Mini Walmart Haul!

My mom and I went shopping this morning, and this is what we got.

From left to right: Lambchop santa plush dog toy($1.25), Porcelana Skin Lightening Cream 3oz ($4.97), John Frieda Root Awakening shampoo($5.47), American CREW daily shampoo for men($13.97), Glade airfreshener spray in Apple Cinnamon, part of the holiday collection($1.97)

Walmart is having a huge after Christmas sale, everything Christmas is 50-75% off. That is how I got the cute Lambchop toy for my poodle, Mopsy. We always call her Lambchop because she looks just like her.

The Porcelana and the John Frieda Shampoo is for me, I ran out of my Mane&Tale and wanted to try something new, and the CREW shampoo is for Slade, he has been using my girly shampoos for too long, so I got him his own. It smells so good.
Since the huge Christmas sale was going on, I picked up another one of my favorite scents from glade, Apple Cinnamon, I also really love the Nutcracker Crunch from the holiday collection. If you have never had a Glade candle, you need to pick one up. They smell incredible and they last.

Neutrogena Wave Unboxing/Review

Normally when I unbox something I can't give a review, because it's brand new to me. This, on the other hand, I have had before. I gave my old one(which was a not so cutely packaged and smaller version when they first came out) to a friend. This one was in my stocking this Christmas. They retail at about $10.

 The claims, as you can see.. "softer skin in just one use" and "cleans 10x deeper" I can say that my skin did feel softer, but any cleansing and exfoliation will do that. I have heard that this is geared more towards acne prone skin, which I don't have. I hate washing my face with a wash cloth or one of those little pads, like the ones from Aveeno. Bleck! So, something I can hold and not have to manually scrub my skin with, is nice.

When you take it out of the box, this is what you see. I'm happily surprised that it now comes with the needed battery(which will last you two forevers!) in my previous one, it didn't. It also comes with the pre-soaped pads.

10 to be exact, which is not bad, probably a week and a half before you have to buy new pads. The pads come in different "styles" there is a deal right now at walmart, 2 boxes of thirty pads(each) for $11. Obviously not expensive to maintain, but you can also rinse off the pads and use your own soap, that is my method of choice; who knows what ingredients are in the "foaming pads" and I'm a bit partial to my facial washes :)

Here is what the pad looks like on the wave. It has a hatch on one side that holds the battery, and an ON/OFF button on the other side. It vibrates, which I don't like, if you press too hard it is a little abrasive. I haven't tried the Neutrogena Wave Sonic yet, but I would like to. It spins, like the Clarisonic, and any Sonicare toothbrush. Seems like a cheaper alternative to the Clarisonic..hmm maybe I'll do a comparison on all the facial cleansing tools at the drugstore.

So far, I'm on the fence, I didn't love it before, but I'm giving it another shot, and hoping it won't be so abrasive.

Skin Series: Part 2

Hey Guys! This is the second installment in my skin care series. This one is about how to go to the drugstore armed with knowledge and on a mission.

• Marketing techniques

When you look at the packaging on a product, you see miracle claims. "Makes you look 10 years younger, instantly!" or "Perfects skin in as little as 2 weeks!" advertisements can say what ever they want, knowing whats actually inside that tiny bottle of $100 "miracle" cream, will show you what results you can actually expect. Companies pay extra to put their product on the middle shelves right at eye level, the number one piece of advise I can give you, is to take your time. No one in CVS is watching you read the ingredients on every product that interests you. :) ALWAYS look on the bottom shelves, that is where they usually keep the store brands, and the treatments, such as AHA and BHA. I know we are all guilty of just running in, and picking up the same toner we have always used, or the same makeup wipes. But experimenting is half the fun! Some of the less known brands, have the best products. This is the best book I've found on marketing and the things to remember when buying beauty products, and it's something you can take with you!

• Ingredients

If you know me, you know, next to sunscreen, this is my biggest soap box issue. Take my mom for example, she believes the "miracle claims' I talked about, and she spends tons of money on garbage. Then gets upset when the creams don't work. The best way I can explain it is, if a box of matches said SOAP on the box, would you use it as soap and expect it to clean you? No. I've gotten to the point where I don't even read the claims, I go straight to the back of the box. Knowing what the big fancy words really mean, will help you solve your skin problems. This website is one that I frequent, to find the newest way that companies word things like alcohol(ethanol, isopropyl, mehtyl, ect).

MTroller(Dermaroller) First Impression

The Dermaroller is a microneedling therapy system that microscopically wounds the skin, to help your cell turnover, producing more collagen and making new skin grow.
Here is an accurate picture of what the Dermaroller looks like.

It basically punctures your skin a lot, and makes your skin heal itself. I did a lot of research on the product and the results real people have gotten from using this. Here is an example of what just a few months of using this once a week, did for this lady's acne scarring.

I think that is incredible. Although I never had acne, and I don't have acne scarring or any kind of real marks on my face; the Dermaroller is effective at treating premature aging, and overall just giving your skin a boost every once in a while. The best way I can think to describe it is, it's waking your skin up, and saying hey! get your act together. It's bringing new life to your face. Like I said, I did a lot of research, and my husband thinks I'm crazy, but I think it's innovative. SOOO on to the first impression! I received my Dermaroller in the mail yesterday, after ordering it online(eBay) for about $4.95 with free shipping. It came in a black package, and inside was the box.

The length of the needle depends on the process you want. For instance, mine is a 1mm needle, for wrinkle reduction and prevention. Stretch marks are a 3mm needle, because your dermis is located 3mm from the skin you see. Things like acne scarring require lower needle sizes and the company I ordered from sells them as small as 0.2mm. The amount of needles was not an option for me, the company only offers the standard 192. Although I've seen up to 540. 

