I typically keep my mascara confined to my top lashes, but yesterday I decided to mix it up a little and coated the bottom ones as well. Immediately after applying, I remembered why I don’t usually let my mascara venture south. I can’t seem to wear mascara on my lower lashes without looking like a doll. And no, I’m not talking about a doe-eyed baby doll with plump, rosy cheeks. I’m referring to the creepy doll every girl had at some point as a child that she hid in the back of her closet because she was convinced it would steal her soul if given the chance.

We all had that doll, right?

Have you entered the Easy Canvas Print Giveaway yet?  It’s a 50 dollar value; get on it!

1.  Alima Pure Nourishing Lipbalms (Natural, Fig, & Holly Berry)- They’re just what a girl needs for minty, soft lips.

2. Priia Cosmetics Vacation in a Jar Sample- Sup, sun-kissed face?

3. W3ll People Universalist Matte Muti-Use Color Stick  (#5)- This color stick makes a great blush or lipstick, and just an FYI: mine looks more rusty red and less brown than the one on W3ll People’s website. Review to come for this pretty lady!

4. 100% Pure Lip & Cheek Tint (Cranberry Glow)- It’s hard to beat the pretty shade of pink I get on both my lips and cheeks from this product.

5. Alima Pure Rosy Cheeks (the blush from the Cold Outside Collection)- This blush is great when I’m in the mood for a powdered blush, which happens once in a blue moon.

6. Alima Pure Firelight (the luminous shimmer powder from the Warm Inside Collection)- Who doesn’t like glowing? Not this girl.

7. W3ll People Nudist Lipshine Stick (#1)- This lovely, unassuming lip tint is just about perfect. Review to come.

8. Burt’s Bees Sun Protecting Lip Balm- It really only comes in handy on trips to the beach, but I suppose it’s well worth it since I usually take at least two of those a year.

9. Priia Cosmetics Pucker Upz Lip Infusions (Cha-Cha Cherry)- A rusty red that’s surprisingly flattering.

10. Vapour Organic Beauty Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss (Vivid)- This fruity, shiny gloss reminds me of high school (AND I LOVE IT). Review to come.

11. 100% Pure Creamstick (Perfect Naked Berry)- I’m a big fan of this no-nonsense lip color.

12. Vapour Organic Beauty Siren Lipstick  (Ravish)- Bold and beautiful! Review to come.

Well, that’s it! Maybe you guys aren’t completely horrified by the amount of makeup I own. From eyebrows to portion sizes to makeup, “less is more” has never really been my motto.

1. Priia Cosmetics Eye Shadow Samples (Mineral Matte Shadow in Just Peachy & Mineral Satin Shadow in Mint Leaf)- The former is great for keeping lids even and the latter is a nice, subtle green.

2. Priia Cosmetics Foundation/Powder Samples (Behave Finishing Powder & Essential Cover Creme Mineral Foundation in Golden Beige)- Like the mineral matte shadow, I’ve been using the finishing powder on my lids. The cover creme makes for a dreamy under eye concealer.

3. W3ll People Narcissist Foundation Stick (#2)- I received this little guy a few days ago for review, and I am loving it! Review to come.

4. Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Luminous Foundation (#115)- This is another foundation stick I’ve been given to review. I’d be hard-pressed to pick a favorite between this product and the one above. Check out their ingredients and you’ll see why!

5. Eyelash Curler/Eye Liner Sharpener- As far as I’m concerned, every living, breathing girl needs to own these two tools.

6. 100% Pure Mascaras (Blackberry & Dark Chocolate)- Blackberry at night and dark chocolate during the day!

7. Vapour Organic Beauty Mesmerize Eyeliner (Black Velvet)- I love a smudger/smoky eye tool. Review to come!

8. Honeybee Gardens Jobacolors Eye Liner (Smoking Gun)- Two words: smoky and smooth.

9. Alima Pure Fall Runway Collection (Front Row, Press Pass, and Catwalk only…I ran out of Backstage)- Front row is a flattering pale gold, press pass is a striking taupe, and catwalk is a pretty, albeit messy, powdered black eye liner.

10. Alima Pure Rainforest Collection (Bromeliad, Jaguar, Macaw, & Kapok)- These shades of golden-orange, brown, green, and teal are all perfect for a collection dedicated to rainforests.

