Tag Archive | anti aging

Ipsy December 2014 Glam Bag Review

Dec13

Oh Ipsy, how I love thee.  I’ve been an Ipsy subscriber for over two years.  Every month I get five make up related items.  I usually get three full size products along with deluxe samples.  A cute make up bag with a different theme each month completes the order.   I only pay $10 a month, and can cancel at any time.   I recently tried Lip Monthly and Boxy Glam.  I was disappointed and cancelled both subscriptions.

This month’s bag is Fearless Heroine.  I got a nice sized black and plum make up bag. My bag included full sizes of an eyelash curler by Precision Beauty, NYX Butter Lip Balm in Parfait and Cailyn Just Mineral eye polish in Orchid.  Rounding out my order were deluxe samples of BWC Facial Cleanser with a 3% AHA complex, and Tarte- Lights, Camera Lashes 4 in 1 mascara in black.  I found pricing on all items except the Tarte mascara, with a value of $26.  The eye shadow alone was $15.  I am rarely disappointed with my monthly glam bags.

The Cailyn Just Mineral Eye Polish in Orchid is a pale pinky gold color that is shimmery. This will make a great highlighter color.  The NYX Butter Lip Balm in Parfait is a natural pink tone for when you just want a little lip color.  Plus you don’t need a mirror to reapply since it’s a balm.

This month’s bag was definitely a winner.  In the past, whatever I didn’t want (which usually isn’t much) I send to my 18 year old niece.  Her mother died 12 years ago, so I send her a fun care package every few months.

#thinkingofyou#ipsy   http://www.ipsy.com

Just another reason to love Ipsy.com!

Nov10

I have had my subscription to Ipsy.com for two years now.  For $10 a month I get five cosmetic items, plus a cosmetic bag.  I usually get several full size items, along with deluxe samples.  I get skin care, nail polish, hair care, etc.  As you can imagine, after two years, I have a lot of stuff. A lot of cool stuff that I usually put in a drawer and forget about.  I have a stash of unwanted stuff that I have been sending to my niece over the years.  For the most part, I love everything I get.  It is fun trying brands I have never heard off. I got some blue brown eye shadow that simply looks amazing with my blue eyes.

I’ve been in menopause for five years now, and let me tell you it sucks!  Most of the unpleasantness I’ve been able to handle.  My skin is one of my best assets, so when I got a funky rash on my face recently I was flipping out.  I mean really, it is a good thing I don’t smoke, as my hair is a fire hazard these days.  I can deal with most things not looking so great, but when the hair and skin go, I’m basically screwed.  I’m a middle aged woman, and I know  I’ll never look like I did when I was in my 20’s; and I’m fine with that. But I do want to look good for my age.  So I’m trying everything I can find for this stupid rash, and nothing was working.  We had a party to go to this past weekend, and I was hoping it would clear up. You can only cover up so much with make-up.

I was rummaging around in my junk drawer in the bathroom trying anything that could help with this rash.  I came across some Josie Maran Pure Argan oil I had gotten in one of my Ipsy.com bags. I thought, what the heck, let’s give this a try.  I had never used oil on my face before, but given the dry patches I had everywhere, I had nothing to lose. OMG! This is the best face product I have encountered in my 50 plus years on the planet! It’s that good.  I have used super expensive face creams to drug store brands, but never had such immediate results.  Within several days of using the Josie Maran Pure Argan oil at night, my rash was gone.  Plus my skin looks amazing.  I just ordered some Josie Maran sunscreen .5 ounces with a 47 SPF on eBay for $9.50.  The price of Josie’s products are very reasonable, with travel sizes available.  On Josiemarancosmetics.com, the same SPF was $14, and I paid $9.50 with free shipping on eBay.com.  I was comparison shopping between Josie’s website and eBay.  One thing you will want to note on eBay is you have to look closely at the size.  Some eBay sellers have the wrong size listed.  It is a good idea to look at the photo on eBay to see the actual size.  Also for sunscreens be sure to check the expiration date.  If you don’t see one, don’t order it.

Here is a photo of me from the party I was at this past Saturday.  Doesn’t my skin look great?  Not too shabby for a soon to be 56 year old woman.  Now, if I could only make my nose look smaller.

http://www.josiemarancosmetics.com/

http://www.ipsy.com/new/

www.ebay.com

Using Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil for three days

Using Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil for three days

Dollar Tree Booyah-Revlon Top Speed Nail Polish, 3N1 Nail Art Pen

Oct24

I truly love the fact that Dollar Tree is next to my local grocery store.  On my visit to Dollar Tree this week I found some great Revlon nail polish.  I had to dig through a lot of stuff, as the kid who worked there was putting stuff away all over the place.  I picked up five Revlon Top Speed fast dry nail enamels.  They are Fire #510, a true red shade, Espresso #840, a deep shade of brown, Grape #660 a dark amethyst color, Vintage #570 a lovely fuchsia color, and my favorite Varnished #360, a shimmery pewter.

I change my nail Dollar Tree 10-22-14 polish every few days.  Last week I went to a wedding and had on twelve coats from the previous weeks.  I just keep painting over the old color, and no one is the wiser.  I get compliments on my nails all the time. I tried finding the colors I bought online and found out they were all discontinued.  Who cares?? I got them for a buck each.   I did find the polishes on Ebay and Amazon for much more.   The total price elsewhere $31, I paid $5! Revlon is a good brand of polish, and stays on much better than really cheap polish like LA Colors.

The polish was repackaged, so they seem pretty darn fresh. And like the name says, they dry superfast.  I do my nails before I go to bed, as I don’t want to waste any prime time I could be watching something stupid on TV. Or surfing the internet for new and exciting information.  I actually do my nails in the bathroom as the lighting is good, since I don’t wear my glasses while applying.  I guess I’m lucky any of it gets on my nails, as I’m blind as a bat without them.  Oh wait, I’m hunched over with my eyeballs six inches away. Man, its hell getting old.

I also got a Sassy & Chic 3N1 Nail Art pen in Blueberry.  I’m having all kinds of fun with nail art these days. I got a Sassy & Chic 7 Way Nail Buffer.  Not a bad haul for $7, wait no $8 counting the Tootsie Rolls I got, which lasted for two whole days.  A girl’s gotta have some candy while she’s doing her nails.

Tips for Buying Beauty Products on EBay

Sep30

I love to shop for beauty products.  I like trying new stuff.   I usually get most of my skin care products at Ulta.  I’m a rewards member and often have coupons.  I really like Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Moisturizer with sunscreen. It has a broad spectrum SPF of 30, which is crucial.  I’ve been using it for about 6 months now.   The bottle is 1 ounce and lasts me about a month, using it every day.  I have seen a marked improvement in the tone of my skin.  I had a few sun spots that have virtually faded to nothing. It has also softened some of my wrinkles.

I’ve been spending around $20 a month for one bottle.   I try to get it on sale when I can.  After doing some research, I’ve discovered that EBay has the best price.  I recently paid $10.50 for my last bottle of my new favorite day cream.

Today I checked the price on several websites, they are as follows:

Walmart.com-$17.97, Ulta.com-$21.99, Walgreens.com-$23.49 and Ebay.com $12.50 with free shipping.  I recommend buying products you use all the time on EBay.  I did buy a ROC moisturizer a month ago on EBay for half of what it normally costs. I read positive reviews; however it ended up irritating my skin, so I stopped using it. Had I bought the ROC at Ulta, I could have returned it.

Make sure to check for an expiration date when shopping on EBay.  Sunscreen will break down after one year, and not be as effective.

EBay is a great place to buy perfume too.  I have purchased perfume that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else for a reasonable price.  I can’t remember the last time I bought fragrance at a department store.  The best value on fragrance seems to be when you buy a gift set. One thing I have noticed on fragrance lotion is, once it’s opened the scent doesn’t last for very long.  If you aren’t going to be using it the all the time, I would skip it.

I love when I can shop from my couch and get great deals. Plus no coupons to clip!

A Sugar Cookie for Mom

Sep9

My fifteen year old son brought me a sugar cookie today from school.  He has one every day with his lunch, and has told me how yummy they are.  While this may not seem like a big deal, it’s a huge deal to me.  You see my son’s only surviving grandmother passed away suddenly about ten days ago.  Prior to that day he was a typical 15 year old boy, he barely spoke to me, always playing his computer games, smart mouth, etc. If I tried to hug him, he would act like he was dying.

I only have one child.  My son and I were very close when he was little. Once puberty kicked in, that all changed.  He doesn’t talk much and is painfully shy.  I on the other hand can talk to anyone, anytime or anyplace.  He has a hard time making friends, and doesn’t seem to care to meet new people.  He was very close to his grandmother.  She spent a lot of time with him.  She lived close by, and was in good health.  Often picking up our son after school and taking him to the dollar store, or for ice cream.  She was a dear woman.

My husband is devastated by the sudden loss of his mother, as am I.  We just saw her the week before she passed.  We live in the same area, and would see my in-laws several times a month. We encourage our son to try and make friends, but he’s been rejected so many times, it’s like he’s given up.  As a parent, it’s heartbreaking to watch your child be rejected by others.  I just want to tell those kids what an awesome person my son is, and how they are missing out by not wanting to be his friend. We as parents can only do so much. Our greatest wish is for our children to be happy.

In the past few months, I’ve been trying to go for some stealth hugs and kisses from my son.  He hasn’t be recoiling like he was six months ago, so I thought I was making some progress.  He’s a sophomore in high school, and I have come to the realization that he will be leaving for college in a few years.  My mother in-law was a shining example of a good mother.  She was always there for her children, and they were her life.

Our lives get busy and we sometimes forget just how precious our children are.  My heart breaks for my husband, his siblings, and my father in-law. When I said good bye to my dear mother in-law at the funeral home, I told her I would take care of her son and her husband.  I will do my best to honor her, because that’s exactly what she would do.