Category Archives: Beauty & Skin Care

How Suave Saved My Daughter’s Hair From Being Perma-Sparkly

Halloween is a blur to me.  No, I didn’t eat too much candy.  Nor did I drink too much.  I slept.   I’m that lame, yes.

I had a procedure done on my neck Halloween morning that unbeknownst to me beforehand, would knock me out the remainder of the day. I wouldn’t have minded if it was any ordinary Thursday.. but to knock me off my feet and out of this world on Halloween. Boo hoo. Luckily, my husband photographed the kids in their costumes. Otherwise there would be no proof in my mind that Halloween even happened.   I wish I had more photos of the kids in their Halloween costumes but my husband doesn’t use his phone or camera as a 3rd hand like I do and didn’t take as many photographs as I would have.

Madelyn dressed up as a pirate girl. Not just any pirate girl. A sparkly pirate girl.  The sparkles weren’t on her costume.  They were in her hair and if you have ever experienced the fun that is sparkly hair spray, you know it ends up everywhere else including the face.  🙂  The funny thing is, she wore a bandana on her head so as far as I can tell, you couldn’t really tell she had sparkles in her hair.  What little girl will pass up an occasion to spray glittery hair spray in her hair though?  Halloween and school Fall Festivals are two such occasions.

Thank goodness Tim, my husband, is a pretty awesome cleaner-upper.  He was patient enough to Madelyn her get the sparkles out of her hair after getting home from trick-or-treating.. first sorting the candy of course.  There apparently was no way she could go to bed without washing her hair.   She would have been inhaling glittery hair spray all night.  It’s not too tough to get Madelyn in the shower.  She’s a fan of 20 minute showers.  You know.. the kind that leave your pores completely clean and detoxified and your fingers looking like raisins.

This might be because she feels like a pampered princess in the shower.  I would too if I had such delicious smelling product to wash myself with.

Suave Kids

Madelyn’s favorite shampoo and body wash are made by Suave®.  She loves the smell.. so do I.. and the lather of Suave Kids 2 in 1 Smoothers Fairy Berry Strawberry Shampoo.  Having a name like Fairy Berry Strawberry doesn’t hurt either.  🙂   The combination of this Suave® shampoo and Suave kids’ Soft & Smooth Detangler (twirlin’ Swirlberry scent) proved to be a sanity saver Halloween night.   Tim doesn’t have the honor of maintaining Madelyn’s gorgeous blonde locks as often as I do 😉 so he was happy that she offered him tips that night such as “don’t use mom’s conditioner in my hair!” and “spray the purple hair softener stuff in my hair before blow drying it”.   I’m glad she thought enough to tell him to use the detangler because I’m afraid she would have lost some hair or shed some tears if she didn’t suggest that he spray it on her hair before blow-drying it.   We kid her about the ‘tangle fairies’ visiting her day and night.  It seems like every 5 minutes she needs to brush her hair because it gets so tangled.

Suave saved Madelyn from having perma-sparkly hair by making it easy and fun to wash and detangle her hair after a long night out gathering candy. 🙂  Thanks Suave!

I am thankful that Tim and the kids pulled it together and were able to trick-or-treat without me this Halloween.  Just kidding… and I’m thankful that Suave helped all of them cope when the fun night of tricks and treats was over and they were left with sticky hands, sparkly  hair.. and yummy candy!  I’d call that a success!

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Madelyn has very fine hair and we have always been able to use and count on Suave Kids’ hair products for her hair.  Suave® offers products for the entire family so everyone can look good and feel good everyday! The best part – Suave® products are available at Walmart so you can get the best value locally.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Lunchbox. As always, all thoughts and opinions are mine and not influenced in any way.

What’s In My Makeup Drawer – Buxom, Givenchy, Covergirl, & More

Like most women, I have a drawer (or two) full of makeup.  I recently threw away any makeup products that I haven’t used in over 6 months and this is what was left.. plus a few items I come across recently.  🙂

My morning makeup routine usually starts with Covergirl foundation.  I used to wear the Laura Mercier foundation (#6 below) every day but I really like the feel of the Covergirl foundation and realized that each foundation is great for its own purpose which is for special occasions now. I love the way the Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation feels on my skin but it doesn’t stay on as long as the Covergirl foundation.

Here are a reviews of some of my favorite cosmetics items and things in my makeup drawer.  Please share your can’t-live-without makeup products with us in the comments below.

What's in my makeup drawer

 

 

1. Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation – $10 at Amazon.com or local store
This is my new-ish go-to foundation for days when I am going to be outdoors or in situations when I might break a little bit of a sweat.  It stays on great, as the name implies.  Despite that this foundation has a built-in primer, I still use my Sephora primer.  I don’t know if I’ll ever not use primer now that I’ve started.

2. Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer – $28 for .02 oz or $42 for .5 oz
I have massive under-eye circles, so much so that my daughter asked me recently why the skin under my eyes was purple.  This highly pigmented, super-emollient, water-resistant formula blends seamlessly into my skin, looks and feels natural, and stays on all day.

