Liz's Beauty Bits

hair's the scoop

2012-10-09T19:30:00.002-04:00

Seriously, it has been ages since I last blogged since I couldn't even figure out how to log on to the damn site. Lo siento amigas! I also don't think I've had a haircut since my last blog post. Looked in the mirror today and realized I'm looking like a bootleg brunette rapunzel. Time to get my hair cut. I think the reason I didn't realize how long my hair actually has gotten is because it's stayed healthy due to the most ah-mazing shampoo and conditioner ever created.

Carol's Daughter- Monoi Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner $18 and $20- Seriously, the scent is absolutely unreal. Based on scent alone if it made me go bald there's a chance I would still use it- it's that heavenly. It claims that after a single use you will have 96% less breakage. I don't know how the hell to test that but I'm sure their claims aren't exactly accurate. However, my hair is insanely long and I believe the reason I didn't notice is because this shampoo and conditioner has kept my hair extremely healthy! If you're wanting to grow your hair out this should be a staple in your shower! It's good for all hair types and the people I've recommended it to so far are high school puppy love obsessed with this stuff. At least go sniff it at Ulta or Sephora and thank me later.

Promise to not play anymore disappearing acts. cheers xx

Liz

moisture eyes

2012-04-29T12:06:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite things to do in life is laugh. I constantly laugh at myself, laugh at others and even laugh when I'm nervous or scared. To me nothing is sexier than someone who can make you laugh. Unfortunately, laughing and smiling a lot can cause wrinkles. Trust me I would rather end up looking like a Shar Pei when I'm older knowing every line on my face was of a life well lived then live my life without laughter. However, I am greedy (and a bit vain) and know that there are certain steps I can take to enjoy both laughter and great skin. Eyes can show the first signs of aging and for now I would rather not inject my face with poison to erase wrinkles so I am going to try all the moisturizers around...

Benefit- It's Potent! Eye Cream $32 When I first bought this eye cream I wasn't quite sold on it (and we all know how much I obsess over anything Benefit) I live in the land of instant gratification and since I instantly didn't see ah-mazing results I was rather disappointed. However, I purchased it and therefore figured I might as well stick with it and ended up using up the entire pot (which lasts you quite a long time) I am now quite impressed with this little pot. So impressed that I am now going to go buy another adorable pot. The reason I am committing to this eye moisturizer is because it is extremely moisturizing and it did fade my dark circles a bit and has brightened up my eyes. It claims to also be able to erase fine wrinkles. Everyone has such sensitive skin around your eyes that it's critical to have a deep moisturizing cream and this one has really made a difference! So, if you are like me and are just starting to realize you spend most of your days laughing like a damn hyena and realize that laughter will end up showing on your face go get this stuff since you will be really pleased with the results. You can buy this eye cream at your Benefit store, Macy's, Ulta or Sephora!

xx

Liz

erase her

2012-04-20T09:29:00.000-04:00

Today's blog is for all of us who before we go out end up looking like a raccoon and are desperately trying to remove some of that horrid eye makeup without having to re-do everything. There is one thing that is clear in life I could've never been a surgeon. My hands shake and my makeup ends up everywhere. Therefore, I couldn't survive without Q-tips. So you know the drill dip the Q-tip in eye make up remover which you always manage to spill everywhere then get beyond frustrated and think why the hell can't they just have Q-tips pre-filled with this crap in it?! Take a deep breath chicas since the day is finally here...

Almay-Makeup Eraser Sticks $5 I found this hidden gem at Target when I believe I went in for coffee and ended up with a cart full of random items that ranged from food items to clothing to beauty products (and, naturally I forgot to buy the coffee) However, this trip was well worth all the money spent because of this single item. I cannot express how excited and happy I am that these makeup eraser sticks exist and they happen to be made by my favorite eye makeup remover brand Almay! These are quite self explanatory you snap the side with the purple line and watch as the makeup remover drips down to the other side and then like magic it will erase those horrid raccoon eyes and make you look sexy and human again. Honestly, if you stress out about putting eye makeup like I do run and purchase these your life is about to get a lot happier! You can find these miracle sticks at your local drugstores and Target!

xx

Liz

designer cuts

2012-04-04T09:15:00.000-04:00

Band-Aid's aren't exactly a beauty product but for someone who's as accident prone as I am they start to become a fashion staple in my life. I've always seen the cute Hello Kitty one's and then there's Sponge Bob but not exactly quite the professional look I need for work and I don't have bambinos so I can't really blame it on them. So, after a typical paper cut that I never have a clue how I get I dashed over to Target to buy some Band-Aid's and screamed when my eyes came in contact with this...

