Sometimes a Splurge is Worthy: YSL Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm

Cindy

Once in a while, it's nice to splurge--amiright? While I tend more toward shoes than make-up, I was recently preparing to attend an overseas wedding (followed by a child-free vacation) and I decided to try something new. I picked the two items I thought I'd use the most and set off to my nearest (online) Sephora. 

The first thing I was looking for was a nice lipstick, but when I started searching by the best rated items, I came upon Yves Saint Laurent's Volupté Sheer Candy. Yes, that is a mouthful and yes, it does sound a little pretentious. But the reviews were grand and, though I've only picked up a few YSL items in my life, they were always well done. 

Emoji Micro-Pedi: I Swear You'll Love It

Cindy

So, I'm not really one of those mani/pedi girls. It's hard to explain, but I always feel weird having people "service" me. I've had several manicures now and I imagine my face has a forced, uncomfortable smile stuck on it the entire time. IT'S WEIRD LETTING STRANGERS TOUCH YOU.

As for pedicures, I have only had one and it about killed me. But that doesn't mean I don't want my feet to look nice; I'm not a HOBBIT, you know! I have always done my best to use pumice stones, scrubs, files and all that stuff they try to tell you will keep your feet nice and smooth. Most of them don't work very well. And whatever that thing is that people buy from the television, that scary thing that slices off your skin--don't even get me started. Who does that? If it's you, please stop. I've found the perfect thing to maintain your tootsies. Now, it also might sound a teensy bit scary, but listen to me carefully: this thing is gold and if you use it gently and carefully, everything will be just fine.

Washing Up With An Old Friend: C.O. Bigelow Grapefruit Body Cleanser

Cindy

Aaah...what's better than stepping into the shower with an old friend? How about if that old friend gently lathers you up with soft, foamy caresses? And what if that old friend smells delightful, like a sweet, ripe grapefruit--not too tart or overpowering?

No, sadly I am not talking about a Calvin Klein underwear model (would that it were so!) or my new bisexual lover (alas!), but rather my favorite body wash: C.O. Bigelow Grapefruit Body Cleanser. If I can't have another body in with me, this is the next best thing.

Its wonderful scent wakes me up, but doesn't linger too long...if you know what I mean.

Smells Great, But Do My Eyes Even Care? 100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream

Cindy

As I said in my review of 100% Pure Red Wine Resveratol Scrub and Mask, I've been looking for a better way to exfoliate and get away from apricot scrubs. When looking for an alternative that was also natural, I stumbled upon the 100% Pure site. While looking for a scrub, I perused the other items they had.

Caffeine Eye Cream? Do my eyes really need this? Honestly, I had no idea. I don't have any real issues with the skin around my eyes and I haven't been using any special eye cream most of my life. I just use my regular facial lotion and I'm done. But when I recently went looking for a natural face scrub and found 100% Pure, everyone raved about this Caffeine Eye Cream and I was sucked into the madness.

100% Meh: 100% Pure Red Wine Resveratrol Scrub and Mask

Cindy

I'm a girl who prefers to use anything natural when she can. I don't make my own face scrub or conditioner or cleaning products, but I have been known to slather my head in olive oil (and lately the wonder stuff, coconut oil).

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find good, natural products. I've looked around at both my local health food store and Target and been unable to find much of anything in the way of facial scrubs. But, after reading Tamatha's plea for us to ditch the apricot scrub we all seem to use, I went on a great Google hunt and came across a brand called 100% Pure.

Let Your Eyes Do The Talking: Tarte SmoulderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eyeliner

Cindy

In my pre-holiday shopping excitement (I made a resolution to try using make-up a little more often), I bought a few items I'd been wanting to try for a while. One of them was a limited edition holiday set of the well-reviewed Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eyeliners.

After having tried and fallen in love with their LipSurgence collection, I read about these sparkly eyeliners and thought I'd take a chance. If you decide try the Tarte products, take advantage of their value sets which often cost the same as a single item in the same category. For instance, I got a set of five lip tint pencils for $29.00, the same price as one and here I got a set of five eyeliners for $29.00; a single eyeliner usually costs $25.00. Check around for deals at Sephora and QVC, as well as Tarte's own site.

Tarte Up Your Lips: Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint

Cindy

I've never been that girl, the one who's addicted to lip glosses, sticks or even balm. Truth be told, I wear make-up pretty rarely...but this just might be the product that changes all that.

