review – Beauty Without BS

Posted on June 15, 2021 by chelskers · 2 Comments

Pregnancy Favorites

Hi there! Wow, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. Do I have an excuse? Well let’s see – I got married, bought a house, got a puppy, existed in the middle of a global pandemic, and now…I’m pregnant!! All of this has led me to have less time (and money) to spend on beauty products, and write about them, but I’m back, baby.

This will be the first child for me and my husband and we are so, so excited to welcome her to the world in October. Yes – I’m having a girl! Let’s hope she likes nail polish and all things beauty product related because my God, will she have been born into the right household. And if there’s ever a time to step up the self care and do what you can to feel your best, I’d argue it’s when you are creating another whole human being and carrying her around in your belly all day. So with that, let’s get to the products (and a few other fun things) I’ve been loving during this pregnancy:

20 weeks along and a spotlight-stealing appearance by my pupper, Rizzo

Mother’s Friend

Alright, hear me out. The first product is straight out of the 1970’s, and the packaging proves it.

When I first told my Mom I was pregnant, she insisted on tracking down some Mother’s Friend Stretch Mark Cream and sending it to me. Back in the 1970s, she and all of the women she knew used this cream during pregnancy and swear that it’s the sole reason they did not get any stretchmarks. I figured I’d give it a shot – and at almost 6 months along, there is not one stretch mark on my belly (knock on wood!). I apply this to my damp skin each night after a shower and my only real complaint is the scent – it’s…unique. Definitely very perfume-y but it weirdly goes along well with the whole 70’s vibe.

RoseHIP Seed Oil

I’m a big fan of mixing in a few drops of this organic Rosehip Seed Oil in with the Mother’s Friend, and also use it a bunch of other ways. It’s a great night time moisturizer, I’ll throw some in my hair for an hour before washing for a deep conditioning treatment and I’ll rub some on my nails from time to time. It’s safe for pregnancy and adds a little bit of an extra luxurious step to my routine.

Freeman’s Glacier Water + Pink Peony Gel Cream Mask

In my first trimester (specifically weeks 6-12) I felt ROUGH. Terrible. Not good. I was nauseous 24/7, beyond tired and struggling to drink enough water. How can water, of all things, taste gross? Oh it’s just another one of the magical facets of pregnancy.

All of this led to my skin being super dried out and dull looking. Luckily I stumbled upon this amazing leave-on mask during a quick trip to Five Below. I’m a huge fan of all of the Freeman Beauty masks I’ve tried, and decided to give this one a go. It smells amazing, and when I leave it on overnight I wake up with incredibly soft and glowing skin. It’s inexpensive and you only need a pea-sized amount so it will last a long, long time. Highly recommend it if you’re a mask junkie like me.

R+co Waterfall moisture + shine Lotion

On the “dry as a popcorn fart” note, let’s talk about hair. First trimester my hair was an absolute disaster. I had not had a cut or color in 11 months and the ends could’ve been used as a very durable, stiff broom if necessary.

Thankfully, I was able to get a much needed cut and color in the second trimester and my lovely stylist, Elise, recommended the R+Co waterfall lotion. The smell is divine, and although it is pricey, a tiny bit goes a long way and leaves my hair much softer, shinier and less frizzy. I like to apply a bit before blow drying or using other heat tools, and then a dab on the ends throughout the next couple days to keep my style looking fresh.

non-beauty favorites

Now let’s talk about some other things I’ve been loving while pregnant. First, FOOD!!

Pre-pregnancy, I never really had a sweet tooth. I was more of a salty, crunch kind of gal. Give me a bag of Doritos or Cheetos and I’m happy. But pregnant? I want donuts. All of them. Glazed, sprinkles, chocolate, covered in Oreos or Lucky Charms…give them all to me. God bless my wonderful husband for driving to Joe Donut every weekend to pick up my beloved confections. If you’re in the Chicago area, hit up one of their 3 locations. I can’t recommend their donuts and really, all of their food, highly enough. Their homemade hashbrowns are out of this world and I’ve also inhaled quite a few of their breakfast sandwiches. I mean, look at this.

Haagen Dazs Caramel Cone Ice Cream

Let’s continue the topic of other extremely healthy foods I’ve been loving (I swear I do eat vegetables, too!) and talk about the heaven in a cup that is the Haagen Dazs Caramel Cone Ice Cream.