Cynthia Rowley Limited Edition Band-Aid- $5 Do I even need to blog about this? Just go get them you will be ecstatic to get a paper cut from now on! I bought them at Target not quite sure where else you can get them!

bee bee cream

2012-03-24T11:40:00.000-04:00

I'm alive. I'm sure you were all worried. Work has been consuming my life and the ridiculously nice weather has been forcing me to consume drinks on every patio in this city. Forgive me por favor.
So, even though I've been surrounded by work or booze I naturally still have found time to try some products that I think you chicas will love. I'm sure you chicas have heard about BB Cream's they seem to be all the buzz this year. If you haven't basically they've been super popular in Asian countries to perfect your skin tone. You can wear it as a primer or alone to replace your usual foundation.

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfecter B.B. Cream - $12.99 Almost every brand at Sephora carries a B.B. Cream right now but I decided to start with the one available at CVS and Walgreens just to see what all this hype is about. I am so used to being able to try everything at Sephora that without even questioning myself for a second I ripped out the tube from the packaging and squirted a big glop on my hand to just feel the texture and see the color before I decided to purchase it. Normal protocol right? Well, naturally when I looked up a CVS worker was glaring at me so I just smirked and tossed the damn thing in my basket like I was going to purchase it all along. However, I became ecstatic to slather this crap all over my face after I read the packaging while waiting in the checkout lane I mean have you read the name? Skin Renew? Miracle? Skin Perfector? For $12.99??? I literally felt like I had found the fountain of youth at aisle 3 in CVS.
So what happened when I put it on and my skin the second I walked through my door? Well, no I don't look 21 again however I definitely right away had glowing and healthier skin. It seriously reminds me of Dr. Perricone's No Foundation Foundation (which if you read my blog I l-o-v-e) but it doesn't last as long. Also, I wasn't really liking it as a primer since it doesn't last as long I feel like it didn't really do anything. Just an FYI if you decide to wear it as foundation alone please make sure you carry the tube with you throughout the day so you can touch up here and there. I was ready to basically just stay unimpressed and bitch about this fake advertising on my blog until randomly I found an unconventional way of using it. Now I'm actually obsessed with this damn thing. Go buy this stuff (I'm sure you will ignore what I said and still try it as a primer and foundation and not be satisfied and then do what I just wrote about and become just as obsessed as me) put your foundation on as usual (I swear by liquid foundation if you wear powder can't promise this will work) and wait about 2 minutes then apply a little bit of this B.B. Cream on top of my foundation. Your face will look absolutely flawless. Seriously, try it...

I've missed you guys! Promise to not go MIA for as long again!

xx

Liz

oh watt a glow

2012-02-25T10:30:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, the wickedly cold temperatures during the winter months can wreak havoc on our skin. There is absolutely nothing sexy about dull skin (dull anything for that matter) In winter I'm mostly concerned with my face since it's all you can see. Seriously, 90% of my body is usually wrapped in layers upon layers and topped off with my coat which is clearly just a down comforter with sleeves. One of the easiest ways to add some life to that dull winter face is by applying a highlighter/luminzer to your cheeks. One of my most favorite chicas got me one of my now favorite beauty staples which has helped brightened up my face this winter.

BeneFit- Watt's Up! $30 My friend obviously reads my blog (I mean we wouldn't be friends if she didn't) and is extremely aware of my BeneFit addiction. Somehow I had not purchased this yet. It's the most natural glow you can get. I like my other highlighters but this one is so subtle it's almost like a sexy candlelit dinner glow. Love it. It blends so easily and you can't over apply it. Most importantly you won't look like a disco ball like Nars' Super Orgasm once made me look. The perfect amount of glow for these winter months. It adds a delicate champagne color to your skin so you an apply it solo or on top of your favorite blush. One side is the highlighter and the other is a sponge. I tried blending it with the sponge but feel it blends better just using your fingers. Add a little glow to these dull months and test it out at Benefit, Sephora or Ulta!

xx

Liz

blow drying blows

2012-02-11T13:06:00.002-05:00

My close friends know that one of the things I despise most (besides loud chewers, bright lights and bad vino) is blow drying my hair. There is nothing worse. Seriously, how awful is it? I have threatened friends to not go out with them unless they dry my hair and out of pure desperation have offered to pay them to dry it for me. So, out of the kindness of her heart or because she couldn't handle hearing me bitch and moan about drying my hair my ah-mazing friend gave me one of the best gifts ever for my birthday!

CHI Air Ceramic Hair Dryer Pure Pink- $100 I laughed when I opened my gift since out of all friends she's probably heard "seriously, I will pay you if you just dry my hair for me pleasssseeeeeee" more than anyone else. The first thing that got me excited was that it's pink. Then I picked it up and it was super light. So maybe for once it wouldn't feel like I was doing bicep curls while drying my hair. This was a good start. Not to mention she lives in Florida so it's hard to convince her to fly to Chitown to dry my hair. Eventually I would have to accept the fact that I have to do it. So the big day came when I had to put it to use and I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't feel like I was sticking my head in a volcano and my hair didn't start smoking. My hair seriously takes ages to dry that both of those situations do happen quite frequently. The biggest surprise was that it really did dry my hair faster! I thought about putting my old hair dryer and new CHI to the test and time how much faster the CHI dried my hair. However, I can't think of anything worse then doing that- I love you guys but not that much. It's definitely way faster just take my word for it. I still despise drying my hair, that will never change. Because of this pink CHI now drying my hair has become more manageable and maybe I bitch a little less...
If you share my hatred for blow drying invest in this and make that wretched daily activity a bit more pleasant! Go purchase it at Target, Ulta or Overstock (or bitch and moan to one of your friends until they cave and get it for you like my wonderful friend did)

xx

Liz

cerave save me

2012-01-14T11:27:00.002-05:00

Hoarders could easily film an episode in my bathroom just due to the ridiculous amount of lotions that I've managed to stash away. Each lotion/cream/serum/oil has it's purpose in my life. I cannot throw any of them away. However, my face has been so dry lately that I was ready to toss out every single product I own (including you La Mer) and replace it with one lotion that actually works. I asked everyone I knew about what could save my face and was close to even slathering Vaseline on it. Chicas, this is is about as desperate as I've ever been...

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM $11- A close beauty addicted friend of mine told me to buy the classic Pond's lotion because it works. I almost purchased it. I looked at the ingredients and I just couldn't justify ever putting Mineral Oil on my face. It would moisturize initially but then probably cause havoc on my skin later on. I must have spent welllll over an hour just staring at the shelves on CVS reading every ingredient and then googling on my iPhone reviews of each product. I'm sure every surveillance camera was focused on the freak in the skincare aisle. I usually don't purchase my skincare products at drugstores. However, let's remember I was on the verge of slathering Vaseline on my face so in desperation I went to CVS. I read the reviews for CeraVe and it intrigued me. I have used Cetaphil in the past and I know people would give their unborn baby to continue to use Cetaphil products but I've never been impressed. I was ready for CeraVe to be just another Cetaphil and once again be left disappointed. I am beyond floored by how wrong I was and how drastically my dry skin has improved and looks healthy and normal again. It only took two nights to get my dry disgusting skin glowing and healthy again! It's fragrance free, extremely lightweight (shocking for a night cream) and will leave your skin extremely smooth and perfectly moist (yes, I said it) I am ashamed about how much money I've wasted on extremely expensive products that haven't worked. This stuff has worked miracles on my skin for only $11. Run and go get this at your local drugstore and you will be thanking me all winter long.

Cheers to the weekend!!!

xx

Liz

wake and wash

2012-01-10T09:08:00.001-05:00

I don't get morning people. It's a process for me to finally be myself in the morning. It includes hitting snooze a million times, pounding my Tassimo Gevalia La Crema coffee, listening to loud music and showering. Once I finally put my contacts in I'm semi-human. Lately I've had extra help waking up and it's thanks to this inexpensive yet heavenly face wash.

Neutrogena- Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub $7.59 I swear most of my morning is spent squinting or looking like a pirate with one eye open...it's truly a painful process. When I first used this face scrub I literally perked right up and almost understood those weird morning people. It has a pretty strong grapefruit/citrus smell that was exactly what I needed. Don't worry the smell doesn't stay on your skin leaving you smelling like a fruit-bowl all day long. It's made up of 100% naturally derived grapefruit extract plus vitamin C. It also contains salicylic acid to combat acne which I thought would disappear once I left those teenage years and that was a great lie. The scrub is gentle enough to use daily and leaves your skin face really smooth. There is also a non-scrub version if you have really sensitive skin and prefer a face wash alternative. It's not exactly waking up to pink champagne but hell it's a (slightly) decent alternative. Purchase this at Ulta and most drugstores!

