Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Blue on By: Picture Review + Swatches

I have a bit of work to do, but I thought I'd share with you a shade of the well-known Color Tattoos from Maybelline. This cream shadow is supposedly pigmented and long-lasting. I found the long-lasting claim to be half-true. The color quickly faded (I had to apply 3 layers to get decent payoff with this shade!), but the softer version of the color lasted for a while. I'm not a big fan, but you might be!





Shockingly, I needed to build up the product for three layers to get just this!



Monday, January 28, 2013

A Girl's Guide to a Relaxing Evening.

Every once in a while, we all deserve a night spent pampering ourselves in every aspect. And in today's post I'm going to share how exactly I go about one of these relaxing evenings!

1. Dip My Feet in a Minty Soak
Not only does peppermint relieve aches and pains, but it also clears sinuses and smells delightfully refreshing. The Body Shop's Peppermint Reviving Foot Soak leaves  your feet soft and fresh.


2. Brush and Pumice the Feet.
While my feet are soaking in the previous product, I use my Burt's Bees Double-Sided Brush and Pumice Stone, a product sold exclusively in a gift basket I purchased. I slough away dead skin cells by means of the pumice stone and clean my feet thoroughly with the brush side.
3. Moisturize Your Lips.
I like to pamper my entire body, including my lips. As my feet soak, I'll apply a bit of The Body Shop's Mango Lip Butter for supremely smooth lips.

4. Nourish Skin with a Masque
The harsh drop in temperature during winter takes a toll on my skin in more ways the one. To keep my skin flake-free and supple, I use a mask meant to hydrate. I've been a fan of Elizabeth Arden's Hydrating Mask, but I've also been recently enjoying the texture of H20's Hydrating Marine Moisture Mask.



5. Hydrate Your Body.
At this point, my feet are out of the soak and I apply a thick layer of a hydrating cream. Not only does Burt's Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Body Butter smell divine, it also conditions like a dream. Immediately after applying a generous layer, I hide my feet in a pair of fuzzy socks for the most moisture.


6. Wash off Masque - Remove Socks - Paint Nails
Next, I rinse off the facial masque and remove my fuzzy socks so that I may paint my toenails. Recently I've taken a hankering to Essie's Absolutely Shore, as its  muted sea foam green transports me to the calm beaches I see so often in the summer.

7. Surround Yourself With Stress-Relief.
My last step is to lightly mist my bed with Bath & Body Works' Eucalyptus Spearmint Soothing Pillow Mist. The  revitalizing scent puts you in a relaxing mood.  As I inhale the stress-relieving aroma, I'm usually writing, reading, or challenging my high scores in Subway Surfer on my Kindle Fire. (The most addicting game ever invented.)


XOXO,
GABBY





Saturday, January 26, 2013

DIY Sugar Scrub.


A sugar scrub - it's perfect for just about any occasion. Whether you need silky smooth legs for the Day of Love, or your trip to Cancun is just around the corner, exfoliation is a must.

And why fork out as much as $50 when you can make a perfectly suitable, or even better than store-bought scrub right in your own very home.






Today when I created the scrub I aimed to make the recipe as simple as possible, and made of ingredients that just about every one has in their kitchen!

If you're like me and constantly lust after more than your basic scrub, I've included a list of fabulous oils that will do more than just slough away dead skin cells and intensely moisturize! 

All you need to do is mix all the ingredients together and put in any jar (Mason jars are perfect!)

Right before shaving or whenever you'd like, slather on some of the scrub and rub in circular motions. Rinse off and enjoy smooth, hydrated skin!

Make sure to use this scrub up quick!

INGREDIENTS:
4 Cups of white sugar
2 Cups of olive oil
2 Tablespoons Trader Joe's Vanilla Substitue (alcohol-free)

VARIATIONS:
-You can always substitute the white sugar with brown sugar.
- If you prefer a different scent, feel free to add 2 Tablespoons of peppermint extract. If you plan on using stronger scented oils (such as fruit peel oils and pure essential oils), opt for 1 tablespoon instead!


