Review: Kramers Health Foods

Today, I wandered across the street from one of my downtown classes and I came across a great hidden gem in Chicago. Kramers Health Foods on South Wabash in the Loop. I saw it as I was exiting my class building so I thought I'd go in for a bottle of shampoo... I was shocked by the size of the store and the amount of products they had.

You walk in and there are coolers of healthy pre-made foods from kale salads, to sandwiches, to vegan and gluten free nachos. Not to mention the amount of cold drinks they had with the most healthy ingredients. I got a Bragg Organic ACV Apple Cinnamon drink and it was delicious. Only 32 calories!

Keep walking down the store and there are aisles and aisles of nutritious protein bars, vitamins, supplements,
homeopathic remedies, healthy snacks, teas, and a mini grocery section FILLED with non-GMO, vegan, vegetarian and gluten free foods that were priced fairly well. It will make you want things you never knew you needed. Never thought you needed bee pollen capsules? You do now. I don't know what Fenugreek Seed is but I want it.

The right side of the store has everything beauty related ranging from makeup, to hair products, to mouth care, to soaps and everything in between. Of course I picked up a few things... An aloe vera shampoo for oily hair, a bee pollen soap, and Now Solutions sweet almond oil. So excited to try out my new products and expand my cabinet of natural products.

Upstairs they have a Cafe that I unfortunately didn't have time to go in, but from the looks of it, it seemed great! Pressed juices, salads, soups and sandwiches. I'll have to go back one day after class.

I'm so happy I finally went into Kramer's because I know it will become a staple store for me.

--Ms. Makeup

Natural Beauty: Skin Care

I have recently realized the importance of using all things natural. I have very sensitive skin and the smallest ingredient can change my skin and make me itchy and uncomfortable. Because of this, I have decided to go natural. It can become expensive, but I have compiled a list of my natural skincare essentials that are also affordable: 

Makeup Remover

Olive Oil or Coconut Oil. Simple as that. Since these are oils, they will break down your makeup as well as moisturize. Put a small amount on a cotton pad and that's it!

Face Wash

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. This comes in both liquid and bar, but I prefer the bar soap. Dr. Bronner's is an amazing brand that is 100% natural, cruelty-free and vegan. I have only tried their soap, but my parents have used their products forever. They have lotions, lip products, shaving cream, etc. They smell amazing and are inexpensive too, at $4.69 a bar. 

I like this soap because it doesn't give my skin that tight feeling after I wash it off. It leaves me feeling really clean and it doesn't break me out or give me any problems. I also use it as a body soap. Peppermint is my favorite! You can purchase it here. 

Toner

Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner. I found this product on a whim off of Amazon.com and I am so happy I bought it! This product is alcohol free so it won't dry out your skin. This toner has witch hazel in it which is often used medicinally, but also for acne. If you like the smell of rose, then you will looove this scent. Since using this, I have noticed a difference in my skin's texture. It is more calm and feels more smooth to the touch. You can purchase it here. 

Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar. Who knew that something that smells as bad as vinegar would be a miracle, multi-use product?! Not only does ACV have a ton of health benefits when you drink it, but it can also be used as a toner. I thought it would be harsh on my sensitive skin, but not at all! Once you get past the smell, it feels really nice on your skin and the smell does go away once it dries. I take about one part vinegar to two parts water, mix it up and put it on a cotton pad. Feel free to dilute it to your skin's liking. ACV is amazing for skin because it naturally balances the ph, which means it will equal out the oily and dry patches. It also helps with big pores and acne scarring. 

*Can also be used as a conditioner! Again, mix 1 part ACV- 2 or 3 parts water. After shampooing, apply to scalp and hair and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Makes hair feel great- shiny and moisturized!

Moisturizer

Sadly, I have yet to find an all natural moisturizer that I actually like. The best I can do is give my favorite paraben free ones-

1. Alba Even Advanced Sea Lipids Daily Cream. Best moisturizer I have used. 

2. Trader Joe's Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion. Not the best for oily skin, but it does have SPF.

Mask

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask. This is a mask made out of 100% bentonite clay and it's awesome. Completely minimizes pores to help clear up skin. Although this is extremely messy and hard to take off, it's worth it and gives your skin a good deep clean. Can be used with ACV as well! You can buy it here. 

WARNING

Don't be fooled by a product that claims to be "ALL NATURAL". Familiarize yourself with unnatural ingredients and check all the products you buy. I have recently come to find that LUSH, the all natural cosmetic company, actually puts methylparaben and propylparaben in quite a few of their products. BAD. Unfortunately I realized this after purchasing the Ocean Salt face scrub (which I love, so this really sucks.) Moral of the story, check the ingredients on everything!!! Don't be lazy, read the label.

Here's safecosmetics.org's schpiel on why you should care about parabens: 

Parabens are used to prevent the growth of microbes in cosmetics products and can be absorbed through skin, blood and the digestive system. Parabens have been found in biopsies from breast tumors at concentrations similar to those found in consumer products. Parabens may be found in a wide variety of products including shampoos, lotions, deodorants, scrubs and eye makeup, and are found in nearly all urine samples from U.S. adults regardless of ethnic, socioeconomic or geographic backgrounds. Adolescents and adult females had higher levels of methylparaben and propylparaben in their urine than did males of similar ages.

Your skin is an organ and anything that gets applied directly to it will end up in your blood stream... Think about it. To find more amazing natural products, check out iherb.com here.

--Ms. Makeup

**Added Bonus**
A humidifier really helps your skin retain moisture during the winter and if the air in your home tends to dry you out. I highly recommend. Helps with sleep too! 

Inglot!

I recently got my hair done at a local salon and to my surprise, they had Inglot makeup! I've never seen these products in person, so I was pretty excited. Inglot is known for their customizable eyeshadow palettes at a great price for being highend. I ended up getting two eyeshadows at $7.20 a piece, and a lip liner at $12. Since the eyeshadows are magnetic and don't come with packaging, I had to also buy a "Freedom System 2 Eye Shadow Square." This was kind of annoying, but I guess it makes sense when you have a lot of the shadows because you can pick and choose what goes in your palette. 

The first shadow I picked out is "31." It's a light, shimmery champagne color. Similar to All That Glitters from Mac, but a little more copper-toned. Great as an all over the lid shadow on its own. 

The second color is "423." This color is really unique and deep. Its a chocolate brown with shimmer and undertones of gold. Use with a light hand because this gets really dark really fast! 

Both shadows have a really great consistency. They glide on super smooth, don't get clumpy and are amazingly pigmented, especially 423. They lasted all day with a primer and stayed true to color to the moment I wiped them off my eyes. And I must say they looked really good together and blended flawlessly! 

The packaging is fantastic. I like that you can pop out the shadows and change what goes in the palette. The magnetic closure is really secure and so is the eyeshadow when you pop it in. I had to hit it on a table to have it fall out. It's nice and sleek as well. 

The last thing I picked up is a Soft Precision Lip Liner in number 62. This is a deep red color that seems to be really buildable. I wore it on its own one night to see how long it would last, and by the time I got home (4 hours max) it had pretty much worn off. So, although this is a really pretty color, the lasting power is pretty pathetic. I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink either, but I will say that it goes on nicely.

I definitely want to try more Inglot products in the future because for the price, they are a great buy! The salon had a ton of products from foundation to mascara to lipgloss and makeup wipes. They are known for their wide selection of matte shades but unfortunately were out when I bought these. Check out their website for their full range of products-- http://www.inglotusa.com/

--Ms. Makeup

Review: Kardashain Beauty "Whip Lash Eyelash Health Mascara"

Whether you love them or hate them, the Kardashians are everywhere. And lets be real- when an episode of the Kardashians are on you can't not watch them (admit it!) Being a beauty junkie, I've always wanted to try their makeup line. I mean, they have professional makeup artists do their faces every day so they've got to know something! Well, I took the plunge and got two of their mascaras. And I'm happy to say I am really pleased! The one I'll be talking about in today's review is called Whip Lash Eyelash Health Mascara.

$9.99, Ulta

I decided to try this one because it has a really interesting brush. On one side is like a smaller version of the Maybelline Great Lash and on the other side it's got longer bristles that taper out towards the end.

I must say this mascara is pretty good... Its more lengthening than volumizing. I curled my lashes with my Sephora eyelash curler. I used the flat side first and coated all my lashes and then I went in with the longer side of the wand and it really lengthens your lashes. It's got the idea of Maybelline the Falsies, except better. Someone actually asked me if I was wearing false eyelashes! And for that I say, way to go Kardashians! It held up really well throughout the day, too. It came off a little bit on the bottom, but I touch my eyes a lot so this isn't surprising. This mascara would look even better if you first used one coat of a volumizing mascara and then did the flat side of the Whip Lash and then the longer side. My one complaint is that the formula is very dry and the tube is really small (extremely skinny, probably on purpose...) so I can see this running out quickly. Anyways, still a good product!

Test it out, it's worth the money!

--Ms. Makeup

Curled lashes

One coat Whip Lash

2 coats Whip Lash

After 6 hours

 

Review: Bare Minerals Lash Domination Mascara

This mascara is absolutely horrible, which is disappointing because Bare Minerals makes really great products (usually.) Most of the reviews I have read are pretty positive, but I completely disagree on this one. This mascara is extremely clumpy. I mean look at the brush... The way it twists and curls creates a thick line between the bristles which allows for a lot of product build up. I think thats why it gets so clumpy. It's an interesting idea for a brush but it just failed. The first coat looked okay (more bad than good,) but when I went in for the second coat my lashes got really spidery and thick, but in a bad, clumpy, ugly way. For me to get out the door with this mascara on my lashes, I had to go in with Clump Crusher and brush out all the clumps. I would not recommend this to anyone. Save your $18 and buy something else. The look of this brush reminds be of a twisted version of Buxom mascara, which is my all time favorite. Take the $18 and buy that! It has never ever failed me!

I will say one good thing about this- the packaging is cool! I love the metallic silver tube and the twisted top! So props on that...


Will you try this mascara?

--Ms. Makeup

Naked 3 Palette

THIS MUST BE A DREAM. Urban Decay is coming out with the NAKED3 PALETTE! Being the proud owner of both the Naked and Naked2 Palettes, I have to add Naked3 to the family. I mean she can't be left out, right?

Like the other palettes, this one comes with 12 shades. Yet, unlike the first and second palettes, this one is filled with way more peachy/rose tones. Still all neutral like the pervious palettes. Most of the shadows seem to be shimmery but there are 2 mattes. And supposedly all of the shades are new! All of them look seeeriously gorgeous and to me, Urban Decay is one of the best. Don't think that this is palette is just like the first two because it's not! The first palette has a different tone than the second and same with the third.

This one retails for $52 which yes, seems like a lot, but you're getting 12 shades and a double sided shadow brush. That comes out to about $4 per shadow, not including the brush. If you are a beginner with eye makeup, then any of these palettes would be perfect for you! You can create so many different looks and each shade is extremely pigmented and soft. I highly recommend!

This lucky lady got her hands on it so here is a link to her blog with swatches! Shoutout to xsparkage!

The packaging seems to be the same tin/plastic snap closure as the second palette

Be sure to sign up for emails here so you can be notified when the palette is released! 

--Ms. Makeup

Wanted: Chanel Makeup!

I was just browsing Chanel's makeup site and I WANT EVERYTHING. Partially because of the packaging, but also because they're top of the line. I have only tried their Vitalumiere Aqua foundation, which is great, but that is it. I hear nothing but good things about Chanel! There are two items I am dying to try from them.

First, the Les Tissages De Chanel blush in Tweed Brun Rose. It has a woven, tweed print on the powder! How cool!? This blush looks like it would give you that natural glow with a slight bit of shimmer. It's a peachy pink/coral/brown color and it looks so pretty! Really unique. This retails for $45.

