Tuesday, January 31, 2012

All About My Hair! (Products/Styles etc)

I am quickly going to share with you what I use on a daily basis on my hair and then get into my 3 staple hair styles that I have been doing for quite sometime now and what key products I use to achieve those! :)

Cleaning/Maintaining:

Shampoo: I use almost anything on my hair (trying to get sulfate free when possible) I know, I know maybe I should be more conscious of what I put in my hair, but I have been using drugstore shampoo for years and my hair has remained perfectly healthy, so maybe my hair just likes it better ;) I do, however, justify this by using a clarifying shampoo once a week like that of Neutrogena's Anti-Residue Shampoo. It is comparable to my Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo but only 1/4 of the cost! This deep cleans out all of the product I have used on my hair throughout the week! Using it once a week is just enough to have fresh hair every week.

Conditioner: I have been using the Tresemme Naturals Conditioner and I absolutely love it!


*I only wash my hair an average of 3-4 times a week.  This assures I get less damage because think about it, your hair really needs some of its naturally produced oils and washing everyday just strips your hair bare!

Dry Shampoo: I use Salon Grafix Dry Shampoo on some of my off days if I feel necessary, although "training" my hair to only be washed a few times a week as opposed to everyday, I feel like it doesn't get anywhere near as oily as you would expect it to so I rarely need this! :)


Styling/Protecting

I have 5 staple hair styles (all of them are with hair down coincidentally!) 4 of them are variations of curling my hair and the other is sleek and straight. Here is how I achieve those looks!

1. Hot Rollers:
Conair Xtreme Instant Heat Multi Size Rollers



 
Using these hot rollers helps me achieve this subtle wavy look. Set it with some flexible hold hairspray (L'Oreal's Elnett) and you're set for a cute style in less than 20 mins!
2. Curing Iron: 

Hot Tools 1.5 in curling iron
 
I have had this curling iron since High School and I have never had any problems with it! It still gets to maximum heat and everything! With this curling Iron you can achieve curls like the photo above, big spiral curls.  I usually spray these babies with my Tres Deux Hair Spray or my Big Sexy Hair for an extreme (but rather flexible) hold!


3. Curling Wand: 
Conair Infiniti Curling Wand
I don't know if you can tell in these two photos but this curling wand creates more of an S curl.  If you are having problems getting a curl to stay in your hair I highly recommend this. Be patient as this process can be a bit time consuming compared to other methods, but you will get a nice bouncy S curl that will last you at least 2 days perfectly! The pic above in the polka dot dress is me with this look day 1. The one with me underneath that is the next day with NO touch ups! I love this curling wand because its almost guaranteed to get two good hair days out of it! ;)

4. Triple Barrel Waver:
Revlon Jumbo Triple Barrel Waver
In this photo I used the Triple Barrel Waver.  Its almost like crimping, but not as 90's haha It actually creates a gorgeous waved look that is reminiscent of something finger-waves would create--but I don't have the time or patience for finger waves so I use this instead lol I didn't do an old Hollywood look this night, but will be having my stylist (and aunt) Allison, do a look using this to create a look like that within the next two weeks so I will be sure to do a whole post on that process as well! I love Old Hollywood Hair :)


5. Blow Dryer
ConairPro Silverbird Blow Dryer

I got this blow dryer for Christmas a few years back and lets just say I hope it never ever dies lol I love how shiny it makes my hair and how quickly it dries and smooths out my hair! I blow dry my hair in under 20 minutes, which is really fast considering my hair is now down to my belly button!!! (trim appt. already made haha) In the photo above I used this blow dryer to achieve straight flipped out hair :)

Protecting My Hair From Heat: 
Its a 10 Miracle Leave in Product

This product is AMAZING! I use it each and every time before I use any of the listed above heating tools.  It not only protects from heat damage, but conditions and prevents breakage amongst 8 other things that are all listed on the back of the bottle lol Oh, and did I mention after using this, your hair will smell GLORIOUS all day long! :)

When I run out of this I revert back to my backup up which is also another fabulous product and much less expensive, my Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray.  
 

