Unsolicited Advice: Travel Edition

Wowzers! I just drove in from Birmingham, and boy are my arms tired! Wakka Wakka!!

Wait...that doesn't really work...(my apologies)

Really, though, I'm exhausted. This past weekend, Thomas and I went up to Birmingham, AL, to see C.U.P.I.D. screen at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. Just the weekend prior, we were over in Pensacola as guests at the Pensacola Paracon. In between, we've both been working, so we've basically had two full weeks with no break, and are working on a third. We've hit the wall, but aren't complaining in the slightest. We were honored to be invited to both events, so it's completely worth it to be this tired.

And we are tired. Flat-out tired.

Up until now, we've averaged about two out-of-town trips per year, and almost none that were for any real length of time. These are weekend trips to Disney or New Orleans, and tend to be planned within an inch of their lives. Aside from my little stint on tour, where I spent a few months traveling from hotel to hotel on a nearly daily basis, I've never been a spontaneous traveler. So, during the past couple of weekends, I've learned a few things that I thought I'd share with you.

Difference between our GPS and a TARDIS? When the TARDIS doesn't take you where you want, at least you know it was on purpose.

Know where you're going, and how to get back, and eat first. (Points for the reference):
Our GPS is a lying liar who lies. He also slurs his words and mispronounces things to the point that some actually sound offensive. On top of that, he's sent us to the wrong place (and I mean really wrong...like another city wrong) on more than one occasion. We've decided that he's drunk, and named him Jack, after Captain Jack Sparrow. Because we don't want to end up in Montgomery instead of Mobile again (no joke), we now carry two spares GPS systems (our phones) and a printout with directions. It's helped. Also, make sure that you do some research after you select your hotel, to locate all of the nearby restaurants and fast food joints. We did not do this, and ended up subsisting on Chick-Fil-A all weekend, because we had no idea that five minutes in a direction that we never had to drive for any other reason, there was a plethora of nice, sit-down places, as well as a Dunkin Donuts. (I love Dunkin Donuts coffee. The caramel iced latte is my kryptonite.) We found this out after we'd eaten dinner the night before we headed home.

Portable chargers are the shizz:
About two or three weeks before the Con, I found a deal at nomorerack.com (which I cannot link to because Blogger hates me, but you can google it fairly easily) for two portable chargers for twenty bucks. I snapped up that sucker. Now, they're both identical, and both hot pink, but Thomas and I each have one so that we can recharge our phones on the go. You have no idea how much that came in handy. During the Con, we used our phones for everything. We needed the phone for the Square Reader, to check on the puppy (webcam at the boarder's is awesome), to take pictures, to post videos, for social media...basically, our phones became extensions of our arms, and those little chargers were lifesavers. I have no idea what the brand is, but just having a charger of the brand of your choice is highly recommended.

The puppy is a really good sport:
Yeah...we're not doing this again. We boarded the little guy when we went to Paracon, but figured that the trip to Birmingham was so short, and that we'd be back and forth to the hotel a lot to check on him and take him for walks, we should just take him with us. Besides, we were already planning on taking him with us to Disney World in the Fall, so this would be a great test run. He hated it. The poor guy was incredibly well-behaved, and never fussed or cried or anything like that, but you could just tell that he would have much rather been at "puppy school" than cooped up in a hotel room--even for such short periods of time. So, this Fall, instead of sitting in the hotel bed, watching tv and playing with his toys, he'll be at "puppy school"...sitting in a hotel bed, watching tv and playing with his toys...(it's a ridiculously nice boarding place. I want to stay there.)

Yup...I'm still a mess, but at least I'm not in shorts.

Pack heavy:
I can not believe I'm saying this, but for a spontaneous trip, you're probably going to have to overpack. I've found that when I decide what to bring, I throw in an extra outfit that is completely opposite to whatever else I've chosen. For instance: for the Con, I brought a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for Day One, and a Dalek-inspired dress for Day Two. Then, for good measure, tossed in another pair of jeans and another t-shirt. After the first day, I knew that wearing a dress and heels ('cause they matched) all day was a horrible idea, and was thrilled to have an alternative. Then, for Sidewalk, I had originally planned on wearing shorts and a nice shirt for the screening, since a lot of stuff is outdoors. At the very last second (literally, as we were walking out the door), I tossed a sundress in my bag, and that's what I ended up wearing. Turns out, it was actually much cooler than the shorts, and we ended up taking pictures that day, as well. I was really glad to have that dress.

