Advice from a Blogger

Advice from a Blogger

So I've been blogging for a little while now and I thought I would just weigh in a little on the subject.

Now I know I'm on the newer side and this hasn't exactly hit the big times yet (hopefully soon, post to come on that too), but I will tell you what- I've learned some things.

Don't go into this thinking you're going to be rich, famous, or successful.

-Because odds are, you won't be. 

I didn't go into this thinking I would get popular. In fact, I went into blogging because I love trying out products and I love telling people about them. Eventually people I really knew and respected were saying things like, "How do you even know that? Are you researching? I've never heard of that!"

And I was like, "If you don't know what this is, DOES ANYONE?"

And then I started writing. To be fair a lot of what I want to do is still being held up either by my lack of real cameras, or lack of editing skills (and programs)- or frankly the lack of my own computer. (Roger and I are sharing and it's tedious to say the least).

So my advice: Start writing because you have a voice and something to say, not because you think you can eventually get famous. Even bloggers and youtubers aren't "famous", they're just known well in a community.

Be consistent.

-Because people will eventually read your blog, and they want to see new content.

You don't have to keep a rigorous posting schedule, but that's what a lot of people do and they have success. 

At this point in my life, I'm doing a lot of stuff, and posting on certain days is hard for me. Eventually though it'll fall into a 3-4 times a week category. 

Try a lot of stuff.

It doesn't matter if you're into beauty or travel, or whatever. Trying things is what makes you and your writing interesting. I've done makeup training, eyelash extensions, about a million mascaras, foundations, clothing lines, ordering online,and tried a million different hair colors and products.

What makes me interesting is the fact that I've tried so many different things, and my strength is being able to compare them so I can tell you what's important.

So try stuff.

And then talk about it, and talk a lot.

Blogging isn't the end all be all.

-because it isn't and it especially won't be for me.

In the course of my short blogging career I managed to get my cosmo license, my hunters safety license, I got a job at a salon, I'm working full time, I travel quite a bit, I ride horses for fun, I make and sell jewelry, and eventually I will probably start doing stuff like cowboy mounted shooting and sky diving.

Don't let your life be defined by your job. You're a blogger and that's just something you do.

This day was stressful and crazy.

This one was easy and fun.

Blogging is not glamorous.

Does this look glam to you?

Blogging is mostly trying out new products.

And it's disgusting and fun.

But, your skin will begin to go crazy and you will probably have some acne flare-ups. SORRY, I'M JUST TRYING TO WARN YOU.

Your drawers will begin to overflow to the point where you actually start buying furniture to accommodate the makeup habit you are supporting.

Your mom will start saying things when you buy makeup like, "Is this for work or for you?" And you genuinely won't know the answer.

Your boyfriend will move into the guest bathroom because there is no room for his stuff.

But a lot of blogging is trying to come up with ideas and then sitting down to actually form opinions on stuff- and it's difficult! You eventually hit a wall where you can't really form words and then you end up slipping for about a week before someone says, "You blogging anymore?" and then you start sorting your shit out again.

Vicious cycle man.

I hate to say it but if you want to blog about makeup, you're going to end up spending a lot of money on makeup.

I was lucky enough that I had some stuff to write about for awhile, but now it's getting to the point where I'm hitting the end of my stash and I've been restocking my loot. 

And let me ruin your world right now- You really can't make a blog career out of blogging only about drugstore stuff.

You can't.

I don't care what you say.

You can HAVE a lot of drugstore stuff but eventually you run out of stuff because the things at the drugstore worth talking about only go so far. Eventually you will have to start bumping up to the department stores.

And let me crush your dreams right now:

Say goodbye to your birthday and Christmas gifts because at this department store level of buying, you're going to be asking your relatives for the newest latest and greatest palettes. You will blow your holiday gifts on getting makeup for reviewing so you don't end up wasting your own money.

And it is a tough blow.

Don't be held back because you think you have nothing to say.

Odds are, it's not true- but you are probably focusing on a subject that isn't right for you.

What do you know the most about?

What things have you tried?

What do you get excited about when you're talking to your friends?

For me it's makeup and just generally stuff I'm doing. The most popular things I do are my "You Too Can Do's" and my "Day in the Life" posts. They're silly and fun but my friends loved it and it gained some popularity while I was in school.

I know a few people who want to blog and end up pigeon holing themselves. Just because you're a hairstylist doesn't mean you have to only talk about hair, and just because you're fashionable doesn't mean you need to only talk about clothes.

And don't ever be held back because you think you have nothing to say. Sometimes sitting down to write about a product starts slow and you end up gaining a lot of momentum. My posts half the time start with me not knowing what to say.

But here's what I ask myself when I'm writing (especially reviews):

Did I like this?

Would I recommend this to my friends?

Would I really recommend it for someone who isn't like me- oily skin, darker tones, etc?

Is it worth the price tag?

Do I have anything similar to this? And how does it compare?

Does it live up to the hype?

Does it live up to the descriptions written by the company?

Usually once you answer those, the review is ok and then it's up to you to really push it over the line. That's what makes some blogs stronger than others.

And don't be afraid of your voice- otherwise you'll never post anything. 

I'm notoriously rough around the edges, my jokes are corny, and my passion is literally makeup. And I am a makeup nerd. I get legitimately excited talking about new products from small makeup companies no one has heard about.

I'm very proud of those facts about myself.

And if you want my personal advice- this is how I write.

1) Write the post, don't stop til it's completely done.

2) Re-read it ONLY ONCE and only change something like spelling or grammar. DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING. Leave it all there.

3) Post.

4) Re-read it again after a week and if you don't like it after then- delete it. 

(I should not I've never deleted a post).

The more you edit a post and tinker around with it, the less genuine it becomes and at that point you might as well be a tv show- it's so scripted.

One of my friends gave me some good advice that I think is pretty great when it comes to blogs.

If you google something, you should write about it. Chances are, if you're looking for something- someone else is too. 

Why else would my RCMA foundation post get almost 700 views?

(Btw that is my favorite blog post that I've done so far and it shows. I was very passionate about sharing my discovery and readers really enjoyed it, I think.)

-SamanthaK

Review Time: CK One Color Mascara aka some weird mascara made by scientists

Review Time: CK One Color Mascara aka some weird mascara made by scientists

This is by far one of the weirder mascara's I've attempted to review.

Now you know me, I'm a mascara junkie and I like trying them out and I normally have 2 or 3 tubes on my constant rotation so of course when Ulta sent me a birthday email saying, "Hey, February Birthday Customer, come in and get a free full size mascara", I was like- yes.

So when they gave me my CK mascara, I was actually really excited. A lot of primarily fashion brands are starting to expand into the cosmetic market- Michael Kors, Burberry, and Calvin Klein (CK). I've heard a million wonderful things about the Burberry line in particular but it's also pretty expensive so that may not happen until I get a really great job that supports my cosmetic junkie habits. (Or until Burberry sees this and attempts to send me stuff- Hi Burberry! I hope you like my blog!)

Ok, so lets discuss this mascara for a second.

Retail: $18.00 (Ulta)

Color I got: Show (true black)

Colors offered: Show (true black), Confess (soft black), Attract (brown), Trip (violet), Electrify (blue)

Claims: 1) Features a precision curved brush. 2) Shapes, lifts, and amplifies every lash. 3) Keeps lashes supple. 4) Ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested. 5) Safe for contact wearers.

Packaging: The tube itself is actually kind of rubbery on the outside, which I like. It doesn't slide around in my hand when I'm applying (like, assume I have lotion on or something). And the rounded top and bottom actually give it a distinct shape where if I was rooting around for it, I would know it just by feel, which again is something I actually like in a product. 

So here's where I got super confused.

I was looking at the tube and it had a sticker on top that said, "remove to twist". I think I stared at it for like 5 minutes because the sticker wasn't on the part where the top/wand would untwist, it was at the very tip. 

Again, after removing the sticker, I stared at it again. 

"So...twist the top?"

I twisted it back and forth and it moved and I could feel a clicking but nothing really happened. 

So I pulled the whole wand out and then tried it and THEN SCIENCE HAPPENED.

