Top Hair Dryers for Thin, Fine Hair

December 19, 2017 by 9 Comments

Bad news everyone…after too many times dropping it, my SuperSolano has died. We had a good four year run, but we weren’t meant to be together forever.

In the meantime I picked up a Conair Retractable Cord hair dryer at the drugstore to get me through the week while I researched a replacement. I figured this was a great opportunity to do some research on what might work best on my thin, fine hair. When I finally get my permanent hair dryer, the Conair one will be my back up dryer and/or travel dryer.

For all my girls with thin, fine hair, there are some things to keep in mind when hair dryer shopping. We want something hot enough for a quick dry, but not too hot that it damages the hair – 600 to 1875 Watts is ideal. Flyaways are usually the bane of our existence and definitely doesn’t give us that Jennifer Aniston hair that we would kill for. To combat flyaways we need to find a ceramic dryer that uses crushed tourmaline. This kills the frizz naturally without taking away the ooomph. You also want multiple heat settings so you are using a hotter setting when your hair is really wet and then switching to a lower setting when you are using the round brush. Make sure to get a dryer that has a cool setting so you can lock in the shine and seal your hair cuticle when you are finished styling.

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer ($399)

I am starting with the mac daddy of dryers so you can get over the sticker shock. This model is definitely the most technologically advanced dryer on the market. The pros are a faster drying time, multiple settings, it’s quieter than regular dryers, it extremely lightweight – 1.8 pounds, magnetic attachments, it fits in our range with 1600 Watts, it comes with a non-slip mat, it has a removable filter that you can wipe down and a light alerts you on when to clean it, and it’s so pretty! The con is the price, but I’m more inclined to make an investment in something I use every day versus something that I only use once in a while. It has a two-year warranty so that’s .55 cents a day. WOW that really put it in perspective. This is definitely something I would put on my Christmas list or look for a great Black Friday deal. You can also get it at Bed, Bath & Beyond so it’s a great option for all those leftover registry gift cards. You can also check it out in person at the store. I linked to Nordstrom because this would be a great item to use your Nordstrom card on your triple points day so you earn lots of Notes back in return!

 

RUSK® Engineering W8less® Professional 2000 Watt Dryer ($99.95)

I’ve always liked RUSK products which I feel like are catered towards my fine, thin hair. This model has our ceramic and tourmaline requirements and emits far-infrared heat waves to shorten drying time and eliminate static and frizz. It has 2,000 Watts, which is higher than our range. It has seven different heat/speed settings (and a cool shot button) which is great for styling and weighs 1.1 pounds so it’s extremely lightweight. It emits negative ions which break down the water molecules in the hair while the infrared heat penetrates the hair to get you that fast dry.

T3 Featherweight Luxe 2i ($250)

So the T3 brand of dryer has delivered a different kind of technology. Where other dryers use a hurricane-like wind flow, the T3 uses a cone shaped flow to generate a high volume of air and dry your hair quickly. It also uses negative ions to cancel static. It contains tourmaline and ceramic for sleek, shiny hair. There are two speeds and three heat settings as well as the cool shot button. This one has 1800 Watts which is in our desired range. Many of the reviews I read praised it for how long it lasted compared to other dryers.

Bed Head Hot Head 1875W Hair Dryer for Massive Shine ($27.99)

This one fulfills all of our requirements and includes tourmaline and ceramic technology. The price is low so anyone can invest in this dryer just to get started. According to the manufacturer description this dryer is “pretty AF” and I don’t disagree. Who doesn’t love pink? There are two heat and two speed settings along with a cool shot button and a fun green concentrator. The reviews on this dryer are fantastic for the price and there is really no reason to not have this one on hand.

Twin Turbo 3200 ($132.94)

This dryer has four temperatures and two speeds as well as an anti-overheating device. It uses ceramic technology and has fantastic reviews. In all of the reviews I’ve seen they frequently mentioned having their stylist recommend this dryer which is always what you want to hear.

