Beauty Trend: New & Improved Dry Shampoo

I have never used dry shampoo before, but am considering trying it out. Tresemme Waterless Foam Shampoo was highlighted this month in Cosmopolitan, and the mousse helps suck up grease and add volume to hair- without making your strands look ashy and feel gritty. I don’t wash my hair everyday, I’ve worked at a hair salon before and have been told that is a big no-no, so on my non-wash days if I think my hair needs a pick me up, this dry shampoo/mousse could help me out! Does anyone else use dry shampoo, or would want to give it a shot? I think on my next shopping trip I will pick up the Tresemme shampoo and of course, write a review on what I think!

Bold Beauty Trend

Are you daring enough to rock this new trend? While popping red lipstick is continually showing up, Cosmopolitan magazine is reporting on the new must-have lip color, er colors. Yes that’s right, the hot trend is swiping two different color lipsticks- one shade on the bottom lip, the other on the top lip. Cosmo suggests using lipsticks in the same shade family, and sticking the bright shade on the bottom lip. Will you try to this contrasting trend?

Beauty Trend: Turquoise

I have seen a beauty trend popping up in all the magazines for this month: turquoise is in. This is great for me, because I love blues, especially turquoise and aquamarine, which is my birthstone. Cosmopolitan magazine had some beauty tips for wearing this Caribbean hue, such as painting your toenails or just the tips of your fingernails. Also try out some liquid eye shadow or enhance your eyes even further with CoverGirl’s Eye Enhancers with the shade Turquoise Tempest, only $3.47.

Plato’s Closet- Get Money for Your Clothes!

If you have never checked out Plato’s Closet, I highly suggest you do. I learned about Plato’s Closet when I moved to Des Moines, and was told that they carry name brand clothing for cheaper prices. I was excited about that, so made my way over to the store. And sure enough- the store was crammed full of name brand jeans, shirts, even shoes and purses! I quickly found a simple, inexpensive way for me to continue dressing trendy and keeping up with the latest styles during college. What I liked even more- Plato’s closet buys their inventory from people like me and you! They prefer to take in “gently used, name brand” materials, and then they give you cash for what they take. And lately, it’s more than just clothes and shoes that are being bought back. This past weekend, I went with a box full of shirts, dresses, shoes, book, even hair products- yes hair products- that was bought. I made a quick $50 just getting rid of items that I no longer need or want. Taking a glance around the store, I saw nail polishes, scarves, belts, etc. that are now being bought from people for resale. I will say though, there are going to be times when your things are not bought. I took in a dress that was super cute, still had the tags hanging on it, but it wasn’t taken. And sometimes they say DVDs are too scratched, or other items are not in good enough condition to re-sell. But I say give it a try. Throw things that you know you don’t want or need in a box and let it accumulate, then take it in and hope for a good chunk of change to come out of it- and shop the great selection while you’re waiting! Check out the Plato’s Closet link below to find the store closest in your area.

http://www.platoscloset.com/locations.html

Mineral Makeup Must Haves for the Summer

During the summertime, I enjoy using mineral makeup over liquid. In the winter months, I am all for Almay’s Smart Shade liquid foundation, but I like to have a lighter feel for the warmer months. I already made my switch over to Bare Minerals foundation, but Fitnessmag.com has listed more great mineral makeup beyond simply foundation.

 

Avon Smooth Minerals Eyeliner. This pencil eyeliner is only $6 through Avon, and one tester said just one application can last all day.

 

E.l.f. Mineral Lip Gloss. This lip shiner is not only inexpensive ($3 at eyeslipsface.com) but also gives lips a dose of vitamins A&E.

 

CoverGirl TruBlend Microminerals Blush. This blush is a bit pricey compared to the other products, $10.99 at drugstores, but one tester said her skin that was prone to breakouts stayed clear while using it.

 

Femme Couture Mineral Effects Baked Eye Color. These eyes lights come in vibrant colors that will make eyes pop. Pick up at sallybeauty.com for $6.99.

 

Mineral Fusion Lengthening Mascara. According to Fitnessmag.com, this mascara contains mica, a sweat-proof, oil-absorbing mineral, and one tester praised how the mascara would not flake after extended wear. Available for $16 at Whole Foods Market.