So here's the first wand. Pretty normal, no big deal. It's a curved brush and it's a pretty standard rubber bristle brush.

Then you twist the bottom.

AND THE WHOLE WAND EXPANDS. LIKE WHO EVEN?! The whole brush untwists itself to grow roughly the size of the Benefit BADgal mascara brush but it's thinner. Basically the whole curved brush shape itself is just because it's twisted and shortened. I can't even. Scientists be crazy.

So basically there's 3 mascara wands- the short version is only curved on 2 sides and straight on the others, so you have a normal mascara wand and a curved wand. The long version has the length and skinny-ness on it's side, so you can get a lot done at once, or build up the middle and outer corners on the second layer.

All in all, it's pretty impressive.

If your eye was normal.

My eyes are not only deep set in general, but also smaller than they technically should be. So the bigger wand was sort of difficult when it came to maneuvering (for my personally). For reference when the mascara is fully extended it's the length of my entire eye. Yeah, it's a lot.

Lets talk about the application.

Like I've said before, my lashes are less than ideal. The deep set eyes make it look like my lashes are kind of hidden, but they are also short and blonde.

Also, in these pictures I am wearing liner- but you can still see there's nothing going on in the lash department.

I kinda hate posting these pictures, BUT THEY ARE FOR YOU GUYS.

 So the application itself was a little bit of a learning curve. 

I pretty much just went to town with the large brush and tried to do a good first coat just with that shape.

All in all, not bad. I can see a difference, for sure. I definitely got some crazy volume but not really too much length.

So when I twisted the wand down into it's curved shape and used that for the second coat and to get the outer and inner areas.

(I used the long shape for the bottom lashes. It works, for some reason. I don't know, science.)

So I can definitely tell it made a difference. I mean, really with my blonde lashes anything makes a difference.

I will say this though, the formula is really great. It's damp, but not wet, dry but not mousse-y and crackly. I really liked this.

As for wear through the day, it's pretty solid. I didn't notice any running or panda eyes- which is pretty normal for me so that's saying something about the staying power. I even got a little water on it and it wasn't budging. I actually got a few complements when I was wearing it, so I'm gonna gauge this mascara as a looker.

The removal.

This is where I get a little worried when it comes to this mascara. If you've worn it for awhile, like through the day (or all night because you forgot to wash your face like I did) the removal is a little sketchy.

My face wash removes eye makeup really well and it's very gentle, but I usually give the makeup a head start by using warm water and kind of splashing my face a bit. So usually what I do for mascara is get my fingers wet and then rest them on my eyes to sort of melt the mascara down a bit. 

This mascara doesn't really melt, in fact it turns into a million pieces and flakes off.

I don't even... is this science? I can't imagine a contact wearer being remotely ok with this. I mean, none of the pieces got in my eye and honestly I wouldn't have noticed it had I not seen a couple flakes under my eye after I had cleansed and dried off.

It was sort of crazy, I won't lie.

The first couple times I wore it, it was only for maybe most of the day (9 hours? maybe?) and when I went to remove it was stubborn but it melted ok with just a few flecks. So maybe it was just the really long hours that made it react like that.

So, if you're going to remove this, maybe do the makeup wipe or remover first to give it a hard hitting punch before going in with cleanser. I didn't notice my lashes like, breaking or anything but better safe than sorry.

So here's my final thoughts.

Do I like this mascara? Yes.

Does it live up to it's claims? Pretty much, except I have reservations on that contact lens wearer thing. I would make sure you take your contacts out before washing your face or something. Those lenses are expensive, you don't need them getting ruined from a mascara.

Is it worth the price tag? Kinda, but I also think you can find really great mascaras at the drugstore for 10 dollars less. Paying for this mascara is paying for the packaging, let's be honest. However, 3 mascara wands in one tube is pretty great, especially considering there's a lot of different eye shapes out there. And remember, the formula is actually really great, so even though you're paying $18, you're getting a really nice mascara you will probably love.

Will I buy again? Actually, yeah. I think I might. I usually try to keep a really great mascara on retainer while I try others out so that way if I hate something I'm not totally stuck. And Ulta has a really great rewards system so I can build up points and take 3 or 4 bucks off by the time I would need to repurchase in a couple months.

Is the crazy wand set up worth it or is it all hype? Honestly, for me it's a bit of hype BUT I also have a eye set up that is problematic for pretty much every mascara wand in the universe. The curved brush is pretty great though and I love having the slim, longer version for under my eye- so maybe it's not total hype. It serves a purpose.

So if your birthday is in February and you're an Ulta member, or if you just really want to try out something new, go check out this mascara.

If nothing else, you can use it to show to people and they'll think you're like this amazing person for knowing about cool, weird, science-y makeup.

-SamanthaK

Review Time: MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer and Fluidline Eye-liner Gel

Review Time: MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer and Fluidline Eye-liner Gel

So once my horrible nightmare ended (aka, I passed State Board) my mom took me to the Napa outlets as a treat. Now, I don't know if you know this but the outlets that frequent around California are designed to change stores or what they carry based on the demographic in the area. The one by Gilroy that I frequent has a Cosmetic Company Outlet, but it's normally not super great. At least, really it only carries a few cosmetic lines and usually all of the old promo/seasonal stuff which seems to go pretty quickly.

So when I went to the Napa store, I was pretty surprised. They had a ton of seasonal stuff from loads of different seasons and, actually, a ton of permanent stuff. In hindsight, I should have gotten more stuff, but I was too busy spending my money on new clothes (haul soon to come, don't worry).

So I ended up getting the Studio Sculpt Concealer and a fluidline in the color Dark Envy (a fluidline from the MAC me over collection). 

Packaging: 

Typical to MAC, both of these are in the twist top containers, making my life annoying as hell. I do like the fluidline in this container though, it doesn't bother me that gels come in a little tub. However, the concealer in a jar in annoying. It's really annoying. If I want to keep this all hygenic, I have to scoop some out every single time and work from a different surface. 

Now I'm sure a lot of you would just stick your finger in the pot and I totally would too, and probably will later but a lot of the time, I take half of something I buy and put it in my Japonesque palette and then use the rest just for myself. It's a way to build up my kit without totally depriving myself of cool new stuff.

 The concealer:

 So as a reference, I'm an NC15 which I wouldn't say matches me as well as maybe my Kett stuff but it's pretty dang close.

So the consistency is strange, I will say that. It's quite creamy and a bit tacky and when it's applied to the skin it stays a tiny bit luminous. 

So side note: I've been having horribly dry skin lately to the point where my whole face is flaky and annoying and driving me crazy despite the fact that pretty much nothing has changed in my routine. So when it comes to makeup, a lot of my dryer or mousse formulas are starting to look pretty bad- which is why I bought this concealer in the first place. It has the pigment and power of the MAC concealers but it's a lot creamier and doesn't attach itself to dry patches and make them look a million times worse.

Pros: luminous, pigmented, looks more like actual skin when applied, layers easily for more coverage, kind of sticky so my eye shadows stay put if I put a tiny layer on my lids, and SUPER great for dry skin.

Cons: MUST set this with a powder of some kind, especially if you use it under the eyes, and you'll probably have to do 2 thin layers over really dark spots or hormonal acne like mine. Also, this is not very oily skin friendly.

A cool trick:

So I loved the fact that the concealer was a bit luminous and wasn't too clingy (like a good boyfriend) and I had recently found my MAC Fix+ spray and I was like... hey, someone told me once that you could thin out cream foundations with it to make something more sheer and I was like...

"Imma do that."

So I did when I got home and the results were pretty good actually. I mean, am I a flawless woodland elf creature, no- but I look pretty dang good for the amount of stress and hormone acne I've acquired. (CUTE, RIGHT?!)

How to do it:

Scoop out some concealer (or foundation or whatever you're using that's too thick) onto a tray or something you can mix on. (Plastic artists trays are great for this, or you can splurge on the good stuff 

like this: http://www.musebeauty.pro/esum-pro-palette-and-spatula.aspx )

Spray your Fix+ onto the concealer and start mixing with your spatula or brush or sponge.

I used my beauty blender, which you can also find on Muse Beauty Pro's page:

http://www.musebeauty.pro/beauty-blender-2-pack.aspx 

I think Sephora sells them in a single pack for like 20 bucks, so I would just say pay the extra 10 and have 2)

Once it's mixed, it'll look a bit thinner and then you can start directly applying it to your skin. Depending on how much liquid you used will dictate how sheer your product is. You can always mix in more liquid or more concealer to make the look you like.

Keep in mind though, this concealer in particular is creamy and dewy, so if you want something more matte I would try a different product or just set the whole thing with powder.

The picture above, FYI, is something close to a light-medium coverage and then I followed up with the concealer straight up for spots and under the eye.

This is a trick I love if you're traveling somewhere and you don't have room for all your makeup stuff- or if you're getting on a plane you could take this, a travel size Fix+ and a sponge and you won't get in trouble.

The liner:

This is not my first gel liner I've ever had, but it is my first fluid line and I will say- this is pretty nice.

The color itself is very pretty when swatched. It's kind of a forest green without all the bells and whistles. There's no glitter or metallic frost, it's just a cool way to use a liner like a black one without actually using black. (A great idea for people who are scared to try new colors.

Sheered out the color is more true to form in the pot but once you apply to the eye, it ends up looking sort of black from far away. (Up close, you can tell what's up.)

Pros: Applies like a gel- creamy and easy, it's easy to remove but it doesn't smudge all day, works with pretty much every liner brush I've tried so far.

Cons: One layer is so sheer it looks like my swatch so to make it nice and deep you have to do a couple layers.

A cool trick:

A lot of people online say that the fluidlines are prone to drying out quickly for some reason.

Make sure you close the lid all the way down when you're done and store the whole container upside down. Sometimes the moisure will settle to the bottom and dry out the top, so continuously having it upside down will keep it towards the top and the bottom is protected from it's own packaging.

Also, try stirring it with a spatula, if it's still dry, add a little bit of eye drops to bring it back to life.

Hope you guys enjoyed this, I forgot how fun reviews are.

-SamanthaK

Things About Makeup That Irritate Me

Things About Makeup That Irritate Me

I love watching youtube videos. I do. I spend a lot of time watching a handful of makeup artists and "gurus" on youtube to get ideas or see reviews on stuff that I'm interested in.

So when I was watching a favorite youtuber of mine, (Emily Noel, check her out, she's awesome) she mentioned something about foundation packaging that irritated her and I totally connected with that. And really, when I thought about it, there's a lot of things about makeup and the people connected to makeup that absolutely drive me crazy.

SO HERE WE GO:

Foundation Bottles With No Pumps

What. The. Hell. Who would even make a bottle for foundations without the pump? 

First of all, super unsanitary. Unless you wash your hands vigorously every time before you use it maybe, but even then you're still touching your face and then going back to the bottle.

Also, don't even try to tell me "just pour it on the back of your hand first" because that's just as unsanitary and also, super wasteful.

Ever pour foundation on your hand first? You ALWAYS end up with left over product. 

Always. 

Unless you're some kind of voodoo witch and in that case- I don't trust you.

Companies Who Sponsor People Not Suited to their Brand

Pantene routinely sponsors "regular girls".

Um. You are a hair brand, I should hope you at least tried to contact the hair stylists on youtube/blogs first. 

Otherwise, wtf.

Makeup Products with Crazy Long Names.

NYX- Slide On, Glide On, Always a Turn On Waterproof Extreme Shine Eyeliner.

Urban Decay- Naked Skin Ulta Definition Liquid Makeup.

Maybeline- Eye Studio Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner

Just stop, seriously. This is annoying.

Palettes from the Same Company that Overlap Colors

Urban Decay, I'm talking to you.

In almost every single palette you include Half Baked.

I get it, it's gold and shiny and fun and most people like it- but so help me. I think I literally half 8 pans of Half-Baked now. Stop it. Seriously. I don't need nearly enough gold to make it worth it.

Companies That Make Packaging so User-Unfriendly

Palettes that don't fit in drawers.

Bottles that are too bulky and take up room in my travel bag.

Eyeshadow packaging that is so strange it wont all line up in a drawer nicely.

FOUNDATIONS WITHOUT PUMPS.

