BEAUTY | OMBRÉ HAIR

Two weeks ago I did something rather drastic to my hair. I said goodbye to my jet black hair and decided to ombré the bottom portion of my hair! Okay I might be slightly exaggerating about it being drastic, but for me it was a pretty big deal because I've never colored my hair. I was hesitant at first about doing it because I wasn't sure how it would turn out...but I'm absolutely in love with it now!

Before

After

What I love most about only ombré-ing the bottom of it is the fact that it doesn't damage my roots and that when it grows out, I can just chop off the dead ends!

Have any good ideas to maintain the color and keep it looking healthy? Drop your ideas in the comments below!

xoxo, joyce

BEAUTY l SEPHORA BEAUTY BLENDER EGG

Finding the right brush or foundation applicator has always been a tough one for me. When searching for one, I try to find something that will help me give a full and covered look without looking "cakey" and  having to put forth too much effort. Especially since I'm always on the go, I try to keep my morning prep time to a minimum.

For years I've used foundation brushes from EcoTools and Sephora but always hated having to constantly wash them. Sometimes I would forget to wash them and the foundation would build up on the brush and dry like paint on an unwashed paintbrush. GROSS! In the long run, it definitely wasn't healthy for my skin and the life of the brush so I asked my makeup friend what she would recommend and she suggested this little egg shaped sponge!

It may look small when you first purchase it, but don't be deceived! Once you run it under water and ring it out a couple of times, it almost doubles in size! It may shrivel back to its small size overnight but you just run it under water again before use and it magically grows!

What I love most  about this is that it applies my foundation on smooth just like how it would look if you used your fingers to apply it (minus the fact that your hands may be dirty and can cause even more breakouts...EEP!). It's also easy to clean whether it is everyday or after a couple of days of using it. I definitely would probably wash it every 2-4 days depending on how much surface area you use each time. The lifespan of the egg is about 3-4 months also depending on how often you use it and how well you take care of it.

You can purchase the beauty blender here for $19.95 and the solid sponge cleaner for it here for $15.95!

xoxo,
joyce

BEAUTY | Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips

With the cold weather brings dry skin and lips and finding the right product that caters to your skin is important. Personally, it's difficult to find products that keep my skin and lips hydrated because I have sensitive skin. That's why I love companies such as Birchbox which send me samples each month to test out which one works best for my skin. Although not all of the samples have proven to be the best for my skin, there are little gems that I find in the boxes that I absolutely love.

As much as I love lip balms such as EOS or just the plain old Chapstick brand, all of them seem to irritate my skin or leave them extremely dry after using them for a period of time. I even tried using Aquaphor, which is a water based, which worked but made my lips feel extremely pruny (like when your fingers look like raisins after swimming for a long time). 

After searching and testing products for an extremely long time, I finally stumbled across the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips. I know...I was thrown off by the name of it at first but I soon got over the fact when I found that it really WORKS. Not only does it hydrate, it makes my lips super soft! I normally buy all my beauty products from Sephora but since this wasn't sold in store and is out of stock online, I resorted to buy it off of the Birchbox site here. I understand that $14.50 may be a little steep for some lip balm, but it's definitely a beauty investment that will last you a long time...unless you lose it.

xoxo, joyce

BEAUTY | NOVEMBER 2013 BIRCHBOX

About two months ago, I joined Birchbox which is one of the many new companies that sends a box of goodies to your doorstep each month. For $10 a month, you get a surprise box of samples to try out.  I LOVE makeup and finding new products that are good for your skin and make you feel pretty which is why I love this box. I personally have extremely sensitive skin so I'm always on the hunt to find products that are natural and don't irritate my skin.

I've been lagging on blogging about the products but decided to start this month when I was sharing the products with Allison and felt kind of guilty for not blogging about them. So here begins my new beauty segment of this blog!

1. Tiossan Body Cream: Loaded with antioxidants, this aromatic body cream leaves skin silky and soft.
2. Joie Folle de Joie eau de parfum: A Birchbox customer fave, this fresh scent blends mandarin, rose and sandalwood.
3. Color Club Nail Polish (Baldwin Blues): On-trend pro-quality lacquer that will take you easily-and gorgeously-from day to night. 
4. theBalm Cosmetics Staniac in Beauty Queen: Bestselling stain that gives cheeks and lips a sheer, rosy tint.
5. DDF Amplifying Elixer: This translucent foruma tranforms skin, boosting its natural moisture barrier up to 50%.
6. Ahmad Tea London Assorted Teas: A best-selling British blend of premium teas from Assam, Sri Lanka, and Kenya.

xoxo, joyce

BEAUTY | sally hansen salon effects nail strips

I went to Walmart last week and came across these Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips which claim to last up to 10 days. Since I am challenged when it comes to putting on nailpolish on my right hand and have no patience for waiting for it to dry, I thought these would be perfect to try out.


Each box comes with 16 nail strips (extras in case you make a mistake) and of course different sizes so you can find ones that fit your nail bed, a cuticle pusher, detailed instructions, and a nail file. I recommend that you have warm hands or fingertips when you apply these so that when you smooth out the nail strip it sorts seals it onto your natural nail and helps it adhere.



PROS:
-I noticed they have remarkable staying power when used with a top coat. I used OPI's top coat to help seal and make it last longer and didn't experience any chipping so far and have had it for about 6 days now; and usually with regular polish I do on Day 2 or 3. Without a top coat it's more prone to peeling or getting etches quicker.
- They have a variety of cool designs and colors, from lace, zebra, high-impact glitter, neon, matte, shimmer, etc. to choose from.
- They are $8.99 each which is relatively cheaper than a manicure you get at a salon.
- Super easy to apply and remove, and very natural looking. It only took me 10 minutes or less to do both hands, and you can remove it with regular nail polish remover.
- Great if you are pressed for time and need to do a quick manicure, no need to wait for them to dry!

CONS:
- Not all of the nail strips will fit all nail beds, but it's not too noticeable, just gotta find the one that fits you the best.
- It takes a lot of patience to get them to look perfect.

Overall: I really like using these! I honestly just want to get these from now on as opposed to regular nail polish because they are just so easy to do lol! I like that I don't have to wait for these to dry, and that they last a long time. They also come in many fun designs as well as more normal nail polish shades and finishes. I had people even say "I love your nailpolish color what brand/shade is it?" and they are shocked when I say they are nail polish strips, because they look that natural.