Ice Cream That's GOOD For You!

HOLY $&#@! completely guilt free ice cream!!

Why the &$!# haven't I heard of this before?! 

Well I'm shouting the secret to you now. Never again do you have to feel guilty when giving into your ice cream craving. I'm serious!! I'm literally eating this yummy secret as I type. Not only does this concoction taste and feel like ice cream, but it melts like ice cream too (so you still get that yummy creamy taste after it's been out for a while.) No joke - it's amazing and so easy.

100% DIY healthy ice cream 
All you need is: a food processor, bananas, milk (skim/2percent/soy/any kind you want)

When your bananas are very ripe, put your peeled bananas in a ziplock baggy with all air released. You can freeze them whole or cut up, doesn't matter as long as they get frozen. Stick them in the freezer, and leave in there until you want to make your ice cream!  

When you're ready and your bananas are frozen, fill your food processor with your desired amount of bananas. Start chopping/grinding, adding a tiny bit of milk to make it smooth. I probably added two tablespoons of milk to two bananas. Keep chopping and slowly adding milk until, wallah! It looks, tastes, and feels like ice cream! Go enjoy your totally guilt free dessert. 

If you wanna get crazy
Add in other items to flavor your ice cream. It's bound to get boring with just bananas. :) Here are some options:

healthy
peanut butter 
cut-up pears
apple slices
honey
your favorite berries

not as healthy (but still a better option than storebought if you have a craving)
chocolate
graham cracker
candy 
candy bar
caramel

Good luck everyone - post pics of your delicious concoctions here!

High End VS Bargain Shaving Cream

Last month's Birchbox brought me something unexpected - high end, all natural shaving cream. It's called Whish Shaving Cream and it promises super silky pampered legs using only all natural ingredients.  $20 a bottle! That is a far cry from my usual $3 (for a two pack). 

So obviously, I needed to test it out: Whish on my left leg, Pure Silk on the right. 

the nitty gritty

Whish was definitely nice to use - it applies like a thick lotion instead of the normal expanding foam I'm used to. The scent was blueberry and it was amazing. The creaminess clogged up my razor a bit, but it was no big deal because it was so smooth. I like that it's made with all natural ingredients  but at this point in my life (paying off enormous student loans,) I'm not about to get picky about the organic nature of my shaving cream. 

Most importantly: did Whish live up to its promise of giving "a close moisturizing shave with no drying foam... Leaves skin soft, smooth, and pampered."  YES. The 'Whish leg' is noticably softer and doesn't have the flakey feel that freshly shaved (dry) legs might have. 

the winner

Sorry Whish, I just can't justify $20 on a regular sized bottle of shaving cream. My Pure Silk works just fine, and I'll be none the wiser once I'm not comparing. Cheers to my bargain brand Pure Silk!

Have you tried any Whish products? What do you think??

easy seXXXy smooth lips

 

 

Are your lips often chapped, dry, and look cracky when you apply lipstick? Do you often forgo an amazing red lip because you believe you can't pull it off? Girl let me help you.

 

what you need

Skinny Girl Lip Scrub

or any lip scrub

or make your own lipscrub

 

what you need to do

Wash your face, making sure to get your lips hot, wet, and steamy.

 

Dry off your lips, and apply your lip scrub. I usually just apply and rub the exfoliant with my finger, rather than treating it like a chapstick. Scrub your lips for 1-2 minutes. When you're done, wipe off all product with a warm paper towel. Apply a moisurtizing balm to your lips - I like eos or Carmex. Wah-la! You are ready for sexy lipstick.

 

Best to start with a lip liner, and then follow up with classic hollywood red lipstick. They make every girl look like a million bucks, so there's no reason you shouldn't do it!

have fun.   :)

 



I'm wearing Jordana red lip liner and Maybelline lipstick 625 in ARE YOU RED-DY
Revlon nail polish in Ruby Lounge

Moree on Skinny Girl...

Skinny Girl lip scrub was released in 2011, back when Real Housewife Bethany Frankel still owned Skinny Girl. When the brand was under Frankel, Skinny Girl had just a few beverages and all types of interesting makeup products, like body shimmer, facial masks, and lip scrub. Now the line is focusing more on cocktails and adult beverages. I hope they keep the beauty stash around - I really like the body shimmer too!

product review: it's a 10

I've been hearing the buzz about It's A 10 products for the last year, but haven't tried because the line is extremely expensive. Each It's A 10 product promises to deliver following ten benefits. Here are the benefits listed on the shampoo: (each product has a different list of ten benefits)

- works with curly/straight hair 
- color protectant
- delivers total definition
- leaves hair styled and silky
- boosts shine
- eliminates frizz
- seals split ends
- defines & maintains style
- provides thermal protection
- increases elasticity

I finally caught this stuff on sale for buy one get two free at a small mall salon. I purchased the shampoo, then got the styling cream and miracle texture fibre for free.
 
the verdict
Each of the products I tried completely live up to the hype. When I use the shampoo and styling cream, I'm able to let my hair air dry (usually a huge no-no cause I frizz up like a poodle) and my hair looked styled, smooth, and shiny. The texture fibre is also amazing hold - I was able to make a spike a section of my 16 inch hair!
 
repurchase?
I will definitely repurchase in the future, on sale! Keep an eye out for discounts in small chain mall salons, amazon, ebay, ect. if you don't want to pay full price.
 
