What's Your Quick-n-Dirty?

Hola!
Penny here! Attempting to share something noteworthy. Since my mother's stroke in September my life has changed and will probably never again be the same. In the grand scheme of things I am most grateful for my faith, family, and friends who have kept Penny together these past few months.

 

Most days make-up and all things beauty are so irrelevant in my current world. But at the same time I realize how much they make me feel good...about myself...and about others (when they say my research was helpful in some way). So I today I thought...what about my current beauty routine IS relevant? Time and functionality I thought. Since my time is no longer my own as a caregiver; and someone who's 9-5 was never 9-5...I'm constantly racing against the clock to do something or be somewhere.  But when I have a few minutes to 'put on my face' it helps to start the day in a more familiar, less stressful way. What I find I need most for my new daily routine, are products that are multi-functional.

NARS the Multiple

• NARS the Multiple ($39, Sephora) - a cream-to-powder multi-purpose make-up stick; can be used on eyes, cheeks, lips and body. See Sephora.com for a great tutorial. I like the color South Beach.
• MAC Powder Blush in Buff ($20, MAC) - a soft neutral 'muted pinkish peach' matte blush that I sometimes double as eyeshadow and blush for a monochromatic look.
• Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 0L ($18, Sephora) - waterproof jet black pencil eye liner; easy to blend; long wearing; a staple for Penny.
• Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Super Strawberry ($16, Bloomingdales) - a sheer berry pink lip balm/lipstick in one. This is a great lip color that I can throw on without liner a any time and look nice.
• Mascara Mini ($10-$20, Sephora) - any mascara of your choice that is small enough to fit in your purse or make-up bag and can be applied quickly to top & bottom lashes; my current minis are Benefit's They're Real, and Lancome Hypnose Star...both were VIB gifts with an order from Sephora but they sell lots of great travel-size products at most Sephora stores.



They're Real Mascara

• BB or CC Cream (prices varies; Target, drugstores, ULTA, Sephora)- for those who don't need a lot of coverage these are good one-step products. Beauty Balm (BB) creams are amped up tinted moisturizers, with skincare & foundation in one. Sometimes they are called Blemish Balm for their blemish control capabilities. I know folks who swear by NARS, Smashbox and Laura Mercier BB creams. Drugstore brands include Garnier, L'Oreal and Maybelline to name a few. Color Correcting (CC) creams are amped up BB Creams and the newest craze out of Japan and Korea. CC creams are said to have higher SPF, blends better with skin tones, and does more to even out skin tones.  Has anyone tried a CC cream yet? Which one? Penny needs a full-coverage foundation due to my melasma so I have not tried these products, but I am curious about the CC creams. Chanel and Olay both have CC creams.

Clinique Chubby Stick

Some of these products don't have multiple uses, but work so well that they are my 'go to' staples that I keep in my make-up bag. I'm looking for products that I can apply  without much thought and effort.

What's your quick-n-dirty product(s) of choice?

Be blessed. Be beautiful. Be GRATEFUL.
Penny

Famous FLOTUS Polish...Dupe?

Hey lovelies!

'I Don't Give a Rotterdamn'

Some of you may have seen the articles on the now infamous nail polish color that Michelle Obama wore during her speech at the DNC last week. Well, because Penny is Penny I actually noticed the lovely bluish-purpleish-gray shade the FLOTUS was wearing as she spoke. LOL! Penny is a fan of gray and it was sorta hard to miss. So it wasn't surprising that the fashion stalkers of the world would zone in on her entire outfit including her nails.

http://www.examiner.com/article/michelle-obama-s-gray-nails-trending



'Kristen'

It was revealed not long after her speech that the First Lady's nail polish was none other than Artistic Nail Design Soak Off Colour Gloss in “Vogue”.  For those of you who like the color but may not want to try the gel nails or go through the hassle and expense, Penny came up with a list of regular polish in "similar" shades that you might want to try.


