Beauty Products I Want To Try Out.... Results!

Awhile back I made a post with a list of beauty products I wanted to try out. During the time after I had created that post, I had not been able to test out all of the products that I have put down, I have tried a few of them, and so I will be writing about how they worked out for me! Please keep in mind that this is all based on my personal results and that results may vary from person to person....

1. Mane 'n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner

I have been using both this shampoo and conditioner for roughly about 5 to 6 months now and in that time period, I think I can safely say that I really like this brand and that it's the best shampoo and conditioner that I have used so far! I have used many different brands of shampoos and conditioners, from drug store brands to salon brands, and nothing really seemed to work on my thick, dry hair. No matter what, my hair remained frizzy and nearly straw-like, but Mane N' Tail has made a huge difference, making my hair silky, manageable, and most importantly, moisturized! Another big plus about this is that you can easily find this brand sold in drug stores (I actually found it being sold in the commissary on base, too) and the big bottles are very cheap. I think I'll be sticking with this brand for a long time to come!

A word of caution:  Reading reviews on this product, I noticed that some people had claimed that after a little while of using this shampoo and conditioner, they got a  lot of waxy buildup in their hair and scalp. Some have also said that they noticed an increase of hair falling out after using it. So far, I have not experienced either of these problems using this shampoo and conditioner. Part of the reason may be because I tend to mix in some baking soda in my shampoo once a month and do a apple cider vinegar rinse with it, so that could be a big reason as to why I have yet to have experienced waxy hair. So, if anyone reading this decides to give this brand a try, I recommend doing the same or maybe even using a clarifying shampoo along with it.

2. Henna Hair Dye

I have some mixed feelings about using henna to color my hair so far, though so far I have only tried one brand of henna dye so far (The Henna Guys). One of the best things about this brand is that it is body art quality. Body art quality henna is safer to use than any other type of henna, as it contains the most natural ingredients and does not contain metallic salts, which can damage and irritate the hair and skin. Another thing is that it really seems to help keep my hair healthier and give it a beautiful shine after I use it, unlike the chemical dyes that I used in the past. Creating a mixture for henna is pretty fun, too! It reminds me of cooking, in a way (something I absolutely love to do!), since you can mix your henna dye with things such as tea, honey, lemon, yogurt, certain spices, and plenty of other ingredients that can help nourish your hair! It's nice to be able to experiment with the mixture and seeing which things work the best for your hair. 

 However, using henna is a little messy, and the scent isn't all that pleasant (it has a strong scent of hay or grass). It also takes a really long time for the dye to work it's way into your hair. It has to sit in for at least 2-4 hours before you can wash it out (which reminds me, washing it out can be a bit of a pain, too! It's basically like removing mud from your hair!). Also, it took a couple of dyes to get the color even all over. The first time left my hair patchy looking, which could have been due to the fact that I had been using chemical dyes before using henna, and had been using them for quite a long time. Lastly, the thing I dislike the most about this brand of henna is that the color bleeds just about every single time I use it for weeks on end, sometimes it even takes a couple of months for it to stop bleeding. I think I may try a different brand for my next coloring and see if that may help me with the bleeding issue. I may try out Lush instead, as I have heard good things about it, and see how that goes.

A word of Caution: People with lighter colored hair may land up with orange hair at first, but it should oxidize and darken over time and with continued use of henna!

3. Maybelline The Rocket Volum'Express Mascara

This  was an absolute disappointment. I had some high expectations about this mascara, after hearing so many people rave about it so much, only to find that it didn't quite work out for me. While it did make my lashes look thicker and was a nice, dark black, it clumped up on my lashes a lot and the formula seemed a little.... goopy. Also, I thought the wand was kind of awkwardly large and made applying the mascara a messy job. Maybe the wand itself just takes some adjusting to, but overall, I just did not like this product. I think I'll stick to using Imju Dejavu's Fiberwig mascara instead (which I've started using recently and love! I'll definitely be reviewing it another time). Still, just because it's a product that didn't cut it for me, it doesn't mean that it's not a good product. I still would recommend people to try this mascara for themselves as there are so many other people who love it!

