'Ip, 'Ip, "Ooray!: May Ipsy Unboxing

Well, kids, it's that time again...time for the monthly Ipsy unboxing (un-bagging? un-pouching? Bueller?)

For those unfamiliar with Ipsy (formerly MyGlam), is a sample subscription service. For ten bucks a month, you'll receive a little makeup travel bag containing four or five full- or deluxe-sized beauty items, more or less customized to preferences you choose on a profile quiz. This month's bag's theme was "Spring Fling", and came packed in a precious Missoni-esque, teal and orange striped bag. Several item variations were possible, and mine contained:

St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion (deluxe-sized)
Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff (full-sized, I believe)
Zoya Nail Polish in Blu (full-sized)
Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink (deluxe-sized)
Mirabella Colour Sheer in Pixie (full-sized)

I also received the April makeup bag, as mine wasn't included in last month's shipment due to a problem with quality assurance. I was given a generic floral bag instead. The April bag is super cute (white with pink trim and lining). Neither bag is of the highest quality, but they'll be great for purse travel. Actually, the May bag is most likely going to find a home in my pool bag. It's perfect for holding the hair ties and lip balm that normally end up floating around in the bottom of the gargantuan tote.

I've had a little time (okay, a few hours, most of which were spent asleep) to play with several of the items, and I'm really pleased with them. Let's take a closer look at Ipsy's selections:

Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff: This is actually a brand I've had my eye on for a while. I've been looking at it for my film kit, partly for the fantastic range of shades, and partly for the lower price tag. This concealer has a thick consistency (much like Benefit Boi-ing), and covers well. Luckily, this shade is a perfect match for me, so it's going into my personal Unii palette. I'm going to work with it some more, though, before I make any buying decisions. I also don't see myself giving up my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for daily use anytime soon.

Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink: This is a lovely, non-sticky, super sheer gloss that doesn't leave a lot of color, but does give you one heck of a shine. They weren't kidding around with "reflecting"! I haven't been able to wear this for an extended period of time, but I had to scrub a little to remove it after trying it on. That's a good sign. The packaging is beautiful, and I absolutely love the orange scent. This is my first experience with Juice Beauty, but I like what I've seen so far.

St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion: I wore blue jeans today, so I haven't been able to test this out, yet. It's a rub-on/wash-off tanner that (supposedly) doesn't transfer. I've heard wonderful things about St. Tropez, so I'm anxious to give it a shot.

Zoya Nail Polish in Blu: This is the first blue nail polish I've owned in...gosh...eighteen years. The last time I wore blue nail polish was on my fifteenth birthday. I had a costume party (in June--I'm weird), and wore the cutest little hippie outfit. The bell-bottoms and vest had an American flag motif, so I painted my nails bright blue to match...and immediately looked like a corpse. I made an adorable little dead hippie, and haven't worn blue nail polish since. However, Zoya is one of my favorite brands, and this is a gorgeous Robin's Egg blue cream. I may just have to give blue nail polish a second chance. (Maybe just my toes to start...)

Mirabella Colour Sheer in Pixie: This looks terrifying. My first thought was, "Well...it'll look great for pin-up looks. Maybe I can use it the next time I play Claire?" In actuality, this scary red-orange applies as a sheer wash of glossy coral. It's absolutely gorgeous. Honestly, it reminds me so much of the Flower Beauty lipgloss in Pretty In Petunia, that I may use it as a topper next time I wear this. On its own, this is moisturizing and wears well. Plus, the packaging is just beautiful, and has a nice heft to it.

Left to Right: Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff, Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink, Mirabella Colour Sheer in Pixie

For fun, I put together a look this morning using the Yaby Concealer and the Mirabella Colour Sheer. As I said earlier, I expected this lipstick to be crazy bright, so I kept everything else very subdued. Instead, the lip color ended up being very "wearable" (isn't everything "wearable"? It just depends on your comfort level, really), so the entire look is just fresh and natural. It's good lazy day makeup.

Won't bore you with product details. If you want to know what I used, leave a comment and let me know.

That's this month's Ipsy bag. I have no idea what the total value is, but the Zoya retails at $8, and the Mirabella at $22 (yipes!), so I more than got my ten smackeroos' worth. This was a great month, and now I can start the countdown to June's bag! Have a great day!

And Now, a Few Words From Prof. Higgins and Col. Pickering

I had a commercial audition earlier this week. As of right now, I haven't heard anything on it, but it went well, so if I don't get it, I won't blame myself. It will just be because they needed someone taller/shorter, blonder/darker, thinner/heavier, or, possibly, male. You never know, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

That, however, is not what this post is about. See, I had very little notice for this audition, which left me in a bit of a panic. I mean, I try to keep myself up--and I think I do pretty good job of it, too--but it seems like the only times I get called in for interviews, photo shoots, or auditions are the times when I'm inbetween hair colorings, desperately need a tan (so I don't glow in the dark), and have a zit the size of East Texas somewhere prominent on my face. Oh, and I'm extra bloated. I can't forget that. Can't have an audition unless I'm feeling super-duper super-sized. It's not allowed.