Whoa, that was a long post! I don't typically fret over my hair during the week, the simpler for work the better, but during the weekend I like to compensate for all that "dullness" I had during the week and like to spice things up a little which is when I will reach for a curling tool etc. 

What are your favorite hair styling tools? 

Off to work, 

xox

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Hair Color & Skin Tone--Let's Break it Down!

A Friend of mine requested this post and I realized that I have never really done anything like this before! Last night instead of my normal routine of reading my Nook  before bed, I did some research instead :) It is hard for a woman to know which hair color suits them best right off the bat without going through trial and error. We see a color on someone else and we think "oooohh I like that!" but we don't realize that what may suit that person really may end up looking terrible on us! There are some things to keep in mind before you run to the salon and choose a color out of a book to try.  I would hope that if the color you chose wasn't complementary to your skin tone, your stylist would warn you and try and suggest something more complimentary, but sadly, this isn't always the case. Here I am going to give you some tips that I found that can really help you stay away from being in the category of "worst hair of the year".

First things first, you have to determine what type of skin tone you have, a warm one or a cool one.  Here is a simple way to do so:



Once you determine your skin tone, you can now have a better insight into which hair color will enhance your natural beauty ;) Here are some ideas once you determine this:


Please keep in mind that these are just a few of the vast amount of hair colors that stylists have the ability of concocting nowadays that will really bring out the best in your skin tone etc.  Don't use this as an "I have to stick to this chart" kind of thing, rather as a guide in case you are ever in a rut :) 

I also like to look up celebrity hair colors on those that seem to have similar skin tone coloring as myself  to get a nice idea of what it would look like on me :) 

To all my Warm and Cool readers, 

xox

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Mini Shop and Tell: MUFE, UD, Revlon and NYX!

I picked up this stuff from Ulta and Sephora a few weeks ago.  3 of them are lip products, and one is a cream blush :) I'm still getting the hang of using my new camera and I have realized that for swatch purposes I definitely need to either use my regular Canon Point and Shoot or get a tripod! It is near impossible to take a photo and manually focus (which is my favorite ) with only one hand haha Ok lets get started!


Make Up Forever HD Blush in #4. 

*Love this so far, very bubblegum pink and a little but DEFINITELY goes a VERY long way. I learned this the hard way in the beginning haha Needless to say, I love that because it means I will be getting tons of long use out of this!

Swatch of MUF Blush #4



Revlon Lip Butter in Cotton Candy

* When I went to Target, this is the only color that they had left so I had to choose this one.  I actually like it a lot, although it is very sheer, and more of a cotton candy glaze.  I throw this on over a lot of more matte formula pink undertone lipsticks for the perfect "icing" on the look!

Swatch of Revlon Lip Butter Cotton Candy

NYX Lipliner Pencil in Pale Pink #854

* This lip liner goes well with my Revlon Lipstick in Pink Pout, it is almost the exact same color except in a lip liner formulation haha I didn't have one like this so this purchase was justified....aren't they all though? ;)


Swatch of NYX Lipliner in Pale Pink


Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Liner in Naked
*This lipliner, although a bit more on the pricey side for a lipliner, is SO worth it! I have yet to find a lipliner in this perfect natural shade that is so creamy and long lasting.  Now just to find a sharpener that won't make it look all chewed up as the cap seems to have done to the tip of it! haha hymm....

Swatch of UD Lipliner in Naked


This was a pretty unplanned shopping trip so I didn't have that much on my wish list at that moment.  Hope you enjoyed :)

Swatches and Love,

xox

Thursday, January 19, 2012

UPDATED Skin Care Routine!