This is the perfect ice cream, in my humble opinion. The base is a velvety smooth caramel ice cream – but it’s not too overwhelmingly caramel tasting, you know what I mean? – with chunks of chocolate-dipped waffle cone mixed throughout. Good Lord. Just reading that made your mouth water, didn’t it. If you’re a caramel or waffle cone fan, definitely throw this in your cart the next time you’re at the store. You won’t regret it.

cleaning, organizing and decorating

The nesting urge has hit me full force in the last couple of weeks. I’ve been cleaning, decluttering, organizing and decorating like a mad woman. It just feels so good! Hormones are a wild thing, man.

I’ve been making weekend trips to the Dollar Tree to stock up on cleaning products and organization goodies – baskets and such. And I’ve also been watching a ton of decorating and cleaning YouTube videos. My favorite channel at the moment is Alexandra Beuter. I love her interior decor and “clean with me” videos. Even if I’m just on the couch watching her clean while I cram another spoonful of that Haagen Dazs into my mouth, she makes me feel like I’m being productive by watching her get her house together.

PharMeDoc u-shape Pregnancy Pillow

And last but certainly not least, we have the PharMeDoc U-Shape Full Body Pregnancy Pillow. I don’t know how any pregnant woman sleeps without one of these. The washable cover material is soooo soft, and the pillow can be moved in tons of ways to keep my hips, belly and whole body feeling comfy. My dog and husband are also huge fans of this pillow and I catch them cuddling up to it during the night. Can’t blame them, though. I bought this when I was at the beginning of my second trimester and I highly recommend buying it then instead of waiting until you’re tossing and turning all night and trying to prop your belly up with regular pillows.

That’s all for now! I’ll come back and update you with my third trimester favorites, and a “What’s in my hospital bag” rundown. In the meantime – Let me know what your pregnancy favs are!

Posted on October 27, 2016October 27, 2016 by chelskers · 1 Comment

Review: Tape-In Hair Extensions

*Before you begin reading the post, I suggest you click this video and let the music set the tone*

A little over a week ago, my life changed forever and immeasurably for the better. No, I did not achieve enlightenment. No, I did not cure cancer. No, I did not adopt the golden retriever puppy of my dreams.

I had small pieces of someone else’s hair taped to my head. And I could not be happier about it.

In my lifelong beauty journey, my hair has always seemed to be the one thing I just couldn’t quite get right, mostly because I was born with what my Mom (lovingly?) refers to as Your Dad’s Hair – i.e., very thin, curly hair that doesn’t want to grow much past my shoulders. No matter how many deep conditioning treatments and highlights I put my hair though, nothing can replicate the fullness and thickness of simply having MORE hair.

So I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and set up a hair extensions consultation at Chicago Hair Extensions Salon (also known as the same place I have my eyelash extensions done.) Here’s what I learned:

The Basics of Tape-In Extensions

The very lovely Ashley, my new hair guru, explained to me that I am a prime candidate for tape-in extensions because they are lightweight and easy to hide under my thin, fine hair. Tape-ins add fullness, length and can be washed/curled/straightened/styled just as I do my own hair. She told me I would need to come back in 6-10 weeks, depending on how fast my hair grows (Spoiler: It grows incredibly slowly) and she will move the extensions up and re-tape them. The hair can be used 2-3 times before needing to purchase new extensions.

Here’s how the application process works. It’s called the “sandwich method”:

I happily threw down my card and paid the down payment (we’ll get to price later…prepare yourselves) and I was counting down the seconds until I came back for application.

Before & After

For the application itself, Ashley instructed me to shampoo my hair twice before our appointment and not use ANY styling products. Here’s what my hair looked like before extensions – this is also pre-flat iron, I promise I didn’t normally walk around looking this janky:

Not the greatest head of hair you’ve ever seen, right? Well just 1 short hour later, my head looked like this:

Do you see the heavens parting? Can you hear the angels rejoicing? That is H-A-I-R, my friend. Lots of it. My hair is now a good 3-4 inches longer than before and sooooooo much thicker. I am in love.

Ashley applied the majority of the extensions on the back and sides of my head up to ear level, making sure to leave the crown area alone so my own hair can cover the extension bonds.

