Is LipSense Really All That Great?

I personally didn't think LipSense was going to be anything great. I figured it would be like any other little company where random neighborhood ladies try and sell you stuff. OF COURSE they are going to tell you how great all their products are- they have bills to pay. I rarely wore any lip color at all before LipSense because my lips are pretty big & I felt like I looked like a drag queen or a barbie doll. Maybe I still do...

BUT REALLY... I ACTUALLY LIKE LIPSENSE!

It makes me feel all put together. It's the finishing touch to my makeup- even when I do a very simple, everyday makeup look. 

(***Edited in:) Every time I ask people about LipSense and they have a negative review, it always starts out with... "Well I tried it one time and..." or "Yeah I wore my mom's once and..." . That's the problem! You can't just wear it once. Your lips have to get used to it and adjust before you always get a flawless look and really learn to love it.

The first time or two you put it on it does burn for a second- just until it dries. ESPECIALLY if your lips are dry. They first little while you wear it, it's not going to last as long because your lips need to go through an "exfoliation" stage. All the wax you've been putting on with your chapstick for years needs to come off in order for the color to apply to your actual, clean lips. Your lips will feel dry and they will peel and some of your color will come off on that dead, dry, peeling skin. 

What you can do:

1. Stop putting on chapstick! Unless its not waxed based... like Vaseline, Aquaphor, or my favorite... Neosporin Overnight Renewal Therapy. 

Even if you want nothing to do with LipSense, you should probably wear this anyways. It's recommended to wear at night, but I will put it on during the daytime too- on the days I don't wear LipSense. It goes on pretty thick and slowly absorbs so its just not made for all day wear like eating, licking your lips, kisses, etc. (I bought mine at Walgreens for like $5.50 and it will last you forever, just dab your finger in it- don't smear a big glob on.)

2. Keep Applying the Gloss! The gloss is what moisturizes your lips all day over your color. Supposedly- the LipSense lip balm also really helps with this process... but I personally haven't tried it. You will feel like your applying tons of gloss but after the 2-3 week exfoliation process, you'll need the gloss less and less throughout the day and your color will stay applied just fine.

3. Don't lick your lips!!! Saliva breaks down your color and causes it to slightly flake off. Now it's nothing drastically noticeable, but if you kept it up all day, eventually- it would start to look funny. SO when your lips are feeling dry, try not to lick them (like I subconsciously do). If you just apply gloss every once in a while, you won't feel the need to lick them. 

How to Apply:

First- make sure your lips are clean. Wipe them off, maybe even do a little sugar scrub on them! Just make sure there's no foundation or saliva or any weird breakfast residue... ☺

So applying your color can be a little tricky! I would definitely start out learning with a lighter, less noticeable color, instead of a big, bold shade of red. Shake it up to make sure all the pigment is well blended. You have to put it on in smooth, even strokes, and let it dry for 2-3 seconds in between each coat! You CAN'T smear it around in back-and-forth motions. Only one smooth stroke at a time!  I would recommend 3 thin coats and then your gloss. If your coats are coming out a little thicker, maybe only two. Don't let your lips touch during this coating and drying process- it can make the partially dried color transfer between your lips and cause flakes. After you apply your gloss, yes- the gloss feels a little sticky or oily- but your lip color isn't going anywhere! The gloss will absorb into your lips & moisturize as the day goes on. If you miss your lip line and apply your color on your skin, or your line didn't go on very smooth- just apply the Oops Remover & it will come right off.
Here's an example video- ignore her odd facial expressions..

How to remove:

When you buy a kit, you get an "Oops! Remover". This is a must have or else your lip color is staying there forever. You just apply this remover (it's like a really thin clear gloss) and wait 2-3 minuets so it can absorb into your color. You then take a wet wash cloth and wipe it off. All Done! I usually apply some gloss after this to keep my lips moisturized. If I'm going to bed i'll apply my Neosporin instead. I can't say 100% of my gloss always comes off, the darker colors seem to slightly stain my lips, but it doesn't bother me- my lips just look nice and rosy. ☺

I do now sell LipSense! If you are interested, feel free to talk to me about it! Just be aware- when an order is placed, it takes about two weeks. There is such high demand for the company, it takes a while to 1st- get an order together and shipped out & 2nd- even get the correct colors in stock to order. So if you're needing a color ASAP, be sure to let whoever your sales lady is know. She can always ask local ladies if they have it already in stock for you. There will always be enough options in stock for you to find something you like. ☺

The Best Leggings I've Ever Worn

I discovered the best pair of stretchy pants in the whole world.