This is the ONLY picture that I had on my phone where you can kind of tell how clear my skin is.  It isn't the best photo, but definitely the one that was taken closest to my face for you all to see.  I am NOT wearing any type of foundation or concealer (other than under eye concealer)  in this pic (lately I haven't been needing any of that, and actually I really never wear foundation anyway!) When you have healthy skin, it glows from within, and nature will take over to make it look flawless all on its own.  I am blessed to have great skin just run in my family :) I do have another post, which I will link below on what steps you can take to have healthier skin, this post is mainly on how I maintain mine! I hope you find this helpful :)

How do I CLEAN my face?




(Olay Pro X Cleansing System) I absolutely LOVE this cleansing system! I did a whole product review on it about 4 or 5 posts ago, so if you want to know more about this, check that post out! I use this 5 days a week in the shower being sure to squeeze in two days of my alternate facial scrub/cleanser in between :)












I use this cleanser (a larger size of the sample that comes with the cleansing system) with it.















(Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub) This is my alternating facial cleanser/scrub.  I have been using this stuff for years and I really love the consistency of it and how it works so well to keep my skin healthy looking and clear! :)




How do I TONE my face?


 


(Olay Oil Minimizing Toner) I love this toner because it doesn't irritate my skin and it doesn't have a harsh smell at all! The alcohol smell that normally burns my eyes is no where to be found in this toner, and if by chance I ever smell alcohol, it is so faint that it doesn't bother me at all. This toner does it's job well to remove excess dirt, oil and makeup and sometimes even gets things off my skin that the normal cleansing didn't! I use this right before I moisturize my face :)









How do I MOISTURIZE my face? 




(Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer) You know, for a while, I became very frustrated trying to find a moisturizer that didn't make my skin feel overly oily after or that didn't just make my skin look dull, and then I found this! I had used the Aveeno tinted moisturizer before and I really liked it for a while, but after a while I decided that I really don't always want to use something tinted.  I loved this option and still do! It is very moisturizing and doesn't leave my skin looking oily or dull, it is the perfect in between. I use this normally right after I use my toner! This is definitely a better buy than the other MURAD one I was liking for a while, which costs around $75! This one is sold at drugstores for under $20! :)










(Origins VitaZing) This has always and will always be my favorite "tinted" moisturizer I think.  I have been using it for a few years now and I can't seem to find anything comparable to this baby.  I get mine at my local Macy*s where they have an Origins Counter for $35.  I love that it is just the slightest tint, nothing overwhelming and it works well with ALL skin tones! I use this when I am going out for that extra glow :)







How do I REMOVE MY MAKEUP?


I use my Yes to Blueberry Facial Cleansing Towelettes in alternation with these, but use these when I have a more full face of makeup to take off and let me tell you why.  (Pond's Evening Soothe Cleansing Towelettes) These towelettes have a texture to them that allows them to really get down and remove even waterproof mascara like it states. I love the smell of the chamomile and white tea and I overall love how they aren't too harsh but get the job done! These don't leave any oily residue after either! The best of both worlds for sure at only $5 for 30 wipes :)





Wishing you all clean and glowing skin always,

xox

Links:

My post on maintaining healthier skin can be found here: http://alyseap.blogspot.com/2011/06/maintaining-healthy-skin-is-easier-than.html

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Look Stylish WHILE Supporting a Great Cause!

Sevenly is an Organization that sells merchandise that helps benefit a select charity.  $7 to be exact from every t-shirt/hoodie purchase goes toward the charity that is chosen each week.  This week, Autism Speaks was the charity chosen.  I came across this video that SCCASTANEDA posted on YouTube about this specific Organization and I was so intrigued to see what it was all about.  Here is the link to her video: 




In watching this video she explains a little about what Autism is etc. However, fear not, Sevenly updates the Organization that they are donating to each week.  They have a huge list of Charities that you can check out, whom they have already partnered with to donate thousands of dollars. 


