Castor Oil

I've been doing a lot of research lately on different ways to grow hair and prevent the amount of hair loss that I have been experiencing lately. Now its nothing of serious concern, but for one its just very annoying to be constantly shedding. So I did look into some pills to take or topical creams, all of which brought a lot of concern to me. The first one I considered was Monistat 7, which quite a few girls have been trying recently (with great success I might add). I just don't think that putting something designed for the vaginal area on the scalp is such a good idea. Call me crazy, I just seed side effects written all over that. The next one I considered was a supplement called Hair Infinity. It retails for around $28 for a month supply which seems very pricey, however lots of women were having a lot of success with this product. The further I looked into it the more it concerned me. People were having side effects left and right. Things like becoming ill, dizziness, and even heart palpitations. To me thats just not something I want to deal with more than hair loss. So then I found some videos on Youtube of women trying castor oil on their hair. Of course I did lots of research and found it to be what I would consider safe.

 I decided to go with a brand called "Home Heath Castor Oil". It is an all natural cold pressed and cold processed oil. I got it in a 16 fl. oz. bottle for right around $9 from the Vitamin Shoppe. Now from what I found on my little scavenger hunt via the internet was that the oil is made from a nut and then pressed into an oil. It is considered an emollient oil which is one that can be easily absorbed into the skin, hair, nails, etc. The therapeutic and medicinal benefits from this oil have been used for centuries, and it's believed that the benefits are derived from the high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids. Basically what you are going to do with this oil is apply it to the scalp right before bed and massage it in for four minutes 2-4 times a week. Then of course shower in the morning. This is exactly what I am going to be doing and I will also be tracking all of my results for this following month. I will write up a following blog post after this month is up to let you all know exactly how it went and if I have any comments or concerns. If you would like to do this along with me I would love to know what your results are as well. :)

- A<3

Ben Nye Banana Powder

Ben Nye Banana powder has been a major product talked about in the beauty world for the past couple of years now. Everyone and anyone has seen that Kim K highlight-contour on pinterest and all over the internet, and they all seem to want it. I have seen quite a few people use this product for that exact purpose; however my biggest beef with this product is that it is too dark for me to achieve that look.

Banana Powder Ingredients: Talc; Zinc; Stearate; Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch; Zea Mays (Corn) Starch; Methylparaben; Propylparaben; Butylparaben; May Contain (+/-): CI NO. 77491; 77492; 77499; 73360 (Iron Oxides; Red 30 Lake); Parfum Free.

The powder reminds me a lot of the Laura Mercier translucent loose setting powder, but I find that this powder settles way less. It definitely brightens a skin tone that is anywhere from a light-med to dark complexion. Its best for someone with a warmer undertone; however anyone could use it as an all over setting powder to help reduce redness in the face. The powder does come in about ten different shades and retails anywhere from $10-$25 depending on the size. The 3 oz. container that I have would literally last you a lifetime :) All in all I think this is a great powder and I would definitely like to try a lighter shade at some point. Let me know what you think if you have tried this shade or any other shade from Ben Nye. 

-A <3

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain vs. YSL Glossy Stain

Alright, lipgloss time! So as many of you may or may not know, L'Oreal owns Yves Saint Laurent. Crazy, but L'Oreal is actually the biggest cosmetic company around owning hundreds of other companies that we all love and enjoy like YSL. When companies like L'Oreal own many other companies you get what is called "crossover", which is where products like glossy stain from YSL end up being extremely similar to other cheaper options. Which is what brings me to the comparison of these two products.

So firstly the Glossy Stain from YSL- Comes in at least 48 shades but they are constantly coming out with more colors. The packaging is beautiful but I feel like it is a little bulky for travel. I do enjoy though that you can see your color through the little window on the front of the package. The shade range is quite extensive and they even have a whole line dedicated to shimmer. They do have a scent that can be pretty powerful at first but its nothing to be alarmed by. When you first apply the gloss on your lips it almost has a cooling effect. I love how they feel like a lipstick, go on like a gloss, and last like a stain. Although I do recommend this product I sometimes feel like it leaves my lips feeling a little dry; however Its nothing a little chapstick can't fix :) This product retails for $35 which I find to be quite outrageous.

Now onto the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain (wow what a name!). This gloss currently comes in twelve shades but I'm assuming more shades will soon follow. The packaging is beautiful and it feels super elegant. The size is perfect for travel and it can fit easily into pockets. This gloss also has a short of window that allows you to see your color which is so useful. The shade range is quite nice however I feel like it is lacking certain colors. This gloss also has a very similar scent to the glossy stains; however it isn't quite as powerful which I enjoy. When you first apply this gloss it has that very same cooling effect. To me this is almost an exact dupe for the YSL glossy stains yet way more hydrating, it almost reminds me of more of a balmy feel than a lipstick. This product retails for  anywhere from $7-$9, but I recently purchased five of these for $2 from a target sale. 

All in all I fully enjoy both products, but I don't see the need to spend $35 when you could get almost the same product if not even better of a product for way less. Don't get me wrong, I love luxury products but I love saving money and getting better buys just a bit more. :) I hope this helps you all sort out which product you'd prefer. Let me know what you think and which product you love. 

-A <3    

Dior Maximizer Mascara Primer

I have to say that this has to be one of my most used products out of my entire collection. It serves many purposes. Not only is this your mascara primer that adds length and volume but its also a growth serum and conditioner. It contains a unique cell-conditioning complex made up of hydrolyzed soy proteins that promote long-term lash growth, strength, and vitality. When using this primer I find that I don't need as much mascara to get the voluminous and long lashes that I love. The brush on the wand is perfect, it separates and lengthens with ease. Another cool thing about this primer is that you can put it on right before bed and sleep in it to help strengthen your lashes. It retails for $28.50 which can seem pricey but it lasts me right around five months so it seems pretty worth it. Over the course of using this product my lashes have significantly grown and strengthened. I'd highly recommend everyone who is using mascara to use this primer. Let me know what you guys think if you have ever used this or if you use another mascara primer :)

-A <3

About me- my hopes for this blog

Hello Everyone! I want to start off by saying that my name is Ashley. I am twenty-one and I am a makeup artist. A lot of people ask me where it started and to be completely honest, I have no idea. I haven't always loved the cosmetic industry, in fact I never really cared about my appearance until I was heading to college. Growing up in a small small town I never felt like I really fit in with anyone, I struggled for the longest time with finding who I was and who I wanted to be. When I was a junior I found Youtube and started watching a girl name Dulce. She was very inspiring and motivating to me and even to this very day I still watch her videos. I suppose you could say that's where it all started. After I graduated High School I went right into cosmetology school. My passion for this industry increased even more and I really felt a desire to be more involved with the makeup side of cosmetology. I seemed to find myself almost consumed by anything and everything makeup (ask my parents, they'll tell you lol). I spent hours upon hours a day trying to learn all I could to set myself apart from everyone else in school and before you knew it people would come to me daily for makeup advice. I knew right then and there that I was doing exactly what I was meant to do all along. I graduated from Cosmetology school in 2012 and found myself in a tricky spot... finding a job. With the grace of God I started working for Sephora in 2013 as a makeup artist. Its been a crazy journey for me thus far with this company as I recently relocated to a new city. I couldn't be happier with my decision and I can't wait to see what God has in store for me next. That's where this blog comes in. I want to be able to reach as many people as possible, and be inspirational and motivational to those who are exactly where I used to be. I'm not really sure what exactly that means as for this blog but I'm very excited to see where this leads and I sure hope you'll join me!

-A <3