Variety is the spice of life, they say. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for new things to try, aka new “beauty snacks” to help me through my workouts.
Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you get to skip the SPF, or the exercise. A half hour before I leave the house for a quick run around the neighborhood I smear Shiseido sunblock on my face and neck. Then, right before stepping outside I apply Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick on my lips. This clear stick moisturizes and protects my lips with SPF 15. Don’t you hate it when your hair whips around in the wind and gets stuck in your gloss? It never happens when I’m wearing this because it isn’t sticky. It’s light and smells a little like 8-Hour Cream, but the scent fades quickly.
I don’t always remember to use SPF on my lips before exercising, so as a gentle reminder to myself I keep my tube of this in my running shoes. Right before I leave for a walk or a run, I place the tube in the space where I keep my shoes and then put it back into a shoe when I’m back home again.
A tube is $17 online and can also be found in many of the Elizabeth Arden vending machines that are popping up all over the place.
A hot limited edition red from Essie
It may not be sandal season, but I still gotta have my toes done or my feet look like monkey paws. I’ve been digging this groovy red polish from Essie. It’s a limited edition shade called “E! Live from the Red Carpet.” Red like the red carpet, get it? I’m really picky about my reds, and I really like this because the color has a lot of warmth. If you like tomato red shades on your tootsies, then I think you’ll like it. A bottle is $8 and available at salons and Ulta stores.
Official pervert status achieved
Singer Chris Brown is too cute. And the boy sure can dance. I feel a little weird because I just found out he’s 18, holy crap. Is it strange that I just want to hang out with him so that I can feed him homemade cookies and warn him about loose women?
Hot stuff, part one: Prescriptives Instant Gratification Skin Renewal Peel
Nor Cal’s “cold” winter continues and so does my need to seek out any and all things warm. Right now I’m drinking some Mighty Leaf Tea (African Nectar rocks!) and waiting for my Prescriptives Instant Gratification Skin Renewal Peel mask to work its magic.
A dermabrasion-peel treatment in a tube, this exfoliating treatment unclogs pores, reduces fine lines and wrinkles and removes dead skin cells without leaving my skin feeling tight or dry. And it’s oil-free and non-acnegenic to boot.
This bad boy has three types of exfoliators:
beta hydroxy acid – removes dead skin and smoothes rough patches;
acetyl glucosamine – loosens the bond between the old layers of skin on the face (eww) to reveal new skin underneath;
and natural exfoliants of bamboo extract and finely milled pumice for physical resurfacing.
The best part about this mask is the warming sensation. Five minutes after I slather a layer on my face, I wet my fingertips and start massaging the mask. That triggers the product to warm. I’m not talking wimpy heat from the touch of my fingers – it gets really warm and feels sooo nice, especially when I’m freezing.
The warming sensation comes from magnesium sulfate, dimethicone and silica. It not only feels nice but also softens skin and opens pores.
At $45 it ain’t cheap, but one tube should last a while. It leaves my skin feeling super soft and glowing.
Yes, hair helps keep you warm, but it ain’t cute when it’s on your upper lip
Upper lip hair is like Tila Tequlia on MTV – it appears out of nowhere and then is suddenly all over the frickin’ place.
In between paragraphs, I actually got rid of my ‘stache with Sally Hansen Hair Removal Wax Strip Kit for Face, Brows and Bikini ($7). In three minutes, I pulled out a Sally Hansen Wax removal strip, warmed it up between my palms, pressed it onto my upper lip hair and then ripped it off (quickly, of course) for a smooth and hair-free upper lip. Hooray, no more Magnum P.I. lip!
The box says you can use these on your brows and bikini line, but I only use them for upper lip hair because I find that the strips aren’t shaped well for use on my brows, and the wax isn’t strong enough for hair removal on the bikini line.
Doesn’t this Wednesday feel like Monday? I think I need another cuppa coffee.
Have a wonderful day, and I hope you’re all recovered from your New Year’s festivities!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Happy New Year, Karen!
