Battle of the Cheap Concealers Part II

I know it took me a while to get back here and discuss the cheap concealers but I wanted to give them all my fair review through wearing it multiple times and through various conditions. .

I will start off by saying that I did not care for the City Color Concealer for my needs. I typically use concealer for under eye discoloration and eye brow sculpting. City Color Concealer did not work for me at all. It did not offer coverage. It was a bit too water downed for me. I will not purchase again.

Nicka K Concealer- I want to like this concealer. However, It didnt meet my needs fully. It worked for my brow sculpting. However, it didnt last for a undereye concealer. It covered by undereye circles but it did not last. I applied in at 10:00 am and when I got home at 1 pm. It was completely gone. I tried to wear it a few different times. I let it sit for a few minutes and then blended and it still didnt work out while. I even set it with a setting powder and spray. It just did not do it.

LA Girl Pro Concealer. I LOVE IT! It holds up to sweat and long hours of wear. I can wear this product with and without setting powder and primer.

I can provide a more detailed vlog if requested.

I am going to review three more drug store concealers, next month. Do you have any suggestions?

Chapter 4 Mindful Eating Awareness

The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.
                                                                                                                                    -Henry Miller



Awareness

1. Identify what you really want to eat
2. Taste in new way
3. Deal with food cravings

Mindful Awareness-
"Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there's a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment."

To begin the mindfulness of eating, one should take notice of eating habits which are mindful or mindless. Dont change any behavior in the beginning. Just take notice...Be aware.

Albers suggested that if you are craving a sweet treat, take note. Say to oneself, Oh, I notice a craving for a sweet treat. Think about what you believe is influencing the craving, hunger, commercials, TV, and or emotions. How did your body respond to the craving. Did your mouth water? Did you look to find chocolate? After you explore your craving, just take notice. Do not judge yourself. Just attempt to discover the motives which are related to the craving.

Types of Awareness-

I know when I am dieting awareness can be an issue. I go through stages which can go from one extreme to another. I believe being successful in mindful eating, one begins to notice, being aware, and paying attention to what you are eating or craving.

The awareness that can be noticed as a extreme will include emotions of hypervigilant, obsession, or guilt and worry. Then its the opposite end of extreme awareness, zoning out, autopilot, and eating out of habit.

I notice and it is suggested in this workbook is keeping a food diary to be mindful of what you are eating. I HATE doing it. However, it works. I have began to keep my myfitnesspal diary again (danagetsfit). One thing suggested is that you just post what you eat with no judgement. It will be hard at first. Just keep trying. Try not to judge if you forget. If you forget to log, just start when you remember to do so. But make sure you take notice to the reasoning that you stopped logging.

Ignore the calories for now. JUST KEEP TRACK OF EATING. THE TIME AND WHY YOU ARE EATING. There is a journal portion to Myfitnesspal if you decide to use this app.

The Four Foundations of Mindful Eating.

- Mindfulness of the Mind
- Mindfulness of the Body
- Mindfulness of Feelings
- Mindfulness of Thoughts

Be mindful of your Hunger Cues
   Hunger Scale

10. Starving- Feeling weak, low energy
9. Uncomfortable Hungry- planning and thinking a lot of food. Famished
8. Very hungry- I want to eat now
7. Hungry- I could eat a meal
6. A little bit Hungry- I could use a snack
5. Okay- Feel as though I just ate a snack, Could still eat one or two more bites
4. Satisfied- Not hungry but not too full
3. Comfortablly full- Feel as though one just ate a solid meal
2. Very Full- Ate more than one should
1. Overstuffed. Feeling uncomfortable.

Be should to refer to this scale before and after eating or when you are having a craving.

Also when you do eat be sure to note T.A.S.T.E

T. temperature
A. Aroma
S. Speed
T. Texture
E. Experience

When you become more and more aware of eating, you may note some food we eat out of habit isnt pleasing. We eat it just to eat it. Take note of these foods. I ask myself why do I eat it.

Find a favorite food and to the T.A.S.T.E test. Note all the acronyms and be aware of your stomach and mind when eating this food. Take note to all the feelings.

Also take note of mindless eating. What foods trigger mindless eating? Why? Or what about mindless undereating? Why?


I tried to note the basic facts of this workbook. If you should have any questions, please comment below or grab the workbook. I hope that this is helpful. Please dont be shy, say hello and let me know how this is going.

See you Friday....Reflecting on the concealer.

Upcoming posts: Skin and hair care. If you would like a specific post, please feel free to email me or let me know in the comment section. Until next time~~



 Albers, S. (2008). Eat, drink, and be mindful: How to end your struggle with mindless eating and start savoring food with intention and joy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Battle of the Inexpensive Concealer-First Impressions

DISCLAIMER: All items are purchased by myself. I am an affiliate of IKateHouse and earn commission on every sale I refer. 

I mentioned in my last blog that I was going to do a battle of concealers. I chose 3 different brands, L.A. Girl, Nicka K, and City color. The Nicka K and City Color retails at IKateHouse for 1.99 and L.A. Girl for 4.99. I have been using L.A. Girl for about 2 or 3 years. I have VERY oily skin and I need a product that will withstand my oily skin. 

Top: City Color -Middle: Nicka K- Bottom: L.A. Girl 

In this Post, I will do a quick review of the product and then return to give more details on how it withstand my needs. I will try to get this complete within a week. 

I purchased 2 colors for each brand. I was not sure which color would be a perfect match. With Nicka K, I purchased NCL010 Coffee and NCL009 Lion. With City Color, I have mocha and maple. The L.A. Girl concealer, I purchased many colors over the years. For this battle, I am going to test GC982 Warm Honey and GC983 Fawn.

Today, I will discuss smell, color, consistency and size. Next week, I will discuss the lasting power and how it works with my other makeup. 

Smell: 

City Color. It has a light perfume scent. However, some may not like that smell. I believe its slight perfume smell is very pleasant.

Nicka K- has a powdery smell. Its not bad

L.A. Girl- I didnt  sense a smell

Color: 

City Color - I thought it was going to be too light. However, it oxidizes to a more appropiate color for me. Once mocha oxidized it seem to match my skin tone and the maple was more for a highlighting color

Nicka K.- Both colors matched my skin tone. One with a very slight different in the red undertone. 

L.A. Girl- Fawn is a perfect  match and Warm honey is a great highlighting tone

Consistency:

City Color- Seems to be the thinnest consistency. I feel that I may have to use more to camouflage my under eye discoloration. Once in place it did not seem to move with my rub test.

Nicka K- This product basically shares the same consistency of L.A. Girl. It seems that it will work just fine covering my under eye discoloration. I did the rub test on all the concealer and Nicka K needs a powder to seal it in place. It may move around on my oily skin.

L.A. Girl- As stated previously, I have used this product for many years and it covers my under eye discoloration. Once in place it did not move; however, it took a little longer to dry. 

Size or amount of product:

City Color .250 US Fl oz/ 7.5 ml
Nicka K     .51 Fl oz/ 15 ml
L.A. Girl    .28 fl oz/ 8 g

Every day for the next few days, I will wear these products and share their pros and cons. I will wear each with the same primer and setting products.

If I forgot anything in my first impressions, please feel free to comment and I will be sure to share my thoughts. I hope this post helps you out. I will not compare with a high end product because I do not own many and I dont want to purchase any more for the purpose of testing. I am too cheap. 

Until Next Time....

Next Post- Chapter 3 in Mindful Eating. 

Work. Kids. School. Oh My!

I guess I will first speak about my weak ability to maintain a busy schedule. I have been trying to juggle all things of life, but I have been suffering a bit. I would wake up with this great plan to be productive, and then BAMMMMM life hits. For the past two weeks, EVERY and I mean EVERY body has taken their turn to be sick in my house. Everyone was home for at least two days. The would take turns who needed to stay home from work and school.  Most parents understand if a child or spouse is home sick, it will jack up your whole schedule. I have been a mess. I want to be super mom but I also want a little me time. The me time I have settled for is mindless time on social media. My finger nails are looking horrible and I am WAAAAYYYYY past due for a pedicure. Boy do I need a massage. 

I have been attempting to become better organized. I even bought a new high speed planner. I have made a schedule for my blog. I decided to pump the family up with vitamins...like that would help me any. I am sure they will be sick again. Work and school, well that is already scheduled. I just have to learn to juggle it all stress-free. 

I goggled some tips to become more organized and I thought I would share the two that has been most important to me. PLEASE PLEASE share your useful tips, if you have any. The top two tips I have implemented was maintaining a planner and command center. My command center has to be a make-up and work area. My area I have is small so I need to be highly organized. I am still attempting to organize my command station. I will share my command station organization when I am complete. I will be Youtubing it up until I figure out what I want to do. 

