Monthly Archives: April 2013

Trying Out New Neutrogena Cosmetics: MoistureSmooth Color Stick, Crease Proof Eye Shadow, and Healthy Lengths Mascara

Beauty & Skin Care, , ,

With spring arriving, it’s time get back to beauty basics or beauty at all.. for me!

Ultimately, I am a low-maintenance girl and I don’t want to carry around an entire beauty shop to keep my  look going; the products I received to review helped me create and maintain the perfect Spring look.   Whether I’m in my office, out with friends, or spending the day with my family, I loved these  items for keeping me covered and I think you will too.

neutrogena makeup review

Here are the 4 items shown in the photo above:

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick

I didn’t need lipstick on top of lip liner on top of lip balm – the Color Stick’s twist construction provides a sharp enough point to define your lips, and the formula is buttery enough to make them supple.  The best part about the Neutrogena MoisureSmooth Color Sticks is that they are not sticky!   I have very sensitive lips – they turn bright red when I eat certain foods or use lipstick that does not apply softly or smoothly.  I usually opt for a liquid gloss instead of a  lipstick, but I was very pleased to find that Neutrogena’s MoistureSmooth Color Stick did not irritate my lips and was a breeze to apply.

Out of the eight available shades, I received the Sweet Watermelon.

I was immediately attracted to the natural ingredients in the Color Stick: Mango butter, shea butter, and fruit extract, which explains why it’s so nice and moisturizing.

All-in-all, the Color Stick was great.  The only drawback to this product is that it started to wear off  a few hours into a busy, active day.  After the first couple of hours or so, the color and moisture had soaked into my lips, leaving only that sweet taste.  So re-application was necessary, but I accomplished it quickly, without missing a beat.

Neutrogena Crease Proof Eye Shadow

The subtle, pearly colors give an exceptionally nice contrast to browner skin tones.  I received the Taupe and Copper shades.  The shadow glided onto my eyelids smoothly and I did not notice any fading or crumbling, unlike with some other eye shadow creams I have used in the past, so Neutrogena came through on the promise of long-wear. As another plus, it also came off rather easily.

Here’s a quick tutorial on an easy swipe-on application for a pretty look:

Swipe the cream stick onto clean eyelids, completely covering the lower part of the lid, near lashes. Using a clean finger, gently fade the cream towards the eyebrows.

Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara

I have been known to allow mascara to intimidate me.   Since I tried Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara applying mascara has become a habit and one that I don’t mind as much as I used to.  Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara allowed me to finish my look without leaving a skyscraper forest resting on my lashes.  Compared to other Neutrogena mascara I have used in the past, this one is much lighter and cleaner; my lashes felt separated and just defined enough for me to tell a difference.  I received the black shade, which carried a subtle saturation.

All three of these looks, with or without blush or foundation, generated a smooth, simple daytime look.

Hooray for simple makeup!  Stay tuned for a review of one of the best foundations I’ve ever tried!

Disclosure: BzzAgent sent me complimentary Neutrogena Cosmetic products to test and review.


Disclosure: I received complimentary products in exchange for my honest opinion and a review of my experience with the products. I did not receive any other compensation nor was I required to write a positive review. Individual results or experiences may vary. You may obtain more detailed information from the company’s website.

My 48 Hour Super Charge Cleanse – Day 2 Including Weight Loss Update

Health, ,

I’m on day 2 of my 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse.  If you didn’t read why I’m cleansing, read this post.

This post is not an explanation of what I’m doing, it’s an update.

Day 1, yesterday, I was supposed to drink the cleansing drink 4 times as a replacement for all meals and a mid-afternoon ‘meal’.  I forgot the mid-afternoon meal and felt a little shaky and hungry around 6:30pm.

David Kirsch 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse

Day 1

Weight: 127.8

8am – 1st cleansing drink

I drank a lot of water between the 8am drink and 12:30pm drink.   I should have had the 12:30 drink closer to 11:30 but I was busy working and time slipped by. I felt fine all morning.

12:30pm – 2nd cleansing drink

I had an appointment to get my nails done with a friend at 1pm which helped keep my mind off of not eating.  Although I don’t eat much or usually have cravings, just knowing that I CAN’T eat, has been difficult for me.

3:30pm – 1st Thermo Bubbles drink

Around 3 I started feeling more hungry than I would have liked and I was getting offended when my husband or daughter would eat a snack around me.  Rather, my hunger pains were getting worse. That is when I remembered and drank a glass of Thermo Bubbles (pink lemonade) which helps energy levels and curbs appetite.  Again, I am not doing this cleanse to starve myself or with the expectation of losing even 5 pounds so curbing my appetite was just a comfort issue at that point.

7pm – 3rd cleansing drink

Around this time it was sinking in that I really wasn’t going to eat for two days so I drank this drink very slowly as if I was eating a meal so I could savor it.  Then I realized that I missed a cleansing drink somewhere during the day (you are supposed to drink 4 of the cleansing drinks in a day) so I sped up the drinking a bit knowing I’d have to squeeze in another before I went to sleep.

9:30pm – 4th cleansing drink

At 9:30pm I felt good. I didn’t feel hungry or like I hadn’t eaten all day.  I drank my 4th cleansing drink of the day and went to sleep pretty early for me.

