Instagram Look of the Day - #NoFilter vs #Filter

 
Just wanted to do a quick Instagram Look of the Day post.  I decided to do two pictures so that you guys can see what the unedited/unfiltered picture looks like versus the filtered version.  The picture on the left is unfiltered and the picture on the right has a Valencia filter.  Do you guys mind when makeup artist or makeup enthusiast filter or edit their pictures?  I personally only mind altered pictures when they are super photoshopped and blurry to the point where you can't even really see the makeup and it looks so unrealistic. 

Lipstick - Nars Dragon Girl with MACs RiriWoo
Necklace - Primark in Saarbrücken, Germany
Earrings - House of Harlow 1960
Sweater - Skies Are Blue

Cheers!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade Swatch - Chocolate

I'm feverishly writing this post because my daughter is currently playing with her dolls but eyeballing me which means that I have about five minutes to get my thoughts out into the universe before I am summoned!

I was asked to do a brow swatch using the Dipbrow so I tried it out this morning.  In the picture above I have on the Chocolate shade which I think looks good but goes a little taupe/ashy on the tail of my brows (which are super sparse).  Now keep in mind that I have about 15 minutes to get ready in the morning so this was a rush job and I used too much product (which may account for the fading).

Also, even though I do like this product, I still prefer my Make Up For Ever Eye Brow Corrector because the ABH Dipbrow does fade.  This is a major thing for me since I no longer carry a makeup bag for touch-ups when I go out, therefore, I need all of my products to be locked in for at least 8-10 hours.

I'm going to keep trying the product though and I will try different techniques to see if I can get the product to last longer.

Let me know if you have tried this shade and what you think about it.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade - 3 Shades with Swatches

Now this is a beauty post for all of you brow addicts!  When I heard about the launch of these pomades, I immediately knew that I had to have them, so of course I ordered some for my kit and some for my personal use as well.  Today is the first day that I've actually had the time to check them out and they are amazing.  My Make Up For Ever Eye Brow Corrector is so hard to get and Sephora doesn't have all of the colors of the Aqua Brow either so this is a perfect substitute for me.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS DIP BROW POMADE
Shades Available:  Blonde, Auburn, Chocolate, Dark Brown, Ebony
Shades Purchased:  Chocolate, Dark Brown & Ebony
Price: $18 USD
Available at Anastasia Beverly Hills

From LtoR:  Chocolate, Dark Brown, Ebony

This product is amazing, long-lasting and it has been waterproof and smudge-proof for me as well.  I've had the product on for about 5-6 hours and it has not budged.  Once it dries, it is on which is amazing for people like me who have super sparse brows.

UPDATE:  The product started to fade after 5-6 hours and was completely gone by the 7-8th hour.

From LtoR:  Chocolate, Dark Brown, Ebony

I used the shades Dark Brown and Ebony on myself and I preferred the Dark Brown shade.  However, I really want to try Chocolate out too.

If you would like to see the swatches on my brows, let me know and I will do a separate post on that.

Thanks!

Cooking: Tuna and Avocado Salad (Paleo)

Recipe from Cook Eat Paleo

This is not a food blog, I repeat this is not a food blog!  However, I'm one of those people that loves to eat.  I mean I really do love to eat and you can totally pay me in cookies and cakes if I had my choice (and no real bills!)

Since I really like unhealthy food the most, I've been trying to come up with, and find, healthier food options.  Now I am totally not eating super healthy but I'm taking baby steps and I really am liking some of the new foods I'm trying.

This recipe is super easy and only includes 6 items.  The link under the picture above will take you to the original recipe.  You will need an Avocado, Lemon Juice, Onion, Tuna, Sea Salt and Pepper.  The recipe called for wild tuna but I didn't have any so I just used the canned tuna we had on hand.  I also only had organic lemon juice so I substituted that for fresh lemon juice.

I made this for my husband and I but our 6 year old tried some and said he like it too.  This recipe will definitely be in heavy rotation and I can see it being especially good in the summer months when it's hot outside and you don't feel like making a fussy lunch.  

Kid tested.  Mommy and Kid approved!

E'TAE Natural Products - Carmelux Shampoo and Conditioner

So basically, as you probably already know, I'm a product junkie.  Yes, I admit it.  Either I'm buying products, trading products, hoarding products or inspiring gifts from friends and family.  I have so much hair and makeup stuff that goes untouched or unused so I'm trying to get through some products so that I can actually see if they work.  This is great for my blogging mojo as it gives me something to talk about besides the same old newness buys that I never touch because I'm always looking for the next thing.  Well now that I've gotten that randomness off of my chest, let me get to the point.  I recently received these two products from a friend and I have been using them for about 3 weeks now.  Three whole weeks!  YES!  Now since hair is so subjective and I am not an expert, I won't be doing a full on in-depth review on these products.  However, I will give you my honest opinion and tell you how they have been working for me personally.

E'TAE Natural Products
Carmelux - Deep Penetrating Treatment Shampoo
$19.99 USD - 12 oz.
Available at E'TAE

E'TAE Natural Products

Product Details from the company website:
- Made with milk and egg protein, flaxseed oil and ginger root.
- Provides nourishment, healing and moisture to the scalp and hair strands while cleansing.
- Sulfate-free
- Naturally silkens and softens the hair for long-lasting shine, volume and body.

My Thoughts:  I like this product a lot.  My hair felt really clean after using it, like squeaky clean.  It doesn't have sulfates, so I was missing my super lather moments (just being honest) but it seemed to remove all residue from my hair.  My hair did feel a bit dry after using it but that all went away when I put the Conditioner on.

Carmelux - Silk Protein Conditioner
$19.99 USD - 12 oz.
Available at E'TAE

Product Details from the company website:
- Enriched with lavender, bergamot and silk proteins. 
- Protects wet hair strands.
- Locks in moisture to maintain softness and shine.

MY THOUGHTS:  I love this conditioner.  It really does leave my hair feeling soft and shiny and even the coarser parts of my hair are very easy to comb through and detangle without ripping at my hair. 

Since I use both products together, I cannot speak to their performances individually but as a duo, they work really well on my hair and I will continue to use them until I run out.  I will definitely put these on the repurchase list as well.

Have you tried E'tae products?  If so, let me know your thoughts on them!

 

Natural Hair: Starting Over

My final hair cut - Straightened

I've cut my hair....again!  Well, this is actually my third cut in the last 5-6 months.  I kept trying to hang on to those last little strands of length so I kept letting my friend (who owns the salon I work in) cut it in stages.   This ladies and gentlemen is the final stage and I think this is a great starting off point to growing my hair out again.

My hair cut from the side/back

My goal is to grow my hair to bra strap length in the next year.  My hair grows pretty fast in the front and back but the crown seems to not wanna let me be great.  Also, because my hair is different textures (3b, 3c and 4a) it is really hard to manage at times but now I have a plan.

My plan is to stick to a hair care regimen, get my regular trims, take my vitamins and drink lots of water.  Now this may seem obvious to some of you but with two kids and a packed schedule, sometimes mama forgets to take care of herself.  I know some of you moms out there can relate.

Hopefully, I can get back on track and grow this hair because I miss my ponytail and my husband is not a fan of short hair.

Thanks again for stopping by and if you know any great products that I should try, let me know!  

MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter

From LtoR:  Bright Forecast, Peach Lustre, Light Boost

Every once in a while I come across a product that makes me really excited about makeup again and this product is one of them.  I've been working on my skin a lot lately so my dryness has subsided quite a bit, however, when one issues goes I always manage to hone in on a new one.  My most recent concern has become my under eye circles and bags (which means I ran to the store and purchased an eye cream immediately).  Since I don't get as much sleep as I probably should, I have to use makeup to mask my weariness and the product that I can't seem to leave home without is my MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in the shade Peach Lustre.  I love this product so much that I not only purchased 3 of the shades for my makeup kit, I also have two back-ups of the Peach Lustre for myself.

MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter
Shades Available:  Bright Forecast (light peach/orange), Light Boost (yellow), Peach Lustre (dark peach/orange) and Radiant Rose (light pink)
Price: $25 each
Available at MAC

From LtoR:  Bright Forecast, Peach Lustre, Light Boost

I use this product on myself as a corrector and it is great for getting rid of, or at least masking, those dark purplish circles underneath my eyes.  If you find that you want to highlight underneath the eyes but your yellow toned concealer keeps turning a greyish/ashy color on you this is probably an indication that you need to correct the darkness first and then highlight.  I can also get away with just putting on this product on dark spots of my face and them putting a little powder on top and it looks great.

I am absolutely a fan of this product and I highly recommend it!