Super Solano 3500 Lite ($126.91)

My Super Solano is still a fantastic choice at 1800 watts that includes ceramic and tourmaline. It still is a great value for what you get and checks all the boxes for my thin, fine hair. You can see my original review here. This was one of my very first posts <3.

InfinitiPro by Conair Diamond Brilliance ($29.99)

So I was about halfway through this post and my friends at Meijer sent me, not one, but TWO hairdryers to review! What a fun coincidence, they didn’t even know I was working on this post or that my current hair dryer had gone kaput. It definitely worked out for me. Even better is that both of them fit in with my hair dryer guidelines for this post. The InfinitiPro has 1875 watts and uses diamond-infused ceramic with active conditioning ions to dry hair gently and reduce damage. The cool shot on this thing is no joke! That is my favorite part of this dryer. Since I started using it, I’ve definitely used the cool shot way more than on any other hair dryer.

InfinitiPro Conair ($34.99)

This was another Meijer gem fitting our rules of 1875 watts and ceramic technology. To make this, the ceramic is ground up into a powder and added to a high-temperature paint, which is applied as a coating to the outlet grille. The resulting infrared heat helps to provide uniform gentle heat to reduce damage to your hair.

BIO IONIC 10X Pro Ultralight Speed Dryer ($295)

Now if you can’t spring for the Dyson just yet, you may want to take a look at the Bio Ionic Speed Dryer. This baby is no joke when it comes to fast drying and fits our criteria at 1800 watts. It uses natural volcanic minerals to emit negative ions that push water molecules into your hair. It uses 75% electricity and although my hair doesn’t take a long time to dry, it dries 10X faster than other dryers which means you don’t have to subject your hair to heat for as long. Check out this video to see more of the benefits:

I would love to hear from my fine, thin haired sisters out there and hear your blowdrying tips and your favorite dryers. I will try anything on this baby fine hair of mine.

For more beauty posts, click here.



Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

7 Fall Beauty Products to Find at Meijer

October 20, 2017 by 7 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

It’s been a little crazy in my world with the early birth of my niece (that’s a whole post in itself) and a busy fall schedule, so I have to admit that my beauty routine has fallen by the wayside. My goal is to get things back under control and get back on my routine so I was pumped when Meijer decided to send me a box full of beauty goodies to do just that (it’s one of the best days coming home to three boxes on your porch). I’ve been testing things out and will share my top seven fall beauty products that you can pick up during your next grocery outing (I’m all about killing two birds with one stone these days…efficiency).

Read through to the end for a fun fall beauty giveaway!

1. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Lip Treatment

Fall is here, which means lots of outdoor activities like tailgating, hayrides, apple orchards and corn mazes. Let’s prevent those chapped lips this year by hydrating them every night whether they need it or not. This special treatment can be used by itself or to prime before applying color.

2. It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product

I’m a HUGE fan of this stuff and use it daily as my detangler and leave-in conditioner. It contains Panthenol: a strengthener, sunflower seed extract which is a natural sunscreen and protects against color fading, green tea leaf extract which protects hair from environmental damage, silk amino acids to restore moisture balance and citric acid as an antioxidant. A few tips for using this product: make sure to use a wide-tooth comb after you spray it through your hair and I find that a lot of the product clumps in the bottom so when I get to the end I just put a little water in it and shake it up so I can finish out the bottle.

3. Gillette Venus Swirl Razor

What I’m about to say might be foreign to some of you – I shave my legs every day. Yes, it’s true. I can’t stand to go a day without doing it – it sort of grosses me out. This way I’m always prepared for any eventuality and I can wear whatever I want whenever I want. Another thing to think about is when you shave, you are exfoliating; so I hope that helps my legs look fantastic for many years to come. I like this razor because its FLEXIBALL design and 5 adjusting Contour blades help me with my underarm curves and around my knees.

4. Herbal Essences White Grapefruit & Mosa Mint Collection

I loved the scent of fresh squeezed citrus, clean mint, and velvety peach in this line from Herbal Essences. It promises to bring your hair back to life in just 21 days. I haven’t hit 21 yet, but I like that it gives your hair body and contains zero parabens. This is a great choice for people with thin, fine hair like mine. I also got blasted at the hair dresser recently for using my round brush again so I need to work on the volume part without damaging what little hair I do have.

5. Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer

So I mentioned shaving my legs everyday and as soon as I get out of the shower and towel off, I lotion up. It’s important to moisturize while your pores are still open from your shower and lock in that moisture for the day. I love lotion that comes with a pump and this one contains a unique illuminating HYDRALUCENCE blend and Vitamins C, E, and B5 to keep your skin looking fabulous.

6. Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus

I must confess…I am a volume addict and mousse is my drug of choice. This is one of my favorites when you need va-va-voom volume. This is made for people with thick, coarse hair, so I only need to use a teeny, tiny amount on my thin, fine hair to get results.

7. Fall Scents

I LOVE perfume commercials. You can never have enough. Sometimes you need different scents for different moods, events and people. Meijer sent me two fun perfumes to try.

The first is a new twist on a classic – Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds Night. Elizabeths have to stick together and if I can take any pages out of her book I will consider myself a success. This scent was created to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the launch of the White Diamonds scent. This is different than the traditional White Diamonds and is more crisp and sensual than the regular version. It opens with sparkling mandarin and bergamot on the top, the middle notes include night blooming jasmine and it ends with velvet musk and creamy sandalwood. In honor of Elizabeth here is a little throwback for you:

The second is Juicy Couture’s Hollywood Royal scent. The bottle is inspired by Hollywood Boulevard and has notes of candied apple, jasmine and gardenia. It finishes with marshmallow and vanilla. This one is just fun for a night out with the girls.

Now for the big finale – I am giving away a Remington T Studio Flat Iron to one lucky reader! This flat iron uses professional grade advanced ceramic plates infused with real silk proteins for a silky smooth salon finish. Just enter below and I will announce the winner on October 29th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What fall beauty products have you spotted at Meijer?

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Freshen Up Your Home with Febreze One

July 25, 2017 by 7 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and could tell they had a pet even before seeing it? Many times they have become immune to the smell and don’t realize that their guests can’t ignore it. Sport is the apple of our eye, but sometimes he has a smell only we can love. There are tons of things you can do to combat pet odor, but sometimes you just need something to tide you over until the next wash. Enter Febreze One…

I know you’ve heard of Febreze before, but the new Febreze One uses “flairisol” technology for a light spray and it’s the first of its kind that contains no aerosols, dyes of heavy perfumes. I was please to hear this because John is very sensitive to smells in the house, so I don’t like to use things that will irritate him. Febreze One was just released at your local Meijer on July 23 and is available in Mandarin, Bamboo and Orchid scents. I tested out the Bamboo and Orchid scents.

We keep a crate for Sport and he spends his afternoons there while we are at work. We first used towels in the bottom of his crate, but they didn’t make for a comfortable surface, so we upgraded to a very plush pad. Sport loves the pad, but it retains a lot more puppy odor. I have a reminder in my phone to move and clean his crate/wash the pad at least once a month. In between that monthly cleaning, we need Febreze One to keep it fresh.

We have a bed for Sport in our bedroom and he will chill out there at night sometimes and when we are getting ready in the morning. I usually put a blanket over the bed so I can wash it more often. If you get close enough you can definitely smell dog which is where we need the Febreze One. Our bedroom is supposed to be our sanctuary so we want it to smell fresh.

Sport also likes to sleep in our bed most nights and since our comforter is dryclean only, I only take it in to be cleaned once a year. I change the sheets once a week, but a lot of times I’ll catch Sport laying on our bed, which is fine, but you can definitely tell where his spot is. Febreze One is the perfect solution to keep our comforter fresh and airy and not smelling like dog.