I had hoped to sleep through the night and until at least 8 to make today seem a bit shorter but I woke at 3am feeling hungry and I was also apparently sleeping on top of a push pin all night.  My husband had been working on rearranging some pictures in our room Wednesday afternoon and left a push pin in the bed!  I was able to get back to sleep and woke at 7am.

Day 2

Weigh-in

I weigh myself every morning and this morning I weigh 2 pounds less than I did Tuesday morning but I don’t expect the 2 pounds to stay off once I start eating again.  I just wanted to let you know that I have lost a little weight. I imagine that the weight loss is more significant with the 5 Day Ultimate Detox or 7-Day Cleanse.

7:30am – 1st cleansing drink of the day

I felt pretty hungry by the time I fixed my first cleansing drink of the day.  It’s 8:04am now and I still have about 1/2 of the drink left.  Remember, you are supposed to drink these drinks slowly.  I feel good.

Plan for the day: I plan on drinking my 2nd drink at 11am, 3rd at 4pm, and 4th at 7pm with a Thermo Boost around 1pm.

Learn why I chose David Kirsch’s 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse here and see his cleansing and health products here.

 

 

My body cleanse journey

 

 

This is NOT a sponsored/compensated post.

My Cleansing Journey – Why I’m Cleansing and What I’m Using

Health, New posts, Personal,

Before I had my son 13 years ago, I weighed 95-100 lbs and never thought about weight.  I was not judgmental about people who carry extra weight in the least.  I never thought a thing of it.  I had small friends, big friends, and very big friends and looked at them all the same.  Long story short, I got down to about 110 lbs right before my son turned 1 and was happy with my weight.  Then I had a car accident when my son was a year old.  That changed my body. I suffered muscular and nerve damage which still affects me 11 years later.  My 6-year-old daughter has never had the experiences that my son had including seeing me hike up Kennesaw Mountain without stopping or swinging her around, or having a jump rope contest.  I have been carrying an extra 15 lbs of weight for a few years now and can’t lose it which makes me pretty miserable.  Clothes don’t fit me right.  Many moms know what I’m talking about.

Side note: I have a type of spinal arthritis that is currently causing me a lot of pain and discomfort. In the last month I have been to my physician, had MRI’s, went to a rhuemotologist, and am now in physical therapy twice a week.  Yay!  Those things are all a step in the right direction.  I can’t walk on a treadmill because any jarring of my neck causes serious discomfort.  I can’t really do any cardio exercise now which I would normally do to loose 10-15 pounds.  I went through menopause at 33 years old which could be why losing this 15 lbs is being more difficult that one would expect. 

I don’t eat many carbs or starches, I don’t snack on cookies, candy, chips, or ice cream, and I don’t drink milk.  What gives?  I just can’t lose this 15 lbs.    I drink a ton of water. I keep a pitcher on my desk filled with water so I can refill my water glass often. I guess drinking a lot of water doesn’t flush extra weight off though.  Bummer.  I don’t eat a lot and often skip lunch – which I believe is one reason why I’m not losing weight.

 

My body cleanse journey

 

I took the leap and started a cleanse this morning!

Today I started David Kirsch’s 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse.  I received the cleansing kit and a couple of other ‘cleansing’ products that will go into more detail about in a moment, a few days ago.  Every day since, it seemed like it was not a good day to start the cleanse.   I have never done a cleanse before and I am nervous about the idea of not eating food for two days.  Although I don’t eat much, it’s knowing that I CAN’T eat that makes me anxious.

I am doing the David Kirsch 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse for a few reasons.

  1. I want to start fresh with my body but I’m not ready for a full-on 5 day cleanse
  2. I have heard and read great things about David Kirsch’s products.  I researched several cleansing programs and based on reviews and factual information I chose David Kirsch’s cleanse.
  3. I would like to jump start my metabolism and immune system
  4. The cleanse is supposed to pave the way for clean eating
  5. The cleans helps with energy levels

I don’t have high expectations for the cleanse. I don’t expect to lose even 5 lbs, I just want to feel healthier.  Cleansed, I guess.   During the cleanse I will drink a lot of water and can supplement with Thermo Bubbles which helps to boost metabolism and elevates energy level.

After the cleanse I will replace one meal a day (or add lunch) with a Chocolate Protein Shake for a few days.

It’s 9:49AM and so far I have enjoyed one glass of the lemonade flavored 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse.  I feel great. I almost feel like I have more energy than I normally would at this time of the morning.  I am going to have to keep very busy today.  I will start packing for our upcoming trip to Florida and I have an appointment to get my nails done with a friend.  My daughter has gymnastics and my son has a test to study for, etc.. so those things will hopefully help keep my mind off of food.

Here’s a summary of what I’m using:

A cleanse isn’t for everyone.. and who knows.. it might not be for me either.  I bought all of the David Kirsch products that I’m using at SkinStore.com because they currently have a 20% coupon code. 🙂  Just visit the site and you will see the code on the right side of the page if they are still offering it.

Wish me luck and I’ll keep you updated on my progress.

Have you tried a cleanse?

Alicia

 

This is NOT a sponsored post.  This is a personal story.