Is This Heaven? No...It's Summertime and Ipsy!

Hey Darlings!

We’re halfway through May and have finally reached our favorite time of the year here in Wyoming…it’s summer!  We are addicted to sunshine and soft breezes and all the colors that summer brings; in other words, we’re two very happy Sparkles over here!

Speaking of happy…the only thing that could have made this warm and breezy week better for us was the arrival of our May Ipsy bags…and since they did, in fact, arrive…we’re all smiles!!

Let’s see what we got, between the two of us:

First off, we have to say that we are a little bit of chevron-aholics over here, so the bag is totally one of our favorites, ever!  So freaking cute!

And...for a close up look at the insides:

We usually kind of like it when we get different items in our bags, because then we get more things to mix and match and play with…but we weren’t too heart broken that we both got the “Neely” polish from Zoya.  We’re totally digging on this fun mint shade!

We each got the same rollerball perfume from Pacifica, as well...the Tahitian Gardenia.  K likes it, to be sure, but J is almost ready to break all of her non-commitment rules and propose marriage to this scent; it’s light…it’s girly…it’s perfect for summer….she can’t get enough!!

Two concealers from Yaby…both in “Buff.”  Always excited to try new products to perfect our ever changing (especially with season mandated product/application changes) routines in the morning.

Juice Beauty lip glosses for both of us, as well…both in “Pink.”  We were bummed that neither of us got a lipstick…but gloss is always welcome…just ask our 94 pound lip gloss bags!

From Macadamia Natural Oil, we got the Healing Oil Treatment, which we’ve actually tried before and enjoyed.  Excited to give our locks some TLC with this one!

Also from Pacifica, we got a tube of the Coconut Crushed Pearl Luminating Body Butter, and did almost too exuberant of a victory dance upon discovering it.  Ever since ipsy introduced us to Pacifica lotions several bags back, we have grown more and more obsessed with them, and have both added several to our collections.  K is a founding member of Coconut Cravers Anonymous…so this was at the very top of her wish list.  Woohoo!

In addition to all of these goodies, we each got a code for $110 off at Nume…which we’ve already been trying to figure out how to use.  Curling wands?  Extensions?  Hair Care products?  Our minds are reeling at the possibilities… :)

All in all, we couldn’t be in a better mood this week.  The sky is blue…the snow is gone…the grass is green…and we’ve got all new fun things to use/try from ipsy.  Is this Heaven?  I think so….

Did you love your May ipsy bag like we did?  What product are you most excited about??

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About Our April Favorites!!

If you're like us, you love to hear the latest news on products that people love, which is why "Favorites" posts are some of our...well...favorites!  :)

We're excited to share the scoop on our favorite products for April...so here we go!

K's Favorites:

• K is in LOVE with the Keratin Smooth line from TRESemme.  After hunting forEVER for the perfect hair line (without costing an arm and a leg!) to get super strong and smooth hair...she's found it with this shampoo and conditioner.  Addicted!!
• Rock Your Hair Miracle Leave In Conditioner.  You might have noticed that we dedicated a lot of blog space to the Rock Your Hair line over the past month...and while we honestly loved everything that we tried from them...this conditioning spray is K's FAVE.  It's name is "Miracle" for a reason...her hair has never felt better!
• With the worst of our dry winter behind us, K's lips are getting back to prime soft form, with the help of Baby Lips lip balm from Maybelline.  K's got several flavors, but the peppermint is getting all of her attention lately!
• The Naked Basics palette from Urban Decay will probably be an all-time favorite for K...she's loves creating perfect "naked" eyes...and this palette has been her go-to all month!
• Creating those perfect eye looks is one million times easier when using Too Faced Shadow Insurance...a long time favorite primer for K...which really deserves a shout-out every month!
• OCC Lip Tar in Interlace.  What better to go with a perfect naked eye than a perfect nude lip?  This pretty pale peach does the trick!
• Of course nude lips aren't always her choice...and K has found herself glossing up many of her favorite lip shades with MAC's Summer Sweetheart lipglass from the Archie's Girls collection.

