January 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag

The January Ipsy glam bag was all about being a shiny star. Included inside the cute navy bag lined with white stars were five great products:
-London SoHo New York crease
eyeshadow brush
-Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange
Body Butter
-Nailtini Bloody Mary nail polish
-SexyHair Spray & Play volumizing
hairspray
-Josie Maran Argan Oil
First, the London SoHo New York crease eyeshadow brush really amazed me. I expected it to have really stiff bristles. Instead I found them super soft. There is an indentation on the handle that was designed for comfort when using the brush. I plan on checking out more of the SoHo New York brushes at my local Walmart or Target.
Second, I tried the Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter. I loved how it made my skin feel soft but I am really not fond of the scent. It is a really citrusy, grapefruit-like scent.
Third, the bag contained a gorgeous blue based nail polish from Nailtini named Bloody Mary. It applies smoothly with even coverage and no streaking. I think the color is perfect for a Valentine's Day nail look.
Fourth, you can get your sexy on with SexyHair Spray & Play Volumizing hairspray. Who doesn't want sexy hair right? I loved how this made my curls stay in place while not being stiff and untouchable.
Fifth, the final product included was the Josie Maran Argan Oil. This was my favorite product included in my glam bag. It is a multi-tasking miracle worker. It can be used as a cuticle oil for nails, dry ends repairing oil for hair, a moisturizing body oil, or as a facial moisturizer. I love it because a little goes a looooong way. It is very pricey at $48 for a 1.7 oz bottle from Sephora.com but totally worth it when a little goes a long way. It would last forever.
Overall, the January glam bag was great. I love the cute navy bag. You cannot beat $10 for five deluxe samples of beauty products AND a cute cosmetic bag.

CVS Facial Cleansing Power Brush

A week ago I purchased the CVS Facial Cleansing Power Brush kit for $19.99 plus tax. After using my $10 ExtraCare Bucks I paid $9.99 plus tax. The kit included:
1 power brush, 2 AA batteries, and 2 brush heads (Additional replacement brush heads are sold separately for $6.99 per box which includes 2 brush heads).
The cleansing brush features a dual-speed cleansing setting that gently exfoliates skin to remove dirt, oil and makeup. It also features a reverse brush setting that allows the brush head to exfoliate your skin in the opposite rotating direction. As an added feature it is water-resistant and can be used in your shower. You simply use it with your favorite facial cleanser. According to CVS it is comparable to the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System.
After reading several reviews of this product I was skeptical. I have combination skin which can be such a pain in caring for. Lately I have been dealing with acne as well as having large pores on my cheeks, chin and nose, dirty-looking freckles, and fine lines on my forehead as well as deepening of my frown lines.
I find that the cleansing bristles are soft but not too soft. They do exfoliate my skin as well as remove dirt, oil and/or makeup with each five minute use. I am currently using the Olay Pore Minimizing Cleanser Plus Scrub as my cleanser of choice. I am simply AMAZED at how clean my skin feels after each use. I have noticed a DRAMATIC difference in my skin's texture and pore size. My skin feels clean, soft and refreshed. Application of my moisturizer and foundation has became easier, my acne is disappearing, and my skin actually glows!
I would definitely recommend the CVS Facial Cleansing Power Brush to anyone who needs a pick-me-up for their combination, dry or oily skin. For those who suffer from moderate to severe acne I would recommend checking with your dermatologist first before using this product due to it being a micro-dermabrasion system which can irritate or worsen acne:(

"Global Green School Makeover Competition Presented by: Pureology"

   Today I received an email from an interactive website @Influenster.com regarding the opportunity
to qualify for what is called a VoxBox containing $58 worth of @Pureology haircare products in which you can learn about from their website at http://www.pureology.com. In order to qualify you have to complete mandatory tasks. As one of my tasks I am to blog about a competition being held by a company @ Global Green USA.
    Being that I like to conserve I decided to complete the mandatory task. From Jan. 1st to March 31, 2013 Global Green USA will be having a competition that is presented by Pureology. For this contest you nominate a school for a Green School Makeover which consists of winning a $75,000 Green Makeover along with Global Green USA's technical assistance in seeing the winning plans through. I chose to nominate my local high school. I believe that it would benefit greatly. As of now they do not have an active recycling program nor do they participate in utilizing non-toxic cleaners such as Melaleuca, Biokleen, or Earth Friendly. They have very limited funding for school programs or activities. I believe that by also installing solar panels outside the school they could cut costs on energy therefore creating a surplus of money for other low budgeted areas of interest. In return they could become a leader amongst other schools in trying to conserve and sustain energy and precious resources. We only have one earth so we must learn to conserve and try to find alternate ideas for our lifestyles.  Our precious resources are dwindling fast.
     If you would like to nominate your school for a Green Makeover you can do so by visiting Global Green USA's website at http://www.globalgreen.org/greenschoolmakeover. Simply fill out the form including 3 areas of concern, your ideas for improvement, and attach 3-5 photos of your school showing areas that need improvement. In the meantime, try to conserve each day whether it's by switching to non-toxic cleaners or turning off excess lights. If you plant a seed it will grow with nurturing and care:)