 

Lancome Oscillation Powerfoundation. This is one of the more expensive foundations, running at $48 through lacome-usa.com, but is equipped with a vibrating applicator that buffs particles including aloe, vitamin E, and SPF 21 into the skin.

Beauty Review: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel

While I was browsing skin care items a few weeks ago, my eyes landed on a ‘spot treatment’ from Neutrogena. This tiny white and orange bottle boasted that it would instantly clear breakouts and even help prevent breakouts from happening. What could be better? I quickly bought the .5 fluid ounce tube of Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel and have been faithfully using it for almost a month now. And the results are terrible. Each night, I put a tab of the spot treatment on any breakouts, and it seems that the gel just makes things worse. Instead of ‘eliminating’ anything, it makes them redder and bigger-not exactly the look I was going for. I was hoping my skin would eventually begin to improve with continued use, but I am starting to face the facts that it will just not be. Now, I would rather not use the gel, because I feel I look even worse in the mornings than if I skip it. Bottom line: not worth your time or money.

Beauty Review: L’Oreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Serum

I think I have moaned and complained more than enough times on this blog that I have less than stellar eyelashes. I thought about going the Latisse route, but I heard too many horror stories about the side effects from using that product. Then I saw that L’Oreal came out with a similar concept, the Double Extend Lash Boosting Serum. It promised results in four weeks, and those results were longer lashes, more lashes, and less damage to lashes. Since I want all of that, and L’Oreal is a trusted company of mine, I decided to fork over the $12 and give it a shot. My tube is just about empty now, and probably 3 ½ weeks have past since I began use. And my results- well they aren’t great and they aren’t terrible. I have noticed that I lose less lashes when I take off my eye makeup at night. I used to rip out about four lashes on average a night, and now I lose either one or none at all. But I haven’t noticed a real change in their appearance. The directions state to put on the serum in the morning and at night, making sure you have clean dry eyes. There is a bristle-less wand that you swipe on the upper lashes and again on the lash line, like you were putting on eyeliner. When I put it on, I think I see my lashes grow just a tad, but a few hours later, I can’t tell a difference. I was hoping for a more long-term effect, not just a few minutes of longer lashes, but I am grateful that I’m losing less eyelashes. I guess that has to count for something. I haven’t decided yet if I will buy another tube, maybe my lashes are so hopeless they need double the strength to get them to grow!

Taylor Swift Gets CoverGirl Deal

Taylor Swift can add yet another honor to her ever-growing list. Already the youngest CMA winner in history and selling more than 10 million albums, the singer is now CoverGirl’s latest spokesperson. Joining others such as Queen Latifah, Rihanna, and Drew Barrymore, Swift said it was a “dream come true,” reports People.com. Her ads for a new line of luxury cosmetics will debut in January.

Simple Tricks for Whiter Teeth

I have written before on teeth whitening, and covered ideas such as whitening strips and dentist visits to get your pearly whites even more, well pearlier. But the May edition of Prevention magazine says you don’t need expensive bleaches or UV lasers to get the desirable white teeth. You can follow two simple tricks to make your teeth look even whiter than they might be. The first tip: Avoid gold necklaces and earrings. The tone can pick up and enhance the yellow on your teeth. And the second tip: Wear lipstick with a blue undertone, such as a berry color. These colors will counteract any of the yellow. Even better? Clinique has 12 shades of lipsticks that are proven to whiten by at least one shade. Check out your best color of Clinique’s Brighter Smile Lip Colour Collections!

Jennifer Aniston to Launch Fragrance in June

Will you be buying Jennifer Aniston’s debut fragrance? I am not big on buying goods such as perfumes just because a celebrity slaps there name on the label and smiles for the photographs, but I make an exception with Jennifer Aniston. Not only has she been a favorite actress of mine for years, I think she is a great role model and one of the more down to earth celebrities roaming Hollywood. She’s also talked about how hands on she was during the process, from picking the scents, bottle, and name. The fragrance, which Aniston says will smell sexy and clean” and “floral, but not too flowery” will debut in the UK in June to be followed by a launch in the United States. Lolavie was the selected name, and will cost between $46-$62.

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