Back in September I ordered a bunch of make up from an Etsy store called The All Natural Face. I promised to write a follow-up review but you may have noticed that it never happened. It took me a really long time to figure out how I really felt about this makeup. I was really impressed by their prices and their customer service. (To spark your memory, I got all of the samples below for only $10. You can read more about what everything is in my post about The All Natural Face.)
The samples that I ordered in September lasted me all the way until January, but when it came time to order more, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. My biggest qualm with the makeup is that it doesn’t wear well throughout the day. The eye shadow creases even if you apply the primer, the eye liner gets under your eyes, and the foundation and concealer vanish so that skin looks that same as it did when you first get out of the shower. I tend not to wear very much makeup so when I put something on in the morning I want it to last until I go to bed without needing to cake it on before I leave the house. I always think of Becky from Full House telling D.J. that the trick to applying make-up was to look like you’re not wearing any at all. I would love to wear this makeup all the time because of how affordable it is and how great it is to work with The All Natural Face, but since I want products that don’t require me to reapply, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to go back to Bare Essentials.
Has anyone else tried The All Natural Face? What was your experience?
As winter approaches, my skin feels drier and drier. I told you about the great product that I use to keep my face feeling smooth but sometimes it’s nice to mix things up. This is why I periodically exfoliate my face with baking soda. Just pour a small amount in your hands, dampen it with water, and gently rub your face (without using your pointer finger or thumb) pulling upward in circular motions. Simple enough and really economical! Now I have an at home solution for the tougher skin on my body and the ever-so-delicate skin on my face.
Image courtesy of Arm & Hammer.
Most lotions leave my skin feeling either exactly like it felt before I used the lotion or sticky, slimy, and gross–maybe even some sort of combination. But Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion leaves skin feeling great. Alba knows how to make lotion that absorbs into your skin. (You may remember me raving about the Alba Green Tea Sunscreen.) Plus, the scent is so mild that even a guy would be comfortable wearing it. This line is slowly becoming a staple in my everyday routine.
For all you Austinites: Wheatsville, a local co-op, sells it in bulk! Now, you can bring in your own container to fill with lotion rather than buying another plastic one.
Image courtesy of Amazon.com
I spent a year studying abroad in Argentina. When I arrived, I was itching to know all of the beauty tricks that the girls there loved. I tried a lot of things that they swore by some of them worked, others required me to spend about three times as long on my hair to achieve worse results than my previous routines–but the one thing that I really fell for was a simple exfoliator. My tutor swore by sugar and olive oil. You mix the two in a bowl and use it to exfoliate your skin. The sugar sloughs off dead skin and the olive oil locks in moisture. I’m not sure what it does to the drain but it leaves your skin feeling amazing. Sugar is a little rough so if you’re looking for something to use on your face then I would try this instead.
What beauty concoctions do you swear by?
I wear sunscreen all over every day–even on days when I know that my only outdoor exposure will be in the car on my drive to work. It may not be the cool thing to do since I’m always shockingly pale in comparison to my friends, but my skin is healthier for it. In the search for the perfect sunscreen, I’ve come across several lotions that use copious amounts of zinc oxide, which makes it difficult for skin to absorb. Some that I have tried even clump and then flake off, leaving little specks of sunscreen on my clothes and in my hair like dandruff!
Alba’s Green Tea SPF 30+ Sunscreen gives me the perks of protecting my skin without the flakes. Overall, it is fresh and pleasant without the dreaded sunscreeny smell. Plus, you can buy it at Target for only $9.99. If you wear sunscreen frequently then you should definitely check it out. It’s great for every day use.
Image credit Target.com