Above is an illustration of how this whole process works: 

1. They partner with a different charity each week (that's 52 charities helped a year!)
2. For every T-Shirt purchased they give $7 to that week's charity. 
3. At the end of the week long campaign, they send the charity a check.  (ex: 100 t-shirts sold = $700 check given to the charity)

Let me also clarify that I am in no way affiliated with this organization, but really love what they have going on.  I also want to clarify how awesome their merchandise is! The T's and hoodies are actually really fashion forward.  They have sleek cool designs and for the women they have a nice V-neck and are fitted for a woman's body.  No more of those t-shirts that fit so awkward we only wear them to sleep haha You will for sure feel confident wearing this out, AND it has the Charity written somewhere on it or a saying related to the charity, so you are raising awareness! :)

Here are some of the previous T-shirts they have sold for different charities so that you can get a better understanding of what exactly I mean: 


I love to blog about charities sometimes, especially when I come across a unique one like this.  I hope you all take the opportunity to check out their site, and if this weeks charity doesn't appeal to you (although I don't see why it wouldn't!) then remember they change every 7 days so you should find one close to your heart soon enough.  If you are very dedicated to a specific charity that is not listed in their Charity List Section, then be sure to recommend it to them, I am sure if enough people do, they would be more than happy to work with that specific charity! 

To Fashion AND Helping Others, 

xox

Links: 


Friday, January 13, 2012

Beauty Blogger Tag!

 
I haven't done a TAG here on my blog in forever, so I thought one was due.  I found this TAG on Charr's blog, and many others as well.  I remember hers the most so I will link her page here .  I thought it was really fun and being a blogger myself, found it interesting to see what other bloggers wrote! Enjoy and be sure to do this TAG if you are intrigued!


1.What are your favorite type of blog-posts to write?
My Favorite posts to write are those that are personal to me, example: my life through pictures etc.  I also love doing Product Reviews because I feel like those are the most educational for everyone!
2.What are your favorite blogs to read?
In all honesty, if you look at the blogs that I follow most are fashion or beauty related, but as far as everyday reading, I real ALL sorts of blogs. Food, personal, photography, baby, computer, etc. 
3.How did u pick your Blog name?
I chose my blog name because I wanted this blog to be a compilation of everything I loved/cherished.  I love the saying "Cherish Every Moment" because every moment is special in its own way.  I guess I got a bit sentimental, but at the same time, in this blog being that I write on various things that mean something to me in a different way, I thought the name was unique and fitting :)
4. Which beauty blogger is your inspiration? 
I love each beauty blogger that I follow, I think they all offer me something in one way or another.  One that I always communicate with via twitter and I think I have a lot in common with would be Melissa from Life Beyond Base.  You can find her link here !
5.Name one tip you learned through another beauty blogger?
Your layout must be inviting, take quality pictures and blog on things that you, the blogger, would actually find interesting to read!
6.What made you make a blog? 
I have read others blogs for the past 5+ years.  I never ever thought I myself would make a blog, but then one day I decided that I wanted to share some of my thoughts.  I have a journal already, but wanted something a little less personal, but something that would let others into the silly/fun/inspirational/ quirky/educational thoughts in my head :)
7.Do you have a favourite blogpost of yours?
One of my most inspirational blog posts and my favorite would have to be my documentation of my visit to the World Trade Center Memorial.  One of my favorite fun posts to do are my Shop and Tells! :)
8.Name one pro and one con of being a beauty blogger?
A pro about being a blogger of all things beauty would be that you become part of a world where you are surrounded by others who share the same loves as you. Another pro would be that somewhere someone out there is reading your blogs and smiling or thinking "ohhh ok, that's how it works" or "hymm yea I guess I shouldn't waste my money on that"! A con, not that there are really any, would be the amount of time one needs to set aside to really make their blog presentable and well written!
9.What advice would would you give someone dealing with hate?
Smile and move on ;)
10. How long does it take you to write a blogpost?
Depends on how much editing and info I am trying to squeeze into my post, one with lots of pics that have to be edited would take me anywhere from 1-1.5 hours. One with more words, anywhere from 30 mins-45 mins.  I type really fast! :)
11. What other blogs apart from beauty do you like to read ?
I love cooking, baby (I have a nephew and am a nanny), travel, fashion etc. Almost anything!
12.Who have you made friends with through blogging?
I communicate with a handful of girls that I "met" through blogging via twitter.  I consider them my friends for sure! All very sweet :)

13. How do you get the ideas for blogposts?
This is going to sound silly but 99% of the time, any blog posts that I write come into my head while I am in the shower, driving or lying in bed at night haha It is when I am not really clouding my head with many tasks that all of the sudden a really good idea for a post comes about.  That and shopping and being out and about!