If you have an mPerks account, Meijer is currently offering a coupon to save $1.50 when you purchase a Febreze One Starter Mist through July 29.

Do you use Febreze to freshen up your home? What are your tips to combat pet odors?

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Beauty Commandments with Meijer Beauty

March 10, 2017 by 8 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Meijer just sent me some fantastic loot to try out and it got me thinking about a few of my beauty routines. We all have those things that we know we should do, but half the time we forget, or don’t have time, or are just lazy. I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my beauty commandments and this year actually stick to them.  Some of these I am better at than others, but I will tell you that I am never sorry about doing them.

Always Take Off Your Makeup

I would like to say that I wash my face every night and do my full 5-step beauty routine. I should…but I don’t. The one thing I am consistent about is always taking off my makeup. Without fail I always use a facial wipe to remove my makeup and clean my face before bed. If you have ever gone on a trip with me or stayed the night at my house, I will offer you one too. These facial wipes from Yesto are perfect for sensitive skin with the cucumber or for problem skin with the tomato.

Have a Foot Routine

This sounds funny, but it’s necessary. I get bi-monthly pedicures but I still have cracked heels. This is why I need to be better about my nightly foot routine. Always slather on your foot cream before bed and then put socks on your feet. You will see a difference after just one night! Click here to check out my recommendation for a good foot cream. You should also be using the Amope in between pedicures to keep the dead skin to a minimum.

Treat Yo’ Self with a Face Mask

You should be a using a face mask at least once per week. Why is this so hard? It can be 10-30 minutes depending on the mask, but I’m not doing it as consistently as I should be. I have so many masks that I could probably use a different one for every day in the month (there’s a blog post idea), but I’m really digging these L’Oreal Pure Clay Masks. They are great at pulling out impurities and clearing out your pores. Every week I try to use my Biore porestrips, do my at home microdermabrasion, and then put on a mask. It’s like going to the spa – I don’t know why I’m not trying to sneak it in every day!

Moisturize!

I am great at this one. After my daily shower, I always use a good moisturizer. Check out this post for a few suggestions. It’s best to apply lotion after you shower and your pores are open. It helps lock in the moisturizer for the whole day.

Brush and Floss

I’m a stickler for this one. My best feature is my smile, so it’s important to have good dental health. You can also perk up that smile with a little help from the Colgate Optic White system. Especially with all that red wine you had the night before (who me?).

If you need an extra whitening boost, you can also try out these Crest Whitestrips. I would save them for a special occasion, like before a big event or when you are going to be photographed.

Wash Your Makeup Brushes

I’m the worst at this, but washing your brushes once a week will help prevent acne, infections and will extend the life of your brush. It also will help reduce the amount of facial oils that get into your shadows, blushes, and powders. This would actually be the perfect thing to do while you’re waiting on that face mask to dry.

Protect Yourself

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! The sun is your worst enemy in the fight against aging. You should be applying sunscreen to your face (preferably everywhere that sees the light) every day before you add your foundation. This will help prevent sun damage and reduce age spots, wrinkles, and maybe even skin cancer. Don’t forget to apply it to your hands and décolletage as well!

Discard Your Mascara Every Three Months

If you are trying to remember when you opened that last tube then throw it out right now because it’s probably too old. This one baffles me because mascara is probably one of the least expensive products out there but we keep it FOREVER. I try to track mine by quarters so I know that on April 1, it’s time for a new tube.

 Condition Your Hair

Let’s be honest…our hair takes a beating. From daily washes, to hairdryers, to curling irons and bleach it’s no wonder that our hair gives us split ends and breakage. A weekly hair mask is a must – it can help repair some of that damage. Now, your hair is dead so it’s not like its miraculously going to recover or repair itself, but a moisturizing hair mask can act as a band-aid for those split ends until you decide to trim them. The first one is the L’Oreal Everpure Repair Remedy Balm to restore strength and brilliance. Then there is this Extraordinary Clay Pre-Shampoo Mask that is for oily roots (me, me, me!) and you use this one before you shampoo to absorb oils and impurities on the scalp.