• Caitlin (Zoya)
• Skylar (Zoya)
• Kristen (Zoya)
• I Don't Give a Rotterdamn (OPI)
• I Don't Have a Herring Problem (OPI)

'Caitlin'

I'm sure there are lots more out there from various brands but these are the ones I either have in my collection, or knew of off the top of my head. LOL! Let me know if you have a favorite gray/blue/purple color that you wear.

Be blessed. Be beautiful.
P


'I Have a Herring Problem'

'Sklar'





What is your fav beauty tip?

Hello Beautifuls!

 

Last weekend I had the most wonderful time hanging out with some of the most positive, beautiful, smart, sexy, crazy, and fun-loving broads (term of endearment...LOL! ) that I know! It was great to see old friends, and equally fun to make new ones. I haven't laughed so much in a long time...thanks ladies! (I hope Guapo's allows us back. LOL)

While enjoying our nips and sips someone started going around the table and asking each one of us if we had any beauty tips. Not sure why but the conversation wasn't always "P-G" but I will keep it clean for Penny's audience. (Some of you are going...'I thought she said 'beauty tips'...what's not P-G about that?' You don't know my friends.) LOL!  Here are some of the interesting products and tips that were shared:

 

Sabino Moisture Block

Sabino Moisture Block

This is a great anti-humidity, thermal protection serum for those of us with natural hair, who occasionally want to wear straight styles (and keep our look for more than a day). Penny has written about Sabino's Lok & Blok a few times before and love that product. I found that the Lok & Blok was the first serum that actually tamed my hair and allows me to blow dry my hair straighter than any other product. Well Sabino Moisture Block is supposed to be the new and improved serum. The company website is the best place to order this product ($22 per 3oz bottle, but there is 30% off offer, and if you buy in bulk its much cheaper). According to the website it is great for African American hair and high humidity climates. It is shampoo soluble...which means water alone won't remove the product. I know folks that swear by this product and have used it in hot, humid places to put it to the test. Penny got her bottle today so I will follow up with pics after I use it. Please follow the instructions carefully because if you use too much of the product, it could leave your hair weighed down. There will be some trial and error to find the right amount for your hair so don't give up after one use. Check out the details at:
http://sabinohair.com/moisture-block.php

 

 

Bentonite Detoxifying Clay Mask



Bentonite Clay Mask

This is a really cool, inexpensive, all natural facial mask that you can do at home. It is a great detoxifying mask that leaves your face clean and smooth. It's especially good for acne-prone skin and large pores. There are two simple ingredients, bentonite clay powder and apple cider vinegar (or water). Both I bought at my local Whole Foods grocery for next to nothing. The instructions are simple to...equal parts powder to liquid. So I did one tablespoon, powder to one table spoon liquid to create a creamy paste. The first time I tried this mask I used apple cider vinegar (365 Organic Apple Cider Vinegar) and clay powder (Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay) which caused an unusual tightening sensation as the mask dried. After I rinsed off the mask my skin felt great!...smooth, clean, but not tight and dry. After the 2nd time I used it I noticed I had a slight dry patch (where I normally have eczema), and a pimple. I assumed it was the detox at work pulling the impurities to the surface. However, since I have combination/dry sensitive skin, I started using the mask with water instead of vinegar and it works just as well.
(read full story...)
 

Monster Mash (for the Guys)

Greetings!
I hope this post finds you all in the best of health and spirits. Today Penny's posting a little something for the fellas. Women can enjoy too, but I very rarely have anything for the guys on here (simply because I don't usually test men's grooming products...LOL)...so I wanted to share.

My beloved shared this item with me and I love it! I was so pleased with it I said I would post something on my blog about it. I was given a puzzled look. Why? Because it is not at all beauty related. But in true Mo fashion (not Penny; she's nicer than Mo) I said: "It's my blog so I can post whatever I want." LOL!   So here goes...

