Beauty Bloggers Influenster Vox BOX

Hey My Beauties... I know Long time no see.. Forgive me. I got a promotion at work so learning all these new things is making me a bit tired.  I am good though and I hope all of you are great as well. I received my second VOX BOX and it is right up my alley. It is the BEAUTY BLOGGER VOX BOX. ( AMAZING RIGHT!!!) In this Voxbox from Influenster , I received  Kiss Ever pro lashes , NYC Color Individual Eyes.. The color is Dark Shadows...ooooooooooo . Best part of this eyeshadow set, it has primer, Illuminator, Crease/contour colors, All over lid color and Highlighter.

If you consider yourself not so skilled in applying eye shadow, this palette makes it easy for you

I received a coupon for Bath and Body works Candles.( I unfortunately did not read the date and missed out, but it gave me incentive to go candle shopping again; it used to be an addiction)

 I also received The spin pin from Goody . The pins are for light hair but since I am currently braided, I am going to give these to my friends you love to do the up-do. ( I will harass them for feedback).

I received No.7 beautiful skin Cleansing Lotion and Night cream. Both are hypoallergenic so I am going to give it a try this weekend. 

I got Not your mother's Kinky moves Curl defining hair cream. I will be holding on to this. I am currently in protective style mode so It will not be used till January.. Sorry my loves. My hair really cannot stand the winter and it is dry enough as is. In braids my hair grows and I have better control over conditioning.

I received great White Barn Votive candle in the scent of nutmeg and spice.. Smells amazing even without being lit... it is my room deodorizer and it will stay that way till I reignite my candle addiction .

Last but not least I also received The daily eboost energy supplement. Though the taste may not be great for all taste buds, it does make you feel better.


For all my beauties who would love to get goodies to try, you should definitely sign up for Influenster. You can earn badges see how far and wide your influence can really go and also see that you may be doing things already that will help build your influence.

Have a great Friday loves and as always

BE GORGEOUS. BE WONDERFUL. BE YOU!!!!

disclaimer: I have received each product complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

Stress related Anti -Aging---- Yeah I think I need it @klout Perk From RoC

Happy Sunday my BA Beauties.  Today, my POV is going to be about a Klout perk I received from RoC Skincare. Just to give my loves a little background RoC skincare has been in existence since 1957 and introduced anti-aging to the United States in 1999 and has been working with dermatologists for years. To find out more about RoC click here .

I received from Klout the perk to try  which was the RoC skincare stress repair night cream.

Here is the box received

I have had this product for approximately 2 weeks. One of the first things I have noticed is how thick the moisturizer is. I am used to seeing and having moisturizers of various color and thickness. I am going to figure the reason why this moisturizer is so thick is because it has 8 hours (hopefully) ti sink into the skin and work its magic.As I have learned through my years of using moisturizers, less is definitely more. I did the 4 dot technique (Forehead, chin, left cheek and right cheek) and then smooth around my face.

See how thick it is

I will say each day I woke up, my skin felt more soft and supple. I do love to laugh a lot so I know I will be getting laugh lines and so far, this cream is keeping them at a healthy bay.  I do recommend this for anyone over the age of 25. It is never to early to start taking care of your skin but I would suggest looking at your skin and see how it is aging.

The jar I is  received is a full size and retails for $24.99. This was actually one of the cool perks received and to be honest, Klout has really linked up with great companies to give some really great perks.


For those of you who may be interested in learning more about Klout, go to www.klout.com.

KLOUT CLAUSE Influencer Disclosure


I was given a free product or sample because I am a Klout Influencer. I am under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

BE GORGEOUS.BE WONDERFUL. BE YOU.

What the??? OMG where in the hell did this pimple come from..UH another one

Acne from the inside

Hey my Gorgeous Beauties.  I know you have seen my posts on skincare and do hope it  they have helped some of you. This post is from one of my followers who asked about acne. Acne seems to begin in adolescence and continues it seems throughout most of our lives. Most people I talk to on the regular never expect acne to follow them past their 20's but as of late I am speaking to people in their 30's, 40's and older about breakout concerns.  The pictures that I will post are not going to be pleasant because acne is not very pretty.

Severe case

Now, most of us do not suffer from acne this bad. Again acne has many sources: Hereditary, hormonal, stress, some humidity, sweating, over producing oily glands.

We have all seen the proactive commercials, Neutrogena skin ID, Murad and the like. I am not going to say that they do not work because I have known people who they have worked for. Everyone's skin needs are different.  The most common types are whiteheads and blackheads.

Whiteheads are the glands where the plug is white and black heads where the plug is black. (simple enough)

1st: Never squeeze them!!!!!!.
Squeezing has the potential to cause scarring and create more damage than heal.

2nd: Wash your face with a great cleanser.  Remember when  I did the blogs on what your skin type maybe will help dictate what kind of cleanser to use. 

3rd: Exfoliate. Now, I am not saying you should exfoliate everyday unless your skin can handle it. What is exfoliation does is take of all of the dead skin that is on your skin and giving it a fresh, renewed skin.

4th: Find a on the spot treatment for the whiteheads. Helps to heal them faster and allows you treat them directly.

Blackheads

Now as for blackheads, they may be a bit more difficult to heal them since they seem to be plugged and there is no way to clear them out.  There is a tool for removing blackheads.

Blackhead remover

 This remover will help take out blackheads. Some blackheads are easier to remove than others. Remember our bodies are naturally built to cleanse itself so use this tool sparingly. May I suggest before you use the blackhead remover, swab ends with a bit of alcohol.

Here are few products I recommend.. Clean and Clear, Cetaphil, Neutrogena 2 step treatment, Burts Bees spot treatment, Lush 's greased Lightning spot treatment & Ocean Salt .

These are products I have used and each have done me well. But I have had to adjust my skincare with the seasons so hence why there are so many listed. Hope this helps.

BE GORGEOUS. BE WONDERFUL. BE YOU.

Stretched out..Um no you get back there

Hey my lovelies. Today's POV came as a request. This request however is something that is very close to me. The agony of stretch marks. I have had stretch marks since 15 years old. That was when my growth spurt happened and the sides of my thighs show the agony my skin when through. Now even though they didn't hurt, they are a part of me.  I have not thought about getting rid of them, I thought this would be something I need to live with.

Stretch marks are caused by growth spurts, pregnancy, heredity and sudden changes in weight (either gain or loss). Stretch marks also have different colors. When they are fresh, they are either pink, red r purple. For those that have been with you for a

just an example of what set in or older stretch marks look like.

I am sure you have heard about cocoa butter and Shea butter helping to reduce the appearance of them and while they do help, there are few other tips that can help lessen and in some cases, get rid of them.

Now please do not get too excited because some causes for stretch marks that cannot be controlled.

 1) They can be hereditary so with that you will need to lessen the look of them. 

2) Melanin levels - Usually those with more amount are less prone to have them.

Here are few tips that can help lessen:

a) drink plenty of water. Water part of the life itself but will help your skin stay hydrated.

b) Find really moisturizing lotions. Again Cocoa and Shea Butters are fantastic for this. Helps your skin stay moisturized and pliable. Apply these lotions at least 3 to 4 times a day

c) Maintain a diet that has adequate amounts of Vitamin A, B1, B2, B12,  E and C. Theses vitamins are great for the softness and suppleness of your skin.


There are new cosmetic ways to also help speed up the healing process.

 You can get laser treatments. Laser treatments do have some level of effectiveness but again there is a high cost involved with this. Also this procedure is considered cosmetic so your insurance may not cover it. Laser treatments can start from $200 to $800 for each session. Pricing can vary depending on what type of laser and the severity of your stretch marks.

You can also get prescription medication such as Tretinoin cream which can help with the appearance of skin and minimize wrinkles. 


These above methods  require visiting your dermatologist or physician. There is also new talk of micro dermabrasion helping but because it only affects the top layer of skin, it is seen as not being very effective in the removal of stretch marks.

Now, I know this post may seem a little sciencey but I do hope it helps with figuring out how you wish to take care of your stretch marks.  


