Resource 'Sundays': Beauty Blogs

I apologize for this being delayed. Friday was a busy, busy whirlwind of a day for me. I got engaged on Friday and so I was in lala land for the whole last part of the day... just so happy! Anyway, for this Resource Friday post (yes, I know today is Sunday) I wanted to share some fellow beauty bloggers who have blogs/sites that I quite enjoy.

1) A Model Recommends: Just what it sounds like, pretty much. A beauty blog from a model's perspective. An intelligent and educated model, at that. She has the inside scoop on a lot of new, amazing products and some tricks of the biz. She also talks fashion, which is a bonus. I really enjoy reading her articles and getting ideas of new products to try and skin care tips. She even has some tutorial videos and 'vlog' posts. This blog is definitely a keeper!

2) Refinery29: This is maybe more regular website-like and there are various topics besides beauty. However, that seems to be the focus. I am sure a lot of you know about this one since this is a pretty popular and well-known site. I enjoy their reviews of easy-to-obtain drugstore products and quick & easy hair ideas. But of course, there is a lot about this site that I like. A lot of the ideas I see are things I feel like I can actually do, which is a HUGE plus for me since I am sort of 'challenged' in that way. Check this one out, for sure.

3) Cult of Pretty: This one is so neat, I love the concept. There are a TON of brands on here that I have never heard of, and I love that. I am all about discovering awesome, not-as-well-known products. What is great is she also talks about all products... drugstore, department store, and "no store," as she calls it. Her blog has a fun and artistic layout that always keeps me entertained. If you are wanting to find new products or learn something specific about a product, this is where you want to be.

4) I Covet Thee: What  I like about this site is how personal it feels. I feel like I could hang out with Alix and already know her a little bit after looking around on her site and reading some blogs. Her Instagram is interesting and she even posts food pictures, which a lot of you know I am a closet food journalist (haha). You can look through her product directory if you are looking for something in particular or just scroll through her home page to read her latest blogs. You can't go wrong.

5) August Skin: This one is really fun. She is an up-and-coming blogger and I love her articles. She is what I am working to be someday. She seems to write about a lot of things that I am curious about or things I think I would write about. One of my favorite things about her blog is her writing style. It is really beautifully done and it really clicks with me. Out of all of these blogs, this one is probably my favorite but I think all the other ones are fab and you should totally check them out too. 

Hope you enjoy some of these blogs! =)


☮gretchen elizabeth

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

Picture from Refinery29's latest article. Read it.

Acne, blotchy-ness, redness, & dry spots Part III

And so, this little series comes to an end. For the third part of these skin concerns I want to focus a little more on makeup and not skin care. Today I am going to talk about two products that are helpful for me when I have these skin concerns (or even when I do not): mineral foundation (specifically loose powder but there are other forms) and bronzer. I want to preface this with the statement that I know not all of these products will work for everyone nor will these routines. I am trying to get sort of a broad-base perspective. If you would like some specific suggestions, please feel free to ask me or check out some of the apps I talked about in my last post, do research on other websites, etc. 

Here are some mineral foundations that I like:

1) Physicians Formula Mineral Wear: I am always impressed with Physicians Formula products. I like this one because it is inexpensive and does not make my skin look weird or get oily. I think mineral powder lets you have great, buildable coverage and it is good for any skin type. Not all kinds work for all skin types, though. I have combination skin and this works really well for me. I have sensitive skin and this is hypoallergenic, which is a huge plus for me as well. You can buy this at pretty much any drug store and Walmart. They also have some with SPF, but I have not seen it in stores. I also have not looked that hard so I am sure it is there since it is online. There are 9 colors.

2) bareMinerals Foundation: This mineral foundation has its ups and downs for me. I do not like how 'heavy' the coverage is on me. I looks pretty but it makes me feel like a, dare I say it, cake face. That is definitely not suiting for me. I like the matte version much better because when I use the regular version my skin is oily by the end of the day. One thing I really like about this though is that it has broad spectrum SPF 15 in it. It is still ideal to use a moisturizer with SPF in it as well, and do touch-ups as needed. It is a little expensive but a little goes a long way. I will say that I like a lot of their products in general, as well. bareMinerals is sold online, in stores, and in salons. It is pretty accessible and there are 20 colors. 

3) Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation: This is what I am using at moment, in Ivory 2. I love the coverage with this one. Not too much, not too little. It is not a matte powder but it definitely controls my oil (like Physicians Formula does, but maybe a tiny bit better). They do not make a foundation with SPF but they do have a foundation primer (SPF 15) and tinted moisturizer (SPF 20) with sunscreen.  Price-wise it is in between the bareMinerals and the Physicians Formula. This has 12 colors. 

Okay so there are a TON more mineral foundations but there are some to get you started. Now on to the bronzers...

1) Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips: See? I told you I love this brand. This is what I am using right now. It is great because it has a gradient of colors so you can go darker or lighter, depending on your skin tone and what you're going for. You can also use this as an eyeshadow, which I love. It works well as eyeshadow and it is great for traveling if you are not trying to take too many products with you. They have a lot of different kinds of bronzers and even different colors in this specific style. I use the Waikiki Strip/Peachy Glow Bronzer right now.

2) Too Faced Endless Summer 16+ Hour Bronzer: I have actually not tried this one but it gets awesome reviews everywhere. I have looked at a lot of 'best bronzer' articles and it is named in almost every one, as well. There is only one color in this, so it will not fit every skin tone I am sure. That is one thing to remember with bronzers: it is important to go with one that compliments the shade and tone of your skin. A bonus to this product is that it is long-lasting and cruelty-free. It says that it has buildable coverage, which is something that is really important for me. Simple and natural. 

Let me know what you use or if you would like a suggestion for you skin tone. Or any other thoughts, comments, or suggestions. This wraps up this three-part skin series! What should I cover next?

Ciao, bellas!

☮gretchen elizabeth

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

Resource Fridays: Apps

I would like to dedicate Friday's to short, sweet posts about resources. There are so many things out there on the internet, magazines, stores, etc. for you to grab hold of and say "Mine!" The great news is, a lot of them are free or really inexpensive. Some of you may be saying, "Well yeah, but where do I start?" This is where I come in. I am hoping to give you extensive beauty resources by picking a 'theme' each Friday and giving some information. 

This week's theme is apps. As in, phone/mobile applications. Almost all of us have a smart phone or iPad/Kindle/tablet/etc. We have busy lives, so we need things that cater to that. Something quick, easy, and fun. I would like to share with a few apps I have found and like. 

Beautylish: You do not want to miss this one. Gosh, I love it! They post articles surrounding different beauty concerns (and even post DIY stuff), you can look at videos and photos, see what other people are talking about in the beauty world, get and give advice, and even buy things from their website or app. My favorite part is the articles and DIYs but it is all great stuff. You can favorite anything you like and save it for future use. I would highly recommend this app. It's fun and has a great user interface. 

Total Beauty: This app is a review melting pot. You can look up products and see what other people are saying about them. You can search by brand or by category (face, makeup, hair, body). This app is great if you are looking for a new product to try or have a specific brand you want to explore for other products. It is nice because it has a TON of different brands, and not just certain brands like department stores have. 

Make Up For Ever Pocket Studio: This app is like a little pocket makeup artist. It has a lot of tutorials so you can learn how to achieve looks for any occasion. It is nice because it also has tips on how to fix those beauty blunders (I seem to have one of those every time I try to do something out of my ordinary makeup routine) and you can save your favorite products to a wish list, if you want.  I do not use this app because I rarely do anything awesome with my makeup. But for those of you who like to experiment with different looks, this a cool one!

My Own: Whoa huh hoo, this is a gem. This app analyzes your skin type by taking a picture of your face. Make sure your face is sans make-up, pull you hair back, and take a picture! You can use the front or back camera if your phone has that capability. The back camera produces better results according to the app, but I used the front camera and it seemed to work fine. This is just really nifty to me. It looks at wrinkles and age spots. And let me tell you, I was amazed at what this picked up! It tells you where you are at as compared to your peers and gives you suggestions for lifestyle and skincare changes. This app does more than this but I wanted to give a quick review of it. Check it out and let me know what you think!

The best thing about these four apps... they are free! I only did four because this is supposed to be short and sweet (apparently I struggle with that) and that is a lot of apps to try. Post some of your favorite beauty apps, I'd love to hear what you are all loving right now.

Happy weekending. Wear that sunscreen! *wink*

☮gretchen elizabeth

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

At-The-Moment-Loves: July

Taking just a one-post break from my series. In the next post I will finish up the three-part specific skin concern series.

This evening I wanted to give you a quick run-down of some of the things I am loving for this hot, sunny month of July. Let me know what you're loving right now, too! 

