HH&S on hiatus

Blog author is dealing with chronic pain disorder - website on hiatus for now.

Promises, promises...

Maybelline's Falsies mascara promises lashes that look as long and lush as extensions. That's good, because my lashes are trashed from constant eyelash extensions. Here are the pics, on my lips - Cover Girls lip stain...

This looks like any other mascara. Promises, promises....

Link Love!

I work a corporate day job so I can longer wear Alice Cooper makeup and have green hair. But a girl can dream, right? Here are the beauty blogs I follow.

Pink Sith - A Pink Darth Vader invades planet earth and dispels beauty advice. That's good, considering most women are totally crazed from reading fashion magazines and their schizo advice. Elvira will also add your link to her page without requiring you to walk on glass and eat fire like the rest of these self important beauty bloggers. One of my faves.

Adora Brat - This insanely gorgeous woman is a model, has 3 kids, can bake, and blogs even when she is high as a kite on medicines to combat respiratory illnesses. And what did YOU do today. Yeah, same here. Going to open my big bag of disappointment now. Lady Gaga, this girl could tear you to pieces.

Glitter is my Crack - Ok - well if this girl is a crackhead then she certainly is high functioning. A website that proves makeup is not just useless garbage to smear on your face. This girl's face should adorn the cover of Art in America.

Beauty Thesis - This brainy sweet faced beauty looks at the world of beauty with wonder and curiosity. Her eyes sparkle like gumdrops. She actually writes back to you if you write to her about makeup. A NICE GIRL! Go say hi!

Heart-On for Indie Makeup - Wow - Another blog that shows how creative makeup artistry can get. I drool over T's giant blue eyes that peer out through monster spider lashes. She's a musician and getting her masters' degree in Literature. A tall girl, too.

Brooklyn Dolls - New Yorkers who go uptown, downtown and to every borough to find cool spots for nails and makeup. A great website for Sephora junkies. And the east coast is where it all happens people. I know - I used to live there. If you buy your crappy makeup from CVS, at least go to this blog so they can tell you how to wear it. So cool I almost feel unworthy.

HH&S goes weekly

Grrrr - chronic pain sucks. And you know why? The fatigue, the meds, aaaah! Say it with me! AAAAAH!
Ok - so this blog is going weekly - have to focus on the paid writing gigs.
But you what they say... less is more. And I live in Texas! I could get shot for saying that.

Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Fortifying Leave In conditioner

Once in a while a random product just knocks my socks off. Here is one of those times!

This leave in conditioner from Garnier isn't greasy, doesn't weigh down the hair, and actually does add noticeable shine. I've been using a quarter sized amount on my ends before I blow dry my hair and I have noticed a silky, soft sheen. It also seems to inhibit the horrible static electricity that plagues our luscious locks during these winter months.
The only complaint I have with Garnier is that all their products smell the same - that green apple scent is not very appealing. However, their shampoos and conditioners continue to be at the top of my list.

Pantene Brunette Expressions

This shampoo and conditioner is designed to bring out the rich brunette tones in color treated browns. The science behind this product goes something like this – hair color “chips” away at hair, similar to scratches on a car. This shampoo fills in the chips  and scuffs on the hair shaft, thus allowing the hair to be more radiant. The shampoo glitters like coppery maple syrup, and the conditioner is the consistency of almond butter. I’ve used this product twice already, and I am seeing some richness in my long suffering brown locks. The only downside to this combo is it is a bit drying – so I do not recommend for daily use.
What shampoos do you use to enhance your natural or color treated hair? Check in with me and share your secrets!

Liz goes Au Naturel - With Crystals!

I wear alot of dark clothing, and have left the house many times with embarrassing deodorant smears ruining my look. So, with that in mind I decided to test out the Crystal Deodorant stone. This simple block of alum and mineral salts requires nothing but a damp arm pit and a desire to stop smelling. I warned honest friends to let me know if I started to smell ripe, and used the stone twice a day just to be safe. The result? It works! No longer do my underarms smell like nauseating scents such as "Tropical Breeze". I think I might go all natural from now on.

No more money (and hair) down the drain

Is the water in the shower up to your knees by the time you are done rinsing your hair? Stop using environment killing chemicals and get an EZ Zip! I ::heart:: this gadget, and I wish I had invented it. It's a long string of plastic with sharp "thorns" on the edges. Simply scoot it down the drain and then pull it back out - get ready for mucho disgusting stuff to appear from your drain. It really works and it's a great way to keep drains clear of hair, especially for us long hair gals.

Burt's Bees Radiance with Royal Jelly body lotion

The first time I used this lotion from Burt's Bees I saw no radiance or shimmer on my skin at all. So I tried it again and used more - that's when I started to see sparkles on my arms and shoulders. The active ingredient that provides the sparkle is Mica, some kind of ground up mineral. This milky, non greasy  body lotion is fun for when you need some extra pizazz. Just be aware the scent is strong and somewhat like orchids - a bit off putting.

Christmas Cookie nails

I got the urge to make my nails and toes look like Christmas cookies. Experimenting with nail colors and sparkle top coats is a great way to create new looks. Here's what I used: Milani Red To Wear Red, NYC Long Wearing Nail Enamel in 105A, Starry Silver Glitter, Wet N Wild Wild Shine nail color in French White Creme, and Milani Disco Lights 89

Gotta Getta Gotu Kola!

Don't you hate when supermodels and other women who have had millions of dollars worth of plastic surgery say things like, "Oh well real beauty comes from inside". SHUT UP YOU EVIL HENS. That's why you all get plastic surgery then, right? Please. Makes me want to fling myself out a window. Anyway - speaking of getting all pretty on the inside, check out this link about the cellulite curing properties of Gotu Kola. I bought a bottle a while back and found it lurking in my fridge, and I'm going to start taking it every day. Sorry - no Liz before and after butt shots. Give me some dignity, ok?

Almay Intense i-Color mascara

Almay cosmetics are really boring - but this mascara , in the purple amethyst shade, promises 300% fuller lashes. I had to try it. It says the shade is for brown eyes, so I popped in some brown contacts. Here's the before and afters. 

spiky 

very psyched to try this 

ho hum

Evil Twin - Nars Vs. Confetti

I found a cheap stand in for Nars' PokerFace nail color. It's called Belle of the Ball, Color #071 by Confetti. I picked this bottle up at CVS. And the price?  $3.99 Check out the pics and see for yourself if this color matches Nars' $16.00 polish.  NARS Nail Polish, Pokerface

Here come the body lotions

Tell me if you can relate to this - every year for Xmas I get body lotions from people I don't particularly like/know or want presents from in the first place. Regifting has made it possible for people to toss off really gnarly body lotions and hand creams to some poor unsuspecting person.
So - what to do? Well - your little footies are not very discriminating, and they will love you very much if you slather on that pineapple coffee raisin kiwi lotion on them, cover them with socks, and wish them a good night. Seriously, just think if you do this every night throughout the winter, by spring your feet will be silky smooth, and all the body lotions will be gone.
At least until next Xmas, when some coworker gives you a bag of rejects that somebody gave her. But.. it's the thought that counts... umm... yeah.

Essence eyeshadow

Cheap and easy to apply, Essence eyeshadows are a real treat - Colors 01 Fabulous & 28 Wild One are mixed together here for a green eye enhancer. And under $5 for the two. Good deal!

Sally Hansen Lip Inflation lip gloss

On the beauty throne today we have the Lip Venom knockoff, Sally Hansen's Lip Inflation. It tingles, it's got a berry scent, and it doesn't seem to do a whole lot to puff up them smackers. Already heading to my makeup graveyard. Since seeing is believing, check out my pics below:

Lip Inflation in Sheer Pink

Lips... awaiting inflation

And... a little bit o' puff.

Frownies Challenge - 2 week mark - cont

What do you think? Do Frownies work? Would you buy them? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Frownies Challenge - 2 week mark

Here are the latest pics for 2 weeks of Frownies (minus one nite when I fell asleep without putting them on, so sorry...)
I love before and after pics... hope you do, too!

One week of Frownies:

I am not really the color pink. It's just the gold lightbulbs in the bathroom and the magic of cheap camera phones.







And here we are at the two week point... drum roll please bad dum dee dum!

Product Roundup

Here's the results of Clairol Perfect 10 haircolor from my review yesterday, and embarrassing pics of my evil cystic acne battle using Prid's Drawing Salve.

