Happy Tuesday! Today I’m sharing a fun new subscription box with you all, that I think you’ll really enjoy if you have brown skin.
The Beem Box is a bimonthly beauty subscription service that offers products that are customized for your skin type, skin routine, makeup preferences, and complexion. The color cosmetics offered in each box are selected especially for your skin tone, so you never have to worry about whether the shades will suit you. The box is priced at $45, and the items included in each box exceed the sticker price.
Hi friends! I hope you all had an amazing weekend and a great Monday so far. The weekend was a whirlwind for me, so I’m taking it easy for the next few days so that I can restore my energy.
Today’s post is a really quick review of The Ordinary’s Mineral UV Filter Sunscreen. I’d usually hyperlink the product so that you all can check it out for yourselves, but in this case, I have to refrain. I was not please with this product AT ALL. I know, I know: I’m usually such a huge fan of The Ordinary’s products. But this was a big FLOP. As it turns out, I wasn’t the only customer that was displeased with this product. More about that later: let me tell you about this sunscreen.
In my attempt to try every single product made by The Ordinary, I purchased the Mineral UV Filter Sunscreen. I wear sun protection pretty much every day (even when I’m spending the day indoors). So, out of curiosity and to meet the minimum amount for free shipping, I decided to try the sunscreen. I received the product and decided to try it in place of my usual sunscreen. Imagine my horror when my face turned BLUE in reaction! I realize I had on all of my serums and potions, and I applied sunscreen as my last step (per usual). I experimented with using the sunscreen on top of bare skin, and, while I got a better result, I STILL turned blue. Here’s my video reviewing the product – it has a lot more details about my experience:
In conclusion? This is big NO. I’ll use it as a sunscreen for my arms and legs until I use it up, but I can’t use it on my face UNLESS I plan on staying indoors, where no one will see my blue face!
That’s all for today’s post. See, I told you all it would be short! Take care, and talk to you all tomorrow!
I love candles. I’ve never reviewed candles here on this blog, but I have quite a collection. It’s funny: something that is such a BIG part of my daily relaxation routine has never been featured here before. But, then again, I didn’t have any candles that completely resonated with my essence.
Until now. Recently, I came across some candles on the page of one of my Facebook friends. I’d intended to invest in more luxury candles, but other than Diptyque and The Clean Candle Company (I did a review of their candles here), I was stumped over which candle to purchase next. I’d planned to try Trudon’s Josephine candle, but the company has consistently sold out of the size I wanted to purchase. And so it goes: fate conspired to make me amenable to other suggestions.
This company crafts candles themed after literary and cultural figures from the Harlem Renaissance period. And the candle that most intrigued me was Josephine, named after the bronzed goddess herself, Ms. Josephine Baker. I also purchased two other candles – Speakeasy and Ellington – in both the regular and travel sizes (respectively).
These candles are lush, complex and timelessly elegant. I love the fragrances that the company offers, as well as the charming backstories that explain the inspiration behind the scents. The company also ships their products quickly: it took me only a few days after purchasing to have my candles in hand. I enjoyed these candles so well that I made a YouTube video about it! Please check out the video, and give it a thumbs up if you enjoy it.
That’s all for today. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow. Take care!
As part of learning more about this brilliant woman, I read a bit about her and found that there are many things that she’s done to position herself as a woman of status and influence. I made a video highlighting five of those qualities.
The qualities I discussed are as follows:
Learn a foreign language
Take up a luxurious hobby
Eliminate or reduce meat from your diet
Wear blush
Start a blog
By engaging in one or more of these activities, you can live a little more like Meghan.
Do you have any Duchess-worthy tips? Let me hear about it in the comments below!
As promised. here is my review of the Kandi Koated Glaze Illuminating Lip Shine. I purchased it at the same time that I purchased the concealer. The packaging is the same gorgeous rose gold hue, and the applicator features a doe-foot tip. I purchased the lip shine in the color Corset (I don’t think this shade is currently available).
According to the Kandi Koated website, the lip shine is described as, “Ultra-rich lip gloss that can be worn alone or layered over your favorite lipstick for added color and gloss! Delivers a bright and beautiful shine.” The description is correct: the lip gloss is shiny and adds a brilliant tint to your lips. This product has a lovely iridescence that looks both pink and purple at the same time.
Swatch of “Corset” by Kandi Koated Cosmetics
I love that the product is non-sticky and unflavored, so it can be easily layered with other lip products, but it’s lovely enough to wear on its own. This product is lightweight and VERY wearable.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! It’s reasonably priced and performs well. I’ll certainly purchase it in additional shades in the months to come (I have to use up some other products before I can justify buying more makeup!).
So . . . A few weeks ago, I took a little trip to the Dollar Tree and spent WAY too much on cheap makeup. As you all know, bargain beauty items are my kryptonite, so I find it hard to say no when the products are so cheap and fun to try.
I saw that LA Colors has recently released a line of lip colors, and the name of the products intrigued me. LA Colors Velvet Lip Mousse promise to deliver “velvety matte texture” and, I’m assuming, vivid color. I bought one in each shade available, because even if the color was “off”, I was confident that I could finesse it into a more flattering hue.
Lip Mousses in (l to r) Rhapsody, Souffle, Silky and Whipped
The shades I purchased are Rhapsody, Souffle, Silky and Whipped. Rhapsody is a deep berry shade, Souffle is a peachy nude, Silky is a vivid cerise, and Whipped is a bright crimson with orange undertones. Kudos to LA Colors for creating lipsticks to flatter both warm- and cool-toned girls.
Color swatches (l to r) Rhapsody, Souffle, Silky and Whipped
Silky mixed with Crucifix
The colors apply smoothly and don’t have any flavor or scent. I wore Silky paired with one of my favorite lipsticks – Crucifix by Kat Von D – and I loved the combination. The lipstick has a matte finish but doesn’t feel drying, which is nice. The Velvet Lip Mousses appear to mix well with other lipsticks, and, while not smudge-proof, they do last a long while. I ate and drank while wearing Silky, and I didn’t have to reapply. I haven’t tried pairing these with glosses, though I’m assuming that could be a pretty look, too.
My thoughts? These are a great inexpensive product and certainly worth trying. If you want to experiment with a different lip shade, or if you like low-cost cosmetics, this is a winner!
Have you tried this product? Let me know your thoughts below!
Hi friends! I was feeling a little unwell, so I skipped yesterday’s post, but I’m making up for it by posting a HUGE June empties post! I am amazed at how much product I emptied last month. In a future post, I’ll explain why I’m focusing on empties and the overall goal of this little project. For now, here are my thoughts on my June empties. Enjoy!
So I have a LOT of perfume samplers/minis. I adore scent so I like to purchase trial sizes so I can try a fragrance without having to make a huge commitment. I had a trial set from Commodity which I had planned to review but I ended up disliking most of the scents so I didn’t bother to write about it. However, there were three fragrances I really enjoyed, and I ended up using the last of those this past month. Magnolia, Mimosa and Tea were lovely fragrances that I look forward to wearing again. On a side note, I saw that Commodity closed unexpectedly on March 31st, but the brand was saved by an investor and is experiencing a reboot, so the fragrances can still be purchased at this time.
Magnolia by Commodity
Mimosa by Commodity
Tea by Commodity
Onward to skin care . . . I really love The Ordinary, and I’ve discussed it multiple times so I’ll spare you my profuse praise. However, I used up my Argireline Solution this past month. I love to use it on my smile lines and forehead creases. I’ll purchase more after I use up some of my other products for facial lines (like The Ordinary’s Alpha Arbutin).
Argireline Solution 10%
As far as body care goes, I finished using my mini L’Occitane Amande Shower Oil. I got this as part of a L’Occitane gift set earlier this year. This product smells incredible: floral yet slightly musky at the same time. The scent doesn’t linger, but the moisturizing effects remain after scent dissipates. Once I use up some of my other body washes, I’ll repurchase this.
L’Occitane Amande Shower Oil
Now onto hair care. The funny part of my hair care is that it’s minimal at best: I don’t spend a lot of time on my hair, though I anticipate that will change in the upcoming months. I use these very inexpensive conditioners to detangle my hair prior to shampooing. My hair is kinky/curly so I use a lot of product to detangle and moisturize. VO5 and Pantene are low-priced so I don’t mind being a little “heavy-handed” when applying. When I’m running low on deep conditioner, I will use the Pantene to help “stretch” the product.
VO5 Passion Fruit Smoothie conditioner; Pantene Curl Perfection conditioner
After shampooing, I apply a deep conditioner to help moisturize my hair and restore the protein balance. I recently finished this jar of Aphogee Curlific Texture Treatment and I must say that I’m VERY impressed with this product. I noticed that my hair retained a “stretched” state once dried, and my post-shampoo detangle session was a breeze. If you want a product that can help elongate the hair in preparation for stretched or straightened styles, this is a great product to try.
After shampooing and deep conditioning, I moisturize using the LOC method – Liquid, Oil, and Cream products, applied in that order. My liquid product of choice is Infusium 23 Leave In Treatment. This bottle was large, so it took a while to use it up. I occasionally tried other liquid leave-ins, but I always end up coming back to Infusium 23. I only wish that the product was in a different bottle (with a spray top). I ended up transferring the liquid to a spray bottle for easier application.
Finally, I finished a tube of an eco-friendly toothpaste that I purchased. Hello Epic Whitening Toothpaste has activated charcoal and acai berry, along with mint for freshness. The product is black but it brightens the teeth as you use it. I love the flavor and I enjoyed the results. I’ll certainly use it again, but I have a TON of toothpaste that was gifted to me (long story LOL) so it will be a while before I do a repurchase.
Those are my empties for June! I love that I have so many items that I’m using up completely before repurchasing. It feels good to know that I’m being smart with my money and purchasing from an empowered, instead of desperate, emotional space. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!
A few months ago, I was browsing one of the many Facebook groups that I joined for photos of vintage fashion. While perusing some pics, I was quickly drawn in by one beauty that I’d never seen before. After a little digging, I confirmed that the lovely woman was Francine Everett, a Black actress from the 1930s and 1940s. Her career was brief, but she was a luminous and talented woman. I was so intrigued by her that I spent some time watching a couple of the movies that she starred in, as well as a few shorts that featured her.
Francine Everett (from Tumblr)
I want to discuss “Dirty Gertie from Harlem“, which echoed the theme of “loose” women being doomed to a tragic ending. During this period, female characters that were not traditional or conservative were almost always written as tragic figures. It’s fascinating to see how, less than 60 years after “Dirty Gertie”, shows like “Sex and the City” thrive on the premise of women being in control of their sexuality and not “doomed” because they refuse to marry and “settle down” with one man.
Screenshot of Everett in “Dirty Gertie from Harlem” (from MoMa.org)
I wish that Everett had more movies because she truly “lit up” the screen. I was impressed with her acting and I know that should could have been a star if she had only been born at a different, later time.
I hope you check out Everett’s movies, and tell me: do you have any vintage actor or actress favorites?
If you enjoy tea as much as I do, you will probably find yourself with quite a tea collection at some point. It’s also inevitable that, the more teas you try, the more likely you are to come across a tea that you don’t enjoy. Whether it’s too bland, too bitter, too strong, or just not very tasty, getting a tea that you don’t enjoy drinking is always a bit disappointing. And let’s face it: some of us just don’t enjoy the flavor of tea.
That being said, I have good news! All hope isn’t lost when you purchase a “dud” tea, or when you find yourself the proud owner of a tea that you won’t be drinking (whether you purchased it or it was gifted to you). In fact, it’s possible to use tea in quite a few different ways around your home and within your beauty routine. Of course, you’ll want to pay attention to the ingredients: certain teas shouldn’t be used near your eyes or allowed to sit on the skin unless you don’t mind having some discomfort (“hotter” tea ingredients, like ginger and cayenne come to mind). As always, use wisdom and discretion with any of these recommendations.
Without further ado, here are five ways that you can re-purpose tea leaves. Enjoy!
Bath/bath bomb additive – If you make bath bombs (like I do), you can add some dry tea leaves to your recipe before you put the mixture into molds. It adds a little additional fragrance and beauty to your bath bombs. If you don’t make bath bombs, you can always just add the leaves directly to your bath. Certain teas, like mint and lemon balm, have invigorating scents and can be a refreshing addition to your bath. These teas can also be mixed with epsom salt for an especially relaxing soak.