Monster iClarityHD Speaker

Many of you know that Penny LOVES her tunes! Gotta have my music at ALL times! So when I discovered the Monster iClarityHD Precision Micro Bluetooth (Portable) Speaker  I was quite curious ($58.91, Amazon.com).

This little portable speaker has better sound (and volume) than any of the computer speakers, and iPod speakers I've owned! It is perfect for get togethers, the beach, a hotel room, car travel, teleconferencing on telework days, Skype chats, etc. Features include (as stated by the manufacturer):

• Ultra-compact, high performance bluetooth speaker and speakerphone in the palm of your hand
• Two 35 mm full range drivers gives you music incredible fidelity in the mid and high frequencies
• Monster Passive Radiator Subwoofer for deep, clean and tight bass
• Bluetooth 2.0 audio and digital signal processing for superior sound quality in a compact design
• Compatible With iPad/iPod/iPhone & Macbook
• Ultra-Compact, High-Performance Bluetooth Speaker Delivers Best-In-Class Wireless Stereo Sound
• Built-In Microphone With Advanced Noise Cancellation Enables Clear Wireless Hands-Free Calling & Conferencing.
• Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries Power Up To 5 Hours Of Play Time At Full Volume On A Single Charge
• Also has an auxiliary input just in case you want to use with a non-bluetooth device
• Range up to 33 FT

Monster ClarityHD Speaker

If you don't have an iPhone, no worries; as long as you have bluetooth capability, these work. There is also the Monster ClarityHD Precision Micro Portable Bluetooth Speaker ($59.15, Amazon). According to the Monster site, this item features then same things as the "iClarity" product:

•  Optimized for Blackberry devices, smartphones, netbooks and notebook PCs.
• Connects to iPod or any device with a 3.5 mm headphone port using a mini-jack cable (cable not included).

I have been getting my groove on! I simply turned on the bluetooth on my iPhone, synced the phone to the speaker, then selected my music, and rocked out! LOL!  I have not yet used it as a speaker phone, but have seen how that works. It takes about 4 hours to fully charge when you first get it. Read the instructions carefully too because you preserve the battery by turning the speaker completely off when not in use, even though you don't have to.
Some sites charge as much as $75-$100+ for this item so be sure to shop around. I got a great price on Amazon and free shipping as a Prime member.  If you want a more professional, high-end speaker, the online reviews said to check out the JamBox by Jawbone (which costs almost 3x as much).

Be blessed. Have beats.
DJ Penny ;-)

Just Stuff

Hello Folks!
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. Penny's having a ball! :-)

Just felt like sharing some stuff. Stuff that I've been diggin' this season. What are some of your favorite summer finds?

Lip Stuff:

Vaseline Lip Therapy

As you know Penny is always trying a new beauty products. It's just what I do. LOL! Sometimes the new long wearing lipsticks and glosses can dry my lips, so I'm always looking for great lip balm. This summer I went 'ole school.' LOL! Vaseline Lip Therapy Lip Balm, Original (Target, $1.39) has been doing a great job keeping my lips soft and smooth. I wear it every night and whenever I'm at home. It is just pure petroleum jelly which helps to lock in moisture and keep you lips hydrated. What I like about it is that its not oily and shiny like regular Vaseline for whatever reason. The only con is that there is no SPF. So when I'm going out I tend to use my Bite Beauty Sheer Balm with SPF 15 under my lipsticks.

Eye Stuff:


Color Tattoo Eye Shadow
in Fierce & Tangy

Summer is my time of year to experiment with bright colors. Not just with clothing but also with make-up. After seeing the ads for Maybelline's Color Tattoo 24Hr Intensity Eye Shadow  this Spring, I just knew I had to try them! What fun colors! Of the 10 shades available I bought the following: Bad to the Bronze, Audacious Asphalt, Pomegranate Punk, and Tenacious Teal (Target, $6.99). Some shades have a slight shimmer and some are matte. I haven't used them all yet...a little apprehensive about the teal but might use it as a liner and not on the whole lid (although I love the look on the model).