You think it’s cold in NorCal?? I just got back to the midwest from California and it’s toooo damn cold. I use the pre-waxed strips from Moujan for my upper lip (I get them from Ulta). I like them better than the Sally Hansen because the wax seems gentler on my skin (I don’t know if that’s actually true). And Neutrogena has an exfoliating mask similar to Prescriptives. It uses a mushroom enzyme and little granules to exfoliate. However, it doesn’t warm up though I wish it would. I wonder how the two compare.
oh karen, you too funny. happy 2007! i hope we get to meet each other this year! xo, marina
I LOL’d when I saw the Chris Brown picture XD
oooh that 8-hour cream comes in a lip balm…yum-oh!!! I use the cream as lip gloss. Girlll, you expose all the goodies LOL!!!
One word to describe Chris Brown = MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Girl…you are NOT alone…CB is from VA…and performs in DC on the regular…I’ve been wondering if all my friends will think I’m a perv if I’m like…I GOTTA GO SEE HIM! Did you see him in Stomp the Yard and This Christmas? He is a cutie…and he can move…I agree though…I feel very pervish about liking him. 🙂
Hi AshB,
I’ve never heard of that brand of wax strips or that Neutrogena face mask! When I go to Rite Aid today I’ll try to find em.
How’s your 2008 been so far?
Hey Marina,
I hope we get to meet this year, too! Hit me up when you are on the west siiiiiiiide!
Take care!
Hi Angel,
Right?!!? There were other cuter ones but this one was just begging for a caption. Happy New Year!
AppleDiva,
Yeah, it’s basically 8 hour in a stick for your lips. And I suppose if you’re desperate you could put some on the back of your hand and rub it in for some moisture.
Happy New Year, my friend!
Oh, Sandy! I knew I wasn’t the only one, LOL!
Hey Megan,
I guess we are pervs together. I totally saw Stomp the Yard, LOL. Honestly, I just want to hang out with him and lecture him about life! Nothing pervy, I swear, HA HA HA HA!
LOL…why do you want to lecture him? I dunno about that…I just think he’s absolutely adorable…not like I want to molest him… but it totally makes me feel like I should be about 10 or 15… you know…back in the days when I crushed on Jordan from NKOTB or Jared Leto from My so-called life…:-) oh back in the day…
Did you ever have friends who had hot older brothers who hung out with hot friends? I guess I wish I was the hot friend that hung out with his hot older sister, if he had one around my age.
I know that’s soooo eighth grade but it’s true!
I totally had the hots for Jordan back in the day. Did you see him on that VH1 show where all the washed-up celebs live in a house together? Homeboy has not aged well.
You know what…I always had crushes on my older brothers friends…seriously…LOL from the time I was like 5…there’s even a picture around somewhere of a 5 year old me kissing his best friend on the cheek. 🙂 I feel you on that…it would be totally cute if CB had a crush on you… 😉
BTW…who was watching A shot at love with Tila Tequila? I think it was glosslizard… maybe? I just heard they’re having another one… already… I’m kinda psyched. And Rock of love too… seriously I’m gonna be stuck in reality celebrity dating mode.
Yeah!!! That would be so awesome. He could make me mixed CD’s and ask me for advice about his crushes, LOLOLZ.
I unfortunately got caught up in the mess that is A Shot at Love. They had a marathon on the other day. The best thing about that show was crazy Dominico! Everybody else (including Tila…she reminds me of a elf or a wood sprite) was a MESS.
Yeah, and Rock of Love looks pretty good too, LOL. Although I still can’t figure out why these women want BRETT MICHAELS. He’s gross and I think he got a weave.
I don’t want a mix cd…I want him to teach me to DANCE!!! 🙂 That boy can for real move. I mean I can dance… but not like that. I would probably hurt myself…
LOL… I disagree… Well Tila is definitely an elf… but Dani was pretty cool…. I didn’t think she was a mess. I was bummed that Tila didn’t pick her. Seriously though…there’s no way…I mean she’s only semi-famous anyway…there’s no way I would eat the crap they ate and do that stuff… lol some of it was NASTY.
LOL at Brett Michaels and the Weave. See I didn’t think he got a weave…I just think he wears a bandana all the time to cover a receding hairline. Why do you think he has a weave? LOL I do hate his eyeliner for real though… you need to hook him up with a makeover girl! But for real…my older sister was in love with him back in the day…and for some deluded reason she still finds him hot…and I really really don’t get that.
My year thus far (all 3 days) has been same old thing. Bust last year was a crappy year for me, so I’m determined to make this one that much better to make up for it. Wish me luck!
