The Product: A single Clarisonic Mia brush head replacement can cost you between $25-$27, pending retailer. Double packs are $50. They can be found in any Ulta or Sephora, as well as online. Brushes should be replaced every three months. 

The Pros: Considering the length that this product can be used and the durability of it I think they price is great, specially if you are getting a true use of your clarisonic and using every day, if not twice a day. For a deep pore cleanser the brush bristles are decently soft. I expect these to be intensely hard bristles and that was not the case. After using this particular brush head by face feels truly clean and I can see the difference in the “deep” cleanse when compared to the other brushes. [Keep in mind I have oily skin and I am a long time suffer of enlarged pores] Also when I use this brush once to twice a week I feel that there is less oil production through out the week. 

The Cons: Though this brush states that it can be used every day, it should not!!! The first two weeks I used it every day like my old brush head and it completely dried out my chin, and parts of my cheeks.  It was flaky, tight and just gross. I had to stop using my brush head for almost 3 weeks until my skin fully healed. I have heard of other people that have had the same issue with this brush. This is not for sensitive skin types and pending on your skin I think you should be cautious of how often you use it.  I think the brush might work best when and if  you use it once or twice a week, therefore having an alternative brush will be necessary. Which raises the question; Should it still be replaced after three months, or can it last longer? At this point I am getting a four time use in one month over a 31 day use…so I wonder if I store it well in between uses can I get away with replacing it every 6 months or even every year?

The Bottom Line: Great brush, does the job, makes your face feel clean but not to be used daily as recommended. Listen to your skin when considering frequency in use. Despite it working well though, considering what it did to my skin thus wont be able to get trues use out of it….I will not be purchasing this particular brush head again.

The Rating: 

Until Next Time…

This novel by Dorothy Howell’s is her 6th written work with character Haley Randolph but it is only the 5th official installment in the mystery Chic Lit series featuring amazing handbags, Los Angeles, hot detectives and of course Haley herself. 

I love finding series that are fun and amazing, & though this series is not an epic classic it is still a great book for pool size/ beach reading or perfect for a day at home. I am a nerd and can totally read a book in a day or two, so I love these. [May I add it is not because I have too much time on my hands but because I just rather read than watch t.v] My heart has a special heart for romance novels and girl detectives. 

What’s it about? It seems that our heroine has finally landed her dream job with amazing pay, corporate events to coordinate and of course amazing suits. However  how can Haley concentrate on being the best she can be in this new post when it seems that murder follows her everywhere?  Once again the prime suspect, she must prove her innocence all the while juggling two jobs, solving problems with boyfriend Ty, finding the missing family housekeeper, dealing with her ever growing affection for detective Jack Bishop & hunting down the new Temptress tote!!!

What will happen? Read and find out!

What I thought about it? Of course I loved this novel and can not wait for the 6th novel next summer. I own all the books in ipad ibooks format and will continue to add to my collection. I am rather happy certain events happen but am rather sad about how they happened. [ Don’t want to spoil it] The book left off it a nice cliff hanger as usual, but now more intriguing then before. I do continue to feel that certain little mysterious presented in each novel don’t fully get resolved but its not too big of a deal really. I feel that the series gets better and better with each release and I am excited to see what happens next. As always I love that handbags and Los Angeles are just as big of characters in the series as Haley herself and I can just about always picture where she is. I loved this novel.

Until Next Time… read!

The Product: For about $8 you get get this 5 fl oz container of No 7’s foaming cleanser. The product is dispensed in a pump and turns into fluffy white foam after it leaves the bottle. The product can be found in Target & Ulta and it is specifically designed for oily skin.

The Pros: This product is hypoallergenic, it has a nice clean fresh smell. The price is great for the amount of product you get. It must be noted that foam cleansers are specifically well suited for oily skin  because it doesn’t give the skin that stripped feeling other cleansers can create. These type of cleansers are also the best cleansers for people with pore problems. Over all this product has great customer reviews [ which is what made me purchase it] and the foam is rather nice and fluffy, which I like.

The Cons: Unfortunately my skin and I didn’t particularly find this cleanser as amazing as the reviewers in Ulta.com. I feel like my face is not being properly cleansed. It must be noted that I usually go through a pre-cleansing routine that involved eye make-up remover and make-up wipes or Dermalogica’s Pre-Cleanse. I usually use cleansers after to a) treat skin ailments [which is what your cleanser is suppose to do] and b) finish properly cleansing my face. Though this product does have a clean smell, and that mild tingly feeling that makes your face feel fresh after washing it, I just knew I was not fully cleaning by skin when using this product.

