In Search of: #EyeCreams in #AntiAging #Skincare

My Eye Cream Options

In search of: Eye Cream that makes me look Fresh and Vibrant so no one will tell me, "You look tired," Again. Has this happened to you??  ...I love when people say that to me, SAID NO ONE EVER.

Eye creams are a bone of contention between all those who do or do not use them. Some of us say they are necessary, while others do not believe they are worth your money.

I'm open to either.

What I'm realizing is that a decluttering is necessary. I'm pretty sure the sample of Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Serum is treating me well and is working for my transition towards clean skincare ingredients quite nicely. As you will notice, I've used it all up.



Except for 3 that have been mine for a while, the rest are deluxe sample sizes I've received. Caution: I'm about to share my opinion...by no means am I saying these do our do not work. I'm sharing my personal experience with it because it may help.

I want to love La Mer with all my heart. I really do. The burn story and the green sea miracle broth really fascinates and excites me. But WHY Mineral Oil? That is a gunky, petroleum by-product. Please La Mer, I beg you, take that out of the ingredients. We don't want that on our skin.

The Perricone MD was fine until they raised their price from$150 to $185 within a year. Um, hello? It didn't work so well that this inflation is justifiable.

Sadly, the Caudalie Premiér Cru and the L'Occitane Divine Eye Cream have done very little for me especially considering the cost. This makes me so sad because I Love the Caudalie line immensely. The L'Occitane story about the white Immortelle flower is as gorgeous as the scent. But in terms of anti-aging...meh, I saw no difference.   As for the others, I've been curious to try the Algenist Beauty Eye Balm that came in my Sephora Play Box.

Importantly, in my move towards cleaner choices, you can see the eye serum from  Kahina Giving Beauty has been winning my affection. It's kept me hydrated and feels cooling underneath the eyes. So far it's lovely and unscented. I'll keep you updated.

What Eye Creams do you all recommend?

 xBRB

Kat Von D #LockItRevolution Review

What I found inside...

 The Box

Have you gotten one of these yet?

When I first posted this on my Ig, I could barely get in the house before setting these up for a few pics. The sun was about to set and I was scrambling to get a post in by evening.

This particular parcel was given unusual priority.

Here's the usual progression: Email comes in announcing that the package is en route. I then spend the next week or so "Tracking Package Progress" obsessively. Upon arrival, I am inevitably preoccupied with _______(fill-in the blank), so thereby completely unable to open the highly anticipated said package. Hence, the box gets opened for a moment, but then must patiently wait for it's official "unboxing".

However, this time I got into it like a little kid on Christmas Morning. Tissue. Flying. Everywhere.

Before I knew they were being sent to me, I was wanting the concealer so badly that I had placed it in a cart on at least 2 different websites. I contemplated what wants versus actual needs were defined to be. All the while I was possibly waiting for some type of miracle that the mind-numbing amount of money that I had spent on Back-to-School items would somehow yield a $30 excess left in the budget. The summer was mostly for others. Truly, I probably craved having just one thing all for myself.

As you can imagine, I gave out a great shout for joy when I learned a concealer was on its way. But what I did not expect was that Influenster had more exciting things in store. Here's my review:

The Lock-It Concealer Brush

I love the innovative, streamlined design of the handle of this brush. It is a pleasure to leave laying out on my desk; it is sleek in its simplicity. When holding the brush, it is light & weighted correctly so that it is effortless when applying concealer. The bristles are graded so it tapers to a flat angled edge in the center. This helps with specific maneuvering around curves of the face. It's easy to create the upside down triangle with this. It would make for a usable contour brush around the nose area.

The Lock-It Setting Powder Brush

Think of a brand new, soft teddy bear but lighter in composition. It's softer than that! SO lightweight in the hands AND works well to apply setting powder in a non-invasive way. It is not scratchy. It doesn't mess up your makeup. It is unreasonably my latest obsession...I received this free for review, but I'm serious. Would I spend $38 on it? I might. Would you? Check it out for yourself and see.

The Lock-It Setting Powder 

This sets the foundation nicely. The powder is lightweight and unscented. Heard about some seeing pearly flecks, but that didn't show up on my skin. It was just pure, lovely finish. Ideal for light skin but great on my olive skin too. Received many compliments so far. My hesitation is that it is $30. That could be the deal killer if you are happy with your Coty Powder. But, If you are already splurging on the La Mer, then this could be a good alternative. I do like it better than the Make-Up Forever one because there is no white flashback in pictures. Additionally, I find it to be a much lighter and more comfortable formula compared to Laura Mercier's Translucent setting powder.