Oh, yeah! There were also banners in the box.

You wouldn't believe how much stuff a Rubbermaid box will hold:
I fit in: a smaller Rubbermaid box of stationary and pencils, a tablecloth, a runner, two rolls of creepy cloth, two empty Sephora boxes, a skull candle from Target (seriously, they have the cutest Halloween decorations), a picture frame, a treasure chest (not kidding), two headstones, a coffee mug, antique keys, part of an ancient tablet, the plaque off an old crypt, some business cards and a money bag. The DVDs came in another box. That's insane. Also, we take strange things with us when we travel. I'm just glad we left the skeleton at home.

Don't be a hotel snob, and Hotwire is da bomb:
(See, I'm cool. I'm hip. I know the lingo, yo. Can ya dig it? Yeah...gonna go crawl into a hole now...)
Thomas was awesome and made all the hotel arrangements for both trips, since I had my hands full with putting together a booth and fun stuff like that. He used Hotwire to book both hotels, and got really great prices on them. Crazy good prices, actually. Scarily good prices. One was, like, thirty bucks a night, or something ridiculous like that. The other was more, but not by much. You don't find out the hotels until after you book. The cheap-cheap place turned out to be an Extended Stay in a great area. When we got there, the front desk was waiting for us, knew our names, and had little goodies in a basket, in case we needed anything. We grabbed a microwave popcorn (why not?) and headed up to our extremely clean, nicely decorated room--complete with kitchenette and full-sized refrigerator. We could have properly cooked in that room. It was absolutely lovely, and I would happily stay there again. The slightly pricier hotel was revealed to be a Hyatt...suite. Living room, wet bar, huge tv...the works. The puppy had plenty of room to run around and play, too. The safety sign in the room had the usual price on it, which was about four times what we paid. This is not the first time we've used Hotwire, and won't be the last.

And because this is, technically, a beauty blog:
Walgreen's has an awesome Aloe Vera face mask. It comes in a single-sized packet (though, you can get two uses out of it) and is for calming redness and easing swelling. I think it was about a buck, and is fantastic for post-travel dryness and puffiness.

Urban Decay's new Revolution lipstick really does last for-freaking-ever. You might want to touch up for moisture, but the color isn't going anywhere. If you're going to be out and about with no mirror, this is your lippie.

Suave dry shampoo smells like pineapple, and really does work. It also cut down on my getting ready time considerably, and kept me from having to use my awful travel shampoo and conditioner. It runs about two dollars, and I got mine at Target.

Frugal Friday: More Bing, Bang, Boom For Your Buck!

Bath & Body Works: $10 off any purchase of $30 or more with code ENJOY1050. Exp. 6/3.

Starbucks: Free tall drink when you buy a pack of Starbucks VIA Iced Coffee. No code or coupon needed. Exp. 6/3.

Today's Frugal Friday tip is probably a no-brainer, but I thought I'd throw it out there: Value Kits. If you love high-end makeup, but hate high-end prices, value kits are definitely the way to go. In case you're staring at the screen, wondering what in the world I'm blathering on about, value kits are small collections of coordinating products. Sometimes they're full-sized, sometimes they're deluxe samples, and sometimes they're a combination of the two (see Benefit's Rare Beauty kit). No matter what, you're getting a lot of product for less than you would normally have to pay.

Now, there are a few cons to going the value kit route; namely, you can't pick your colors or products. You might end up with something you absolutely hate! There's also the fact that some of the products can be miniatures, and a lot of folks don't care for that. Personally, if there's a product I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like, but the overall set is amazing, I'll save that product for someone else who'll go nuts over it. If you haven't opened it, save it for a stocking stuffer or Secret Santa gift. As for the minis, I personally prefer them. Rarely do I finish a product before it's either expired or out of season. Plus, I like to keep my most used products in a counter-top organizer. Minis take up less space and cause less waste. Anyway, if I end up using it all up and loving it, I can purchase the full-size without feeling like I'm gambling away my money.

Here are some of my favorites out there right now. The most expensive is $50, and the least is only $12!


Buxom Beach Bound Lips & Lashes: $12, Sephora

You can't beat this deal with a stick. You get a full-size Big & Healthy Lip Balm in Copacabana (nude) and a deluxe mini Buxom Lash Mascara in Blackest Black. Normally, the balm alone costs $15, so basically, you're getting a $3 discount on the balm, plus a free mascara. Yeah, it's a mini, but it's a good-sized mini that will last you a while. 