They are called... "Assets Women's Ponte Shaping Leggings" & they are sold at Target- the best store in all the land.

( http://www.target.com/p/assets-women-s-ponte-shaping-leggings-black/-/A-21484738?lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|21484738|1 )

I have these leggings in the black and "jean" look. I wear them probably more than I should. ツ

They are a thicker material, but not too thick that it's going to make you sweat, and they are tight and hold you in because they are made of the Spanx material. Most leggings are too thin, see-through, and do not look flattering on anyone. BUT THESE DO! They are a little pricier than most leggings at about $28 a pair, but you will wear them more than anything else.

I bought these when I first found out I was pregnant and they have fit me throughout my entire pregnancy! HOW GREAT IS THAT! Nothing fits you during pregnancy. They aren't made for pregnancy but they work perfectly. Right now I'd rather be buying items I can wear after the baby too. They go up slightly higher, which is great whether you're pregnant or not. I've been wearing a size large! They are a little long but you can either bunch them or cuff them a little and you don't even notice, I just wanted to make sure they wouldn't be too tight on my growing baby belly.  

Be careful not to get the wrong ones! The "Seamless Leggings" look like the same thing but they are much thinner! Read the label carefully!! You can wash them, dry them - no special care. I've had them now for about 7 months and they haven't faded, shrunk, unraveled, frayed... nothing. Happy Shopping ☺

FIRST UP: My Spray Tan

FIRST UP: My Spray Tan

I promise you- I've tried every tanning lotion & spray in the book. This one wins, hands down.

FAKE BAKE

(Fake Bake Flawless- 6oz.)

No, I'm not always really tan with beautifully fake sun kissed skin. BUT when I want to be, this one helps me get there very quickly without looking oddly fake. I order mine from Amazon Prime. If you don't have Amazon Prime then you're never going to win at life… but that's a whole other blog post. ☺ 

Also I have been told you can get it at Ulta Beauty? Don't quote me on that but check next time you're there. 

Why This Tanning Lotion Works For Me:

I am a pale & pink woman. I do not have a natural olive tone & I do not have the natural ability to tan. It takes a lot of time and effort. My skin is white with a red and pink hue with some slight freckling. All the tanning lotions I have tried (100's of them- I swear) each have a unique base color to them. The gradual tanning lotions (Jergens, L'Oreal, your basic drug store brands) all seems to have a very orange/brown/brassy base color. If you step it up a notch to the brand St. Tropez ("fancy tanning lotion"), which is highly reviewed & available at Sephora, these all seem to have almost a dark green base color to them. There's another brand you can get at Sally's Beauty (whose name escapes me) but it has a very dark purple base to it. Now I'm sure these tanners work for some people out there. For me, it's just not very natural looking at all. Fake Bake's Flawless tanner has a nice rosy base color. Just like my skin. It makes me a pretty, rosy tan; as if I just got off a Caribbean cruise ship. I feel like this base color matches everyone’s skin very natural- even if you do have a more olive tone. Fake Bake even has a step darker color if you're looking for that! I mean you could get away with the other base colored ones -not quite blending naturally- but wouldn't you rather have a good-looking tan that no one's going to question?

Application Process:

This takes a little time and a little pre-planning on your part.  

DO NOT: apply this and then go to the gym, be outside at a family bbq, or any other activity that you will be sweating at. TRUST ME. Let it set and then shower before you choose to sweat. PLEASE.

This tanning spray has a "color guide". Meaning that it goes on a lot darker when applying so you can make sure you are thoroughly applying it and not missing any spots or leaving any streaks. VERY HANDY! But this color guide isn't meant to stick around. 

Now on to how I apply...

1. Take a shower- Exfoliate & Shave.

Now I don't always exfoliate... but if your skins looking a little dry or your previous spray tan is looking a little patchy- do it just to be safe. And please shave. I use...

(From Bath and Body Works) 

It’s really just a tube full of minty smelling beads and sugar. It’s not for moisturizing or anything else besides scrubbing your flesh off. Which is why I wouldn't recommend using it too often. I've had this bottle for several years actually... Exfoliating & then shaving will help the tan apply smoothly and your little poky hairs won't snag on the mitt. Also, the less you shave after you tan- the longer your tan will stay around. I shave every day though and my tan seems to stay perfect for about a week before I should reapply. 

2. DON'T PUT ANY WEIRD OILY/MOISTURIZING BODY WASHES ON YOUR SKIN WHILE IN THE SHOWER!!

So just be careful when you shave... 

