How to Cover Redness

In the past few years I have struggled with facial redness and blotchiness. I'm not sure what triggered it, but it is very annoying to deal with! I envy the people who can leave the house with no makeup on, or "minimal" or "natural" makeup and look great. I have tried that a couple of times, but I will get asked if I have a sunburn or if I am not feeling well....not something I like to hear.

I spent a lot of time trying to find a "quick fix" to cover the redness in the mornings because I was tired of applying layer after layer of makeup. It took up so much time and I would end up looking "cakey" and too made up.

In the past year I have discovered a few products that have literally changed my life! One in particular is so quick and easy that it literally takes seconds.

It Cosmetics has a product called "Celebration Foundation Illumination". It is a FULL COVERAGE powder foundation that illuminates and hydrates all day long. This powder is SO pigmented, that I don't need to use ANYTHING ELSE with it. No green tinted primer, concealer...anything. It hides dark under eye circles along with any discoloration on your face. It leaves a flawless, luminous finish and it literally takes seconds to apply and get a full coverage look.

This has saved me so much time in the mornings! I am not kidding when I say that this is all I need to use. I use my favorite face buffing brush to apply this and it literally takes no time or effort to make it look like you have perfect skin. This foundation also works well with other face products. If you feel like you want a more matte finish, you can apply a powder on top and it will not get cakey at all. This powder works GREAT for dry skin. This is one of the only products I have found where I do not get dry patches throughout the day. It is super hydrating. I would suggest using a setting spray on top to achieve a long lasting finish.

There are other products I like to use on days when I am not in a huge rush to get out the door:

• Amazing Cosmetics: Amazing Concealer - This concealer is great because you literally only need a tiny drop for your entire face. The tube will last forever because of the high pigment. It does not cake up throughout the day and leaves a flawless, airbrushed finish. This is my favorite concealer at the moment!
• It Cosmetics: Bye Bye Redness - This is a really unique product to use for facial redness. It is a red neutralizing and color correcting cream that completely cancels out any redness on your face. Like the concealer, you only need a tiny bit. For me, it acts as a foundation and I like to finish it off with my Amazing Concealer for added coverage and highlighting with a powder on top. 
• Kat Von D: Lock-It Powder Foundation - I like to use this powder foundation, or MAC Studio Fix powder foundation to set my face for complete coverage. This can be used alone or on top of other products for maximum coverage. I personally use this on top of the Bye Bye Redness and Amazing Concealer for a flawless, full coverage, matte look.

I just want to add that I have never had any issues with any of these products caking up or clinging to dry spots, which is something I normally always have issues with, no matter what products I use! 

After years of trial and error with makeup primers, green moisturizers, full coverage foundations, powders, concealers, these products have worked the best for me at covering redness. 

I really hope that these recommendations help you if you are struggling with facial redness. Let me know if you end up trying any of these items and how they work for you!

How I Get Freebies

Free stuff. Everyone likes free stuff. You know that saying, "If it's free, it's for me"? Well, that is my life motto. Getting free stuff is much easier than you think...once you get the hang of it.

That's what I'm here for.
After many requests over the years, I am here to tell you how to become an expert at getting free stuff in the mail.

First, let me share a picture of a few things I've gotten in the past few weeks:

I know this looks like a lot! But once you start getting the hang of it, this is something that might become the norm for you! Alright, lets begin.