Photo Credit: Sephora



Benefit Legally Bronze: $38, Sephora

Another amazing deal here: four full-sized products, and they all work together for a nearly complete look! Hoola bronzer (a $28 value all by itself), BADgal Brown mascara, Gilded highlighter pencil (which works well as a shadow/liner), and High Beam liquid highlighter, all in a cute, reusable makeup bag.



Photo Credit: Sephora



LORAC Elite Collection: $38, Sephora

I picked up a LORAC set once on a whim, and fell in love with the brand. In fact, just this week, I pulled out one of their baked blushes to add to my Summer staples. It makes a fantastic bronzer on my crazy-pale skin. Anyhoo, in this kit you get a blush, three shadows, lip pencil, lip gloss, mascara, and mini eye primer, all in gorgeous neutrals. Everything's full-sized except, obviously, the mini eye primer. If you only like two or three products, you've gotten your money's worth. If you like them all, just add foundation and powder for a complete look. Bonus: comes with a sweet little makeup bag.



Photo Credit: Sephora



Smashbox Beauty Exposed: $39, Ulta

A mix of minis and full-sized products, this is another kit that will give you almost an entire look. You get a palette with five neutral shadows, a mini Photo Finish face primer (which will normally set you back $17 on its own), a pretty pink blush, medium-sized coral gloss, and a brown eyeliner pencil. Fantastic kit for someone just starting out with makeup, or who is interested in trying neutrals.

Photo Credit: Jules Darling

Sephora Favorites Beauty & the Bride: $50, Sephora

This is really the most hit and miss of the bunch, but I still think it's pretty darn awesome. It's a sampler of 11 mostly miniature products (there are a couple of full-sized, though), housed in a "keepsake" box (meh). These are all different brands, but, oddly enough, you could do an almost complete look with what's in here. There is so much stuff, I'm not even going to try to list all of it, but you can click the link for full details. This is also a kit that would be very easily broken up into several small gift sets. 

Photo Credit; Sephora


Have a great weekend, y'all!

Frugal Friday: Urban Decay Rollergirl Palette Review

Seriously, this is all I could find this week. How sad is that?:

E.L.F.: $1.99 shipping on any order $15 or over with code 199SHIP. Exp. 3/26.
Too Faced: Free deluxe Chocolate Soleil Bronzer with any purchase from the new Summer Royalty collection. No code necessary. Exp. 3/31.

Today's Frugal Friday tip/trick is very simple: Don't forget about brand websites.

You see, I have gotten so dependent upon Sephora and Ulta for all my cosmetic needs, that I sometimes forget that my favorite brands have websites, as well. If there's something I want, I check either Sephora or Ulta, and if they don't have it...well, I guess I didn't need it. Except that sometimes I really do need it, like when my favorite foundation was discontinued. Or, I didn't realize I needed it at the time it was available, and now that I've seen umpteen-thousand reviews on it, my life will not be complete without it, like the Urban Decay Rollergirl Palette. When I checked the specialty stores, I was completely out of luck. However, when I surfed on down to the brand sites, and clicked on their pretty, shiny, SALE icons, I found exactly what I needed, and for much lower prices than I normally would have found. In fact, I saved so much on the Rollergirl Palette, that I was able to pick up a set of insanely-reduced 24/7 Shadow Pencils, too, so...SCORE!

(Actually, in all honesty, the foundation was still a no-go. The brand site did still carry it, though, just not in my shade. That said, the shades that hadn't sold out were marked down to a third of their original price. That's crazy.)

The moral of the story is: Always check the brand websites sale sections. You never know what you're going to find, or how cheap it'll be.

Photo Credit: Urban Decay

Now, with that, how 'bout a review of the Rollergirl Palette? I know, I'm a little (okay, a lot) late to the party on this one, since it's been around for a year; but the pricing hasn't been this good up until now, and I'm not made of money. If you're like me, you've held off on purchasing this, and now that it's only (*gasp*) $13.00 (reg. $32), you're seriously considering it. This review is for you. Personally. I hope you feel all nice and special now.

Okay, first off, I'm a palette junkie. I love having everything neatly organized for me in something I can toss in a purse or travel case. Plus, with palettes, you generally get a lot of product for not a lot of money (comparatively speaking, of course). In this case, the combined retail price of each individual item would have been $73.85 (thank you, Temptalia, for doing all that math for me). Even at $32, that's a deep discount.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. What might those individual items be? Glad you asked! You get four full-sized shadows (okay, so a smidgen less because they're square and not round, but it's a negligible difference. It's the same as the Midnight Emergency palette.), a two-thirds-sized 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Whiskey, and a deluxe sample-sized tube of Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Crush.

