1 month into The Great Pixie Growout!

I know I said I was going to wait until 6 weeks to update but I feel that a 1 month progress shot is needed.  In the last month my hair has grown almost 2 full inches!  This is awesome for me!

I have been using ItWorks Hair skin and nails vitamins.  I am NOT a distributor for this company, but I do have an affiliate link.  Basically I get referral points, but no commissions or anything like that.

So on to my one month pictures!

The Great Pixie Grow Out

Approx 10 months ago I decided to cut my hair.  I went with a cute pixie.

I played around with my color and the cut for a few months. 6 weeks ago this is how my hair looked

I decided that I wanted to grow it out and I found an amazing Hair Skin and Nails supplement. The one I use is by Itworks. (I am not a distributor, I just love their products!)

So I started taking the supplements three weeks ago.  The bottom part of the back of my hair was shaved to maybe 1-2 cm.  In just three weeks my hair has grown over an inch!

I will update again around the 6 week mark and the 3 month mark, and of course until its all grown out and long again!

No 'poo *GASP*

I have decided to give the no 'poo method a try.  Since I dyed my hair a very light blond and then had to chop it mostly out why not use this time to use a natural method on my hair?  Dying my hair severely damaged it. 

If you are not familiar with no 'poo here is the break down:

Wash:  Mix 1 tbs baking powder with 1 cup of water.  Keep in a squirt bottle in the shower.  This will not sudz up at all, and the mix should last about 3 washings.  This goes on your roots.

Rinse:  Mix 1 cup water with 1 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother)  Again put in a squirt bottle and keep in the shower.  Rinse just the length and ends of your hair.

Once a week I do a Coconut oil mask and will continue to do this.  Transition will last 1-2 weeks with your hair seeming to get more greasy before it evens out and finds its natural state.  You may need to wash more often or less often then using conventional shampoo and conditioner, but I promise you, your hair will love you for this!

Jamberry Wrap review

Have you heard about Jamberry wraps yet?  These awesome vinyl nail wraps are a great way to get salon quality designs at a fraction of the price.  They last on finger nails up to 2 weeks and 4 weeks on toes.  Jamberry has over 300 amazing designs to choose from too!

So here are some on my nails.  They really do last up to 2 weeks!  I get so many complaments when I wear them!

Ulta Haul and Why I haven't blogged recently

I want to start with an explanation.  On July 31 we moved into our first home!  Super exciting right? Ya there was no internet here until 2 weeks ago.  I had to use the data from my cell phone plan so I could stay current in my college work.  That said we have internet again and it is glorious!  Also last month I had major surgery on my shoulder.  They moved my biceps tendon, shaved down a bone, and removed inflamed bursa sacks.  I have a 6 month recovery time but I am getting stronger every day!

Now on to the good stuff, yesterday's Ulta haul!

I love Ulta this time of the year!  They have the 5 items for 5 dollars table!  So what all did I get?

-Peppermint hand lotion- 1 dollar
-Plum hand lotion- 1 dollar
-Pedi set- 1 dollar
-Blue Ulta mascara-1 dollar
-Purple Ulta mascara- 1 dollar

- Fit Me foundation in the shade 110
-Benefits push up eye liner
- Maybeline highlighter
-The body shop coconut hand cream
- Ulta lip crayon

Julep unboxing!

The May Julep box was pretty neat. 

 I love how pretty they package these boxes!

 In this box along with 2 nail polishes was a brush extender.  This is super helpful for painting toenails and surprisingly it was very easy to use.  I will get a full review of the brush extended up next week!

 Over all I am very happy with this Julep Maven box.  I have been disappointed in the past, but this box has helped me to continue on with Julep!

We are building a house!!!!

We found a great new development that is still in the building stage.  We have our floor plan picked out and they will be starting our first ever house very soon!  I am super excited. We have never owned a home before.  I will be posting updates as its coming along.  Here is the floor plan and a rendering of what the outside will look like!

Baby Skin vs The Porefessional

I received a sample size of the Porefessional and I loved it.  It was a great primer and made my skin feel very matte before putting my foundation on.  It make my foundation go on smoothly and helped it last all day. And then I went to look for more and found that it cost 31 dollars!  So I went in search of something similar.  I came across Maybeline's Baby Skin., and for just 6 dollars I bought it!  It is in every way the exact same as the higher priced primer.  The only differences?  The Porefessional is a skin colored cream and Baby skin is a clear gel.  Baby Skin went on just as smoothly and made my skin feel just as matte as The Porefessional did.  All in all I think that these two products are so similar that it just makes sense to buy the cheaper version of it!  There are some products you should purchase high end, but this just is not one of them!

From the Porefessional's website: Quickly minimize the appearance of pores & fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin! Apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup. Translucent, oil-free formula complements all skintones and helps makeup stay put.

From Maybelines site:  Insta-blur technology visibly smooths pores away. Can be worn alone or under makeup. Non-comedogenic and fragrance-free. Smooth a thin layer under foundation for a smooth-looking finish. Or use alone for flawless-looking skin, smoothing onto areas with visible pores.

Makeup brushes

Wondering which brush is used for what?  Then read on!

Derm Exclusive!

I just got in my order from Derm Exclusive by Beachbody.    I cannot wait to start using this. 

What was included with my kit?

Derm Exclusive® Micro Peel Resurfacing Pads- Inspired by professional chemical peels, Micro Peel Pads gently remove dead surface cells to exfoliate, refine, and polish your skin. Now you can reveal a smoother, brighter, more even-toned complexion.

 Derm Exclusive® Intensive Repair Serum-  Helps undo years of premature aging—like dark spots and discoloration—as it speeds up skin's natural DNA repair process. Powerful enzymes accelerate recovery from everyday sun damage, while antioxidant vitamin C helps fade spots and even out skin tone. Use twice daily for brightening results equal to a photofacial.

