CoverGirl Clean Whipped Mousse Foundation Review

CoverGirl Clean Whipped Foundation Review (Courtesy of BzzAgent)

What I love about this product:

Small, compact packaging that stands out when next to my other makeup items

Doesn't require primer

Works great with a beauty blender

What I'm not crazy about:

Ashy finish requires the use of powder (I recommend Rimmel Stay Matte)

Doesn't come with applicator

In this photo I applied Clean Foundation to the left side of my face, and nothing to the right. There is a noticeable difference.

And with Stay Matte powder from Rimmel (after full face application obviously):

Clearly the powder will maximize the look of this product. It will get you photo ready in a snap! I only wear mascara and gloss with this foundation and I feel fantastic!

Revamp That Weird Shade of Lipstick

Use That Lipstick You Don't Like
~S.J. Hacker on Youtube



Do you have a shade of lipstick that you thought would look good on you, but didn't really work out? Well, don't throw it away! A simple fix can change how it looks completely so you don't waste your money.

In my case, I purchased a Barbie pink shade from Covergirl at Target. It looked good on the model, so I hoped to try it out. It looks AWFUL against my olive skin. So fake and plastic Nicki Minaj looking. I hate it.

That is until I used this old but often forgotten trick.

What I did was took a black lip liner pencil, mostly for the contrast, but you can use any color you like. I lined my lips with it AFTER I applied the lipstick instead of before. It made a very sexy vamp look that I can definitely use. I coupled it with a tri-color smokey eye (pink silver and black) and it looked so wild and fun!

This can also work with those odd metallic shade that were oh-so-hot in the 80s and 90s.
I did this with gold lipstick (stock photo just to show method):



This mod look works great for exotic dancers and costumes. It's fun but definitely not office appropriate, so please take note of that.

So before you throw out that new tube of lipstick, try lining with a contrast color and be surprised by the results!

Stay beautiful, lovelies!

Maintaining Bright Red Hair

Got Wild Red Hair ?
Let me help you keep it!

So, you went the extra mile and dyed it red. You know it looks great, but you hate looking like Carrie after you get out of the shower? Me too.

While there is no way to make your color stay in forever, I can show you some things (some well known some maybe not) that will help you keep it longer. The picture here is after about 5 washes.

First, invest in a good shampoo for color treated hair. I recommend Riveting Reds from Sally's. It's a beautiful wine color that will deposit into your hair to enrich all red shades from Paramore red to Jean Grey burgundy.

Also, mix a semi-permanent cream dye (I suggest Special Effects or Directions) and mix it into a sulfate free conditioner. I use almond shampoo by Suave. You can use anything without sulfates. Let this soak into your hair for 5-10 minutes under a shower cap and rinse out. It will freshen the color. Note that it won't help your regrowth. Dye that as usual.

When you are between washes, I advise a conditioning treatment. I wash my hair once a week. I don't get greasy until Day 3-4 so I dry shampoo it to get me through the days after. I condition with 1 part rosewater and 3 parts Moisture Rush hair mask.

The rosewater is what I recommend for pink based reds like my Special Effects Devilish is. It's a rose red. If you are a more orange based red or a deeper cinnamon tone just use the hair mask as is. This will really help the damage recovery. Olive oil treatments will work too if on a budget. Condition condition condition!

Using that conditioner really helped me get an additional 3 days out of my hair. I even got some of my natural curl back. I hope this helps you out. 

Stay crimson!

Red and Blonde Ombre Tutorial and Review

Fire Ombre
A Review and Tutorial

Good evening, beauties!

I was perusing the Internet, looking for new ideas to share, when I got an idea to change my hair for the new semester. I realized I couldn't find a tutorial, written or otherwise for someone dying their hair red with blonde tips at shoulder length hair. So, I being really annoyed by this, decided to make one. Let's begin!

This was some of my inspiration so you have my idea:

I will be using intensified colors forthis.So, now that you see the idea, let's begin the process. Pun intended! (Ba dum bum tss)

I started with Manic Panic Wildfire from Sally's Beauty.

I took a tint brush and dipped it into the jar directly. I applied it to the first few inches beyond my black regrowth. Let it sit on my hair for about 35 minutes. The longer its in, the more concentrated the color. Make sure you section carefully, as if you were doing roots!

Rinsed off and Poof!

Enjoy your fire ombre. Step into the wind, it's a great photo!

CoverGirl Blast Flipstick Review

CoverGirl Blast Flipstick Review

As the owner of about 5 sticks of this, I figured it was time for review!

The Flipsticks are not new, they have been around for a while, but I don't see them getting much love on reviews. I will explain a little about why this bothers some.

What many didn't realize is that the lipsticks are creamy in finish, so it's not meant to be worn by nailbiters or girls who intend to do a lot of kissing or sexual relations. It's designed to sit on your lips and look pretty for class or work or a night out.

Now that that's out of the way, I want to stress that the colors shown on CG's site are not all of them. I get mine at walgreens and there are at least 10 sticks to choose from. They are double sided, so that's over 20 options!

They photo well, too!