Eyeshadow primers with applicators that don't actually reach all the product in the bottle and you get really mad cause you're like, "I paid 20 dollars for this!" and then you end up hulk smashing the bottle open and scraping it out and sticking it in a container and when people are like, "what's that?" you're like, super embarrassed to say what happened and WHAT YOU DID, BECAUSE YOU ARE A SAVAGE.

And as a side note, here's what bothers me the most...

People Who Call Themselves Makeup Artists Who Only Do Makeup On Themselves

I'm talking to you, girls on youtube. 

I'm talking to you, girls from my school.

I'm talking to you, girls who do their cousin's makeup for prom.

No.

Stop it.

Unless you are trained in client safety, unless you took classes on sanitation, and frankly- UNLESS YOU GET PAID, you are not a professional.

Don't even test me.

This subject makes me so mad- especially the whole youtube scene.

People like Pixiwoo, NikkiTutorials, etc- those are real makeup artists. They get paid and make their living from doing makeup, or teaching at makeup academies. They understand not double dipping or working from a palette. They get that half of the battle is sanitation. And they do makeup ON OTHER FACES. (Sure, they are the main subject, usually, but they bring in people all the time).

If you are someone who started doing tutorials on yourself, from your own stuff that you don't sanitize, have never worked a gig in your life, and somehow got youtube famous and maybe even sponsored- you better not even remotely call yourself a makeup artist. Don't even. You make me mad. How dare you.

And let me be honest, yes I still watch youtube videos from girls I wouldn't classify as makeup artists and here's why:

They never call themselves makeup artists.

Emily Noel for example: She does hands down some of the best review videos around. She's thorough, and fun to listen to. She does a tooooon of makeup looks on video but I don't think in the, whatever, 6 years she's been on youtube she's ever called herself a makeup artist. 

And I like the honesty.

And lets say you're new and the odds are you're working for free for a little while- if you've never applied makeup to a face that is not yours AND YOU DON'T EVER WANT TO- just switch careers and stop bugging me.

SO THERE YOU GO,

-SamanthaK

January Favorites, Current Loves, and Not so Current Loves

January Favorites, Current Loves, and Not so Current Loves

It just occurred to me that some of my favorite you tube videos to watch and blogs to read are current loves, monthly favorites, and finally hearing bloggers talk trash on products that suck. WHY IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME TO DO THESE, I WILL NEVER KNOW.

Let's get down to business.

(To defeat the huns.)

Jan Fav's and Current Loves

L'Bri- Rejuvenating Facial Peel

I don't know what kind of crazy scientific lab this came from but I am eternally grateful. Here's the deal with my skin- on a normal everyday basis it is dry and peels. I DON'T KNOW WHY EXACTLY other than I know I have dry dehydrated skin and no matter how much water I drink it doesn't seem to change a whole lot. Other than the summer time (for which my skin becomes normal but acne prone), my skin just looks like a snake shedding it's skin. GROSS, YOU'RE WELCOME.

So when it comes to exfoliating the dead skin off, not a lot of things work for me. Mechanical exfoliants (IE scrubs you have to actually scrub in) usually are too irritating or scratchy and end up doing more damage than anything. Chemical exfoliants tend to help a lot but I am generally pretty wary of the peels they do in say, doctors offices and such. THOSE ARE A LITTLE MUCH. So L'Bri made a pretty interesting product- you spread a thin layer over your clean and dry face (avoiding your eyes, c'mon, use your common sense), wait about 20-30 seconds, and then with dry hands start to rub your face in small circles (like you would with a normal scrub). THIS STUFF LITERALLY SHEDS THE SKIN FOR YOU. The dead skin starts to ball up and then you rinse it off with water the flakiness is gone. As scary as it sounds though, it's incredibly gentle and doesn't leave your face totally red and irritated. 

(As an FYI, L'Bri is a really cool company and you can buy samples of their skin sets to try out without shelling out big bucks. I have yet to not like anything I've tried.)

Dior- Rouge Dior Couture Colour Voluptuous Care Lipstick in Prune Daisy

I hate when companies give lipsticks some crazy long names.