I can’t really put into words how happy I was with my new fabulous, long, thick hair but my face makes it pretty clear:

And for one more comparison to show you what a difference the extensions make, here’s how my side braid looks before and after:

Maintenance & Upkeep

I have to admit that it took me a couple days to:

Get used to the added weight – So this is what it feels like to have thick hair!
Walk past any reflective surface without stopping to admire and pet my hair
Update what used to be my 5 minute hair care routine

Hair extensions are expensive so it’s important to treat them as gently as possible to get your money’s worth. Here are the maintenance and upkeep must-do’s:

Use a loop or extension brush – My salon was kind enough to give me a free brush. It’s crucial to have the proper brush or you can snag your extension hair or get caught up in the bonds when brushing. Amazon has some great brushes.
Sleep in a braid or low ponytail on a silk pillowcase – It’s important to keep your hair in a loose braid or low pony while sleeping to reduce tangling and pulling on the tape bonds. Bonus: Sleeping with a braid gives you lovely waves in the morning.
While it’s not an absolute necessity, I also highly recommend sleeping on a silk pillowcase to further reduce any snags – and you’ll wake up without those annoying sleep face lines. I have the pillowcases below and they are amazing (and they stay super cold during the night):
Sulfate-free is the way to be – Ashley emphasized that I can only use a sulfate-free shampoo when washing my hair and to concentrate on the top of my head, being sure not to scrub or pull on the tape bonds. It’s also best to go a few days between washing to extend the life of your extensions. Batiste dry shampoo continues to be my best friend.
After shampooing, apply conditioner only from ears down and not near the bonds. Conditioner can make the tape bonds loosen faster and we don’t want that. I like to spray on leave-in conditioner to the mid lengths and ends each night before braiding.
Styling tips – It is a HUGE no-no to go to bed with wet hair when you have extensions, so I make sure to blow dry the bonds and top of my head, letting the length air dry. Once the hair is dry, I use a heat protector spray and curl or flat iron. It’s imperative to keep the curling iron or flat iron away from the tape bonds so always leave start an inch or two away from the bonds and you’re good to go.
Post-blow dry and curling

Price

If there is one downside to extensions, it’s obviously the price. They are not cheap. I don’t want to say the exact price I paid, partially because prices vary by salon, extension brand, applier, etc. and mostly because my Mom reads this blog and if I say the exact price I will Hear. About. It. the next time I’m back home. (Well, once she prints off this post at the tiny library a mile down the road and brings it home to read because my parents shun the internet. I am not making this up.)

I’ll give you a ballpark price of $400-800, which includes the hair extensions themselves and the installation labor. The price will be around $100-$150 every 6-10 weeks to have them moved up and re-taped.

Yes, I know this is expensive and quite frankly kind of a odd thing to do when you really think about it. But I’ve come to terms with the fact that I have a thing for spending my money on applying hair to different parts of my head. Some people go sky diving, some people bet on sports, some people buy houses. I buy hair and it makes me feel fabulous. The universe is working on all of us.

And there you have it! My tape-in hair extensions experience thus far. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on how things progress but for now, I couldn’t be happier.

Posted on September 29, 2016September 29, 2016 by chelskers · 1 Comment

Budget Beauty: Queen Helene

Hi! I’m alive! My sincere apologies for the posting hiatus, my real life job got in the way and I’ve also been trying this new thing called “Don’t Spend All Of Your Money On Beauty Products Because You Need To Pay Rent And Eat.” So in the spirit of frugality, today I have a post for you on one of my latest budget beauty discoveries: Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream.

Photo Credit: sallybeauty.com

Now I know that the word “cholesterol” paired with packaging straight out of 1965 might not be all that appealing at first glance, but there is a reason the Queen Helene brand has been around since the 1930s. QH products have been used by generations of women because they’re high quality and incredibly affordable. I guarantee your Mom or Grandma has a tube of the Queen Helene mint julep face mask somewhere in her bathroom.

The OG of face masks

The Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream popped up on my Amazon recommendations, and since Amazon is the greatest gift to mankind and has never failed me, I figured I’d give this actual tub of lard a shot. Here are the details:

An intensive cholesterol conditioner that penetrates severely dry, damaged and chemically-processed hair.
Strengthens and conditions; gives added moisture to sun-dried, over-processed hair.

With regular use, hair regains softness, healthy sheen and long-lasting manageability.

This product clearly is not for those of you blessed with naturally great hair. This product is for people like me who put their hair THROUGH IT – bleaching/coloring, chemically processing, heat styling, sun exposure, etc.

If you’ve been less than kind to your hair, or just have naturally dry, curly hair like me, this stuff will seriously work some miracles. Even better, it’s cheap! You can get a 15 oz. tub from Amazon for $6.99 and I’ve seen it cheaper at Walgreen’s, Sally’s and CVS.

How To Use

This stuff can be a bit tricky to use, and my first couple tries I didn’t use it correctly and thought I had wasted $7 that could’ve gone to much better use at Taco Bell. Thankfully the kind souls of the internet pointed out the correct way to get the most out of it:

Shampoo as you normally would. Towel dry hair.
Grab your tub of cholesterol (doesn’t that sound…sexy?), mix a small handful of the cream with a squeeze of your favorite conditioner and a little bit of warm water.
Apply all over hair and work in as you would shampoo. This cream is great for your scalp, too.
Cover hair with a plastic shower cap.
Heat up a damp towel in the microwave for 45 seconds and put the hot towel over the shower cap. This is KEY. If you don’t use heat, the cholesterol just sits on top of your hair without sinking in and you’ll be left with a greasy, limp mess when you rinse it out. You need to warm it up and melt it in.
Hang out for 30 minutes to an hour. When the towel feels cool, get it damp, heat it up again and throw it back on your head. I usually reheat the towel 2-3 times during the course of an hour. Yes, this sounds like a lot of work, but do what I do and refill your wine glass each time you heat up the towel and I promise you will be having a great time. Bask in the glow of self care.
Rinse out thoroughly with warm water and apply a small amount of conditioner. Let that sit for a second or two and do a final rinse with the water as cold as you can possibly stand it.

I do this treatment at least once a month, twice if I can remember to, and it leaves my hair super soft, shiny and I swear it feels thicker. That may just be wishful thinking but I’ll take it.

Not even my terrible bathroom lighting can dull that shine

Are you a fan of Queen Helene? Have any budget beauty recommendations? Let me know!

Posted on June 3, 2016 by chelskers · 3 Comments

Eyelash Extensions: Experience & Review

There are milestones in life: birth, death, graduations, relationships beginning and ending. Sure, those things are important, but allow me to add another milestone to that list – the day the wonder of eyelash extensions enters your world.

As I’ve talked about before, I’m a huge fan of lashes. Real or fake – doesn’t matter, give me ALL of them. I’ve spent countless hours and dollars in the pursuit of the long, lush lashes that will open up my hooded eyes and help me channel my inner Beyonce.

I believe that at long last I’ve finally found the solution: Eyelash extensions. Let the church say AMEN.

Warning: Extensions cause excessive selfie taking

After doing extensive research (i.e. did my Googles) and telling myself that yes, I can fit this into my budget even if I have to live on grilled cheese for 2 weeks, I decided to plunk down some cash on eyelash extensions. Soon after I found myself lying on a comfy bed in a suburban Chicago salon for 90 minutes while a very nice lady glued an extension on to each of my individual lashes. Yes, it takes a long time. Yes, it’s worth it.

First I’ll show you how my God-given lashes look without any makeup. Prepare yourself for blurry iPhone photos:

As you can see, my lovely hooded lids tend to swallow up my lashes and make them pretty much non existent when my eyes are open. My natural lash hairs are also very fine. According to the extension applier, I have a lot of lashes, they just aren’t thick or particularly long. But hey – I have a sparkling personality. God’s working on all of us.

The process itself is pretty simple – lay down, have your lower lashes taped down (it feels weird but is necessary) and take a little snooze or meditate while the extensions are applied. It’s actually quite relaxing.

Photo Credit: edenenvy.com

Typically the salon will have a variety of extension styles. My salon gave me the option of a more natural look or a more dramatic cat eye and I figured if I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna DO IT so of course I went with the cat eye style. I’m very happy with how they turned out.

Here’s how they look open, closed and from the side without any other makeup:

As you can see, one of the biggest advantages of extensions is you don’t have to wear mascara or curl your lashes anymore! It’s taken a couple days to get used to waking up and seeing myself with “done” lashes but it saves time in the morning and makes me look so much more awake and put together even when the rest of my face is completely bare. An unexpected but very welcomed side effect is that the lashes seem to make the always-present bags under my eyes much less noticeable. Woo!

The only slight downside is that you cannot get your lashes wet for the first 24 hours and it’s recommended to be very careful to not rub your eyes or pull on your lashes in any way. So, I’ve said goodbye to splashing my face with water in the morning and standing with my face in the water while in the shower, but there are bigger tragedies in life. I’ve seen the suggestion to wear swimming googles while in the shower, not a bad idea. Makeup wipes are also a gift from the heavens. The only real day-to-day maintenance is to brush them out every morning with a spoolie as the lashes can get a little tangled and wonky during the night.

The lash extensions are glued directly onto the natural lash and will fall out with their natural cycle. The salon suggests coming in for fill-ins every 3-4 weeks to keep everything looking great. I’ve already scheduled my fill-in appointment so I think it’s safe to say that I LOVE lash extensions and highly recommend them.

Do you have lash extensions? Do you love them, too? Let me know!

Posted on February 25, 2016 by chelskers · 1 Comment

Products I’m Loving Lately

Today I have a random assortment of makeup, hair and skin products I’ve been using and lovely lately. There is no rhyme or reason to this mix of products – some I’ve purchased myself and some are samples from Birchbox. There are few things I love more than beauty products AND receiving packages in the mail so Birchbox has been very up my alley and a great introduction to brands and products I might have never tried. So, let’s get to it:

Eyes

Two Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Photo Credit: samanthalalaa.wordpress.com, amazon.com

The name is certainly…memorable, and it should be, because this mascara is excellent (and I have tried an embarrassing number of mascaras). While it is great, it can be a bit tricky to work with and quickly turn clumpy. Go slowly when applying and keep an eye on (pun, sorry) how your lashes are progressing and you’ll be just fine. This mascara will give you long, full lashes that border on looking like falsies. If that’s your thing, I highly recommend picking up a sample size at Ulta to see if you like it because it can be pricey. I’m always looking out for you.

Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner

Photo Credit: birchbox.com

I received this liner in a Birchbox and at first glance I thought it would be hard to work with, but it is surprisingly easy to use. Well, as easy as applying liquid eyeliner can be. Another huge plus is the color payoff – very black, very matte and long-wearing. I had typically used brush and/or long, fine tipped liners but Eyeko has convinced me that the marker shape is by far the easiest to use and it will be my go-to from here on out.

Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette

Some day you might turn on Hoarders and see me, surrounded by mountains of eyeshadow palettes instead of garbage and cats, with my finger hovering over the “Add to Cart” button on Sephora. What I mean is – I have no self control and bought yet another eye shadow palette. The first step is admitting it.

But in my defense, I did my research and bought the absolute best and most useful palette I could find. Shade & Light has all matte shadows, warm and cool toned neutral colors, with fantastic pigmentation and blendability. This palette is perfect for everyday looks, smokey eyes, mature/hooded eyes….really anyone with eyes.

Here are a few of my favorite Shade & Light tutorials I’ve tried out and loved:

Lips

POP Beauty Matte Velvet Lipstix in Satin Rose

Photo Credit: popbeauty.com

Another gift from the Birchbox gods, this is a great everyday soft pink lipstick. This color looks good with everything and I imagine every skin tone. The formula isn’t too sticky or too glossy and it has pretty great staying power. Satin Rose is definitely my favorite new “my lips but better” product.

Hair

Redken All Soft Conditioner

Photo Credit: amazon.com

My hair is naturally curly and very fine. I also bleach and dye my hair monthly to be blonde which leads to the perfect storm of damage and overall terribleness. Thankfully, there are a ton of products out there to make hair like mine more manageable. One of my new favorites is the Redken All Soft conditioner.

Redken products are a bit more expensive than my regular drugstore staples so to stretch it and make my money last, I mix a small amount of this conditioner with the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner. Leaving that combination on for 5-10 minutes a couple times a week makes a huge difference in the softness of my poor abused hair.

Skin

Soap & Paper Factory Green Tea & Shea Hand Cream

Photo Credit: theoliviashop.com

This stuff smells AMAZING and the older I get, the more I seem to get into hand creams. It’s the circle of life.

All hand creams basically do the same thing, hydrate your skin, so really the only reason this cream is so great is the heavenly smell (and the cute packaging).

What products are you loving? Let me know!

Posted on February 12, 2016 by chelskers

5 Favorite Spring Nail Colors

As I type this, the temperature is currently 20 whole degrees, it’s windy AF (thanks, Chicago) and tomorrow the high is 12. Degrees. Fahrenheit. TWELVE. And I’m over it. Done with winter. Beyond ready for spring.

While the rest of my body is covered head to toe in multiple layers so I don’t freeze to death while walking to the liquor store gym, my nails are sporting some seriously bright colors. Because I’m ready for spring. Now. Have I mentioned that?

So if your nails are also very ready for springtime, I suggest picking up any of these 5 polishes:

OPI – Shorts Story

Photo credit: OPI.com, my awesome hand

This is the perfect hot pink. Not too bright, not too soft, just right. The smooth consistency dries to a shiny finish and you’ll only need two coats. Perfect.

OPI – Show Us Your Tips

Photo credit: OPI.com, my other awesome hand

A brand new polish from the 2016 New Orleans Spring/Summer collection, try to get past the ridiculous name and bask in the glow of the periwinkle sparkles. The consistency is a little on the thin side, so you’ll need a good 2-3 coats, but it’s worth it.

China Glaze – Aquadelic

Photo credit: beautyjudy.com

One of my all-time favorite polishes. Aquadelic is a bright robin’s egg blue-green that will make you very jealous of the actual robins all hanging out in the south for the winter. Bonus: China Glaze polishes are just as good, and sometimes better than, OPI polishes and quite a bit cheaper. Win.

China Glaze – Peachy Keen

Photo Credit: nailpolishcanada.com

Yet another China Glaze gem, Peachy Keen is a soft, orange creamsicle color. This one looks great on any skin tone. The formula is nice and opaque so two coats will do the trick.

OPI – Look At My Bow!

Photo Credit: popsugar.com

Everyone needs a bubblegum pink in their collection. This polish is brand spanking new from the 2016 Hello Kitty collection, perfect for spring, and takes 2-3 coats to set at a lovely creamy consistency.

Stay warm and polished, my friends.

Posted on January 26, 2016 by chelskers · 1 Comment

Perfume Post: Scents for Every Situation

I’m a firm believer that you’re never fully dressed without perfume. Maybe it’s just because I’m one of those weird/awesome people who tie scents to certain memories, or maybe I just like spending money on smelly water in pretty bottles. Either way – I’m a huge fan of perfume and like to switch up my scents depending on the situation, the season or how I want to feel.

I’ve amassed a sizeable collection of perfumes over the years and to me, each one sends a different message and has its own time and place to be worn. I’m definitely not one of those people who sniff a scent and can smell the notes of citrus and amber and unicorn sunshine or whatever else perfume companies tell you to make you buy their product. Instead, I categorize my perfumes by the situations I wear them in and the feelings the scent invokes.

So, here are four of my favorite scents and what they say to me. Let’s get to it:

Guilty – Gucci

Photo credit: Sephora.com

Perfect for: Night time, going out, date night, drinking, flirting, dancing, possibly regretting your decisions

Guilty by Gucci smells like Saturday night in a bottle. I affectionately refer to this scent as my “Vegas perfume” because I’ve worn it in Sin City many, many times. It’s a sexy smell that’s not too overpowering or too mature (not cloying like Chanel No. 5). The scent lasts FOREVER on clothes/skin and mixes quite well with sweat and vodka cranberries.

Light Blue – Dolce & Gabbana

Photo credit: Overstock.com

Perfect for: Day time, beach, pretending you belong to a country club, spring/summer, work, first date

If sunshine and fluffy white clouds had a smell, it would be D&G’s Light Blue. It’s an airy, delicate scent that honestly smells good on every human being. Man or woman. It’s not sickly sweet but it definitely gives you “first few days of spring” vibes. Happiness in a bottle.

Miss Dior Cherie – Christian Dior

Photo credit: Fragrantica.com

Perfect for: V. important work meetings, feeling like a capital “A” Adult, winter, fancy dinners, diamonds & pearls (shout out to Prince)

Miss Dior Cherie is expensive as hell and rightly so, because it smells like WEALTH, darling. This is a heavier scent that I tend to only wear in the fall and winter, or when I want to feel all classy and sophisticated. Bonus – smell sticks with you all day long. Cherie feels very grown up and put together. Wear it when you’re asking for a raise or to be bumped up to first class.

