NYX Face awards

Hello my wonderful readers!!

Top O' the mornin' to ye!

  So I am SUPER excited to share with y'all that NYX Cosmetics has once again launched their Face Awards competition. If you don't know what that is..I'll tell you!

  It is a contest for YouTube makeup artists! It is an amazing way to kick start your makeup artist career, not to mention yourself esteem! The grand prize includes $25,000 and soooo much more.

http://nyxfaceawards.com/about

  You enter by simply submitting a video via http://nyxfaceawards.com/ and filling out the entry form. From there, the top 30 entries are chosen by YOU!! All you have to do is watch the entry and if you like it..click that thumbs up! Also, comments are factored into the choosing so be sure to leave a comment!

  If you want to enter here is some important info:

***Entry and Voting Periods for the First Challenge

Entries for the First Challenge can be submitted from April 3, 2013 at 12:01 AM PDT to May 15, 2013 at 11:59 PM PDT. Entries received before or after the First Challenge entry period are void.

Online voting will take place from June 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM PDT to July 24, 2013 at 11:59 PM PDT.

http://nyxfaceawards.com/rules-and-regulations

***How to Enter the First Challenge

Qualified entrants shall submit a qualifying video (requirements specified above) that best exemplifies their talent as a Youtube Beauty Vlogger. The video can be a pre-existing video or one created specifically for this contest. Entries must be submitted online at www.nyxfaceawards.com/enter. By entering this contest and agreeing to these Official Rules, each entrant represents and warrants that he or she is the person listed on the entry form and is the only person depicted in the submitted video.

All entries must be accompanied by a fully completed entry form, including agreement to releases contained therein. Entry forms are available online at www.nyxfaceawards.com/enter. All entries submitted on behalf of anyone between the ages of 14 and 18 at the time of entry (a “Minor”) must also include the name and e-mail address of the entrant’s parent or legal guardian. All entrants consent to the use by Sponsor of the entries and information contained therein for marketing and/or sales promotional purposes without any attribution, identification, right of review or compensation. Incomplete entries will not be eligible to win.

http://nyxfaceawards.com/rules-and-regulation

***First Challenge - Selection of 30 Eligible Entrants for Next Round

Of all eligible entrants, thirty (30) entrants will be selected by a panel of judges determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion to be able to move on to the next challenges in the contest. The following are the criteria that will be applied by the judges:

• 20% Creativity of the look
• 20% Presentation/Educational value of the tutorial
• 20% Artistry in makeup application
• 20% Quality of the video production
• 20% Influence within Youtube voters

These 30 entries will be published on the contest Web page at www.nyxfaceawards.com on May 24, 2013, along with each entrant’s name and city. All decisions of the judges are final and binding. Once these 30 entrants are selected, these entrants must participate in three (3) more video challenges, as described below, for a chance to be one of six finalists participating in the final contest in Los Angeles, California.

http://nyxfaceawards.com/rules-and-regulations

All of the sections marked with *** have been taken directly from the NYX Face Award page, and the appropriate links follow the section (they say it better than I can anyway!)

Last year's winner was Charis Lincoln.http://www.youtube.com/user/charismastar Her story was amazing to follow and an inspiration. If you want to see what made her a winner (besides her amazing personality and obvious love for makeup and wanting to change the media in a positive way, you can watch her journey here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3BAF7860B32AD02F

You can also connect with her here: https://www.facebook.com/charismastartv and here https://twitter.com/CharismaStarTv

I am sure that I have left something out in my excitement, but no worries..just comment your question and I will do my best to find out the information for you! That's how I roll...

Also, comment below if you are going to enter and where we view your video! Can't wait to see what everyone comes up this year. I think that Charis really set bar high for all competitors this year. But PLEASE remember, although it is a competition, have fun!! If you love what you do, then it will show. Good luck to all that are going to enter and happy viewing to the voters!!

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

http://www.youtube.com/user/ElizabethGlam77

https://twitter.com/#!/ElizabethGlam77

http://www.avonrepresentative.com/clear6676

http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/

http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

http://www.beautorial.com/usr/elizabeth-martin-clear

No review..random rant...

Hello all my lovely readers

  Once again I have been M.I.A and I apologize. The only reason I can offer up is that the past two weeks have been CRAY CRAY! I mean totally nuts...I will spare you the details but ya..just psycho. Also, we are STILL looking for a house so we can move..my husband is now commuting 75 miles one way each day. Ugh..

  So my random rant is on stereotypes. Basically this: No matter what race you are, how much money you have or where you are from; DO NOT make assumptions about people who aren't the "same" as you.

  What happened that made me so.."Oh no you di'ent" that I needed to fly my rebel flag and blog about it? Well I'll tell you.. I just finished watching a video from one of my (not any more) favorite YouTube gurus, and in this video, the person made the assumption that people from the country wouldn't know the difference between a stripper and a Go-Go dancer.

 *Triple take* Uh, 'scuse me??? WTF? Really???

  I am from the country..yes, cows, tractors, hay bales the whole 40 acres and I know the difference. So do all of my redneck, hillbilly, countrified friends. In actuality, country gals would know MORE about the difference between a stripper and a go-go dancer because we wouldn't be caught dead in a cage dancin'. If it ain't got a pole, sawdust on the floor or a Wranglers on, we ain't dancin' in it, on it or with it!!

  Now, as I was (now) formerly a subscriber to this person, I always felt they were a bit..well, for lack of a better phrase; deprived of oxygen at birth. But I didn't want to make the assumption that they were a ditz, maybe they were just a little nervous in front of the camera.

  Nope, I was right..that's a country girl's intuition fer yuh!

  Seriously people, this totally pissed me off!! The video was supposed to be about fitness and confidence and  out this person's mouth came this crap. I actually flipped my computer monitor the bird.