True, true. I have to confess: I actually Tivo’d CB’s “Wall to Wall” video a few months ago so that I could learn the dance routine at the end. It was HARD! There’s lots of really complicated footwork that my body won’t do unless I force it to. So Chris Brown, if you’re reading this, I am officially requesting dance lessons from you for both me and Megan.
OHHH, I totally forgot about Dani. Okay, I take back what I said, Dani was not a mess. She seemed so cool (OMG – that rap she did was awesome!) and her family was so sweet. I would totally want to be her homegirl.
Okay, so here’s my theory about Brett’s nasty ass weave! If you look at his hair from certain angles you can see that it looks very uniform. The color looks off AND it doesn’t fall like natural hair does. And for a man he also has too much volume up in there! I guess it is in the realm of possibility that he 1.) has a kick ass colorist, 2.) can really work that babyliss flat iron to death and 3.) uses volumizing product, but I dunno. I doubt it. I don’t mind that he got a weave but if he’s gonna be in on TV he should at least get a good one!
AshB,
I wish you big loads of LUCK! You know, I’ve been through times in my life too where it was really crappy (my early and mid 20s were hard years) but all you can do is chug forward sometimes, ya know?
Hope it gets better for you and that things in 2008 bring you joy and opportunity. 🙂
Karen how often do you have to wax your Magnum PI stache? LOL Does it come out all spikey and rough? That’s what I’m scared of.
I saw Rock of Love with Brett Michaels and have you noticed that he walks like a duck? He has his back hunched over and his two feet pointing outward. He looks like a waddling duck or an old man.
I also saw A Shot of Love and Tila is a bit annoying but I’m drawn in by the girl on girl catfights, the grandma lap dances, and Dominico and his speedos. Did you hear he’s having his own reality show too? It’s going to be That’s A’more!
LOL @ lipglossme…I will totally watch Domenico’s show.
Seriously if Chris Brown is reading this…I’m requesting a private concert for all the MABB readers with dance lessons included…I would totally come. 🙂
So…I see what you mean about Bret Michael’s hair. I was just thinking that he probably isn’t doing his own hair and makeup for the show… okay so maybe he is… LOL… we will have to tune in to see if it looks like a weave or not. Maybe the bandana is supposed to hide part of the bad weaveness of it all… hmmm
Hey Lipglossme,
I wax the Magnum PI stache about every 10 days. It really doesn’t come out spiky, honest. The wax does a pretty good job with grabbing the hairs, and if there are left over hairs I’ll just use the same strip over the same spot one more time to grab the missed hairs. Then, if there are still any left over I’ll just pluck em out.
Lipglossme and Megan,
I am so glad I am not alone with my not-so-secret love for reality TV dating shows!
Lipglossme, I’ve noticed that Brett walks like that too! Maybe his pants are too tight, or he’s wearing uncomfortable boots that need inserts or something.
Have you guys noticed that his eyeliner is actually pretty decent? He wears greys which I can’t hate on. At least he doesn’t do a liquid liner cat eye (Price is the only man who can pull that off, IMHO.)
I saw part of the Flavor of Love 2 marathon a few days ago and it’s amazing how different New York looks. The power of a personal stylist is AMAZING. Brett needs to hook that up, ASAP!
Thanks Karen. I think I’ll try this waxing thing. I just don’t want to compete with stache pricklies when I’m smoochin’ with my hubby.
As for Brett, I also remember that he also walks like he has something up his butt. He has his buttocks squeezed real tight when he’s walking coupled with the duck waddle. Not that I’ve scrutinized him real closely or anything,…maybe, sorta….
Once you start waxing the stache there’s no going back. I used to pluck and oh my god that took forever. Then I started going to get it done in a salon, but doing it myself is just so much cheaper and faster. If you’ve never waxed your upper lip hair before then be sure to take a few precautions – don’t do it right before that time of the month and take two advil beforehand.
Also, right before you peel the strip off, take a deep breath, and then as you remove it exhale. Oh, and peel the strip off FAST.
I totally noticed that Brett walks like he’s clenching his butt, ewwww! I just saw a commercial today on VH1 (there’s an ANTM marathon and I’m at home, sick) and the women in the next season look really, really, oogie. I can’t wait!