EXTRA BENEFITS:
If using these, reduce the amount of olive oil used. Arrange your various oils so that together they make two cups!

moisturizing
jojoba oil
sweet almond
coconut oil
pumpkin seed oil
liquid shea butter
sunflower oil

anti-aging/tightening
rice bran oil
safflower oil
walnut oil
wheat germ oil
olive squaline

all of these wonderful oils can be purchased at Trader Joe's or here.

XOXO,
Gabby

ENJOY!









Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Burt's Bees Lemon Poppy Seed Facial Cleanser.

So recently, my skin and I got into this everlasting quarrel. Since the beginning of my competitive swimming break (a.k.a no chlorine drying my face), my skin decided to frequently gift me with a few very noticeable pimples at a time. Just this week, I finally ended the blemish epidemic before a school dance. However, my skin fought back. 
"Gabby, enjoy patches of uncomfortable dry flakiness!"
Oh, how I love my skin..
To whip my skin back in healthy, normal shape, I tried moisturizer after hydrating facial mask after serum, only to be left with an equal amount of flakes.
Then, it dawned on me. I had my Burt's Bees Lemon Poppy Seed Facial Cleanser. This creamy citrus cleanser has a reputation for causing breakouts. I was one of the customers that experienced this, so I discontinued use.
However, with such dry skin, I figured that a cream like this would mend my skin and nourish it back to a soft state.
The packaging, along with the smell, is one of my favorite things about this 'cleanser'. The glass jar gives off an apothecary vibe and makes you feel 100x fancier. The cleanser itself is a beautiful daisy yellow with hints of useless, but attractive blueberry seeds.

To use, I apply this cleansing cream to generously especially dry areas only when I need to. After a few minutes, I rinse the cream off, and am left with a light moisturizing residue.

The texture is a work of art.

While I would never suggest applying this to your entire face (especially teenagers and the acne-prone!), I find this cleanser makes a fabulous spot hydrating treatment for those times when you're skin is supremely flaky and dry. 

You could say this stuff is like a spot moisturizing treatment!


XOXO,
Gabby


Saturday, January 19, 2013

My Entire Day...

The entire day pretty much consisted of watching Law and Order..and feasting on a few delicacies.

Enjoy the foodporn.




Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Stila Garden Bliss All Over Shimmer Palette.

Traditionally, I would post a review along with these pictures. I recently realized that I enjoyed pictures just as much as words. So from now on, I'll post a plethora of images of the product prior to the review. Enjoy :D

These pictures are of Stila's Garden Bliss All Over Shimmer Palette. While it's no longer sold at Stila, amazon carries a few for as little as $6!
The Sleek, Attractive Packaging.

Before Opening!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Cranberry+Pomegranate Sugar Scrub

I'm here today to elaborate on my previous post regarding an amazing christmas gift I received. (thank you mom and dad!)

This post will be all about Burt's Bees' Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub.

For starters, this luxurious scrub is all natural. A blend of cranberry seeds and sugar gently exfoliate dry winter skin and leave it super silky.
Just look at the scrub! It's a joy to even look at it in the shower. 

Let's talk about it's unique scent. Have you ever taken in the scent of their pomegranate lip balm? That is exactly what it smells like, if not better. It's safe to say that this was love at first whiff for me..

The scrub's formulation is the perfect balance of abrasive and gentle. It's enough to exfoliate dead skin cells away, but gentle enough to avoid leaving your skin red and raw after a shower.

The thing that separates this scrub from the rest is the effect it has on your skin after you leave the shower. What I find with your traditional scrub is that it simply exfoliates. Moisturizing? Forget that.

Luckily, this scrub is composed of a base of naturally nourishing oils that remain on your skin after you wash the sugar off, leaving a super hydrating finish.

After lathering up, the oils slowly absorb and leave you with baby soft skin.

All in all, I'd go for this scrub any day over any other brand's. 
Excuse me, going to go purchase another..

XOXO,
GABBY