Queen Helene Mint Julep: The Ultimate Facial Masque

I remember my mother using this masque when I was a little girl, and when I became a teen, she introduced me to it. Unfortunately I've been suffering from whiteheads on my nose ever since I can remember. Maybe when I hit puberty, but this masque works wonders. It firms, shrinks pores, makes your skin smooth, unclogs impurities from your pores and so much more. I've introduced this masque to almost everyone I know (if they weren't already using it) lol

There were times when I tried to find something better, but nothing can compare to this, and I've been using it for yeaaars.

On left is Queen Helene. Right: Freemans Clay Mask(Avocado and Oatmeal)

You can probably tell from the picture that Queen Helene is very thick, and you get better coverage with this masque, and it dries quickly while tightening skin. Freeman clay mask is a bit more softer and watery, and it takes way more time to dry, it also doesn't firm as great as Queen Helene. It's great to have as a back up though.

Both masques are very affordable and can be found at your local drugstores, Sallys and supermarkets. I paid under $2 bucks for each.

More about Queen Helene from the site:
Mint Julep Masque is the original natural home treatment to help dry up pimples, rinse away blackheads and shrink enlarged pores. Simply apply Mint Julep Masque to your clean face and neck. As it firms and hardens within minutes, it draws out impurities from your pores. After the masque is removed, your skin will feel clean, refreshed and smooth. Even for individuals who are fortunate to be free of skin problems, Mint Julep Masque is a refreshing facial treatment that helps relax tired muscles and ease tension lines on the face and neck.

She has plenty other products such as lotions, scrubs and peel off masque, most of which I tried, but in my opinion, this is the ultimate facial masque. :-)

Eyeshadow looks: The Body Needs

I found out about the body needs on http://www.longhaircareforum.com/. They have Mineral eyeshadows, Mac pigment and glitter samples and more.
The bodyneeds shadows are $1.79 ea. and their Mac pigment samples range from $1.99 to $3.
They sell other goodies as well, such as fragrant powders, empty jars, and sifters, makeup brushes and more.
 According to the girl on the forum who recommended them, they are authentic. I have no idea though, as I don't buy or own any Mac pigments to compare.

However, I did come across a video on youtube from a makeup artist who said that they were fake. Again I don't know how true that is. I was happy with the service, shipping and the products I received, so I don't have any complaints. Just use your own discretion.

This was my Saturday night look using a Mac sample pigment from TBN in Teal:

This is a neutral look I did today with TBN's shadow in Au naturel on lid:

In case you are wondering that is a mole on my eyeball... lol No, it isn't raised. :-p

The TBN shadow was very pigmented and blended very well, I didn't have to pack it on too much and a  little went a long way. I got a couple other colors from them as well, but I hope to get some more soon.
I did have to pack on the Teal shadow, but that was fine with me, because I'd rather pack it on than apply too much to begin with.
If you want to try out any Mac shadows or any of their other products, or you want loads of pigments in an array of colors, try out the body needs as an affordable choice.


P.S.: They always have discounts, which is a great plus in my book. :-D

http://www.thebodyneeds2.com/

Wet and Wild 2011 Spring Collection Swatches

Found these at Walgreens on Sunday. (Actually this was the 5th Walgreens I went to before finding them.)
I know they are limited edition and limited quantity, so when I arrived the associate was just about to unbox everything. I stood and waited. :-D It was not a game. lol!

I think she put out about 2 or 3 of each, and she took one of each for herself, and I took the rest, after that they were gone.  'o'
I Dream of Greenie were all shattered, so I got the duo. They were all $1.49 ea.

From let to right: I'm feeling retro, I got good jeans, spoiled brat, silent treatment and I'm getting sunburned.

I dream of Greenie duo (only thing missing was browbone highlight)

Here are some swatches, not the best lighting, but I hope you get the picture, without the flash.

Silent treatment (very neutral)

I got good jeans

I'm feeling retro

I'm getting sunburned

 Spoiled brat

They also had polishes for 99 cents, but most of the colors looked like ones I already had, so I got one that I didn't 'think' I had already:

Blue Wants to be a Millionaire

They also had eyeliners and lipglosses for 99 cents. but I only got what is pictured. 

These colors are gorgeous and very pigmented. I can't wait to play with them. If you find them in your area, grab them before they are all gone. Over the holidays, I wasn't able to find Night Elf, no matter how hard I looked.

Toodles!

Eyeshadow bases: Tried and my favs

If you want your eyeshadow colors to pop and stick even better, eyeshadow bases come in very handy. You can use a primer alone, but using a base in the color family or the same as your eyeshadow color, makes for a rich and popping shadow look!

These are my favorite eyeshadow bases:

Nyx Jumbo Eye pencils

I apply these on top of my primer, and if I'm wearing a gold, brown or neutral look, I stick to a pencil in mocha, or gold.

I use green for green shadow looks, purple for purple...and you get the picture...lol
These bases go on very smooth, and blend very well, you can use as many colors as you want on your lid. I.e. Green for inner lid or black for outer v or crease, or a rainbow look. It all depends on what you like and what look you are trying to create.

These pencils come in a variety of colors, but Milk is the most popular, and usually very hard to find.

This color is very white, and can be used with almost any color. In my opinion, this makes any color extremely vibrant and it will definitely have your lids popping with color. It goes on smooth, and can be used as a shadow base, or as a brow highlight.

Another base I use is Nyx eyeshadow base:

These work pretty good and does the job, nude and white are the colors I have them in, and in my opinion they are similar to Mac paint pots, but I prefer the pencils over these.

Rimmel All over pencils are pretty good, and I have a gold, and champagne colored one that I use from time to time. They are not as smooth, but get the job done if you are in a rush, or if it's the first thing you grab. lol

I've also tried a variation of other shadow pencils, like Loreal shade sticks, and ones from L.A. Colors, and cream shadow bases from Avon, and this one that I got as a gift for Christmas from Maybelline:

I did a shadow look with this the other day, and it was oh so pretty. It made my purple and pink shadow pop so goood. Too bad I deleted the pic on accident. :-(
My shadow was so smooth and did not crease, I want to get these in the other colors available.

A base is not necessary if you don't want to use it, ( I don't use them all the time). However, it's always nice to experiment until you find one you like.

Nyx eyeshadow base

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils


You can pretty much find all others mentioned, in your local Walmart, drugstore, Target etc. The Nyx pencils and bases are also available at local beauty supply stores.

Where can I find a cheap eyeshadow primer?

Someone asked me this question last night, so I decided to blog it.

Based on my experience, you can't go wrong with:

Loreal Decrease

I've been using this since 08. It was the very first eyeshadow primer I used, so maybe I'm biased, but I love it. It goes on smooth, blends well, and it doesn't crease. Shadows stick well if used without a base. It's been so long since I purchased one, so if I'm not mistaken, it cost about $5-6 bucks. (guessing here) I do know it wasn't over $7 at Walmart.

Elf eyelid primer:

I just recently started using this, and for a dollar you can't go wrong at all. The only thing I don't like is when I first apply it, it goes on wet/greasy. You have time to blend it out, as opposed to the Loreal Decrease that you have to blend really fast because it's fast drying. You have to give the elf primer time to dry before applying a base or your shadow. I usually wait about ten seconds, unless you want to fan your eyes dry. lol Apart from purchasing on their site: E.L.F , you can probably also find this at Target, or Walgreens, as I've seen elf in there.

They also have a mineral primer I want to try:

This one is $3. My sis uses this one, and she's very pleased with it.

Just like when preparing to paint walls in a room, or priming your nails before polishing, you should consider using a base on top of your primer. In my opinion, this is what makes your shadow pop, and it really looks vibrant and completes the look. I will do another blog on what bases I use and which ones I love. Basically a review...lol

Toodles