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint is so pretty and soft and lovely, without being sticky or goopy and the colors are grand. You can buy these pencil/gloss hybrids individually at a pricey $29.00 a pop, but I bought a value set that included five colors for the same exact price! Now that's a deal I can justify--never having tried the product before and not knowing what color I liked--this kit allowed me to get a huge bang for my buck. And seriously, this deal is everywhere (Sephora, Tarte, QVC), so why would anyone buy just one?

Ageless? Who Knows...but I Like the Way It Smells: Burt's Bees Naturally Ageless Day Lotion

Cindy

The calendar tells me I'm getting older, but being the obnoxiously stubborn bitch that I am, I say "Fork You age!" And how do I do that, you might ask?

Well, I do it with my magical potions, Burt's Bees Repair Serum and, on top of that, their Naturally Ageless Line Diminishing Day Lotion.

You Want Me to Put Oil on My Face? Heck Yeah! Burt's Bees Repair Serum

Cindy

I'm one of those sad people who tries all kinds of moisturizers (and hair products). When I got past my early 20s--started to make some money--I enjoyed being able to test out some lotions and creams that weren't generic or store brands. For a short time, I luxuriated in a couple of fancy Decleor products that I would buy less expensively through a Canadian web site.

One type of product that my skin decided (yes, I let my skin make all the important decisions) it liked was facial oil. I know it sounds strange (I tend to have very dry, sensitive skin, with relatively few breakouts), but it's not like you're slathering on olive oil--this type is light and easily absorbs. But honestly, Decleor's prices are insane and at some point I decided to try another brand's take on the idea: Burt's Bees Repair Serum.

Winter Curls!

Author: Cindy

As any curly-haired (and I'd venture to guess, any be-haired) girl will tell you, winter curls and summer curls are two different things. In the summer, humidity and heat wreak havoc on curls and frizz everything to the nth degree, while winter, with its low humidity and cold temperatures, transforms curls to their better selves.

I might be a summer girl, but I do prefer my winter hair. Now while I've touted the wonders of the Aveda Be Curly line (and shall be ever faithful), in the wintertime I tend to swap in a different styling product: got2b Kinky Curling Mousse. After all, I'm nothing if not kinky!

Shellac Manicure: Don't Do It

Author: Cindy

I'm not one who gets a lot of manicures. For one, I don't like people fussing over me. Additionally, I'm lazy and I don't care about having polished nails all that much--they're like a special occasion thing, or sometimes a bonding experience with my daughters.

Well, a couple of weeks ago I was going to a Pajibacon (which definitely qualifies as a special occasion), so I thought I'd get my nails done. I decided to go to a salon that was close to home, even though I'd never been there before.

Aveda Makes the Holy Grail of Products for Curly Haired Girls

Author: Cindy

If you are a curly haired girl, by the time you reach your pre-teens you already know the world conspires against you (and if you live in an area of humidity, double that conspiracy factor). As if it's not enough to go through adolescence and puberty, you have an extra curse and an added feature at which the cool kids can poke fun. I've spent too much of my life encased in my own giant ball of frizz and I know how that looks and feels, so I put out the word about good hair products whenever I can.

I don't know when exactly I discovered Aveda--but I'm forever thankful that I did. They have a whole "Be Curly" line, but in particular, their Be Curly Conditioner and Curl Enhancer are the holy grail for my hair.

Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen

Author: Cindy

While I've never been a big make-up girl, once in a while I like to fancy it up and put on a little eyeliner, mascara and even (about twice a year) lipstick. I'm also a person who really reads reviews or tests before trying most products--make-up can be so expensive. But there are certain products that one finds to be worth a little extra money and for me, a good eyeliner that doesn't bother my sensitive eyes or end up all over my face, is one of those things.

I've tried Pixi (found at Target) before and I often find myself stopping by the display to admire the soft colors and sparkles. I realized that I haven't worn any eyeliner in a long time because it always seems to irritate my eyes. However, Pixi prides itself on using botanicals and the display has plenty of tester products, so I knew I could get an idea of whether or not I would like the liners. There was one type of eyeliner that had a pencil end and a smudge end, but I'm not really a smudger, so I skipped testing that one. I picked up one of the Silky Eye Pens and applied it to the back of my hand--it did indeed glide on smoothly.