Beauty Babble

100% Pure Makeup and Skin care haul!

2012-01-02T12:45:00.000-08:00

100% Pure has been on my radar for a while now, but since their products aren't readily available near me in a retail setting (ULTA carries a very small selection of their bath and body products) I was always a little leery of trying them out (I'm totally a see it, smell it, touch it kind of consumer). A few weeks ago, though, LivingSocial was offering a deal of $50 worth of 100% Pure cosmetics for $25, so I found my excuse to explore the brand and bought it!

100% Pure is a really interesting natural and organic brand. All of their cosmetics get their colors from fruit and vegetable pigments, and are guaranteed to be free from synthetic chemicals, fragrances, dyes and detergents. I'm amazed sometimes when I read the ingredients lists of other supposed "natural" brands of cosmetics and see that they are still filled with harmful ingredients. 100% Pure really lives up to its name and delivers products you can literally feel 100% comfortable and confident using on your skin.

For my first purchase with this brand I decided to sample one cosmetics item, one skin care item and one bath item for variety. I wound up purchasing their Coffee Bean eye cream, Healthy Skin Foundation and 8-piece soap gift set (the total was $80 before using my $50 Living Social deal, so certainly not cheap, but also not ridiculously expensive when you consider the price of many higher-end cosmetics lines). Although I will do a full review on each product after I have had more time to use them, I wanted to share some of my initial thoughts:

Firstly, the Coffee Bean Caffeine eye cream smells DELICIOUS if you are a coffee lover like me. Even the smallest dollop gives off a rich, coffee scent, and that's partially because 100% Pure uses concentrated ingredients in their products. It felt so great to know that I was smelling REAL coffee and not a company's manufactured coffee scent. The same can be said for the soap set. I was absolutely blown away with how delicious each one smelled. One after the other, they made me just want to jump into the shower over and over again to try each one out (I held back!). The foundation is the one item that didn't have a scent, despite being made with superfruits (which would have made me think it would have a berry fragrance). Initially, I thought this was a product I might have to return -- I have combination skin, which typically looks dry but produces lots of t-zone oil throughout the day -- and when I first applied a pump to the back of my hand, I noticed that it immediately settled into the wrinkles of my hand skin. When I went to try it on my face, I remembered this and thought to use it with a primer, but unfortunately, it still looked very crepe-y on my skin. I don't want to give away everything here since I will do a full review of the product, so for now I'll just say that I wound up mixing a pump of the foundation with a squirt of tinted moisturizer and the world is good again. :)

Please stay tuned for full reviews of these products in the coming weeks, and in the meantime, if you'd like to visit 100% Pure's web site you can do so here: www.100percentpure.com. (P-S: I am not affiliated with 100% Pure, they are not paying me for anything, and I am not using any affiliate links!)

Living an organic lifestyle free from harmful chemicals!

2011-12-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

It has been over a year since I wrote a new post for this blog, and at the very least, I have a good reason. About a year ago (right when my makeup obsession was in full force) I saw a YouTube video talking about parabens. The video spent about 10 minutes talking about this compound that is a common preservative found in most traditional makeup brands. What troubled me was that some studies linked this compound to breast cancer. Now, I'm no doctor, nor do I claim to be the scientist that conducted this study, but I will admit that I was scared nonetheless. This got me to doing some research and what I discovered scared me even more.

Apparently the cosmetics industry, along with producers of many personal care items, are not held to any sort of FDA guidelines or restrictions on ingredients. Unlike food manufacturers or medicine companies, cosmetics companies can put nearly any ingredient that they please -- including toxic chemicals like formaldehyde or anti-freeze and surfactants strong enough to strip grease from wood floors -- in their products without any ramifications. To make matters worse, almost none of them call out the fact that these chemicals are included in their products and therefore innocent consumers continue to use them never knowing just what they are putting on their skin.

If you knew there was a harmful ingredient in your foundation that, when absorbed in your blood stream could lead to reproductive issues, would you continue to use that product? I would think not, yet phthalates are commonly used in many cosmetics and you probably don't know. If you knew that a preservative was linked to breast cancer tumors, would you continue to support the company that knowingly put that ingredient in a product they sold you? You might think twice, yet parabens are the most commonly used cosmetics preservative, particularly in cheaper/drugstore makeup brands.

