Brilliant Farmgirl's Beauty Secrets™

Farmgirl Beauty Secret #139: Thoroughly hydrate your skin with coconut water.

2010-12-13T19:28:00.000-08:00

To make up for my embarrassingly long absence, I'd like to share with you my newest skincare discovery: Coconut water! Whether you drink it or apply it directly on the skin, it provides the best hydration. The result is immediate as it rushes 5 essential electrolytes to your body. Here’s how you can take advantage its benefits during the holidays: Winter weather leaving your skin dull and

Beauty Myth-busting: Oils vs. “Oil-free” Part 2- Find your Holy Grail oil.

2010-10-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

So after our highly scientific experiment of “Find the grease ring on the paper bag”, you’ve concluded that your “oil-free” products have been lying to you all along. They indeed masquerade as “oil-free” products based on a technicality. Now, before we blow this drama out of proportion, let’s evaluate: how has your moisturizer been treating you? If you’re not experiencing breakouts and you’re

Beauty Myth-busting: Oils vs. “Oil-free”- What is better for my skin?

2010-10-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

Having been acne-prone, I am all too familiar with the acne-prone mentality. For the longest time, “Is this oil-free?” was my skincare-shopping motto. I avoided "the O-word" in my skincare and cosmetics at all costs. However, through searching and researching for my ideal skincare regimen, my knowledge on oils has been revamped forever. I can no longer imagine an “oil-free” skincare routine. Read

Farmgirl Finds: Jewelry for sensitive skin + Farmgirl Bauble Giveaway provided by Jewelry Payless! [Closed]

2010-09-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to FairyWater for winning the Farmgirl Bauble Giveaway, please contact me as soon as possible so we can work out the details. Big thanks to Jewelry Payless for providing the jewelry and to all for participating! Stay tuned for the next Farmgirl Giveaway.If you feel the hankering to accessorize but have been scared off by the mystery metals used to make costume & statement jewelry,

Farmgirl Beauty Secret #82: Use a waterless body moisturizer on damp skin after shower.

2010-09-07T22:10:00.000-07:00

We’ve all heard that the best time to moisturize is right after you step out of the shower. The concept of sealing moisture into your skin doesn’t really work unless you use the correct type of body moisturizer. Most body lotions are made of over 50% water, deeming it ineffective when it comes to “trapping” the water that’s already on your skin. Not to mention the complicated fillers used in

Farmgirl Beauty Secret # 29: "Tubing" Mascaras + Mirenesse Mascara Collection

2010-09-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

You couldn't pay me to use regular mascaras; “Tubing” mascaras are the only mascaras for me. They apply like regular mascaras but dries to form a polymer tube around each lash. Tear-, sweat- and water-resistant, it doesn’t smear or run because it’s doesn’t melt back into liquid form once it dries. And the greatest thing about it: it removes neatly in one piece when you rinse with warm water and

Farmgirl Beauty Secret #137: Use a clay-based cleanser to wash face in the morning to draw out embedded impurities.

2010-08-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

If you're looking to declare war on your clogged pores, let this be your battle plan. Take advantage of the relaxed state your pores are in when you first awake and sneak in a deep cleanse with a clay-based cleanser! You may have noticed that your pores tend to appear larger after sleep or a nap. Your pores are relaxed at this time so you can have access to the yucky buildup and impurities in the

My Garden of Wisdom Treatment Serums Collection

2010-08-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

As a beauty blogger I get opportunities to try many great skincare brands. With that said, there’s one skincare line I buy and stock up on regularly. Yes, I am that addicted to Garden of Wisdom. For those who aren’t familiar with GoW, simply do a keyword search “gow” on Makeupalley’s Skincare Board to see the how well-loved this brand is by skincare junkies. Simply put, there’s not a single brand

Farmgirl July Favorites: Burberry, Aveda, YSL, Hourglass, Revlon, porcelain tea set fit for a princess + a “swap meet dress” fit for a tea party.

2010-08-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

It’s time to get shamelessly materialistic as I give a run-down of my July favorites. Of course, I have to start with my favorite dress of the moment. I call this my "swap meet dress" because that's precisely where I got it. Earlier last month, my sister, our lovely friend Susan and I spent an awesome day running around a local swap meet. It was quite an adventure- the 3 of us picked through

Farmgirl Beauty Secret #51-A: Milani Infinite Liquid Liner is also COMPLETELY waterproof.

2010-07-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

This is an addendum to Farmgirl Beauty Secret # 51. Mac Liquidlast was my go-to liner when I wanted COMPLETELY waterproof eyeliners. However, the product turns goopy fairly fast and needs to be replaced more often than I like. So recently, I started looking for a drugstore alternative. I found it in Milani Infinite liquid Liner.The ingredient lists between Mac Liquidlast and Milani Infinite are

Beauty Myth-busting: Egg white mask for glowing, poreless skin?...hmm.

2010-07-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

Applying raw egg white on face for skin that is smooth, glowing and poreless- sounds like a typical “natural” beauty treatment you can easily find and read about online. In fact, this was a beauty tip that had gone viral on the internet about 10 years ago. I was a frequenter of a once-popular beauty forum when a poster began posting about using egg whites on her face. The person claimed that,

WIN Longer Lashes Lashem™ Giveaway! (Closed)

2010-07-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

The results are in!: Congratulations to Hershley, Kae and Dyane Vang for winning the *WIN Longer Lashes* Lashem Giveaway! Thank you to all for participating and stay tuned for the next Farmgirl Giveaway.I’ve been using Lashem religiously for the past month and it’s the only lash treatment that has strengthened my existing lashes while encouraging the growth of my baby lashes, without the

Want that | Get this!: Natural/Good-for-you alternatives to your current lemmings.