What I typically do is use one during the day and the other for evening, but it's also great to ombre with when you mix sticks. In the middle photo I layered Plum over Orange using two sticks.

Some things that I don't like are that it's texture is grainy if you aren't careful about scrubbing your lips super well before application. I also don't like that it feathers a little over time. However, the color is there all day!

It's up to you what you choose to put on your face but I give the flipsticks 7.5 out of 10. Good since it's a pioneer idea of double sticks, but Revlon lipsticks last longer with matte finish, so I deducted. 

I hope this helps you decide! Stay beautiful lovelies!

Auburn Color on Mixed Hair

Attempting Ginger Hair on Mixed Hair

I did this several months ago, but I still wanted to describe my experience. I thought about a summery warm tone on my olive skin and thought it would look great. I used Revlon in Bright Auburn. The box looked like this:

So, since my celebrity inspiration was Marcia Cross:

I figured, the color is a bit brighter than hers but since my hair isn't very light it'll like look more like that.
This turned out to be very much false. My hair turned out like this:

Don't get me wrong, the color isn't ugly, but it's not as it said it would turn, even on my bleached hair. So, if you want a wheat dark blonde, this is for you. Otherwise move on to L'Oreal Preference or Garnier, brands that stay true to color. 

Stay beautiful, lovelies! Thanks for reading.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder Review

Rimmel London's 'Stay Matte' Powder Is Staying in MY Cosmetics Collection!
~S.J. Hacker of You Tube

I was in Target the other day and I was looking to replace my pressed powder, and Rimmel Stay Matte caught my eye. The packaging looked sophisticated and it held a larger quantity of product than it's competitors.




I thought

It delivers on what it promises: MATTE. Photos very well.

 So, what is the catch? It's simple. If you have naturally dry skin, I don't recommend this. It acts almost like dry shampoo for your skin. If you just HAVE to have this, I recommend setting your liquid foundation with it instead of applying directly. Also, the lid has no attachment, so it's not a touch-up product. Apply at home and leave it there. It lasts plenty long enough to do that. 5-6 hours for sure.

I hope this helps you decide what to buy, best of luck to you and stay beautiful!

Product Review: Olay Fresh Effects in "Bead Me Up"

Olay Fresh Effects Facial Cleanser in "Bead Me Up" Is Amazing!
Never Buy Another Drugstore Cleanser Again!




This will be shorter than some of my previous ones but I just really wanted to get this information out there because I feel so strongly about this product. Before this product, I was using Flash Clean by Maybelline to get my complicated and often times heavy makeup off my face. It got most of the makeup off okay but I didn't like the consistency. It's like heated lotion texture. I have to rinse much longer than I did with the Neutrogena Grapefruit wash, or just makeup wipes from Almay or Garnier.

I did, however get a lot of product for my money, so that was nice. It's a clean scent as well. I definitely would buy it again. Just clean your eyelashes/mascara separately. It all in all gets the dead skin off well and clears your skin drastically in about 4-7 days of daily use (once a day). It's in my regime with my Freeman Cucumber Mask. Use the mask weekly with this daily and your skin will be FABULOUS!

Stay beautiful ladies!
~S.J. Hacker

Why You Need to Buy Freeman's Feeling Beautiful Cucumber Mask

Why You Need to Buy Freeman's Feeling Beautiful Cucumber Mask
~S.J. Hacker

September 5, 2013

I used this product last night. It's not one of those butter-texture green goops your Nana wears at night. This only takes about 5-10 minutes and renews your skin entirely! It's clear and smells great. I purchased it at Walgreens for $4, which is very reasonable, and my skin feels fantastic. I also use Olay Fresh Effects Bead Me Up Regularly. With that in mind, my skin is mostly clear. I used this and I didn't want to wear foundation/primer today it was that great! The clean feel will last for days and days! I will most likely use this every week now, and I can't wait to try their other masks like Mint Lemon or Charcoal Black Sugar. This is fresh smelling and clean. Here is what it looks like:

Go out and get it! It will completely change skin on your first use! I'm definitely hooked!

Olive Oil Hair Treatment

How Olive Oil Can Restore Your Hair!

Have you ever looked at your hair, and thought, "Man, it looks like straw..." Well, then this is for you! It works on men and women of all ages and has been done for centuries. It's olive oil!

What You Will Need:
1/2 cup of Extra Virgin olive oil for shoulder length to bust length, 1 cup for bust to hip length, 1 1/2 for extra long hair and so on.
Microwavable bowl
Towel
Brush

Once you have gathered your supplies, put the olive oil in the bowl, heat it for as hot as you can stand to put your fingers in it (for me it was about a minute), and take it to the bathroom. Dip your brush in it if you can, if not, just drizzle it onto the brush with your fingers.

Brush this through the hair until saturated. Put it in a bun, and cover it with a shower cap. Cover the shower cap with a scarf. Tie this tightly, as it will be on a while.

Now, go to sleep!

When you wake up, take a shower. Clean the hair thoroughly. Your hair should be beautiful and soft upon air drying.

Enjoy your newly deep conditioned hair!

Make Your 24HR Color Tattoo Creme Pigment Look More Intense and Last Longer

Make Your 24HR Color Tattoo Creme Pigment Last Longer and Look Brighter!

 Painted Purple

Gold Rush 

Electric Blue











As you can see, Color Tattoo can accomplish great looks. But do not be deceived, it can't do it alone!

Take these simple tips and tricks and you will have bold bright beautiful looks like these in no time

First, invest in a good primer or priming BB cream. This will improve skin's texture and appearance. I use Rimmel Fix & Perfect. For drugstore brands, this is the best primer. It runs about $4 at Target. Looks like this:

If BB cream is your preference for extra coverage, I use Rimmel BB Cream as well. Costs $4 at Target. Looks like this:

Rub that onto the places you want the pigment to be, set with powder. I recommend a light dusting of Healthy Skin by Neutrogena. It's mineral based and light in texture. It runs about $12. Look for this package:

Dust that all over the face and on the surface where you want the pigment. Now you're ready to apply the Color Tattoo. I use my finger in a blotting motion, but I recommend if you use a brush, use an eyeshadow brush.

Once you think you have an adequate amount of product on the skin, apply a product close to the color of the creme pigment in a dry powder form. Example: Painted Purple pairs well with Sephora N5 Eyeshadow in Purple Rain, and Gold Rush is great with N5 Eyeshadow in Gold Shimmer. The result will be a long lasting, super high pigment color that works great for everything from a mall trip to a night out! 

Have fun, my lovelies! Go color the world!

~S.J. Hacker

Youtube Personality "S.J. Hacker on Youtube"

Double Review: L'Oreal Total 5 vs. Garnier Fructis Shampoo and Conditioner

I recently (about a month ago) went blonde from being a color-treated brunette through a series of lightening treatments.

At the start of the process I looked like this:

 After my first use of blonde dye (Olia 9.0) 

 First Use of Lightening Powder (Quick White)

 It dried out my hair! This was the result afte air drying

 I lightened it again with Prism Lites. This is the result.

L'Oreal Total 5 helped a great deal after the bleaching. I loved it, but it cost a little more than I normally pay for hair products (I have been a Suave girl most of my life). It cost $2.99 USD for a 12.5 oz bottle. $6 USD may not sound like much for shampoo and conditioner, but since suave is half that for the combo I was skeptical. It was worth the extra cost.

Or so I thought. 

Enter Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition! 
This stuff cost a little more than the Total 5 did, but I got TWICE the amount of product! I already had been using the miracle dry oil, so I wanted to try the shampoo as well. I purchased it from Target for 4.99 and got a whopping 25 oz of product! I also wanted a deep conditioner, so I also got Ganier Pure Clean Conditioner. It pairs just as well as the TN conditioner, if not better.

 I use this oil by spraying it on my hairbrush. Works fantastic.

It smells wonderful and has a smooth consistency and works right away. One use makes a difference! After 5 showers with it, my hair feels amazing!







So who wins the comparison? 

Hands down, Garnier! 
I still use almost all cosmetics by L'Oreal, but this combination saved my hair much faster and more effective than the Total 5 Collection did.

However, the Color Vibrancy Dual Protection Heat Spray is great for hair drying afterwards! Keeps color nice and hair nicer!

This has been an unpaid review, shared solely for the benefits of those who need the information!

Double Product Review: TrueMatch(L'Oreal) vs. Healthy Skin (Neutrogena)

Looking for an Everyday Foundation?

Well, now that depends what you want it to do. Let's briefly address some of the more popular issues that those who wear foundation are trying to correct:

• My skin is too oily
• My skin is too dry
• I don't like my freckles
• I have undereye circles
• I have to fix my redness/blotchiness
• I'm breaking out a little
• I want my skin to appear poreless
• I want to look like me, just a little better

So, now that these are out there we need to discuss what it is that each product does.

TrueMatch Super-Blendable Pressed Powder by L'Oreal

I have a medium skin tone, so I struggle with "being in the middle" of the color scale. Normally, the color scale in a drugstore looks like this:

Not much diversity for us mulit-racial folks. So you could say I was skeptical when I bought it at first.

I popped open the lid and lightly rubbed it with my finger. The powder is SO smooth! Excited, I pat it onto my face into circular motions. I was so excited about how it looked I immediately did the rest of my makeup and took photos! Come look!

It keeps your skin smooth and "poreless" looking. If covered freckles and shadows under my eyes.

Redness is gone, and it blended beautifully on my skin.  However, if it gets too hot it will crease, causing a weird maskish effect. Since it didn't get hot enough for this to happen at the time, it didn't bother me.It was my go-to product for about 18 months. Until....

Enter Neutrogena Healthy Skin Powder!

When I started S.J. Hacker on YouTube, I started buying other brands. This powder is incredibly light, yet I didn't sacrifice coverage! I had visibly clearer skin but you could see my freckles still! It just looked like I wasn't wearing anything at all. You don't even have to wash it off, since it's minerals.This is my new go-to product. This product allows you to still look like you, only better. Here is how it holds up in photos:

   

Thanks for reading and I hope you use this information to be a more informed consumer!

This is an unpaid review. Published solely for the purpose of public benefit.