  So yeah. All I'm saying is just don't say things about people that are "different" from you. You may be quick to point out that people don't know you or your life..well that's a two lane road right there.

  I know this has nothing to do with beauty reviews and I apologize, but I just had to get up on my tailgate speak my piece.

Y'all come back now yuh herrr!

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

http://www.youtube.com/user/ElizabethGlam77

https://twitter.com/#!/ElizabethGlam77

http://www.avonrepresentative.com/clear6676

http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/

http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

http://www.beautorial.com/usr/elizabeth-martin-clear

What's been going on/ YouTube Beauty Guru Review update

Hello my dear readers!

LIKE MY NEW CHANNEL IMAGE?

  So there isn't a review today, just a quick catch up on the shenanigans and goings on in my life this past week.

WARNING: If you are sensitive and/or can not deal with injured animals, please skip to the next section..

  As some of you may know that follow me on Twitter and/or are a Facebook friend, you know what's been going on. For the  rest of you, here we go..
 Last Thursday, my dog of 9 years was attacked and fatally wounded by our neighbors dog. Note: our neighbors are family. I will spare the gory details, but needless to say, I thought my poor Blues Clues was dead. I took him from the scene of the attack to my step-father (who is no longer with my mother, but lives on the property...I know..my family tree is a gnarled and somewhat askew) and proceeded to get the rest of my dogs to safety. During that time, Blues Clues in his state of shock, ran off and hid. We searched all day for him and couldn't find him. Lo and behold, the next morning, he was at our back door. I contacted my neighbor and they, at first, agreed to paying the vet bill, as long as we took them to their vet. Well, their vet never called back. So we had to take him to our vet. Now, although I firmly believe that the perp of this attack should be gotten rid of or put to sleep (please don't freak, the animal has tasted blood and will attack again, it's a proven fact) I left that decision to the neighbors. WELL....

After finding that out we were going to have to take our dog to a different vet, the neighbors changed their tune, saying the would only cover a couple hundred dollars, that they can't be sure Blue wasn't hit by a car and their dog found him after; never mind that I saw the attack, as it happened right outside my window. But my word wasn't enough. Meanwhile, I realized my pet's injuries were fatal and he needed to be put to sleep. Side Note: I am a severe asthmatic and have an anxiety disorder, this situation sent me to the hospital via ambulance with a severe asthma attack. Finally took my dog to the vet to have the procedure done. It really was the most humane thing to do. When the vet asked what happened, I lied to him and told him coyotes attacked his, as we live in the country and coyotes WILL come into our yard. I did this so animal control would not take the decision of what to do about the perp out of our neighbors hands. What did I gain from this? Not a damn thing!! The neighbors still refuse to believe their animal did this, called me a liar to my face and now there is a Hatfield and McCoy situation on our road. Our whole immediate family lives on one road.

So there is that...

NEXT SECTION

During all of this, my husband found out he will be taking over a store about 45 miles north of where we live, so this means relocation for us.  Which, in light of recent events, we are not opposed to. Plus, we would really like to get away from the town we live in and kind of start new. So we have been house hunting, which is kind of fun, but exhausting at the same time. Anyone who has been through this knows exactly what I am talking about. Our main problem is we don't know the area very well, and it's hard to know which areas are good, which ones are okay and which ones are OH HELL NO!!

To top it off, my daughter hit puberty..ya know what I'm saying? Her poor brother doesn't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt (Thank you Steel Magnolias)

And then there is that..

On to the Youtube Makeup Beauty Guru Reviews:

First, I want to say that I will review the more popular Gurus at a later time. Most people that watch YouTube makeup tutorials will more than likely have seen the ones I am talking about:

Robert Jones
Wayne Goss
Pixiwoo
Tanya Burr
MakeUp Geek
It's Judy Time
Lisa Eldridge
Kandee Johnson
Vintage or Tacky
Petrilude
Michelle Phan
Xsparkage
MissChevious
Goldie Starling
Makeup by Tiffany D

This is a small list of the really popular gurus. In the YouTube beauty community, these people are household names pretty much. So I really wanted to focus on the ones that are established, but still have a growing audience. (Not that the others don't..but you know what I mean.)

So here is the list of people I will be reviewing, in no particular order, not even alphabetical..

TwishyCareastar
ThatGirlShaeXO
TheMakeUpChair
Sarah Victor
Panacea81
Makeup By Ali
Casey Holmes
The Beauty Vault
CiaobellaXO
Beauty Crush
Jlovesmac1
R Pierced Makeup
Carlibel55
Jaclynhill1
Samantha Schurman

What I am going to do is try and contact these gurus and see if I can conduct a sort of "interview" by email. As (if) they reply, I will do the review. This will help to show no reflection on popularity or preference. I have a few people on my list that I will contact if any of the above do not respond.

I have about 5 people that are kind of a "backup" if someone doesn't reply. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know. I must say that I have really enjoyed discovering new gurus based on the suggestions from my twitter friends and facebook friends, and I am looking to discovering more!!


Until next time everyone..
XOXO
Elizabeth

My Links:


https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

www.youravon.com/clear6676

http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

https://www.youtube.com/user/GlitzandGlamorBeauty

Comparison of 5 mascaras and a plea for your input...

I recently reviewed and compared 5 mascaras, all of which I bought with my own money. Since I have barely there lashes (READ: almost non-existent) I wanted to see if the any of these 5 mascaras REALLY made a difference. The mascaras I chose to review were picked for a few reasons:

1. Different shaped wands
2. Different formulations
3. 3 of the 5 were from different companies
4. They are ones I already owned, and didn't have to go purchase any :)

In order of review:

1. Avon Irresistibly Sexy in Black obsessed
2. Wet n Wild MegaLash Clinical in black C643
3. Maybelline Great Lash Lots O Lashes in Very Black
4. Avon Super Shock in Black K01
5. Pop Beauty Smokey Lash Kapow in Smokey Black

Bit O Info: I first curled my lashes, then applied 2 coats of each mascara, letting each coat dry in between applications. Each mascara was applied to freshly cleaned, dried and curled lashes....MINE!!   Now, mind you, I have one hooded eye, and one that is less so. Also, my orbital sockets are completely different in shape. This was caused by method of delivery when I was born. Another thing, all of the formulas seem to be the same, not thin or liquidity and not too dry, which are the formulas I prefer. If you prefer a different kind of formula (more wet, more dry) then just use this review as a reference. :)

Here are the products and the wands

 As you can (hopefully) see; This product has a spiral shaped wand that is very full.