Packaging: The palette is economically-sized to hold just what it needs to and not take up any extra real estate. There is a small and, unfortunately, fairly useless mirror on the inside of the hinged lid. I guess it's better than nothing, but if they'd skipped it entirely, I wouldn't feel any worse off. The four shadows are lined up inside, with the liner nestled in an crevice underneath. The lip gloss is separate, and can not be enclosed in the palette. The palette, itself, is constructed of an extremely heavy cardboard, opens on a hinge, and closes magnetically. I would not feel safe carrying this in my purse, because at worst it could fall open and the contents could be damaged. At best, the dust from the eyeshadow could coat everything else floating around in my purse. I do think it would be okay in a well-organized travel case, though. The cardboard edges could get dinged up a bit, but the products, themselves, should be fine. The entire palette is decorated in disco-worth metallics, florals, and photos of some bodacious babe in a bikini. She is wearing roller skates, if that helps. 6 out of 10.

Eyeshadows: The products are where the palette pays off. Starting with the eyeshadows, you get: Darkhorse (deep chocolate brown with bronze shimmer), Suspect (bronze shimmer), palette exclusive Verve (shimmering mushroom), and Woodstock (shocking pink shimmer). That's the surprise inside, folks. One of these things is not like the others, and that's Woodstock. I thought there was no way on God's green Earth I could pull that off, but the other colors were so gorgeous that I figured I could deal with one clunker, and maybe it would come in handy on occasion. Guys, that's my new favorite color to wear. It's beyond amazing, and completely wearable, but more on that in a minute. The shadows are, as per usual for UD, wonderfully pigmented and smooth to apply. I am loving that these are shimmers and not glitters, because hot pink fallout is not a good look on anyone, and there's none of that with this. They're just darn fine shadows. Of course, if you already have the Naked Palette or Book of Shadows Vol. III, you really don't need this, as they contain Darkhorse and Suspect (respectively), and Woodstock is part of the permanent collection. If you don't, though, or just like having coordinating shades packaged together, this is fabulous. 8 out of 10.

Eyeliner: I'm in love. More often than not, I opt for brown liner over black, anyway, so I was tickled to see this shade included. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find a pencil liner that applied easily...until this one. It's like butter, y'all. Better still, after several hours of wear in uncomfortably humid weather, it hasn't budged. At all. I'm sold. 10 out of 10.

Lip Gloss: This was another product I was originally concerned about. I've been burned by hot pink lip gloss before, but figured, "what the hey?" Afterall, it was the shadows I was after, anyway. This was just bonus, and I supposed I could let Mom give it a shot if it didn't work out on me.

Sorry, Mom.

In the tube, the gloss is a scarily bright pink. To quote Temptalia, "It’s almost like magenta met bubblegum pink, and then they had a lovechild." When you apply it, though, it's so sheer that you just get a wash of color. It's not a natural flush, but it's not too far off. This is part of the permanent Lip Junkie collection, so you can grab it without getting the rest of the palette. What's funny, though, is it'll cost more that way. Not too sticky, minty, feels smooth and moisturizing, and it plumps lips. This is a really nice gloss. 9 out of 10.

Final Verdict: 8.2 out of 10. Well worth the $13, even if you just want one item out of the group.

Now, I promised that the pink was wearable, didn't I? Well, here's how I did it:

1. Apply Woodstock from lash to crease.

2. Sweep Verve on browbone to highlight.

3. Shade crease and outer corner with Darkhorse for definition.
4. Layer Suspect over Darkhorse and blend outward.
5. Line lower lashes with Darkhorse, and upper lashline with Whiskey.
6. Brush mascara onto upper and lower lashes.

Behold, the cruddiest snapshot ever!!!

Closer for detail:

Please forgive my brows. They have a shaping coming, I promise!

Hope this helps! Have a great weekend!

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.

Recessionistas and Urban Cowboys

I refuse to get into politics on this site (or any other, for that matter), but there's no getting around the fact that the economy has gone down the proverbial toilet. Every penny counts these days, so today's post is brought to you, in part, by savings.com. They have a wonderful list of ways to save and/or reuse old cosmetics and makeup tools. 