Have you tried It's A 10? What do you think?!

Brush Week: 7 Brushes You Need

the basics.

My heart sinks when I see people use the cheap spongy applicators that sometimes come with shadows, powders, and foundation. Reason being - they apply your makeup horribly and are incredibly unsanitary. Most makeup enthusiasts would agree - your makeup brushes are arguably more important than your actual makeup products. 

the seven brushes you need:

stippling brush. 
Say hello to my little friend, the Mac 187. It's technically a stippling brush, but it does an awesome job of making skin look airbrushed and perfect. This is the kind of brush that can make your drugstore foundation look like a million bucks. Here's how to use a stippling brush. 

powder brush. 
Use a powder brush after applying water based foundation to lock and seal your makeup all day. I use this brush differently than most, and I learned the technique here (fast forward to 3:00). Instead of fluffing the brush around your face with powder on it, pack the product on the sides of the brush bristles, and pack it onto your face. This will keep your makeup to stay in place all day. After applying, lightly brush off excess from your face so it doesn't appear cakey. I also use a powder brush after contouring to blend any harsh lines. 

blush & bronzer brush.

Okay, so if this was "top 8" brushes, blush and bronzer brushes wouldn't be in the same category. However, in a pinch I can use the same brush for both without noticing any real difference. To illuminate your face and give it a glow, use a blush brush (say that five times fast) to swipe some blush or highlighter on your upper cheekbones. This brush applies a light and even layer and allows your to easy big pigments on top of each other. With bronzer, sweep into the hollows between your cheekbones and jaw. 

stiff eyeshadow brush.
Use this brush as your primary eyeshadow applicator for lid colors. 

crease brush.
Use this brush to apply colors into your crease. Crease colors are also known as a transition color, because it helps give your makeup more dimension. 

dome eyeshadow brush.
Use this brush to blend all your eyeshadows after they've been applied. This gives your eye-makeup a flawless finish, and will ensure no one is seeing weird eyeshadow lines or definitions that aren't supposed to be there.

eyeliner/brow brush.
One of my favorite brushes. This bad boy is amazing for lining your bottom rims, cutting your crease, and even applying a dark eyeshadow as a liner. I have several of these brushes because depending on the bristles, it can be used so differently!

so there you have it!
I hope you all enjoyed BRUSH WEEK as much as I did, and leave any questions below. Brushes are not best learned from reading a blog, but instead getting in front of a mirror and trying it all out. So go, have fun, because that's what this is all about. Till next time! 

Brush Week: Quick and Easy Everyday Makeup

Perfect makeup when you don't feel like makeup

I wouldn't be honest during BRUSH WEEK if I said you always need to use a brush. This look requires NO brush, and it makes you look like you took way longer to get ready than you actually did. So put the brushes away, and learn this gorgeous but subtle look. 

I realize that when you think of subtle, you probably don't think Lady Gaga. But hear me out - Gaga wore a makeup look two years ago (while on her Monster Ball tour) that I copy every time I sleep in a little too late. I should totally do a video tutorial of this... I promise I will when I get a camera. 

get the look.

part one: eyes and lips
The overall concept of this look is heavy top lip liner and a bold/bright lip color. No need to go crazy with blush or bronzer. Any eyeliner works (gel, liquid, pencil.) Just make the line thicker than you normally do. Don't do a cat eye -  it looks really weird in my opinion.  For the lip, make sure you a color that is a bit bolder than light pink. Think barbie pink, coral, or red lipstick. A  tinted balm is even better; Maybelline Whisper is a good option because it looks like a lipstick but feels like a moisturizer. Perfect for those rushed mornings. :)

part two: face
The other part to this look is a good foundation or BB cream. You can apply your foundation/ BB cream with a blending sponge to make the look even more flawless - thus making it look even less like you're in a hurry. The best part - it takes half the time a brush would. (We're in a time crunch, remember?)  Here's the expensive beauty blender that everyone's talking about, and here's the $4 one of Walgreens that works just as good. To use a beauty blender properly, start by running it under warm water, and then squeeze all the excess out. Use the beauty blender to pat and smooth your foundation onto your face - it's amazing. Try this look next time you're in a rush - I want to know if you like it!

As always, post pictures if you try.

Brush Week: Best Kept Secret

The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.

-Yves Saint-Laurent

Craft stores: The mecca of inexpensive professional brushes.

I took a trip to Michael's this past weekend and lo and behold... I came across the mecca of affordable professional brushes! A huge aisle, full of every type of brush you can imagine. The best part, 99% of the brushes were under $10. A girl could save some serious cash shopping like this!

Art brushes are one of the best kept secrets in makeup. A $25 eye shadow brush can easily be swapped for a high quality $4 'art' brush. I promise - you or your makeup won't know the difference. And geez - check out the selection!! I found a dupe for nearly all of my brushes except for a foundation brush. This is amazing news for beginners who want to experiment with application tools but don't want to drop $150 in the process. It's also amazing for junkies like me who can never get enough. 

I picked up a Grumbacher 4620 brush identical to a professional gel/powder eyeliner brush I had my eye on, and for a tenth of the cost ($4.) The only con - lots of the brushes have really long handles, but we can handle that. ;)