3. Buxom Full-On Lip Cream – $19 at Sephora
I have very sensitive lips.  They look outlined in lip liner the second I put traditional lipstick on.  Buxom is one brand of lip cream/ lipstick that doesn’t freak my lips out.   I’m not crazy about their menthol-y tingle but since the lip cream goes on so smooth and doesn’t make my lips go into instant lip liner mode, I can easily say that Buxom is my new (for the past two years) favorite lip color brand.

4. GIVENCHY Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip & Cheek Balm – $31 at Sephora
I love this lip & cheek balm.  The first time I put it on I thought that it looked sheer and I was a little disappointed.  It felt great on my lips and like Buxom lip cream I mentioned earlier, it did not make the edges of my lips turn bright red.   When I looked in the mirror again a few minutes later I was surprised to see that my lips were covered in a beautiful shade of pink.  My sister got the same lip balm and because GIVENCHY Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip & Cheek Balm contains pigments that react with the skin’s humidity to create a personalized hint of color to the lips, it looks different on her than it does me.  How cool is that?

5. Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara – $10 at Amazon.com
If I have to choose just a few cosmetics to wear in a day, mascara is one of them.  I don’t usually do much to make my eyes stand out so much of the time mascara is it.  This mascara has proven to be great for me, sliding on smoothly and not coming off easily, even on days when I’m on the hot soccer or lacrosse field watching the kids practice. I have experienced less clumping with this mascara than any I’ve tried.  That doesn’t mean that I haven’t had any issues with clumping though.  Given the nature of mascara I think clumping is naturally going to happen occasionally but not in such a severe way as with some other mascaras.

6. LAURA MERCIER Oil Free Suprême Foundation – $45 at Sephora

7. Benefit Cosmetics Eye Brightener – $20 at Sephora

8. BENEFIT COSMETICS Sugarbomb – $28

9. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer – $36
This is on my face everyday.  That is one thing you can count on. I have some scarring from when I was a teenager and am self-conscious about it enough to wear a primer everyday.  No matter what.  This primer feels like silk and goes on smoothly to fill in fine lines and even out skin texture.

What's in my makeup drawer

As you can see, there are plenty more items (and even more than in the photo above) in my makeup drawer than just what I listed above.  More of my favorite makeup products are Kiehl’s Eye Alert, Olay Regenerist, Covergirl Olay powder, Bobbi Brown foundation stick, Sephora eye primer, and then to take it all off I use Neutrogena makeup remover wipes.

I’d love to hear from you!

What makeup products can you not live without using everyday?  What is your favorite foundation, concealer or lip balm?

Alicia, The Mommy Insider blog author


8 Busy Moms Beauty Tips and One of my Favorite Beauty Products!

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If you’re a busy mom who has little to no time on her hands but you still want to look fresh-faced and bright eyed with a flawless face, I recommend that you look into Laura Mercier’s cosmetics.   I love Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer and most recently, their lip gloss, which you will find online at stores like Beautique UK.

busy mom beauty tips

Love! – Tinter Moisturizer

Laura Mercier is known for it’s signature trademark, a flawless face.  The brand excels in creating perfect-looking skin in the matter of minutes with easy to use products. Busy moms who use this brand will have beautiful glowing skin that others will be envious of.  One of the most popular items for mom’s of all ages is the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer.  Not only is this item a great multi-tasker, it provides just enough coverage and moisture to leave skin looking smooth with a natural dewy finish.  This moisturizer also contains SPF 20 which is ideal for mom’s who enjoy taking their little ones out on play dates in the park. You won’t have to worry about your skin or reapply sunscreen while chasing your little ones.

Worried about aging skin?

Prevention of aging and damaged skin is also key when it comes to saving time on a beauty routine. By using products to prevent wrinkles and to repair skin, busy moms can save time when they do apply their makeup since they will not have to pile on foundation and concealer to mask imperfections. Laura Mercier offers an array of skin products that range from eye serums to decadent smelling body butters. By incorporating some of these items into a nightly routine before bed, you can wake up with a smooth, soft feeling face that will provide a smooth canvas for your makeup in the morning.

Laura Mercier also provides bright, fun colors for moms who want to brighten their day with makeup.   There are assorted shades of lipsticks to choose from as well as beautiful baked shadows that are crease-proof and pigmented at the same time.   Due to the quality of the brand’s items, a busy mom won’t have to waste time with constant reapplication of lipstick or worry if her mascara is running.

8 Busy Mom Beauty Tips From Alicia

  • Apply a tinter moisturizer or lotion with sunscreen on your face every morning.
  • Carry an extra supply of cosmetics in your purse.  We’re busy and we never know if we’re going to be out all day and need to switch up our colors for the evening.
  • Keep dry shampoo on hand!  Dry shampoo is great for times when an unexpected event pops up and you don’t have time to wash, dry, and style your hair.  Just spray the dry shampoo on, style, and go!
  • Have makeup remover wipes on your nightstand.  I have been known to forget to wash my face some nights.  Now I just pull a makeup remover wipe out, use it, and toss it – in the garbage of course.
  • Keep nail polish remover wipes in the car, pull them out and use them to remove chipped nail polish while waiting in the carpool line.
  • If you have time to only apply 3 things, choose tinted moisturizer with sunscreen, lipstick or gloss, and blush.
  • Get a manicure once a month or so.  It will make you feel good about your hands and nails for a couple of weeks; well worth the investment.
  • Get a good under-eye concealer.  Parents don’t get sleep.  Period.

You don’t have to let your beauty routine fall to the wayside to take care of your kids.   All these items from Laura Mercier will help a busy mom achieve a flawless face without spending an hour in the mirror. With the proper skincare and a few select, quality products to use, you can be out of the door within minutes.

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I Found an Amazing Beauty Cream! L’Occitane Pivoine Flora Beauty Cream

Oh my goodness!  I recently received a jar of L’Occitane Pivoine Flora beauty cream, a beautifully fragrant cream that is formulated to make skin satiny smooth, and I love it!  This cream is a popular product offered by L’Occitane, and it is perfect for the spring and summer.

L'Occitane beauty cream


Ingredients are important when it comes to beauty creams.  You want them to be rich and hydrating without feeling greasy and heavy.  This cream is easily absorbed thanks to its high-quality ingredients.  Rich butters and oils absorb into the skin and Peony extract from France is used to make this product smell incredible!

A busy mom will appreciate how easy this product is to use and carry with her. It’s the perfect size for a diaper bag or purse. You simply unscrew the jar and apply liberally to dry skin. Massage the cream into your skin until it is fully absorbed.  Your skin will feel brighter and softer instantly!
The elegant packaging makes this product feel like real luxury. The glass jar is even reusable. The pink colors are a nice feminine touch, and the label is definitely eye-catching. L’Occitane doesn’t skimp on packaging. When you hold this product, it feels substantial. It doesn’t feel cheap or look cheap like some lotions can.
This luxury cream is seven ounces for $36. Some might say it’s pricey, but the quality more than makes up for the cost.
L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Beauty Cream reviewThe L’Occitane Pivoine Flora beauty cream is a rich product with luxurious ingredients that will transport you to the south of France where it was inspired from.

L’Occitane is a company that began in 1976. It is a company inspired by Mediterranean ingredients, traditions and fragrances. Every product is made by drawing inspiration from the province where the company began. L’Occitane is sold around the world as a luxury brand.
I was sent a sample of this product for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  You will find more about my editorial policy and how I accept products to review here.
Links in review posts are occasionally linked to a site we are affiliated with.  When a reader clicks and buys from a link on our site, we may make a small commission from the purchase. 

Tree Hut Hand & Foot Care products: Made with Certified Organic Shea Butter!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tree Hut. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

It’s that time of year again for flip flops, sundresses and bathing suits.  I have one problem though. Dry, itchy, ugly feet!  I use lotion on them in the morning and at night and it’s just not enough. But I found a Tree Hut foot cream at Wal-Mart the other day that I have not tried before and I can’t wait to see if it helps me! And my hands get so dry and crack from having them in water all the time I want to try Tree Hut hand cream to see if that helps!

One of the things I like about Tree Hut is they source ingredients from all over the world from Certified Organic Shea Butter to coconut shells imported from the Polynesian Islands. Every Tree Hut product contains an array of natural oils and extracts to bring out the beauty of your skin and make skin smooth and soft.

Tree Hut has everything that you need to make you feel great about the way your skin looks. They have Shea body butters,  Shea extra-rich moisturizing lotions, Shea sugar body scrubs, hand creams, foot creams and foot scrubs!

 photo treehutfoot-GoogleSearch_zpsdd84afd4.jpg

Some of the products that I want to try are:

The Foot Cream: 

  • Certified Organic Shea Butter: skin repairing & moisturizing, anti-aging, promotes elasticity 
  • Argan Oil: natural anti-aging properties 
  • Rose Hip Oil: natural anti-aging properties 
  • Non-greasy formula 
  • Paraben Free and No DMDM
  • Made in the USA 
  • Do not test on animals

The Hand Cream

  • Certified Organic Shea Butter: skin repairing & moisturizing, anti-aging, promotes elasticity 
  • Aloe Vera: Nature’s soothing moisturizer 
  • Peppermint Oil: Moisturizes skin 
  • Paraben Free and No DMDM
  • Made in the USA 
  • Do not test on animals

 

The Foot Scrub: 

  •  Certified Organic Shea Butter: skin repairing & moisturizing, anti-aging, promotes elasticity 
  •  Real Sugar: Natural sugar exfoliates skin smooth 
  •  Peppermint Oil: Moisturizes skin 
  •  Paraben Free and No DMDM
  •  Made in the USA 
  •  Do not test on animals

All of the things that will help me feel great and want to wear flip flops, sundresses and bathing suits! 

Want to try out Tree Hut products for yourself?

You can find Tree Hut products nationwide at Wal-Mart. Also be sure to follow Tree Hut on Twitter and like Tree Hut on Facebook.

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