Clock-wise from top left corner:

1) Ray-Bans Wayfarer: Well, everyone needs sunglasses in the summer, right? Honestly, the best way to protect those precious mucous membranes is to wear sunglass at all times, even when it is cloudy. According to the Ray-Ban website, all of their lenses protect the eyes "100%" from "UVA, UVB, harmful, and blue light" rays. I am not really sure what the last two mean specifically, not really my specialty! 
I put 100% in quotes because the lenses do not wrap around the sides and the top/bottom so they technically do not block the rays that come in from the angles that they do not cover. It is highly important to find sunglasses that have UV protection! They do not have to be expensive, either. Even expensive sunglasses do not always have UV protection, sadly. If you are a known sunglass-breaking offender, buy a case! Once you start to get into a certain price range, they will even come with a case. You can buy these babies a lot of places, mine are from Sunglass Hut. The above link is linked to the Ray-Ban website.

2) Philosophy Eye Hope™ Multitasking Eye Cream: I received a deluxe sample of this so I will give a quick review since I did not have enough to see if it is 'really' working. Six weeks is about what it takes, but this product is sold in a pretty big container for just the eyes so it will last ya awhile! To start, at all the websites I found this product to be sold (Philosophy, Ulta, Sephora, Skin Store, Nordstrom, & more I am sure) it had product reviews of 4 out of 5 'stars' for the average. 
I noticed a little bit of a burning sensation when I used it, which I did not like but it passed after about 5 minutes or so. I did not notice a change in lines, wrinkles, or puffiness (this is an anti-aging product) yet but I did notice the skin around my eyes was softer than it was when I was just using moisturizer and the appearance of my sometimes-dark-circles were lighter. Like I said, I cannot give a full on review since I have not used it for 6 weeks but for the short time I used this product, I was really impressed! 

3) Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit: This balm is a winner for me. I like that it comes in a chap stick style tube, because it is the fastest and easiest way to put on lip balm. It has a really smooth, lasting texture most likely because of the Grapefruit Seed Oil (Bonus: Yummy smell and flavor). It is also really moisturizing, so I appreciate that. Summer and winter months are when my skin and lips are the most dry (the climate is pretty dry in Eastern Washington since we are in high desert). I bought my tube at a grocery store here in Spokane called Yoke's Fresh Market but Burt's Bees is sold everywhere, really... gas stations, drug stores like Walgreens, Walmart, their website, grocery stores, etc. This is a very inexpensive, great lip balm for summer that I would give a 4.5 out of 5 stars, taking off .5 because it does not have sunscreen in it.

4) Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up!: I love their catchy product names. This is an amazing highlighter. I have a smaller, travel size version of it but once I am out I will be getting the full-size. I do not have the blending sponge on mine and I am reading mixed reviews on that so you will have to see what works best for you. I use my finger tips to blend it and that works great. This is meant for cheekbones and brow bones, but I mainly use it for cheekbones. This product lasts about all day, which is awesome. It is also really easy to blend...  I just put a line on top of my cheekbones slanting up a bit as I move towards my hairline and then I blend with a finger tip, moving in small circular motions. It literally takes seconds to do this. It is such a beautiful luminizer. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars for me because of the look, feel, staying power, and ease of application. You can buy it at these websites: Benefit Cosmetics, Sephora, Ulta, Makeup Alley, and more. 

Let's hear some of your favorite summer time products! *muwah*


☮gretchen elizabeth

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

Acne, blotchy-ness, redness, & dry spots Part II

I know you all have been anxiously awaiting part ll of this series. I am really slacking, huh? Again, I would like to thank those of you who gave me lots of suggestions and concerns you have. I really like learning about other people's beauty interests and concerns. 

So, Part l I talked about exfoliating and moisturizing, two things I do every single day. Again, I'd like to point out that those of you with acne-prone skin should be using something with 2% salicylic acid, unless you have an adverse reaction to it.

1) One thing that I find extremely beneficial for red, irritated skin is using cooling products. You can buy them pretty much anywhere. Not only do they help with skin appearance, they feel amazing! 

A product I am dying to try but have not yet is the Boscia Cool Blue Calming Mask. It gets 4 out of 5 stars on Sephora. It is a "peel off mask that instantly cools, calms, and hydrates." Some of the reasons I am excited to try it (besides the fact that it is cooling) are: 

• It has willow herb, which reduces redness and soothes skin
• It has aloe... we all know how awesome aloe is. =)
• AND lastly... it has sea whip! For those of you who do not know what sea whip is it is like sea pens, which is soft coral. Why is this awesome, you ask? It is one of the world's known natural potent-as-hell anti-inflammatorys. 

See... exciting, yes?

Some other cooling masks I found are:
Aveda Outer Peace Cooling Masque, an awesome DIY mask that I would like to try, The Body Shop's Tea Tree Face Mask, and Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Daily Moisturizer (I know it isn't a mask but it is cooling).
All of these can be found at various drug stores, website, and/or salons. I just wanted to give ideas with different price points.


