Hi Guys!
So, I asked everyone's opinion on Facebook on what you all would like my next post to be about and, overwhelmingly, you said you wanted to know how to look expensive but, do it on a dime. I decided that, instead of writing one really long post on the subject, I would break it up into a series. So, here is part one...thrift store shopping. :)
I have a secret confession. Almost everything I wear is from a thrift store or consignment shop. Seriously. I LOVE to find cheap little treasures and, with a bit of imagination, make them into something admirable. I do this with furniture as well, but today maybe we should just talk about what goes on our backs.
There are a few tips and tricks to great thrift store shopping. Honestly, you can have almost your whole wardrobe be from a thrift store and, if you do it right, people will still see you as classy or quirky or bohemian or whatever you want them to see. I go for more of a 1960's class, but that's just my taste. Secretly, I adore getting compliments at a party or gathering on an outfit I know I only paid $5 for. And, there is nothing more "green" than wearing an outfit that is recycled, not to mention a lot of thrift stores are tied to charities, so your money is going to a good cause. See? Everybody wins.
Here are all of my tips and tricks. Enjoy!!!
Tip #1- Find a Thrift Store in a Good Area that is Close to a High End Mall.
Most thrift stores near good malls receive their overstock, so a lot of the merchandise is brand new. Ditto a thrift store near a Target. Also, if you shop a thrift store that is in an affluent area, the money still goes to the same charity, but the stock is WAY nicer. And, with the way wealthy women go through clothes, the garments are practically new. I personally don't care what's "so last season", but I'm sure glad they do.
I once saw a legit vintage Dior bag for $50. I didn't get it, but still.
The thrift shop I go to is a normal shop, but in a great area, so I have picked up Benetton dresses for $5, Coach bags, Guess, Banana Republic... it's awesome.
Tip #2- Know What You Can Work With
Wasting $5 on a dress that has bleached out armpits is still a waste of $5, because you will never ever wear it. So, my advice is to know what stains you can get out, what can be altered and what can be repaired by you, yourself. If a dress has a broken zipper or missing button, that's ok because those are easily fixed. If, however, a dress or shirt has a blood stain on it...well, those are notoriously difficult to get out. Also...why does the dress have blood on it??? Ew.
So, know what's actually a good deal and what's just a waste of money. Anything can be taken in or taken up, especially if there is darting in the bodice. However, it's difficult to let clothes out. Also, buying something 2 sizes 2 small because you like it and might fit into it one day is just silly. You might, it's true, but until then it's just cluttering up your life and reminding you how out of shape you feel right now. You don't need that.
Don't buy anything that has frayed edges, holes anywhere but a seam, pit stains, blood stains, makeup stains (except mascara, which is easy to get out), is too small or is moth eaten/ silverfish eaten. Be wary of leather jackets and inspect them for wear and tear.
Tip #3- Go Right When They Open
If you can, try to go to the stores right when they open. In fact, make friends with the staff (you should just be nice anyway, right?) and see if they will tell you when they tend to put new stock on the floor. That way, you have first pick.
Tip #4- Buy Costume Jewelry
You can spice up any simple fitted sheath dress or button down shirt with one cheap trick...vintage jewelery. I have a whole collection of brooches and not one of them is more expensive than $10, but all of them are vintage. Vintage pins and whatnot usually have a lot of artistry to them and a bit of whimsy, so they can add a personal touch to a thrift store find. Go your local vintage mall and have fun. It's great to be complimented on your pin or necklace and be able to say "Why, thanks! It's from the 1950's!"
Tip #5- For the Guys
Guys, thrift store shopping is actually more geared toward men. They have a large variety of jeans, button down shirts, tshirts and shoes. Try to find things in good repair, but shoes, if they are leather, can be repaired for usually very little money. If you find a great pair of dress shoes or boots, know that a quick trip to a shoe repair place can make them look new and disinfect them. Also, if you ARE shopping for tshirts, look for them in an athletic cut, which is less boxy and more tapered at the waist. If you are shopping for jeans, avoid stone wash, tapered legs or anything that hangs on your booty.
Honestly, for you guys, it's less about what you wear and more about good grooming. Lucky you!
Tip #6- Shoes for Women
I personally don't tend to buy shoes at thrift stores, because women tend to not have any barrier between their feet and the inside of the shoe. However, the same rules apply if you do. If they are leather, they can be repaired. Know what you are willing to spend on that and plan accordingly. Personally, I just try to find really good deals on super cute shoes at regular stores. I actually have a few pairs of decent shoes that are shiny or bright or completely nude and I wear them with everything.
I think that's it so far. If I think of any more, I fill post them asap. If not, my next post will be about shopping at thrift stores for home furnishings. :)
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Friday, October 21, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Cheap and Effective Products
Hi Guys!
I know it's been a while since my last post, but this Thrift Store Diva has been pretty busy lately. I've had it called to my attention that my blog has some pretty steady followers (yay!), so I will try to keep up with it a little bit better.
Today I wanted to post some cheap, but effective, recipes to clear your skin, calm your skin, smooth your hands over night and condition your hair. Right now, my skin is a total train wreck. (I blame stress and falling asleep with my makeup on), so I am not the poster child for these recipes working at this very moment. However, I promise they do work. Happy Grooming!
Mask for Acne
What you need:
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay- about $7 for one pound of powdered clay at Sprouts, Mother's, Whole Foods and Henry's (But, you can usually find it on sale)
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar- about $4 at any of those stores. Make sure it is unfiltered, which means it is cloudy on the bottom. That's called the "mother". I use Braggs brand.
Directions:
First, cleanse your skin and stand over a bowl of hot water with a towel covering your head and the bowl, like a tent, for 10 minutes to steam open your pores. Then, in a bowl, combine equal parts of apple cider vinegar and clay (I do a tablespoon of clay to a little less than a tablespoon of vinegar). Make sure neither the bowl, nor the stirring utensil, is metal. It reacts with the clay. Stir it up until it's smooth (it will fizz, too, which is kind of cool) and then spread it evenly all over your face, or just where you get acne. As it dries, your skin will feel like it's "pulsing". Leave it on for about 10-20 minutes, unless your skin is sensitive, in which case try for 5-10 min at first to check your tolerance. Lay a hot (but not burning hot) , wet washcloth over your face and wipe off the mask. Rinse off completely. Your face will be pretty red, which is normal and goes away quickly, so do this at night when you don't have to be anywhere.
The benefits: This mask literally sucks the gunk out of your pores. You will most likely actually SEE the pore clogs sitting on top of your skin. Because it is so deep cleansing, the first few times you do this, your skin may "purge" (which is a fancy way of saying the deep down gunk will come to the surface and cause pimples). This will stop happening after a few times.
If $7 for a pound of clay seems like a lot to you, remember that you only use a tablespoon at a time and only do this once or twice a week. My jar has lasted me 2 years.
The Soothing Face Mask
What you need:
some honey (raw is best)
5 drops of lemon juice (not the kind with lemon oil in it. Straight lemon juice.)
Directions:
In a bowl, mix together ingredients and smear it on your cleansed, steamed face. Wait 20 minutes and rinse. This mask is pretty drippy, so I put a towel down over my pillow and just lay there. Sometimes, because I have acne scarring, I add a pinch or two of turmeric to the mixture, which fades acne marks and hyperpigmentation. Honey is naturally antibacterial and conditioning and lemon is acidic, so this mask does wonders for your skin.
Soft Hands Over Night
What you need:
Vaseline (I use the Alba Un-Petroleum, which you can get at any of the above stores, but Vaseline works and is much cheaper)
Cotton gloves- $4 or so at CVS, Walgreens...wherever. They are usually called moisturizing gloves and can be found by the eye masks and loofahs.
Directions:
Before bed, smear some jelly on your hands. Put on the gloves. In the morning, take of the gloves and rinse your hands. Your skin will be super soft.
Shiny, Silky Hair
What You Need:
An egg yolk
2 Tablespoons each of- olive oil, grape seed oil and rum
A cheap shower cap
Directions:
Mix everything together in a bowl. Apply it to DRY hair. Put on the shower cap. Keep the mixture on for at least 30 minutes. Rinse out. Your hair will be soft and shiny.
I have very long, very thick hair, so I double this recipe.
That's it for today! Thanks for reading and I hope these recipes work out great for you.
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
I know it's been a while since my last post, but this Thrift Store Diva has been pretty busy lately. I've had it called to my attention that my blog has some pretty steady followers (yay!), so I will try to keep up with it a little bit better.
Today I wanted to post some cheap, but effective, recipes to clear your skin, calm your skin, smooth your hands over night and condition your hair. Right now, my skin is a total train wreck. (I blame stress and falling asleep with my makeup on), so I am not the poster child for these recipes working at this very moment. However, I promise they do work. Happy Grooming!
Mask for Acne
What you need:
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay- about $7 for one pound of powdered clay at Sprouts, Mother's, Whole Foods and Henry's (But, you can usually find it on sale)
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar- about $4 at any of those stores. Make sure it is unfiltered, which means it is cloudy on the bottom. That's called the "mother". I use Braggs brand.
Directions:
First, cleanse your skin and stand over a bowl of hot water with a towel covering your head and the bowl, like a tent, for 10 minutes to steam open your pores. Then, in a bowl, combine equal parts of apple cider vinegar and clay (I do a tablespoon of clay to a little less than a tablespoon of vinegar). Make sure neither the bowl, nor the stirring utensil, is metal. It reacts with the clay. Stir it up until it's smooth (it will fizz, too, which is kind of cool) and then spread it evenly all over your face, or just where you get acne. As it dries, your skin will feel like it's "pulsing". Leave it on for about 10-20 minutes, unless your skin is sensitive, in which case try for 5-10 min at first to check your tolerance. Lay a hot (but not burning hot) , wet washcloth over your face and wipe off the mask. Rinse off completely. Your face will be pretty red, which is normal and goes away quickly, so do this at night when you don't have to be anywhere.