Rant aside, this favorite kind of snuck up on me towards the end of the month here. I can't believe how flattering this color is. I'm beginning to wonder if the formula color is cool and the shimmer is warm to create a neutral because every person that's tried this seems to look amazing in it. 

And as for the formula itself- it's really nice. It's incredibly comfortable and it pretty much stays put. I will say though, it's not long-wearing- like it's not gonna get you through a burger, don't be getting ideas.

However, I will say this about it- when it wears off- IT ALL WEARS OFF. Every time I wore this lippie, I've never noticed like a darker ring to the outside of the lip, or that it only wore off in the center. It kind of all comes off about the same time. This actually works as a pro for me. I hate the ring of lipliner or lipstick without the center filled in. I hate it a lot. So when this wore down and actually looked like a lip stain- I was very excited. (Plus I paid good money for this, it better look nice all the time. The end.)

Dior- Addict eau de parfum

I can't even. I can't. 

This is like the nicest perfume I've ever owned. I get complements about it every time I wear it and generally people can't get enough of it. I can't explain what is is. I think it's just that the scent is such a strange mix and no one really owns it so it smells new and exciting.

I know this is one of the pricier perfumes on the market, but I'm telling you- I am a Dior convert. I think it's worth the price tag. 

Hot Tools- Professional 20 piece hot rollers

What kind of chump am I? Seriously? I have been slaving over my head with a curling iron for years and it never occurred to me to buy and use a hot roller set. 

My mom actually has the same version of this set from the 80's or 90's that still works as an FYI.

Now I know a lot of you are looking at this like it's some kind of artifact I found in a museum. Yes, it has no velvet or velour and the clips are just those little prongs- but honestly those hot rollers have never worked on me or anyone else I've used them on. The velvet has no grip and they slide off pretty easily and the big claw clips leave huge dents. They are just tough to work with and frankly- ain't nobody got time for that.

I love that these grip onto the hair and I actually like having the mix of sizes because it creates a more natural look. Plus, I have some wiggle room in terms of styling. Do I want tighter curls? Do I want waves?

I just have more options with this. And I found them online for like 30 bucks, so not a bad deal.

Plus, oh man, how nice is it to set your whole head in like 10 minutes and then walk away AND DO SOMETHING ELSE. All I have to do at the end is shake them out. I can't even... I'm an idiot for not using these on myself sooner.

Paul Mitchell- Awapuhi Wild Ginger Keratin Intensive Treatment

Ok, so, I'm officially back to blonde. With the intense amount of lightening I've been doing, I've been really strict about my hair products lately. I normally use my Awapuhi Shampoo and Conditioner and then every 2 or 3 washes I switch it up with a clarifying shampoo to make sure I remove the keratin buildup.

ANYWAY, I remembered I had this after my It's a 10 hair mask ran out and frankly, I kind of forgot how nice it is. You apply it all over your hair about once a week and it has to sit on the hair 3-5 minutes. (Really by the time you wash, shave your legs, etc, you're good to go). If you want something more intense though, I've applied this all over and then wrapped it up in a shower cap and left it on while I made coffee, or checked emails and whatever. I think I rinsed it out about 15 minutes after I applied it and it made my hair sooooooooooo soft. I can't even begin to say how nice it felt- especially after abusing my hair with lightener.

The whole Awapuhi line is pretty great and as most of you know I love the styling products- but just be sure to use a clarifying shampoo here and there to start fresh- otherwise you'll end up with a keratin buildup and your hair can start snapping. (Been there, done that).

Just Getting my Nails Done

I don't know what really prompted it but I really just needed pampering for myself. A lot of people comment on it, asking if I did it myself.

No. 

Not in a million years.

First of all, acrylic is hard enough for me with my dominant hand but my left hand is close to completely useless. There's no way I could do it myself. 

And look, I know I could paint my own nails. I agree that I'm spending money on something I could do myself.

But do chefs stop going out to eat just because they became a chef?

No. 

And honestly, it's just nice to have someone else take care of something for you.

Plus, I get to hang out with my friend Kristine and gossip and generally act dumb. IT'S FUN FOR ME.

31 Bags

I can't believe how much I've used these in the past month of so. I feel like I've been living out of them. They came with me to Disneyland, F airfield, Napa, sleepovers, parties, just using them to organize my purse....

They are so handy and I never thought I'd use them that often. I pretty much thought it would be a travel only thing but they're just handy in general. 

Especially for stuff like when your mom calls you for a manicure and you need something to stash all your polishes in.

I'm glad my mom thought you get them in a few different sizes because I've pretty much used every single size at some point.

Not so Current Loves

I haven't really encountered a lot of products I didn't like this month, but there are a few things I genuinely hate at the moment.

Studying for State Board

If I have to look at that test book one more time, I might actually go crazy and start storming the neighborhood with a doll head in each hand.

I can't even, you guys.

But I really don't have much longer to wait, thank God. I don't want everyone to know the date but suffice it to say, I'll be working in February.

People who are so into things to a point that it makes everyone else go crazy

Football fans, girls who believe in astrology, people who post inspirational poster after poster, and generally anyone else who becomes obsessive over something insignificant.

I do not need you spitting out hateful words or cluttering up my facebook feed with your crazy. I do not care about how slutty you are but "It's ok, I'm a Virgo! It explains EVERYTHING". And I do not care how anyone else is a pansy because they don't like the 49-ers but when your team loses you say HORRIBLE things instead of admitting that every team has an off game. 

And so help me, if I see one more picture of a sunset with a quote like, "Everyone comes with baggage- find someone to help you unpack", I'm going to delete EVERYONE and I will enjoy facebook with the other people who post pictures of My Little Pony and comment on each other's pictures saying supportive things like, "Hey bro! I love this picture. I miss you! We should hang out next Thursday."

Because you know what? I am free next Thursday, and I do want to hang out.

-SamanthaK

Review Time: The Most Amazing Lipstick Ever

Review Time: The Most Amazing Lipstick Ever

We all remember the Golden Globes blog post where I sang my praises to Jennifer Lawrence and her Dior lipstick right?

Here's a reminder.

Gorg, right?

Ok, so the lipstick she's wearing is by Dior and it's called "Prune Daisy" (appealing, I know).

True to form- I got obsessed with the idea of having it but I was like, "Samantha, no. You can find a dupe of it no problem".

So I scoured the internet, I went into my personal stash of lippies, and I even walked down the isles of CVS and Walgreens only to find out that there isn't a dupe. Not really anyway.

You can probably get close to the color and maybe even the finish- but the actual lipstick in person is way different.

The color on Jennifer Lawrence is a strange thing because it morphs in natural and artificial lights. So when I went to look at the color in person I was like- "oh, this is why I had trouble."

Now you know me- expensive makeup better be the best thing since sliced bread if I'm going to buy it. And for the hefty price tag of $34 dollars for a lipstick, I was like- it better do my taxes.

I sucked it up and I bought it. Honestly, it's a good kit expansion for me anyway because I genuinely didn't have a color like that and I knew it would look good on me because it was a cool color and it wasn't too deep.

You guys, I am so happy I bought it.

I will say this though, I expected the actual tube to be metal. I'm not sure why. I guess because when I've bought Clinique lippies they've come in a solid metal tube and I THINK I just associate luxury with metal? WHATEVER.

I tried to swatch it lighter and then heavier so you could get an idea of the actual undertones and bases.

So here's the thing- in heavy yellow light like on JLaw, it turns slightly brownish, but in person it's quite raspberry. And not only that, there's actually glitter in the lipstick. Now, again, you know I'm not the biggest glitter fan- but it's not chunky in the slightest and the formula itself is incredibly smooth and the glitters' purpose is more like a light reflect than it is actual sparkle.  

 (Artificial light)

It wears amazingly and applies like a dream. I went for it straight out of the tube and then ran around the edges with a brush to create a shape. (My top lip is the most annoying shape on the planet and generally has NO shape).

(natural light)

I could see this being flattering for a lot of people. I will say it's quite cool, but the raspberry color is pretty forgiving.

I genuinely like the lipstick a lot and honestly is the formula is true to all Dior lipsticks, I might have to be a convert.

-SamanthaK