Dermal Collagen Korean Face Sheet Masks Product Review

Hello Divas!

I recently bought a new sheet mask set from the "Dermal Korea Collagen Full Face Facial Mask Sheet" brand. They are a sheet mask so it is a sheet of fabric that is soaked in the essence and it stays on your skin for about 15 minutes while it dries.


I used the Royal Jelly mask this time and I must say I am impressed with just the application. These masks have slits cut into the sides so that you can better adjust them to fit your face.

The nose section is folded up a little so that you can put the flap down over the edge of your nose...much like other sheet masks.

What stands out for me is that the eye area has a flap that you can fold UP to place under the eye to allow more product to get into that under eye area. I have not seen this on any other sheet mask I have used so this is a great feature.

You get 16 of these for $12 so that is a pretty good deal and they came really quickly, even for being an international shipment!

It felt moisturizing on the skin and it was cooling when I put it on.

I will definitely repurchase because I am so into sheet masks now and it works well.

My Hygiene/Shower Routine

Hello Divas!

Today I wanted to chat about something we all do but people don't really talk about.

Showering!

I have a basic shower routine that I do every morning and night and then I add a little extra on weekends and special occasions. I will include a few images with links to the products that I use so you can order them online if you wish as well.

So just to confirm, I do shower twice a day unless I am sick on a weekend or something. You all know I sweat a lot and I was trained to not leave the house in the morning without taking a shower. I also feel it is most important to shower at night because then you are washing all the nastiness of the day off your body.

Even if you don't sweat a lot, during the day you come into contact with dirt, dust, and pollution and I feel you should shower at night to get rid of that and go to sleep clean in your bed.

I do sweat at night sometimes so I will take a quick shower in the morning to feel refreshed.

Basic daily shower
So for my basic shower  I really use three products. I use one for my face and two for my body.
For my body I prefer a simple soap and I mostly use Ivory soap. I love Ivory and have been using it for YEARS because it works with my skin. It has a light scent and is gentle on my skin so it is my go to for soap.

I use Ivory with a wash rag to wash away the grime of the day and sometimes that is all I do.The next part of my shower is to use body wash with a shower pouf. I normally like the more rough textured shower pouf because I feel like they exfoliate better.


This is not the actual one I use currently but I could not find a link to it.

I use any shower gel I like because it is just to add a little scent. I use one shower gel or body wash until I run out and don't always match my shower product to my lotion.


Right now I am using a vanilla scented body wash/shower gel combo and it works well on my skin.


Quick rinse
In the morning I usually just have a quick rinse because I already showered the night before. For the quick rinse I will normally just use one product instead of the two I used for the Basic daily shower above. Normally I will use only the shower pouf and shower gel but if I feel like I sweated a lot that previous night I will use soap and the wash rag.

Special occasion/Weekend extras
 On the weekends I will take a little more time in the shower. I will go ahead and do the first step of the basic daily shower, which is to use the soap and wash rag. I will then use a scrub to exfoliate and what I am LOVING right now is the Brazilian Nut sugar scrub from Tree Hut.

It smells sooooo good I could almost eat it. This is one of the best scrubs I have ever used and I really love sugar scrubs because they are so gentle on the skin.  This has a deep sort of coffee, vanilla scent to it and I feel it energizes me if I use it in the morning but is versatile enough to calm me when I use it at night.

So those are the products I use in the shower and I know they may not work for everyone but they work for me.

Share your shower routine in the comments below!

Product Review: Freeman Rose Paper Brightening Mask

Hello Divas!!!

Today I will be reviewing the Freeman Rose Paper Brightening Mask. I bought a bunch of different types of facial masks recently because I wanted to try out new things. This particular mask says it brightens dull skin, which I do not really need because my skin is not dull. I just want to see what it feels like!!!

The mask itself is pretty standard but I did not notice any scent when I opened the packet. I thought it would at least smell slightly of roses but that was not the case.


The thing that differed from some other paper masks I have tried is that this one had a glossy paper backing to the mask. I assumed you were supposed to apply the mask to your face with the glossy side up and use that to position it over your  skin. When you were satisfied with the placement, you would then peel off the glossy paper and leave only the actual product.

After peeling off the glossy paper I continued to smooth the mask over my skin to ensure even contact. I left it on for the recommended five minutes and then peeled it off starting at the edges and working my way in. During the time the mask was on my skin I did not feel like it was doing anything. Some masks tingle so you can feel like they are 'working' but this one did not have any sort of effect.

I felt a very slight residue after removing the mask so I made sure to rinse that off well.  As always, when trying out a new mask I did not apply moisturizer afterwards, so I could gauge the full effect of the product. After about ten minutes I noticed white streaks on my skin so I rinsed off again and let my face air dry.

Once my face dried again I noticed that my skin actually looked like it had a residue and it looked dull. The point of the mask was to brighten skin but this one just made my skin look dull. I ended up rinsing with water one more time and then applied moisturizer.

As always you can click on the image above to buy from Amazon and I will get a referral from that. You can also pick this up at most drugstores and beauty stores if you do not wish to order online.

Verdict: this mask did not really work for me and I will not repurchase.

Montagne Jeunesse Creamy Coconut Face Masque Review

Hello Divas!!!!

I have recently gotten back into using face masks or masques as they are sometimes called. The most recent purchase is the Montagne Jeunesse Creamy Coconut mask.

It is supposed to be very hydrating due to the fact that coconut is very hydrating.

I washed my face and opened the packet to get read. The first thing I noticed is that the package is easy to open. This is not a big deal but when you look at some other products that are very difficult to open you will realize the importance of an easy to use package.

The scent is a bit mild but I did think that it smelled slightly plasticky and a little bit fake. I know it is supposed to be a creamy version of the coconut but I thought it smelled a little bit artificial.





The product itself is easy to apply and it spreads evenly and thoroughly. The one thing I must note...is that like many other face masks I think the amount in the package is too much for one face but not enough for two applications.

I left it on for the suggested 10 minutes and noticed that about a minute in the product began to tingle. The tingling stopped after a few seconds so I was no longer worried about a bad reaction.

Like all the other mud or clay masks the product did begin to tighten a bit as it dried so make sure not to get it too close to your eyes or mouth. I washed it off with warm water and it rinses easily but does have a very slightly oily feel when first coming off.

Then, just to see the effects of the mask I went to bed without applying any other moisturizer to my face.....except for the Olay Regenerist on my eye area and just around the mouth as I always do.

You can get the mask at many beauty supply or even regular stores or you can also order it online. If you use the image in this post you can go directly to Amazon and buy using my affiliate link and I will earn a referral bonus!!

Girl Crush: Blogger Beauty Crush

Hello Divas!

So you know I always have a new girl crush and this time around it is beauty blogger Beauty Crush. I have been sporadically watching her videos and she is just so adorable.

Yes she sometimes wears a lot of makeup and I don't 'love' every look that she does but she has been refreshingly honest about a lot of things that many other bloggers keep under wraps.

She even admitted that she wears a weave!!!!

Anyway check out Beauty Crush for a few tips on hair, makeup, and relationships...and don't forget to check out her winged liner tips as well.

Beauty Crush.

Do One Simple Beauty Ritual Every Day

Hello Divas!!

It can look like it takes a lot of work to look great every day and sometimes it does. But you can make your beauty routine take a little less work if you take the time to do one simple beauty ritual every day.

Teeth
Divas have great looking teeth and one of the easiest ways to get that look is to whiten your teeth. I personally use Crest Whitestrips every year to whiten my teeth and the results last all year long.

I get the strips a few months before my birthday in July and I apply them every other day until the box is used up. I get beautifully whiter teeth for only a few minutes every day and then I don't have to think about it for the rest of the year.

Skin
One thing I do EVERY day is to make sure my face is clean before I go to bed. Even if I have been lying around in bed all day (and took a shower in the morning) and don't shower before bed I will wash my face before I hit the sheets.

I also make sure to MOISTURIZE before going to sleep so that my face stays nice and moist while I sleep. This allows for deep penetration of all the skin goodies in my face cream and I wake up with dewy, moist skin.

Nails
I have horrible, flat nails that break and do not grow at all. I do not wear fake nails and since nail polish seems to flake off my nails in two days I opt for clear polish.

I make sure to reapply my nail polish every three days and completely take it off on the weekends to allow my nails a time to rest.

How To Wake Up Looking Good

Hello Divas!

We would all love to wake up and roll out of bed looking great...but sadly that is just not a possibility. What you can do is to take steps to make sure you wake up looking GOOD so that you have to do as little as possible to end up looking GREAT before you walk out of the door.

Clean your face!
One of the most important things that you can do at night is to clean your face. I have a friend who has this as her mantra every night:
-Wash hands
-Brush teeth
-Wash face

She believed that even if you were too tired to take a shower or do anything else at night you MUST do those three things before bed. I totally believe that you should go to bed with a clean face because it helps to prevent breakouts.

You know that your skin rejuvenates itself while you sleep so starting off with a clean face is the best thing you can do.

You should always remove your makeup before bed to prevent clogged pores but even if you did not wear makeup you should still use a gentle cleanser to remove the sweat and dirt of the day from your skin.


Prep your hair!
You should go to bed with your hair prepped for the style you want the next day. If you want to have wavy hair then you can braid your hair the night before. When you wake up all you have to do is undo the braids and presto great waves without the use of heat.

You can also put your hair into a high ponytail on the top of your head if you want to keep it straight. If you can sleep with rollers you can use the soft ones to add some curl while you sleep. This will also have the benefit of you using less heat on your hair in the morning....which is always better for you hair.

Drink some water!
Always try to have a drink of water before you go to bed if you can handle it. Some people wake up at night to go the bathroom so they may want to drink just a little bit to avoid this. At the very least you should also keep a glass of water next to the bed so you can hydrate early in the morning. I get up around 5 am to go to the bathroom but don't actually get out of bed til 7. I drink a glass of water when I wake up at 5 so that I will be refreshed when I finally get up.

Get additional moisture!
Along with getting hydration from inside you need to seal in moisture from the outside. Most people are unaware that they sweat while sleeping...because they are asleep! You lose a LOT of water at night while you sleep so it is key to seal in as much as you can before bed.

Apply some lip balm to your lips as the skin there is thin and will dry out, especially if you lick your lips in your sleep, or breathe with your mouth open.

Use a heavy lotion on your hands and feet and if you use a night cream then go ahead and apply that to your face as well.

If you do all these simple things you will be taking the first steps to wake up looking good and then you can go on to looking great like the diva that you are!

Secret Beauty Services: Massage

Hello Divas!!!

Are you aware that there are a few beauty services that you can have access to that not everyone knows about?

Some retailers are offering secret beauty services that you will only get if you are in the know and I would like to share a few of them with you.

Massage!!!


Some Nordstrom stores not only offer great clothing but they also  have a massage therapist at the Nordstrom spa.

It is a bit pricey at a cost of about $50 to $120 depending on your location but so worth it!!!!

Secret Beauty Services: Brows

Hello Divas!!!

Are you aware that there are a few beauty services that you can have access to that not everyone knows about?

Some retailers are offering secret beauty services that you will only get if you are in the know and I would like to share a few of them with you.

Brows!!


The Benefit cosmetics counters at select Macy's stores offers expert brow advice including
Waxing and
Tweezing

for the perfect brows.

You do need to call your store to make sure they offer this service so go ahead and check out yours now.

21 Days Of Beauty Habits: Great Skin

Hello Divas!!

They say it takes 21 days of doing something for it to become a habit. I have decided that I will be starting a beauty ritual that I would like to become a habit and I will do it for the next 21 days straight until it becomes second nature to me.

I have a bad habit (and you know you do too) of sometimes skipping washing my face when I go to bed. Even if I take a shower at night I will just let the plain water run over my face and not even use a cleanser.

This is really bad for your skin because you know that even one swipe of make up remover does not remove all the makeup...so why would plain water do any good.

So for the next 21 days I will be following my routine of what I do when I actually do cleanse my face at night.

1. Wash my face.
I normally wash my face with these Aveeno cleansing pads because I think they are great at cleaning. They are gentle on the skin but also have a slightly rougher side that exfoliates as you clean.

The pads contain soy which is great for getting a more even skin tone when used and they smell great and do not cause irritation, even on my sensitive skin.

2. Tone my face.

I use Clean and Clear sensitive skin astringent to take off the last bit of dirt and grime and dead skin that the cleanser missed. You would be surprised at some of the stuff that comes off on a cotton pad when you use an astringent after washing.

3. Moisturize my face.
After the cleaning and toning the next step for me is to moisturize my face. I use Clean and Clear sensitive moisturizer with salicylic acid. I know this line is generally for teens and the younger generation but it has worked well for me now that I am over 30 and since my skin is so sensitive I tend to stick with what works.

In order to maximize the moisturizing effects I rinse my face off after I apply the astringent so that I can wash off the lingering alcohol. I also leave my face a little bit damp when I apply the moisturizer so that it can seal in some water.

Some people think that this dilutes the moisturizer and reduces the effectiveness but I prefer to do it that way. I just apply a slightly thicker layer of moisturizer than the instructions call for.

So anyway...the goal is to do this every night for the next 21 nights and hopefully it will become a habit so that I do not have to think about it. I always wake up with great skin the next day after doing this simple routine so it should be even better if I go at it for three weeks.

Add A Little Holiday Sparkle To Your Look: Gold

Hello Divas!!

The Christmas season is right around the corner and it gives the excuse to pile on the sparkle from your clothes, to your accessories to your makeup.

You don't have to look like a disco ball but you can add in a bit of sparkle and shimmer by just using one tip from the list below.

Metallic Sweater.
You can slip on one of these with a pair of black slacks to draw some attention to your face. The gold gives off a pretty shimmer on your face and makes you look better under all kinds of light.

Gold Wedges.
You ladies know how much I love my wedges!!!
These are classy enough to wear to a party or even dinner but they are OH so comfortable it feels like you are in flip flops or sneakers so your feet won't be killing you at the end of the day.

Gold manicure.

I could not resist posting more than one of these...I love the take on the candy cane in gold and white because it is refreshing!

On the other hand...no pun intended these gold and red nails are VERY festive add that extra punch to any outfit.
Get your sparkle on this Christmas 2012 and remember to wear a touch of gold to ring in prosperity in the new year.

My Favorite Moisturizer: Olay Regenerist Serum

Hello Divas!!!

The winter weather has set in and with it comes some quirky dryness associated with the heaters and all the dry air around.

While many beauty bloggers will tell you to upgrade to a thicker moisturizer for your face I think you can simply use this very light serum to keep your skin moist and dewy.


I absolutely love this light serum that you can wear under your makeup, under moisturizer or even just alone with nothing else over it. It dries to a slightly powdery consistency in my mind..which means you are not left shiny or greasy, but you do not have a white powdery look to your skin.

A little bit goes a LONG way so why not give it a try today?

False Eyelashes Made Easy

Hello Divas!!!

I know that some of you just LOVE your false eyelashes and cannot imagine leaving the house without them.

For the rest of us...falsies are a bit scary as the application with the glue is not very easy. To the rescue: Kiss Eyelashes with Applicator Strings.



Yes I know it sounds a bit strange ......and may bring up memories of tampons and their associated strings but I assure you this has nothing to do with that.

The eyelash strips come with handy applicator strings that help even the most challenged make up wearer to guide the lashes for a better fit.



All you do is apply the adhesive to the lash (you can't get away from that glue) and wait until the glue becomes tacky.

This usually takes about 1 minute so you can practice aligning your lash strips in the mean time. Then you hold on to the strings and gently place the strip along your lash line starting from the OUTER edge of the eye.

You work your way in and then tap the lash strip down in place. Once the lashes have fully dried you just tug on the strings and they pop right off!!!!

Pumpkin + Milk+ Honey = Great Skin

Hello Divas!!!

What can you do with all those leftover pumpkins and all that canned pumpkin? Well you may not know it but pumpkin is GREAT for your skin.

Mix the following:
1 tbs pumpkin (mashed)
1 tsp honey
0.5 tsp milk

mix well and apply to your clean face. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse of with warm water. Honey is a great humectant and will plump and moisturize the skin.

The vitamins in the pumpkin will also help to exfoliate your skin in a gentle, non abrasive way and all around make your skin look even better.

Diva Nail Tools

Hello Divas!!!

I know that we all try to take care of our nails and I just found a very pretty and girly nail set I wanted to share with you.

It cost under $4 at Walmart and I must say it a good deal.

I bought the set because I wanted the cuticle stick with the soft edge. I do not like the wooden ones because they tend to be jagged. I don't want to get splinters and I don't understand why they continue to make these wooden ones.

It also helps that most of the stuff has a lovely diva pink on it so it will go quite nicely in my collection of beauty tools.

Colder And Drier....so Moisturize!!!!!

Hello Divas!!!!!

I don't know about where you live, but right now we are having some bouts of colder weather every now and then as we get closer to winter. This means wearing more clothes, taking hotter showers and even running the heater some nights.

All of this hot and dry air will do a SERIOUS number on your skin so you need to moisturize, Moisturize, MOISTURIZE even more than ever.

I think I am turning into a Garnier spokesperson because I am now using their moisturizing gel creme and I must say I LOVE IT!!!!!!

It is a bit pricey for the size of the jar but I only use it on my neck and chest at night before bed so it is lasting me a long time. The gel is light and refreshing just like it says on the box....without being greasy or feeling heavy AND it has a lovely clean scent.

Another thing I do to keep moisturized is to run my little humidifier at night while I sleep because we all know how drying the night air can be to your skin while you try to get your beauty sleep.

As always, drink a LOT of water, as much as you can stand and then some more to make sure your skin stays soft and supple as you prepare for the battle of the dry winter skin.

I am now using Palmer's Cocoa Butter on my sad and sorry dark armpits at night to keep them moisturized after the last fiasco with the antiperspirant. This seems to help with the itching and flaking at night and has also soothed the burning.

I really hope my armpits heal up quickly because I have a function to attend this weekend and I do not want to to be in pain or even worse be all stinky because I cannot use anything.

Those who have good armpits have a real blessing and should appreciate it because those of us with the curse of the dark armpits have a DOUBLE problem!!!!!!

In any case, be moisturized, soft and supple!!!!!

Beauty Tip Of The Day: Wear Your Sexy Shoes

Hello Divas!

It is comforting to wear our flip flops to walk to and from work...but every now and then you need to wear your sexy shoes on the street as well.

It looks great as it pulls your look together and wearing heels instantly makes you look sexier!

Beauty Tip Of the Day: Lower Your Voice

Hello Divas!

The tip of the day is to lower your voice when you are on the phone. This instantly makes your voice sound sexy and makes you sound confident to the person on the the other end.

You do not have to sound all husky and manly, but just slightly deeper than your normal tone works wonders.

How To Use A Clay Facial Mask

Hello Divas!

One of the best ways to keep your skin looking and feeling great is to use a facial mask. You do not need to do this every day but even using a mask once or twice a week will help to keep your skin clean and clear.

I currently use two different types of masks:
-clay facial mask
-peel off mask

Today I am going to talk about the clay facial mask that I personally use which is the Feeling Beautiful Facial Mask with Avocado and Oatmeal.

I use this clay mask once a week and use the peel off mask once a week also, about three days apart. The clay mask serves to remove dirt and impurities from the pores,while firming and smoothing the skin as well.

Clay has been known to help draw out toxins from the skin and that is why it is incorporated into many spa treatments because it works so well. Because clay draws things out of the skin it is really good for those who have oily skin because it helps to remove excess oil. It can tend to be a bit drying if you do not have oily skin so that is why it is recommended to only use clay masks once a week.

It is best to apply a mask at night when you have more time just before bed and can take proper care of your skin. You will use your mask by following a few simple steps listed below and will soon be on the way to much more beautiful and clear skin.

Wash your face. Use a gentle cleanser and warm water to gently remove all the dirt, smoke and other surface pollutants that have accumulated on the skin during the day. Use a circular motion and move upwards to give yourself a stimulating massage as well while you clean.

Pat dry. Use a soft, clean cloth to gently pat your face to remove excess water. Do not rub your face and do not be concerned with getting it bone dry. Just remove the obvious water that can run down your face as that will dilute the mask.

Apply the mask. Squeeze a little bit of the mask onto your fingertips and begin to apply a thin layer to your face, avoiding the eyes and lips. You want to apply enough that every part of your skin is covered but not too much that you have a thick layer on the face that will take hours to dry. Let the mask dry for the recommended time, usually 10 to 15 minutes.

Rinse off. Once the mask has had time to dry and do its work you can wash it off. Some people recommend using a washcloth to wash the mask off but I just use my fingers again. You can also use a clean cotton pad as this will ensure you are not adding any dirt like if you used a washcloth. Use circular motions once more to wash the mask off and finish off with a splash of cold water to really refresh the face.

After the mask treatment you may go ahead and apply your regular moisturizer or night cream and head off to a night with cleaner, fresher skin.

Use Tube Mascara For Great Lashes In The Summer

Hello Divas!!!!!

It is right about that time when the heat gets to us and you are thinking of changing up your makeup.

When you wear mascara it generally tends to fall apart in the heat of summer, leaving you with horrible, wimpy lashes.....or even worse, streaks on your face.

The best thing I have found is to use tube mascaras, like the L'Oreal Double Extend (which I just LOVE!!!!).




Tube mascaras have a special formula that form heat resistant tubes that stay put in the heat. The mascara can then be washed off using warm water and a simple rubbing motion so you do not need the extra expense of makeup remover.

I am sure there are other tube mascaras that do the job but my personal favorite is L'Oreal beauty tubes because it really works well for me.