That's it for now! When I get the chance, I will definitely make another post when I happen to try out the other products on my list, as well as include some reviews on other beauty finds that I come across too! Thanks for reading!

Beauty Products I Want To Try Out This Year!

There are so many interesting beauty products out on the market and so many seem to claim to provide miraculous results. Not all live up to their claims, but some do, and a majority of people rave about them.^_^ However, not everyone gets the same results, and the only way to find out if these products will work for you is if you try them out yourself! There are quite a few that I'm really interested in testing out this year. Some of the products I'll be listing have been around for awhile, but some will be newer, more recently released products as well! :) So without any further ado, let's start!

1. Mane 'n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner

Technically, this shampoo and conditioner is meant for horses, but it can also be used safely on human hair, too. There are many positive reviews about Mane 'n Tail shampoo and conditioner that state that it makes hair thicker, softer, and shinier, and that it even promotes faster hair growth. While my hair is already thick, it's bit on the dry side and can sometimes look dull, so I'm hoping that it would help my hair look healthier. Also, I wouldn't mind if it can help me out a bit with hair growth as well, as I'd like my hair to be just a little bit longer. :)

2. Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB Cream

Currently, I've been using Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 21. It's the first BB Cream I have ever tried and I really love how it feels so nice and light on my skin and how it seems to help some of my blemishes go away faster, but sometimes it just doesn't provide enough coverage for me and I land up having to use some concealer along with it. Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly supposedly provides more coverage than most bb creams, and that's what mainly is drawing me to this. I'm hoping that I won't have to use as much concealer with this during the times a small zit or two or three decide to spring up on my skin. Another plus I've heard about this is that this product doesn't have to oxidize, which I've noticed that Missha Perfect Cover has to do. Missha Perfect Cover has a gray-ish cast to it when it's first applied to the skin, and has to sit for a little while before it blends in. The only thing that seems to be a downside with Aqua Jelly is that it only comes in two shades, so it's kind of a gamble on whether or not either of the two shades would be a match with my skin.

3. Maybelline The Rocket Volum'Express Mascara

I really really hate most mascaras that I've tried. My lashes are a decent length, not too short, not too long, but they sure lack in volume. Almost every mascara I've tried seems to just either clump my lashes together our just make them look longer and stringier than they really are, and that's just not a good look. There is SO much hype over Mabelline's new Rocket mascara though, with many people saying how much thicker their lashes look after using it and how it doesn't clump at all. It sounds like it has exactly what I need in a mascara, so I'm really looking forward to picking up a tube and seeing if it really does deliver. Hopefully I won't be left disappointed!

4. Henna Hair Dye

I've been dying my hair burgundy since I turned 14 using Revlon's Colorstay hair dye, and really, I believe that that's really been taking a toll on my hair's condition. Henna hair dye is supposedly much less damaging to hair and it apparently can help make your hair healthier and stronger since it's all natural, though there are some brands of henna dye that contain metallic compounds that aren't so good for the hair, so it's important to find one that doesn't have those. It also doesn't become brassy as the color fades out, too. I really don't want to give up coloring my hair, so I figured this may be a better alternative to coloring it without abusing my hair to oblivion. I still need to find exactly which brand I should go with, though.

5. Snail Street Snail Cream

It's weird, a cream with the base ingredient of snail excretions, but it's said to help prevent and reduce wrinkles, lighten and fade acne scars, evens over all skin tone, and leaves your skin looking radiant! It just sounds so interesting and there seems to be a lot of benefits from using it, so I'm really curious about it and want to try it out! ^.^

6. Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm

The packaging for these look so cute and colorful, and the idea of it being tinted and nourishing for the lips really appeals to me. I'm kind of a sucker for tinted balms and lip glosses, since I really don't like wearing bold colors on my lips and prefer just a soft, subtle hint of color. I'm looking forward to picking up a couple of these! 

Kawaii Nails!

