Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil-Free B.B. Cream [Review]

What a long name for a beauty product, huh?  Try saying that five times fast..garniermiracleskinperfectoroilfreebbcreamgarniermiracleskinperfectoroilfreebbcream...

Anyway, as you may or may not know, I'm part of the BzzAgent program which means I occasionally receive free products to try out, review, and spread some "Bzz" about.  The products I receive vary from beauty products, to air fresheners, to even fertilizer.  It is a pretty fun experience and definitely something all bloggers should look into.

Through BzzAgent, I received a free, full-sized tube of the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil-Free B.B. Cream a couple weeks ago.  By the time I got around to checking the mail that day, it was already late in the afternoon and my skin was pretty yucky and oily.  I couldn't wait to try it out so I immediately ripped it open and applied it to my face.

I.  WAS.  SOLD.

Let me just tell you that I have tried a few B.B. Creams in the past (even some Garnier ones) with horrible results.  They left me feeling extremely oily and after a couple uses I had started breaking out.  I had written off B.B. Creams as "not for me" - until this one.

As soon as I applied this to my face it pretty much soaked up all the oil and left my skin feeling smooth with a matte finish!  It evened out my skin tone and made it look as if I had makeup on without the heavy, cakey feel.  I was blown away.

I decided to give the product some time so I continued using it for the next couple weeks and I can honestly say that I have not had a bad reaction to it.  My skin looks flawless when I put it on, my pores are smaller, and my skin is SPF protected.

None of these photos were retouched or edited (okay, besides the "before" and "after" text) so you can see the difference this product makes.  I HIGHLY recommend this product to all you combination/oily skin people out there looking for a B.B. Cream that works for you.  To my dry-skinned peeps, sorry, but this may dry your skin out even more.

 This power-packed, all-in-one product controls shine, minimizes pores, evens skin tone, hydrates skin, and protects with SPF 20.  It is lightweight and I've been using it in place of my foundation since I got it - perfect for daytime wear, especially now that we're heading into summer.  No more-melted face feeling!  Yay!

In case you need more details on this:

• Works on combination to oily skin with three shades:  Light/Medium, Medium/Deep (that's me), and Deep
• Contains mineral Perlite, which retains twice its weight in oil and water to control shine
• Formulated with sheer natural mineral pigments
• Non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic which means it wont' clog pores or cause breakouts
• Oil-free, non greasy
• Available at mass retailers (Walmart, Kmart, CVS, etc.) for about $12.99

 So what are you waiting for?  Go out and get yours now!  I'd love to hear your experience with it!

**This product was given to me as part of a BzzAgent campaign.  I am in no way affiliated with the Garnier company or it's partners.**

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink [+ a Giveaway!!]

Oh, hello there!  Remember me?  Well I am back for your reading and viewing pleasure!  As I said in my last post, I had been sick and feeling crappy which caused me not to blog, but I willed myself to get up this morning, make like a Nike - and just do it.

Anywho, I received some spectacular goodies in the mail recently which I am extremely excited about!  If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter (if you don't, what are you waiting for??!!) you would have seen a couple sneak peeks of these goodies already.

 

Dress and Belt:  (separate) Forever21  //  Cardigan:  DIY  //  Shoes:  SM Guam  //  Bag:  Louis Vuitton  //  Earrings and Pearl Bracelet:  c/o Lotus Blossom Design  //  Other Bracelet:  Cookie Lee Jewelry

The lovely Gina Volinskus is the founder and creator of Lotus Blossom Design (LBD), a contemporary, yet classic line of jewelry at prices that people (yes, even me!) can afford.  I stumbled across LBD and immediately fell in love with all of the pieces! 

 

Lady Bee Earrings

The coral pink stone surrounded by rhinestones and encased in gold makes me feel so glamorous!  It turns a simple outfit into a polished one as these earrings emit class and sophistication on their own.

Pink Lady Bracelet

Three strands of glass pearls varying in size along with a chain of brushed gold give this bracelet 4x the charm.  I am a huge fan of pearls and this piece has quickly become my favorite bracelet - worn almost every day since I received it.

My favorite part about it - and where it gets its name - is the little pink flower charm attached to it.  Its the little details that make the whole piece so much more special.

 Gina started by designing unique jewelry pieces as gifts for her friends and family and with the growing demand of her jewelry (how can you not want more of her amazing stuff!?), Lotus Blossom Design was born.  With the help of her sister Bianca, these two stylish sisters are now taking over the blog world - one post at a time!

And because these two ladies are just about the BEST jewelry line owners in the world, they are generously giving ONE lucky reader $50 to spend at Lotus Blossom Design!  That means you can get the Lady Bee earrings, the Pink Lady bracelet, and more!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Thought I Was Invincible

I've been M.I.A. from the blog for the past few days because I'm sick.  The weather here has been crazy - pouring rain one minute then scorching heat the next - and it's caused me to feel like crap.  Headache, nausea, stuffy nose, sore throat, fatigue, and just plain grouchy-ness.

I spent the last few days in a sheet.  As in wearing a bed sheet.  As in a panty and a bed sheet.  Yeah, it was that bad.

I started feeling a little better today so I actually showered this morning for the first time in...about 3 days.  I haven't felt this crappy in a while and I definitely don't miss being sick, but I guess it had to come eventually since I was on that whole Martha Stewart (cleaning, cooking, crafting, etc.) trip for the past month or so.

I guess I thought I was invincible because I was so in the groove of it all.  Hopefully I can kick this bug in the ass this weekend and be back to my superhero self next week.  And if you miss me so much that you really can't take it anymore, come and check me out on Mish Lovin' Life and enter that giveaway.

How To: Be a Better Blogger [Creating and Editing Images]

Its no secret that the best blogs have the best images.  Whether they are photographs they took or something they created themselves on some cool program, it is pretty obvious that posts with visuals get more attention than long, wordy posts.

When people read blogs and go through their blog feed everyday, they click on:  1)  Their favorite blogs first (friends, family, popular blogs, etc.) then 2) The ones who have a captivating title (giveaways, blog hops, tutorials, announcements, etc.) and finally 3) Blogs with eye-catching thumbnails (outfits, products, food, art, photos with interesting angles, etc.).

Now, before you start making excuses like "They have a better camera" or "I can't afford those expensive editing programs", remind yourself that you're here reading this to become a better blogger.  Don't go backwards by putting yourself down because a negative attitude will not make you a better blogger at all.

The best camera in the world is useless to someone who doesn't know how to use it and even a disposable camera can capture beautiful and interesting images if you have an eye for it.  Do some research and take some notes on the photos that other bloggers post.  What makes this photo great?  Keep in mind all the different elements of those images.  Background, lighting, pose, angle of the camera...

Here's an example:

This is a plain ol' plastic kids' chair.  There's nothing special about it.  They've had this for ages - you can even see the white parts where they bent the plastic.  It just looks boring.

And here is the same chair but in a different angle and with more of a background behind it.  Big difference, huh?  This photo is more eye-catching and interesting and all I did was move the chair over a little and take the photo from a different angle.  This image tells more of a story than the first one.

Here's another example:  Let's say you're writing a post about this really pretty leaf you found on the ground when you went for a walk the other day.  Now, which photo do you think will captivate your audience better?

This one:

Or this one:

While the first photo does show us how the leaf looked to you when you found it, it doesn't really show us the details of how beautiful it really is.  The second photo makes it seem as though we're an ant crawling on that leaf and it allows us to see the colors and textures better.

Take as many photos as you have to until you get the best ones.  Ask others for input, do some research on different types of photographs (scenery, close-ups, self portraits, food, etc.), and apply that to your photos.

As for editing photos and creating graphic images, you really don't need the expensive software and programs to do all of that.  While programs like Photoshop and PaintShopPro are pretty cool and do have a variety of tools for you to use, there are similar programs that you can find online that are FREE.

The program I use to edit all my photos and create almost all the graphic images you find here on Frikken Duckie is Pixlr.  My header, tabs, button, profile picture, etc. were all created with Pixlr.  Though it doesn't have ALL the features that Photoshop has, it is very similar and remember, it is FREE.

Check out some other cool little doodles I created today on Pixlr...

So now that you have no more excuses as to why you can't include amazing photos and images in your post, it's time for you to get creative!  Take some photos and go play around on Pixlr!  I'd love to see what you come up with!

And if you have any other tips and tricks about taking photos and/or creating images I'd love to hear them and I'm sure everyone else would too!  What kind of camera do you have?  What editing programs do you use?

P.S.  Like my new signature?  Created it on Pixlr - duh!