Happy Tuesday!!

xx

Liz

ken don't oil me

2012-01-03T23:26:00.002-05:00

I am not a fan of NYE. Never have been and probably never will be. However, this year was especially brutal since when the ball dropped I was 30,000 feet in the air on the most godawful airline on the planet- Spirit. I am also not a fan of people who chew loud with their mouths open, anything Lily Pulitzer (sorry), not having any cold vino blanco in my house and mainly being disappointed in a beauty product I purchased.

Alterna- Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Mist $24.00 I have been obsessed with oils lately- mainly Argan of course. I figured this Kendi (whatever the hell it is) oil must be ah-mazing too. The first thing that I noticed when I sprayed this on my hair was the smell- it's okay. There is something about it that I truly don't like and I can't figure out what it is. All the reviews I read before purchasing it say it smells great. Liars! at the most I would describe it as bearable. So, I bought this stuff to add shine to my hair. I clearly don't spray products on my hair for the hell of it (well, unless they smell good) I literally found myself spraying half the bottle to get my hair to shine like it does with other products. So it doesn't smell great, it's pricey and I don't think it works. The only person I could see liking this product is if you have super fine hair. It didn't weight my hair down at all but for me that's not enough to get me to love this stuff. Don't grab this at Ulta and save your money. If you're in search for some great hair shine stick to my favorite's they won't let you down like Ken did...

http://lizbeautybits.blogspot.com/search/label/It%27s%20a%2010%20Miracle%20Shine%20Spray

I don't believe in NYE but I do believe in cheer-sing to 2012!! Cheers!!!!!

xx

Liz

bargain brows

2011-12-23T21:19:00.000-05:00

It's the night before my birthday and in the past you would've found me double fisting vodka soda's at my local watering hole. Instead I'm drinking vino with my family watching Woody Allen's A Midnight in Paris. Clearly, I am now offically ancient. However, if it weren't for my ridiculous drunken 80's inspired birthday celebration with friends the weekend before I actually would almost say I've finally grown up...
In honor of ignoring my birthday and staying forever young I'm blogging about a cheap teenage beauty product that my fabulous just as beauty product obsessed friend recently shared with me!

E.L.F- Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara $0.99 After she told me the price of this product it was as if my car was possessed and automatically directed itself to CVS. Hell, I can't even get a pack of gum for that price! Regardless of the price, if it weren't for our discussion regarding products and my realization that she is just as obsessed and maybe even slightly pickier about beauty products than I am I would've ignored this recommendation. I've been a pretty religious user of Anastasia brow gel but after a couple initial applications I feel like the tube does get old and it starts flaking. It's also expensive for what it is. So I had nothing to lose and decided to try this gel. Shocked and ecstatic that it truly held my brows in place all day long. I haven't used it long enough to know if the tube will eventually get old and flake too. However, if it that happens it only costs me 99 cents to replace it! Seriously, what do you have to lose? It's cheap and it really works. Also, a little trick is you can use the clear mascara side as a primer for your lashes. If not, just use it for your brows too! Get it at Target or any drugstore!

Cheers to saving money and Merry Christmas :)

xx

Liz

don't age me

2011-12-13T22:10:00.002-05:00

So with another birthday fast approaching I figured blogging about my new favorite anti-aging moisturizer would be rather fitting. Regardless of age I have always been a huge believer in always moisturizing your face. Trust me even when I was 21 after a rough night of drinking (sorry, Mom) I'd wake up in the morning with dehydrated skin and looked like hell. Now that I'm so much more mature those rough nights of drinking are not as....yeah, well I guess I haven't quite grown up yet...

Korres- Quercetin & Oak Antiageing & Antiwrinkle Day Cream $48 First, it doesn't cost you $100 like most anti-wrinkle creams out there. Second, it's completely natural. I am a big proponent of using retinol (which is just Vitamin A that works as a powerful antioxidant) creams on your face. Retinol is by far the number one product you can put on your face that is actually going to help you from aging. You can go to your dermatologist and get a prescription strength retinol that will cost you quite a bit since insurance wont cover it. Insurance will cover it for acne reasons if you're still a teenager- but let's be honest most of us reading this blog are way passed those awkward years. Also, prescription strength irritated my skin and had me peeling like crazy and looking like a leper. Let's get real here- if that's the case I would rather take the future wrinkles. This cream moisturizes extremely well, leaves your skin looking dewy (not oily), extremely soft and overtime it will help with your wrinkles. Only thing I'm not the biggest fan of is the smell. It's not bad (you know I would've tossed it if it was) but since it's all natural it doesn't have the usual super clean fragrances some of the over creams do. However, knowing my face isn't being slathered with potentially harmful crap makes up for the smell. Also, it conveniently comes in two formulations one for Normal to Combination skin and the other one is Normal to Oily skin. Choose the right one for you! You can get this product at Ulta or Sephora!

faux glow

2011-11-29T09:53:00.002-05:00

Could it be any drearier out? Oh well, still in love with this city. However, I definitely lack that sun-kissed glow I used to always have living in Florida. We are all aware of my obsession regarding Guerlain bronzers but lately it's a bit too dark for me since I'm looking a little more Cullen than Snooki these days. Thankfully, I stumbled across a super inexpensive and ah-mazing bronzer that has now become my staple winter bronzer!