I ordered a set of nails from kawaiinails.com a couple of weeks ago, and they finally came in today! x3 I was surprised that they looked just as pretty in person as they did on the site! The only thing I was a little sad about is one of the nails was missing rhinestones.They stated on their site that sometimes rhinestones will be missing, though, and they aren't responsible for rhinestones falling off, so I can't really pin that on them, but still... I wish they would have provided more replacement beads with in their little baggy of backup rhinestones and jewels so I could fix it properly.  Oh well, not like rhinestones are that hard to come by, anyways. :P Overall, they're very nice looking, and the glue that comes with the nails seems to dry instantly on contact with your nail bed. I didn't have to press down on them for too long at all in order to get them to stay. 

I ordered a small, and for the most part, they seem to fit comfortably enough, but I think next time, I'll order a medium and see how that works, or I'll just order custom sizes. I almost wish I did that, but I didn't realize that was an option when I got these. ^^:

Amazingly, they're already holding up better than other press-on nails that I've tried in the past. The real test is seeing if they stay on while I'm asleep, though. I've had nails just randomly disappear on me overnight, never to be found again... Q_Q I also worry about how well they'll hold up in the shower, since in order to remove them, you need to soak your hands in warm water for about 30 minutes. I'm just curious if being in the shower for that amount of time would have any effect on the glue... I'm hoping it doesn't, because I really don't want to accidentally lose one down the drain or having to keep re-applying them constantly! >.< 

 If they hold up well, I'll definitely stock up on these and get other sets. They're cheaper than getting acrylic nails done at a salon, and you can get more uses out of them. Plus, it seems that these are far more gentle on my nail beds than acrylics, too, which I totally love since my nails really can't take much abuse (they're paper thin and always have been since I was little). I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!

Simple Matcha Green Tea Mask!

As I've stated in my Bath Time Beauty Tips post, green tea is great for your skin. ^.^ It's loaded with antioxidants and does wonders for your complexion! So, here I'm going to teach you how to make your own homemade matcha green tea mask! It's all natural, and won't irritate your skin at all! You will need:

1) A clean face
2) A small bowl or container
3) A spoon
4) Matcha powder (the brand shouldn't matter)
5) Some water


Instructions:

Take about a fourth cup of matcha powder and pour it into your container. Next, add in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of water (adjust as necessary). With the spoon, mix the two ingredients together until it becomes thick and gooey. You are now ready to start applying it to your face! Leave it on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water!


Easy, right? So the next time you treat yourself to an at home spa day, be sure to try this out!

Bath Time Beauty Tips

It didn't cross my mind until a couple of days ago, but I had pretty much just realized that I can actually take a bath where we currently live now! Back where we used to live, our tub was way too small and cramped, and fairly shallow, so it made taking a nice, soothing bath somewhat difficult. Anyways, I've been taking an advantage of soaking in the tub over here, and I thought that it might be a good idea to share some of my bath time beauty tips with everyone! So, here they are...!

1.  Just add milk!

We all know that drinking milk helps build strong bones, but it also does wonders for the skin, too! The lactic acid helps exfoliate and remove dead skin cells, and the protein helps keep your skin hydrated, leaving it feeling soft and silky to the touch! All you need to do is add 2-3 cups of milk into your bath water (you may also use powdered milk, I just prefer to use normal drinking milk), and then let yourself soak in it. After about 5-10 minutes of soaking, take a loofah and gently scrub your skin.  Then allow yourself to soak some more for another 10 minutes. This will help your skin look more healthy and radiant, and also, it seems to help very much with keratosis pilaris (they're usually little reddish bumps that resemble chicken skin. Keratosis pilaris is more commonly found on the upper arms, thighs, and sometimes even the face). I personally have keratosis pilaris on my upper arms (mainly on my right side), and doing this has proven to be quite effective in helping it clear up!