I said all that to say, I hope to organize myself enough to become more and more organized. I want to become more consistent and offer content with has been requested. I will talk to you soon. I am going to attempt to have two posts per week. Please bear with me. I want to thank you loyal readers for sticking by me and my new friends I hope you stay awhile. If you should have any suggestions for content, please feel free to let me know. 

Up next, Battle of the Inexpensive concealer....

Eat. Drink. Be Mindful Chapter 2

I know its been a while. Getting back in the swing of things on the blog has been a bit difficult. I forget to post but anyway.


Chapter 2 - What is mindful eating?

• I believe when we began this workbook. I believe I discussed mindful eating. A quick overview, Its not a diet. One will not cut out foods or drinks. One would not even count calories. Mindful eating is being aware of what one is eating. To be fully present when eating...to focus on eating and the food. One learns to become aware of our mind and body. One will learn to identify hunger and fullness cues. Also, one will be able to identify mindless eating triggers. 

Three Steps to Mindful Eating Using the Mind and Mouth

• Tune in to the physical characteristics of food
• Tune in to repetitive habits and the process of eating
• Tune in to mindless eating triggers

Seven Skills of a Mindful Eater

• Awareness
• Observation
• Being in the moment
• Being mindful of the Environement
• Nonjudgment
• Letting go
• Acceptance

Reading this section, I found that these components of mindful eating are the key to gaining an healthy relationship with food. I wont go into detail. I believe when you attempt to eat a meal today or in the near future, you should implement these skills and document the feelings accompanied with attempting this and each skill. 

When are you cured

I ask myself if I will ever crave or indulge in food once I find success in mindful eating. HECK YEAH!!! I love food. However, I want to find balance. I want to respond differently to those craves and indulging in tasty food. I want to eat to enjoy the taste, the feeling while eating. If I eat my maple cupcake with caramel frosting. I want to enjoy every sensation. I want to remember eating and enjoy every minute. I have eaten without thought and without a full enjoyment. You probably have to. Eating driving to work, watching a movie while eating dinner, and any of those situations that we are eating and not taking time to REALLY be mindful while eating.

The Mindful Eating Motto

As I continue to review this workbook by Susan Albers, PSY,D. I have found that she includes mantras and mottos throughout the book. She encourages to make Eat, Drink, and be mindful our manta. Repeat it to ourselves frequently to assist in changing our direction of thought.

 Albers, S. (2008). Eat, drink, and be mindful: How to end your struggle with mindless eating and start savoring food with intention and joy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications. 

Eat, Drink, and be Mindful. Chapter 1...and update

I have been trying to be more active on my blog and I am sorry I have been absent for a few days. My sinuses and allergies have me going. I have my medicine sitting right next to me. My last summer class, I finished with an 98%. Go me!! Just started another class Monday. I want to duplicate my success. Wish me luck!!!!

Now on to Chaper 1.

What is a mindful state of mind

I wont go in depth about what is mindfulness. I dont want to bore you. I have taught mindfulness and if you want me to go in depth, please let me know.

The first exercised asked to be practiced is attempting to be mentally present with all you encounter. For example, if you speak to someone by asking how they are doing,  be an present when people are speaking. Focus on the person's facial features, tone, and expression. Note how if feels to be completely present with others. Note the challenges of being completely present. If your mind wondered where did you go? What were you thinking? Why was if difficult to remain present in the conversation? Did the person recognize you being present.

Well today, I tried to be present with everyone I encountered. I had one situation that I realized that I drifted off the conversation. Where did I go? TV What was I thinking? I was speaking with my husband and found a new show...at least a new show to me. Paternity Court. While watching this show it was definitely difficult to focus. I couldnt focus because the show had me full of amazement. I realized my husband had said something that I really didnt hear. Did he notice?  He sure did. He didnt say anthing but I did realize he told me he would talk to me later and I should enjoy my free time. No hard feelings from him but when I realized what I was doing I did feel bad.

My goal is to focus on being present with people. I believe they deserve my full attention and if I can not offer my attention I should express such.

I understand being mindful takes lots and lots of practice. It will take time to fully engage in situations mindfully. However, one should recognize when he or she is not being mindful and ask oneself why.

I will make this series a weekly thing. If you should have any questions, please let me know. I will talk to you later.

I will be back tomorrow. Lets discuss goal setting for the future and saving money. I suck at savings but I want to be better and I have a few tips that have been working for me and I would love to find a few more tips that will assist in my goal.

Checking in

I know. I know. I promised a post and didn't follow though. Sorry! Been sick and I must use a couple of sick days. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I will be working on my first week of mindful eating today with a post to follow. See you soon.