 The Lock-It Concealer Crème

 This stuff is magic. I have normal to dry skin. Nothing has ever worked on me because it always settles in and accentuates all the fine lines. But this concealer makes me look fresh. It withstands the day into the evening.  Leaves a beautiful finish on the skin under the eyes. The light will hit under your eyes and reflect so you look awake. Do the upside down triangle and Blend.

Don't use a lot. Use a dab with the KVD #40 concealer brush. You should be happy with the results. Do Not over do it; it would be like overdoing a liquid lip so it looks thick and cakey. The formula is Lightweight despite med-full coverage. One thing is you have to work quickly because it tends to set right away. Apply under good lighting for best results.

I use the M25 as my concealer and I use the M17 as a matte highlight if I feel like contouring.

Let me know how you are liking this product. I love hearing from all of you. Have a great week!

I received these products free for reviewing purposes.

#LockItRevolution #Influenster #KatVonDBeauty 

My opinions are based on my own experience with the product.

I always recommend doing a test patch before purchasing to check for sensitivities.

 xBRB

#Dirty #PotsandPans #Life #Hack - Under 10 Minutes with Minimal Struggle

Ewwwww......

This is not beautiful, I know. But if you want pretty pictures, go to my Instagram feed. You have landed on the BRB blog, where you are obviously Not in a lovely place; you are living in the real world where you have a little 911 on your hands.

You seek my help because things are, well, getting...messy.

I've heard all the excuses before, heck, I have used them myself. You've been focused on social media, parties, meetings, guests, appointments, kids, YT...

Hey, this is a Judgement Free Zone. My full-time job of Social Events Coordinator/Chauffeur to my people this summer has kept me out of my house so I completely relate.

But I'm going to get real with you: Even though your schedules are tight, If you don't HANDLE the DISHES, They Will Man Handle YOU.

No worries. I am here for you, my friend. There is no reason you cannot conquer baked-on-caked-on-neglected pots and pans with dried up and sticky day old (or more???) food (ie., orange chicken or please don't tell me...moldy pasta???!?).   I'm talking to you, adult children of whom we approve!! Ok, Ok, no judging, I promise.

I got you.

Follow these Steps VERY CAREFULLY:

1) GO to the dryer (or washroom area) or where you left your last clean pile of clothes THAT YOU MEANT to FOLD and Put Away, but are still there.

2) FIND the old Dryer Sheet you used. Moms, I know you used one. College Kids, you need to use one because your laundry is a liiiitttttle... RIPE. Still.

Go on, you can do it. I'll wait here...

3) Did you Get it? Now, do a little spin, and throw it in the Pot/Pan.

4) Fill the Pot/Pan with lukewarm water.

5) WALK AWAY for 10-15 minutes depending on severity of the situation. You may add a drop of soap if you cannot help yourself, but it's better to use it at the end.

6) COME BACK in 10-15 minutes (please). Set the timer on your phone or you'll forget.

7) Easily wipe away the grime. You may use a couple of drops of Environmentally Friendly, Non-SLS Dishsoap if you need.

8)RESUME Life and Smile👊🏽 You're Welcome😇💋

Don't believe me?                                       

    Watch (click here) !

...And Part 2 (click here)

😱

I'm pretty sure there are still many of you who need this. Recently, I attended a Birthday BBQ; I shared this with 2 girlfriends while we were cleaning baked beans from the crock pot.  They were really excited about it. I hope you and your Mani 💅🏼are now, too💝


 xBRB

Liquid Lipstick Lover: Anastasia Beverly Hills Allows Us All to Go Nude

L to R: Vintage, Madison, Craft, Kathryn, Heathers, Ashton, Stripped

 

Welcome to the family, Madison, Kathryn, Ashton, and Stripped.

I'm officially locked into the liquid lipstick craze. I have now inducted four new colors of the second generation of Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick into my ever-growing collection.   

Because I need them... ( I know what you're thinking...and you agree that, YES, I do. Thank you.) In fact, when I think of it, I may need more. I've heard Dolce is a great coral nude. Le Sigh. Anyhow...

Everyone can find their nude bliss.

Which one should you get? I don't know. 

You can stalk social media trying to look at different swatches or how someone with a similar skin type looks, but repeat after me, "Filters change everything,". Overall, I love this new collection of nudes/neutrals with a couple pops of color. 

Find what suits you.

CAVEAT: Factor in the infinite combinations of lip liner, gloss, and a person's own natural lip pigmentation that could alter the overall pigment you see on others. Consider how things look through the camera lens versus live.

For instance, multitudes of people love the original shade, "Pure Hollywood". HOWEVER, when I attempted to wear this color out, I appeared one distressed jean away from Pure Crackhead. What I learned is that it was her and not me.

So my friend, learn from my mistakes and don't blindly follow trends without doing your research. I think you'll find that this collection has something just for you so you don't have to compromise.  

Thankfully, the wide variety offered here is impressive.