2) Another product that improves the quality, look, and feel of your skin is BB cream. BB means 'beauty balm' and it is a miracle worker. I like to use it in place of foundation because it helps...

• even out my skin
• protects it from the sun (most BB creams have broad spectrum sunscreen)
• and firms my skin

As a lot of you know I am very partial to Urban Decay products and I LOVE their Naked Skin Beauty Balm, which they have in two different sizes. It is one of my all time favorite products I have ever used. 

So many different companies make BB cream now and you can purchase it almost anywhere. I have heard that Olay has amazing BB cream, and you cannot beat $11. Maybelline, Covergirl, Garnier, Aveeno, and Physicians Formula all make beauty balm as well, if you are looking for a drug store find. Sephora carries a lot of other brands that make BB cream besides Urban Decay like Tarte, Smashbox, Bobbi Brown, Stila, and more. 

BB cream is great to use alone or under foundation. It has moisturizing properties so if you are planning on doing your makeup after you moisturize and you want to use BB cream, I would just skip the moisturizer and just use the BB cream unless you have super thirsty skin. 

That is all for Part II. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! I will try my darndest to post Part III in a timely manner. Thank you and stay tuned! ;)

☮gretchen elizabeth

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

Emani Minerals Brow and Liner

First off I would like to apologize for not posting as much as I said I would. For those of you who do not know, I am in grad school and we are in the middle of a short four week intensive so it has been pretty.... intense. 

Today I am just going to give a brief review of my fave eyebrow liner and brush because I get asked about my eyebrows 'a lot.' It is made by Emani and I will post some links below where you can get it. I purchased it from my esthetician who does my eyebrows. For those of you in the Spokane area, I would HIGHLY recommend that you visit her for your skincare/eyebrow needs. Here is where you can find her: Trisha Watson, Spokane

As always, here are a few of my favorite things *in my Julie Andrews singing voice*:

1) It is vegan. I do not really think I need to say much here. I am sure most products of its kind are vegan, but hey can't beat cruelty-free!

2) It has two colors! I use the blonde/brown one. It is nice because I can use the darker one when I have my really dark hair and my blonde one when I have blonde or lighter brown hair. There is also a coco/black one for those of you who have darker eyebrows! 

3) I LOVE the brush they make. It is a slanted brush and the bristles/hairs are tight together so when you apply it, you get a nice clean line.

4) It is simple. I like simple. I need simple... I am no makeup artist. All I do is wet the slanted brush, get some brow color on it, line the bottom of my eyebrow, and then brush up the line of color with the other side (sort of a round mascara looking brush, or a brow brush... haha). Seriously it is that easy. 

Overall, I would really give it a 5/5. It is just that great. And I forgot to add, very affordable. I do not think I will run out for a LONG time and my brush is still going strong (I have been using it for almost a year now). Do not forget to clean it, though! Warm water and mild soap will do the trick. 

I would LOVE to hear what you all think about it. Or what are some of your favorite eyebrow products? I think the eyebrows get neglected sometimes when really they are the most important thing on our faces, I think. If eyes are the windows to the soul then the eyebrows are the frames. I heard that once somewhere, not sure where (probably Trisha). =)

Happy weekend-ing,

☮gretchen elizabeth

Emani Minerals Brow Liner

Emani Minerals Liner Brush

Enzo Milano Gio Flat Iron 1"

So, I thought I would write about something a little different this time. I apologize in advance as this will be fairly short. Grad school duties call.

Today I want to share with you all my favorite straightener of all time. For those of you that know me pretty well, know that I am not the most hair savvy person... understatement of all time. Which is why I love this Enzo Milano straightener. If you like CHI, you will like this 10x better I can almost guarantee that!

A few reasons why it is my favorite:

It has a wide-range of temperatures so it works on all types of hair. I turn it up almost all the way (which I believe is 450 degrees) because I have thick but fine hair. Does that make sense? LOTS of fine hair, I guess. Haha.

The cord does not tangle! There is no way you can can tangle it unless you tie it in a knot or something.

It works really well for straightening, curling, AND doing waves. This is nice for me since I do not to my hair all that much besides straightening it. I do not want to go out and buy a bunch of expensive tools when I have one that does multiple jobs for me.

Downside.... cost. It is fairly expensive. I think it is normally about $200 but I have seen a lot of websites that sell it for quite a bit cheaper, like $130. I am sure you could get it for even cheaper than that if you just do a little bit of browsing!

