Firefox is the shiz

How is it that I just found out about Firefox themes (or as they call them, personas)?  Seriously awesome.  I’m sporting a vintage flower look right now.  Click below to get your own – I recommend the fashion and sports categories.

Seriously.  Get involved.

Um…it’s the off season?

Long time, no see.  Soooo what’s happened since we last spoke?  Well, the Saints won the Super Bowl, I gave up buying makeup for Lent, spring training got underway, oh, and this little thing called March Madness kicks off tomorrow.  You said you wanna see my bracket?  But of course….

And if there are any boys reading this (that means you, B.ry) try not to cry when I kick your ass.

How much is your face worth? (Not as much as A.Rod.)

The always lovely Rae of theNotice had an interesting post this morning calculating the cost of her “face” today. Count all the products on your face right this very minute (i.e., no cleansers of exfoliators, but including serums, treatments, moisturizers, etc.) Mine’s kind of unfair, since I hardly ever use the same products two days in a row.

SKIN
German Nivea, $15 (according to Rae, but I got mine for a measley $4)
Desert Essence jojoba oil, $6
Acne-Free senstive treatment, $8 (got in a kit for $10 on clearance at Walgreens)

BASE
Px All Skins mineral foundation $34 (scored for $15 on eBay)
Coty Airspun powder $8

CHEEKS
MAC Gentle mineralize blush, $22 (bought on LJ for $16)

EYES
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, $10
Almay Pure Blends eyeshadow in Wheat, $9 (scored for $2ish at CVS beauty clearance)
WnW cream eyeliner, $3 (paid $1.50 at Walgreens sale)
WnW MegaLengths mascara, $3

LIPS
Cover Girl TruShine Wine Shine, $7 (less than $2 on clearance 😦 at RiteAid )

from the gorgeous miss Kristina at Sasquatch Swatch

TOTAL COST TO ME?
$77.50!  And I’m sporting the super-natural, low-key look today.  Also, did you notice how many products I got on sale?  My face probably “retails” for over $100.  Still not too bad.

How much is your face worth today? Link ’em or leave ’em, pretties!

TGI fan-freaking-tastic F!

Reasons today is awesome:

1. It’s Friday. Enough said.
2. The office is nice and quiet so we can get some work done…or not. However you want to see it.
3. My Fyrinnae came yesterday!
4. I opened up my Google Reader this morning and saw MY NAME on my MOST FAVORITE BEAUTY BLOG! I could barely contain my excitement!

Thanks again, Rae! xoxo

ROLL tide ROLL: Rose Bowl tonight!

I would be highly remiss if I didn’t mention that the FBS National Championship Rose Bowl game is TONIGHT!

I think you can tell who I’m rooting for.

Here’s why:

1. I’ve always kinda liked Alabama and sported an Alabama hat around my senoir year of high school.
2. Mark Ingram cried getting the Heisman (even if he did beat Tim Tebow, boo).

3. I’ve always kinda hated Texas and it reminds me of the girls at the elite college I went to before I transferred who decorated our hall in “Hook ’em Horns!” decor. I don’t think they watched football.
4. Colt McCoy is a tool. But this commercial is nice.

The fine print: notes about the blog

While I’m sitting here at work attempting to look busy and with little else to do but eat my Apple Jacks, I thought I’d mention a few things that are, you know, required by law.

The FTC recently ruled that bloggers must disclose whether the products they review were personally purchased or acquired for free from a company’s PR agency. All the products I have featured thus far on B&tC were purchased by me. With my own money. From my bank account. I did receive some free samples of Aquanil after I bought my own bottle, but I let you guys know how you can get yours too.

Since my digital camera is God knows where, most of the pictures on the blog I find through Google images. I always link back to the original webpage from which the image came; just click on the image to be redirected.

Photos of me were taken by my friend and former roommate (((stw))) and they are her personal property. If for some reason you want to use one of these images, please please ask first!

Like this (the love of my life, Old Gregg). Look but don’t touch.

Strike 1: new skincare routine

So I wrote a post a few months ago about my super-duper-awesome skincare routine that I was sure was going to solve my every dermal problem and end world hunger. Except for I realized I was sensitive to the dimethicone in my acne treatment and my cleanser couldn’t wash it (or all of my makeup) off, leading to more clogged pores and blemishes.

