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November 23, 2005
Kristen tries a new way to cover up
When I first saw that Benefit came out with something that hides redness to reveal a more evened complexion, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I suffer from redness around my nose and chin and I thought these new products would help it out. I received You're Bluffing concealing stick and Bluff Dust loose powder. Both are yellow in color, and yellow is the color that neutralizes redness. The concealer comes in a handy twisty stick form and you can just dot it on your face where you need it and blend it in with your fingers. It's super silky, doesn't cake up at all, and is very light and sheer without being so obvious. After blending it in, I lightly dusted the Bluff Dust over it with the Bluff Buff, a small, squat brush with very soft bristles. I like the powder, but I find that if I use both products at the same time, the yellow is more obvious than if I use one at a time. I get much more success from using the concealer stick and topping it off with translucent power. I like the products, but I don't necessarily find them to be revolutionary in my quest to hide my redness. I've always had pretty decent luck with my current product designed for that purpose. The brush is a keeper, though!
You can view these products at benefitcosmetics.com, or Sephora.com.
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Posted by heather at 8:07 PM
November 20, 2005
Judith loves her tinted moisturizers
The older I get, the more natural I want my makeup to be. I opt for tinted moisturizer in place of a heavy foundation on many days. I recently tried Lancome Aqua Fusion Teinte Continuous Infusing Tinted Moisturizer, a wonderfully hydrating sheer moisturizer that evened my complexion up nicely and provided moisture and sheer color all day without being at all greasy. Available in four shades, it blends easily and naturally. Naturel 1 was a good shade for me. If you're a tinted moisturizer fan, this is definitely worth a try! $34 at most department stores, lancomeusa.com or nordstrom.com.
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Posted by heather at 9:37 AM
November 19, 2005
New coupon from ULTA!
Yipee! New coupons from ULTA.com. Get going and pick up some cool stuff!
Coupon Code 42627
- Offer: Receive $3.50 off a $10.00 purchase*
- No limit on the number of times the coupon can be used
- Valid Dates: 11/19/05 - 12/9/05
And now for the fine print
*Coupon offer valid on all regular price, sale and clearance merchandise. Excludes fragrance, prestige cosmetics, prestige skincare, colonial candles. Cannot be redeemed for cash or gift cards. This offer may not be combined with any other coupon offer. Not valid on prior purchases. "Limit one per purchase".
Posted by heather at 6:00 AM
November 18, 2005
Marissa finds it's hit or miss out there
Let me start by saying that I love Avon products, I really do. And, I like to give and recommend their products. However, I tested a product yesterday that just frustrated me to no end - their Skin So Soft Hands Free Hair Removal Gel. First, I couldn't get the gel to come out - seriously. I squeezed and I squeezed and I rolled and finally, after I put it away and came back and did it all again I got the gel to come out. Well, it's supposed to be "hands free" because it has a rubber-like covering you are to use to spread the gel. All it does it get glopped onto the covering. So, after 3 or 4 tries, I used my hands and spread the gel. Well, it didn't last more than 3 minutes on my leg before I started to itch and burn. My skin isn't sensitive; I don't have a reaction to the Sally Hanson that I use on my face. Go figure. So, while it didn't work at all for me, it might for you.
I'm into the skincare again, since the changing of the seasons normally makes my face break out and dry out. This year, I tried a brand new skincare line for me from Chantecaille. I tried the Rice & Geranium Foaming Cleanser, Jasmine & Lily Healing Mask, Stress Repair Concentrate, and Biodynamic Lifting Cream. This is such a great line for the smell alone.
I started with the cleanser, which foams up really nicely, but it was a little too drying for my face. It would be perfect for combination and oily skin tones. The Stress Repair Concentrate is a great eye cream, loaded with caffeine, green tea and bilberry extract, orange flower water and and sweet almond oil. The bags under my eyes disappeared the first time I put this on. I normally swear by the La Prairie Radiant Eye Cream, but I haven't worn it since I bought the Chantecaille Stress Repair. I haven't used any other moisturizer but the Biodynamic Lifting Cream either. The smell alone is uplifting! This cream is 83% botanical with tocotrienol vitamin E, biodynamic plankton to help regenerate cell growth, neutralize free radicals, and reduce inflammation; and borage oil, rich in essential fatty acids. Whatever the ingredients, this cream makes my skin so soft and supple that some days I don't wear any make up but my lippie. The final product, the Jasmine & Lily Healing Mask, is a great way to relax and get your glow back. I put this on after a very hectic day, laid down on my bed for 5 minutes and when I rinsed the cream mask off, I had that "just woke up" look! Fantastic! The line is sold in Neiman Marcus, and they're very generous with their samples. If you are looking for something to jumpstart your skin, this is the line to do it! One note: it's not a cheap line, but the products should last at least 6 months or more. A little goes a very long way!