2.  Or would you prefer tea, instead?

Another option is to add green tea to your bath! You can use either matcha or teabags, it doesn't really matter much either way (if you use tea bags, I suggest using either two or three of them, and I would keep them in the water for the entire duration of your bath). Green tea baths are great for cleansing your skin, helping with acne, and can even help speed up the healing process of cuts and scrapes! It also has lots of antioxidants and vitamins that can keep your skin looking younger. Not only that, but it'll make you feel very relaxed and rejuvenated after your bath is done! 

3. Don't just sit there!

Okay, So most people take a bath to relax and wind down, but did you know that exercising in the bath is quite good for you, too? The water provides some resistance, so you can get a nice, light workout from it! I like to start off by doing some stretches, such as trying to reach for my toes as I sit down in the tub with my legs stretched out, bringing my knees to my chest, and stretching my arms up toward the ceiling. Then, I follow this exercise routine (be sure to place a bath mat down at the bottom of the tub before you start, though!):

A) Reverse Crunches

Lay back as far as you can without submerging your head under water. Keep your arms to your sides and use them as an anchor to keep yourself from floating. Lift up your legs and bend them at a 90 degree angle. Using only the lower half of your body, lift your legs toward you, then bring them down away from you. Try not to bring them down too low!

B) Sit ups

Lay as far back as you can in the tub (without submerging your head under water) and place your hands behind your head. Place one foot on each side of the water faucet and press them a bit against the wall. Have your knees slightly bent (they should be pointing toward you a little bit) and begin doing your sit ups!

C) Body Lifts (?)

So, I don't really know what to call this exercise or it's proper name, but what you have to do is sit straight up, with your legs stretched out (again, keep them together) and toes pointed. Your body should be at a 90 degree angle. Then, take your arms to your sides (palms facing down at the bottom of the tub) and then slide them back a couple of inches. Use your arms to lift your body up and hold it for as long as you can. If your bottom touches the floor of the tub, set yourself back down, and try again.

D) Flutter Kicks

Lay out far enough to where you can stretch out your legs out comfortably. Place your arms at your side with your palms face down on the bottom of the tub. Point your toes up. Now, start kicking, but don't let your legs go above the water or touch the bottom of the tub.

After doing these, finish off with more light stretches and some breathing exercises, and you're done! ^_^

Extra Tips

* You can add in some essential oils along with your milk or tea bath such as sandalwood, rose, jasmine, or lavender to make your bath even more relaxing and beneficial!

* Be sure to rinse off and wash up after a bath! Bath water contains all of your dead skin and dirt, so you definitely don't want to keep all of that on you!

* Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! It's always good to re-hydrate your skin, especially after rinsing off!

And there you have it! Hopefully you guys find this information to be helpful! :D

Hair Color Dilemma

After all these years of dying my hair burgundy, I've recently been thinking about dying my hair a different color. The issue I've been having is deciding exactly which direction to go with it. >.< What I know already is that I can't go too dark (I have naturally black hair, and all it did was wash me out) and I don't think I can pull off any shade of blonde. Honestly, I don't even want to go that route (not that there's anything wrong with blondes!). I also really want something that is kind of fun yet not too bold, so it won't clash with my style, if there is such a color other than burgundy (that just makes me wonder if I should just stick with it...? Or maybe I should just give in and go with either an unnatural color or a more natural color... I have no idea...).

As you can probably tell, I'm quite confused. Lols! Because of that, I've been doing my research on possible ways I can find out what colors would look good on me, and which I should steer clear of. Here are some tips and facts that I have learned so far from other sites that I thought might be good to share with everyone who might be having the same problem as I am (I hope it helps!):

* If you're dying your hair at home, don't go more than 2 shades lighter or darker than your natural hair color.

* Determine whether you are either a warm, cool, or neutral skin tone - you can do so by trying out these tests:

The Jewelry Test

- Warm skin tone: gold jewelry looks best on you

- Cool skin tone: silver jewelry looks best on you

- Neutral skin tone: both gold and silver jewelry look equally good on you

(Note: be sure to get unbiased opinions on this to help you determine which is true for you)

The Vein Test

Look at the veins in your arms.... Are they blue or are they more green? If they're blue, then you might be a cool skin tone. If they're green, you may be more on the warm side. However, keep in mind that this isn't always 100% accurate.

