Hey guys!

So as I found this item on Amazon and really wanted to get it mainly because I’m horrible at using a curling iron, and I really hoped this could help get some big voluptuous curls. But, mainly because of how gimmicky it seemed. So of course I bought it! I have another gimmicky product I bought, but I haven’t written up that blog just yet, but I do have a video review on it posted on my Youtube channel (Shameless self-plug)

So here it is the John Frieda Salon Shape 1.5  Inch Hot Air Brush.

So right out of the box this thing is seriously huge!!  Kind of dashed my dreams of curls definitely going to get more of a blowout than curls, but I had to try. So the Barrel itself is 1.5 inches and has a good head of bristles on it. 

Turning it on the brush really isn’t that loud! Like I had it on while talking in my video and I feel like you can hear me just fine in it. The brush has three different settings, Low, High, and High cool, but the hair that comes out isn’t so hot that you can’t hold your hand up to it.  Coolest feature, and one that took me a bit to realize, it can turn/spin while you are blow drying it thanks to the cord that is attached to the bottom portion, WHICH can pop off so you can easily clean out the filter at the end! A very cool feature that I wish more products in this category had.

I had just dyed/toned my hair after attempting to dye my hair blonde, yeah… It didn’t come out blonde, either time unfortunately but I am planning on redying it in the next few weeks. Anyways, I decided there was no better time than now to test this out since it had been sitting in my makeup room for a week now just glaring at me like “Why haven’t you opened me?”

After a shower (And touching up my makeup… very badly might I add.) at 12:30am I plugged it and got started. By now my hair was towel dry, so not dripping wet but still damp, so I sectioned it out and started with the bottom part of my hair first and worked my way up.

 

Oh the faces I make....

I started in low just to see how well it did. The brush did kind of catch in my hair if I did a large chunk of hair, so I learned quickly that you need to work with smaller sections and go slowly if you want any bit of curl, although I did mess up any chance of getting curls because I kept running my fingers through my hair since it felt so soft. The bristle on this brush really does wonders for your hair and I can’t remember the last time my hair felt this soft lol.

Right away I knew I was right, after finishing off this section I didn’t get curls, though I did get a nice little upwards curl that could be worked into a cute style. Once I moved onto the other sections I turned the setting to high and just finished the rest of my hair before attempting to do any sort of style.

Once I finished my head I went back with the brush and started trying to get my hair to hold a curl in it and literally sat twisting it on single sections over and over again, and even if I didn’t run my fingers through it 

I ended up with just a nice blow out look and slightly curly bangs that didn’t even look good…

However, I did end up liking this product because I feel like it is better for my hair than a typical curling iron mainly because of how softly the air is blown out and the main fact that it doesn’t get that hot. Maybe if it did get hotter it would do a curl, but with the way it blows and heats up it is perfect to get a lot of volume out of my normally flat and lifeless hair. It also left my hair feeling so soft like I said earlier and it looked so shiny even my hubby noticed it when I went to bed. That’s right, remember I did this at 12:30, so right after I dried my hair and finished recording I washed my makeup off and went right to bed.

TL&DR section::

Pros: Low heat, three separate settings (Low, High, Cool High), The brush spins easily sine the cord turns. Bottom portion pops off so you can clean out the filter easily. The air isn’t blown out nearly as strong as your typical blow dryer. Could easily take the place of a blow dryer and round brush. Helps get a lot of volume into your hair and the last.

Cons: Barrel is too big to actually curl the hair without possibly damaging it by holding it too long on the heat. The section of the brush that separates the bristles from the handle has a lip that my hair got caught in quite a few times, not sure how this could be remedied.

Final thoughts::

I 've used this a few times since this video and I've been able to get  really nice and decent voluminous look and a slight curl and added a bit of hair spray and it looked good!! I really like this and can see myself using it regularly now, plus it is so much smaller than a blow-dryer, and I won’t need to bring my blow dryer and round brush because this product is both of those in one! SCORE! I fully plan on continuing to experimenting with this and working techniques with this so I can fully appreciate the product. If you are interested I will include the link to my recent Youtube video on this product so you can see it in action as well as a link to the Amazon page so you can pick up one of these bad boys for yourself if you want to.

Much love,

                                                    -Jen

John Frieda Review Video

John Frieda Salon Shape 1.5 Inch Hot Air Brush

John Frieda Salon Style 1.5 Inch Hot Air Brush

 So I found out about these colors by a coworker and when I saw these colors I HAD to try them!! I ordered 4 Shades: Avenue, Bumble, Solow, & Tulle. I tried them all out and honestly I loved them. They are just like they say, Super Matte. Once you put them on they are not going anywhere! These aren't sold in any store, strictly online only. They run out of them and sometimes you have to wait for them to restock but honesty they are worth the wait.

There are always Cons/Pros when it comes to Matte lipstick. The colors are always very rich, they last a long time and usually leave a very nice stain behind on your lips when you put them on. A good tip for any Matte, make sure you exfoliate your lips! When you put these lipsticks on be sure your lips are clean and that you have concealer on hand, you are going to need it. That was one of the down sides of these lipsticks. They bleed. Not as bad as Kat Von D’s Everlasting does, but enough to be annoying and have to reapply your foundation to avoid having weird looking lips. 

One thing about these that I have to get used to is just how dry your lips really get with it. They do feel very smooth and velvety, but it’s so dry! I felt like I needed to put chapstick on! When you eat or drink it starts to bubble a little, that’s easily dotted off with some tissue and then fixed with a touch up.

You really don’t need to touch this up very often, and I plan on wearing Bumble at my wedding Sunday because of how long lasting it really is. I will be keeping it on hand just in case I need to touch up however, no lipstick can truly outlast glasses of wine and cake. Sorry but I just don’t believe there is any lipstick that will do that.

So here are my individual reviews of the colors:

                             

                                    Avenue:

So… This color seriously washed me out. I look like a friggen vampire. While this will work great with my Halloween Costume, for an everyday look, I think not for me. Maybe Vegas during our honeymoon, Maybe not. This one has honestly sat in my makeup box since the first day I wore it.

                                    

                     Bumble:

By far my favorite! The color is so complimenting and soft. It’s such a gorgeous color and it can seriously go with almost anything you want to wear be it casual or classy! I just can’t get over how pretty it is. Just look at it. *sigh* I get so many compliments at work when I wear this color. The website calls this a Terracotta color, but on me it's sort of a brownish red.

                                       Solow:

Another favorite, now when I first put it on I was honestly a little shocked. I’m not a bright person and the pink was such a different look for me. I didn’t think I’d like it and wanted to just wipe it off, but for the sake of testing out the color I left it on and went about my day. As the day went on and I caught myself in more and more mirrors I started loving it, and now next to Bumble it’s my go to color.

                                          

   

                                             Tulle:

Another Vampy color like Avenue. It’s a very pretty shade, but I’m a pale girl. This color is another shade that makes me look like a vampire. Although, unlike Avenue, I honestly think this is more my color and will be wearing it while in Vegas at least one. It’s the perfect nightclub color.

All together I was pretty happy with these colors and could see myself buying more of their shades. I mean look at these colors! 

So many options!! And for $6 a pop you are seriously getting a steal of a deal!!

Fair warning: Everyones Skin-tone is different, These colors have a mind of their own, they may look different on your skin-tone compared to mine or even the bottle/container. Also, just like most Matte's, be careful while eating/drinking. Numerous times have I had these products feather up on my lips while drinking. Nothing a little blotting with a tissue and a touch-up cannot fix though.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lipstick

Rated: 6/10.
Coverage isn't very good/doesn't last. Highlights unwanted features on skin. Makes a great base however.

Okay so I've been searching for a long time trying to find the perfect foundation that offers full coverage, won't block up my pores/highlight them, won't be ruined by my oily skin, and will last all day for me/my wedding this Sunday. My sister had a friend selling this product line, so I talked to her and she suggested I try the Cream foundation. She said it would perfect for me and do exactly what I wanted. So I decided to say screw it and ordered the Touch Mineral Cream Foundation in the "Organza" shade. Which is For light skin with pink undertones. Perfect.

Shipping was very fast, probably about 3-4 days. I think the price came out to about $40, which is a decent price for foundation. A little on the pricey side, but from how it was marketed to me by my sisters friend I thought it was going to be worth it. Immediately the next day I tested it out. As usual I did my normal routine, face wash, then toner/moisturizer, let all that sink and my skin relax. Then primer and grabbed my beauty blender. (After doing my eyebrows of course.)

Here is my face immediately before and then right after I applied the cream foundation.

(I look very startled in the first picture. x)

As you can see, it highlights all the little imperfections in my skin, while giving you a very nice glow. I didn't like the coverage... It's more of a sheer coverage then full, and my nose pores seriously looked hug. It filled them in so badly I was embarrassed to leave the house.  So of course I added my Make Up For Ever Matte Duo powder foundation on top with a blending brush and kind of just dotted/stamped it on for an even application. I didn't want to sweep because I was afraid I might wipe off the cream. After all that I finished my makeup, (Contouring, eyes, and a little bit of blush.)

All together it looked perfect! Almost airbrushed! I was seriously in love with how I looked. I headed to work and went about my day.

I noticed however, as I sat at work (Security Guard,  So basically I'm just an underpaid and overworked secretary.) my face was really itchy, especially around my T-zone. I already knew that it meant, my oils were having trouble getting through the cream foundation, that or my skin just did not like it. I will admit I was itching a tiny bit, but with the corner of my nail not full on crazy itch. So by the end of the day when I got home I looked in the mirror... Couldn't even tell I had foundation on.

Here's a before/after:

As you can see, SUPER SHINY!!! It had completely melted of unfortunately.

I wore the foundation all weekend as well and same results. By the end of the day the coverage had dropped 50% of what it was when I applied it, and my face was shiny as always. No amount of blotting papers could help. So I will continue my search of the perfect foundation. I ordered some Make Up For Ever Velvet Matte + foundation that will be here Thursday, just in time for me to test it before the wedding Sunday. Cutting it a little close I know, but I literally have no choice.

Younique Touch Mineral Cream Foundation

 This was one on the first games I played that got me back into gaming after a very long break. I love the story lines, the twists, the environments, the characters, the art, everything!! 2K Games really went above and beyond with these games. There’s so much interaction with the environments and other characters. Even though it’s a first person shooter give it a chance!

Some mild Plot Spoilers as well as favorite character highlights in this post. I’ll try not to give too much away and to be as vague as possible.

 In Bioshock you play as Jack, an average citizen who is flying over the Atlantic Ocean when he blacks out, only to find his plane has crashed and he is the sole survivor. After making his way to a life house nearby, he finds a Bathysphere, a sort of submersible elevator. Having no other choice and no other chance at survival, he boards the Bathysphere and takes a ride down. From then on what follows is a story full of twists and surprises, memorable characters and a story-line that really earns more than one play through.

The first two games take place in Rapture, a Utopia under the sea built by one Andrew Ryan. It was meant to be the perfect society, where man was entitled to everything he made and earned without greedy corporate America and society saying he owed it to them. However, because of the very beliefs it stood for, Rapture failed. Anarchy and Civil War has torn apart Rapture, the citizens of the city are now either dead or Splicers, horribly mutated by the Plasmids that was once created to make things simpler. Plasmids are a chemical that re-figures your genetic codes to be able to do certain things such as spark fire with your hands, freeze things, stop/slow down time, and even send hordes of bees after your enemies. You can find these in Vending machines throughout the game, as well as receive them as gifts as you progress through the game and help out the little sisters. 

The Little Sisters, creepily adorable little girls who were genetically and medically altered to produce ADAM, which is used to buy and use plasmids, as well as extract ADAM from dead Splicers.  You will random run into these adorable little nightmares periodically throughout both Bioshock 1 & 2. Be careful around these little Angels… Big Daddy doesn’t like his girls being disturbed. He has a bit of an anger problem.

As for the ending… There are three different endings, and they all depend on your choices and actions throughout the game. They range from sweet and adorable, to OMG I F****ed up, I F***ed up, I F***ed up! So watch your choices in the game carefully; this game has multiple outcomes through the game as well as more than one ending.

All three games in the series are masterpieces in my opinion. I have to say my favorite part of these series is the area. I'm a stickler for the 1960's and anything pin-up/Retro. The flashbacks and just the general atmosphere and design of the environments in all three games are so much fun and to me at least, very spot on period wise.

Bioshock Review

 

I'm a subscriber to Lootcrate.com's monthly box as well as their Lvl up+ so I'll be posting my reviews and thoughts on here for each months box from now on. :)

I loved September's lvl up+ items! So cute! It came with an Eeveelution clasp wallet and a pokeball bracelet.

Rated: 8/10 

The Eevee wallet was actually very well made and had multiple sleeves. It's seriously very well made. It's a better quality then the ones you might get from Hot Topic, but I'm worried that after a few months it might tear or the print might start fading. I really don't plan on using this much if at all. It will most likely become another knick-knack on my bookcase.

The bracelet however I wear every day. I love it. It's super stretchy like a hairband sort of. I'm not a big bracelet person because I have larger wrist, so bracelets tend to cut into my arm, but this is very comfy and honestly I forget i'm even wearing it most of the time.

Update 10.28.15:

My Pokemon bracelet broke last night after I forgot to take it off before washing dishes. I left it to dry on the counter and when my Husband went to put it on the glue holding it together didn't hold I guess and it broke. After looking at it there was barely any glue on there to begin with. I plan on sewing it back together.

If you like what you saw, sign up here: http://looted.by/c8T0d

Loot Crate Lvl Up+ September 2015 The Summon Collection Review.

Rated: 10/10 perfect

Like so many other women I’ve lusted after Urban Decays Naked eye shadow pallets. The colors are so beautiful and I just want to rub them all over my eyelids and bask in their beauty. However, that $54 price tag made my credit card cry; I just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on eye shadow. 
So I went about my way and tried other brands. I just couldn’t find one that color matched with Naked. I went on Amazon hoping to find it cheaper, nope. But what I did find was this beauty. There are 3 Revealed pallets so far and each one is so beautiful! The palette itself is so thin; two of them easily fit in my (already overcrowded) makeup drawer. I currently own Revealed 1 and 3, I will be owning 2 shortly. The colors in the palettes are the perfect Naked dupe you could ask for. 

They apply so smooth, almost creamy, and they last all day. I use them as eyeliner and eye shadow and I really don’t feel like I have to worry about touch ups at all. My favorite thing about this pallet is there is absolutely NO FALL OUT!! You heard me right, no fall out!! I’ve always hated doing my foundation before my eyes because I’d end up with colors all over my cheeks. No worries with this brand.

So if you are looking for a nice neutral color pallet that will be long lasting and beautiful, I highly suggest one, if not all, of these pallets.

You can get it on Amazon cheap (Prime eligible) here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GR4TPW2

Coastal Scents Revealed Eye Shadow Pallet