At first, I moaned for a while about choosing such a superficial profession, but the thing is, once I thought about it, I realized that we all go through this stuff. Maybe it's not an audition; maybe it's a corporate function you didn't plan to attend. Maybe it's a date with that someone you've been crushing on for...well, ever. Maybe you just got up one morning, looked in the mirror, and thought, "Good morning, Corpse Bride. I am totally worth more than this..." Whatever the reason, I thought I'd share some of the products I keep around for quick fixes on a tight budget*. At the end, I'll list everything discussed, with links.

Tell-Tale Roots and Grays
I can't stress enough the importance of having a trustworthy, professional colorist. That said, sometimes schedules, finances, and good old procrastination get in the way of making that hair appointment, and we have to make do as best we can. I keep a box of L'Oreal Root Rescue in my bathroom for emergencies. That way, if something important comes up and there is absolutely no way of getting to the salon, I can do a quick touch-up without adding hours to my prep time...and then I call Miss Jessica for a real coloring!

Puffy Eyes
I know our moms all told us to lay cucumbers over our eyes to get rid of puffiness, but who has time for that? My go-to for puffy eyes is the Ganier Nutrioniste Eye Roller. The metal ball cools while the caffeine-infused liquid de-puffs your under-eye baggage. One will run you less than $15 and last several months. Have a couple of days notice? Pat on a good eye cream before you go to bed (which we should all be doing anyway, and I am appalled that any of you could think that I would go even one night--yeah, I can't get through that sentence. I'm HORRIBLE about remembering). I'd recommend mine, but it's discontinued, and would have been insanely expensive had I not found it for $6 on sale. Instead, try Biore SkinPreservation See the Future Eye Cream. It's $13.99 at drugstore.com, and while I haven't personally tested this, it's gotten fantastic reviews.

Coffee-Drinker Teeth
Now, I know there are a bajillion whitening systems out there, with some only taking a couple of hours for full effect. Unfortunately, they are freaking expensive, and, quite frankly, I can't afford to keep something like that in my cabinet "just in case". Instead, I keep Colgate Optic White, an exceptionally good whitening toothpaste, and a whitening mouth rinse. They may not work as quickly, but I noticed an improvement right away, and better results with continued use. Got something special going on? Brush and rinse in the morning and after each meal, with one more good scrubbing right before you walk out the door. Best of all, the two together will only cost about ten dollars.

Dry, Flaky Skin
The last thing you want to do right before an event is a facial because they can cause breakouts. So, how are you supposed to exfoliate and moisturize? Um...by exfoliating and moisturizing, simple as that. When you wash your face, use either a facial scrub brush (like this one from Sephora. It's $18, but less expensive ones are also available), or you can carefully scrub with a coarse washcloth. I like to use circular motions, alternating directions. After washing, slather on a gentle moisturizer, like Philosophy Hope In a Jar, which is only $15 for a travel size.

Pimples and Blemishes and Zits, Oh, My!
So, you're already broken out. Welcome to my world. Above all, do not pick at your face! First, apply a towel-wrapped ice cube to the affected area to help bring down redness and swelling. Next, dab on a spot treatment (available at most drugstores for about $5). Once that dries, you can continue with your usual makeup routine, adding concealer to that area. Oh, you already popped it? Yeah, I probably would have, too. In that case, I hope you have overnight to deal with it. Use a drying paste formulated for popped pimples. Again, it'll run about five bucks. Now, don't do that again!

Puffy...Everything...
On short notice, there are a few little things you can do to de-puff. First of all, can the soft drinks and super salty foods for a day and drink as much water as you can stand. This will help flush out your system. Secondly (and, boy, does this sound ridiculous), before you get dressed, do as many crunches as you can without breaking a sweat. That's probably 20-50. Believe it or not, just that little bit will make your abs temporarily appear more toned. Not enough? Might I suggest a fun, effective shaper?

Snow White Legs
If you're day-glo, like me, and find yourself in the position of having to show off your legs with zero notice, you might want to try a quick-drying airbrush tanner. If you have a day or so to get ready, a tinted self-tanner might be more up your alley. In either case, make sure you shave and moisturize beforehand. An easy way to keep down streaks is to apply moisturizer to each section immediately before applying the tanner. If you're only doing your legs, keep the application light, so it just knocks the chill off of your skin, and wash your hands thoroughly after.

Five Minute Manicure
One of the easiest ways to look polished and put-together is a manicure. Now, I know I don't have the time or extra cash for a pro mani-pedi at the salon, but I can usually find about five minutes to file and slap on a coat of paint. Sally Hansen may not be my favorite line, but they have a fantastic collection of quick-dry, one coat polishes. Try one in a pale neutral to look effortlessly chic (and camoflauge any chips!), in about five minutes. Back when we filmed The Night Shift, I used Rapid Red, and could refresh my manicure standing up, oustide, balancing on my car door, and be ready to roll camera within minutes. A-mazing.

Droopy Locks
This is probably the easiest fix of all. When you wash your hair, make your final rinse a cold water rinse. It seals the cuticle and cuts down on frizz. Do the same thing when you blow dry--finish by blasting your hair with cool air, in a downward motion. If you're dealing with dull or lifeless hair, try adding a volumizing mousse to towel-dried hair before blow drying, then spritzing with a shine-enhancing finishing spray (this Bumble & Bumble is a little pricey at $26, but it will last a very long time, since you have to use it sparingly).

Alright, here's the list of direct links to my personal recommendations, but you could definitely use your own finds. Heck, if you find something that works really well, send it to me and I'll happily share it with the rest of the class!

The Bare Necessities
Root Touch-Up
Eye Roller
Eye Cream
Whitening Toothpaste
Whitening Mouth Rinse
Facial Brush or Coarse Washcloth
Moisturizer
Acne Spot Treatment
Popped Pimple Drying Paste
Shapewear
Airbrush Tanner or Self Tanner
Quick-Dry, Neutral Nail Polish
Volumizing Mousse
Shine Spray

*Disclaimer: I am not an esthetician, cosmetologist, or in any way qualified to give expert advice. These are tricks and products that I, a normal, average person, use myself on a regular basis, with positive results.

Let The Sunshine In: VS Beach Sexy Instant Self Tan Lotion with Tint

Photo Credit: Kimber's Beauty Corner

As I mentioned yesterday, Monday was my birthday (yes, I'm a D-Day baby, just several decades after the fact). To celebrate, I spent Sunday hanging around my Mom's gorgeous pool, enjoying the fact that my diet seems to be working and I could wear a cute two piece with no real shame. My brother didn't even make fun of me. That, right there, was a fabulous birthday gift.

Of course, as I've explained numerous times, I am black-light friendly white. Recently, I reviewed the airbrush bronzer from Victoria's Secret, but, amazing as it is, it washes off. I didn't know if pool water would take it off (and didn't really want to find out the hard way), so I opted to use their Beach Sexy Instant Self Tan Lotion with Tint. I normally use another drugstore brand, but was so impressed with the VS airbrush that I had to give this a whirl.

I am so glad I did.

This is, hands down, the best self-tanner I have ever used, and I'm an old pageant girl, so I've been around the tanning block. Normally, self-tanners smell atrocious, transfer on clothing (especially in this god-forsaken humidity), and tend to streak, so you need a shower and a possible second coat to even things out. Since I had an event on Friday, I thought it best to apply the product on Thursday, so I could worry about damage control on Friday. In the event of disaster, I had a spare bottle of airbrush tan to get me through, and I could use the old standby for my birthday bash.

So, Thursday morning, before work, I showered, shaved, exfoliated, and did all those other fun things you have to do before you self-tan. After I slathered on some moisturizer to make sure the tanner went on smoothly, I grabbed the bottle and set to work.

The first thing I noticed what actually what I didn't notice. There was almost zero tanner smell. In fact, the fragrance was actually quite pleasant. There also weren't chunks of glitter peppering my skin; just a soft gleam. Already, I was impressed.

The tanner applied almost effortlessly, and left a light tint so I could see where the product was, and catch any missed spots easily. I think the entire application process took about five minutes, then I let it dry for about ten (the instructions say five, but why chance it?) while I put on makeup and fixed my hair. So far, so good.

The heat and humidity were excruciatingly high that day. By the time I got home from work, I was terrified that I was going to have bronzed clothing and underwear from all the transfer that had surely occurred. Um...no. The only transfer I noted was on the inside of my bra, where the underwires come together in the center. That was it, and even that was minimal.

Friday morning, I did do a second coat, just to darken up a bit, since I didn't have to worry about the smell. There were no streaks on either attempt, and the color was a gorgeous, natural bronze. No oompa-loompas here! Sunday morning, I slapped on one more coat, since the original application had started to fade slightly. I didn't have time to moisturize first, but the application was still very even with no streaks.

I can't recommend this enough. Plus, at only $12, it's one of the least expensive tanners on the market. Give it a shot. You won't be sorry. $12, Victoria's Secret.

Final Verdict: 10 out of 10. There's nothing I'd change about this, if I could. Utterly amazing.