Beauty Blog
Balance x Birchbox #Cravefreely #BalanceBirchboxWinner
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Balance. All opinions are my own. (But these bars have quickly disappeared into my belly.)
Now this is certainly an easy post to write - I've long loved (and eaten) Balance bars and I've forever been obsessed with beauty products. So it's the best of both worlds with Balance treating their fans with a limited-time on-pack promotion to win a yearlong subscription to Birchbox! Beginning in February, Balance packaging will feature a "golden ticket" with a unique code to enter online at Balance.com/BirchBoxWinner for a chance to win. Twenty lucky fans will win the year-long subscription to Birchbox. If you're not familiar with Balance, these bars are a scrumptious treat that are nutritionally balanced. Balance recently introduced 4 new delicious flavors with each bar only being about 200 calories or less. Each bar contains 5-7 grams of protein and 5-6 grams of fiber, depending on flavor. For me, 2017 is all about being more mindful about what I eat and snack on. Balance bars are a smart snack option with an ideal balance of great taste and energizing ingredients. When it comes to Balance, you don’t need to make any sacrifices! Balance bars provide the nutrition you need along with the sweetness you crave. And let me tell you, I seriously have a sweet tooth! (FYI, their original Cookie Dough bar is DELISH!!!) If you haven't yet dove into beauty box subscriptions, Birchbox contains five samples tailored to your skin, hair, and style. For this month's box, I received Acure Organics Purifying Fruit Peel, pur~lisse lip comfort daily lip nourisher, Bumble and Bumble Bb Repair Blow Dry, PBJ Smoothie Stick and Clean Perfume Terra Woods. All things I would normally use, so to win a year's worth of Birchbox would be amazing! So head to any Walmart, Kroger, CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens to grab a promotional Balance bar. You can also order them via Amazon Dash. You may just be rewarded for snacking smarter! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!Late Nights? How to Look Well-Rested #spon
Disclosure: Thanks to RoC® MULTI CORREXION® 5 in 1 Eye Cream I can fake 8 hours of well-rested sleep. This is a sponsored post for Socialstars #WomenWhoRoC, but all opinions, and sleepless nights, are my own.
Whether you have a baby in your 20s, or you are still expanding your family into your 40s, the image of sleepless nights all look the same. Under-eye puffiness, dark circles and looking like you could be an extra on The Walking Dead... But there is also a big difference in that 20 year gap. In your 40s you're also dealing with wrinkles and mature skin (dryness and dullness.) So basically, yay me. Close friends and family know that my sweet baby boy is not much of a sleeper. At 7 months old, he still wakes up a few times a night. Throw in teething, and well... let's not talk about that. The bottom line is that I lead an incredibly active lifestyle due to my family of 8. With having such a large family, comes lots of appointments and activities. I'd rather look put-together when out and about than like I could use a nap. Whether you're a mom like me and lacking sleep, or you have had one too many late nights, there's a way to fake looking well-rested. You may be feeling sleep deprived on the inside, but you'll look like you've slept 8 glorious hours on the outside. So here's what you'll need: Eye cream (RoC® MULTI CORREXION® 5 in 1 Eye cream) Flesh colored eye pencil Brow highlighter Brown pen Eyeliner Eyeshadow that complements your eye color Eye primer Mascara Step 1: Using your pinky finger, gently pat RoC® MULTI CORREXION® 5 in 1 Eye Cream on the skin under and surrounding your eyes. RoC®'s 5 in 1 Eye cream improves the look of dark circles, puffiness, dryness, dull tone and wrinkles with breakthrough HEXINOL® technology. With consistent use, you shouldn't need a concealer. Step 2: Apply your favorite eye primer to keep your eyeshadow intact without creasing. Step 3: Using short strokes, apply your favorite brow pen throughout your brow hair, following the natural shape of your brow. Be sure to blend. Step 4: Along your brow bone under your brow, apply a thin line of brow highlighting pencil, then blend. This will create the illusion of lift to the eye. Step 5: Using a flesh toned eye pencil, line your waterline. Pat with your pinky finger to blend it. This will conceal the redness and make your eyes look bigger and more wide awake. Step 6: Apply and blend your favorite eyeshadow that enhances your eye color. I like to use hues of purples and rose for my hazel eyes. This will make your eye color pop and detract from any look of tiredness. Step 7: With your eyeliner, create a cat eye. This winged style also gives the eye the look of being uplifted and wide eyed. Step 8: Apply mascara - voluminous or for length, whichever your lashes need most. That's my little rascal who only allowed me 4 hours of sleep when this picture was taken. Even if you don't have kids, these tips can work for you, too. Have anything to add? Leave a comment and let me know! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!Customize Your Skin Care Routine with Paula's Choice
Paula's Choice Skin Care Consultation
My relationship with Paula's Choice began with a personalized skin care consultation. Paula’s Choice is committed to customer advocacy, education and helping people find the best products for their skin. In fact, everyone can receive a FREE personal skincare consultation by calling this number: 1-800-831-4088. I spoke with Moniqua, who asked me to briefly explain my skin and routine to her. She asked follow up questions to further clarify my skin type and changes I am seeing in my skin. Over the years my skin has changed a lot. In my youth (or back in the olden days, as my kids would say), my skin was oily. Throughout most of my adult years, it transitioned into combination (normal to oily.) When I moved to the Pocono Mountains in 2003, it became dry in the Fall and Winter and then back to combination for Spring and Summer. (Where you live can have a major impact on your skin.) However, during my recent pregnancy and post-partum AND now being considered to have "mature" (UGH) skin, it has again transitioned to normal to dry. Trying to find products that work well have been close to impossible. Trying to figure out the circus that is my skin has become incredibly frustrating, so I appreciated having a skin care expert to chat with to get a customized skin care regimen in place for me. Paula's Choice offers a 100% money back guarantee (within 60 days) - so I liked that safeguard when choosing products. Paula's Choice is also cruelty free and does not contain irritating dyes or fragrances. Their product line includes something for everyone, acne, rosacea, aging, pores. They treat it all. On their website, you can choose from a menu of skincare concerns you’d like to treat and for me that was sun damange (hyperpigmentation), uneven skin tone, balancing my skin so that it was not dry yet not oily, treating the occasional blemish, the always annoying blackheads and diminishing the signs of aging (fine lines, wrinkles.) You could say Moniqua had her work cut out for her to find me Paula's Choice products that could meet all of my needs.Paula's Choice Skin Care for Mature Skin
The Paula's Choice skin care regimen that was suggested were products from the Resist line. One of the major standouts for me about this line is the texture. I am not a big fan of heavy creams and serums, and the Resist line is very lightweight. From the toner to the serum, BHA and moisturizer, I am thrilled at how each product applies and despite all of the layering, it doesn't feel that way. In total, my morning and night skin care routine contain 6 products: Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser, Resist Weightless Toner, Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA, Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster, Resist 25% Vitamin C Spot Treatment, Resist Daily Fluid SPF 50 (day), and Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator (night.) Once a week I swap out the 2% BHA for the Resist Weekly Retexturizing Foam 4% BHA. Right now I'm using the Oil Booster, but once my skin has finally balanced out, I plan to use the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster, which is for all skin types. Now you may ask, are all of those products really necessary? Here's my stance - most people will try to skip a product or two in order to save time and money, but then end up spending it on cosmetics to conceal whatever issue wasn't addressed. When those cosmetics aren't enough, they think it's the skin care products they're using and go onto try something else. By the time it's all said and done, you've spent more money than you've intended and more time trying to fix a problem that could've been easily solved to begin with. I encourage you to give Paula's Choice a try and set up a consultation so that you get the right products in your hands. www.paulaschoice.com Have you tried Paula's Choice? I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!Cherry Blooms Fibre Mascara Review
How To: Cherry Blossom Nail Art
- 4 polishes - in this case, I used all Butter Londons: It's Vintage for the base, Lust or Must? for the branches, I'm On The List for the petals, and Disco Nap for the center of the flower.
- A dotting tool or two
- A thin striping brush
Bring the Salon and #Spa Home with Conair
This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. I received the Infiniti Pro by Conair 3Q Styling Tool and the True Glow by Conair Sonic Skincare Solution for my own personal use. All opinions, text and experiences are my own.
It's not really a secret that I have a love affair with Conair hair products. Over the years I have really loved (and religiously used) styling tools from their Infiniti line, and the latest hair dryer, the Infiniti Pro by Conair® 3Q™ Styling Tool, is no different. 3Q™ stands for "Quick, Quiet and Quality," all of the hallmarks of this new brushless motor styling tool. It may not fit into the Q theme, but this dryer is also extremely light weight. I didn't feel like I was giving my biceps a workout while drying my hair. I absolutely adore how much quieter this dryer is - their patent pending noise reduction technology makes it up to 40% quieter (which is a huge plus when you have a large family like I do and don't want to wake anyone early in the a.m. or when you can only squeeze in a shower at 10pm after a long day of work and want to keep your beauties sleeping.) The Infiniti Pro by Conair® 3Q™ Styling Tool has a brushless motor that will last 10x longer - up to 5,000 hours of life vs. 500 hours for an AC motor hair dryer. Something to consider when debating about if the $119.99 pricetag is worth it (I always say you get what you pay for.) What has drawn me to the Conair Infiniti series of styling tools over the years is the ionic and titanium ceramic technology they all have. This styling tool is no different. It promises enhanced shine, up to 75% less frizz and infrared heat to gently dry hair. Additionally with this dryer, the temperature it produces heat at is 70% lower to also minimize heat damage to your hair. I can tell you that I honestly noticed the heat was less, yet due to the faster airflow, my hair was drying quicker. My hair may not be very long, but when you are running a business, are 7 months pregnant and have a gaggle of children to take care of, every minute counts. Having a quality, yet quick beauty routine is something I strive for. Not to mention, that at a few months shy of turning 41, my hair is not like it used to be and heat damage is a big deal and very noticeable. So I appreciate the features of this new hair dryer.(It's difficult to take a selfie while drying your hair!)
You can purchase the Infiniti Pro by Conair® 3Q™ Styling Tool at the majority of mass retail and drug chain stores. Of course, bringing the salon and spa home wouldn't be complete without a quality skin care tool. I'll be honest, I had no idea that Conair made a sonic cleansing brush, but I had the opportunity to try their True Glow Sonic Skincare Solution ($79.99.) The sonic technology powers of this high-performance cleansing brush are 300 oscillations per second. It includes two brush heads, one for face and one for body. The brushes are firm yet soft, so they aren't abrasive on your skin and gentle enough to use as part of your everyday cleansing regimen (it's also dermatologist tested.) I only used it on the lowest speed (it has 3) and that was just right for my skin without feeling over-exfoliated. I was impressed with how quickly this sonic cleansing brush charged and how simple it was to use. It does beep to indicate that you need to move to another area of your face, but it doesn't pause as you do so. I liked that feature because it meant I could just keep moving the brush around my face continuously. It's pretty much no frills, so if you've never used a sonic brush before, this would be a great tool to start with. Using a cleansing tool like the True Glow is also beneficial when it comes to getting the most out of your serum, toner and moisturizer as it preps the skin for better absorption. Conair #DoItYourSELFIE Photo Sweeps: Beginning Monday, June 8th at 3 p.m. ET until Thursday, July 2nd at 12:00 p.m. ET, share your Conair-inspired hair selfie in the latest round of the #ConairDoItYourSELFIE sweeps! It’s super easy to enter and your selfie might win you the latest in Conair hair styling appliances and gift cards! Five winners will be randomly selected. Bookmark this link so that you can enter on the 8th! http://bit.ly/1EhfNeC This is the picture I'll be submitting of my skin and hair after using the Infiniti Pro by Conair® 3Q™ Styling Tool and True Glow by Conair® True Glow Sonic Skincare Solution. Note this is my hair 2 days after using the 3Q - no dry shampoo needed or anything! I was amazed that the style stayed intact and my hair wasn't even frizzy!(28 weeks pregnant here!)
Follow Conair on these social channels: http://instagram.com/conair www.pinterest.com/ConairBeauty www.Facebook.com/ConairBeauty http://twitter.com/ConairBeauty Have you used either of these tools from Conair? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!Nine Things I've Learned in Nine Years of Beauty Blogging
A Girl's Gotta Spa! - My Aha Moment
I'm very grateful for the opportunity Mutual of Omaha gave me to put #myahamoment on video. I'm also very grateful for all of you that have continued to support the concept of You Deserve to Be Pampered by purchasing A Girl's Gotta Spa! natural bath and body products.
I hope the video helps you to get to know who I am better and how my goal has, and always will be, to help you. You can also read in more detail the full story behind launching A Girl's Gotta Spa! bath and body products. Watch the video and let me know what you think in the comments!
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Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+