Have a great night Beauties.

BE GORGEOUS. BE WONDERFUL. BE YOU

So you are in the Zone...T-zone that is

Hey My Gorgeous Loves. Now I have covered dry and oily but what about my beauties who fall in the middle. You know who you are. You have that T-zone drama going on.. Shiny forehead, shiny nose, shiny chin and then Sahara desert everywhere else.  Combination skin is not fun because you have two things to take care off and may not be able to find the right cleansers to help you effectively.

If you have been reading my posts, you may have noticed I mention lavender A LOT. This is because it is the most wonderful sebum balancing agent there is.  Other great ingredients to look out for are calamine, glycerine, kaolin and algae. Calamine is known to help calm (hehhe) the skin from irritation and soothe. Glycerin softens and moisturizes which is great for your dry areas. Algae can provided needed nourishment and Kaolin is a wonderful clay cleanser. Clays to do help in drying out your oily areas.

Once you have cleansed, of course you know you need to tone your skin. I suggest finding a toner that has lavender. ( See I told you)  It will help balance your moisture needs.

After toning, finding the right moisturizer. Lavender , olive oil, glycerin will work again.

Giving your skin balance and moisture that is so needs.

Also, I will mention.. doing a facial mask once a week can also help get your skin to where you want it to be. Masks that have clay base, Kaolin, talc, calamine are fabulous masks bases to help dry those oily areas and moisturize your sahara ones.

I do hope these skin care posts have helped.

BE GORGEOUS. BE WONDERFUL. BE YOU.

Feeling Like a Oil Slick... Let's dry that up

Good Morning Loves. Today's POV is going to be about Oily skin. Oily skin can make you feel uncomfortable. You feel as if you are just extra shiny and may feel like you look like you are always sweating even when you aren't.

To help combat the problem, I do have a few suggestions.

DAILY CLEANSING SUGGESTIONS

1)  Find a drying and balancing cleanser. 

Charcoal and coal based cleansers are fantastic for because coal and charcoal are great drying agents that helps suck up any excess oil produced by your sebaceous glands. Remember I said base. It should also contain an essential oil that will help balance so you do not suck all the natural oils you need to give your skin a comfortably moisturized feel and look.
Examples of great balancing essential oils are lavender, rosemary, elemi and juniper.

2) Toner: I cannot stress toner enough.

 Find a toner that again will help suck up excess oil and maintain healthy oil balance. I would suggest finding toners with Tea Tree Water. Tea tree is a great antibacterial that will help clear up any pimples or offending spots. Also find a toner that has an astringent which will help soak up excess sebum. A few natural astringents are most found in the citrus family such as lemon, lime and grapefruit.

3) Moisturize: Now I can already here the arguments. ( Look woman, you told me to get rid of excess oil and NOW you want me to moisturize on my face..PLEASE, make up your mind) . Understand, no matter what your skin's condition, you do need to moisturize. 
Look for moisturizers that contain sebum balancing ingredients like lavender or healing ingredients such as Aloe & witch hazel. Look for the lightest moisturizer as possible. Please do not mistake moisture for oil.

Facial Masks

Everyone should do a facial masks. For my Oily skins beauties, I suggest doing a mask about twice a week.  Find a mask that has antibacterial ingredients like Tea tree, garlic and honey.  

Hope this helps you loves.

BE GORGEOUS. BE WONDERFUL.BE YOU.

Let's take care of our Wonderful Skin

Hey My Beauties. I hope this Friday finds you well. I made on post about FaceBook to talk about skincare. Now most of you know that I work at Lush Cosmetics and a part of my job is giving people consultations about their skin and how to help clear up any concerns that they may have.

Now we all know the skins types : Normal, Oily, Dry , Combination and sensitive.  The issue that I seen arise is sometimes we honestly forget to take change of seasons into account in to how our skin adapts. Remember skins covers 100% of your body and is exposed to the elements more than any other physical parts of you.

What this post is a prelude of what is to come. I will post about what is really great for each skin type and help you figure that weather, your health and food affect how your skin is going to behave.

