Taking It All Off with One Swipe

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It is no secret that I'm pressed for time. When I actually have time, it is pretty easy for me to take 2 hours to get ready to run to the grocery store. Don't you think that calls for a fresh manicure? I sure do! What about this new face mask, or maybe I should really add a few beachy waves to my hair? It can get out of control very quickly. Unfortunately, my days of unlimited primping time are long gone. Instead, I'm usually trying to get everything done in as little time as possible, and it isn't unusual for one of my daughters to be "getting ready" with me. Given my propensity for spending too much time getting ready, I love any time that I can combine steps in my beauty routine, get great results, and save a little time. One of the ways I've been doing that lately, and satisfying my own deep-seated need for super clean skin and clear pores, is using Micellar Water. Garnier SkinActive® has just released 2 new Micellar Cleansing Waters, and they're all kinds of amazing.

Both of the Garnier SkinActive® Micellar Cleansing Waters feel like regular water, with just a few swipes of a cotton round, they remove all of your makeup and dirt. There's no scrubbing, no left behind raccoon eyes of mascara or sticky residue on my skin. I don't even have to rinse it off. What is left behind is clean skin, without any residue, and there's no makeup left over. It is ready to apply skin care like serums or moisturizer, or even just reapply makeup again. I've been using the waterproof version of the Garnier SkinActive® Micellar Cleansing Water, it comes with a blue cap and really does remove 100% of all my eye makeup such as mascara and eye liner without any issues. I've mostly been reaching for this version because I'm still swimming in my pool a lot, so I'm wearing waterproof eyeliner, mascara and concealer every day. The products are notoriously difficult to remove; I've found that getting everything off without leaving behind a dark ring of mascara under my eye is pretty difficult. I soak a cotton round with Garnier SkinActive® Micellar Cleansing Water and press it against my closed eye for about 5-10 seconds. Then I gently wipe and all of my stubborn makeup easily comes off!

The micelle technology in the Cleansing Water is pretty interesting. They are little magnets basically for makeup, dirt and oil. They completely surround these things when they're on your skin, making them very easy for the water to wipe up and away, off of your face. They are oil-free, alcohol-free, and fragrance-free, so perfect for sensitive skin like mine. While Garnier SkinActive® Micellar Cleansing Water has been perfect for removing all of my makeup at the end of a long day, I've also been using it first thing in the morning to refresh and gently cleanse my skin. Since I'm not wearing any of my waterproof makeup at that time, I just use the original formulation in the morning. I also use the original formula any time I'm not wearing my budge-proof waterproof makeup. I even use it in the middle of the afternoon to quickly remove makeup and reapply. I mostly do this with my under eye concealer, but sometimes to my forehead and down my nose if my t-zone is extra shiny due to heat and humidity. The formula just leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh, there's nothing left behind on my skin to interfere with makeup application. So, a few quick swipes with a cotton round, and then I reapply some concealer and powder really quickly. It does take a few minutes longer than applying another layer of concealer, but the added layer of product will look cakey and make me look tired and old. It really is worth the time to remove the makeup and reapply a completely fresh application of product. I've been keeping both of my bottles of Garnier SkinActive® Micellar Cleansing Water on my bathroom vanity, right next to my cotton rounds. It is easy to grab whichever bottle I need and quickly clean off my face. They're perfect for those nights that I'm completely exhausted and just feel like falling into bed without washing off my face. It's so fast that I really have no excuse to not to remove everything at the end of the day.

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What time saving beauty products are you using lately? I'd love to know - plus when you leave me a comment it will enter you to win a $100 Visa gift card!

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27

Beauty Blogger Empties: Loving These Things and Repurchasing Them

Product Sent for Review I Bought It Myself Affiliate Links



I've been talking lately about a lot of my beauty blogger friends, and we all agreed that over the past few years, we've been cutting down on the continual product testing. Don't get me wrong, I still use a lot of new products, but I'm allowing myself longer to test them. I'm spending a lot more time with my favorite "in between" products. And while those favorites do evolve a bit over time, I'm doing a lot more repurchasing of products, and I actually have empties! I'm using products up! This was unheard of a few years ago.

So, in honor of all those discussions lately, here's a look at all of the products I've finished and am repurchasing. I'm spending my own money on all of these, despite the offers for similar (free) products. I'd rather use this salt spray than any other. I want my own eye cream, thanks!

1. iS Clinical Youth Eye Complex (at DermStore or SkinStore): This eye cream was mentioned in my Best Eye Creams from Dermatologists post, and somehow has not had it's own post though I've mentioned it a few times! It has vitamins C, E, Retinol, tons of hydration, peptides to increase collagen and it also fights dark circles. I definitely think it makes me look more awake because my concealer looks so much better over it. It is pricey, but the bottle lasted me 6 months! In my shopping cart now. (Not pregnancy safe)

2. It Cosmetics CC+ Illumination Cream (at It Cosmetics or ULTA): This is the newest CC Cream from It, they also have a more traditional (not illuminating) version. They've sent me both kinds, in various shades. Because it is a pretty full coverage product, you do need a pretty good color match. Unfortunately for me, I'm darker than the Fair shade, but much lighter than Light. So, I've bought tubes of both (depending upon what was sent to me) and I've been mixing my own. For my perfect match I need about 75% fair, 25% light. It is hydrating but not overly so for my combination skin, and I love that it is medium to full coverage with almost no blending. I'm going to continue buying 2 tubes all summer long so I can have the perfect match! (Not pregnancy safe)

3. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment (at Sephora or Nordstrom, my Living Proof PhD review): This styling cream is in my hair pretty much every day now. I've already gone through 2 bottles! It is the only Living Proof product that combines their anti-frizz ingredient with the volumizing product, and it does a great job of protecting my hair from heat damage as well.

4. Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash (at Sephora and Macy's): I have a big bottle of this in my shower and another next to my sink. I used to reserve this amazing face wash for when I travel (I would hoard bottles of it from hotels), but now I just use it pretty much every day. I do rotate in other products on occasion (like the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser), but this one is my current favorite.

5. Revitalash Advanced Lash Conditioner (from Revitalash, Nordstrom or Drugstore.com): I pre-purchased 4 of these during the summer Nordie's Anniversary Sale, so they were quite the deal! It makes my lashes so long that I have to be careful with my glasses. Yes. I will not test other lash conditioners. (Not pregnancy safe)

6. Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil (at Drugstore.com or ULTA): I mentioned this on Monday in my Favorite Eye Makeup Removers post, I think I'm on my 4th or 5th bottle of this cleanser already. It's meant to be used just as a facial cleanser, but I use it with a cotton round to easily remove all of my eye makeup. It does leave an oily mess behind, I clean that up with the Bliss Face Wash.

7. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (at Too Faced or Sephora): I've lost track of how many tubes of this stuff I've gone through!

8. Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Precision Glide Eyeliner (at Elizabeth Arden) and the Beautiful Color Smoky Eyes Pencil (at Elizabeth Arden): These are currently my 2 go-to eye liner pencils. They're well pigmented, smudge just right into my lash line and won't budge all day.

9. Kerastase Spray à Porter (at Kerastase or Birchbox): This is my go-to salt spray. Others are ok, but this one just really works for me. It adds just enough texture that my hair holds styles and it doesn't feel sticky! How did I live without this??

10. Kerastase Bain Chroma Riche Shampoo & Masque Chroma Riche (at Kerastase): Their shampoo and conditioner for color treated, dry or damaged hair. I've discovered that it really is worth it, and if you watch carefully these products come up on Rue La La about every 6-8 weeks, so you should never have to pay full price! I've found that for some reason the shampoo is really the key to a great hair day for me, I use it every other shampoo (I still get those good hair days!). I buy the big, salon size, and I use the super intense hair mask (the regular conditioner is now not so helpful... I go with the masque!)


What have you used up recently? I had a lot of empties this month. So, I'm currently filling shopping carts all over the web!


Product Sent for Review I Bought It Myself Affiliate Links
I feel the need to explain this disclosure a bit more. A few of these items were originally sent by PR, like the Revitalash (which was sent years ago, but I've repurchased so many times that I've lost count), the Kerastase spray was sent, the Living Proof and It Cosmetics sent me the CC+ Cream but I don't actually match any of it so I mix 2 together (and I like it so much that I've repurchased 2 colors a few times). So yes, stuff was sent, but I've been spending my own money!

3

My Favorite Eye Makeup Removers

Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links Bought It Myself



Eye makeup removers tend to be one of those things that I buy a lot of. I want to test all of them, and I know that the perfect one is out there!

I'm pretty picky about eye makeup removers. My ideal eye makeup remover would make everything melt off my eye and be quickly removed with just a quick rinse. No cotton rounds or follow up cleansers needed. I have to be honest, I have not found a cleaner that does all of that, so mostly I settle for quick acting and removing all of my eye makeup.

Today I'm sharing the ones that I've liked in the last year or so, but you can also check out my post on the favorite eye makeup removers of beauty bloggers if you're looking for more ideas!



1. Coco Loco (at Etsy, my Coco Loco review): You can check out my review for the full details, but this is probably the closest remover to that "ideal" eye makeup remover that I mentioned. It is solid in the jar, but melts with the touch of a finger. I don't even need a cotton round to remove all of my mascara and eye liner, just a little rubbing with a fingertip. I do follow this up with a regular facial cleanser to remove the coconut oil that is left behind.

2. Avène Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover (get it at Drugstore.com or Dermstore): This clear gel removes everything immediately upon contact! It rinses off fully and easily.

3. Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover (at Nordstrom or Lancôme): This is still my "gold standard" of eye makeup removers, so I compare all other eye makeup removers to this product. I can remove even the most stubborn of waterproof eye makeup without any problems.

4. Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil (at Drugstore.com or ULTA): A new favorite, I think I'm on my 4th or 5th bottle of this cleanser already. It's meant to be used just as a facial cleanser, but I use it with a cotton round to easily remove all of my eye makeup. Like the Coco Loco, it does leave an oil residue behind, which I clean off with a more traditional facial cleanser.

5. H2O+ Aqualibrium Dual-Action Eye Makeup Remover (from H2O+ or Beauty.com): This eye makeup remover is very, very similar to the Lancôme Bi-Facil at a lower price tag.

6. Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover (at Target or Drugstore.com): This is really just a normal face wash, but it does a decent job of removing all but the most stubborn waterproof eye makeup, without using a cotton round! It's great for days that I'm feeling a little lazy since it saves me the eye makeup remover step.


Did I miss your favorite? What do you reach for every night to remove your eye makeup?

Don't forget to check out the favorite eye makeup removers of the other Makeup Wars Bloggers!

An InLinkz Link-up

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8

Look More Awake! 11 Beauty Tricks to Help You Look Less Tired

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Today's post is over on SheKnows, where you'll find my thoughts on how to look less tired. Sadly this is a topic that I seem to know a lot about since I'm often on call and have a 5 month old! In the post I share the 11 steps I keep in mind when I need to look more awake. I even share my favorite product recommendations!

11 Beauty tricks that will make you look less tired


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This post is part of a collaboration between Garnier and SheKnows. But, I wrote my own thoughts on how to look more awake, and shared my favorite products!

1

How to Avoid Looking Like a Slobbery Mess: My Tips for Allergies

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It seems like every year the pollen counts are just getting higher and higher, doesn't it? For me that means a few weeks dealing with a stuffy/runny nose and watery red eyes.

I've found a couple of fool proof ways to deal with this time of year. Read on to see what I use!

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