The White Cloth Test

Pull your hair away from your face and place a white towel around your neck and shoulders. If your skin reflects a more yellow shade, you're warm; if your skin looks more blue, you're cool.

* Keep in mind that if you are of Asian descent, you don't automatically fall into the olive category! You can find out more about this in here! This will also help you see that there are many different types of overtone and undertone combinations and that there's always exceptions!

* Once you figure out what your skin tone is, you may start looking up shades that will compliment it! 

Remember, warm skin tones look best with warm hair colors, cool skin tones look best with cool colors, and neutral skin tones can pull off both!

(cooler colors have blue, green, purple, black and grey tones in them, and warmer colors have red, yellow, orange, and brown tones in them)

* Consult your hairstylist! Chances are, they can help you find a shade that will work for you. 

* If you're a little more brave, then experiment with colors. Sometimes the best way to find out whether or not something works for you is by trying things out for yourself. Be sure to take proper care of your hair though and don't overdo the coloring as to not damage it!

Hopefully this proves to be useful! Lols! I know I've learned quite a bit looking up information on this. I think with the information I've found, I have more of an idea on which colors will work for me, though I still haven't decided on an exact shade just yet. ^^; Wish me luck on my hair journey, and good luck to those of you who are searching for their own perfect shades! ^_^

My Female Celebrity Crushes xD

Even though I'm a straight girl, I can't help but admire some of the female celebrities out there. ^.^ So here are my top 5 (no specific order)!

1. Sofia Vergara

This woman is insanely gorgeous! What's even more amazing to me is how well she has aged! She definitely does not look like she's in her 40s at all! I would be happy if I could look half as good as she does when I reach my fourth decade... xD Aside from her looks, she's also really funny. ^.^ Every time she shouts in Modern Family, I can't help but laugh~! She just becomes so animated and crazy... I love it! I also like how she can poke fun at herself. I remember reading somewhere that she sometimes makes her accent stronger than it really is for the sake of a joke. I think that the fact that she can do that makes her all the more attractive. ^_^


2. Catherine Zeta-Jones

Yet another more mature, gorgeous woman! I've loved Catherine since I was a kid. When I saw her in The Mask of Zorro, I was in awe of her beauty and I wished that I could look like her. Needless to say, her looks haven't faded a bit! She's every bit as lovely as she was back then! Also, I've always thought she was a great actress. I really loved all of the movies I've seen with her in them. :)


3. Taylor Swift

Taylor is so pretty, cute, and talented. :3 I love her music and I like listening to her sing! Another thing that I  love about her is that she dresses elegantly instead of showing off everything she has like most stars tend to do. That's pretty rare and it really makes her stand out from the rest. She also seems like a normal and real girl, and that adds to her appeal. She also has inner beauty to match her pretty looks. She truly is a sweet and down to earth person, and if I had the chance to hang out with her, I happily would!


4.  Ayumi Hamasaki

I've been a long time fan of Ayumi. x3 I love everything about her! I've always envied how well she could pull off long or short hair and still look utterly fabulous! I also really enjoy her sense of style, as well. Also, when listening to her sing, I love how there's feeling and power behind her voice. She's really incredible, and I have to say there's not one song from her I don't like. Another thing that I really admire about her is that she always stays true to who she is, and never tries to be anyone else but her. Because of that, I look up to her. :D


5.  Rachel McAdams

What I like best about Rachel is how she can play various different roles so well. She is excellent at playing a mean girl, but does equally as well at playing the romantic type. She really gives her all in each role she plays, and she's passionate about them. Not only that, but she's intelligent, too! With all of that plus her beauty, she really does seem to have it all!

Embrace the Natural YOU!

Freshly rolled out of bed! 

I had caught myself thinking about my high school days, and I remembered that when I was younger, I couldn't live without putting on my makeup. I didn't even want to go anywhere in public without first having put on my lip gloss, concealer, eyeliner, and blush and styling my hair. My friends had never seen me NOT done up. I was extremely self-conscious and had always spent ridiculous amounts of time in front of a mirror. It was like I needed to look as good and as perfect as I could 24/7. At the end of the day, the worst part for me was when I had to wash all my makeup away. I felt ugly and hated how I looked without it.

 I wasn't the only girl like this, either. I knew plenty of girls at my school who were exactly the same. Back then, it seemed normal to be that way. Thinking about it now though, the whole thing just seems really sad. The worse thing is, sometimes girls don't grow out of this mindset. Some still believe that they aren't pretty without doing their hair and makeup and dressing up, even though that's not true. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that anyone should stop doing these things. I LOVE getting myself all dolled up still; it's fun! I just don't feel like I need to rely on it to feel good about myself anymore, and neither should anyone else.

I fussed over my looks for so long, and after awhile, I became sick and tired of it. Eventually, I just stopped caring about what other people thought (or to be more exact, what I thought people thought) of my appearance and picking at every little flaw on my body, and you know what? I'm so much happier now! I learned to accept my less than perfect traits and some of them I've even come to like.  Those stretch marks on my thighs?  Most women have them, and they fade over time! That mole that's right in the middle of my nose? It's a little mark that makes me unique. How many people can you say that you've met with one in that exact spot? I've never seen anyone else with one. :) I grew to love that part of me and quit being embarrassed about it. I actually can't even imagine it not being there anymore! xD

Also, I try to keep in mind that not many people are even going to sit there and try to spot all of  my imperfections anyway, so why should I stress over them? Most likely, they're more focused on their own  "flaws", not mine. Heck, they probably can't even see them! I can't tell you how many times my friends had complained over something about themselves that I hadn't even noticed and vice versa. So there is really no point in my making myself miserable, is there? :) The same goes for everyone else!

What I'm trying to say here is, everyone is beautiful the way they are. Everyone! ^_^ Don't let anyone make you need to be a certain way to be considered pretty, because that's just a bunch of barnacles! (SpongeBob reference....haha). You don't need to hide or change a thing about you, so.... EMBRACE YOUR GORGEOUS SELF! Annnnd go out there and flaunt your natural beauty. :D

I Really Want To Smack Pageant Moms.....

Dads too. I know that that is a really awful thing to say, but it's true! I wouldn't be so mad if pageant parents didn't take it so far... I mean, it's fine to have your child participate in  one or two here or there, as long as the children don't have to have 50 pounds of makeup on their faces, fake tans, fake teeth, and hair that's twice the size of their head. Don't even get me started on the atrocious (and often too provocative) outfits they dress them in, either. -_-; I feel that if they are going to enter their child in a pageant, they should have them look like children, and not like miniature adults. It's seriously disturbing.

Another thing I find to be wrong about these types of pageants is that they are conveying the wrong message to these kids. It seems as if they're trying to say that in order to be beautiful, you need to look a certain type of way and that if you have to drastically change your features by artificial means in order to fit that image, do it. It really is heartbreaking that some of these little girls are saying that without all of their pageant makeup, clothes, and wigs, they don't feel beautiful. Can't the parents see what kind of damage they are doing? There daughters already are starting to have warped views on how they think they should look. 

Not only that, but it also is teaching these children to value looks above all else. I remember watching these young girls fixated on their reflections in the mirror and sassing their mothers and fathers in the Toddlers and Tiaras commercials on TLC, and I was appalled that their parents had done NOTHING about their child's behavior. I know that when I was a little girl, I would not be able to get away with that attitude. My mother had always taught me that while looking good may be nice, it is much better to have a beautiful heart and to be kind and respectful. I didn't see many (if any at all) of those pageant parents teaching their kids that. And they wonder why their kids don't listen to them or why they act  like stuck-up divas... It's really unbelievable.

Above all else, I wish that they would just let their kids be kids. You know, let them run around and play in dirt.... They shouldn't have to worry about getting messy or ruining their hair or losing weight to fit in their stage clothing. I feel really bad for them, since it seems like their childhood is being taken away from them... It's unfortunate....

Liquid eyeliner vs. Gel Liner

First off, I will say that this comparison between the two different eyeliners is solely based on my own opinion and which I feel had worked best for me. :) I'm not saying that one is ultimately better than the other or anything of the sort. Now with that out of the way, lets start! ^_^

I've always been someone who has struggled with using liquid liner. I could never quite use the brush correctly, and every time I tried using it, it just landed up looking like a complete disaster. Eventually, I just had given up using it altogether and stuck with crayon liners, even though I didn't like using those much either, since the ones I've used never really stayed in place and always smudged and smeared on me. Even so, they were easy for me to use. Then, I discovered pen liquid liners, and I became enthusiastic about that and purchased the Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner Pen!

I loved it as soon as I tried it. It was just as easy as using a crayon liner AND it had the kind of staying power that I had been wanting. The lines also came out smooth, crisp, and bold; the way I always try to make my liner look as much as possible. It also made it easier for me to reach closer to the inner corner of my eyes, which I usually can't get to without messing up and smearing the liner onto my lid. I was extremely happy with it. ^_^ The only thing was that after awhile, I noticed that the pen had a tendency to dry out quickly, so I had to work fast. I also didn't quite like that I couldn't see how much product I had or how much was remaining. I like knowing how much I have to work with so I can easily tell when it's time to get more before I completely run out of it (I seriously do not like having a deficiency of eyeliner... I'm a bit of a freak with it and MUST have a good supply of it around). 

I landed up using the last bit of my Dolly Wink liner yesterday (or at least I think so...? It at least had enough in it to where I was able to do both eyes and complete my makeup), and so I went out to shop for more eyeliner. While they don't carry the Dolly Wink brand at any of the stores in my area, they did have other brands of liquid eyeliner pens in stock. Instead of picking up another liquid liner pen though, I decided to go with the Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner.

At first, I was a little intimidated by the brush, since it just reminded me of how badly I failed with the liquid liner brushes in the past. I was also kind of disappointed in seeing how small the container of eyeliner was. To my surprise, the application was really simple, as it just glided right on and didn't tug at my lids at all, and  only a small amount of product was used to complete both eyes! The brush was also small enough to get closer to the inner corner of my eyes too, so there was no hassle with it, just like the liquid eyeliner pen. Another thing that I liked about it was that it literally only took me seconds to finish applying it to both eyes due to how easy the application was, which I'm not really used to since I'm very OCD with the way my eyeliner turns out. I had no problem making thick lines or thin lines. It really cut down my primping time tremendously! I'm also happy that it also still is pretty bold just like the liquid liner, and it still hasn't smudged on me even though it's been hours since I did my makeup, though it may have helped that I set it with a little bit of black eye shadow. So far, there are no cons about this product that I can come up with.

For me, it's definitely clear that the winner here is gel liner! I've become an instant fan of it. ^_^

Baking Soda: Miracle in a Box

For the past couple of weeks or so, I've decided to use baking soda to wash my face in the mornings and at night in place of the cleansers and soaps sold in stores. I had my doubts about it at first, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot since I ran out of my La Roche-Posay Purifying Foaming Gel and use it temporarily until I could go out and buy more. To my pleasant surprise, I actually find that I like using it so much more than what I had been using before. Don't get me wrong, La Roche-Posay is great as it's not drying and it's really gentle on the skin, and it brought my skin back to life after it was destroyed by Proactiv (Proactiv seriously dried out my skin and made my acne and breakouts even worse and more inflamed), but I didn't see much improvement in my complexion after that. With the baking soda, I can see that my skin is smoother, softer, more radiant, and clearer than before. ^_^ I've also noticed that my face feels cleaner after washing it, too, and that it helps get rid of my blemishes quicker than any other product I have used in the past. So, with that being said, baking soda has earned a permanent place in my skin care regimen. Good bye, all of you expensive serums, toners, and soaps! I don't need you anymore!