1. Use one of your old smaller makeup brushes to clean off nail polish on your skin when doing a manicure. Just dip it in a little bit of acetone and wipe around the edges of your nails.
2. Got a bunch pigments and lipglosses that you don't use anymore? Try blending them together in a small pot to make your own custom colored lipglosses. You can also clean up old lipgloss wands and use them as an applicator.
3. Instead of throwing away old mascara, wash the brushes thoroughly and use them to tame unruly eyebrow hairs or to separate and clumped up eyelashes.
4. Save broken face powders and powder blushes and use them as loose powders. If you've dropped your compact, or even worse it cracks and gets all over your purse, save what's left of it in a small container. As long as you have a brush, you can still use it as loose powder.
5. If your foundation doesn't match your skin tone, you can mix a little bit of it in your moisturizer or body lotion to give it a slight tint. Also, if the foundation is slightly darker than your skin tone, you can use it as a contour shade on your cheek bones to give it some more definition.
6. If you've bought a conditioner that just wasn't cutting it for your hair, keep it on hand to reuse as a shaving cream. It works just as well and moisturizes your skin as you shave.
7. Try using eyeshadow to temporarily touch up roots. Spray your hair with a little bit of hairspray then pat on eyeshadow on the roots. Browns help cover up gray hair and gold, shimmery colors work with blondes.  --From savings.com

Those are brilliant. There also common sense enough to make me kick myself over some of the stuff I've thrown out. 

Alrighty! Today's dip into the old magic bag o' samples brought out Urban Decay's Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Midnight Cowboy. And yes, before you ask, the first thing I thought of was, in fact, John Travolta. 

According to Urban Decay:

Get hooked on shine, without the sticky hangover. Lip Junkie features a soft, luxe texture, stay-put shades and tastes like wedding mints. Addicted yet?
You want a super-shiny gloss, but can't stand the sticky texture, right? Wait till you feel the soft, cushiony texture of this gloss! Lip Junkie stays put longer than other glosses, but never feels gummy or gooey. It comes in a range of pretty amazing shades (if we do say so ourselves), and the color payout is amazing. Take your pick from sheer pretty neutrals, kick-ass brights, or glimmering near-black. And the flavor? Think yummy wedding mints... a sweet mint with a little zing that makes breath feel fresh. 

Photo Credit: Urban Decay

Midnight Cowboy is a neutral beige with a ton of silver sparkle, which gives your lips a frosted nude look. Personally, I love it. I think it's a gorgeous gloss, and one of the few nudes I can actually wear and not look like a cadaver. It's not sticky, but it is a little tacky. I can live with that, but I wouldn't recommend showering your significant other with kisses while you have this on. The gloss is mildly plumping (they recommend a month of daily use for full effectiveness), and has a pleasant, cooling tingle. The vanilla mint flavor is yummy, and helps freshen breath--though not enough to toss out your Tic Tacs. Mine main gripe is that I had trouble with too much coming out of the tube. Granted, this was a sample, but the full-sized tube uses the same application method. All in all, this is a beautiful gloss with some extra perks, and not a bad investment at $19. Available at Urban Decay and Sephora.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10. Nicely nude and sweetly sparkly. 

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

I'm heading to Disney this weekend! This, of course, means that this week will be consumed by packing, planning, and plotting--and a lot of blog-watching. So, today, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite online places for tips, tricks, and gossip. (That, and I'm trying desperately to figure out blogger since they changed it on me...again. Please bear with me.)

For Park News and General Updates, and Overall Best Research Blog: Chip & Co.
This is a fantastic site for the latest on all things Disney. Florida, California, TV, DVD...whatever. If it is in any way involved with The Mouse, it's here. The site is constantly updated, and many posts include video for that "almost in the park" feel. Money- and time-saving advice, along with guides that tackle topics from traveling with tots through attractions for seniors.

*Runner-Up: The Disney Parks Blog
It's, again, a great stop for general information, and very user friendly. It's just, understandably, a little biased, and not so quick to help you save any money.

For Making Home In One Piece and Not Completely Broke: Surviving Disney
Really fun to read blog with great tips for handling the heat, the kids, the lines, and the cost. There are a ton of guest posts, too--including some from *gasp* Disney Cast Members!!--that give the site a community vibe; like we're all in this together.