Color Tattoo Eye Shadow
in Tenacious Teal

These shadows are long lasting and blend easily with my finger or a synthetic eye shadow brush. I have never been a big cream shadow person because I was always afraid of creasing but these apply smoothly and stay put (and I always use a primer).









Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam

Face Stuff:
During the hot humid summer months I realized that although I still needed coverage from my foundation, I didn't want to wear anything heavy. For the first time I tried foam foundation and I like it. Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation (Target, $10.99) applies like a liquid and dries quickly to a nice smooth matte finish. It is very lightweight so I don't feel like I'm wearing foundation and I like that it gives me buildable coverage. I followed the instructions and put the foam on the back of my hand; I then use my finger to dab the foam onto my face. I use my Sigma Beauty F82 Round Kabuki Brush or my Cozette S135 Contour Stylist  Brush to blend it into my skin. These tightly packed synthetic brushes buff my foundation to a smooth even finish. Some use a regular liquid foundation brush but I sometimes find those to be streaky.


Body Stuff:


St. Ives Purify Exfoliating
Moisturizing Body Wash

Whether I'm just showing more skin (ssshh!) or preparing my skin for self tanner, Penny believes in regular exfoliation; especially with my very dry skin. St. Ives Purify Exfoliating Body Wash (CVS, $4.99) leaves my skin smooth and soft daily. In the past I was unable to use any type of salt scrub without irritating my eczema. But this moisturizing body wash contains mineral salt and sea kelp and its mild enough to use every day. What's even better is that it is hypoallergenic, contains 100% natural exfoliants and no parabens. Now I'm curious about some of their other body washes like the Renewing Collagen Elastin Body Wash for dry skin, and the Triple Butters Intensely Hydrating Creamy Coconut Body Wash.

Be blessed. Be beautiful.
Penny




Summer Skin 2012

Wass up?
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. Penny's having a ball! But I'm also trying to enjoy it safely. Please be sure to wear sun protection at ALL times. I know its easy to just run out the door; or to think you won't get a nice tan if you use a high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen. But there is no room for skin neglect today. Skin cancer is very real and the sun can be very damaging. With the plethora of products on the market to protect your face, lips, body and even your hair from the damaging rays of the sun, there is no excuse not to wear some form of sunscreen...daily. Not just when you're going to the pool, beach or the family cook-out...but daily.

Hyperpigmentation, wrinkles and more seriously melanoma, should be enough to prompt you to protect yourself. Don't take Penny's word for it; check out the facts at:
http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts#general

Last June (6/22/11) I posted a message about the new FDA rules for sunscreen manufacturers. The following are some of the main points of the new rules (excerpted from www.skincancer.org):

• Sunscreens may be labeled “broad- spectrum” if they provide protection against both UVA and UVB radiation according to FDA-sanctioned test methods.
• Only broad-spectrum sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher may state that they protect against skin cancer if used as directed with other sun protection measures.
• Broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPFs of 2-14 must display a warning that the product has not been shown to help prevent skin cancer or early skin aging.
• The terms “sunblock,” “sweatproof” and “waterproof” are no longer allowed on sunscreen labels.
• Sunscreens may claim to be “water-resistant,” but must specify whether they protect the skin for 40 or 80 minutes of swimming or sweating, based on standard testing. Sunscreens that are not water-resistant must instruct consumers to use a water-resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.
• A company cannot claim that its sunscreen products provide sun protection for more than two hours without submitting test results to prove this.

(read full story after the jump...)


Water Recipe?

