Drugstore Makeup

Ever planned a trip, Got there, Unpacked and then realize you forgot your makeup bag???
Horrors! 
What to do? 
It's 11:00 p.m. and you have a 6:00 a.m. wakeup call and NO mall is open between the hours you have to get ready. You can't show up tomorrow with a bare face & no makeup. Is the world really ready for the cavewoman look? Uhm... NO!
What do you DO???? 
You head to the nearest CVS or 24/7 Walgreen's. 
Hey, Drugstore makeup is better than NO makeup at all, right? And brands such as L'Oreal, Maybelline, Miliani, even NYC have really improved in the past few years. Heck I even wear a lot of drugstore products now and keep the MAC, YSL, Chanel, etc. stuffed in the drawer. 
I live on the edge, what else can I say.
L'Oreal's new Studio Secrets Primer is amazing! I love it and the price is right. I have YSL, Tarina Tarantino, and Cover F/X Primers but really like the Studio Secrets for staying power. It hides and diminishes imperfections. Glides on and it is priced so reasonably. 
Compare YSL at $45.00 to L'Oreal at $11.00. 

Next wonderful find is: 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Liquid Foundation. It goes on so easily with it's "Eraser-Like" Applicator and after buffing it on it really does leave your face with an airbrushed look. It has replaced my MAC and Chanel foundations simply because it WORKS!  

Talk about rewinding... Can they PLEASE make something to Rewind the husband???? Oh, that may be another post altogether. *sigh*

Another drug store find that I am using daily is L'Oreal Liner Intense Felt-Tip eyeliner pen.

This one makes creating that sexy Cat-Eye just plain as easy as drawing a line and filling it in. The long felt tip is so easy to use. To be honest, I used to struggle terribly getting that perfect cat-eye look but not with this new-found eyeliner. 

I am Cat-Woman~ Hear me ROAR!

 I LOVE this one and have put my MAC eyeliner away. 

L'Oreal has really stepped it up in my opinion and their Lash boosting Serum System Mascara is in one word...  AMAZING.

First you use the "primer" side. It's white and wonderful. It makes your lashes thick and defined and Loooong.  It has a lash boosting ingredient that lengthens your lashes with use. I just like it as a lash primer. If it makes my lashes longer... Bonus!

Flip it over for a perfect mascara with no flaking and long luscious lashes.

Way to go L'Oreal.

I hope you are never stuck in a situation and find you have nothing to use for make-up. 

I've been there and it is as unpleasant as it gets. 

I would honestly trade a day of water-boarding for a day with no makeup. 

J/K but No Thanks.

SWAPS. My First One!

Is it ok to blog about a "Swap?"
A Swap is when two agreeing parties decide to ship each other their favorite makeup, nail polishes or just whatever  products they are loving at the time... Sound FUN, Huh?
Not sure but I just about to experience my very first Swap.
 I have read horror stories about people that agreed to swap with another girl for makeup, nail polish, etc.
It seems many times that one person sends really "good stuff" while the other may get short-sided with useless junk or even stiffed and get ZERO.
I had seen MakeupbyMel's gorgeous Models Own nail polish in "Lilac Dream" and tweeted asking if anyone knew the name of it and where to get it. It's a gorgeous soft Lilac color.
After going into complete panic mode and  searching online for it like a TSA searches through suspicious bags at the airport, I had an answer...!
That's right. A tweet from a complete stranger telling me she would gladly send it all the way from Europe! Yay! I had gone on the hunt and found TREASURE!
So... What do I do now?
I asked, "Is there anything I can send to YOU?"
My very FIRST Swap! I was "In." I had fallen straight into the Swap-Swamp! It actually made me a bit nervous. Would I measure up?  Could I truly enter the forbidden and scary world of "SWAP-VILLE?"
I waited on the tweet to come in....
Yes, she wondered if I could send her MAC To The Beach Marine Life Highlight Powder.
An easy request, right? Of Course I can and I will!


 Oh No! It was SOLD OUT!  Sold Out EVERYWHERE!
I went into complete panic mode! I could FAIL at my first Swap... Nooooooo.
Fix this! Find it! She was counting on me and I wanted/needed/dreamed of that "Lilac Dream" nail polish.
Do Not Give Up!
I called everywhere. I drove to the mall. I felt like a bloodhound searching for the lost.   Two days I searched.....
I Checked with every flight attendant I know around the country that was into makeup. Bingo!
I found one from my good friend and colleague based at LAX ✈.
She actually found and could get her hands on TWO! A Dream Come TRUE!
I would not fail, I would be a hero!
My new found friend and fellow swapper sent me pictures and tweets of the pkgs she had just sent to me.
It was beginning and I was so Ready! I had the powder secured and all I had to do is pick it up. ✈  Like a Covert Spy, we met at the airport and made the exchange.
I paid the cash and got the goods! I peeked at the one to be mine and knew I was going to make someone a very happy girl. I got home and mailed the precious package.  Life felt so right. I was officially a Swapper!
A week passed..... I checked my mail and Oh My Goodness...
Three packages had arrived addressed to me from Europe. The thrill of opening those packages was like a Christmas Rush!  I felt like I was 6 years old again.
The items inside were endless!
So many things. Fun things. Useable things. It so FUN! It was so right.
 It was suddenly so WRONG. I had the Models Own polish in "Lilac Dream" and so very many other things as well.