*Runner-Up: Couponing To Disney
Technically, this is the superior blog. It's extremely well-written, informative, filled with tricks and tips, freebies, and money-saving advice. It's also constantly updated, and the author's Facebook skills are second to none. The only reason it's the runner-up is that you have to wade through posts on couponing. Yes, that's the entire point of that blog, and handled exceptionally well, but if that's not your bag (and it's not mine), you have to dig, somewhat, for all that Disney gold. Fabulous blog, though. I highly recommend it, and urge you to follow on Facebook.

Best Specialty Blog: Studios Central
Whether you can't get enough of Hollywood Studios, or think you've seen all there is to see, this blog will cure what ails you. Pages upon pages of articles, pictures, and updates will show you how the park has changed over the years, the inspirations for every tiny detail (and believe me, there's stuff you'd never have dreamed of!), and where the future of the park is headed. Beware--this site will suck you in, and you can easily lose a day drifting through the archives.

For a Quick Giggle: Disco Yeti
The tag line for this site is: "The Rants and Raves of a Broken-Down Theme Park Yeti. Yes, Really." A couple of years ago, the state-of-the-art yeti animatronic on Expedition: Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom, for lack of a better term, broke. It stopped working in a most unfortunate position, that has left it frozen in an permanent Saturday Night Fever pose. To add insult to injury, a strobe light was added to create the illusion of movement. Poor Disco Yeti. To pass the time, the yeti keeps an insider blog of the shenanigans and goings-on in all of the parks. It's a riot.

Happy Time Wasting!

Right, and Elvis Works At the TCBY On...Oh, Wow!

Since I started writing this blog, I've subscribed to several websites' email lists. It makes research a lot easier when it's delivered daily to your inbox. Of course, sometimes the advice I'm handed makes me, at best, scratch my head, and, at worst, do a double-spit-take right onto the keyboard (sorry, Thomas). That doesn't make it bad advice, though, as I've come to learn. Today, I thought I'd share with you some doozies that I've actually tried and come to love.

1. Apply Moisturizer Over Foundation. Say what? Why on Earth would I do that? Well, for one reason, when warmed up in your hands and patted onto your face, moisturizer softens the look of foundation for a more natural finish. It's also a great way to ensure you remember to actually use that expensive anti-aging cream, or that sunscreen you're so fond of forgetting. Or is that just me?

2. Apply Blush Under Foundation. Surely, you can't be serious! Yes, I can, and don't call me Shirley! I thought that was about the dumbest thing I'd ever heard, but it really works. It creates the effect that the color is coming from within the skin, and not just lying on top. This works especially well with Spring's hot pinks and corals. A word of warning: you may have to apply a little more blush than usual. Someone walking in on you, say, a husband for example, could, I don't know, burst out laughing and ask you what the heck you thought were doing. The term "clown-ho" could be used. This is a purely hypothetical example, of course.

3. Strong Tea Helps Sunburns. Not if you drink it, though. You need to brew up a bathtub-sized amount and have a nice long soak. The tannins in the tea actually draw out the inflammation in your skin and allow the burn to heal faster.

Photo Credit: Sally Beauty

Lastly, I have a neat tip for y'all. Oil treatments aren't exactly a new thing, but here's a quick and easy, cheap one for you. Slather your hair in Argan oil (I like Proclaim Natural 7. $6.99, Sally's) before you shower. I did, and let it sit for about five minutes--the length of one segment on The Early Show (did you know that a white tee and a little black dress are two things every woman should have in her closet? How is this news? Anyway, I digress)--then washed it out, conditioned as usual, blow-dried, and finished with a dab of color-protectant. I have not been able to stop touching my hair. Please note, I didn't heat up the oil at all. For a hot oil deep treatment, set the bottle in hot (not boiling) water for about three minutes, or until heated through.

Bouncy, Trouncy, Flouncy, Pouncy!

Photo Credit:  Walmart

I should really stop attempting these "easy to assemble" projects.  In my defense, how on Earth was I supposed to know that a mini-trampoline would come in pieces, or that those pieces would come with the instructions, "REQUIRES TWO STRONG PEOPLE TO UNFOLD.  ANY ATTEMPTS TO UNFOLD ALONE MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH"?  Death?  By trampoline?  And not from a jumping mishap?  Dear God! 

Of course, I did attempt to unfold the trampoline by myself.  I'm a rebel like that.  Obviously, as I'm not typing from beyond the grave, I didn't die.  I didn't injure myself, either, but I did realize fairly quickly that it was a futile venture.  Thankfully, I have Thomas to help me this evening, but what about people who live alone?  How silly would I feel calling a friend to help me unfold a trampoline?  "Hi, Genna!  I just got the most adorable baby trampoline.  Could you come over and help me unfold it so I don't die?"  Or, "Hi, Mom!  I'm about to try to put together my new itty-bitty trampoline.  If you don't hear from me in the next ten minutes, would you be a dear and call 911?  Thanks!"  By the way, there was no warning of any kind on the box, that I could find.  Surprise!  It's a death trap! 

I will get it assembled tonight.  I'll probably burn more calories trying to open the blasted thing than I will actually jumping on it, but hey, that's a start.  Right? 

This was a Christmas gift from my Mother-In-Law, and it's a darn nice little trampoline.  I was really impressed with the quality, and that was just pulling it out of the box.  It's gotten great reviews, and came with a little exercise DVD.  I can't wait to get started, and I'll be sure to keep you guys informed of any progress.  Hopefully, I'll be better about it than I was the 100 pushup challenge.  That lasted a whole week before time restrictions kept me from being able to do them.   

While we're on the subject, here's a fun little article on the benefits of trampoline exercising.  Apparently, you can burn 30% more calories than you would doing the same workout on solid ground, and the movements are easier on your joints.  Plus, I always wanted one of these things when I was a kid!  Thank you, Carolyn!

And now for something completely different...

I thought I'd give another Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion a try.  Afterall, I did get four in the sampler set.  This time, I experimented with Eden.  (If this seems familiar, you're not crazy.  I reviewed a sample card of this back in August.  Thought it might be nice to revisit.)  According to Sephora:

Eyeshadow Primer Potions from Urban Decay are unmatched in the beauty industry! The genie in these bottles fulfills three wishes: eyeshadow that lasts, more vibrant and lasting color, and absolutely NO creasing. Apply Primer Potion to lids before shadow application and it dries down almost instantly, creating smooth lids that are super-powered eyeshadow magnets. Urban Decay offers several unique shades in their Eyeshadow Primer Potions, but all boast the same unbelievable function. Eden is a matte-finish, tawny hue and gives you a stunning "no makeup" look when worn alone or complements other eyeshadows worn in combination. Packaged in a pretty genie bottle, all these Potions are applied with a magic wand and flocked applicator.

According to me:

I like it.  Eden has a much thicker consistency than either Greed or Sin (a pink champagne hue that's just gorgeous).  In fact, it was so thick that, while I use the applicator for the other shades, I just dabbed this on my lids and used my ring finger to blend the product into my skin.  There was actually enough left over to apply a little under my eyes, as well.  There, it's working to hold my concealer in place, and actually worked as a light concealer by itself.  Also, the color is a nice nude that corrects any discoloration in the lid, to give you a clean canvas to work with.

Once I applied the primer (and I cannot stress enough to NOT use the applicator.  You'll only end up with way too thick a layer) I used an eyeshadow brush to blend on five colors (let's give this stuff a real challenge).  I used a neutral (so I don't look like a hooker with this much eyeshadow) quad from Smashbox that included a very dark brown, just to see if the primer affected blendability.  The shadows went on easily and blended beautifully.  Then I used a soft and shimmery golden brown from Stila just on the lid.  I wanted to see how layers held up, and any fallout from the sparkly shadow would give me a clear answer.  Three hours later, it's still there, and holding like a champ.

All in all, this is a winner.  The product does what it claims, and does it extremely well.  The packaging is adorable, and the price is wonderful ($18-$23, Sephora).  I have noticed with this line that a separate eye makeup remover is necessary to take it all off, but really, that just goes to prove how tough this is.  If you're looking for a good primer, give this a shot.

Oh, one more thing!  Since we're on the subject of eye makeup, here's a quick tip.  You may have already heard of this (and I can't, for the life of me, remember where I first found this), but I was in the middle of doing this today when I thought, "this is genius!  I need to share it!"

This is so easy, if you haven't heard about it, you'll probably kick yourself for not thinking of it yourself.  I know I did.  You know how mascara loves to clump up sometimes?  Even the best mascara has its off days.  Instead of using a clumsy eyelash comb, the easier (and better) route is to go with a clean, dry mascara wand.  When you run out of mascara, take the wand, clean it with eye makeup remover, and put it in your brush case.  When your mascara clumps, let it dry for a minute or so, then swipe the clean wand through your lashes.  Voila!  No more clumps, and perfectly separated lashes.  I prefer to swipe from above, twirling the wand slightly.  That seems to work the best, and keeps the curl.  So, there you go.  Problem solved!

What To Wear? What To Wear?

Well, folks, we're only three days away (two, if your town is celebrating on Saturday) from Halloween! Has everybody got a costume?

Yeah, that's what I thought...slackers.

I'm expecting to see a run on the Halloween stores tonight and tomorrow. Now, I have nothing against store-bought costumes. They're worlds more convenient than trying to piece one together from the thrift stores, or (God forbid) actually sewing one. Lord, I have vivid memories of watching my poor mother try to follow my five year-old self's instructions for making a Snow White costume ("Sew good, Mama"), and of how sweet and appreciative I was when the darned thing was finished ("The colors are backwards! The yellow's supposed to be on the bottom!"--Mom's answer: "You're Snow White after she married the prince. You changed clothes." Bless her. I totally bought that.)

No, store-bought costumes can be great timesavers, and I'll save you my soap-box rant on the prevalence of "slutty " costumes. However, if you're not feeling up to braving the party stores on Halloween weekend, or just have the notion to put together a costume yourself, I have some ideas and a few tips for you.

Bella Swan
For the Twi-hards, or any mom who's kids insist she dress up for trick-or-treating. Plaid shirt, blue jeans, headband, pensive look. Add a little light, natural-looking makeup and you're done. Very easy, very on-trend. Now, a variation:

Freaked-Out Horror Movie Babysitter
From any horror movie. They're all pretty much identical. You can wear the exact. same. costume. as the one above, but rip a sleeve (optional, but recommended) and add a little fake blood* here and there. If you're feeling daring, undo a couple of buttons and wear a lacy camisole under the plaid shirt. Then, just practice your best Scream Queen wail and you're all set.

Edward Cullen
Yeah, you have a cute boyfriend/husband/bff. Good for you. White t-shirt, black leather jacket, dark jeans, and a ton of hair product and glitter. Actually, for the pompadour, I recommend backcombing a bit, then use L'Oreal Professionnel Artec Textureline Texture Spray instead of gel. This costume (minus the glitter) also works well for a T-Bird or The Fonz, or you can add a fake stake and let the world know how you really feel.

Fresh Zombie
If you have scrubs, this is the easiest costume ever. You're not undead enough to have any decomp or ripped clothing. Dab dark blue-gray eyeshadow around your eyes, in the hollows of your cheeks, and on your lips. Add a little fake blood* (wherever you deem appropriate), and if possible, a hospital wristband.

Barista
This is my favorite, actually. Black shirt, black or khaki pants, green apron. Carry a Starbucks cup (preferably a fresh one filled with yummy coffee goodness). Easy peasy.

Now, there is some degree of danger in choosing to go the homemade route. It's entirely possible that you might have to spend the whole night explaining who you are, the costume could be insanely uncomfortable, etc. Case in point: my little brother wanted to be Snake Plisken from Escape from New York last year. Thomas was beyond thrilled. We got him some Army green cargo pants, a black t-shirt, an eye patch, and the best possible wig we could find. Well, right before we left to trick-or-treat, someone (I shall not say who) mistook him from the back for a girl. Oh, Lord. Well, the wig went out the window right then and there, but he kept the rest of the costume--cargo pants, black shirt, eye patch and HUGE squirt gun. No one knew what the heck he was supposed to be. He didn't know what he was supposed to be. I think we settled on Modern Day Pirate, but mostly ended up with a lot of, "Oh, look! We have a princess...and a police officer...and a...um...well, aren't you creative..." I'd like to say he learned, but this year he says he's going as a lawn ornament. *Sigh*

The New York Times has a really sweet piece on costume mishaps here. If any of you have some you'd like to share, I'd love to read about them in the comments. Come on...I showed you mine.

*If you're worried about the fake blood on some of these costumes, don't. I've got you covered. All you have to do is make your own. In a small bowl, mix light karo syrup with a few drops of red food coloring and a small amount of cocoa powder. The entire recipe is subject to how dark or red you want it, so there are no set measurements for anything. You are completely in control. Now, here's the secret: add a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap to the mix. Believe it or not, that will keep the blood from staining your clothes. Seriously. I would not lie to you. When you're finished with the costume, toss it in the washer as usual, and the blood will come out. If it will make you feel better, add a Tide Power Booster or pre-treat with some Oxy.

If you are using greasepaint with your costume, pre-treating with Oxy and adding a Tide Power Booster will take out most stains. I've washed so many zombie costumes from The Night Shift, I could write a book on greasepaint stains.