Back to school and new hair loves.

First, let me say that I will soon purchase a camera to do outfit of the days. Also to come is a review on the New Beauty test tube and a current obsessions.

Kate, my roommate, had her birthday this weekend but it felt like MY birthday! First on Saturday she brought me a pumpkin spice late (my fave) to Kranich's! Then on her actual birthday her man brought both of us pumpkin spice lates and got Kate Bath and Body Work candles as part of her birthday present. SCORE! Nothing like your 8 am being cancelled and then rolling out of bed to your facvorite cafinated drink.

I will say though, woe would be upon my man if he ever thought 7:30 am was a fabulous time to drop in for an impromptu visit. Kate is a wonderful lady, she even likes it when her honey does!

Back to school has been crazy! Monday, Wednesday, and Friday my classes start at 8am and then I have class or work until 9:30. Luckily, I have been rarely exposed to the hectic schedule because SO many of my teachers have had to cancel class recently. I have had 5 classes cancel in three weeks of school. No complaints.

Also, I am pretty much back to my normal blonde. I want to let my fellow hair dye junkies in on a secret. Revlon. In a day and age where EVERYONE makes hairdye, I have found there really is no shame in sticking to the tried and true. It sounds old school, and a lot of folks think that the more you spend on something the better it is, but I love my $3.50 haircolor.

There are some things that a girl should spend her cash on; fragrance, a good bra, quality jewelery, but not haircolor.

I was Revlon's Ultra Light Sun Blonde



Now I am just Sun Blonde, a new shade they came out with just a few weeks ago and somehow has made it to jtown.


I will say that I have never had such a light bright healthy blonde from any other form of coloring. I did the developer and color bit for a while, and I have used every hairdye and purple shampoo known to man. This is really all I need in haircolor now. I will NEVER stray again.

August Favorites

These are my favorite things in August! It was a good month for makeup, as Rite Aid had their free after mail in rebate makeup products as well as greatly reduced after mail in rebate makeup products. SCORE! It was a good month for stocking up pre senior semester madness. I will be graduating early this semester as well as working full time, so I won't have time to shop for necessities.

I'm writing this from Josh's house.
His just sister said "I would cut off my arm to see the All American Rejects in Concert."
Josh said "All american reject? Look in the Mirror."
Kayla "...I'd love to see Simple Plan..."
 Josh, " I have a simple plan, shut up."
I laughed.

1. Covergirl Photoready Concealer


Available at Walmart and Pharmacies, free after rebate with Rite Aid beauty camp:
Ya'll will find that I am a concealer JUNKIE. I don't wear foundation, I just am helplessly reeled into the look of bright (maybe over concealed) under eyes. It's an Este Lauder via 1980 kinda look, and I like it.

ANYHOW I usually experience creasing in under eye concealer, and I always wear concealer under my brow bone to hide any veins and around my nose where I have a few broken capilaries. This concealer does not budge. It dries smooth, but doesn't dry out my skin. It's my HG concealer for ALL concealing purposes, and I have searched from high end to wet and wild.

2. Tresame Thermal Heat Tamer Spray

Available at Walmart and Pharmacies:
I use this before I blow dry my hair and then again before I curl it. I have noticed a drastic difference in using this and it is about as affordable as affordable gets. Its a safeguard for your hair against heat and it is my new beauty must. I have fine hair and it is light weight, not oily, yet makes is soft and manageable. It also has detangling qualities. I will feel guilty heat treating my hair from now on without protecting it first.

3. Dexter

My roommates cat, Dexter. His presence is free of cost:
I love this cat. I'm actually allergic, but I really love cuddling with him. He chirps like a bird and talks to me all the time. When I put him in the garage to clean and let him back in, he lets me have it! When I open the fridge, sometimes he tries to get in. I think he is so funny and he is always so dressed up in his tuxedo.

4. The Hunger Games by Suzzane Collins


This series had me HOOKED! I read it straight through. It is incredible and I'd recommend it to anyone. It is fairly violent, but I really was captivated. Awesome books. They are being made into a movie too, with Lenny Kravitz playing Cinna. I'm pumped.

5. Renpure Organics Amazing Miracle Deep Conditioning Treatment

Available at Rite Aid, apprx $5.00 after $2.50 mail in rebate. Worth it:
This is AMAZING. No parabens and organic, not that I care. It doesn't have sulfates either, and I do care about that. There's a lot of suggestion that sulfates deplete hair of its good oils and such, so seeing sulfate free is nice. This is safe for colored hair and is great deep conditioner, I pair it with the red shampoo from the same line called "My Pretty Hair is Parched". A rule I have for conditioner is that my hair needs to have the conditioner slip where there are no knots before I get out. Makes my hair soft and shiny and there is no strong scent to conflict with my fragrance.

I should pay attention to Josh now, who is an always favorite.




Night Ya'll!

Get Your Freak On

15 weird facts about you

1. What is a weird name your family calls you?

Nothing too weird. It may be weird that my parents still call me Princess... but it's the truth so.... no biggie. In fact, I wouldn't mind if more folks referred to me as Princess. Hear that?

2. What is a weird habit of yours?

I have anxiety on Sundays and I almost ALWAYS cry on Wednesdays. I can't help it.

Also, when the Penguins are on I fall asleep. No matter what. Go Pens! ;)

3. Do you have any weird phobias?

Spiders isn't weird I don't suppose. Nothing really odd then, my fear of heights is pretty severe though. I can't handle being in stadiums because it's too high up.

4. What song do you like to belt out when you're alone?

Cowboy Casanova- Carrie Underwood. You know it's a good one. It's right in my range and I think about Tony Romo when I sing it!

5. What's one of your biggest pet peeves?

People who don't even try to do their job well.

6. What's one of your nervous habits?

Eating!

7. What side of the bed do you sleep on?

I sleep on my back because Oprah said once you age better that way.

8. What was your first stuffed animal?

I honestly can't remember! I had a million.

9. What drink do you always order at Starbucks?

When it's available, a pumpkin spice late.

10. What's the beauty rule you preach but don't always practice?

I have wine on Wednesdays (after I cry) and get too sleepy to take off my makeup!

11. Which way do you face in the shower?

I face so that the shower head is at my side. I face my back to the shower when i'm washing out my hair. Scalding hot so my skin is hot pink when I get out, please.

12. What's your favorite comfort food that's bad for you but you love anyways?

Chinese. So Chinese. Specifically Schezuan's chicken in spicy peanut sauce no celery spicy to #10, please!

13. Have any weird body skills?

My toes spread apart really really far. I can, and do, pick things up with my feet. Also, I can pinch really hard with my toes. Josh would back this up, it makes him VERY angry.

14. Whats an exclaimation you always say?

I won't curse on here! LOL! No, I suppose if something is odd or off I will quote David after the Dentist and say "Is this real life?"

15. Time to sleep. What are you actually wearing?

This isn't ladylike to answer, but I will tell you how I feel about it.

Something to consider if you're a nudie sleeper: what if the house catches on fire? Then ask yourself, like I always do, What Would Dolly Parton Do? She would sleep in a full face of makeup and a wig AND panty hose. After my incredible mother, Dolly is my biggest idol.

Here is the article that describes Dolly's beauty greatness.

"I sleep in my make-up... I never know, if I'm in a high-rise building, if the building is gonna catch on fire or if I'm in an earthquake, and I just can't imagine, like, having to get out just looking awful. I take my make-up off the next morning and put on new make-up. I don't wanna get out in the street... I don't wanna get arrested for indecent exposure: 'Oh my God, did you see Dolly? She was like hammered snot!'"

That's all, Ya'll.

I haven't been feeling well today and think I will finally get to sleep now! Goodnight!

Tragedy Strikes

I know this is a Southern girl, Dallas girl, spoiled rotten girl problem. I realize this is shallow. OK.

I'm not blonde anymore.

Kate, one of my roommates, is only feet away waxing her legs

(very funny). When she reads this she'll play that game where she'll roll her eyes and say "Claire, you ARE blonde." I'll post pictures to prove I am hardly that.

If you are blonde you will understand wondering if people take you seriously. Sometimes I feel like people don't trust me (they shouldn't) because I look so processed. I felt, honestly, like maybe I looked like the wrong kind of "girl next door," if you know what I mean.

So I wanted to switch it up. Bad move. Lesson learned would be: if it ain't broke don't fix it.

I died my hair from a box, like I have every month since the 6th grade, but the more "mature"

blonde I hoped for ended up GRAY! I don't need to further explain. It was just gray. I went to penny's salon ASAP the Wednesday morning and begged the stylist to save me. She did. And she took every penny I had.

Lesson sufficiently learned the hard way. I feel like my skin and hair are the same color.

Light is a tricky thing, so I took three of the new.

Old:

And new:

No longer blonde

I am not pretty anymore. Pictures and life lesson to follow.

Self Tanner Mega Review

I want to post the blog I wish I had read before buying (even if over many months) all of these self tanners. The idea is that maybe I will save some other fair skinned girl the trouble of finding the perfect self tanner.

For starters, I am very fair skinned and with no sun have a blueish tint to my skin. I self tan year round for fear of skin cancer and try to be as close to Malibu barbie brown as possible.

I am white as white can be, but ALWAYS purchase self tanner in the darkest color available because I am just that impatient. I usually self tan twice a week. Maybe my frequent applications are why I noticed no streaking with any of these products.

Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Sunkissed Bronze Instant Self Tan Lotion with Tint

Available at Victoria's Secrets

A mouthful of a name. This is pretty, medium pigmented, and definitely delivers a brown color. It never looked orange. The smell was not self-tanner smelling, but more a Victoria's Secret fragrance that is a little to masculine for my liking. There is shimmer in it, but not so much that I couldn't slap some on my clean face before Summer classes this year. Slow to dry.

NOTE: I suppose most folks would break out from this on their face, considering the glitter and the consistency. I just don't break out easily.

Verdict: I kept this one because for what I paid for it, the product tends to be pretty long wearing. Not as dark of a color in one use as I would prefer, but given a few applications it was nice.

Neutrogena Micro Mist Airless Sunless Tan

Available at Walmart and pharmacies.

This amused me because it dries fast and applies quickly and neatly. Not deep enough color or enough payoff to make it really worth my while. If I have had a glass of wine and don't feel like rubbing down in self tanner but know that I will want to be pretty the next day, sometimes I can convince myself to spritz a little of this on.

It smells just like a perfume my Aunt Lissie wears, Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden. I love my Aunt, but not this smell.

Verdict: I keep this for nights I am too lazy to self tan for real. Light color (even in "deep") and wasn't too greasy to put on my face and apply makeup shortly after.

Hawaiian Tropic Island Radiance Creme Lotion Self Tanner

Walmart. ONCE.

I can't find this anymore. It goes on like whipped icing. It's heavy. I liked it and I thought it was nice but the can is deffective. I picked one up for myself and one up for Brit, obv. we have had a lot of self tanning ventures together. We have each other's backs, litterally! Pale backs are weird and my arms aren't long.

ANYHOW. It was nice but heavy and both Brit an mine's cans were deffective. It goes away quickly because of the pressured can (I think) too. I liked the color, it was warm and my skin looked nourished.

Verdict: If you can find it and have the cash, go for it. It was less than ten dollars and smelled nice. Good for dry skin!

Loreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion

Available at Walmart and pharmacies.

This was an old favorite of mine. I love it except for the smell and the glitter. Yeah, I said it glitter. We're talking 8th grade Bath and Body Works scented roll on glitter, glitter. The real chunky stuff.