My suspicions were always proven right in my toner stage when I was picking up bits of oil here, or dirt there, or even some left over makeup. Yet my process of cleansing didn’t change just my cleanser. Also, the product claims to help in the pore department, and I do have a rather horrible pore problem, but I have seen no improvements in that department. Furthermore, my skin has actually been having more breakouts since I started using this a month ago, than it has had in the past 4 months. 

The Bottom Line: I wanted to love this product as it has 4/5 stars with most reviewers but I ended up feeling rather disappointed. 

The Rating: For me, despite those pros I mentioned above, its going to have to be a 1/5

Until Next Time…

The Product: The New NYC New York Color Custom “IndividualEyes Custom Compact” includes a primer, illuminator, sponge applicator and four eye shadow shades that will coordinate with your eye color ” to enhance and intensity” your eye shade. Each Palette is $4.99 with 6 palettes available plus this palette pictured here, not featured in website,  which can be used by anyone to create a smokey eye.

The Pros: The color combinations of the entire collection are very pretty. The price is affordable and great for what you get. The size makes it easy for travel and everything is spaced/organized well inside the palette. I actually really liked parts of this palette and have been using them a lot this month. The lighter colors can be used to create a work worthy look. I don’t feel like the shadows are chalky or have excessive fall out which made them easy and fun to work with. I like the fact that a primer and illuminator are incorporated into the palette.

The Cons: Though I loved the fact that a primer was added into the palette I wasn’t too happy with it. I have a heavy crease and when this is applied it tends to gather there and make a mess of things. Not the point of a primer. However if I just apply it in my lid, avoiding the crease, it works pretty well. The illuminator was a bit much for me, its just pow, ulta white in your face, so it was a bit much. Of all four shades I have to say the darkest ended up being a big disappointment because the color pay off on that one just isn’t there. 

See how the two darker colors look very similar in the swatch? That is with one swatch of the darker gray and 3 swatches of the black, the darkest color in the palette. Not okay!

The Rating: 3/5

The Bottom Line: This was my first  NYC eyeshadow ever and though I wasn’t blown away I did like it enough to not give it a 1 or 2 rating. I do want to purchase another one to test out the other colors. Like I said, some items do work better than others but for $5 I have to say Wet N Wild still owns my heart. 

Until Next Time…

 [Click for Disclosure]

The Product: For only $4.99, these limited edition [still available in most Targets] Maybelline products can be yours. The products come in the classic Maybelline pink & green packaging with a bit less that .50 fl oz inside each. Colors available include; Pop of purple, Blink of Blue, Totally Teal & Go Go Green.

The Pros: Cost effective and fun! Yep… am stopping there. 

The Cons: Its very odd when I still like a product when I feel that over all the cons over rule the pros, but that happens to be the case with these products. I don’t hate them, so I can give them a 1 or 2 but I wouldn’t buy them again either. I truly wanted to be madly in love with these but I have to say I just…like them. The formula isn’t what I have come to expect of a Maybelline Mascara, my favorite Mascara brand of all time.

I found that if I didn’t work quickly and with precision my lashes ended up big, big clumpy mess instead of the awesomeness they are use to. Another thing, though I am fully aware of the exaggerated claims adverts make, I was still dreaming of  great color pay off once the product was applied, and I can not say that is fully the case. I noticed, as did other bloggers in their reviews, that you get the best show through of color when you double this product with the same color eye shadow or liner. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to work to make a product work… I just want it to work. So then, why do I still like this product?

Like I said in my pros, it is a fun product, its something different and cute. When I wear them I have a very specific eye routine. I use a matte or sparkly shadow similar to my skin tone, then I tight line my eyes with a liner in the shade of the mascara, and then add the mascara. I get better show of color and when I do this  girls/ladies will stop me and say “Oh, you are wearing color Mascara…fun.” 

The Bottom Line: I like it but am not impressed. 

The Rating:

Until Next Time…

I can now cross off another item from my weekend wish list :D

The Product: The brushes, which were created by Samantha Chapman a makeup artist/blogger/vlogger, are super economical…I have no idea why it took me this long to get them. Each single brush is about $8-9 and each set of 3-4 brushes is about $17 each. There are 3 basic categories to select from; you have base brushes, eye brushes and finishing brushes, with so many selections you are sure to find at least one you need.

