Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover Review

Have been using this product for the past month and I decided it was high time to let you all in on this gem :)


I'm a recent waterproof mascara convert...it's just so great (CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume)! I can wear it on humid, muggy, rainy days without a care...no flaking, no smudging!! I've even worn it in the shower...didn't move a bit! In the past, I shied away from waterproof formulas because I didn't want to deal with the nightly hassle of removing it. I turned to Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover when my trusted Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover just didn't cut it (I kept losing lashes while trying to get the mascara off, ick!) and I am one satisfied consumer :)


The packaging is very cute, the bottle has an aluminum (at least I think that's what it is) cap and holds 5 fl. oz. The product needs to be shaken before use because the formula separates. It has a light, pleasant, soapy scent. I use a cotton wool pad, apply a bit and put it on my eye. It melts off eye shadow and liner instantly, waterproof mascara requires a few swipes. Excessive rubbing or tugging at lashes to remove mascara is not necessary at all! Your skin will thank you for this :) It leaves behind an oily residue, but that's nothing a quick rinse with warm water won't take care of! This product is meant for all skin types, so the oily residue shouldn't be an issue for oily-skinned ladies. I have gotten the product in my eye (c'mon, it's me we're talking about) and I'm happy to report that it is very gentle and does not sting! 


My only gripe with this product is how small the packaging is! I wear some form of eye makeup pretty much everyday, so I wish that the bottle were available in a larger size at Target. Til then, I'll just need to stock up!


Highly recommend this product, it made me a waterproof mascara convert! 

July Favorites

Image taken from ClassroomClipart.com

Summer is speeding on by, just like always, but this year I am not so upset about it. The massive humidity and heat that has been plaguing the Northeast has been very on again/off again and I, for one, am looking forward to Fall!

Now that July has come to an end, I thought I'd share with you, dear readers, the beauty products/fashion trends/skin care items that I have been the most into this month <3

1) Turquoise jewelry -- I am woman obsessed when it comes to turquoise accessories! I love pairing turquoise bracelets, earrings, or rings with neutral outfits. The stones add the perfect pop of color and have the added bonus of complementing tan Indian skin tones!

2) T-strap sandals -- This style really makes my wide-ish feet appear longer and leaner and, in my opinion, add a little class to all of my summer ensembles. My favorite pairs are wedges...I'm not a big fan of heels, they just hurt too much :( Put me in a 1-2" wedge heel though, and thats a completely different story ;)

3) Bold pedicures -- As I mentioned earlier this month, I have really been into bright, bold polishes for my piggies. Makes 'em feel so ready for summer! I'm currently sporting Essie's Chubby Cheeks, a bright coral-y orange color that I am in love with!

4) The smudged eyeliner look -- I love this look for night! I like to apply eyeliner, mostly to the outer half of my eye, and smudge, with either the pencil's built-in smudger or a Q-tip, inwards to give it a smoky look. I've been using teal, purple, and shades of brown.

5) Maybelline Dream Mouse concealer -- I cannot rave about this product enough! It really pulled through for me when my skin just was not in a cooperating mood!! Best part, it stood up to the high levels of humidity and heat, what more can I ask for? Click here for a full review.

6) Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash -- This oldie-but-goodie that is usually collecting dust in my medicine cabinet (knock-on-wood), got a lot of use this month and helped to clear up my blemish outbreak! 

7) Nivea Lip Care A Kiss of Flavor, Cherry Tinted Lip Care -- I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm a lazy girl! I will jump at any opportunity to get the benefits of two products in one, and this product does just that. It has all the moisturizing/conditioning properties of a lip balm (c'mon, its by Nivea after all!) while leaving you with a pretty reddish pout, reminiscent of one too many cherry popsicles.

8) L'Oreal Colour Juice Sheer Juicy Lip Gloss in Peaches-n-Creme -- This is the perfect nude shade I've been searching for...the subtle peach gloss really goes great with my pigmented lips and brown skin :) The gloss smells nice, glides on smoothly, isn't sticky and lasts for a good amount of time. I may reapply once or twice over the course of a day...but it's a lip gloss and that's not a big deal for me at all! 

9) Side bangs -- About mid-July I got my hair cut...I went from mid-back length to just below my shoulders (not too crazy) and got my longer bangs (about chin length) cut a couple of inches to give me a fun fringe of side bangs! I rocked this look last summer and am loving it again this year. Though it may take me a couple more minutes to style my hair in the morning now, it's completely worth it...side bangs are a fun look that suit many face shapes :)

Let me know what your July favorites have been!!

40 Beauty Questions

Happy July Readers!! Summer is zipping by so quickly...sigh!


Found this fun tag today on From Me With Love's blog. Thought I'd give it a stab, here goes:

SKINCARE
1) How many times do you wash your face daily? I rinse my face about twice daily, but when it comes to washing with a cleanser, probably only 2-3 times a week.
2) What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo) Combo. I tend to get oily around my t-zone, more so in the summer (ugh!)
3) What is your current facial wash? Original Noxema, love the smell of eucalyptus! I've been using this since I was a kid!
4) Do you exfoliate? Yep, about once weekly
5) What brand do you use? Face: Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub, Body: CVS Mild Exfoliating Body Wash & Neutrogena Body Clear Body Scrub, Lips: Michelle Phan's Lip Scrub
6) What moisturizer do you use? Face: Oil Of Olay Complete, Body: Aveeno Daily Moisturizer
7) Do you have freckles? Nope
8) Do you use eye cream? Yes, ROC...looking for a new one though
9) Do you or did you have acne prone skin? not really...I have a blemish once in a way though
10) Did you ever have to use Pro-activ? no

MAKE-UP
11) What foundation do you use? None right now...too lazy for that :P
12) How about concealer? Just started using Maybelline Dream Mousse (Beige Medium), liking it a lot! Also like Maybelline Coverstick (Deep Beige)
13) Do you know your undertone color? yep, warm-yellow, thanks to the nice lady at Sephora
14) What do you think of fake eyelashes? fun, but not something I'd use very often
15) Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months? yes, bummer! I never finish by then!
16) What brand of mascara do you use? CG Lash Exact, love it!! 
17) Sephora or MAC? Never been to MAC counter yet...so Sephora by default (though I do love it!)
18) Do you have a MAC Pro-card? nope
19) What makeup tools do you use in make up application? Mostly my fingers, qtip, Essence of Beauty Comb/Eyebrow & Eye Liner, smudgers on the backs of eyeliners :P
20) Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? no, not big on shadows yet
21) For the face? no
22) What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)? Maybelline Chai Latte quad, so pretty :)
23) Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? Prefer pencil, loving Prestige Total Intensity Liner in Bold Brown and Powerful Purple & Soft Blend Kohl Liner in Lagoon.
24) How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? ouch, never!
25) What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? I like the way they look, prefer neutrals myself
26) Do you use mineral makeup? no..have a mineral eye pencil...don't care for it, very dry!
27) What is your favorite lipstick? Revlon ColorBurst in Soft Rose/Super Lustrous in Rum Raisin, love them both!!
28) How about lipgloss? Burt's Bee's Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss in Zesty Red
29) What is your favorite blush to use? don't use any at the moment
30) Do you buy your makeup on ebay? nope, mostly drugstore
31) Do you like drugstore makeup? yes! affordable and easily accessible, what's not to like?
32) Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets) not yet
33) Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? yes! but where?? I love the YT school of beauty for now :)
34) Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? of course, sometimes...but I'm getting better :)
35) Name a makeup crime that you hate? Dark lip liner and light lips...ew!
36) Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones? I like more natural makeup on myself
37) Which celebrity always has great make up? Blake Lively, Angelina Jolie, Aishwariya Rai, Rani Mukherjee
38) If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use? Lip balm or gloss
40) Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? Yep, when I'm in a rush or feeling lazy, I often do!
41) Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? Sometimes...depends on how much sleep I got!
42) In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line? Don't know too many lines as yet, but I'd say Maybelline for now, had the best success with a variety of their products
43) What do you think of Makeup?? It's fun and addicting! :)


Hmm..that was a little over 40 :P Now, I tag anyone who would like to do these fun questions! You can post them on your blog or in the comments if you don't have one!

Moisturizers and Creams and Sunscreens, Oh My! - Part III - Sunscreen

I am one of those lucky few who has never experienced the pain that is sunburn. I have, however, heard plenty of gory details from my best friend...I think the sun has a personal vendetta against her...Anyways, since all that happens to me after a long day in the sun is a major tan, I never really was concerned about protecting my skin from it while growing up. Enter maturity and the understanding that sunscreen not only protects your skin from burning but also prevents the formation of wrinkles, leathery skin, premature aging, and cancer. Now, I am a card carrying member of the sunscreen fan club, you should be too!

Science Talk:
Sunscreen works by absorbing or reflecting some of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation (UVR) on skin exposed to sunlight and thereby helps protect against sunburn. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has designated UVR as a known human carcinogen. There are three types of UVR:

1. UVA - stimulates melanin and causes tanning
2. UVB - damages DNA through biochemical methods 
3. UVC - mostly absorbed by ozone layer, can damage DNA

The NTP has classified UVA, B, and C as reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. The ones to watch out for when sunbathing are UVA and B, so make sure your sunscreen protects against both!

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The SPF is a comparison of the time it takes before the skin will start to redden with and without sun protection. For example, if it would take 20 minutes for an individual's skin to burn without sun protection, then a SPF of 15 means that when applied, that person can remain in the sun 15 times longer, or up to 5 hours, without worrying about burning. The greater the SPF, the longer the protection it offers, but only up to a certain point. SPFs greater than 15 offer only small increments of additional protection.

Tips for applying sunscreen:

• Apply sunscreen about half an hour before you go into the sun - That's how long it takes for your skin to absorb it.
• Make sure that you apply enough - Don't skimp on the sunscreen, the proper amount for the whole body is a handful. There should be a film of sunscreen visible on your skin! Not applying enough can make an SPF 15 sunscreen work like an SPF 8.
• Reapply often - Even if the label says "waterproof", swimming and towel-drying can reduce the potency of the sun protection
• Protect your face, neck, and the back of your hands on a daily basis - these places show early signs of aging 
• Don't rely only on sunscreen - Make sure to cover up with light fabrics, wear a hat and sunglasses and limit your sun exposure!

Sunscreens

Olay Complete All Day Moisture Lotion SPF 15 Sensitive Skin - Grade: A

In addition to being my absolute favorite face moisturizer, see Part II for full review, the addition of SPF doesn't make the formula greasy or sticky. I use this on a daily basis.

Neutrogena UVA/UVB Sunblock Lotion SPF 45 - Grade: A-

Overall, a pretty standard sunscreen for the body. My only complaint was that the formula was a little runny, so I had to use a lot to get a proper coating everywhere.

Aveeno Active Naturals Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 85 - Grade: A

Recently purchased this sunscreen as my Neutrogena one expired. Really thick formula which I like! Also, this has a really nice scent, not what I usually find with sunscreens. Haven't spent too long in the sun lately, but I'm really liking this product so far.

Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer Untinted SPF 45 - Grade: B

I used this sunblock on my face and neck. It is a nice, thick formula, but that led to lots of oily-ness and occasional breakouts on my skin. This would probably be better for someone with dry skin.

Aveeno Active Naturals Continuous Sunblock Lotion Face SPF 70 - Grade: Incomplete

I have only used this product twice, both times it made my face feel slightly greasy by the end of the day, but nothing too terrible. Need to try it out for a little longer before I can properly grade it. I do like that it is specially formulated for the face.

Burt's Bees 8 SPF Natural Sun Protection Lip Balm - Grade: B

This is an opaque lip balm that comes in the standard Burt's Bee's tube. It is a little hard to apply as it is not very creamy, but feels good on the lips once it warms up to them a bit. Now, as it is an opaque white, it makes me look like the living dead. I like to top this off with Nivea Cherry Tinted Lip Care to get the perfect pink pout! Not sure if that is negating the effects of the lip balm though...Once I finish this tube, I'll be on the look out for a more emollient and less opaque lip balm.

Any good sunscreen recommendations? Stay safe in the sun!

Til next time,

Mani :)

Snoozing for Healthy Skin

Who doesn't want to wake up more beautiful? Sleeping beauty really had the right idea...but when hectic schedules and early morning meetings get in the way, it really is hard to make sleep a priority!

I have been on the move for the past two weekends, traveling late at night and from the east coast to the west coast, and all this traveling has really affected my sleep schedule! I'm sleeping later and later and even when I wake up after 8+ hours of rest, I feel lazy and lethargic.

The first thing I notice after a few nights of low sleep is breakouts and dull skin :( From what I've read up on, this only gets worse with age, so good to be proactive and start treating your body right ASAP! This is why I have decided to implement a new sleep schedule for myself. Not only will it help me to be more productive in my daily life, but it will also give me healthier skin! Here is what I am planning to do:

1) Pick a set time each night to start preparing for sleep (i.e. brushing teeth, changing into pj's, taking out contacts) -- We are creatures of habit. Performing the same set of activities at the same time each night before sleeping will help to prepare our body for sleep.

2) Make the bedroom "sleep friendly" -- With the summer season fully upon us, getting comfortable enough to sleep can be hard. Make sure your bedroom is comfortably cool, quiet, and dark. Try to reduce as many annoyances as possible by pulling down the window shades and keeping windows closed if you live in a noisy neighborhood. Try using a sleep mask or ear plugs if need be.

3) Relax -- No matter how stressful the day was or how busy tomorrow is going to be, now is not to time to think about it. Nothing is worse than tossing and turning the night away! Use the time before you fall asleep to calm down your mind and remove your tensions. I find that doing this not only helps me sleep better but also reduces the chances that I'll have some freaky work-related nightmare!

4) Pick a set time to wake up and stick to it! -- This is the hardest part for me. On those mornings when I have no set obligations (it is nice to be a consultant, I'll admit it), it is difficult to drag myself out of my comfortable bed. But, since I never really feel refreshed after sleeping in, I've decided its time to get a little firm with myself and force myself to wake up and start being productive every day at a set time. This will not only reinforce the nighttime schedule, but will allow you to increase your morning productivity (clearly, I am not a morning person :P )

In addition to my sleep regimen, I am also going to:

- Hydrate more

Nothing says beautiful, healthy skin like a well-hydrated body!

- Take a daily multivitamin

I don't always maintain the healthiest diet, this way I am making sure I am getting the vitamins that I need

- Exfoliate once a week

Removing dead skin cells helps to brighten skin. Don't over do this though, as newly exfoliated skin is very sensitive! I like to exfoliate my face at nighttime when I won't immediately be exposing it to sunlight or the outdoors. Immediately after exfoliating I apply Pond's Dry Skin Cream.

- Apply sunscreen daily

The sun can really take a toll on your skin, so it's good to protect it with sunblock! I have been using Neutrogena Healthy Defense daily moisturizer (untinted) with SPF 45 on my face every morning and have been applying Neutrogena UVA/UVB Sunblock Lotion with SPF 45 on my arms and legs when I go out during sunlight hours.

Today is my start date, so I'll keep you all updated on how my sleep/healthy skin regimen goes :) Happy Zzzz's everyone!

Til next time,

Mani :)