Tuesday 27 December 2011

Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Gift Set Review (PART 1)

Hello all you joyous readers! How are you? Today is going to be a review day, and I have a great gift set that I would like to rave about, below. I received this gift set for Christmas from a family member, and boy, I love it so far! I have been alternating each of the products, by using one product and then using the next one. So far I have only used two of them, but keep reading to find out my thoughts. Well, onto today’s post!

The Body Shop is a favorite of mine, as I am always buying products from there. Actually, one of the brushes in my makeup tutorial posts is from the Body Shop. As soon as I saw this wonderful gift set, I was itching to use the products. I believe that this set is limited edition, so it may not be available year round. The full name of the gift set, is the Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Shower Scrub & Moisture Collection. It comes in a gold octagonal clear-lidded tin. 


Inside the tin, you will find four products:
Spiced Vanilla Shower Gel 250 ml
Spiced Vanilla Soap 100g
Spiced Vanilla Body Butter 50 ml
Spiced Vanilla Body Scrub 50 ml



In my opinion, the spiced vanilla scent of the products, embodies the whole spirit of Chirstmas and the winter season. It makes you think of gingerbread houses, the fluffy snow of the first snowfall, and even sleeping in during a snow storm.

The first product I tried, was the shower gel. It gives you a very thick and rich lather, and moisturized my skin very nicely. They give you a good amount of shower gel, which should last about a few months or so, depending on whether you use it every day, or swap it out for a bar of soap once in a while. It did not irritate my skin, as a lot of body washes do, and it left my skin feeling soft and lightly scented.

The second product I had tried, was the body butter. I have not tried a body butter until now, and I have to say that it was a very good first impression. It’s very creamy and smooth, and does have that “buttery consistency”, until you gently apply it on your skin. Again, it smells very wonderful, and moisturized my skin exceptionally well. I felt as if the body butter outdid my regular body moisturizers, which it sure did. I might consider switching over to the Body Shop’s body butters from now on! My skin felt baby soft, and did not get irritated by the scent at all.

Though I have yet to try the remaining two products in the set, I will put an updated post, with my thoughts on the other products in the set. Overall, I would definitely recommend these products to anyone, as I have sensitive skin, and did not have any negative skin reactions to the products. Well, there you go! I hope this partial product review helped some of you readers out! Look out for the second part of this product review. Thank you for reading.



**WARNING- This product does contain nut ingredients, so if you are allergic, please use your own discretion. I just want you all to be safe, ALWAYS read the label.**



Happy Holidays



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Sunday 25 December 2011

It's Christmas :D

Hello my festive readers! How are all of your holidays (if you have them) are going? I've been enjoying my holiday time with my family and friends- and cherishing all the free time I have for doing absolutely nothing when I feel like it.What have you readers been up to? I hope you don't have too much homework to catch up on.  Well, enough writing for now, I are too much turkey and I am starting to feel sleepy. Enjoy the rest of the holiday season, and thank you for reading.

Happy Christmas,

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Tuesday 20 December 2011

Beauty Tips: Fact or Myth?

Hello my fabulous readers! How are all of you? I am currently putting together a few other posts for you guys, as I have not put anything exciting up for a while. This post is something that is based around the age-old debate of what is said to be true, and what is not said to be correct. I hope it makes you think about the tips you have heard over the years. Well, onto today’s post!



 
The field of beauty is constantly evolving and expanding, even as I type. We all go through the process of trial and error until we get what we want out of the experiments. Sometimes, we try to see how well a method will work, and will keep using that method over and over again, to achieve the same results. When satisfactory results are achieved, the information gets passed onto our peers and then becomes the accepted way of doing something. When it comes to beauty advice, the water can get a little muddy, and it can be hard to see past all the rumours and truths flying around. Keep reading below to see a few surprising facts and myths. Just as a reminder, I am not a physician, a registered expert of any kind, or a health professional. So please read and use your own discretion when researching. Well, enjoy!



Tip#1- Fact or Myth?: Use a washcloth on your face to scrub out all the acne-causing bacteria. This will make your face brighter, and acne free.

MYTH- Okay, so for some of your, this is one of the most useless tips you have ever heard about. Others may use this tip daily. The only problem? Scrubbing acne-prone or any type of skin with a washcloth can actually irritate your skin and cause damage to your skin as well. Also, it can make your face dry and red, from all the scrubbing. I know, I made a post about using a washcloth as an exfoliator, but there is a proper way to use it in that way. I remember reading an old beauty book in the library. It was full of tips and tricks, and one that I remember was “scrubbing your face hard with a hot washcloth will make you skin acne free and clear”.  If you really want to try to heal some acne on your face/body, try lathering up your favorite cleanser, and gently gliding your fingers over the specific area. Your fingers should not feel like they are rubbing your skin, you should feel your skin under your fingers, but do not apply a lot of pressure. This may contribute to achieving clear skin, as you may have been irritating your face too much with all the scrubbing.



