Today I am reviewing the new Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water for waterproof makeup. I have been cursed with very watery eyes and because of that I tend to use waterproof mascara, which if you have ever used this type of mascara, takes forever and a day to remove. So many eyelashes have been lost due to the constant washing and rubbing to get all the product off. I am the last person to jump on the bandwagon of micellar water, so I decided to start with Garnier's.

 I've heard mixed reviews about this product in particular so I decided to give it a try. Let me tell you, I did not like this product at all! I will elaborate more about the reason why I do not like it but I will give you the pros first.

Pros - It has no smell. I actually like face products to be fragrance free because I have very sensitive skin and most of the time the perfumes used on many skincare products can irritate my skin. This for me was a huge plus as soon as I opened the bottle. Next thing on my pros list is that it actually removes all makeup, matte liquid lipstick? No problem. Waterproof mascara? I got you girl. It really does remove ALL makeup.

Cons - Holy guacamole this thing STINGS your eyes. Not only your eyeball but if you have very sensitive skin around your eyes it will also irritate that area. After I used it my eyes and the skin around it was red and irritated. After burning my eyeballs out I decided to look at the bottle again, and this is where the irony is. If you see the picture above it clearly states: "No rinse, no harsh rubbing Face, Lips, EYES".  Now if you turn the bottle and read the back label (picture below) you will find the following warning : "Avoid getting in eyes". Are you kidding me?!?! This claims to be an EYE MAKEUP remover but you have to avoid the eyes. It is not like I was trying to remove my eye makeup with my eyes open. They were closed, but it is inevitable to apply a water cleanser on your eyes and not have some liquid get on your eyeball. Seriously! This is the most deceiving product out there! They should remove the "for EYES" part from the label. 

So in my opinion, skip this product! It burns your eyes. Oh Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, I had such high hopes for you and you've let me down!! 

Hope this was useful, until my next review, stay gorgeous.

A new month and a new Ipsy bag. Every month I keep getting more and more disappointed with Ipsy bag! I follow them on Snapchat and they are always searching and trying a bunch of cool amazing products but what they actually send is just blah! I will be canceling my subscription soon, not next month because I am redeeming all the points I have but maybe after that. I think I will transition to FabFitFun now.  I will keep you posted.

This is what I got this month:

The products I got, although hit every category (skin, makeup, skincare and nails) the products themselves were not the best. 

This bag is very cute. One thing that I do not like is that they keep sending the same type of bag with different artwork. I have like 5 bags with this type of front zipper. Maybe it is time to change the design of the bag itself. Anyways, the theme of this bag is Rebel Rebel. 

I liked this moisturizer. It is not oily at all, smells pretty good and it does feel nourishing. Not, I don't think I will be purchasing it because I do have my holy grail moisturizer so I do not intend changing it ever. This product retails for $38.00 and you can purchase it here.

I was not impressed at all by this blush. Pigmentation is ok, not super pigmented though, color pretty, but to be quite honest, they claim this blush works for every skin tone and that is not true. I have very fair skin and this color looks odd on my skin. I will be using it as an eye shadow though. This product retails for $18.00 and you can purchase it here. 

I have received this nail polish before on an Ipsy Bag. The pros of this color, very rich color so you can get away with one layer (which is good if your nails tend to chip really quick). Color selections are amazing, and it dries very fast (if you are a mom, you appreciate this). The cons- my nails chipped the very first day I applied it. :( This product retails for $10.50 and you can purchase it here. 

Urban Decay never disappoints. This eye shadow is beautiful, perfect pigmentation and color payoff with very little fallout. Easy to blend and this color is so lovely. It looks like a shimmery rose gold on my skin. This product retails for $19.00 and you can purchase it here. 

Ok, this is the worst product EVER!! I really just tossed this in the garbage. It is basically an oil. It is too oily for anything they claim it does. No smell and just bad! For lip gloss - too oily. Tame brows- too oily (brow product will rub off), cheeks - too oily, makes foundation run. Cuticles - too oily, you will want to wash your hands immediately. Dark circles - wth? Really, not good at all. This product retails for $16.00 and you can purchase it here.

*Disclaimer- I am not paid by Ipsy or any other brand to review these products. These are my true, honest opinions and what works and doesn't work for me might be different for you.

Have you ever found a nail polish you apply and it is just perfect. Does not chip and lasts around a week? No? Me neither! 

For about about 15 years now I have searched planet earth for the nail polish that does not chip on my nails. It doesn't exist. We have sent people to the moon, but we cannot figure out how to make nail polish stay!! I struggle with every nail polish I own, they never stay long enough. A couple hours later, boom, there is a chip! I don't know what it is, but it is nearly impossible for me to keep a manicure looking good for more than a day. This nail polish is the closest I've come to something somewhat descent. It lasts on my nails about 3 days. After that it chips and it's the end of everything that is beautiful, but at least is something? Right? 

The color is called "I'm kind of a big deal" and it's a very pretty pink. It is not barbie pink but more of a dusty rose. The formula is pretty nice. Very pigmented, you can almost get away with one layer. It is pretty opaque and it does not streak. Dries pretty fast and stays shiny for a couple of days. Like I said before, on me, it chips around day 3. 

I got this one on February's Ipsy bag, and I really like it. I also have a purple and they have become my favorite nail polishes. It retails for $15.00 which is pretty expensive for a nail polish, but because it is the best I've found I would say it is worth it. You can buy it here.

What's your favorite nail polish? I hope you find this useful, if you, like me, struggle with nail polish chipping right away!

Product Review

A few weeks ago I purchased a couple of products from Origins. I have been loving this brand for a few years now. For those not familiar with this brand, it has been around since the 1980's and they had a less is best approach to beauty. The brand stands on "harnessing the power of plants to create high performance skincare". This skincare brand has NEVER broke me out and they have so many products to choose from. I stopped using it while I was pregnant and then nursing, since the moisturizer and the night cream that I use have salicylic acid, which pregnant and nursing women should avoid. Now that I am weaning I am excited to start them again. One thing I purchased now that I haven't purchased before was the Clear Improvement Charcoal Active Mask. It is one of their best sellers but I had never tried it. Keep reading for a detailed description of the products and my review.

Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

 What it claims?

"Nature's complexion clean-up crew clears the way for skin to act its best. Bamboo Charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers, White China Clay absorbs environmental toxins, Lecithin dissolves impurities. Skin looks clear, feels perfectly pure" -from Origins website

My review:

This thing WORKS!! I tried it two weeks ago. First things first, it has no salicylic acid or any other ingredients that pregnant women or nursing women cannot use. Big win! So, I tried it. It really cleans deep. It applies wet and you have to let it dry. In the beginning I was a bit worried, because this mask is TIGHT. It dries and feels like you are wearing concrete on your skin. This thing does not crack, it just stays put as a solid piece. Once I rinsed it, I could feel my skin refreshed and moisturized. It really felt super soft and hydrated. I noticed a change immediate and my makeup applied so much better the next day. It did not break me out, and I have been using it weekly for three weeks now. I love this thing!

Gin-Zing Energy-boosting moisturizer

What it claims?

"This lightweight, oil-free, energizing moisturizer instantly hydrates and revs up radiance. It's fortified with legendary skin-boosters like Panax Ginseng and Coffee Bean. Lackluster-looking skin is rapidly refreshed and revitalized to create a healthy, vibrant glow." - from Origins website

My review:

This is my ride or die product. I have been using it for years and I am so excited that I can use it again when I stop nursing completely. The active ingredient of this moisturizer is coffee. For those that do not know, caffeine is a vaso-constrictor. When you apply it on your skin it makes the tiny capillaries to constrict. Because of this, your capillaries do not look blue and it makes your skin look more radiant. It also reduces puffiness. You can tell the difference in your skin within a week of continuous use of this moisturizer. Also, the smell is to die for. It smells like oranges. I love products that smell citrus so I am a big fan of the scent. The only thing I wish this product had was SPF but I still love it so much! This is a must in my skincare routine.

High-Potency Night-A-Mins

Product Review

Hi everyone! Hope you are having a fantastic Friday! This week I got my February Ipsy Bag in the mail and I have been playing with my goodies the whole week. I hope you find this review helpful! 

Paula Dorf Baby Eyes Enhancer

For me this product was ok but not the best. It is nicely pigmented but not that creamy. I like NYX Cosmetics Wonder Pencil way better than this one. 

Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in "Im'm Kind of a Big Deal"

 If you've read my previous review of Sally Hansen Gel Nail Color you would know that nail polish does not last at all on my nails. So, having said that, I do like this nail polish! The color is divine! It's this sort of dusty rose color that I loved. Not barbie pink, not to pale, not to dark...just perfect. I find that it lasts a bit longer if I only do one coat and then top coat. Good thing, it is not streaky at all. So, this is a product I would totally buy! Also, I've had this nail polish before on an Ipsy bag, in the shade "But...Daddy" and I love it too! 

Margaret Dabbs London Miniature Crystal Nail File

I am feeling meh about this nail file. It is not to rough, which I guess is ok if you want to buff your nails but it you actually want to make them shorter you will be filing for a looooong time! Also, one thing that I really did not like, when you use it there is a faint screech noise that kind of made me cringe. Not a fan.

Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Primer Oil

I really liked this product. I had tried it before and loved it then. I love it now! This feels moisturizing on the skin. You apply it to your skin before applying your foundation and let it be absorbed completely. Then you apply your foundation, and this really gives you a "photoshop" look to the skin, it feels silky on the skin and foundation applies so much better with this! I give it a thumbs up!  

Chella Lipstick Pencil in Passionate Pink 

I liked this lipstick. It smells so nice, but I cannot pin point what is the actual smell. The color is beautiful, very feminine. It is definitely not pink, it's more like a coral shade. I happen to love peachy, coral colors so I was very happy to get this one. It applies smoothly and it is so creamy. One thing, this lipstick WILL get on your teeth so watch out. It also transfers, so if you are planning on going on a date night and having a make out session DO NOT wear this lipstick! Other than that, I loved this one! 

Now, let's talk about the actual bag.... Oh My Goodness, how pretty?! This bag I will actually use as a clutch! I think the bag was the thing I was most excited about! :) Let's see what next month's Ipsy bag looks like, since it's my birthday month!!!! Yay! Until then, stay gorgeous! 

Hugs, 

Frances

Product Review

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a lovely Valentines Day! I sure did! 

Today I am going to be talking about the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel nail polish. I bought mine in the shade "Pink Cadillaquer". When it comes to nail color and nail polishes I have been hunting for one that works on me for years! I do not know what is going on with my finger nails, but it seems they are allergic to nail polish. I kid you not, I paint them, I do not move for almost an hour to let them dry completely, they are as dry as the Sahara Desert and boom I sneeze! I look down and there it is... a chip!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why, oh why is it that nail polish lasts all but  seconds before it chips on me! Come on! I cannot tell you how many products I have bought with the hope that one of them will work. I bought this nail polish because Kathleen Lights raved about it on her channel. She said it was the only polish that she has that did not chip on her... promising! **Insert heavenly music**. So, off I went to Target and bought it. 

How does it work? This is a two step manicure set. The first step is the actual color. No base coat needed. You have to apply two coats of this product, waiting for it to dry off completely before applying the second coat. After that, step two, is to apply the top coat, which cures the product. Natural light is supposed to help with the curing process. It claims that it can give you up to 14 days of color and shine. No need to use the light and that it is very easy to remove.

The good:

The bad:

So, in my opinion I am not impressed. For a product that claims that it is the next best thing after a salon gel manicure I was expecting more. A salon manicure for me lasts 7 days before it starts chipping, and it never chips the way this product chipped. I might purchase it again in other colors, just because they are very pretty, but I don't think there is anything super special about it. 

I guess I will keep my search for the perfect nail polish and report back to you guys. Until then, stay gorgeous!

 

Product Review

Hi everyone!

So, this has been way overdue. Back in December I went to the Physicians Formula website and put an order of a couple of products that they had come up with and I really wanted to try. I have to say, I had never purchased any products from them so I had no expectations of what the products were going to be.

I would say I was impressed with a couple of products and oh so disappointed with some. After close to two months of use, let's get started with the products I was impressed with.

Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil

I REALLY LOVED THIS ONE! I have been using it pretty much non-stop since I bought it. The product claims to be a moisturizer, primer, brightener, protector and treatment in one. And it pretty much does all that it claims. I have not been using it as a primer, because I found that some of my foundations were not sticking as they should and I had to set them, which I rarely have to do. But I have been using it every night as a moisturizer, and treatment and it works beautifully. This is one of the few products that do not break me out! YAY!! I have been applying three drops on my face before going to bed, one on each cheek and one on my forehead. I love it! It doesn't feel greasy an my skin just glows in the morning with it. I recently started using it as a cuticle oil and they seem less scaly. I will definitely repurchase this puppy! Did I mention I love it?

Eye Booster Instant Doll Lash Extension Kit

Nude Wear Touch of Glow Palette

Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil Blush

From left to right: Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil Bronzer, Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil Blush, Darkest Shade of the Shadow Trio, Lightest Shade of the Shadow Trio, Medium Shade of the Shadow Trio.

From left to right, lightest highlighter shade of the Nude Wear Touch of Glow Palette, blush shade, bronzer shade and gold highlighter shade.

PRODUCT REVIEW

I am a little late to review my January Ipsy bag, but what can I say? Life gets complicated when you have a 6 month old. So here it is, my first review of an Ipsy bag. I have been getting Ipsy bags since May 2015 and so far most of my glam bags have been pretty decent. Let's get started!

January's Glam Bag was called "All Eyes On You" and most of the products they sent out were obviously eye related. This is what I got:

January 2016 Ipsy Bag