Hi All:
Penny thought it would be cool to try a new recipe...not my usual summer cocktail experimentation (LOL)...but instead a new way to increase my WATER intake this summer. Recently I caught a segment of the Dr. Oz show that featured nutritional coach Kym Lyon's 10-day Ultimate Plan to to Trim Fat for Good. The plan has four pretty simple steps. Step 1 is called the Fat Flush Water. Here is what I saw on the show and found on the Dr Oz website:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/ultimate-10-day-plan-trim-fat-good

Step 1: Flush Fat

Fat Flush Water

To cleanse your system, Kim Lyons’ special 5-ingredient Fat Flush Water is simple to make and tastes great. Besides its main ingredient of water, the Fat Flush contains grapefruit that’s loaded with vitamin C to help your body turn fat into fuel. The tangerine increases your sensitivity to insulin, stabilizes blood sugar, and stimulates genes to burn fat. Cucumber helps you feel full and acts as a natural diuretic, which means less bloating and water retention. And lastly, it has peppermint, which is not only refreshing but also promotes better digestion and stomach calm. Make a big pitcher of Fat Flush Water every morning. The longer it sits, the better it will taste.

Fat Flush Water
Ingredients, per 8-ounce serving

Water
1 slice grapefruit
1 tangerine
½ cucumber, sliced
2 peppermint leaves
Ice

Directions: Combine ingredients in a large pitcher. Drink at least one 8 ounce glass three times a day before each meal for 10 days straight.

Penny figured if I have to drink more water anyway, why not drink water that has additional nutritional value. So I got my pretty summer pitcher at Target ($5.99), bought the ingredients at Trader Joe's, and drank my new water cocktail all day yesterday. I'm still getting used to the taste as the longer the fruits and veggies stay in the water, the more it becomes flavored. If you're one of those people that puts lemon in their water, then this will be a breeze. (Or one of those people who like infused vodka...same concept. LOL). Some people make a fresh batch daily as recommended; some add fresh ingredients every other day. I doubt I will drink all of that water in one day so I may make a fresh batch every other day...we'll see how it goes. I do plan to drink more than the required amount, therefore I plan to take this water with me every where....to work...on the road, etc. I'm really hoping this flush works and helps to eliminate/reduce the edema (swelling) I get almost daily in my ankles, and feet. Yesterday I think I was a bit dehydrated so even though I went to the bathroom a few times, it didn't really feel like I was 'flushing' my system. But I will keep at it and see how it goes for the next couple weeks. Let me know if you have tried the fat flush water before and how it worked for you.  Now if I could only complete the other 3 steps in the 10-day program I will be off to a great start this summer. LOL!

Be blessed. Be beautiful.
P
******SEE COMMENTS BELOW FOR UPDATE******

Toxic Tips?

Hi!
As a follow up to my last post (May 7) about nail polish I thought it would be a good idea to share some other, not so fun nail news. Penny thinks it's important for all to know the good and bad of the things we like to consume. What you do with the information is your business of course (goodness knows Penny has her own share of vices). LOL!

Butter London, Bright Teal

For years the 'dangers' of nail polish has been in the news, but it seems to be increasing in recent years as nail polish manufacturers create new (and improved?) formulas. Manufacturers are also creating more polishes and techniques that you can do 'at home,' so many may be skipping the hassle of the nail salon appointment, and exposing themselves to these dangers more frequently. So it's important to hear about the latest debate on the toxic chemicals found in nail polishes and maybe learn about brands to avoid. You might want to become an ingredient reader like Penny, and choose a less harmful polish since there are so many good ones on the market.

LATEST NEWS:
The latest is news is that some brands have been 'mis labeled' and that harmful chemicals do exist in their polishes. Those most susceptible to their dangers (which could include cancer and birth defects) are the nail technicians and anyone working in a nail salon. A study was done in California by the Dept. of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) that showed several brands said they were free of the toxic chemicals but still showed trace amounts of them. The DTSC is recommending that all nail polish companies be required to disclose all of their ingredients. However, polish manufacturers say the report is misleading because the FDA allows these chemicals in small doses. (read full story...)