This is a controversial issue. There are many people out there who don't believe that this is an argument worth holding. They believe that using these products in small amounts won't do any harm, or that it's a hopeless cause to try and find good products that use healthy, natural ingredients. I'm not here to say that I am an expert and have all the answers, but rather I'm here to declare that I have taken a stand. Regardless of 100% accuracy, if there is a chemical compound that has been linked to serious diseases and/or illnesses, I don't want to take my chances, especially in non-necessary products like cosmetics.

Initially I thought this meant the end to my blog. After my research I wound up looking up all of the ingredients in my products and tossed out 99% of them. I sold my beloved NARS orgasm blush to a friend, gave away my Too Faced Natural palette and even cried when I back-to-MAC'd a ton of products that had hardly been used. However, I realized that just because I won't be using many traditional products anymore, that didn't mean I had to stop sharing my love of makeup with the world. As a matter of fact, as I continued researching natural and organic products, I learned that there are tons of makeup lines out there that are actually cognizant of what they use to make their cosmetics. Why not continue to do reviews and help others out there like me find products they can safely use?

From now on, Beauty Babble will do just that: showcase natural and organic cosmetics and personal care products. As I find and try something new, I will let you know what I think, and will clearly call out any harmful ingredients included in that product for the sake of full disclosure. With that said, I want to be up front and say that I am not perfect. I am trying very hard to change my lifestyle and buy all organic and natural products, but sometimes I too slip up. My very favorite mascara (Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes) happens to have triethanolamine in it -- a chemical that I avoid in all other products. But since I haven't yet found a replica for it that has all good ingredients, I continue to use it until I can find a replacement.

I hope that you all continue to support this blog with your comments and readership. I will not be removing my old posts since I know they continue to be helpful for people, and I also know not everyone is interested in converting to organic and natural products. However, I hope that for every person that visits this blog, even 1% stumble upon this post and choose to do some research of their own on this topic. Until next time, au revoir!

Nail of the Day: Glitzerland by OPI

2010-09-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

Glitzerland is a gorgeous sparkly gold color that is new from OPI this fall with their Swiss collection. In truth, I've never owned, nor worn, a gold nail polish before, but I have to say this is one of my new favorites for the transition from summer to fall. The golden tones still make it a great choice to pair with a tan, while it's also more muted than a hot pink or orange (which still screams summer). Perhaps what I like best about this polish, is that is VERY opaque and sparkly upon the first coat. I put two coats just for extra oomph, but you could certainly get away with it after just one!

Review: Boscia Skin Care Clear Complexion Kit

2010-09-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

Although I purchased the Boscia Clear Complexion Kit a while back, I wanted to really use the products for several weeks before posting my review. I've finally almost finished the kit, so I think it's time to share my thoughts! I do want to note one thing in advance: I went to the dermatologist half-way through using these products and began a regimen of prescription medications to help heal my acne. Unfortunately this means I cannot really speak to the Clear Complexion Kit's ability to cure and/or prevent acne, I can only talk to the consistency of the products and the short-term effects that I saw.

Now onto the review! Included in your kit is a Clear Complexion Cleanser, a Clear Complexion Tonic with Botanical Blast, a Clear Complexion Treatment with Botanical Blast and an Oil-Free Daily Hydration moisturizer with SPF 15. Each is a travel-sized bottle with .5 - 1.86 fl oz of product, which is perfect if you want to try the system without spending the money on the full-size products.

In my opinion, the cleanser is very average -- the scent is very light, although it does have a slight plant aroma to it, and the consistency is the same as any cleanser in that it lathers well and rinses clean easily. The only thing I noticed was that my skin did feel slightly more stripped afterward than when I was using my mild cleanser from Clinique. I have very sensitive skin, so I can't say I was a huge fan of that super clean, squeaky sensation on my skin; however, the cleanser did not irritate my skin or cause me to break out any worse!