The Pros: As mentioned, the brushes are super economical, and for the price you pay you get a very lovely product. The handles are made of aluminum which make them light to handle. I love that the brushes are not only self standing, well at least the ones I got, but that they are 100% cruelty-free. Thus far I have been using at least one of the three brushes I purchased each day and I am happy to report that there is no hair shedding as of yet. I don’t know about you, but I hate it when I need to remove brush hair off my face after a make-up application, which I have to do often with other more expensive brands. The synthetic hair in the brushes is super soft and easy to work with. On a final pro note; I think that these brushes are multi tasking brushes, for example I can use my blush brush to apply setting powder, or my setting brush to contour my face.
 

[above; setting brush]

[above; stippling brush]

[ above, a very fluffy blush brush]

The Cons: When it comes to function and overall look of the product, I have no complaints at all. However as a buyer that loves to hold on to and play with items before I buy them I do have a little “shopper concern” …no real biggie. In the USA the brushes are exclusively being sold on Ulta.com, in Ulta Stores or off the Real Technique website. If you don’t have an Ulta near by it might be a bit tricky to get your hands on them to play before you buy. I wanted these forever but it wasn’t until I made my way to an Ulta for a business meeting about 27 miles away from home, that I was really able to “play” with them and therefore make up my mind . Again, this con is more a personal preference when shopping than an actual con against the product itself.

The Bottom Line: I am loving this product and I fully expect to purchase more products from this line.

The Rating: 5/5

Until Next Time…

What’s it about? This non-fiction medical thriller by Richard Preston is an “oldie” but a goodie which was originally published in 1994. The novel covers Preston’s interviews with a variety of medical and military personnel that worked closely with the Ebola virus in the late 1980’s when it poked its ugly face inside a monkey house used for testing in Washington DC. The novel is written in a story like format that is easy to follow despite some heavy medical information. The story begins with what can perhaps be called the birth of the virus inside Katum Cave in Africa and it follows it as the virus makes its way through the African population and eventually into Washington D.C. The reader learns about the virus and its 4 mutations, and learns in graphic detail what the virus can do to a primate and human population. 

What I thought about it? This was my second time reading this novel, the first time I read it was over 10 years ago and it was as thrilling and as terrifying as I remembered it. This is a perfect example of what great journalism is about, the author does a superb  job in painting a mental picture and does an excellent job in hunting down details and retailing facts in a story like fashion. Despite the fact that the novel in jam-packed with a variety of medical details, it does not become confusing or boring. Though the novel will freak you out a bit [think Contagion] it is a worthy read. The novel also speaks briefly about some HIV and AIDS history and it also lists all known viruses that can potentially be catastrophic if unleashed in the human population. Sick, but fascinating!

Until Next Time…

The Product: This cream blush is available in 10 different shades and can be purchased in any drug store for about $7. 

The Pros:  I personally really liked the bouncy texture, I thought it was interesting and unique, I have never used anything like it. It is very light  weight and I think that the color is very much build-able. You can add just a bit or add as much as you want to get a richer, more intense color. Also, according to the website the product is non comedogenic which is great news for gals with pore problems. For a drug store item it is priced well enough and it is offered in a variety of shades that are very pretty. I actually expected to really hate this product because I read a lot of bad reviews about it, and a lot beauty bloggers I follow were very much on the fence about this, that is why it took me so long to actually buy it…but I liked it more than I thought I would. 

The Cons:  Thought the texture is very unique I can understand why so many people were a bit put off by it, it is a bit odd specially when you want to load it to your brush. I personally think that unless you have a stippling brush or use your fingers it will be a bit tricky to use this product. I did use it with three different type of brushes and found some work better than others, while other simply do not work at all. Also the texture does make it a bit flimsy if you will. When I was loading it on to my brush I guess at one point I pressed too hard and the whole thing almost came off the packaging…weird!

The Bottom Line:  Even though I am giving this products just an “I like it” rating, I do like it enough to want to try other shades and perhaps purchase it again. However its not a must have item, that is part of why I am not rating it higher. As far as “cream” blusher go (though technically this is described as a gel) there are better things out in the market. For me the texture makes it unique enough and the colors are lovely enough to be an okay item to add to a makeup collection. 

