Bring on the Heat!

via

I dread summer every year because it's always the most uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong--my curves look great in summer dresses and breezy skirts, but I've always had a problem with chafing in my inner thigh area. I've tried biker shorts, leggings, powder, and several other remedies that have all fallen short and I've just about had it. This summer I really wanted to say good bye to chub rub and searched the internet for advice (because duh the internet solves everything right?) I came across the big girl blog with the absolute best product recommendation!

I've used Monistat's chafing relief powder gel for the past couple of weeks on hot days and I am free to wear all the skirts and shorts and dresses I dream of. It works great at both preventing and soothing and a little goes a long way. What could be better? I figured I'd share my enthusiasm about this product because it really is a game changer for me when it comes to summer style. Hope this helps any other ladies with this issue!

Big Bummer, Revlon.

via

Yesterday I had the pleasure of helping out one of my friends purchase new makeup since the world of cosmetics is still new to her. I love makeup so this outing was so much fun! Plus her company is always  welcomed. She ended up snagging a couple of NYX crayons and eyeliners that I might invest in myself. (I got some makeup brushes for myself, too :3)

I couldn't help but recommend my two favorite brands, Urban Decay and Revlon. I love the quality I get from both companies' products (Urban Decay being far superior, obvs) and last I checked, they were both on PETA's "no animal testing" list. The outing reminded me of a couple of reviews I've been putting off so tonight I was all set to write a couple of reviews. I just wanted to double check on Revlon's status; I was so disheartened when I found out that after 20 years , Revlon declined to answer PETA if they were testing on animals and is no longer on their good guy list. I'm assuming this happened sometime last summer.

When I went to Bamboozle three years ago, PETA had a table and of course was displaying a horrific video of animal cruelty in various ways. I've heard some disturbing things about PETA and I'm not really 100% on board with this organization, but I did take their nifty pamphlet of companies who do and don't test on animals. This was about the same time that I was really getting into makeup but still didn't want to splurge so I honed in on the two drug store brands that were on the good list and that were easy to find: Revlon and Physician's Formula. I really liked the results from Revlon so I really just stuck with that brand, since It's nice on my wallet.

So once I found out this womptastic news I went through a mental list of all the products I use and checked PETA's constantly updated database. I didn't see Benefit, Aveeno, or Milani, but I was happy to see everything else on the no-testing list. They give a very thorough explanation of both lists and even have PDFs that make looking up a company super easy.

SO am I going to throw out all of my animal-tested make up?

Oh gosh no. I can't afford to replace everything that I have all at once and that would be a huge waste and I HATE waste. I'll use up what I have until I can afford to start looking for a good replacement. I'm most crushed about my foundation which is SO GOOD for the price and I literally JUST bought it. 

What I WILL do is no longer support any of the Revlon or other products that test on animals (that I'm aware of) on this here blog or any other interwebs I partake in. I'll commit to the best of my ability to only purchase beauty products with the bunny :3. I think the only thing other than my Revlon stash and a few select other items is my deodorant, so it's not too bad.

Hopefully Revlon will speak up and just let everyone know one way or the other rather than silence. HOPEFULLY they'll get back on track. I mean 20 years of a commitment to no animal testing to just throw it all away? That's what drew me as a customer in the first place. ~*le sigh*~

I'd really like to know what you all think about animal testing. From what I get it's a personal choice like being a vegetarian, yenno? But just like meatless mondays, every little bit helps.

TTFN!<3

-Avé

P.S. Have you seen Jacqueline Traide's social sculpture performance for Lush on this issue? I saw this floating around tumblr and I'd have to say I really applaud her. (WARNING: graphic images)

Independence Day Nails! You're a Grand Old Flag

Here's a little secret: I stink at painting my nails, but I still love to! I'm messy, accidental, and I always manage to smudge them before they dry (my sister can attest to this). Nevertheless, I made a super easy 4th of July manicure! GO MURRICA!

base - red - white crackle - blue - glitter - more glitter - top coat

All the polishes from start to finish; except I didn't realize the red was a terrible crackle; I replaced it with a brick red (sally hansen). The OPI blueish glitter had bigger silver speckles that served as stars!

1. Base coats are my best friend; I hate stained nails. womps!
2. Two coats of red.
3. One thin coat of white crackle. I deliberately left a couple of stripes just to make sure people kinda get it.
4. Paint the blue square in the lefthand corner of the nail; I took up about 1/4 of my nail bed.
5. GLITTERRR! I did one coat of the blue one first and made sure to get a couple of bigger silver pieces in each of the blue squares. Then I did a general glitter, still only over the blue squares.
6. Top coat!

That's it! super easy. I like that this is kinda edgy and fun. It also goes along with the whole "grand old flag" HAHA get it? 'cause it's all cracked and stuff? no? ok...

hope you like it!

TTFN<3

DIY Beauty: Greek Yogurt Hair Mask

When my fro is looking tired, dry, and down right deprived, that's when I know it's time for a mask. I've tried one with a mayo base, but it was too drippy and it smelled (although the benefits were almost worth it). I did some searching and I know yogurt is another popular base, but I couldn't find much on Greek yogurt. Since that's all I have, I decided to give it a shot.

For this mask, I used:

• 1 cup of yogurt. I found that the the Greek yogurt's superior thickness worked great my thick curls. However, Greek is not mandatory. Yogurt in general has lots of anti-fungal bacterial that will naturally cleanse your tresses. Also, the protein in yogurt strengthens your hair, which helps your curls stay curly and controls fly-away frizzies. This is a great mask for the summer because it's cool and soothing; also great for soothing an itchy scalp.
• 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil for shine and moisture. If you're not going with the egg, I'd go with 4 - 6 tablespoons.
• 1 egg for shine and moisture. This is optional. I found with this mask shine is not the main goal, like the mayo mask. I get weary when I use an egg because I freak out at the thought of scrambled eggs in my hair if the water's too hot when I rinse it out.
• 5 drops of vitamin E to help heal damaged hair and promote hair growth. How you may ask? In short, vitamin E is important to the cell membranes in your hair follicles in order for hairs to grow properly. Yay science!
• 3 drops of rosemary essential oil, which also promotes hair growth and just smells great! 

*I have extremely thick hair that's about medium length, and this was barely enough; so adjust the amounts to suit your hair :) *

Wear the mask on your hair in a plastic cap for thirty minutes to an hour (no more than two hours, though!) and rinse in the shower under cool water. Then follow up with a mild shampoo and conditioner and continue like you normally would for your routine. If you don't have a plastic cap, you can use a regular shopping bag and use the handles to tie it snuggly around your head. I used my Jane Carter Solution shampoo and conditioner and then my shea butter mix I made myself. 

The results from this mask are still in effect several days later! It made detangling my hair a breeze, helped define my curls, and has kept my hair soft days later without having to apply anything else (I usually find my hair craves the shea butter mix almost every day; it's been five days :O). My hair felt extremely clean and fresh; more so than with just shampooing. Any natural products I make contain vitamin E and rosemary and I can honestly say I think they're helping with the hair growth (I'll talk about this more when I tell you lovelies about my shea butter mix). After this mask my fro was so huge it was too intimidating for work; I pulled it back :P

I will definitely be doing this mask again; I'm glad it worked out for me! Let me know if you try it too!

TTFN <3

Review: Smashbox Reflection - High Shine Lip Gloss

Smashbox Reflection retails for about $18 which is kinda pricy for me. However, I’ve had the same tube for about six months already and apply it at least twice a day (as long as it’s not lost in the bottom of my bag :S) and there’s still plenty of product left.

It leaves the lips with just the right amount of gloss so you don’t look like you just downed a box of KFC. It’s not super sticky and works great over a lip stain. I will be sure to purchase this gloss again! 

TTFN! <3

Review: Boiing Concealer by Benefit

Can you tell which half of my face has the concealer?

This is by far my most favorite concealer I’ve ever used. It was recommended to me by a gentleman who works at Ulta; he swears by it. This concealer is the first one that I’ve owned that you can use all by itself (as I did in the photos) so it’s great for those days when all you want to do is cover a zit or under the eyes. 

I’m using number 02, about four times a week mainly for the bags on my eyes and the occasional zit. Boiing usually retails for about $20 - $25. However, it has lasted me four months so far and I’m about half way through with it. My sister uses it every day, and hers lasted about three months. Worth every penny! The Boiing concealer is creamy, smooth, and leaves skin feeling just the same. I usually only use my finger to apply it, making it perfect for beginners or people who don’t put on alot of makeup (ie. dudes).

Benefit’s packaging is cute and simple, if you’re picky about those things. I haven’t had any issues with the cap or anything. I only have to apply it once at the beginning of the day, no worries about it rubbing off.

Every time I wear this concealer in conjunction with my foundation, I get compliments on my beautiful skin. It’s sheer enough to let your natural tones (like my rosy cheeks) show without overdoing it. It IS possible to cake it on, but it’s still not so bad….you’ll just end up looking like a porcelain doll.

All in all, a great product! TTFN!<3