On to round two! I’ve been using this exact routine for a few weeks now and it seems to really be working (I am literally knocking on wood as I type this).

Current skincare:

AM – wash with Desert Essence Completely Clean face wash (castile soap based)
treat with AcneFree Terminator 2.5% regular (w/ alcohol)
moisturize with Avon Banishing cream

PM – wash with MAC Cleanse-off Oil (OCM with safflower/castor oils 1x/week)
treat with Avene Diacneal
moisturize with Avon Banishing cream

The castile soap seems to dry out my skin (which, for me, is fantastic) and I surprisingly haven’t had a single problem with the alcohol in the AcneFree treatment. Even though the Avon cream has dimethicone, it was recommended to me by a girl with some of the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen, so I HAD to give it a shot. Plus, the Cleanse-off Oil and OCM really break down whatever’s on top of the skin so I haven’t had as much pore-clogging action as usual. Diacneal = <3.

My mom has been bugging me literally for YEARS to try ProActiv, and while I was at Walgreen’s yesterday I saw the AcneFree sensitive kit on clearance for about $10. I used the regular AcneFree kit and HATED it, but the ingredients in this one looked nice (sulfate-free, tea tree oil, benzoyl peroxide in a lose dose, salicylic acid, retinyl palmitate, triclosan, silicone-free, yay!) and it had the treatment I love so much, but in a sensitive version without the alcohol. Starting today I’m using it in place of my AM routine (I hope I don’t regret this) and I’ll post updates if anyone’s interested.

Another couple of things I think are really helping:

• Changing pillowcases often (I just got a sheet set with FOUR pillowcases, score!)
• Using microfiber hand towels and baby washcloths to exfoliate at night (and it feels soooo good to wipe off the cleansing oil)
• Washing things that will touch my face (i.e. towels, washcloths, sheets, pillowcases) in sensitive skin, fragrance free detergent and bleach, when I can
• I used to use witch hazel religiously but not as much anymore. I still love it in emergencies, though.
• I also read online at zerozits.com that skincare treatments are more effective and work faster when refrigerated. I have no idea what the science is behind this (if any) but I need to remember to put mine in my beer….ummm…..I mean, beverage fridge.

If you have any good skincare tips, please please share!

MABB Monday Poll

Karen of the ever-spectacular Makeup and Beauty Blog does a Monday poll every week, and I HAD to fill it out this week. You’ll see why.

1. Mood:
I am le tired. Work was really lonely and boring today.

2. Video games — love ‘em or hate ‘em?
Ehh, neither really, although I am loving our new Wii.

3. Last thing that made you smile?
Email from a, uh, friend. I am such a girl.

4. A favorite sound?
When you tap the keys on the calculator in my coworker’s office and when she prints checks on the old dot matrix printer. Weird, I know.

I think it may be this exact one.

5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
Ebay 120 palette, MAC Solar White and Twinks/SH Peony lip lacquer/whatever was left on my blush brush from the last time I used it. (Badddd, I know. Apparently I’m just weird and bad.)

6. How do you feel about leggings?
I need to get some.

7. Do you follow sports?
Do you know me? Do you read this blog?

8. When I was a kid I wanted to be _____.
A veterinarian, a librarian, or a zookeeper.

9. Outfit:
Tan and brown striped cashmere sweater with cream colored 3/4 sleeve cropped cardigan over that with bootcut jeans and my fake Wallabees.

10. Weekly goals:
Call my best friend just to talk. Write in my daybook every day. Start reading the book my fauxsister gave me for Christmas and in turn try to find some job openings I would actually like.

Last loves of 2009

Here on the last day of 2009, I came across a few posts of monthly “favorites” that I never got around to posting. Let’s do a quick & dirty of some goodies I’ve used over the past few months.

September

• Tresemme 24-hour body shampoo (only used a few times, but it was good)
• Soap & Glory the Righteous Butter lotion (smells DELICIOUS)
• Acne.org regimen (doesn’t work as well as it used to. btw, my old skincare regime is trash, so an update is coming soon.)