J's Favorites:

• Voluminous Mascara from L'Oreal, in Carbon Black...Every once in a while, J feels an urge and cheats on this, her favorite mascara of all time.  Once she gets her kicks and her roll in the hay out of the way, she's always THRILLED to come back to her truest lash love.  It is just the best.  That's all.
• J's favorite product from her April ipsy bag made the cut this month...she wears her Sweet Cheeks blush by Be a Bombshell almost every day!  It's the perfect pink to compliment almost every look!
• J also uses Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer daily...her contouring has never looking better!  The fact that it smells like sweet hot chocolate every morning doesn't hurt, either!
• And...to complete her face routine, J has found herself unable to live without MAC's pearl matte face powder in In For a Treat, which provides the perfect highlight shade! 
• We all know that J's love is, and always will be, with creating eye looks, so it's no surprise to find two palettes on her list.  First, she's still in love with the Spoiled Rich palette from MAC's Archie's Girls!  Bold purple looks made several appearances this month...thanks to this beauty of a little palette.
• J also found herself reaching for her Kat Von D Starstruck palette several times throughout the month.  KVD shadows are super velvety...have tons of pigment...and blend flawlessly.  J can't imagine life without them!
• Bold eye looks sometimes come with bold fallout...but thankfully J avoids major makeup malfunctions with her Shadow Shields.  If you've ever battled fallout, try these...you'll never ever regret it.  They're great for creating sharp lines, as well!
• Finally, J picked up the Real Techniques Eye Set this month, and she has NEVER been happier with a set of eye brushes in her life.  RT brushes have always been J's favorite for the face...so it makes sense that these brushes are making her eyes so very very happy.

That's it...we're so excited about all of these products...we don't know if we'll get new favorites for May or not!  ; )

What were your "must have" products for April...do we have any favorites in common?

Pretty In Pink: April ipsy Bag!

Hey Girls!

We've been looking so forward to spring weather for so long, and were totally bummed when we got a couple of days of snow this week.  Our frowns turned upside down, though, when we both got our April ipsy bags in the mail yesterday!

This is the earliest I think that we've ever gotten our bags from ipsy...so somebody somewhere must have known that we would need some extra Sparkle in our otherwise snowy week.

We were also happy to find out that we didn't get identical bags this month...more products for us to love!

All of our goodies at a glance:

Details on our "Pretty In Pink" themed goodies:

• We each got a sample bottle of Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal by Big Sexy Hair.
• "Sweet Cheeks" Blush by Be a Bombshell, in both bags.
• Miss Professional Nail's Sation Nail Laquer.  K got a pretty pink shade called "Of Corset I'll Call You," while J got a peachy-pink color called "Love At First Byte."
• K's bag had Mica Beauty's Shimmer Powder, a loose pigment in a super shimmery peach shade.
• J got the Heartache Eyeshadow Duo, featuring one matte and one shimmery pink shade, from Two Cosmetics.

You might recall that we were a little bit underwhelmed by our March bags from ipsy...but we're back to full fledged adoration with this month's offering.  As you know, we love trying anything that will help our hair look and feel fabulous in our super dry climate...can't wait to try the Soy Renewal!

We really love the cosmetics...all great sizes, and super pretty colors:

Also, you know how much we love painting our nails!  We can't wait to give these Sation polishes a spin!  They are both soft pastels that will surely make us feel like it's spring as we gaze at our manis!  :)  Make sure to follow us on Instagram to catch all of our fun April nail looks!

That's it for this month's ipsy report.  We're eager to give all of our treats a good workout while we're waiting for spring weather to find us!

Are you an ipsy subscriber?  What did you think of April's bag?

It's Not Complicated: Rock Your Hair = Volume!

Hey, you don't have to take the AT&T kids' word for it...we'll vouch for them!  

Spray Size Matters Big Volume Root Lift on damp tresses to give your blow out a major lift...

Or massage Bombshell Big Hair Powder into dry roots for volume that can be refreshed throughout the day...

Once again, we want to thank the folks at Rock Your Hair for sending us these fun (and effective) products to check out and review!  You can pick up your own Rock Your Hair products, including these volumizing wonders at Walmart, Ulta, or various online retailers.  

What's your fool-proof answer to creating volume in your hair?

Disclaimer: While these products were sent to us free of charge, our opinions are honest and are our own.  WyoSparkles would never recommend a product that we aren't willing to use, and do not accept monetary compensation to promote any product or service.

2 Minute Review: Michael O'Rourke's Rock Your Hair--Big Hair Rocks Shampoo & Conditioner!

Hey Little Darlings!

I hope you're having a fabulous Wednesday...it's warm and the sun in shining in our parts...so we might just get some spring weather yet...cross your fingers!

You know, there are some things in life to which we will always hold true.  If you've been reading our blog for a while, you know that we're 100% loyal to our Wyoming Cowboys...to Disneyland...and to fabulous eye makeup.

In our uncompromising minds, vacations are best with sunshine...kittens are best when they're Siamese...and days are the best if you get to spend them laughing with your best friends.

These things, in our minds, are inarguable.  Don't even try, girls...we won't be swayed.

Even with our firmest of opinions, however, there are things about which we remain undecided.  One of those things for J is which hair products are right for her.

You see, J has a bit of a vanity issue when it comes to her hair.  (J has kind of a vanity issue when it comes to everything...but that is an issue that would take a month's worth of posts to even tackle.)  Always in search of the best products to make turning her locks into the soft, shiny, and wrinkle free tresses she dreams of, J switches hair products pretty frequently.  Its not that she's always unhappy with her current products...but WHAT IF something else works better?  Not one to keep her commitment issues to dating alone, J moves from product to product...because she can't take the risk of not knowing if the next thing...will be the best thing.

And so...J has yet to find herself married to any given hair product line...which is a good thing...because in case you've forgotten, it's ROCK YOUR HAIR WEEK here at WyoSparkles, and J has been having a pretty intense fling with their "Big Hair Rocks" Shampoo and Conditioner.

As we said yesterday, we were thrilled to be asked by the folks at Michael O'Rourke's Rock Your Hair to test out some of their fabulously pink goodies.

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The thing you need to know about J's hair is this:  It is freaking impossible.  :)  J's got natural curls and unruly waves, both of which she's continually trying to hide.  Daily heat styling, paired with monthly color treatments...(let's all pause for a moment of shock at learning that she's not naturally that blonde)...produce hair that can, at times, be a little bit on the dry side.  It sometimes feels a little rough.  It sometimes feels less than smooth.  It sometimes is less than shiny.  It sometimes makes J cry her eyelashes off.  It's a big deal.

Enter Rock Your Hair's Big Hair Rocks Shampoo and Conditioner.  

J was excited to give these two a bit of a spin...(cheating on her current Herbal Essences was a little TOO easy)...but she didn't really expect them to make THAT big of a difference...she's yet to fall truly in love with anything, after all.  

J, however, was in for a surprise.  

After the very first use, J found her hair to be uncharacteristically soft and smooth.  It was easy to straighten.  It felt light and healthy.  J couldn't believe it was happening. It was like one of those TV shows where the ornery and spoiled rich girl switches places with her long lost, but unbelievably more kind and sincere, twin...

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...only the show was starring J's hair.  It was kind of a jaw-dropper.  We would love to show you before and after pictures...but J doesn't allow cameras within 250 feet of her on any given morning, until her hair is already camera ready.  True story.  You're just going to have to take her word for it...there really WAS an immediate difference after using these products!

In the first couple of days of trying the shampoo and conditioner out, J made sure to continue using her other, non-Rock Your Hair products, to really test the results of these products specifically.  With that in mind, we're pretty convinced that it was these awesome products that should be credited with her hair's dramatic transformation.  And with results like these...J is hard pressed to find a reason why she shouldn't turn this "fling" into the "real thing."

Both the Big Hair Rocks shampoo and conditioner are available at Walmart, Ulta, and at assorted online retailers, with prices starting around $13.00 a bottle.  If you're looking for a super moisturizing duo that will leave your hair feeling fabulous, J is happy to recommend Big Hair Rocks! 

Once again, we're both very excited to have been given the opportunity to take all of these products for a "test drive," and look forward to sharing our thoughts with you throughout the rest of the week!  For more info on Rock Your Hair products right this instant, click here!

What's your all time favorite Shampoo & Conditioner duo?  

Disclaimer: While these products were sent to us free of charge, our opinions are honest and are our own.  WyoSparkles would never recommend a product that we aren't willing to use, and do not accept monetary compensation to promote any product or service.

Hold On To Your Hats...We're Doing March Favorites!

Ladies, we don't want you to fall out of your chairs...and we don't want you to die from shock...so we're going to ease into this nice and slow.

We...

Are...

Doing...

Our...

March...

Favorites!

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We know, Fresh Prince.  We know.

Seriously, though...it's been forever.  We've been loving lots of products, trust us.  We've found new favorites.  We've just failed to share them with you for a month...or four.  No biggie.  :)

We're back on track, though, and are so happy to present the products we found it impossible to live without in March...Hooray!

K's March Favorites

1.  Aquataenia Palette by Lime Crime--I have loved using this palette lately to add a bright "springy" pop to my eye looks.  I've got Spring Fever, Baby!

2.  Cleansing Spa Water by Koh Gen Do--This is my second bottle of this fancy miracle liquid.  I got the first bottle from Glossy Box, and fell in love with how light and "water-like" it feels when I use it.  Not heavy or harsh like some liquid cleansers.  Love!

3.  Refined Golden Bronzing Powder by MAC--I use this pressed powder daily for flawless contouring.  After trying (and enjoying) others, I love how this powder never applies too dark or heavy!

4.  L'Oreal's True Match Super-Blendable Crayon Concealer--Oh. My. Gosh.  I can't even explain how much this concealer has changed my daily routine.  I have thought other concealers were fabulous, but tried this on a whim and fell head over heels.  I'm on tube number two, and don't know that I'll ever find anything better.  Super creamy...flawless finish.  

5.  Starlooks Blush in c121--"Cuty Peach" (Which I love, in spite of the fact that I feel like they misspelled Cutie!)--I'm addicted to peach blush, and have several that I totally heart.  Got this in a Starlooks box a couple months ago, and was a little bit skeptical as to whether it would find a place among my faves, but it has totally risen to the occasion.  A little bit goes a long way...and I love its peachy glow!

6.  Cover Girl's Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation--Basically, J would NOT shut up about this foundation...and eventually, I caved.  She was right...it's amazing.  Great coverage...light "airbrushed" finish...it's a winner!

J's March Favorites

1.  Urban Decay's "UD Hearts NYC" Palette--I got this palette a while ago, and while I've loved it from day one, I am pretty sure I used it about 80% of the time this month.  It is the perfect blend of bold colors and wearable neutrals that made my eyes super happy all month long!

2.  Cover Girl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation--If you happened to catch my review of this stuff back in January, it should be no surprise that this is on my list.  It's not only a March favorite...it's an all time favorite.  Not sure how I ever lived without it!!

3.  Wild Citrus Sunflower Glowing Body Wash by Bath & Body Works--After a super dry weather, nothing helps get me exfoliated and ready for spring and summer like this awesome scrub.  I've been using it religiously...it smells amazing, and my skin feels awesome!

4.  Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter--Once again, getting ready for capri weather is 10 times easier when you've got awesome moisturizers on your side. This tube of wonder from ipsy is almost gone...freaking out a little bit!

5.  Watermelon Wonderland Lip Balm by eos--Without fail, eos continues to be my lips' best friend when it comes to keeping them soft.  Love the watermelon flavor, and take this with me everywhere!

6.  Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Perfume in Halo--This perfume was discontinued by VS last year, but I'm still 100% in love with it.  I wear it almost every day lately.  Love its light floral/peppery blend, and it has serious staying power.  <3

7.  L'Oreal's Extra Intense Liquid Pencil Eyeliner in Carbon Black--When L'Oreal bought Urban Decay, I wondered if they'd create a more affordable dupe for UD's Perversion, and this is it.  I've never made a secret of the fact that I'm a Perversion-aholic, but I can get this in town for less than half the price...and it's perfection.  (You'll notice that's a brand new pencil in the pic...because I've already had to replace my original!)

Well, that's it, ladies!  We're so excited to get this ridiculous "Favorites Monkey" off of our backs...and we promise to do better in the Favorites Department in the future.

What were your favorite products during the month of March?

2 Minute Review: Michael O'Rourke's Rock Your Hair "Spray It Hard" Big Volume Hairspray!

Hey Ladies!

Happy April/Spring!  We've got a lot going on and a lot to share with you, so we anticipate a busy week here on the site.  Stay tuned...we promise it will be fun.

I wanted to kick things off with the first of several Two Minute Reviews that will be up this week, featuring products from Michael O'Rourke's Rock Your Hair line, which were sent to us free of charge to play with, figure out, and review on our site.

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Hooray for the power of PINK!!

So...remember those commercials back in the day when the girl would use a certain brand of hairspray, and then go jet skiing in order to demonstrate the powerful hold that that hairspray had?  Once she’d finished with her high speed chase across the water, she’d pose for the camera, showing off her barely changed ‘do.

I don’t know about you, but the promise of jet ski proof hairspray doesn’t do me a lot of good.  I live in a land locked state where it’s way below jet ski appropriate temperature about 9 months out of the year.  Perfect hair while participating in water sports isn’t my priority.

Instead, I need a hairspray that is going to get me through MY own brand of a crazy day, and while I have tried (and loved...and hated...and REALLY HATED) several brands, I was super excited to try out the Rock Your Hair "Spray It Hard Big Volume Hairspray."

Forget jet skiing...I was determined to see if this stuff could keep my hair in top shape for what MY usual day includes:

J's Average Day of Hair Endangering Hazards:

• After spending too much time on eye make up...(again)...I realize that I'm supposed to be to work in 20 minutes, so I work at triple the recommended pace to get my hair in at least an acceptable arrangement.  Spray like there is no tomorrow, and pray that it stays put.
• Change shirt 12 times at the speed of light because NOTHING goes with the eye makeup I spent so long on.  Check hair and makeup in the mirror on the way out the door.
• Run out into Wyoming wind; dive into car.
• Drive at break-neck speed with air conditioning blasting, because the lash glue on my eye suddenly doesn't feel quite dry.  Check face and hair in mirror at least 9 times during 12 minute drive.
• Park in last row of parking lot because I'm 7 minutes late & nothing closer is available.  Run through Wyoming wind. Stop in the bathroom to check hair on the way to my desk.
• Sit at desk in non-windy office.  Check face and hair in mirror throughout the morning.
• 12:00?  Time for lunch hour grocery shopping.  You know what that means: Back into the Wyoming wind!
• Spot old high school flame in produce section at grocery store; duck behind watermelons until he and new bride have safely moved on to the bakery.  Check hair and makeup in metallic surface of produce scale.
• Back to work...nope...the wind hasn't let up!
• Spend afternoon in relatively non-hair threatening environment.  Keep mirror handy, though...you just never know.
• 5:00...head home!  I've probably got not big plans for the evening, but check my hair and makeup in the mirror throughout the drive anyway.
• Too windy for brisk evening walk; settle for P90X Cardio instead.  Swear at Tony Horton from time to time...check hair and makeup as soon as workout is through.
• Call it a day...Phew!

That...seriously...is my typical day.  And, with all of that abuse, you'd think that my hair would look horrifying by the end of it all.  Throughout every mirror check, however, I've found that Spray It Hard did the trick...my hair stayed presentable all day long!  In addition, I'm happy to report that while this product held my style all day, my hair never felt stiff, and I never felt like I looked like a helmet head...woohoo!

If you haven't tried anything from Michael O'Rourke's Rock Your Hair line, I can definitely recommend this hairspray.  I'm so excited that we were asked to try these products out...I might have never grabbed it on my own...but I can definitely see myself picking it up again in the future!

Spray It Hard Big Volume Hairspray is available at Walmart, Ulta or at several other online stores, starting at around $15.  Check it out!

Have you tried this hairspray or any other products from the Rock Your Hair line?  What is your favorite hairspray?

Stay tuned for more Rock Your Hair reviews throughout the week!

xoxox,

Disclaimer: While these products were sent to us free of charge, our opinions are honest and are our own.  WyoSparkles would never recommend a product that we aren't willing to use, and do not accept monetary compensation to promote any product or service.