As for the tonic, well, I thought it was supposed to be a toner, but it turns out that I'm not sure what the purpose of this step is. It comes in a spray bottle and says you are supposed to mist it on your face twice a day and anytime you need a refreshing boost. I immediately realized that I HATED the spray bottle concept. If you have to close your eyes, you can't really see where you are aiming AND the nozzle doesn't spray the product wide enough that you can get your whole face with one spray. It literally would take me 4-5 sprays to feel like I adequately coated my face and then I was just drippy and wet! Plus, I didn't get the sensation that this product DID anything -- you aren't supposed to swipe it on your face with a cotton ball (which I feel helps remove the dead skin cells) and it didn't tingle like a typical toner would. I stopped using this step after about 10 days because it seemed pointless to me and I had already used 3/4 of the product from all the needless spraying.

Unfortunately, I can't say that I'm a fan of the moisturizer either. Because it has SPF (which is great for the daytime, don't get me wrong), it's not a product that you can use at night before bed and a nighttime moisturizer isn't provided in the kit. Usually when I try a new skin care regimen, I like to use only products from that line so I'm not biasing my skin with competing brands. However, I ALWAYS moisturize twice a day because my skin is dry, so I had to use my Clinique moisturizer during my trial period. My other complaint would be the consistency and smell of this moisturizer. I really don't like it when I FEEL like my moisturizer has sunscreen, i.e. you kind of get that sunscreeny texture when applying it and smell that sunscreeny smell? Yeah, this product does both. I also found it to be a bit greasy.

Finally, we have the Clear Complexion Treatment, and unfortunately, I didn't like this either! Again, I think it's a consistency issue. The product was so watery and thin that I didn't get the sense that it was really seeping into my skin. In truth, I don't really know if the consistency matters, I just know I would have preferred something that felt more medicated whereas this felt very watered down.

Overall, I wouldn't re-buy anything from this system, although I certainly don't think it HURT my skin at all because it's made with natural, preservative-free ingredients. Unfortunately, I just seemed to have consistency issues with most of the products and didn't notice enough of a difference in my skin (prior to using the acne medication) to warrant the expensive prices.

To Recap:

Pros:

- Products are natural and preservative-free so they are good choices for those with sensitive skin

- The kit is available with travel sizes so you can take them on airplanes AND try out the line for less money

- The products were all very gentle on my skin and didn't irritate me

Cons:

- The cleanser is a bit too stripping for my dry skin

- The toner doesn't seem to do anything and is difficult to apply with the spray bottle

- The moisturizer smells and applies sort of like sunscreen. It's also greasy.

- The treatment felt watered down.

- Full-size bottles are INCREDIBLY expensive

It doesn't seem like the Clear Complexion Kit is available at Sephora any longer (it's not showing up on their Web site), but they are selling Value Kits for Normal to Dry and Normal to Oily skin for $45. ULTA also carries this line. For the full size products, you'll pay $36 for the moisturizer, $26 for the cleanser, $35 for the treatment and $24 for the tonic. You can also visit their Web site at www.boscia.com for more information.

July Favorites

2010-08-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

This summer is going by so quickly! I can't believe we're already in August -- halfway through 2010 already! July was a particularly fun month for me because of my birthday on the 18th, leaving me with some great makeup and beauty goodies to share over the next few months. For now, though, let's take a look at my favorite products from the month of July! :)

LIPS

This month, I've been really into pinky-red lipsticks. If you'll recall, Viva Glam Cyndi is a favorite of mine, and this month I discovered a MUCH cheaper near-dupe in ELF's Barely Bitten mineral lipstick. Now, this happened COMPLETELY by accident during my first ELF order because the colors on their Web site are so off that I really didn't even know I'd be receiving the colors I did. Then once I started swatching them, I realized that Barely Bitten looked a lot like VGC, so I swatched them next to one another and it's very close! VGC has a slightly more orange tone, and is actually a bit more sheer than Barely Bitten -- you can decide for yourself whether the dupe is good enough or not. At the end of the day, $5 is much more affordable than $14.50! ;)

Viva Glam Cyndi (top) and Barely Bitten (bottom)

EYES

This month, I forayed into liquid eyeliner for the very first time. Originally, I tried the Clubbing liner by Bourjois, but hated it because it was messy and created a thicker line than I wanted (it's probably my fault because I'm new to this, but I just knew it wasn't working for me). I decided to try something that would offer more control, so I purchased the NYX Felt Tip Liner in Extreme Black and this stuff is great! It still requires some practice on my end, but I notice that the slightly less flexible tip actually makes it easier for me to create a thin line.

