Flawless, by Sara Shepard, is the second novel in the Pretty Little Liars series. I first fell in love with her writings when I got hold of the first book Pretty Little Liars.I was drawn in to the characters, and wanted to continue the story to find out what happened to the girls from the first book.
In the second book, Flawless, all 4 of my favorite bad girls are back. Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer. Each with their own dirty set of secrets.
As we learned in the last book Pretty Little Liars, Allison's body had been found. Yep, Allison is dead, long dead.
The girls had been receiving text messages and emails from someone named 'A', and A seemed to know all of their dirty secrets, and guess what? She is going to tell!
With Allison not being alive to be the mystery person called 'A', the girls are now paranoid, because now they know someone else besides Allison knows their secrets...but who could it be?
We also learn in Flawless the big secret that wasn't discussed in Pretty Little Liars. It turned out that the big secret was that Allison was responsible for Jenna's (a dorky girl in the neighborhood they alwyas teased) going blind.
Turns out though that Toby, Jenna's older step brother, also knew that it was Allison, who lit the firecracker which caused Jenna to go blind. He saw her do it that night!
Allison though has dirt on Toby, and if Toby wants Allison to keep her mouth shut,she tells him that he has to take the blame for Jenna's accident. Toby goes along with it, and you are left clueless as to what Toby's secret is. It must have been huuuuge for him to take the blame for Jenna's accident.
Anyhow, it also turns out that Spencer was there when Allison was caught by Toby. So now she knows, that Toby knows, that they are responsible for Jenna's accident. It's not as confusing as it sounds when you read the book.
Allison though makes Spencer promise never to tell. When Spencer shows worry that Toby may tell, Alison tells her Toby's secret.
Anyhow, with that aside, A, the secret stalker who knows all of the girls secrets is back, and Spencer believes 'A' is Toby.... and now that Toby is back in town, she feels she has to warn the others.
You see, Spencer technically never told the other girls that she knew that Toby had known about their involvement with The Jenna Thing. Spencer also believes that Toby killed Allison. I mean why wouldn't he? She knew his dirty secret, and he knew that she hurt Jenna. He also promised pay back. So signs point to Toby as being 'A'.
Anyhow, the story goes on, and we find out that Hanna was recently dumped by her boyfriend who swore virginity till marriage. Too bad Hannah tried getting into his panties a little too early. Now her ex has eyes for someone else...wonder who that could be?
Even though Hanna may appear to be prettier, no matter how thin she gets, or how much money she spends on designer duds, her dad still looks down on her. Now Hanna is battling the bulge; once again.
Hanna seems to be the only girl in the book with a lack of a dirty secret.
So the girl barfs up her lunch... I don't get what is so deadly about that or why she is worried about A revealing her secret. Seems kind of petty.
Emily is also still struggling with the fact that she may be gay. An ongoing inner battle that she has been dealing with since the first book. She may even have a little crushie poo on someone... I wonder who!?
Spencer has once again has taken the lover of her sister, while she battles with whether or not she should tell the girls about Toby, and his secret, and why she feels he is Allison's killer.
Last but not least; Aria. She is pretty much caught up in some ridiculous mix about her father being a cheater. She worries about what it could do to her family if that secret got out. On top of the fact that she was doing her teacher. Her drama also seems pretty petty.
Somehow 'A' manages to know all of their old secrets though, and all of their new dirty secrets.
'A' taunts them every now and then throughout the novel with text messages and emails. Her threats have gotten a little deeper, as 'A' now demands things from them, which she did not do in the first book.
The genuinity of 'A" is starting to become more and more unrealistic though. This one person couldn't possibly know all of this dirt without physically attaching a damn hidden microphone to each and every one of the girls.
I liked Pretty Little Liars, but Flawless sort of kept bending things way, way out of proportion, and making it seem a little unrealistic. With that said though... the anticipation is still there, and it is still exciting.
In the end, Toby's secret is revealed, and it is a secret way worse then I had imagined it would be. Turned out Toby wasn't too kind to Jenna either. I won't spill the secret, that's for you to find out...
I will say this though, Toby's secret is gruesome, and at the end of Flawless another body is found, and 'A' still continues to harass the girls. Who dies? Who is A?
You won't find out who 'A' is in the novel, but you will find out who's body turns up in the end.
It's pretty exciting, but also ends on the same note that the first novel ended on.
Overall:
Flawless answered a few questions from the fist novel that I had been wondering about...but in reality, Flawless also seemed too much like the last novel. I mean don't get me wrong, the story was still really good... but it sort of dragged on, and was a bit like the first novel in the series.
I really hope this 'who done it?' mystery is at least half solved in the next novel 'Perfect'. I really don't think I could bare 3 more books of 'A', and a group of girls who cannot figure out who 'A' is (no matter how much I enjoy reading about each girl).
