Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts

Friday, May 20, 2016

Two weeks into the business world...

It's been two weeks since I started my business adventure.
As of right now I have five appointments scheduled.
Three more and I can earn my "pink ice ring."

These appointments don't have to be with a group of people, they can just be once person.
We can do a one-on-one skin care session where you will be able to sample the products and browse through the catalog.

The ideal goal is to do 30 facials in 30 days.

I'm hoping to make that goal a reality!

If you're interested in helping, shoot me an email and we can get a date set!

It does not have to be in the evening, it can be whenever you choose!

Kids are also welcome!

I even do  "mommy/daughter" appointments!

What little girl doesn't like to put her mommy's makeup on?

Regan is only 18 months old and I can't keep her out of my makeup!

The new summer products have launched so I have the catalog for those as well.

There are two new conealers, a new rose gold compact (empty), a new mascara that's pretty dang impressive, and a  new lipstick that donates proceeds to domestic violence survivors (it comes in an adorable tube and is a gorgeous color!)

If you're in the Erie area and interested in booking a skin care session with me, send me a email at mbaldwin2812@marykay.com!

I'm really excited to see where this business takes me!

If you're interested in the products but not interested in a skin care session, check out my personal website!
Shop with me 24/7 from the convenience of home!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Hair Stripping

Recently I decided that I was quite tired of the 4 different hair colors I had going on in my hair, so I decided to strip it.
I had been looking for cheaper ways of doing it at home instead of going to a salon and paying lots of money.
Here's what I came up with:

What You'll Need

Vitamin C tablets 
(capsules or packets work just as well)

Clarifying shampoo 
(Head and Shoulders is recommended but if you don't have it, any shampoo will do)

Dish Soap
(Again, the blue or the clear kind is recommended. I used green and it worked just fine)



What To Do:

If you're using Vitamin C tablets, grab a Ziploc bag and a spoon to use to crush the tablets.
Place about 10 tabs in the bag and press down with your spoon to crush them.
The amount of tablets you'll need really depends on the length and thickness of your hair. My hair is fairly long and I used around 25-30. If you're using capsules or packets the amounts may vary. 

Once you've got your tablets crushed up, put the powder in a bowl or cup. I prefer a bowl because it's easier to get to with your hands if that's what you decide to use. Add in equal amounts of the dish soap and the shampoo and mix well. If you use Vitamin C tablets, you may have small pieces left over that didn't get crushed enough. It's okay, they'll dissolve.

Once you get it mixed you should have a paste-like consistency.
( I didn't think to take pictures at the time, sorry.)
Add the mixture to your hair and make sure it's evenly distributed. After you've applied it, leave it on for 20 minutes. Now, that's the recommended time to leave it on, if you've got a lot of color in your hair or it's been a while since you've dyed your hair you should leave it on longer. I only left it on for 20 minutes and it would have taken more color out if I had left it on longer. Once it's been on for you desired length of time then rinse it out with warm water. You may have to do it over again to get the desired effect. You can to it as much as you want, just keep in mind it will dry your hair out. I noticed it as soon as I rinsed it out of my hair. Just make sure you condition well.

The reason I initially tried this was because I wanted to see if it worked. I didn't want to take the time to reapply it over and over until I was happy with the way it looked. I ended up purchasing a product from Sally's Beauty Supply before I tried this trick so I already had an alternative on hand.

This is what I bought:

This box includes your color reducer, your conditioning catalyst, and your processing lotion. I only used the first 2 bottles because I heard that the processing lotion could make your hair darker than you'd like it and then you'll have to reapply the stripper. If you know what you're doing it doesn't seem to take long. If you don't know what you're doing then it's definitely a learning process. 
This works best if you're using a bowl specific to hair dye or hair products and a brush. (Not a regular hair brush, but a brush meant for hair dye). You can also use the applicator bottles like boxed hair dye.  I purchased everything from Sally's. Once it's applied, leave it on for 45 minutes. I was nervous about what it might do and if my hair would turn orange so I left it on for an hour.
This product really does work. It worked the first time I did it but I wanted to see if I could actually get my hair lighter (and a missed a big spot by my ear) so I did it again.
It worked just fine, but didn't really make my hair lighter so I decided I was ready for dying it.
I bought professional hair dye from Sally's as well. I decided not to go with a boxed hair dye from a pharmacy and it's really not that much to buy the professional stuff. It's around the same price as you'd pay for the boxed dye.

I'm pretty happy with the way my hair turned out. It's a little bit orange-y around the roots but that's something that can be taken care of with a little toner or purple shampoo.
All in all the entire process wasn't terrible. I stripped it on a Friday night using both the Vitamin C method and the color fix and then Saturday I stripped it again and dyed it.
I recommend both methods of stripping, one would just be for those of you that have more time than others.

Good luck!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

February Favorites

Sorry this is going up so late, but due to my carelessness with my internet I went over my data usage.

Anyway, February's favorites aren't much different than January's but here's a couple different things:

I was never a big Suave person. Actually, I hated Suave products. My friend told me about how much she loved this shampoo and conditioner and I was a little skeptical. Well, I was wrong and I've been totally impressed by this pair. They run at $2.97 at CVS which just makes the appeal greater. I can't remember when my hair felt to soft. I definitely give them two thumbs up.

I've already ranted and raved about these makeup wipes and I'm still singing the same tune. They are wonderful and my skin feels so good after I use them.  They almost have a soothing effect. They are just about all natural (it's like 99.2% natural or something) and they're lovely and have a great scent.

I bought this foundation on a whim. I didn't really need a new foundation but I was looking for a new liquid one. CVS was having one of their many 75% off cosmetic sales and this was the last one in my color so I decided to try it. I wasn't disappointed. It's got a nice coverage and will definitely cover any blemishes that may arise. I have combination/oily skin and this doesn't make my skin any worse in terms of oil production. I also don't break out from this foundation like I do from other brands. It's all a matter of trial and error when you're looking for a new foundation.

I didn't want to add in any of the other products I mentioned in my January favorites because I didn't want to be redundant.

I hope everyone's having a good week!
I will spend the remainder of mine on the couch or in bed recovering.



Coming Soon:
My everyday makeup tutorial
What's in my bag?
How to properly care for your makeup brushes
What's in my makeup bag?
Makeup collection and storage

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

January Favorites

One thing I'm going to try and do for the new year is a favorites post for each  month. 
It will contain beauty supplies, activities, and sometimes just random things that I feel like throwing in.
If there's anything you'd like me to include or do as a blog post please let me know!

I actually picked up this shampoo and conditioner because it was on clearance at CVS and I was running out.
I'm always switching up my shampoos because I like to try different products and see how they work in my hair.
Honestly I wasn't sure about this at first. I'm not a huge grapefruit fan and I wasn't sure I was going to like the smell. Also, the first time I used it, the shampoo felt like it stripped my hair of all things good and left it feeling "streaky" and the conditioner didn't feel like it was doing any conditioning whatsoever. I had to remind myself that this was first almost all natural product I've ever used in my hair and that I needed to give it some time.
The grapefruit smell is not overwhelming like I thought it would be. After all is said and done, and my hair is completely dry, it's the softest I've ever felt my hair. It's also extremely shiny (like it says on the bottles) and the smell is refreshing. 
Highly recommended.

Winter Candy Apple anything? Yes, please! 
Much to my dismay, this is only a seasonal product that Bath and Body Works offers. It's my favorite!
Everytime this comes out I have to stock up on it to make sure it lasts me the year. This year howoever, I didn't make it to stock up and I'm not sure they still have it in the stores. Good thing my mom bought me some for Christmas.
You really can't go wrong with anything from B&BW.

Burberry perfume. 
If this one has a specific smell I'm not sure what it is. I got it as a gift from a lady I work with, and I was pretty excited because this is a really expensive perfume. It's got a nice smell, it reminds me of Twilight Woods from bath and body works, but it doesn't have as much of an "amber" smell to it.

This is my favorite toothpaste ever. I've tried others and they just don't compare. It's funny because I'm really not trying to whiten my teeth. I was just looking for a toothpaste that was going to leave my mouth tingly and fresh. Also, another requirement is that it's not overly minty. It's perfect. The fact that it whitens your teeth is just an added bonus.


Kiss your acne goodbye! This is the ONLY thing that I've found that works. It's a little on the expensive side, but when you're searching and searching for a long time for something that will help you, it's totally worth it.
The first time I used this I actually used the acne formula. After a week or two my skin was on the mend. By the time I ran out of it my skin had cleared up dramatically. Unfortunately, because of the cost, I didn't buy more and I used other things available at drug stores.Thankfully my skin remained clear while using those products.Once I was able to get the money together for more, I had a clinique skin specialist get a program together for me at Macys and this is what she came up with. It's great! The only thing that's a downfall with this set for me is the moisturizer. It does the revers of clearing up my skin. I think it's too thick and clogs my pores. I use a different moisturizer by them and it's much better, not greasy, and it doesn't make me break out.

This is a wonderful product. You apply it after your moisturizer and before your foundation. It helps minimize your pores and makes your makeup last longer and helps prevent creasing of your eye shadow, especially if you're using a cream eye shadow.