Verdict: No longer in my collection, can't leave with it on. Glitters up sheets and takes a while to dry. Self Tanner smell comes gratis with the disco ball effect.

Loreal Sublime Bronze Self- Tanning Gelee. Yeah, two E's.

Available at Walmart and pharmacies

This doesn't smell great and takes a long time to dry but gives the best tan of the Loreal products. It has no color guide so nothing rubs off on your sheets and is oily in consistency so you can see where it has been applied in comparison to dried skin.

Verdict: Not my holy grail, but a good and affordable one that I keep in my beauty bin. It's my roommate, Brittany's, favorite.

Loreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Salon Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist (this one I could only find in Medium Natural Tan)

Available at Walmart and pharmacies.

I could hardly see this one either and has a similar scent, actually, to the Neutrogena one. Therefore it has met the same verdict exactly as the Neutrogena Micro Mist. For use on wine nights only.

Sun Labs Self Tanning Lotion Dark Sunsation Instantt Tint in Very Dark

I purchased on Amazon, otherwise couldn't afford it.

This is RAVED about in the Youtube beauty community. It is also paraben free, if you know about that or care, I don't on both counts. This goes on DARK and tans you DARK. I love this self tanner and my best friend Bailey does too. Has a greener tint to it that provides a super natural tan.

NOTE: About a week after I applied this, my skin was patchy white and tan. Even exfoliating and starting over looked odd.

Verdict: I use this in conjunction with other self tanners to avoid the lepracy look when it starts to fade. Always exfoliate like you mean it before you use this puppy.

Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Mist Airbrush Color

Given to me by Roommate

One day in my lament over the Jtown Walmart being out of self tanner my roommate gave me this. She liked it. It's ok. The smell is rank, like lemon lysol but worse. It DOES dry fast and it does allow you to apply more than once in a day and says it will hold the second application of color. You don't read that much on self tanner bottles.

Brit and I both Saw minimal color but I hate to part with it since there's only a little left anyhow.

Verdict: I'm keeping it for emergency situations.

Toma's Total Tan

Available at Sally's Beauty Supply

This I read has a pleasent scent on Makeupally.com. Mine smells unplesant. In fact, it smells like something I maybe shouldn't put on my skin... but I do anyway. It gives a nice tan! It is vegan and paraben free, if you care. I don't. It has an organic color gaurd that washes off of anything you get it on. Yay for not scary looking sheets!

This has the green tint, like Sunlabs, without the price tag. I think it was $12.00 or so at Sally's. That's two margaritas, a pair of cute panties, or a floral print scarf I can spare every two months to have this. It only costs three or four more dollars than the Walmart tanners and I get it on sale with my Sally's card. Holler.

If you have time to apply, wait three hours, shower, apply again and shower, then this is the tan for you! The organic color gaurd washes away and leaves you with a barely noticable "base tan" according to the box, and I buy into that. The next layer gets you a nice tan and you're good to go for oh, four days.

Verdict: I use this when I have a a day off. I honestly don't give a rip what I look like about town and like the effect this gives. Cheap-ish too.

Xen Tan Premium Weekly Sunless Tan

Purchased on Amazon because on their site it's apprx. 1 million dollars.

This is it ya'll. This is my favorite self tanner. It's expensive as all get out, but I really do only use it once a week. This was my treat from the commission of a big Rolex sale. Ok? I'm guilty and I splurged for $25 on Amazon.

It has the green "olive" tint to it and smoothes on awesome. Dries fast and seriously lasts up to seven days. I use it on my face as well but it doesn't last as long because skin turns over there faster. It doesn't leave me patchy and it doesn't smell bad after it dries. It has a cherry almond smell. It's 8oz and I use it once a week. We're looking at $25-$32 every two months... to keep my white hiney out of a tanning bed I find this worth it. When I am a foxy grandma ya'll won't judge me as much for splurging when it's not really appropriate for me to do so. The end.

hope this helps someone!!

E.Claire