What I'm Diggin'

I have become quite predictible with my beauty routine. I have been trying to stay far away from malls and Sephora.com so that I won't be knee-high in debt and unable to ever move from my teeny tiny home to a full-sized one with full-sized closets to hold all of my clothes and shoes and accessories.

I am selling The Body Shop at home and therefore get a nice discount on their stuff. I used to sell it before and know that some of the products are decent but most are phenomenal. I have been using a bunch lately and seen a makred difference in my skin quality. I also have gotten boring - run out of something, go to the least-appealing Target or to the Nordstrom website and purchase that one item - no strolling, perusing and impulse shopping. This may make for a boring blog, but it makes for a fatter wallet and happier skin - they always say to stick with a skin care regimie for at least 6 weeks to see if it's even worthwhile.

So here are the items that I have been addicted to recently:


Halo Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner: I have mentioned these before. At first I loved them, then I found the set to be overpriced and too thin to properly hydrate and detangle, and my hair didn't look any fuller. Then I switched to Pantene for more hydration and my hair was softer and silkier, but it looked dull. I recently switched back to Halo and my hair is thanking me. It does have volume. It does protect my barely-existant highlights. It does detangle and when I use some BioSilk, my hair is just as silky and soft as with Pantene, but wioth more life to it.

Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash: My husband had bad acne in high school and his dermatologist put him on Retin-A and had him use Purpose for cleansing and moisturizing. Just as I have gotten into a rut, he has too. When all else fails and we are out of face wash, the hubby heads to the grocery and buys this bottle. I never used it, it seemed too.... basic. Clear goopy cleanser, boring package, nothing to tone or refinish or brighten or improve texture. Just clean. Geez, I can use a bar of Dove for that, right?

Well a few weeks ago I had my contacts in but wanted to wash my face. My Neutrogena stuff irritates my eyes, my Body Shop stuff sometimes does too. I just wanted it clean, so I grabbed this bottle. Well I'll be damned, this stuff is pretty great! It took off all my makeup - even liquid eyeliner in one wash. My skin did not feel taut nor did it feel slick. One hit of the pump took care of my whole face and I felt fresh and light. No opressive smell, and no "fragrance free" gross chemical smell. Next time we're out, I may just be the one buying the bottle!


Olive Body Scrub from The Body Shop: The fragrance is less Italian Kitchen and more Air After a Rain. Very fresh and familiar and subtle. The scrub is made with groun olive pit, shea butter, olive oil. It scrubs gently enough that I am not tearing off my skin, it's not salt so it doesn't burn or dissolve. I use it twice a week on decollete (get rid of all that sun damage), hips, thighs and bum. About once a month I will get more involved with other body parts. Once a week I have been scrubbing my husband's back with it and he has a significantly reduced number of breakouts back there since. I don't use any tool, just my hands. Since it's not salt it's easy to manage with just fingers. It also moisturizes enough that if I fotfrget lotion after the shower, I don't feel tight and itchy later on in the day.


L'Oreal True Match Foundation: I am a makeup snob when it comes to base - most of my foundations, concealers and powders are from speciality stores and makeup counters. I feel for something as critical as foundation, it is worth it to spend good money for great coverage, nice feel and natural color. I have bought many drugstore foundations over the years and have thrown most out after a few attempts. This one, well I have recently bought a second bottle - a FIRST for me!

The color may look a bit orangey/peachy but somehow it will still blend into your skin. It is not super heavy coverage, but it feels good and lasts through a normal work day in a climate-controlled environment. Not the best for hot days outside, bbut that's what i.d. Bare Escentuals mineral makeup is for!


MAC's Stick Concealer: I just bought my fourth one on yesterday. I live and breathe this concealer. I started wearing it on my wedding day and have never stopped. It survives humidity, sweat, cheek kisses, crying at a chick flick, rubbing itchy contacts. It covers a crusty gross zit better than anything else I have seen, and it never cakes under my eyes. I think the price is decent for how long it lasts - both between purchases and on the face. This is all I can use in the summer to cover the not-so-pretties and still look pretty at the end of the day. Oh, and the color selection is great. Be I tan or pale, there is a color that disappears on my face.



Maybelline's Brow Powder: This image I found on Google cracks me up. How old and decrepid is this picture! I must admit, mine looks the same. I don't know how long I have had it - I know I bought it while living at this house... but I have been living here six years. I found it at Target, Maybelline was on sale, I bought it and have not left my house without it ever since. I use a Trish McEvoy eyebrow brush that has the perfect small, not-too-stiff angled brush that lets me color in without looking as though I colored in my brows. I have also used this nice chocolate matte color as shadow and as liner. It lasts all day and people are always surprised when I tell them that I color in my brows and even use it to extend my brows (my brows only grow to the end of the brown part of my eyes - little Hitler mustaches over my eyes!!!). It looks natural, it's easy to use, and it adheres nicely without looking glossy, tacky or false.


Chanel Pressed Powder: I started using this for my wedding. I wanted a full makeover at a counter, but was getting the cold shoulder for all the salespeople. All but the women at Chanel. They cooed over me, put me in the high stool and made me look like a drag queen. Under the four shades of shadow, two types of eye liner, lip liner and lipstick and gloss and a bronzer with blush I found some remarkable products. I like their liquid concealer - it truely lasts ALL DAY. And this powder? It feels like nothing. you can reapply alld ay and not get all gross and cakey. No weird smell to it and I love pulling a Chanel case out of my bag to blot my nose. I adore this stuff, even more than MAC's Blot Powder (which is also fabu).


The Body Shop's Vitamin C Intensive Night Treatment: Please do not eat this. However, if it gets on your lips feel free to lick because it tastes good. It is a white serum that goes a long way. I use this after cleansing (spot apply night cream over it) and boy, it really is awesome. Redness is reduced, zits stay away, the creases in my forehead seem smaller. be careful - get it in your eye and it HURTS. But I love this stuff and love how using it again my skin has gotten clearer and softer.









The Body Shop's Vitamin C Skin Boost: Now that the weather is not so drying, I am using this as a night cream instead of a day treatment. It is one of those sillicone-based products that feels like silk on your skin. One pump can cover all the spots that need moisture. Int he winter I would use this around the nose and places that were super dry and angry. I love how in the AM my face feels soft and fresh and I only need to splash water on it to get the day going.







Breathe Energy Spray from Bath and Body Works: Don't tell The Body Shop that I have been a traitor! I can't help it, I love this stuff. I ran out of Chanel Chance on my birthday - an exact year that I had the bottle. I switched to The Body Shop's White Musk since I had it and I sell it. It's nice, but it's not right. Now this stuff, this stuff smells like clean. It doesn't smell girly or butch, not floral or Oriental or musky or green or any of the other confusing names they attribute to perfumes. It just smells clean and fresh. I spray it on my clothes, my hair, my skin. I have sprayed it on my sheets and my lampshade. I dislike the rest of the line, but I am a fan of the spray. One spritz and it is spring!!

Now I just need the husband to get off his ass and buy me another bottle of Chanel Chance for my special occassions and dates!


The Body Shop's Sheer Lipcolor: I now own three of these, all purchased in the past month. As I mentioned in the last post, I hate the look of dark lipcolor on me. Along with feeling like cliche chubby girl, I can't keep up the maintenance of prominent lipcolors - reapplication, keeping in the lines, keeping it looking crisp and fresh. I love these sheer lipcolors because they are actually sheer - like sucking on a popsicle. Along with being sheer, they have a nice shine and they are very hydrating. If I get outside the lines it doesn't matter, I can just wipe it off and not look like a slob.