The benefits: This mask literally sucks the gunk out of your pores. You will most likely actually SEE the pore clogs sitting on top of your skin. Because it is so deep cleansing, the first few times you do this, your skin may "purge" (which is a fancy way of saying the deep down gunk will come to the surface and cause pimples). This will stop happening after a few times.
If $7 for a pound of clay seems like a lot to you, remember that you only use a tablespoon at a time and only do this once or twice a week. My jar has lasted me 2 years.
The Soothing Face Mask
What you need:
some honey (raw is best)
5 drops of lemon juice (not the kind with lemon oil in it. Straight lemon juice.)
Directions:
In a bowl, mix together ingredients and smear it on your cleansed, steamed face. Wait 20 minutes and rinse. This mask is pretty drippy, so I put a towel down over my pillow and just lay there. Sometimes, because I have acne scarring, I add a pinch or two of turmeric to the mixture, which fades acne marks and hyperpigmentation. Honey is naturally antibacterial and conditioning and lemon is acidic, so this mask does wonders for your skin.
Soft Hands Over Night
What you need:
Vaseline (I use the Alba Un-Petroleum, which you can get at any of the above stores, but Vaseline works and is much cheaper)
Cotton gloves- $4 or so at CVS, Walgreens...wherever. They are usually called moisturizing gloves and can be found by the eye masks and loofahs.
Directions:
Before bed, smear some jelly on your hands. Put on the gloves. In the morning, take of the gloves and rinse your hands. Your skin will be super soft.
Shiny, Silky Hair
What You Need:
An egg yolk
2 Tablespoons each of- olive oil, grape seed oil and rum
A cheap shower cap
Directions:
Mix everything together in a bowl. Apply it to DRY hair. Put on the shower cap. Keep the mixture on for at least 30 minutes. Rinse out. Your hair will be soft and shiny.
I have very long, very thick hair, so I double this recipe.
That's it for today! Thanks for reading and I hope these recipes work out great for you.
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Shoop DUPE-ey DUPE Part 1
Hello, Friends!
Today we are going to talk about DUPES. What's a dupe, you may ask? A dupe is a product that almost perfectly duplicates a more expensive product. Most of the time, you can find duplicate items that are as good as or better quality than the expensive products. Talk about looking expensive for less. ;)
I will rate each DUPE- not quite as good as/as good as/ better than the original product.
1. Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation- $54 at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Macy's
DUPE: Boots no7 Lifting &Firming Foundation- $13 at Target
Rating: BETTER THAN
Boots Firming & Lifting has all of the best qualities of Vitalumiere, plus it fixes a few of Vitalumiere's problems. Boots covers much better and isn't so oily feeling. Also, the Boots L&F Foundation is formulated with more yellow in it than Chanel, so finding a match is a bit easier.
2.Urban Decay Naked Palette- $48 at Sephora, Ulta and Macy's
DUPE: Avon 8-in-1 Pallette in Neutral Tones-$12.99...unless you catch it on sale
Rating: AS GOOD AS
The Urban Decay Naked Palette is probably their top selling item. It is so popular that they can't keep it in the stores and, for a while, they couldn't even keep up with production because demand was so high. I have owned it myself, and honestly, I like the Avon one just as well. There aren't as many colors to choose from in the Avon version, but I feel quite a few colors in the Urban Decay version are too glittery and, therefore, sort of unusable anyway. It's almost as if Avon took all of the best shadows from the UD palette and left out the crappy ones. The pigmentation and formulation of the Avon is fantastic.
3. Any high end moisturizer...and I do mean ANY high end moisturizer.
DUPE: Cerave Night Facial Moisturizer- $12.99 at Target, $13.99 at CVS
RATING: WAAAYYYY BETTER
This moisturizer has ALL of the best ingredients that the top high end moisturizers have without any of the extra "fluff" (like the scent of roses). It truly is a no frills, powerhouse moisturizer and is recommended by dermatologists like crazy. I have very acne prone, easily congested skin that WAS also dehydrated (because of the acne products)and is getting fine lines. This brought my skin back to life. I love it and I have used La Mer, Chanel, you name it. You only need to use a little bit, so start with a pea-sized drop and work from there. Too much moisturizer can break you out, no matter the brand. It also is in a pump bottle, not a jar, so it's way more hygienic. They also have a Day version of this moisturizer with an spf of 30 (which is really the highest almost anyone needs) which would save you money on sunscreen and a step getting ready in the morning.
4.Urban Decay Primer Potion- $18 at Sephora
DUPE- NYX HD Eye Base- $7.00 at Ulta or Cherryculture.com
RATING: BETTER THAN
I mentioned this in another blog, but it's awesome.
5.Benefit High Beam- $24 at Ulta and Sephora
DUPE: Boots no7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion $12.99 at Target\
RATING: AS GOOD AS (but you get more product with Boots)
Benefit calls their High Beam a "model in a bottle" and it is one of their top selling products. However, the Boots version is exactly the same, you get more for your money. And, it is half the price. Just go onto the Benefit website and look at the instructions on how to use High Beam, but use the Boots version.
6.NARS Blush in "Orgasm"- $27 at Sephora and Nordstrom
DUPE: La Femme Blush on Rouge in "Coral Spice"- $3.00 at makeupmania.com
RATING: BETTER THAN (seriously)
This is one of my favorite dupes. NARS Orgasm is not only NARS's top selling product, but it's the top selling blush in the WORLD on account of it's SUPPOSED to look good on literally everyone. The color is shimmery and was created to mimic the flush of a woman's cheek after...well, you get the point. It IS a beautiful blush and the perfect mix of pink and peach. However, it's $27!!!! For BLUSH!!!! The Le Femme version is the same mix of pinky peach with subtle shimmer and it contains more actual product (5.5 grams vs 4.5) than NARS. Also, the pigmentation of Orgasm is kind of "eh", while the La Femme pigmentation is amazing!!!
7. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer- $49 at Sephora
DUPE: Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel- $4.99 at Target
RATING: BETTER THAN
Yes, I said Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel. And, yes, you find it in the "lady needs" section of Target (it took me forever to find it the first time I needed to. I didn't think to look next to the "feminine itch" products. Yikes.) However, hear me out. The main ingredients of a the Smashbox primer are silicone, silicone, silicone, with maybe some silica and oils thrown in. The Chafing Relief Powder-Gel has those same ingredients...without all of the pore clogging oils. It is a gel that has powder spheres in it, so it keeps you makeup on all day...except if you are VERY oily...in which case dab Milk of Magnesia on your oily parts with a cotton ball after your moisturizer and before the gel. It controls oil like nobody's business. Be careful if you have sensitive skin, as MoM has a very acidic Ph. Just use a tiny bit of the Monistat, or you will start to look greasy.
I think that's enough dupes for now. Enjoy your new, expensive looking face. ;)
Until next time.
The Thrift Store Barbie
Today we are going to talk about DUPES. What's a dupe, you may ask? A dupe is a product that almost perfectly duplicates a more expensive product. Most of the time, you can find duplicate items that are as good as or better quality than the expensive products. Talk about looking expensive for less. ;)
I will rate each DUPE- not quite as good as/as good as/ better than the original product.
1. Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation- $54 at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Macy's
DUPE: Boots no7 Lifting &Firming Foundation- $13 at Target
Rating: BETTER THAN
Boots Firming & Lifting has all of the best qualities of Vitalumiere, plus it fixes a few of Vitalumiere's problems. Boots covers much better and isn't so oily feeling. Also, the Boots L&F Foundation is formulated with more yellow in it than Chanel, so finding a match is a bit easier.
2.Urban Decay Naked Palette- $48 at Sephora, Ulta and Macy's
DUPE: Avon 8-in-1 Pallette in Neutral Tones-$12.99...unless you catch it on sale
Rating: AS GOOD AS
The Urban Decay Naked Palette is probably their top selling item. It is so popular that they can't keep it in the stores and, for a while, they couldn't even keep up with production because demand was so high. I have owned it myself, and honestly, I like the Avon one just as well. There aren't as many colors to choose from in the Avon version, but I feel quite a few colors in the Urban Decay version are too glittery and, therefore, sort of unusable anyway. It's almost as if Avon took all of the best shadows from the UD palette and left out the crappy ones. The pigmentation and formulation of the Avon is fantastic.
3. Any high end moisturizer...and I do mean ANY high end moisturizer.
DUPE: Cerave Night Facial Moisturizer- $12.99 at Target, $13.99 at CVS
RATING: WAAAYYYY BETTER
This moisturizer has ALL of the best ingredients that the top high end moisturizers have without any of the extra "fluff" (like the scent of roses). It truly is a no frills, powerhouse moisturizer and is recommended by dermatologists like crazy. I have very acne prone, easily congested skin that WAS also dehydrated (because of the acne products)and is getting fine lines. This brought my skin back to life. I love it and I have used La Mer, Chanel, you name it. You only need to use a little bit, so start with a pea-sized drop and work from there. Too much moisturizer can break you out, no matter the brand. It also is in a pump bottle, not a jar, so it's way more hygienic. They also have a Day version of this moisturizer with an spf of 30 (which is really the highest almost anyone needs) which would save you money on sunscreen and a step getting ready in the morning.
4.Urban Decay Primer Potion- $18 at Sephora
DUPE- NYX HD Eye Base- $7.00 at Ulta or Cherryculture.com
RATING: BETTER THAN
I mentioned this in another blog, but it's awesome.
5.Benefit High Beam- $24 at Ulta and Sephora
DUPE: Boots no7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion $12.99 at Target\
RATING: AS GOOD AS (but you get more product with Boots)
Benefit calls their High Beam a "model in a bottle" and it is one of their top selling products. However, the Boots version is exactly the same, you get more for your money. And, it is half the price. Just go onto the Benefit website and look at the instructions on how to use High Beam, but use the Boots version.