Tip#2- Fact or Myth?: -All moisturizers are the same, there is  no difference between any of them. Buy any and it should make you skin clear and soft.
MYTH- This is actually untrue, as many moisturizers are built around certain skin types. From experience, I can tell you that not all moisturizers work the same. I once bought a moisturizer meant for dry skin, thinking that it does not really make a difference, but my face began getting small patches of spots on places I do not usually get them, such as my cheeks. I have oily/combination and sensitive skin (if that is even possible) so I now know how to tailor my skin routine to suit my skin.



Tip #3-Fact or Myth?: For many people, toner can be a waste of cash. Skip using this product, it will save you money.
FACT- Toner has been excessively marketed for years, claiming to be a vital part of an individual’s cleaning regimen. A lot of people still buy toner, because advertisements tell consumers that their skin needs it. If you do not use toner, you are not missing anything, though others may argue that your skin may not be completely “clean” without it. If you really want to use a toner, try asking a dermatologist for more information. Also, toners may end up over-drying the skin, as cleansers are more efficient than their predecessors.



Tip#4-Fact or Myth?:You can open and close your pores by using heat/cold.
MYTH- Based on the research I have done (and the biology classes I have taken) your pores do not open and close. They do not have muscle attached to it, so how could it open and close? A lot of companies market products that can open/close your pores. It seems kind of silly to me. It may seem as though a product is affecting the size, but most likely it isn’t. Many reputable mediums over the years have reported that you cannot open and close your pores.



Tip#5-Fact or Myth?: Toothpaste is a good way to get rid of spots on your face, just leave it on overnight and  it be gone the next morning.
MYTH- Using toothpaste on your face, may sound like a good idea, but in reality, it can irritate and temporarily damage your skin, as it can give people rashes on their faces. However, it does work on some people. I wouldn’t recommend it, the chemicals may be too harsh to use on your face. Using it on your teeth or to polish silver is good enough.



Well, there you have it! This post was a bit lengthy, but I will try to make it a bit shorter with more myths/facts next time I do this type of post. If you have any questions, or want to point out any inaccurate information, feel free to contact me through the comments section, twitter, or my Electric Advice page. Stay tuned, as I will have a new post ready for you all soon. Enjoy your holidays, and thank you for reading.


Happy Holidays



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Thursday 24 November 2011

Quick Update :)

Hello my wonderful readers! How are you? Today is Thanksgiving in the US, and I hope my American readers are enjoying their holiday as much as possible. I just wanted to make a quick post saying that I will be posting something really soon, and I have a few tutorials  planned out. It has a been an exciting month as I  finally got a new phone. My old one was a white LG Rumour. It was a pretty good phone, but sadly, the screen stopped functioning properly, so you would have to press the back of the slider to make it work. Black Friday is also around the corner, so enjoy Black Friday too. anyways, enjoy your holidays, and stay updated. Thank you for reading!


Happy Thanksgiving :) 




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Tuesday 15 November 2011

Quick November Update :)

Hello my wonderful readers! How are you doing? I have not been here for a while, but don't worry, I'm still here. So how has November been treating you all? This has been a very busy month for me (nothing new with that). I have to do so much homework, but I decided to take a break to give a quick update. I will be getting a new phone soon, as my other one is broken, and the contract is going soon anyways. That's a bit exciting, because i can upgrade to any phone. I would love to post a few more tutorials as soon as the camera situation gets resolved, but until then, you can read any of the posts I shall be putting up soon, and will try to use the lower quality camera if it still works.Well, take care everyone and remember to do your homework (cough).


Happy Waiting 



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Monday 31 October 2011

Halloween Posts Five,Six, and Seven


Hello all my wonderful readers! How are all of you? I am still having camera troubles, but I am not giving up on posting the looks that I promised. I actually have a third look for you all, my criminal costume makeup look. They are all fairly easy, so I will make this 3 posts in one blog post, to make up for lost time. Technically, this is like 3 separate blog posts, just on one space. Stay on this page to see all the written instructions! Well, onto today's post!





 Look #1: The Vampire Look

 Vampire legends have been around for centuries. No matter how old the legend is, it seems to bring chills and excitement to anybody that hears them, though they may not believe in the idea of blood-sucking hooligans. I chose this look, as this was my original costume for Halloween, until I changed my idea another five million times. Oh well, at least this look will be put to good use. Let’s begin.

Step One: Find a sunscreen that makes you look really pale when applied, and put several layers on your face and any exposed skin. Tap a pale face powder over this to set the cream, and enhance the paleness.

Step Two: Skip prepping your eyes with any type of coverup, which includes foundation, concealer, and even powders. If you want to use coverup, nothing’s stopping you.

