Bubble Bath Soap, but no bath tub? Use it for something else!

A very common gift that we all have received at some point is a spa set ( those baskets that come with bath salt, bubble bath, shower gel and a loofah). If you are like me, you use up all the shower gel and the loofah, and now you are stuck with bottles and bottles of bubble bath. I love taking bubble baths, but not having a bath tub definitely makes it hard to accomplish such relaxing activity! One use I have found for my bubble baths is to use it as a gym clothes freshener. Sometimes you just don't have time to do laundry in between your trips to the gym, especially if you go everyday. What I do is I wash them with bubble bath while I'm in the shower and then hang it to dry. It removes the smell of sweat and leaves your clothes smelling nice and clean, just like a bubble bath!

Pros:

-your bottles of bubble bath don't go to waste

-they rinse off very easily

-very convenient to wash them while you are in the shower

Cons:

-it is just a temporary fix. You should still wash your gym clothes when you do laundry.

-even though it removes the smell of sweat, it does not necessary cleanse the fabric. So if you have a stain, it will not likely come off.

Aspirin mask

Believe it or not, aspirin can be used to make a wonderful facial mask. It works as a gentle facial scrub that leaves your skin feeling nice and soft. All you need are 2 very basic ingredients: honey and uncoated aspirin ( any brand will do).

Step 1: put 3 aspirins on a plate or any small container.

Step 2: place 1 or 2 drops on each aspirin. This is just to loosen up and dissolve the aspirin pill enough for you to break it down, but not too much to the point of making them effervesce. Let it sit for 1 minute.

Step 3: with your finger tip, break down the pills so they turn into a powdery consistency.

Step 4: add 1 teaspoon of honey. Mix well.

Step 5: place it onto damp skin. leave it on for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Rinse with luke warm water. While you are rinsing, scrub your face to get rid of any dead cells.

I use this on my skin 3x a week and I have noticed a significant improve overall. My skin feels softer and it really helped acne scars fade.

Pros:

-easy to make

-ingredients are very affordable and easy to find

-good for the skin

Cons:

-must be careful not to add too many drops to the aspiring during step 2, otherwise, they just completely dissolve and turn into paste. If that happens, you just have to start all over again.

Konad Nail Art Stamp

This is a review for the Konad Stamp Nail Art. I got the french nail art kit. This kit is very cool!I got it from a webiste called www.wowsocool.com . My kit was U$35.99 plus shipping. This kit comes with:

-3 image plates (m19, m45, m62)

-1 black nail polish

-1 white nail polish

-1 scraper

-1 stamper

-1 corrector pen

With this kit, you can make classic french tips or funky ones such as polka dots or animal prints.

How to use it:

Step 1: Paint your nails any color you like. You can use any nail polish of your preference.

Step 2: Once your nails are dry, prepare your "work station". I recommend covering your table with a paper towel ( to wipe off any excess easily), a cotton ball soaked with nail polish remover, the plate you selected, and the Konad polish* you want.

*You have to use Konad polish because they have a different consistency. They are tackier and stick on your nail easily. I've tried using regular nail polish and the stamper won't pick up anything. The only regular nail polish you can use that works well are chrome nail polishes. Sally Hansen used to have a collection but they have been discontinued. They can still be purchased on ebay.

Step 3: Brush a thick coat of Konad polish over the design selected on the plate. Immediately follow up with the scraper and at a 45 degree angle, scrape the excess off.

Step 4: Grab the stamper and roll it over the plate.

Step 5: You will see the design on the pad of the stamper. Transfer it onto your nail.

Step 6: You can use the Konad pen corrector to erase any excess polish on your finger.

*Remember to wipe off the plate before reapplying the polish everytime. If you don't the design may get smudgy. Use the cotton ball with polish remover to plate off the plate and the scraper before each use.

Pros:

-very simple to use. Even if you don't look at the instructions, you can easily figure out how to use it.

-unlimited designs you can create

-you can make very cool designs

-the kit comes with everything you need

Cons:

-you must use Konad nail polish. And as far as I know, you can only buy it online. ( If you live in Los Angeles, CA, I did see a kiosk on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica selling Konad products). Fortunately, customer service at wowsocool.com is awesome and they ship products very fast, so I wouldn't say it's the biggest deal ever, unless you are against online shopping.

-it is not fool proof. I have used my Konad stamper several times already and I have never been able to get through all my 10 fingers without something going wrong. Some common mistakes are not stamping straight, coming too short ( you roll the stamper on your nail and half way through you realize the design is not long enough to cover the entire nail).

In summary, I love Konad Stamper! I have received compliments on my nails several times! And when I say that I did it my self, people always get impressed. And honestly, even when they don't come out perfect, it seems like those are imperfections that only I notice. It may sound counter intuitive, but I actually use my Konad Stamper when I don't want to spend too much time doing my nails. The Konad Nail polish dries super fast ( or maybe it's because of the small amount being used). So I can apply 1 thin coat of clear polish, stamp my nails, apply a top coat and I'm done! Give it a shot and I hope you enjoy it as much I do. Have fun! :)

Olive oil as makeup remover

Did you know that olive oil is a very effective eye makeup remover? I usually don't use a lot of heavy makeup on a daily basis, but when I do, I go all out! I find eyeliners and mascara the most difficult makeups to get rid of. Even with eye makeup remover, it may take some rubbing and tugging. My new favorite thing is olive oil! I put it in a small bottle and leave it in the bathroom for convenience. After I wash my face, all I do is put a little bit of olive oil ( any olive oil will do) on a cotton ball and press it against my eyelids for a few seconds, then rub it off. All the makeup comes off so easily! It doesn't sting my eye like some eye makeup removers do. Also, just anecdotally, I feel like my eyelashes look longer and healthier as I use olive oil. That's always a bonus!

pros:

-cheap alternative to store bought makeup remover

-readily available in your kitchen

-conditioning your eyelashes

cons:

-may feel a bit greasy for some

EOS lipbalm

EOS is an organic lipbalm that can be purchased at a local drugstore or online. It is pretty affordable ( between U$3 to U$5 dollars depending on where you get it), although some may argue that it is too much for a lipbalm. It comes in three flavors: Honeysuckle, Sweet Mint and Summer Fruit. I purchased the summer fruit one at my local Rite Aid. I must say that I am very pleased with this lipbalm. Let's start with the packaging: It is so cool and innovative! Twice I have pulled my EOS out of my purse to apply and someone said " what is that?". The packaging is very creative and well made. The product itself is not disappointing either. I personally don' like lipbalms that are too wet, or sticky. And EOS lipbalm doesn't feel like that at all. It moisturizes without making you feel like you are wearing something on your lips. I often apply my EOS prior to applying some of my lipsticks that are more on the matte side. It works beautifully.

To summarize:

Pros:

-Gorgeous packaging

-It's organic

-moisturizes your lips without feeling heavy

Cons:

-pricier than the average lipbalm purchased at a drugstore

-may not be as easy to find at your local drugstore

-only has three choices of flavor

BB cream

I was first introduced to BB creams about 3 weeks ago. Apparently, it is something that has been on the market for a while, but it was news to me. It is very popular in Asia, but they are easily accessible to all through online shopping sites. For those of you who have never heard of BB creams, they stand for blemish balm. They basically work as a foundation, concealer and moisturizer all in one. Also, while it works as a concealer, it also treats your blemishes. It almost sounds too good to be true! I had to try it, so I went on amazon.com and bought my first BB cream ever. I purchased Missha perfect cover BB cream, with SPF 42. It was U$13.00, which I thought it was a good deal compared to other sites that are selling for over U$20.

The way I use it is after washing my face, I apply a thin layer of moisturizer and then I apply the BB cream with a stippling brush (such as MAC 138). I first squeeze a pea size amount on the back of my hand and then use the brush to stipple it all over my face first and then with whatever amount that's left, I use it as a concealer on any blemishes or dark circles that may need extra coverage. Then I set it with a loose powder ( any loose powder will do. Sometimes I use my mineral veil, sometimes I use my bare minerals foundation).

My first impression:

Pros:

-smells great

-provides very good coverage. I don't need concealer when I use my BB cream.

-Did not make me break out ( and trust me, I break out very easily!)

-Washes off very easily ( simply with soap and water. No makeup remover needed).

It has SPF 42 PA ++ ( not sure what the ++ means. If anyone out there knows, please let me know). But either way, 42 is pretty darn good! :)

Cons:

-it does feel a bit drying on my skin and I don't have dry skin. That being said, this cream may not feel as comfortable on those who have naturally dry skin. I tried to put a light moisturizer prior to applying the BB cream and it still felt the same way.

-poor color selection. It only has 2! For those with darker skin tones, you may have a tough time finding a match from this brand, but maybe different brand may provide a wider range of color options.

-Because it contains SPF, it may give you a whiter finishing on your skin that shows on pictures when they are taken with the flash on. I haven't taken any pictures while wearing BB cream yet, so I can't personally say that it does. I will provide an update when I take a picture.

Final thoughts: So far, I really like this product, but I still want to give it some time so see if it actually reduces the blemishes on my face as it claims to do. If it does, then yes, this is a must have product. But if it doesn't, I honestly feel like you can find other concealers and foundations that match your skin color better and at a much cheaper price.

Introduction and Hello to All

Hello everyone!! my intention of creating this blog is to mainly share beauty product reviews as well as beauty tips. There are so many products out there in the market that makes it hard for us to know what is good and what is bad. Of course, all reviews will be based on my personal experience, so please don't use my review as a rule, but instead, as a tip from a friend. My goal is to provide straight to the point reviews and refrain from adding too much detail. However, I can always add more information if readers prefer. I also would love to share some craft ideas and hear from you guys as well. I would love to hear comments and thoughts from everyone. Enjoy and looking forward to this exciting journey!! Take Care!!! :)