I know Twilight was good fun and all....

I just saw an add for a Twilight collection of make-up. I am not sure about this.... I went to high school in the 90s - I think I have seen enough goth make-up to last a lifetime!!

In case you are curious (you know who you are!): http://twilightbeauty.com/

FABULOUS Deal at CVS!

Sorry (again) that I have been missing lately - we just moved! Y'all... moving with two little ones is sooooo not fun.

But the good news is that for the next 3 months I will be living with the Coupon Queen (aka my mom) who faithfully checks the paper for deals and coupons on our favorite products.

So this week, the best thing going is that CVS has a sale on Clairol Natural Instincts hair color for $5.99 - which is a great price. AND there was a coupon in the paper for $4 off one box of Natural Instincts - that is a price of $1.99.

If you still have your hands on the coupon flyer from the weekend paper - go dig out this coupon!

I have cleaned out the two CVS' near me in my fave color - Spiced Cider (Light Warm Brown)!

A word about Natural Instincts... I LOVE this product. I does not contain ammonia - which means it is very gentle, washes out in about 6-8 weeks, and you can use it all over your hair every time - you do not have to focus on roots like you do with permanent hair dye.

My words of advice when using this product:
- It will only cover moderate grays (Grays! What grays??)
- If you pick a color much darker than your natural shade, it will last longer than 6-8 weeks (because basically this hair dye is a 'stain', not a true dye)
- Since it has no ammonia (which is why it is so gentle and wash-out) it cannot lighten your hair.

Now my words of advice on the color tricks that the hair-dye industry try to use!! Here is the "Color Code":
- Always go one shade lighter than you think you need. For instance, I would say that my hair is 'medium brown' - however if I use a hair dye labeled medium brown, my hair will look goth. I use one labeled 'light brown'. Make sense?
- If the description says 'warm' this really means a bit auburn.
- If the description says 'auburn' it will be weird-girl red (ala Claire Danes in My So Called Life)
- If the description says 'red' do not go anywhere near it.
- Do not believe people who say you will look good with reddish hair - many people do NOT. You know who you are. Some people just really look fabulous with ash brown!!!

Hope this all makes sense. My natural hair color is medium brown with a hint of red. I have a few pesky grays around my face, and this product does the trick. I use Spiced Cider (Light Warm Brown) every 6 weeks and I could not be happier with the result.

OK.... just a couple more instructions...
- Apply at the roots first and then apply the rest of the dye to the ends of your hair (ends are usually drier and will soak up more dye)
- When you are done use a damp paper towel to clean up your forehead, ears, neck, etc
- Carefully check the counter/tile beneath you - little tiny drips are easily cleaned up initially but can stain if left behind!

You can do it!!! At a GREAT price! Use the savings to buy new shoes for fall :) Feel free to post any questions. I have years of experience with this product and could answer pretty much any question.

Deals this Week

Sorry I have been MIA from the blogosphere!!

Here are the deals going on this week:

CVS:
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Revlon foundation, powder, blush, concealer, eye products
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE (only until Tuesday!) Cover Girl Lip products (remember Outlast lipcolor is FABULOUS)

Walgreens:
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE L'Oreal foundation, concealer, powder and blush (Love their Bare Naturale blush)
- 40% off Revlon Colorstay

Happy Shopping!

You've Been Warned...

As a prelude to my upcoming review of the self-tanners I have tried, let me give you a warning....

Before I say anything, I must ask you to please remember your sunscreen when you are outside. I won't preach on the health risks associated with sun exposure... hopefully you know this already. But come on girls, even if you don't care about the health risks, sun exposure will give you premature wrinkles and sun spots. You may or may not get skin cancer - but you WILL get wrinkles and sun spots!!! And guess what? Skin damage doesn't just mean getting burned - a good dark tan just means you were slow roasted instead of dropped in the fryer.

OK - I am off my soapbox now.

I have very fair skin. I have been almost every color imaginable - white, red, orange, (fake) tan... what I have never been is naturally tan. Not one day in my whole life. Here's what happens to me when I am out in the sun - white for about 30 minutes, then RED for a week, then 3 days of peeling, then back to white. No tan.

So here's the warning... When you have fair skin, and you get burned (because you were stupid and didn't wear sunscreen!) and then have to be a bridesmaid in 1 week, so you apply self-tanner to even out your tan lines... You will be fabulously tan for about 1 day. Then the tan will peel off to reveal the white skin beneath and you will look like you have a serious skin condition for several days.

Let's just say this recently happened to someone I know...

The only deals I detected this week worth mentioning were at Walgreens:
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Maybelline face or eye cosmetics (remember my favorite mascara is Maybelline Volume Express Curved Brush!)
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Loreal nail, HiP or Bare Naturale (love their Bare Naturale blush)

More on self-tanners to come...

Deals this Week

Sorry I have been MIA - it's been crazy around here! I didn't detect many good deals last week - hope you weren't disappointed!

Here's what we've got this week:

CVS:
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Revlon foundation, powder, blush and concealer

Walgreens:
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Loreal Bronze self tanner products (I prefer the "Glow" series rather than the "Bronze" - it is better for pale skin)

Not much going on this week either! Check back soon - my next post will be a review of self-tanners. I have tried them all and I have some good advice for you!!

For the Love of Lashes

There are three things I am almost never without... Lipstick, earrings and mascara. I have already ranted about my love affair with Cover Girl Outlast lipstick - now onto mascara!!!

Having fab lashes is really not as hard as you might think. I am often complimented on my eyelashes, and it is chalked up to "oh, you just have good lashes". My lashes aren't bad but they aren't great either.

before.... after....

There are lots of fancy ways to achieve great lashes: fake eyelashes (which I am not knocking - they have their time and place), lash tinting (although this won't make them thicker or longer), and actual medicine to grow lashes ($ cha-ching!). But the simple, every day way to fab lashes? Learn to work your mascara!!!!

You have got to find a mascara you love, and feel comfortable with the shape of the wand. I personally love Maybelline mascara - in general I think they have the best product. My particular favorite is Maybelline Volume Express Curved Brush in Very Black.

Tips & Tricks:

• Unless you have blonde lashes, go for black mascara. People with blonde lashes - it is up to you how bold you want to look.
• If you can master the curved brush, you can usually skip the curler. I personally never use one - don't even own one now that I think about it!
• Apply in even strokes, starting at the base of the lashes and follow all the way to the end. You get length by letting the mascara build up on the tips of your lashes - so if you make short little strokes you are probably not catching the ends.
• For extra glam, apply while looking down into a mirror - this will pull the lashes up.
• Get a decent coat on one eye, move the the next eye - and then do a quick second coat. Don't wait too long or the first coat will be completely dry - and then you get clumps!
• Don't forget the back of your lashes!!! Do a quick swipe on the back side - spin the wand as you go for extra curl.
• Eyeliner is a great touch - but go easy. Too much liner makes it harder for the lashes to stand out. Just start with liner on the outer part of the upper lid.

I know this sounds complicated, but once you get the swing of it, it will be easy. I actually timed myself this morning, and it took me one and half minutes to completely do both eyes - with both kids climbing my legs and pulling on me!!!

Happy lash loving!!

Deals this week

Sorry I am so late this week!!! I hope you haven't overpaid for cosmetics!

CVS:
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Maybelline Mascara *** I LOVE Maybelline Volume Express (curved brush) It is absolutely fabulous. I love mascara - love the feeling of dramatic eyelashes. I have been told I have "good lashes" - but I don't! It is the mascara! Very soon I am going to take before and after pictures and put together a 'how-to' mascara post... but I digress....
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Cosmetics

Walgreens:
- Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Loreal face and lip products: foundation, powder, concealer, blush (they have great blush) or lipstick. Includes HiP (their cosmetic line designed to compete with MAC)

Sales good through May 30th. Happy shopping!