Lip Service

I have recently begun to try and find a lipstick I don't feel ridiculous wearing on a daily basis. I have never been a regular wearer of lipstick. This is partly due to the fact that I can never find a color that looks nice on me, after about 10 minutes I have more on my teeth than lips, and it transfers onto EVERYTHING I come into contact with. So, I gave up wearing anything on my lips besides the occasional chap-stick when I was about, oh, 15 or so.

Since I have been trying to do a more "glam-vintage" look lately, and have even been keeping my finger and toe nails glossy red,  I decided it was time to go back on the hunt for a lipstick.

First off. let me remind all of you that I am cheap. I mean cheap. I don't like to go somewhere and spend more than $10 on a good dinner, and I find most of my clothes at my local thrift store on the weekends because of their 2 for $1 special. Hence, spending $15-$30 or more on lipstick is not really an option for this gal.

The first lipstick I bought was by Wet 'n' Wild. Yes, I am aware of the fact that I am over the age of 12, and it is not 1990, but the price sucked me in. Besides being so cheap, the other reason that I wanted to try Wet 'n' Wild first was because they had a new matte lipstick that was touted as being a "long lasting matte finish". This sounded like a product that would fit into the Old Hollywood glamor vibe I have been going for.  The first Wet 'n' Wild lipstick that I tried was Cinnamon Spice (917B). It was pretty, but it was a bit too dark. With my pasty white complexion I was paranoid that I looked a little too gothic. So the next day I bought Stoplight Red (911D). This was beautiful in the package. It looked like Elizabeth Taylor had dropped off her favorite lipstick for me to try out. Alas, this was too red. It just didn't look right on me. It made my teeth look yellowish, and didn't match my skin at all.

Saddened, I decided to layer them. Putting one on top of the other looked pretty good. Having to mix them just right was a little annoying, but I could live with applying two lipsticks and blending them. I mean if they looked good, stayed in place, and lasted I would finally have a pulled together total makeup routine, and that was incentive enough.

But, while the DID stay matte, unfortunately I did not think that they were long lasting. Now, I have no other Wet 'n' Wild lipstick products to compare these with, but after about 45 minutes to a hour after application I could see my natural lip color poking through in spots through my meticulously applied lip color.

Another sore spot with me was the fact that the Stoplight Red lipstick's cap became dislodged multiple times in my makeup bag and purse, the lipstick decorating everything it came in contact with. I did not have this problem with the Cinnamon Spice, but would not buy this kind again for that reason alone.

Also, these lipsticks transferred onto everything. My sweater, my son's cheek when I kissed him lightly, my hand when I scratched my face, my lips even managed to leave a lasting impression on a few unsuspecting victims who made the unfortunate decision to hug me the past week or so. Their shirts will never be the same.

Now, I admit that the packaging did not say "transfer proof". I assumed that long lasting and transfer resistant were close cousins.

So, on to the next lipstick. I decided that I would probably have to raise the stakes a bit if I was to find a decent product. This time I decided to go with Rimmel lipstick. Now, I have had a little experience with Rimmel in the past, and was pleasantly surprised by their products. I decided to go with Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in True Vintage (123). And while yes, I am a sucker for packaging and names, the color looked like the perfect balance between the gothic deep blood reds and the orange/red fire engine reds that I just can not pull off.

I love this color. It is definitely the vintage color I was going for. It is a pretty and deep red, but it doesn't look too fake or loud. Yes, it still does transfer, but not as much as the others did. I have been more careful on how I hug people, and am making a conscious effort to blot so that I won't be so prone to coloring everything around me.

I do remember a few years ago trying a lipstick that was supposed to be very transfer proof. It was one of those with the two-step process of first applying the color, letting it dry, and then layering a moisturizing top coat on top of that. I had a few problems with this lip color. I ran out of the moisturizing top coat WAY before I ran out of the lip color and my lips became so chapped that they were flaking and causing the lipstick to look horrible anyway. My lips don't feel dry using the Rimmel, and after a hour the color is still true. 

Also, gratefully, the Lasting Finish Lipstick's cap has managed to control its contents quite nicely so far and there have been no further casualties in my purse. :)

 This is Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick, in True Vintage.

