Taking a Break...

Hey Guys and Gals,

I will be taking a break until the 3rd of January.  Yes, I have tons of prepping and decorating to do, none of which I have started yet.  Sigh, the life of the procrastinator is never easy.  I will miss you guys and your comments, though, and until I get back into the groove of posting every day, I hope your holidays are filled with laughter and love.  I am checking out now, so Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Sephora's Makeup Eraser

It's pretty awesome, this thing.  No wonder why it was sold out from www.Sephora.com for the longest time!  When I got to purchase it I was so excited because it would help me solve a lot of problems!

You don't understand, this is like a godsend because as a beginner with makeup, my hands are a little shaky when applying eyeliner, and my eyelids tend to flutter because they're not used to having makeup applied to them.  So then when my eyeliner looks all messed up, I would have to grab a q-tip, soak it with makeup remover, and somehow, carefully get rid of just the messed up parts.  Gosh, not so fun.

But with Sephora's Makeup Eraser, I don't really have to worry.  Its tip comes to a fine point, so if I make a small mistake, it's perfect for erasing just that tiny error.  Also, the tip remains soaked with the makeup erasing formula, so you just have to pop off the cap and apply.  Another positive to this item is that it was only $12.00, which seemed very reasonable to me.

I think this could be a handy tool for even the more experienced makeup artists: there's always occasion to erase just that little bit of makeup, whether it's a mascara smudge or lip liner mistake.  And it's perfect for your makeup bag.  It's just a little pen and it's great for when you need to touch up your makeup.  If it's still in stock, give it a shot!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

How to Sleep So You Don't Get Wrinkles

I know, it's a weird title, but to a certain extent, sometimes you are a little bit conscious while you sleep, like when you come out of your REM cycles to change sleep positions.  This is when it's crucial to make sure you're not sleeping on your face.  Sleeping on your face makes it so your face skin won't get any air, and it also stops the circulation of blood into that area.  This is bad, and you will definitely get wrinkles faster.

Instead, try to lie on your back.  If you have to change positions and lie on your side, keep most of the weight of your head on your ear.  I don't have any wrinkles for now (knock on wood) and I have been sleeping this way all my life--not necessarily because I was afraid of wrinkles, but for some reason I never felt comfortable sleeping on my face.  Maybe it was because I thought there was a monster in my closet, or maybe it was because I was always scared of Chucky.  LOL, for the LONGEST time I was afraid of Chucky.

Anyway, something you might find helpful is if you change your pillow.  Most people I know use regular pillows, you know, the fluffy ones with regular pillow shapes.  But the problem with regular pillows is that they tend to elevate your head so that your blood has a harder time getting to your face. Instead, I would highly suggest an ergonomic pillow.  Here is a link to an example of an ergonomic pillow: http://www.amazon.com/Econo-Wave-Pillow-Orthopedic-Ergonomic/dp/B002TN9M78.  I got mine from Costco, for I believe around $40.00.

Just try it out, I think you will find these pillows to be very comfortable for your neck and shoulders, and also, it will help you sleep so that you won't have to put pressure on your face.  Good luck not getting wrinkles!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Baroque Boudoir Review

In my haul, you can see basically I bought everything in the Baroque Boudoir Collection from MAC, except for the Prive lipstick.  There is nothing I hate more than tacky, opaque, pink lipstick, and so I avoided that purchase altogether.  I didn't even really give the color a chance, I'll admit, but honestly, I have tried pink lipsticks, only to find out that my skin tone will not allow it!  All of the stuff was available online at www.MacCosmetics.com a couple of weeks ago, but the Treasured lipstick I had to order off of Ebay because it was already sold out.  Actually, the last time I checked, all of the lipsticks and lip glosses were sold out.

Well, let me review the items I have: the Sheer Mystery Powder in Medium Plus is pretty good, but I wouldn't use it to take care of all of the coverage needed for my face.  It is a nice way to blot your nose and such (the packaging is just gorgeous, who wouldn't love pulling an item like that out of their purse??), but let me warn you, the amount of powder you get is pretty small in comparison with MAC's other pressed powders.  I would say that the diameter of the powder pan is about an inch and a half.  However, you receive a back-up powder pan, so it kind of makes up for the size, and I say KIND OF because the cost of this baby was $60.00.

You must think I'm crazy for spending this kind of money, but the thing is that after you have gone through all of your powder, you can keep using the compact by refilling with MAC's blush pans.  And trust me, just the look of this compact is worth it!  I just love the design!  It's feminine and bold and sexy and lacey.

Moving on, I got two of the three lipsticks.  Treasured is an okay nude, but I think it might still be too opaque for me.  In the future I will probably have to wear it on top of my chapstick to try and blend it with my natural lip color.  The Baroque Boudoir lipstick, on the other hand, is just my kind of color.  It's kind of a berry reddish dark pink, but I think it is the perfect shade for my skin tone, which is NC30.  Again, the packaging is extraordinary, so I was more than willing to dish out the $22.00 for each. 

As for the lip glosses, they are just marvelous!  They are just lip glosses, though.  I would say they're more like MAC's Lustreglasses rather than MAC's Dazzleglasses.  So if you are looking for lots of sparkle, I don't think these lip glosses will be enough for you.  But I will say that the sheen to these lip glosses is just so beautiful!  And the lightest pink lip gloss, Preciousness, is very complimentary to my makeup.  Because it is a lip gloss it is not opaque at all.  It's just really pretty.  The Lap of Luxury lip gloss is more of a nude pink, and the D'Nouveau lip gloss is the perfect match for the Baroque Boudoir lipstick, color wise.  These are also $22.00, a great bargain.

They are shown below, in this order: Sheer Mystery Powder, Treasured Lipstick, Baroque Boudoir Lipstick, The Lap of Luxury Lip Gloss, Preciousness Lip Gloss, and D'Nouveau Lip Gloss.

I hope this helps!  And if you can't get your hands on these at your nearest MAC counter, I would suggest Ebay, although the sellers tend to charge you an arm and a leg nowadays.

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Tarte's Cloud 9 - FAIL

Oh man oh man oh man oh man.  This product was definitely a huge disappointment.  My first cheek stain ever, and it sucked so bad.  I was so excited to try it out, and when I actually did, I was so sad.  In my opinion, there are several reasons why Tarte's Cloud 9 Cheek Stain failed.

First, the color didn't show up on my NC30 cheeks.  There was absolutely no difference.  I tried to check myself out under different types of lighting, only to find out that the product looked like it just wasn't there.  Perhaps if a very fair skinned person tried it out they might have better luck, but as for me, I guess I was too dark.

Second, the consistency of the product was a bummer.  It felt like I was rubbing wax onto my cheeks.  Bleh!  And once I had finished application of the product, my cheeks were screaming for air.  If you have oily or acne-prone skin, this product is not for you!  I could definitely tell this stuff was blocking my pores.

Third, there is no smell!  It is advertised as having some kind of grape smell, but honestly, I tried to sniff it a zillion times and I still couldn't discern a scent.  I was very disappointed with this aspect of the product, because I had been hopeful that since it was purple, it would have a nice smell.  At least give me a little bit of a berry smell, come on! 

Fourth, Tarte's Cloud 9 is not very easy to use.  The way you get more product to come up out of the tube is if you push up from the bottom, and once the product has come out, there is no way to push it back down.  It would have been nice if it was like chap stick, where you could twist the product so the stuff goes back down the tube, but no.  With my luck, I accidentally pushed too much product up and I couldn't stuff it back down.  Plus, in trying to do so I damaged the product that was sticking out of the tube.

So all in all, Tarte's Cloud 9 was a FAIL.  I would have to describe it as such: it's like a big purple glue stick that applies no color, has no scent, is very sticky and gooey, and you don't want this stuff on your face skin.  If you did get some of this gunk on your face, you would probably want to wash it off right away, which is exactly what I did as soon as I tried it out.

Don't waste your money, avoid Tarte's Cloud 9.

Love,

Geneys  :o)

A Small Collective Haul

Sorry today's post is a little late.  I had to visit the doctor again, only to find out that she still doesn't know what's wrong with me, and I will have to have a biopsy done on my liver.  Bleh!

Anyway, I did some online shopping with my allowance for this month, plus my hubby got some stuff for me for Christmas, so this is a collective haul.  And yes, I watched our budget.  It is very important that I not overspend, especially nowadays, since it's Christmas time and we still have Christmas shopping to do!

The places I visited were: the drug store, www.Clinique.com, www.Sephora.com, and www.MacCosmetics.com to get these items.  Sigh, I think I will have to stop shopping for a while after this, I am having trouble finding places to put all of these things.  I have seen a million videos on how people organize their makeup, but I never found any of their strategies attractive. 

Anyway, here is a picture of the items, and below this is a list of the stuff.  It might look like a lot, but remember, some of this came free with the purchases I made.  I will probably have to do a review of these things soon.

Clinique 3-Step Skin Care System (Holiday Edition)

Clinique 3-Step Skin Care System Travel Size (Free with Purchase)

Clinique Silver Carrying Case (Free with Purchase)

Clinique Silver Tote (Free with Purchase)

MAC Carbon Eye Shadow Palette Refill

MAC Black Tied Eye Shadow Palette Refill

MAC Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Powder

MAC Paint in Bamboom (I had to get a back-up one!)

MAC Travel Jars (Comes with 4)

MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer in NC30

MAC Powder Blush in Springsheen

MAC Fluidline Eye Liner Gel in Blacktrack

MAC Zoom Lash Mascara Sample (Free with Purchase)

MAC Baroque Boudoir Lap of Luxury Lip Gloss

MAC Baroque Boudoir Preciousness Lip Gloss

MAC Baroque Boudoir D'nouveau Lip Gloss

MAC Baroque Boudoir Baroque Boudoir Lipstick (Treasured is coming in the mail--I can't believe it sold out so fast online!)

MAC Baroque Boudoir Sheer Mystery Powder in Medium Plus

Sephora Makeup Eraser Pen

Tarte Cloud 9 Cheek Stain (Free deluxe sample from www.Sephora.com)

Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes

If you guys already have some of these things, please let me know what you think of them!  I am excited to be able to start using these.  Reviews soon to follow!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

50's Beauty Part IV

50's fashion is a huge topic.  Byrta Carson gives instructions on how to choose and dye your own material, how to choose your colors so the outfit is most flatting, how to sew your own clothes, how to shop for clothes, it's crazy how much stuff she covers.  I could spend all day talking about all the different aspects to 50's fashion, but I will try to narrow it down for the purposes of this post.

I will discuss Carson's seven basic categories of clothes: undergarments, active sport clothes, school clothes, casual clothes, dressy clothes, lounging and sleeping clothes, and traveling clothes.  First let me say it is important to wear the right clothes for the right occasion: for example, a tennis dress is the most appropriate for playing tennis.  Also, it is important that you coordinate your clothes with your natural beauty so that the whole picture can be the most pleasing to the eye.

Undergarments: Tailored undergarments are best, as everyone's body is differently shaped.  And this way, there are no rolls or bumps created on your body.  Underwear should fit smoothly, and bras should be "firm but not tight." (pg. 118)  Slips should cover the bra, and the bottom of the slip should be about half an inch from the bottom of your dress.