Hydrate

This is the hardest one for me because I’m terrible at drinking water, but it makes such a difference in your skin. The elasticity, plumpness, redness and irritation are all affected by how much water you take in.

For one special reader, I’m giving away the Colgate Optic White toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash, along with 3 boxes of Crest Whitestrips. Enter the giveaway below to get in the running for a pearly white smile:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are your beauty commandments? Do you follow any of these?

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: , , ,

Refresh Your Fall Beauty Routine with Meijer

September 6, 2016 by 3 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fall officially starts on September 22nd and I don’t know about you, but I want to spend the next few weeks refreshing my wardrobe and beauty routine. Sort of like a bear hibernating for winter, except I just stock up on beauty products so I don’t have to leave the house. Here are a few things I am stocking up on this fall:

1. Olay Eye Lifting Serum

How many of you use eye cream both in the morning and at night? You may not think its important now, but the habits you create now will keep your skin looking great five years from now. Olay Eye Lifting Serum uses an advanced Amino-Peptide and vitamin complex to plump the eye area and reduce under eye bags.

Olay Eye Lifting Serum

2. Pantene 3 Minute Miracle Moisture Renewal Deep Conditioner

One habit to start for fall is a weekly hair treatment. I liked this Pantene 3 Minute Miracle because it was fast and easy. My hair was SO soft afterwards, but I still had great volume. I will definitely be adding this into my weekly routine.

Pantene 3 Minute Miracle

3. Yes to Coconut Ultra Light Spray Body Lotion

Who doesn’t love coconut?! Normally coconut oil is a big mess to use as a moisturizer. You have to warm up the oil and then it can be a goopy, greasy mess. Not this Yes to Coconut Spray Body Lotion! It is easy to use and not messy at all. Plus coconut is a great way to keep summer alive during fall and winter. I’ve never used a Yes to product before, but I didn’t realize they have a whole line of coconut products as well as cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, blueberries, and grapefruit.

Yes to coconut

4. L’Oreal Pure Clay Mask and Biore Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips

Every Sunday I have a treatment ritual which includes using a Biore Pore Strip, using my PMD (post coming soon), and following up with a mask. I was excited to try this new clay mask from L’Oreal. It uses eucalyptus to unclog pores and remove impurities. I love a clay mask; I feel like it really gets in there as opposed to a peel off or brightening mask. I have big oily pores that need a weekly deep cleaning!

Loreal Clay Mask

5. Maybelline Color Jolt and L’Oreal Brow Stylist

Fall calls for perfect brows and a bold lip. I really liked the flocked tip applicator for the red lip, it made it easier to put on. I do my brows every day. If I had to cut out most makeup I would keep brows, mascara and lips. Having defined brows ties your whole look together. It is also great when you are in between brow jobs.

Bold Lip and Brow

What new things are you incorporating into your beauty routine this fall?

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Spring Giveaway with Meijer Beauty

April 27, 2016 by 7 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Brace yourself ladies! Meijer Beauty Perks are coming! Get ready to stock up your cupboards with the latest and greatest beauty tools and products for Spring and Summer. Meijer Beauty Perks runs through May 7, 2016 and can help you save up to $100 on your favorite beauty products. As if that wasn’t enough, Meijer has also given me a $25 gift card to give away to one lucky reader, so make sure to enter below!

Meijer Beauty Perks

If you don’t know what Meijer Beauty Perks are, read my previous post all about mPerks and how to sign up. There are some great deals here. The key is not to wait until you are at the store, but to do your homework in advance. Here are some of the great deals Meijer has going on as well as a highlight of a few of the new fun products they sent me.