And here is the result:

With my eyes open, there is barely any lashes visible. Eyes closed, there isn't much length either. The wand and brush are a little difficult to use at first, but once you get the hang of it, it isn't that hard. But, in all honesty, who wants a mascara that you have to learn to use? You want to be able to pull it out of the tube and start applying, right? Yeah, that's what I thought. 

Basically how you use this wand and brush is you start at the base of your lashes, wiggle the brush to get in between the lashes really well, and then as pull the brush up and through the lashes, you rotate the brush. Like I said, a bit difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad.  WARNING: If you can not walk and chew gum at the same time, or turn a wand while pulling up and out; step away from this product!!

Moving on...

This mascara comes in a pack with an eyelash growth serum. I did use the serum and THINK I saw some growth, but it could just be wishful thinking. I will review the growth serum IF I can remember to apply it everyday..no promises. 

This wand and brush is a little different, it is thin on one side, and wider on the other. I am assuming that is to add length (thin side) and volume (wider side). I actually found the best way to apply this was to turn the brush so you are actually using the corner. That way you are using both sides of the brush at once.

Result

With this mascara I found with my eyes open, you could see more lashes, and with my eyes closed there was much more length. 

Next..

I can honestly say that when I first purchased this mascara, I was instantly in love. The brush was one that I had not seen or used before. I found that this type of brush was great because of its tapered shape, almost giving a flared effect. More coverage to the outer lashes while giving more precise coverage to the inner lashes. The fine tip of the bush made applying product to the bottom lashes easy and glob free.

Result

Again, with this mascara, I definitely see length and volume with my eyes both open as closed. The color of this mascara is a rich black that is very noticeable. 

Moving on...

Now this wand and brush were very new to me. I had never used a mascara where the brush was no wider than the wand itself, nor had I used a rubber wand. From my viewing experiences on youtube on reviews about mascaras with rubber or plastic brushes, there seems to be a division in the beauty community. It is definitely a love it or hate it issue. So far, I haven't seen any opinions that are eh, meh, take it or leave it, or no opinion either way. As an AVON rep, there has been a lot of hype about this mascara and such YouTube gurus as Pixiwoo have used this mascara in their tutorials.

I was really impressed by this the first time I used it. I thought it gave great coverage  and the fact that the brush is rubber, it deposits more product on the lashes than a traditional fiber wand. 

Result

I am quite happy with the results of this mascara. Dark, voluminous lashes with my eyes closed, and with them open, length, volume and separation. You are even able to see the lashes on my more hooded eye!

Last but not least...

Now, I said that I paid for all of these mascaras with my own money, and this mascara is no exception but for the fact that I received it in one of my IPSY Glam bags (which I had to pay the subscription price on, so there ya go)

Obviously this wand has a traditional fiber brush that tapers from bottom to tip. I don't have a whole lot to say about the wand or brush because it is your typical mascara apparatus. We have all seen it and are used to it...

Result

Like the AVON Super Shock, with my eyes open you can see the lashes on my more hooded eye but there is not as much volume, separation or length. Also, with the eyes closed, the color is not as rich.

Over all, with the exception of the first mascara, I would recommend any of these; with the AVON Super Shock getting the highest recommendation. 

In my opinion, I DO believe the type of brush makes a huge difference. If you are happy with a traditional brush, by all means stick with it. But id you are willing to try something new, I would say give any mascara with a plastic or rubber brush a try. My feeling is that it is not really the shape of the brush that matters most, but the material it is made from is. Again, I feel that the plastic/rubber brushes deposit more product to the lashes than your traditional fiber brush. Also, the spines on the rubber/plastic brushes appear to be shorter and stiffer and seem to aid in separation of the lashes while depositing more product for volume and length. It sounds backwards, I know, but TO ME, that seems to be the case. As always, your opinion may (probably) be different.

I just wanted to add a quick note here: As an AVON rep, I have noticed that AVON, like MAC, tend to launch products and then discontinue them only to relaunch them with a new name. I only know this about AVON from my experience, I have never owned any MAC ($$$) and that statement is based on what others have said about the company and their tendency to do the same. So if you find that your favorite mascara (or any other makeup item from AVON) has been discontinued, ask your local rep for a comparable product. More than likely, what is recommended to you will be the same product with new packaging and a new name. 

I hope that this review has helped everyone in some way, from deciding on what the shape of brush is best for them to what material the brush is made of that makes the difference to them. Please remember, these are the mascaras I already owned.If you have different mascaras that you have opinions on, please leave a comment. If you have one you would like me to review, let me know and if it is in my budget, will happily do so.

If you have read to here..YAY!! Now I need your input. Coming soon will be 14 days of YouTube beauty gurus!! I will be reviewing 14 YouTube makeup gurus, one each day for two weeks. What I need from you is this: Please let me know who your top 5 gurus are that you love to watch. You can comment below or reach me at any of my links listed below. Tweeting is probably the best..but I will get notification no matter how you respond. Please, if possible, include a link to your favorite gurus' channel. I look forward to seeing who you love to watch and hopefully discovering some new faces.

My links:

https://www.youtube.com/user/GlitzandGlamorBeauty

https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

www.youravon.com/clear6676

http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

As always, this has been my experience with this product(s). You experience may vary. If you have used this product and have an opinion to share, I invite you to leave a comment about it.

