

The Secret
Anti Aging Facial Cleanser - $45
Cleanse and rejuvenate the skin with a blend of Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Fruit Extracts, Antioxidants plus Organic Avocado, Coconut and Argan Oil. The combination of these nourishing ingredients makes The Secret a perfect foaming cleanser that leaves the skin feeling freshly clean and best of all hydrated; even makeup is removed completely. Ancient medicinal herbs such as Spikenard, Spanish Marjoram, and Meadowsweet Flower have been included for their natural anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. The Secret is a perfect combination of texture, aroma and results.
And, Alive
Rose Water Toner - $25
Alive is packed full of healthy ingredients that heal and tone the skin including, honeysuckle, fruit extracts, essential oils of lemon, marjoram and lavender. Used daily, it will help soothe redness, refine pores and balance pH levels. On a hot day, it can be used for a refreshing experience; so delightful, you’ll want to sprits all day!
The product in this review was provided to me for the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own opinions. All reviews provided here are the work of myself and remain completely unbiased.