Step Three: Find the blackest eyeshadow you own with metallic flecks in it, to add a bit of dimension. Sweep this up all over your eyelids, all the way over your crease. Use a soft blending blush to blend, and drag a bit down into your lower lashline from the blending brush.

Step Four: Using a rich dark plum eyeshadow with gold flecks, lightly dust a small amount of the shadow into the center of the lids, and gently diffuse the colour outwards. Do not go past the outer or inner part of the eyelid.  Layer a light dusting of this shadow onto the lower lashline where the black shadow was placed. Gently blend it past the black. This will give you that sleepless look that is often associated with vampires.

Step Five: Find a jet black pencil liner meant for sensitive skin, and line the whole rim of your waterline.

Step Six: This step is optional, but you can use a deep shade of blush to contour the features of your face. If done the right way, you can look as if you are a true vampire.
Step Seven: If you have false lashes, now it the time to put them on. Seamlessly blend them into your natural lashes by curling your lashes, and then place the false lashes on. Finish this off with the blackest mascara you own.
There, look number one if finished! Scroll down to see the other looks.




Look #2: The 60-Second Cowgirl

 This look deserves the above title, as takes only that long to achieve this look. Read below for instructions.
 
Step One: Prep the eyes with a natural looking concealer. Blend it gently, by using your ring finger.

Step Two: We want to achieve a nice girly eyeshadow look, so grab a slightly sheer peach colour and put it all over your lids, and blend it a little bit over your crease.

Step Three: Using a light lavender eyeshadow, apply along the outer lid, following the natural contours of your eye socket. Gently blend it out, and apply another layer if you wish. Drag a bit of the colour down to your lower lashline, and blend it towards the center of your lashline.

Step Four: Finish by applying the darkest mascara you have on both the upper and lower lashes. If you like, quickly apply a thin layer of blush on the apples of your cheeks.
There you go, you are now ready to assemble the rest of your cowgirl costume, and enjoy Halloween!




Look #3: Criminal Fashion Makeup Look

 This look is sure to make you look like the stereotypical female criminal, but with a chic edge. Just as a note, I do not support this choice of lifestyle, or the choices individuals make to end up as criminals, this look is for fun, so please do not take it seriously. I only want you guys to have fun and be creative. Do not worry if your makeup is smudged too much, as you can always touch it up with a bit of face moisturizer to soften it up. Let’s start!

Step One: You will want to skip the concealer, as this look is supposed to suggest a lack of sleep, and exude a sense of roughness.

Step Two: Find a shimmery light-brown eyeshadow, and sweep it all over your lids a little bit over your crease. Extend the shadow around the outer lid, and blend into a “cat eye” shape, by rounding out the outer edges.

Step Three: Using a brownish-gold eyeshadow, sweep it into the outer part of your crease, and smoke out the shadow. Heavily apply it onto your lower lash line.

Step Four: Find a black pencil eyeliner, and draw on the back of your hand a few times to warm the product. This will make it easier to apply. Carefully draw yourself a cat-eye, making the line gradually thicker as your work your way from the inner part of your lashline to the outer. Flick out the end of the pencil to complete the cat-eye. Finish with mascara and you are now done.




There you have it! Three easy looks you can use for Halloween and maybe everyday wear if you tone it down. My next post might not be for a while, as November is always busy for me, so keep checking in for the next post. Thank you for reading!



Happy Halloween



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Sunday 30 October 2011

How to Make the Most of Your Lashes

Hello my patient readers how are you? This week is finally over, which means I can relax and stop worrying about all the deadlines I have to meet. I am unfortunately, having camera troubles, so you will have to make do without the photos for now, but they will be up as soon as possible. It’s as though every time I announce the next post, something happens, so from now on, I should stop announcing. The camera that I was going to use for the pictures of this post has screen troubles, but I will try to use my higher quality camera if I can. If that doesn’t work, then its my trusty old webcam. Well, onto today’s post!

First Step: The whole point of this quick post is to maximize your lashes, without having to invest in expensive treatments or tricky extensions. We are going to use the most common route, which is mascara. This post is not to help you make your lashes become humongous, but help you apply mascara in a more effective way. Applying mascara may not be a difficult task for many of you, but there are people who are interested, as they have trouble getting their mascara right. Pick out a great combination of a reliable mascara formula, and a great brush. Mascara as a whole is practically useless unless these two parts work together.

Step Two: After you figure out what mascara you want to use, curl your lashes in three places; starting close to the root, in the middle, and close to the tips. This ensures you curl your lashes in a way that it appears both natural, and smoothly lifted.

Step Three: Apply the mascara at the root, and wiggle the brush side to side quickly, while simultaneously turning the brush inwards. This technique works best when you hold the mascara wand parallel to the floor.

