The Story of Growing Out My Pixie Cut

I DID IT! Finally! I mean, it's still really short, but the pixie cut is gone and over! Okay, so I thought I would share a photo journal I kept of the long and painful process. But first, I just want to have a disclaimer letting everyone know that I am not proud of how I look during the process, that I know it's unattractive, and frankly I don't care because it's over :) So to all you struggling in the process, I know sometimes you wonder if it will ever grow.. and it will! Here ya go...

Before the cut..

Hiding the shorter front pieces by pining them back. I wore this look for at least a couple months..

Hair Extensions! I wore these maybe three times..

Headbands!

 Is is there yet??? Nope..

Hats were totally my best friend.

 This was probably my favorite way to wear my hair...

Second round of hair extensions! Just front pieces this time...

Pony Tail!

Mullet :\

Is it long enough now?? Maybe...

Yes!!!!

Be-You-Tiful!

Product Rant: Ocean Salt

Alright, time for my first product rant. And it's sad to say that it is a product from my beloved Lush. I had run out of my BB Seaweed mask and was in need of another (or any moisturizing mask), and because the Lush fresh masks are my favorite, and by far the cheapest, I decided to take yet another trip into my favorite store. As I was picking out a mask, a sales associate approached me, as always, and offered to do a sit down discussion/ trial about all the products he suggested for my skin type. I thought, hey why not! Well, I ended up walking out of Lush with a $5 mask, and SIX free samples. Uh, yes please.

The samples I got were...

Herbalism

 This cleanser is similar to Angels on Bare Skin but, its for oily and problem skin. I get a little oily in my T-zone and break out occasionally, but my skin dries out pretty easily. I haven't tried this yet for a couple of reasons. I don't like how it looks. I don't like how it smells. I like my AOBS!

Ocean Salt

This product will be what I am ranting about...

Grease Lightning

 I actually really like this spot treatment. It calms skin as it attacks bacteria and it doesn't dry out my skin. Also, it's cheaper than my current spot treatment. Once I am out of that, this is where I will go..

Skin Sangri La

This is the moisturizer he suggested for me to use at night. It's a pretty heavy moisturizer. BUT I am a little scared of Lush moisturizers because the last one (Imperialis) broke me out. Plus all their moisturizers, except Celestial are more expensive than the moisturizer I use now.

Vanishing Cream

This is the day time, lighter moisturizer. But I have the same fear and hesitancy to use it that I have towards all Lush moisturizers.

Eau Roma Toner

This is basically preserved water with some vitamins packed in there. Its definitely nice, but I frankly don't understand the point of it.

Anyways! To get to the ranting... Ocean salt is advertised as a facial cleanser/ scrub. I should have known better than to try it. I had just read all over the internet how awesome it is at clearing skin. It's just awful for multiple reasons. Number one, my skin is sensitive and even when the sales associate tested it on my arm, it made my arm red. But never the less, I tried it on my face later and it hurt. There is a ton of coarse sea salt in the cleanser that I'm almost positive left microscopic scrapes all over my face. (Girls, most exfloliaters that contain crystal, sugar, or salt like scrubbies will leave microscopic scrapes on your face that are begging for bacteria to land in and cause infections in the form of breakouts. Try to stick to gentle exfloliants, and alpha beta peels to remove dry skin.) Yet, still knowing this, I still used it. Also, this product has citrus juices galore, which is great for a light acid peel, but after scraping your face with salt? Have you ever wanted to squeeze lime juice on a cut? Ouch. Along those same lines, it has Vodka in it. Alcohol? On microscopic cuts? At least it's trying to kill bacteria, but OUCH! And one last thing, its SALT. Have you ever gotten sweaty and broken out later because you didn't wash the salt off your face? 

"It's like taking your face on a trip to the seaside for an invigorating splash in the water, then cleansing and refreshing it with lemon, grapefruit and lime juices." That really doesn't sound pleasant. They claim that it has avocado and coconut oils in it to moisturize and calm your skin. If that's true, than it totally didn't work for me. It hurt to scrub, it hurt when I took it off, it stung my face, it dried it out. I had to slather on Oatifix (my new super moisturizing mask) and apply a couple layers of moisturizer just to somewhat calm my newly raw skin. It made me have a couple of breakouts on my chin, and it left my skin somewhat dry and flaky. 

Maybe this would work as a body scrub?

Be-You-Tiful!

Traveling Light

I just stumbled upon this really cool website, Three Fluid Ounces, where you can purchase tons of products that are all packaged in under three fluid ounces (obviously), so they are perfect for flights! As I prepare for my trip to France, this will be a great site for me to utilize when deciding what to take. I have been planning on not packing any beauty supplies, and simply buying them once I get their. But, what if I don't have the chance to get to a store for the first week? What if my checked baggage doesn't quite make it there on the right date? I think I will definitely be needing some three ounces of essentials tucked away in my carry-on. The best part is that this company carries all sorts of products, ranging from drugstore all the way to super high end, allowing any one on any budget to get their favorite products safely into their carry on luggage. Also, they provide free shipping for any orders over $30, which is a total bonus because shipping is always almost $10 anyways. I haven't used this service, or any of the products, but if I were to go through and order my essentials in preparation for a trip, here's what I would probably choose:

Dr. Hauschka Daily Face Care Kit: $30

 

This little kit includes Cleansing Cream, Cleansing Milk, Facial Toner, Moisturizing Day Cream, Rose Day Cream and Quince Day Cream.

Blow To Go Travel Kit: $20

 

 Includes: Daily Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling Mist, and Thickening Mist

Go Smile Jet Set Kit: $12

 

Includes: Travel toothbrush, AM toothpaste and PM toothpaste

Help, I need a lot of Help: $28

 

 

Includes: Help I have a Headache, Help I can't sleep, Help I have an aching body, Help I have allergies, Help I've cut myself, Help I have a blister, Help I have the sniffles

The Laundress Crease Release: $8

Whish Pomegranate Body Butter and Body Wash: $7 each

 

Jack Black Sun Guard: $10 

After finding all of these products, I realized that there are just as good, cheaper alternatives elsewhere. I thought I would share a few.

Lush Godiva  Two-in-One Bar: $10

 

I'd call it a three-in-one. Its a solid shampoo bar, packed with cocoa and shea butter to cleanse and moisturize at the same time. It smells incredible and can be used as a shampoo, conditioner, AND a body wash. Plus, there's no packaging to toss into the landfills!

Lush Massage Bar in Each Peach (and Two's a Pair): $10

Lush's massage bars act as a solid body lotion. They also have no packaging to throw in the landfills!

Downy Wrinkle Releaser: $2

 

 

Be-You-Tiful!

Obsessed.

Okay, so I probably should change my blog name to "Lushsession" or something conveying how
obsessed I am with that place. I think one of the best things about the store, being a girl on a budget, is how generous they are with samples. I went in today to pick up my new fresh face mask (I used my other one all up!), and I left with another mask (in a generous free sample) and another generous sample of what they call a body polish. I love how I can try anything I am interested out a couple of times before I decide if its worth buying or not. Its also a great way to try out all sorts of products for free! I also grabbed a bubble bar and a bath melt for a nice relaxing bath since the tub at my parents house actually works...

First I want to give an update on the Catastrophe Cosmetic mask I tried a few days ago. Remember whenever I said how I liked it, but I probably wouldn't purchase it unless it magically cleared up my breakouts over night? Well, it did, so I bought it! I am now obsessed with this mask. It smells delicious, calms and soothes while moisturizing, and keeps my skin clear! I guess it's called a mask for catastrophes for a reason :P

The mask I got a sample of is the one I have been interested called AYESHA.  It has all sorts of ingredients in it that are supposed to tighten up your pores and leave your skin radiant. My first impression of this mask is that it smells strongly of the asparagus and vinegar in its ingredients instead of the honey, kiwi, and rose water. Although it's not a horrible smell, its definitely not as pleasant as the BB Seaweed and the Catastrophe Cosmetic. It was a very firm mask that was a little difficult to get from out of the tub and onto my face, but I managed. The smell doesn't stay super strong, but it definitely doesn't go away as you're wearing it. The results were... okay.. It definitely left my skin feeling tightened, but I am not so sure I enjoy that feeling. I like my face to feel super soft and moisturized. But, there are people who really enjoy feeling squeaky clean. Although this mask really doesn't serve much of a purpose to me as a night time healing mask, I bet it would be really good to put on in the morning prior to putting on makeup! I will use up my sample, but won't buy it again unless it surprises me like Catastrophe did!

The next sample I got, I absolutely adore (I just wish it wasn't so expensive so I could buy it). It's called Turkish Delight, and its a mix between a body wash and a body butter. Crazy right? It smells like fresh roses, and leaves your skin smelling of the scent for hours afterwards. You put it on, all over, like body butter or lotion before you get in the shower. Then, in the shower it lathers up in a nice cream lather and leaves your skin super clean and soft.
Ingredients: Rose Water, Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Cocoa Butter, Rose Oil, Rose Absolute, Jasmine Absolute

The Bubble Bar I got is called Sunny Side and its a super scary looking, super glittery gold ball. I am not a fan of glitter at all but the smell of this bar (lemony/ organgy) was so delicious I couldn't resist. It made my bath extremely bubbly and turned the water into liquid gold.

The final thing I picked up is a bath melt,  Ceridewen's Cauldron Bath Melt. I LOVE this! It melted and made my bath water like a tub of liquid golden cocoa butter (I used it with the bubble bar). After it melted, I was left with a little bag of dried flowers, whole oats which I used as an awesome body loofah.

Each melt is wrapped in muslin, dipped in wild flowers and tied with a ribbon. When it melts in the hot water, cocoa butter softens the water and moisturizes the body. As they infuse in the water, the oats create a milky effect, which calms and soothes the skin. Cocoa butter and walnut oil melt into the bath-water, frothing slightly, leaving you a muslin bag of whole oats to give your skin a soothing and gently scented scrub.

Be-You-Tiful!