Product Review: Smashbox Iconic Eyes Kit

The Smashbox Iconic Eye Kit is sold at retailers (such as ULTA) for $47 plus tax. The kit includes an eyeshadow primer, an eyeshadow palette with 4 shades, black mascara, creamy eyeliner which holds two colors (brown and blue), and 2 professional brushes - an eyeshadow brush and an eyeliner brush. As I have discussed, when it comes to eyeshadows I am a diehard Stila fan. This kit from Smashbox contained so many goodies for the price so I just couldn't resist picking one up.

Unfortunately, it appears I am allergic to the creamy eyeliner which really put a damper on the whole look for me. After attempting to use both colors at separate times, my eyes became extremely irritated, red and watery which then caused the liner to smear. Definitely not the same quality as the popular gel liners made by such lines as Bobbi Brown and MAC. The eyeshadows aren't bad, but they definitely do not measure up to Stila standards and the mascara is not anything to write home about either. The only thing that I really liked about this kit was the eyeliner brush which works fantastically with my Stila eyeliner shadow (used wet). I have to admit this is probably not a fair review because of how my eyes reacted with the eyeliner, but I won't be purchasing Smashbox again. Great packaging - poor deliverance. Sorry Smashbox.

5 Ways to Ease Your Rosacea

Rosacea, a skin disease which can be painful and disfiguring, is impossible to cure and difficult to maintain. The cause of Rosacea remains to be somewhat of an enigma. Supposedly your diet, the amount of stress you're experiencing, your heritage and other factors all play a role. Truthfully, however, nobody is quite sure what the real culprit is and therefore it is up to you personally to take charge of your own body - and figure out via trial and error what seems to help your skin the most. I put together a list of five suggestions for you to try in addition to any prescribed medications:


1. Avoid Heat.

Most people know that the sun can damage your skin, but what some may not realize is that for Rosacea sufferers it's not just about the sun's rays, but it's also about the heat. What it boils down is that Rosacea is about vascular dilation and an abundance of acid in the bloodstream. So think about it, heat causes dilation. Therefore, hot climates, hot showers, steamrooms/saunas, etc. are not really good for Rosacea sufferers. The next time you take a hot shower take a good look at your skin - which will no doubt be pink all over. Stay in cool environments, wash your face with calming cool water, and stay in the shade. Sunblock isn't enough. Additionally, avoid hot beverages too.

2. Pay Close Attention to and REVISE Your Diet.

Many people with Rosacea also suffer other symptoms suggestive of a food allergy, such as intestinal problems, migraine headaches, sinusitis and fatigue. Additionally, high calorie carbohydrates (i.e., pastas) and sweets are particular culprits adding to Rosacea redness. Quite frankly, after doing some research, it appears that almost anything edible could cause flushing and trigger Rosacea. This is something that I believe is individualized. The best thing one can do is consistently change their diet around and see if there are certain things that will trigger inflammation versus others. For me personally, red wine, spicy foods and foods high in sugar are the worst culprits. I also LOVE cheese and this may be a huge factor. I am not sure if I could actually give cheese up but I may do a little test to see if it would make a difference.

3. Flush Out the Flushing by Drinking TONS of H20.

"They say" that everyone should drink 8 glasses of water per day. Well if you have Rosacea, that's probably not enough. You probably cannot realistically drink "enough" water to flush out the irritants troubling your skin. So, with that being said, just always have a bottle of water handy and a bathroom close by. Avoid alcohol as much as possible (it dehydrates you), and other things such as coffee. Obviously, if you avoided everything that probably aggravates your Rosacea you'd be living on iceberg lettuce and ice cubes - so just think "moderation."

4. EXERCISE.

Exercise can cause your face to flush initially, but the long term benefits of exercise outweigh the temporary flushing. Hands down, cardio work is the best way to relieve stress and improve your mental and physical health. Another great form of exercise for Rosacea sufferers is swimming because of the simultaneous cooling affect it has over the entire body. It's best to wash your face with cool water prior to exercise, and get your exercise in a controlled environment, especially if it's hot outside and/or you live in heavily polluted area. So join a gym and hop to it!

5. Anger/Emotional Management

Strong, negative emotions can really antagonize your Rosacea. If you are angry or upset or distraught, take a cool washcloth and lay down with the washcloth over your face until you can calm down. Not only will this help limit the triggers of Rosacea redness, but it will help calm your spirit as well. I particularly like to scent my washcloths with lavender and have a bowl of ice water on the nightstand to refresh the washcloth.

Skin Care Tips: 5 Basic Tips for Clear, Radiant Skin

1. Know your skin type. This is key to finding the right products that will work most effectively with your skin. Typically your skin gets drier as you age. What is considered "normal" skin is actually normal to oily - in the morning after cleansing and make up application, there is no shine on the face but usually later in the afternoon a slight shine will appear on the "T-zone" area (center of the forehead, tip of the nose and chin, and cheeks). If you hardly ever see a shine on your face, and it feels very tight then most likely you have dry skin. On the contrary, if your face seems to be shiny all over and feels slick to the touch - you have oily skin.