In eyeshadows, I am LOVING my newest MAC quad that I received for my birthday. The colors I got were Carbon (a matte black), Satin Taupe (a grayish brown), Parfait Amour, a metallic purple, and Shroom, a nude highlight. Together, those four colors can take me from day to night, casual to dramatic. And because I purchased the shadows in pan form, I saved myself about $16!

CHEEKS

My favorite blush of the moment has got to be NARS' Deep Throat. Really and truly it's a perfect everyday blush -- a pinky peach tone with a tiny bit of gold shimmer to it. What I like best about it is that it initially goes on quite sheer, but can very easily be built up to a more dramatic color. Granted, it's quite expensive ($26), so I made sure to purchase mine in a "Value Kit" at Sephora so I didn't feel so guilty. :)

SKINCARE

I bought the Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions toner completely on a whim because my local CCO was out of my normal toner (the number 2 purple kind). I'm so happy I did! As I'm sure you know, I have trouble with acne, particularly on my chin, but occasionally in other areas too, like between my eyebrows or on my cheeks. While I can't say that this toner has prevented breakouts, I definitely notice that it treats them and helps heal pimples and blemishes MUCH faster than they go away on their own. The funny thing is that the ingredients don't show a special "active" ingredient like Salicylic Acid, so I don't really know what is doing the trick, I just know that it works!

RANDOM

I am TOTALLY in love with my new Caboodle storage boxes/train cases. I got these at ULTA for Buy One, Get One 50% off, and together they are big enough to house my entire makeup collection with some room to spare. I'm not sure that these are the best method for storing your makeup for everyday use, but if you travel a lot or are moving soon (like I am), you really can't beat it.

And there you have it, my favorites for July -- let me know what your favorite products are below! Here's to a great August!

Review: Benefit Bad Gal Lash

2010-08-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

I feel really sorry for Benefit as I begin writing this review because the last few products I've tried of theirs I've kind of bashed on this blog (I do like the Boi-ing concealer though!). I guess I can forget the possibility of them ever sending me a free product to review, lol! ;X At the end of the day though, I didn't create this blog to only write positive reviews, because I don't think that's helpful for anyone, so Benefit will just have to hate me.

With that said, I guess you can probably predict my sentiments toward Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara. I received a sample of this product in a set from ULTA (it came with their primer, Stay Don't Stray, and a cream shadow in RSVP) and I was very excited to try it (as I am with any new product!). First thing I noticed: the wand is HUMONGOUS! I'm not just talking a little full, or a little long, this baby is literally the biggest mascara wand I've ever seen in my life. It's almost bigger than my eye! Look at how the wand compares to Lancome's Definicils -- crazy!

Now, some people might think of this feature as a plus, but for me, it just signaled a big mess in application because, contrary to what you would assume from the thought of a larger wand, the size actually makes it more difficult to maneuver to get those tiny inner and outer lashes (meaning you're much more likely to get mascara all over your face/eye).

I probably could have worked around the insanely large wand if it wasn't for the fact that the product really sucks too. To be fair, the product could suck BECAUSE the wand is so inefficient, and I don't have disposable wands to try as an alternative application, but I'll tell you this much: I have pretty long lashes naturally, they're just blond, so I mostly use mascara to darken them up and add some extra length and volume. I've used MANY mascara brands and usually it's a very lickety-split process -- a couple quick coats, some wiggling with the brush and I'm done. With Bad Gal, I stood in front of the mirror a good three times longer than I've done with ANY other mascara struggling to get the product to do anything. After several strokes, it didn't even look like I had applied mascara! I had to dunk the wand several times and coat my lashes over and over, turning the wand around, spinning it, etc. just to get product on my eye lashes. And even then, there was really very little lengthening/volumizing effect to speak of.

Being totally honest here, this is one of the worst mascaras I have ever used. I would never, ever pay the $19 asking price for a full-size product.

Here's one interesting thing to note: this formula also comes in a "slimline" brush if you get the waterproof or brown version. If money was no object, I would pick up one of those varieties in a heartbeat to test it out and see if it's just the funky brush that makes this product so horrible, or if it's truly their formulation. Unfortunately, I don't get paid to review this stuff for you guys, and I don't want to waste $20, so this conundrum will forever remain a mystery unless one of my faithful readers has tried the smaller brush and has something to share. ;)

To Recap:

Pros:

- Um, the packaging is pretty?