The Rating:

Until Next Time…

The Product: For about $6 you get a trial size of Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk “Lite” The Curl Booster. This item can be found in Sephora or the Carol’s Daughter website, as well as any shop that is a supplier for the company. You get 2 fl oz of this product, which is used every day in the recommended amount, last for about 2 weeks. The product has a thick creamy consistency and has a very faint smell of what I think is almonds. 

The Pros: Both trial sizes and full sizes of this product, and others like it, are very economical, they are best suited for textures and what I call “cultural” hair like mine. They have a pleasant scent and are easy to dispense from the container. That may seem like a minor thing but I hate it when I must fight with the packaging. The product does not leave your hair feeling too stiff and it does help to control some of the fuzzies. 

The Cons: My hair tends to get the craziest in the tips, towards the lower half of the hair growth. That seems to make sense to me as hair seems to be the most healthy toward the roots. I need a product that helps shape the curl and tame it from root to tips.  This product did an okay job but it did not wow me, with my hair type I need to be wowed and I need a product to last and last.  It’s a shame because I had been dying to try this and I truly wanted to love it. 

The Bottom Line: This product was nice, and it was okay but I wasn’t wowed and therefore would not purchase it again.

The Rating:

Until Next Time…

What’s it about? Vampire Bill, Sookie’s boyfriend, has been kidnap and Sookie intends to get him back. With the aid of Eric, the District Sheriff, and a very hot werewolf named Alcide, Sookie heads to Jackson to rescue her one true love. Once in Jackson Sookie finds a tangle of Vampire Political drama that leaves both her heart and body wounded. Soon more than one vamp and ‘were’ want to help her heal. What will happen? Read and find out! 

What did I think about it? The Sookie Stackhouse novels are getting better and juicier as I continue. I usually read a few books at the same time and finish them a few days apart but this series has made me abandoned my other reads and has me racing through the series. Club Dead is book 3 in the currently 11 book series. I finished book 2 not too long ago and I am almost done with book 4 as of today…well yesterday or 2 days ago for you as you read this! I had to head to Barnes & Nobel today to get the next two. The series is really funny, suspenseful and full of amazing dramatic romance. Its official, in the books I love and prefer Eric a million times more than Bill. I find find him to be extremely funny, chivalrous and just plain hot. His a bad guy that is just so good. Yes…I realize am going gaga over a fictional character, you read the darn books and then we will talk. :D But it must be noted that now that I meet Alcide I can’t help but love him too! How is a girl to choose? Oh Sookie, you lucky gal! Speaking of Sookie, I find her to be a LOT more delicate in the books than in the series. I still don’t know how I feel about it but regardless the whole series (thus far) is amazing and I highly recommend it! 

What’s it About? Isabella is running from a werewolf clan who is pure evil. She has stolen a powerful tool from them and now they are after her! Enter handsome and strong were-jaguar warrior from the Cat clan, who wants to do nothing more but protect her…and perhaps steal her heart.

What I thought about it? I have realized that I simply can not judge short stories, or novelettes as they are called, like I judge a novel. They are simple too short and have little pages to make too many things happen; introduce characters, set up plot, conflict, climax, love, perhaps sex and resolution with a happy ending. I guess we can’t all be masters of the short story like say Russian writer Anton Chekhov or like master of the macabre Stephen King who with just 5 simple pages can give me nightmares….oh well. Thus, having said that I suppose this was an okay story…I am now reading part 2 because I want to know what they heck is going on, perhaps this will all make sense? But why make it a trilogy with about 50 pages each. Just make it a Novelette of 150 pages….oh well. We shall see….

What I am reading now? I am currently re-reading (and am half done with) medical true story : Hot Zone. I just picked up The Help from the library last night and am already 50 pages in. I am also reading Amber Moon part 2 of this trilogy. I will most likely be done with that by the time you read this. Lastly….I am working through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at a very sluggish pace, its not bad…its just one of those books I need to take my time with…like The Historian…I might be done with that one in December the way things are going.

What are you reading, if anything…

Until Next Time…

The Product: This e.l.f studio product can be purchased for $3 in your local Target or online. It is a waterproof, volumizing product that comes in a plastic container with a football shaped wand. 

The Pros: When the product says that this is waterproof it means it! An oil based solution will be needed to remove your product because once dried it will stay on. The formula is also very dark thus it does give your lashes that extra volume with out being too much. 

