Review: St. Ive's Apricot Scrub

I'm so excited to talk about these! This is sort of like unicorn poop in a jar, magical. I first tried a St. Ive's face scrub when I was at a camp with my church and my group leader had a travel sized fresh skin scrub that she didn't need to take back with her and said that someone could take it. Of course I'm all into beauty and skincare products so I said I would. The first kind I ever tried was for fresh skin, but it also has scrubs for clear skin, sensitive skin, and timeless skin. And that is just the apricot..they also have herb and tea scrubs to try out as well. Elonzia was on the trip with me and when we got home, we had like a 7 step facial product testing extravaganza. This scrub is the first thing we tried out. This is what it looks like. It isn't runny, so if you turn it upside down or if it tips over it won't make such a mess all over the place. The color is a light peachy tan with tan and light brown specks in it. It has a very very fresh scent, like a right out of the shower smell with a hint of apricot, so it smells more fresh than fruity. It is oil-free which is very good for my oil and acne prone skin. It is creamy, and the specks of what I think is walnut (because the main ingredient is water, second is walnut) give it a sandy feel. The scrub is on the rough side, but it isn't the roughest scrub I've used and I'm sure the scrub for sensitive skin is a lot gentler. It leaves my skin feeling so smooth, cooled, and refreshed. I like to use this in the morning a lot because it helps me wake up too because of how refreshing it is. The big tub (pictured) I got only cost $5 at Target, and it is well worth the money. There is 10 ounces worth of product, and the expiration is in 2014, so this will last me a long time, and I can share with friends! This scrub was a great first impression to St. Ive's products. They're cheap, they exfoliate, they WORK. Another product that is definitely worth a try, and is a bang for your buck! Love, Kenzie (and I'm sure Elonzia would agree!)

I Think I'm Obsessed..with Studs..A Hyper Post from Kenzie

Noo, not that kind of stud O.o weird people..Anyways lately whenever I go out shopping I don't know what it is that possesses me to look straight at a studded object. Studs are a daring fashion statement, but at the same time it's not overwhelming. (in most cases)..not like bright neon skinny jeans or something (and don't get me wrong those can be very cute but I'll fill you in later on what I mean by that.) Getting waaay side tracked, STUDS. They're cute. They're silver. gold. green? every color!! FUNN! These studded heels are like..a mullet, a fashionable one though! Business in the front,  party in the back! And when people see you walk away their eyes wont stray away so quickly. You don't have to be a biker to wear a studded jacket, either. When paired with the right outfit, it can be a great eye-catching piece in your wardrobe. Let's not forget studded shorts. Every beauty guru on instagram is raving over studded shorts, and I don't blame them. There are so many different looks you can create and you can make studded shorts yourself...more sophisticated than bedazzling! If you like to play it safe, you can amp up any simple outfit with studded jewelery. Bracelets, cuffs, belts, rings, you name it.. can come in a studded design. What I like so much about studs is that they can appear on dainty and flirty items, and also be a must-have for daring, rebellious looks. You don't need so much money to buy it because they are made of so many different things, and come in so many different shapes. Circular studs, square, triangle, trapezoid, ya know. You're bound to find outfits with studs almost anywhere you look! I know I have..because I'm not obsessed at all...

Love, Kenzie

Tomorrow I will be reviewing a long loved skincare product. Thanks for your support and remember to follow via GFC or Bloglovin'. More followers, more chance for giveaways! xoxo

