Drugstore Favorites

I've already professed my preference for a certain men's razor (read why I use the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Shaving Razor, here), but when it comes to my shaving cream, I stick with the feminine variety. I've used so many shaving gels and creams over the years that I had lost track and gotten bored, and then I found eos Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream. First of all, the plastic packaging means I won't have any more rusted can marks in my shower (and yes it's recyclable). Second, it comes in a great Vanilla Bliss scent, as well as several others. Third, and probably most important, its thin lotion-like consistency actually allows for better control with my razor and yet my shave has never produced smoother skin.

Blackheads don't discriminate, even girls with dry skin like me, get them. And believe me they're no easier to get rid of when you have dry skin. The trick is to treating them, usually with a product made specifically to get rid of them. So what's my go-to, you ask? A brand whose name is to the point, Clean and Clear, and whose product is spot on, Blackhead Eraser Scrub. 

I try to get a solid eight hours of sleep a night, but sometimes life just takes over -- in good and bad ways. On those days when I haven't had enough beauty sleep I turn to Say Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel to help with the dark circles under my eyes. I take one small drop and gently rub it into the skin just under my lower lash line, almost immediately I can see the circles start to dissipate. Followed by a quick cup of coffee, I'm usually feeling, and looking, bright-eyed and bushy tailed in no time.

GIllette's tagline has been "the best a man can get" for years, but I've caught on to their game. This woman is stepping up and demanding the best. After a girlfriend's husband raved about how great his Gillette Fusion ProGlide Shaving Razor was, I had to try one out for myself. I'll admit it, I missed some of the girly nuances of the packages of women's razors. But when I held the Fusion ProGlide Razor in my hand it felt good. It was hard and solid, not like my plastic Venus Razor and it moved effortlessly against my legs and took all that unwanted hair with it. I did notice one thing immediately, this baby will nick you if you're not careful. Thanks to moisturizing cushions and all those other grand ideas in women's razors I had gotten spoiled with the no-nick factor. But that nick was worth it, my legs were smooooooooth! I may never go back to a girly razor again, I am woman hear me roar!

I may not wear a lot of makeup (about the only thing I put on regularly is eye makeup) but that doesn't mean that I don't have a proper way of removing it. Every night before bed I put some up & up eye makeup remover (AKA Target brand) on a cotton round and swipe it across my eyes several times to get all the makeup and mascara off. The formula is perfect for removing stubborn eye makeup and doesn't leave a greasy residue. And best of all because it's Target brand, it won't set you back a fortune.

I've used the same mascara (Cover Girl Lash Blast Lengthening Mascara) for a couple years. And every time I try a new formula, I'm reminded why I shouldn't stray. But if you follow beauty at all, then you know that Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara is a top rated formula, even amongst its pricier competition. But it was the latest Great Lash Formula, named Lots of Lashes, that caught my attention and made me purchase a tube. With a tiny brush head and the perfect little "grabber" bristles, it coats lashes in great color and makes my eyes pop beautifully!   I don't think I'll be going back to old faithful anytime soon.

A beautiful and expecting Jennifer Garner attended an AFI premiere of her new movie 'Butter'  this past week. But it wasn't her drapey dress, strappy sandals, or barely there makeup that caught my eye -- it was her nail polish. With her hand perfectly poised on her hip I saw flashes of gun metal grey with a bit of sparkle and became entranced. 

I'm a self-professed shower gel junky, my linen closet has been known to overflow with them as I covet every scent I can get my hands on in every formula imaginable. But I will admit that while I'm a sucker for their frothy goodness, I have a select few that are near and dear to my heart!

I have baby fine, straight hair. Some of you may drool with jealousy at this seemingly easy hair type but I assure you, the grass is not always greener. When my hair is stick straight it looks so piecey and odd that I feel a little like Taylor Momsen, not something I strive for. So I like it to have a little bit of a natural bounce to it -- to achieve this I use the L'Oreal EverSleek Humidity Defying Leave-In Creme. First of all it helps my hair from getting too much bounce from the humid summers we have where I live. Second of all it is so light and airy that it does not weigh down my poor baby fine hair. I use it every time I wash my hair and I'm never sorry I did. Plus the line is free of sulfates and doesn't seem to have any harsh effects on my highlighted hair.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TRESemmé. All opinions are 100% mine.

Whether you woke up late today or just want to extend your sleek blow dry an extra day, dry shampoo is your ticket to making hair look fresh and clean in seconds. Dry shampoo has long been a must-have in our beauty arsenal, so we were excited to test out the new TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo.

What first struck me about the shampoo is that it's available in 4 different formulas based on your specific hair type -- something completely unique to the dry shampoo market. The four formulas are:

Strengthening Dry Shampoo: The formula, with B12 vitamins and keratin, helps strengthen hair and leaves it full of healthy body.

Volumizing Dry Shampoo: The formula, with mineral clay and citrus, removes oil while injecting hair with salon-gorgeous volume.

Smoothing Dry Shampoo: The formula, with Vitamin H & Silk Proteins, refreshes your straight style by removing excess oil, impurities and odor to ensure your smooth look lasts.

Moisturizing Waterless Foam Shampoo: The formula, with Witch Hazel, Citrus, and Aloe Vera, refreshes your hair by removing excess oil, impurities and odor while moisturizing hair.

Included with the shampoo were some helpful tips on how to get the best results from Dry Shampoos:

• Do shake vigorously before use and in between spray bursts for best results.
• Do lift sections of dry hair and spray lightly at roots
• Do spray in short bursts, holding 8-12 inches from head
• Don't spray it like hair spray (all over and continuously)
• Do leave in for 1-2 minutes.
• Do use fingertips or a brush to distribute product evenly

Following the instructions, I sprayed at the roots, targeting areas that seemed especially oily. Like most other dry shampoos I've used, the spray coated my hair with a whitish powder. I instantly noticed the clean, fresh scent which comes from citrus extracts infused into the product. After 2 minutes, I used my fingers to distribute the shampoo until the whitish powder was no longer visible.

True to TRESemmé's promise, my hair looked instantly refreshed (and smelled great!) without water. I was pleased to see that my brunette hair didn't have the tell-tale ashy look that a lot of other dry shampoos can leave. In addition to looking clean and non-greasy, my hair felt a bit fuller and thicker than it does when it's freshly washed. 12 hours later, my hair still looks and smells clean.

Want to learn more? TRESemmé has teamed up with YouTube blogger Elle to create a tutorial to teach people how to use TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo properly. Check out her Top Hair Products for School video, she's even giving away a $500 Gift Card to Target!