2. For problematic skin, see a Dermatologist. If you have blemishes and/or acne, it is important to seek the guidance of a professional who can prescribe proper medication to clear your skin up. Self-diagnosis could lead to the wrong diagnosis which in turn could lead to the wrong products which would make your skin worse. Case in point: I thought I had acne and it turned out to be Rosacea. I used oil-control and acne products on my face and made the problem much worse which resulted in a pepperoni special. Please note that some medications may change your skin type temporarily and you may have to alter your normal regimine while on the meds.

3. Based on the above, create a basic skin care routine. A typical skin care routine consists of exfoliating, masking, cleansing, toning and moisturizing. It depends on your skin type and what works for you personally. It is common to exfoliate and mask once a week, and it is recommended by most professionals to cleanse, tone and moisturize once in the morning and once before bed daily.

4. Experiment with foundations. It's amazing the difference a good foundation can make. A foundation too light can make you look pasty and sick, and a foundation too dark can make you look older than your years. Ideally, you want a foundation which seems to disappear on your skin, making it look brighter and youthful. For dry skin, a rich, moisturized foundation is best. For normal to oily skin, a lightweight and moisturizing foundation combined with a loose powder is recommended. For really oily skin, powder foundation is the way to go. The color should be slightly lighter than your natural skin tone - brightening your face and evening out texture. Definitely visit a department store and ask for samples before making a selection.

5. Get your beauty sleep and stay hydrated. This is key. Okay, when you are young - say a teenager or in your twenties - you can get away with blowing off sleep but after you turn thirty you really need to get rest (6-8 hours per night is ideal.) Second, stay hydrated - water, not wine or vodka, works best. ;-)

So there have you it. 5 basic tips for bare beauty.

Follow Up on eBay Beauty Purchase

I am happy to say that my first purchase ever, a skin care purchase, via eBay - has turned out to be a success. My seller, "pretteypink2006," was very communicative throughout the whole process and I could not believe how quickly my item came. I purchased Dr.Brandt's "Laser Tight" lotion, and additionally got a handful of really great sample items. The lotion retails at $110.00 pretax, so I was happy to pay only $60.00 for everything I received. The seller also included a handy dandy make up bag from Dr. Brandt. I really like this little bag because it's basic black and slightly padded, thus making trips to the gym safe for my lotion. I will definitely continue to buy products from this seller!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream

As stated in an earlier post, ("How to Be Rosy With Rosacea"), I have Rosacea. Rosacea is an inflammatory condition of the facial skin which causes your skin to flush abnormally, turn red and develop bumps and pastules. If left untreated Rosacea can be very disfiguring. This is a good example of what Rosacea can turn into:



In addition to it's unattractive appearance, Rosacea is also very uncomfortable. Typical symptoms are burning, itching and throbbing. I do take medication for Rosacea (either Tetracycline or Oracea), and also am always scouting around for new products to try. I absolutely love the Dr. Brandt Laser line (Laser Relief and Laser Tight), but thought I'd give this new line by Clinique a shot.

The cream is not bad, but I do not seem to benefit from it with regards to my Rosacea. My face seems to look slightly paler after using it but I suspect it's from the green tint that this moisturizer has versus real, actual efficacy. All in all, the cream does moisturize my face nicely and I may continue using it as a basic moisturizer in addition to my Dr. Brandt Laser products simply for the price point in comparison with other professional moisturizers.

FABULOUS lunch discovery @ Crepe Republic

I love food and am always scouting around for new places where I can go have a tasty, quick and affordable lunch. The best value for this criteria is obviously your typical fast food joint like McDonalds or Taco Bell but it's common knowledge that these places are not healthy to say the least. Today I stumbled upon "Crepe Republic," and had a fabulous, healthy and tasty lunch for less then $10 and was in and out of there in a half hour (no it was not take out - I ate it there). The ambiance was nice too as it reflected the food they were serving: clean and in good taste. This little venue is located here in Los Angeles on the corner of La Cienega Blvd and 3rd Street. It sits in a strip mall across the street from Coffee Bean and next door to Subway and another great Italian food place called North End Pizzeria. Crepe Republic offers crepes for breakfast, lunch and dessert. Today I had the "Snow White," which contains chicken breast, avocado, basil, tomatoes, spinach, mozarella and pesto. All the ingredients tasted extremely fresh and it was served with a lovely green salad that contained nice fresh veggies. Crepe Republic also serves juice and smoothies...I almost felt like I was at Equinox. :)

Buying Beauty Products on eBay

Due to limited finances, I have decided to dive into completely unfamiliar and risky territory: buying beauty products on eBay. Up until now, I have avoided eBay like the plague because quite frankly I just don't trust people. To make matters worse, buying a beauty product such as skin care (which I just purchased!) is especially risky because there is no guaranty that the product was not used and/or contaminated, or worse - replaced with mayonnaise. However, due to the fact that I am very familiar with this product and the container it comes in - I feel that it is a risk worth taking. First, I chose a seller who was top rated with 5 stars and read some of the reviews (all positive). Second, the product I chose (Dr. Brandt Laser Tight lotion), comes in an airtight pump so that whatever is inside the bottle cannot become contaminated. Third, I love this product and believe it is well worth the full cost of $110.00, so I feel pretty ecstatic about the fact that I spent only $60.00 on it - and that I will also be getting some other goodies (another bonus size bottle and Lineless eye cream). Should things go wrong - hopefully the eBay Buyer Protection Plan will reimburse me, even though I did not read it and have no idea if it would or should. More to come when I get my purchase. :)