October

• Quantum Beautiful Brunette shampoo (found on Miss Natty’s Beauty Diary)
• Natural Instincts haircolor (I mix dark brown and brown-black)
• Pretika sonic dermabrasion skincare brush (kinda ehh now but I did love it)
• Femme Couture baked bronzer in Summer Love (MAC Pleasureflush dupe)
• DIY brush cleanser and disinfectant by EnKore (find it here)

November

• Witch hazel as toner (still amazing, but drying)
• Revlon Colorstay foundation (love. that is all.)
• MAC Cleanse-Off Oil (rediscovered hardcore love)

I read theNotice every day and so should you.

December

• Avene Diacneal (I will never be without this again)
• Rimmel lipsticks (my favorite is Airy Fairy, but I have and love Celeb and Kasbah too)
• Wet ‘n’ Wild cream liners (these suckers stay put)
• MAC Creme Cup (been wanting this forever)
• Avon Beyond Color Plumping lip conditioner (thanks Rae for the rec)

BONUS: Wild Animals by the Pinker Tones and Backspacer by Pearl Jam

The Pinker Tones are a Spanish pop group I found on one of the DirecTV music channels. You can’t help but dance when you hear “Electrotumbao.” And who doesn’t know Pearl Jam? Some of the tracks on Backspacer are just kinda eh but I could listen to “The Fixer” over and over again, while “Just Breathe” can make me cry a little:

“Yes I understand that every life must end
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go
I’m a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love
Some folks just have one
Others they got none
Stay with me
Let’s just breathe”

In memory of Tommy Tyson. I know you’re up there singing with the angels.

And the budgeting begins: my last beauty haul of 2009

Happy holidays, people! New Year’s Eve is my least favorite holiday of the year (tied with July 4)…I don’t know why, I guess I just never have plans and sit around watching Twilight Zone marathons. But today wasn’t half bad – after work I was idling around town before I decided to head to Walmart to check out some Hard Candy. Before that, I stopped in at the Dollar Tree and hit the JACKPOT. Recessionista at Nouveau Cheap is always doing posts about the awesome things she finds at dollar stores, so I thought I’d join the party.

I got three Sally Hansen Natural Butter Lip Shine Glosses in Nectar (a light nude-beige), Berry (a sheer berry red), and….another one I can’t be arsed to go get out of the car, but it’s a light natural pink. These are super moisturizing and taste and smell delicious. I’m a sucker for anything with the word “butter” in the name and these were definitely worth the $1 price tag.

I also got four (eep!) Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine for lips in Jasmine, Peony, Ginger, and Orchid. The first three colors are natural-looking pinky-mauves, while Orchid is a brighter, darker purple-pink. I’ve only tried Jasmine, but it was very pigmented and actually came out darker than the looked in the tube. These are, in my opinion, actually liquid lipsticks instead of glosses. Jasmine has a glossy, rather frosty finish which I’m not a huge fan of, but I think with the right eye makeup it could work.

I grabbed the only Sally Hansen Moist & Matte lipstick I could find, this one in Linen. It’s a warm light pinky-brown. I only have one other Moist & Matte (in Shantaug) and while its orangey color isn’t quite for me I do like the formula. It’s a liquid lipstick in a twist-up tube and the finish is just what it says – moist and matte.

Finally I got a couple of Maybelline nail polishes – a Salon Finish in Nude Creme and an Express Finish in Matte Grape. The names are pretty self-explanatory, though I would say that the grape is more of a dark smoky blue-plum.

From Walmart I got a Pure Ice nail polish in Kiss Me Here (concrete gray), a Wet ‘n’ Wild blush in Heather Silk (bright medium pink…I’ve heard it’s a dupe for NARS Mata Hari, I believe), and a set of Fing’rs Edge nails (black french tips with skulls). I have them on now and they’re totally badass. I like them so much I may not even take them off for my friend’s wedding on Saturday. I can’t find a photo of these online ANYWHERE, but they’re available on their website.

(Psssst…tonight, by accident, I discovered a neat little trick for applying fake nails. I didn’t want the glue to ruin my nails, so I applied two coats of strengthener [Sally Hansen Get Thicker] and let dry until tacky. I then went to match the fake nails up to my real ones, and I found that they stuck on really well to my freshly polished nails. It’s only been a few hours so I can’t say how the wear will be, but I’ll pretty much try ANYTHING to keep me from having to use nail glue!)

Sorry for the lack of pictures, lovelies! My camera’s been MIA since my move in July. I guess I can’t really make fun of my sister’s boyfriend for losing his Wii in his last move.

Here’s to a beautiful 2010!