This goes perfectly well with the primer mentioned above. They both came out at the same time. This goes on so smooth and it is soft and blends so well. It's a mousse foundation. It can easily be applied with fingers or a sponge. I use my fingers and then dab it on my face and blend in with a makeup sponge. When I initially bought it I though the color was too dark, but then read reviews that most people bought it and found the same thing. It's not too dark once it's blended in. It's got good coverage. I wouldn't say it's full coverage but I suppose that depends on how much you use. You could easily layer this foundation before getting that cakey look. 

Perfectly peach. Plain and simple. Enough color to give you that flushed look and it's totally matte. No shimmer, no sparkle, no nothing. It's good for that simple look, or it you're using a more dramatic look for your eyes. I use it for a totally neutral  look on my face. 

I use both of these together. Yes, one is purple and one is brown, let me explain.
I suffer from the horrible addiction of Pinterest. One night, after perusing the hair and beauty section, I came across a perfectly simple, neutral, classic, almost pinup girl like makeup. I figured I would try and recreate the look and I used these quads. They're available from any drugstore so anyone can purchase them without paying an arm and a leg. I use the white from the purple quad, for my lid color, and the dark brown from the brown quad for a crease color. I'll do a tutorial on the look that I do.

Long, thick, lashes. If that's something you're going for then this is for you. It's affordable, easily accessible and it works. Plain and simple. It's by far one of my favorite mascaras.

Nude lips. They're in this spring season and I'm finding that I'm really drawn to the look.  I think I prefer a nude lip but I'm not afraid to experiment with color.


On to something not beauty related:

I've been drinking water like it's going out of style. It's great for your skin. If you suffer from dry skin, hydrate!

I bought this coffee creamer on a whim. They were on sale 2 for $4 and I couldn't pass it up. I always drink my coffee with creamer, Brian on the other hand, drinks his black. With this in the house his coffee didn't stay black for long.



This app. I don't know if it's my love of Peanuts or just because I have nothing better to do with my time.
I love this app.



That's all I've got for January favorites. 
Check back later in the week for that makeup tutorial I was talking about.












Monday, November 28, 2011

40 Questions (A beauty tag)

I'm really not in the mood for a serious type blog post so I figured I'd do a tag. Anyone who reads this, please feel free to post this on your blogs! I tag you! For some, this may not be very interesting and of course, for others, this may be fun.


SKINCARE
-How many times do you wash your face daily? Really just once. Shame on me.
-What skin type do you have? Oily, unfortunately.
-What is your current facial wash? Clinique (step 1 out of their 3 step skin care)
-Do you exfoliate? Yes.
-What brand do you use? St. Johns  Apricot scrub (and my clairsonic)
-What moisturizer do you use? Dramatically different moisturizer (clinique)
-Do you have freckles? No
-Do you use eye cream? No. Wrinkles don't scare me.
-Do you or did you have acne prone skin? Apparently lately it's very acne prone. (UGH!)
-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ? Yes, and it did nothing for me.

MAKE-UP
-What foundation do you use? L'oreal magic smooth souffle 
-How about concealer? Revlon photoready 
-Do you know your undertone color? Blues
-What do you think of fake eyelashes? They're a pain to apply. I still haven't grasped the concept.
-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months? Yes I did.
-What brand of mascara do you use? Right now I have maybelline colossal lash. and revlon million lashes....and revlon grow lashes ( or something like that)
-Sephora or MAC? Sephora
-Do you have a MAC Pro-card? Nope.
-What makeup tools do you use in make up application? brushes and sponges
-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? yep. 
-For the face? yep
-What is your favorite eyeshadow? Oh crap....I really like the maybelline eye studio plush silk quads. I have 6....
-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? Pencil for water line and liquid (or gel) for the top lid.
-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? Never
-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? They're very messy and kind of hard to use.
-Do you use mineral makeup? I don't have much.
-What is your favorite lipstick? Erm....anything neutral.
-How about lipgloss? see above......
-What is your favorite blush to use? right now I'm using a cover girl blush. 
-Do you buy your makeup on ebay? no
-Do you like drugstore makeup? That's all I have.
-Do you go to CCO's? What?
-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? Yes.
-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? No
-Name a makeup crime that you hate? pulling on upper eyelid while applying eye liner. I do it, and I cant help it.
-Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutral ones? Both
-Which celebrity always has great make up? Um...Kim Kardashian always has pretty makeup (cliche right?)
-If you could leave the house using just one make up item,what would you use? mascara
-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? yes
-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? no
-In your opinion, what is the best makeup line? I don't have one
-What do you think of Makeup? Love it.