Dark brown matches ok

Aaah! Thanks for nothing Prids.

Yours truly, ready for my Frownies update tomorrow.

Clairol Perfect 10 haircolor

This runny, smelly haircolor covered me and my entire bathroom. It does cover gray perfectly, and it is true to the box color. But the reason why it probably works in 10 minutes is because it is extremely strong. I had to leave the bathroom and gasp for air because the smell was so strong.

Hmm... this might work!

Here's the goods

Aaah! I'm a mess!

Another product pushed by my nemesis Allure magazine as the #1 hair color in America. Really? American women must love trashing their bathrooms. Not my favorite OTC color kit. But yeah, it works.

Happy Thanksgiving!

High Heels & Sparkles returns tomorrow with a review of Perfect 10 hair color. Tune in!

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Power Tools

I recently hit the Sally Beauty Supply for these snazzy items:

Girl tweezers! Tweezers painted with cool chick silhouettes. Makes brow tweezing a bit less of a chore. A buck a piece and I've seen them showing up at Targets as well.

Dy-Zoff! Hair dye remover pads. Now I wonder why I ever lived without these. If you dye your hair on a regular basis, these are a must have. $5.50 for a jar- and you get to go out in public right after hair dye day not looking like a freak.

Prid's Drawing Salve

 I've been reading about this smelly, tar-like substance smites down cysts, zits and other unattractive face invaders (boils, although those went out with the Middle Ages... I think).

I'm stressed, so I woke up this morning with an evil cyst on my chin. It hurts, too. I am going to test out Prid's Drawing Salve and see if this works.

A cyst tries to ruin my looks

Ha ha! Not so fast! Prid's is here.

Smells ... medicinal

Adding a circle bandaid...voila!

Do you have acne? What natural products have you tried? I'll be back tomorrow with my results.

Osteo Bi-Flex

Since the media has women scared out of their wits that without jumbo calcium pills we'll all end up like hunchbacks, Osteo Bi-Flex is a great new alternative to pills. This joint drink tastes like Kool Aid and contains joint strengtheners such as Glucosamine, Calcium and Vitamin D. I don't like how sweet it is, so I add it to my daily dose of Smart Water and I'm good to go.

What do you use to strengthen your bones? Would you choose a liquid over pills? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about liquid supplements. HX8NTMH78F74

Evil Twin - Opi Vs. NYC New York Color Minute

Here's my version of the OPI Burlesque color "Glow Up Already" using the following nail polishes from NYC.

• NYC New York Color Minute in Flat Iron Green
• NYC Starry Silvery Glitter 105A

The result? Super glossy green tips with chunks of sparkles make this a keeper for winter nails.
What do you think? Leave a comment if you think this Evil Twin is a winner!

Mixing the colors

Voila! A cheap and easy alternative!

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Frownies Challenge - Almost a week!

I am sooo glad I am single during my Frownies challenge!

Ok it's been a week of using Frownies, and I haven't noticed much of a difference.

I am committed to using this product for 30 days, as directed, to see if these patches diminish forehead and facial wrinkles.

Here are some pics of my wrinkles after one week of Frownies:

Forehead invaders!

Pesky wrinkles!

What us women do to stay bee yoo tif full!
I'll be back with a Frownies update next week!

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

I love the idea of this product. Roll on and poof! Away go under eye circles. I chose the tinted version so I could get the added benefit of concealer.
The eye roller's active ingredient is caffeine, which is supposed to reduce puffiness. It has a cooling effect when applied, which feels great on those tired peepers.
Initially, I found this concealer shade to be too dark for a "fair" tint, and a bit runny and uneven when applied. I used cosmetic sponges and my fingers, and I found that this product is applied better when using fingertips.
It also improves with "cooking time". Leave it to set on the undereye area before smoothing. I found that this concealer set very well as far as coverage, although it does sink into crows' feet, so - stay hydrated.
Here are some pics of the product and my application.

Getting my eyes ready!

A picture of the product in the beauty throne.

DivaDebbi: Lash Dip- Would You Take The Plunge?

Diva Debbi's blog is super fun and features some of the latest in beauty trends - we've been trading comments about lash treatments. I enjoy lash extensions and Debbi just tried out the amazing Lash Dip. Read all about it here

Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick

Now I know why some women wear lipstick to bed.

Maybelline's Color Sensational lipstick is a creamy, smooth formula that smells faintly like    honeysuckles. I was hooked by the commercials for the Red Revival shade, and if it is the #1 red in America I am not surprised - this perfect hue contains that magic color combination - just enough pink, just enough blue to dazzle up any skin tone.

This lipstick is very thick, and a couple of coats will leave your lips with a glossy shine. But how does it hold up? I took a couple of swigs of mineral water, did a few test kisses on my hand and... not too bad. Although the delicious shine of this lipstick only works if you keep your lips from getting in contact with anything. Good for a night out when you need to look fabulous, not so good for kissing practice with your beloved.

Here's some pics of the product and me modeling my red lips.

Eucerin Daily Skin Balance hand cream

This newbie from Eucerin cites “climate change” as one of the factors in dry skin. Wow, the world is changing when references to global warming are appearing on hand cream tubes.


Daily Skin Balance has a stickier texture than other hand creams, and does actually sink into the skin quickly. The fragrance is mild, but not perfumed or medicinal.
One ingredient that is missing from this product is sunscreen. Since our hands our constantly exposed, I think this is an ingredient that should always be present. But I will continue to use this product at my day job, where I am constantly washing my hands and using hand sanitizers.

What it promises:
Enhances skin health
Strengthen’s skin’s protective barrier
Provides essential moisture for hands and cuticles
Non-greasy formula absorbs quickly

What is delivers:

Quick absorption into the skin

Long lasting softness

Inoffensive mild fragrance

Want Something Reviewed?

See a new product on the market and not sure if it's for you?
Send me an email and let me know what beauty goods you would like to see reviewed.
I focus on all beauty products that are mid line - stuff you can get at CVS, Walgreens, grocery stores, etc.
I do not accept samples from manufacturers, so you can be sure of an unbiased review.
Or, just send me a note to say hi!
Warmly,
Liz

Jergens Daily Hydration/Nightly Restoration

This is another of those “old lady”, chronic dry skin lines that has rebranded to reach out to women obsessed with aging. I was fortunate enough to receive some samples, so I slathered both creams on after showering - the day cream on my arms, and the night cream on my elbows, knees and buns. I've never been convinced that the formulas in beauty products change or become more effective when they are designed for "night" or "day". Same with eye creams - these formulas are usually just the same skin cream in a small bottle. We are too smart to fall for this nonsense, right?
Anyway - that's my rant for today. Jergens is very oily. I was very apprehensive applying these creams as they turned super slick and oily - and the creams were NOT being absorbed by my skin. I kept massaging the cream into my skin and then eventually just wiped off the rest with a towel. Jergens, is pretty good at keeping the skin soft, though. I noticed that my elbows and knees were noticeably less reptilian than usual. But TOO oily! I will not be using this one again.Thank God for samples.

The $10 Sequin Pump at Wet Seal

Today at WetSeal.com the sequin pump is on sale for $10.00 Get a pair now! I just did!

Go here to see more details.

My 30 Day Frownies Challenge

Today in the beauty throne are the very popular Frownies, which are basically strips of paper with an adhesive on the back. The idea is that you paste these on your face at bedtime and sleep your wrinkles away.
These are good times to be single, that's for sure. I looked very strange with paper plastered to my forehead and cheeks.

The product promises to diminish facial lines in 30 days. We'll see if I can keep to my regimen and what results I get!

The Magical Mystery Salve

I am very puzzled as to why fashion magazines are always raving about a product that is impossible to find in regular drugstores and supermarkets. That's right folks, we're talking about Smith's Rosebud Salve, the balm that celebs and makeups artists use for a "little bit of everything".
How much you wanna bet this stuff is the same as Cherry Chapstick cut with some Vaseline?
The Smith's company does not sell directly to individuals, as stated on their website, but you can get this stuff on Amazon.com or Sephora. It's too bad, because their product only costs 5$, so it's a low end balm that would do well in stores like Target and CVS.
Then again, celebs and makeup artists get to feel special that they have access to a product that average American women can't easily buy.
I'll stick with Burt's Bees for now, but I'm going to order some of this stuff so I can do a product comparison. Stay posted!