Face Wash Connoisseur

I have spent a small fortune on face-wash over the years. My combination sensitive/pimple prone skin has led me on quest after quest down countless beauty aisles trying to find my perfect match.

Anything with "microscrubbers" or granules was too harsh and HURT. All of the acne products I tried dried my skin out terribly, and when I used a cream based wash, I broke out worse than before!

I even went so far as to get on Accutane for a few months, even this did not completely get rid of the imperfections I saw glaring at me from the mirror every morning.This prompted my doctor to suggest that I may have rosacea, but since I am no longer covered on any health insurance plans, I am getting every medical diagnose I need recently on ask.com.

So what is a beauty lovin' babe to do? Well, try new face washes until she hits the jack pot of course!!

Ladies and gentlemen, I do believe that the jack of pots has been found!

Let me give some clues: it has helped clear up the redness on my cheeks, my pimple count is way down, and it actually leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

Could this amazing breakthrough be from the counters of Lancome or Clinique? Perhaps I stumbled across it while being hypnotized by pretty packaging and techno music at Sephora? Nay.

I found my new savior at Walgreens. Walgreens, at the end of the aisle, in the back of the store, on sale as they are discontinuing selling it there. (As Walgreens so often does with ALL of the products I like, but that is another story for another day)

"Just get on with it! What is this product already?" I hear you asking.

Drum roll please!

The product in question is no other than the uber glam Impruv Moisturizing Antibacterial Cleanser.

Yep, that's it. I paid like $7.99 (this was close out pricing people!) and it has worked better than Pro-Active and Accutane combined.




It did take a bit to get used to though. This is not a face wash that sells you on packaging. This face wash is also not about to stoop down and seduce you with a pleasant floral scent. It comes in an unassuming blue and white bottle, and has a mild medicinal scent. The scent is probably due to the fact that it contains the anti-bacterial agent  Triclosan (  0.2% )  to reduce bacteria without stripping natural moisture from the skin.

So, comes the end to my face wash struggles. Like any beauty addict, I still stroll the face wash aisle when I am at the store, but I know better than to give into the temptation of some sweet young new thing. I know that at home I have something special that I don't want to ruin in a moment of retail weakness.

 Happy washing!

Vintage Gal

I am a love of vintage. So much so that I am always on the look out for vintage clothes, furnishings, and you guessed it....makeup and hair!

I recently was researching mascaras, which are my #1 beauty staple, and came across many positive reviews on Cake Mascara . The reviewers mostly applauded the product for its ability to build up lashes and create the pin-up girl look that I want to attain. So, I did what any broke person would do, checked my checking account and preceded to order some!

I also read that La Femme makes a blush that I NEEDED. According to many reviews at www.makeupalley.com this is a staple in many professional make-up artists bag's. Well then I, obviously, should have it in my bag as well! Here is just one review of many I found enabling on their site:

I read that makeup artists keep this in their bag, and rave about it. So now it's my turn! I love it, it goes on smoothly, and give me a nice healthy glow. Like the others said, it is highly pigmented, so use a light hand. Plus it is so cheap, but IMO just as good as any high end blush.

As soon as I get this I will be sure to review it for everyone, along with a couple of other things that I bought.
Stay tuned!

The Four Letter Word all Women Abhor........

Of course I am talking about the word "diet".


I want to maintain some curves and remain shapely, while still toning up and being healthy. There are a few DVD's that I have been doing which have been AMAZING. So amazing in fact, that I toned up very quickly and slacked. So, back on the wagon.

One thing that a lot of the DVD's that I use have in common is that they are loosely based on some form of ballet. While I have read contradicting reports on whether these types of exercises "re-shape the muscles" or not, I have to say for me they are great at quickly toning trouble spots. I use the Fluidity Bar that I bought off of my local craigslist. This was pricey, and believe me I felt guilty buying it, but it is the ONE expensive fitness purchase I don't regret.
As for DVD's, I mostly use the DVD that came with the Fluidity Fitness Exercise Bar and the The Lotte Berk Method, 4 Disc Set: Basic Essentials, Hip Hugger Abs, Muscle Eats Fat, High Round Assets as well . I have purchased others, but these are my mainstays. I will write more about these and the others as I master them (or not!)

I would love to hear how you stay motivated, and if you try any of the DVD's let me know what you thought, or if you have any other suggestions!