The Cons: The formula is sticky :( every time I would blink my bottom lashes and top lashes would get stuck together. It became very annoying. Due to this, if your eyelashes just happen to touch each other they will start to clump with one another in a very unattractive way! Yuck! Also since this product is waterproof, removal can be a bit messy…and tricky. 

The bottom line: Great color, waterproof, but hard to take off and sticky..at the end its just not worth it. 

The Rating:

Until Next Time…

I received this product as a gift from a family member and thought it would be a good idea to give a quick post about it…

The Product: NYC’s Smooth Skin liquid foundation can be purchased in your local drug store for only $3. It comes in a glass container with a twisty plastic cap. The formula has a whipped like consistency and can be better described as a “mousse” foundation rather than a “liquid” one. It has a very light, almost undetectable scent that is not unpleasant.

The Pros: This foundation contains Vitamins E and A which help promote cell regeneration and helps slow down the signs of aging. I can’t remember ever seeing another foundation with Vitamins in it, so I thought that was rather cool. The mousse like consistency makes it very light and very easy to apply. This foundation is very cheap in price, but I was actually rather impresses with its durability and coverage considering its a $3 foundation! Though I would not personally buy for myself, mainly because there are others I like better, I would recommend it because if you are all about being cost efficient this product will give you that and it will actually be a good product too. Like I said I was actually impressed.

The Cons: Due to the texture of this product the packaging is not the most ideal. Liquid foundation tends to “flow” out of their containers because well…they are liquid, but this whipped texture makes it almost impossible to dispense. I have to reach in with a small brush or spatula to get the product out. This foundation is not the best for oily skin, it tent to oxidize greatly and therefore transforming the color into a much more orange darker tone. As we know the natural oils of your skin change the color of your foundation but with oily skin types the changes can at times be too dramatic, and that is the case with this product.  

The Bottom Line:  Excellent for people on a budget that are looking for a product that will work yet be cost efficient. Perhaps best suited for normal and dry skin types. Not ideal for oily skin. 

The Rating: 

The Product: This Murad product is about $20 at your local Sephora and it contains 0.5 fl oz of product. 

The Pros:  Well, the first thing that is super amazing about this product is its shelve life. According to the packet it can last up to 2 years after it is first open, so you can definitely get your moneys worth. The product does work, according to me and according to the scientist that have tested it and proven it can work.

I have use this treatment for about 3 weeks and have began seeing improvement in spots as quickly as 2 days. The texture of the product makes it easy to spread and apply and a little truly goes a long way. Lastly, Murad does not test on animals! Yay!

The Cons: This product can be very drying due to some of the ingredients in it, therefore the most important thing to remember is to truly treat it as a “spot” treatment. While the product can help prevent future break outs I simply can not use it all over. Using it all over left my face feeling dehydrated and feeling really tight, not even a thick layer of moisturizer seemed to help. Even when I just spot treat, I would  get that tightness in that little patch, so again be careful. Also, it doesn’t have the most pleasant smell, every time I use it my husband can tell because when he kisses my face he says “Yum, sulfur!” Not cute! 

The Bottom Line: This is an economical product from a good company and the product works! Though it can be harsh as it works its magic. 

The Rating: 4/5

Until Next Time…

The Products: For Christmas my husband got me some cute little stocking stuffers, some of which included these items from the Almond Cookie line by Carol’s Daughter. The body wash can be yours for $13.50 and the lotion can be purchased for $18.00 as indicated in their website. Each of the items contains 8 fl oz of product and they come in the signature, simply, yet chic packaging of the Carol’s Daughter brand. Lisa, the owner, prides herself in an all natural company, a company that she started in her kitchen apparently….she started by simply experimenting with scents and products. Well, she has done quite alright and I,along with many other love this company. 

The Pros: If you consider that this is an all natural company, and if you remember that such companies can be expensive, then this name brand has very reasonable prices across the board. The Almond cookie products smell amazing and the scent is long lasting. The lotion is very moisturizing and thick, which I love, and overall I am simply happy with these items. 

The Cons: The only thing that I do not like is that the body wash is not very lathering. I like my body wash to be very bubbly and well, it is very lacking in that department. Regardless the smell is there as is the overall moisture. 

The Bottom Line: I like these items, but would recommend the Lotion before the body wash. 

The Rating: Lets say 4.5/5

Until Next Time…