Blog Award! :)

The beautiful La Dama made my day when she recently paid an award forward to me. I love the whole concept of this type of award, so here are my fifteen picks!





If your blog is listed below, please accept this award, and be sure to pass it along to your top 15 favorite blogs! Be sure to contact them to let them know they've won!

In alphabetical order:

1. All You Desire
2. Kandee Johnson
3. Laura (lollipop26writes)
4. Makeup and Beauty (Irish beauty blogger)
5. Makeup and Life
6. Makeup by Ansa
7. Makeup Savvy (UK blogger)
8. Musing on Beauty
9. Picturesque Makeup
10. TiffanyD
11. Ushishi
12. Vivid Fusion
13. You've Got Face
14. You've Got Nail
15. ....Pixiwoo...

Thanks to La Dama!!!

I LOVE PINK! Especially Pink Ribbons!

From the "secretive" Facebook status tags (by the way, I personally like it on the kitchen table) to the little pink ribbons that pop up everywhere, one of the best things about the month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness. Heck, even Halloween and that renewed (and blessedly appreciated for us Southern gals!) cool crispiness in the air can't top the Pink!

In celebration of this wonderful cause, I want to share my list of favorites from this year's collection of pink-ribbon themed products!

But first! I honestly can't gush about items to buy without first imploring my dear readers to go straight to the source - be it the Susan G. Komen Foundation, or any other honest and worthwhile organization devoted to breast cancer research, treatment, awareness and education, or even helping those directly affected by this disease. In fact, if there's a local organization that you know of in (or near) your community, start there. Every little bit helps. Donate money. Donate time. Donate a teddy bear to a child who's mom is fighting this illness, if you know of a group doing such a thing. Whatever you can do, it doesn't matter how big or small the gesture, because each one counts!

Also, be careful. Before you donate to an organization or buy a product allegedly linked to the flurry of breast cancer awareness campaigns this year, be sure to read the fine print. You'll be surprised (sometimes even apalled) to find some brands doing as little as possible in return for you buying the overpriced items that they're hocking. Similarly, you should really do your homework before forking over your money to an organization that's not familiar to you. Yes, every little bit helps, but there is a significant line between doing good and getting ripped off.


Now, onto the goodies!

1. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer ($35): I've been wanting to try this (Have I posted my skincare must-have yet? No? Well, I will be soon, and this is on the list!), and what a better time of the year to take the plunge? I've heard good things about this moisturizer, and the pink-ribbon version comes with a collectible key ring attached. The only iffy part about it is the fact that it's $12.50 more than the regular one, which gives them an extra $2.50 profit, but I'd pay $2.50 for the keychain alone, so it's a reasonable mark-up.







2. DKNY Be Delicious Coffret ($38): You know I absolutely love my Be Delicious Fresh Blossom. Well, here's four minis to split between me and my sister! You get two of the original (green) Be Delicious and two Be Delicious Fresh Blossom (pink). According to Sephora.com, "In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month DKNY Be Delicious will be making a $15,000 donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation." Doesn't say if it's in relation to the sale of these coffrets, but $15K isn't too shabby.




3. Estee Lauder - Elizabeth Hurley Lip Design Collection ($25): Estee Lauder is a HUGE supporter of Breast Cancer Awareness each year, and this year alone, they will be donating $500,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. In fact, according to their web site, "By October 2010, the Estee Lauder Companies and their retail partners will have contributed or raised $45 million since 1993 for BCRF." Why wouldn't we want help them out by purchasing this lovely set of two dual-ended lip glosses with pink crocodile clutch? You get four different glosses in two hook-up tubes! Four Glosses! (Okay, half glosses?) For $25.00! I am personally not a fan of lip gloss, but I am definitely willing to give it one more shot with these. Besides, if anyone has the right boobs to help promote awareness about breast cancer, it's Elizabeth Hurley!

By the way, if you're not a fan of Estee Lauder makeup, then I suggest picking up one of their Jeweled Pink Ribbon Pins for only $12.50. It's pink. It sparkles. Needs I say more?



4. Anything from the Save the Ta-Tas brand! I absolutely love the Ta-Tas brand. It's so cheeky and fun! Granted, no one will argue that cancer is a serious and depressing disease, but making people aware, educating them, and even more importantly, getting them to do something to help the cause doesn't have to be a gloomy, solemn process. The Ta-Tas brand offers clothing, accessories (which is more than just decals and beads), and Boob Lube, a line of lotion, soap, and body wash - all of which come complete with instructions for using them in self examination! I personally love the PREMIUM ta-tas Medallion V-neck Tee in Heathered Charcoal, and the Save the Ta-Tas pullover hoodies (available in black and white).

Do note that this is a for-profit company, but they state clearly on every page that "at least 25% of the proceeds of every purchase is used to fight this devastating disease." After clicking through, it says that it "has contributed on average approximately 50% of company net profits, or proceeds, over the past 6 years to help fight the war on breast cancer."



5. Philosophy - Shower for the Cure ($20): This is a good one. 100% of the net proceeds from sales of this 3-in-1 bath product will be donated to the Women's Cancer Research Fun. For those not familiar with the Philosophy 3-in-1 products, it's a shampoo, shower gel, and bath gel all in one.





6. Essie - We Can Do It Pink! ($8): We Can Do It Pink! - a soft, sheer pink, according to the web site - is Essie's contribution to breast cancer awareness this year. An unspecified portion of the sale of this polish will go to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, an organization that empowers women affected by breast cancer. If it were any brand other than essie, I might be skeptical, but for them, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. ;)






7. Yoplait yogurt lids: Yoplait is encouraging you to lick (and save) your yogurt tops this month. I love yogurt - it's tasty and good for you - and now it's even better. "Save lids to save lives," they say. With each lid you send from now until December 31, Yoplait will donate 10 cents to the Susan G. Koman Foundation. The total donation cap is set at $1.6 million, with a guaranteed donation of $500,000. Considering that they met their goal of $1.5 million last year, I have just one thing to say: Get to lickin' ladies!




8. Pink Ribbon Sharpies + Sharpie's Ink it in Pink!: 10 cent from the sale of every Pink Ribbon Sharpie goes to City of Hope for breast cancer research, treatment and education (up to $50,000). That seems like a paltry amount, but there's more! Upload your pink-Sharpie siggy to the SharpieUncapped web site, and Sharpie will donate $1 (up to a max of $10,000) to City of Hope in support of breast cancer research and treatment. Miley's doing it, but don't let that stop you! (lol!) Other celebs have done it, too! Besides, $60,000 is nothing to thumb your nose at! (Markers are available from OfficeMax.com for about $2.00 for a 2-pack.)





9. Origins - Peace of Mind On the Spot Relief ($10): Origins is another must-have for me (I swear I'll post my list soon!). Right now, they have a pink-ribbon themed offering for clarity and peace of mind. This isn't a skincare item. It's a "sensibilities care" item, in the form of an aromatherapy-esque liquid that you dab on the back of your neck, earlobes, and temples (near the hairline, not your eyes). Origins will donate $35,000 to the Breast Cancer Research foundation, regardless of whether or not you buy this particular product, so at $10 a pop, what do you have to lose by supporting them for their efforts? Other than your sanity, of course. ;)




10. Guess - Sparkling Pink 2010 Watch ($95): 20% of each sale of this stainless steel watch goes to the Susan G. Koman foundation. Sporting 11 baby pink crystals at each hour (tiny clear crystals appear to be at the 12 o'clock mark), and a pink crystal-encrusted ribbon on the face, this cute little timepiece is well worth a look. It comes in a pink snake skin box with GUESS embossed on the cover. I'm personally not sure if I'm going to get this one, since I already have a watch that I love (and that doubles as a charm bracelet to boot!), but if I didn't already have one, I'd definitely want this on my wishlist!


So, there you have it. My list of top faves from the BCA goodies being offered! Now, put on your shopping hats and get to spending! It's for a great cause!

Always Use Protection! (Sun protection, that is!)

I seriously doubt that anyone reading this will argue with the idea that including some type of sunscreen in our beuty regimine is a must. The sun is just not something you can play with (or in) anymore, and it hasn't been for a long time. We also know why, too: skin cancer, premature wrinkling, and hard-to-kill sun spots top the list for me.



Before I begin, I want to share a few things I already knew about SPF, as well as some highlights that I've picked up in my recent poking-around. Whatever you ultimately decide to use for yourself, and regardless of whether or not you care to read anything past this, please remember these points:

• If you use a moisturizer with SPF 20, and a foundation with SPF 15, you will NOT get a grand total of SPF 35! All you'll get is SPF 20, because that was the higher SPF of the two products.
• SPF 15 is the lowest recommended SPF to use. If you plan on being in the sun longer than you normally would, use an SPF of 30 or higher to be safe.
• Whatever you use in the summer is exactly what you should use in the winter. Seasons make little to no difference. Furthermore, clouds don't do a damn thing to block UV rays, so don't skip (or skimp) during rainy weather!
• Once your SPF time allowance is up, reapplication is futile. Reapplication ONLY guarantees that your original timeline stays put (see below to figure up your timeline based on your skintone and how that correlates to a given SPF number). It will not ADD time. Choose your SPF wisely and apply it evenly from the start. Your skin will thank you for it later.
• If you sweat, go swimming, get rained on, or even get caught in steady wind, your sunscreen will need to be reapplied. Again, this won't restart your SPF clock, but it will ensure that your original timeline remains in place.
• There is a difference between "sunscreen" and "sunblock." Sunscreen protects against UVs chemically; therefore, it must be applied at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, so that it can be properly absorbed into the skin. Sunblock uses particles (such as titanium dioxide) that physically deflect UV rays; they will begin working immediately (meaning, you can apply them when you're already in the sun), because they sit on top of the skin.

What I didn't know was how sunscreen works, or how much was the right level, so I decided do a little digging to find out.

Turns out, there is no "right" number - or at least, what's right for me, might be overkill for you. Likewise, SPF 15 may plenty for you, but is far too little for me. Why is that? Because the SPF number on the bottle correlates to the amount of time you should be able to stay in the sun before burning. For instance, if I can stay in the sun (unprotected) for twenty minutes before any reddening (let alone full-on burning) occurs, then an SPF of 5 is going to allow me to stay five times longer - or in this case, 100 minutes (20 x 5 = 100). If I were going to be out and about all day, then protection that technically only covers me for an hour and forty minutes is clearly not enough for me.

What I use now is a moisturizer with SPF 15. In fact, a good majority of moisturizers and foundations that I've come across only have SPF 15 (some do go higher, though, obviously). So, if it takes 20 minutes for my skin to start burning... that's 20 x 15, which is 300 minutes, or 5 hours. Am I ever going to be in direct sunlight for 5 hours? Probably not. Not unless I'm locked outside of my hotel at the beach or something, but that's not the point. Timewise, if I TRULY want to be covered - indoors or out, cloudy or not - I think I personally would want an SPF of 30 or more.

But wait! That's not all! There's also UVA and UVB to worry about! Yikes!

UVA (or ultraviolet-A) are long-wave solar rays that don't necessarily burn your skin, but DO penetrate deeper into the skin. These buggers are the cause of wrinkling, weathering (or leathering) of the skin, freckles and age spots. Basically, UVA = Photoaging.

UVB (ultraviolet-B) are the short-wave rays that burn your skin and are the cause of cancer. They are clearly much more concentrated than UVA rays, and obviously cause the most damage. Or I should say, the worst of the damage, as I do consider premature wrinkles a form of damage, too.

An SPF of 15 typically blocks about 92% of UV rays (one site said 94%), which is good. SPF 30 jumps up to about 97%. What's interesting, however, is that SPF 40 only protects 97.5%. As you can guess from that, once you hit SPF 30, the UV protection only increases in minor increments. I'm not saying that your SPF 50 sunscreen isn't doing you any good, but it's probably not that much better at protecting you against UV rays than the SPF 30.

Just sayin'. ;)

So, what this all comes down to is you. That's right. You, the person reading this (if you've managed to get this far, in which case, kudos!). Take a look at your skin. Darker skin tones tend to burn at a much slower rate than someone like me (I've never been color matched, but I'm guessing I'm either NW10 or NW15), so you may be able to get away with the standard SPF 15. However, the lighter your skin tone is, the more thoughtful you should be about the SPF in the products that you use. When in doubt, go higher. It's your only safe bet.

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation

First, I feel that I should preface this with a post-meltdown update. Yesterday was bad. I probably shouldn't have taken it out on my blog, but that's in the past. After I calmed down a little, I decided to "pamper" myself with a lemon and sugar facial scrub that left my skin feeling baby smooth. I plan to do this at least twice a week from now on. Hopefully, it will give my skin some natural clarity, which will make everything else beauty-related not such a pain in the ass.

Now, onto the real purpose of this post: a personal review of Maybelline's Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation.

I had to go to the drugstore today (CVS), and while I was there, I picked this up on a whim. I had heard such great things about it - how it made your skin glow, was good for dry skin, was a Holy Grail foundation for most everyone who had tried it, and so on and so forth. Needless to say, I was very curious to try it out.

The packaging didn't really bother me that much, unlike a good many of the reviews I've seen on it. The product itself is in the base of the container, so you have to unscrew the top to get to it. The pop-top part, which is where I guess most people expected the actual foundation to be, houses the sponge that comes with it. There's no mirror or anything like that, but then, who would use a compact mirror for applying something as broad as foundation?

I got the lightest shade - Porcelain Ivory - because I'm a severely white child like that. I couldn't really see the color in the package, though, because (as I said) the product is hidden away in the base of the container, and there's a huge sticker on the bottom covering up the see-through part at the bottom. All I had to go on was the 1/4 inch strip of clear plastic around the bottom edge and a bit of faith.

I got it home, opened it up, and ... it looked okay. I was a little skeptical, because it did look just a little on the yellow-ish side to me, but I figured it would work alright.

When I first started putting it on, I saw that the color was more pinkish than it looked in the pot, so that was a relief. As I continued applying it, I was really pleased with how light it felt on my skin. It was definitely that almost-not-there kind of weight, which I really liked.


Unfortunately, that was a far as my liking went. After I got it applied, I leaned in, and oh my god, I could have fainted. Lines I didn't even know I had were doing a Broadway number right there on my face! Before I could get into full-blown panic-/tanrum-mode, I decided to apply a dusting of MUFE HD setting powder and just finish up the whole package (minus the eyes) to see if that helped it any.

Haha! Ha. ha...

I went back into the bathroom with all the big lights to see how it went, and I looked like I was wearing a foundation that was three shades too dark and a billion times too orange. I guess it had oxidized on my face? Whatever. It looked horrible.

So, bottom line: this was a waste of $10.00 for moi, and I absolutely will not be buying anymore of this at any point for the rest of my life. In fact, being the snob that I am, it will probably be a long, long time (and a cold, cold day in hell) before I will trust the Maybelline brand in general ever again.

Oh, and I ordered the Revlon PhotoReady from Ulta, but for some reason (I suspect a dose of crack at 3 a.m., but that's just me and my silly imagination) the awesome folks at UPS decided to tender my package to the "local Post Office."

An hour from where I live.

Operation No Makeup for Mimmy. Apparently.

Seriously, I'm just about fed up with all the trial-and-error (heavy, heavy emphasis on ERROR!) I've been having to go through lately, just to find ONE THING that doesn't make me look stupid, doesn't make my eyes burn like crazy, or that reasonably covers the things I don't want to show!

I have had so many eyeliner FAIL!s in the last month or two that I am literally in tears each time I test something new (if not from the searing of my eyes, then from the joker staring back at me from the mirror). What was working perfectly fine for me this time last year (MAC Fluidline) suddenly isn't - not by a long shot. And FYI, a company doesn't have to change their formula in order for shit like this to happen. My eyes are just spoiled little brats that probably need to be popped out in order to teach them a lesson.

So, that's me, swearing off eyeliner. What's next?

Mascara. I bought a new tube of Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion, because last year, the LB Volumizing worked wonders. It made my eyes sting ever so slightly after a few hours of wearing it, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. And now? Now, I could rub sandpaper on my eyeballs and it would feel better than that crap!

Heck, I can't even wear my trusty Coastal Scents eyeshadow anymore. I tried that by itself, and after a few minutes, my eyes turned red and started watering.

At this point, I'm thinking it would be a waste of time and money to even try to find a new foundation like I've been planning, because that's all I'd be able to use at this point - and how stupid would that look??

Oh.. AND! I was so happy the other day when my grandmother agreed to cut my hair for me, because it's been a long time since she's been able to do that. A few years, in fact. It was like I was little girl again. She washed it, put some of her magical stuff on it, and I sat perfectly still while she started combing through it. Then she told me, "You need to stop pulling your hair back so tight - it's getting thin on top."

And here I was, thinking it had actually gotten thicker in the last two years, thanks to my vitamins and whatnot. Ha. I should have known better.

So yeah, I'm just going to sit here and be miserable while I continue to get older and wrinklier and spottier and all my hair falls out.

Have a great day.

Thoughtful Thursday... (2)

Anti-aging. It's really a myth. I mean, we all know it, though we still spend hundreds of dollars to fight it with creams, serums, injections, and dancing naked around a fire under a full moon while chanting and drinking goat's blood. Or something. It makes us feel better, and a lot of the time, it can make us look better, too.

We all want to stay young and beautiful forever. When we're young, we're too bullheaded and self-absorbed to grasp the idea that we'll ever get old and wrinkly like Grandma. We do silly things, like sunbathing, smoking, drinking, partying hard all night, and avoiding anything that looks, sounds, or smells even remotely healthy. Our skin suffers, and we spend the rest of our lives (along with way more money than we probably should) trying to reverse the damage that's done while trying to ward off what was naturally coming our way all along. In short, our fight against age is all about the skin, the canvas, whatever is on the surface and visible to us.

But do we ever stop to consider what may be going on beneath the surface?

In this article posted at Science Daily, they talk about just that. Bone loss is as inevitable as sixty candles on your birthday cake. We all know about Osteoporosis and the devastating effect it can have on our bones, but even if you don't fall victim to it, you will still lose bone mass as you age. Your face is no exception. And as far as I know, all the skin creams in the world can't change that.

What can? Calcium. No, it's not a miracle cure, and it certainly won't prevent it entirely; but it definitely helps. As with anything related to our vanity, the earlier you start, the better. Hell, even if you're in your 40's or 50's, it can't be too late!

Next time you're at your doctor's office, remember to ask him or her about whether or not you should be taking a calcium supplement. Most women do not get as much as they should, regardless of age! If you're not big on supplemental vitamins and the like, ask about all the different ways you can receive your daily dose. Aside from milk, cheese, and all the other obvious dairy products, there are also certain green leafy vegetables that pack a bit of calcium: Spinach, collards, kale, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, to name a few. I personally hate spinach when it's cooked (who doesn't shudder just a little to see a pile of slimy, blackened-green stuff on their plate?), but I love it uncooked on salads! Even better, all of these come with some other big-ticket vitamins built in as well, such as Vitamins A, C, and K.

So, while you're sorting through the frothy sea of skincare products, take a moment to think about what's supporting those gorgeous features of yours, and try to find ways to take better care of your bones! :)

Let's Try That Again.

Let me refresh your memory for a second, because you probably remember this about as well as I do prom night won't know what I'm talking about.

Back when I was searching for my new favorite perfume, I ordered the Orange Sapphire Eau de Toilette from Bath and Body Works. When I got it, I was brilliantly disappointed, because I absolutely loved the smell of it in the hand soap form. At the time, the best way I could describe it was "day-old cat pee."

Well, today, as I was cleaning up, I found it in the package that I clearly forgot to send back to B&BW. After I kicked myself in the butt for forgetting about it - because the deadline to return it is long gone - I opened it up and decided that the bottle was pretty enough to set out on my vanity. At least that way it'd serve some kind of purpose, right?

Then my curiosity got to me, and I decided to remind myself just how bad it was. I spritzed a little on a tissue and took a whiff. Hmm. Wait... sniff that again? I don't know if there's something wrong with my nose right now, or if there was something wrong with it back when I first got it, but it honestly doesn't smell nearly as bad as I remember. Of course, it could be any number of things not related to my nose, either, such as the time of year, what I had for supper, or even the fact that my youngest nephew turned eight years old about 45 minutes ago (god, I'm old!). Who knows? We ladies have the god-given right to change our minds without a reason, let alone a lousy one!

The point is, I think I might actually like this fragrance now. It's definitely NOT a spring/summer scent, in my opinion. It's too "peppery" for the warmer seasons. It's not a gross peppery scent as, say, a guy who hasn't showered in three days, but definitely more warm and spicy than I originally picked up on. Granted, nothing in the description mentions anything remotely spicy, but that's what my little nose tells me.

Coupled with the warmth is a weighty floral scent, too, which I attribute to the jasmine. When I say "weighty," I don't mean heavy in the sense that it's overpowering. It's just not a light (or sweet) floral scent as one would describe honeysuckle, for example - or rather, honeysuckle in real life, as opposed to the concentrated essence you get in perfume.

And that pee-pee smell? That's definitely the orange, I think, which is pleasantly shocking, because now that I've really smelled it, it reminds me of the real-life scent of the inside of an orange peel - that tangy, tart sort of smell that makes your mouth water (especially when oranges are in full season) when it should probably turn you off oranges completely. The best part of it is that it mellows very quickly (something I really didn't give it time to do after my initial reaction, shame on me), letting the spicy, floralish scents bleed through.

Now, would I actually wear this out of the house, especially given my first impression of it? Probably, but I'm definitely going to wait for the dead of winter, when we simmer orange peels and sweet spices all day on the stove, before I test my courage on that score. ;) It's also not one of those fragrances I'm going to want to spray on all of my pulse points, like I do with my beloved, DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom. I have it (the Orange Sapphire) on my wrists right now, and that's gracious plenty for my sinuses.

I'm truly amazed at my own 180 with this scent. I cannot believe I'm even writing about it - I was absolutely certain that I hated it! I'm so glad I decided to spritz it just for the heck of it. It won't replace my greedy need to have Burberry London as my fall fragrance, but come colder temps, I'm almost positive it'll get the spotlight a few times.

Poor little bottle. I bet he was as sure as I was that he was doomed for the trash. Bless his heart.

;)


(P.S. - The more this stuff dries down, the more I'm liking it! Seriously! WTF!)