So yeah, this is pretty much me in the mornings. Except with slightly less hair and maybe not as much blood. But the rest? Spot on.

What brings about such Zombie-ness, you ask? One word: Baby. Yes, my precious little love bug who is now 8 months old has not slept through the night, like, EVER. Never ever. And you know what that means, right? It means that Mama has not slept through the night in 8 months either. Not once. You know what I say to that? Grrrrrrrrroooowwwwllllll!

So, with all this non-sleeping going on, how’s a Mama supposed to look hot? I mean, really. No sleep is soooo not good for your skin. It’s also not good for your energy level (shock!), so bustin’ out those make-you-look-and-feel-great-workouts is pretty much a no-go. Sure, I slog through them when I can, but, yeah, the key is when I can.

Now, I could rant all day about my current state and about the fact that no sleep has left my once razor-sharp memory a pile of bubbly mush that sometimes releases a relevant fact or tidbit, but mostly leaves me saying “Now, who was that?” and “I came into this room why?”, but I have a feeling some of you have either been there or are currently there and can totally relate.

So what I’d like to do instead is focus on how to fix this issue. Aside from sleep training my baby (which I’ve been avoiding like the Swine Flu because it seems soooo mean), how can I make myself look like a member of the living, when I’m really just hanging by a thread? Here are my plans:

• Work out - I hereby promise to take some sort of stab at exercise at least 5 days out of the week, whether it be a walk, a cardio DVD or a free-weight stint in the basement home gym. Also, a few crunches wouldn’t hurt either, I ’spose.
• Eat better - Hmmm, seems as though this mission will go hand-in-hand with the above mission, eh? But here’s the thing: I’m not just going to start cutting things all willy-nilly and voraciously go after every veggie in sight because I know that doesn’t work for me. Instead, I intend to revert back to a diet I was put on while I had gestational diabetes, only I won’t be quite as strict with it. Basically, I’ll be limiting sweets and carbs. Hm. Shouldn’t we all be doing that anyway? And as a side note here, when I was on said diet during pregancy, my skin never looked so good. Never. Maybe you really ARE what you eat?!?
• Water myself - More water. Into my body. Each day. Of course, coffee remains my morning superstah, but I am pledging to chug an entire 17oz bottle of water between the time I get up (6:20am) and the time I return home from dropping the peeps off at school (approx 7:40). That ought to set the stage for water consumption (and bathroom usage) for the day, no?
• Remember moi - Being the best Mama/wife/employee you can be is so damn taxing, is it not? It’s exhilirating and challenging and exciting and wonderful and all those other warm fuzzy things, but it’s also taxing, goddammit. And, compared to many of my friends and acquaintances, I am veeeeeery low maintenance. I color my own hair at home (yea, seriously), I do my own manis and pedis and I don’t go to the gym. So yes, I save time and money, but I do deserve something a little special here and there, right? So I pledge that as I meet my goals above, I will remember ME and reward myself with little doo-dads like a fabulous nail color, a new book (purchased, not borrowed) or a stash of super cute undies. So there.

So, these are my plans to de-Zombiefy myself. Anyone else out there in my boat? Wanna rejoin the living with me? What are your plans for doing so? Let us know and we’ll cheer each other on!!

Hey all you lovelies out there. Clearly, I’ve been remiss in posting here, but I had a baby you know, and they are busy little creatures and I don’t sleep, like, EVER, and most days I forget my own damn name and, well, yeah.

So my apologies for being away so long, but it feels great to be back.

I have a whole arsenal of exciting, exhilarating and must-read ideas all lined up for you, so thanks for stopping in and be sure to come back for more. I’ve got beauty, snark and a whole lotta life to share. Wheeee! Come with?

Clean & Clear Deep Action Cleanser

Okay, I know it sounds entirely dramatic to say that a facial cleanser changed my life, but dawggone it, it’s true. Because, my dear friends, my skin sucks. It always has. And I’ve tried pert near everything to get it to behave, but it’s pretty much been a fruitless life-long quest.

Until…

Until I had the pleasure of being introduced the the Clean & Clear Deep Action Line. Sounds a smidge like a porn series, I know, but the bottom line is the stuff is fantastic. And cheap.

You know what this stuff reminds me of? The Noxzema of the Good Old Days. It totally gives you that same fresh feeling, like the air is passing straight through your skin. It’s fab. Only this stuff smells great and not all medicinal.

I am in love with this line, for sure, and because of that, I keep waiting for the day where my skin rebels and I have to look for my next skin care bitch. But, alas, things are still going amazingly well and the Clean & Clear Deep Action Line and I are still going strong. It’s a beautiful relationship. And considering my skin is of the preggo sort, this is no small feat, people.

Now, there are a few different options in this line, and here’s how I like to play the game: When I shower at night (yes, at night!), I use the Exfoliating Scrub because it contains the little scrubby balls to help with the “scrub the nasty stuff off” process. I find the balls hard to rinse off in the morning, however, (sorry, if that sounds a bit dirty, pffft!) so I save that formula for night when I have more time to rinse my face clean in the shower.

In the a.m., I like to use the Oil-Free Cream Cleanser, which is such a waker-upper. Seriously, my eyes can be teensy slits when I stumble into the bathroom at 6:05 a.m., and by the time I leave, I resemble a member of the living. It’s quite a transformation.

So, long story short (or not really short), if you’re looking for a great, deep-cleaning cleanser that won’t break the bank, give the Deep Action Line by Clean & Clear a try. At only around $5.99 for a large tube, you won’t regret it.

Images: Drugstore.com

Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner

It’s fall, and for many of us that means cool temperatures, gusty winds and dry lips. Sigh. So what’s a girl to do? Protect that sensitive kisser, of course.

I’ll admit it, I’m a lip addict. And by that I mean I must have some sort of moisturizer on my pout at all times. I am a die hard Carmex fan, and will be for life. But sometimes Carmex is too much. And applying lipstick over Carmex is as bad as applying a coat of polish over nails doused with baby oil. Doesn’t work well.

Thankfully, I’ve discovered a great product that infuses moisture into your lips, yet steers clear of any sort of greasy feel: the Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner. An added bonus? It’s got SPF 15 built right in. Perfect!

This lip conditioner has a light feel and a slightly vanilla-ish flavor. It’s handy and clean, easy to stash in your purse, pocket or clutch. It combines oatmeal and other natural skin conditioners like jojoba oil and shea butter to restore and lock in moisture. It’s perfect for daily preventative use, but it even helps heal dry, chapped lips after the damage has already been done.

A great deal at under $4 a tube, this lip treatment is the perfect fall go-to. Pucker up!

Image: Drugstore.com

BellaBand

When I caught wind of this BellaBand phenomenon, I was skeptical. But I was willing to give it a try, because, yanno, I love spending money on things I know little about.

But wow, am I smitten. This thing has been key to my maternal happiness. Sure, I take issue with the maternity jeans of today, but without this BellaBand, things would be far, far worse, trust me.

Think of this little wonder as a stretchy belt. It’s perfect in the beginning of pregnancy, when your normal clothes are tight, but there is no way, no how that you’re ready for maternity wear. It’s perfect later on as you start thinking maternity isn’t sounding all that bad after all, but things are still a bit loose. And it’s perfect straight on through, as your belly becomes bigger and tries to push down those impossible “normal” or “half” waist-lines. I’ll even be wearing this postpartum, unless, of course, I’m back into my size 4’s minutes after birth which, I’m sure, will certainly be the case. Pfffft!

Anyhoo, for those of you who are embarking on (or are in the midst of) the great wonder called pregnancy, this little ditty might just become your best friend. It surely has become mine. I scored mine on Amazon, but a little digging can turn this up at a few retail and several other online locations. Totally worth the (approximately) $26.00, trust me!

Photo credit: IngridandIsabel.com

Still dealing with breakouts even though you’re well past your teens? Join the club. Thankfully, the fabulous Allure magazine realizes that trouble skin happens outside of the high school set. Between their advice and my years of experiencing the angst of less-than-perfect skin, the following tips should be helpful to you, too. Take a look at how to care for your acne-prone skin during the winter months:

Since cold weather can make your skin more sensitive to the harsh ingredients found in acne treatments that seem just right for summer heat, you’ll want to switch to more gentle cleansers and add protective ingredients to avoid irritating your delicate pores during the colder months. Some tips:

• For morning cleansing, try a gentle soap-free cleanser, lotion cleanser, or cream cleanser. My favorite? Clean & Clear’s Deep Action Cream Cleanser. At night (please don’t forget to wash your face at night!), you should use an acne-focused product that contains either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. If these products seem too drying, adjust accordingly, scaling back one use per week until you find the right balance.
• For moisturizing (yes, even acne-prone skin needs to be moisturized, otherwise it may naturally over-compensate by producing too much oil in an effort to hydrate itself) try an oil-free lotion in the morning which boasts an SPF of 30 or higher. This is important even in the colder months as our skin is always exposed to damaging rays to some degree each day. Not only that, but acne treatments can leave your skin even more sun-sensitive than non-treated skin.
• Blast your zits the instant they take root. Call it a sixth sense, but we can almost always detect a zit while it’s still in the brewing stage. Once you suspect you’ve got a volcano on your hands, go on the attack, since once it’s full-blown, spot treatments can only help dry it up (often leading to further irritation). Instead, try a treatment with 2 percent salicylic acid cream or a benzoyl peroxide lotion to stifle a disaster before it happens. One of my favorites: Persa-Gel 10 by Clean & Clear.
• If you’ve got more than just one mountain on your hands and several areas of your face are broken out, dilute an oil-free salicylic acid moisturizer with a regular moisturizer and apply it to your entire face each night. Also, apply a facial mask containing sulfur every other week (or every week, if necessary) to tighten pores and zap zits.
• If you still end up with a troublesome blemish despite all your efforts (you know it will happen), conceal the offender with a small, slightly pointed makeup brush dipped in an opaque concealer and dab it on the blemish only (not the surrounding skin).
• And finally, if you wear foundation each day, consider switching to a mineral formula which won’t clog your pores. As a devotee of the same foundation for years and years, I have always been fascinated with mineral foundations and plan to give some a try very soon. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. I’ll be sure to do the same for you as I go on the hunt.

Give these cool weather tips for acne-prone skin a try and let me know how they work for you - and if you have any other tips, please share.

*These tips come in part from the October 2008 issue of Allure magazine; the remainder come from personal experience and years of research.

Image credit

Okay, peeps. I am 27 1/2 weeks pregnant. Simply, that means that my cute little self is not all that comfy in things that aren’t…forgiving…these days. That said, it truly goes against my fashion sense (okay, fashion vanity) to wear anything that is not to-be-seen-in adorable. I even get the willies if I’m walking my kid out the front door to the bus and I’m not looking my best. Like (gasp!) what must the BUS DRIVER think of my appearance?!?

So I bring this up because today is one of those days that I know darn well I won’t see anyone (other than the bus driver) and that I’ll be here, glued to my rolling chair, pecking away at my computer. So does a day like this give me an All-Access Pass to Sweatsville? Does the fact that my giant Buddha now uncomfortably flops over the waistband of my cutie-patootie maternity jeans give me the right to bust out the preggo track pants? I wrestle with such a decision. (Whatever happened to full-panel preggie pants, anyway?!? Seriously. What’s with this new “regular” jean trend? We’re carrying a melon-sized being in our stomachs, for crying out loud. Is a little bit of “give” too much to ask for?!)

So lovelies, weigh in for me, won’t you? If you’re staying home and you know you’re not going to be discovered not looking your absolute best by anyone other than the FedEx guy, do you hunker down in your sweats or yoga pants? Or do you dress adorably regardless? Let me know your thoughts as I weigh and consider my feelings on this.

Herbal Essences

I love salon products as much as the next girl (hello, Biolage!) but sometimes the budget just doesn’t cooperate. Or more like, I just get this crazy feeling of guilt spending 4 times as much on a shampoo as necessary. I could totally use that extra money for cute kids’ clothes…or a Nacho Bell Grande!

So with all the two zillion or so products out there, which one gets my vote?

Herbal Essences. To be specific, the Long-Term Relationship formula, made especially for longer hair.

What’s to love about this stuff? First of all, it’s purdy. Yep, its fabby red bottle adds a killer boost of color to my neutral-colored bathroom. It’s like art, that darn bottle.

Oh, and um, the product itself is great, too. Since I have to color a lot (why is it that after you have kids your hair is just never the same?!?), I need something that is gentle, yet efficient. This stuff does the trick. It’s got a touch of red raspberry for an amazing smell (yum!) and boasts satin to help our strands grow longer and healthier. It helps protect against damage too, which is a total bonus for those of us who stretch our six-week trims out to about 10 or 12 weeks (who, me?).

This stuff is fab y’all, and at only $3.99 (I like to wait for sales AND use a coupon, too!) it is so worth its weight in haircare gold.

Have you tried this? Do you love it? What other drugstore shampoo brands rock you world? Let me know in the comments section. Thanks!

Image courtesy of Drugstore.com

Welcome to BeautySnark!

Oh how this is such a long time coming. For ages I’ve thought about starting a beauty blog of my own after blogging in the network arena for over a year. This is crazy exciting for me, and I’m so glad you’re coming along for the ride!

Here’s what I plan to accomplish here: This is a beauty blog where things will get real. And I mean real. I’m not one to sugarcoat things when I write, so there will be a whole lot of telling it like it is. There will be beauty advice and product reviews for real ladies, because, let’s face it, we all can’t afford the products used to glam up celebs and the like. Drugstore products are my friends, and darn it, there are a lot of great ones out there. When I find them, I’ll share them with you.

The other thing you probably ought to know: I am just entering my third trimester of pregnancy. Third child. So I’ve, like, been around when it comes to beauty for preggo ladies. And that is a WHOLE other ballgame than at any other time in our lives. So while that won’t be my sole focus, expect me to feature posts for the preggies and new mamas, because we are a demographic all on our own, aren’t we?

Expect me to make plenty of fun of my own beauty woes (thus, the “snark”). I have a feeling a lot of my woes are also your woes (zits and fine lines at the same time, anyone?). Expect fun, expect the unexpected, and expect a few naughty words here and there because, hey, we’re being real here (Gawd, I just sounded like Dr. Phil. Sorry!).

So hang on, join me in the fun, and drop me a line any time at libertykontranowski (at) charter (dot) net to give me a heads-up on anything you’d like to see covered.

Let’s get real. Let’s get snarky. Let’s get beautiful.

Liberty