scores & horrors

Horror

This week's horror becomes a score...eventually. The "horror" part is breakouts. Post-holiday-food-binging and stress-induced breakouts.  I can't believe I ever thought acne would go away with age - often, it doesn't, and I'm stuck with this problem weeeeeeeeellllll after my teenage years, as are many.  

When these wonderful visitors attack my face & neck (yep, neck), I often turn to an aspirin mask.  It's effective, easy, and - best of all - cheap! 

Crush 3-4 generic aspirin (don't sub Advil, etc.) in a Ziploc bag (I usually smash them with the bottom of a bathroom cup), then mix the crushed pills in the palm of your hand with a few drops water, adding more water drops slowly until a past-consistancy is reached.  Spread the paste thinly over either entire face; or, you can target specific breakouts by gooping a heavier paste on needed areas.  Then kick back and read a book or catch up on Downton Abbey for 10-20 minute before rinsing the mask off with warm water.  

The aspirin works to reduce swelling, shrink pores, calm redness, and eliminate bacteria  - all for about 99 cents a bottle! 

Score

It was a terrible idea for my wallet to move less than a mile away from an Ulta, but being so close has lead me to expand my knowledge of brands otherwise unknown to me.  One of those was the brand NYX Cosmetics, and their retractable lip liner is a super-score for around $4-5.  I love the #10 Nude shade - it's my natural lip color, but amped up a bit, creating a neutral base that evens out skin tone and brightens the face.  It's almost undetectable, but your lips just look...better.  If you add gloss or lipstick over it, it will blend easily with most colors.  

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics

2 scores under $5 each!