Alien – Thierry Mugler

Photo Credit: Sephora.com

Perfect for: Feeling feminine and mysterious, day or night, being memorable, any season, Me

I feel like a gigantic tool saying this, but Alien is my ~*~ SiGnAtUrE ScEnT~*~ and I wear it almost every day. It’s unique, moody, sultry and definitely a “love it or hate it” type of scent. I honestly don’t know how to describe Alien’s scent because I’ve never smelled anything like it. Every single time I wear this perfume, someone stops me to ask “Oooh, what are you wearing? It smells so good!” Alien truly is the most fitting name for this scent because it isn’t heavy, it isn’t light, it isn’t flowery and it isn’t musky. It’s completely unique and not of this world. Smell it and see for yourself.

And there you have it. What other perfumes do I need to add to my collection? Let me know!

Posted on January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 by chelskers · 1 Comment

Review: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask

I’m back, it’s a new year and I have a new favorite face mask. And this product couldn’t have come at a better time. I won’t bore you with the gory details but I’ve been sick for roughly the last month (but am finally almost better, yay!) and when my body isn’t feeling well, my skin likes to go absolutely insane. Not fun.

But there are perks to spending hours in bed feeling like garbage. The universe smiled upon me and I fell down the Amazon beauty reviews rabbit hole and discovered the immensely popular Aztec Indian Healing Clay. With 4.5/5 stars and over 7,000 reviews I knew this stuff had to be good, but now I’m convinced this one pound tub of dirt has actual magical properties.

So what’s so great about this stuff? Here are the basics, per Amazon:

World’s most powerful facial
Deep pore cleaning
100% natural calcium bentonite clay
Does not contain: additives, fragrances, animal products

Photo credit: inhautepursuit.com

They forgot to mention that it’s cheap! A one pound tub will set you back $9, and when you only need one tablespoon per mask, it’s going to last you a loooong time.

Now let’s get down to business. Here’s how to make the mask:

Photo credit: labmuffin.com

You’ll need the clay, a non-metal bowl and spoon and apple cider vinegar. All of the Amazon faithful suggested Bragg’s Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar so that’s what I’ve got. It smells a bit like rotting apples but hey, it works.

A couple tips before you mix your mask:

Put your hair up or out of your face because, duh.
Eat or drink something if you want because once this baby is on your face, you can’t eat/talk/drink/smile for a good 20-30 minutes. That’s how intensely this mask dries and pulls the junk out of your face.

Once that’s out of the way it’s time to get started. Mix clay with equal part of raw apple cider vinegar (I use 1 tablespoon of each) in a non-metal bowl. Stir the mixture into a smooth paste. Apply all over the face. You should look something like this:

Photo credit: uk.pintrest.com

Now the fun part begins. As this mask dries, you will feel your face pulsate like crazy. This is good. Don’t be scared.

The mask will become very tight while it dries and hardens. If you have oily skin like me, keep the mask on for 30 minutes. Normal and more sensitive skin can get away with 10-20 minutes.

Pro Tip: While your mask dries, take advantage of your green face and channel your inner Jim Carrey. I suggest dancing around to this song:

Once enough time has gone by and your mask is dry, soak a washcloth in warm water and lay it over your face for a minute or two to begin loosening everything up. You don’t want to try to start washing it off right away or the chips of mud will clog your drain and no one wants that.

Apply a nice, heavy moisturizer post-facial. I usually do my masks at night in the bathtub with a glass of wine I drink through a straw and follow up with the Olay Classic Night Cream.

Photo credit: amazon.com

You’ll notice that your face is very red after the mask is off but this is normal and will go away in 30-ish minutes. You’ll probably also notice that your face is beyond smooth and soft, and that’s just one of the benefits. The others include:

Smaller pores and cleaned-out blackheads
Reduction in excess oil production
Elimination of acne. Honestly, I have not had a spot since using this mask 2-3x per week for the past month and a half. And that, my friends, is a goddamn miracle.
Softening of fine lines and wrinkles
Skin tone is more even, rough patches are smoothed
Glowing skin like the light of a thousand suns

In short, this tub of clay is the real deal. It’s definitely worth the money and I’m excited to try other uses for it – hair masks, foot soaks, you name it. If you’re a fan of face masks or just want to give your skin a detox to start 2016 off right, I very highly recommend picking up some Aztec Healing Clay.