Rimmel London- Natural Bronzer $4.29 You could say my requirements for a good bronzer are like finding a good man-simple but seemingly impossible to find. I don't need all the added glitter, shimmer and fake stuff. I want a really natural looking glow. Basically I just don't want it to look as if I'm wearing any bronzer. Seriously, how many times have you wasted money on a product that made you look a disgusting shade of orange or even worse like a glittery disco ball? Well, this hidden gem gives you the perfect sunkissed glow without any of that unnecessary crap. Trust me on this one chicas. It comes in three different shades just make sure you choose the right one for you. Honestly, for less than $5 you truly have absolutely nothing to loose. Remember a little glow always makes you look healthy and just because we live in a sunless city during the winter it doesn't mean we have to look half dead. Buy it at Target, Ulta, Amazon and most drugstores.

Happy Tuesday!

xx

Liz

lizzard lips

2011-11-25T10:59:00.001-05:00

I woke up still feeling full, yikes! Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving...and seriously thanks for still reading my ramblings- love you all! I recently spent over two weeks in beautiful SoCal and it was only normal that when I stepped off the plane Chicago slapped me in the face with it's bitter cold weather. What is it about flying and cold weather that leaves your lips feeling so scaly and chapped- sick! You would think I would travel with my favorite lip balm to prevent this but that would make too much sense. I ended up buying some horrific medicated Blistex at LAX that managed to make my lips worse. I was beyond ecstatic to get home and run to my favorite pot of lip balm!

Kiehl's- Lip Balm #1 $7.50 Maybe it's something nostalgic about this lip balm that keeps me addicted to it or the fact that it works. I've been loving this stuff in it's original pot (for some reason the convenient tube formula just won't cut it for me) since I can remember! The second my lips start getting chapped they crave it- nothing else will do. It's formulated with Sweet Almond Oil, Lanolin and Vitamins A and E. Honestly heaven on my lips. So if you're flying a lot or living in the Arctic tundra like I am purchase this stuff today! It's been a beauty cult favorite since the 60's that I've been following since the 90's because it's ah-mazing and truly works. Buy it at Kiehl's, Amazon, Barneys, Saks or Nordstrom's.

If you want a home remedy for chapped lips my friend I just visited in LA swears by putting virgin coconut cooking oil on her lips when they're dry. If I cooked I would probably own this and be able to tell you if it works or not. However, she's a beauty product addict like me and I trust her advice so for you chefs that have that lying around the kitchen give it a try!

xx

Liz

Bits Bargain

2011-10-28T10:11:00.002-04:00

I was browsing Sephora's website (yes, I do this daily) and came across a great deal for those that were thinking about buying the Clinique Black Honey Superbalm that I blogged about a few days ago!

You get alllllllll that for $28.50!!
Check it out: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P299214&categoryId=B10#

xx

Liz

happy hands

2011-10-26T18:42:00.000-04:00

So reality slapped me in the face when I stepped outside today and started shivering and it's 50 degrees out. Clearly, Florida has thinned out my blood and this is going to be a rough winter. And by rough I mean how I will look- the insane amount of layers of clothes, including my sleeping bag parka, that I will be wearing are going to make me unrecognizable! Not only am I going to have to buy a new wardrobe to survive but I'm going to have to adopt a new winter beauty routine! I swear just after today my hands already started to feel dry so I reached for my favorite hand lotion to fix that problem and for the record I will be buying this stuff in bulk this winter!