6.NARS Blush in "Orgasm"- $27 at Sephora and Nordstrom
DUPE: La Femme Blush on Rouge in "Coral Spice"- $3.00 at makeupmania.com
RATING: BETTER THAN (seriously)
This is one of my favorite dupes. NARS Orgasm is not only NARS's top selling product, but it's the top selling blush in the WORLD on account of it's SUPPOSED to look good on literally everyone. The color is shimmery and was created to mimic the flush of a woman's cheek after...well, you get the point. It IS a beautiful blush and the perfect mix of pink and peach. However, it's $27!!!! For BLUSH!!!! The Le Femme version is the same mix of pinky peach with subtle shimmer and it contains more actual product (5.5 grams vs 4.5) than NARS. Also, the pigmentation of Orgasm is kind of "eh", while the La Femme pigmentation is amazing!!!
7. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer- $49 at Sephora
DUPE: Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel- $4.99 at Target
RATING: BETTER THAN
Yes, I said Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel. And, yes, you find it in the "lady needs" section of Target (it took me forever to find it the first time I needed to. I didn't think to look next to the "feminine itch" products. Yikes.) However, hear me out. The main ingredients of a the Smashbox primer are silicone, silicone, silicone, with maybe some silica and oils thrown in. The Chafing Relief Powder-Gel has those same ingredients...without all of the pore clogging oils. It is a gel that has powder spheres in it, so it keeps you makeup on all day...except if you are VERY oily...in which case dab Milk of Magnesia on your oily parts with a cotton ball after your moisturizer and before the gel. It controls oil like nobody's business. Be careful if you have sensitive skin, as MoM has a very acidic Ph. Just use a tiny bit of the Monistat, or you will start to look greasy.
I think that's enough dupes for now. Enjoy your new, expensive looking face. ;)
Until next time.
The Thrift Store Barbie
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Having Problems with My Posts
Hi, Guys!
For some reason blogger.com is cutting out whole chunks of the text I am trying to post. So, if you see something that makes no sense, that's why. I'm trying to fix it.
For some reason blogger.com is cutting out whole chunks of the text I am trying to post. So, if you see something that makes no sense, that's why. I'm trying to fix it.
Spend or Scrimp? (Revised)
Hi Guys!
It seems that a lot of people nowadays are pretty confused about what they should spend their hard earned money on and what they should scrimp on. Some items are ok, or even preferable to scrimp a little on, but some products are worth the higher price tag. So, what should we spend on and what should be scrimp on, and why? Here is a list of some of the most used products and where to allocate your money.
1. Foundation: Spend
You know you need to spend a bit more on foundations the same way you need to pay a bit more for a good bra. Think of it as the foundation of your house. If you have a bad foundation, it doesn't matter how expensive or artfully crafted the rest of your house is. It's the same with cosmetic foundations. Most drugstore foundations look cheap because they are very, very pink. Why? Because, pink pigment is much cheaper to produce and buy than yellow pigment, so most drugstore foundations use a lot of pink. You CAN find decent foundations in drugstores, but it is worth it to spend a bit more on a really good one. That way, you can spend less on everything else.
Some decent drugstore foundations are:
L'Oreal True Match Liquid (doesn't photograph well)
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind
Some great department store foundations are:
Chanel Vitalumiere (for every skin but oily)
Too Faced Amazing Face
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
Chanel ProLumiere (for oilier skin)
2. Eyeshadow: Scrimp
There's no need to spend a ton on eyeshadows as long as you know which low-end shadows have great texture and color payoff. My favorites are by NYX and are as good as or better than most high end shadows. If you use a good eyeshadow primer first, then your shadow savings are even better because you won't use as much to get the look you want and your shadow will stay on all day without fading or creasing. Urban Decay Primer Potion and MAC Paint Pots are great. Try NYX HD Eye Shadow base. It's amazing and it's cheap. To me, shadow primer is an essential step, just make sure to dust a powder or flesh toned eyeshadow over your primer before doing eye makeup or blending will be impossible.
3. Mascara: Scrimp
It is a little known fact that most of our mascaras come from one of only 3 different manufacturers. There isn't a lot of difference between most formulas AND you are supposed to throw it out after 3 months, so why spend $30 for a mascara that you need to throw out in 90 days? Especially if the mascara is no better than a $6 brand? Some great mascaras are : Prestige My Longest Lashes, Prestige My Blackest Lashes, and Prestige My Biggest Lashes.
4. Blush/Bronzer: Scrimp
As long as you know which brands sell highly pigmented, smooth formula blushes, absolutely scrimp on these! NYX makes fantastic powder and cream blushes, but La Femme makes the most pigmented powder blushes I have ever seen and average about $5. You can buy them on Amazon.com.
5. Concealer: Spend
More expensive concealers are better pigmented and grab the skin better. You don't have to spend a mint but, you do need to spend something. MAC Studio Finish Concealer is great and you can use it all over your face.
If you simply can't shell out the money, then Maybelline Dream Matte is also amazing. The Instant Age Rewind Double Ended Concealer by Maybelline is great for the undereye. NYX Concealer in a Jar is amazing, too.
6.Eyeliner: Scrimp
Just buy Le Grand Kohl by L'Oreal. It's inexpensive and fantastic. Don't cheap out more than this, though. You will get into "really squishy and hard to work with" or "really hard and doesn't draw" territory. If you WANT to spend more, I recommend the 24/7 pencils by Urban Decay, but it isn't necessary. It's personal preference.
7. Makeup Brushes: You really should SPEND
A few good brushes will cost you a lot less in the long run then tons of crappy ones you don't like and will never use. Sigma makes great quality brushes for a very moderate price but, sometime you can buy one pricey brush that does the work of 10 brushes. The MAC 217 brush, for example, can do your entire eye look by itself, so it really is a good investment. It's up to you though. Good brushes= the best application and blending, which ends up being less work for you and your makeup will look 100x better than with bad brushes. Bad brushes can leave streaks, scratch your skin and make your makeup patchy.
8. Lipstick/ Lip Gloss/ Lip Liner: Scrimp
Yup, you can scrimp on all of these. As long as the pencil isn't so hard that it "drags" (meaning you have to really push hard to get any color) and the lipstick isn't too drying, you will find that a LOT of high end lipstick brands are no better than lower end. Why? Because, there aren't that many ways to formulate lipstick!
My favorite lipstick is Avon Ultra Color Rich. It's super hydrating and creamy. I like the "sheer" colors. Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick is also great and I love Maybelline Moisture Extreme lipstick in "Born With It" but this lipstick is verrrryyyy hard to find. Rimmel Moisture Renew is a runner up, but it sort of smells like crayons.
My favorite lip liner is Maybelline Color Sensational. I use Toast and Plum, depending on my lip color. These are all I wear. They go with everything.
I admit, my favorite lip gloss is Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Peroxide and it is NOT cheap. But,my price per use is very low because I wear it EVER DAY. I wear it alone and over every lipstick, so for me, it's not expensive. It also has made my lips a bit more pigmented and plumper, even when I'm not wearing it, so I love that. L'Oreal Color Juice and Cover Girl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers are good choices, too.
Now For Skincare!
1. Makeup Remover: Scrimp
You can make your own with Alcohol-Free witch hazel and extra virgin olive oil, mix a 1:1 ratio of oil to witch hazel in a travel vial (you can get these in the travel size section of Target) or a small glass apothecary bottle (I got mine at Sprouts). It will look like a lava lamp. Shake it up before you use it, or else you will get all oil. You CAN use this for eye makeup, but please only use alcohol free witch hazel, not the normal 14% alcohol type.
2. Cleanser: Scrimp
Most dermatologists suggest you cleans with something soap free and gentle. This means cleansing with either Cetaphil or Purpose soap. I use Neutrogena Oil Free Acne wash, but I use either the green one or the grapefruit one. No sense in shelling out tons for cleanser. Any antioxidants or anti aging properties won't matter in a cleanser; the product isn't on your skin long enough for any ingredients to absorb into your skin so paying more for cleanser is a waste of money.
3. Toner: Scrimp
Alcohol Free Witch Hazel or lemon juice. 'Nuff said.
4. Moisturizer: Scrimp
Surprised? Well, 10 or so years ago this would have said "Spend" but nowadays, drugstore moisturizers are just as good as department store moisturizers and have just as much science behind them. Case in point, L'oreal has a serum called "Youth Code"; Lancome has a serum called "Genifique". Lancome is a L'Oreal brand. The difference between these two serums? One ingredient, and this ingredient is pretty worthless in the formula. Aside from that, they are identical. And, neither actually works. So, why is Genifique over $50 for a small size and Youth Code around $20? Don't even get me started on "Creme LaMer".
The best drugstore moisturizers are: Cerave (it has high end humectants in it and is super moisturizing), Eucerine Redness Relief SPF 15 (my fave), Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel Cream, and Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Sensitive Skin Creme.
5. Zit Cream: Scrimp
Clean and Clear PersaGel 10 is the best. Hands down. Better than literally ANY high end zit cream.
6. Under Eye Cream: Scrimp...sort of.
It depends on what your definition of "spending a lot is". I get millia and styes from really rich eye cream, but my genetics say I need one. The best I have tried is about $13, which in "Eye Cream Land" is pretty cheap. It's by Kiss My Face and called "Eye Witness". You can get it at Whole Foods or really any health food store. I love it and it really works well.
7. Serums: Again...scrimp...sort of.
The trick here is not to spend tons on a serum, but to buy a serum that is in an airtight container, with a pump. Once antioxidants hit the air, they start to become unstable (they also start to become unstable when they hit sunlight, so it's best to use serums at night). There are plenty of great (and terrible) high ends serums you can buy. Kiehl's makes a great one called Acai Damage-Repairing Serum. However, Olay just came out with one called Olay Regenerist Night resurfacing Elixir. It's about $23 (but, if you get coupons from Ulta you can save some money on that) and is magic. Don't think that just because you splurge on a serum it is somehow better. A LOT of high end serums on the market are actually mostly silicone.
8. Body Wash: Scrimp
Body wash is easy. Just use what you prefer, but make sure it isn't detergent based and stripping your skin. Dove Sensitive Skin is a good one.
9. Body Lotion: Scrimp
My fave is Burt's Bees Milk and Honey Lotion and I use Neutrogena Age Shield SPF 30 on my hands. You can tell a woman's age by her hands. Nivea just came out with Express Hydration, which is good and St. Ives came out with a Coconut one that I hear is pretty good, too.
10: Nail Polish: Scrimp
I adore OPI nail polish, but they are like $8 a pop. My second favorite? Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel. This is the polish that comes in the square bottles and is about $3 a piece. They have great colors, great brushes, great formulas and last forever without chipping. I would say they are as good of quality as OPI, but lack the extensive color selection OPI offers. My secret weapon to a manicure that lasts is Sally Hansen "Hard as Wraps" in clear (don't get the one in the blue bottle though. It's different somehow and the plain old clear one works way better).Hard as Wraps comes in pink, tint, buff and clear, just FYI. I start with a coat of that, then do 2 coats of the Rimmel, then finish with a coat of the Hard as Wraps, again. Done and Done. The Sally Hansen One Step Manicure polishes are rubbish, by the way. My fave Rimmel polish colors are Purple Rain, Steel Gray and the navy blue one I can't remember the name of. Sigh.
Thanks for reading and please post any questions you have.
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
It seems that a lot of people nowadays are pretty confused about what they should spend their hard earned money on and what they should scrimp on. Some items are ok, or even preferable to scrimp a little on, but some products are worth the higher price tag. So, what should we spend on and what should be scrimp on, and why? Here is a list of some of the most used products and where to allocate your money.
1. Foundation: Spend
You know you need to spend a bit more on foundations the same way you need to pay a bit more for a good bra. Think of it as the foundation of your house. If you have a bad foundation, it doesn't matter how expensive or artfully crafted the rest of your house is. It's the same with cosmetic foundations. Most drugstore foundations look cheap because they are very, very pink. Why? Because, pink pigment is much cheaper to produce and buy than yellow pigment, so most drugstore foundations use a lot of pink. You CAN find decent foundations in drugstores, but it is worth it to spend a bit more on a really good one. That way, you can spend less on everything else.
Some decent drugstore foundations are:
L'Oreal True Match Liquid (doesn't photograph well)
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind
Some great department store foundations are:
Chanel Vitalumiere (for every skin but oily)
Too Faced Amazing Face
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
Chanel ProLumiere (for oilier skin)
2. Eyeshadow: Scrimp
There's no need to spend a ton on eyeshadows as long as you know which low-end shadows have great texture and color payoff. My favorites are by NYX and are as good as or better than most high end shadows. If you use a good eyeshadow primer first, then your shadow savings are even better because you won't use as much to get the look you want and your shadow will stay on all day without fading or creasing. Urban Decay Primer Potion and MAC Paint Pots are great. Try NYX HD Eye Shadow base. It's amazing and it's cheap. To me, shadow primer is an essential step, just make sure to dust a powder or flesh toned eyeshadow over your primer before doing eye makeup or blending will be impossible.
3. Mascara: Scrimp
It is a little known fact that most of our mascaras come from one of only 3 different manufacturers. There isn't a lot of difference between most formulas AND you are supposed to throw it out after 3 months, so why spend $30 for a mascara that you need to throw out in 90 days? Especially if the mascara is no better than a $6 brand? Some great mascaras are : Prestige My Longest Lashes, Prestige My Blackest Lashes, and Prestige My Biggest Lashes.
4. Blush/Bronzer: Scrimp
As long as you know which brands sell highly pigmented, smooth formula blushes, absolutely scrimp on these! NYX makes fantastic powder and cream blushes, but La Femme makes the most pigmented powder blushes I have ever seen and average about $5. You can buy them on Amazon.com.
5. Concealer: Spend
More expensive concealers are better pigmented and grab the skin better. You don't have to spend a mint but, you do need to spend something. MAC Studio Finish Concealer is great and you can use it all over your face.
If you simply can't shell out the money, then Maybelline Dream Matte is also amazing. The Instant Age Rewind Double Ended Concealer by Maybelline is great for the undereye. NYX Concealer in a Jar is amazing, too.
6.Eyeliner: Scrimp
Just buy Le Grand Kohl by L'Oreal. It's inexpensive and fantastic. Don't cheap out more than this, though. You will get into "really squishy and hard to work with" or "really hard and doesn't draw" territory. If you WANT to spend more, I recommend the 24/7 pencils by Urban Decay, but it isn't necessary. It's personal preference.
7. Makeup Brushes: You really should SPEND
A few good brushes will cost you a lot less in the long run then tons of crappy ones you don't like and will never use. Sigma makes great quality brushes for a very moderate price but, sometime you can buy one pricey brush that does the work of 10 brushes. The MAC 217 brush, for example, can do your entire eye look by itself, so it really is a good investment. It's up to you though. Good brushes= the best application and blending, which ends up being less work for you and your makeup will look 100x better than with bad brushes. Bad brushes can leave streaks, scratch your skin and make your makeup patchy.
8. Lipstick/ Lip Gloss/ Lip Liner: Scrimp
Yup, you can scrimp on all of these. As long as the pencil isn't so hard that it "drags" (meaning you have to really push hard to get any color) and the lipstick isn't too drying, you will find that a LOT of high end lipstick brands are no better than lower end. Why? Because, there aren't that many ways to formulate lipstick!
My favorite lipstick is Avon Ultra Color Rich. It's super hydrating and creamy. I like the "sheer" colors. Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick is also great and I love Maybelline Moisture Extreme lipstick in "Born With It" but this lipstick is verrrryyyy hard to find. Rimmel Moisture Renew is a runner up, but it sort of smells like crayons.
My favorite lip liner is Maybelline Color Sensational. I use Toast and Plum, depending on my lip color. These are all I wear. They go with everything.
I admit, my favorite lip gloss is Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Peroxide and it is NOT cheap. But,my price per use is very low because I wear it EVER DAY. I wear it alone and over every lipstick, so for me, it's not expensive. It also has made my lips a bit more pigmented and plumper, even when I'm not wearing it, so I love that. L'Oreal Color Juice and Cover Girl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers are good choices, too.
Now For Skincare!
1. Makeup Remover: Scrimp
You can make your own with Alcohol-Free witch hazel and extra virgin olive oil, mix a 1:1 ratio of oil to witch hazel in a travel vial (you can get these in the travel size section of Target) or a small glass apothecary bottle (I got mine at Sprouts). It will look like a lava lamp. Shake it up before you use it, or else you will get all oil. You CAN use this for eye makeup, but please only use alcohol free witch hazel, not the normal 14% alcohol type.
2. Cleanser: Scrimp
Most dermatologists suggest you cleans with something soap free and gentle. This means cleansing with either Cetaphil or Purpose soap. I use Neutrogena Oil Free Acne wash, but I use either the green one or the grapefruit one. No sense in shelling out tons for cleanser. Any antioxidants or anti aging properties won't matter in a cleanser; the product isn't on your skin long enough for any ingredients to absorb into your skin so paying more for cleanser is a waste of money.
3. Toner: Scrimp
Alcohol Free Witch Hazel or lemon juice. 'Nuff said.
4. Moisturizer: Scrimp
Surprised? Well, 10 or so years ago this would have said "Spend" but nowadays, drugstore moisturizers are just as good as department store moisturizers and have just as much science behind them. Case in point, L'oreal has a serum called "Youth Code"; Lancome has a serum called "Genifique". Lancome is a L'Oreal brand. The difference between these two serums? One ingredient, and this ingredient is pretty worthless in the formula. Aside from that, they are identical. And, neither actually works. So, why is Genifique over $50 for a small size and Youth Code around $20? Don't even get me started on "Creme LaMer".
The best drugstore moisturizers are: Cerave (it has high end humectants in it and is super moisturizing), Eucerine Redness Relief SPF 15 (my fave), Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel Cream, and Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Sensitive Skin Creme.
5. Zit Cream: Scrimp
Clean and Clear PersaGel 10 is the best. Hands down. Better than literally ANY high end zit cream.
6. Under Eye Cream: Scrimp...sort of.
It depends on what your definition of "spending a lot is". I get millia and styes from really rich eye cream, but my genetics say I need one. The best I have tried is about $13, which in "Eye Cream Land" is pretty cheap. It's by Kiss My Face and called "Eye Witness". You can get it at Whole Foods or really any health food store. I love it and it really works well.
7. Serums: Again...scrimp...sort of.
The trick here is not to spend tons on a serum, but to buy a serum that is in an airtight container, with a pump. Once antioxidants hit the air, they start to become unstable (they also start to become unstable when they hit sunlight, so it's best to use serums at night). There are plenty of great (and terrible) high ends serums you can buy. Kiehl's makes a great one called Acai Damage-Repairing Serum. However, Olay just came out with one called Olay Regenerist Night resurfacing Elixir. It's about $23 (but, if you get coupons from Ulta you can save some money on that) and is magic. Don't think that just because you splurge on a serum it is somehow better. A LOT of high end serums on the market are actually mostly silicone.
8. Body Wash: Scrimp
Body wash is easy. Just use what you prefer, but make sure it isn't detergent based and stripping your skin. Dove Sensitive Skin is a good one.
9. Body Lotion: Scrimp
My fave is Burt's Bees Milk and Honey Lotion and I use Neutrogena Age Shield SPF 30 on my hands. You can tell a woman's age by her hands. Nivea just came out with Express Hydration, which is good and St. Ives came out with a Coconut one that I hear is pretty good, too.
10: Nail Polish: Scrimp
I adore OPI nail polish, but they are like $8 a pop. My second favorite? Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel. This is the polish that comes in the square bottles and is about $3 a piece. They have great colors, great brushes, great formulas and last forever without chipping. I would say they are as good of quality as OPI, but lack the extensive color selection OPI offers. My secret weapon to a manicure that lasts is Sally Hansen "Hard as Wraps" in clear (don't get the one in the blue bottle though. It's different somehow and the plain old clear one works way better).Hard as Wraps comes in pink, tint, buff and clear, just FYI. I start with a coat of that, then do 2 coats of the Rimmel, then finish with a coat of the Hard as Wraps, again. Done and Done. The Sally Hansen One Step Manicure polishes are rubbish, by the way. My fave Rimmel polish colors are Purple Rain, Steel Gray and the navy blue one I can't remember the name of. Sigh.
Thanks for reading and please post any questions you have.
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Sunday, April 24, 2011
How To Whiten Your Teeth for $6!!!!
Hello, Friends!
Here's a bit of info about me you may not know. I live in Southern California, the land of the dazzling white smiles. Yup, it seems tooth bleaching out here is as common as getting groceries...or, you know, filling up your gas tank for $65 a pop.
It costs a pretty penny to get the professional trays and bleaching gel needed to bleach your pearly whites. You have to pay the dentist (or orthodontist) to mold the trays, then pay for the trays and the gel. The average cost for all of this? About $300. Lucky for me, I have an orthodontist who isn't money hungry who told me how to whiten my teeth BETTER than a dentist can for $6! And, now I am giving that information to you.
Here's all you need...
An adult sized mouth guard (the kind football players wear. If it has that strap on it you can cut that off. It's usually about a dollar at Target or WalMart.)
5 Minute Speed Whitening gel (you can get this at WalMart or CVS. I don't like WalMart's ethical practices, so I buy at CVS. But, it's cheaper at WalMart). You can buy the gel alone or in a set. I got the set.
Cotton Swabs
Here's what you do...
First, follow the directions on the package of your mouth guard regarding how to fit it. Usually this involves dipping it in hot water until it becomes soft. Do not submerge for more time than the package says (it's usually not more than 10 seconds), or your guard will start to shrink and stick to itself. Shake off the extra water, put it immediately in your mouth and suck in (think of the sound you make when you hit your shin) while pressing on the guard with your fingers (press HARD), front and back, until you feel it get hard. Then, remove it. Repeat with bottom teeth.
After you are through with that, if your gel came with the pre-whitening rinse, go ahead and use that according to the directions. Now, put some whitening gel on a q-tip and apply a light film to each tooth, all around the front of your teeth and in between them. Get every inch of the front of your tooth so the spaces in between your teeth aren't yellow after you bleach. When you are through applying the gel to your teeth (I only apply it to the teeth that show when I smile. No need to bleach your molars...unless you have a smile like Julia Roberts) go ahead and pop in your tray. Repeat process for your bottom teeth. 5 Minute White actually starts working after 5 minutes, so you can keep your trays in for up to about 20 minutes. It is safe to do this twice a day for the first 2 weeks.
After you time is up, take out your trays, rinse out your mouth (I use a toothbrush to get the gel off) and then brush like normal. Rinse your trays (not in hot water) and lay them out to dry. That's it.
Here are a few tips...
I bleach in the shower so I can rinse and spit effectively. Sometimes you drool with trays in, so the shower is great for bleaching and catching that drool.
The bleach works better if you DON'T brush your teeth right before.
Don't drink anything that can stain your teeth for a few days after bleaching. Or, if you do, rinse your mouth right after with water that has some lemon in it.
If you get sensitive (I have sensitive teeth, and I have never had a problem with this. Laser bleaching made me want to cry for DAYS) then cut down on your bleaching time or stop all together.
I have been told there is a YouTube video on how to do this. If you want to see, you can always YouTube it. I think it's by a girl named Kandee.
That's it! Enjoy your new movie star white teeth!
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Here's a bit of info about me you may not know. I live in Southern California, the land of the dazzling white smiles. Yup, it seems tooth bleaching out here is as common as getting groceries...or, you know, filling up your gas tank for $65 a pop.
It costs a pretty penny to get the professional trays and bleaching gel needed to bleach your pearly whites. You have to pay the dentist (or orthodontist) to mold the trays, then pay for the trays and the gel. The average cost for all of this? About $300. Lucky for me, I have an orthodontist who isn't money hungry who told me how to whiten my teeth BETTER than a dentist can for $6! And, now I am giving that information to you.
Here's all you need...
An adult sized mouth guard (the kind football players wear. If it has that strap on it you can cut that off. It's usually about a dollar at Target or WalMart.)
5 Minute Speed Whitening gel (you can get this at WalMart or CVS. I don't like WalMart's ethical practices, so I buy at CVS. But, it's cheaper at WalMart). You can buy the gel alone or in a set. I got the set.
Cotton Swabs
Here's what you do...
First, follow the directions on the package of your mouth guard regarding how to fit it. Usually this involves dipping it in hot water until it becomes soft. Do not submerge for more time than the package says (it's usually not more than 10 seconds), or your guard will start to shrink and stick to itself. Shake off the extra water, put it immediately in your mouth and suck in (think of the sound you make when you hit your shin) while pressing on the guard with your fingers (press HARD), front and back, until you feel it get hard. Then, remove it. Repeat with bottom teeth.
After you are through with that, if your gel came with the pre-whitening rinse, go ahead and use that according to the directions. Now, put some whitening gel on a q-tip and apply a light film to each tooth, all around the front of your teeth and in between them. Get every inch of the front of your tooth so the spaces in between your teeth aren't yellow after you bleach. When you are through applying the gel to your teeth (I only apply it to the teeth that show when I smile. No need to bleach your molars...unless you have a smile like Julia Roberts) go ahead and pop in your tray. Repeat process for your bottom teeth. 5 Minute White actually starts working after 5 minutes, so you can keep your trays in for up to about 20 minutes. It is safe to do this twice a day for the first 2 weeks.
After you time is up, take out your trays, rinse out your mouth (I use a toothbrush to get the gel off) and then brush like normal. Rinse your trays (not in hot water) and lay them out to dry. That's it.
Here are a few tips...
I bleach in the shower so I can rinse and spit effectively. Sometimes you drool with trays in, so the shower is great for bleaching and catching that drool.
The bleach works better if you DON'T brush your teeth right before.
Don't drink anything that can stain your teeth for a few days after bleaching. Or, if you do, rinse your mouth right after with water that has some lemon in it.
If you get sensitive (I have sensitive teeth, and I have never had a problem with this. Laser bleaching made me want to cry for DAYS) then cut down on your bleaching time or stop all together.
I have been told there is a YouTube video on how to do this. If you want to see, you can always YouTube it. I think it's by a girl named Kandee.
That's it! Enjoy your new movie star white teeth!
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Grandma Was RIGHT!
Hello, Friends!
Today were are going to discuss home remedies and tricks passed down to us by some of the wisest women we know...our grandmothers. Our grandmothers are a veritable fount of information when it comes to homespun beauty advice. Why? Because, in her day they didn't have peptides, or Botox, or glycolic peels or, depending on how old your grandmother is, even sunscreen! There are some things our grandmas did that would make us cringe today (smoking like chimneys, slathering their bodies with oil and frying to get a tan, or sleeping with cold cream piled on their faces) but, a lot of what they did to stay young actually works! Here are a few of the easy (and cheap) remedies tried and tested by some of the youngest looking grandmothers.
1. Sleep on a satin pillowcase. Apparently, cotton absorbs moisture like nobody's business, so it stands to reason that a cotton pillow case will suck the moisture from not only your skin, but your hair. Also, cotton is a pretty rough texture and will rough up your hair's cuticle. It will also give you sleep wrinkles, which over time become permanent, if you sleep on your side or your face ( I know you have seen these wrinkles when you first wake up. yucky). Due to it's slippery texture and the fact that it doesn't absorb moisture, satin doesn't do any of this. Make sure you are buying actual satin, though, not sateen, which is polyester and will smother your skin.You can buy one a Sally's for about $9 or on Amazon.com (the brand is Betty Dain), or, go to a discount fabric store, buy high quality satin and just sew your own. It's really easy.
2. Sleep on your back. I can't and don't. But, if you can, go for it. This will keep you from getting wrinkles and keep your face from looking puffy in the morning due to fluids reacting to gravity. You can buy a pillow that cradles your neck and keeps your head in place if you really want to.
3. Use lemon juice to clear skin and fade acne scars. Apply the lemon juice after cleansing, leave it on for 20min to over night (depending on your skin's sensitivity) and rinse off. If you leave it on over night, just apply your moisturizer on top of the juice once it has dried. You can either buy juice in a bottle (make sure there is no lemon oil in it. You need straight lemon juice) and apply it to skin with either cotton pads or cotton balls (like a toner), or just buy lemons, cut it in half and rub it all over your face. Lemon juice can be used on hands, heels, ankles and elbows, as well.
4. Egg white masks for oily skin. Take an egg white ( I get the kind in the carton. It's pasteurized, so I don't have to worry about the bacteria I might contract from raw eggs) and massage it onto clean, dry skin. Let dry for 20 min. Remove with a warm, wet cloth. I bmix my egg whites with papaya, so I can get an enzyme peel in the process. This is a recipe they use in high end facialists' offices, but they charge like $200 for it. Try it!
5. Cold tea bags for puffy eyes. This works because the cold of the tea bag constricts the skin and the caffeine in the tea acts as a diuretic that gets rid of the excess fluid under your eyes. Just brew 2 tea bags (they must contain caffeine, so black, white, red or green tea is best, no herbal teas) and then pop the bags into a Ziploc bag and then into the freezer. Wabout 10 minutes and then place them on your eyes for about 10 min. If you do this while wearing the egg mask and sitting in a bath with yummy smelling bath salts, it will feel like a spa day!
6. A cotton swab saturated with Visine and then frozen for a red pimple.This is more of a model's trick for getting rid of a pimple than a grandmother's trick, but I just wanted to mention it. What you do is take any cotton swab, saturate both ends with Visine (or any eye drop meant to remove red from eyes. Whatever is cheapest) and then put it in a Ziploc baggie and put it in the freezer. Actually, keep a bunch of these in the freezer and, that way, you will have one when you need one. Just take a swab out of the bag and hold one of the saturated ends on the pimple for about 10 minutes. If it gets too warm, flip the cotton swab around and use the other side. Throw it away when done, so you don't contaminate your skin with bacteria from the pimple by using it, again. The cold will shrink the swelling of the pimple, while the Visine will literally take the red out of the pimple right before your eyes. This is a GREAT trick for brides who wake up with that inevitable "stress zit" the morning of their wedding day.
7. Baking soda to exfoliate your skin and clarify your hair. Basically, just add baking soda to your face wash (enough to form a paste) and then, using gentle pressure and circular motions, rub the paste onto your face for a minute. Rinse. For your hair, pour a bit of your regular shampoo into your hand, them sprinkle in about a teaspoon of baking soda. Mix it up in your palm and shampoo as usual. Be sure not to exfoliate your face and use the lemon juice on the same day.
8. Sleep with an eye mask. Make sure the eye mask is made of natural fibers (synthetic fibers trap oils on your eyelid and can give you a stye or millia) and, as an added bonus, has extra padding where your under eye hits the mask. If it has this padding, it will press on your under eye while you sleep (nothing painful or damaging) and over time will retrain that fluid to collect somewhere else, so your under eye puffiness will be much smaller.
9. Add sugar and coffee grounds to your shower gel for soft, smooth skin. The exfoliating properties of sugar are fantastic, but what you may not know is the main ingredient in most cellulite creams is caffeine. It tightens the skin and makes cellulite less noticeable. Smooth skin also hides these unsightly dimples, so you get a one-two punch with this concoction. Mix sugar and coffee grounds to coconut oil and use that instead of shower gel for extra moisturizing. Then, use your shower gel as usual. If you use the oil method, then you need to rub it onto your DRY skin while standing int he shower BEFORE showering. Just be careful of your slippery shower floor if you do this. If you don't drink coffee, just go to your local coffee shop and ask for some of their grounds. They will usually give them to you for free. Just say you want them for your garden if you feel weird. People ask for them all the time.
10. Take a bath with Epsom salts to detoxify and unwind. You can either use just plain Epsom salts or add a drop or two of lavender oil, chamomile, eucalyptus oil or sweet orange oil (any essential oil really, just make sure it's appropriate to bathe in. Some oils are not.) to 1/3 cup of Epsom salts for a relaxing detoxifying bath.
11. Put a mirror next to the door. Just one last check to make sure everything is as it should be. our grandmothers would have never gone out of the house looking a mess. Just watch Mad Men to see what I mean.
12. Look in that mirror before you walk out of the door and remove one accessory. Less is more. Less is chic. Keep a small dish or saucer on a table under that mirror and put your accessory in there. It can be jewelry (it usually is), a scarf, anything. Just take one thing off.
13. Posture, posture, posture. When our grandmothers were in school, they actually taught posture and groom in class. They also taught Home Ec, but that's another story. It won't matter if you have the best outfit on, the most pulled together hair or the most fabulous makeup, if you are all slumped over you will look sloppy and all of that effort will be for nothing. Also, know that our bodies are constantly trying to balance themselves. You rarely see a person with rounded, slumped forward shoulders who does not also have a rounded, protruding stomach. Proper posture exudes confidence and good health.
This is proper posture for standing:
My dance teacher used to say that if you imagine a string coming out of the crown of your head and an invisible puppeteer pulling on that string, that will automatically give you good posture. The best visual I have ever heard is to imagine you are in a crowded cafe and trying to navigate between the backs of two chairs that are very close together while carrying a tray of drinks. You will automatically put your pelvis, spine and shoulders into the right positions and will lift your ribcage. At home, put two dining chairs back to back with just enough space for you to get between them if you turn your body sideways. You will see what I mean.
14. Use a boar bristle brush for shine. It distributes your natural oils from your scalp to your hair and adds shine. Detangle with a plastic, ball tip bristle brush first, then finish with the boar bristle. The best brush is Mason Pearson, but those are sooooo expensive. Marylin makes a great one that is cheaper. Just go to Sally's and look around.
15. Sleep with your hair in a loose bun on top of your head. This will keep your hair from getting roughed up and tangled and will extend the life of your blowout. Use my favorite hair item, Spin Pins, to do this or a fabric covered scrunchie. Come on, you know you have one.
16. Never go out of the house looking like a total wreck. Yes, we all get sick, or it's "that time of the month" or whatever, and you think you won't run into anyone you know, right? Well, you will. And, it will be the last person you want to see you in your stained hoodie and sweatpants with no makeup on and your hair in a ponytail. You don't have to go totally glam every time you leave the house, but at least pull yourself together a bit. Trust me, you will be grateful when your super successful ex-boyfriend shows up at Trader Joe's with his hot, younger girlfriend and you don't look like a pathetic sack of frumpy hell. Just sayin'.
If you have any tips or tricks you learned form your Grandma, feel free to post it in the comments.
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Today were are going to discuss home remedies and tricks passed down to us by some of the wisest women we know...our grandmothers. Our grandmothers are a veritable fount of information when it comes to homespun beauty advice. Why? Because, in her day they didn't have peptides, or Botox, or glycolic peels or, depending on how old your grandmother is, even sunscreen! There are some things our grandmas did that would make us cringe today (smoking like chimneys, slathering their bodies with oil and frying to get a tan, or sleeping with cold cream piled on their faces) but, a lot of what they did to stay young actually works! Here are a few of the easy (and cheap) remedies tried and tested by some of the youngest looking grandmothers.
1. Sleep on a satin pillowcase. Apparently, cotton absorbs moisture like nobody's business, so it stands to reason that a cotton pillow case will suck the moisture from not only your skin, but your hair. Also, cotton is a pretty rough texture and will rough up your hair's cuticle. It will also give you sleep wrinkles, which over time become permanent, if you sleep on your side or your face ( I know you have seen these wrinkles when you first wake up. yucky). Due to it's slippery texture and the fact that it doesn't absorb moisture, satin doesn't do any of this. Make sure you are buying actual satin, though, not sateen, which is polyester and will smother your skin.You can buy one a Sally's for about $9 or on Amazon.com (the brand is Betty Dain), or, go to a discount fabric store, buy high quality satin and just sew your own. It's really easy.
2. Sleep on your back. I can't and don't. But, if you can, go for it. This will keep you from getting wrinkles and keep your face from looking puffy in the morning due to fluids reacting to gravity. You can buy a pillow that cradles your neck and keeps your head in place if you really want to.
3. Use lemon juice to clear skin and fade acne scars. Apply the lemon juice after cleansing, leave it on for 20min to over night (depending on your skin's sensitivity) and rinse off. If you leave it on over night, just apply your moisturizer on top of the juice once it has dried. You can either buy juice in a bottle (make sure there is no lemon oil in it. You need straight lemon juice) and apply it to skin with either cotton pads or cotton balls (like a toner), or just buy lemons, cut it in half and rub it all over your face. Lemon juice can be used on hands, heels, ankles and elbows, as well.
4. Egg white masks for oily skin. Take an egg white ( I get the kind in the carton. It's pasteurized, so I don't have to worry about the bacteria I might contract from raw eggs) and massage it onto clean, dry skin. Let dry for 20 min. Remove with a warm, wet cloth. I bmix my egg whites with papaya, so I can get an enzyme peel in the process. This is a recipe they use in high end facialists' offices, but they charge like $200 for it. Try it!
5. Cold tea bags for puffy eyes. This works because the cold of the tea bag constricts the skin and the caffeine in the tea acts as a diuretic that gets rid of the excess fluid under your eyes. Just brew 2 tea bags (they must contain caffeine, so black, white, red or green tea is best, no herbal teas) and then pop the bags into a Ziploc bag and then into the freezer. Wabout 10 minutes and then place them on your eyes for about 10 min. If you do this while wearing the egg mask and sitting in a bath with yummy smelling bath salts, it will feel like a spa day!
6. A cotton swab saturated with Visine and then frozen for a red pimple.This is more of a model's trick for getting rid of a pimple than a grandmother's trick, but I just wanted to mention it. What you do is take any cotton swab, saturate both ends with Visine (or any eye drop meant to remove red from eyes. Whatever is cheapest) and then put it in a Ziploc baggie and put it in the freezer. Actually, keep a bunch of these in the freezer and, that way, you will have one when you need one. Just take a swab out of the bag and hold one of the saturated ends on the pimple for about 10 minutes. If it gets too warm, flip the cotton swab around and use the other side. Throw it away when done, so you don't contaminate your skin with bacteria from the pimple by using it, again. The cold will shrink the swelling of the pimple, while the Visine will literally take the red out of the pimple right before your eyes. This is a GREAT trick for brides who wake up with that inevitable "stress zit" the morning of their wedding day.
7. Baking soda to exfoliate your skin and clarify your hair. Basically, just add baking soda to your face wash (enough to form a paste) and then, using gentle pressure and circular motions, rub the paste onto your face for a minute. Rinse. For your hair, pour a bit of your regular shampoo into your hand, them sprinkle in about a teaspoon of baking soda. Mix it up in your palm and shampoo as usual. Be sure not to exfoliate your face and use the lemon juice on the same day.
8. Sleep with an eye mask. Make sure the eye mask is made of natural fibers (synthetic fibers trap oils on your eyelid and can give you a stye or millia) and, as an added bonus, has extra padding where your under eye hits the mask. If it has this padding, it will press on your under eye while you sleep (nothing painful or damaging) and over time will retrain that fluid to collect somewhere else, so your under eye puffiness will be much smaller.
9. Add sugar and coffee grounds to your shower gel for soft, smooth skin. The exfoliating properties of sugar are fantastic, but what you may not know is the main ingredient in most cellulite creams is caffeine. It tightens the skin and makes cellulite less noticeable. Smooth skin also hides these unsightly dimples, so you get a one-two punch with this concoction. Mix sugar and coffee grounds to coconut oil and use that instead of shower gel for extra moisturizing. Then, use your shower gel as usual. If you use the oil method, then you need to rub it onto your DRY skin while standing int he shower BEFORE showering. Just be careful of your slippery shower floor if you do this. If you don't drink coffee, just go to your local coffee shop and ask for some of their grounds. They will usually give them to you for free. Just say you want them for your garden if you feel weird. People ask for them all the time.
10. Take a bath with Epsom salts to detoxify and unwind. You can either use just plain Epsom salts or add a drop or two of lavender oil, chamomile, eucalyptus oil or sweet orange oil (any essential oil really, just make sure it's appropriate to bathe in. Some oils are not.) to 1/3 cup of Epsom salts for a relaxing detoxifying bath.
11. Put a mirror next to the door. Just one last check to make sure everything is as it should be. our grandmothers would have never gone out of the house looking a mess. Just watch Mad Men to see what I mean.
12. Look in that mirror before you walk out of the door and remove one accessory. Less is more. Less is chic. Keep a small dish or saucer on a table under that mirror and put your accessory in there. It can be jewelry (it usually is), a scarf, anything. Just take one thing off.
13. Posture, posture, posture. When our grandmothers were in school, they actually taught posture and groom in class. They also taught Home Ec, but that's another story. It won't matter if you have the best outfit on, the most pulled together hair or the most fabulous makeup, if you are all slumped over you will look sloppy and all of that effort will be for nothing. Also, know that our bodies are constantly trying to balance themselves. You rarely see a person with rounded, slumped forward shoulders who does not also have a rounded, protruding stomach. Proper posture exudes confidence and good health.
This is proper posture for standing:
Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
Keep your knees slightly bent.
Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
Let your arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
Stand straight and tall with your shoulders pulled backward.
Tuck your stomach in.
Keep your head level-your earlobes should be in line with your shoulders. Do not push your head forward, backward, or to the side.
Shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other, if you have to stand for a long time.
My dance teacher used to say that if you imagine a string coming out of the crown of your head and an invisible puppeteer pulling on that string, that will automatically give you good posture. The best visual I have ever heard is to imagine you are in a crowded cafe and trying to navigate between the backs of two chairs that are very close together while carrying a tray of drinks. You will automatically put your pelvis, spine and shoulders into the right positions and will lift your ribcage. At home, put two dining chairs back to back with just enough space for you to get between them if you turn your body sideways. You will see what I mean.
14. Use a boar bristle brush for shine. It distributes your natural oils from your scalp to your hair and adds shine. Detangle with a plastic, ball tip bristle brush first, then finish with the boar bristle. The best brush is Mason Pearson, but those are sooooo expensive. Marylin makes a great one that is cheaper. Just go to Sally's and look around.
15. Sleep with your hair in a loose bun on top of your head. This will keep your hair from getting roughed up and tangled and will extend the life of your blowout. Use my favorite hair item, Spin Pins, to do this or a fabric covered scrunchie. Come on, you know you have one.
16. Never go out of the house looking like a total wreck. Yes, we all get sick, or it's "that time of the month" or whatever, and you think you won't run into anyone you know, right? Well, you will. And, it will be the last person you want to see you in your stained hoodie and sweatpants with no makeup on and your hair in a ponytail. You don't have to go totally glam every time you leave the house, but at least pull yourself together a bit. Trust me, you will be grateful when your super successful ex-boyfriend shows up at Trader Joe's with his hot, younger girlfriend and you don't look like a pathetic sack of frumpy hell. Just sayin'.
If you have any tips or tricks you learned form your Grandma, feel free to post it in the comments.
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Losing Weight the Free and (sort of) Easy Way, No Diet Required.
Hello, Friends!
I know, I know, it's been WAY too long since my last blog. So, to make it up to my loyal readers, today I am going to give you a 2-fer.
I recently was cast as the female lead in a musical called "tick,tick, BOOM". I am very excited! My character is the girlfriend of the lead character, is smart, is vulnerable and is...a professional dancer??? RUT Roh, time to lose a couple of pounds. And, I need to do it in...3 weeks. Sigh.
Now, every nutritionist worth their weight in salt will tell you the same two things as basic principles to weight loss and healthy living; you need to burn more calories than you take in and you need to keep a food journal to keep track of what you are eating. Now, I am lazy and forgetful when it comes to things like this, and really, nothing puts people off like pulling out a spiral notebook and jotting down everything you eat in the middle of a nice lunch. I am also not very disciplined. However, the principle of "calories burned must exceed calories consumed" is a tried and true fact and really the only way to lose weight. So, how do I keep track of the food I consume, so I can lose a bit of weight by the time I need to and not alienate my friends in the process? Then, I had an ah-ha moment. I can use my cell phone.
Most of us ALWAYS have our phones on us and feel a bit out of sorts when we live it behind. So, why not use that electronic tether to get sexy? I do not have a smart phone (yet) and so don't have any of those spiffy apps that track your food and count your calories for you. If you do have a smart phone, and can download these apps, then go for it. I, however, do it the old school way. Whenever I would have a candy bar, soda, any snacks or any meals, I would snap a picture of it. I do that all day. At the end of the day, I plug my info into a free website called sparkpeople.com. You can search for what you ate in the data base of sparkpeople.com and they USUALLY have all of the nutritional info for whatever food you have consumed. I have a habit of "treating" myself for every little thing I have done that day or may still do. Did I have a bad day? I deserve a treat. Did I finally tackle that mountain of laundry? I deserve a treat. Did I continuously breath in and out all day long? I deserve a treat. When I looked back at the pics I had kept for one day, I was shocked. In one day alone I had consumed 2 Marie Calendar's frozen chicken pot pies, a packet of Ding Dongs, a Taco Bell 5 layer burrito, an order of cinnamon twists, a packet of Twix candy and a whole 2 liter of diet DR. Pepper. Yes, I would have loved to have ignored all of this information, but there it was just staring me in the face!
The benefit of keeping track of your food this way is you are able to realistically see where your strengths and weaknesses are. Also, it's quick and easy, as long as you actually look at the info at the end of the day. A lot of Americans live in blissful denial about the amounts and types of food we eat. Our portions in America are HUGE and we eat them because we can. A lot of use were also taught not to waste food. I had no idea at the end of the day I had consumed not only Ding Dongs, but cinnamon twists and Twix as well!!! That's a crazy amount of sugar and carbs! Not to mention the complete lack of any fruits or veggies.
So, here are a few tips and trick I have learned that have actually helped me lose weight, and I think can help you, too! No diet required.
1. Take a pic with your cell phone of everything you eat in a day, then at the end of the day document it somehow (my favorite way is sparkpeople.com). Try that for a week. You will be surprised at what you find out about your eating habits.
2. Restaurants in America give HUGE portions. If we continually eat large portions, this stretches our stomachs and makes that much food feel normal. That's why, when you diet and eat smaller portions, you feel like you are starving for the first few days. Here's a little tip. Try sharing your food with other people, tapas style. You will get to taste lots of yummy food, but you can control the amount of each item you consume. Or, try only eating half of what you order yourself and saving the rest for later. If you really can't do that, then ask your server to put half of whatever you order in a "to go" box before it ever reaches the table. That way, it's out of sight and out of mind. Eat the rest of your meal for dinner or bring it home to someone you love. That way, everyone wins.
3. Learn what an actual portion size is. Sometimes, we scarf down a frozen entree thinking it's not too bad, when really the entree was actually 2 portions so you need to double all nutritional info on the box. Yikes!
4. Know that, whenever you change you eating habits, you body will not like it at first. You will feel odd. But, that goes both ways. If you eat really well, and then suddenly devour a huge slice of chocolate cake, your body won't like that either and you will feel sick.
5. Baby steps. I am addicted to diet soda and have been for years. Instead of going cold turkey, I am now down to one a day (except on holidays, and by one I mean a small bottle, not a can). Yes, it's still bad for me, but I am proud of the progress I have made because i know how severe my addiction is.
6. Don't be so hard on yourself. If you simply had to have the amazing homestyle mac and cheese a certain restaurant is known for, enjoy it. Don't beat yourself up about it. But, don't spend the rest of the day binging because you screwed up in one meal. Just do better at the next one. Have some chicken or fish and some veggies. Make your next meal protein centric and very clean. See? No harm done.
7. Everybody self sabotages once in a while. Just don't do it.
8. It's been said before and I'll say it again. Water, water, water. I personally don't really like water, so I use Crystal Light to spice it up a little. Crystal Light, however, contains aspartame, so if you have an issue with that, try some sliced cucumbers, some lemon or try my recipe for skinny water.
9. Try the rule of 2 out of 3. If you are faced with a choice of bread, dessert and alcohol, have only 2 items and skip the 3rd. So, have either the bread and the dessert, the alcohol and the bread, the alcohol and the desert, etc.
Just try these few rules for a week or two and see if it doesn't change your life. Take control and thrive!
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
I know, I know, it's been WAY too long since my last blog. So, to make it up to my loyal readers, today I am going to give you a 2-fer.
I recently was cast as the female lead in a musical called "tick,tick, BOOM". I am very excited! My character is the girlfriend of the lead character, is smart, is vulnerable and is...a professional dancer??? RUT Roh, time to lose a couple of pounds. And, I need to do it in...3 weeks. Sigh.
Now, every nutritionist worth their weight in salt will tell you the same two things as basic principles to weight loss and healthy living; you need to burn more calories than you take in and you need to keep a food journal to keep track of what you are eating. Now, I am lazy and forgetful when it comes to things like this, and really, nothing puts people off like pulling out a spiral notebook and jotting down everything you eat in the middle of a nice lunch. I am also not very disciplined. However, the principle of "calories burned must exceed calories consumed" is a tried and true fact and really the only way to lose weight. So, how do I keep track of the food I consume, so I can lose a bit of weight by the time I need to and not alienate my friends in the process? Then, I had an ah-ha moment. I can use my cell phone.
Most of us ALWAYS have our phones on us and feel a bit out of sorts when we live it behind. So, why not use that electronic tether to get sexy? I do not have a smart phone (yet) and so don't have any of those spiffy apps that track your food and count your calories for you. If you do have a smart phone, and can download these apps, then go for it. I, however, do it the old school way. Whenever I would have a candy bar, soda, any snacks or any meals, I would snap a picture of it. I do that all day. At the end of the day, I plug my info into a free website called sparkpeople.com. You can search for what you ate in the data base of sparkpeople.com and they USUALLY have all of the nutritional info for whatever food you have consumed. I have a habit of "treating" myself for every little thing I have done that day or may still do. Did I have a bad day? I deserve a treat. Did I finally tackle that mountain of laundry? I deserve a treat. Did I continuously breath in and out all day long? I deserve a treat. When I looked back at the pics I had kept for one day, I was shocked. In one day alone I had consumed 2 Marie Calendar's frozen chicken pot pies, a packet of Ding Dongs, a Taco Bell 5 layer burrito, an order of cinnamon twists, a packet of Twix candy and a whole 2 liter of diet DR. Pepper. Yes, I would have loved to have ignored all of this information, but there it was just staring me in the face!
The benefit of keeping track of your food this way is you are able to realistically see where your strengths and weaknesses are. Also, it's quick and easy, as long as you actually look at the info at the end of the day. A lot of Americans live in blissful denial about the amounts and types of food we eat. Our portions in America are HUGE and we eat them because we can. A lot of use were also taught not to waste food. I had no idea at the end of the day I had consumed not only Ding Dongs, but cinnamon twists and Twix as well!!! That's a crazy amount of sugar and carbs! Not to mention the complete lack of any fruits or veggies.
So, here are a few tips and trick I have learned that have actually helped me lose weight, and I think can help you, too! No diet required.
1. Take a pic with your cell phone of everything you eat in a day, then at the end of the day document it somehow (my favorite way is sparkpeople.com). Try that for a week. You will be surprised at what you find out about your eating habits.
2. Restaurants in America give HUGE portions. If we continually eat large portions, this stretches our stomachs and makes that much food feel normal. That's why, when you diet and eat smaller portions, you feel like you are starving for the first few days. Here's a little tip. Try sharing your food with other people, tapas style. You will get to taste lots of yummy food, but you can control the amount of each item you consume. Or, try only eating half of what you order yourself and saving the rest for later. If you really can't do that, then ask your server to put half of whatever you order in a "to go" box before it ever reaches the table. That way, it's out of sight and out of mind. Eat the rest of your meal for dinner or bring it home to someone you love. That way, everyone wins.
3. Learn what an actual portion size is. Sometimes, we scarf down a frozen entree thinking it's not too bad, when really the entree was actually 2 portions so you need to double all nutritional info on the box. Yikes!
4. Know that, whenever you change you eating habits, you body will not like it at first. You will feel odd. But, that goes both ways. If you eat really well, and then suddenly devour a huge slice of chocolate cake, your body won't like that either and you will feel sick.
5. Baby steps. I am addicted to diet soda and have been for years. Instead of going cold turkey, I am now down to one a day (except on holidays, and by one I mean a small bottle, not a can). Yes, it's still bad for me, but I am proud of the progress I have made because i know how severe my addiction is.
6. Don't be so hard on yourself. If you simply had to have the amazing homestyle mac and cheese a certain restaurant is known for, enjoy it. Don't beat yourself up about it. But, don't spend the rest of the day binging because you screwed up in one meal. Just do better at the next one. Have some chicken or fish and some veggies. Make your next meal protein centric and very clean. See? No harm done.
7. Everybody self sabotages once in a while. Just don't do it.
8. It's been said before and I'll say it again. Water, water, water. I personally don't really like water, so I use Crystal Light to spice it up a little. Crystal Light, however, contains aspartame, so if you have an issue with that, try some sliced cucumbers, some lemon or try my recipe for skinny water.
9. Try the rule of 2 out of 3. If you are faced with a choice of bread, dessert and alcohol, have only 2 items and skip the 3rd. So, have either the bread and the dessert, the alcohol and the bread, the alcohol and the desert, etc.
Just try these few rules for a week or two and see if it doesn't change your life. Take control and thrive!
Warmth and Peace,
The Thrift Store Barbie
Sunday, March 27, 2011
The Best, Cheapest Brushes You Will Ever Find...
Hello Beautiful Friends,
I have quite a few makeup brushes in my collection. Some are very high end and some....not so much. Brushes can range in price and quality based on the type of bristles used (squirrel, goat, taklon, etc) and the security of the construction. Nothing is more disheartening than paying $60 for an overly hyped makeup brush and ending up with stray brush hairs stuck in your artfully applied foundation. Shouldn't it be nigh on indestructible for that price?
And, then I discover E.L.F Studio Line. E.L.F. is a line of VERY reasonably priced cosmetics and makeup brushes (and lashes) that could only be found online. Until now. They have recently started carrying it at Target stores and VERY recently started carrying their 2 top selling makeup brushes: the powder brush and the crease brush.
The powder brush is a thing of beauty. Unlike a normal powder brush, which usually has natural hair bristles, this little gem features TAKLON bristles. Which means, ladies and gentlemen, it can be used to blend liquids and creams as well.When used to blend liquid or cream foundation, this flat topped, fluffy brush gives you an airbrushed effect.Sephora sells an HD brush for $50, and this actually works BETTER! I have tried it with Chanel foundation, I have tried it with Maybelline foundation, I have tried it with liquid, cream and powder and every single time it blends my makeup to perfection. And, coincidentally, makes the cheap foundations LOOK expensive. I have washed it a few times (I use dish soap. Taklon bristles don't need to be washed with mild shampoo, because they don't need to be moisturized and the dish soap cuts through the liquid makeup like magic) and have yet to lose one single bristle.
So, how much does this baby cost? $3.00. Yes, seriously. Only $3.00.
The only caveat is that it is tricky to find right now. I would try the "nicer" Targets. For some reason Targets in better areas got the product first. And, good luck. It is selling out like hotcakes.
Just a reminder...you are looking for the Studio line (black handles and packaging, not white) and you want to buy the POWDER brush not the COMPLEXION brush. Here is a picture of what you are looking for.
The Crease brush is just as magical. It makes eyeshadow application a breeze and makes it look like you really know what you are doing. Perfect placement, blending and softness are just a few of this brush's high points. I recently used this brush for a shoot and everyone on set wanted it. My expensive brushes just sat there...unused. Poor brushes.
Again, there are 2 different crease brushes. They carry the "C" brush, which you don't want, and the crease brush, which you do. The bristles are in the shape of a little dome. This is also from the Studio line.
I'm sure you will be as impressed as I was when I discovered these fantastic brushes.
Happy Grooming!
Thrift Store Barbie
I have quite a few makeup brushes in my collection. Some are very high end and some....not so much. Brushes can range in price and quality based on the type of bristles used (squirrel, goat, taklon, etc) and the security of the construction. Nothing is more disheartening than paying $60 for an overly hyped makeup brush and ending up with stray brush hairs stuck in your artfully applied foundation. Shouldn't it be nigh on indestructible for that price?
And, then I discover E.L.F Studio Line. E.L.F. is a line of VERY reasonably priced cosmetics and makeup brushes (and lashes) that could only be found online. Until now. They have recently started carrying it at Target stores and VERY recently started carrying their 2 top selling makeup brushes: the powder brush and the crease brush.
The powder brush is a thing of beauty. Unlike a normal powder brush, which usually has natural hair bristles, this little gem features TAKLON bristles. Which means, ladies and gentlemen, it can be used to blend liquids and creams as well.When used to blend liquid or cream foundation, this flat topped, fluffy brush gives you an airbrushed effect.Sephora sells an HD brush for $50, and this actually works BETTER! I have tried it with Chanel foundation, I have tried it with Maybelline foundation, I have tried it with liquid, cream and powder and every single time it blends my makeup to perfection. And, coincidentally, makes the cheap foundations LOOK expensive. I have washed it a few times (I use dish soap. Taklon bristles don't need to be washed with mild shampoo, because they don't need to be moisturized and the dish soap cuts through the liquid makeup like magic) and have yet to lose one single bristle.
So, how much does this baby cost? $3.00. Yes, seriously. Only $3.00.
The only caveat is that it is tricky to find right now. I would try the "nicer" Targets. For some reason Targets in better areas got the product first. And, good luck. It is selling out like hotcakes.
Just a reminder...you are looking for the Studio line (black handles and packaging, not white) and you want to buy the POWDER brush not the COMPLEXION brush. Here is a picture of what you are looking for.
The Crease brush is just as magical. It makes eyeshadow application a breeze and makes it look like you really know what you are doing. Perfect placement, blending and softness are just a few of this brush's high points. I recently used this brush for a shoot and everyone on set wanted it. My expensive brushes just sat there...unused. Poor brushes.
Again, there are 2 different crease brushes. They carry the "C" brush, which you don't want, and the crease brush, which you do. The bristles are in the shape of a little dome. This is also from the Studio line.
I'm sure you will be as impressed as I was when I discovered these fantastic brushes.
Happy Grooming!
Thrift Store Barbie
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sassy Water
Hello Friends,
I have been trying to get off of soda for months now and can't seem to do it. Then, I found this recipe for a tasty water that not only helped with my diet soda cravings, but also helps with digestion, belly bloat and flushing toxins. Want the recipe? Here it is.
Sassy Water
2 liters water (about 8 ½ cups)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves.
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let flavors blend overnight.
Drink the entire pitcher by the end of the day.
Mmm, tasty and sooo good for you. :)
Enjoy Beautiful Friends!
I have been trying to get off of soda for months now and can't seem to do it. Then, I found this recipe for a tasty water that not only helped with my diet soda cravings, but also helps with digestion, belly bloat and flushing toxins. Want the recipe? Here it is.
Sassy Water
2 liters water (about 8 ½ cups)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves.
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let flavors blend overnight.
Drink the entire pitcher by the end of the day.
Mmm, tasty and sooo good for you. :)
Enjoy Beautiful Friends!
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