Herbal facial steam – Similar to baths, you can use tea to make an herbal facial steam. Some teas (like rose and lavender) are known for their relaxing and beautifying properties. Do a little research on your tea and see if the ingredients are suitable for a face steam. Keep in mind, simple black, green or white teas (without added herbs or florals) are perfectly fine for most skin types. Of course, always proceed with caution, even when using “safe” teas.
Face tonic – Just like herbal facial steams, you can steep the tea in hot water then use it as a toner. Camellia sinensis (the scientific name for tea) is generally considered an astringent natural product. The tannins in it constricts body tissue, making it perfect for pore-tightening and giving the face a very toned appearance. The higher the amount of tannins (generally, these are more numerous in cheaper teas), the more astringent the tea will be. Try using a full strength tea tonic on your skin, then, if you find it is too strong, add water to reduce the potency.
Oil infusion – This is actually my favorite way to use teas that I don’t want to drink. Infusing tea into oil can create a luxurious natural product that can either be applied to the skin, the hair, or added to vinegar or another acidic item (like lemon juice) to make dressing. Infusions are simple: add herbs to as many ounces of oil that you want, let it sit in a dark (preferably cool) area for at least four weeks, and shake the mixture occasionally. Personally, I love adding inexpensive chamomile tea and other herbs to coconut or olive oil, then letting them infuse over a month or two. Once these are infused, I strain the oil, put it in a lovely bottle, then apply it to my hair and skin.
Hair rinse – Certain teas are great for rinsing the hair. You brew the tea as normal, then pour the cooled tea onto the hair after shampooing and conditioning. Chamomile is great for lighter colored hair, while sage is fantastic for dark hair. Also, teas that contain rosemary and lavender can be beneficial for dry, itchy scalp, so keep that in mind. You can also just add dried rosemary and/or lavender to the tea that you’re brewing, then you get the added benefit of those herbs for scalp health.
These are some of my favorite ways to use teas that aren’t so tasty. Do you have any recommendations for re-purposing tea leaves? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had an amazing weekend and feel rested and replenished, fully ready to embrace the week ahead.
One of the things that I’ve noticed and praised during the COVID-19 outbreak is the emphasis on fastidious cleanliness (YAY!) and encouragement to wash our hands more frequently than ever. As an enthusiastic hand-washer, this was much of the same for me. But I did have to change my hand soap because some of my favorite brands were often sold out whenever I went to the store. I found that these alternative soap options left my hands much drier than normal.
So it’s been my goal to offset the drying effects of my hand-washing routine while still maintaining the frequency of hand cleansing. I’ve gotten a very effective regimen in place that is easy and relatively inexpensive, and it has left my hands soft and lovely and no longer ravaged!
When washing my hands in the kitchen, I do an initial wash with soap, then I apply a vegetable cooking oil (usually olive oil, though it can be coconut oil or corn oil, depending on what’s closest to the sink) lightly to my hands, then wash one more time. Yes, I end up washing my hands twice and using a little oil in the process, but I find that the second wash removes just enough excess oil to keep from having extra-slippery hands.
When washing my hands in the bathroom, I do something similar, except I use coconut oil almost exclusively (a little more about that in a moment). Initial wash, apply coconut oil lightly, then wash again. It takes a few more moments but I love how soft my hands feel after the second wash. Of course, if your hands are especially dry, you can always skip the second wash and leave the oil to soak into your skin. However, I actually hate the feel of oil on my palms, but I don’t want to miss out on the benefits of replenishing moisture of the skin on the back of my hands, so the second wash is necessary for me.
I mentioned that I keep coconut oil on each of my bathroom vanities, but there is another oil that I use whenever I need extra moisture on my hands. I always apply pure Vitamin E oil to the back of my hands when the skin is particularly dry and sensitive. I don’t apply it to my palms (again, I don’t like the feeling of oil on my palms), but the back of my hands LOVE Vitamin E oil, and if I’ve been slacking on my hand-oiling routine, Vitamin E can quickly restore my skin back to health.
This is my personal favorite Vitamin E Oil brand
This is my quick tips to care for hands that have been ravaged by frequent hand washing. I hope this helps any of you that are trying to care for your skin!
Bronze Butterfly 