Love + Toast- Handcreme $9.00 I love Whole Foods. Especially the one here in Lincoln Park where I can order a drink at the bar and grocery shop- absolutely genius!!! I love this city!! I obviously love spending my time in their product section since they have ah-mazing stuff. I came across this hand lotion solely because of its adorable packaging. I just threw it in my cart without caring if it didn't work or smelled like hell-the gorgeous packaging itself justified my purchase! I was ecstatic when I realized that not only did it smell like heaven but it was one of the best hand lotion's I've ever tried. It's light yet feels luxurious and perfectly moisturized my hands! Obsessed! Also this lotion is good for the environment since its paraben free, phthalate free, has never been animal tested, contains no animal ingredients and no artificial colors! So you can feel good about using it! Seriously, I am going to buy a few more of these hand lotions and keep them around everywhere to cheer me up during the gloomy and cold months ahead! Go cheer yourself up and buy one of these tubes at Whole Foods or Urban Outfitters!

xx

Liz

clean hippie

2011-10-22T12:08:00.001-04:00

I believe in eating organic foods and just eating healthy in general but for some reason when it comes to beauty products I can't commit to that lifestyle. However, while in NYC one of my closest friends who shares the same beauty routines as I do shocked the life out of me when she whipped out natural deodorant. My first thought was great I'm going to have to make sure she sprays extra perfume (not that she ever smells) I just had a hard time believing that natural deodorants work. However, I have read many articles regarding the correlation of anti-antiperspirant deodorants and a link to breast cancer so I thought to give this deodorant a fair chance. I pulled up this article for my beauty bits followers to read- it's from the National Cancer Institute and I just wasn't completely comfortable that they fully know if these drugstore deodorants have a link with breast cancer.

Check it out: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/AP-Deo

My little disclaimer is that I do not believe these deodorants cause breast cancer. I do know that if they increase the amount of the hormone Estrogen in your body that it potentially has the ability to promote the growth of breast cancer cells. So if you are genetically destined to get breast cancer it will accelerate the development of breast cancer in your body. Alright...enough nerdy science talk!

Lafes- Natural and Organic Roll On Deodorant in Powder $5.99 So the first day I used this I carried it with me in my purse. Not kidding. I could not bear the thought that it may actually not work. If it didn't work trust me this thing would've been tossed in the trash in a heartbeat! I am obsessed with feeling and smelling clean- actually, almost a little too obsessed. There's no one on this planet more shocked than I am when I realized it worked all day long. I even forgot I had switched to a natural deodorant that day. It doesn't have any of the bad crap in it since it's paraben, propylene glycol, alcohol and aluminum free. I haven't used it at the gym yet (only because I haven't worked out since I purchased it) but for now I have replaced this deodorant as my everyday deodorant. It really works and why take a potential health risk when there's a safer alternative out there for us girls?!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month so please go purchase this at Whole Foods and give it a chance. It's a Natural Solutions Brand Winner two years in a row and donates 1% of their profits to support breast cancer prevention.

Enjoy the weekend!

xx

Liz

super balm

2011-10-17T23:08:00.001-04:00

I'm beyond pumped that State smoked Michigan this past weekend but honestly I think I'm even more excited to have discovered my new favorite lip gloss. While drinking beers and attempting to watch the game my girls and I were slightly distracted discussing more important topics like our favorite lip glosses.

Clinique- Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Honey Black $14 First of all it's Clinique. Again, for some reason the brand instantly takes me back to high school and I have a hard time ever purchasing anything from their counters. However, lately I seem to be gravitating back to it. Secondly, I would've never tried a lip gloss color as dark as Honey Black but since my fashionable friend swore by it and claimed it was their #1 selling color I obviously had to try it. I was amazed at how incredibly moisturizing it is- as in it's absolutely not sticky at all!! Nothing is worse than sticky lips. Seriously, who cares if they look good if when someone kisses you it feels like they're making out with an Elmer's glue bottle! Also, the color was gorgeous and your lips are left with the perfect amount of shine without looking like you dipped your lips in a kindergartners glitter arts and crafts project! The gloss really reminded me of our beloved Juicy Tubes we all obsessed over years ago but trust me it's a million times better! Go to Clinique or Sephora and find your new perfect fall lip gloss shade!

Happy Monday and of course Go Green!

xx

Liz

boost me up

2011-10-04T22:04:00.001-04:00

My hair has literally been a nightmare for months now. I didn't go to the salon allllll summer long in fear of trying out a new stylist. I seriously get major anxiety walking into a new salon- worse than a first awkward date, going to the dentist or even what I remember feeling like on the first day of school. After being at a bar in the dark and someone pointing out my hair looked orange it was time to bolt into the nearest salon. Luckily a good friend in the city put me in excellent hands. I Walked out extremely happy and, of course, with a new ah-mazing product!

Unite- BOOSTA Spray Volumizing $21 First of all this product smells so incredibly good that I honestly didn't even give a damn if it even worked. Seriously, I've never had a good smelling volumizing spray let alone one that smells like pure heaven. However, I realized I didn't need to waste my money on pseudo hair perfume so if I were to purchase it I needed it to actually work. Well, you can imagine how ecstatic I was when after my hair was fully dried it wasn't plastered to my head- I actually had healthy, shiny and (amazingly smelling) voluminous hair! Unreal. I had never heard of this brand or this product and knew I instantly needed it in my life. The back of the bottle sums up my feelings for this product perfectly -"how you ever got by before it is baffling"
Not too familiar with the brand so I'm not quite sure of all the places it can purchased. However, I know it's sold at salon's and there's always Amazon.

xx

Liz

scary hairy

2011-09-22T14:32:00.004-04:00

A few weeks back I went fishing (yeah...first mistake) in a small town in Michigan and spent most of my time searching for local watering holes. We found an amazing lunch spot that served heavenly bloody mary's. I was too busy consuming it to realize why my friends were all hysterically dying laughing. That's when they told me to look at the waitress arms next time she came by. I thought they were being judgmental and mean until I just about spit my bloody out. Her arms were covered in a dark hairy forest and underneath that forest there actually was a lucky shamrock tattoo. Seriously, no clue how it was able to be tattooed there. They were so hairy that three guys were so disgusted by them that they were the ones to point it out to me- that bad. Since when do guys notice that right? I really wanted to say something to her since there is such an easy solution to this but having placed her tattoo under that mess I assumed she didn't mind it...

Jolen - Creme Bleach $5.49 This is honestly the easiest and cheapest thing anyone can do to make a drastic change on problem areas. Even if you have extremely hairy arms just by bleaching them it will make a world of a difference! You can use this product anywhere you want your hair bleached- not just your arms. All it takes is 10 minutes for you to actually not have to search through a forest to find the lucky shamrock tattoo. I don't believe in shaving your arms unless you're on a swim team- it grows back prickly and looks odd. Also, unless you live in Florida you're probably not getting enough sun year round to naturally bleach those arm hairs so this product will keep you happy year round! Buy this at your local drugstore!

Hopefully the Pentwater, MI waitress reads my blog...

xx

Liz

pssssst! did you wash your hair?

2011-09-13T10:45:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning to a text from one of my friends who recently also moved to Chitown. She had missed her alarm and was already running late for work when she of course managed to take the train 20 minutes in the wrong direction. Ahhhhh city life! My favorite part of her text was "thank God for dry shampoo" I seriously laughed and couldn't agree more.

Pssssst! Instant Spray Shampoo $5 I know I've blogged about dry shampoo's before- but they are so important in your beauty routine that I'm adding another one to my list. I still swear by Victoria Secret's version but this is now my second (and cheaper) fave! I'm a brunette so I cannot stand when dry shampoo's spray on white (however if you OD on this stuff it will show up white too- use sparingly) Seriously, I don't need my hair to turn mousy brown I'd rather keep it greasy if that's the case! This gem comes out clear and freshens up your hair to give it enough body to make it look normal again. The price is right and it's unscented- if you've never tried dry shampoo before let this one be your first. It was voted as Allure's Editor's Choice product so if you don't trust me you'll trust them right?! You can get this at drugstores and Ulta!

So on morning's like my lovely friend just had you will also grab this bottle and thank God for it too!

Hope your Tuesday morning started off a bit better than hers!

xx

Liz

psychic reality

2011-09-07T19:26:00.003-04:00

I spent this past weekend in NYC and randomly thought it would be a good idea to see a psychic. I'm still questioning if it was. However, she mentioned that I need to be more creative and continue writing. By no means am I ever going to be a Steinbeck or Tolstoy- this beauty blog is about as talented as my writing gets. So this blog must be what she was referring to. Naturally, I have now managed to convince myself that the psychics readings confirm that I need to continue purchasing products and reviewing them since it's now my calling in life...or something like that...

Benefit- They're Real Mascara $22 Not quite convinced if psychics are real but I am convinced that this mascara is the real deal. It's been a loooonnnggg time since I've fallen this hard for a mascara that wasn't Lancome. Seriously, your lashes look so ah-mazing that people will question if they're real or not. It quite possibly might be the most lengthening mascara I have ever tried. My only advice is since it's so lengthening you may want to add some volume- put one coat of your favorite volumizing mascara (anyone will do) on before you coat them with this mascara. Your lashes will look unreal! That trick takes care of having that unattractive spider-leg look! This mascara is super lengthening, smudge-proof and a beautifully pigmented black color. Please, just go purchase this at Benefit, Sephora or Ulta today you will have absolutely no regrets, unlike my psychic experience...