Active Sport Clothes: Sport clothes should be looser than your regular clothes so you can move around, and know what the rest of the women might dress like so you can fit in.  There are specific clothes for events such as swimming (swimsuit), tennis (tennis dress), and picnicking (blue jeans or a playsuit), but over all, your clothes should be more comfortable.

School Clothes: The material for your school clothes should be durable and easy to clean.  You want to go for a simple look.  "Most girls wear skirts with sweaters and blouses because they can be interchanged so easily." (pg. 124)  Jewelry should be minimal and shoes should be comfortable.

Casual Clothes: Casual clothes are those that are considered just a little more dressy than school clothes, but not as dressy as dressy clothes.  It's a very vague definition.

Dressy Clothes: Dressy clothes are for "parties, church affairs, dances, or speical evening dates." (pg. 127)  You will want to add ruffles, flares, lace, nice buttons and better materials to these clothes.  Also, there should be matching jewelry and the heels of your shoes should be a little higher than what you might consider school clothes or casual clothes.

Lounging and Sleeping Clothes: A tailored bathrobe is appropriate, or a housecoat is most preferred by women because they can be worn during cleaning or for lounging (in my understanding, a housecoat is like a robe but you can wear it around the house).  Pajamas should be comfortable and there should be room to move around in them.  Leather bedroom slippers are best and should go well with most of your lounging and sleeping clothes.  Mules would be a fine choice for this.

Travel Clothes: When packing for travel, you want to pack clothes that basically have the same color scheme and the whole outfit can change by just switching out a few accessories.  The ideal material for these clothes are ones that don't need pressing.  "A suit, a two-piece dress, a simple dress with a jacket, or the old stand-by, skirts and blouses or sweaters, are all good for traveling." (pg. 131)

Below are some pictures from the book.  I think these will give you a better idea of 50's fashion. (pg. 140-142)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Carson, Byrta.  How You Look and Dress, 3rd Edition.  St. Louis: Webster Division, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1955.

50's Beauty Part III

"Hey Sandra, wanna go out Friday night?"

"No."

"Why not??"

"I can't.  I'm washing my hair."

Although it may seem strange to us today that Sandra is turning down this date because she's going to be washing her hair, during the 50's, this was a popular excuse because washing hair was a major endeavor.  Hair was so important that women were willing to do back-breaking work for it.  Here is the process: (pg. 19-20)

1.  Remove your dress and pin a bath towel securely around your neck.

2.  Comb and brush your hair thoroughly.

3.  Massage your entire scalp with your finger tips or the palms of your hands.

4.  Wet your hair thoroughly, using your hands to wet the back of your head.

5.  Apply a small amount of shampoo on different places of your scalp.  Work it into a good lather with your finger tips.  Rub the ends of your hair between the palms of your hands.

6.  Rinse your hair, not forgetting the hair on the back of your head, the hairline all the way around, and the hair behind your ears.

7.  Apply shampoo again in the same manner.

8.  Rinse your hair thoroughly several times, using plenty of warm water each time.  The last rinse may be a little cooler than others.  To make sure your hair is clean, check whether it squeaks when you pull your fingers through it.

9.  Apply a little rinse if desired.  The juice of one lemon or three tablespoons of vinegar to one basin of water helps to remove any soap left in the hair.  Rinse your hair again with plenty of warm water or cool, clean water.

10.  Dry your hair as much as possible by rubbing with a clean towel.

11.  Comb your hair and then arrage and set it in a becoming style.

Whew!  That's how women during the 50's took care of their hair.  And on a side note, it was considered improper to brush your hair in public.  There were also tips and tricks to styling hair so that a round face could appear less so, a wide face could be made narrower, and so on and so on.  The book didn't give instructions on how to style your hair a particular way, but below is a picture with examples of some of the tips and tricks. (pg. 22-23)

I hope this sheds some light on hair during the 50's, man, was it complicated!  I just like to take a quick shower, put my hair back in a pony tail and be done with it.  When my hubby and I were dating, I put hardly any effort into my hair.  Poor Sandra!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Carson, Byrta.  How You Look and Dress, 3rd Edition.  St. Louis: Webster Division, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1955.

50's Beauty Part II

The general rule for makeup during the 50's was to use just enough makeup to look natural.  How do you know how much makeup to apply?  Well, this is determined by the color of your cheeks.  Carson, the author of the book, believes that if you have enough coloring to your face, you really don't need very much makeup.

Powder: The purpose of powder is "to protect the skin as well as to make it look soft and smooth." (pg. 24)  The way in which this look would be achieved would be as follows: put a makeup cape around your shoulders, use a powder puff to apply lots of powder on your face, brush off the excess powder, and brush your eyebrows and eyelashes so they do not have powder on them.

Rouge (Blush): If you have enough color in your cheeks, you really don't need rouge.  But if you do go for rouge, the lighter skin tones require lighter colors, and the darker skin tones require darker colors.  To determine your rouge color, she says to try pinching your cheeks.  Again, the point of rouge, as with the powder, is to make you appear as natural as possible.  This is why the rouge should be faded out and look seamless with the rest of your skin.

Lipstick: Lipstick follows suit--going for the natural look.  You want to try and find a color that BLENDS with the natural color of your lips.  Also, you want to try and match your lipstick color to your rouge color.  I once saw Michelle Phan use her lipstick as her blush, and I think this might be a good technique for color coordination.  Below is a page out of the book, which shows you in detail how to apply lipstick. (pg. 27)  I hope you can read the instructions!

Eye Shadow: There is nothing about eye shadow in this book, so my guess would have to be that during the 50's women did not really make their eyes the focus.  The natural look they were going for was one of freshness and cleanliness, and this would require that they kept their eyes clear of makeup.

I hope this helps!  I know the makeup during this time was rather simple, but I think that because it was so minimal, it was also classic and beautiful.  The point is to accentuate what you already have.  I believe we could all learn from this era today, by appreciating more what was naturally bestowed upon us, how our natural beauty is unique to each person.  

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Carson, Byrta.  How You Look and Dress, 3rd Edition.  St. Louis: Webster Division, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1955.

50's Beauty Part I

When I first bought this book from a church rummage sale many, many years ago, I didn't know how helpful and interesting it would be now.  Many makeup tutorials I have come across teach you how to look like the pin-up girl of this era, which I can appreciate this kind of beauty, but there is not much information on what regular women did during the 50's.  Well, this is where this book comes in handy.  It is called "How You Look and Dress," by Byrta Carson, and I will be sure to note the whole bibliography at the bottom.

I plan to show you many of the things I learned from this book, so that you can try following the guidelines of this book.  Today's post is just Part I, a sort of introduction to the series, because there are many components to defining beauty way back then, and there's no way I can cover it all at once.  Basically, the look that most girls were after during that time was clean and fresh.  In other words, it should be refreshing to look at a woman who took good care of herself down to the last detail: "Everything about me is fresh and clean--my body, my teeth, my hands, my clothes, and all?" (pg. 28)

Just take a look at the girl on the cover below.  Doesn't everything about her say to you she is spic-and-span?  From her head down to her feet she has thoroughly groomed herself.  There is nothing shabby or drab about her, and yes, in a way it is refreshing to look at her.  Her clothes are crisp and well-pressed, her skin is radiant, her hair is styled with care, her shoes and headband match her outfit.  It's all about simplicity, clean lines, sharp creases, and actually, I am compelled to call her style of beauty classic.

This book is very interesting, and in the next few posts I hope to be able to share with you some helpful facts and tips to pulling off this classic beauty look.  I'm so excited, visit again tomorrow, there is so much more in store!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Carson, Byrta.  How You Look and Dress, 3rd Edition.  St. Louis: Webster Division, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1955.

Removing Eye Makeup

For many of you, removing eye makeup is just another part of your everyday routine.  But this step is actually very important.  Any time you apply eyeliner, mascara or eye shadow to your eyes, you are bombarding your eyeballs with chemicals that may be irritating.

This is why the recent development of "lining the waterline" is confusing to me.  That is as close to your eyeball as you could possibly get.  Actually, it's TOUCHING your eyeballs, and people from all over are always trying to find a brand that doesn't bother their eyeballs.  Hello!  It's bothering your eyeballs because it doesn't belong there to begin with!  Sheezaloo! 

OK.  I will get off my soap box now, I just had to get that one out of my system!  But back to removing your eye makeup: when you remove your eye makeup it is important to do so very gently.  If you scrape or stretch out your eyelids and the skin surrounding your eyes, you will get wrinkles much faster, and we don't want that.  This means that you must be very picky about the chemicals and the type of swabs you use to remove your eye makeup.

A person I know, and I won't mention any names, started to use ProActiv toner to remove her eye makeup and I screamed at her: "OMG, what are you DOING??  STOP IT!"  I quickly handed her my own eye makeup remover, relieved to have avoided an emergency call to the local poison control center.  People, please do not use anything that was not intended for your eyes on your eyes!

Instead, let me give you a couple of tips: in my experience, the oil-based eye makeup removers are the gentlest on your eyes.  The formula is smoother, and the application is the gentlest on your skin.  Just be sure to shake the bottle before use, because the oil tends to separate from the rest of the liquid.  The one I'm finishing up right now is by Shiseido, shown below.

Also, please use cotton balls rather than cotton pads.  Cotton pads tend to scrape the skin around your eyes, and the feeling is rather harsh.  It may get the makeup off faster, but trust me, it is not helpful with wrinkles.  In the picture, take a look at the paper-y grooves in between the fluffy parts of the cotton pad: these are the culprit and they are not your friends.  Cotton balls are ALL fluff, and in my opinion they are the gentlest on your eyes.  If you need proof, try testing both out.  

I hope this helps, and please keep those toners away from your eyes!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

My Hair Care Routine

My hair is pretty normal (naturally wavy and medium-long), but in order to protect my normal-looking hair, I still have to go through a hair care routine--especially if I plan to straighten my hair that day.  Straightening your hair can help it look smooth and shiny, but at the same time it can really wreak havoc on the ends of your hair.  Actually, any time you apply heat to your hair, it is damaging because the heat makes the natural moisture and oils evaporate, thereby causing those split ends.

Also, just the way you brush your hair can either help it or hurt it: brush your tips first so you don't make more split ends, and then work your way up to brush from top to bottom.  If you first brush from top to bottom in one stroke, you will stretch out your tangles and then you will have even more split ends.  Also, try not to use hair care products that contain SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate).  This stuff makes shampoos bubbly, but it also causes split ends.  So many things to watch out for!

Well, if I want to give my hair some help, after I shower I wait for my hair to dry and then I use Garnier Fructis' Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk.  It smells sooo good, and it helps my hair avoid getting frizzy or static-y.  Then, if I am straightening my hair that day, I would put some of Fantasia's Heat Protector Straightening Serum through my hair, along with Herbal Essences' Long Term Relationship Leave-In Split End Protector for Long Hair on the ends of my hair.  Better safe than sorry!  Then after straightening my hair, I spritz Garnier Fructis' Brilliantine Shine Glossing Spray all over and brush my hair.

I know it sounds complicated because my hair care routine has a lot of steps, but normally, I do not blow-dry or straighten my hair because of the damage it causes, and I believe this is why my hair is pretty healthy.  I think it's best to air-dry and in general, just leave it alone.  I used to use higher-end products on my hair, but I would go through them too fast to justify spending that much on those products.  All of the products I use (except the Fantasia product) are available at Wal-Mart for a few bucks each, and the Fantasia product I got at Sally's Beauty Supply for I think $7.99.  They are shown below if you are interested in picking them up from the store.

