Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Products I've Used Up! (mostly drugstore)

This is a spin off from "Empties" videos on YouTube. Basically, these are the products that I've used to the last drop. I'll share with you what I like about them and if I plan to repurchase or try something else.

Face: 


Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash in Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub ($7.49 Walmart)

I use this in the shower every morning. It's not my favorite. It uses Salicylic Acid acne medicine and claims to clear blemishes and blackheads. The scent fades over time and it's not clear that it is truly preventing any breakouts. I do like that it exfoliates my skin but plan on trying another product (maybe not Salicylic Acid) in the future.

Beyond Belief ABH Clay Mask ($7.99 at Sally Beauty)

This mask states that it will clean out your pores. I can truly tell a difference when I use this mask twice a week. I feel like my skin is brighter and my breakouts are less. This is my second bottle and my go-to face mask. Hmm, maybe I should try their daily cleanser (light bulb moment).

Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream ($34.00 Ulta)

My mother received a sample of this in her Birchbox and quickly purchased the full size. She share the sample with me and I received another sample in a Christmas gift. This stuff feels so expensive when you put it on. My under-eye area stays moist and my dark circles are a tiny bit lighter. I do plan on purchasing the full size (with Birchbox points or a coupon).



Elf Makeup Removing Cleansing Cloths ($3.00 Online or Target)



Had a hard time with the image for this one but you can follow the link. This is a pack of twenty makeup remover cloths. I have a hard time finding makeup remover that doesn't bother my eyes and these do not. So it's not so much that they are fabulous at removing make up as that they are not super soapy. This is my third or fourth packet. I usually pick up a couple when I am at Target.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover ($5.99 CVS)





On the same note, this eye makeup remover doesn't irritate my eyes (too bad). It does remove makeup somewhat better than the cleansing pads. I am on the fence about repurchasing because while it is not oily or greasy it does have a soapy consistency.



Makeup 

Wet 'n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in Sweet as Candy ($2.99 Walmart)

I cannot express enough love for Wet 'n Wild eyeshadows. Yes, they are typically all sheer or glitter and yes they are not always true to color (i.e. they color you see isn't always the color you get). But they are almost always well pigmented, they are CHEAP, and (with the help of eyeshadow primer) they have staying power. My two favorite trios are Sweet as Candy and Walking on Eggshells. Both have a cream shade, a brown shade, and a pinky shade Sweet as Candy is just a little bit bolder than Walking on Eggshells.


Hard Candy Fox in a Box in Spicy and Sweet ($6.00 Walmart)

I like a very pink blush for my day to day look (can you see a theme in my makeup? if not, you will). This blush is crazy pigmented, you just need to touch your brush to get a wave of color. I have a couple high-end blushes but this is my personal favorite. They have five different blush/bronzer options available.

Body 

Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion ($3.31 Amazon) 

This is another product I stole from my mother. It smells like the beach to me and keeps my feet from turning to sandpaper in the winter months. I use this every night and considering how much lotion I own, it's saying something to have finished this product. (the only other lotion I have ever finished is Bath and Body Works Forever Sunshine Body Lotion) 

 So that's it. The products I've used to the very last drop. What products do you use on a regular basis? Do you like any of these products? Or do you have suggestions for a daily acne wash? 

Saturday, January 4, 2014

2014 Reading List

It's been a month since my last post. I know, slacker. It would be easy to blame the Holidays but honestly I just get discouraged sometimes and need to remind myself why I am doing this in the first place. This was intended to be an outlet for me to share my passions and hope that there is someone out there who enjoys reading about it. So I don't want to ever force myself to post because I think you can tell it when you read. So, if you are reading this Thank You! and I really appreciate your support and love.

Last year I posted a list of books I planned on trying to read in 2013. My goal was to read 20 books in 2013. I did read 20 books but diverged from the schedule and didn't make it back around to 9 books on my list. Considering I did read The Hobbit, Les Miserables, and Gone With The Wind I think I did a pretty good job. If you are interested here is the 2014 list if you want to compare to my 2013 list you can check it out here. Images and synopsis are from Goodreads.com.


1.  Gone Girl. Gillian Flynn


2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larson.
 (I know, "why haven't I read this yet?")

3. The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan


4. Why We Broke Up, Daniel Handler
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chlosky
6. The Diviners, Libba Bray
Okay, I started this book 3 times . . .but it scares the hibbie jibbies out of me. Especially the book on tape. So I am going to gather my wits and try again because I am a BIG, BIG fan of Libba Bray (and you should be too). 

7. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sobold

8. The Sealed Letter, Emma Donoghue

9. The Dress Lodger, Sherri Holman

10. The Book Thief, Marcus Kusa
I've received lots of recommendations for this one! So I'm excited.

11. Divergent, Veronica Roth

12. The Light Between Oceans, M. L. Stedman

13. As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner

14. The House of Mirth, Edith Warton
Free with Amazon Kindle! 


15. The Beautiful and Damned. F. Scott Fitzgerald
Also free with my Kindle! I am trying this because I loved The Great Gatsby. So far, I've had to read it with my dictionary so it's a slow start.

16. The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
17. Waiting For Godot, Samuel Beckett

18. Play It As It Lays, Joan Didion
19. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley


That's it. Let me know what you think. Am I over-ambitious (I think I probably am)? Have you read any of these (or all of them)? Did you like/hate them? Please leave a comment I love to hear your thoughts.


















Saturday, November 30, 2013

Murder Mystery Reading List

Y'all know I love to read. I just finished another Agatha Christie book and I wanted to do something different than a standard review. Why Agatha Christie? Well, I'd love to say that it's because she is the queen of mystery and I've always loved her. But I can't say that. Because up until last year I had no idea who she was.

I have a Kindle, not the Paperwhite, or the Fire but the original Kindle they don't even make anymore. It's fabulous. But anyway, my Kindle came with a screen saver of Agatha Christie and I just Goggled her name and read her wiki post.

I've read 5 or 6 of her books, I am by no means an expert but here are the ones I enjoyed. (the images come from Goodreads) 


If you only read one, read this one! 

Title: And Then There Were None 
The book in one sentence: Ten people arrive on a private island, all of them are keeping a secret and their "host" wants them all to die. 
Thoughts: One of the most popular mysteries of all time. Does not disappoint. This was a page turner in my house, my non-reader boyfriend even enjoyed this story. I think I finished it in 2 days (and I am a slow reader). 



Title: Miss Marple Meets Murder (The Mirror Crack'd, A Pocket Full of Rye/At Bertram's Hotel, The Moving Finger) 
The book in one sentence: Four different Miss Marple mysteries in one book. 
Thoughts: My favorite was The Mirror Crack'd. In a sentence: A celebrity moves into a quaint town and throws a big shin-dig where one of the local women dies and the 'elderly' Miss Marple discovers 'who-done-it.' Miss Marple is a spunky detective with a woman's intuition. She is one of Christie's returning characters (another being Hercule Poirot). You can also catch her mini series on YouTube.


Title: The Secret Adversary
The book in one sentence: Friends Tommy and Tuppence get introduced to a secret underground criminal world when they start following the story of a mysterious Jane Finn.
Thoughts: This story is not so much a 'who-done-it' as a search for a mysterious person. The scenario is constantly changing and you never know who you can fully trust. Christie weaves web that she slowly and carefully untangles piece by piece.

Okay, so there you have it. My top three Agatha Christie books to read. They aren't my favorite books  of all time but they do offer considerable entertainment. Are you a Christie fan? Do you have a suggestion for me?