I enjoyed Flawless, but I still wished it wasn't so familiar with the last book. I don't know how much longer the author could stretch this 'A' thing out, and a dead body at the end to wrap it up, without fans getting bored.
Flawless was a fast paced read, even though the novel was long.
I will continue to read the series till 'A' identity is brought out into the open.
Recommended:
Yes. You need to read it to continue the story of the Pretty Little Liars. Although this book could of been a little more drama filled, it was still a decent read, and I'm sure will fit marvelously with the next books to come in the series.
I will also say that I have grown more to liking the girls in this book. I got to know a little more about each and every one of them, which made them as characters seem more real.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Review of Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser
About a month ago a new product by Neutrogena caught my eye. A commercial nonetheless. I usually never pay much mind to commercials. I thank Tivo for the lack of these annoying commericlas.
Anyhow, Hayden Panettiere was endorsing the new Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser. In the commercial she waved this itty pink hand held device across her face. As she rubbed this device on her skin, foam or soap began to develop. Oh cooool!
According to Miss Hayden, the new Neutrogena Wave vibrates on your face which will allow the soap to clean deeper, and remove surface residue, and makeup better then other facial cleansing soaps.
The Waves vibrating action supposedly will stimulate the skins surface, and open up pores, to allow this deeper cleansing action.
It sounded sweet. It did however resemble this stupid exfoliating wand I bought a few months ago as well. Only smaller.
Gimmick or not; I wanted it!!!
Although the commercial didn't quite convince me that this mini vibrator would do much, I still wanted to try it. It was new, it looked cool, and even though Hayden (who we all already know has flawless skin) was endorsing The Wave... I still NEEDED it.
I found the Wave at my local Walmart. I truly didn't think Walmart would carry the Wave, seeing how it was so new...but low and behold, there is was, in all it's princess pink glory.
When I first noticed that the last one was sitting there waiting for me to grab it, I assumed it would be anywhere from $20.00 to $30.00. The cool part was, it only came to $11.96. Way less than what I was first willing to pay for it.
Accesories:
Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser comes with the Wave hand held power cleanser, 14 cleansing pads, and an AA battery. Everything you need to get it started.
After ripping the box open I immediately had it figured out without having to use directions.
From the looks of the Power Cleanser, it appeared that the place that you would rub on your face had little grooves on it which would allow the pads to be placed on. Sort of like velcro, only plastic.
The 14 pads came in 2 separate white plastic bags. I was surprised at just how small the pads were, and even more surprised at how asinine the packaging was.
The moment I opened the bag, I noticed that each pad was wet, and stacked one on top of the other. What annoyed me was the fact that once the package was open, I could not re-seal it. Without being able to re-seal the package, I knew that the other pads would dry out if I didn't place them in a ziploc, which was annoying. You'd think they'd come in a re-sealable bag. Hmph!
Anyhow, I took one small pad out and stuck it onto the Power Cleanser head. It stuck with no issues, which was surprising. I imagined though that while cleansing my face with it, it would fall off. It was so small, and even though it stuck on precisely, it was still a little loose.
My Use:
After applying the pad, I then ran the it under some water, as instructed. I later on found that it is easier to lightly wet my face, and then use the Wave on my dampened skin.
I clicked the button on the Power Cleanser, and rubbed the pad around my face. The vibration from the device was a bit weak in my opinion, and it took quite awhile for any foam to develop on my skin. After about a minute or so I had a decent amount of lather, but nothing like Hayden had on the commercial. Her face was surrounded with lovely silky looking bubbles.
For me, the foam that released from the pad had the same texture as shaving cream. It was different, but pleasant all the same. I would of liked more lather though, more bubbles.
The scent was what I liked most of all. It had a very citrusy and fresh minty fragrance going on, which was quite different, and nice at the same time.
Visual Difference?
Before using The Wave Power Cleanser I rinsed my makeup off with my usual facial wash. The Wave was a test... I basically wanted to see if it would pick up any dirt or residue that my usual cleanser had left behind.
After rubbing the device around on my face for a bit, I stopped to check and see what the white pad looked like. I
I was surprised to see that a lot of nasties were left behind on my skin. I immediately noticed that there was some left over makeup that I swore I had gotten off completely when I rinsed. There was also some flecks of what looked like dry skin. I was quite disgusted with myself, but glad at the same time, that the Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser had gotten the left over grossness that was left behind on my skins surface. No wonder I get small breakouts!
Once I had a decent amount of lather on my face, I allowed the small device to do its job by rubbing it into my skin gently. I figured the longer I went at it, the more my pores would open for better deep cleansing.
When I felt satisfied with the time I had spent using the Wave, I then rinsed off.
The first rinse my skin felt a little greasy/slimy, and I was not happy, and I figured it would cause break outs. I went at my face with more water, and rinsed till the nasty greasy texture felt like it was gone.
I then towel dried my face. My skin felt fantastic. Thoroughly cleansed, tingly, and had a nice citrus mint scent left behind that was uplifting and rejuvenating.
Pros:
-I absolutely love how Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser makes my skin feel after rinsing
-Nice scent
-Picks up left over dirt and dry skin
-The Power Cleanser fits palm of hand perfectly
-Lightweight
-Refill pads are very cheap and affordable
- My skin looks and feels better, softer, and has not had any signs of new breakouts.
Cons:
-There are similar products available
-Pads package cannot be re-sealed
-Claims that there is a 2 week pad supply. In reality there are 14, which is correct if you only wash your face once a day! I wash twice, therefore there is in reality, only a one week supply.
-The Wave does add an additional 2 or 3 minutes to my usual facial cleansing ritual in the morning.
-Vibration is not very powerful
Overall:
Even with the cons, I still enjoy using the Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser. It picks up those small bits of dirt, makeup, and dry skin, that my usual cleanser misses.
Although I have not noticed a huge significant difference in my skin, I do notice that their are subtle difference, and my skin is much softer.
Recommended?
I would highly recommend it, because it does improve the look and feel of your skin over time. Although the changes are subtle, you will notice it.
Where To Buy:
-You can find Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser at local super stores and drug stores. Prices will vary. You can order the kit online as well for even lower prices
Anyhow, Hayden Panettiere was endorsing the new Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser. In the commercial she waved this itty pink hand held device across her face. As she rubbed this device on her skin, foam or soap began to develop. Oh cooool!
According to Miss Hayden, the new Neutrogena Wave vibrates on your face which will allow the soap to clean deeper, and remove surface residue, and makeup better then other facial cleansing soaps.
The Waves vibrating action supposedly will stimulate the skins surface, and open up pores, to allow this deeper cleansing action.
It sounded sweet. It did however resemble this stupid exfoliating wand I bought a few months ago as well. Only smaller.
Gimmick or not; I wanted it!!!
Although the commercial didn't quite convince me that this mini vibrator would do much, I still wanted to try it. It was new, it looked cool, and even though Hayden (who we all already know has flawless skin) was endorsing The Wave... I still NEEDED it.
I found the Wave at my local Walmart. I truly didn't think Walmart would carry the Wave, seeing how it was so new...but low and behold, there is was, in all it's princess pink glory.
When I first noticed that the last one was sitting there waiting for me to grab it, I assumed it would be anywhere from $20.00 to $30.00. The cool part was, it only came to $11.96. Way less than what I was first willing to pay for it.
Accesories:
Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser comes with the Wave hand held power cleanser, 14 cleansing pads, and an AA battery. Everything you need to get it started.
After ripping the box open I immediately had it figured out without having to use directions.
From the looks of the Power Cleanser, it appeared that the place that you would rub on your face had little grooves on it which would allow the pads to be placed on. Sort of like velcro, only plastic.
The 14 pads came in 2 separate white plastic bags. I was surprised at just how small the pads were, and even more surprised at how asinine the packaging was.
The moment I opened the bag, I noticed that each pad was wet, and stacked one on top of the other. What annoyed me was the fact that once the package was open, I could not re-seal it. Without being able to re-seal the package, I knew that the other pads would dry out if I didn't place them in a ziploc, which was annoying. You'd think they'd come in a re-sealable bag. Hmph!
Anyhow, I took one small pad out and stuck it onto the Power Cleanser head. It stuck with no issues, which was surprising. I imagined though that while cleansing my face with it, it would fall off. It was so small, and even though it stuck on precisely, it was still a little loose.
My Use:
After applying the pad, I then ran the it under some water, as instructed. I later on found that it is easier to lightly wet my face, and then use the Wave on my dampened skin.
I clicked the button on the Power Cleanser, and rubbed the pad around my face. The vibration from the device was a bit weak in my opinion, and it took quite awhile for any foam to develop on my skin. After about a minute or so I had a decent amount of lather, but nothing like Hayden had on the commercial. Her face was surrounded with lovely silky looking bubbles.
For me, the foam that released from the pad had the same texture as shaving cream. It was different, but pleasant all the same. I would of liked more lather though, more bubbles.
The scent was what I liked most of all. It had a very citrusy and fresh minty fragrance going on, which was quite different, and nice at the same time.
Visual Difference?
Before using The Wave Power Cleanser I rinsed my makeup off with my usual facial wash. The Wave was a test... I basically wanted to see if it would pick up any dirt or residue that my usual cleanser had left behind.
After rubbing the device around on my face for a bit, I stopped to check and see what the white pad looked like. I
I was surprised to see that a lot of nasties were left behind on my skin. I immediately noticed that there was some left over makeup that I swore I had gotten off completely when I rinsed. There was also some flecks of what looked like dry skin. I was quite disgusted with myself, but glad at the same time, that the Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser had gotten the left over grossness that was left behind on my skins surface. No wonder I get small breakouts!