Meijer Gift Card

First up we have the Amope Pedi Perfect. I’m pretty sure I audibly squealed out loud when I opened up the box to find this. I have seen the commercial dozens of times and did not expect to see this. I immediately opened this up and charged it for a second (you are supposed to charge it for 3 hours normally) so I could see how it works. Well let me tell you – make sure to introduce your dog to the Amope first because Sport definitely did not like it. He was barking up a storm until I stopped and let him sniff it for a while. As you can see, they are now friends, haha!

Sport Amope

I LOVED the Amope! This little tool does the trick on sloughing off the dead skin on your heels. I usually get regular pedicures, but am very ticklish, so the more I can do myself at home the better. mPerks is currently offering 15% off of Amope refills.

Amope Meijer Beauty

As I am writing this post, I literally can’t move because I recently did the P90X abs video and EVERYTHING hurts! Thank goodness Meijer sent me Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salts to help soothe my sore muscles. I had no idea of all the benefits that Epsom Salts had for your body, but this video pretty much sums it up. They also sent me the Lavender version which is a great relaxer before bed. I haven’t taken a bath yet in the new house, but this with a glass of wine could definitely convince me! mPerks is now offering $1 off 2 of Dr. Teals products which is nice because you need to use two cups of salts for your bath so you will probably go through each bag pretty quickly.

Dr Teals

I also got to try Loreal’s new EverPure Cleansing Balm which is a 6-in-1 hair treatment. It’s all natural which means it contains no sulfates, parabens or silicones. This is pretty simple to use, just apply 6-8 pumps to your hair, I like to do it at the beginning of my shower and then leave it there until the end, and then rinse out. Simple and easy. The one thing I hate the most about shampoo and conditioner is that you always use more conditioner than shampoo so you end up having to buy an extra conditioner bottle. This way you just have have one bottle.

Loreal Everpure Cleansing Conditioner

I’m usually not surprised by new beauty products, but when I got this Dial Miracle Oil Restoring Body Wash with Marula Oil I had to take a pause. What the heck is Marula Oil? I had never heard of it before. Well you can read this article from Cosmopolitan for more details, but Marula Oil trumps Argan Oil by having 60% more antioxidants. It’s harvested in South Africa from the nut inside the marula fruit. It protects against free radicals and hydrates instead of just sitting on top of your skin.

Dial Marula Oil

Have you tried any of these fun new products? If not, enter my giveaway for a $25 Meijer gift card and pick these up for yourself.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Spring Beauty Reviews

March 15, 2016 by 12 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Spring is coming, which is always a great time to refresh your beauty routine. Meijer sent me a few new products to try to break out of my beauty rut. The first was TRESemmé’s Beauty-Full Volume Reverse Wash System. If you haven’t heard of this, you condition your hair first, then you wash it. Crazy, I know!

Tresemme

This takes a little getting used to. The first time I did it, I really had to think about it. We are so used to washing first then conditioning and you don’t realize how often you just autopilot that task. I almost forgot to wash on my first try. This set also came with the Maximizer, Mousse and Hairspray for an extra volume boost. My hair is BABY Fine so I am always in desperate need of volume. For reference, this is my hair in a ponytail…I have to wrap a tiny hair tie around at least five times:

ponytail

I was skeptical of this at first, because I thought my hair would be extra tangly without using conditioner at the end of my shower. I usually blow dry my hair upside down and when I flipped it back I actually said “WOAH” out loud. I couldn’t believe how volumized my hair was. It was also so soft and I didn’t have as many flyaways as I normally do. I am totally sold on TRESemmé’s reverse system. This is what my hair looked like after I flipped it back over. Total volume:

after

Next up is Garnier’s Micellar Water. You may have missed my previous post about Micellar water and how awesome it is. This is a quick and easy way to cleanse your face at night and has been around for years. I had yet to try Garnier’s version and was pleasantly surprised. I loved the size of the bottle because it lasted a while. I am a HUGE fan of removing your makeup before bed – you can ask any of my girlfriends, I am always the one on trips making sure everyone has taken their makeup off. Someone once told me that sleeping one night with your makeup on ages your skin by SEVEN years! I don’t know if that is true or a myth, but I don’t take any chances. Micellar water is a quick and easy solution to the too-tired to take off your makeup problem.