Review: C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve

I'm finally back! I'm so sorry for the wait, everyone! On the bright side, this is a completely buzz-worthy product and I'm extremely excited to talk about it. My birthday was on Wednesday and my sister works at Bath and Body Works. I've heard so many good reviews about this product and I was shopping around with Rebecca, not really realizing that it was sold at BBW for only about $6. They have the Rose Salve, and they have a lavender one too. I may purchase that one later, and Rebecca has it, but the smell really turned me off in the store. The rose sort of smells like...old lady perfume..I don't really know how else to describe it but the point is that it's not a great smelling product, although the smell of it is pretty subtle. I hate bad smelling lip products because obviously it sits right under your nose. The container was hard to open at first, but it is basically a twist opening. On the container it says that the salve can be used on lips, cuticles, elbows, knees, and the face. It is made up of .9% rose extract, and even though that may seem like a very small portion it really stands out. The amount of product in the container actually surprised me. I think it will last me at least 2 or 3 months, and I can definitely see myself repurchasing after it runs out. The first ingredient listed is petrolatum, so it has a light Vaseline feel to it, sort of like hardened jello or something. I've always had a problem with chapped lips year round and this does magic for me. In the winter I will make sure to stock up on this!  When it comes to lip products I'm really picky, because one of my BIGGEST pet peeves in cosmetics is sticky lip glosses! I hate them so much!! The Rose Salve is not sticky at all, it is very smooth on the lips. The coloration of the product is very sheer, but I've experimented with layering this on top of several of my lipsticks, and it gives a nice rosy boost to most of them, and I really like getting comfort and style at the same time, so I can be wearing my favorite matte lipstick, and be wearing this to help soothe and soften my lips, and I will still look great! ;)  Definitely worth buying, especially because you get a lot of good quality product that will last a long time for a very small price. Thanks for reading! xoxo Love, Kenzie

On the C.O Bigelow website ( http://www.bigelowchemists.com), you can see other lip and makeup products, or you can go to http://www.bathandbodyworks.com for exclusive products provided by C.O Bigelow.

Sorry!

I'm so sorry I haven't posted anything this week, I've been doing a lot of work and have been feeling pretty tired from it. I promise that next week there will be multiple posts. Next week I will be closer to more of my makeup products anyways and I'd like to do some reviews and maybe a tutorial coming up. There's a slight chance I'll make a post tonight because just typing this is making me want to type more so I'll just have to see but thanks to everyone so much for your support and for reading my blog, following, and pressing that +1 button. It really really helps! Stick around! Love, Kenzie

Hello!

Hi everyone, my name is Rebecca! I'm one of Kenzie's best friends and I'm going to be one of the main authors and admins here at B.F.F.S! I'm 16 years old and really got into makeup about a year ago and right now I'm focusing on expanding my collection. I love to do reviews and will hopefully be able to post weekly reviews on newer items that are coming out. I love music, I play guitar and piano, but I'm also a writer and a total book nerd, so I would love to do a few book reviews if you guys want me to! Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns about this blog at rs710@live.com and I hope that you guys enjoy B.F.F.S!
Love, Becca (:

How does this help me??..with Shea Butter!

I can't be the only one who sometimes mimics shampoo commercials and other cosmetic commercials that exaggerate their use of Shea Butter, Lemongrass, Argan Oil, along with other herbs and oils all the time. I decided to uncover some of the mystery that causes people to run out and buy a product just because it says that it contains something good..I'd like to start with the big one: Shea Butter. Shea Butter is extracted from the nuts of the Shea Tree, which grow in the Western African savannah. I found out that it's no wonder so many companies strive to stock up on this natural butter. It's essential fatty acids and other vitamins give it the power to reverse the look of wrinkles and scars while deeply moisturizing your skin at the same time. The butter strengthens and protects the skin, as it even provides UV protection. It helps to stimulate the production of collagen, which makes the skin soft, supple, and younger looking. When in products it can be therapeutic and promote healing within your skin. It is mostly used in body washes, lotions and conditioners. If you want these kinds of benefits, look into the ingredients of these products when you're on your next shopping spree.

Next is a fragrant grass that grows in tropical climates that is seen mostly in hair products and lip balms: Lemongrass. It is used for medicines and aromatherapy, but the extracts from the grass are also used in cosmetics everywhere. When it comes to the skin, lemongrass extracts can help to repair both dry and oily skin types. It is also known to be refreshing and to help with energizing the skin, mostly because of the scent. Surprisingly, it can help to get rid of acne too! Lemongrass within hair products is mostly included to boost blonde hair or brighten your hair color. Recently I've seen lemon grass in some of my shampoos and body washes, and I've noticed that Burtz Bee's products often have it as an ingredient.

Lastly (for today at least), another big and buzz worthy ingredient in cosmetics is Argan Oil. It comes from the kernels of the Argan tree, native to Morocco, which is why it is also called Moroccan Oil. Argan Oil appears soo much in hair care, and it is sometimes referred to as liquid gold. Sephora is known for carrying the coveted Josie Maran 100% pure Argan Oil. It is very moisturizing as it helps retain moisture on the skin surface or in hair. Over time, Argan Oil can dramatically reduce wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, and acne. It gives skin and hair a healthy glow.  You can add it to almost any of your liquid or cream beauty products to give the benefits a huge boost.

Thank You for Reading! Love, Kenzie

Celebrity Style Spotlight: Emma Stone

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Emma Stone has grown into a big star, both coming from her acting career, and in her fashion and presence. She knows how to be classy and knows how to avoid any fashion disasters that can come with being that big of a star. If millions of people have an eye on you, they can be watching for flaws and missteps, but Emma is strong when it comes to that. She knows what makes her look tall and slim for her body type and what looks good with her eyes. Here are some pictures from major red carpet events to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. On the left, I love how her dress and her lips match. She looks so elegant and poised. In the middle, her belt around her waist and not the hips elongates her legs and I love the deep V in her top, it is daring and classy at the same time. The dress on the right is stunning and all celebrities need a fashion go to like this one. The dress flows perfectly over her body and the soft peach color looks perfect with her light blonde hair and beige skin. The clutch adds that extra little pop. Love it! The most important thing about it is that she looks radiant like she is having an amazing time. People admire her for her sexy polished looks and she's a celebrity with fashion sense you can't forget. That explains why she was the perfect star for Revlon to reach out to for advertising.

Below, the left picture is Emma Stone without makeup, and on the right is her makeup at a red carpet event..so flawless.

She has an already flawless face (and freckles are no flaw in my opinion..they are so cute!) and she has the perfect face for makeup. You see all the time how horrendous celebrities can look without makeup with bright lights in their faces and really, Emma looks...normal..without makeup. she looks just fine. She can pull of almost anything.  And her eyes plus a smokey eye equals magic. She can go from edgy and daring looks straight to fun and flirty looks. We can't just talk about all of this Hollywood and NY glam though, her everyday clothing is just the right kind of girl next door look. It isn't fun for her to be surrounded by the paparazzi but at least she still looks good enduring it!  I hope you enjoyed reading this Emma Stone inspired Celebrity Style Spotlight! Coming soon I will be reviewing a product I REALLY love! Love, Kenzie

Review: E.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen, Shimmering Facial Whip & Concealer

I stopped at target today and noticed that they carry a lot of e.l.f. products. Who doesn't like cheap makeup...Well, it depends on if it's good..right? All of the e.l.f. products I purchased today were only $1, so even if it isn't that great, I wasn't going to be too disappointed. 

The first thing I'd like to talk about is the e.l.f tone correcting concealer. The shade I got is called "Apricot Beige" and matches my skin tone perfectly. I was pretty impressed with the color variety, too. A pleasant surprise I noticed when I opened my e.l.f. products is that they have a nice smell to them, sort of like a subtle candy smell. I can see why some people wouldn't like it, but I think it's a positive thing. It has an applicator like that of a lip gloss tube. It is easy to apply that way, and glides easily over a larger area, or you can spot it on dark spots, moles, freckles, or blemishes. It is also very blendable. One thing that isn't so great about the product is that it doesn't cover up any imperfections very well. If you want to really cover something up, you may want to apply a few coats and cover up with a powder. The product does really help with covering up the dark circles under my eyes, so I would say it is better with lightening the skin and evening the tone rather that covering up the imperfections. Either way, I still really like the product because my dark circles are one of my biggest problems, so I'm all over things to help out. For $1, this was a huge steal.

The next thing to review is the Waterproof Eyeliner Pen. The pen just has a felt tip applicator, which is good for applying straight and precise lines. Once it goes on, it doesn't budge. I looove that in an eyeliner, but if you want smudge, this eyeliner pen isn't for you.  It is a nice basic black. I usually like the dark, bold blacks but this is just a basic black good for everyday wear, and with that it is worth spending a dollar for. I apologize for how blurry the picture is but I wanted to make sure I got a picture of the applicator and the line, and my shaky hands aren't so great with that. :P

And now, the best for last, the Shimmering Facial Whip. It comes in a squeeze tube like that of a lip gloss. It also looks like a lip gloss and it can be a lip gloss! I got it in the shade "Lilac Petal" and it acts as a highlight for cheeks, eyes, and lips, which I think is a coincidence since this is e.l.f. we are talking about. (;  Here is a picture of me wearing the shimmer whip on my lips, cheeks, and eyes. I really like how it looks because it adds just subtle color and glow for a played up natural look. This is a product I would've been willing to pay even more for and will probably go out and buy this again in different shades. This is one of my first e.l.f. purchases too, so it has made a good impression for the different products to be cheap, most things $1 or $3, and the quality to be the same or even better than that of top expensive brands where things like this can cost $15 and up. I was an e.l.f. skeptic. Cheap usually equals..cheap. These products gave me a large gain and bang for my buck. Definitely worth a try!

Thanks for reading! Love, Kenzie

UPDATE:  I don't want to give a dishonest review, so I have an update about the eyeliner pen. I don't know if I'm just unlucky with this, but it will come out really black one second and the next it acts like a dried out marker. The felt tip is also very very fragile, so I probably won't be repurchasing this. I still like the other items, only the concealer is more of a tinted moisturizer. Thanks for reading!

July 4th!

I hope everyone had an amazing July 4th! On July 3rd, I came up with this patriotic look, just a little too daring for everyday wear ;P I was very pleased with the outcome of the look. It sort of feels vintage to me and I'm not so sure why but I can just see a lady from the 40s holding a Coca-Cola and wearing this look, but maybe my imagination is just too broad xD Anyways, if anyone wants me to show how I achieved the look, comment below! Overload of posts coming very soon. Love, Kenzie

Protect Your Skin From the Sun!!

I know what some of you are thinking already..."Not another one I already know how to put on sunscreen, I know tanning is bad, I know what skin cancer is..", but stick with me there's more to it than that and I promise to try as hard as I can to get it across without...hey...wake up! Anyways, It's gonna be pretty interesting, I promise. Today on the east coast it's around 106 degrees and I really like the heat but this is just too much. The sun is beaming down full force which is why I chose to talk about protecting your skin from it. I'm young and I know when I'm older I'll want my skin to be wrinkle free with no blotches or spots but we all know what reality hands us. Girls who are as pale as I am want their skin to be tanner, but a gradual self tanning lotion or spray is much better than frying yourself in the sun, just to get a burn that will sink in after a few days, resulting in a tan that lasts 1 or 2 months, causing long term damage to your skin. Long chain, huh? And that long term damage can be anything from deep wrinkles to dark spots, and of course the risk of skin cancer. This picture really caught my attention on the news recently:

This is 69 year old Bill McElligott. He was a truck driver for 28 years, and the driver-side of his face looks much older than the other side. Glass does not block UVA rays, so without sunscreen you could end up with skin like this. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, up to 90 percent of visible signs of aging are caused by the sun. When it comes to tanning beds, people who use them are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors. Speaking on a more personal level, my neighbor has had skin cancer, which was most likely caused by outdoor exercise without SPF protection. She had to have a patch of skin removed from her nose which has left a permanent scar. 

If you apply sunscreen and still burn, keep in mind that you should use at least 15spf, and preferably 30spf sunscreen and apply it 30 minutes before sun exposure, making sure to reapply every 2 hours, or the time suggested by the label on the bottle. If you never burn and think you don't need sunscreen at all, think again. A lot of sun damage developed within the skin cannot be seen with the eye alone. It makes me happy to see lots of new makeup with higher levels of sun protection aids in them. You can find it in almost any product now, so you can be protected everyday and grow up to be astonishingly beautimous (; See, sun protection and beauty do go hand in hand! You can be protected and still look cool! Hat hair is...the next big trend! heh..

  Thanks for reading! (: