Is That...? Oh, God! *Gasp* NOOO!!! Part III: L'Oreal Youth Code Power Trio

Well, it's been three weeks with the L'Oreal Youth Code Power Trio, and I have what I think are some interesting results. Let's have a look, shall we?

First off, let me mention that I quit using the cleanser, as it didn't work worth a flip, and I also used a pore clearing mask and an exfoliating mask to try to undo the damage. The cleansers that I have used instead have been the Olay makeup removing wipes and the Olay Regenerist exfoliating cream cleanser (which is what I used prior to the L'Oreal). The end.

So, here are week 2 (right) and week 3 (left):

It's very subtle, but there is some change. The skin's texture is smoother, and pores are less pronounced. The crease is still there, and while it's more noticeable in the week 3 picture, it does appear to be shallower. As with last week, these photos were taken in the same room, with the same camera, and the same settings.

For a more dramatic difference, let's compare week 1 (left) with week 3 (right):

Wow. The skin's texture is significantly smoother and brighter, pores are noticeably minimized, and everything seems firmer and lifted. The area around the nose also appears a lot drier, however.

As I've stated, the cleanser didn't actually clean, but it does look like the serum and moisturizer are doing something for me. My thoughts on those products have not changed, and you can read a full run-down on them here. All in all, I've got to call this a win, and I intend to repurchase the serum and moisturizer when I run out of the travel sizes.

Have you guys tried anything like this? Did it work? Please share in the comments.

Is That...? Oh, God! *Gasp* NOOO!!! Part II: L'Oreal Youth Code Power Trio

Okay folks, it's been a week. Let's check in and see if the L'Oreal Youth Code Power Trio has made any progress on my wrinkle-ette. You can find my first impressions from last week here.

On the left, we have a photo taken last Monday. On the right, we have a photo taken today. The crease in question is the faint marionette line. Personally, I think it may have lightened some. It doesn't appear to be quite as pronounced in the second photo as it is in the first. It's not gone, but it appears to be better. My skin's tone and texture also seems to have improved, with increased brightness and a firmer appearance. Pore size looks about the same. Lastly, my skin feels noticeably softer. Photographs were taken in the same room, with the same lighting, by the same camera, with the same settings. Positioning is as close to the same as I could manage, and no makeup or products were on the skin at the time. I'm trying to be scientific, y'all.

For the past week, I've solely used the L'Oreal. I've washed my face with the cleanser, applied the serum, and followed with the moisturizer twice a day, religiously. No other skincare products were used, save for a few makeup remover wipes of various brands, but more on that in a minute. Based on the results above, I can definitely see where its claims have merit.

Now, for the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good: The products are seemingly effective, thus far. All three of the products have pleasant fragrances and textures. The price point is affordable and the product is readily available at Walgreen's and Ulta. The trial sizes are large enough to get a good idea of its effectiveness. I've used this for a week, and have at least another week's worth left.

The Bad: The cleanser just flat-out doesn't work. To prove this, I give you Exhibit A, a Yes To Grapefruit facial wipe used after cleansing with the L'Oreal:

That's not clean, y'all. In addition to the eye makeup (which I kind of expected), there's also face makeup. I don't wear much face makeup (mostly BB creams or powder foundation), so there wasn't much there to remove in the first place.

I also don't feel like the moisturizer hydrates very well. I've experienced some dryness around the nose, and noticed a dull cast once my makeup was applied. My makeup hasn't changed, so I feel the need to attribute that to the product.

The Ugly: I broke out. Not much, and nothing a little spot treatment couldn't fix, but I did break out. Normally, my skin stays pretty clear unless it's that lovely time when we'd all like to sing a rousing chorus of "I Enjoy Being a Girl". This wasn't that time. I shouldn't have broken out.

Overall, I really do like this set. I think that it did what it said it would, and I have every intention of purchasing the full sizes of the serum and moisturizer. I will not, however, use the cleanser anymore. I need something that deep cleans and exfoliates, though I do wonder if the L'Oreal would work better with a Clarisonic. I will also, most likely, mix a little argan oil into the moisturizer to boost the hydration level. For now, I'm chalking up the breakouts to the lack of actual cleansing from the cleanser.

Tune in next week for the dramatic conclusion!

Is That...? Oh, God! *Gasp* NOOO!!!: L'Oreal Youth Code Power Trio

Short version: over this weekend I have A) been told outright, by someone who is not related by blood, marriage, or even close friendship, that I am "fat", and B) found a wrinkle that seems to come equipped with an Invisibility Cloak, because it appears I'm the only one who can see it.

Considering the fact that I'm fat in the way that Jennifer Lawrence has been labeled fat (read: not at all. Curvy, yes, but in the right places, thankfully. Don't get me started on that business with the gorgeous J-Law.), and I've actually lost weight recently, I'm trying to let that first part slide. Besides, if their judgement tells them that it's acceptable to tell someone that (as a greeting, no less), then how good can their judgement really be?

The "wrinkle", on the other hand, is a different story. Yesterday morning, I found it, and was...let's call it upset. I showed it to Thomas, who leaned over, squinted hard, then chuckled and told me there was nothing there. He was sweet enough to go with me to Walgreen's, and even helped me search through the rows of pink and green gunk, shining silver labels, and empty promises until I found something that might help me reverse my, most likely, imaginary line.

See it? The little marionette line? Grrrrrrr!

Seeing as this line is in it's infancy, it seemed like a good candidate for the "see results in one week" claim on this set from L'Oreal Paris. The Youth Code Power Trio Kit contains a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer that are all used both morning and evening. According to the box, this is supposed to reduce fine lines and smooth and illuminate the skin. It was on sale, and I had five bucks in rewards, so I figured I'd give it a go.

I've used the three products twice each now, so all I have for you are first impressions, but I thought I'd share them.

Cleanser: This is a clear gel that smells like Rose Petal Place. Personally, I like that smell, but if you have any sensitivity to perfumes, you might want to skip this trio entirely. I feel like the cleanser does a fine job of ridding my face of dirt, but you definitely need a separate makeup remover. My eye makeup didn't budge with this cleanser alone.

Serum: I like serums. No idea why, but I always feel sort of fancy putting on a *serum*--like it's some sort of spiffy, super-scientific potion that will make my skin glow and dance and, I don't know, spin plates. Again, this is a gel, but slightly cloudier than the cleanser. I only need one pump for my face and neck, because it feels almost like it multiplies as you apply it. It's very slimy, but in a good way, if that makes any sense. It's a good slime. Like Slimer in the Ghostbusters cartoon. Not the movie (definitely not the movie). Oddly enough, the finish is dry. It's...it's just very strange. I'm intrigued. There is a fragrance, but it's not the same as the cleanser, and I can't quite pinpoint what it is. It's not unpleasant, but it is perfumed.

Moisturizer: The moisturizer is, again, perfumed, and with the same mystery scent as the serum. Also, like the serum, it has a dry finish, which is odd for a moisturizer. The texture is somewhere between a cream and a mousse, and very light. I'm enjoying it, so far, but I don't feel I'm getting quite as much hydration as I need.

Will this reverse my wrinkle-ette? We'll find out in a week! Let me know in the comments if you've had any luck with stuff like this.   

L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain Rev--Oh, Let's Just Call It What It Is--RAVE!

Here's my pick for favorite long-wearing Summer lippie. I know that the other day I posted about the Rimmel Show Off (Apocalips...whatever...) liquid lip lacquers, and said that while they were okay, they were a little drying, and just not my favorite. Of course, I also said that I probably wouldn't pick up any more, and I totally did today, so what do I know? It's my birthday...it was sparkly...I need help...

Anyhoo, in case you were wondering what my favorite actually is, it's the L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain. Well, that's a mouthful.

The first time I tried this, I hated it. Flat-out despised. I don't remember why, though, to be perfectly honest. I just remember that I thought it sucked, and I tossed it in the back of my traincase, presumably never to be seen again...

...But then, I needed an orange lip color. I don't remember why. I also don't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, and ocassionally can't remember my phone number. For whatever reason, though, I needed an orange lippie, and Coral Tattoo was the only one available. You know what? I loved it!! It was easy to appy, true to color, shiny, lightweight, moisturizing...pretty much everything you could want. I picked up Rose On and On the next time I was at Walgreen's, and it's become a staple. I don't have a shot of Coral Tattoo, but here's the Rose On and On:

Isn't that gorgeous?! You get great color payoff, and it's comfortable. It's like pajama pants for your mouth. You just throw it on and forget about it. I wore Coral Tattoo to a friend's baby shower, and after a couple of hours of eating, drinking, and talking, it hadn't budged. Today, I wore Rose On and On to lunch with my family, and while I did need to touch it up afterwards, it was only because the shine had worn off. The color was still there.

Photo Credit: Crushing On Clothes
This blogger has some lovely swatches, so head on over there! This is Coral Tattoo, by the way.

I could continue to extol upon the virtues of this lip color...so I will! The packaging is too pretty for words. The tube is gold with a little clear window to display the shade inside. The product is scented, but it's a light, floral scent that fades upon application. It's sticky enough to stay put, but not so sticky that it's obnoxious or causes you to eat hair every time the wind blows. It's supposedly a budget-friendly (less than $10, depending on where you go) dupe for the YSL Glossy Stain, and while I have not tried that (because it's freaking expensive), I would believe the L'Oreal to be high end. Basically, it's just a d*** fine lippie.

Final Verdict: I have no cons. None. This is a rare 10 out of 10.

And now, because it's my birthday, and my awesome baby brother took me out to lunch to celebrate (on his dime, I might add), I have to add this photo, because it makes me happy. I love that kid so much.

Happy Thursday, everyone! 

It's Two, Two, Two Posts In One!

Today is nasty, rainy, humid, and all around ugly. On top of that, it's Casual Friday. Of course, my work environment is pretty relaxed to begin with, so you can read that to mean I traded in my "nice" jeans and "respectable" top for comfy old jeans and a t-shirt. This one, specifically. It made me giggle.

Basically, it's one of those days when I expect the What Not To Wear folks to knock on my door at any moment.

Seeing how I wasn't really trying with my look today, and had a million (not sure that's an exaggeration) errands to run in the icky weather, I thought today would be the perfect day to try out a sample that caught my eye, as well as a neat DIY hair product. Both are made for quick, easy, natural looks, and that is definitely the name of the game today.

The Magic Bag O' Samples

Somehow--and I honestly can't remember how--I ended up with a sample of L'Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur. Supposedly, it's a "finishing cream" that you put on after your moisturizer, and can either wear alone or under makeup to blur wrinkles, lines, pores, and other minor imperfections. I have minor imperfections, so why not? I popped open the foil packet and applied the opaque ecru cream to my face.

It's a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm. Flat out. There's a higher SPF and it costs about $14 less, but those are the only differences I found. Unfortunately (and if you click the link you read my review of the UD), it just doesn't do it for me. I can't quite figure out a purpose for it. There's zero coverage, so it doesn't even out your skin, and you still need, at least, a concealer. You could use it as a primer...or you could just use a primer. As I said in the UD review, there are better and cheaper out there. If you have perfectly even skin and just want a little protection or some skincare benefits...you could use an anti-aging moisturizer with sunscreen and skip this extra step. I just really can not find a point to this. But, if you were planning to buy the UD BB cream, L'Oreal just saved you fourteen bucks. There you go.

Frugal Friday

Many of you are probably familiar with beauty blogger and youtube guru PinkSoFoxy. If you're not, you should be, because she's amazing. Her approach to beauty blogging is unique in that she takes a "less is more" approach. Instead of constantly buying new stuff, she "shops her stash" and pulls from items she already owns, rediscovering old favorites along the way. Her videos also show fantastic tips for decluttering and simplifying your space, and in the process, your life. Seriously, I encourage you all to go check out her sites.

Anyhoo, she recently uploaded a video and blog post on how to DIY a sea salt spray for beachy waves. I've been using Bumble & Bumble Sea Spray, but I'm about to run out and thought that this might be fun to try. I had all of the ingredients, anyway, and if it worked, I could save the $25 I'd have spent on a replacement bottle. So, this morning, I whipped up a batch while I waited on my coffee to brew. By the way, I have a Keurig, so that's about three minutes.

Bottom line: this stuff rocks.

After my shower, I towel dried my hair and gave it a rough blow-dry until it was just damp. Then, I sprayed my concoction all over, scrunched, and let it finish air drying. The results are amazing. I have messy, beachy waves that aren't at all crunchy or sticky. My main complaint with the Bumble & Bumble was that it always looked great at first, but as soon as I ran a brush through it, my hair became a frizzy, dry, hot mess. My hair is so soft with this that I can run my fingers through it, brush it, whatever. It still looks pretty and wavy. If you have three minutes, I highly recommend giving this a shot!

The ingredients you'll need are all linked here. I used Herbal Essences Body Envy gel, which is discontinued, turns out. It's a light hold, volumizing gel, so anything like it should work similarly. I omitted the essential oil, because A) I didn't have any, and B) my hairspray is scented, and I thought that might be too much going on at once. For the shimmer, I used (no kidding) a little bit of an old E.L.F. mineral eyeshadow. Worked like a charm. Thank you, PinkSoFoxy, for this awesome DIY project!

Costume Creations/Frugal Friday: Frankie Stein from Monster High

My little niece, Tempest, is big into Monster High. It's my fault, too. I got her a Frankie Stein rag doll for Christmas one year, and that was it. To her mother, I apologize.

Last year, Temp went as Frankie Stein for Halloween, and was so darn cute it hurt. In her honor, I thought I'd do a costume look for Frankie Stein, and I wanted to try to do it with all drugstore products. This is not intended to "transform" you into Frankie, nor is it meant to be a "going out" look. This is just to show that you don't need to buy the overpriced makeup kit that is sold alongside the costume to get a Frankie Stein look for trick-or-treating. If you want to see me do a Frankie Stein-inspired "going out" look for adults (since those costumes apparently exist. Who knew?), let me know in the comments, and that can totally be arranged. This one is more "stage makeup" inspired, and intended for ten to twelve year-olds.

For the uninitiated, this is Frankie:

Frankie Stein (Credit)

And here's what I came up with:

I know, the stitches go on the other cheek. Whoops. You'll also want to do your neck and ears, but this was for demonstration purposes only. I love you guys, but Supernatural was coming on. I have priorities. Jensen Ackles is cute.

I'm not a tween, nor am I a model, so this looks silly as heck. Plus, I blinked every darn time Thomas took a picture. As a stage actor, I can tell you that this--every bit as much as the whole "the actors could get distracted, fall, and die" aspect--is the reason they tell you not to take flash photos at theatrical productions. It's because we're unaccustomed to the flashes and make stupid faces. THIS is the picture I look the least stoned in, so here you go. 

Alrighty, I (not being a twelve year-old with perfect skin) started out by applying a moisturizer, then used Maybelline Age Rewind concealer to cover any blemishes and dark circles. Then, I used a NYX jumbo pencil in Milk to prime my eyelids, all the way up to the brow. The white base will help keep the L.A. Colors mineral shadow in a purple color nice and vibrant. Next, I mapped out the shape I wanted for the eyeshadow, then filled in the entire area with purple,including under the lower lashline. After that, I took the pink shadow from the L'Oreal HiP duo "Reckless" and defined the crease area. Then, I grabbed my NYX liquid liner (though a black pencil would work if you're not comfortable with liquid) and created a winged cat eye on the top lashes, then lined the lower lashline, as well. We'll come back to the eyes a little bit later.

For the skin, I used a small, dense powder brush to apply the green side of the L'Oreal HiP duo "Perky" all over my face. This will take you a thousand forevers, but it's a sheerer effect than greasepaint, and easier to find in a close-to-accurate shade. If you have trouble keeping the brush out of the dark navy shadow that makes up the other half of the duo, try carefully covering that half with a little masking tape until you finish with the green. Once you have your face (and neck and ears) covered, take an even smaller brush (like a lipliner) and the same green (the smaller brush will help concentrate the color) to map out the places you want contoured, like the cheekbones and around the nose. Use the bigger brush to blend out the lines. Then, uncover the navy blue side and lightly go over those contoured areas with the bigger brush and the blue. You'll also want to go into your hairline and around your jaw. Next, take a blush brush and a hot pink blush, like E.L.F.'s Pink Passion from the Studio line, and shade the apples of your cheeks. Use the same brush to pop a bit of the purple eyeshadow over the pink, to tie the colors together. Dust a sparkly white shadow, like L.A. Colors mineral shadow, onto the cheekbones to highlight.