Finally, if you have a Kohl's Department Store near you, head over and try out these beauties; Good Skin All Bright 2 Step Facial Peel Pads for only $30.00 is a steal. This was the first peel that I could actually feel tingle on my skin and didn't make me want to scratch the skin off my face. If you have dull skin, this perks you right up! The second goodie(s) are the American Beauty products. These color cosmetics, part of the Estee Lauder family, are top quality with a lower than usual department store cost. I love their range of colors! Fabulous Feel Lip Color is creamy and glossy but wears away to a soft lip stain. Crimson Lace is a russet color that just gives your lips the added boost for a glamorous look when glossy and a natural look when it stains. At $12.50 a pop, you can easily buy a few, like me - I also bought Plum Passion and Plush Rose! And for an even better bargain, check out their Double Lash Mascara Plus Primer in Lush Midnight. Both the mascara and primer are on one stick and the color never clumps. It's so much cheaper than buying the primer separate from the mascara. Again, at $12.50, it's a bargain. And if you shop Kohl's now and spend $20 or more dollars on their beauty products, you'll receive a free gift. Now that's a bargain!
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Posted by heather at 8:23 PM
November 13, 2005
Denise wraps up her Renee Rouleau reviews
Using my customized skin care regimen from Renee Rouleau every day ensures that my skin is clear and glowing. The last element of my skin care regimen that I haven't yet raved about is Renee's At-Home Mini Facial. Performed once a week, this mini-facial gives my skin an extra boost and leaves it smooth and healthy. Renee's simple, three-step at-home facial routine is as follows:
Pumpkin Smoothing Peel ($29.50)
After cleansing thoroughly with Calming Chamomile Cleanser, I apply Pumpkin Smoothing Peel to damp skin. The lightweight orange cream smells great - just like pumpkin pie! Yum - perfect for fall! This natural, gentle exfoliant uses active enzymes to dissolve away dead skin cells. The active ingredients are pumpkin pulp enzyme for exfoliation, Bromelain enzyme (derived from pineapple), and Green Tea extract to soothe delicate skin. Once the peel has done its magic for approximately 12 minutes, I rinse it off with warm water. I can already feel my new skin!
After the peel, I massage a few drops of White Tea Soothing Complex ($34.50) into my skin. This soothing green serum is a part of my regular nighttime skin care routine, but it's especially effective after a peel when the skin is freshly prepped and exfoliated.
For an ultimate hydration boost, my mini-facial concludes with a light coat of Blue Azulene Gel Mask ($28.50). This oil-free, gel-based mask is great at calming my skin because it's packed with Azulene and Green Tea. I simply sit back and relax for 15 minutes while the mask penetrates and protects my skin, then rinse it off with warm water. Follow with Elderberry Toner and Blue Azulene Cream, and my skin is fresh, hydrated and ready to face another week!
For those of us who aren't able to make it in for a professional facial every week, this is the next best thing. Renee Rouleau's simple and effective at-home mini facial is a great way to keep my skin happy and pampered. Thanks, Renee!
You can check out these and all of Renee Rouleau's other wonderful products at reneerouleau.com.
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Posted by heather at 7:58 PM
November 10, 2005
Judith continues her never-ending quest for the perfect mascara
Bourjois is one of my favorite French cosmetic lines. Made by the same company that makes Chanel, the quality is excellent and the prices more reasonable than most!
In my never-ending quest for the perfect mascara, I've recently tried Bourjois Pump Up The Volume Mascara ($13), a wonderful thickening black mascara with many options! The tube is designed to have a separate mini tube screwed into the non-brush end. I started with Retouche Express 0.1 oz
($7.50), which is an eye makeup remover in a wand that is exactly what I need to clean up mascara and eyeliner smudges on the spot! This is one of those things that makes you think, "Hmmm... why didn't someone think of that before?" I love it. Pump up the Volume Mascara comes in black, as well as chocolate brown, metallic grayish-blue, metallic bronzed plum and khaki green, and comes in two other versions: Pump Up The Volume Waterproof Mascara
and Pump up the Volume Lengthening & Curving Mascara, all at the same price of $13.