I do hope you beauties will find the posts informative and helpful as I go through them.

Today : Dry Skin

As we all know, dry skin is very uncomfortable and it feels as if your skin has seen as much moisture as the Sahara desert. It feels tight and you will use about anything to give yourself comfort. 

When looking for a great cleanser, I would suggest looking for something for dry or sensitive skins. I lean more to sensitive skins because you are almost guaranteed that the ingredients will be extremely gentle. Make sure the ingredients to look for have lavender , glycerin and chamomile.

 The reasons for this is Lavender soothes, heals, help to balance sebaceous glands aka your oil producing glands and its antibacterial. Balancing out your oil glands will help wake them up to produce more of what you need to make your skin feel amazing.

Glycerin is a wonderful softener and moisturizer which is what your dry skin needs.

Chamomile helps to heal so your skin will just feel better.

Also , though you may have a wonderful cleanser, I would suggest getting a facial mask as well. 

MASK!!!

There is nothing more comforting or relaxing than getting a facial or giving your self a facial. For Facial Masks, again find those that help dry or sensitive skins. One the great face masks that Lush has is called Oatifix.

Oatifix has oats, bananas and almonds which help moisturize and gently exfoliate your skin. 

PLEASE BE AWARE... just because your skin is dry doesn't mean you do not need to exfoliate. Remember your skin is exposed to elements and every skin needs a good exfoliation. 

Now after you have cleansed, you will need to tone your skin. Toners help balance your skins ph after cleansing so it extremely important to find one that works for your skin type. Find a toner that is great for dry and sensitive skins. Toners for dry skins will not only help balance the skin but help lock in the moisture from your cleanser. 

Your final step is Moisturize. We all know but guess what, we don't all do it.  Moisturizing is am important for all skin types but especially for dry skin. Again, look for ingredients that will help bring moisture to your skin and if at all possible find one that has SPF protection. 

We all know how protection from the sun is important especially as we grow older.

******WARNING*******

Make sure loves you find out what you may be allergic to. 

I do hope this will help some of you. The reason I have not mentioned too many products is because I want you make your own decisions. My advice would be to look at the ingredient list and make wise choices. 

BE GORGEOUS. BE WONDERFUL. BE YOU.

 

Review of Eye Roller by Frutique Beauty by Nature

Good Morning Loves. I spent half my morning trying to add my YouTube subscription widget and literally I'm done.  The widget shows up on another page but whatever.. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE. http://www.youtube.com/subscribe_widget?p=TheBeautyAmateur

Now on to the review.

Frutique Beauty by Nature Renew Review ( hey that rhymed) :)

OK I did a review on this my YouTube page

I decided to a little more in-depth review here. First, you can only purchase Beauty By Nature Products at Sally's Beauty Supply. For those of you who may not be near a Sally's, I suggest you go to the website and make an account.  I made this purchase based on two reviews from the site. I have been looking for a puffy eye reducer for a bit and decided to give it a try to I am glad that I did. I know there are  a lot of expensive eye creams that reduced puffiness and diminish dark circles, but I did not have a lot of money to invest. ( not being cheap in the slightest but beauty can get pricey). I decided to try it and see what would happen.

So, I applied it twice a day, once before going to work and once before going to bed. I always felt my eyes look tired because I wer glasses and when I get up, it may not be the prettiest site ( insert ugly pic here ) but what I love about the eye roller is how refreshing my skin around my eye felt. It felt awake  and really that's what I needed to feel.

The key ingredients are Mandarin Orange extract, caffeine and Eyeliss. For those of you who want to know what Eyeliss is, it is defined as Contains three essential peptides that reduce under eye puffiness.

What I love about Fruit by Nature is their philosophy of using fruit and natural ingredients to help your skin be beautiful. I know we are all wanting to go green and no longer have animal testing, especially in the cosmetics and beauty Industry, but it is quite refreshing to see a company do this from the beginning.  For more info, check their website by clicking on Here.

Just In Case you were wondering, no I am not sponsored by Frutique Beauty by Nature. I am just thoroughly enjoying their product and I am looking forward to trying more from them.

STAY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!