Be your own kind of beautiful. #Themessyvanity

First Thoughts: Motive Sculpt Series Contour Palette

There are two things that you can't argue with about the lovely, Kim Kardashian. Sure she is beautiful, but lets talk about the fact that her make up is always flawless! Whether she is rockin a "natural" look or   "glamming" it up, one thing is for certain, her make up artist has great talent. Her contouring is pretty much on point on any given day. After watching so many tutorials and seeing so much on Pinterest about how to get Kim's contoured look, I decided it was time for me to put it to the test.

Luckily for me, just about the time I was thinking of writing a blog such as this one, Motives by Loren Ridinger came out with an amazing palette that I was dying to try. I don't usually spend a lot of money on products I'm unsure about but in this case, I had seen so many before and after photos on Instagram that I just had to take the plunge. I placed the order and my Motives Mavens Sculpt Series palette was on its way!

The Motives Mavens Sculpt Series in Fire

Seriously Radical Skincare, You're Doing It Right!

I've had the pleasure of trying out another amazing product from Radical Skincare. So far I've loved the effects of each product I have tried and the Radical Skincare Age Defying Exfoliating Pads are no exception. 

One thing I love about Radical Skincare products is the beautifully elegant packaging. A sleek pearly silver jar with matching lid. It's a simple look yet so gorgeous you can't help but notice. 

I opened mine as soon as I got it. Despite the instructions saying to use it before bed. 7pm  that's bedtime enough for me. I just couldn't wait to try it for a couple of reasons. I was thrilled with the Instant Revitalizing Mask and loved the way the Youth Infusion Serum made my skin feel. I also have a big problem with dry, peely skin along my T-Zone area in the winter and am always looking for a good exfoliating treatment to help. (I usually do a deep exfoliation twice a week) And who doesn't want an age defying product? The whole idea behind this product seemed like a no brainer to me. 

The directions say to use this after you've cleansed your skin so I rushed upstairs to give my face a good scrub. 

Inside the jar were round pads reminiscent of a Stridex pad. It was smooth on one side and a bit rough on the other. I'm assuming this was the exfoliating side although you can't really tell a difference between the two. I can't lie, I had really hoped that the  "exfoliating side" was a bit rougher, something with more of an 80's Buff Puff texture if you can remember those. Nevertheless, I began rubbing the pad over my face making sure to give my forehead and nostril area a bit of extra TLC.

Immediately, I could smell the soothing scent of chamomile which I found pleasant. The witch hazel formula was cool and refreshing and as I used it, it really felt like my skin was actually clean. And it was...

LOOK AT ALL THAT DIRT!  I thought my daily cleanser was doing the job but clearly, Radical Skincare felt otherwise. Afterwards, my face felt clean and refreshed. I finished it off with a thin layer of serum which leaves my skin silky smooth.

Needless to say, it was a great experience which gave me peace of mind in knowing that I was going to sleep with a truly clean face. Knowing that my pores are being minimized and my youth is being rejuvenated was a bonus too. 

Overall, after first trying Radical Skincare's Instant Revitalizing Mask and now the  Radical Skincare Age Defying Exfoliating Pads, this line of skincare products really makes me rethink my traditional routine. The older I get the more I realize that my skin is so important and needs to be taken care of. I think that with a healthy diet and Radical Skincare products (which are conveniently found at Sephora), I can really get my skin to stay youthful for as long as I can and maintain radiant looking skin. 

Check out my review on the Instant Revitalizing Mask!

Thank you for stopping by The Messy Vanity, 

Kat 

How To Cut Your Own Long Layers

•Brush wet hair forward making sure it's smoothly brushed to the front
•Grab the hair
•Hold the hair tightly at the end
•Cut straight across
•Fix any uneven strands
•Flip hair back and brush

Your hair will not only keep it's length, but you will have a nice V shaped angle in the back and the hair will frame your face in the front. It's always best to go to a professional but sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. This is what works for me and I get tons of compliments on it.

Hope you enjoy the video...

Thank you for stopping by The Messy Vanity,

Kat

Quick Review: Wondervision look using the Wondervision Mega Palette by Smashbox

The wonderful thing about the Smashbox Wondervision Mega Palette is that it comes with these cool "look cards". Each card is clear and numbered. You simply place the card over any 4 colors and viola! You have a look complete with a diagram for product placement. This was a genius idea. It not only helps beginners learn correct product placement, but also, it's perfect for the more experienced user who may steer away from certain colors and looks due to not wanting to step out of their comfort zone. 

Today, I tried the Wondervision Color Look. I simply placed the card over the four colors I wanted to try and followed the diagram. 

(Before applying liner and mascara)

(After applying liner and mascara)

I am absolutely in love with this palette. Not only does it have smart packaging and color cards, the shadow formula itself is spectacular. They are highly pigmented shadows with a smooth and satiny finish. A little goes a long way. If you're looking to add some color into your daily routine but aren't sure how to go about it, the Smashbox Wondervision Mega Palette is probably right up your alley. 

*This product was part of the holiday collection and is no longer available at this time in stores. It is, however, available on Amazon.

Photo cred: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GO81D8K

Kudos to my sister Allyson for choosing an incredible palette to give me for Christmas. 

Thanks for stopping by The Messy Vanity, 

Kat

Quick Review on Too Faced Air Buffed BB Crème

I was so excited to purchase this after first hearing about it, but after applying it for the first time, I wanted to return it immediately. The formula was all wrong, there was no ease in putting it on, it seemed like it enhanced my flaws and I definitely didn't get a "air buffed" look. Returning this product as soon as the store opens today. Sorry, Too Faced, other than the cute packaging, this one is a fail! 

Photo cred: http://www.toofaced.com/p/face-primers/air-buffed-bb-creme/cream-glow-light-light-beige-with-golden/

Ever wonder what those tiny splinter looking things on your nail beds are?

Do you ever get these little things under your nails? Ever wonder what they are? How the heck did a splinter get there? 

I've gotten them on my nail beds for as long as I can remember. They kind of just show up for a while and go away. In some instances, they're tender to the touch. Well I've finally done a bit of research on them. I believe they're what's called Splinter Hemorrhages. 

After a bit of google digging, I found that they seem so be quite common and can happen after any sort of trauma to the nail bed. This time, in my case, I'm assuming it's from scrubbing the tub in my kids bathroom last weekend. As if that wasn't trauma enough. 😳. What it does is cause the area under your nail bed to bleed and because your nails grow in vertical layers, the blood forms into a small line and quickly clots. 

But boy can google be scary sometimes! In some cases these things are signs of an underlying problem. It could be high cholesterol, fungal infection, lupus and a few others. It's something to keep in mind but nothing to be freaking out about if you think you have a Splinter Hemorrhage. 

Here are pictures of the ones I currently have. One on each hand. I tried to edit the pictures as much as I could to enhance the splinter. 

Do you ever get these?