Dry Shampoo

Hey Chicas,

So there is some buzz these days around dry shampoo...and to my surprise many don't know about them.  Well I'm here to educate you about them.

First off the pros,

• less time to get ready in the morning
• less hair products used
• less heat damage on hair
• less drying on hair (from product/blow dryer/heat)
• help to increase the staying power of your hair color

So what does dry shampoo do?

Well the products websites basically all say the same thing.  They help to rejuvenate dull lifeless and greasy hair, leaves hair feeling clean and fragrant, minimizes the need to wash hair frequently, maintains color longer in color treated hair, is quicker and more convenient then regular washing, zap odor and oil in between washes etc,etc.

Why you shouldn't wash your hair everyday?

You need to give hair and scalp a break, washing too much strips hair of natural oils and even color.  Of course it depends on the texture of your hair if you have course dry hair or thick, you may only have to wash it once a week (I know but I've seen it done!), those that have fine, limp hair (hello? yes that would be me!) may be able to get away with it once every 2-3 days.

If you wash your hair everyday and want to switch it up......be patient!  The first few weeks will be a little hard on you.  Because your scalp is so used to washing everyday,  therefore the natural oils your scalp produces, will want to work in overdrive to ensure that they can make the oil coat your hair before you wash it again.

That is why you feel the need to wash your hair everyday, your scalp is overproducing the oils, due to over washing.  The trick is that you can re-train your scalp to produce less oil.  After a few weeks you will notice that your hair gets less oily, which allows you to feel more comfortable between washes.

But especially in the summer with the heat and sweat no one will make it every other day of washing without a little secret.  And if you have event to go to at the end of the day, it can be your lifesaver, and make your hair look super fresh!

Dry Shampoo will be your BFF.  A lot of reviews are very negative in my opinion, but many of them are just trying them for the first time and it takes a while to get the oil in check, but I swear it does happen.

I guess that I have been using dry shampoo for.....omg nearly 5 years...wow that's a while.  So my opinion will be very truthful, but keep in mind that the brands that work for me may not work always work for you.

The trick is, with any brand, to comb your hair, obviously, and what I do is comb the side of your hair back as if putting it half up but keep the brush on your head, that way the visible roots are showing.  You can then spray with the can about 8-12cm away, the trick is to let it sit there for about 5 mins.  The stuff needs time to work.  I generally put the stuff in my hair in the morning then wash my face, get dresssed etc..then I rub the white powder into my roots with my finger tips.  Then you can reapply if need be.

If you are unsure if these are for you....baby powder, or cornstarch are a good beginning point.  But remember these will not absorb too much into the hair, and will be left with a more visible white particles.

Give it some time for your scalp to readjust, and you'll be surprised how much time you can save in the mornings.

Post to come on my fav. brands!

Caitlin xoxo

Happiness

Hey Chicas,

So yesterday as an awesome day!  Its not that I did anything really exciting, or went anywhere or did anything out of the norm of my life.

I just felt really good about myself for some reason.  But the funny thing that I found out, which people have told me but I never really believe/listened to them, that when you are happy, you do make others around you happy as well.

Now just calm down, I'm not going to go all preacher on you guys, but I'm just pointing out an observation. I'm not usually the happy go-getter in my group of friends.  If there is a negative point, that is what I zoom in on, and can't let it go.  But I have been following another blogger Kandee Johnson, and she is the most optimistic, positive, and kindred spirit type of person that you will, for sure, ever having the pleasure of reading about!  When I first started reading her blog, I was like "Wow" this person is soo fake, there is no way anyone can be that positive about things...just not possible.  And I take it all back, in fact, I even feel guilty about even thinking that way about her. 

She really has a unique and heartwarming way to reach out to her followers and make you feel special and important.  Repeating her message in my head really helps to reinforce what the people around you think about you and how they view you.  I have come to realize in both my own life and in others, that you are your own worst critic! 