Once I had a decent amount of lather on my face, I allowed the small device to do its job by rubbing it into my skin gently. I figured the longer I went at it, the more my pores would open for better deep cleansing.
When I felt satisfied with the time I had spent using the Wave, I then rinsed off.
The first rinse my skin felt a little greasy/slimy, and I was not happy, and I figured it would cause break outs. I went at my face with more water, and rinsed till the nasty greasy texture felt like it was gone.
I then towel dried my face. My skin felt fantastic. Thoroughly cleansed, tingly, and had a nice citrus mint scent left behind that was uplifting and rejuvenating.
Pros:
-I absolutely love how Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser makes my skin feel after rinsing
-Nice scent
-Picks up left over dirt and dry skin
-The Power Cleanser fits palm of hand perfectly
-Lightweight
-Refill pads are very cheap and affordable
- My skin looks and feels better, softer, and has not had any signs of new breakouts.
Cons:
-There are similar products available
-Pads package cannot be re-sealed
-Claims that there is a 2 week pad supply. In reality there are 14, which is correct if you only wash your face once a day! I wash twice, therefore there is in reality, only a one week supply.
-The Wave does add an additional 2 or 3 minutes to my usual facial cleansing ritual in the morning.
-Vibration is not very powerful
Overall:
Even with the cons, I still enjoy using the Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser. It picks up those small bits of dirt, makeup, and dry skin, that my usual cleanser misses.
Although I have not noticed a huge significant difference in my skin, I do notice that their are subtle difference, and my skin is much softer.
Recommended?
I would highly recommend it, because it does improve the look and feel of your skin over time. Although the changes are subtle, you will notice it.
Where To Buy:
-You can find Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser at local super stores and drug stores. Prices will vary. You can order the kit online as well for even lower prices
Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Anti-Stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals
I go through bouts of insomnia. There are weeks where I do not sleep a wink, and for some reason I once again have been going through a period where sleep is very difficult to come by. It sucks!
When I don't sleep my body can still function, but my face takes quite the toll of it all. I get dark circles, my skin looks dull and sleepy, and actually feels stressed.
When I came across a bunch of products by Montagne Jeunesse at my local KMart, I was drawn to the words that were written on the package: calming, and anti-stress.
The product was called Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals.
The packaging was flashy, convincing, and I felt as if I needed it (a lot of products have that effect on me).
I read closer, and according to the package, this face tonic would whip up a skin miracle in only 5 minutes. I liked that, because most facial masques or treatments call for a half hour of time, or more.
In 5 minutes time it also promised to re-hydrate and moisturize my skin. The face tonic is also gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, Why that is important is beyond me... but for those who look for this sort of stuff, it's free of it. Tee-hee.
What Is It?
Although it is called Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals, they fail to mention one thing....what it is.
Well, It's actually a cloth facial masque. You simply rip open the package, and apply the soaked masque to your face.
Packaging:
The packaging is what drew me in. Basically the masque comes in a tear drop shaped aluminum package. Inside there is one masque.
The package itself is done up to resemble a spa like atmosphere, with glistening water in the background, and a lady on the cover wearing this pretty blue and white masque. The masque on her face is colored blue with white waves throughout. It's supposed to look like water.
I hoped that the actual mask was the same one she was wearing. I doubted it would though. I imagined they made hers look all nice, nice for advertising purposes.
My Use:
The Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals did not quite look like the masque that the woman on the cover package wore.
Instead I got a very thin large masque made of very thin, easily torn cloth. The cloth had the same pretty image on it, which I was actually surprised to see, however the masque was a hell of a lot larger then the one the perdy lady wore on the packages cover.
First I had to rip a small piece of cloth from the mouth area. I was to place this small strip of cloth on my nose, and then apply the masque after I had the nose piece in place.
Anyhow, the masque was saturated in the face tonic, and actually dripped a bit when I first began unfolding it.
The scent was rather calming, which was a plus. It reminded me of the way a beach would smell before a thunder storm. Calming, relaxing, and exciting all the same.
I applied the nose strip, and then placed the masque on my face. It was too large, and the edges hit the my hairline. Once I had the masque comfortably in place, I then tried to relax... for um... 5 minutes. Not very relaxing in my opinion, but whatever. I followed the directions.
Results:
After about a minute of the masque being on, I felt nothing. However just as I was about to write it off in my mind bank as crap, the masque began to activate. I felt a cooling and tingling sensation that was actually really, really nice.
After feeling that sensation it actually felt like millions of micro-bubbles were cleaning my skin. I could feel something going on, and it was unique and different. Almost as if there were some sort of active colony working on massaging my face pore by pore.
After enjoying the feeling of micro-bubble scrubbing my skin, the 5 minutes were up.
Honestly I could of kept it on for longer, but I feared that if I didn't follow directions it would dry my skin out, or cause break outs, so I removed the Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals and threw it away. My skin still felt very tingly, clean, and refreshed even after the masque was off.
