Carolyn Braden: Subscribe to Ipsy

Join me on @ipsy! http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h6r5iifon91t7fc Makeup bags for just $10/month. Use my link & I get a free goodie. I've been a subscriber for over 6 months and I love it. The bags are cute and useful and the products are fun to test and use. 

You can cancel at any time so it's worth trying. 

The latest bag, September 2013:

Carolyn Braden: Trying Clinique CC Cream

I liked the BB Creams that hit the cosmetic market like wildfire last year. This summer, it's all about CC creams. BB cream is good at covering up flaws, but was a little too heavy for my summer use. Clinique's CC corrects skin tone and promises light weight hydration. My skin  hasn't been even for a while now; even with my use of Retin A. Who really has perfect skin anyways? I researched Clinique's CC cream and purchased some tonight. With summer right around the corner, I'm looking forward to using the Clinique CC cream because of the SPF 30. I love trying out new products and love it even more when they work. Let's see if this delivers. 

Carolyn Braden Likes Ipsy (Formerly My Glam)

I received my first Glam Bag today from Ipsy.com. Ipsy is a company that is all about beauty. For ten dollars a month, they will send you a cosmetics bag filled with samples and full size products. You can cancel your subscription at any time. This month was inspired by the "bombshell" look. I received deluxe samples of Pequi Oil hair treatment, theBalm What's Your Type mascara and Coastal Scents eyeshadow. I received full size Mirenesse Lip Bomb and Be A Bombshell eyeliner. The chevron striped bag is adorable. I am already excited for next month's bag! I love how they send you a tracking number so you know when you'll receive your bag. So far Ipsy has impressed me and my beauty habits are inspired.

Carolyn Braden's Final Review of LCN Polish Seal

And the survey says.......
Not worth it to me.

I had so much hope for this product but it cannot replace my gel polish. After one day my nails chipped. Being an art teacher, I must have a nail product that can withstand lots of water, clay, paint, etc. and gel polish is what works, not Polish Seal.

Pros of LCN:
Polish dries solid in three minutes.
Best for: Toenails. I will keep the product to seal my toenail polish. I like how fast it dries, enabling me to be on the go in a pair of heels in very little time.

Cons: Chips happen in just a days time.

I tried to make it last different ways (applied one coat, tried two coats, and tried one coat, then polish, then another coat, of course drying the polish in between coats) and didn't do any cleaning (it wasn't exposed to chemicals or water). It just isn't my gel polish.

Some people may have great luck with it. Regular polish never stayed on my nails but I know it may for some people. Instead of paying the 20+ dollars for it, you may want to wait for Sally Hansen to come up with their version. They always seem to be on top of their game when it comes to new revelations in polish.

Carolyn Braden's Question: Natural Skincare?

I have been on a "pure and natural" kick for a few weeks now. I have paid attention to what I consume for years. However, I didn't give much thought to my make-up and skin care. When you think about it, your skin is like a sponge. What you put on it gets absorbed into your skin and can stay there for a while. This summer I began purging my products. After reading labels, I began removing products that had a ton of ingredients. I realized my routine to wash my face was taking forever. It was the process of all the products I applied. I remember my grandmother loving a lye soap I made at school in the 5th grade. I replaced my Bioelements face wash with Grandma's Lye Soap which only has three ingredients. I removed my Bioelements Oxygenation. I added Grapeseed oil. I was surprised to discover it did not make me breakout. Next I will try removing the Bioelements Oil Control Sleepwear. Not that Bioelements were bad products, I just wondered why I needed so many different products to clean my skin and keep it clear.
I removed my liquid foundation and started using Bare Minerals.

Now I am awaiting the results. So far, I've noticed an improvement in my skin tone and my breakouts aren't as often. With any product change I expect the worst but hope for the best. I figure that mother nature has created many beautiful things so why should she stop at making skin beautiful too.


http://www.grandmaspureandnatural.com

Carolyn Braden says "Calgon, Take Me Away!"

Here's a great product to accompany your hot bath on a cold night. Calgon Bath Pearls smell like a beautiful tropical flower and are great for your skin! They contain pearl powder, collagen and vitamin E which will hydrate parched winter skin. After our first cold day here in Louisville, I couldn't wait to get home to take a steamy bath with this product. At under $6.00 at Walmart, it's a fantastic cheap treat. So in the words of my favorite Thursday night show, Parks and Recreation, "Treat yo-self" and buy it!