Next, I am obsessed with the Ombres Metaleassees eyeshadow palette. It comes with 5 shades that look soooo beautiful. A light beige color, three shades of darker brown and a really dark, vampy purple. The purple would look sweet as an eyeliner. Some seem to be matte and some are shimmery. And they have the quilted print on them! This is limited edition so if I lose my mind and decide to spend $80 on an eyeshadow palette, I'll let you guys know..

But overall, the packaging is seriously to die for! Its all shiny and black with the simple CC logo on it. What more could you want?! And can we just take a moment to view their $34 eyelash curler....






Have you tried any of these products?

--Ms. Makeup

How To: Inexpensively Clean Makeup Brushes

If you are as addicted to makeup as I am, then cleaning your brushes is essential. The pre-made brush cleaners are often expensive, so I have a cheap alternative: Johnson's No More Tears Regular Baby Shampoo. I used to use the Sonia Kashuk one (Target, $6.99) and honestly, I think the Johnson's works better. It's about $2.99 from Target. Can't beat it! Because this shampoo is for babies, it is extremely gentile, even enough for your precious brushes. Plus, it has a great, clean scent!

To clean, all you need to do is place your brush under warm running water (bristles down so that water doesn't get into the brush handle) and get the brush completely wet. Place a small amount of Johnson's into your palm and swish the brush around until most of the brown/pink comes out. Wash off the soap and repeat this process until the soap comes out white and clean with no color. Gently squeeze out the water and place the brushes flat on a towel to dry overnight. Simple as that!

If you have a lot of brushes this can be time consuming, especially for large, dense face brushes. It can sometimes take up to three washes. But it's worth it! Dirty brushes hold bacteria and germs that you do NOT want to spread around on your face. I recommend washing your foundation brushes a few times a week and all other brushes maybe once every 1-2 weeks, realistically. Who is really going to take hours a week cleaning their brushes?? For spot treatment, I know this isn't the most effective thing, but I just wipe my brushes off on a clean tissue. Not the best, but it gets some of the powder off!

Be sure to try this out!

--Ms. Makeup

(Will upload before/after pics later!)

Review: Simple Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes

Today I have a review on my new favorite makeup remover wipes-- Simple Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes. Love! Simple is a great drugstore line because they use ingredients that are good for your skin. No alcohol, no artificial perfume or dyes, they're dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, and

hypoallergenic! There are a few different types in the Simple line, but these ones are for oily, sensitive skin (me.) I am obsessed with these things. I get excited to take my makeup off at night just because I know I get to use these wipes! They are unlike any makeup remover wipes I have previously used because they leave my skin incredibly soft! Literally feels like I just put on moisturizer! They're not greasy, gentile on the eyes and all over the face. The classic Neutrogena ones (which I usually use) always leave my skin feeling weird, sort of a film feeling over my face. They get the job done, but not great. These ones however, remove my makeup just as well and my face feels great after! I use these at night before washing my face, but the packaging says that they control shine as well. So, I would definitely use these during the day when I am not wearing makeup and my skin feels like it needs a little pick-me-up. I got them from Ulta for $5.99 and they come in a pack with 25 wipes. I think these are going to be my new holy grail item. I think they might be improving my skin, too!

Please do yourself a favor by trying these out and let me know what you think!

--Ms. Makeup

Tip Tuesday: Mascara

Try this tip to get the best look out of your mascara! It's like prep for the actual product. Take an old tube of mascara that you loved (in particular the wand) and clean it up with makeup remover. Let it dry before use. Take your clean mascara wand and brush through your lashes prior to applying a coat of your actual mascara. This trick helps to brush out and separate your lashes and makes for a smoother application! And it'll cost you nothing but an old tube!

Try it out and let me know what you think!

--Ms. Makeup

(I am using Covergirl's Clump Crusher.)

Beware! Silicone Based Hair Products

I was recently watching a video on the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner containing wax. This intrigued me, so I looked into it and I found out what the wax really was...

Have you heard of silicone? Well, it's a cheap filler that companies put into hair products, like conditioner, to make the hair seem shiny, soft, healthy and smooth when it really doesn't do anything of the sort. The product coats your hair in silicone, giving off the soft feeling, but in actuality it's choking your precious strands! This compound also leads to build up, which is no fun.

Think about it, when you buy a cheap shampoo/conditioner from the drugstore, what happens? You use it for a while and it works pretty well, gets the job done, but suddenly you get the feeling that the product isn't doing anything anymore. I used to say my hair was just used to the product, but now I know that it's covered in silicone!

When your hair is covered in this slime, any product you put in your hair after your shower will basically do nothing. It will go on top of the silicone and just sit there (even more build up...) And the only way to get it out of your hair is to use a clarifying shampoo (most silicones are not water soluble.) The only one I've ever tried is the Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo. Now, when you first use this, don't be turned off! It makes your hair feel pretty weird, but that's because it strips off all the gross product buildup from months of use.

I am not saying that silicone is the worst thing in the world for your hair, because everyone uses these products, but it's really doing your hair no good. So, try to find products that don't contain the word "cone" "one" "col" "conol" "xane" in the ingredients list. I'll be honest, it's sometimes really hard. Go for the most natural product you can find with the least ingredients or a brand that is known for being natural based. Water soluble silicones (will wash out since they're water based) that are okay to use are titled "behenoxy dimethicone" and "stearoxy dimethicone" in the ingredients list.

If possible, try and avoid these shampoo/conditioner brands: Herbal Essence, Pantene (the worst,) Garnier Fructis, TRESemme, Suave, etc. Look for silicone free, but be sure to look at the ingredients because they'll trick ya with those long words! Your hair will thank you!







It is with much sadness that I have to admit that my favorite hair product in the world contains this horrible ingredient... MACADAMIA NATURAL OIL DEEP REPAIR MASK. Now... I do know for a fact that it also contains really great ingredients like Macadamia oil, Argan oil and Tea Tree Leaf oil, so this one's a toss up. (We all know I am still going to purchase, shhhh...)

What do you think about silicones? Will you ditch them or keep buying?

-- Ms. Makeup

Favorites: October

I am going to start doing monthly favorites posts, so let's start it off with October!

My first favorite comes from Benefit Cosmetics, my favorite makeup brand. It's the Sizzlin' Six set ($27, Ulta.) I love everything in this. I was originally going to buy the Porefessional primer and Benetint, but then I found this! The kit comes with all the classic Benefit items: Bad Gal Lash, Dandelion Blush & Gloss, Porefessional, Benetint, and Girl Meets Pearl Highlight. All of these products are great and worth the money! If you've never tried anything from Benefit then I would suggest this set. I've been using Dandelion everyday- soo pretty!

My next fav is the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness foundation. This stuff is greaaaattt. I've been using it every day I have worn makeup for the past 2 weeks or so and it always looks really good. It's super natural but covers incredibly! Here is a link to the post I made solely to this product: IT

Maybelline DreamLumi Concealer has saved my life this month. My skin has been really bad recently and this stuff covers every blemish right up. It's really really creamy and smooth, the perfect consistency! Also really inexpensive. This is a must have from the drugstore!

I bought my first product from NuMe in September. I got the Classic curling wand and flat iron for $69!!! Together they retail for almost $400, soo I scored hard core. The straightener is good, but the wand is GREAT. It's clip-less so it makes it really easy to curl your hair and I'm just obsessed with it! YouTubers always have amazing coupon codes for all NuMe products, especially itsbl0ndie (Casey Homes). Here is her channel.

My final makeup favorite is doing a simple eye. I have been really into curling my lashes, doing a winged liner and adding some mascara. It's quick and easy and always a go to. I've also been liking pencil liner, surprisingly. I'm usually just a pen liner girl, but not this month! Free tip: it helps to put black shadow over the line with a really thin pencil brush.

Music favorite! JOHN LEGEND. My roommate and I are going to his concert this Sunday and I cannot wait. His voice is smooth as silk, one of the most beautiful voices I have heard in a long time. My two favorite songs by him are currently All Of Me and Made To Love. Another music favorite is Spotify. I've had it for about a month now and I am completely addicted. I will rarely buy a song from iTunes now because Spotify allows you to listen to whatever you want as long as you are connected to the internet- genius!

That's it for my favorites! What have you been loving this past month?

-- Ms. Makeup

How To: Make Your Own Sugar Scrub!

Chapped lips? Dry hands? I have the solution for you!

My lips have been extremely chapped recently with the winter months approaching. So, I thought I would mix together some ingredients that I know are moisturizing and see if I can cure my chapped lips naturally! And that I did!

All you're going to need is olive oil and a mix of white sugar and brown sugar. Since I was just testing this out, I only made a little bit, but that's really all you need. First I poured 2 spoonfuls of olive oil into a container (with a lid so you can save the leftovers for later) and then I mixed in 3 spoonfuls of white sugar and 1 spoonful of brown sugar. Add more or less sugar depending on how saturated the oil looks. The sugar exfoliates and the oil moisturizes.

Take your natural scrub and rub it on in circular motions for super smooth and moisturized lips! Then take it off with some warm water and a towel and apply your fav chapstick. I sometimes just take the excess olive oil and rub that on my lips as well because it's extremely moisturizing and feels great. You could also put this anywhere else you need a little exfoliant and moisture. Feet, hands, maybe even your face (don't quote me on that one...)

Test it out and let me know what you think!

-- Ms. Makeup





<---- It should look like this when you're done!

Wanted: Nars Cheek Palette

Today I got an email from Sephora about a new Nars Cheek Palette. AND I WANT IT. Nars makes such great blushes and they always come out with an amazing palette around Christmas time. This year's is called the Nars Guy Bourdin Holiday Collection Limited Edition One Night Stand Cheek Palette. Long enough name, Nars? It comes with all the essentials: Laguna (bronzer,) Deep Throat (blush,) Orgasm (blush,) Mistinguette (blush,) Goulue (blush) and Devotee (highlight.) They're all beeeeautiful. It's an online exclusive and limited edition, so if you want this I would get on it and fast because I know this will sell out quick. Definitely going to be on my holiday wishlist!

-- Ms. Makeup

How To: Store Makeup in College

This post goes out to any college girls who are having trouble with storage and organization for their makeup! I think I have a pretty good setup, so here is what I do!

This is an overall view of my little makeup station ---->
I bought the plastic drawers from Target for $27.97. They're called the Room Essentials Medium Counter Top Drawer in white. Very helpful for organization.


The brush holders came with the brushes I bought from Sigma. Some brushes are from the Mrs. Bunny Essential Kit from Sigma, some Sonia Kashuk and the other ones are just random.


I think I got the mirror from TJ Maxx. It's just a dual sided mirror with magnification on one side. Can be found at Target, Ulta, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.

<---- Here's a closer look at the brushes I brought to school. I store my larger face brushes in one container and my eyeshadow brushes and smaller face brushes in the other container. ---->

Now into the drawers!

In the top drawer I store all my face products. I got the clear organization trays from target for around $5-6. I separate the sections by what I use the most, primers/concealers, and then 2 random products in the back. On the side I put all my foundations, face powders and blushes. 

In the second drawer I put eye stuff. Eyeshadows and primers in the compartments and all my mascaras and eyeliners on the side. Really no rhyme or reason to the mascaras and eyeliners, I just throw them in a pile. Also my eyelash curler from Sephora and some eyelashes and a sharpener!















In the third drawer I put lip products and my two Naked Palettes. These organizers are great for lipstick because they fit perfectly in the compartments. Then I have extra makeup remover pads from Almay and my new kit from benefit on top of the Naked Palettes plus some lip glosses.











I hope this was helpful for anyone looking for ideas on how effectively store your products in college! Help me by sharing this with any other makeup obsessed college girls!

-- Ms. Makeup