Review: Lush Pumice Power

I may have mentioned it before, but I'll mention it again: I hate feet, including mine. With that hatred comes neglect. My feet have some unfortunate dry spots and my toenails go unpolished 99% of the time, but I'm working on changing that, starting with this past weekend's purchase.

I took a trip to Lush and bought their Pumice Power, with the main ingredients being pumice powder, coconut oil, and organic sweet orange oil. It smells exactly like fresh oranges, and it is heavenly.

It's teardrop shaped, or maybe it looks like a giant orange seed. Either way, it fits into the palm of your hand. In the shower, I exfoliated my feet with firm, circular motions with this little guy. It was torture because my feet are so ticklish.

If you've ever had your feet stained orange from wearing Rainbow brand flip flops in the rain, that's what my feet looked like during this process. No fear though, it washed right off when I rinsed.

I had to use a bit more force on the drier parts of my feet (the sides of my heels), but when I got out of the shower I was pleasantly surprised. My feet were super soft! I even let John touch my feet, which NEVER happens. I wanted to let him feel how soft they were, and he agreed! The sides of my heels still felt like they needed a tiny bit more work, but there was still noticeable improvement. Like if I had endured the tickling for a few more seconds, I would have been fine. Besides that, my feet were so soft.

I've used it on my elbows and other spots that get dry too, so you obviously don't have to reserve it just for your feetsies. If you want to use it as a full body scrub, I wouldn't recommend using it every day because it is quite abrasive.

Would I repurchase?: Yes! The smell is wonderful and it leaves my feet feeling like a baby's bottom (I hate that phrase, but it's pretty accurate). It requires a little extra elbow grease if you have some extra troubled spots, though.



What products do you use to pamper your feet?

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner and Elizabeth Taylor

Sorry if this post is kind of all over the place, my mind is so scattered lately and I don't know why! I'm waiting for my new planner to come in the mail, so maybe I just feel disorganized knowing I don't have one? I'm not sure.

Anyway, I finally got my Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in the mail! Oh my gosh you guys it's heavenly.

I'm such a stranger to liquid liner though! I used one when I was about 13. It wasn't mine, so I think it was my sister's. I found it in my bathroom and I was curious and I think you can guess it was just a hot, hot mess.

The next one was Covergirl's Intensify Me! liquid liner. I loved it! Now I've graduated to Kat Von D.

I'm still trying to perfect the art of the cat eye, but it's a lot easier with the Kat Von D. The Covergirl Intensify Me! didn't give me a line as thin as I would have liked but it was badass at giving thick lines, lemme tell ya!

I'm striving for that Elizabeth Taylor look.

credit

When I wear this liner I feel like I should dress a certain way. I can't decide if I want to dress super classy, or more badass though. 

I feel like that is pretty fair middle ground, don't you think? Classy with a spiked statement necklace and the spiked earrings? Yaaaaas. 

I dressed a little more edgy for class today though, and I was loving it. Complete with my winged liner of course! 

Seriously though, the Kat Von D Tattoo liner has really amazing staying power. I wear it over primer (Urban Decay Primer Potion or the Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer) and it lasts all day, but I don't have an oily eyelid problem so I can't speak for the people that have that issue. It just glides onto your eyelids effortlessly with no tugging whatsoever. 

I'm in love, and that's all. 

Do prefer liquid, gel, or pencil liner? 

And if you are a planner person, enter my giveaway if you haven't already! You can enter once per day (yay Twitter)! 

Melaleuca Renew Intensive Skin Therapy

Hello everyone! I'm a terrible blogger, I'm so sorry. I got another writing job writing for The Odyssey so watch out for my shameless plugs, I haven't had an article published yet but tomorrow or Tuesday the first one should be up.

But like I said last week, I'm going to review a moisturizer/lotion if been infatuated with lately. I have very dry skin and lately it has been getting worse, and none of my usual moisturizers are cutting it. I've run out of options (literally, I ran out of everything), and I found the Melaleuca Renew Intensive Skin Therapy sitting on my bathroom shelf.

 credit

I totally forgot about this! I bought it when I first got my tattoo and it did a wonderful job moisturizing and aiding the healing process. I planned on using this until I could get to the store and buy something new that would hopefully work. 

But I was pleasantly surprised. I applied it after I showered and washed my face, and I noticed my face was so smooth! All my rough and dry patches were almost gone. It has a faint scent which is a little annoying, but it's not too overpowering. 

I guess I never thought to use this because it's more of a body lotion than a face moisturizer; if you have acne prone or oily skin this may cause a breakout, but I haven't had one so far. 

I use it twice a day, once in the morning and once at night after I get out of the shower (or in the morning after I shower, whichever happens). 

So I do recommend buying a small bottle of this to try if you have super dry patches like I do. It's thick so I do worry about breakouts on other people but it just works so well for me! 

What is your favorite winter moisturizer? I'm of course always up for suggestions! 

International Delight Coffee Creamer Review

Weird post, I know. And I know ya'll are probably tired of hearing about my Keurig but I just love it so much. I'm eager to try tons of different coffee flavors and coffee creamer combos. 

I think we can all agree that powdered coffee creamer is terrible. I prefer half-and-half for my coffee, but I've been using almond milk lately (in my tea too, don't judge me). Recently John has discovered that he likes International Delight Coffee Creamers, which are all flavored. 

The first one we tried was French Vanilla, which is way to sweet for me if I want to drink a whole cup. For a few sips, ok fine it's tasty. But for a whole cup, nope. If you put boat loads of sugar and creamer in your coffee, you might like this. 

We just got the Sweet Cream and I do like this one. Since they are all flavored, Sweet Cream seemed like the closest thing possible to regular coffee creamer. It smells very similar to the French Vanilla so I'm not sure why I like this one more. 

I've also tried the Caramel Macchiato flavor, and I like that one as well. You can definitely taste the caramel flavor and it doesn't taste like you just dumped a whole bag of sugar in it (like French Vanilla).

The thing I do love about these - you don't have to add sugar (unless you really want to, and if you do, you might want to reevaluate your daily sugar intake). Somehow I always manage to spill a little bit of sugar on the counter and on the floor, and no matter how much I try to clean it I will be stepping in sugar for the next couple of days.

I went on the website just to all of the flavors, and I'm kind of shocked at how many there are. The Harris Teeter by my house doesn't carry all of them, but I really want to try the Cinnabon flavor because I freaking love cinnamon.

Overall thoughts: Very sweet, so add a tiny bit and then add more if needed. If you don't like your coffee too sweet, stay away. You don't have to add any additional sugar, which I like. They're good if you want to switch up your coffee one day/morning, but I don't think I could use them every single day. That being said, I would recommend trying almond milk in your coffee, it's pretty tasty. 

Have you tried any of these? I'm curious now but I don't want to commit to buying a whole bottle of something if I'm not going to like it. Let me know! 

July Favorites

We did it everybody! We made it through the heat of July...barely. That means it's time for July favorites! Woohoo! 

Since I've been out of the state and basically in the woods and the water for the whole month, my favorites aren't very exciting and not very beauty or fashion related. I will say though, not having to do my hair and makeup everyday was pretty great. 

1. My iPad - Since I've been spending a lot of time in the car and in the middle of nowhere with no service, my iPad has been my best friend. I finished a book and started reading some other short stories here and there, now I have to decide what book I want to read next.

2. Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Bronzer - Bronzer has always intimidated me. Now that I've done a little research on how to actually do proper contouring and highlighting, I love it. I'm shocked at the difference it can make when you do it correctly. 

3. Tazo Iced Passion Tea K-Kups - I got a Keurig and I'm OBSESSED. I'm not even much of a coffee drinker, but John is. I got some Tazo tea K-Kups in the iced passion flavor. Add a splash of lemonade and you have yourself an iced passion tea lemonade! They're expensive though, which is the only downside I've seen so far. 

4. Camelbak Forge Mug - When we went zip lining we bought water bottles that we could attach to the harnesses since we would be out for ~3 hours. It's designed for hot beverages, but I use it as a water bottle every day. It's durable as shit, insulated, and vacuum sealed. It really does. not. spill. I've tried it for what little coffee I drink since getting the Keurig and it keeps it hot. After a while I have to take the top off to let it cool down otherwise I'd have to wait 2 hours to drink my coffee. Also expensive, but worth it so far I think. 

5. My Raybans - I've spent too much time in the sun this month, and my eyes have thanked me for protecting them. Most of the time at least. 

6. Elle - No they aren't sponsoring me. John subscribed me to Elle and Teen Vogue so I've been drawing a lot of inspiration from there lately. Also good for long car rides. 

7. Covergirl Intensify Me! Liquid Liner - I got this in a VoxBox and I didn't do a review on it because I'm not familiar enough with liquid liner to give a fair review. I've been practicing my winged eyeliner though and it's been good to me. The tip isn't as thin as I'd like but you can turn it for a thin line and a thick line. Just not as thin as I'd like. 

Sorry they weren't very exciting this month, hopefully next month I'll have a few better ones. If you have a Keurig, get the Iced Passion Tazo Tea K-Kups and add a little bit of lemonade with it. It's a great summer drink! 

My Anjolee.com gemstone pendant necklace giveaway has started, so make sure you enter! 

What are you loving this month? 

Review: Covergirl The Super Sizer Mascara

Sigh...I can't seem to win. My camera is god knows where and I dropped my phone in Walgreens and it's gone to phone heaven, so I couldn't get any good pictures for this post. I could take some on my Macbook or iPad but they'd be such terrible quality you'd be better off going to Google images for pictures. I got this mascara and the Intensify Me! liquid liner in an Influenster Vox Box. Liquid liner review coming at some point soon-ish hopefully.

^taken from Covergirl's Twitter page. But it's an accurate picture of what the brush looks like. 

It's described is:

"The Super Sizer by LashBlast Mascara gives you 400% more corner-to-corner volume for full, fanned out lashes. Our amazing Lash Styler transforms even small lashes - just twirl as you apply it to your lashes for an Instantly Super Sized lash look. Opthalmologically tested, suitable for those who wear contact lenses" 

Obviously the 400% part is just a ridiculous marketing claim. 

At first I didn't know you were supposed to twirl the brush as you apply it - I've never done that movement before and it felt kind of unnatural to me. When I was applying it came out pretty clumpy, but using the twirl method has minimized the clumps a significant amount. The brush is small and a little wiggly. Wand size/sturdiness never really bothers me as long as it still applies well, but I know it bothers some people. 

They weren't lying about the corner-to-corner part, this mascara gets ALL of my lashes. I didn't even know my inner eyelashes could look that long. The length this mascara gives is pretty insane. It didn't do much in the volume department though. I do wear contacts and this didn't bother my eyes which is good, but mascaras usually don't bother them anyway. 

The bottle is pretty chunky, like all of the other Covergirl LashBlast mascaras. Not a huge deal but annoying if you're trying to save space in your makeup bag/purse. 

I've been wearing it for ~4 days in a row now and it stays put, even when I do my lower lashes. It was also raining today and I didn't have coon eyes. 

I would definitely repurchase this mascara. I think I can sacrifice the lack of volume for the length, but if you're looking for both volume AND length this probably won't cut it for you. The only other mascara that gave me this kind of length was the 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara. 

Review: Wet n Wild Wildshine Nail Color Protective Base Coat

Happy Monday everyone! 

How was your weekend? I hope you drank some water. Especially if you got a tipsy and beyond on Friday or Saturday. Or last night, I don't judge. 

Today I'm reviewing the Wet N Wild Wildshine Nail Color Protective Base Coat. 

I didn't have a base coat and this was cheap so I thought why not. I don't usually buy Wet n Wild products because I haven't had particularly good experiences with them in the past.

I like to paint my nails outside if you haven't noticed.

I was pleasantly surprised! I applied it and expected a long dry time, but it dried so quickly! The coat I applied on my left hand was almost completely dry by the time I was finished applying it to my right hand. 

I've used base coats before, but none of them made a big difference in my application or manicure in general. My manicures last so long with very little chipping for over a week now. Even John commented on how long my polish stayed on without chipping. 

I used it with the worst nail polish that I own (I don't even know what it is, it's old and the label has rubbed off). I wanted to put it to the real test. This nail polish usually chips so badly after a day or two. It's been about a week and there was chipping, but not nearly as bad. And even more - this is a dark nail polish and there was no staining when I took it off. 

I haven't even been using a top coat. I have a Sally Hansen top coat but it does almost nothing in regards to my polish staying power. It's not worth the extra application and dry time to even bother. But I haven't really needed one when using this base coat. 

The only thing I don't like is the handle. It's clunky and I have to close the bottle pretty tight so it won't come undone. I'm pretty sure they just recently released this design. It's visually appealing but not very practical. 

I will definitely be repurchasing and I highly recommend it. 

Do you usually use base coats? If so, which one? Let me know so I can try more to see how they compare! Have a good Monday! 

Review: Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss

 It was a beautiful day the other day, so I decided to enjoy the outside and paint my nails finally. My nails have been terribly neglected.

Today I'll be reviewing the Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in the color Mint Mojito.

I'm always drawn to these minty green-blue colors and I have way too many. And disclaimer: it's hard to do a good manicure when you're outside in the wind so apologies in advance for the sloppiness. 

I got this at CVS, it isn't necessarily a unique color but all of my nail polish was at my moms, so I decided to pick this one up. I should've realized this when I was buying it, but the cap is big and chunky and therefore not very easy to handle. 

The formula was very thick and goopy which made it hard to get an even coat. I did 2 coats to even it all out but it came out very opaque; there shouldn't be any need for more than 2 coats.

It took a long time to dry. It was tacky for a long time which is my biggest nail polish pet peeve. Even with the wind it still took a while to dry. 

I'm also an idiot who forgot to take clothes out of the dryer before I started, so I had to pretty much take out one item at a time very carefully. Only my right hand was still wet at that point, and it looks like a wreck. My fault obviously. Who the F does that?

It's been 3 days and I don't have any noticeable chipping, which is surprising to me. There's a little bit of chipping starting to happen at the base of one of my nails, but none at the tips which is actually shocking to me. No top coat was used.

The only other annoyance I encountered was the chunky cap which had to be twisted pretty hard to get it closed all the way. That could've just been my bottle though. 

I probably wouldn't buy this again because of the obnoxiously thick formula and long dry time. Maybe if they go on sale somewhere I'll pick up a few colors. 

In case you're curious, which I'm sure you're not, here is my nail painting spot for the day. Manicure in between dishes and laundry aw yeah :) even if I did completely mess up my right hand.

If I'm MIA for the next 9 days or so, it's just because I have to catch up on Game of Thrones before the new season starts. I'll try not to though.

And last but not least, don't forget I will be having a giveaway soon! 

Have you ever used this Covergirl nail polish before? Do you have any other suggestions for a Tiffany blue-ish color that doesn't have such a goopy formula? Get ready for Game of Thrones!

Life Tips #1 and #2

1. Don't buy a razor without checking how much the razor blade refills are going to be. 
They can cost more than the razor itself! Don't invest in a "high end" razor just because it presumably takes hair off your skin better than others, because chances are you'll have to pay a million more dollars when the blades dull and you need to get refills. If we're talking about shaving our heads, then we're going to need something a little more intense probably. But my lovely ladies, taking hair off your legs, arm pits, bikini area, wherever: you don't need an expensive razor. Don't limit yourself to the pretty pink razors either, look at all of your razor options, even if it means getting a men's razor. Maybe invest in a good shaving cream, just because it moisturizes your skin and makes the shave smoother. Just don't stoop to disposable razors, especially if you have sensitive skin. By the way, did any of you ever try this scary thing? It didn't do a thing. Good marketing sucks.

2. Don't watch House if you are a hypochondriac. 
I don't think this needs an explanation.

By the way, I currently use the Schick Quattro for women as my razor. Not the scary one that claims to trim. It fits comfortably in my hand and I get a smooth shave; no complaints.

Also should add, I'm NOT affiliated with Schick in any way. Or House, though I wish I was!  

Breakfast at Gracey's Book Club

So this is a really impromptu post, so it'll be short. I'm going to be hosting a book club of sorts.

Every month (or whatever time period) I will choose a book to read, and post how many pages the book is. Now all of you can pick a book around the same length, read it within the set time period, and then leave your thoughts, reviews, and recommendations.

For the month of July, I will be reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, which is ~180 pages.

So, choose a book between 150-200 pages, and have it read by the end of July (sooner if possible). Or you can choose to read The Giver with me if you don't know what else to read.

After the month is over/I finish the book, I'll do a post about what I thought about the book, if I would recommend it, etc. In the comments (or you can even email me!) I'd like you all to discuss the book that you chose and read this month. Even if you didn't finish it. My next book club reading might just be one of your suggestions if it catches my interest!

So, I'm posting this a few days before July even starts, so you have time to choose a book! 1.) Choose book around 150-200 pages. 2.) Have it finished (or at least tried to finish) by the end of July. 3.) Comment and discuss your book when the next book club post goes up.

I'm hoping this will motivate people to read more this summer, maybe we could even set up some sort of book exchange/trade if this goes well? We shall see! Feel free to tweet me your book choices and recommendations before you start, as well! I can make a list if people really need help choosing a book to read. Let me know what you think in the comments or email me! :)

WARNING: TMI. My IUD Experience [NSFW I Guess?]

This post contains womanly information, if anything involving the vagina, periods, bleeding, or anything medical that happens down there grosses you out, STOP RIGHT HERE! I'm pretty sure my family reads this, so family this is very personal so also feel free to not read :P
*I should also add I'm obviously not a medical professional, I got most of my info from my doctor and the pages and pamphlets I got from my doctor before and after this was done. This is just MY personal experience so far. Everyone reacts to things differently, so do what's right for you, girlfran! 

What is an IUD? 

IUDs are little T-shaped pieces of plastic or copper inserted into the uterus. Ouch, right? There are two types of IUDs: Mirena (low dose of hormones) and ParaGard (the copper one, no hormones, which is what I got). 

How do they work? 

Mirena prevents the egg from leaving the ovary, keeping sperm from getting to the egg. It also thickens cervical mucus can also block sperm to prevent it from joining the egg. 

ParaGard is essentially a sperm killer. Apparently, copper is a sperm killer, which I never knew. The copper IUD makes sure that there are a bunch of copper ions in the uterus to kill the sperm. So it's a sperm killer. ParaGard can also be used as an emergency contraceptive if used within 5 days of unprotected sex.

Both affect the way sperm moves so that they can't join with an egg (I'm getting most of my factual info from the paper they gave me when I was done, personal stuff coming in a second). 

Effectiveness 

IUDs are one of the more effective methods of birth control. See this chart for effectiveness of other forms of birth control, and IUDs are the most effective next to abstinence. Fewer than 1 out of 100 women could get pregnant every year, where as with the typical birth control pill 8 out of 100 women could get pregnant every year. 

Advantages of IUDs

• Mirena

1. Fewer menstrual cramps
2. Lighter periods/less blood loss (sometimes periods stop after a few months)
3. Less anemia (iron poor blood)
4. Good for 5 years

• ParaGard

1. No hormones (main reason I chose it after MUCH research)
2. Can become pregnant as soon as it is removed
3. Good for 12 years. 12 years! 
4. Can be used for emergency contraception within 5 days of unprotected sex

Disadvantages of IUDs

• Mirena

1. Low dose of hormones, if that bothers you 
2. Can't keep it in as long as ParaGard (though, 5 years is a pretty damn long time!)
3. Uncomfortable insertion process
4. Cramping and/or back ache for a few days after procedure
5. Irregular periods or spotting between periods in the first 3-6 months
6. Expensive up front, but you'll end up spending less money over time

• ParaGard

1. Kills sperm, if that bothers you
2. Uncomfortable insertion process
3. Cramping and/or back ache for a few days after the procedure
4. Heavier periods and worse menstrual cramps
5. Expensive up front, but you'll end up spending less money over time

Risks (though, rare)

• Perforation- The IUD could make a hole in your uterus when being inserted, and could be pushed through the wall of the uterus and damage your internal organs. Surgery is sometimes needed to remove the IUD if this happens. 
• Expulsion- The IUD could slip out of the uterus, and you may become pregnant if this happens. It must be removed if it comes out even part of the way. 
• Pregnancy- Extremely rare, since IUDs are one of the most effective forms of birth control. If pregnancy does happen, the IUD needs to be removed immediately and your doctor should make sure you don't have any issues or other health problems with you or your fetus. 

***Again, risks are very rare. 

Why did I choose to get the ParaGard IUD inserted over any other birth control option? 

• I had been off and on different hormonal birth controls since I was probably a freshman or sophomore in high school. I felt more…myself for a lack of a better word, in between the times I wasn't on BC. Even on low dose hormone birth control pills, my moods were all over the place and my sex drive died. Every. Single. Time. BUT on the plus side my acne completely went away! 
• My doctor recommended that I get off hormonal birth control because I suffer from pretty severe migraines. No, I don't just get "excruciatingly bad headaches", though that is mostly what it is, there are more differences than a bad headache and a migraine that people don't realize. Migraine sufferers get dizziness, tunnel vision, seeing "stars", sensitivity to light, extreme exhaustion, nausea, and even vomiting. Anyway, according to my doctor, hormones may even make migraines worse and/or more frequent.
• I don't have to worry about birth control June 23, 2026. 2026. That's twelve years! I'm not sure if I will keep it in for the full 12, but I do like that I have that option. 
• I could've gone with another option, such as condoms, NuvaRing, etc., but as you can see by my blog, I am very slack. I don't want to chance forgetting to put something on, or in.

My story

I have Medicaid, so the cost was not an issue for me. I had to go in for my birth control consultation (also free with Medicaid), and my doctor and I decided that an IUD would be a good option for me. She explained the difference between Mirena and ParaGard. The only reason I picked ParaGard over Mirena is because, even though a very small amount, Mirena has hormones in it. I want no hormones. None. She wrote me a prescription for Misoprostal (spelling?). I was supposed to put it in 2 hours before my appointment to soften and open the cervix more to make insertion more comfortable for me and easier for my doctor. Previously I was on the Depo shot, so I wasn't used to making an appointment since I could go in at any time to get my shot. 

I took the pill (by take, I mean shove a pill up my hoo-ha) and went on my merry way. Turns out they were full that day and I couldn't get it inserted. So I call back later that week and they say I have to wait until the end of the month because they ran out of ParaGards and had to order more. Fine. What about that pill that's supposed to make it easier? They said they'd call me back because the physician wasn't in at the the time. Because of a few unfortunate circumstances, I wasn't able to re-call my doctor until the day of the procedure. The receptionist called the physician and called me back. She said not to worry about the prescription, they would dilate my cervix there and numb my cervix. 

So, I finally get to my appointment. I'd read online that doctors have different ways of numbing the cervix: a spray, a cream, or a Novocain shot like you would get at the dentist. I ask what methods they offered; they only offer the shot. Great. On top of this painful insertion I have to get a SHOT IN MY CERVIX. YES it hurt, like a bad pinch in a place where you are not at all used to being pinched. I'm assuming it's even worse for us ladies who have never had kids, never had to get biopsies for cervical cancer, etc. Ugh. Lucky for me, I do yoga occasionally and my doctor has a very calming and reassuring voice. She suggested I take some deep breaths and relax my muscles (relaxing those muscles makes it MUCH easier). She even asked if I did yoga because mosts people don't have the mental power to detach a little bit and breath/relax like that. I'm not sure exactly the order of things that happened after that, even though she told me step by step what she was doing. I just kind of blanked out and focused on my breathing the rest of the time. The rest was just some more painful pinching and VERY bad cramping. Yes, it hurt very badly, but it was a fairly quick procedure.

I took 600 mg of ibuprofen about 45 minutes before my appointment as instructed by my doctor. I also got my Xanax prescription refilled just because I'm a complete wimp and knew I would basically have a panic attack and back out if I didn't take it. It also helped my muscles relax. I must say it helped tremendously. Obviously don't take a prescription that isn't yours; ask your doctor first and see if that's an option for you. 

Originally, I had a deal with my boyfriend that he had to come with me for moral support. We live within walking distance of my doctor, so we would have walked. It just so happened that my mom wanted to get some food in me before my appointment and also drove me and dropped me off home after the appointment. I can definitely say I'm glad she was able to drive me back because I was cramping WAY too hard to be able to walk all the way back. And it started raining right when I got done, of course! 

My appointment was at 2pm, I got back home around 3:30. The cramps when I got home were so bad. I usually don't have bad cramps when I get my period anyway, so it may have just been me adjusting to the new feeling. I still have very bad cramps right now (3:30 am!), but not as bad as earlier. I've been laying down, keeping up with my ibuprofen taking, and keeping a warm towel over myself to ease the cramps. I guess it's worth it so far? I'm not bleeding like everyone has been saying, but maybe that will come tomorrow. We shall see! 

Again, sorry for the TMI. If you have any questions feel free to comment or email me, I'll be glad to respond!

Update: I did indeed bleed like I had my period for a few days after the insertion, and have been spotting off an on since. The spotting is really nothing though, because it's REALLY light spotting. 

Coola Rose Essence Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Review

I know many of you are familiar with Hautelook.com. If you aren't, it's a website you sign up for and they have sales that last for a few days and you can generally get good deals on clothes that would otherwise cost a fortune. I saw one day that they were having a Coola sale. And if you aren't familiar with Coola, they are company who makes organic sun care products. They can be quite expensive, so I jumped on this sale as soon as I saw it. 

I ended up getting the Coola Face Rose Essence Mineral Sunscreen. This particular sunscreen has a tint and is SPF 20. Here's what the product claims to do:

My thoughts: The first thing I love about it is that it is chemical free and is certified organic. The less chemicals the better! The tint is quite light, so darker skinned people should be warned before trying this out since it only comes in one shade :(. It blended very easily and it did not leave my face sticky or dry, it had a nice natural finish to it. I like to wear this if I want to even my skin tone and protect my face for a day at the beach. The wear time was good, I still had a decent amount on my face even after laying out and sweating at the beach. If you go in the water, that might be a different story. I use this from time to time when I don't feel like wearing a full face of makeup or in between products. The bottle claims to be light enough to wear under makeup, but I wasn't too fond of that feeling. I tried it but it felt like my skin couldn't breathe with so much product.

The only real issue I had with this product was the scent. I'm not too fond of floral scents and it stuck on my face for hours, and when I applied powder over it, it smelled slightly metallic.

Overall I was impressed! Organic products have a tendency to disappoint me but this one definitely did not.

Best for: Light sun protection when out in the sun. A light tint and light sun protection for everyday use. Lighter skinned people. Evening out skin tone for daily use or in between products. People who are looking for a good organic/chemical free sunscreen or light tint.

Would I recommend it?: Yes, as long as a slight floral scent does not bother you. And the shade thing might be a problem for a lot of people, since the tint is so light and it only comes in one shade.

Where can I buy it?: 
Coolasuncare.com

Tea Review: Acerola Fruit Tea

As I mentioned before, I'm trying to drink more healthy teas. I've had 2 experiences so far.

First, I tried a green tea latte from Starbucks. Since it's Starbucks, I can't be sure how healthy that is for you, especially since it was a latte also and not just green tea. And it tasted horrible. It was green and it tasted like grass and milk to me. I do not recommend.

I have an extremely scratchy throat right now and I thought some hot tea would feel nice. Then I remembered I had a few packs left over from Eco Emi samples. I decided to try one, specifically the Acerola Fruit tea.

First of all, I don't have any fancy tea making supplies so I had no idea how to make it since it was a loose tea (it came with little bags but I have no idea where they went). So I improvised but it worked out just fine. Once it was done brewing, it was a dark red-purple color and I could tell it smelled like fruit. I did have to sweeten it a tiny bit, but not much. I could see myself drinking this on a regular basis and not having to force myself to drink it. It has kind of a sweet and sour flavor. My fruit allergy also did not act up while drinking it.

Now, let's get down to what's in it:

"Tart hibiscus joined by the cherry-like Acerola fruit. This sweet sour flavor is enhanced by candied pineapple and papaya pieces"

It definitely has a noticeable cherry like flavor, and the candied pineapple and papaya pieces gave it its slight sweetness. I also had never heard of the Acerola fruit, so I did some research.

The Acerola fruit contains very large amounts of vitamin C, so it's good for the immune system (and my current cold). It promotes anti-aging effects by reducing the influence of free-radicals, and promotes collagen production for beautiful skin. It is also said that they can fight the symptoms of colds, flu, herpes, allergies, cancer, liver disorders, and many other sicknesses.

Do I recommend this tea?: Yes! I didn't have to force myself to drink it, and it's definitely made my throat feel better. The benefits of the Acerola fruit also sound very promising.

Where to buy it: As far as I know the only place that sells the specific tea I drank is Tea Gschwendner. I'm sure other tea companies have similar versions using the Acerola fruit though!

Have you ever tried this tea, or anything else using the Acerola fruit? Leave me a tea recommendation below so I can review some more if you want!

rms Beauty Cream Eye Shadow in Lunar

I've heard a lot of good things about rms beauty. The premise behind this line is basically skincare with color. All of the products nourish and hydrate your skin, and you can put them anywhere. So if you get a cream eye shadow you could use them on your lips, cheeks, or anywhere else you could think of. They are made with clean, natural, organic ingredients.

That being said, I love the idea behind it and the ingredients. I even love some of their other products, but this one was not my favorite. I love cream shadows so I REALLY wanted to like it. And please excuse the lack of pictures, I included this in the sample pack I purchased from Spirit Beauty Lounge (which I'll post about later), and there wasn't much to take a picture of.

credit

I did really love the color and when I applied it to my eyes it was gorgeous! It was a gorgeous champagne nude color, comparable to Stila's Smudge Pot in Kitten but a few shades lighter. However, before I even left the house it had started creasing! As the website suggested, I just tapped it away and it looked better. Not long after it was creasing again! By the end of the day I basically had no color left over.

I tried using it with no primer, a MAC paint pot, the Korres eye primer, and Urban Decay Primer Potion. I got the same results every time! I even tried to put an powder shadow over it and it still creased!

But, if you have drier eyelids this might be the product for you. Since it's like skincare and makeup in one, it moisturizes the eyes which I think was my issue. I have pretty oily eyelids and wear primer with whatever eye makeup I have on that day. Until I find an alternative I'll have to stick with my Stila Smudge Pots and Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadows.

Note: I found that if I skipped moisturizing my lids, it did stay a bit longer. The eye shadow is like a moisturizer so I just skip it and moisturize around my eyes at night.

I may purchase the full size version just because I do love the color and the concept, and just bring it with me to touch up throughout the day. But I would give them a shot if you have drier or not oily eyelids :) Don't let this turn you off from the brand though, I tried some of their other products that I have fallen in LOVE with! Be on the lookout for those reviews soon. Oh and my Lovely Links will also be up soon!

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara in Blackberry Review

During my search for more green beauty products, I ran across a brand called 100% Pure. The first thing I saw that caught my eye was that they have fruit pigmented cosmetics! I was so intrigued just buy the concept. I contacted the company about them and they agreed to send over some products to try! The first item I tried and loved, the fruit pigmented mascara!

I got the color Blackberry, which is described as a "shimmery black plum". I didn't really notice any shimmer, but it was a very deep plum color. The color isn't made with synthetic dyes either, it's pigmented with fruit! The first thing I noticed when I opened the tube was the smell. It smelled like blackberries! Not synthetically either, it literally smelled like I had a bowl of blackberries in front of me.

It's a very lengthening mascara and it separated my lashes like any other of my favorite mascaras. I didn't notice any smudging or flaking throughout the day so that was a definite plus! And keep in mind I live in very humid weather. There was some very minor clumping when I first applied it, but I just brushed my lashes with a clean mascara wand and they looked great! I really couldn't find anything bad about this mascara, except maybe the price. It's $18 for the big tube and $12 for the mini tube. Not a typical drugstore mascara, but that's a small price to pay for a good quality, natural, cruelty free mascara!

The packaging is also really pretty, and I'm a sucker for pretty packaging.

The wand has a little groove in it, which helps to curl your lashes. I can't speak for people that have hard to curl lashes (my eyelash curler rarely gets used), but my lashes were curled and lengthy all day. (My camera makes the mascara look a little grey, but it's definitely a deep plum color!)

It didn't irritate my eyes at all, and I wear contacts so that's another plus.

This mascara is definitely a win for me, and I will be repurchasing!

The only bad things I can think of is the price and accessibility. I don't particularly like buying things online, and the only 100% Pure stores right now are in California. There may be other stores that sell it, but none around where I live that I know of.

People have requested a picture of the mascara on, so here it is! If anybody has tips on taking pictures of your own eyes, please let me know. It was so difficult to get a good picture!

What do you think? Have you ever used any fruit pigmented cosmetics from 100% Pure? Have you ever used a natural mascara?

Korres Mango Butter Lipstick in Natural Pink Review

My Korres package came in the mail yesterday! I was so excited to try out my new goodies. I bought this lipstick, a lip butter, a lip butter glaze, a shower gel, and a sample of their eye primer. More reviews coming when I have more time to fully test everything out.

Let me start by saying this: I HATE wearing lipstick. As I mentioned in my July favorites post, I was loving Revlon's Primrose. It's a really pretty color and I still wear it, but this kind of blows that out of the water.

One of the main reasons I hate wearing lipstick is the formula just feels so heavy, waxy, thick, sticky, etc. on my lips, and also tends to put a spotlight on dry patches on my lips. I've always been one to play up my eyes and add some drama up there, and keep the lips natural. My lips naturally have a nice little tint to them, so I never found lipstick really a necessity for me.

-dramatic music- UNTIL now. The Korres Mango Butter Lipsticks (well at least this one, I can't say if they're consistent or not but I hope so!) don't have that nasty heavy feeling that most lipsticks do. The best part? It feels so moisturizing and doesn't show off my dry spots! Thank you mango butter!

When I first opened it, I was actually pretty disappointed because the color looked kind of on the red side, which isn't a bad thing but keep in mind the color is Natural Pink. It must have been the lighting though because I opened it to use the next day it didn't look that way at all.

It's not very opaque but you can build up the color. I usually don't build up my color because like I said, my lips don't need that much drama or attention. It also leaves a nice glossy sheen on your lips. I now understand what people mean when they say "my lips but better".

It's formulated without mineral oil, silicones, propylene glycol, and ethanolamines. (Not sure what the last 2 are? But that's what the Korres website said).

I wore it to work and I'd say it lasted about 2 or 3 hours maybe? I'm not really sure. So not the best staying power but I can work with that.

My camera fails at getting swatch pictures, the coloring is always a little off so this was as close to real as I could get.

I still don't consider lipstick something I would wear every single day, but when I do this is my new favorite lipstick. I will definitely be repurchasing!

Have you ever tried any Korres Products? Do you have a favorite lipstick?

Also, don't forget! You can enter my giveaway to win a MAC lipstick of you're choice and an Emma Kisstina MAC lipstick print! Giveaway ends August 22nd!

NOTD- Essie Borrowed & Blue + INM Base Coat Review

Ok this is actually like NOAFWA (Nail of a Few Weeks Ago) because I painted my nails this color when I did this haul. I was able to paint my nails that day (boo for not being able to wear polish at work!), but had to take it off the next day. But I still wanted to share :)

Blue is one of my favorite colors. This was a really pretty light robins egg blue that I got at Bed Bath & Beyond. It was such a pretty summer color, so I'm pretty sad I didn't get to wear it much. I also painted my toes with it and it looked fab :) I'm a fan of Essie nail polishes in general, I don't know why I always seem to gravitate towards them in the store, along with China Glaze. Oh and please excuse my not so good self manicure skills.

Also, I used my INM Clear Bond Base Coat I also mentioned in the haul. I tested one hand with the base coat and one without. Unfortunately, the hand with the base coat had a streakier application, but after applying a second coat it was fine. But, when I went to take the polish off, it was sooo easy to remove, while the hand without the base coat I had to scrub a little harder to get it off. Not a bad purchase, but I'd like to find one that doesn't give me streaks when I paint my nails.

What was your favorite nail polish this summer? Do you have a favorite base coat? Do you feel a base coat is necessary?

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway if you want a chance to win an Emma Kisstina MAC Print and a MAC lipstick or lipglass of your choice!

My Thoughts on Vita Coco Coconut Water

At the beginning of summer, I posted about my summer resolutions for this summer, and drinking coconut water was on the top of my list. After extensive (well, what I consider extensive) research and reading several reviews, Vita Coco seemed like the way to go for coconut water drinkers. Most said that it tasted sweet, kept them hydrated, and talked about other health benefits of drinking coconut water in general.

I went to GNC and picked up the Peach and Mango flavor. I stuck it in the fridge before work to chill it, and took it to work with me.

I happened to be running very late for work that day, and had to park far away because of some event that was going on. I literally had to RUN to work in the awful Charleston summer humidty/heat, wearing long pants. Being the out of shape bum that I am, under normal circumstances I would have passed out by the time I got to work and/or felt absolutely awful. Lucky for me, I had my coconut water and drank it on my run to work. I felt wonderfully hydrated when I got there. Just a little hot (thank god I work in an ice cream shop...) and a bit worn out.

However, it wasn't the taste I was expecting. Considering it was coconut water, with peach and mango mixed in, I was expecting it to taste fruity and sweet. But it tasted like...tomato juice, like V8. It didn't taste bad necessarily, but not what I was expecting. So the taste wasn't good but tolerable because of all of the benefits of coconut water.

By the end of my shift, I had gotten a HORRIBLE headache, which I assumed was just from the running. I had gotten tired of drinking my coconut water and decided to switch over to regular water. (I gave the rest of my coconut water to my coworker who LOVED the taste. So I guess it's an acquired taste?)

I went back to GNC and got 2 other flavors, the regular coconut water and one with acai berry.

Same thing with both flavors: I felt hydrated and healthy, if that makes sense. But the taste wasn't quite right and I got awful headaches both times.

Needless to say, I got tired of the headaches and after the third coconut water I realized I got them after drinking coconut water, so I stopped drinking them. As I thought, the headaches stopped after I gave up coconut water. I have an allergy to most fruit (nothing fatal, just itchy mouth, throat, lips, tongue, etc.), so maybe coconut water was no different for me. Someone suggested I may not be allergic to it but I have an intolerance to it, like some are lactose intolerant.

Final thoughts:

-If you go to the gym or play a sport and drink sports drinks like Gatorade, this could be a healthier alternative to keep you hydrated.

-The taste wasn't as fruity as I expected, but it wasn't too bad. Others love the taste.

-Had horrible headaches after drinking it.

-Other than keeping you hydrated, coconut water has many other health benefits.

Do you or have you had coconut water before? Did you like the taste? What did you like/dislike about it?

MAC Melon Pigment + Stila Smudge Pot Kitten Swatches and Review

As I mentioned in my haul, I recently purchased MAC's pigment in Melon and Stila's Smudge Pot in Kitten. Jessica suggested that I do a swatch of the pigment or do a look wearing it. Well, I did a whole look with it and let's just say I need to practice photographing my eye. It's a lot harder than it looks! So instead I did swatch them both and I'll let you know what I think of them!

MAC pigment in Melon

Melon is a very pretty golden peachy color and has a very pretty sheen to it. I'm kind of confused on this product, because other websites say it's party of MAC's permanent line, but yet it's not on the website or at my MAC counter. If anybody knows whether it is or not, please let me know so I can give a correct review :)

This is a gorgeous color that I like to wear over my Kitten Smudge Pot for a pretty wash of color that is perfect for summer. I haven't used it as a highlighter yet, but I've seen looks with people who do and it looks very pretty! I think it would look better on darker skintones, though. If you have the Hello Kitty Lucky Tome Palette, I think it would be really pretty to do a look with combining Melon with Creme Royal and Paradisco (Paradisco is part of the Permanent line). Maybe if I can teach myself how to take good pictures of my eyes, I'll do a look using these colors!

Overall, I am very happy I purchased this pigment and I would definitely repurchase it (though it comes with so much product and you don't have to use a lot at all, I don't really see myself running out anytime soon!).

Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten

I've mentioned my obsession with cream eyeshadows and I'll mention it again! I bought this at Ulta, when I was really looking for Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadow in either R.S.V.P or Birthday Suit, but they were both sold out :( so, I wandered over to Stila, because I wanted to get the regular Kitten eyeshadow, but decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and get the Stila Smudge pot!

It is intended to be an eyeliner, but can be used as an eyeshadow as well. For the purpose of being a liner, I wouldn't use this particular color on my upper lash line, just because I like darker colors to make my lashes stand out more. I do like to use this on my lower lash line if I'm using it as an all over sweep of color, I just kind of bring it down under my eyes to make them pop. Like I said earlier, I use this a base for my Melon pigment, as well as an inner corner highlight. The only problem i ran into was that it can be a bit clumpy, but it was nothing so major that it would dissuade me from repurchasing.

Overall, this is a great product if you don't mind a little bit of minor clumping (it doesn't clump or anything when you apply your eyeshadow or throughout the day, just upon initial application until you blend it out better). I would definitely repurchase!

Again, I had issues with my camera getting a good picture of this one. Check out Temptalia's blogpost on it if you want a better idea of what the color looks like :)

What do you think? Have you used Melon or Kitten? What are your favorite MAC pigments?

Mark. Ibiza Sol Collection Review

Hellooo! We finally got our cable and internet hooked up :) Sorry for the lack of posts, but I'm happy with the giveaway so far and I'm glad everyone likes it! It ends TOMORROW so don't forget to enter if you haven't already!

Mark. Cosmetics had a Facebook contest and I was lucky enough to be one of the winners! They sent over some products from their Ibiza Sol line as a prize, so I'm going to review them! I've been meaning to try Mark. for a while now but never got around to buying any, so this was a great way for me to test run them!

The nail polishes

I was pleasantly surprised with these nail polishes, I honestly wasn't expecting them to be very good. They come in very small bottles (.09 fl oz.) which would make them good for traveling. They come in Tango, which is a hot orangey-red, and Mojito which is a minty blue-ish green.

They are very opaque and have no shimmer. I applied one coat of Tango and got the result above, which was really awesome. I had to apply 2 coats of Mojito though because it was just a tad streakier, but nothing too terrible. They are $7 each, which for that price or a few dollars more you could get an OPI or Essie or something, which comes with more product. I paid $8 for a set of 2 mini Essie nail polishes, both of which were bigger than these. But like I said, good quality and good for travel.

Marbleized Lip Glosses

I have nothing bad to say about these really. The packaging is cute and sleek, and they give a nice sheer wash of color and shine. However, the first time I tried these out I had my Nivea a Kiss of Moisture on my lips already, and putting these on top of that burned my lips like crazy! I decided to give them one more shot this morning, when I was not wearing anything on my lips already, and they felt fine. These are $9 a piece and come in 3 shades, but I only got 2 to swatch.

Marbleized Eye Shadow Sticks

These were just alright. They look really pretty when I swatched them on my hand, but on my lid I had to press down pretty hard and really work to get a good color payoff, which is not what I want in an eyeshadow stick. I read some reviews online before I even got these, and people were complaining about how to sharpen them because they are packaged in plastic. You CAN sharpen them, you just need a pencil sharpener that will fit the pencil. I already tested mine out and it sharpened just fine. For $10 each, these are not worth the price.

(I promise my hand doesn't normally look like a dead person hand, it was just weird lighting I guess)

Hope this helped for any of you who were wondering about this collection! I was just excited to get it because I want to go to Ibiza so badly. Have you tried Mark. cosmetics? What do you think of them?

P.S. Don't forget, giveaway ends tomorrow!