*All posts, text and photos are the written and intellectual property of the author. Do not copy or re-post any text or photos; in whole or part as your own. Links to the full posting is allowed.*

 ~Give credit where credit is due~

Quick updates and info

No, no, my dear readers, I am not missing in action again. This past week has been stressful, disappointing, irritating and the start of some new things.

  First the bad stuff :/ Well the only vehicle we have, broke down on my husband's commute home and had to have it towed. Found what was wrong (fuel pump) which is generally an easy fix, but as my husband and I were dropping the fuel tank (yes ME!!) the fuel line snapped. So we had to order it from local parts store the day before Easter. However, the guy behind the counter failed to tell my husband that having the part shipped to out house instead of the store takes an extra day or two. So yesterday, I suffered all day with a migraine, not being able to sleep in case I miss the Fed Ex truck. When my husband got home and the part still hadn't arrived, he called the store and that's when we found out about the shipping. Mind you, last week was my husband's first week at his new job. Luckily, his boss is someone he had worked for in the past, and gave him Friday through Monday off to get the truck fixed. Well, here it is Wednesday, and still waiting on the part. Luckily my in-laws were willing to reschedule appointments and be without a car for a few days so my husband could get to work. So, Thanks Mom and Dad. There's more, but it's trivial so I will move on...

  Now the new stuff!!

  I decided to REALLY get myself and my makeup artistry out there in social media. So, even though I had a YouTube channel, I started a new one. I started a new one with my business name, well, sort of. Someone already had the name so I had to fudge the spelling in the user name for the URL, but the channel has the correct spelling. I feel the need to mention this because really, is anyone going to take a business seriously with a misspelled name? No, I don't think so. And there you have it..I know how to spell. LOL.

  Another reason I chose to create another channel was because on my old channel, I did not feel like I was myself in the videos and tutorials. I just wasn't comfortable in front of the camera. To an extent I'm still not, but I have relaxed a lot. I haven't deleted my old channel; I am thinking of making it a vlog channel, but at this point I am not sure.

  I have so many ideas for my new channel, so many in fact, that I've had to start keeping a pen and notebook near me at all times!

  So here it is:




                            


Now, being that my channel is linked to this blog, when I upload a video I will post it here. The main reason for that is because sometimes I will need to post inspiration pictures and can not do that on YouTube because of copyrights and such. But I will continue to post product reviews here, as that is what I started this blog for! So, just consider it a bonus to have videos posted here too :)

If you are curious as to my uploading schedule, well, I don't really have one. I know a  lot of people upload every other day or everyday or once a week. This is my plan (but I can't make any promises) One day a week I will film the tutorials/videos I want to post for that week. Edit and then upload them and set them to publish on certain days of that week.

I am going to try to do the same thing for this blog. I have a list of reviews to write about for you guys, that still need to be wrote. So, one day a week I will (READ: TRY) try to write 5 blogs and schedule them for the week.

There. Now I feel better; I have y'all up to speed! So, again, I am sorry for having fallen behind this past week. It is definitely NOT that y'all aren't important to me, just that sometimes life gets in the way..simple as that. As always, I welcome any comments, questions and responses. I just ask that you be respectful. I say this because I have read countless blogs where people leave the nastiest comments. I personally don't care, but y'all shouldn't have to read that stuff. So I just ask to check the nastiness at the door.

Okay guys, thanks for baring with me this past week and I will talk to y'all again soon!
XOXO

MY LINKS:


https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77
http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/
https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77
www.youravon.com/clear6676
http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth
https://www.youtube.com/user/GlitzandGlamorBeauty

As always, this has been my experience with this product(s). You experience may vary. If you have used this product and have an opinion to share, I invite you to leave a comment about it.

*All posts, text and photos are the written and intellectual property of the author. Do not copy or re-post any text or photos; in whole or part as your own. Links to the full posting is allowed.*

 ~Give credit where credit is due~

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Towelettes

 In my last posting, I covered the items sent to me by Influenster to review as part of the Sugar n Spice VoxBox. One of the two items I just skimmed over is the one I will be reviewing today.

  In stark contrast to the last cleansing wipes I reviewed, I have to rave about these. Here goes :)

So the full name of this product is Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel oil controlling towelettes. The package says that they are oil free, non-drying, and for all skin types. The  product claims to gently remove dirt, oil and impurities while eliminating shine and touched with aloe. The ingredients include: All Natural Witch Hazel, Aloe leaf juice and Sodium Benzoate.

  Bit O'Info: Anything that says it's all natural Witch Hazel is not the entire truth, but not an out and out lie. Witch Hazel in it's natural form is actually a plant, a shrub to be exact. Witch Hazel extract, is what the products actually contain. The essential oils of the Witch Hazel shrub are extracted by steaming the leaves, twigs and bark of the shrub, However, the extraction process does not yield enough essential oils to be sold in pure form. Therefore, the extract goes through a distillation process and becomes a mixture of witch hazel extract and 14% grain alcohol. ( http://www.wisebread.com/15-wonderful-uses-for-witch-hazel ) Witch Hazel has been used for centuries as an topical astringent and also for its healing properties, such as soothing diaper rash, blemish control, and faster healing of bruises to name a few. The chemical Sodium Benzoate is a preservative found in cosmetics and some foods. It is considered a low hazard to the bodily, mainly as a food preservative and when ingested (in food). There is a limited concern to sense organ toxicity (nerves) but that would most likely be an allergy to either the alcohol or witch hazel extract itself. Sodium Benzoate is not considered to be an environmental toxin. (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=705989 )

  Okay, my science nerd self has gone back into seclusion.

Now, a box of 20 individually wrapped 5"X7" wipes will run you approximately $6.00 at any drugstore. Do check their site for coupons though.

So in my last cleansing towelette review (see LaFresh review), I really had nothing good to say about the product. This time around, it's a different story. I have used witch hazel as an astringent for years, being first introduced to it in cosmetology school. I can attest to topical benefits of witch hazel, i.e; oil control, blemish control and the like. Although the product does contain grain alcohol, 14%, it is very unlike rubbing alcohol, which contains upwards of 70% isopropyl (absolute) alcohol. Some pharmacies or even beauty supply stores carry 90% isopropyl alcohol (for sanitation purposes) and these are usually the bottles of green alcohol you see in the stores. So there is a big difference between the grain (natural) alcohol and isopropyl (absolute) alcohol. Whoa...the science nerd reared her head again..back you!

Basically the alcohol you will find in witch hazel is far less harmful, drying and irritating to the skin. I believe, but do not quote me, that Sea Breeze contains more alcohol than witch hazel. Anywho...

Some of the reasons I love this product:

1. Comes individually wrapped so you can throw a few in your bag.
2. Though I have dry to normal sensitive skin, these are oil controlling, which is excellent for days where you have worn makeup for a long period of time.
3. Cleans and tones the skin at the same time. I have always followed up my facial cleansing by toning with witch hazel. This product allows you to do both in one step..let's give it up for multi-tasking!
4. The added aloe helps to protect and soothe the skin. Great for the days you forgot to put on your SPF and your face is a little burnt. As always, if you have a massive sunburn accompanied by blistering, see your doctor.
5. The spun mesh and fibers penetrate the pores and lock in dirt and oil so you don't keep rubbing it all over your face.
6. The towelettes are a good size, but very moist. Not dripping, mind you; but definitely packed with product.
7. Great for sensitive skin. If you extremely sensitive skin, I would still try these, but if you have ANY signs of an allergic reaction (stinging, swelling, redness or itching) remove immediately with soap and water.

Since receiving this product, I have used it daily and I can say that it has worked better than my straight witch hazel astringent. I believe this is due to the fact that aloe has been added. Obviously not a lot, but enough to make a difference. I have seen less dry patches, more evenness of skin texture and less break outs. I do not normally have a problem with acne, except once a month ( ya know?!) and maybe the odd blemish here and there. Also, I have noticed the healing time for the blemishes is much faster (even if you are a picker or popper). Just that small amount of alcohol dries out the blemish and speeds the healing. I have found, in general, witch hazel is safe to use around the eyes and this product is no exception, in fact, it feels better on the very thin sensitive under eye skin. We all know that this is the most sensitive and easily damaged area on the face, so this is great. Witch hazel is even safe to use in the eyelids. WHAT?? That's right. When I was in cosmetology school, when prepping a client for any kind of facial procedure, i.e; waxing, facial, tweezing, etc., we used cotton rounds moistened with witch hazel and placed them over the client's closed eyes. It was also used to remove makeup from the face before said procedures.

Bottom line: Great product, and Dickinson's carries a line of cleansers, toners and moisturizers, which can be found at your local pharmacy or super store. Letter grade A+


As always, this has been my experience with this product(s). Your experience may vary. If you have used this product and have an opinion to share, I invite you to leave a comment about it.

Links:

dickinsonsusa.com


https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

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http://www.youtube.com/user/ElizabethGlam77

www.youravon.com/clear6676

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http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

http://www.beautorial.com/usr/elizabeth-martin-clear




*All posts, text and photos are the written and intellectual property of the author. Do not copy or re-post any text or photos; in whole or part as your own. Links to the full posting is allowed.* ~Give credit where credit is due~

Influenster Sugar'n'Spice VoxBox

So I said in one of my earlier posts that if I was sent something to review, I would let y'all know..well here it is.

  I am a member of Influenster, it's a site for people to rate products, write reviews and participate in programs. One of the programs I qualified for was the Sugar'n'Spice VoxBox. In all honesty, I didn't think I would ever qualify for one. I seem to be one of those people that falls in between "target" audiences, so  I was really happy to learn that I qualified for the program.

  Influesnter pretty much keeps the contents of the VoxBoxes quiet until the majority of participants have received their box, so I had no clue what to expect, as the products could have ranged anywhere from food items to makeup. So when the box came this is what I got...

Okay, kind of a big box, let's see what's inside...

Cool! Lotsa stuff! And the best part? Everything was full size. Now, as I mentioned before, I subscribe to the IpsyGlamBag service..and the products in bags are normally sample size, but hey, what do you expect for ten bucks? But this was FREE and full size...NICCCCEE!

  So the things included in this box were:

BelVita Breakfast Biscuits

The flavor of these are cinnamon brown sugar YAY my favorite! I am a big fan of breakfast and meal bars, as I usually forget to eat or don't have time. Each one of these packets contains four biscuits...not bad. I can tell you yet how these taste, as I haven't tried them yet :-/ sorry...

Next is Nectresse sweetener

We use a lot of sweetener in our house, especially Splenda, which happens to be the people that make this product. This is a 5.9oz container, which retails for $6.99 or $3.99 for a box of 40 packets. This is 100% natural and made from Monk Fruit, and molasses. It basically tastes like brown sugar with none of the after taste of sweetener, including Splenda. I would recommend this to anyone looking to cut out sugar but does not like the taste of artificial sweeteners. Believe it or not, this container will last you awhile...1/4tsp = 1 tsp sugar, according to the label. I used 1/2 tsp in my coffee this morning, I like mine sweet, and it was. I give this an A.

The next three items I was surprised to see, but as I am on the lookout for new versions of these things, I was like Yee Haw!

In my opinion, this is a daily teeth whitening/cleaning system. The mouthwash retails for $2.99 for an 8oz. bottle. Now, I am not a fan of mouthwashes. Most of them burn and have alcohol in them, and if you have any kind of sore or something in your mouth (bite your cheek? Anyone?) it stings to high heaven. Also, mouthwashes that claim to be whitening leave a horrible after taste (as do the toothpastes)..so bottom line, I tend to stay away from them. But I tried it anyway, cause that's how I roll..