Whenever I am online trying to get an idea of what color I am trying to order, it has been dicey at best. And I stalk swatches like nobody's business... so *Recall Caveat from above ^.^

I've ordered a "nude rose brown" only to find it shows on my olive/medium/tan skin as more of a beige rose. This is certainly no one's mistake as much as the colors you see on the screen aren't necessarily the colors you seek. It's just disappointing to finally get your box in the mail only to have to return/exchange it. *single tear*

I strongly recommend swatching in store and then going home before you buy the product in order to get a better idea of what the color looks like in different settings. You don't want to find out your lip game was strong in the house, but ratchet in the rear-view mirror. But if you are no where near a store that carries them, no worries, I made this for you.

Here are the swatches:

Inside under LED Light

Inside under Incandescent Light

Outside (Sunny Day)

 Review

The new formula has a light, mousse-like texture. After it dries, it feels comfortable and light, almost as if it's not there. Almost. Not sure if you can see from the pics, but the older formula (3rd, 5th, and 7th from the bottom) applied a bit streaky.

As best you can, only do one swipe across the lip and work with a lip brush if you have to. The lighter the layer, the better your lips will look. If you get heavy handed, your lips could end up looking cakey with emphasized lip lines. Stop yourself from smacking those lips together.

It is opaque and dries pretty true to the color of the tube.  Wear is about 4-6+ hours depending how much you eat, drink, or run your mouth (lol, I say this all in love...  I have to talk A LOT for my job). As it wears, the new formula will fade in a subtle way so you won't be walking around with you-know-what mouth. It did start to flake off my arm after ~8 hours.

Ok, that's it for today! Remember to have fun with it Beauties. That's why we make-up. And if you see another on the street wearing an amazing liquid lip, don't hate! Spread the love and make their day by giving a nice compliment to them. I saw this awesome instagram once: 

"We never know what battles a person is fighting, so be kind." -Anonymous

 I'd love to hear from you! What colors are you loving or craving? 

 xBRB

  *Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I bought these with my hard, earned dollars. I just chose the ABH line because my first purchase was in the color Vintage and I've been hooked ever since.

And Then, A Spark of Light

Hello beautiful people. Is there anyone even reading this anymore? Hope so. If you are, imagine I'm giving you a giant bear hug like someone who genuinely misses you because I do (unless you're not a hugger...then, here's a 'sup' with a brow raised head nod). Forgive my absence on this blog. Time has distracted the better of me.

You see, I've been on a journey.  I have been on a super amazing adventure outside the realm of this virtual world to soak in some quality time with my little family before everyone becomes too cool to hang out with me. I reconnected with the part of myself and my psyche that is healthy and giving and  nerdy and confident and flawed. I learned that it is OK to make mistakes and let go of things of the past that keep you in chains. I realized that there are things that you can never go back and fix, but those very things must drive you to be better and do better next time around.

Importantly, what I have found is that beauty, the very purest form of it, comes from within you and me, and unless you venture outside, unplugged from devices, you will miss it. And those who love you, or coulda woulda shoulda loved you, will miss out on your beauty too.

 So thanks for hanging in there friends. I want you to look in the mirror right now and tell yourself that you are loyal. And for that I'm going to share some fun things that may save you in a pinch as well as remind you that you are beautiful inside and out #nofilter;)

Maybe today is a bad day for you. Hang in there. No matter how deeply you think you are in a funk, remember you are special and you are loved. Wake-up and smile for each day his mercies are new.

And if everything is just meh, well, it's time to slay it with your head held high because today is your day.

 xBRB

Productivity Reclaimed - Clearing Procrastination Clutter

I know it's been a while. Let's just say that I had to take a little jaunt off course in order to see how off course I had become.  I'm sure many of you have done this. It's quite enlightening and highly recommended. Nonetheless, I'm ready to return. And for you loyal followers, it will be worth your wait.

Just to keep you all at bay until the debut, here's a little tidbit to put into practice in the meantime:
1. Get an eggtimer
2. Set it at 20 min.
3. Start a task (laundry, dishes, homework, making phone calls, you choose...)
4. Don't deviate from this task until the timer rings
5. Repeat

You may find that you get a lot more accomplished than you could have imagined. Good Luck getting organized, and I'd love to hear how things work out for you all:)


xBRB

How To Get Sand Off Of Your Body Parts EASILY After A Day At The Beach

Sand On, Sand Off!

Well Hello Sunshine:)

I hope this little note from paradise finds you well.  I know I've been on a bit of a vacation but I must say I miss you all and will catch up with your comments and blogs as soon as I can find a decent internet connection.  I love hearing from all of you!! So I hope you can forgive me; you see, I've prepared this little BRB S.O.S. to make it up to you.

Like me, if you have been enjoying the "extended" version of the long weekend as an excuse to take a vacation on a sandy beach under the hot sun, then this tip is just for you.

Throughout the Summer (and yes, it's almost here), and especially this weekend in particular, we have planned and packed for the long haul.  It's been days since we've seen the car (where'd we park again?).  We have staked our claim on some prime real estate in front of the vast aquamarine sea, set at the perfect distance so that the tide will certainly Not soak our perfectly peaceful dream come true.

  

 Many times we stay at the beach and continue the festivities to the local bar or bonfire gathering.  Some of us are lucky enough to have a nearby beachhouse to go to.  Many of us change with supreme finesse under our towels.  Most of us cannot muster the energy to treck back to our vehicles so we do what we can near the showers and the public restrooms. 

Either way, the step from wet, sandy swimsuit to dry, comfortable dress is never quite as easy as it should be, am I right?

Sand is so nice...until you have to get the grainy nuisance out of the, well um, more hidden areas of your body!!

Here's How To Get Sand Off in A Flash:

(works well getting it off of your children too!)

1. Grab the Talcum Powder

(Burt's Bees has an incredible powder and it smells subtle and fresh.

Baby Powder works but do You want to smell like a freshly changed diaper before that potentially romantic bonfire, hmmmm??)

2. Sprinkle It Liberally Where Needed

(Under the bikini bottom area, Under Armpits, On the back, neck, and sparingly behind the ears)

3. Towel It All Off

4. Now that the sand is off, you can use a wet washcloth and some lotion to get you back to Glowing Goddess/God;)

AND IN THE LOVELY EVENT THAT SOMEONE WALKS BY YOU AND KICKS SAND ON YOU,

Talcum Powder also Helps:

TO GET SAND OUT OF EYES - close eyes and sprinkle some on face then gently brush off sand with ease

TO GET SAND OUT OF HAIR - put a little in your hands and rub it gently into your scalp then use fingers to work it out of hair (this absorbs oil too)

TO GET IT OUT OF A BABY'S DIAPER - again, sprinkle on then gently towel off.

Hope This Helps You Too.

I love having powder on hand.  It's gotten me out of so many binds. I can't tell you how many times it's saved me the trouble of getting all that crusty sand off of my body parts, hence no annoying dirt on perfectly prepared outfits.  Enjoy your newfound comfort and easily slip into your next activity with confidence!

Hopefully, you have at least one more day in the sun my lovelies.  Don't forget your sunscreen;)

I'll see your sunkissed faces soon.

 xBRB

Dickweed Review

Guess What Came in the Mail a Few Days Ago?

Remember the post I wrote the other day?  Well lo and behold, the creators of this luscious lacquer have smiled down upon us and have whipped up some more for the taking:)

Heaps of love and appreciation to Kristen, Valerie, and NeedSupply for restocking this classic.

Seriously, my bottle had one speedy pair of wings...

Think Jesse James... no, not name calling, let's be nice! We already forgave him here remember? -

I'm referring to Jesse James circa the "Motorcycle Mania" series when we were first introduced to the multi-iridescent paint jobs that wowed us by changing colors when viewed from different angles.  Remember how revolutionary the technique seemed back then?

via discovery.com

And now the innovative ladies at BleachBlack have captured and bottled such an entity 

so that beauty junkies around the world can get an affordable fix of this color changing phenomena.  

Lucky for us.

image via Needsupply.com

Think teal with hints of violet and tiny metallic fleck.

Think blue green and everything in between.

Think Emerald by night - changing just like an Orissa Alexandrite.

And who doesn't love a color changing Gem?

The Metallic was Highlighted on this Cloudy Day.

Was in the car waiting and captured a close-up of 

the Aqua Blue/Teal color in all its Glossy Glory.

Are you catching a glimpse of the Violet?

If you look at your nails at a certain angle while indoors, 

the color even transforms and gives the illusion of Black

I really wish that I could use words that would do Dickweed justice. 

Let's see, I can tell you that the first coat starts off sheer and you work up to this saturation. 

 I used 4 coats here.  It keeps a glossy shine so a top coat is not required. 

It glides on and dries quite nicely without bubbles.

A couple minutes after application, I touched my nail with lotion.  No problem, the 4th coat was already dry!

Throughout the day I would hit my nails against something, but No Nicks to speak of.

Washed everything from clothes to brushes and the polish powered through the first day.

Pretty impressive.

Overall, I give it a tried and true blue-green thumbs up. To fairly review the formula's longevity, I'll share that I  have been wearing it for 5 days and it's finally time for a redo, but I'm sure if I used all the fancy base and top coats from the salon, we'd still be in business for another week easily.

What can I say? There are few nail colors that really grab my attention like this one and even fewer that deliver the goods. 

 Lovin' Dickweed.

 xBRB