Battle of the Brows! NYX v. Milani v. Anastasia!

I am a girl on a budget, I'm not one to splurge on beauty products unless I have run out of options trying to find a good dupe.  Also, if you are like me and you switch up your hair color often I hope this post helps you because who really has the money to buy eyebrow pencils every time you change up your mane?  I don't.  Luckily I found some products so I do not have to sacrifice my brows or my wallet!

Currently, my eyebrows are slightly on the thicker and full side, and so I only need define them a bit, and fill in some unflattering sparse areas. While there are many products out there to make your brows all that they can be, pencils, pomades, markers, powders, etc, I always have my heart set on products that are easy and the absolute best for on-the-go.  I'm just that type of girl.

Let's get started,

First, the Crème de la Crème - Anastasia Brow Wiz

Anastasia is THE brow brand and for good reason, it's amazing.  Anastasia's brow wiz has taken the world by storm over the past few years and I am not going to lie, I've purchased my fair share of them. The shade I'm wearing right now is soft brown, although I could go a shade darker (hair color probs).  I love this pencil to really shape the brows and carve them out, but it's not super easy to fill in my brows. The product is a bit on the hard side.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve filled in my brows plenty of times with this and it looks just as beautiful as any other product mentioned, but the firmer consistency of the product takes some getting used to, luckily the spoolie makes it super easy to blend out and make it look natural. If I do my brows at 9:00 a.m and set them with a clear brow gel they will look perfect when I walk in the door at 9:00 p.m, you cannot beat the brow wiz when it comes to staying power. Also, it may look like a small amount of product but if I do my brows everyday I will get about two months worth of product. Overall this is a great brow product with 9 colors and is definitely a staple if you want to splurge, but ladies just remember if your going to walk the walk you have to talk the talk.  It is (Aah-na-staah-see-aah) not (Ana-stay-zha) go out and make your fellow beauty junkies proud with your fancy pronunciation! Price for this gem, $21.00.


Next, NYX Micro Brow Pencil

I knew I needed to find a 'dupe' for the wiz. I looked online and found that people compared the NYX Micro brow pencil to the Anastasia Brow Wiz. I wear the shade Taupe. The NYX Micro Brow is very easy to use and allows me to fill my eyebrows with a natural look. The spoolie itself is great too, although a bit rougher feeling,  It still allows me to brush my brows and blend the pencil, just like the Anastasia. In my opinion, I find the Micro Brow to have a dry formula but it is softer than the brow wiz.  The NYX micro brow does not have the same lasting power as the Anastasia Brow Wiz. It is able to last about 7-8 hours on me before it starts to look like it is fading away, but with a brow gel it lasts a bit longer. Anastasia Brow Wiz is able to last on its own for 12+ hours. The lasting power isn't a huge deal for me because like I said I have pretty thick brows so if it starts to wear off a bit, it does not make or break my brow game.  Like the Anastasia this is a great product and you can't really go wrong for the price and color range. It comes in a 8 colors which is A LOT for a drugstore brow product, priced at $9.99

Last, The Milani Easybrow Eyebrow Pencil

This is a great beginner product, it is cheap, effective and glides on very smoothly.  The consistency of this product is way smoother and creamier than the brow wiz and micro brow which makes it a bit easier to work with. Some people may find it to creamy and it might be harder for people who are used to powder or a different pencil. The tip of this pencil is thicker than the first two which may or may not be a good thing for some people.  The good thing about this brow pencil is it works, and its cheap so even if you hate it you won't be breaking the bank to give it a try.  The downside to this pencil is it is a little waxy and doesn't last as long, maybe 5 hours with a brow gel before it starts to fade. Another major downside to this product is it only comes in two colors.  That can be a major problem for 50% of its users.  I'm wearing the color Natural Taupe - The cheapest of the three at $7.29.

In the below pictures I put the products to the test (yes i know my brows need to be cleaned up but I'm growing them out at the moment), I compare the three, as well as try them on for you, followed by my final thoughts. 

Final Thoughts:
Anastasia is still my favorite eyebrow pencil, however, it is so expensive to keep purchasing over and over again. I will continue to purchase it when I run out to always have in my arsenal but now that I have found cheaper alternatives, I have something I can use on days where I'm not out of the house for 12+ hours or when I'm just running around doing errands. I will definitely use the Anastasia Brow Wiz for special occasions and days where I need my eyebrows to last. The NYX Micro Brow and the Milani Easy Brow are great alternatives to the Anastasia Brow Wiz and I highly recommend them as a cheaper option. The Milani Easybrow is a great product, I would especially suggest this to someone who is just starting out. Its ease of use really does stand out amongst the three and it is due to it being a creamier and more forgiving formula. I will personally reach for the NYX Microbrew first because I am just not crazy about the creamy formula that comes with the Milani Easybrow.  All in all, three really great products, three very different price tags.  My suggestion would be to go for a middle ground and try out NYX, its cheap, and if you love it you may want to splurge on the Brow Wiz, but if you hate it try out the Easybrow, it just might be the better bet for you.  As far as color is concerned, you will just have to try them out, as you can see The Anastasia and Milani are warmer in tone and the NYX is more cool and ashy, it is all going to be preference.

Always remember, don't get discouraged, your brows will never look identical, brows are sisters not twins! I hope this post helped you and gave you some insight into the brow game.  Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature, and bonus you get to use #browgamestrong #browsonfleek #thembrowstho for all your selfies on Instagram.

See you next time!
Amanda Bells xo

Battle of the Detox Teas! MateFit, Tiny Teatox, & SkinnyMint Review

Let me start off by saying I am not a coffee drinker, I love tea!  I drink tea every morning and throughout the day.  In the morning I start off with a cup of black tea with almond milk.  Throughout the rest of the day I have green tea or chamomile (depending on how crazy the day makes me).

It is no surprise to anyone that over the past year detox teas have blown up and every celebrity is endorsing some sort of this magical tea on their Instagram pages and twitter.  Like many other I became interested.  Were all these people really drinking and loving these teas?  Were these tea's doing all they claim to do?  I needed to find out.  Ok I will be honest, I didn't need to find out but I was intrigued and I wanted to give them a go.  I mean who couldn't use a little detox in their life?

Over the last few months I managed to try and finish three tea's which all have similar claims, with the major selling points being a detox to reduce bloating, to shed a few extra pounds, plus added benefits depending on each brand.  I am waiting two weeks in between each Teatox to get my body back to normal starting point.  The three teas’ I tried and I will be reviewing for you today are:  MateFit Mini Teatox (14 days), Tiny Tea Teatox (14 days), and SkinnyMint Teatox (14 days).

I will start with MateFit:

Claims from the MateFit website: http://matefit.me/

Matefit Mini Teatox combines the powers of MateFit Metabolic Boost herbal tea and MateFit Detox herbal tea. It comes with 140 grams of MateFit Metabolic Boost and 35 grams of MateFit Detox. With this teatox you can promote your body's metabolism with twice the force. You can consume MateFit Metabolic Boost daily twice, but you have to consume MateFit Detox every other day.

• Flush away unwanted pounds and boost your metabolism
• Reduce puffiness and bloating and enjoy a flatter abdomen, fast
• Increase energy levels with the Metabolic Boost

Use both products together with healthy lifestyle to maximize weight loss results

Ingredients in Metabolic Boost: (Organic Yerba Mate, Sechung Oolong Tea, Pinhead Gunpowder Tea, Angelica Root Powder, Guarana Seed Powder and Licorice Root cut)

Ingredients in the Night Detox: (Organic Dandelion Root, Peppermint Loose Leaf Tea, Organic Rosemary Leaf, Organic Senna Leaf , Organic Cinnamon Powder, Organic Ginger Root, Organic Hibiscus Flower Powder, Organic Rhubarb Root Powder, Organic Lemongrass Leaf and Organic Grapefruit Peel)

I purchased MateFit Mini Teatox for $26.99, I also had to be official and get the MateFit blender bottle (afterall all the celebs have them) which cost me $9.95 and is totally optional. 

I will start off by saying this definitely has not been an easy Teatox.  It was my first Teatox and the taste of MateFit Metabolic Boost definitely takes some getting used to, it is very strong.  I'm not a big fan of chia tea but if you are then you will love the taste of this because it has the same type of spice to it.  I followed the instructions and drank this tea in the morning and afternoon 30 minutes before eating.  I will say that it definitely gave me a "boost" but the first 2 days were more of a jittery boost for which I guess I have the guarana to thank and I was second guessing this but pushed through.    The night time tea was ok tasting which I wasn’t very happy about but I also wasn't upset about it either.  I love mint tea and although this had some spice to it as well the mint is what made this tea bearable for me.  The first day after drinking the night time detox I went to the bathroom four times!  Yes, four times!  Not to get all TMI on you but it wasn't as bad as it sounds.  Let’s just say they were "healthy" bowel movements.  I wasn't running to the bathroom like I drank bad water in Mexico.  (Thank Goodness).  With that being said the next two weeks were on and off, one day I would go to the bathroom like crazy the next it would be like I didn't have anything left lol!  I guess it depends on what you’re eating as well.  I didn't change my diet at all.

All in all, I liked the MateFit.  It reduced my bloating, my bathroom habits became more regular and I lost 3 pounds, although it looks like I lost at least 5-8 because of all the reduced bloating.  Now for me that is fine because I didn't have a specific weight loss goal.  I do believe that you can lose more weight by doing the full 28-day teatox.  I do wish this tea came in prepackaged tea bags though because having to carry around the loose tea and tea bags or pre-make them at home was kind of a bummer, especially when you’re a lazy girl like me and tend to run on the late side in the morning.

Do I think it's worth it? 
I will honestly say it isn't my favorite, its actually number 3 on the list, even though I did see and like the results.  The taste and preparation of loose tea just wasn't for me. I'm a grab and go type of girl. 

 
Next I will talk about my experience with Tiny Teatox:

Claims from the website: http://america.yourtea.com/

Traditionally these ingredients have been used to assist with:

• bloating
• indigestion
• problematic skin
• cellulite
• reduction of excess weight
• increase energy
• contains gluten*

Contains: Jue Ming Zi, He Ye, Shan Zha, Lai Fu Zi, Chen Pi, Mai Ya

42 teabags per box. Each teabag weighs 2.5g.

I purchased the Tiny Teatox for $35.00; it is a 14 week detox with enough tea to drink three times a day 30 minutes before or after meals. 

I drank my tea in the morning (before meals) and afternoon (after meals).  I tried drinking it a third time at night before dinner a few times, but I found it kept me awake so I decided twice a day in the morning and afternoon was the best for me but everyone is different.  Since I was only drinking it twice a day I still stopped at the 14 day mark so I could give an honest opinion on it.  When I opened the package I was taken aback by the smell, the smell was strong, floral, and I was nervous.  If this tea tasted like it smelled I was in trouble.  However I was pleasantly surprised that it tastes nothing like it smells!  It does have a strong taste but it was the most like a mixture of green and black tea with a hint of spice to it.  It definitely had a floral taste to it which I thought I would hate but I've come to love this tea!  This is called a Teatox but there is only one tea to worry about, you do not have a nighttime tea that is needed before bed.  I will say this tea kept me awake without the jittery feeling the MateFit gave me, and it definitely helped with the bloating.  I didn't see a huge difference in my bowel habits, but since it helped so much with the bloating it made me feel and look lighter.  I never had problematic skin so I can’t say whether it helped with that, but I will say it definitely helps with indigestion, which I unfortunately suffer from.  As with the MateFit, I did not change my diet or exercise any differently during this Teatox.

Do I think it’s worth it?
Yes!  If you are interested in a Teatox I would say try this one first!  It's easy to follow, it's easy on the stomach and it tastes really good, especially with honey.  I also love it comes in individual tea bags for on the go.  At the end of my 14 days I lost 2 pound which doesn't seem like much but my bloat was gone, and I felt more regular even though there was no "laxative" effect.  Like I said with the MateFit I'm sure that you would lose more weight with the 28 day version or if you were able to drink this three times a day but I am happy with my results in 14. This tea is part of the Your Tea brand which offers many types of other teas as well; next up on my list to try is their "Sleep Tea".  Just need to remember to order it! :)

 
Last but not least... SkinnyMint..

Claims from the SkinnyMint Website: www.skinnymint.com

Expertly formulated, the Morning Boost and Night Cleanse teas are synergistically combined for maximum effects. The Morning Boost is designed to give you a boost throughout the day and to naturally reduce the appetite. It contains Green Tea, Yerba Mate and Guarana with a naturally sweet fruity taste. The Night Cleanse is designed to naturally purify the body which could lead to reduced bloating. It contains all natural ingredients to promote the restoration process. Fresh and fruity Morning Boost can replace your morning coffee/black tea and earthy and soothing Night Cleanse is the perfect bedtime ritual.

 Ingredients in the Morning Boost: Green Tea leaf, Mate leaf, Nettle leaf, Dandelion leaf, Guarana seed. Other Ingredients: Nat. Id. Orange flavoring. Each tea bag contains approximately 62mg of caffeine, as compared to approximately 90mg in 8oz of coffee.

 Ingredients in the Night Cleanse: Senna leaf, Ginger root, Orange leaf, Peppermint leaf, Liquorice root, Hawthorn berry, Psyllium seed, Lemon flavoring. Each tea bag is caffeine free.

I purchased the SkinnyMint 14 day detox for $29.90, shipping took a little longer than expected, (a little over a week) but that's ok, it was worth the wait. During this Teatox you are supposed to drink 1 cup of morning boost daily in the am which I did and the night cleanse once every other night. I personally love the taste of this tea.  The morning boost is a fruity blend that isn't over powering; I really enjoyed it and found myself looking forward to it every day.  The night cleanse was also surprisingly refreshing and calming.  It tastes like sweet peppermint which is great for winding down at the end of the day.  This tea definitely made me more regular just like the others but I found that that it did give me some cramping on the nights I drank the night cleanse.  Not bad enough that I stopped drinking it but enough that I knew it was working.  Again, I did not change my diet or exercise plan with this detox.

 Do I think it’s worth it? Yes!  Its super easy just like tinytea due to it coming all ready to use in tea bags, it’s not as easy on the stomach but it tastes amazing! Best tasting of the three.  At the end of my 14 days I lost 2.3 pounds which again doesn't seem like much but my bloat was gone just like the others, and I felt more regular.  Like I said with the MateFit and TinyTeatox I'm sure that you would lose more weight with the 28 day version. 

 
If I had to choose one?
It is definitely a toss-up between YourTea's Tiny Teatox and SkinnyMint.  I really enjoyed both but there are pros and cons.  A con for TinyTea is that you have to drink it 3 times a day.  That is a lot especially when you have a busy schedule and aren't used to taking the time out to make tea, unlike SkinnyMint that is drank once a day and once every other night.  With that being said it is easier on the stomach than SkinnyMint but I do tend to be sensitive to Senna.  Would I repurchase both of these again? Yes.  Would I do the 28 day detox in both? Yes.  Are the prices comparable?  Yes.  The only thing I can say that makes me like TinyTea a little better is the YourTea brand, YourTea seems to have it on the ball, they have a huge range of teas all specifically designed to support your body in different ways. Like I said above I'm really looking forward to trying more, especially the sleep tea.

In conclusion: if you want to give a detox a try. I hope this helped make your decision a little easier, if not at least it will give you some insight to brands that are out there. If you are reading this and are wondering about any products leave me a comment and I will do my best to review them for you!

**This blog post is based on my own opinions and all products were purchased with my own money. However if a brand would like to send me some products to review I will do so in an honest and unbiased way.

I upped my game and tried 21 day fix and shakeology from Beach Body! !

Hey Everyone,

This is my first blog post after becoming an official Beach Body Coach.  I was always an active person, especially when I was younger but I got married, I got comfortable and although I don't have that much weight to lose, I'm not thrilled with myself and I am completely out of shape!  I wasn't the type of person that got into a fitness routine until now.  My friend and beachbody coach Jenna Serrano told me I had to give 21 Day Fix a try along with Shakeology.  I was hesitant but I bought the challenge pack, I didn't think a program could help me get to the goal I wanted.  To be honest I didn't really go into this having a specific goal really,  all I knew was I wanted to loose a little bit of weight and mostly get toned for summer time.  I am on day 18 of my 21 day fix and shakeology program and let me tell you, I AM HOOKED!  I am literally amazed at how I am feeling.  Shakeology makes me feel great!  I have it in the morning and it keeps me satisfied until lunch, normally I would have snacked on a bunch of things (I never really ate breakfast) but with shakeology I get the nutrition, fullness and energy I need to make it through some hectic work mornings!  I can say with 100% certainty that I will continue using shakeology for the long haul!

When I started drinking Shakeology I also started 21 day fix workout and eating program. The portion control definitely takes some getting used to but I got the hang of it very quickly, and now I look forward to making my meals for the day!  Pinterest has been my best friend when it comes to the 21 day fix meal program.  Find my pinterest board here... www.pinterest.com/Amanda_Bells  I have a specific board for 21 day fix, and a different board for foods that aren't exactly great for us but they can definitely be tweaked if you take the time to figure it out.

21 Day Fix has been great, I thought to myself, 30 minutes a day? Really? What could that possibly do?  Well it is working!  As I am typing this I am actually sore.  In 30 minutes you work your butt off!!! Literally and figuratively lol!  You definitely need to keep water and a towel handy because you work up a thirst and a sweat!

All I can say is I was hesitant, I wasn't exactly a believer, and I really didn't think I would see results. I'm 18 days in and I was wrong! I cannot wait to try the other Beach Body workouts, all I can say for now is I am a 21 Day Fix & Shakeology believer.  If you want to check out these or any other products then leave me a comment and I can put you in contact with my amazing coach! We can do this together!  I found faith within myself to live a happier, healthier lifestyle and I have the faith in you too!  You can do this with me!  I will be here to help you the entire way!  Got questions?  Do not hesitate to ask! Email me any time at AmandaBellsBlog@gmail.com If you want to place an order let me know and I will help you through the process or put you in contact with someone who can!

Talk to you soon!
Amanda Bells
xx