Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Fit Me Makeup and "Wave" product reviews

So, I have been trying a few new products and feeling that I am an advocate for the average woman, disciphering cosmetics in the CVS or Target isle...I wanted to share my findings.

I have been trying the "Fit Me" makeup from Maybelline and I just bought the "Wave" face scrubber from Neutrogena.

Let's start with the makeup first.




Fit Me's add campaign starts with a pouty model saying "Don't control me, fit me." Ugh, Maybelline, you missed your market there - normal women do not identify with pouty-lipped, skinny models demanding the world bend another thing to them. On the other hand - you hit your market get with your price point (usually always around $6 a bottle).

I've used this product in the past (from spring to early summer of this year) and recently purchased it again and here are my conclusions:

Fit me is a great medium to medium-light coverage foundation for people who have dry to normal skin and don't deal with a lot of serious acne who enjoy a fresh "dewy" look.

To break down those words here's some explanation:

Medium, medium-light coverage - covers the skin to give a consistent look but not strong enough to cover scars or blemishes.

dry to normal skin - if your skin is dry or just little oily by the end of the day this will feel nice on your skin - not cakey, overwhelming or stiff. If you have oily skin, this will not aid your oily-ness and you will find this makeup sliding off your skin by the end of the day as you glisten in the florescent light of your cubicle (or the lamplight of your house or wherever you find yourself at about 4:00pm).

Fresh, "dewy" look - this is a term that describes a face finish that has a slight sheen to it. It's very popular right now as seen by the influx of "illuminators" on the market that give a false "sheen" to the skin. The idea is a more natural look that is not powdery. Here's a reference:



I personally like the dewy look because I have a past of covering acne with think makeup to cover my issues and although a lot of that acne has subsided, I long for the type of skin I feel confident barely covering and going out with. But it really is just a preference thing.

So, I hope that is helpful. My skin is a little oily, acne prone and acne scarred so I need a fuller coverage heavier makeup. It is a nice feeling product though and again if you have fairly nice skin and like the dewy look, this is a great option.

Secondly, the Wave...





I'll keep this short because I just got it yesterday. I will say, so far, so good.

I thought it was a gimmick and that I'd been duped...but to my surprise this little thing did clean my skin better than my normal soap and exfoliater pad did. So, I will give it a try, 2x daily for 2 weeks and then give a full run down but for $9 at the grocery store, this little sucker seems to be doing good!

Stay tuned for more details!

~Linds

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Ruth Pauley Maternity

Now that we are not dying in the hot, drought-wrought summer - it's time for photography!

I had a wonderful maternity session last weekend with friends Josh and Ruth Pauley. They are cuter than words! Their love story is a classic, boy is in love with girl, girl thinks they're really good friends, boy still loves girl for 5 years, finally girl realizes she loves boy, and then they get married kind of situation.

They are super sweet people who are tender, loving, joyful and fun! I can't wait to meet their sweet daughter later this month!












It was great to see them, they will be amazing parents!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

It's been too long AND DIY Masks!

Wow!! It's been WAY too long!

To my followers I am so sorry. The last 6 months has included my job change, my husband's job change, a pregnancy, a loss of pregnancy, an adoption application, a vacation, a failed detox attempt and a committment to serious gym time.

Hopefully I can begin to blog more consistently about photography, beauty and other fun things!

Today I want to share the treasure of home face masks. The issue came up because of our trip to Colorado. While in Colorado, my skin got a little dry, leathery feeling and therefore broke out more (I have weird skin).




So, as we drove further into the humidity, back to Houston I thought "I really need to do a face treatment of some kind - something that really cleans and something that adds moisture." Sadly, the only mask I had was a mineral mask from the dead sea. Now while the mineral mask can be incredible, it wasn't what I needed. I also did not want to go to the store so I thought...I can do this myself.

What I came up with was a honey (natural cleanser and has antioxidants), mayo (oils and proteins) and cinnamon (antioxidant). I mixed it all up, spread it on my face and waited. Now, I think I had too much cinnamon in there because it burned just a little but after about 15 minutes, I rinsed it off and my skin did feel better.

So, try this in the next 2 weeks. Google "DIY face mask" and find one that meets your needs - dry skin, acne prone skin, oily skin, dirty skin, etc. And have fun! Do it with friends! You can have a face mask party and set up ingredients like a salad bar and have people make their own masks. Ingredients are cheap and easy to find, some common ingredients to DIY masks are:

Mayonaise (NOT Miracle Whip, not enough oils)
Avocados
Cucumbers
Honey
Milk
Cinnamon
Oatmeal
Yogurt
Olive Oil
Tea Tree Oil

Just to name a few. This is an inexpensive, fun way to do face treatments and if using all natural ingredients is a priority for you then this is perfect!

I am going to keep trying new mask treatments and I will keep you updated. So far the mayo, honey, cinnamon was good - just go a litte easy on the cinnamon. Post a good face mask recipe if you find one! Here are links to two good ones that I found!

Oatmeal and Yogurt mask for all skin types:
http://beauty.about.com/od/skinflaws/a/facemasks.htm

And just in time for fall, a pumpkin mask for all skin types, and can help with acne:
http://beauty.about.com/od/homemadefacemask1/r/Rejuvenating-Pumpkin-Mask-For-All-Skin-Types.htm