Carolyn J. Braden
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Carolyn Braden: e.l.f. Products, Inexpensive Wonders!

Have you tried Eyes, Lips, Face (e.l.f.) products yet? If not, run to a store and stock up today! I purchased Oil Blotting Sheets, Zit Zapper and Wet Gloss for Lash and Brows. Each product cost $1.00. The cheap price may make you think there's no way the product inside is good but think again. The Zit Zapper reduced the size of a recent pimple and cleared it up in one day. It's so portable so you can carry it with you all day if needed.
I purchased my products from Target. Some are $3.00 but most are just $1.00.


Carolyn J. Braden
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Carolyn Braden and Clinique's Blushing Blush

For a great blush similar to the best selling Nars blush, try Clinique's Blushing Blush in Precious Posy. I like Clinique's pink-ish peach-coral because it has a little more pink in it. I also like it because it is only $20.00 and will last a very long time, even with daily use.





Carolyn J. Braden
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Carolyn Braden: Trying Tarte Waterproof Bronzer

Tarte's Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer is perfect for keeping the summer glow going until you get it back next summer. It is sparkle-free, making it a very natural look. The best part is that is lasts all day. I used Bare Minerals Warmth prior to Tarte's Bronzer and Tarte is a clear winner. I love Warmth but I had to re-apply it often. Tarte is a great make-up line. I love their gel cheek stains and glosses.










Carolyn J. Braden
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Carolyn Braden says "Try a Matte Eye for Fall."

I am so glad someone has finally developed a matte eyeshadow kit! The Too Faced kit comes with "how to" cards to help anyone achieve (yes, even an amateur makeup artist) the perfect day or night matte eye.









Carolyn J. Braden
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Carolyn Braden says "Make-up that lasts!"

Want your wedding day make-up to last? What about the make-up that slides off your face on humid summer days?

Here are some products that I've found to stick around all day long:

Start with spraying your face with De Slick by Urban Decay.

Prep your skin with Primed and Poreless by Too Faced. Try their Eye Insurance for your eyelid primer.

Use Make Up For Ever's Aqua Cream for blush and lip stain. (I love 7.) Also try their Aqua Eyes.

Use Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage with a brush for coverage wherever you want.

I use Stila eyeshadow, Too Faced Foundation, Benefit Shellac, Maybelline mascara (the Falsies),


Bare Minerals Mineral Veil and Warmth along with the products I listed above. I spray De Slick over my face to set my make-up to last all day. I usually touch up with Mineral Veil around 1:00 and 6:00 if I am needing it to last from 7:30 am- 8:00 pm. (a typical weekday).

I am a product junkie but when I find products that work, they stick around in my routine for a long time. Try some of these products and I know you'll be glad you did.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Carolyn Braden says "Try Watt's 100% Argan Oil

I purchased this through Amazon.com. It's 100% organic. I'm trying this in lieu of Morrocan Oil (the brand) because after doing research I found out Morrocan Oil is a blend of perfumes, linseed oil, a little Argan oil, and other weird things that are not pronounceable. I realized that Argan oil is what I need to use in order to make my hair shiny, my cuticles in shape, my skin moisturized and so much more. I'm not saying the Morrocan Oil brand isn't good. I'm merely saying for the cost of one bottle of Morrocan Oil I can buy almost 3 bottles of Argan oil and it's way more concentrated so I use less. Josie Moran bottles Argan oil under her name and sells it through Sephora. I read reviews of Watts Beauty brand and it is the same as hers. Some people say it has a weird odor but disappears after a few seconds of use. I have a sensitive nose and I don't think it smells weird at all. Even my husband said it seems to smell a little like olive oil at first but then becomes scentless after use. I just started using it and I like the results of the shiny hair I get like when I used Morrocan Oil. I'm trying it on my face too so I'll see how that does. Even with combination skin like mine, it hasn't seemed to make my face greasy at all. I just mixed a drop of the oil with my moisturizer. Here's the one ounce bottle I purchased:



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone