Tha Gabulous Lyfe

Summer is finally here! I've been looking forward to summer since spring time. I have been on a clothing and accessory craze, while choosing a minimalist approach to makeup. I'll explain why. Here is my short list and mini review of a few items that I've been loving.  Mobile Oasis-Oat & Black Soap I'm a product junkie when it comes to skin care because I'm always searching for a cleanser to prevent and treat my adult acne. No matter what I try, I keep coming back to African Black soap. I noticed that when I use it, my breakouts are minimal. Plus, an added benefit is that it's not drying on the skin; and over time, it lightens acne scarring. I bought this liquid Black Soap from Mobile Oasis, not only am I impressed with the skin results, I'm also impressed with the formula and the generous amount in the bottle. It's $12 for a 16 oz bottle. Sephora Lip Stains Because of the pandemic, I have developed a minimalist approach to makeup. ...

I have been shopping from my ever growing makeup and beauty stash, by using products that I've had for a while. Because I'm a product junkie, I don't use the same exact products enough to view it as a fave; the reason being is that I typically have several other products just like it, from different brands. But, I've taken a break from buying products, so that I can save some coins, and use what I already have. Since I started doing this, I've rediscovered some awesome products. Below are some products that I've been using regularly, and loving! I also share one of my favorite authors of the moment. Read on for my thoughts!  Beauty - It's My Raye Raye Eyeshadow Palette - I've had this palette in my collection for a while, didn't start using it until this month when I took it with me on vacation. That's what happens when you have so many eyeshadow palettes, there's always one waiting to be used in the rotation. The Ra...

A few months ago, I was introduced to a natural skin care line, eHoneySkin ! eHoneySkin is owned and operated by Erika Clark; the product line was especially developed with women of color in mind. The products are natural, and created to treat skin care concerns while letting your beautiful melanin shine through! I bought three of her products, the Goddess Glow Cleansing scrub,  Rose Water Mist, and the Balancing Facial moisturizer. I used all three products routinely for a month to give my most accurate and honest opinion. Read on for my thoughts! Goddess Glow Cleansing Scrub Description: Natural and Gentle exfoliating cleansing scrub  to get rid of dead skin cells and leave your skin with a refreshing radiant glow. For Normal, Oily, Combination Skin. Price $30 The cleansing scrub acts a cleanser and an exfoliant. You don't need much, just apply it to your face in round circular motions and rinse off. After every cleanser that I use, I immediately notic...

Hello Glamour Dolls, As usual, I purchased most of the items because of sales that I couldn't pass up. This will be my last haul for a while because I have a true excess of everything and I have hit my makeup bucket list. I will share with you my bucket list items later on in the post. As usual, my hauls include mini reviews. If you would like a full review on an item, leave a comment. Read on for the deets. Wink and Pout I've blogged about Kym Lee before and her own personal makeup brand and how much I like the products. Kym Lee always has a good sale. I bought two lipsticks from her and three glosses. I bought Red Bottoms lipstick, which is a burgundy-red with red sparkles. Top Row Left to Right: Empire Red and Red Bottoms Bottom Row Left to Right: G-String, Lovestruck and In Love with my Ex I also bought Empire Red (which is named after the show). Kym Lee is also Taraji P. Henson's makeup artist on the show, Empire! Incidentally, part of the proceeds o...

Hey Glamour Dolls! Can't believe there are only two weeks left in the year! These are my top five products that I've consistently used throughout the year and I've repurchased over and over again. Read on, and I"ll tell you why I love them. 1. Mac Studio Moisture Cream Moisturizer I originally bought this moisturizer in a travel sized version to sample. The cream is light weight and very moisture rich. It gives my skin a nice radiance and leaves my skin supple. It works wonders in the Fall/Winter months because my skin drinks up moisturizer in the cooler months. I've used other moisturizers and I would put it on and you couldn't tell that I put anything on thirty minutes later; with this moisturizer, it stays on longer. I liked it so much that I went on and bought the full size version. 2. Clarisionic Skin Care System The Clarisonic skin care system is a must-have holy grail product for me! I have blemished, acne prone skin and I can ...

I made a goal this year (as I do every year) to take better care of my skin. I bought a few things from Sephora online, read on for the deets.  Clarisonic - The Clarisonic has been on my wish list for at least a year. I finally buckled down and purchased one. I bought the Clarisonic Mia, which is the most inexpensive one ($119) in the Clarisonic family. It comes with the sensitive brush head, charger, instruction manaul and a 1 oz cleanser. I have been using this for almost a week & I'm so in love with this little thing...I will save all of my wonderful comments about it for the review.  I will be doing a full review after I used it for a while. I could have went to the local Sephora to purchase the Clarisonic but they don't always give me the VIB points, so; I bought it online...the more points you get, the more free items & samples you get. Origins Clay Mask - This was the item that I got for free for reaching over 100 points. I could h...

Hey, Glamour Dolls! How are you all?! Long time no post...it feels good to finally write something on here. What's been going on with me? Just life. I've been busy and focused on a few things; which has been leaving me drained and given me a lack of desire to do anything else. Things have been all work and no play for a while and I'm finally getting my balance back again (sigh of relief!). Thankfully, I go on vacation in a few weeks. I hope to write a few more posts before I leave :-) As far as beauty news, I have been using products in my own stash-I have bought a few things here and there and I did purchase a big haul from a Mac Pro class I took the beginning of October (more about that in another post). Here are some of my faves that I've been using constantly using since the last time I posted. KISSABLE COUTURE GLOSSES I bought these glosses at The Makeup Show back in May and I've been loving them every since. The glosses are really long wea...

I'm so late posting this, it's technically spring in my area but we're still having some cold days here and there. I have combination skin on my face (mostly oily) but, in the winter it becomes dry and so does the rest of my body...these are the products that got me through the winter and I'm still using some of them now. LIP BALM I know, lip balm sounds so basic and elementary, but; I really need it in the winter because my lips are even more dry and sometimes chapped because of the cold air. I find myself applying lip balm 3 or 4 times a day, it makes a great conditioner before putting on lipgloss and lipstick. I use Burt's Bees honey lip balm and Soft Lips balm. Both work really well, but Soft Lips has SPF, it tingles and it also makes my lips soft. ROSEBUD SALVE So lotion really doesn't work to well for me in the winter, sometimes it's not moisturizing enough... so, I have to switch to something with a more heavier consistency, that ...

Hey, Glamour Dolls It's my first post of the new year! I hope that 2012 is off to a great start for you all :-)  Thanks for the wonderful support in 2011. I hope to bring some new and exciting things on my blog for this year, so; please, please stick with me. I think I've realized that I am now a product junkie and I've added a new exfoliant to my skin care regimen. I bought the St. Ives scrub and I've been using it since the summer. I've heard so many great things about the St. Ives skin care line, so; I didn't hesitate to buy the scrub-especially since it's a blemish control scrub. Here are my thoughts. PRODUCT CLAIMS " Salicylic Acid Acne Medication with 100% Natural Exfoliants •Oil-Free •Exfoliates to Prevent Blemishes and Cleans Pores •Fights blemishes without over-drying •Dermatologist Tested •100% Natural Extracts America's #1 Scrub gently cleans pores and helps stop breakouts before they occur. Not tested on animals...

Since I'm a BzzAgent , I was sent some exclusive products from the Burt's Bees line for my consideration. I was sent the Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser and the Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream. Here's the long and short of it... the short of it, I really like both products. For the long of it and the details, keep reading! PRODUCT CLAIMS Cleanser "This soap-free cream cleanser is clinically proven to moisturize sensitive skin while gently cleansing away dirt, oil and make-up without over drying or causing redness. Distinctly formulated with softening Cotton Extract to help skin replenish its outer layer and minimize the effects of potential irritants such as harsh soaps or cleansers, it also moisturizes with Rice Extract and soothes with Aloe. Naturally gentle and skin-friendly for daily use, it’s what every sensitive product should be." Moisturizer "Clinically proven to moisturize sensitive skin all day without causing redness or irritation, th...

Even in my late twenties (it pains me to say late twenties...ugh!) I'm still battling with adult acne, I'm really starting to think it'll never go away. I'm always on the look out for acne fighting products that help to treat and prevent acne flareups. I was watching a You Tube video and in the video she was raving about Elf's Zit Zapper, since I'm a fan of Elf products I thought I would give it a try. Here are my thoughts... PRODUCT CLAIMS "Zap zits away with the unique blend of Salicylic Acid, Tea Tree Oil, Witch Hazel and Camphor. This special clear formula helps to fight and prevent acne, reduce redness and swelling, minimize pore size and clear skin." PROS -Very affordable, only $1. -Can be easily purchased at Elf's website or Target stores. -Very small size, fits in your pocket or cosmetic bag. -It's 0.2 fl oz but lasts a long time. -Reduces redness from pimples. CONS -Because of the medicine and other ingredients in i...

Exfoliating otherwise known as removing old dead skin cells from your body goes a long way in skin care and even makeup application, I'll give you 2 reasons why... I am prone to black heads on my nose, chin and cheeks and they weren't your average black heads-they were the kind deep in your skin that look like small hairs. I got a facial on my vacation to get the black heads removed (which is painful) and the esthetician told me that I needed to exfoliate at least twice a week to help prevent black heads. Also, while using one of my favorite cream to powder foundations I noticed that the foundation was really hard to apply. I literally had to drag it across my skin... plus my skin was flaking and peeling bad. I wondered why this was happening and did a search on Google and found out that flaking and peeling skin is a big sign that you need to exfoliate your skin. After this second realization, I immediately went out and bought a facial exfoliating scrub and included it in my...