  This mouthwash was great! VERY minty, but no stinging or burning and no alcohol. Oh, and no yucky after taste. I might be persuaded to buy this product..and for a mouthwash, that's saying a lot for me.

  The toothpaste, also whitening was pretty cool too. It retails for $2.99 for a 4oz. tube. I am very choosy about my toothpastes. I have really sensitive teeth so I usually buy toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Also, whitening toothpastes always seem to contain baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and after brushing, your mouth tastes like, well, baking soda and peroxide. Gross. But I found this toothpaste to not leave that taste behind and left my teeth squeeky clean. Oh and no tooth sensitivity!! Yipee!!

  Last thing in this trio of oral care products was the Colgate Optic White toothbrush. Okay, this is like the Swiss Army knife of toothbrushes. It has whitening cups, which holds more toothpaste to help remove stains, polishing bristles to polish away surface stains and get to the hard to reach places, AND it has a cheek and tongue scrubber. It also retails for $2.99 ( I am guessing that is the MSRP, and may be different in the stores). I am in love with this toothbrush!! First off, the bristles are just right..even though the packaging says it's soft, it's more in between soft and medium. As I was brushing, it felt like when you get a cleaning at the dentist, without that scary sound, now THAT surprised me. After brushing my teeth felt so clean! I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I can scrub the back of my bottom teeth and they still don't feel clean, even if they do look clean. But this time they felt clean. Also, I have never gone for the whole cheek and tongue scrubber thing on a toothbrush...I mean, I can just use the toothbrush to do it. Now, after using the one on this, I see that there is a difference. This brush has little plastic "bristle" like nubs on the back of the brush head that cleans the cheek as you brush and then you can flip it and use it on the tongue. It also makes those areas of the mouth feel cleaner than a regular toothbrush. Who knew? So I will be buying this toothbrush from now on, or at least until a new version arrives.

The last two items I am just going to skim over,, because I will doing a more in-depth review on them in a day or two. But in summation, they are great and I will be purchasing them.

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes MSRP $5.99 for a 20 count box. These are carried at Wal-mart and most drug stores.

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer Total Moisture MSRP $7.99 for a 6.5 oz. can. I am supposing you can find this just about anywhere that sells lotions. I LOVE the smell!!

This is the informational card that came in the box..

So as I was writing this, I scarfed down the breakfast biscuits...yum-o! They taste like sweet granola bar cookies

Okay, so that's the box.Yes, I was sent the products for free to review, but I am not being compensated for my reviews. So everything I have said is my opinion, if you have or do try any of these products, you may feel different. If you are interested in becoming an influenster, go to their site www.influenster.com and request an invite or email me. I have 5 invites I can send.

Listed below are my links and the links to the products in this post.

*All posts, text and photos are the written and intellectual property of the author. Do not copy or re-post any text or photos; in whole or part as your own. Links to the full posting is allowed.* ~Give credit where credit is due~

www.belVitabreakfast.com

www.nectresse.com

www.colgateopticwhite.com

www.dickinsonusa.com

Vaseline/Unilever 1-800-457-7084

MY INFO:

https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

https://twitter.com/BRwithElizabeth

http://www.youtube.com/user/ElizabethGlam77

www.youravon.com/clear6676

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http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

http://www.beautorial.com/usr/elizabeth-martin-clear

L.A. Fresh Travel-lite Makeup Remover Wipes

  In case I haven't mentioned it, and I am sure I haven't, I am a subscriber to the ipsybag "club".  This isn't going to be a review of the IpsyBag subscription service, but I will say that before I decided which service to subscribe to, i.e; Glossy Box, Birch Box, etc.;I did a lot of research on the different services. I polled my friends, YouTube acquaintances and on Beautylish.com. The overwhelming response was definitely to subscribe to the Ipsy Glam Bag service. Up to this point, I haven't been disappointed. I was not wowed by this month's bag, but you win some and lose some I guess. Overall, I am pleased with my subscription to this service and would recommend it. That being said, two of my reviews this week are on products I received in this months bag.

  We all know that makeup wipes and remover wipes are a makeup bag essential. If the come in little travel sizes, so much the better. There are,of course, so many to choose from. Just about every skin care line has has their own version of makeup remover wipes. But for the most part (in my humble opinion) they are basically repackaged baby wipes that maybe or maybe not, have added ingredients to dissolve makeup.

  So when I got my glam bag this month, I wasn't overexcited to find a travel pack of some new brand (new to me anyway) of makeup remover wipes, but then again, they were travel size and fit in my makeup bag...hey ho.

  This new brand touts on the packaging, " dissolves makeup from eyes, lips and face. Moisturizing formula with vitamin E". Since I have sensitive skin, I always check to see what the first ingredient is, in this case it is water..YAY!! The next was mineral oil followed by nine other ingredients that I cannot pronounce and fragrance. Because of my sensitive skin, I tend to shy away from products that have fragrance. But, really, let's face it, this product was basically (minus subscription charge +S&H) free.

  I'll admit that my curiosity was piqued at the claim that it "melts" makeup from the face, as I have severe hyperpigmentation on my cheeks and jawline and therefore use a basic foundation and Vichy DermaBlend as a concealer over my trouble areas. Mind you, if I am taking my makeup off with wipes, I can easily use 4-6 wipes. If washing my face, I have to wash twice.

Bit O'Info: you may be saying to yourself, "Self, that is a lot of product and just HAS to be bad for the skin!" It does sound like a lot of product because, well, it is. However, I have strict skin care regimen that I follow morning and night so I do not experience clogged pores or breakouts. My breakouts are always hormonal, thank you very much Mother Nature!

 Finally it was time to give this product a go.