Thanks for visiting my blog, and good luck with your hair care!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Your Lover vs. Your Makeup

Shopping for makeup is my favorite.  All the different colors and textures and ways to change your look, just by using different makeup products!  But there are obstacles to my desire to possess all of these makeup products, namely, my hubby.  Oftentimes, he is shocked at how much money I can dish out on makeup, and he complains all the time.  I'm sure if you have a lover who shares a bank account with you, you also run into this problem.

Well, we have worked out a little system, and I will suggest the same for you if you are dealing with the same situation: an allowance.  An allowance?  But Geneys, that's for little kids, that's so junior high!  In reality, though, this is what it takes for me to keep my spending in line.  Trust me, if I had a zillion dollars, I would walk into a MAC store and just buy the whole freaking place--my hubby has to send my sister with me to go shopping there so she can keep an eye on my wallet. 

So my solution to your problem is just basically, make a compromise with your lover.  Decide on a number that you will allot for this kind of spending each month, and try your very best to stick to this number.  In our world of credit cards and spending based on debt, I think this is the safest way to make sure you don't dig yourself into a hole from which you cannot get out.  Plus, you will make your lover feel happy and secure.

Below is a picture of my hubby and me from right before our wedding.  My hubby looks exactly the same now and I have fattened up like a cow in a cage, which actually, is literally the situation right now--I am stuck sitting at home all alone with no job or kids, with nothing to do but play with but my makeup.  Just believe you me, I spared you a look at myself right now, LOL.  But look at his handsome face, why would I want to break his heart by spending all his money?  I'm sure you feel the same way about your lover, so make a budget and buy in moderation.

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Lush Bath Bomb

Remember how my sister got me some stuff from Lush?  Well, I tried it out a couple of days ago.  I drew a hot bath and dropped in my So White Bath Bomb.  At first, I thought that the water pouring out of the faucet wasn't creating enough bubbles for a bubble bath, so I turned on my bath jets, and in less than fifteen seconds, there was an explosion of bubbles!  Right after taking this picture, I panicked and immediately turned the jets off.  Whew, it may be better to just let the faucet do the bubble-making. 

After dropping the bath bomb in, I noticed that the smell was simply amazing.  I have a pretty substantial bathroom, and the smell of green apples filled my whole bathroom, along with my adjoining bedroom.  I felt like I was in heaven!  Another thing about the bath bomb was that I thought it would just melt, but instead it seemed to fizzle out of sight, making the water feel even more bubbly and effervescent.  Gosh, soaking in that water felt just great.  

The only complaint about the bath, however, would have to be that it took place now, in this season.  I think next time I take a bath, I would have to do it during the spring or summer.  The problem was that while I was in the water, the parts of me that were not submerged were pretty cold, actually, freezing cold.  I had the heater on, but I supposed it could also be because my bath is right under two windows.  

Anyway, I had a question to ask you all since I normally take showers: Do you take a bath, and then jump in the shower, or do you shower and then take a bath, or are there more than two steps?  I guess I am pretty paranoid about things, so when I want to take a bath, I first take a full shower, then soak in the bath, and then rinse off in the shower again.  Am I crazy?  I just hate the thought of sitting around in my own filth, sigh.  Let me know what you guys think.

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Leave Your Dog Alone

I don't remember where or when someone had asked this question, but they did: "Can I put makeup on my dog?"  And for some reason, this question really angered me.  Why on God's green earth would you want to put makeup on your dog???  I mean, what could possess you to try and better something that already looks beautiful???  Listen, if you are even toying with the idea of putting makeup on your dog, let me try and persuade you otherwise...

First, the dog is the most beautiful form of itself.  The dog cannot possibly become any more beautiful, because gosh darn it, that's why you fell in love with it in the first place.  Its cuteness, cuddliness and overall aesthetic appeal was what drove you to shell out that dough so you could take it home and look at it all day.  You loved this dog so much that if anything changed about your dog, you would be heartbroken.  So why go and mess it all up with artificial goo?

Which brings me to my next point: Second, makeup was not intended for the dog.  It was created by humans for humans, and humans only.  Let me explain now.  If you try on a makeup product and for some reason you break out or form a rash, you can immediately stop using the makeup and recover.  But if you put makeup on your dog, how the hell would it tell you to stop because the makeup is causing it to itch or have other bad reactions??  I try to read my dog's mind all the time, and all I can ever understand from its body language is either "I need to go to the bathroom" or "Love me!" 

Just don't.  That is all I have to say.  Don't put makeup on your dog.  It's already the most beautiful it could possibly be, and it's better for the health and safety of that dog that you not put that goo on its face.  If you really have to go there, if you really have to try and kick your dog's cuteness up a notch, then I might suggest dressing it up.  Maybe a bow wrapped around its neck, or a dress? 

Below is a picture of my dog, and this is as far as I can push it with her.  Her name is Faith, she is a six year old Jack Russell Terrier, and her only desire is to cuddle and be next to you.  What kind of person would want to torture something so cute with makeup??

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Eye Shadow Swatch

Since I did a swatch yesterday of all my MAC Lustre lipsticks, I thought why not do another one?  Except this time I decided to swatch all of my eye shadows, which aren't very many, but I think these are a few of the staples that makeup users tend to use the most.  I am just doing this to try and be helpful, because before I buy a makeup item, I know I like to see it on actual skin!

Below are a couple of pictures, and the colors are labeled below them.  I am sorry if some of the colors are not very visible.  I tried every combination of lighting with every function of my camera, and these pictures were the best I could do.  Perhaps they might be easier to see if you click on the pictures so the pictures are blown up.  Also, just so you know, according to MAC my skin color is NC30/35.  Right now, it's winter and I'm not getting very much sun, so most likely I am NC30 right now.

Top Row: Vanilla, Shroom, Brule, Ricepaper, Bisque

Bottom Row: Naked Lunch, Gorgeous Gold, Kid, Amber Lights

 

Top Row: Woodwinked, Satin Taupe, Mulch, Antiqued, Twinks

Bottom Row: Embark, Swish, Sushi Flower, Sketch, Crystal Avalanche

I hope this helps, and if you are interested in acquiring any of these eye shadows, they are available at www.MacCosmetics.com for $14.50 potted, and $11.00 de-potted (palette refill).  Let me know if you have any questions, and thanks for visiting my blog!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

MAC's Lustre Lipsticks

MAC makes a line of lipsticks called "Lustre," which means this set of lipsticks packs a lot of shine.  Your lips really look wet because of all the shine.  I am in love with this line of lipsticks.  These are the only lipsticks that I buy from MAC.  The color is build-able, you won't have to apply a lip gloss on top of this already shiny lipstick, and also, some of the colors are infused with a sparkly, pearly look. 

The main reason why I chose to use MAC's Lustre line is that I really dislike the look where your lipstick color is so opaque that it seems very unnatural.  Oh man, when MAC came out with that Style Black line with the black lipstick, I was so grossed out!  Why would anyone want to have black lips??  MAC's black lipstick is the epitome of everything I could possibly hate about lipsticks: very opaque and very unnatural.  Rather, I would go with Lustre lipsticks, which allow some of your natural lip color to show through so your makeup looks more healthy and natural. 

Below is a picture of my Lustre lipsticks, and below this is a swatch on my skin, so maybe this could be helpful to you when choosing your lipsticks.  The order of colors is as follows for both pictures: Charismatic, Viva Glam VI, Hug Me, See Sheer, Meltdown, Curtsy (I got this one from Makeup Alley because it had been discontinued, BNIB of course!), and Honey Flower (my favorite!  I bought a back-up one of this lipstick because I use it the most and I love it so much).  I will label the colors again for each picture, just in case.

Charismatic, Viva Glam VI, Hug Me, See Sheer, Meltdown, Curtsy, Honey Flower

Charismatic, Viva Glam VI, Hug Me, See Sheer, Meltdown, Curtsy, Honey Flower

(For the sake of this swatch, I built the color up to the max.)

If you haven't already, give MAC's Lustre lipsticks a try, you will love how it glistens in the light and helps make your natural beauty show through. 

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Mmm, Ginger Lily

Hope your Thanksgiving was as awesome as mine was!  My hubby and I played host/hostess and played games with our family and cooked tons of yummy food.  A good time was had by all (I hope!).

Speaking of family, my sister was there, and like a merchant bringing goods from faraway lands to my lonely 'cave,' she gave me something she called a "Body Oil," by Urban Outfitters.  This particular scent was called Ginger Lily.  She said they were having a sale, so she couldn't resist the urge to pick up a couple of these babies.

I opened the box and unscrewed the cap, and OMG I cannot lie to you, this thing smelled sooo good!  I don't know what the smell is or what it consists of (probably Ginger and Lily), but as far as I'm concerned, this is a must-have.  It's small, so it will be easy to carry around in your purse, and you don't need to worry about it leaking and what not.  My sister carries one in her purse.  It also offers easy application anywhere, as it is a roll-on style fragrance.

I'm at home most of the days, so there is not much need to put together a purse or makeup bag, but gosh, even when I apply it while I am sitting around at home doing nothing, it is such a pleasant scent and it makes me feel happy.  I always suggested carrying around a sample perfume in your makeup bag while you're out, but seriously, look into switching to Urban Outfitter's Ginger Lily body oil.  It is so nice, I know you will love it. 

Below is a picture of the product.  I don't know the price, nor do I know where you can get this stuff online, I am sorry.  All I know is that it is available at the Urban Outfitters store.  Good luck!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Winner of My Small Giveaway

Hey Guys and Gals, we have a winner for my Small Giveaway!  Thanks to everyone who participated and entered.  I really appreciate all of your following and commenting, it has meant a lot to me.  I love waking up in the morning, knowing that my post will be read and somehow help somebody out or make someone feel better.  It's one of my favorite feelings.

Anyway, I bet you are dying to know who made it to the top of the list!  Congratulations to: xxNikkiDooxx!  All of your names were entered at www.Random.org, and whoever made it to the number one spot of the randomized list was the winner, (picture shown below).  Again, thanks for participating, and as soon as I accumulate more extras, I will do another Giveaway.

PS - xxNikkiDooxx, please send me your address at Geneys@live.com to redeem your prize.  I will try to get it out to you ASAP.  Thanks!

PPS - Sorry, but I am going to be busy with Thanksgiving preparations this week.  Therefore, I will not be posting again until November 30th.  Until then, I will miss you!  Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  Here's wishing you a safe and love-filled holiday.

Love,

Geneys  :o)

TBA Monday Morning

Hey, today's post is very short.  LOL, usually my posts are forever long.  I just wanted to remind you that today is absolutely the last day to enter for my small giveaway.  You have until 11:59pm tonight to enter, and then I will announce the winner on Monday morning.  Please refer to my November 5 post for the rules and to check out the prizes.  Again, thanks for visiting and following my blog, and good luck to everyone!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Korean Scrubby Pads

When I first encountered the American washcloth, I was shocked.  It was basically a tiny towel with which people scrubbed their bodies.  I tried using it, and I thought man, this is just not very effective.  The washcloth didn't feel like it was doing very much exfoliating at all, and even when my hubby tried to show me how it worked, I was not impressed.

Well then Geneys, you don't wash your body?  LOL, I do, silly!  The reason why I found the concept of the washcloth very shocking was because I had grown up with Korean scrubby pads.  What the heck are Korean scrubby pads, you ask?

