Adult Acne...AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

Raise your hand if you have adult acne. YEP, that's me!!!! Lucky me. LOL!!!
I grew up with light to moderate acne and boils from hell. I thought once I was past my teens and early twenties I would get past that and have nice skin. My skin has been really good for quite a few years but with in the last year I've noticed some different things happening to my skin.
Just about a year ago is when I started working out heavily. Sweating alot more. I noticed my forehead had a bunch of little bumps on it. At the time I thought I was having a reaction to something so I didn't think anything of it. I stuck with washing my face with Pro Activ and using the face mask. Eventually it would clear up. Then a few months ago I was watching some show and they were talking about adult on set acne. Apparently little bumps on the forehead or on your face in general is just one form of adult acne. I had absolutely no clue. Did you?
So within the last two and half months I've been walking and running alot more and sweating quite a bit. Guess what has returned. Very frustrating. I am still using the Pro Activ. When I use the mask on it it definitely calms it down. So I'm doing that but other than that I'm not sure what else to do. Any suggestions?
I'm using Bare Minerals Original Bisque to conceal. It helps if there is some redness but you really can't hide bumps. Bumps are bumps and there is no hiding that. :(
Anyone else having these problems? What are you doing to help clear it up?

~LadyO

Love & Happiness

I know, another blog post. LOL!!! I said I would post any new kits I receive. Well, like I said I just got 4 kits. So here is another one: Love and Happiness, such a fab kit. Love the Big and Bright Eyeliner in Oz (Oz by the way is an emerald green just like the color in the Wizard of Oz). Oz makes your eyes pop. The Prime Time Brightening Sunlight Eyelid Primer is a great color and I'm loving it for this summer, very natural, same with Queen Phyllis Matte Eyecolor. The Love Radiance All-Over Face Color is just beautiful. Really highlights the cheek bones and brow bones but looks very natural. Best Friend Lip Balm is fab. Moisturizes your lips wonderfully and the color is great too. I thought it was too dark for my outfit today so I softened it up by putting Rita Buxom on top of it. This is truly a universal kit. If you're a little scared cuz' of the Big and Bright Eyeliner in Oz, don't be. At least give it a try. Think outside the box. I was amazed at how it made my eyes pop.

Below is the link to my pics. of what the kits look like.

Lady O's Beauty Haven

~Lady O

I'm not affiliated with this company. I purchased these products for my own use and enjoyment.

Fun, Fun, Fun

Okay, so I used a new BE kit today. Buxom Hot Ticket kit from Sephora. I took pics. of the kit and pics. of me wearing the kit. It's an AH-mazing kit. I posted a few pics. on fb and people fell in love with the Black Jasper Liner and Beagle stay-there shadow. The colors in this kit are so fabulous.

Buxom Hot Ticket:
-New Stay-There Eyeshadow in Beagle
-Mini Insider Eyeliner in Black Jasper
-Dani Big and Healthy Mini Lip Polish
-Buxom Lash in Blackest Black

I highly recommend it!!!!

Here is a link to some BE pics.

Lady O's Beauty Haven

(Hope the link works.)

~Lady O

I am not affiliated with this company. I purchased these products myself for personal use.

Beauty Addictions (Beyond Help)

Hello, I'm Lady O and I'm a Bare Escentuals/bareMinerals Addict.

My addiction, my guilty pleasure, one of my enjoyments is Bare Escentuals/bareMinerals. Anyone who knows me knows how much I'm obsessed with it. Like I had said in a previous blog, once I gave the foundation a try I was hooked. Then I branched out into eyeshadow, liners, blushes, and now some skin care. Been using BE for over 6yrs now. I can safely say that I'm completely addicted to BE. I buy kits like crazy. I don't think my husband realized just how much I loved it and just how much I bought before we moved in with one another. He has always been a huge supporter of my hobbies and collections including BE. But now he has seen the scope of my collection (the addiction), realized how often I buy, and I've heard him question "why do you need more eyeshadows?" or "why do you need more BE?". So I thought I would answer some of those questions in this blog tonight.
At first I was buying eyeshadows, blushes, etc... cuz' I didn't have really anything. Like I had said before, before 7yrs ago I didn't wear make-up. So once I had a nice base of a collection, meaning a simple nice face (example: foundation, bronzer, concealer, blush, one color set of eyeshadow, mascara and liner) I was good for a while. Then one time when I went to a Bare Escentuals Boutique I got some other eyeshadow colors. I started playing in eyeshadows for a bit. Wow, was that fun and that's when something clicked. The next time BE was on QVC I ordered 3 kits of eyeshadows. Oh, how I enjoyed playing with all the colors.
I was on the hunt for all different shadows and looks. BE would put out Collector Shades (which means I had to have it). Limited supply kits (had to have it).
I saw my collection growing which excited me. I knew then I had a "problem" (I wouldn't call it that, but I'm sure other would). Now it turned into a hobby (kind of). I love collecting it. I love collecting the rare colors, have to have the newest shades (before anyone else), and finding old shades on EBAY that they no longer make.

No one around me knew about Bare Escentuals. So I was alone in this crazy fun addiction until I found Leslie Blodgett on Facebook. I found her page and "liked" it. She would post up coming shows on the Q. She would tell us what shades and how she did her face that day. She was so friendly and passionate about Bare Escentuals it made me love the product more. I started becoming friends with some of Leslie's followers and realized, I wasn't alone in my bareMinerals craziness. There were others out there just like me. I couldn't believe it. Leslie then started a program for her company called Leslie's Angels (the company sends us samples and we give them out to others for free. She's that sure of her product that if we give you a free sample and you try it, you will fall in love with it too). She put out a calling to all of BE lovers to write in and say why we would like to be a Leslie's Angel and they would let us know if we got in. I literally cried when I got my email saying I was a Leslie's Angel. I got my first package of samples with a note from Leslie and a little present welcoming me. I'm proud to say I'm a Leslie's Angels. I'm honored to spread the BE love.

I have a cascading rainbow of eyeshadows to pick from, an array of blushes as well. I really enjoy getting up everyday and playing in my make-up. I can have a different look everyday.

So as you can see, I'm beyond help. No use in trying to cure me, help me or stop me. So lets just go with it.
So a two weeks ago I got 2 new eyeshadow kits and while on my trip last week I managed to get two other kits. ;)
Let's talk about one of the first two:
bareMinerals Good Morning Gorgeous Seven Eyecolors, One for Every Day of the Week (OH YES LADIES, you heard me right, one for every day of the week, that was worth repeating). The names of the shadows are the actual days of the week. I've worn each shadow for each day this past week (just to try it). Amazing. BE did it again. Super fun colors. No thinking in the morning. LOVE!!! I highly recommend this kit. You can find it on QVC.
I will blog about the other three kits as well. I need some time to try them first.
Just so you all know, I will be blogging about any kits I get and letting you know how they are and posting pics.

So, any of you addicted to a beauty line or product? Please, do share. :)

~Lady O

I am not affiliated with this company. I purchased these products myself for personal use.

Let's Talk About Skin, Baby!

Okay, lets talk skin.
I have always had problem skin and very (and I mean VERY) sensitive skin. Around the middle school/high school days is when my skin started to change (like everyone else). I would get pimples, break outs and the worst thing BOILS. UGH, boils (to me) are the worst. The get very large, red, irritated, extremely sore, and take forever to go away. I had pimples and boils all thru high school and into my twenties. I tried everything, over the counter remedies, homemade remedies, all natural remedies. My favorite for years was from The Body Shop, the Tea Tree Oil. Gosh, that worked great for me for a few years then my skin changed again and it stopped working, I was so bummed. Finally I decided to give Proactiv a try. At first it was a little harsh for my face. I got really red and my skin was even more sensitive. I called the company and they told me how to go about easing my way into Proactiv. So happy I called cuz' it did end up working. I've been using Proactiv for over 8yrs now and my skin has really cleared. When a boil or pimple come up I use the mask or their pimple zapper cream (can't remember the name but it works) and it clears it up in a day or two.
7 months ago I tried (for the first time) Bare Minerals Blemish Therapy. Oh my, I fell in love. At the time I happened to have a nice whopper of a pimple (but I think it was going the boil route) and I was at a Bare Escentuals Boutique. They were giving me a make-under and asked if I had ever used Blemish Therapy before? I said no but I'm interested. So they put it on my pimple. It killed the redness immediately. So with just that to show for the product I bought it. The next day when I got up the swelling was down and the redness was gone. I was completely shocked. So now, when a boil or pimple arise I slap some Blemish Therapy from Bare Minerals on it and it's gone. :)
When washing make-up off my face I like to use The Clarisonic with Philosophy's Purity Cleanser. You really get a deep cleaning which helps to prevent black heads and white heads.
Okay, also along the skin line, I've always (I can't believe I'm going to admit this) had a problem with back acne (head hanging down in shame). Now I know I shouldn't be ashamed. It's not so much of shame as it is embarrassment. You never want to have low cut dresses in the back, you don't want to wear bathing suits in the summer, you're just very self-conscious of that area. When I started on birth control pills that is when my back acne cleared up. I couldn't believe it. I seriously cried with happiness. I had no clue that that one pill could help me in that way. So for years I've been back acne free.
Just over one year ago I started going thru some health issues and my docs didn't know what was causing it and it could've been my birth control, so I had to get off of it. Well, within 3 months, BOOM, it was back (I seriously cried again but this time in sadness). :( The last year has been trial and error of products to help me in this area. And nothing has really helped. I've been stressed, which made it worse. I've been working out ALOT, and that of course made it worse. About 2 months ago I went by my Proactiv kiosk in the mall and they now had a 3 step system for the body. I thought, why not give it a try, it works for my face. I'm happy to say that YES it does work. My back is getting better. It's slow but it is working. I'm trying to get past the embarrassment of it and just accept me for me. Look, it's my body, this is what it does and I'm working on helping it.

I also love Philosophy body washes. All the fun scented body washes. I use them as well. They are light in fragrance and don't irritate my skin.

What do you use for facial cleansing? What do you use for body cleansing?

Wow, look what we go thru to look pretty and feel good about ourselves. But I do feel better about myself with clear skin. I think we all feel that way.
~Lady O

Hair, hair, hair

Let's talk hair. I've always found it interesting how everyone wants someone else's hair. We're never happy with our own hair. I wonder why that is? I have to admit, it took most of my life to be happy with my own hair.
When I was a kid I had long hair down to my ankles. Of course from the ages 5-8 I really couldn't appreciate my hair (too young). I do remember being annoyed with it at times. To me it was too long. I can remember my mom would set up my pink beauty chair in the living room in front of the TV after my bath and comb my hair (we called it playing beauty parlor). I would sit and watch cartoons while she brushed the knots out. That was a really smart way to get me to sit still and let her work on my hair. My mom always put in me in cute pigtails or one long ponytail.
When I started school we cut my hair to shoulder length and noticed I had quite a bit of curl in my hair. It wasn't tight curls but some waves. I really didn't like my hair to much in grade school (but what kid does, right?) It had some layers and I had bangs.
Then in middle school I wanted it cut short and I mean short. We cut it to chin length. It was an adorable cut for anyone that didn't have a round face and chub cheeks. LOL!!! Such a bad choice. Once we cut it we realized just how curly my hair was. It was poodle curly. Tight ringlet curls. I hated it and I mean HATED IT. I had to deal with it til' it grew out and let me just say, my hair grows EXTREMELY slow. LOL!! Took quite some time to grow out and I've never cut my hair that short again. I actually have a fear of cutting it that short again.
I pretty much kept my hair at shoulder length thru highschool but I didn't like my curls so I would straighten it. Oh yea, that pretty much destroyed my hair. I got major split ends.
Well after school I finally thought to myself, why not let my hair do what it wants to do naturally. So now I let it be curly however, I keep it no shorter than shoulder length. I try to keep up on trims (I'm a little over due right now).
So after all these years, I'm finally happy with my hair. I love that I have curls, I love my hair long, I love my color of hair (I've never colored it), I accept my hair the way it is. I don't want someone else's hair (amazingly enough).

Now the question is, what hair products do you use? Gosh, I'm so scattered with with this. I switch products alot. Shampoos: Aussie, Suave, Herbal Essences, Ojon, and just recently WEN. Recently I noticed my hair breaking. Like I said, I'm over due for a trim so I'm gonna get that done and hopefully that will help. Now I'm using Herbal Essences. I use Frederic Fekkai curling conditioner. I really like it. Hydrates great. :)
For Styling, I use Herbal Essences curling mousse. I've been looking for years for new styling mousse or spray. Any suggestions? Could use the help.
Alright, there is my "long" hair story. What's yours? Are you happy with your hair?
~Lady O

Let's Talk Beauty

Hey there!!! I'm very excited to start this blog. I'll be posting pics. of looks you can do for your eyes and face. Also, discussing face washes, shampoos/conditioners, body washes, nails, tips and tricks for make-up that I've learned, you know just fun make-up/beauty talk. If you love a product and want me to give it a try please give me suggestions and I'm more than willing to give it a go too.
A little about me, if you met me or talked to me about 7 or so years ago I never wore make-up. Just didn't see the point, didn't want to take the time and I didn't know the first the thing about it. Then I saw a make-up line on QVC called Smashbox. Loved the lady Holly that was selling it on there and loved the look that women got from it. However, I didn't want to go as far as wearing foundation. So I decided to buy a kit from Smashbox from QVC, it had blush, liner, shadow, mascara and eye brows (no foundation). I would just wear a little of everything. It made me feel prettier and people were noticing. So I thought I would stick with just that and I did for about a year.
Then the next year for Christmas my mom bought me "Meet the Plums" kit (3 different shades of plum/purple colors from light to dark) from Bare Escentuals/BareMinerals. I fell in love with it. The plum colors were a great start to wearing eyeshadows. Very simple shading and coloring but it made my eyes pop. I kept playing it safe for eyeshadows for a year probably. I would buy "Meet the Browns" or kits that were "stupid proof" for mixing colors. I did that for another year or so. I finally felt confident to start branching out and mixing colors on my own and wearing "outside the box" shades. I also decided to try Bare Escentuals/BareMinerals foundation. It was amazing. You couldn't feel it, it didn't look like I was wearing heavy make-up at all, yet covered. Then I branched into, primers, finishing powders and of course lip glosses/Buxoms. Now I'm hooked. I have a rainbow of shades for eyeshadows. Lots of different shades of blushes as well. I'm completely hooked on make-up. I have to say (it may sound weird) but my daily routine of swirl, tap, buff really relaxes me. I genuinely am excited to put my make-up on in the morning. I change my eyeshadows everyday. I feel I get to play everyday.

I hope you'll join me in the fun of make-up and beauty on my blog. Let's have fun making ourselves feel pretty.
~Lady O