  When I first opened the package, it did have an obvious scent, but a clean and fresh one..bonus! The wipes were quite moist, yet not soaked. The product melts makeup alright, along with my face! As soon as swiped across my face the first time, my skin was on fire. And the sensitive, thin under eye are? Fugedaboutit!! I immediately had to go and use my regular face wash just to get the product off of my skin. Yes, it was burning and stinging that bad.

  As I mentioned that I have a skin care regimen that I follow twice a day, some of the products contain Salicylic Acid and my toner has a bit of low percentage alcohol, so I would confidently say that I have built a tolerance to a little stinging. But this was like, what the heck! What melts the makeup? Muratic acid? Sheesh!

  So I went back to the label with the ingredients. Fragrance could have been the culprit, as could the mineral oil have been. Taking a second look at the nine ingredients I could not pronounce, five of them ended with -paraben. Okay, huge oversight on my part. This product is not paraben free.

  Another Bit O'Info: Parabens are a preservative found in many skin, hair and personal care products. Recent studies show that there is a link between parabens and certain types of skin cancer as well as breast cancer, as paraben mimic the hormone estrogen.
http://thegoodhuman.com/2007/06/21/what-are-parabens-and-why-should-you-avoid-them/

  Bottom line: this product contains chemicals that most people are avoiding these days, just to be on the safe side and burns like the dickens. Would I recommend this product..uh, no.

As always, this was MY experience with this product. If you decide to try it, yours may vary. If you have tried this product and have had a different experience I would love hear about it so leave a comment.

Letter grade: Big fat F!!

Product info:

www.LaFreshGroup.com

1-888-5-la-fresh

1-888-552-3737

https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

https://twitter.com/BRwithElizabeth

http://www.youtube.com/user/ElizabethGlam77

www.youravon.com/clear6676

http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/

http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

http://www.beautorial.com/usr/elizabeth-martin-clear

*All posts, text and photos are the written and intellectual property of the author. Do not copy or re-post any text or photos; in whole or part as your own. Links to the full posting is allowed.* ~Give credit where credit is due~

Am I M.I.A?

Am I M.I.A?

 No, I assure you I am not. This week I returned back to Cosmetology school for a 600 hour "Brush up" class before I go to sate board. 600 hours will take me approximately 5 months to finish going 6 hours a day. I go Tuesday through Saturday, and on Sunday...all I want to do is sleep! So I do believe Monday will the day that I write my blogs and record tutorials so I can post them during the week. However, I am not promising anything so you can not hold me to it!!

  I will say that indeed, during, the week, I am thinking of what I want to review, the tutorials I want to record and other things to blog about. Of course I am in class when it happens, so I can't do anything about it.. Murphy's Law I suppose. I have joined Keek, so if you are Keeker? Keekster? come follow me and I will probably be posting Keeks during slow times at school and during breaks....

http://www.keek.com/ELizabethClearMUA

So, yeah! For anyone wondering what was up...now you know.

Love and Beauty by Forever 21 Browns/Naturals 10 Color Palette

  I must admit, I am quite excited about this palette! I purchased it at Forever 21 in Modesto, California for $5.80, but I believe it was on sale. It was located at the impulse buy displays near the registers.

  I have been wanting the Naked 1, Naked 2, and Naked Basics palettes since I first saw them. However, finances being what they are, these palettes are not a purchase I foresee in the near future. That is why I am so excited about this palette. The colors in it seemed to be possible dupes for some of the colors in the Naked palettes, especially the gold and bronze colors. Of course, not owning any of these palettes, I can't tell you if they are dupes or not, but I can tell you they are AMAZING colors. The texture of the metallics is almost like a pressed pigment, very soft. All of the colors blend with no trouble at all and the pigmentation of these shadows are fabulous!

  This palette has 10 colors, 5 matte/satin and 5 metallic. Unfortunately, the shadows themselves do not have individual names.So I numbered them, left to right, top to bottom, with coordinating numbered swatches.

Left to right top; 1 2 3 4 5
Left to right bottom 6 7 8 9 10

Color 1 is a metallic dark gold/brownish color

Color 2 is a matte medium brown

Color 3 is a metallic golden bronze

Color 4 is a bright yellow gold metallic

Color 5 is a matte very light flesh tone

Color 6 is a dark matte brown

Color 7 is a metallic brownish/burgundy/cranberry color

Color 8 is a metallic brown/bronze color

Color 9 is a satin finish pale pink

Color 10 is a satin finish brownish/taupe color

  In all honesty, I can not say for sure if any of these colors are dupes for and of the colors in the Naked palettes or MAC dupes. If you think they are, please comment below to help others out. 

  I created this look yesterday using  colors 1,5,7 and 9; along with a color from another palette soon to be reviewed. 

  Whether or not these colors are dupes for any other brand, this palette is one to definitely purchase. Having a palette that includes mattes, satins and metallics is a wonderful thing. These colors can easily create natural, romantic, smokey and vampy looks. Not to mention if you use it for a natural daytime look, the addition of just one of the metallic colors will turn your look to a going out, smokey look. The palette is not that big so it could easily fit into your purse; probably not your makeup bag unless you carry an extra large one that accommodates brushes. Since these colors are so pigmented, a little goes a long way and building color is quick and easy. Overall, this is a great palette to have  for personal use or as added product to your makeup kit. 

Letter grade: A

Thanks for taking time out of your day to read my thoughts on this product. As always, these are my opinions, and yours may very. If you have this product, please leave a comment below telling me what think of it and any looks you created with it. While creating this look, I did film it for a "Get ready with me" "Face of the Day" video which will be uploaded to my YouTube channel soon. Be sure to check my links below and let's get connected!

https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

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http://www.youtube.com/user/ElizabethGlam77

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http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

http://www.beautorial.com/usr/elizabeth-martin-clear

*All posts, text and photos are the written and intellectual property of the author. Do not copy or re-post any text or photos; in whole or part as your own. Links to the full posting is allowed.* ~Give credit where credit is due~

About me

  In all honesty, this should have been my first post, but I was overzealous and jumped right in to the reviews. So here is some bits-o-info about me that you might find interesting (or not) and relevant (or not).