Cons:

- Giant brush makes application awkward and difficult, especially when trying to reach smaller inner and outer lashes

- At $19 for the full-size, it's much more expensive than other mascara brands that do a better job

- The formula didn't lengthen, add volume, or darken lashes until I struggled with it for several minutes

Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara can be purchased online at www.benefitcosmetics.com, or at Sephora or ULTA.

Nail of the Day: Rumples Wiggin by OPI Shrek Collection

2010-08-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love this color! I've never worn lilac nails before, so I was a little nervous when I first applied this polish, but it turns out that Rumples Wiggin by OPI from the Shrek Collection is a great mix -- totally work appropriate, but a bit funky too!

I applied two coats, plus a base coat and top coat from Essie to achieve the look above. In truth, the first coat did go on kind of streaky, but that cleaned up really easily with the second coat to create a nice, even and opaque finish.

A new fave for sure!

FREE 15-piece gift at ULTA this week!

2010-08-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

This week at http://www.ulta.com/ with any $17.50 ULTA brand purchase (on qualifying products), you'll receive a FREE 15-piece gift with eyeshadows, lipsticks, makeup brushes, polishes, blush/bronzer, liners and more! The gift is available in two shades -- purple and green -- with different products in each. ULTA.com orders also come with 3 free samples AND you can combine their current $3.50 off $10 coupon with the free gift offer (use coupon code 42185 at checkout). I know from past purchases that their free gifts are quite nice, so I would grab this new one while supplies last!

As an extra treat, they also had the Urban Decay Naked palette in stock this morning -- I grabbed one quickly because I know these are going to go super fast!

Comparison: Benefit's Erase Paste vs Boi-ing Concealer

2010-07-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

Back when I first started Beauty Babble, I wrote a review about Benefit's Erase Paste under-eye concealer and how much I was enjoying it. Since then, I have tried using it on other parts of my face, as the packaging clearly states that it is a camouflage for eyes and face, but had dastardly results (bad coverage, no staying power). Thus, a few weeks ago when I was at Sephora during a special Benefit event, I approached one of the makeup artists to get her suggestions as to why Erase Paste was starting to fail me.

The woman announced that Erase Paste isn't actually meant to be used anywhere except under the eyes (so why the packaging states it for eyes and face boggles my mind) because it has a brightening complex that can actually make blemishes more visible. Instead, she said I needed their other concealing product, Boi-ing, for the rest of my face because it was a full-coverage, matte concealer. After trying the product, I liked the coverage, so I decided to pick it up and give it a try at home.

Then one day, I forgot to throw my Erase Paste into my morning makeup bag and thus, with only my Boi-ing with me, decided to try using it under my eyes, and lo and behold, the coverage was better than the Erase Paste, and this product worked all over my face, not just under my eyes. This got me to thinking: why would anyone need both of these products, and furthermore, what does Erase Paste really offer that Boi-ing doesn't?

Here's how these products are different:

- The consistency: Erase Paste is VERY thick and creamy. A very little bit truly does go a long way, and if you use too much, you'll give yourself a very caked, tacky finish. Boi-ing is creamy to the touch initially, but blends out into a powder-like consistency that is a bit more dry. I find that this consistency is easier to blend and sets better than the Erase Paste.

- The coloring: Despite both products only coming in three numbered shades, the colors are actually not the same across products. I have the 01 Fair for both, and notice that the Erase Paste has more of a peach undertone, whereas the Boi-ing is more neutral/yellow. I think this is what makes Boi-ing overall a more versatile product -- the neutral undertones make it easier to blend all over your face, whereas the peach undertone can look off when applied over red blemishes.

- Illuminating properties: After blending, Erase Paste definitely leaves a more dewy finish, with a hint of a sheen, whereas Boi-ing creates a more matte finish.

- Packaging: Not a huge point, but Erase Paste is packaged in a small tub and comes with a scoop to get the product out (which I think is useless, I just use my brush tip) whereas Boi-ing is packaged in a flat, round, powder-like container.

- Staying Power: While neither is a miracle worker, the Boi-ing stays put longer than the Erase Paste, even when the latter is combined with the company's Stay Don't Stray primer for eyes and undereyes.