2010-07-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Want that: You’re itching to splurge on another MAC Mineralize Skinfinish but want to go natural with your make-up routine.Get this!: Rejuva Baked Mineral Foundation has the swirls and sheen reminiscent of MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish but contains only the following ingredients:Mica, Sericite Mica, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) seed oil, Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius) seed oil, Lavandula

Farmgirl Beauty Secret # 11: Aloe vera gel + favorite foundation = ideal summer time tinted moisturizer.

2010-07-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

STOP yourself before you plot your summer makeup haul! Contrary to popular belief, conventional tinted moisturizers are not the ideal makeup option for the summer time, especially for oily skin types. They are every bit as "makeupy" as foundations, only with less pigments and MORE FILLERS (and we don't want that, do we?). The moisturizing agents and fillers used to make tinted moisturizers are

Smell This: A Zaftig Woman (AZW) Perfume Body Sprays and Triple Scented Soy Tarts

2010-06-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

If you are a frequenter of online beauty paradise Makeupalley, you may be aware of the bottomless wealth of information that is on that website. Not only do they have the biggest collection of reviews on beauty products, they have forums dedicated to the many spectrums of beauty & cosmetics. Say you have a beauty question you need an answer to THIS MINUTE, simply post your question in the related

Beauty Myth-busting: Shrinking Pores?

2010-06-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

If you’ve ever read on bottles of potions claiming to shrink pores, it’s marketing fluff. Pores will not reduce in size, period. You can, however, minimize the appearance of large pores. Stay away from silicone-filled primers (if the finish of the product feels smooth, velvety and “coated”, it has some type of silicone). It’ll look pretty for now, but the silicone will build up in your pores over

Winner of the Bioelements Skincare Giveaway! + Long weekend with Flight of the Conchords & Beard Papa's

2010-05-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Before I head out today, I'd like to congratulate Rocaille Writes for winning the Bioelements Skincare Wardrobe Giveaway. How exciting it is to pick out a new Bioelements skincare regimen tailored for your skintype! Happy skincare-shopping, Rocaille.A big THANKS to Bioelements for providing such an amazing opportunity and thank you to my blog readers for participating. I'm looking

Bioelements Skincare Wardrobe Giveaway! + My Fave Beauty Tip of the Moment

2010-05-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? It’s been a year since I started my blog! To celebrate, I’d like to revamp your skincare routine! Get your skin in tip-top summer shape with Bioelements, one of my favorite skincare lines. (1) blog follower will be randomly chosen to win a Bioelements skincare wardrobe worth $250. The lucky winner will speak one-on-one with a Bioelements Esthetician about his/her skintype,

Drugstore alternatives for my makeup must-haves

2010-05-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

Not long after sharing my go-to beauty stash with you all, I left for a last-minute trip and forgot to pack my blue beauty stash bag. Now, I’m known for being an absentminded packer, often forgetting essentials like socks and underwear (gasp!). But when it comes to my beauty stash, I check and double check. Not only does it contain beauty necessities like mascaras and SPF powder, it also holds my

My Beauty Stash + Farmgirl Beauty Secrets #22, #101, #111 and #45!

2010-04-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

Take a peek into my everyday beauty stash in no particular order: Farmgirl Beauty Secret #22: Do you continue to breakout even though you can’t find the culprit within your skincare regimen? Your brushes could be the problem. I find that no matter how often I wash my powder brushes, I still breakout from using them. For that reason, I rely on Asian cotton squares to

Farmgirl Beauty Secret #51: MAC LiquidLast Liner is COMPLETELY waterproof.

2010-04-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

Despite its fame and highly-touted color selection, MAC has never really impressed me much. Like my skincare, I prefer makeup made of simple, good ingredients and MAC is often the opposite of that. With that said, something compelled me to dissect the ingredient list for MAC LiquidLast Liner and my strong suspicion of it being waterproof proved to be true. Liquidlast is COMPLETELY waterproof AND

Conditioning Dream Team: Shiseido Tsubaki + Living Proof. No Frizz Conditioner

2010-04-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

I rarely speak of hair care products and tips- most likely because it’s been a sore spot of mine as I rarely take care of my hair. I haven’t stepped foot into a salon for over 4 years as I’ve been cutting my own hair and I’ve been known to reinvent skincare products to double as “hair care” (See Farmgirl Beauty Secret #17). My hair routine consists of: brushing once a day (if I remember),

Farmgirl beauty secret #6: Use liquid foundation to wipe away eye makeup mistakes or “raccoon eyes”.

2010-03-22T15:33:00.000-07:00

This tip is a spin-off of Farmgirl Beauty Secret #10, which is great for mascara mistake removal. #6 is a great tip for getting rid of eyeshadow and liner smears or if you are experimenting with different eyeshadow colors and want to remove the color easily. Simply dip a clean q-tip in your favorite liquid foundation (I like to use Illuminare Fantastic Finish Foundation for this purpose), blot

Winner of the Easy Peasy Farmgirl Beauty Giveaway!

2010-03-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! Congratulations to *~Kay~* of Fresno, CA for winning the Easy Peasy Farmgirl Beauty Giveaway, a collection of beauty prizes valued at over $64. I’ll be conducting more giveaways in the near future so stayed tuned for other opportunities to win Farmgirl-approved beauty products!If you can choose the next Farmgirl Giveaway, what would you like to win?- cosmetics,

Product-analysis: LipSense in Creamy Pink

2010-03-15T22:58:00.001-07:00

So, I’ve been searching high and low for an YSL Rouge Volupte Lingerie Pink dupe. I wanted something that was an opaque baby pink with no shimmer, hopefully with some staying power so I don’t have to re-appy throughout the day. I was never one to mess with lipsticks because most lipstick applications take precise application and that is just asking too much from this lipgloss-only gal. However, I