11. Alima Pure Cold Outside Collection (Jack Frost, Snow Angel, & Snowdrift…Rosy Cheeks can be found in tomorrow’s post)- Cool colors aren’t always ideal for my complexion, but they’re nice to have around just in case.

12. Alima Pure Warm Inside Collection (Candlelight, Mulled Cider, and Hot Toddy…Firelight can be found in tomorrow’s post)- I tend to reserve eye shadow for special occasions, but these three are understated and flattering enough for frequent use.

*It might seem odd that I’ve included foundation in this post, but since I primarily use it as an under eye concealer it seemed to fit better with the eyes than the lips/cheeks.

What’s inside your makeup bag? Do tell!

Remember the promise I made to myself to avoid tweezers until my eyebrows returned to their naturally full state? Well, somehow I’ve managed to keep that promise, and I think my eyebrows are looking better than ever!

Also, while using Hipstamatic to snap the above picture, I was bombarded with so many old, cute pictures of myself sans bangs. I’m not sure why I repeatedly put myself through this cycle of wanting bangs, having bangs, hating bangs, and then spending several torturous months growing out bangs…but I’m currently in the last, awful stage of this cycle. I can’t wait to be rid of them.

See? This girl knew how to live life (I will never again photograph myself while driving, though. That was plain reckless).

Does anyone else have a love/hate relationship with bangs? I’d be willing to bet that anyone who has ever had them does.

I’ve always appreciated my dark eyebrows (which happen to be a little on the thick side), and I even avoided plucking or waxing them for a while. Somewhere along the way, though, I did start plucking them, and this weekly ritual gradually evolved into a daily one. I’m worried that it’s well on it’s way to becoming a compulsion, since changing my pillowcase began and progressed similarly (I now have a days of the week set of pillowcases). Worst of all, I know very little about the correct way to shape eyebrows, so these sad little guys have slowly gotten thinner and less symmetrical. Fortunately, my bangs tend to cover at least one eyebrow at all times (so the lack of symmetry isn’t entirely obvious).

You might be wondering what the point of this post is, so I’ll get to it. In an attempt to remedy the damage I’ve done, I’m steering clear of tweezers for a couple of months. It’ll be tough, but having my eyebrows restored to their original shape will definitely be worth it.

My eyebrows, in their glory days. Also, this picture made me realize that I want to grow out my bangs.

Oh yeah, I finally compiled some information for the ingredients to avoid page, so you guys should totally go check it out! It’s a work in progress, and I’ll be adding new questionable ingredients as I come across them. I’ve got to start somewhere, though. Right?

Ingredients (provided at piggypaint.com)-”Corn alcohol, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, embittering agent.”

None of Piggy Paint’s products are in the Cosmetics Database, so I’ve linked to each ingredient above. Every ingredient has a hazard score of 2 or lower.

Some great things about this product:

1.  It’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone.

2.  It’s cruelty-free.

Product Description(also provided at piggypaint.com)- “Low odor, hypoallergenic, no acetone nail polish remover. Put harmful, smelly polish removers behind you with Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover, a remover that works quickly on all polishes, especially Piggy Paint Nail Polish. Our remover contains none of the solvents that could offend your nose or harm our atmosphere. Aloe Vera and Vitamin E are added to supplement the natural oils that protect nails and cuticles.”

Price- around $8.99 for a 4 fl. oz. bottle.

Performance- Not only did this product remove Piggy Paint from my toenails, but it also removed the old Sally Hansen polish residue that had been there for months. This remover works best when nails are soaked for at least thirty seconds with a remover saturated cotton ball (using this remover to get rid of polish any other way requires a good bit of scrubbing). I know it seems like a little extra time/effort, and it is, but avoiding acetone is totally worth it for me.

Scent- It smells like alcohol, which is exactly what you’d expect a product with corn alcohol in it to smell like. It isn’t overwhelming, and it doesn’t give me a headache like my previous nail polish remover. I appreciate that.

Rating- 10/10. I have no complaints!

Would I purchase this item again? I would and will.

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Ingredients (provided at piggypaint.com)-”Water, acrylates copolymers, butoxy diglycol, Neolone 950. May contain mica, red 34 lake, ultramarines, titanium dioxide, iron oxide pigments.”

None of Piggy Paint’s products are in the Cosmetics Database, so I’ve linked to each ingredient above. I couldn’t locate Neolone 950 in the database, but that ingredient isn’t actually listed with the others on my bottle. In its place is Methylisothiazolinone, which has a hazard score of 6. After doing a little research, I found that these are two different names for the same ingredient. Apparently, Neolone 950/Methylisothiazolinone is a common preservative used to replace parabens. This ingredient is the only one in Piggy Paint with a hazard score above a 3. It isn’t ideal, but I find it much more acceptable than most Sally Hansen polishes, which typically have ingredient lists that are three times as long and include around 7 ingredients with hazard scores above 3.

Some great things about this product:

1.  It’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone.

2.  It’s cruelty-free.

Product Description(also provided at piggypaint.com)- “Piggy Paint is specially formulated from God’s natural ingredients and dries to a hard, durable finish. There are  no toxic chemicals; it’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone.”

Price- around $8.99 for a o.5 fl. oz. bottle.

Performance- I painted my toenails with this polish just before going to the beach, and it held up surprisingly well to the sand and the chlorinated pool water. It only chipped a few times throughout the week, and a little polish and a blow dryer to the formerly chipped area remedied the situation each time. With my old polish (formaldehyde resin and all), I would’ve likely experienced no chipping at all, but I’ll take chipped polish over horrible ingredients any day. I have noticed that the polish is much more resistant to chipping when I use a blowdryer afterwards, as opposed to just waiting a few minutes and running out the door. Also, the color pictured above (which is the same picture from the Piggy Paint website) is a few shades lighter than my bottle of Sea-quin, which is less of a pale blue and more of a turquoise. Like this:

Scent- This polish hardly has a scent at all, but I’d compare the light scent that it does have with acrylic paint. It’s much less offensive than typical nail polishes, and I didn’t get light-headed once while painting my nails. For me, this is an accomplishment worth mentioning.

Rating- 8/10. I’m subtracting 1 point for the questionable ingredient and another because it’s slightly less chip resistant than polishes I’ve used in the past.

Would I purchase this item again? Absolutely! I’d like to try a new shade when I run out of Sea-quin, though. I have my eye on Sometimes Sweet and Tea Party for Two. I’d also like to buy some Puppy Paint for Clementine (specifically Fire Hydrant Fun), but something tells me Kirby might object. He tends to ruin my fun with his voice of reason.

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Have you ever read the ingredients on a bottle of cheap nail polish? If you’re lucky enough to have them listed (and are capable of reading the tiniest words you’ll probably ever encounter), then you might be shocked by what you see. It wasn’t until just before throwing out my old polishes and remover that I forced myself to look at the ingredients. One of the few recognizable ingredients on each bottle was formaldehyde resin. The remover was no better. Think acetone, parabens, and artificial colors that hardly seem necessary in a polish remover.

I avoided doing research on the horrible ingredients hiding in popular polishes for a very long time; I knew my findings would cause me to make a possibly expensive change. I’ve had several natural polishes on wishlists in the past, but I was never able to justify the initial high cost on top of shipping. When I saw Piggy Paint* at Pink & Blue Avenue, a local gift shop for babies and new mothers, I took it as a sign that it might be time to make the switch. I thought it over for a few days, and when I returned to the store I bought a bottle of Piggy Paint in Sea-quin (which is free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone)  as well as a bottle of Piggy Paint acetone-free nail polish remover. My next move was getting rid of all my Sally Hansen, Petites, and Essie products.

I feel pretty great about my purchase, and I consider it $20 well spent. I’ll be heading to the beach for a week on Saturday, and my toes will look great without being covered in formaldehyde. A post on achieving beach-ready feet at home is on its way! I’ll talk more about the performance of these lovely products in said post.

*I know, I know. As the name suggests, this product was created for kids. However, as the website states, “Piggy Paint is a natural, eco-friendly nail polish designed for fancy girls.”

I was a fancy girl at 7, I’m a fancy girl at 21, and I’ll still be a fancy girl when I’m 50. Count on it!

1) This Balancing Cleansing Oil makes the Oil Cleansing Method seem like much less of a hassle. I like that the oils are premixed and that they come in reusable glass bottle!

2) Is there anything fancier than a bath truffle? I doubt it. Enter this Klara Coco giveaway for a chance to win a jar of your own!

