Beauty Benefit

benefit cosmetics has always been one of my favorite beauty brands on the market.  with their adorable packaging, fun names and quality products, you just can't seem to go wrong with anything they make!

 

since moving to brentwood, i am that much closer to the benefit cosmetic store on montana avenue and have been going every three weeks to get my brows tinted and waxed for $32!  these girls know what they are doing and i can honestly say that the store is always packed with customers, a testament to their results!

 

the only problem i encounter when i head into benefit to get my brows done, is i end up leaving with a bag full of products i didn't realize existed until i tried them out.  one of those products is the  instant brow pencil in light...

if you tweezed a little too much in your lifetime and need a little help filling in where some hair is missing, this pencil is for you!  the color is spot on and it fills in your brows without them looking "drawn on" with the help of the brush at the end.  a permanent staple in my makeup bag now! 

my other favorite recent purchase is the finding mr. bright makeup kit...

 

this is the perfect kit if you like glowing skin and products that you can fit in your purse to take with you.  seriously, everything in this kit is amazing!  i had not used the girl meets pearl luminizer before and have to say thank goodness it had a mini size in here as i LOVE it.  i use it now every single day.  i feel flat without it. 

 

i have long been a fan of the posietint product, but love it even more in the travel size, since a little goes a long way!  again this product giver you a pretty, glowy, dewy complexion which is perfection!

 

i have already shared my love for high beam here and the love continues with the mini version.

 

the last perfect piece is the erase paste which is a soft creamy concealer which has brightening undertones to help conceal not only dark circles but also yucky blemishes.  the texture is creamy and doesn't leave your face dry and feeling cake-y like some other concealers do. 

 

best party about the kit is all four of these products are travel ready for under $30! 

 

i also shared my love of their they're real mascara earlier this year here. 

 

if you haven't already jumped on the benefit bandwagon, might i ask you to join me now, as looking fresh, dewy and bright is always in style.  also, if you live close to a benefit store, be sure to pop in and get your brows some loving, they do a marvelous job and it really makes all the difference in the world!

Rodan + Fields Redefine Regimen Review

last december my gf stacie sent me some rodan + fields products to try.  i have only heard wonderful things about this beauty line and was excited to get to try it out for two weeks for free! 

 

after stacie and i determined my skin problems and goals, we decided on the redefine system to best address my goals.  this system is focused on reducing the appearance of lines, pores and loss of firmness.  growing up in seattle and being fair skinned has helped a bit with my aging and i feel very blessed to have the skin i do, but as i am creeping past 33, i am noticing the lines are getting a little deeper, my pores a little more noticeable and just a loss of daily glow. 

 

stacie sent me over a two week supply of the redefine regimen, the micro-dermabrasion paste and the lip micro-dermabrasion. 

 

 

i must admit, i am a dial hand soap as face wash kind of girl and besides moisturizer don't really dabble too much into systems or regimens for my face. 

 

the redefine regimen begins with the daily cleansing mask which is a thick white clay based cleanser that you apply as a mask for two minutes and then wash off.  the mask provides a little extra exfoliation and worked best for me in the shower.  in full honesty the two minute wait is a bit much for me in the morning, as i like to get in and get out. 

 

the pore minimizing toner (conveniently labeled 2) was the next step and i really enjoyed this product.  while i cannot attest that i saw a difference i did enjoy that it is alcohol free and left my skin feeling fresh. 

 

step 3 in the am is the triple defense treatment which i absolutely adored.  it provided great coverage, spf 30 and a light scent that was not overwhelming.  it was light and non-greasy and made my skin feel smooth and ready for my daily makeup.  in the pm i used the overnight restorative cream and again, i absolutely loved this product.  my skin felt moisturized and smooth and when i woke up my skin looked more refreshed then usual and ultra soft. 

 

twice a week i used the micro-dermabrasion paste in the shower or sunday night before the week to feel my freshest.  a little goes a long way with this product which left my skin feeling oh so soft and smooth which i LOVED!  it's gritty and really leaves you with a clean slate for the week.  dare i say my skin even looked a little brighter?

 

a few of my friends refer to my lips as "pillow lips" a nickname i would like to keep and take very seriously.  the lip micro-dermabrasion was one of my favorites as it was so easy to use and left my lips oh so pillowy and soft.  see ya dry flaky lips. 

 

 

my favorite product stacie sent over however, were the night renewing serum capsules.  one of my favorite things about these capsules is that they are pre-measured so you can't mess it up!  you use just the right amount every time and these babies most definitely had me seeing results fast.  i could absolutely notice an extra glow to my skin after using them as well as my lines looking a little less deep and my skin a lot smoother.  the serum is light but covers fantastically and made me feel like i received a little facial over night. 

 

i want to thank stacie for letting me try out the system and i am definitely planning to order the night renewing serum capsules again.  rodan + fields just released the macro exfoliator that sold out so quickly and sheds 5 million dead skin cells in one five minute treatment!  see ya dead skin! 

 

as we age and expose our skin to all those yucky toxins out there, it is ever so important to make sure you create your own beauty regimen to keep your skin looking its very best.  r + d has created some amazing products to assist you at home at very reasonable prices.  if you are looking to start now (and you should) reach out to my girl stacie and figure out the right regimen for you! 

Drug Store Beauty Booty

 

1 ~ got2b rockin it encore fresh dry shampoo

i have never used the got2b products before and kind of find them a bit gimmicky.  i was forced to try this dry shampoo as it was the only option at the grocery store and i was in dire need of some.  well my friends, turns out jokes on me, because not only is this stuff totally cheap but it always totally works and makes your hair smell amazing.  it isn't the best dry shampoo i have ever used but i much prefer it over the dove and suave dry shampoos. 

 

2 ~ clean clear morning burst skin brightening scrub

this goodie was recommended to me by mr. b himself.  when we were home in may for the young wedding my parents had this in their shower and b kept raving about how much he liked it.  so i thought i'd surprise him with a tube of it at my house.  well wouldn't you just know that it turns out i quite enjoy it myself as well!  the scent is incredible and it really does do a lovely job of exfoliating and leaving your skin clean and clear and under control!

 

3 ~ maybelline color show nail color "green with envy"

i kept seeing this color at the drug store and picking it up and then putting it back because i needed another nail polish color like i needed  a hole in the head, but it turns out that i did need this color for the wedding i attended in september!  the color is very similar to the essie "mint candy apple" but a lot less goopy.  it required two coats (like most polishes) and lasted at least 3 days without chipping.  i received many compliments on the color and will definitely be exploring the other colors in the collection for my next special event. 

 

4 ~ garnier fructis body boost conditioner

i have extremely fine hair that is so easily weighed down.  finding the right shampoo and conditioner is down right difficult.  i usually stick with the bumble & bumble thickening products but always require a little extra conditioner for my ends and don't want to waste the expensive stuff on that.  i recently purchased this conditioner for less than $4 and i absolutely love it!  it has a lovely scent and leaves my ends soft, straight and healthy.  in fact since i started using it, people have complimented me on my hair a lot more frequently. 

 

THE FAIL

 

organix nutritional acai berry avocado shampoo

after raving last post about organix coconut conditioner, i figured i would absolutely love their acai berry avocado shampoo which smelled wonderful.  wrong.  i have pretty normal hair, neither oily nor dry, but when i began using this shampoo i noticed my hair looked really flat, dry and dull.  not at all what the bottle promised.  i also felt as though i had to use a lot of the shampoo to get my hair clean.  not a fan at all.  after about two weeks it was back to bumble and bumble and my hair has been a lot happier.