'Parent's Choice' Diapers Causing Diaper Rash?

Hello mommies! Today I have a few comments & questions on the Walmart brand diapers, 'Parent's Choice'. 

Ever since I brought my daughter home from the hospital, we've regularly used Huggies Snug & Dry. But there have been a few times I've tried to save a few bucks & ended up buying Parents Choice. When my daughter gets diaper rash, it's usually a little worse than normal because she has semi-sensitive skin.. But nothing so bad that a little diaper rash cream can't fix quickly. I didn't realize why at first, but the first couple times I tried Parents Choice diapers, my daughter got a terrible, terrible rash that was even slightly blistering! (...not to mention they were very leaky too!)

I didn't even think about the fact that it could be the diapers because the first couple days she was fine. But the last time I bought PC after that was the LAST! Her rash got worse than I'd ever seen before & she was even telling me it hurt & crying when I was getting ready to wipe her. That's when I realized it was the DIAPERS doing this to my poor baby! :( I felt so terrible for her! I was using soft, wet wash cloth's to wipe her instead of baby wipes & was using Desitin and cornstarch baby powder when I would change her diapers but it just wasn't clearing up as easily as it normally would. *Just a little tip here.... I found that what worked best to get rid of her rash was switching back & forth from Desitin, and regular A&D ointment every other diaper change. That worked very well for us!* 

Of course as soon as I realized it was the PC diapers that were breaking her out in rash, I immediately threw them out & switched back to my Huggies! At first I thought that my baby girl may have been allergic to the diapers, but she wasn't. I started doing a little research & asking other people if they had tried PC diapers & was pretty shocked to find out that quite a few other people have had bad experiences with these diapers. I've heard of some babies getting a rash so bad that they had open wounds that became infected & even turned into yeast infections! I was horrified at this information and made sure I shared it with friends & family members with babies of their own. 

Tonight I noticed my little sweetie was a little red on her bottom & it reminded me of the terrible experience we had with Parent's Choice diapers & just felt that I HAD to share it to try to help others avoid this terrible problem! I know these diapers work just fine for some people, and I'm not downing the brand at all!- I use their wipes all the time & I love them! But, the diapers just aren't right for a lot of kids out there. If they're working for you an your little one, that's great! But for me, they were a horrible let-down & I think I will stick to Huggies from now on.

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I highly recommend the Huggies Snug & Dry, but I also understand that for a lot of people, money is a little more tight. So I thought I'd mention a couple good alternatives. Target brand diapers.. I believe they're called 'Up & Up'.. Are very nice. I really liked them and a LOT of other people say good things about them as well. The other I want to mention is Luvs. They have been around a long time and even though I haven't tried them myself, have heard amazing things about them and plan to try them in the future. Luvs is "name brand" but they're only $1 or $2 more than generic. From what I hear, they don't leak which is awesome! 

I really hope that this helps someone & saves you & your babies from the painful experience many of us had to go through! If you have any questions, leave me a comment & I will get back to you. Goodnight and sweet dreams to you and your little ones :)

Drugstore Makeup That's Perfect For Summer!

For years I struggled to find a foundation that is good for these hot summer days. It's hard to find one when there's so many to choose from, and you may not know where to start, so I have put together a list of a few different products that are great for summertime wear and I made sure there's something for everyone & every skin type! 

When you're shopping for a foundation, there are a few things you need to consider:

1. What is your skin type?

2. How much coverage do you need?

3. What kind of foundation do you prefer?

4. How long do you want/need your makeup to last?

Once you've answered all these questions, it will be a lot easier to find the right makeup for you! Here are some that I recommend. 

Powder Foundations- First, you need to decide if you want a pressed powder or a loose powder. The main difference between the 2 is obvious but there are a coulple other things you should know.. Loose powder is more finely milled & usually tends to have a bit more coverage than pressed when applied with a brush. Pressed powder comes in a compact & usually comes with a puff or a sponge & usually doesn't have very high coverage.. People often think that pressed powder is more 'cakey' than loose powder, but it's all about how you apply it. If you apply with the sponge or puff, it can make you look cakey, so make sure you start with a small amount & add more if you need it. If you have dry skin, I would recommend loose powder & I recommend pressed for oily skin. However, pressed powder CAN work with dry skin as well, just apply it lightly with a powder brush. If you are looking for a powder foundation that you can bring along with you in your bag, go for pressed, loose powder can be very messy & isn't great for travel!

I also want to mention that there are Mineral Powder Foundations as well, which can be better or worse for the skin, but I can talk about that at a different time. Here are the powders I recommend.

Pressed powders: 

CoverGirl Clean Pressed Powder- A great pressed powder that gives a decent amount of coverage. It also comes in different formulations for every skin type! The oil control one is excellent!

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder- Perfect for oily skin. It is great for setting your liquid or cream foundations & keeping you matte throughout the day!

Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder- This is good for dry skin & good for setting foundation as well! It has a slight amount of ..dare I say.. "Sparkle" to it that isn't really noticeable on the skin. If you have very dry skin like me, it's better to go with a powder that isn't completely matte to give your skin a more luminous glow, so it doesn't accentuate your dry flakes & make them look worse! But if you can pull off the matte look, that's great!

Loose Powders:

I have 2 favorite loose powder foundations from the drugstore.

Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation- Another good pick for those of you with oily skin because it has a matte finish, but it also works just fine with dry skin. I would say this foundation is light to medium coverage & can make your skin look amazing!

CoverGirl TruBlend Minerals- This loose powder foundation is a little better for dry skin. It has a slightly shimmery finish but nothing SPARKLY or noticeable. It has a lighter coverage than the mineral power & is also good for setting liquid or cream foundation. 

Liquid / Cream Foundation:

CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-One Foundation- This liquid foundation has great (medium/full) coverage & comes with a pump! It has a matte, kind of powdery finish & it is very long lasting, so it's not necessary to set with powder. This is great for combo/oily skin & will last all day, but I absolutely DO NOT recommend this for dry, flaky skin!! 

Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Foundation- This is an amazing creme foundation that is very lightweight on the skin, but has amazing full coverage. I would recommend this for any skin type & this will last all day long & will not sweat off!

And last but not least, BB cream. I wasn't sure if I should have included these in this post because they aren't actually "foundations" but they are great picks for everyday wear!

BB Cream:

L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream- This is something I would recommend for teens or those of you who have pretty good skin on its own, but you just want something to even out your skin tone. It has very light coverage and is light on the skin. It is a little better for normal or dry skin because it doesn't hold up great to oil.. It tends to get a little shiny. But if you do have oily skin and want to try this, you can always set it with powder, or use blotting papers to keep you shine free!

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream- The best thing about this BB cream is it comes in 2 formulas: 'Normal/Dry Skin' & 'Combo/Oily Skin'. So no matter what skin type you have, this is great for you. I love wearing this BB cream daily in summer because its lightweight & actually has some coverage that's buildable! It's definitely not full coverage but with a little concealer, your skin can look amazing! The normal/dry formula is very moisturizing & has a slightly dewy finish but if you prefer the matte look, you can always set with a powder. And the combo/oily formula has a matte, powdery finish & is great at controlling oil with or without a setting powder. I love this BB cream.. It is without a doubt my FAVORITE!

So that's all for now! I may update this at some point if I come across any other foundations that hold up to the summer heat!

Let me know if you give some of these foundations or BB creams a try & tell me how you like them! I really hope this helped. If you would like a specific full review on any of the products mentioned, post a comment & let me know. Have a great day!

Pictures to come soon!

Revlon Colorstay : Liquid vs Whipped

Today I figured I would post about 2 drugstore foundations that I absolutely love. Both of these are must-haves in my makeup stash and I always have them around! Even though they are both great picks, I figured I would do a little comparison to hopefully help some of you decide which is best for you.

If you would like to see what Revlon has to say about these foundations, you can find more information here:

http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Products/Face/Foundation.aspx

 

My opinions on these foundations are below.

Colorstay Liquid: I've seen this range from around $10-$13 depending where you buy it.

   There are 2 different formulas for the original Colorstay foundation: Normal to Dry Skin, and Combination to Oily Skin. I have dry skin, so I use the one for my skin type and I love it. Although I haven't used the combination/oily formula, I have done a lot of research on it and it is said to be just as great! Revlon Colorstay has a slightly thick, liquidy consistency... But not too liquidy! It can dry kind of fast, so you may want to apply it a little faster than a normal foundation. I would recommend applying it to one section of your face, blending, then repeat on the next section, but you can apply it however you feel is best for you! This foundation has amazing coverage & a matte finish.. It is medium-to-full coverage depending on how you apply it & it's buildable. So if you want medium coverage, apply one layer. If you prefer full coverage like I do, add another light layer to the areas you need more coverage. This foundation claims to last for 24 hours, but I would never want to wear makeup for that long! So as far as staying power goes for me, this lasts me from the time I put it on, to the time I'm ready to take my makeup off at the end of the day, which is usually 10-12 hours. That's pretty great in my opinion. It will definitely last you through the work day & longer! Now since it is summer time, you may be wondering how it holds up in heat.. It is amazing! You can actually sweat right through it instead of sweating it off! You don't have to set it with a powder, but you can if you want to (this goes for both formulations). The combo/oily skin formula's staying power is just as great. 

Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup: Ranges from around $11-$15. A little more expensive, but worth it in my opinion! This foundation has such a unique texture.. The name describes it perfectly -it literally feels like whipped cream! What I find interesting about the texture is, you can dip your fingers right into the product, close the lid, then look at it an hour later & it will look like you've never touched it! It is very thick!.. So thick that you can hold it upside-down when it's open & it will not spill at all! However, it's much more lightweight on the skin than the liquid Colorstay, but the coverage is just as amazing.. Which is why I prefer this one in the summer time & reach for it more often than the liquid when it's hot! When applied, it feels silky smooth. I've found that the best way to apply this is with your fingers, just like Revlon recommends. I have tried brushes & a beauty blender.. But this foundation just doesn't blend very well with anything other than your hands! If your like me & don't really like applying foundations with your fingers, this may not be for you, but I find that the overall result is well worth getting my hands a little messy!! That is the only downside I have about it! This foundation claims to wear for 24 hrs as well.. Like I said, I wouldn't know if that's exactly true but I do know that it does last at least 10-12 hours on my dry skin & also has a matte finish.

Overall, I really love both of these foundations & don't think I could choose one over the other.. But if I could only have one at a time, I would use Colorstay Liquid in the fall/winter & the Whipped in the spring/summer! Both of these foundations would be good for any skin type.. It's all about what you prefer! 

I hope this helped some of you. If you have any questions or if I missed something that you want to know about please comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts & opinions. Follow my blog for more product reviews/comparisons & much more. Comment if you have any suggestions on what I should post about next! :)

How To: Make Your Perfume / Fragrance Last All Day

Have you ever spritzed on your favorite fragrance & a few hours later, noticed that the scent has vanished?!? I know I have! & it can be a real PAIN! Who doesn't want to smell good? ..with these tips & tricks, I'm going to help you smell amazing all day long!

1) Pulse Points

Spraying fragrance on your pulse points can help to make it last longer AND smell stronger! Mist on your inner wrists, neck, chest, folds of the knees and elbows, & even behind your ears. These areas give off heat, and disperse the scent. 

2) Don't Get Dressed First!
It is best to apply your fragrance before you dress! Perfume is more effective when applied directly to the skin rather than on top of clothing. The scents are activated by heat, which comes from our bodies. In some cases you should avoid spraying fragrances directly onto clothes because sometimes they can actually stain them!

3) Body Lotion

Before you spritz, apply some unscented body lotion to the areas you plan to put fragrance on. This will capture the scent so it doesn't evaporate & make it last ALL DAY LONG!!

4) Layer Your Fragrance
Layering different products of the same scent can very effectively help it last much longer! Try shopping for a fragrance that comes in a shower gel, scented body lotion, and a fragrance & apply in that order. When one wears off, the other(s) will still be working to keep you smelling fresh!

5) Keep The Season in Mind
As I said before, heat activates the fragrances.. But it also causes it to evaporate faster! So in the summer, apply a small amount every few hours as needed, & in the winter, do the opposite & apply a little more at one time & reapply less frequently.

Extra Tips:

• Applying a scent to freshly washed hair can last for days!
• When applying fragrance to your wrists, don't rub them together! It can bruise the scent of the perfume. Instead of rubbing, TAP your wrists together a few times.
• Ever notice how everyone has their own special scent? Well, our fragrances work together with our body scent & that can change up the scent of the fragrance. In other words, you may love the way a perfume smells on a friend & when you use it, it smells completely different.. Which can be a good or bad thing! Don't always expect to use a fragrance that smells wonderful on someone else, & have it smell the same way on your body.
• Test fragrances before you buy them! While shopping for a fragrance, spritz a small amount on your wrist & walk around for a little while. You can't judge a fragrance on the initial scent. You have to wait & see how well it works with your body.
• When choosing a fragrance, bring some coffee beans along to smell in between each one. It may sound crazy, but after smelling a perfume, some of the scent can linger in your nose! Taking a whiff of the coffee beans will clean out any leftover scents in your nose so you can smell the next one properly. Sometimes the stores provide them for you.
• Heat activates your fragrance and as we all know, heat rises. Spray a little around your waist or on your lower back so the scent will rise up in the air.

I hope this helped! If you have any questions or suggestions for what I should post about next please comment below! Have a wonderful smelling day! :)