DIY No-Sew Lace Skirt

Okay, so I hope you're really excited about this post because I am SO excited for this!  Maybe it's because I've been wanting to do this project for months now, or maybe because I just downed a large chocolate chip frappe, but whatever!  I'm PUMPED!  Whooo!

Alright, now before we get started let me show you where my inspiration for this came from...the same place where we get most of our ideas nowadays:  Pinterest.  I saw this photo months ago (I thought I had pinned it but I didn't so I found it again today) and I just KNEW that I needed to recreate the look.  I mean, how can you not be inspired by this?

You're dying, right?  White lace, chambray, gold, tan - it looks so sophisticated yet so simple.  It's not too girly, not too casual.  Definitely perfect for shopping, running errands, and meeting friends for brunch/lunch.

Okay, now that I know you're pumped about this too, let's move on to the project!  Yeahhhhhhhh!!!!!

The supplies are pretty basic.  You'll need a plain white skirt, some lace trim, scissors, and a bottle of permanent fabric glue. 

Notes:

*For this skirt I bought 20 yards of trim and still have a couple yards leftover. 

*When working with trim, it is best to sew it on rather than glue, but for those of us who aren't so handy or patient with a sewing machine, I find that this fabric glue works fine.  You may have to do some touch ups after you try it on, but its easy enough.

Step One.  If your skirt is made to stretch and hug your body, use a box to stretch it out, otherwise it will not fit on you when you try to put it on.  If your skirt is a little loose and not a bodycon type of skirt, you can just lay it flat.

Step Two.  Use the lace trim and measure from one side of the skirt to the other (seam to seam) and cut several pieces of trim to the same length.

Step Three.  Starting from the bottom (now we're here!), lay out the pieces of trim to figure out your placement and then glue.  Wait for the glue to dry completely (about a day), flip it over, and repeat the same process on the other side.

And that's it.  You've got a brand new lace skirt to wear this spring/summer!  I'll be following up with a "Styling the DIY Lace Skirt" post soon so you can see how versatile this skirt really is.

Well, I hope this inspired you to create something!  Be sure to pin this project and share with others!  Til' next time!

♥ Duckie.

Sometimes I Can Be Simple

I've always been a complicated complex person.  I think I get it mostly from my grandmother who was probably the most complicated person in our family.  Trust me, I'm not over exaggerating.  My grandmother would not let the EMTs put her into the ambulance until she was properly dressed and her makeup was done.  Seriously.  The woman's about to have a full blown heart attack and she's making sure her lipstick is on point.

My grandmother had a big impact on my life so naturally I try to look my best and settle for nothing less.  I can be very complicated at times (Joey will definitely agree on this) but I do have a simpler side to me.  You don't have to be wearing 6-inch heels, sequins, or a wrist full of arm candy to look good.  Sometimes it's better to do without all that fuss.

Top:  Just a simple navy tank top  //  Cardigan:  Le Fleur Guam ($8.00)  //  Pants:  Ross ($16.00)

Flats:  Kors by Michael Kors ($14.00 at Ross)

Okay, I know I just said no sequins, but these sequins are clear, so they don't really count, right?  I mean if I didn't have a little sparkle in my outfit, it just wouldn't be "me".

Simple brown smokey eye, black liner, and mascara.  I'm not even wearing foundation either, just the new Garnier Oil-free BB Cream (review coming soon) I received recently.

What about you?  Are you complicated, simple, or just simply complicated?

♥ Duckie.

P.S. Don't you just LOVE this color scheme?  Pink, navy, and heather grey are perfect together!

OMG, You Guys! Thank You!

I am SO overwhelmed by all the positive feedback and support I got on yesterday's post!  I have to admit that I was nervous to post it because I thought some people would be offended by it, but those people are probably the ones who wouldn't read the actual post anyway.  Lol.

I am also VERY surprised and EXTREMELY thankful for all you wonderful, loyal, genuine, truly awesome readers because this morning, I stumbled upon this:

I am literally blown away by this!  I cannot thank you readers enough for all your support and encouragement!  A very special thank you goes out to whoever it was that submitted this post to Bloggers Anonymous as well as to B.A. for posting it!

Please go check out B.A. and show some love and support to other bloggers!  I know of quite a few bloggers that I'll be submitting to them to feature soon!  Hey, it could be you!

**This post was in no way sponsored by Bloggers Anonymous, nor is this a gimmick for self-promotion.  I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends and followers and if you are the person who submitted my blog to B.A., I'd really like to know so I can thank you properly!**

♥ Duckie.