Here's how these products are similar:

- Price points: Initially, it would seem like Boi-ing was more cost effective at $18 versus $26 for the Erase Paste, but ounce for ounce, they're nearly the exact same price (you get .1 oz of Boi-ing versus .15 oz of Erase Paste, which makes 1.5 oz of Boi-ing worth $27).

- The amount you need to get the job done. Both are "less is more" kind of products.

- The best way to apply them: Both go on most smoothly when applied with a fluffy blending brush, such as the SS 217. Denser concealer brushes grab too much product and apply it too thickly.

Overall, I feel sort of ripped off now! Although I was excited about my Erase Paste when I first got it, the poor coverage on the rest of my face, combined with the lack of staying power left me wanting more. And now that I've found another product from the same company that can cover my undereye circles better, AND work for my blemishes, I feel even more jipped. In the end, while I'll use both so that neither go to waste, I probably wouldn't re-buy the Erase Paste, nor would I recommend it unless you have gorgeous skin apart from dark circles and thus need a concealer only for your undereyes. Otherwise, you'll be buying two concealers just the same and could probably find an "all-in-one" variety to ease your budget!

Both Erase Paste and Boi-ing can be purchased online at the Benefit web site: http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/, at Sephora -- http://www.sephora.com/ -- or at ULTA -- http://www.ulta.com/. I hope this was helpful!

My first E.L.F. Cosmetics Purchase!

2010-07-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, my lovely friend Twitter informed me that ELF was having a sale where their entire Web site was 60% off. I had heard quite a bit about ELF, particularly that their "higher quality" Studio and Minerals lines were worth a peak, so I decided to check out the site and see if I could find anything that I liked. Now, I had heard several times that ELF was the site to go to for dirt-cheap makeup, but even I was shocked to see that most of their items were $5 or less. Of course, at this point I couldn't resist trying a few things! Since I've been on a bit of an eyeshadow binge lately, I steered clear of the eyes section and instead focused on lips and face. In total, I purchased 12 items and received a 13th for free for referring some friends -- and my whole order came to less than $30 because of the sale! You can't even get prices that good at the drugstore.

LIPS

(Barely Bitten and Nicely Nude)

For lips, I ordered 7 shades from the Minerals collection (they have 16 total), since the Studio line only produces glosses, and I've got a million of those already. As you can see from the top picture, the lipsticks are packaged in a white cardboard box with the shade listed by color on the front. Initially, I thought the packaging looked pretty cheapy, but once I opened up the box, I was pleasantly surprised to find an angular, heavy plastic black case with the ELF logo engraved on the top and side. The packaging compares to professional brands, and in my opinion, is nicer than drugstore brands like Maybelline, Cover Girl and Rimmel.

The colors I picked up were (from left to right) Party Pink, Pouty Petal, Cheerful Cherry, Runway Pink, Fiery Fuschia, Barely Bitten and Nicely Nude, which are all in the pink/berry/red family (unfortunately the colors in real life aren't entirely true to what my camera is picking up...everything is a bit more pink, whereas the camera is giving things an orange/coral tint). This relates to my one complaint about these products: the colors on the Web site really aren't true to the colors in life, so it's a bit of a blind order. Also, a lot of the colors are quite similar on, even though they look different in the tube/swatched.

(Party Pink, Pouty Petal and Cheerful Cherry)

I haven't yet had the opportunity to wear all of these shades, but I did wear Pouty Petal yesterday and found it to be quite moisturizing, albeit a bit sheer (all of the other shades are substantially more opaque). The staying power was probably about average -- I eat and drink a lot throughout the day, so in general, lipsticks don't tend to last very long on me. Overall, from a first impression standpoint, I don't think ANYONE would guess in a blind test that this lipstick cost $5, while my MAC lipsticks cost $14!

FACE

For face, I picked up three blushes from the Studio line (which retail for $3 a piece at full price): from left to right, Blushing Rose, Mellow Mauve and Tickled Pink. Of the three, only Blushing Rose has shimmer. The packaging on these items is even more impressive than the lipsticks -- the case is a really high-quality, hard black plastic with a little clear window so you can see what color is inside (the casing is similar to NARS, but with a smooth finish). The products themselves are SUPER creamy for a powder blush -- I actually thought that I accidentally bought a cream blush when I swatched Tickled Pink for the first time because it felt SO silky to the touch (in truth, when you apply them, they are powders, just very soft ones!).

