Samantha on the Prairie

The second part of this series on college student, Anna Mae's, skin care and cosmetics routine is all about what is in her makeup bag. Anna Mae is super busy but still takes time for herself each day, by keeping her skin clean and hydrated, followed by cosmetics that work for her lifestyle, budget, and skin type. Rimmel Match Perfection in Classic Ivory Anna Mae has extremely fair skin. She has that complexion most women dream of, but that means selecting the right shade of foundation isn't always easy. She's had the unpleasant experience of having her neck look a shade lighter than her face. "Icky," she says. Rimmel's Match Perfection does an excellent job matching Anna Mae's skin tone without caking around the fine lines on her face. She's able to get great coverage with just a little product, applied right after moisturizing. Mixing a small amount of foundation with your daytime moisturizer is a good way to get light coverage without lo

The other day, I was brainstorming blog post ideas while skimming through photos on Facebook, when I came upon a source of great inspiration - my nephew's long-time girlfriend, Anna Mae. Anna Mae is studying English education and theater in Wisconsin, while working part-time in the insurance industry, keeping a strong relationship with her family, boyfriend, and close circle of friends, getting outstanding grades, and somehow always walking around with a smile. To top it off, she ALWAYS looks completely put together. Anna Mae and my nephew, William Since I'd totally love to have her super rosy, pale complexion, I asked Anna Mae to share her skincare and makeup routine for my blog readers. She very sweetly sent me a wonderful list of her favorite products, including some I recognize and others I'm looking forward to trying out someday. The "Anna Mae's College Routine" writeup will be a two-part series. First, I want to share a few of the skincare product

My husband and I were shopping at Costco this evening and I sent him off to find a few things while I got a flu shot. He came back with all I asked for and then handed me this: "You needed makeup remover, right?" Best husband ever. I hadn't even thought of getting makeup remover. Nail polish remover was on my mind, but not these towelettes. I normally don't buy Neutrogena makeup remover towelettes because they can be quite pricey at the usual stores. I've seen them as much as 28 cents per towelette! Costco had this bulk pack of 114 wipes for $14.99, which is like 13 cents each. That's less than half of what I would pay elsewhere! Thanks to my husband's awesome find, I can gently remove my makeup, even the waterproof mascara I cake on every morning. Neutrogena's towelettes are gentle enough for sensitive skin and allergy tested. They're alcohol-free, which is better for your skin. Neutrogena suggests you should use them for morning a

I've been reviewing a lot of skincare and cosmetic products lately, and while I know a bit about the stuff, and have been experimenting and asking questions since I was a kid, I'm by no means an expert. I decided to ask my talented friend, Kerrin Birchenough, who is a cosmetics expert and the mom of an awesome little girl, to contribute a post for new moms. Here's what Kerrin has to say: "My dear friend, Samantha, has asked me to contribute to her blog. And it would be my pleasure to! I have been a makeup artist ever since my mom let me start using the stuff (14 years old?) and I then started helping friends with their makeup as I got older.  From there, I have worked for various makeup lines, at spas, fashion shows, photo shoots, weddings, and special events.  I have been working in and around makeup, skincare, and fashion for many, many years.  New moms, you're tired.  Scratch that.   You are extremely, insanely exhausted and consume multi

I know it's only been a short time since my last color application but I was really hating the mousey light red-brown with now lighter roots and darker ends. eSalon's color rinse seemed to have dried out my hair and left me with some increased unevenness in overall color. I was feeling desperate for a change and decided to put more color in my hair, bringing it down a notch to try and get back that healthy look and feel. I had no idea what brand I would pick, but on a whim, picked a non-permanent color at the grocery store (total impulse buy). Clairol Natural Instincts Dark Brown #28 caught my attention. When I was younger, I used this brand instead of permanent color to appease my dad, who hated the idea of me coloring my hair and I recall my mom trying it once or twice. Since it's not permanent, I felt comfortable going darker. With permanent color, I'm always afraid that dark brown will come out black. With Natural Instincts ammonia-free color, I took the risk wi

Ever since I moved to Minnesota, which is just over 7 years now, my skin has been super dry. I'm exposed to temperature extremes like hot summers and super cold winters, insanely windy days almost year-round, and surrounded by farmland, which means exposure to a lot of allergens. Basically, there's nothing much that has worked 100% over the years, so often I skip the makeup routine to avoid the flakes and just use lots and lots of moisturizer. A few years ago, my facialist suggested regularly exfoliating to sluff off the dead skin before moisturizing, and using a good toner twice a day. Admittedly, I haven't been consistent, but I do exfoliate once a week and occasionally splurge on a spray toner. Recently, I came across Paula Begoun's website, Cosmetics Cop , which has highly detailed reviews, ingredients, and brand information for every skincare product I could think of. The experience of browsing through what I keep in my bathroom vanity was incredibly enlighteni

I'm well aware my search habits lead to targeted ads. The number of Wayfair and Aveda ads I come across makes it clear I have a "two-track" mind, skincare products and cruiser bikes. The other day, I was looking to see if there are competitors to the American Girl doll brand and came across a Gotz doll in a Google search. Since I wasn't familiar with that name, I Googled again, clicked a link, and found the doll is produced by Pottery Barn Kids . That was it. I left the site and went about my day. A couple days later, I got a marketing email from Pottery Barn Kids with the subject, "Thanks for Your Interest In: Gotz Doll Collection." Seriously? My only experience with Pottery Barn Kids is the school lunchbox I ordered for my daughter a few months ago and the quick click to see what that doll brand was about and I get an email about my visit to their website? That's taking cookies to a whole new level. Creepy. The thing is I'm sure I have a

One of the search terms that brought people to this blog is "MidNite sleep aid FDA." Since I was curious about the exact nature of the relationship between the FDA and MidNite , I did some digging. FDA Side Effects of Sleep Drugs website states that they have approved sleep aids for use up to two weeks for occasional sleeplessness but they also include some tips on getting a better night's sleep without the use of medication. Check out all the information on the FDA website . Checking out MidNite's FAQ site , I found the following: "MidNite, MidNite PM and MidNite for Menopause are dietary supplements using herbal and natural ingredients. Like all other dietary supplements, they are regulated under the Federal Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act which requires a substantial safety profile. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) at all times has authority to investigate and monitor such products for safety." Honestly, this seems kind of va