The package recommended that I splash some water on my face, an towel dry. After splashing the water on my face, the tingly sensation went away. That sort of sucked, but what can yah do?
Cons:
I have 2 issues with the Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals.
The first issues is that it is meant to calm and relax you. However after the 5 minute treatment you can't just roll over and go to sleep. You have to get up and rinse your face off. That sort of defeats the whole 'calming/relaxing' aspect of the masque.
Secondly after rinsing off, and towel drying, my skin was shining like a star. I hate when my skin looks greasy. Although the masque didn't leave behind any sort of greasy substance or slimy residue, it looked greasy.
I know my skin was most likely super clean and this is why it looked shiny, but the shine seemed to last for the entire day and into the next. I don't know what it did to my skin, but I certainly didn't enjoy the 48 hours of shiny skin. I'm usually actively seeking products that remove shine, so it was dreadful to have the masque actually add shine to my face.
Pros:
Setting the shiny face and lack of relaxation aside, my face did in fact feel 90% better. The dark circles under my eyes were still present, but my eyes did not feel as tired and weighed down.
My skin was no longer dull either, and I enjoyed the 5 minutes that I got out of the masque.
Overall:
Although the Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals left my face shiny for 2 days, I really loved the results. My skin felt rejuvenated. The tired skin around my eyes felt re-newed, and overall for $1.26 it was well worth it.
I do wish though that I didn't have to rinse the tonic off after applying the masque.
Where To Buy:
You can find this, and other Montagne Jeunesse facial tonics at KMart, and Walmart. You can also purchase them in bulk online, or at the Montagne-Jeunesse.com website.
I also think that these masques would make you face feel AWESOME after spending a day at the beach and getting a sunburn. This would bring total relief to your burnt face.
When I don't sleep my body can still function, but my face takes quite the toll of it all. I get dark circles, my skin looks dull and sleepy, and actually feels stressed.
When I came across a bunch of products by Montagne Jeunesse at my local KMart, I was drawn to the words that were written on the package: calming, and anti-stress.
The product was called Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals.
The packaging was flashy, convincing, and I felt as if I needed it (a lot of products have that effect on me).
I read closer, and according to the package, this face tonic would whip up a skin miracle in only 5 minutes. I liked that, because most facial masques or treatments call for a half hour of time, or more.
In 5 minutes time it also promised to re-hydrate and moisturize my skin. The face tonic is also gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, Why that is important is beyond me... but for those who look for this sort of stuff, it's free of it. Tee-hee.
What Is It?
Although it is called Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals, they fail to mention one thing....what it is.
Well, It's actually a cloth facial masque. You simply rip open the package, and apply the soaked masque to your face.
Packaging:
The packaging is what drew me in. Basically the masque comes in a tear drop shaped aluminum package. Inside there is one masque.
The package itself is done up to resemble a spa like atmosphere, with glistening water in the background, and a lady on the cover wearing this pretty blue and white masque. The masque on her face is colored blue with white waves throughout. It's supposed to look like water.
I hoped that the actual mask was the same one she was wearing. I doubted it would though. I imagined they made hers look all nice, nice for advertising purposes.
My Use:
The Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals did not quite look like the masque that the woman on the cover package wore.
Instead I got a very thin large masque made of very thin, easily torn cloth. The cloth had the same pretty image on it, which I was actually surprised to see, however the masque was a hell of a lot larger then the one the perdy lady wore on the packages cover.
First I had to rip a small piece of cloth from the mouth area. I was to place this small strip of cloth on my nose, and then apply the masque after I had the nose piece in place.
Anyhow, the masque was saturated in the face tonic, and actually dripped a bit when I first began unfolding it.
The scent was rather calming, which was a plus. It reminded me of the way a beach would smell before a thunder storm. Calming, relaxing, and exciting all the same.
I applied the nose strip, and then placed the masque on my face. It was too large, and the edges hit the my hairline. Once I had the masque comfortably in place, I then tried to relax... for um... 5 minutes. Not very relaxing in my opinion, but whatever. I followed the directions.
Results:
After about a minute of the masque being on, I felt nothing. However just as I was about to write it off in my mind bank as crap, the masque began to activate. I felt a cooling and tingling sensation that was actually really, really nice.
After feeling that sensation it actually felt like millions of micro-bubbles were cleaning my skin. I could feel something going on, and it was unique and different. Almost as if there were some sort of active colony working on massaging my face pore by pore.
After enjoying the feeling of micro-bubble scrubbing my skin, the 5 minutes were up.
Honestly I could of kept it on for longer, but I feared that if I didn't follow directions it would dry my skin out, or cause break outs, so I removed the Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals and threw it away. My skin still felt very tingly, clean, and refreshed even after the masque was off.
The package recommended that I splash some water on my face, an towel dry. After splashing the water on my face, the tingly sensation went away. That sort of sucked, but what can yah do?
Cons:
I have 2 issues with the Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals.
The first issues is that it is meant to calm and relax you. However after the 5 minute treatment you can't just roll over and go to sleep. You have to get up and rinse your face off. That sort of defeats the whole 'calming/relaxing' aspect of the masque.
Secondly after rinsing off, and towel drying, my skin was shining like a star. I hate when my skin looks greasy. Although the masque didn't leave behind any sort of greasy substance or slimy residue, it looked greasy.
I know my skin was most likely super clean and this is why it looked shiny, but the shine seemed to last for the entire day and into the next. I don't know what it did to my skin, but I certainly didn't enjoy the 48 hours of shiny skin. I'm usually actively seeking products that remove shine, so it was dreadful to have the masque actually add shine to my face.
Pros:
Setting the shiny face and lack of relaxation aside, my face did in fact feel 90% better. The dark circles under my eyes were still present, but my eyes did not feel as tired and weighed down.
My skin was no longer dull either, and I enjoyed the 5 minutes that I got out of the masque.
Overall:
Although the Montagne Jeunesse: Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic with Dead Sea Minerals left my face shiny for 2 days, I really loved the results. My skin felt rejuvenated. The tired skin around my eyes felt re-newed, and overall for $1.26 it was well worth it.
I do wish though that I didn't have to rinse the tonic off after applying the masque.
Where To Buy:
You can find this, and other Montagne Jeunesse facial tonics at KMart, and Walmart. You can also purchase them in bulk online, or at the Montagne-Jeunesse.com website.
I also think that these masques would make you face feel AWESOME after spending a day at the beach and getting a sunburn. This would bring total relief to your burnt face.
Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream
I have always been told by my grandmother that if you start using moisturizers and anti aging creams at a young age, you will end up with young wrinkle free looking skin in your old age. My grandmother had the skin to prove her theory.
About 2 weeks ago I was given Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream for free. A trial size, but nonetheless, enough to last me a good 2 weeks.
How It Worked:
Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream was pretty terrible. It left a swampy sticky residue behind, which made my skin feel nasty.
After using it for 2 weeks I also was not able to see any difference in my skin. I have very fine crows feet/laugh lines around my eyes, and after using Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream for 2 weeks, there is absolutely no significant changes.
Those small wrinkles are the same as they ever were.
The only thing I liked about the cream was that it had a nice fresh citrusy scent. Other than that it made my skin feel gross, which resulted in me washing it off.
One thing I will say about Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream, is that it would provide a lot of relief to those with very, very dry skin. This stuff over moisturizes, so for those with dry skin I imagine that this cream would work nicely for them.
Skip This:
Buy This:
About 2 weeks ago I was given Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream for free. A trial size, but nonetheless, enough to last me a good 2 weeks.
How It Worked:
Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream was pretty terrible. It left a swampy sticky residue behind, which made my skin feel nasty.
After using it for 2 weeks I also was not able to see any difference in my skin. I have very fine crows feet/laugh lines around my eyes, and after using Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream for 2 weeks, there is absolutely no significant changes.
Those small wrinkles are the same as they ever were.
The only thing I liked about the cream was that it had a nice fresh citrusy scent. Other than that it made my skin feel gross, which resulted in me washing it off.
One thing I will say about Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Cream, is that it would provide a lot of relief to those with very, very dry skin. This stuff over moisturizes, so for those with dry skin I imagine that this cream would work nicely for them.
Skip This:
Buy This:
Beauty Book Review: The Ruling Class by Francine Pascal
They say you should never judge a book by its cover. I'm famous for doing so though, and this is how I came across The Ruling Class by Francine Pascal.
I came across the book while browsing the very small book section of young adult books at my local book store.
By the looks of the attractive cover, I assumed immediately that it was going to very similar to the movie Mean Girls, starring Lindsay Lohan.
The cover features a pair of legs, wearing a gorgeous pink tie up pair of stiletto's.
The book has 3 main characters. The way it is written, its almost like taking a peek into all three of their diaries, which I have always found cool. It satisfies the voyerism'ness in me.
First we meet J.S., whom is the most popular and beautiful girl in school. She's the girl every other girl wants to be, or be with. She is referred to as the leader of the R.C.'s. (short for ruling class) which consists of about 4 or 5 more extremely beautiful girls. They're nothing more than a shadow of J.S. though.
Next we have Myrna Fry. She is like a puppet on strings, and has forever longed to be in with the R.C's. She even at times in the book thinks she is part of the group when all she ever was, was a pushover, or someone for the RC's to use.
Myrna is in denial about it though, and even when J.S. and the rest of the R.C's were nasty to her, she thought it was just poking fun because that's what girls do when they're so close to one another.
Basically Myrna is the idiot who follows the pretty girls around, thinking that they actually like her. We have all known a stupid girl like this one time or another in life. The dork that longs to fit in, yet doesn't. That's Myrna.
Next we meet Twyla Gay, she is sort of our main character. Twyla is the new girl. Most of the story is surrounded around her. She comes from a poor family and all she longs for is acceptance.
She immediately attaches herself to Myrna Fry because she became aware that the R.C's were just using her. She figured if she became friends with Myrna she'd also have an in into the popular crowd, and that perhaps they would actually like her.
But then...something bad happens...
How was Twyla to know Ryder was J.S's boyfriend, or boy toy?
Noting really works out as planned for Twyla in the beginning of the book, and when the R.C's play a nasty prank on her so horrific, to the point where she was almost raped by a group of guys, is when Twyla goes from wanting to fit in, to her wanting to get the ultimate revenge on the R.C's.
Twyla plans her revenge, but for the most part her master plan is really freaking lame, and top that off with J.S. having the entire school making fun of her really makes things difficult. Not to mention that having Gay as a last name certainly didn't help Twyla either.
After you get your introduction into all of their lives,(or shall I say, thoughts, the book switches from Myrna, J.S's and Twyla's point of view) which is very amusing seeing how each girl has a total opposite thought of the last girl, yet the thoughts of each of them mesh in to one another in order to create the story.
My Thoughts:
It's a wicked book, and your going to enjoy how the writer has put it together. Some parts you will be feeling sorry for some of the characters, and other times you'll be laughing out loud- at them. (Especially when J.S. takes her great fall on the bar while dancing over lip gloss). There's even little traces of romance in the book as well...yep they always throw in romance in teen books.
Ruling Class also has some really good cat fights, and if you're a fan of the movie Mean Girls, its almost like a new group of them. I feel it could possibly be a sequel to the movie. Only they'd have to spice it up a bit, as some chapters did tend to drag on.
The pranks pulled by the R.C's and Twyla Gay were cool, and comical. But they lacked from reality of how mean girls could 'really' be in junior high school.
I'm hoping that Francine Pascal writes a sequel to the Ruling Class. I would love to see what happens after. The ending sort of just left you wanting more, and asking questions, which I didn't like.
Ruling Class is a fast read. I read it in only 2 days, so you can tell how absorbed in the reading you can become with this book.
Although I enjoyed the book, I still think that there could of been some parts that seemed more realistic too teen behavior. Some scenes were just too over done, making it seem a little...fake.
I came across the book while browsing the very small book section of young adult books at my local book store.
By the looks of the attractive cover, I assumed immediately that it was going to very similar to the movie Mean Girls, starring Lindsay Lohan.
The cover features a pair of legs, wearing a gorgeous pink tie up pair of stiletto's.
The book has 3 main characters. The way it is written, its almost like taking a peek into all three of their diaries, which I have always found cool. It satisfies the voyerism'ness in me.
First we meet J.S., whom is the most popular and beautiful girl in school. She's the girl every other girl wants to be, or be with. She is referred to as the leader of the R.C.'s. (short for ruling class) which consists of about 4 or 5 more extremely beautiful girls. They're nothing more than a shadow of J.S. though.
Next we have Myrna Fry. She is like a puppet on strings, and has forever longed to be in with the R.C's. She even at times in the book thinks she is part of the group when all she ever was, was a pushover, or someone for the RC's to use.
Myrna is in denial about it though, and even when J.S. and the rest of the R.C's were nasty to her, she thought it was just poking fun because that's what girls do when they're so close to one another.
Basically Myrna is the idiot who follows the pretty girls around, thinking that they actually like her. We have all known a stupid girl like this one time or another in life. The dork that longs to fit in, yet doesn't. That's Myrna.
Next we meet Twyla Gay, she is sort of our main character. Twyla is the new girl. Most of the story is surrounded around her. She comes from a poor family and all she longs for is acceptance.
She immediately attaches herself to Myrna Fry because she became aware that the R.C's were just using her. She figured if she became friends with Myrna she'd also have an in into the popular crowd, and that perhaps they would actually like her.
But then...something bad happens...
How was Twyla to know Ryder was J.S's boyfriend, or boy toy?
Noting really works out as planned for Twyla in the beginning of the book, and when the R.C's play a nasty prank on her so horrific, to the point where she was almost raped by a group of guys, is when Twyla goes from wanting to fit in, to her wanting to get the ultimate revenge on the R.C's.
Twyla plans her revenge, but for the most part her master plan is really freaking lame, and top that off with J.S. having the entire school making fun of her really makes things difficult. Not to mention that having Gay as a last name certainly didn't help Twyla either.
After you get your introduction into all of their lives,(or shall I say, thoughts, the book switches from Myrna, J.S's and Twyla's point of view) which is very amusing seeing how each girl has a total opposite thought of the last girl, yet the thoughts of each of them mesh in to one another in order to create the story.
My Thoughts:
It's a wicked book, and your going to enjoy how the writer has put it together. Some parts you will be feeling sorry for some of the characters, and other times you'll be laughing out loud- at them. (Especially when J.S. takes her great fall on the bar while dancing over lip gloss). There's even little traces of romance in the book as well...yep they always throw in romance in teen books.
Ruling Class also has some really good cat fights, and if you're a fan of the movie Mean Girls, its almost like a new group of them. I feel it could possibly be a sequel to the movie. Only they'd have to spice it up a bit, as some chapters did tend to drag on.
The pranks pulled by the R.C's and Twyla Gay were cool, and comical. But they lacked from reality of how mean girls could 'really' be in junior high school.
I'm hoping that Francine Pascal writes a sequel to the Ruling Class. I would love to see what happens after. The ending sort of just left you wanting more, and asking questions, which I didn't like.
Ruling Class is a fast read. I read it in only 2 days, so you can tell how absorbed in the reading you can become with this book.
Although I enjoyed the book, I still think that there could of been some parts that seemed more realistic too teen behavior. Some scenes were just too over done, making it seem a little...fake.
Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Cleanser
I have to purchase facial cleansers at least twice a month. I go through them like fat people go through potato chips. I wash my face around 3 times a day. Once in the morning, once when I get home from work, and once before bed.
Although I love trying different products, I have noticed that the pricing takes a toll on me sometimes, so when I came across a bottle of Garnier Conditioner that had a free trial sized tube of Garnier Nutri-Pure Microbead Cleanser attached to it, I of course went in for the buy.
It promised to remove dull looking skin, while cleaning pores.
When I went to use it I noticed the cute teal colored microbeads within the white grainy textured cream.
At first I wondered if it would hurt, seeing how it included not only microbeads, but it also included extremely sand fine microbeads as well. They are added for extra exfoliation.
When I began scrubbing it into my skin, I noticed the gorgeous citrusy fresh clean scent, that comes packed in most Garnier products.
As I scrubbed, I was happy to note that it did'nt hurt at all, and that even those with sensitive skin could use this.
Results:
Fabulous! My skin was left feeling soft, clean, and new. I couldn't of been happier.
The best thing about it though was the fact that it left my skin oil free all day long.
I recommend this to those with oily skin, and those with dry skin. It keeps oil at bay for those with oily skin; and it will remove dry skin from those who suffer from it.
Overall I feel that Garnier Nutri-Pure Cleanser is an awesome product. I plan on making this one, part of my full time facial care collection. Not many items make it to the full time cabinet.
Although I love trying different products, I have noticed that the pricing takes a toll on me sometimes, so when I came across a bottle of Garnier Conditioner that had a free trial sized tube of Garnier Nutri-Pure Microbead Cleanser attached to it, I of course went in for the buy.
It promised to remove dull looking skin, while cleaning pores.
When I went to use it I noticed the cute teal colored microbeads within the white grainy textured cream.
At first I wondered if it would hurt, seeing how it included not only microbeads, but it also included extremely sand fine microbeads as well. They are added for extra exfoliation.
When I began scrubbing it into my skin, I noticed the gorgeous citrusy fresh clean scent, that comes packed in most Garnier products.
As I scrubbed, I was happy to note that it did'nt hurt at all, and that even those with sensitive skin could use this.
Results:
Fabulous! My skin was left feeling soft, clean, and new. I couldn't of been happier.
The best thing about it though was the fact that it left my skin oil free all day long.
I recommend this to those with oily skin, and those with dry skin. It keeps oil at bay for those with oily skin; and it will remove dry skin from those who suffer from it.
Overall I feel that Garnier Nutri-Pure Cleanser is an awesome product. I plan on making this one, part of my full time facial care collection. Not many items make it to the full time cabinet.
L'Oreal Dermo-Expertise Refreshing Eye Makeup Remover
L'oreal Dermo-Expertise Refreshing Eye Makeup Remover is amongst my favorite eye makeup removal products. It is oil free and will not leave a nasty residue behind like most makeup removal products do.
It gets rid of mascara and eye liner with ease.
I usually apply a decent amount to a cotton ball and it gets the job done.
The only issue I have with L'oreal Dermo-Expertise Refreshing Eye Makeup Removeris that it is difficult to come by at times. It seems whenever I want to restock, the shelves are empty.
Another con is that it runs out fast. If you apply makeup daily, and use L'oreal Dermo-Expertise Refreshing Eye Makeup Remover to remove that makeup daily, don't expect it to last longer than a month.
At around $6.00 for a bottle though, it's a good buy.
It gets rid of mascara and eye liner with ease.
I usually apply a decent amount to a cotton ball and it gets the job done.
The only issue I have with L'oreal Dermo-Expertise Refreshing Eye Makeup Removeris that it is difficult to come by at times. It seems whenever I want to restock, the shelves are empty.
Another con is that it runs out fast. If you apply makeup daily, and use L'oreal Dermo-Expertise Refreshing Eye Makeup Remover to remove that makeup daily, don't expect it to last longer than a month.
At around $6.00 for a bottle though, it's a good buy.
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