Picture taken from Miss Kandee's Blog Site

You can always find something wrong about you whether it be about you hair, or your makeup isn't even, everyone is going to be looking at my pimple, my shoes..etc.  The list can go on and on!  But hey guess what you are not the center of everyones universe.  (not trying to sound mean here, but its the truth).   People are not looking at you trying to find faults, because no one looks as closely to you as you do to yourself.  That pimple you tried soo hard to cover, and just couldn't get it to be "perfect" no one else sees it.  You do because you know its there, but to anyone else it looks fine, great even.

Women are soo hard on one another, always trying to judge and ridicule others.  Men don't do this....why?  Well because it is a big waste of extra energy.  Honestly think about it, how much time of your day is wasted thinking like that about yourself/others.  Too much if it is any at all.

After reading Kandee's blog posts,(and yes I've read them all) I have really put forth a great effort to not be such a Negative Nellie.  I am by no means, a personality like Kandee's but I'm working to improve it, and that's what matters, trying is all we can ask of ourselves and others to do.  I think Kandee would agree.

So that is enough positiveness out of me for one day, or actually for awhile likely...haha.  But please just have a read through some of her posts, I know it will bring a smile to your face for the day, and hopefully you can share that with those around you. 
 If everyone could get just a little bit of Kandeeness in them, the world would be a more enjoyable space.

Caitlin xoxo

Cry Proof Mascara

Hey Chicas,

So as I had mentioned in an earlier post, last week was rough.  I was in a little fender bender, due to the other driver not stopping at a stop sign.  Its a little more then just a "fender bender", but I'm recovering really well now and have learned some very valuable makeup lesson in the whole process!  (a little trivial? sure, but best to look on the bright side of the issue, me thinks! lol)

If you are looking for mascara that is lengthening, separating, and waterproof without actually being made waterproof (so you avoid the chance of there being any possible tar on your eyelashes) I have found it!
It is Revlon Lash Fantasy, and mine is in blackest black (do I ever see much difference from black to blackest black....well not that I can say, but I always buy the most possible darkest one).


The website states "Revlon Lash Fantasy Total Definition™ Mascara nourishes, thickens and lengthens lashes with amazing clump free definition!
- Vitamin enriched primer nourishes, lifts and makes lashes look up to 70% longer
- Mascara delivers thickness and rich, intense color impact that lasts all day, without smudging or flaking
- NEW Lash Separating brushes comb through every single lash for beautiful clump free definition"

I can't really argue with them on anything.  It does make my eyelashes look longer and thicker, it doesn't flake on to your checks, and you get very, very minimal clumping (i think mine is just getting old).


I am on my second tube and have gotten a third.  I never, and I mean never, buy two of the same mascara.  I'm always looking for something better/newer to try.  But this one it seems to have stuck.  I love the primer (which is the white end), it doesn't clump on my eyes and really helps to coat the lashes.  This helps the black mascara look longer, then you have less coats of black to apply.  The black goes on without an issue.  I like that the brush is not rubberish in the bristles, and it's not really thick/wide so when I do the backs of my lashes (which helps to cover the whole lash and make them stand out more) the brushes doesn't ruin my eye makeup.  I have rarely, like once on every blue moon, had to use a eyelash brush to comb out any clumps.


I don't think that a good mascara should have to be combed out to look good.  But maybe I'm alone on this, leave a comment with what your thoughts are (please and thank you).


And back to my discovery, I had the whole thing under control. I got witnesses names and numbers called the police, i was shaking, but I was not crying, I was being strong!  For the time being anyway...as soon as I called my Mom to get Dad to come, and heard her voice, I was done for.....the tears just kept coming and coming.  Then when my Dad did show up I just cried and cried...it was pathatic really.  So i cried for longer then I'm willing to admit.  But after my eyes were puffy and red (not such a great look) I had to go the hospital, and I didn't even check myself out before going to walk in.  Right before the doors I looked at my Mom, and I was like "OMG what do I look like? Is there mascara runnin' down my face!?".  To which she said "No", but please, moms tend to tell us we look great regardless, so I ran to the bathroom, and lo-and-behold not one smudge of mascara could be found on my face.

I had thought that I was pretty good when I was in the DR and went into the pool, it didn't move. Now after my "experimental crying fit" I know it is a kick ass mascara. And before people start saying "oh well you obviously got the water proof one". I am here to say NOPE, it is not waterproof, they do sell that but I didn't get it! It is the standard old normal non-waterproof. But to me it has proved itself it can be waterproof, and will be the mascara that I go for from now on.

Before Mascara - lashes only curled

After Mascara - 1 coat primer - 2 coats mascara

I thought that I'd show you a shot of my eyelashes before mascara, and after applying the Revlon Lash Fantasy, to show you how awesome they make eyes look.

Caitlin xoxo

Eyebrows!

Hey Chica's,

I have a slight pet peeve with eyebrows.  They frame your face....you need to take care of them and maintain them, to showcase your face in the best possible way.

There is more to maintaining your eyebrows then just having them waxed or plucking them.  There is the trimming as well.  Take the picture below...yes the woman got her eyebrows waxed...but waxing doesn't take care of the length of the eyebrow hair.

 So I'll go through a picture step by step to help you achieve the perfectly groomed eyebrows!

First off all you need is two items.  A pair of small, sharp, and pointy scissors.   An old, cleaned mascara wand, or a disposable one, that comes in a package from the drugstore.  Either one will work.


So first step is to brush your eyebrows up wards towards your hairline as such. As you can see the hairs that show above the wand...are too long and need to be trimmed down a bit.




You don't want to be like those old men whose eyebrows curl and stuff right?
Yeah, that's what I thought.

 To trim them you take the scissors, but do not cut straight across...you want to cut with slants. You want to take a few hairs at a time, having blunt eyebrow hair is almost worse than not trimming.



So take a few hairs at a time with the scissors first pointed up to the left, then the next section with the scissors  pointing to the right and down, and keep switching the directions up..this is what allows for the natural looking fall of the eyebrow hairs.

If you follow these simple steps, with only two tools needed you will have nicley groomed eyebrows to frame your beautiful eyes and face.  But it's easy to do, and you can just start by taking small snips.  Until you are comfortable with the scissors then you can do more.  Remember that you can always cut more but its pretty darn hard to put it back.  The length will grow again, but not very quickly so its not a beauty regimen that needs to be repeated weekly by any means.


Please excuse the lack of makeup on these pictures, its been a rough week. 

Caitlin xoxo

Hair How -To

Hey Chica's,

I know its been a while, but I have a really good excuse...which I'll get into at a later date.  It is really late right now, but I've been working on my youtube hair video.  This video has been requested and the persons have been really patient with me trying to figure out the wonderful world of Windows Movie Maker! 

But hey, I did it and here it is my first how-to video!.....feedback is always welcome!

Keeping checking back for more posts, and an explanation as to my absence I promise it's a really good one!


Nite,
Caitlin xoxo

Bedroom Storage

Hey Chica's,

A few weeks ago the Bed Bath & Beyond’s back to school flyer came out. Now I’m not heading back to school, but remember back to school shopping always entails storage units especially the university related ones. Most stores understand that students don’t have a lot of extra money (if any) to “pimp out” their rooms. So now you’re all like “well duh!”. Stop and think..if you are in the market for storage this is the time of year to get cheaper storage units.

So off I went o Bed Bath & Beyond and picked up two things from their “back to campus” campaign, all of which I have used for a while now and love it!

The first thing is under the bed storage. Which is the one in the middle of the picture double stacked.  I got two of these storage things for only $14..STEAL!  Which is a whole lot cheaper then getting a Rubbermaid tote that I have been looking in to.  I had previously gone through my closet and taken out all my winter items to put away for the summer, and they had been living in one of those big butt Winners bags...well shoved into it actually barely fit.  I was scared that I'd have to go get more but the sweaters all fit in...fit into ONE bag...I was beyond enthused.  The material is not super industrial heavy duty but if you are not yanking on them you will be beyond ok.. The plastic is a little thin, and then the pink fabric is like a tent fabric..nylonie I think. 

The second and most favorite item purchased for a mere $13 which I got in pink....but of course!