14. Who do you tag ?
I TAG any and everyone who is reading this! Even if you don't normally do TAGS, sometimes ones like this are super fun!
 
I hope you all found this TAG to be fun to read and insightful! I had a lot of fun thinking about these answers myself :)

I TAG you and you and yes YOU!, 

xox

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Fashion Trend Predictions Spring 2012

I did a similar post to this last year and it is still to this very day my most read post ever! I decided to do it again this year :) How I do my research for this is re watch all of the runway shows that you can still find posted on many fashion magazine websites, I also go through various high end and more moderately priced store websites and see what their new collections consist of, I blend those together, pick a few out and present them here to you guys! Granted, this post would be entirely too long if I posted on each and every single trend prediction, I chose 4 or 5 that I could show you real life examples of :) Enjoy!



1. Pastels:  When I look at the collage I made above, I think of every color that was ever in my Easter basket as a kid, and that's actually absolutely right! haha Pastels are predicted to be huge this Spring season, and without a doubt I definitely agree.  These colors remind me of Spring anyway so I would probably purchase these colors without even knowing that I am sticking within some "trend". They're easy on the eyes, and remind me of the colors of the beautiful flowers that we see so many of during this season :) Something about pastels (although could definitely be worn by men as well!) adds the perfect touch of femininity to your ensemble.


 2. Hi Low Hemlines: These are often spotted on Selena Gomez on the runway, they have almost become a signature look for her! I really like these, although at first I felt that if I rocked this style, it would look like I couldn't decide whether I was hot or cold haha Fear not, however, this style can be worn not just in skirts, but in dresses and shirts as well! The whole crop top from last Spring and Summer has come back, I never really got into it because I am not one to let my midriff show, but layered as seen above with the purple shirt, you can definitely pull it off and still look classy :)

3. Citrus Colors (Orange and Yellow): Tangerine was a huge color on the runway this season and I do see a few stores stocking up on this coveted color, but not as many as I would have thought! I personally LOVE citrus colors (and I love these fruits too haha) I'm not too sure I would wear a whole array of citrus together for an outfit, but a little pop here and there is sure to scream Spring, in a good way! Check back to my color wheel post, which I will link below, to see exactly how to wear these colors without going too overboard and hey, if you are confident wearing these colors all together, do it, remember confidence is key in fashion!

4. Color Blocking: This seems to be a recurring trend each Spring season.  I wrote on this same exact trend last Spring as well. I definitely like it in moderation.  Something about it reminds me of those 50's girl Halloween costumes that everyone wears when they cant find another costume lol I do, however, really like it how it is worn in the skirt picture above, with a solid top to "line break" so to speak.  The orange and purple dress to the left  is a perfect blend of both warm and cool colors, I love! 


5. Peplum: This is yet another Trend that has repeated itself from last season as well.  This is a classic look, so I feel that it may "always" be in style.  Very reminiscent of something you see worn in those old Hollywood movies :) This is perhaps my favorite trend, it is definitely hard to find the right Peplum piece though being that I am a rather petite woman.  The waistlines never seem to line up with mine and then I end up having my Peplum waistline down toward my bottom instead, not very flattering! lol I am still on the lookout for the perfect Peplum piece because I love how elegant you can make this trend look.

There you have it, the 5 fashion Spring fashion trend predictions that I found to be pretty consistent in my research!

Here is the link to my Fashion Color Wheel post: http://alyseap.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-2011-fashion-trends-fashion.html

Fashionably Yours,

xox

Thursday, January 5, 2012

My Fashions of the Holidays: New Years, Xmas Eve and Xmas Day!

Although I didn't take pics for the sole purpose of OOTD's, I do have pretty decent pictures that show what I was wearing on these three Holidays so I decided to share with you all my three looks :) Some are more fancy, one very vintage classic and another super casual, my sense of fashion is SUPER versatile! Enjoy.

Christmas Eve:

Hymm..I guess I was really focused on something haha

Dress: Express $79.90 Can be found here: http://www.express.com/ruffle-front-dress-43101-22/index.pro

Jewelry: Necklace and Bracelet are some Fresh Water Pearls I was given by my Grandmother YEARS ago :) My earrings were simple diamond studs.

Black Opaque Stockings/Tights: Express $22.90 Can be found here: http://www.express.com/body-shaping-full-tights-1856-39/index.pro

Nail Polish: Essie "Size Does Matter"--A nice Holiday Red :)

Shoes (although unseen here): Plain Steve Madden black pumps that I bought like 4 years ago!

Makeup: LA Splash Eyeshadow Cream Color Base in Highlight with UD Sin all over my lid and some MAC Soft brown blended in the crease, L'Oreal Liquid Lineur Intense Carbon Black winged out liner, MAC Refined Golden Bronzer, L'Oreal Millions of Lashes Mascara, Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lipstick in Poppy Red with NYX in Hot Red as a base :) ---I tried to keep this look minimal because I was going for a vintage look a la Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe Times. The only really stand out color on my whole face was in my lips!

Hair: Side swept bangs and curled with my Conair infiniti curling wand :) I have a review of that already posted so search for it!

Christmas Day: 



Christmas day, since we travel rather far to visit my aunt (almost 2 hours away!), I decided to keep my attire rather casual.  I have tried the whole get decked out thing and it is NOT comfy while you're driving home at 11pm trying to catch a wink of sleep while your boyfriend does all the driving ;) haha

Blazer: Forever 21 in Navy --Not listed on their website anymore, but it came in black and gray as well and was around $24.80??

Jeans: My favorite jeans ever from Banana Republic.  I purchased these years ago as well and can't find them online anywhere.  They are in the petite section of the store, that is all I can recall.  They are fairly priced as well!

White Tank: Simple white tank from Target.  I have about 5 of these tanks in JUST WHITE, that's how much I adore them.  They are seriously the perfect white tank, and they come in other colors as well which I own, I just think a staple white tank is always necessary to have around.  You can view this online here:  http://www.target.com/p/Mossimo-Womens-Microrib-Tank-Core-Colors/-/A-13718928

Necklace (although you can't see it really): A friendship necklace given to me as a Maid of Honor Gift :)

Watch: Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch, can be found at Macy*s here: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/michael-kors-watch-womens-chronograph-rose-gold-tone-stainless-steel-bracelet-32mm-mk5223?ID=452683&CategoryID=57374

Earrings: Simple Diamond Studs

Boots: Steve Madden Cowboy boots from years ago as well.  Can't for the life of me find these online anywhere either just to even show you all a better pic lol oh well, you get the gist here.

Makeup: L.A. Splash Cream Eyeshadow Base in Smoky (LOVE THESE!! Review to come soon) UD Gunmetal all over the lid, blended out with MAC Soft Brown or UD Smog, hymm I don't remember what exactly I did that day lol, L'Oreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black Liquid Eyeliner, L'Oreal Millions of Lashes mascara, MAC Melba Blush, NYX Lipliner in Pale Pink, MAC Blankety lipstick on top and then topped off with NYX Megashine Lipgloss in Gold Pink.


New Years Eve:



Jumpsuit: H&M a few seasons ago.

Belt: MY FAVORITE belt EVER!! My goodness I cannot express how much I love this belt.  It is the exact belt that Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the  Sex & the City 1 movie! I fell in love with it, I mean she wore it in almost every scene haha This belt was designed by the one and only Patricia Field, Love love love her as well.  She has such a funky edge to her! Needless to say, I sprung for this belt which was $120!! (Hey a girl's gotta do that a girl's gotta do!) They don't even sell this belt anymore on the website, but no worries, The Budget Babe did a post on a look for less which features an alternative cheaper belt here:  http://www.thebudgetbabe.com/archives/672-Look-for-Less-Carries-Studded-Belt.html#.TwW-yPkUO70

Jewelry: Evil Eye Bracelet (I am obsessed with these, c'mon you guys know this already) and some white gold Bangles.  I am also wearing some chandelier earrings I purchased from Macy*s for a wedding I was in over the summer.

Shoes: Nine West Mellitta (I DIE for these shoes!)


They run around $100 and can be purchased here: http://www.ninewest.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-ninewest-Site/default/Search-Show?q=mellitta

Hair: Triple Waved my hair with my new Revlon Jumbo Waver! I love this new gadget :) $ 24.00 Can be found here: http://www.target.com/p/Revlon-Jumbo-Ceramic-Waver-Black/-/A-13208687

Makeup: UD Sin all over the lid with MAC Painterly Paint Pot as a base.  Blended some UD Buck in Crease just to soften the look, UDhaha I actually really liked it though :) Also wearing winged out eyeliner with my L'Oreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black and my L'Oreal Mascara.  MAC Melba Blush and a little NYC SUNNY Bronzer to warm up my face.  Lips I have on UD Lip Liner in Naked with some Blankety on top and the same NYX gloss in Gold Pink.

Wheewwww that took forever to put together! I never realized how much goes into Holiday looks ;)

What did you all wear for the Holidays? If you did posts on the looks, please link them below!

Wishing you all warmth and happiness,

xox

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Product Review: Olay Pro X Cleansing System

I purchased this cleansing system at Target for just around $30.00.  Comparatively cheaper than the Clairsonic Mia, which can retail for around $120, I figured this would be a better option for someone who was just looking to try this type of product out for the first time.  


This cleanser is supposed to clean your skin 6 times better than regular cleansing.  It has an exfoliating brush head to get a deep clean and clean out all of that unseen makeup/dirt etc.  The cleanser is water resistant and the cleansing head is replaceable. 

This is what the cleanser looks like, it is battery operated and has an on and off switch on the back.  The starter kit comes with a trial size of the Anti-Aging Pro X Exfoliating Cleanser.  Although you could really use this cleanser with any facial cleaning product that you are already using, I always like to use the one suggested, although probably just a great marketing ploy haha, to get the maximum results.  Having said that I purchased a big one when my little trial one ran out!


Now that we know what this product comes with and what it claims to do, lets get to the bottom line here:

PROS:

1. I love that I can easily use this in my shower and that it is water resistant, I wash my face most in the shower so this is very convenient!
2. I actually really like the cleanser that it recommends using it with.  It has tiny "exfoliating sands" and doesn't have a strong smell etc. 
3. The brush head is the perfect strength for me, not too rough and not too soft.
4. The price is pretty unbeatable for its comparison products!
5. Last but certainly not least, I love that I genuinely feel like it cleanses my face entirely.  I DO feel like I get a deep clean, and often times, I find that it does get makeup off that not even my makeup remover did!

CONS:

1. Head is smaller than lets say the Clairsonic Mia (this didn't bother me because I actually like this, but may bother some of you)
2. Over time I noticed that on my forehead I had a patch of VERY shiny skin.  This makes me laugh even typing this but honestly it looked like a small patch was "over buffed" and got soo smooth that it was shiny! Please do not mistake this for oily shiny, I had no oil in sight, just shine--very interesting lol Needless to say, I don't stay on that area of my face that long any more because maybe I was over cleansing it haha it seemed to minimize my pores in that area all together! Oh well, at least I know it's doing its job :)

There you have it, my personal unpaid or sponsored review of the Olay Pro X Cleansing System.  I love how inexpensive it is and I really love the results I get.  Give it a try if you can't quite bring yourself to invest over $100 on something like this, it will be well worth it!

Nice clean faces everywhere,

xox