Cheap Ass Vanity: Part 2

My second tip for my "Cheap Ass Vanity" posts is less of a tip really, but more of a word of caution. This word of caution also applies to my own Cheap Ass Vanity tips that I will post. This is geared more towards people who read other peoples posts on skin care, hair care, and even hair removal.

First, a little back story. My dad is awesome, and he listens. When I complained about my acne (back before I found my tea tree oil skin care regimen which works awesome for me), he saw an ad on TV for Proactiv. It sounds great, guaranteed to work, worked for all those people on TV, and also other people as well. So my dad being awesome as he is purchased it for me. I followed the instructions perfectly, used it for about a month only to end up looking like I didn't have skin, but a layer of boils on my face. Well, not really boils, but new pimples and lots of whiteheads. It was awful.

Moral of that story is that a product that claims will definitely work on your skin, work on your hair, remove your body hair permanently, really has a 90% chance that it will not do what it claims. Why, you may ask?

WE ARE NOT THE SAME, PEOPLE! We all have different skin, different allergies, different conditions, different hair, different hair growth, different everything. So before you go out and purchase a system that will make your problem "go away", request a trial. Go for something small before you buy the whole deal. Also, do your research. Google the product, there are some great customer (and doctor) reviews on the web. Even go see a doctor to find out what your allergies are and research the ingredients in the products. (Just a word to the wise: products that contain animal proteins tend to do more damage to the skin for some people)

Advertising is probably the most effective way to do business, but unfortunately for us lovely people who want to look even more lovely, the most harmful. When we have problems, we ache for solutions. When we see something on TV or the internet that worked for somebody, we want it too because we want our problem to go away like their problem went away. I will, however, not blame the advertiser. I will blame us, the ones who fall for it. Especially in this day and age where there is a wealth of information at our fingertips and also some amazing doctors who can assess what will and will not work for you with a few tests. Buyer beware.

Also, before you go out and buy a product, don't forget home remedies! There are some great home remedies out there that cost next to nothing and have proven to be very effective for SOME people. This goes for everything I listed above - hair care, skin care, and even hair removal by sugaring. What's great about them is that they're natural and have less of a chance of doing damage by synthetic ingredients your skin may have a reaction to.

One last tip: ALWAYS do a test patch. I recently had a really bad experience with wax strips where it somehow peeled off my skin and kindly left the hair behind. I really wish I did a test strip before I tried that out. Ouch.

Cheap Ass Vanity: Part 1

So since the title of this blog is "a gamer. a girl. not ugly." and I have clearly incorporated the gamer part of me into this blog, also the bitch side of me, I have decided to incorporate the not ugly side of me as well. So every once in awhile I am going to write up an article on cheap ways to glam yourself up, or as the title suggests, Cheap Ass Vanity. Because even those with little money need some glam.

So for my first tip, let's talk about old makeup you want to throw away. Particularly old eyeshadows that just really don't fit your style. Or maybe even old lipsticks that were too bright red that make you go "ugh, what was I thinking?!" Also, please note that I am NOT a professional makeup artist. I am an average Jane who does her own makeup and frequents YouTube looking for new tips. My favorite, and a must follow is Kandee Johnson. She's also my inspiration for the following tips.

First, eyeshadows. We really shouldn't call them eyeshadows because they make amazing lip colors! If the color doesn't work with your current eye style, use that sucker on your lips, if the color works. First, make sure you have a really amazing base, because eyeshadow is dry. I recommend using a lip buff (really amazing one at The Body Shop) before to exfoliate your lips, then put on your favorite super moisturizing lip chap. Really slather it on, feed your lips moisturizer. Now, you can do one or both of the following steps. A) Take a really fine tipped brush, dip it in the shadow and line your lips. I usually skip this step as my lips are pretty full and thick, but don't skip this step if you have thinner lips. It really gives you the extra oomph. B) Dip your finger in the shadow and color in your lips! For extra glam, use your favorite clear lip gloss (NOT A RUB ON, BUT A SPONGE OR ROLL BALL APPLICATOR) over this look. What's great about this stuff is that it doesn't come off! Highly recommended for a long night out where you need to look glamorous, or even a wedding so you don't kiss off all your beautiful lip makeup.

Next, old "what was I thinking?!" lipsticks. This can also be used for the old eyeshadows if the color matches! They make EXCELLENT blushes. Especially those bright red lipsticks. However, keep in mind that the key with those really bright red lipsticks used as a blush is moderation. I suggest dabbing a tiny bit on your finger and then rubbing it on the apples of your cheek. Blush is such a necessity to complete your look. Without it, I find a lot of girls look too washed out. We naturally have reds on our faces, it really gives your finished look a healthy glow.

Now, something I need you guys to keep in mind is that these tricks I have described above - the products are NOT made for these purposes! You can go overboard with the eyeshadow lip color as that's not going to make much of a difference, but when you're considering the blush trick, PLEASE try this on yourself the night before you plan on wearing it out. Using lipstick as a blush can be really tricky, especially with those bright reds. Paler skins might not even be able to get away with it. But even so, you should always have loose powder nearby to cover up any of those harsh colors you get on your face, or even cover up/fix eye makeup. So if it's too bright, conceal the blush a little with your loose powder.

Anyways, that's all for now! I'll keep on updating as I find more cheap ass tricks! In the mean time, stay beautiful and GLAM! And remember, the best makeup tip is confidence. Believe in yourself, believe in your beauty and it will shine through. This is the cheapest tip anyone can give you, but the hardest to achieve. LOVE yourself, everyone will love you for it!