They are promoting it for dorm use, so they are showing it with a water, coffee mug, and ipod/phone type stuff.  So don't allow what they show you the use should be to dictate what it could be used for.  For me personally I hate having stuff (ie junk) all over my night stand (not that you could tell that recently by looking).  Plus I'm trying to get better at applying all the potions and lotions at night.  You know the night cream, the eye cream, the hand/feet cream, and lip stuff...etc.  I get into bed all ready to snuggle down, and shot....I didn't put anything on, and I refuse (lazy) to get up and walk over to the dresser and do it. 

Hence the bed caddy.  It comes with a long sleeve with a metal rod in the end that you slip under your mattress and/or box spring to keep it there...and mine hasn't moved..even with weight in it.  I do use the facial tissue box for its purpose, and the pen/pencil area and I keep a note book in the caddy for any ideas I get whether they be blog related or just shopping list.  I also have my magazines for late night reading and my book in the large back compartment.  The other two from compartments shown with a coffee mug is where I keep my favorite hand/foot night cream. The other one is where I keep my facial night cream, eye cream and lip product.  My glasses also find a home so my cats can't play with them at night, when I ignore them.

Since starting this system I have been really good at applying these things nightly only missing a few times.  And you know what....I noticed a difference.....funny how actually using something consistently will make a difference.....hmmm...

Oh...case you were wondering...the storage stuff is all by Gear Box Sport and are available in green, blue or pink.

Well hope this gives you some ideas for your own rooms.

Caitlin xoxo

The Foot Saver

Hey Chica's!

I'm sure that we all have those shoes that we had to buy regardless of the comfort level.  Come on you know that you have.  The shoe to the right is actually not too bad the problem is that the lining is not leather.  Meaning that your foot will sweat, the sweat will cause your foot to slip down in the shoe, squishing your toes up in the front, and thus causing the friction which leads to the blisters and sores.

Well I have the solution - the Band-Aid Blister Block.  You can pick this up at any store such as a drugstore or walmart/zellers type stores for around $9.  I picked it up in the early summer.  Last summer was a rough one for my footies, the summer heat just killed my feet and left me with only sandal type shoes.  Which is very frustrating when I have lots of other shoes I wanted to wear.  That was not happening this year.  And it worked!  I know I was super pumped too!

Its a great size for your purse, which means that you can easily take it anywhere with you.  It is like a deodorant stick in which you just twist it up and use it. 

It has no smell, and I still have loads of it left.  The best part it doesn't have to be used only on your feet either...if you have a zipper rubbing on your back or side put the blister blocker on it and it will help.

I was very skeptical of this when I first picked it up, and I was in a major need of a blister saver.  Now you are not supposed to put it on if you already have a blister starting or chaffing.  But I don't follow directions always and put it on a nearly formed blister, and it worked.  A friend who doesn't really wear heels all that often purchased it and used it on the day of the wedding she was attending.....and in her words "It was UNBELIEVABLE!".  So the testing is solid.

What you do is start with clean, dry feet, and rub the blister blocker over the areas of your feet that normally get blisters, such as your heel, the side of your little toe, the side of your big toe, and I do the top of the foot where the shoe stops.  It puts a nice almost like a makeup primer silky feel to the areas.  This silky feeling is the barrier that stops the blisters from forming as there is no rubbing from your shoe.  The shoe just slides over it like.....almost like panty hose but way way better!

The Band Aid Blister Block is a must have for the summer months and even if you wear shoes bare feet all year round.  It is soo nice to have on your fav shoes and not have to worry if you have to go bare foot after lunch!

Have Happy Feet!

Caitlin xoxo

Late Night, the other night....

Hey Chicas,

And no it is not what you’re thinking…..(minds out of the gutter people, haha).

The BF’s b-day was the other day, and because of all the craziness this week seemed to bring I couldn’t get his full gift finished. So I thought to myself well then since you can’t do it properly at the moment…just wait a few days and surprise him with it later. Plus, it extends the celebrations longer…big bonus in my books!

Now I’m sure that I have you wondering what exactly the “surprise” is, well chicas I am happy to tell you.

I’m a fairly good cook and baker, my brownies are the bomb peeps…no joke! So he had an ice cream cake from his parentals for his b-day so I wanted to do something homemade and different. I watch the Ace of Cakes, and Cake Boss and those other bakery types shows. Why? You may ask. Well they are just so darn pretty. If you are familiar with the shows you know that most of the cakes are covered in fondant. If you are not...you are now likely thinking you’ll have to google it. Did it for y’all.

