Review | Derma E's BB Creme

BB Creme, Light Tint, SPF 25

$39.50 on dermae.com ♥

I tried BB creme for the first time at the beginning of my last pregnancy. My friend Jesslyn was visiting from Texas and she was using a creme by Garnier. I ended up purchasing my own tube - only to be grossed out by the scent. (Pregnancy woes) To this day it makes me sick when I think about that particular BB creme lol.  Since last Summer I have tried many brands and none of them have worked for me. They all make these grand promises. "Renews...brightens...hydrates...protects!" Brittany just ends up looking like a shiny raccoon! (Oily and dark circles lol) BB cremes have never provided enough coverage for my face - until now. :)  I really love the guys over at Derma E, they have been so kind to me. I am absolutely infatuated with their BB Creme! Finally a real color-correcting beauty balm that actually conceals! 

Please excuse everything about this photo. It was taken at about 7 o'clock in the morning. I was sleepy and I had no eyebrows. Literally, I was only wearing the BB Creme. I think it looks pretty darn good all things considered. I have been one busy mama lately - a good bit of very little sleep is happening for me right now. 

Eyebrows y'all!

Ugh, I'm not a fan of before and after photos. I hope you guys appreciate it lol! This BB Creme makes my skin look so radiant. It's super moisturizing without being oily...or smelling nasty. (Cough Garnier cough) It only has a very very faint herbal scent - which I approve of. ;) Currently this creme only comes in two shades. (light & medium) I am unsure if Derma E has any plans on coming out with any more colors. I think these two are pretty universal though and will work for many different skin tones. I will tell you that this product is a hot item! Last time I was doing a Derma E review I was browsing through the rest of their line and the BB Cremes were actually sold out! (Crazy huh?) They are just that good. 

Unlike many other cremes on the market this one is 100% vegan, paraben-free, sulfate-free, cruelty-free, mineral oil-free, lanolin-free, gluten free, and GMO free. That is a lot of positive usage of the word "free" folks. :) It's ingredients include Active Plant Stem Cells that brighten and even your skin, how cool is that? You can apply it over primer, moisturizer, or gel, or you can use it to replace your foundation like I did! This lady right here highly recommends it. Derma E has impressed me yet again!

Check out my handsome birthday boy! We are having his 4th birthday party on this Sunday. I took this photo! I think it turned out kinda gorgeous. 

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Review | Hot Tools Salon Marcel Curling Iron & KQC Thermal Shine Spray

Hot Tools Salon Marcel Curling Iron (1-1/2")

$45.95 on Flat Iron Experts ♥

I'm going to be honest with you - this hair styling tool was very intimidating when I first took it out of the box. I found it pretty difficult to use. I really wanted to do this review using my own hair, but alas...it was too short! (That had a lot to do with my difficulty) So - I asked my sister India if she would help me out! (She was happy to)

(Hmmm, am I doing it right?)

My little sister just so happens to have super-long-gorgeous-Taylor-Swift-hair that was perfect for this Marcel curling iron. It took us several minutes (and a few YouTube videos) to get the hang of it. (Our grandmother also helped us out a bit) ^_^ Here is some helpful information about the product...it's a very snazzy styling tool.

Pulse Technology - for gets hot...stays hot performance. Fast heat-up and instant heat recovery. Maintains constant, even heat while you style. (This thing gets hella-hot people, I recommend removing all children from the vicinity when it's in use)

24k Gold Styling Surface - Distributes heat evenly, produces perfect heat for beautiful, long-lasting, durable curls, and a smooth surface for frizz-free styling. 

Professional Features:

-Rheostat control with variable heat settings up to 430 degrees fahrenheit

-Power indicator light

-Locking/rotating main and Marcel handles 

-Separate on / off switch

-Foldaway safety stand

-8ft. professional cord

-One-year warranty!

YouTube is a very helpful resource when you are trying to learn how to correctly use a Marcel curling iron. (Or any hair styling tool for that matter) I'm going to link a video here to give you a better demonstration than we could provide. If you watch the video - it is probably pretty clear that mastering this tool is all in the hand technique. (Finger placement  - people...it's important!)

 India and I used a thermal shine spray by KQC when styling her hair. It is also available on the Flat Iron Experts website. :)

KQC Thermal Shine Spray

$13.99 on Flat Iron Experts ♥

I highly recommend this spray, unlike other brands...it doesn't have that weird glue smell. It can be used with all of your favorite styling tools, and it's perfect for all hair types. The spray prevents infrared heat damage that results in those nasty split-ends. (Gasp! Nobody wants nasty split-ends!)

Isn't it lovely!? I cannot wait till my hair is longer so I can try out this Marcel curling iron. If you do decide to purchase one - please don't get frustrated! (I'm afraid that I've made it sound super scary) Eventually you will figure it out! :) It is basically like a traditional curling iron...just without the spring loaded mechanism. It also requires the user to keep a constant pressure on the handle when styling. The end result is beautiful - so I definitely think it's worth the extra effort. 

Are you interested in either of the products that I have mentioned today? Please go check out Flat Iron Experts for all of your styling tool needs.  They are very knowledgable and have great customer service. 

 

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Birchbox Un-boxing | June 2013

Gasp you should folks. This year just seems to be flying by.

If you would like to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so (HERE.)

Sorry for the dark photo, what was I thinking? Oh well...

I'm not going to lie - this month's box made me a little sad. Maybe it's because it included another curly hair product. I used to have curly hair, so I should probably shuffle on over to the Birchbox site and edit my profile. So maybe that's my fault? Moving right along...

Birchbox + Color Club | Wanderlust Collection  

Full-size, $8

Miss Jessie's | Original Jelly Soft Curls

Full-size, $14

Oscar de la Renta | Something Blue

Full-size, $85-$115

SW Basics | Lip Balm

Full-size, $15

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics | Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder

Full-size, $36

Lifestyle Extra

Tweezerman | Matchbox Itty Bitty Nail Files 

Full-size, $5

I was probably most excited about the mineral powder. It claims to be this magical shine-zapping stuff that keeps your oil levels in check. My face has been very oily lately and I don't think this product has improved it at all. Maybe it will work for one of you guys? Do you have any shine control product suggestions for me? I'm willing to try anything! I want to be shine free for the entire day if possible.

Don't forget to go enter my giveaway!