Inside the box was a neat little case, which seems like it would be easy to sanitize, as well as the roller(everything is either metal or solid plastic. I will probably be boiling it before and after use.)

Sorry for the flash, it's 9pm and I usually take pictures during the day by my window. ha. anyway, I haven't used it yet, that is why this is just an unboxing/first impression. I did roll it on my hand, and it is NOT painful. I was scared, even though I had heard people over and over, its not painful, its not painful, and it really isn't! Well, on the back of my hand at least.

So here is MY roller, again, sorry for the picture, but at least you can see the needles. I personally think 540 is excessive. The website says you can go over an area multiple times. So I don't see the reason for that many needles. I don't plan on using it in the next few days, my birthday is tomorrow and my party is the next day, wouldn't want my face to puff up.

From what I have heard, you experience redness and irritation the first and second time, and then you don't notice it at all after continued use. You are supposed to sanitize every time, and replace it every month. That means about 4-6 uses for each roller. I would assume, besides hygiene, the needles would become dull and it would be more painful.

I will definitely keep you updated, not only on the process, but before and after photos, and if and when I am seeing results.

Skin Series: Part 3

Hi! In Part 3, I'm going to explain the layers of the skin, and how products absorb.

• The layers of your skin

There are 3 main layers, Epidermis, Dermis, and the Subcutaneous Layer. The Epidermis is the outermost layer, the part that you put your serums on. It's made up of sebum, which is your skins natural oil that your body secretes, and dead skin cells. The dead skin is compacted so tightly, to hold in your body's moisture. Staying hydrated effects this layer the most. Your Cell Turnover is the rate at which your body sheds these dead cells and new ones are pushed to the surface from the Dermis. The Dermis is the middle layer, connected to the fat on your body. This is where your oil, and sweat glands, hair follicles, and nerve endings are located. When you get stretch marks from rapid weight gain or loss, the Dermis rips, and that is where the redish purple streaks come from. Your skin is not hydrated enough from the inside and out, and Collagen production and Cell Turnover can't keep up with your growth. The Dermis is where Elastin and Collagen are produced, which gives your skin the "snap back" that it has. As you age, your Cell Turnover slows, and you don't produce new skin to replace the old skin you are shedding. With Exfoliation, you can, for lack of a better word, scrape off the top layer of the Epidermis, revealing new baby-like skin, allowing your serums and creams to penetrate deeper.

• Product absorption

As your skin is, at this exact moment, it will absorb 68% of whatever you put on it. Be that good or bad. With Exfoliation, it can absorb up to 100%. This is why I don't use chemical sunscreens on my face. This is also why it's crucial for you to remove your makeup before bed. When you sleep, your skin is repairing itself, from sun damage, and the environment. You are also dehydrated when your sleeping, drink a glass of water before and after bed, I promise you will see results. When you put products on your face and neck while you're sleeping, your skin has time to properly absorb all the good ingredients in your night cream. If you don't use anything in the morning, load up at night. That is when it does the most good.

Skin Series: Part 1

I decided to start a little, novel, a series of blogs about skin care. Starting with how to pick products out, how to apply them and when is the most crucial time to start a new regimen. It's going to be about 8 parts, so stay tuned!

• Knowing your skin

Knowing what your skin likes and doesn't like is probably already in the back of your mind, as an example, I can't drink Dr.Pepper, or my face breaks out. A good way to start is to look at all the products in your cabinet that haven't worked for you. Check the ingredients and see if they have some in common. Maybe your skin doesn't like Salicylic Acid. Knowing the things your skin reacts to is key in picking products that are going to change your skin for the better. Here is a great test to find your skin type.

• Allergies

Anything that you are allergic to on the inside will show on the outside. Whey and dairy are some of my big allergies, so I know when I have a Babybell or a cheese stick, my skin is going to act up. Here is a good article on figuring out if you have a food allergy. Topical allergies are very different, most times it will be up to trial and error. Become a scientist, do spot tests, either in the department stores, or in drugstores. Find a good return policy and stick with that store until you have a basis. It's all about saving money, so you can spend it on things you know you're going to use. 

• What do you want from your skin?

Deciding what you want from your skin can help a ton when you walk into the drugstore and look at that overwhelming wall of products. Are you young, and looking for preventative products? Are you suffering from dark spots, or acne? (I'll have to do a full post on acne but for now, here is the basics) Do you have mature skin? Make a list of all the things you want to improve on, and then do your research! Knowing how and why ingredients work the way they do, will give you a larger outlook on products.

High End Makeup

I thought I'de jump on and rant a bit, about why i don't spend my money on high end makeup. Yes, I own some high end things(Lorac, Bare minerals, Urban Decay) but everything I own came from a MyGlam bag or was given to me as a gift. Its just not worth it. Any color eyeshadow under the sun, can be found in the drugstore, and really, who needs three different shades of electric blue eyeshadow from MAC? I see so many 'dupe' websites, and pintrest boards. How do people continue to blow $20 on a MAC shadow. For instance,

a NYX shadow is $5! Their shadows are amazing quality, so creamy, and sophisticated. Makeup has come a long way since Wet n' Wild was 'play makeup' you can find great stuff for affordable prices. Maybe its just me, but $15 for a SINGLE eyeshadow, when I can buy a 144 palette from E.L.F for the same price...
  Anyway, that was my little rant. I hope you enjoyed, or learned a bit, or both!

p.s. heres a great pinner for dupes. I frequent her board ;)