Look at this beautiful haul of gorgeous SWAP-NESS
She had sent me SIX nail polishes OPI, Zoya, Models Own (all in beautiful shades)
The Long Dreamed About "Lilac Dream" Nail Polish (I wanted it SO Bad)
EOS LipBalm (that I had been coveting for weeks)
Lancome Hydrating Gel
Clinique Face Lotion
Clinique Exfoliator
2 Stila Lip Glosses
Revlon Lip Gloss
Britney Spears Perfume
Leave in Hair Treatment
Body Butter
Fun Tissues
Nail File
Bath Bead Capsules
And lastly a Purple Purse


All Treasures. All Wonderful. All Mine!




My stomach lurched. I  had sent a single little compact of powder! ONE!
O N E Compact.
ONE
O-N-E

It was too late! It had been mailed! How could I stop this train??? I was about to become the dreaded FAIL Swap!!! Nooooooooooooooooo.
My very First Swap and I dropped the Swap-Ball. I wanted to curl up in the fetal position with all of my swap-goodies and cry.
How do I fix this? Luckily, my fellow swap-ee was wonderful and understood. A quick trip to the YSL counter and a second package zipped off to Europe and all is well again in Swap-Ville.
Will I do it again?
You betcha! The thrill of opening that bag of goodies was just like Christmas!


Lesson Learned~  "It's better to Give Than to Receive"
PS. Thank You to my Wonderful Swapper. I hope you love the powder and the lipstick as much as I LOVE everything you sent. ❤

★ CLEAN Bright FACE ★ Look Younger

Ho Hum.
Boring Facial Cleansing Routine. Not an exciting subject, huh?
Well I thought same in my younger years. Now I know better. The single most important thing I do twice a day is washing my face and moisturizing.
The other day I got a comment on my last YouTube video about my recent facelift. WHAT?
I have never had such a thing. Not saying I won't someday but until that day comes, I will do what I can to preserve this one and only face I have. If I don't take care of it...
WHO WILL?????
Here is a list of what I do and use, twice a day. No matter your age, You may not be worried about this NOW, but you should be!
"A Clean Face at Night and Your Face at 50 will be Bright" ~ by Lana
I made that up but it fits.

To Remove Eyemake:
I LOVE MAC Cosmetics Gently Off Eye & Makeup Remover.
Estee Lauder has an amazing Easy Off one as well.

Oil and water do mix, for twice the impact – just shake. A dual-phase, easy-does-it formula that sweeps off even tenacious waterproof mascara and lip colour. Absolutely gentle; suitable for all. Cucumber extract soothes, Damascus Rose flower water refreshes. No need to rinse


Next, Wash with Estee Lauder  Soft Clean and Follow with a good toner. When I think I have cleansed my face to perfection, I use a cosmetic pad soaked in Estee Lauder Soft Clean toner and I am amazed at how much YUCK is still there! Ewww!

After thorough Cleansing and with a still-damp face I apply Lumedia Facial Brightener and then Strivectin-D which is an Stretch Mark cream but was found to reduce wrinkles and improve over-all skin tone. AMAZING products. Now, I don't truly believe that any cream will magically make our wrinkles disappear but this product is as close an ANY I have ever used! At 54 years old, I get more compliments on my skin than I did when I was 34!!! Now That's HUGE!
Strivectin has actually dropped in price. I was paying $135.00 a tube for it but I added the link here to purchase it from Amazon for $75.00.
A Steal because it really does work! Great for MEN too!

The Lumedia Retails for $90.00 from the company but I have found it at TJ Maxx for $20.00 which is a steal.This product removes those ugly age spots that make your face look so much older than it is. If I had to choose between age spots and wrinkles, I think I'd take the wrinkles. Age spots just mar your entire look. No matter what your age, You have ONE face so Take Care of it like it's Your JOB!

Bright ~ White Teeth ❤

Are you like me and your eyes go straight up looking at someones teeth as they talk?
I am notorious for this. I try to look away but can't.
Fortunately, these days yellow teeth are a thing of the past.
There are so many tooth whitening products on the market now.
It is saturated with them!
Thank You!
I began bleaching my teeth in the early 1980's. Oh, How I loved the 80's!
Products and procedures were expensive back then and not nearly as effective as todays technology in teeth whitening and bleaching.
Here are a few I have tried and loved.
First Nite White 22% or 16% whichever you prefer and how fast you want results.
I bought a football mouth guard at Walmart for $1.00 and made my own tray.
Money Saver~ Add the Night White at night into the tray and Viola'~ Instant whitening.

Basically, you get a tray, some Carbamide Peroxide Gel. No dental visits required. Easy. Breezy. Beautiful teeth in days not months.
Here is a really inexpensive effective product I just found on Amazon.com
AMAZING! I saw instant results in 30 minutes.
Why can't MEN be as wonderful as this stuff? WHY?
This takes your tooth whitening to a whole new level! Turbo FAST and results in days not weeks.

36% Professional Strength Carbamide Peroxide Teeth Whitening Gel only $12.99 from http://www.instantwhitesmile.com

CVS Has Pre-filled trays available for easy convenience. 

7 upper and 7 lower trays sell for under $30.00 and they really do work!

Last but certainly not least is Plus White 5 Minute Bleaching System.

You put this on your teeth ( I recommend doing this in the shower) and the foaming action begins! The peroxide in this product bubbles you up to Brilliant White teeth in no time!

              ❤   Smile On!  ❤