L'Oreal Healthy Look Sublime Mousse Permanent Hair Color (shown in Pure Dark Brown)

$9.99 at Walgreens

• As easy to apply as shampoo
• For perfect gray coverage

We've all had that identity crisis stage where we want to have any color of hair but our own, right? Back in my high school days (once I finally convinced my parents to let me dye my hair) I remember feeling the need to change my hair color almost every other week. My natural color is a medium brown, but I have been everything from blonde, to black, to auburn, to half and half. My thirst for change couldn't be quenched.

Lately, I've laid off of the extravagant highlighting, toning, and salon dying and only use box color if I really need to change up my hair.

Box color? You might say. Doesn't that fry your hair? In some cases, yes - it most certainly does. L'Oreal's Healthy Look line of drugstore colors actually claims to nourish and condition your hair while you dye...kiss your crispy ends fear goodbye! But box colors look so obvious - so fake... You are always going to see those people who have no clue what they are doing when it comes to coloring their own hair, which will always leave you a little hesitant towards dying your own hair. But never fear: L'Oreal has really made things easy for us: "You’ll get soft, natural-looking color every time that’s full of healthy shine. Natural never looked so beautiful. Always glossy color, that’s never dull or fake. Like your own color, only better." But what about when my roots start showing? I hate having to dye my hair every other week - it's such a pain! "Healthy Look colors blend in naturally and washes out gradually over 28 shampoos so you never see obvious roots. You’ll stay natural-looking from day 1 until you color again."

Alright - and now the real kicker: Dying my hair at home is such an awful mess. I end up getting dye everywhere and my face and neck have dye marks on them for days afterwards. Your prayers for a mess-free, at home, and wonderfully affordable hair dye have been answered! L'Oreal Sublime Mousse is fabulous - that is really the only way I can put it. Remember those terrible nights after you'd just dyed your hair spent trying to scrub the dye marks off of your face with nail polish remover? Remember them no more: the mess-free Mousse is here. I really didn't believe it until I tried it - a mouse dye? How am I going to be sure that I get even color? How is it even going to work? Although I'm not sure of the chemical specifics, I'll do my best to briefly enlighten you. The color kit comes with a developer, the colorants (in a convenient pump-operated bottle) and a conditioner. After mixing together the developer and colorants, we all know the next dreaded step is sectioning off our hair, right? Not anymore - Mousse is a straight shot. You basically apply it like you would shampoo: pumping the product into your glove-covered hand, and massaging it through your hair, root to tip. No drips. No mess. What more can you ask for?

In addition to the cleanly convinience, I found that the formula was very gentle. My head usually starts to itch or burn when I am using box colors, but I didn't experience either of those unpleasant side effects with the Sublime Mousse. This product really takes the worry out of at-home, self hair coloring (and can save you a significant amount of $$ caching by eliminating all of those salon visits!) If you are looking for a simple, at home hair color kit, definitely give this one a try. While I am trying to stay away from coloring my hair, I still can't resist but return time after time to this product.

Dove Go Fresh Cool Moisture Beauty Bar Cucumber and Green Tea Scent

4.25 oz. / $3.79 at Walgreens

• Refreshingly light sensation
• Crisp, soothing scent
• Ultra-light hydrating formula

If you are no newbie to the cosmetics scene, I'm sure you have heard some rave review about this product at one point or another. It seems like everyone loves Dove Moisture Beauty Bars...but why?

Dove brand soap bars aren't just any ordinary soap bar, you see. Along with the soap aspect, they also include a moisturizing, hydrating lotion element which makes up 1/4 of the bar ratio wise. Dove moisture bars don't leave your face feeling stripped of all moisture - in fact, they leave you feeling rejuvenated, fresh and clean. 

I'm sure by now you've noticed that rather than reviewing Dove Beauty Bars in general, I am gearing this towards the Cucumber and Green Tea beauty bar. Why? Because I simply can not get over how wonderful the scent is. It is the perfect mix of relaxing and refreshing. Although, I would not recommended a scented bar for anyone with sensitive skin or sensitivity to fragrances.

