Castor oil. It’s a pretty common ingredient when you read the labels of your bath and beauty products. It’s a vegetable oil that comes from the castor bean which kind of blew my mind because who would’ve thought it came from a bean. Obviously, I’m easily shocked and awed. What’s it Made Of? Castor oil, or Ricinus communis if we are using Latin names, is a fixed oil. It is comprised mostly of fatty oils. Its structure is made up of roughly 90% ricinoleaic acid with small amounts of oleic acid and linoleic acid thrown in. This allows it to be both hydrophilic and
Category: Beauty
Nail Art Disaster. Again.
I was a little too ambitious today. I was going to go ALL OUT. No, really, I was going to use ALL the polishes *and* even figure out how to stick on those Swarovski-esque jewels to my fingers. I did one nail and decided I was DONE being fancy. It was waaaay too much work. Besides, my one nail looks like a clown put on all of it’s costume jewelry then showed up to a black tie event. It stands out, but in a bad way. Like, “watch out, Kristen just took that OMG tacky skirt out of her closet
Beauty Gadgets I Bought Because I Thought I Was Stupidly Rich
I did a post a few weeks ago discussing the beauty gadgets I’d buy if I were stupidly rich. Now I’d like to discuss with you the expensive crap I have bought in the name of beauty. Doing this is great since it tends to curb my desire for flashy things. Some products work, and some products I’ll confess to being terribly embarrassed about spending my money on. Let me share my dirty little spending habits with you. GHD Platinum Hair Straightener – $250 At the time, this straightener normally retailed for $250. GULP, what was I thinking? Don’t worry,
The Brush Guard
I’m never quite sure which products have been hyped and which have been sadly neglected. Which means I unfortunately have no idea how well known the Brush Guards are, but I do know I’ve invested in several boxes because they keep my brushes looking good despite my inability to properly take care of anything. First off, my brushes have the awful habit of drying wonky after I’ve done the weekly (cough, monthly, cough) duty of cleaning my brushes. You know what I mean, splayed bristles, loss of shape, and crappy, crappy, crappiness (great descriptions, right?). The Brush Guard helps them
Trash Talk, aka “Empties” #1
I know that this has been rehashed and talked about ad nauseam by many beauty bloggers and YouTubers, but the idea of keeping my garbage around so I can discuss it all with you sounds so millennial that I CAN’T EVEN. I hope archaeologists dig into the wires of the internet a thousand years from now and the twenty first century becomes a discussion of how our generation glorified trashed skincare bottles and empty makeup palettes. Can you imagine? It would be the best college class EVER. Okay, on with it then! Paula’s Choice Smooth Finish Conditioner – I loved
Black Magic Woman by Deborah Lippmann
This bottle, when you look at it, presents itself as your average glittery gray/black bottle of polish, BUT IT IS SO MUCH COOLER THAN THAT. This is the aptly named “Black Magic Woman” because trust me when I say that this is sorcery in a nail polish formula. It initially comes off as a dark gunmetal grey but then light hits it and let me tell you, it comes to LIFE. It shimmers with an opalescent beauty that shows off all the colors of the rainbow. It’s like a very low key holographic effect that doesn’t demand your attention, but
Five Favorite Things – August 2019
Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 – I cannot stress enough how much this saved my hair from turning into straw this summer. From going blonder to living my life in the sun, this kept it looking healthy, shiny, and oh-so-chic. My hair would be a goner if it wasn’t for this. MAC LipMix in Red – I CAN NOT GET ENOUGH. This red is everything I want a red to be. I’ve worn it this summer and you can bet everything that this will be my go-to holiday red when the winter season comes around! FitBit Charge HR 2 –
The Dermstore Sale
I know everyone has gone crazy with the Sephora sale, but I cared more about the 25% off that was happening at the Dermstore website. I congratulate myself on not turning the whole store upside down and crashing the website, because I dearly wanted EVERYTHING, but I held myself to five items. FIVE! Paula’s Choice Skin Revealing Body Lotion 10% AHA – I have super dry itchy legs and I’m hoping this lotion will exfoliate, hydrate, and help in the removal of dead skin. I have a body brush that aids in these things but honestly? I canuse all the
Hot Child in the City by Deborah Lippmann
This nail polish is BRIGHT. It will light up the night and your nails when you put it on. It’s a fluorescent orange with a coral tint thrown in to keep it classy. It’s versatile enough that it looks totally cute in the summer and workable in the fall. It also screams for attention so if you are into loud colors then this might be up your alley. One thing to note, this did go on a wee bit streaky on first application so two coats is definitely required to get an even nail color. I would also like to
Mac LipMix in Red
This LipMix is BAE you guys. It gives this perfect pop of red that is to die for! Mind you, its primary use is to be able to mix it with other lip products, HOWEVER, by itself it is stunning. It’s a bright juicy red that not only goes well with the summer vibes, but could also be pulled out during the more festive holiday season. Oh, and if you are someone that likes that popsicle lips look, this would do splendidly. It’s texture is a mix between a liquid lipstick and a gloss. It’s on the creamier side and