 Derm Exclusive® Collagen Lift Moisturizer-  Get the look of a laser firming treatment at home. Boost collagen production for firm, lifted skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles with astonishingly powerful results

 Derm Exclusive® Fill and Freeze®-Instantly plumps lines and wrinkles while reducing the appearance of dark circles. Dr. Ordon's breakthrough discovery gives injections and fillers a run for their money!  I got 2 of these in my intro kit.

Derm Exclusive® Intensive Repair Serum- Helps undo years of premature aging—like dark spots and discoloration—as it speeds up skin's natural DNA repair process. Powerful enzymes accelerate recovery from everyday sun damage, while antioxidant vitamin C helps fade spots and even out skin tone. Use twice daily for brightening results equal to a photofacial.


Derm Exclusive®Age Defense Moisturizer SPF 24- This creamy moisturizer with antioxidants and broad-spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen helps protect skin from the sun's damaging rays.

 Derm Exclusive® Volume Lip Therapy SPF 15-Adds luscious volume to your lips without painful injections. Volume Lip Therapy is formulated with Hyaluronic Filling Spheres and natural moisturizers to smooth and plump lines, while helping to relieve dryness and promoting fuller, softer, nourished lips.

Ulta/Target Haul and swatches!

Here are the swatches I promised from today's haul video.

I love the NYX and Revlon lip colors.  They are such pretty spring time colors.  I cannot wait for spring and warm weather.  In the mean time, I will just wear these colors and wait.

Here are the NYX lip colors

The Revlon pinks are from the Just Bitten Collection and the nude is a colorburst lacquer balm.

And also as promised here is a close up of the Naked 3 palette!  I love all of these colors.  They are very pigmented and everything I have come to expect from Urban Decay!

Beauty tips every girl should know

To prevent hair color from fading in the summer months, use a conditioning treatment weekly or bi-monthly.


Always allow about two fingers from your nose to where blush starts.


Make sure you hydrate the skin and put on a primer


Balance out your shimmer. If you're doing a shimmery eye, do matte lips


To make your manicure last, apply a thin layer of clear every two days


 Take a shimmery gloss to the center of your lips, top and bottom – this will attract light to your lips, making them look pouty


 To make your cheek bones appear higher, use bronzer under the cheekbone and highlighter on the actual cheekbone


 Always wash your makeup off before bed


 Clean out your makeup bag at least once a year to get rid of old products that may be expired or you no longer use.



 Change your beauty routine for Spring/Summer months. Your skin needs less coverage during the spring so you can swap the heavy products for lighter ones.


 If you’re not a fan of liquid liner, get the look of liquid eye liner by using a gel instead.


 To help you find the right shade of foundation, choose the product you think is closest to your color and try it on your jawline in natural light. You will be able to easily compare it to your neck’s color to see if you need to go for a different undertone, lighter or darker.

January Favorites

I wanted to do this in a video but I scratched my eye and it is very red and angry. So I am doing my favorites in a blog post instead.

My first favorite for the month of January is Coconut oil.  My skin is so dry here in the south.  I have tried so many moisturizers and nothing worked for my skin.  I use the coconut oil in place of my night time moisturizer. I wake up with soft and hydrated skin!

Next up is a new to me item. I got this lip product in my January Ipsy bag.  I have been using this at night time as well, and my lips are so hydrated when I wake up.

On to some make up favorites!  The Urban Decay Naked BB cream is new this month.  I love the even coverage, yet it is not too heavy on my skin!

I have also been loving the Loreal Telescopic mascara.  It makes my almost non existent lashes actually there.  I do not think I will ever switch to another brand.  Its cheap and it gets the job done!

My next favorite of the month is the Nars blush in Sex Appeal.  I have very fair skin so this light blush is perfect for my skin tone!

And lastly my face wash.  I use Philosophy's Purity, along with my clairsonic.  This combo is great for my skin.  In addition to dry skin, I also have sensitive skin.  This does not break me out at all and leaves my face nice and clean!  As you can see I need to buy some more!

Hopefully next month I will be able to film my Favorites!  I am also getting a new camera this weekend so the pictures will be much better!

Bombshell Volume Mascara Review

I did go ahead and make a video of my initial reaction to the Bombshell mascara.  My view is not favorable for this product.  I really wanted to love it.  My eyelashes are not very long or dark and I had high hopes for this mascara.  I was left disappointed and with product on my face that I had to use makeup remover to remove it.  Normally if I get a bit of mascara on my eye lid or under eye, a q-tip with some water on it gets it right up, that did not work with the Bombshell mascara.  For ten dollars its not a huge investment, however this product did not work for me.

Ulta Mini Haul

I just wanted to share my mini haul from Ulta.  I know its not very long, but I promise longer ones will be up soon!

Beauty Tip: Eyebrows

Eyebrows are probably the most overlooked part of the face by most. It is really important to shape them regularly, either at home or in a salon. It is also important to fill in your eyebrows. Your lips and your eyebrows frame your face. My favorite products are Too Faced Brow Envy kit and clear Maybelline Great Lash Mascara.

Here is the difference that filling in your eyebrows make. (please forgive my unshaped eyebrows, its time to go get them waxed!) Before:

And with them filled in!

Welcome to Beauty by Tara

EEEK My first beauty blog post! I have been blogging for almost a year with my fitness and health blog, but i have decided to take my love of fashion and make up to the next level. I am looking forward to posting here a ton. I have many makeup tutorials, and tips to share with you all. My name is Tara, and I am a wife and mom to three. I have been playing around with make up since I was young teen, and feel that I have a lot to bring the people!