Just For Fun

I’ve been tagged …

June 12th, 2007 by Karen 14 Comments

Fellow Beauty Network blogger the lovely Kia from yummy411 tagged me yesterday!

Here are the rules:

Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 things as well as these rules. They then need to tag 7 others and list their names on their blog. They are also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog.

I kinda changed the rules a bit and did two separate lists, one beauty related and one not. What can I say? I like lists.[Continue reading…]

Drugstore Product Review – Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser

May 22nd, 2007 by Karen Leave a Comment

Product: Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser
Use: As a face cleanser and makeup remover
Price: $ 7.00 for a 5.1 fl oz tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+

Why I bought it
I used to be a drugstore skin product snob, but within the past year I’ve re-discovered Neutrogena products. Their skin care line is affordable and almost everything I’ve tried from their various product lines work for me. I have sensitive, acne-prone skin that is beginning to show the first signs of aging. So I made a trip to Target and bought a couple products to target (ha ha ha) the recent changes in my skin.

One thing I’ve noticed is now I have freckles (hyperpigmentation) and my skin is not as glowy, which is why I picked up this tube of Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser.

What it’s supposed to do
Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser is an exfoliating cleanser that contains “Essential Soy” (which the company says in a natural skin brightener), gentle exfoliators and Vitamin C. This combination is supposed to removes dead skin cells, dirt, and oil; evens out skin tone; and helps improve radiance.

What I liked
One of the best features of this cleanser is the texture. A dime sized amount builds into a very dense and cushiony foam that feels good on your skin. Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser has a light sprinkle of exfoliating beads, which I suppose is just enough for every day gentle exfoliating. Other exfoliating cleansers I’ve tried – like ProActiv’s Cleanser and Beyond Belief’s ABH Pore Refining Exfoliating Scrub — have more exfoliating beads than Visibly Even, so if you’re looking for an intense exfoliator then this product might not be for you.

What I like most about Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser is that it doesn’t dry out my skin after I use it. Some cleansers, like Clean & Clear Sensitive Skin, leave my face feeling tight, but Visibly Even leaves it feeling comfortable yet still clean. The smell is the second thing I love about this product. Smell is a big thing for me, and this smells light and refreshing and I love using it on my face first thing in the morning because the smell instantly wakes me up. When I use it at night I’ve found that although this cleanser also takes off most of my makeup I still have to use a separate eye makeup remover.

What I didn’t like
Despite all of these plusses, I can’t give this product an A because I don’t know if my skin is significantly more “visibly even.” I suppose I could’ve been more scientific about it and taken comparison pictures over the period of 30 days … but damn, I barely have time to smudge my eyeliner, let alone turn this into a science experiment! I’ve noticed that my skin is a little glowier, but that could be because I’ve been using this cleanser in conjunction with a few other new products.

The final word
I think my expectations also may have been unrealistically high in terms of how my skin would change. However, this is a great cleanser for the price and a solid performer. I’d highly recommend this to anyone on a skincare budget who wants light exfoliation as well as a thorough gentle cleansing.

My new favorite thing to do lately is watch music videos on youtube, especially ones from Janet Jackson which I haven’t seen in years. In my youth I watched countless Janet Jackson vids, which I’d play over and over to learn the choreography. So it was kind of a coincidence that during last night’s hip hop class we actually did the butterfly, lololololozzzz, which I haven’t done that since 1994! I learned the butterfly from my fab friend Jen, and from watching the end of Janet Jackson’s “You Want This.” Enjoy this trip down memory lane, and just for fun, sneak in some butterflyin’ today!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

80s Makeup and Videos – Makeup and Beauty Blog’s Guide to Smart Clubbing, Part 3

May 17th, 2007 by Karen 1 Comment

This week Makeup and Beauty Blog is up in the club, giving you tips on how to make your makeup and beauty routine better for those late nights out.

Today we’re taking a break from the usual tips and product reviews to flash back to the 80s. These videos are some of the best club hits of the decade, and all are stellar examples of what 80s makeup and beauty was all about.

No matter what clubs you usually frequent – whether they be techno, hip hop, jungle – you have to go to at least one 80s night. You can’t beat dancing to cheesy music from your childhood!

Janet Jackson, When I Think Of You
How many legions of young people learned how to do the snake while watching this video? I know I did. While Janet has gone through many visual transformations, her look in this video is one of my favorites. The big spiral perm hair, the huge shoulder pads, the hoop earring with the key (… I actually did this after the video came out. I put my house key on my big silver hoops, LOLOLOLOLOL). It’s late-80s fashion and beauty at its finest.

Whitney Houston, I Wanna Dance With Somebody
“Ohhh … I wanna dance with somebody. I wanna feel the heat with somebody!” Don’t we all, Whitney. This song is like a battle cry for the masses! We all want to dance with somebody who loves us. And I loved me some Whitney – pre-Bobby Brown Whitney, that is. It’s no secret that the girl can’t dance to save her life but she somehow makes that purple dress and bad weave (why is it blatantly three shades too blonde?) look okay. Her makeup in this video is bold! She’s doesn’t shy away from a colorful palette of aquas and pinks. It bears a striking resemblance to the “Cultured” look from MAC’s Strange Hybrid collection.

Madonna, Lucky Star
I used to know the entire dance to this song. I’d dance around my parent’s living room with a big black bow around my head and pretend to have back up dancers. I was ten. My parents never said anything but in hindsight after watching this video I suspect that either they were 1.) totally blind or 2.) totally convinced I was doing Jazzercise.

Madonna rocks this vid with her classic 80s combo of fishnets, black bracelets, big hair and fingerless gloves. The black eyeliner and the magenta lip stick inspired droves of young girls at my elementary school to emulate the look with Wet & Wild products “borrowed” from older sisters and cousins.

Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
While I am neither a fan of asymmetrical haircuts or burnt orange frocks Cyndi manages to make it work for her. There’s an Asian-looking girl in this video with really blue hair. Can you find her?

Prince, Kiss
This video showcases probably the best use of dark eye/pale lip on a man ever. While the midriff belly shirt is questionable, there is no doubt that Prince + Smudgy Eyeliner is equivalent to Chocolate + Peanut Butter. The combo is just right. You know when this plays in the club you can’t help but dance.

After I got home from hip hop class last night I indulged in my not-so-secret pastime of watching America’s Next Top Model. The marathon for cycle 8 was on this weekend on VH1 and I was rendered motionless on the couch after I started watching it. Last night’s finale was sort of anti-climactic; I knew Jaslene was going to be the winner after the episode where they go on all of the go-sees happened and all of the clients wanted to book her. Unfortunately I have suckered my husband into watching the show and now he keeps referring to his walk as “fierce.”

Anyway I hope you have a groovy Thursday and that something unexpectedly good happens to ya.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen