NYX

I love this lipstick! I had never purchased NYX before, but on my last Ulta excursion I picked up this perfect pink lipstick. It's called Tea Rose #628. What I love about it is that it isn't too pale and it isn't too garish. It's just the perfect soft light rose color. It looks great with a smoky or strong eye or with a daytime makeup. The gloss is great too. It's a nice frosty pink that's pretty enough to be worn by itself. The color is called "French Kiss." And the best part of all is that it's cheap!

Disclaimer: Please note that I purchased this lipstick prior to my declaration of a lipstick purchasing strike; therefore this purchase may not be held against me. :)

Nail Polish & Remover

Today I thought I would write about my new favorite thing: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color. I went to get a manicure at the salon spa Saturday morning, and as soon as I left I smudged a nail trying to put my keys in the ignition. Then I smudged another nail trying to put my seat belt on! By the time I got to my next stop at Ulta, I had smudged half my nails and my manicure was ruined. While shopping at Ulta I came across Sally Hansen's new polish which has some great features: 60 seconds to dry, wide applicator brush that claims one stroke will cover the entire nail, and complete coverage with one coat. I am one of those people who hates to wait for nail polish to dry so I hardly ever paint my own nails. But I went ahead and bought about 5 different colors thinking that if I tried one and didn't like it, I would return them all. At home I painted my nails myself and they really did dry in 60 seconds and really did only need one coat. As far as one stroke covering the entire nail, I haven't mastered that technique yet, but the wide brush was so much better and easier to use than the skinny ones most polishes have. As far as wear is concerned, I am on day 4 with no chips. On day 2 I did apply a top coat to help preserve my polish so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. But I have to say, I swam in chlorinated water, washed dishes, typed, straightened up the house, etc. I am very pleased. This product has seriously taken the dread out of doing my own nails. Polishes left to right are: #04 Petal Pusher, #11 Sonic Bloom, #13 Racey Rouge, #09 Rapid Red, #20 Pronto Purple, #18 Cinna-snap.

I also wanted to recommend these individual nail polish remover felts. I bought mine over a year ago at Kroger. When I was in the grocery store the other day, they did not have the brand I have, but they did have a Kroger brand and a Cutex brand. The nail polish remover comes in a box full of individual packets. Each packet contains a large, thick piece of felt type material that is already saturated with polish remover. Each felt removes polish for 10 nails, so you can do both hands or both feet with only one felt. They are perfect to keep in your purse or in your desk at work. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to work and noticed my nail polish was way past its expiration date and looked horrid. It's just one of those things I keep putting off thinking I will do it later then I forget. These are great for little emergencies and only cost about $2.99 for a box.

ZIT ZAPPERS!

As someone who has battled acne since the age of 12, I have tried just about every product out there. I am now 40 years old, and still have frequent breakouts. I have tried accutane, antibiotics, and every kind of topical product (prescription and store bought) you can think of. Add to that the fact that I have sensitive skin and allergies and can't tolerate benzoyl peroxide, I have a dilemna on my hands.

These are 2 outstanding products I would recommend to anyone. I first noticed an ad for Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion in the back of several different magazines years ago. Then I read an article in which Liv Tyler was raving about it and I finally decided to give it a try. Wow! This stuff is awesome! It's famous for "drying up pimples overnight" and that's pretty much what it does. The Drying Lotion seriously shrinks whiteheads overnight. It contains calamine, salicylic acid, camphor and sulfur. When the bottle is left sitting, the pink calamine collects on the bottom and a clear liquid sits on top. You are not supposed to shake it up and mix it, you are supposed to leave it separated. Then you dip a q-tip in it and dot it on your whiteheads. It will dry and you leave it on overnight. You will see a big difference in the morning.

Mario Badescu's Buffering Lotion is made to "stop deep cystic pimples in their tracks." Boy does it ever! I've used this several times this week, and it is very effective overnight. I had one of those hard bumps that you can see under the skin. It was a little smaller than a dime. The next morning it was the size of a pinhead! And I had absolutely no allergic reaction to it over the course of the week. I am very apprehensive to put things on my face before I go to bed because I tend to roll around and rub my face in my pillow during the night. If I put something aggravating on my skin I will typically wake up with red, runny eyes and nose. This product has no smell at all and is a milky liquid that goes on clear.

Mario Badescu has a spa in New York and specializes in skin solutions. They address everything from ezcema to scars. They have an extensive skin care line. They do absolutely no animal testing. They have been featured in numerous magazines such as Lucky, Elle, Glamour, InStyle, Women's Health, Family Circle and Martha Stewart Living. Their celebrity clients include: Jennifer Anniston, Ashley Judd, Live Tyler, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow, Courtney Cox, Martha Stewart, Eva Longoria, Natalie Portman, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Oprah.

You may order these and other Mario Badescu products at http://www.mariobadescu.com/. And if you want to save shipping costs, Ulta just recently started carrying Mario Badescu in their stores. The items I have featured here are $17 each which is quite a good deal for such effective products. And they both last quite a while. If you have a teenager who is battling acne, or you are battling it yourself - please give it a try!

Lotion Alternative

Today I wanted to share my alternative to lotion. When my allergies kicked in a couple of years ago, I found it difficult to wear most lotions because of the fragrance in them. And while there are fragrance free lotions out there, applying them after you get out of the shower just takes extra time and effort. So I started using Neutrogena Body Oil Light Sesame Formula - Fragrance Free. As the label implies, it has sesame seed oil in it. I apply it right after my shower - while I'm still in the shower. It's best to moisturize while your skin is still damp because it retains more moisture. I put it on my legs and arms, making sure to cover my elbows. Sometimes I rub it on my heels too because they tend to get dry. If you are a bath girl, you can add it to bath water to soften your skin. You can purchase this at Walgreens, Ulta, Walmart, Target and most grocery and drug stores. Neutrogena offers the same body oil with fragrance. The bottle looks the same but does not have the label "fragrance free" on the front so watch for that. Sometimes a store doesn't carry the fragrance free version or they are out of stock so you may have to shop around for it. Good luck!