Thank you Birchbox! Thank you Algenist!

I received a sample from one of my early Birchboxes (I think it was the Overnight Restorative Cream which I really loved!) and ever since I have loved this product line!  I made the sample I received last for months not only b/c it is rather expensive, but I also wanted to see if I noticed a difference.  And I did.

It took some discipline b/c Birchbox always has great products to choose from (yes I have to give props where props are due) but I saved up enough points to finally use my points and I chose the Algenist Firming and Lifting Cream.


It actually took me a while to decide what I was going to do with my BB points- do I get one great item that I might never splurge on or do I get two or three less expensive items b/c more is nice too- so I chose to purchase the splurge I would probably never buy for myself just because it is a bit costly.  So I am going to receive a $94.00 high quality product for free...well sorta...but hey I'm worth it (thank you L'Oreal for the great mantra).

I also want to try the Algenist multi-perfecting pore corrector which I will be saving up for next!  The science behind Algenist is simply amazing (yes I really research these things cuz I'm a bit of a nerd/geek) and it does not irritate my skin (yeah)!

So thank you BB (www.birchbox.com) and Algenist (http://www.algenist.com) for all of the wonderful hard work you do! Check out their web sites for more information and trust me you'll be amazed!

Have you tried Algenist?  I would love to hear what you think of it or what your favorite splurge item is or anti-aging product!

Pinterest

Ok, I finally joined Pinterest and I am hooked.  I found myself lost in a sea of beautiful photos of places and things and tattoos and cats...lots of cats.  Anyway I have added a Pinterest button to the blog so that you can see some of the things and beauty products I am interested in.  I seem to look more than I "pin" but I am learning!  Social media is an amazing cultural/generational occurrence and I love seeing/reading all of the positive messages.  Yes there is a lot of nasty and bad stuff out there but so many people and companies really emphasize the positive and that is just so nice to see!  Keep it up!

Updated 2-15-2013: BeautyBlender

 UPDATE: ok so I've used my BeautyBlender sponge everyday this week and I must say that the hype is true: this is an amazing beauty product!

First I tried using it dry but that didn't work out very well.

Then I used it wet and was really impressed with the results!  Yes you do a lot of "pat pat pat" but its totally worth it.  I applied foundation that went on near flawless and even.  The results were amazing and impressive.  I added a little blush, setting powder and mascara and boom I'm out the door!  This means I can sleep in another 10 minutes in the morning!

The pictures don't show it very well but there is a bit of foundation on the sponge which I am trying to show that yes I did use the darn thing!

Overall I think this is a great investment if you are having trouble applying your foundation to your satisfaction.  I still like to use my fingers when applying make-up around my eyes but the BeautyBlender works great everywhere else and I especially like how its blends along the hairline and jaw/neck area.

So if you are still not sure if you want to invest in this...I would recommend giving it a try and if you don't like it I'm sure you have a BFF, sister, cousin, mother who might like to try it out.  If you have been watching all the interesting tidbits of fashion week then you know BeautyBlender was used by many make up artists and you don't have to be young and beautiful to have this product make you feel beautiful too.

Sorry I would post before/after picks like many of the wonderful bloggers do...but I have a face that's better for radio than pictures! :D  So go try this because you just may fall in love with it!

I would love to know your thoughts, expectations and experiences with BeautyBlender!

Alpha Hydrox Targeted Skin Lightener

Are you guilty? Guilty of spending a little too much time in the sunshine with little or no SPF? Umm confess..it's good for the soul!  Now that you are getting a little older have you noticed some "sun" spots are your face? A few patches of uneven skin tone?

Well you are not alone...join the club!  I am very guilty of spending too much time in the sun with little or no SPF and now it has caught up w/me.

A few years ago I dropped a lot of money into a well known brand that was suppose to clear up these spots...but several hundred dollars later...no visible results.

In my search for a product that might actually work I came across the Alpha Hydrox skin care line.  After some research and weighing the odds of the strong ingredients I decided to try some of their products.  I have the foaming face wash and the enhanced anti-wrinkle lotion (w/10% glycolic AHA).  This product line is not very everyone especially those with sensitive skin but I believe the products work.  I normally use them in the summer when my skin is really oily, dirty, and grimy (hence working the the flower garden all the time) and these products in small doses really works for me.

Due to the sunspots on my face especially on my forehead and my cheeks (nearly the outline of my sunglasses) my vanity finally got the best of me and I decided to take a chance on this product. I've been using it twice a day for about 2 weeks and (yes!) I am beginning to notice that the spots are lighter and some are "breaking up" allowing my skin to become more even toned.  I'm hoping by summer that I will see dramatic results.  But be warned...this can cause skin irritation and sometimes my skin gets a little irritated with it so don't over do it even though you may be tempted to do so!

Have you used skin lighteners?  If so, let me know what product you tried and what the results were!  Can't wait to hear from you!

The uber famous BeautyBlender Sponge

Ok, I couldn't stand it any longer and I HAD to purchase this product!  The BeautyBlender sponge is all the rage and the reviews are consistent that this product is a game changer!

Its latex-free with anti microbial foam and can be washed then reused many times over.  It can be used wet or dry and the reviews rave about its flawless make-up application.

After spending months reading reviews, product information and even purchasing other types of make up sponges that have worked ok but not great.  I couldn't stand it any longer (because I do hate to jump on the same bandwagon was everyone else) and finally decided to make a purchase!  I have not been happy with many of the sponges I have used in the past to apply foundation and I hope this product will really blow my socks off.

The positive reviews from the professional make-up artists, customers, and bloggers convinced me to jump on the bandwagon because I may be on only person on the planet who hasn't tried BeautyBlender yet! If you haven't tried this product yet you might want to check out their web site: http://www.beautyblender.net/sponge.html 

Now I am eyeing my mailbox for its arrival and yes I will use it as soon as it gets here!

I know you must love this product so tell me what you think about it! Can't wait to hear from you!