Posted on November 9, 2015November 9, 2015 by chelskers · 1 Comment

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows

There’s one makeup product I hoard more than the rest. And by hoard, I mean that I have at least 10 of these awesome little pots of color in my makeup bag at any given time. Excessive? Probably. Do I care? You know I don’t.

The reason I have so many Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows is because they are flat-out amazing. They’re inexpensive ($5), come in a huge range of colors, and they’re the perfect base for any eye look. Color Tattoos provide pigment and a nice, sticky base for powder shadows to cling to and stay in place for hours and hours.

My absolute favorite shade, and the one I reach for almost every day, is Bad to the Bronze:

Photo Credit: ulta.com

This warm bronze is a great base for daytime and nighttime looks. Use your finger for more sheer coverage; use a wet brush to pack on the color and shine. Bad to the Bronze pairs beautifully with any eye color so if you don’t have it yet, get yourself to CVS ASAP.

Photo Credit: ivoryavenue.com

For those of you #blessed with hooded eyes like me, Color Tattoos are a must to keep powder shadows from getting lost in the abyss that is our crease. This is especially true for brightly colored looks. I’m a huge fan of the Painted Purple Color Tattoo because it makes my blue eyes look mega, crazy blue:

Photo Credit: Maybelline.com.au

Here’s Painted Purple with powder shadow on top, in case you’d also like to channel your inner 90s neon workout Barbie:

Other shades I’d highly recommend:

Barely Branded: Creamy, champagne color for neutral looks

Photo Credit: Maybelline.com

Pomegranate Punk: Deep, burgundy color that pairs very well with the shadows in the Naked 3 palette

Photo Credit: amazon.com

Audacious Asphalt: Charcoal grey a.k.a. the only smoky eye base you’ll ever need

Photo credit: amazon.com

Color Tattoos are inexpensive, available at every drugstore and online and one pot will last FOREVER. Literal years. They do dry out a bit as they age but I find that using my warm finger (that sounds gross but you know what I mean) to apply the shadow “melts” the formula and gives me smooth, even coverage.

I highly recommend you pick up one or 15 Color Tattoos on your next drugstore run. Enjoy!

Posted on October 26, 2015October 26, 2015 by chelskers · 1 Comment

Review: Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation

Like many makeup junkies, I am on a never-ending quest to find the perfect liquid foundation. The definition of “perfect” is different for everyone so here’s mine:

Medium coverage without looking/feeling overly made up or cakey
Helps control my oily skin and keep shine to a minimum
Won’t break me out or clog pores
Relatively inexpensive (although I’ve been known to temporarily lose my mind and a lot of money if a foundation really works miracles)

Photo Credit: maybelline.com

Last week I picked up the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation and after using it daily, I have to say, I think my quest is over. This just may be the perfect foundation – and it’s less than $10 (!!). Here’s why I’m in love:

A little goes a long way. I apply a small amount to my brush (quarter sized amount) and the end result is a lightweight, flawless finish that never feels heavy on my skin.
Great coverage. Maybelline isn’t joking when they say that this foundation adjusts to match your skin and evens out tone and color. I use shade 120 in Classic Ivory – it cancels out my red tones and never morphs into that weird orange color as the day goes on like other foundations can do.
No need for primer. I’ve learned the hard way that while primer does go a long way in giving me a flawless canvas to apply my foundation, it also can break me out like crazy. Thankfully, Fit Me looks great without a primer and applies smoothly, even over rough patches/blemishes.
Oil control. I pray to God and Beyoncé each night that my face will eventually stop producing insane amounts of oil, but so far, no luck. The matte finish does an impressively good job of keeping shine under control throughout the day. Although the formula is liquid, Fit Me sets more like a powder foundation. Unless you have Exxon-levels of oil like me, you can definitely get away with wearing Fit Me sans powder.
Price. It’s only $6! This isn’t one of those foundations that you ration out every drop because it costs you more than a month’s worth of groceries. This is a foundation you pick up at CVS while you’re bored and feel zero guilt, and that’s the best feeling of all.

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