Other options to screw onto your Pump up the Volume Mascara are Bourjois Lash Strengthening Base Coat ($7.50) which lengthens your lashes before you apply your mascara; Bourjois Lower Lash Mascara
, which has a tiny brush that is just the right size to get at your lower lashes ($7.50), and Vibrant Duochrome Mascara Top Coat
($7.50), which comes in teal and blue and is perfect for putting a swipe of color on top of your black mascara.
You can find the complete Bourjois range at Sephora.com and ULTA.com.
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Posted by heather at 8:46 AM
November 7, 2005
Lisa's Annual Cold Weather Color and Product Report
It is that time of year again! The weather has finally turned cooler here in the Midwest. The leaves have turned into a beautiful, fiery array of reds, oranges, and golds, and soon enough the snow will be flying. Many of our readers know what that means: time for my annual fall and winter color report!
I splurge on new makeup when the weather turns brisk because it is a lot more fun to experiment when it isn't a sweat-inducing 95 degrees, with roughly the same percentage of humidity. No one, not even a hardcore makeup junkie like myself, wears a full face of makeup in the heat and humidity of a midwestern summer! The cooler weather brings clothing and accessories in rich textures and colors, and the makeup to complement them. I recently started a brand new job about 6 weeks ago, so I treated myself to some goodies that would look great with my new wardrobe additions. I've been sampling all sorts of new goodies in a variety of price ranges, so whether you have cash to burn, or are a diva on a budget, there will be something for you!
Lately, I have had so much luck with drugstore-brand foundations and tinted moisturizers (be sure to check my review on the tinted moisturizer from Neutrogena) I am loath to purchase the more expensive department store formulas! Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation is another winner! The formula is so light, almost weightless, yet it covers like a dream without making my skin look cakey or chalky like other matte formulas. It delivers medium coverage, with a soft, powdery "china doll" finish. And, a matte complexion is the perfect canvas for the deep, shimmering palette of rich plums, copper, and olive we are seeing this season.
Now, I do have combination skin that tends to get oily after a few hours, so the extra help with oil control is wonderful for me; if you have very dry skin your experience might be different. But, for the excellent price point (around $8) it is worth a try!
Stila has an amazing collection of new colors and formulas that will make any product enthusiast swoon! I especially like the new collection of eye & cheek palettes. Each contains three eyeshadows and one blush in an adorable tweed "clutch" that is perfect if you travel and have limited space. I tried three color collections: Peach, Sage, and Plum, and found the Peach one to be my favorite. The colors looked way too orange in the palette, but once applied, the shadows and blush made my complexion come alive with warmth - thanks to the sheer formulas and great pigment. Each palette is a limited edition release, and costs a mere $30, so be sure to snag at least one before they are gone. I also think they would make a perfect gift for any makeup maven on your "nice" list this holiday season!
For lips, I fell in love with two new shades, Ashton, a bronzey, mocha brown (it made my top three favorites list we did about a month back), and Penelope, a wearable, sheer pinky rose shade. These limited edition shades are sheer, and fall right in the middle of the matte-shiny spectrum. If you long for a glossy finish, slick on a layer of Stila IT Gloss. I tried three fabulous shades: Iconic (shimmering plum-purple), Fashionable (clean, medium-toned pink), and Humorous (Golden Apricot). Not at all sticky or tacky, these glosses are smooth and moisturizing, with enough pigment to give great color and shine.
One new product I tried really did NOT impress me. The new Kajal Eyeliner Pencils have great color choices, but are far, far too soft and mushy. I barely applied any pressure and was left with little "blobs" of color in my lash line. When I tried to blend them with a cotton swab, 90% of it came right off! I liked the colors, but the formula just didn't work for me. I like my eyeliner to deliver silky, smooth results, and these pencils just didn't cut it. I suggest Urban Decay or MAC, which are both wonderful, but I especially LOVE Rimmel eyeliner - great colors and an even better price point!
Stila has also made the foray into skincare with their new Petal Infusions line. Chocked full of all sorts of botanical goodies, I was overall pretty impressed with this line of skincare. You probably read my review of their wonderful Retexturizing Scrub - I also loved the moisturizers in the oily and normal formulas. I tended to use the "normal" one as a night cream, and a combo of the "oily" and "normal" during the day. Each one has a light, fresh scent and a load of skin-loving ingredients, and left my complexion moisturized and calm. For sun protection, just add a layer of the Sun Visor SPF 30. I found it to be amazingly lightweight and sheer for the high SPF. The one product I didn't like? The H2off Makeup Remover Cloths. While the botanical formula itself is just fine, the cloths themselves were incredibly small and "paper-y" feeling. Considering you can get the large, luxurious makeup remover cloths from Comodynes
for a fraction of the price, don't bother with the ones from Stila.
Usually, I don't get excited about a product as basic as eyebrow pencil, but this one from Models Prefer is definitely worth mentioning. The mechanical pencil never needs sharpening, and even has a spooly brush at the other end to blend and brush to perfection! The color is a perfect, neutral taupe shade that is neither too warm or too cool, and will work with any complexion. The formula itself is neither too dry or too soft - simply perfect! If you are as uptight about your brows as I am, these are a must-have! You can find Models Prefer at QVC.com. The pencils come as a set of two for about $17.
For those of you who have not tried Revlon SuperLustrous Lipgloss, you don't know what you are missing! These are far and away the very best mass market lip glosses, and easily rival formulas twice the price! The color choices are fabulous (I have been wearing "Rocker Chic," a limited edition burgundy gold, almost every day) and the formula is smooth and highly pigmented with no stickiness. Even the packaging is classy and substantial. Almost every woman I know has at least a couple of these fabulous lip glosses in her purse!
If you are looking for a new fall fragrance, check out Love by Aveda. This fragrance has been around for over 10 years, but I recently fell in love with it all over again. Love somehow manages to be warm, fresh, and soft all at once, and is never overbearing. I have the nifty, purse-sized with roll-on applicator, and it goes with me on all my business trips! It also makes my sweet husband want to nuzzle my neck :)
Since the colder weather makes the skin on the rest of my body quite dry, I tried a couple of great new products from Lush, which is hands-down my absolute favorite bath and body product manufacturer! Sonic Death Monkey is a lusciously-scented coffee/chocolate/orange shower gel that leaves skin moisturized and happy. I also like Skinny Dip Buttercream, which is like bar soap, only softer in texture, and with more moisturizer (it only contains about 20% soap - the rest are moisturizing oils and botanicals). The clove/violet/white chocolate scent tends to illicit a strong love-it or hate-it response from most people, and I just can't get enough of it! Since the Buttercream formula is very soft, slice small chunks of it off to use, and store the rest in your product closet. If you leave the whole thing in your bath or shower, it will melt away instantly!
Lastly, I tried two products from the Olay Regenerist Line. Since I am turning 34 in about a month, I have become more interested in products that address aging and wrinkles. I do have to be careful, though, because many formulas are too oily and break me out almost immediately. It is so maddening to (still) have to be concerned about acne while addressing wrinkles and other signs of age!
Enter Regenerist from Olay. I was delighted with my experience with this line! I was worried, because many of the Olay anti-aging formulas have broken me out in the past (Total Effects was a nightmare for me!) but the Daily Regenerating Serum (fragrance free for me) was a wonderful surprise. It applies with a silky feel and matte finish, and works perfectly alone, under moisturizer, or under makeup. After using it for two weeks, I was amazed at how smooth and clear my skin looked! This is fairly expensive for a drugstore brand (about $20) but the results suggest a much more exclusive, department-store formula! I also liked Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum. It makes the skin around the eyes look much more toned and brightened, thanks to very subtle, golden flecks. Trust me, once it is applied, it blends perfectly, and brightens without looking sparkly. I especially like it because you can apply it to the entire eye area, including lids, with no irritation or puffiness. If you have not tried Regenerist, you should. I think it delivers great results for the price!
This concludes this year's annual cold weather color and product report! Hopefully, you'll like some of these items as much as I did. Enjoy the change in seasons, and upcoming holidays.
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Posted by heather at 10:35 PM
November 6, 2005
You NEED to know this!
This Thursday through Saturday is Triple Points at Saks, which means LOTS of beauty gifts. Almost every line has something great to give with purchase, so if you are in the market for anything, now's the time to buy! This is their biggest gift giveaway of the year!
Thanks for reminding us about this, Marissa!
Posted by heather at 8:25 PM
Judith is a lipstick junkie
I'm a self-admitted lipstick junkie.... As long as a lipstick is sheer or creamy or both, I'll give it a try! There has been much press recently about a new entry from Clinique called Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick. With a new gel formula that is moist and color-rich, it emparts the shine of a gloss, which giving the non-sticky color of a lipstick! This lipstick is soft and reminds me, in many ways, of a more evolved version of Neutrogena MoistureShine tinted lip balm.
The colors which I like the best are DeLovely, a pinkish nude, and Praline, a natural light brownish tawny shade. You can see all the shades at clinique.com or most department store Clinique counters. At $14, this is not as pricey as some of the higher end makeup lines, but definitely worth every penny!
While visiting Clinique, also give a look at Repairwear Intensive Lip Treatment, a wonderful lip balm that contains antioxidants that are supposed to repair the look of lines around the mouth. I haven't used it long enough to see if it really works on the wrinkles, but it's one of the best lipbalms I've ever tried as far as moisturizing my always-dry lips! At $25 a tube, it's also worth every penny!
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Posted by heather at 12:42 PM
November 1, 2005
Kristen A. hunts down the best mascaras
For the last several months I have been on the hunt for a mascara, or two, that I love. I figured I should get out of my Maybelline Great Lash rut and try some newer products on the market.
My first stop was the Paul & Joe line because the sales girl wearing it had almost fake-looking eyelashes and I wanted to be just like her. Paul & Joe Mascara Duo ($26) comes with a volumizing and a lengthening side. The "Volume" side has this comb-like eyelash separator, longer on one side for the top lashes and a shorter side for the bottoms. The thick, creamy formula could be used on its own for fabulous lashes. The "Long" side has a more traditional mascara wand and the formula is totally different, with tons of little fibers in it. Put that on and welcome to your huge, thick, long lashes! Of course this isn't for the person who needs every lash perfectly defined. If you add this much stuff to your eyelashes there's bound to be a bit of clumping, but that was completely worth it to me for that amount of lash. The one warning is once this mascara dries, don't try to separate your eyelashes - it's too tough for that. Did I mention the fabulous color? I chose #02, because it was an auburn-ish brown, which looks amazing against my blue eyes, fair skin and brown hair. It wears very well and at the end of the day I am a happy camper with lashes that still look gorgeous. An extra perk is the packaging, which is so cute. This floral, aqua and peach colored beauty sits among my other boring black tubes of mascara, and brightens my whole drawer.
On the quest still for huge lashes, the folks at MAC told me I had to have Zoom Lash Mascara. This time I went for classic black. They warned me that it would be clumpy, but that was the "in" thing this season. Fully knowing that, I was very pleased with the way it made my somewhat thin lashes seems so bulky. The formula was pretty dry and I realize that I'd like it if it were a bit creamier. It seemed to run out fast, I think due to the dry formula. For $10 it’s really a lovely buy, lasted well during the day and I'd recommend this for anyone wanting dramatic lashes, maybe to recreate that 60's mod look that's so in right now.
After all the hype about Blinc Kiss Me Mascara, I had to give it a whirl. Their big thing is water-resistant "tubes" that coat your eyelashes, and don't allow clumping. First, the name "Kiss Me" makes me think of lips and I keep wondering why they didn't just leave it as "Blinc". Enough of my marketing questioning, onto the review. This mascara's net weight (.16oz) was quite a bit less than any of the others I've tried so far, and for $24, I'm not that excited. The wand leaves much to be desired. It's too stumpy and puny for my taste. The black color is just fine, and it did make my eyelashes more defined, thicker and longer, but not to any degree that is worth getting excited about. It flaked more than any of the other mascaras I've tried. By the end of the day a lot of these little tubes were under my eye. Water-resistant somehow translates into "makeup remover resistant", too. I found washing it off at the end of the day to be like an eyelash massacre on my face, with persistent little "tube" eyelashes stuck to me. Basically I can sum it up with, "Eh. Not so fantastic."
Now heading to the drugstore, I picked up a L'Oreal Panoramic Curl. I keep seeing all these rave reviews for L'Oreal's mascara line. I must say, I've been won over. This formula is only $6.99 (even less with a coupon) and is creamy and thick. The wand is slightly curved to help out the curling effect with lots of bristles to coat the lashes really well. One coat is wonderful and somewhat natural looking, two or more coats is a bonus of drama! It does have a bit of a clumping tendency after the first coat, but delivers fantastic results overall. I approve! I’m going to keep exploring L'Oreal mascara in the future.
Last but not least, I went looking for a basic mascara that I could wear on more casual days. I found it in Almay One Coat Nourishing Mascara (the thickening formula). For $5.99 and at 0.4oz net weight, this is a bargain! One coat so nicely colors and "fluffs" my otherwise thin lashes. It's wonderful for going to the gym, because I look like I have eyes on my face, but not like I'm trying too hard to impress that guy on the stair climber. Even if I keep layering it on, the formula is so smooth, there's no clumping in sight and every lash is very well defined, yet still soft. It wears well throughout the day, though if I've done one coat, I apply a second on top before going out at night. This mascara feels nourishing on because it doesn't have a dry, rigid feeling on the lashes. Finally, I really like the wand - it's full and long enough to go over both top and bottom lashes nicely.
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Posted by heather at 12:10 PM
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