Clean & Clear Oil-free Dual Action Moisturizer

I don't use this daily, as I'm 32 so I'm trying to be proactive by using lots of moisturizers with heavy duty anti-aging properties. But if I'm having a breakout, which the oh-so-lovely humid weather in Texas causes a lot of in the summer, I use this. Honestly, I won't say that it's the BEST anti-acne product out there, but it's under $5, and it gives your face the most tingly, cooling feeling. I love it so much. And it smells really good. It reminds me of when I was a teenager, when I did use this daily. And sometimes, I use it just to feel that cold, tingly feeling. Just for fun.

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Neutrogena Wave Power-Cleanser & Deep Clean Foaming Pads

I've resisted buying one of these for a while, just because there have been lots of products like this that have disappointed me. But I was having one of those BLEH days, and just wanted something, anything to put in my cart that was "for me." So I went ahead and grabbed this Neutrogena Wave and an extra package of the exfoliating pads. It comes with a battery and it has two speeds of vibration. To be honest, I'm very skeptical about the whole claim that the vibration enables it to clean more deeply or thoroughly. But even without that, this is a really good product. I like the foam, it smells great, and exfoliates really well. My skin feels quite smooth once I'm done. And I still turn on the vibration, it just feels nice.

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Almay Smart Shade Concealer

I got this concealer at Target a while back and paid around $9.99 for it. It's package boasts skin matching pigments, the ability to conceal dark circles, and contains ginko biloba. When I first put it on I freaked because the shade was SO light. Almost white. Then after blending it in, it immediately changed pigment and nearly perfectly matched my skin tone. It acts just like the bottle does, see how the colors on this tiny tube gradient from white to beige? That's precisely what happens, and it's honestly fascinating.

It's too bad that as a concealer this product is really disappointing. As a breakthrough in skin matching technology, sure, it's awesome how it somehow knows what pigment is and matches nearly perfectly to it. But, it settles into my fine lines and clumps and creases as the day goes on. The first couple of times I used it I ended up wiping it off near the end of the day and replacing it with this. I suffered with this Almay concealer for about two weeks before I finally bought something else! Save your money and buy something that won't settle into the creases under your eyes.

Has anyone else tried the Almay Smart Shade foundations? I'm totally curious how well it might work!

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L'oreal High Intensity Pigments Jelly Balm

Another fabulous find from the HiP line of L'oreal. This is a sheer balm/gloss, and I love it. It's nice and thick - but doesn't feel gloppy and your hair won't stick to it. I only have it in this color, Delectable. I haven't tried the others, yet, but from all appearances this far, this is the perfect color. It goes on quite sheer, not too red at all, just a light flush. And it's not technically supposed to "plump," but I swear it gives me lips the illusion of being much fuller. Every time I use it, I can't get over how much I love the way my lips look in it.

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L'oreal Endless Lipcolor in Fawn Fatale

Back in high school, I had a babysitting job and I was so incredibly thrilled to have my own money. One of the first things I bought was some of L'oreal's long-lasting lipcolor in a color called Fawn. I absolutely LOVED IT. It was such a flattering color to my skin tone, and it brought out my eyes, and it indeed lasted forever, although at the time, it did give me that feeling that I'd applied superglue to my lips. And even though I worshiped my boyfriend at the time, I preferred being figuratively super-glued to his lips rather than literally. But I loved the color so much, that for a while, I wore no other lipstick. Then as I got more and more interested in cosmetics, I branched out, but I never forgot my true love of Fawn. I tried finding it again for a while, but was never able. Imagine my absolute DELIGHT! when I was perusing the baskets of clearance on a Target endcap, and I saw Fawn Fatale in their Endless Lipcolor line. I bought it, and sure enough - it was the same stuff! And it didn't feel like superglue! And it's as great as I remember! And it lasts! And you should try it! And... and... and... I'm really curious if it flatters other skin-tones. So... let me know!

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Tip o' the Day

"Use the ring finger - the weakest - to pat concealer into place," says makeup artist Laura Mercier. "That way, you won't tug or pull the skin unnecessarily."

Before dabbing concealer on your skin, warm it in the palm of your hand - the heat will thin the texture so the coverage is smooth.

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Clean & Clear Soft In-Shower Facial

Before I get started here, let me apologize again for the light posting! It really has been a crazy kind of month for me, and I know Missy has been crazy-busy as well. But I'm on the mend, now, and my oldest is about to start kindergarten, and all of this will enable me to work more Primp & Tell time in for all of you.

As previously mentioned several times, I'm a sucker for any exfoliating product. And it's probably a marketing technique, but when they put the word "facial" on anything, it makes it seem so hard-core, upscale and fancy, even though it really just means it's a beauty treatment for the face. So, I get sucked right in every time. Clean & Clear makes this great exfoliating "facial." It has a very fine grain to it, and it does a good job of exfoliating. It works, it's decent. Bottom line, really, I probably won't be dying to buy it again when it runs out - I reserve that passion for my Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It.

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