• Vonbeau.com - I want to start by mentioning my FAVORITE freebie website. They are my source for many, many freebies. They are a family-run company who tracks freebies all...day...long. Freebies are always on their radar, and they do most of the work for you so that you are not spending every second of the day searching for free offers. They are 100% trustworthy, and I've been following them for a few years now. Go follow them on Facebook! They also have a Facebook group if you really want to stay on top of every single freebie. I have also signed up for their text alerts, which have gotten me those freebies that tend to go really quick!
• Smiley360 - Smiley360 is a website that sends you free products in return for your review. You take surveys that will put you on "missions" that match your profile. I have completed TONS of missions with Smiley360 and discovered products that I cannot live without! Go sign up now...it's totally free and you get free stuff. Win.
• BzzAgent - Just like Smiley360, BzzAgent sends out free products for you to review. Go set up a profile and make sure you stay on top of all your surveys. If you don't complete your surveys (and stay on top of them because they add more all the time) then it will be hard to get in on any campaigns. I have gotten SOOO much great stuff through BzzAgent. I think my favorite campaign was for the Starbucks Blonde Roast K-Cups. (full size products, people!) Oh, that's where the Silk Cashew Milk and the Quaker Steel Cut Oats came from in the picture above.
• Influenster - Influenster is AWESOME. Just like the sites above, you create a profile and stay on top of surveys and such. They send out what they call "Voxboxes" to those who qualify, based on their profile and surveys. (The Dessange hair products pictured above are from Influenster) Here are just a couple of Voxboxes I have received from them in the past:

• Loreal Consumer Testing - If you think that testing out new makeup, skincare and misc. beauty products is something you would be interested in, go sign up to be a Loreal Consumer Tester. As always, you fill out a profile and they will post pre-qualification tests OFTEN to send out new products to test out. In return for your review on the products, you receive compensation in the mail in the form of BEAUTY PRODUCTS. Yes, you heard that right. The compensation varies depending on the products you test, the amount of time you spend on surveys, etc. The Kiehl's face wash and Lancome eyeliner in the picture above were in a previous compensation package from this program. Make sure you check your account OFTEN (I'm talking several times a day) for any pre-qualifications available for you. Here is another box of goodies they once sent me as compensation:
  
  
  
• PinchMe - Now, let me first start with a little disclaimer about PinchMe. Most people have a love/hate relationship with this company, including me. The biggest peeve I have with them are their "partners". They will send out e-mails for you to go get more freebies from their "partners", to enter some kind of giveaway, etc. I say, as long as you NEVER really open or read their e-mails, you are good. Go fill out your profile, stay on top of surveys, and they will send you a box of free products to test out. (That's where most of the deluxe samples, coffee samples, lotion samples, body wash samples, etc. are from in the above picture) The other thing with them though...you have to be QUICK. They release them once every month or so, and they go out of stock within a couple of minutes. If PinchMe is something you are interested in trying, create your profile, follow them on Facebook and ignore their e-mails. Haha. Harsh, but true. Sometimes they will add links to your profile for other websites, ignore those too. They can be spammy. Just pay attention to their Facebook page (or Vonbeau) and be ready when the free samples go live.
• Brand Facebook Pages: Most of the other freebies that you see online are from giveaways on Facebook pages for different brands. Vonbeau usually stays on top of all of the giveaways that happen, so once again I HIGHLY suggest following them on Facebook and joining their Facebook group so you don't miss anything. I enter giveaways constantly, and I have won a few myself, as you can see above! (Those Bumble and Bumble products pictured above are from a giveaway they had on their Facebook page!) It is the easiest and most rewarding way to get free stuff. Sometimes it takes patience, but I have gotten many freebies this way!

So, there are a few sources that I use for getting freebies. I also want to mention a few tips:

• Create a separate e-mail account for freebies. (To avoid spam and newsletter overload!)
• Once you start signing up for freebies, give it a few weeks. Don't get discouraged if you don't start seeing mail right away. Some freebies take 6-8 weeks to get to your house, some come sooner. But once they start coming in, you will start seeing things on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis! Just be patient. :)
• Avoid spammy links and "freebies". Once again, Vonbeau usually filters these out and also posts warnings on fake freebies that may be floating around.
• Follow a freebie website/tracker. I know I sound like a broken record, but Vonbeau.com is my favorite.
• Have fun! Sometimes you miss out on a freebie, and it can be disappointing. Just remember that you are not losing anything since it's free, and there are always more freebies out there for you! 

Alright...I feel like this was extremely long. Haha. I really hope this helps you all get lots of great freebies! Let me know what you get! 