Like I said, this will be a short one! I hope this was helpful for some of you. Please leave me suggestions or products to try or review! 

Arivederci,

☮gretchen elizabeth

Enzo Milano Click there for the official EM site. Like I said, there are multiple sites that sell them. Good luck! =)

Truth Serum® Vitamin C Collagen Booster

Today I want to talk about a product I got the opportunity to sample, but I have not yet purchased it for myself (but it's on my list). First of all, I want to tell you that I am always quite skeptical of all these weird expensive serums with all these claims like "oh your face is going to look like a shiny diamond" or whatever. I purchased something online from Sephora awhile back and got a decent-sized sample of this Ole Henriksen product and let me tell you, I fell in love. You should also know that I am very anal and particular about my skin because it is so touchy to what is being put on it... and I just like to have nice skin! So let me tell you what I like about this serum....

The texture. It's a serum, but it's not oily/greasy. It is really light and even has a nice faint scent. This is really good for sensitive skin and I believe it would be good for all skin types whether you're dry, oily, or combination.

A little bit goes a long way. I had a sample packet and I got to use it 4 or 5 times (can't quite remember) before it ran out. It seems expensive but for the usage and the skin benefits, I think it is a good deal. At Sephora it is $48 for the 1 oz and $72 for the 1.7 oz. I am not sure if you can purchase it other places but this is where I know to get it.

The active ingredients. This is what I got off the internet: 
-High Potency Vitamin C (10%!!) Complex: Calms and heals skin; strengthens collagen.
-Green Tea Extract: Offers powerful antioxidant action to protect against damage.
-Sodium Hyaluronate: Binds moisture to the cells.
-Licorice Extract: Evens out pigmentation.

And of course the most important part... How it makes my skin look and feel. My complexion was improved, my skin had more of a glow to it, my skin felt tighter (in a good way), and my skin was very smooth and looked flawless sans makeup. You can use this with or without moisturizer, but usually comes before a moisturizer if you do both. 

I will put a link to it at the bottom if you want to check it out, read reviews, and what not. Overall for the short time I have tried this, I would give it about a 4.7/5. The only reason why I knock it down a little bit is because of the price. But like I said, I do believe it is worth it and I do have this product on my shopping list! I promise I will do more than just face-related beauty reviews! Please let me know if you have any requests. Have a fabulous weekend, friends!

namaste,
☮gretchen elizabeth

Click here to purchase or view on Sephora.com

Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

A beautiful new direction

I originally started this blog as sort of a way to keep people updated and tell stories and what not. I decided to go in a little bit of a different direction, now. I will try to post at least once a week. I will be reviewing beauty products and giving tips, ideas, etc. The focus is pretty much what it says... simple. I might do a glittery whatever-a-bob every now and then. If you have any requests or suggestions PLEASE let me know. =) I may do food-related (healthy, of course) things every now and again as well. Please note, I am not paid to do these reviews nor am I doing this for the benefit of any company. It is just my own personal opinions, experiences, likes and dislikes!

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup

I want to start off with this because I am so amazed and in love with this product. First of all, I want to say that I am thoroughly impressed with Urban Decay's makeup in general (so, there will be other UD reviews). I have combination skin that I consider to be pretty healthy and in good condition with an occasional breakout. I always cringe when I see liquid makeup because it usually makes my skin oily after a couple hours, breakout, or has way too much coverage. Not this stuff. Let me just point out the highlights for me:

1) It makes me feel like I'm wearing no makeup at all but makes my skin look flawless. What is also nice about this is if you want more coverage, you can 'build' it up. I am wearing a 2.0 right now and it is about the exact same color as my skin on my face. There is 18 shades to choose from so you really cannot go wrong. 

2) It does not make my skin oily or make me break out. What is not to love about that? On the other hand, it doesn't dry out my face either. It is like having a second skin. I put some on this morning (around 9:40 am) before going to the temple and went to work out at about 1 pm. It didn't run off my face, start looking all weird, get on my fingers/hands/clothes etc.; it stayed put and I guess I'll say it again, it was like I was not wearing makeup at all!

3) Skin benefits. It is infused with an anti-wrinkle peptide, Litchiderm (protective and brightening... it's pretty cool stuff!), green tea, and vitamins. It makes me feel better about what I am putting on my skin.

Overall, I would give this 5/5 stars. It is $39 at Sephora which seems expensive but I really think it is worth the buy. Plus, it is a big bottle and a little bit goes a long way with this stuff. I hope this was helpful. Please feel free to post questions or comments and I love suggestions about future products to review.

peace and love,

☮gretchen elizabeth

Click here to order on Sephora.com