Well, they're kind of like a glove that you put over your hand, and the coarse texture of this 'glove' makes it so that you can scrub off some serious dead skin.  It's just like a loofah, you use soap and everything, but try taking a bath, once with a washcloth or loofah, and once with a Korean scrubby pad.  This is kind of gross, but when you get out of the bath you will see that the Korean scrubby pad sloughs off a lot more dead skin. 

Also, after you have washed with the Korean scrubby pad, you will notice that your skin is a lot softer and feels a lot cleaner.  Of course, you may find at first that scrubbing with the Korean scrubby pad borders on a little painful, but over time you get used to it and soon it will be just a part of your shower routine.  If you want to know real pain, if you ever go into a Korean public bath for women, a large woman with big muscles will put on a rough Korean scrubby pad and REALLY scrub you all over.  I saw ROLLS of dead skin come off of my body, but the first time I experienced this I think I almost cried.  Later, I felt really refreshed and rejuvenated, but yeah, in the first moments it was very, very painful. 

But don't worry, the kind of Korean scrubby pad you can buy yourself is not going to give you this kind of unpleasant experience.  If you haven't already, I would give this Korean scrubby pad a try.  It may be a little painful at first, but when you step out of the shower you will glow like a new person, and your skin will feel much softer, that is a guarantee!

I don't know where you can buy the Korean scrubby pads online, but I know that most Korean stores carry this product.  The Korean scrubby pads are also very cheap.  As you can see below, I got four for $1.99.  If you have any questions let me know, and good luck!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

My New Makeup Bag!

My long and arduous quest for the perfect makeup bag has finally come to an end!  I got a Hello Kitty makeup bag from online!  It fits all of my makeup perfectly and comfortably, as its size is approximately 8" x 4" x 2".  It has two cute little zipper pulls that go most of the way around the bag for convenience, and inside, it has an adorable pink lining with a little pocket. 

Also, look at the design!  I just love the pink accents on top of the black, and who isn't crazy about Hello Kitty, right?  I'm just crazy about this new makeup bag!  It's shiny and pretty, a very attractive combination for me.

The down side to this makeup bag?  It is not available from MAC anymore, it is part of the Limited Edition Hello Kitty line that has been discontinued.  So yes, unfortunately, I paid an arm and a leg for this makeup bag, almost twice its retail value (oh my gosh, $63.00!).  But do I regret having made this purchase?  Not for a split second!  In fact, I was just relieved they even had it available online at www.Ebay.com.

This was a crazy investment, I'll admit, but gosh, I cannot stop looking at it and admiring it.  For the amount of happiness it brings me, I think it was a great purchase!  It is my favorite makeup bag ever!

PS - Just a reminder, my small giveaway ends in two days (Nov. 21st at 11:59pm)!  If you haven't already, please enter.  Check out my post entitled "A Small Giveaway" (November 5th's post) for the rules.  Good luck to everyone!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Haiku Perfume Review

If you are in the market for a perfume with a really clean smell, I would highly recommend the Haiku perfume by Avon.  In my opinion, it makes you smell as if you had just gotten out of the shower.  Truly, its beauty is found within the simplicity of the formula, which is comprised of a mixture of only three scents: jasmine, citrus and lily. 

Another aspect to this perfume that I really enjoy is its packaging, which is very interesting.  The bottle looks like an Asian building, such as a pagoda.  I know we shouldn't judge things by their appearance, but gosh, this is what first attracted me to the product.  The look of it, along with the name Haiku made me want to buy it, and whenever I reach for it to put it on, I feel happy.

Lastly, I thought this perfume was a bargain.  I mean, come on, it's hard to find good perfumes at this kind of price!  I will admit it's not a big name brand, but I really don't mind because it smells so nice.  If you are interested in giving this perfume a shot, it is available at www.Avon.com, $22.50 for 1.7fl oz., and it is shown below.

With the economy in the shape that it's in, if your money is dwindling, I would go for this perfume!  You will be able to have a simple, clean, and beautiful smell without hurting your wallet too much.  I hope this helps.

PS - If you haven't already, please enter for my small giveaway which ends Nov. 21.  Check out my post entitled "A Small Giveaway" (November 5th's post) when you have a chance.  Good luck to everyone!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Cremestick Liner vs. Lip Pencil

Thanks to those of you who were concerned about me, I am going to be better after I come back from the doctor, which will be at 3:00.  But for now, I've got to get a post out for today!  Listen, I tried out both the Cremestick Liner and Lip Pencil from MAC, and after having made a comparison I must share my findings with you!

I think there are pros and cons to each of these, so it's not necessarily the case that one is better than the other.  The Cremestick Liner is just as the name suggests: creamy.  It is full of moisture, so it glides on your lips very easily, and this cuts the application time in half.  If your lips have the tendency to get dry, this is the lip pencil for you!  And another pro to this product is that it is retractable, so there is less mess when you are applying while on the go.

The only con to the Cremestick Liner I can think of is that because it's so full of moisture and glides onto your lips very easily, it is not as long lasting.  My lip-licking habit makes me have to reapply, and this can be a hassle at times.  But if you don't mind having to reapply every once in a while, I think this Cremestick Liner can be a handy tool to have in your purse.

The regular Lip Pencil doesn't contain as much moisture, and in fact, it is very dry.  The application is a little more difficult because of this, I have to admit, but the Lip Pencil seems a lot more pigmented than the Cremestick Liner.  And the dryness can be a positive, because once you have applied it to your lips, it is more difficult to eat off.  For me, because of my bad habit, I would go with the Lip Pencil.  