Birchbox: April 2015

I have been a Birchbox subscriber off and on for the past few years. I've tried out several other subscription services, and I've decided that the Birchbox points system is just too good to pass up.

If you don't know what Birchbox is, it is a beauty subscription service that sends you a box of at least 5 deluxe beauty samples a month. Sometimes they throw in extras, and sometimes they include a full size product! For $10 a month, it is a really great deal. When you enroll, you fill out a beauty profile, and your boxes are personalized to you.

I especially love it because I am on a tight budget, and it is affordable enough for me to get a little treat each month. It's a lot of fun getting a box every month in the mail! Another reason I love it is because I live in a small town, and there are not many places to go out and shop for many of the brands they include in the boxes. 

As I mentioned earlier, the points system is what sets Birchbox apart from other beauty subscription services. For every sample they include in your box, you have the opportunity to review it on their site. For every review you complete, they reward you with 10 points. 100 points = $10 in the Birchbox shop! They carry TONS of products and you can end up getting many of your wish list items for free! This is another great perk for someone like me, who is on a tight budget.

Here's what I got in this month's box:

As you can see, they include a product card with every box. It gives you a full description of each item in your box, as well as a price for the full size item. I also save these boxes to use for organizers in drawers around the house!

Like what you see? Well, I have some good news! I am having a GIVEAWAY so you can win this exact box! Go check out The Peppermint Heart here on Facebook to enter! Good luck! 

Also, if you want to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do it here.

Here's a peek at what I got last month:

The Cargo blush and the Fekkai hair mask made me jump for joy. Haha.

Have a great Tuesday!

Too Faced Cocoa Contour Palette: Review

Too Faced is one of my favorite makeup brands. Want to know why? Well, for one, I am a sucker for their packaging. Another reason: COCOA INFUSED MAKEUP. You heard me right. Smells. Like. Chocolate.

The quality of their products are on point, and they have created several favorites of mine that I use on a daily basis and I cannot live without.

Right now I am loving one of their newer eyeshadow palettes - the Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar. I received this as a Christmas gift, and I have been using it every day since. I love it that much.

When I saw that they were releasing a contour palette...ahem...a COCOA contour palette, I was sold.
I have become a big fan of contouring in the past couple years, and it seems like everyone is coming out with their own contouring kits and palettes. However, I HAD to try this one because I am such of big fan of their cocoa infused products. I purchased mine at Sephora for $40.

Here are my thoughts:

• Packaging: A+

Like I said before, I love their packaging. It is well-made and fun to look at.

• Brush: B

They include a small angled kabuki brush made with their famous "Teddy Bear Hair" bristles. It is really soft and easy to use. The handle is a bit short, but it does a great job once you get the hang of it.

• Light Cocoa (upper left): B+

This is a great highlight shade. I was hoping that it would be matte, but there is a slight sheen to it. It swatches a bit powdery, but it works great on the face.

• Medium Cocoa (upper right): A+

This is the PERFECT cool toned, matte contour shade. It creates a flawless, natural looking shadow where you need it. It blends out really well and does not come off patchy at all.

• Dark Cocoa (lower left): A

This is a warm, matte bronzer that can be used all over the face. It works well with Medium Cocoa, just use a light hand because it is very warm! It has the same flawless consistency as Medium Cocoa.

• Pop of Light (lower right): C-

As you can can see on the swatch (you can barely see it), this shade is pretty much just glitter. I used it once as a highlight, and it accentuated my pores and made me sparkly...as opposed to giving me that highlight effect. However, this can be used on the eyes, chest, etc. for some added sparkle and it looks great. I think if you are a fan of sparkle, you will like to use this...for purposes other than highlighting. 

Overall, I like this palette. There are a couple of changes that I would have made, but I am happy with it. The powders blend well, they smell great, and they leave a nice finish.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

This will be a place where I share all things beauty, how I score FREEBIES (a highly requested topic!), testing and reviewing products, how I use my essential oils, delicious food, music I am loving...and some rambling thrown in!

Hope to see you around! Feel free to say hi!