Recipe: Beer Biscuits

These biscuits take some of their flavor from the beer you use, so choose wisely! A hoppy beer will make a lightly hoppy biscuit. A heavy stout will make for a heavier, heartier biscuit. For this batch, I used Flyingdog Pale Ale.

Ingredients:

4 cups Bisquick

1/4 cup sugar

12 oz beer. 

Directions:

1. Mix all three ingredients together in a big bowl using a metal spoon. Don't over mix!

2. Spoon dough into a greased muffin pan. If you fill more than 3/4 of the way up, your biscuits will have a muffin top. 

3. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. 

4. Cool on wire rack, if you've got one.

Enjoy!

Christine

ipsy Febuary 2014

My ipsy bag finally arrived today (probably due to all of the snow that's been pummeling the East Coast).  I received some great products, though not really in the shades I was hoping to receive.

1. Zoya Nail Polish in Odette

I actually wanted this color, of the two options (the other color was Dot, which looks a bit transparent). I tried the color on two fingernails and found that it came out a rich purple color.  I have a lot of purple nail polish, but I loved the application and this is my first Zoya polish; now I get the hype.

2. Eyetini Cordial Creme Shadow + Base In One in Ambrosia

It's funny that this product has a ridiculously long name, seeing as the actual tube of shadow just says "Shadow Tint Ambrosia" on the bottom with no other branding.  I like the color. I like the texture when I tried it on the back of my hand. Still- what's with all of the eyeshadows coming in weird forms now? Was a tin of powder too old-school? I now have: eyeshadow that comes in a lipgloss-like tube, eyeshadow that comes in an eyeliner-like stick, eyeliner that comes in a cream like a lip balm. Was something horridly wrong with powders?

3. Dr. Lin Acne Spot Corrector

I always like trying new skin care. It's 5% benzoyl peroxide, so I'm glad to try this in the winter, when I don't get any sunshine (it can cause some pretty bad burns). I really wonder if girls on ipsy will try to create a "look" that uses this product. ipsy users are encouraged to create looks based on what's in their bags, which usually includes all cosmetics.

4. Pop Beauty Plump Pout Mini in Peony Petal

It's a shame that this color is far too whorish for work, because it seems like a decent lipgloss. I love the unique shape because my purse always has a few lipsticks and chapsticks that all feel the same when rooting around for makeup. Still, a little too bright and pink for everyday.

3. City Color Be Matte Blush in Fresh Melon

This isn't fair. Online, "Fresh Melon" looks like a slightly bronzed pink suitable for every complexion. On the back of my hand (and in the picture above), it appears Bring-In-The-Clowns Pink.  It is such a shame because it feels light and silky in application.  Maybe if I use one molecule of the stuff I won't look like a sad, sad clown. I will try to salvage this.

Cheers,

Christine

Birchbox February 2014

I sneaked a look at the preview and was so excited! Then I got the products mad my excitement trickled away like a salt scrub in the shower. As usual, here are my first impressions of each product.

1. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara

I love smashbox products and can't wait to try this one. The brush is enormous and tapered, not curled. Its biggest contender in my makeup drawer is benefit's They're Real! 

2. Ruby Wing Color Changing Polish in Kitten Heels

This polish is Barbie-shoe-pink. When you wear it outside, it's supposed to turn red. I once owned a green/yellow color change polish when I was 11 and staying at the beach for the summer. It was terrible, but that was over ten years ago (ahhhh). The way I see it, even if the change stinks, I love the toxic hot pink. 

3. Beauty Protector's Protect & Oil [Hair Oil]

Although not really right for my hair type (straight, stringy blonde), I love the smell of this product.  I wish it came with a tiny spritzer head on it- I guess I'll have to dab it on my fingers. I'll have to see if it's too heavy for my hair. 

4. smashbox's Full Exposure Palette

This would be number 1 if it weren't such a pathetically small sample. I will say this time and again: it is better to have one shade of eyeshadow you can user a brush in than to have 10 microscopic samples. This sample is actually my lifestyle extra this month, it's so small. The shadow is literally on too of a piece of wax paper with a cling film cover. 

5. Coola Face Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 BB Cream

Seriously- did you put enough trendy words on your package? I don't know if I got them all in the right order, but this lotion is not tinted enough to be used as foundation, period. Also- if your skin tone matches the color of this stuff (aka pale as paper), then you know you need more than SPF 30. Let BB cream be BB cream. Let sunscreen be sunscreen. 

See you again in a week or two when I get my ipsy bag (or sooner if I try out some nail polish).

Christinehttps://www.birchbox.com/invite/pinforlater