Rolled fondant or fondant icing, which is not the same material as poured fondant, is commonly used to decorate wedding cakes. It includes gelatin (or agar in vegetarian recipes) and food-grade glycerin, which keep the sugar pliable and creates a dough-like consistency. It can also be made using powdered sugar and melted marshmallows. Rolled fondant is rolled out like a pie crust and used to cover the cake. This gives the cakes a smooth appearance. (gotta love good old wikipedia).

I did some searching on how to make fondant, some of the recipes are pretty intense, in both labour and ingredients. Some needing glycerin, and clear gelatin. Those were things that I just couldn’t pick up at the grocery store on a whim, plus I definitely didn’t have any in the house. I figured someone had to have come up with another option to the tradition fondant, and plus the traditional stuff, doesn’t taste that good, it is usually peeled off the cake and left on the plate…all that hard work I would go through to have it discarded like that…um I DON’T THINK SO Mr. Fondant!!!

I came across a marshmallow based fondant. The site is very descriptive and has many many tips to help you along the way. So my mom and I went at it the other night. It can get pretty darn messy at times. Mom used the Kitchen Aid Mixer to do the dough (just used the dough hook) which saved us a lot of time and energy. But the recipe suggests hand doing, so either way works. We started around 10pm and finished at midnight! Now the fondant had been made earlier, which when you visit the website you’ll understand, the timing. But after it was done, we were thinking that right after it was mixed would have been a great time to roll it on out and put it on, but this hasn’t been attempted and we aren’t sure if it would have worked anyway. So the time was the rolling the fondant out thinly, mine could have been a lot thinner, live and learn. 

Also we wanted to color some pieces, I wanted to make a hockey cake, so I found this hockey jersey cake recipe. And of course it had to be Canadian. It would have been easier if you had paste like food coloring, because the liquid we had to kneed, and kneed, and kneed, well you get the picture.

Anyway the website has everything you need to know on how to do it, it was our first time and it turned out kick ass! Just be patient and read the Q/A’s on the site to help you out.

This is the final result and he loved it, so did his friends, the ate it all even the fondant, so mission accomplished.

Happy Baking!!

Caitlin xoxo

What you need to know about sun protection.

Hey Chicas!

I was talking to a fellow co-worker the other day, and as the topic usually does it drifted to makeup/skincare…(I’m likely the cause of those shifts..hehe) then onto sun protection. I don’t know if it is because of the course in esthetics and other skincare types ones, but she didn’t know too much about sun protection products, other than its good to wear them outside. Which is good to know but there is soo much more to it.

That got me thinking…maybe there are lots of you out there that don’t know either. So I thought that a great new post would be about sun protection….especially the difference between sunblock and sunscreen (there is one ya know). Hopefully this will help you get the most out of what is left for our summer on the east cost of Canada.

Well I’m sure that we have all walked down the “seasonal” isle at our local drugstore and were floored by the large selection of sun protection products. They have expensive ones, to store brand ones, all at different price points, SPF levels. And believe me it is hard to stay unflustered looking when you have no idea what it is that you are looking at, or for. Let the lesson begin, students eyes forward!
There is one main difference between most sun protection products, sunscreen and sunblock, if you look close enough on most bottles near the SPF level it will state this difference.

What is the difference you are asking? Let me tell you…

Sunblock contains physical or inorganic ingredients that sit on top of the skin and help to actually block the UVB light by reflecting and scattering the rays. Sunblock is ecentailly a wall between your skin and the sun’s rays. For the best kind of protection look for Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide as the main ingredients, as these tend to be less irritating to sensitive skin.

 

Sunscreen contains chemical compounds that help to protect your skin by being absorbed into the skin. That is is why you have to apply then 10-2- minutes before exposure to ensure enough time as elapsed for the product to become effective. Sunscreens actually allow a certain range of UV light to be absorbed into the skin.

Now to discuss the difference between UVA and UVB rays. There is always a lot of talk, but what are and what do they do? Well, UVB are generally refered to as the “tanning ray” as it affects the outer layer of the skin the epidermis and is the usual suspect that causes the sunburns. UVA rays are the major contributor to skin damage and cause acceleration of the aging process. They can penetrate deeper into the skin through the epidermis and disperses in the dermis (the true skin).

All that being said….you need a sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection, one is not good without the other. They are like a pair, ya know like um….a killer pedicure to go with those sandals.

Another important consideration is the SPF level. SPF stands for sun protection factor, which is a rating system from 2-70 and refers to the length of time a sun protection location remains effective on the skin. That can be a little misleading as SPF numbers are based only on UVB blockage and not the ability to block UVA. Also, if you usually use a SPF of 15 (which I feel is too low…personal opinion) going up to a SPF of 30 will not double your protection time. The correlation to the SPF number and protection is nonlinear meaning it doesn’t double the blocking ability of the lotion, just increase it.

So if you want to be on the safe side….reapply every 2 hours, and more often if swimming, sweating or if the UV level is high that day. A little tidbit of information I tell my friends that I learned in school is “Every time you burn your face, it will age you 10 years down the line”. That little bit of information is hopefully scary enough for you to at least think about sun protection at the beach.

Sunscreens have a shelf life…*gasp*....I know they really do, as do all cosmetics. If you are still using a sunscreen that you purchased last summer…well lets just say that I hope it’s a good moisturizer, since that’s all you’re getting from it. The chemical blockers and compounds breakdown over time and become less effective, sometimes losing their effectiveness all together. The general rule which I go by, is to keep the sunscreen in a drawer after the summer season for use throughout the winter months (since you should be wearing it all year round) and when summer comes around for the next season toss it all out. For a general rule of thumb 6-12 months (12 would be pushing it). Also, any face cream or protection creams that have SPF in them, will have a shorter shelf life as the ingredients in the creams will breakdown the ones in the SPF so you may think that you are saving money, but in the end they last half as long.

 

Whatever brand you decide to buy, pick one that works best for you.

Hopefully this little lesson will help in protecting your skin….beacuse no one….and I mean ABSOLUTLY NO ONE want to look like this EVER

On that happy note (haha), enjoy the sun!

Caitlin xoxo

Winners - Makeup Heaven

Hey Chicas,

I was in Winners today in Charlottetown, and OMG!!! They must have gotten a new shipment in of makeup, and facial cleaners and the like. It was a goldmine, they had some drugstore products, and my fav Milani brand, which is so good.

Beware this post will contain a number of pictures with descriptions...bear with me if you don’t like these kinds of posts.
The picture above is of the fully stocked makeup section there...when I saw this I was soo happy, I could barley contain myself. Good thing my mom is used to that behaviour....moms are the best!Milani had a package put together, and the only place on the Island that I have found this was at Lawton’s. I have the Sunset duo’s, which has a super nice luster bronzer and a blush all in one package. That alone was close to $7ish, and this whole kit, with the sunset duos, the glimmer stripes, lipstick (gloss...can’t recall, and a loose eye shadow was only $10 *jumpy claps*. Can you believe it, you can’t imagine my restraint to not purchase this product.
The lipstick I have in another type from Milani and love it, so that is a good choice, the eyeshadows are pigmented. The Glimmer stripes are another bronzer type, but the strips you can also use as eyeshadow and a highlighter. Its a lot like physical formula shimmer stripes. Its multipurpose and a wonderful consistency not at all chalky...I have swatched it quite a few times at Lawtons, but I have too many bronzie things as is. This is a must have if you are looking for bronzer/eyeshadow....its awesome. But it is Winners and things can go quickly.

The next thing my little eye spied was ECOTOOLS......they are completely eco friendly they use soft, cruelty-free synthetic hair, the joint from the bristles and handle is made from recycled aluminum cans, the handle is made from bamboo, and they have reusable Packaging - the pouches are printed with plant based ink. It’s not really a key point in my makeup decisions, but hey...its an added bonus. I bought another eco tools kit at Winner’s before Christmas and they are actually my favourite, above and beyond even my professional brushes. I just had to buy both kinds. The box set, has a lovely zippered cosmetic bag made out of hemp with flower details, a blush sized brush, a stippling brush, an angled eyeshadow brush and an eyelash eyebrow comb. The smaller kit is a travel kit, with a mini foundation brush, small powder brush, a full size facial brush and a little hemp kit with a snap closure. These brushes are soo super soft, they wash wonderfully. Basically, if you are looking for new brushes or even if you’re not....you have to buy these brushes, they will be your new go to in the mornings....trust me! Ohhh prices.....you want prices the box set is only $14 *jumpy clamps* and the travel set is only $10...if you pass this up you are something crazy...lol.


Now for all the men in our lives here comes Jack Black (no, not that overweight "funny guy"). You can’t get it in Canada, as they don’t ship it to here and I’m not aware of any other stores that sell it especially in PEI. But you can check out the website here to see the other products. They had face wash, face buff, all over body wash which does 3-in-one, face moisturizer and hand repair. The prices range from around $10-$19. But the size is pretty large so it will last long. Plus the package is very masculine, aka in men terms...they will actually use it in the presence of other men. Also the smell is of man, no floral sense here. If your guy is looking for something, this is it. And if he's not, then maybe you should be...sometimes they need a little nudge (well sometimes a lot...more like a good old shove). Picked up the Bf a package set for around $30 (only $10 a bottle...yeah!!), I shall fill you in on his opinion later on.



Found these big beauties in clearance section out front....love the clearance. This soap comes in two different smells the pomegranate which is out of the box, but smells more like fruit in general. The other in the yellow box is Vanilla, which you can never go wrong with ever! They were regularly $7 got them for $3 each. You have no idea how big this soap it is bigger than my hand, its huge. Love it....and the smell is delicious. You should definitely check it out there was still a lot left.



Now this is my favourite thing I got...but I guess I didn’t really get it yet as my Mommy got it for me for my Birthday. I love it soo much that I just had to share with you, in case you wanted to pick it up. It will not last long at Winners’. It is a makeup palette by Ed Hardy, (Ed Hardy is what the Jersey Shore peoples are usually seen wearing..but do not hold it against it). To the left is the box it comes in...really pretty oh and it is only $20 regular at least $70 so huge steal. The picture to the right is of it open. So it opens up and out it also has led lights which gives a super good light if you are in a pinch with touch ups. The mirror is in the back and is actually clear...just didn’t take off the protective coating...as its a gift yet to get..hehe. there are three brushes...not wonderful but not crap either. Near the mirror are the eyeshadow choices, which range from neutrals to some darker colors which are totally usable. The middle is the blush/bronzer and is a peach color...which works well on all complexions. The little tins to either side are solid perfumes...which are great to keep at work, in a purse or in the kit...plus smells good. And lastly the lip colors...do not be afraid...they are sheer colors...like lip gloss, not lip stick....which is freakin’ awesome. Bottom line love the packaging, love the colors and the lights.. Yeah a little gimpicky but loves it!!! So excited can't wait until I can actually use it.


Picked up a few little other odds and ends...thought I just share a pic of that. Well I hope that this posts helps you get excited about checking out Winner’s my most favoritist store! Remember, you must look and search to find things at Winner’s which is the best part.

Hope this gets you interested in the products, if you do nothing else...please go get the ECOTOOLS brushes...you will fall in love with them. And if you do nothing else - get the brushes...I beg you. You will fall in love with them and then shower me with praises....hahaha

Enjoy your own searching,
Caitlin xoxo
 

Sunless Tanners - the holy grail!

Hey Chicas,

I am going to go ahead and plow along with this blog, with hopes that it will catch on *fingers and toes all crossed*, at least in the Atlantic Provinces!

So, it is now basically August, and us maritimers know that summer is almost over……one blissful month left (sigh). That being said, looking tanned is important to me regardless of the season. So I thought I would give you a run down on what has worked for me, so that you…..yes you….can stay looking sunkissed long after August has left us.

I am an esthetician by trade, not currently working in a salon….unless my friends and family count that visit my house…..but I still keep up with the new trends and products. I have tried professional products, and drugstore products.. lo-and-behold I have found one of each that works wonderfully well.

Today, let's discuss the drugstore one, as I'm assuming that's what the majority of you can get your tanned little hands on ;). It is new this year, as far as I know, and it's the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze One Day. The Canadian website doesn't have this under their list of products, even though it is included in the picture on sunless tanners (strange much?). Hopefully it is only a little glitch as, it's a great product but no one will buy it if they can't research it. It is so very annoying when us Canadian's see it in the states on TV or whatever, and then cannot locate it in Canada…we are just as important as the consumers in the USA ya know! Whatever, I did track it down on the USA site Sublime Bronze so you can check it out for yourselves. But it says "Flirt with a tanned look without committing. The new Sublime Bronze One Day Tinted Gel gives you the beautiful tint of bronzed color that lasts up to one day. The unique wash-off formula, made with natural caramel colorant and golden pears, is quick-drying and gives a sun-killed glow. Apply one layer for sheer look or add more product for deeper color. Simply wash it off with soap and water whenever you are ready."

So down to the review – it's a big bottle, can't seem to locate it right now but its about the size of a body moisturizer. It will last forever….forever!!! You only need a tiny tiny amount to get the bronze glow, it works on the body, and face. My face is super sensitive to breakouts and I wore this thing straight everyday for 2 weeks, and nothing, nada, zip not one pimple in response. Not saying that will work on everyone, but my skin seems to be a good tester. You can actually layer this stuff, the only caution that you have is BLEND…make sure that you take into your hairline, your ear, behind your ear, your neck, because if you don't blend really really well you will have a slight line, but it does cover with foundation that you wear soo…not a killer in my books. I put it on with a pair of latex gloves, I got the box at walmart so it was cheap, you can reuse the gloves too I just rinse them off like I would my hands, double duty it was always a great money saver! You do have to BLEND, I know I said that already but its worth repeating, you have to basically rub it in until it is dry to your touch, and if you didn't have enough to do the section you are working, you will get streaks, it needs enough product to blend well into the skin, because it's a gel, it dries quickly and absorbs into the skin so if you don't have enough that is what causes the streaks – the lack of sufficient product during application, not the product itself (believe me I speak from experience). The smell, well its nothing that I find offensive, and I don't even know if there really is one to it, maybe there is, and I'm just not sensitive enough to it, either way its fine with me. It gives a glamorous bronze color and I find when I wear it, I don't need as much foundation coverage on my face *thumbs up to that*. It does wash off with your regular face wash, no need for fancy ones.

So to sum it up I LOVES IT!!!! Its great, its cheap (walmart carries it, shoppers is a lot more expensive so why pay more for it when you can pay less right?), it works, what more can I say. It will defiantly be a repeat purchase for me, I just hope that they don't stop carrying it in the winter months :S.

Hope to post soon,

Caitlin xoxo

Newbie

Hey Beauty Blogger Community!

I have been an avid reader of all things beauty/fashion since…..well since I was old enough to dress myself I guess! lol I can give you a history on myself, my deepest darkest wants (well likely not, since this is the Internet and everything), so that you guys feel you can relate to me and my posts.

I plan to write on anything that’s going on in my life, whether it be a trip, shopping, or makeup looks that I have done on myself or to my clients. I want to be able to give you enough detail so that you can recreate the look yourself with no major problems.

I am a Canadian….strong and proud!!!! I live in Prince Edward Island, which is part of Atlantic Canada. If this blog even gets any followers I’ll for sure divulge more information but for the time being I’m going to enjoy the air of mystery around myself…haha.

Basically I want to put myself out there to experience a something new, and share the knowledge that I have gained from school and experience, and expect some funny antidotes to keep this interesting. I’m not sure what direction this blog will take, but I’m trying to get over my Type A anal retentiveness, which will show through soon enough in the posts – please stand-by me when these things do inevitability happened- so I’m going to go all free spirit on you and say…we will just wait and see….

I hope that you will welcome me into your computer whether it be at home or at work (shhh…I won’t tell) and share this never ending journey (haha I love that movie The Never Ending Story…come on you remember that right?...no? alrighty then moving right along) in the quest for glamorous makeup, fashion and everything else, us girls must endure.

Hope to post soon again,
Caitlin xoxo