Your skin needs to be free of any oils, lotions, chemicals, or anything really, so the tan can apply properly and evenly. This step also applies to when you get out of the shower. Just dry off and get ready to tan.

3. Dry Spots?

If you have weird dry spots, like your elbows, knees, where ever else... you can put a tiny bit of lotion on them. The tan will over absorb in these areas if they are really too dry. I never do this and I don't feel like it's going to be too obvious even if you skipped this step... but if you're going to be self-conscious about your slightly darker-tan elbow tips, this is preventable. 

4.  Start Spraying!!!

But first- make sure your hair isn't dripping wet & place it up in a bun or something. You don't want water droplets dripping white streaks through your new tan. Place it up so you can blend your tan into your neck and behind your ears easily. Please don't forget these spots, especially if you're someone who wears their hair up ever ☺

Unless you have a nice fancy walk-in shower where you can mist your limbs with spray tan, I’d recommend spraying directly onto the mitt, which comes with your bottle of tan. It saves you from a big mess and some wasted product. I seem to spray the mitt seven times and then use it for an entire arm, switch mitt hands, and spray seven times again to cover your other entire arm, etc. Seven little sprays just seem to be the perfect amount of tan to spread at a time. You can feel when the mitt is becoming too dry and not spreading easily anymore.

BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR HANDS- maybe I just have really wrinkly hands and knuckles but I chose not to cover my hands with the tanner. It absorbs weird in my wrinkles and my knuckles look TERRIBLE. REALLY TAN but terrible. So after rubbing down my whole arm with those seven sprays worth of liquid, I lightly blend my wrists and back of my hands with the now drier mitt, but I don't really worry about them. I'd rather have slightly whiter hands than weird, dark, tan wrinkles.

I ALSO NEVER USE THIS ON MY FACE. It seems to cause tiny break outs- which I’d rather avoid. I do use the spray lightly on my entire neck and blend up to my jaw line (it won't be that drastic looking- I promise) and then when I do my make up, I make sure to use my bronzer along my jaw line and blend it through instead. I feel like a face a shade or two lighter looks better and much more natural anyways.

So... continue spraying your whole body, wherever you want. I don't really do my back but I suppose some of you may want to- Good Luck. Watch for streaks- luckily they're easy to see. I make sure my feet are done very well along the sides, and in-between my toes. 

Once you're done you should probably air dry before putting any clothes on. You'll feel dry instantly -but just to be safe. 

5. Setting Period

I have done this tan early on a Saturday morning and just spent a quiet day around the house and the tan turned out fine. BUT- if you're running errands, possibly sweating, wearing nice clothes- I wouldn't recommend that. I would recommend doing it right before bed. The tan needs several hours to set- the more the better. Just like going into a salon and getting a legit spray tan. I sleep in my setting spray tan. If you can wear long pajamas and NOT SWEAT at night, then please do. I can't do that. I will over heat and die. So yes, my white sheets get a little tan color guide rubbed onto them. It washes right out! As well as with my white undies (though sometimes the elastic/ rubbery parts get a slight yellow tint?). Maybe have a specific pair of tanning clothes to wear if you're worried! If you sweat, there will be a nice tan sweat puddle on your clothing and sheets. Which will wash out- but it's still unfortunate- and some of your body tan might be streaky because now some tan was left on the non-sweaty areas longer. You'll still look good- don't panic. Try again. 

6. Rinsing off

This is the worst part. You feel so dark, tan, and beautiful and then you take a shower. All the color guide rinses off and you feel sad inside. You are still left with a very tan tan, it's just not as dark as it was with the color guide and now that you've seen yourself so chocolaty and wonderful, you're not as satisfied. You still look good. Your tanning process is complete and you can go throughout your day and sweat freely ☺

Here's a video of the cutest, tan, pregnant lady you'll ever see. Just imagine this is what I look like right now at 29 weeks pregnant putting on my spray tan for you all (HAHAHA Yak right, I wish🤣). She does a pretty good job showing how she applies- for those who are still nervous or lost. I don't recommend putting on lotion first but... you do you. Experiment and see what works best for your skin! Also DO NOT PUT ON LOTION AFTER especially if you are sleeping in it. It pushes the color guide all around into a swirly tan mess. Also, that Victoria's Secret tanning lotion she has IS AMAZING. BUT its more of a skin "make-up" than a staining, color building, tanning lotion. It lasts for the day so you're legs will look amazing at church :) but then it will all wash off when you shower. 

Hope this helps!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...

I've decided to start a mini blog on the things I love and would recommend in life. I hope you guys like them as much as I do! Feel free to leave your opinions, commentary, and feedback. ♡

-Emmaline