Hope this week is going well!

xx

Liz

blissful

2011-08-30T10:31:00.001-04:00

I honestly don't think there is a lotion I haven't tried. I blame my mother for my addiction. Growing up I was her NuSkin guinea pig and had every single one of their lotions slathered on me. I cannot leave the house without lotion on- serious. Remember, when choosing a body lotion (or face lotion) a lot of companies use cheap fillers like Mineral Oil and Petrolatum- gross. If you see those ingredients, I don't care how damn good the lotion smells, put it down. So out of allllllll the lotions on the market there is one that stands out above the rest....

Bliss- Lemon + Sage Body Butter $6-$79
Pure bliss. Honestly, this lotion is perfect. It has great ingredients (no cheap fillers) and manages to absorb quickly into your skin and hydrate you like none other! Not to mention the scent is subtle and just heavenly. Stay away from some of the cheap lotions that don't really work- there is nothing sexy about sticky, greasy or scaly skin. This ah-mazingly luscious lotion leaves you perfectly moisturized! There's a reason why it's used in over 70,000 spa's worldwide and is a staple at W hotels....it's simply the best. I know it's pricey but you can get a small tester version or just go to Sephora and try it at the store- you will be in love and it's worth every penny.

Happy Tuesday!!

xx

Liz

seeing spotty

2011-08-23T09:41:00.005-04:00

I absolutely am madly in love with the sun. It gives me my Vitamin D and a beautiful glowing tan but then there's the wrinkles, sunspots and melanoma I can really do without. So, now that I'm older and much wiser I worship SPF. Unfortunately I grew up as a cult believer in slathering on tanning oils. Surprisingly, I haven't seen much sun damage (yet) but there were a few sunspots on my face that I needed to have disappear. So, I obviously had to find something to fix that...

Clinique- Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector $49.50 - $70 Let me start of with saying that it took me a looooooong time to purchase this because I am not the biggest Clinique fan. Not that I don't like their products I just feel like everyone in high school buys the yellow moisturizing face lotion and then once you graduate you kinda graduate from Clinique too. The best treatment for sun spots or acne scars is hydroquinone. However, I'm scared shitless to try it. Anything that is banned while pregnant, banned in Europe and that you can only use for a certain period of time scares me a bit. So, since this claims to be just as effective I thought I'd go the safe route first. I am so glad I did! The serum feels like heaven going on your skin and is 100% fragrance free. I've only been using it about 3 weeks and have already noticed a substantial difference. It takes about 12 weeks of twice a day applications to truly work. Sounds like a lot of time but I don't care if it really does work I will do it! If you have some signs of sun damage treat it early and buy this stuff- it's completely worth it! If you were a serious sun-goddess and have severe sun damage go see your dermatologist since they will have many more resources to help you that may work faster and better! Buy this at your local Clinique counter or Sephora!

Hope your week is off to a great start!

xx

Liz

spa-like slumber

2011-08-12T10:53:00.005-04:00

Living in a city has changed the way I sleep. I now have a train plowing through my backyard which I finally refer to as "white noise" since it is muffled through the soundproof walls. However, I sleep with a fan and a noisemaker that I prefer to put on the Tranquility setting and am thoroughly enjoying my spa-like quality sleep! So, while at my new favorite grocery store Trader Joe's I naturally got stuck in the product aisle. My eyes came across a Lavender product section and instantly I got super excited- the smell of lavender would make my spa-like slumber complete and that much more enjoyable.

Trader Joe's- Lavender Body Oil $4.99 So I love this store because of it's organic goodness and ah-mazing prices! I mean $2.99 decent vino (clearly the initial reason I gravitated to this store) is that even possible?! So, you chicas probably are aware by now that I love using oils on my face, hair and body. It seems more pure than lotions and creams. However, I used to use baby oil for moisturizing but it has poor clogging Mineral Oil in it so stay far far away from it! This oil has absolutely none of those cheap fillers which makes it beyond ah-mazing! It comes in a spray so it's easier to control and less messy! The lavender scent does calm my nerves (I can get pretty anxious at times) and the smell is strong enough (but not overpowering) to help me sleep. Seriously, obsessed! I will become especially obsessed with it when the cold and dry winter ahead hits us- this will be a staple in my nightly beauty routine. Also, after it dries your skin is left glowing and can imagine it making your legs look pretty perfect for a night out!
So it's cheap, free of poor clogging fillers, smells heavenly and it comes in a non-mess spray....next time you're at Trader Joe's just throw it in your cart!

Hope you chicas have a great Weekend!!!

xx

Liz