Then I also got the blush and contouring kit, which was said to be a dupe for NARS Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. This is the one item that I think I regret buying (but thankfully I only paid $1.50 for it!). Although I think the blush is pretty, it's very sparkly, and the bronzer is much too muddy for my skin tone (on me, it looks like I smeared poo on my face unless I use a very light hand and blend really well...for that much work, I'd much prefer to grab my Too Faced Sun Bunny bronzer and be done with it!). If you're slightly less fair-skinned than me, this might be a better match!

As I mentioned earlier, ELF also included a free gift in my purchase since I referred some friends after checkout. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the free gift was one of their famous Shimmering Facial Whips, which I had wanted to try out, but thought I'd leave for a future purchase. The shade they sent me is citrus, which looks more bronze in the tube, but rubs out into a pinky highlight shade. Word on the street was that this product was a dupe for Benefit's High Beam, and I think, on a color perspective, that's true. On a consistency perspective, the Shimmering Facial Whip is much thicker of a product, whereas High Beam is liquidy. For this reason, you need less product of the Whip to achieve the same result with High Beam. The best part is that it only costs $1 and it comes in EIGHT different shades!

The final product that I tried was one of their nail polishes in the color Passion Pink (retails for $1). Now here we have another instance of ELF misrepresenting their colors on the site. If you look at the picture they post, Passion Pink is a bright, hot pink color (I've copied the photo, below at left). Now compare that to the photo I took of the bottle of polish with my painted fingernails: the color is a true coral! It's so coral that I would consider it a near dupe for Essie's Cute as a Button, which I did a NOTD with not that long ago. As a matter of fact, when I was browsing the ELF site this morning preparing to make a second order (they are offering a promotion right now where you get 10 free full-size mineral eyeshadows of your choice, which is a $30 value, with a $25 purchase), I was so convinced that I had purchased the Mango Madness nail polish that I almost ordered Passion Pink again. Thank goodness I caught myself!

And that completed my first ELF order. Overall, I think you receive a much higher value than the price you pay, so I'd definitely suggest trying out their line if you're looking for high-quality budget makeup. Just remember that their site doesn't always portray the colors of their products correctly -- it makes it a bit of a guessing game, but for the price, I think it's worth the risk!

ELF cosmetics can be purchased online through their Web site: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/.

Birthday Haul Part 1: Sephora - Featuring Too Faced, Nars, Boscia and more!

2010-07-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

As you all know, it was my birthday last Sunday, so naturally, I couldn't help but go out and spend some of my birthday money on the latest and greatest in the land of makeup.... Truth be told, I went into Sephora with the sole intention of picking up my free gift and running out the door, only that didn't happen! Of course, one look and I fell in love with a million other products and became unable to resist spending way more than I meant to. Guilty as charged! Oh well, at least I can blame it on a birthday spending bash! ;)

Here's the awesome stuff I picked up (plus some mini first impression-style reviews)!

Lately, I have been really obsessed with kits -- I feel like you get more bang for your buck and you can try a whole range of products without feeling too guilty about the prices that go along with the full sizes. The first thing I was immediately drawn to was the Too Faced "Walk of Shame" value set, which was originally $38, but on sale for $19! This is a kit I had been eyeing for a while, so when I saw that it was 50% off, I couldn't resist! Here's what you get:

FULL SIZE Too Faced Shadow Insurance (retails for about $17 on it's own!)

Full size Lip of Luxury lipstick in Totally Nude

Mini Primed and Poreless Face Primer

Compact featuring Sun Bunny bronzer and two neutral eyeshadows in Silk Teddy and Totally Toasted

Small packet of chai flavored mints

Pink travel toothbrush

Adorable black and pink satin makeup case

I haven't tried all of the products yet, but will certainly do a full review once I've had the chance to form some opinions. So far, I'm totally impressed that this set features a full size TFSI (which I wasn't at all expecting), because for $17 on it's own, it makes the whole kit worth even the full price of $38 (if you subtract out the TFSI, you're still getting a bronzer, two shadows, a primer, a lipstick, etc. for $21, which is an amazing deal).