  You might be asking yourself, "Self, what makes this chick qualified to review products and then post it to the internet for all the world to see?" Answer: Because I can! Seriously, I am a consumer just like everyone else. I do my research before buying a product to see what opinions and experiences others have had with said product. I read blogs, and watch a lot of YouTube. (TV? What's that?) I don't just do research posted or recorded by people with similarities to me; i.e: Skin color, skin tone, hair color, eye color, skin conditions, weight or interests in general. I watch and read from a wide range of people so that I can have a somewhat educated opinion on how a product might work for people who DO NOT have similarities to me. I research to know what to spend my (limited amount of) money on and what not to. I research so I can answer questions from family, friends, acquaintances and clients.

  Clients you say? Clients I do say! I am a make up artist, through actual cosmetology training, specialized training with different make up companies, The Robert Jones Beauty Academy (Master level thank you very much) and currently through QC Makeup Academy. I am a perpetual student. There is always something new to learn, new trends hitting the runways and media and when people ask me, I want to be able to answer honestly and with as much knowledge as possible. That being said, I DO NOT claim to be a expert in all things beauty. I would like to be, but that is a title bestowed upon oneself by another expert. Yes, I make YouTube tutorials, but don't consider myself a "guru". It has nothing to do with my subscriber number, which is, admittedly, only in the double digits (that's because I do it for fun, and don't hound people to sub me just to have a high number. I want people to subscribe only if they like what I am doing); but because I almost loathe the term "guru". I see so many young and not so young individuals introducing themselves as YouTube Make Up Gurus, and I am like, ummm, okay..what makes you a guru? Okay, back on topic..I do not claim to be an expert and I have absolutely no problem telling anyone that asks me some thing I don't know, "I don't know." That is usually followed by a promise to find out, research it for them, or offer suggestions to someone who might. No shame in my game. If I don't know, I will tell you and have no problem telling you where you might be able to find the info or who might be a good/better person ask.

  I have been a licensed cosmetologist ( all encompassing, hair, nails, skin, make up and more). After my first divorce (my hardest decision EVER) I left that field because I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field. I became an EMT and while I loved helping people, being a mother of 4, I was never home and there were many images that haunted me at night when I closed my eyes. Not to mention I became very over protective of my children (worse than I already am) and had no outlet for my creativity. All the while I was still doing the whole cosmo thing for friends and family. Then after my second divorce, (not my choice, but the BEST thing that could ever happen to me) I became a full time cake decorator. It was a wonderful way to getting back to creating things, making them beautiful and helping to bring a smile to the faces of others. One fall, when the children were with their father in another state (pain beyond belief!!), I took an old friend up on an offer to move to Las Vegas, and see what I could do with my life there while I was recovering from the fact that my children all wanted to go live with their father for a year (which, by the way, lasted all of a month and a half :-D) I went to work for a famous cupcake bakery as a shift leader and although I was doing something I loved, it was not what I would consider fulfilling. In the mean time, my "old friend" aka a friend I had a HUGE crush on in high school and I fell in love. We were together for over 2 years before we got married in December of 2012. Turns out I married my best friend! Well,do to circumstances with the school district he worked for and huge budget cuts, we, and the children, moved back to our home town. He went to work for a former employer and I started my dessert business up again. Life was good.

  Life is still good, but I have now realized that my true calling is in the beauty industry. That is where I was the happiest. So, next week (March 16th, 2013; hopefully) I will be returning to cosmetology school for a 600 hour refresher course be fore going to State Board for my exam. Wish me luck y'all, cause beauty school is a Jerseylicious version of high school. I am 35 years old!! I am going to stick out like a beehive hairdo in the 80's! Oh well.

  So there you have it. That's me, that's who I am, that's what makes me qualified (or not) to write this blog. I will say that anything I post here is my honest opinion. For example, I am an AVON rep., but if I do not like a product or do not believe it does what it claims to do, I will tell you, just as I would tell my customers and clients. I am not about selling a certain brand or product, I am about telling it like it is and being true to my customers, clients, and readers (hopefully there will be some soon) and letting y'all know what has worked for me and what hasn't. I ask that you keep in mind that all experiences are mine, and yours may vary. I might hate something, say so, but also recommend it for someone else. (See Banana Boat Summer Color review)

  At the end of the day, I want to know that I gave my honest opinion (READ: OPINION) and what specific facts I do know about a product and share them with you all. If there is a product you would like me to review, let me know..I will do my best to do so. Note: Somethings I won't be able to, just because of monetary restrictions. And I appreciate feedback, if you tried a product I review and have a different opinion or experience, let me know!! All I ask is that you be respectful. No need to try to make yourself look better than others because, honey, there will always be someone better looking and smarter than you and I!!

With all that said, I hope you have a better feeling for who I am and I hope to hear from you!

This would be me! 

Example of my Cake Decorating Skills

My best friend and I on our wedding day (excuse the Larry the Cable Guy Shirt, he was a little over heated)

Nail Artwork

Makeup Artistry (pics are of myself because I have not obtained permission from models to post their pictures. When/if I do, I will post them here.)

All posts and pictures are the sole intellectual and artistic work of the author, unless otherwise stated. Do not  share pictures, portions of text or text in it's entirety without permission of the author. You may share the link to this blog post.

MY LINKS:

https://twitter.com/ElizabethGlam77

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGlam77

https://twitter.com/BRwithElizabeth

http://www.youtube.com/user/ElizabethGlam77

www.youravon.com/clear6676

http://instagram.com/elizabethglam77/

http://www.beautylish.com/GlamourByElizabeth

http://www.beautorial.com/usr/elizabeth-martin-clear