3) I’ll admit to having a G0d-given mustache. You’ve probably never noticed this in my pictures because I take care of it. It’s more shameful for a woman to have a mustache than to have a mustache removed, or at least that’s what I always say. This Body Sugar Roll-On kit might make facial hair removal a piece of cake. Also, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: swimsuit season is approaching, and fast!

4) With swimsuit season comes sandal season, and this lovely Scotch Naturals polish is just what my little toes need. P.S. All Scotch Naturals polishes are formulated without toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, acetone, and heavy metals.

5) Fresh Breath and a low hazard score? Two of my favorite things!

Sources: Cleansing Oil, Bath Truffles, Body Sugar, Nail Polish, Mouth Wash.

I gave up on concealer for a couple of years (with brief relapses when I needed to cover up a sunburn) because I realized how pointless clogging my pores to make my skin look better seemed.  Lately, though, my eyes have been looking a little tired, and my not-so-noticeable dark circles have become slightly more noticeable. While I’m still against the idea of using concealer to hide pimples, I am all for looking well-rested. My solution?  Josie Maran Argan Blend Concealer!

Ingredients (provided at sephora.com)-”Mica (CI 77019)**, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch**, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil**, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cera Alba (Beeswax**), Octyldodecanol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tricaprylin, Cera Carnauba (Carnauba Wax)**, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax**, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides (and) Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides**, Myristyl Myristate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil**, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil**, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oil**, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil**, Linum Usitatissimum (Flax) Seed**, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil**, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil**, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter**, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)**, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol**. May Also Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499) *Organic **Natural”

The Cosmetic Safety Database does have an Argan Concealer listed (and it receives a low hazard score of 2), but after comparing the two ingredient lists (Sephora and CSD), I found a few small differences. The concealer I’m reviewing contains Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, an ingredient with a hazard score of 0. The concealer listed in the CSD contains four ingredients  that are absent from the ingredient list of the concealer I’m reviewing: Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ozokerite,  Nylon-12, and Lanolin Oil. In the longer, accurate ingredient list above, I’ve linked to the only two ingredients with hazard scores above a 2.

I feel like most of what I just typed is unnecessarily confusing, and for that I apologize. At the very least, I hope I managed to be thorough.

Some great things about this product:

1.  It’s free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, phthalates, gmos, & triclosan.

2.  It’s cruelty-free.

3. It contains organic ingredients.

4. The concealer comes in a compact that includes a mirror. Nifty!

Product Description (provided at josiemarancosmetics.com)- “This unique two-shade Argan Blend Concealer provides long lasting and repairing coverage that hides all imperfections while hydrating the skin with Josie’s signature ingredient, Organic Argan Oil. Dual shades work together to correct and conceal flaws and highlight skin tone, helping women address the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and discoloration, while concealing dark circles, blemishes, age spots, and redness.”

Price- $28.00 for a 0.32 oz compact. I know…it’s kind of expensive, but this concealer should last several months since I’m using it strictly under my eyes.

Performance-  To apply this concealer, I dabbed my ring finger (since I’m a dummy and either lost my concealer brush or don’t have one) in the darker bottom shade first and patted gently underneath my eyes. Then, I did the same with the lighter shade. I was pleasantly surprised by how natural it looked, and I quickly dabbed on a little blush/lip stain before running outside to take pictures.

I'm not sure what type of flowers those are behind me, but they smell like everything good and lovely in the world.

See that beautiful bird necklace I'm wearing? It was a gift from my friend Jillian. She's the greatest.

I applied this concealer around 3 pm yesterday, and it was still going strong when I removed my makeup around 12 am. I did notice some slight creases after running/sweating around 6 pm (I hadn’t planned to run when I put on concealer), but a little blending with my pinky solved this problem in no time. When removing this concealer, I’d suggest using coconut oil and a warm washcloth. It gently melts the concealer away, which is definitely preferable to scrubbing or rubbing the delicate skin underneath the eyes with soap.

Scent- I doesn’t have much of a scent at all, and lack of scent is probably a good quality for a concealer to possess.

Rating- 7/10. I subtracted 1 point for the creases that occurred after sweating (but no more, since I probably shouldn’t have been wearing concealer while running and will likely never do so again) and another 2 for the ingredients with a hazard score above a 2.

Would I purchase this item again? Yes, please!

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