Haha! It almost seems as if I'm trying to campaign against Proactiv. xD

My love for baking soda doesn't just stop at skin care... I've also recently found out that it's also great for cleaning hair as well! It helps remove build up and residue from shampoos and styling products. A lot of people who don't use shampoo swear by using it to wash their hair, and seeing how well it worked for my skin, I decided to give it a try. I mixed a half cup of baking soda with about a cup of water (I use the same measurements and mixture for my skin), took it in the shower with me and lathered my hair and scalp with it like I would with shampoo. After that, I rinsed out my hair thoroughly with water and then finished with an apple cider vinegar rinse (it's highly recommended that you use that afterward). I noticed that my hair really did feel cleaner (just like with my skin!) and that my hair also felt lighter in weight. When my hair had dried, my hair also looked really shiny and was bouncy, too! ^_^ I've also found that my hair didn't become oily near the roots the next day and remained dry. :)  As much as I love the results that it had on my hair, I'm afraid that I cannot completely give up shampoo, since my hair is color treated.  Baking soda can cause colored hair to fade quickly with frequent use, so instead, I think I'm going to use it once a month for a deep cleansing.

In conclusion, I would definitely recommend others to try out baking soda for either hair or skin care. However, it may not be the best option for those who have really dry skin or hair, as it may make it worse. If that is the case and you still want to try it out, the best thing to do might be to mix a very small amount into your shampoo or facial cleanser and use it that way.

I hope this provided some useful information to all of you, and I hope that if you decide to try it, that you'll love it as much as I do!

It's Like Watching Grass Grow...

...Except instead of grass, it's my hair. I have a few more inches to go before I'm at my desired length, but it feels like it's taking forever.... I keep measuring it often to see if it made any progress, but I know I shouldn't do that because it'll make the process seem even longer. :P I can't help it though, since I'm just too excited and eager to style my hair in so many different ways! That's most likely why I've been so obsessed with cute hair accessories lately. ^^;

I've never really had long hair, except for when I was very little. Apparently back then, my hair was all the way down to my tiny tush. xD Eventually though, my mom had it cut quite short because it was such a pain for her to style my hair at that length on a daily basis, and it didn't help that I had a lot of hair that was fairly thick. Ever since then, I've kept my hair short to medium, never touching my shoulders. I have to admit, shorter hair is much easier to maintain and wash, but I just got bored because there wasn't much I can do with it. I pretty much always just wore it down. I want to do more with it, especially when I see these lovely girls on youtube with long, beautiful hair making cute hair tutorials. It just makes me want to try out all the different looks! x3

Right now, my hair is about an inch or two past my collar bone, and lately the best thing for me to do with it is tying it up into two little pigtails. It makes me feel like I look a lot younger than I am, but for now it looks better than just leaving my hair down. It tends to flip outward at the ends, especially in the back, but I am slowly getting past that. It was really bad when my hair was like, right at the curve of my neck and resting just slightly above my shoulders... -_- Talk about annoying... Not even my straightener could make it lay flat!

Anyways, I'm doing my very best to help my hair grow healthy. I changed my diet (though, that was mainly so I can lose weight, so I guess that's actually killing two birds with one stone), I've been taking vitamins, and I really, really try to cut down on using my hair dryer and straightener so much, and I try not to dye it as often, too. It's actually been pretty easy doing all of those things, especially since I mainly stay at home most of the time. I have no urgent need to style my hair every single day. The only thing that I can't really keep up on is scheduling a hair appointment to remove dry/split ends every 8 weeks... Thankfully I've never really had any split ends or breakage before, even when I used to abuse my hair like crazy. The worst I suffer from is dryness, which I do try to fix with deep conditioning masks and leave in conditioners, as well as drinking plenty of water. It really is surprising... o_o I used to do so many hair don'ts... It makes me shudder thinking about how badly I've treated it before, and I can only thank my lucky stars that my hair was never beyond repair. I hope to keep it that way by taking care of it as much as possible now. ^.^