Back to the eyes! You're going to have to do a little clean-up, now that the green is in place. I found it easiest to do this with the NYX jumbo pencil in Milk, because it's super creamy, opaque, and you can just draw it wherever you want it. I didn't want to lose the eyeshadow shape, so I used the white pencil as a highlight for the brow, inner corner, and brought it down below the lower lashline. I also used it on the waterline. Then, I applied two coats of black mascara to upper and lower lashes. You could use false lashes, but I know a lot of kids won't sit still long enough for that, so I just went with the mascara.

To finish things up, I used a black pencil to darken my brows and to draw on her stitches. Lastly, I applied Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic to my lips for her signature glossy red pout.

I hope you enjoyed this. Again, if you want to see a more grown-up version, let me know in the comments.

I Wanna Soak Up the Sun...Responsibly

Photo Credit: Sephora

I've been on an accessory kick, lately. I've started hunting around for hair flowers, headbands, necklaces, even *gasp* earrings! (Believe it or not, I'm not a big jewelry wearer. Who knew?) But the best and most important accessory you can have for Spring and Summer is cheap, easy to find, and goes with everything: Sunscreen.

I grew up watching my Grandfather deal with skin cancer. The treatments were painful and expensive, and there was nothing pretty about the lesions, bandages or scars. That experience beat all the preaching or after-school specials you could throw at a kid.You will not catch me in a tanning bed, and I don't go to the beach without copious amounts of SPF. Yeah, I still get burned--I'm so fair-skinned I reflect--but not nearly as often or as badly as I would without all that lovely zinc.

Now, I have my favorites: Walgreen's brand oil-free for my face, the sparkly Hawaiian Tropic or Neutrogena Cooling Spray for body, Jergen's Natural Glow for a gradual sunless tan, or L'Oreal Sublime Bronze for a fake bake in a hurry. But that's just me. I've been at this for a while. Newbie bathing beauties might need a little help, and that's where this comes in.

The awesome folks at Sephora have come out with 2011's Sun Safety Kit. No, they don't hand you an umbrella and some goop for your nose. For a scant $25, you receive eleven (11!) trial sized sun care products ranging from Bare Minerals veil and Smashbox primer on to Philosophy and Murad sunscreens. Something in there is sure to tickle your fancy. There's also a bonus deluxe sample of Tan Towel Plus. It all comes in a cute box with an adorable hot pink beach bag. Best of all, 100% of the profits (every last darn penny) will go to benefit The Skin Cancer Foundation. This is also a terrific Mother's Day gift. Nothing says, "I love you, Mom," quite like saving her life.

What's the Matter With Kids Today (Or Adults, For That Matter)?

My mom and dad always told me to enjoy being a child while you can.  You're an adult for most of your life, but childhood is only for a little while.  Smart folks, those guys.  Unfortunately, it just seems to get harder and harder to be a kid.  Don't get me wrong--it's never been easy.  You've got hormones to deal with, a limited income, and restricted transportation...plus, you're short.  Being a kid, for all it's carefree wonderment, can, in a word, suck.

Now, though...these kids have it rough.  I mean that with absolutely zero sarcasm.  When I was a seventh-grader, if a kid was mean to me at school, it was awful, but I knew that as soon as 3:00 rolled around, I would be away from it.  Not so, anymore.  No, sir.  My brother's in the seventh grade, now, and between texting, emailing, Facebook, texting--and did I mention texting?--there's no escape!

I mean, when I was a kid, if I did something stupid at school (fall down, say something idiotic, accidentally let it slip who I liked), the rest of the day might suck--maybe even the rest of the week--but the kids forgot and we all moved on.  Now, if a kid makes a misstep, there's an entire evening of texting and facebook messages coming at them, and it's all anyone can talk about the next day.  Sometimes, it's not even making a mistake, though.  Sometimes, it's liking the "wrong" sports team, or having a hobby that's not cool this week.  Sometimes, it's just being yourself that's the "mistake". 

The circumstances were always different--maybe it was body-type, grade point average, financial status, whatever--but it's happened to just about everyone I know.  I could tell stories, but they aren't mine to tell. What amazes me, though, is how much of the bullying came, not from the children, but from adults who should have known better.  Boo-ing, name-calling, even discrimination.  With all that going on, where do kids turn when the other kids are mean?         

Nothing has changed.  It still happens, but now it happens at school, online, and on your phone.  You can not get away from it.  Too many kids have been bullied to death.  A friend of mine's daughter just lost a good friend to the epidemic, and I'm sick.  Just sick.  Bullying is not just a fistfight or stealing someone's lunch money.  It's not just calling someone a nasty name.  It's making life difficult for someone simply because you don't like them.  It's having to watch your back for no other reason than just being who you are.  The perpetrator can be a child, teenager, or even a teacher or principal.        

Had my parents not been the amazing people that they were and are, constantly reminding me that I could be anything I wanted, and that who I was was good enough, I don't think I would have the can-do spirit I'm so proud of today.  I like to say that I've gotten my strength and determination from having to fight for every accomplishment.  Honestly, though, if I'd had to go through it all over again, but in the tech-heavy present, I don't know that I could have done it.  I fear for my brother.  I'm just thankful that he has a wonderful mom and step-dad to turn to.  Plus, he always has Sis and Thomas to talk to about anything (and I promise not to blog about it).

My friend, Tara, posted this on her Facebook page today, and I just had to share it.  This woman's five year-old little boy wanted to dress up as his favorite character for Halloween.  His favorite character, however, was Daphne from Scooby Doo.  He's five.  He's a baby.  He wasn't coming out or anything like that.  This was not his way of announcing his stand on gay rights.  He just liked Daphne.  What's interesting, though, is that none of his little classmates thought anything of it.  His teacher didn't bat an eye.  The other mothers were the ones throwing hissy fits. 

I like this mother's stance.  How many football players dress up as cheerleaders for pep rallys or other goofy school activities?  How many frat boys dress in drag for parties or university events?  She pointed out that no one would have cared if her daughter had dressed as Batman, and, "I am not worried that your son will grow up to be an actual ninja so back off."  The thing that saddened me, though, was that through this all, her little boy, at five years old, knew that he would be made fun of.  He just wanted to wear that costume so badly that he was willing to deal with it.  That's a brave kid, and a brave mom for letting him express his individuality.  He now knows that no matter what he wants to do in life, his mom's got his back. 

Kids, be yourselves.  Don't let anyone tell you that you're not good enough simply because you don't agree with them.  Like Star Wars, sports, books, Mozart, cheerleading, makeup, board games, stamp collecting, watching tv, acting silly, being serious, whatever!  You are worthy.  You are amazing.  You are you, and that's something that no one else can ever be.  Be proud of who you are, and don't change because you feel you have to.  Talk to your parents (they really do care about you, and they're not completely dumb), ignore negativity, and enjoy being young.  And please, for the love of God, grow up and grow old. 

Well, that is not the blog I started out to write, but sometimes these things get away from me.

Actually, I had planned to write about hair color.  Seriously.  So, with that, let's leave this dreary topic and move onto something more fun, shall we?

So, this morning, I touched-up my roots.  It's not something I really wanted to do.  I'd much rather have made an appointment and gotten them taken care of professionally, but that wasn't an option, and I have stuff going on this weekend.  These suckers had gotten to the point that they were embarrassing, so I had to take matters into my own hands.

Walmart only had one dark auburn root touch-up kit, so I had no real choice but to go with L'Oreal Root Rescue.  The kit was a little less than $7, and came with a bonus trial size bottle of L'Oreal EverPure Shampoo.  I've used that before, and it's actually a pretty darn good shampoo.  It's no Fekkai, but as far as budget brands go, it's a keeper.  Smells good, helps keep color from fading, and leaves hair soft.  Not bad at all.

Anyway, back to the haircolor.  The kit comes with instructions, plastic gloves, plastic eyeglass protectors (nifty--never seen that before), color, and a developing lotion that's housed in a neat plastic tube.  Set up is super-easy.  Add the color to the lotion, replace cap, shake to blend, then remove the cap and replace with a comb applicator.  To apply the haircolor, part your dry, unwashed hair as usual, then squeeze the tube to dispense color as you comb the applicator through your roots.  Wait ten minutes, shampoo, and style.  Your roots should match your haircolor, be it at-home or salon brand. 

As I said, the set up was easy.  The application less so.  I found that the color was difficult to squeeze out of the tube, had a tendency to go where it wanted (and not where I was trying to put it), and was impossible to keep off of your scalp.  I did the best I could with what I had to work with, but I was nervous.  Once I shampooed, I was even more nervous.  My hair looked polka-dotted!!  Some places were definitely brighter than others.  It looked like some spots had been missed entirely.  My scalp was stained in places, and I wanted to cry.  What had I done?!

However, once I blow-dried, I realized that things weren't nearly as bad as they had first appeared.  Yes, my scalp was stained slightly (I think it should fade with a good scrubbing), but the uneven spots had all but disappeared, and the roots really did match my color.  I feel much better, but I'm still a little unnerved by the whole roller-coaster of an experience.

Overall, I think this is a decent temporary quick-fix.  By that, I mean, it'll get you by until you can make an appointment for a color, but don't think that you can get out of a trip to the hairdresser's by using this on a regular basis.  Yes, it all worked out in the end, but it felt like a gamble that I just happened to win this time. 

Where's the Simplicity Pattern For That?!

I tip my hat to anyone who can use a sewing machine.  Period.  The last time I even looked at a machine, the presser foot fell off.  That's right, folks.  I didn't even have to touch the machine, and still managed to break it.  If you can use one of the gosh-darned things, you have my respect.

If you use it to make something like this, you have my undying love and devotion, and I am insanely jealous of you:


Photo credit:  ringmastergoldie.tumblr.com

It's a TARDress!!!!  Those of you who have been keeping up know that Thomas and I are both HUGE Doctor Who fans.  Actually, Thomas was the one who found this and insisted that I blog about it.  So, here you go, hon.

Seriously, though, I love this dress.  It was made to be a Halloween costume, but really, I don't see why it couldn't be worn more often?  It's just a sweet little blue dress...that just happens to be made entirely of awesome.  (I think the itty bitty hat is my favorite part.)

So, Sunday before last, I woke up and screamed.  I've always had wrinkles on my forehead, but, seemingly overnight, they'd gone from "oh, everyone has those," to "oh, my God, I could keep my keys in there!"  Powder settled into the crevices.  Oh, Lord, this was not good.  Ah, thirty...the gift that keeps on giving.

As soon as I got out of church, I grabbed Thomas (who rolled his eyes when I told him what was up, thank you) and ran to Target to get something, anything that might help.  I landed on L'Oreal Wrinkle Decrease Collagen Filler.  $17.89, Target.

According to the L'Oreal website:

"Inspired by the latest dermatological techniques, L'Oreal Paris created new and improved Collagen Filler.  Now, with Double Filler Action, this breakthrough formula includes both Collagen Biospheres and Hyaluronic Acid for instant filling action and continuous wrinkle reduction.

In consumer testing, crow's feet, forehead lines, and lines around the mouth were immediately reduced by 20%.  Skin was softer and smoother.  With continued use, lines decreased by up to 33% after four weeks."     

I've only been into this little experiment for a week and a half, but let me tell you about my non-clinical, non-professional, non-expert findings, thus far (covering my butt, folks).

It's spackle.  It's spackle for your face.  It does fill in wrinkles, which makes them appear much lighter and less noticeable.  I'm just not sure how well it's doing at making them go away permanently. 

The product is a thick cream that comes in a pen-like applicator.  You squeeze a line over each wrinkle, smooth it out, then dab at it until it soaks into your skin.  It pretty much covers my entire forehead like a coat of, well, spackle.  You can use it in conjunction with your usual moisturizer.  I put my moisturizer on first and let it sink in before I apply the spack--I mean, wrinkle cream.  After the cream, you can apply makeup as usual.  I'm just a little more careful applying primer and foundation in the cream-covered areas.

It does appear that a couple of the lighter wrinkles have gotten even less obvious, but I'm not sure if that's due to this or wishful thinking.  I'm also using the cream on my neck wrinkles (had those since birth, so not holding out too much hope) and on my chest as a preventative measure.  As I said, I've only been in this a week and a half, so it's a little early to expect much.

As of right now, I can recommend it as a filler only.  If you're heading to a class reunion, being photographed, or just want to temporarily look a little younger, this is a really good, inexpensive way to acheive that.  Just don't expect an overnight miracle. 

If this doesn't work after four weeks (or the end of the tube), next on the list is Lumene Time Freeze Instant Lift Serum.  $19.99, Target.  It has some stellar reviews on Total Beauty, and might be just what I'm looking for.  If not, at least I now know of a decent "quick fix".