Garnier

You may have noticed how white my legs were in my last Meijer post. I am in desperate need of some sun, but without the nasty UV side effects. Enter Jergens and the Natural Glow line. I like this line, because you can apply it gradually without streaks. It’s basically foolproof. Now Jergens has stepped it up by making this moisturizer reduce the appearance of cellulite. Tan and smooth!

Jergens

What new products are loving at the moment?

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Combat Your Winter Skin with Meijer Beauty

February 28, 2016 by 9 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

It’s winter here in Michigan and that brings along a multitude of skin problems, chapped lips, cracked heels, dry/chapped hands (from all the hand washing), scaly legs, need I go on? What’s a girl to do in these conditions?

Today, I’m going to share a few tips and products that will help keep your skin looking fresh and moisturized during the cold winter months. The biggest tip is to simply drink water. I talked about my water drinking struggles in this post and it is something I’m still working at. Even if you have the best moisturizer in the world, your body can’t maintain or absorb the moisture you give it through lotion if it is dehydrated. It’s like trying to fill up a cup with a hole in it. No matter how many times you fill it, the water will keep flowing out of the whole. So in order for any of the products that I’m going to share with you to work, you have to start out by hydrating yourself with good old H20.

drink water

Problem 1: Chapped Hands

Most of us wash our hands more during cold and flu season which contributes to dry and chapped hands. Being out in the cold weather without gloves amplifies this problem. One year, John came home with severely chapped hands, his knuckles were in bad shape from the cold weather because he refused to put on lotion. For him, I needed a one-time miracle treatment that could fix him up with one overnight application (because that’s all I was going to get). This CeraVe Healing Ointment is a great solution for this problem. From a preventative standpoint, always apply lotion to your hands after washing to help them stay soft and hydrated. Check out their website for a $2.00 coupon to bring in to your local Meijer.

Cerave Healing Ointment

Problem 2: Cracked Heels

As I’ve mentioned before, I have a problem drinking water and that is a key problem when you are trying to combat cracked heels. This year, they aren’t bad because I have upped my water intake, but I still go for bi-weekly pedicures to keep them in shape. In the interim, I need a solution to keep my heels in check. Enter the CeraVe Renewing SA Foot Cream. I like to rub it on my feet before bed and cover them in socks. That way, they can heal your heels while you sleep.

Cerave Foot Cream

Problem 3: Eczema

Eczema can affect any of us at anytime. Some of us have it worse than others. While I’ve only had minor touches of eczema here and there, I know people who have been severely affected by it. This CeraVe Eczema Soothing Body Wash can help sooth what is commonly known as “winter itch.”

Cerave Eczema Soothing Body Wash

Problem 4: Scaly Skin

I was with a friend the other day and she was complaining about how her legs get so scaly in the winter. I’ve never had a problem with this and I think I know why. I shave my legs every day. I think that the constant exfoliation makes my skin more open to accepting the moisture I put on it after I shower. Now I know most women don’t do this so if you need help with scaly legs you might try Eucerin Original Healing Lotion. Make sure to slather it on after you shower to really lock in that moisture. On a side note, I am strikingly pale.

Eucerin Healing Lotion

How do you keep your skin hydrated in winter?

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: ,

2016 Health Goals with Meijer

January 4, 2016 by 6 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’m not the kind of person that likes to make big sweeping resolutions…mostly because they don’t work out. I like to set goals and take baby steps to reach them. In 2005-2006, I lost more than 50 pounds, working out and sticking to a strict diet. Unfortunately, in 2007 I slowly started to gain all of that weight back plus an additional 45 pounds. BOO. Ever since we adopted our sweet pup Sport, I’ve been getting up early each morning to walk him nearly three miles and I’ve lost 15 pounds since implementing that step into my daily routine.

07_6

This is a picture of me at my lowest weight in 2007.

The point of all this is to say after losing a lot of weight very quickly, I never really changed my lifestyle and that made it easy for me to go back to the status quo once I had lost all the weight. So my goals for 2016 are to start making small changes and mastering each step before adding something new in. I hope to be successful this way and really sustain healthy living.

So after I started my daily walking routine, which in turn gets me to 10,000 daily steps, I decided that the next goal was to start drinking my daily water goal. I was recently introduced to an awesome app called Plant Nanny that has been helping me reach my water goals. This app is like a game and makes logging your water a fun task by growing a plant. It also reminds you in a real way that if you don’t water your plant it will die and in this case you are the plant.

plant nanny

This is my third plant, a cactus named Sparky

The next step is where Meijer comes into play – healthy eating and calorie counting. I like to incorporate shakes and meal replacement bars into my diet so when I go out I can indulge a little bit more on the big meals. Meijer sent me a variety of different shakes to try. I’ve previously only done Slim-Fast shakes before so I am excited to try some of these. Depending on how much time I have in the morning, sometimes I will add fruit to my shakes for a little something extra. I usually take my shakes with me during my morning commute, so convenience is important.

Shakes

Do you have any good shake recipes? I normally just do a cup of milk, powder and sometimes if I’m starving a tablespoon of peanut butter. For lunch, I will do a meal replacement bar and 200 calories of something else, usually a half of sandwich or a serving of soup. It’s a joke in our house because I keep all my bars in our cookie jar. There are rarely cookies stored there, haha!

bars

Calorie counting and movement are the keys to shedding the pounds for me and I am thrilled to start 2016 out with some helpful calorie management aids in my pantry. Meijer also has a great website called “A Healthier You” where they share tips and tricks for meal planning, health and fitness.

Have you lost weight before? What are you best tips and tricks for a healthy new year?

For more Meijer posts, click here.



Filed Under: Be the Best You Tagged With: , ,

Fall Beauty Finds at Meijer

September 17, 2015 by 1 Comment

Disclosure: I received beauty products from Meijer to help promote the Meijer Beauty Department. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was thrilled to receive a treasure trove of fall beauty items from Meijer for this post. Even as an adult, fall means a new year and new beauty products. Meijer is a great place to shop to refresh your collection as they have everything from styling products to beauty products all in the Meijer beauty aisle. There were a few things in particular that stood out to me (and I couldn’t believe you could get them at Meijer, how convenient!) and I even tried a new look to share with you.

The first item that caught my interest was the Simple Cleansing Micellar Water. I was thrilled to receive this since I had just discovered Miceller Water (you can read about it in my previous post here).

Meijer fall4

The next items I was stoked to receive were the Garnier Fructis Full & Plush Shampoo & Conditioner. I have baby fine and super thin hair so this was right up my alley.

Meijer fall3

I have been living on fragrance samples for a while so this full size Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette was perfect. I love that Candice Swanepoel is the face of this scent in their new ad:

Versace describes it as “an enthralling and voluptuous fragrance, for the Versace woman who is strong and confident yet feminine, sensual, who loves to be enveloped in a fragrance that tastes of juicy pomegranate grains, iced freshness and shining yuzu.” Let’s just say that this is perfect for me!

Meijer fall7

I also got some fun cosmetics including some amazing new palettes!

Meijer fall

I used the Revlon Colorstay palette in 528 Passionate to create this look below.

Meijer fall9

Revlon guarantees that this eyeshadow won’t crease, fade or smudge for 16 hours. I wore this look at work and it stayed all day. I watered down my eyeliner brush and used the dark color for eyeliner to really make my eyes pop.

Meijer Collage

I also used the Loreal Lumi highlighter in Ice on the high points of my face. If you’ve never used highlighter before, they have a handy diagram on the back of the bottle to help you.

Meijer fall11

What are your favorite fall beauty finds?

For more Meijer Beauty posts, click here.



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: , , ,
Next Page »