In addition to being a great facial cleanser, Dove Beauty Bars make amazing makeup removers. My beauty bar is the only thing I can trust 100% to remove all of my makeup completely the first time. The soap is gentle enough to where it does not irritate the sensitive eye area, which makes it a great candidate for a makeup remover. I'm not saying that my layers upon layers of waterproof mascara are magically wiped clean from my eyelashes - it does take some scrubbing, but it's the fact that with this product I am able to entirely remove my eye makeup (something I have never been able to do before).

I use my Dove Beauty Bar every morning and night on my eye area as a makeup remover, but I have only used it as a facial cleanser a few times in short intervals. It's usually during times when my skin is a mess - I am breaking out absolutely everywhere. This moisture bar seemed to help calm and soothe my skin. It sort of was like rehab for my face...when all else fails, I turn to this moisture bar to help things get back to  normal, and then I return to my regular facial cleanser.

All in all, I would recommend Dove Beauty Bars to everyone. Sensitive skin, dry skin, oily skin, combination skin - everyone. I would caution those of you with sensitive skin to stay away from the scented bars, just in case.

Sally Hansen Precision Brush-On Hair Remover Extra Strength

2.0 oz./$7.99 at Walgreens

• Eliminates stubborn, hard to remove hair
• Perfect for face, chin/lip
• Helps reduce appearance of regrowth

I hate the fact that, with this post, I am admitting to having unwanted facial hair (not like I have a big terrorist beard or anything!), but I am super self conscious about having a mustache...I mean I always see those ladies with darker hair who have a mustache, or the older ladies with whiskers on their chins and I get so paranoid!
So I tried this guy out. If you've used Nair or Veet before, this is basically the same thing, but a more face-sensitive, not so harsh formula. It also claims to have moisturizers and other nourishing ingredients for your skin as well.
The applicator for this hair remover is kind of like a concealer brush, actually. You squeeze the tube and apply the product with this brush...easy enough, right? Uh not so much. When I first opened up my tube of hair remover, I just couldn't seem to squeeze hard enough to get the product to come out! So, of course I'd finally had it, move to where I'm over my sink and squeeze as hard as I possibly can, resulting in a huge mess. Bleh. Great first impression, huh?
As far as hair removal goes, the instructions say that you will see results in as little as 3 minutes, which I did find true. But of course, I wanted to be sure that I got all of the hair removed from my upper lip, so I left it on for the max amount of time. Not only does this product smell like Veet or Nair, but it BURNS like Veet or Nair too. Not just the sensation of burning, either (unfortunately). Although it did a great job of removing my unwanted hair, it also literally burned my upper lip. I had very light, but visible scabs and had to keep a cold wash cloth on my upper lip for an entire day. Embarrassing much?
I really don't ever recommend this kind of stuff to anyone, regardless of how severe of facial hair growth you may suffer from. I have since my trial with this product found these awesome "brow shapers" and they work great for removing unwanted facial hair, as well as taming unruly side burns and of course brows, as they were made for that type of thing. If you do decide to try this product out, please be careful! Leave it on for the least amount of time as possible to avoid total embarrassment!
Psst: for those of you who accidentally left the hair remover on for too long like I did and now have a nasty looking scab, try using some Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment to help speed up the healing process! Do not use foundation or concealer on the burn - powder only to avoid bringing more attention to your traumatic injury!

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser

16.0 oz./ 2/$15.73 or 1/$10.49 @ Walgreens

• Keep normal to oily skin clean & healthy
• Without leaving pore-clogging residue
• Removes excess oil without drying

I am constantly searching for a flawless facial cleanser, and have yet to find one that works 100% (no break-outs at all, whatsoever). I've heard that Cetaphil is great for sensitive skin, so I decided to give it a try.
It's actually kind of pricey for a drug store product...I was kind of surprised when I hit the check-out counter and was told that my total was over $10.00. Regardless, I decided that a potential cure-all would definitely be work $10 in the long run.
This Cetaphil product's name contains the word "cleanser" and in all reality, that's all it did - clean my face off. It doesn't do anything for acne as far as helping heal and/or preventing goes. It also does nothing for decreasing the size of pores, either. It was basically scent free, which was nice as you don't find any facial cleansers that are truly scent free. The product itself is basically the consistency of hand soap, which made it rather difficult to get a good lather. It seemed like I was using 2+ pumps per wash in order to get enough lather to thoroughly cleanse my entire face. Cetaphil really didn't help remove any of my waterproof eye makeup, which was an automatic 2.5 strikes against it. I wear dark black eyeliner pretty regularly and coat upon coat upon coat of waterproof mascaras every day, so I need a cleanser that is going to completely wipe it all off my face.
Basically, if acne isn't an issue for you, or you have extremely sensitive, but otherwise clear skin, this would be a great choice for you. A little on the expensive side, but it is well worth it. Unfortunately this product didn't work for me, but if you are one of the people who it works beautifully for, be sure to let me know about your experience!

e.l.f. Studio High Definition Powder

http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/face/powder/high_definition_powder

Yes - another e.l.f. product. Why? Because I can’t hold in my enthusiasm towards it in any longer, and it’s simply too wonderful not to share.
e.l.f. Studio High Definition Powder is to be used as a "setting" powder - you evenly apply the product to your entire face by using a brush. I must admit, I was very skeptical when I first read about the claimed translucent, versatile loose powder that creates a flawless, "soft focus" effect to the skin. What changed my mind, you may ask? Keep reading to find out :)
The packaging of the hi-def powder definitely leaves a bit to be desired. There is a sticky seal over the holes where the powder surfaces, and I found it rather difficult to remove this...I actually ended up having to use tweezers to get it off. Let me give you a warning now: be extremely careful when removing the seal as when it finally lets loose, you could end up dumping your powder everywhere and creating an awfully big mess. I would not recommend using the supplied "puff" applicator, but rather a nice big, flat topped brush, such as the one found here or something similar.
As I first applied the powder, I was thoroughly impressed. I have had issues with acne my entire life. And although it’s been a problem I had just sort of had to learn to deal with, that doesn’t make dealing with the blemishes any easier. I currently have a couple pretty decent sized blemishes and am super paranoid and self conscious about them. This morning when I was finally finished putting on my face, I came to the hi-def powder and thought Is this really going to do any good? I think I’m beyond all hope at this point...it surely can’t hurt any... And so the application began. I could notice a difference in my skin right away. Firstly, my face was now completely matte. For those of us with oily and semi-oily skin, you know how big of a deal that is. Not only was it entirely matte, but I couldn’t see any of my pores. My skin immediately looked flawless and felt silky smooth. I am now sitting here, 3 ½ hours later, and my nose still isn’t shiny. Kinda a big deal for me! I’m usually touching up my face after only an hour and a half. I did notice right after applying this powder that my face felt a little tight...it still does now as well. I would not recommend this product for those with dry skin as it may tend to hurt more than help - especially in trying to reduce the appearance of flakiness and dry patches. But, for those of us with oilier skin, this is a great find! I will be using this, along with my powder brush, for many many years to come I’m sure.


Check out my other e.l.f. products reviews:
e.l.f. Studio Line Brushes, e.l.f. Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color (Shown in Brisk Blue)

0.31 oz./ $4.99 (buy one get one 1/2 off) @ Walgreens

• Covers in just one coat
• Color glides on precisely and quickly
• Dries in 60 seconds

If we are going to be friends, you may as well know right now: I have a fetish with painting my nails. Back in my high school days, I would paint them (sometimes daily) to match my outfits and other crazy things along those lines. My nails are rarely the same color(s) for more than a week. There is something so relaxing about painting my nails, and I always feel 100x's prettier with a fresh coat of polish to rock.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's get down to business with this particular polish. Let's start with the brush. It's about double the size of your typical nail polish brush, and rather than being in a rounded shape, it is flat. Weird, right? It's actually quite genius if you think about it - a wider brush can cover more of your nail with just one stroke. It makes it so much easier to get a nice looking, even coat of polish simply because you aren't having to re-dip your brush in the polish and frantically smear around the already drying polish on your nail. Speaking of drying polish, let's move to that next.
Insta-Dri lives up to it's name to say the least. I always start with painting my thumb and then move outward, ending with my pinkie; by the time I am finished with my pinkie, my thumb is usually dry. (Keep in mind that if you glob on the polish, you obviously won't experience the same results). It's such a relief to have fast drying polish for those with a busy on-the-go lifestyle; it completely removes the worry of smudging or bumping a nail and ruining it so that you have to completely redo it (and typically in the process of removing the polish from the ruined nail, you proceed to ruin another 4-5 nails with the nail polish remover...). Slow drying nail polish is such a hassle. How many of us really have an extra 10-15 minutes to sit around uselessly and wait for our nail polish to dry!? I'm sure there aren't many of you raising your hands.
The color quality of this polish is phenomenal. As said in the product description above, you really can get great coverage with just one coat. It's always beneficial to do an additional coat, though.
So how long does this polish stay on your nails? Well, I'm afraid that may be it's only downfall. I noticed chipping on the second day, mind you I wash dishes by hand and am also a hand-washing and sanitizing freak. I had applied two coats, and not used a base or top coat, so perhaps that would lead to a more desirable outcome.
All in all, I do love this nail polish line. I have tried this polish in the Brisk Blue, Lightening and Grape Going and simply love them all. They are so fun and vibrant. If you are looking for a quick drying polish with a lot of fun, outrageous color options, definitely check the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes out the next time you are at the drugstore. 4/5 stars.

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof Mascara

0.44 oz/$8.99 at Walgreens




So maybe it's just me, but I think there has been a TON of hype about this mascara lately. I see it seriously everywhere. TV commercials with the gorgeous Drew Barrymore, magazine ads, posters in stores...just everywhere. I'd finally had enough and temptation got the best of me - I had to buy a tube. So I went to Walgreens, grabbed a tube in waterproof black and anxiously waited for the next morning when I would try it out on my fresh, clean lashes.
The mascara itself is kind of a thinner consistency - more runny than whipped I would say. The black color was very rich and seemed to also have little flakes of sparkle in it. I can never have too much sparkle. Ever. I love it. I remember when I was in grade school I would use the Bonne Bell Smackers glitter and it would literally be ALL over my face, arms and legs if I was wearing shorts. I love my glitter. 
But anyways, back to the mascara! I was so anxious to see what this brush looked like as I'd heard nothing but raves about it, but as I remember that moment of pure joy and excitement as I was untwisting the top to reveal the wondrous brush within, I also remember the split second of "WTF!?" as the brush finally was in view. For real? This is what all the excitement is about!? What a waste of $9.00! I will post a better picture of the brush below:

It is a ton of little plastic bristles that seem to serve absolutely no purpose. The mascara was gloopy and after just the first coat, I already had clumpy, caked together lashes and I was not a happy camper. I did try to salvage them by using my lash comb, etc. and I went on to apply several more coats in hopes that perhaps this was more of a lengthening formula versus a volume formula. It didn't seem to lengthen or add volume to my lashes, and in fact did the opposite.

Covergirl Lash Blash Volume Mascara truly only lasted two days in my makeup bag...I then pawned it off on my mother, as I do with all of the reject makeup I acquire. I was not so long ago gifted a pack of this mascara and I in turn re-gifted it to my husband's little sister. So in conclusion, I do not recommend this mascara at all, whatsoever. It is talked up to be this great, miraculous product when in it's in fact the opposite of such. I did consider using one of the brushes from a used up Maybelline Volum' Express mascara with this formula...maybe then it would be better? But the brush makes this mascara near impossible to use without making a mess of both your face and your lashes. Please proceed with caution!