Step Four: Apply a bit more mascara on the outer most lashes, which will give the illusion of having wider eyes, and longer lashes overall.

Step Five: Apply mascara on the bottom lashes the same way, gently pat your mascara brush onto a tissue so the bottom lashes will not clump together, from having too much product on it.

Step Six: This step is optional, but you can carefully build up another thin layer of mascara to your lashes. If you followed the steps correctly, a second layer should not be an issue.

There you have it! A quick tutorial on how you can make the most of your lashes. Though this was a fairly simple post, I hope you learned something new. I know a lot of people are fine with the blinking method for their mascara, as well as just quickly putting it on, but this method offers more control and more definition, which will make your lashes stand out a bit better. I hope this post helped you out with your Halloween makeup looks. Take care, and thank you for reading.

Happy Mascara-trying


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Friday 28 October 2011

Third post of the Halloween Series


Hello my wonderful readers! How are all of you? Have you bought all of your candy for the kids (and sometimes adults), and put together your costumes yet?  I was panicking today because I still did not have a costume. I was going to be Alice in Wonderland/Malice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, or something else. Well, those plans did not turn out well. I should have bought a costume earlier, from the costume store in town, but I was not sure whether I should dress up this year or not. Luckily, I went to one of the Shoppers Drugmart stores in my area, and found a pair of vampire fangs and fake blood. I was looking around for any possible costumes, but most of them were basically just a leotard and maybe a wand and some sort of headband. Its way to cold where I live, and a really small is not exactly what I usually walk around in. I don’t know about you readers, but I feel a tutorial about to be posted tomorrow. Not on the leotard, but a modern vampire look.

If you guys would like it, I shall post a cowgirl makeup tutorial for you tomorrow as well, for you last minute costume people. Halloween is so exciting I might burst. Maybe that was a tad dramatic, but hey, the spirit never dies. Well, keep watching for the next post in the next little while, and I hope you all have fun picking out your costumes. Thank you for reading.


Happy Scrambling (for costumes)

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Halloween Makeup Tips


Hello my marvellous readers! How are your costumes going? I hope you are having fun putting them together. As I said before, this post is part of a seven post series that is just for Halloween. This one is going to be just for some tips I came up with that should help out a lot of you during kid-scaring season (please don’t scare them too much ).Well, onto today`s post!

Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year. I am planning on going out on Halloween, so it should be really fun. When I was younger, I remember putting on a million layers of clothing, and a puffy winter jacket under my costume. Why? I live in a place where winter weather arrives quickly after “autumn” (still pretty cold), and snow usually starts in the last weeks of October. A few of the people that gave out candy had trouble figuring out all the kids’ costumes because of all the bulk. Hopefully, none of you will have to deal with that issue. If you are planning on dressing up this year, try using any of the following tips:

Tip #1: If you cannot find the perfect shade of “living-dead” white for face paints, try using a sunscreen with a high SPF. From experience, I can tell you that applying thick layers of sunscreen can make your skin appear unnaturally pale, so pile it on until you reach the perfect shade.


Tip #2: To get the extreme smudged eyeliner look, use mascara, and dab a few dots all around your upper eyelids and lower part of your eyes. Blend slightly, and add another layer. Spritz a bit of water all over your eyes, to make the mascara run. Lastly, gently dab the smudged “liner” with a tissue, and pat a bit of matte black eyeshadow over it. Blend the eyeshadow and you’re all set.


Tip #3: If you want to make your facial features stand out or not stand out as much, try contouring your face with a matte light chocolate eyeshadow. Gently swirl a blending brush into the colour, and begin contouring your face. Use a sponge or a blush brush to gently blend the colour into your skin, but do not over blend. A general guideline for skin tones is to use a brown eyeshadow that is a few shades darker than your skin.


Tip #4: Stock up on drugstore eyeshadows during October. Matte colours are the most versatile for Halloween makeup, as you can create realistic looking cuts, bruises, contour your face as mentioned, and also create numerous zombie looks. If you are on a tight budget, I would recommend either Revlon’s matte eyeshadows, or Annabelle. They both have a large range of mate shadows ad should last throughout the night.


Tip #5: Halloween is also the best time to shop for false lashes, in my opinion; they always have the best designs around Halloween. If you are in a hurry to find the right makeup look, grab a pair of feather lashes, and a few crisscross lashes, and layer them however you like. I am sure you will like the effect.


Tip #6: The last makeup tip of this post is to look in your kitchen cupboard for anything that you can use. Just make sure it is safe to use in skin. If you are not sure, just stick with food colouring, flour, and Kool-aid. 


There you have it, a few tips that I hope can help you for your costumes. Even if you do not plan on dressing up this year, why not give them a try? I’m still deciding on my costume, but I’ll find something. Well, stay tuned for the other post. Thanks for reading.


 
Happy Experimenting



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