I think it's really based on your personal preference.  If you are really curious, I would just give both a try and see which works best for you.  In fact, I have yet to try lining my lips with the Lip Pencil and then filling it in with the Cremestick Liner.  There are many different ways to use these things, and both have pros and cons, so really, I can't say one is better than the other.  Below is a picture of both: I have the Cremestick Liner in Creme O' Spice ($14.50) and the Lip Pencil in Mahogany ($13.00).

I hope this helps, and good luck!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Drink Your Water

Last night I passed a kidney stone, a result of the fact that it is drier nowadays, plus I loathe drinking water: water is tasteless and therefore I never really liked it.  It was very painful.  In fact, I have been told that the pain level is comparable to giving birth.  I don't know if this is true, but for certain I was glad to have my extra Vicodin from all of the other times I passed kidney stones. 

The thing is, I should have seen this particular kidney stone coming: recently I had a really bad breakout on my face.  Pimples showed up where they had never dared go before.  On top of this, the skin on my elbows and heels was itchy because it was so dry and flaky.  It also didn't help that I was exercising everyday in this condition, sweating and losing even more water from my body.

Why am I telling you this sad story of how I became dehydrated and formed a calcium ball that blocked the passageway from my kidney?  Well, to show you what happens if you don't drink water, silly!  If you don't drink water, it won't just hurt your skin and change your appearance.  Not drinking water affects you negatively on the inside.  Seriously, bad things happen to people who don't drink water, like me. 

So let's learn a lesson from my mistakes: Drink your water!  And since it's drier nowadays, this means that you will have to drink more water than usual.  If you are careful about your water intake, you will be beautiful and well, both on the outside and on the inside.  Good luck, and try not to make my mistakes! 

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Ped Egg FTW!

Having been a California girl for the past 26 years of my life, I still wear my flip flops everyday--even if it's 50 degrees where I live now.  It's hard on my feet because it is dry here, and this makes it so that the skin on my heels become cracked.  I know I need to start wearing socks and tennis shoes, but gosh, old habits die hard.  I love wearing flip flops because they're so fast and easy, and they show off my toenails (which still look great after all the hard work I put into them, check out October 21st's post entitled "How to French Your Toenails"). 

So what did I do about this situation?  I went to my handy dandy Ped Egg, of course!  This nifty little gadget is so awesome, because it takes off the dead skin from your feet, and without any pain.  I know this sounds disgusting, but now I have no more cracked heels, no more dead skin.  If you don't have one of these Ped Eggs yourself, I don't know exactly how to describe it to you except to maybe call it a mini cheese grater.  If you look at the picture below, you can see tiny raised grooves on the metal plate, much like a cheese grater.

The fact that these raised grooves are tiny makes it so that the amount of skin taken off your feet is very minimal, and therefore there is no pain.  I think this is the best part about the Ped Egg.  Although, I would imagine that if you have a lot of dead skin on your feet, you will be working at this for a while.  This is also probably gross, but my hubby does the Ped Egg for me, and this is sooo nice.  It feels like I am at a spa and I am being pampered, LOL.

It is getting colder and drier nowadays with it being winter and all, so I would suggest you go ahead and get yourself one of these thingymabobbers if you haven't already done so.  I think it's like ten bucks at Bed, Bath and Beyond, and trust me, it is a good deal.  It feels nice, it makes your feet look better, and it feels painless.  What more could you ask for?  Oh, I forgot to mention maybe your feet might do better if right afterward you applied some lotion, just to give your feet more of a soothing feeling.

I hope you stay nice and moisturized during these cold winter months, and that you give the Ped Egg a chance to help your feet out.  Ped Egg For The Win!  Thanks for visiting my blog!

PS - If you haven't already, please enter for my small giveaway which ends Nov. 21.  Check out my post entitled "A Small Giveaway" (November 5th's post) when you have a chance.  Good luck to everyone!

Love,

Geneys  :o)

Save on Online Orders

It's time to do some Christmas shopping, and in my opinion, nothing beats shopping online.  All I have to do is sit here on my bed and browse all the products they have to offer, click, and a few days later, the stuff ends up at my door.  I love it!  And to help you guys and girls out while you do your Christmas shopping, I did a little research and I thought I would post a few coupon codes for some online stores.  Below are the coupon codes for a few makeup websites that have promos going on right now.

1.  Benefit - For those of you who are international, I thought this coupon code might be helpful.  Benefit's website (www.BenefitCosmetics.com) is currently doing free international shipping if you spend $115.00 or more.  The coupon code for this promotion is: WORLD115.

2.  MAC - If you chat live with a MAC MA, an option available at the MAC website (www.MacCosmetics.com), then at the end of your conversation they will usually give you a coupon code, at any time during the year.  I believe their most recent coupon code is LASH119, which will allow you free shipping on your purchase and a sample of their Zoom Lash mascara.

3.  Sephora - If you're looking for a deal, always be sure to check out this link before you complete your purchase with Sephora, at any time during the year.  They don't have any store-wide discounts right now, but they are still giving away samples and such.  Sephora's website is www.Sephora.com, and here is the link for their coupon codes: www.dealtaker.com/Sephora-coupon-code-a337-c.html.

4.  Too Faced - You can get 20% off your total purchase from their website (www.TooFaced.com) through December 2nd.  The coupon code for this awesome sale is: TFGLAM. 

5.  Urban Decay - You can get 30% off your total purchase from their website (www.UrbanDecay.com) through November 20th.  The coupon code for this awesome sale is: FNFW1.

I haven't started my Christmas shopping yet, so please let me know if there are any coupon codes that didn't work out.  And at any time you're shopping online for any reason, it's best to check if your websites have any coupon codes available.  You could save quite a bit of money just by googling: XYZ Store Promo/Coupon Codes.  I hope this helps you while you are doing your Christmas shopping!

Love,

Geneys  :o)