Coconut Milk Hair Soak

Since today is pretty crazy and I am gearing up for the holiday break, I leave you with a tip from a member at one of my favorite beauty boards, MakeupAlley. I personally have not tried this tip yet, but I intend to when I am bored out of my skull next week.

I will not be posting again til January. Merry Holidays everyone!

:: Coconut Milk Hair Soak ::

Get a carton of unflavored/unsweetened coconut milk from your local supermarket. (Coconut CREAM is fine but it will be a lot thicker. I do prefer CREAM as it is not as watery.) Rub it into your dry, unwashed hair gently and carefully as the coconut milk will drip. (You can wrap your neck/shoulders with a towel to catch the access.) Cover the hair with a shower cap. Blow the hair through the cap with as much heat as you can tolerate or leave it alone for an hour or two. Wash the hair with shampoo and follow with conditioner if you use it. When doing the coconut milk hair soak regularly, you will have super soft and shiny hair. And you will not need any expensive shampoo or conditioner!

Courtesy of Jojoba from MakeupAlley

Who needs concealer?

Not that my skin is imperfect :| but I do enjoy a good concealer to brighten up the places that are pissing me off (blemishes, eye area).

My holy grail concealer is:

:: L'Oreal Air Wear Long Wearing Concealer ::

I like this in fair and they also have a "brightener" which is quite lovely. Some days, I will just use this concealer and some powder instead of using foundation.

Good things:
This is an amazing drugstore product. Ranks up there with the department store brands.
Veils moderately dark areas. Brightens under eye areas.
Never looks cakey.
Superb staying power.
Goes on dry (make sure you moisturize if you have dry skin.)

Bad things:
There are rumors this is being discontinued. A lot of ladies are angry. Scoop up a tube if you can find one.

Clearly Wet

There's nothing quite like the look of a nude, shiny, naturally healthy fingernail. Once a week or so, I will indulge myself with a self-manicure. It usually involves cleaning, filing, buffing, and finishing off with a shiny top coat. My favorite, by far, is:

:: Maybelline Wet Shine Wet Look Nail Color in Clearly Wet ::

Good things:
Your nails literally *do* look so shiny that they appear wet. Genius!
Dries fast and hard.
Lasts a long time, prevents chipping.
Cheap.
Makes all other nail colors look fabulous when used as a top coat.

Bad things:
The brush isn't the best, but what can you do?

I love some of the colors in this line as well, especially the Juicy Tomato on toes in the summer (a red that looks good even on my pale skin) and the I-Scream Ivory on nails under the clear coat. The shine is so perfect when it catches the light. It looks like a professional manicure.

Witchy Woman

A lot of people use toner on their skin. It's not a necessary step, but I think it is leaves us all with that ultra-clean feeling. There are SO MANY toners out there that are actually bad for your skin. Please don't ever use a toner with alcohol in it. It's way too drying to put on your face.

Here's my favorite...witch hazel. I like all of the Thayer's varieties.

:: Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel ::

Good things:
Cleans your face and leaves it feeling refreshed.
Not harsh at all...this will not strip your face.
Lightly moisturizing (not like you applied moisturizer, but like your face is naturally moist.)
The scent is light and nice. (I use the rose one in the winter, and the peach one in the summer when my skin is less dry.)
Great for sensitive skin and acne prone skin.
With daily use, it may leave your skin more even and brighter.

Bad things:
The cost seems a bit much, but considering the volume of the package, it's very economical in the long run.
Hard to find...I get mine at the local Granary natural food store.

Mascara that won't smudge.

I had a request for non-smudging/melting mascara. There are some *great* drugstore mascaras out there. But a lot of the quality lies in process, not product, much like a great Julia Child recipe.

With any mascara, you should follow these rules to get a goof-proof application:
1. If you have oily eyelids, wipe them a bit with toner first.
2. If you don't have toner, put on a good layer of loose powder before applying mascara or any eye makeup.
3. When you pull the wand out, use a clean tissue to squeeze it and remove excess product. This is KEY! You will not believe how much better the mascara goes on if you do this.
4. Use Waterproof mascaras to prevent smudging and raccoon eyes.
5. Apply several coats, starting at the base of your lashes and *slowly* move the wand through and *wiggle* the wand back and forth as you go to the tips.
6. Don't blink too hard before allowing the mascara to dry completely.

Top picks for drugstore mascaras:
Max Factor Lash Perfection Waterproof
(I want to try the Volume Couture mascara from Max Factor but haven't yet.)
Cover Girl Lash Exact Waterproof
L'Oreal Voluminous Waterproof

Please hold

I won't be posting any products for the next day or so because I am currently swamped. However, I am very interested in knowing what kinds of products you are looking for recommendations on. If you have a request, please post a comment!

Q-Tips

My featured favorite product today is a biggie! The Q-Tip! I swear I couldn't live without these things. They're not just for cleaning your ears.

:: Q-Tips brand Cotton Swabs ::

Good things:
Very economical.
Hygenic (throw away after one use).
Good for application of makeup (see tips below).

Bad things:
Sometimes it's not the most precise of applicators.

I love to use Q-Tips to apply eye makeup. I have a bevy of brushes to choose from and still go for Q-Tips most of the time, simply because they're great at smudging eyeliner. OR, you can use them to apply eyeSHADOW as a liner. (This weekend, I used the darkest shade in the Mojave Mauves from Wet n Wild and it made SUCH a great smokey liner for my hazel eyes.) They're also great at applying highlighter to the under-brow area and to the corners of your eyes to brighten them. One more thing: I use Q-Tips to dip into foundation or powder and use it as a concealer.

All bow to the power of Q-Tips! Feel free to gush about your love of Q-Tips in the comments section.

Shine Free

I have loved this item and this brand since junior high. I like to try new things in terms of powder, but nothing ever beats this so I always come crawling back.

:: Cornsilk Natural Matte Pressed Powder in No Color ::

Good things:
Finely milled, not cakey
Matches any shade of skin/foundation
Nothing controls oil as well. Nothing.
Matte finish lasts for hours.
Doesn't come off on your clothes, or other people's when you hug them.
Minimizes acne scars and large pores.
Cheap! Can be found at Wal-Mart, Target (I think), and at Big Lots for like $2.

Bad things:
Has a faint smell to it, which I don't find wonderful, but I put up with it.
If you have perfect skin, this may be too much coverage for you.
I don't like the pad that comes with it, so I use a powder brush for a more natural finish. (Sonia Kashuk's Powder Brush to be exact.)

Moooooooooist

HOLY GRAIL SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER!!!

Sorry for shouting but this one really is great. And lots of other ladies out there agree. Best moisturizing drugstore shampoo is.....*drumroll*

:: Aussie Moist Shampoo and Conditioner ::

I use this stuff in the winter mainly because the dry air makes my hair frizzy and static-y.

Good things:
Very moisturizing without weighing hair down.
Hair feels buttery soft and satiny smooth, and bouncy.
I love the smell (some people hate it).
The name. I like seeing the word "moist" in the morning.
Cheap! You can get a bigfattypumpbottle for next to nothing.

Bad things:
As mentioned above, some people are not as turned on by the smell, and it's not for everyone. If you have very dry hair you might need something more intense.

Sssssuper LustroussssS

Love this gloss. Magnificent!

:: Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss ::

Good things:
Sticky but not too sticky.
Good staying power.
Shades are wonderful. I like Cherries in the Glow. It's a wonderful "YLBB" shade for me (makeup lingo for "your lips but better").

Bad things:
As with all glosses, doesn't stay on forever. That's why you should carry one with you at. all. times.

Oil slicks.

A handy-dandy packet to keep in your purse! Just swipe over your face when you're feeling mid-day greasies. Soaks up excess oil and leaves you with a matte finish.

:: Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets ::

Good things:
Doesn't use powder, like some sheets, which feels cakey.
Doesn't take off makeup.
Even guys can use them, and are usually tickled at the sight of their own oil.
Doesn't strip or dry out skin.
Cheap! ($5 or less at Target, etc.)

Bad things:
Packaging could be better, but for the price you can't expect much.

Smell my hair.

I'll be honest about today's product: it's not the best shampoo in the world. I was really excited when Dove announced they would be coming out with a hair care line. They really had an opportunity to raise the standards for drugstore shampoos because they have an established brand and a history of great research and development. Thus far, I've been underwhelmed with their offerings. There's nothing being put out there that isn't already available. Come on, Dove! Give us what we need!

:: Dove Advanced Care Sheer Moisture ::

Okay so why am I on here promoting some Dove 'poos? Because I like the fricking smell. It's that simple. I don't use this stuff everyday cause it does cause some buildup, but used intermittently with a clarifying shampoo like Suave Daily Clarifying, it's a pretty nice -albeit average- poo/conditioner set. I use the whole set including the leave-in mist.

I like saying poo.

Good things:
The smell. Love the classic Dove scent. Makes me swoon over myself when I flip my hair around.
Moisture without weight. Nice for fine-haired girls like myself.
Affordable.
Leaves hair clean, manageable, soft.

Bad things:
Sulfates in the shampoo.
Ingredient list is mediocre at best. There are way better formulas out there.
Shouldn't be used every day without clarifying at least once a week.

You'll Poke Yer Eye Out

I've been out of commission with illness. Apologies for not posting in days. Won't happen often.

Okay right to it: Holy Grail Mascara! I like the black 905.

:: Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara ::

Good things:
Nice formula.
Brush is awesome.
No clumping.
No irritation (for me, anyway)
No flaking.
Lengthens and volumizes without drying out lashes or making them spidery.

Bad things:
Can dry out quickly...must repurchase often.

This product has gotten a lot of hype in magazines and on the Today show, et al for being a great product. It *is* a great product, but don't expect miracles. It's a great daytime mascara that will give you definition and some length and volume, but if you want high-impact lashes you're gonna have to put on falsies.