From a first-impression standpoint, I already know that I don't like the lipstick. Although the packaging is adorable, it's much too brown for my skintone/features. I also thought the mints tasted GROSS (but there were only 3 included, so I didn't feel too guilty about tossing them out). I haven't tried the shadows/primer yet, but I already own Sun Bunny from the Too Faced "The Bronzed and the Beautiful" kit and know I like that, so I am a happy camper!

The second kit that I bought was the NARS "So Famous" set, which includes a full-size Deep Throat blush, a mini Orgasm multiple and a Bettina Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. The set was a bit more expensive at $44 for the three items, but if you break it down, the full-size blush is $26 on it's own, a full-size multiple is $38 (the one you get in the kit is about 1/3 the size, so figure $13 for that) and the lip pencil, which is also full-size is $24. So for $44, you're getting a $63 or so value.

From a first-impression standpoint, I LOVE the blush. It's a beautiful color with a silky smooth application and definitely seems like it would be a good fit for both light and dark complexions. The multiple I haven't tried yet, but I do think the color appears to be pretty for a cream blush. I'm not exactly sure how I'd use this on my eyes or lips (I guess I could use a lip brush to turn this into a lipstick), but I will certainly try it and see how it goes! The lip pencil, unfortunately, I hate! As a big fan of lipgloss, I really don't understand the "matte" lip look, and that is exactly what this pencil delivers. The color is also, once again, too nude and muted for my skintone. Two out of three isn't bad, but I do sort of wish I could return the lip pencil or at least swap it out for a more flattering color!

The third and final kit that I picked up was the Boscia Clear Complexion kit for $48. I first tried this line a few weeks ago at ULTA (received some samples) and really liked how gentle it was on my skin (the toner didn't sting at all!). I also liked the fact that the products don't have added fragrances/colors -- a big plus for someone with sensitive skin like me! I've been using Clinique's 3-Step for years, and while I like it, it isn't formulated to treat acne, so I decided to give this line a try to see if it could clear up my skin. The kit comes with the Clear Complexion Cleanser, the Clear Complexion Tonic, the Clear Complexion Treatment and the Oil-Free Daily Hydration SPF 15. In total, you get a 30-day supply. I haven't actually used any of the products yet, as I want to finish off my Clinique first, but look for a review in the next month or so!

That's it for part 1 of my birthady haul! Stay tuned for part 2 (MAC) tomorrow! :)

Review: Bare Minerals Foundation (Original Formula)

2010-07-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

I was first introduced to the Bare Minerals line when the CEO and Founder Leslie Blodgett came to my graduate school to speak at our Dynamic Women in Business conference. As part of the goody bag, we all got a full size Rare Minerals Moisturizer and Buxom Lash Mascara, and if you went for a "makeunder" in one of the conference rooms, you also got a sample of their immensely popular foundation, plus a mini kabuki brush. At the time, I wasn't using a foundation at all, so I fell in love with Bare Minerals because it felt light and airy, and was a really good color match for my skin tone. Needless to say, after I finished up my sample, I quickly visited the Bare Escentuals store in my local mall to pick up a full-size foundation.

It's been over a year and a half since I bought that full-size foundation and I still have a lot of it left, likely because my opinion of the product has changed a bit since I've started experimenting with other brands of foundations.

First, let me start with what I DO like about the product. Obviously, it's cheaper than many high-end foundations at $25 for the large size, and the color range is pretty wide with 20 cool, warm and neutral shades to choose from (I am Fairly Light, which is their light/neutral shade). I also definitely think that this product can achieve multiple levels of coverage, depending on what you are looking for. If you use just a tiny dusting of the powder, you can get very sheer coverage that simply evens out skintone, whereas if you swirl your brush in a larger amount, you can get a nearly full-coverage face (I say nearly full coverage because I always still need concealer to cover my red pimples/blemishes). Finally, I like the fact that it has SPF 15, but doesn't have the greasy feel or smell of sunscreen, which some liquid foundations can have.

Now, here's what confuses me about the product: apparently the "original" formula, which is what I have, is supposed to be the "luminous" formula. Ummm...sorry Leslie, but there is absolutely nothing luminous about this powder foundation -- it creates a 100%, completely matte look no matter how little you use. As a matter of fact, that's one of my DISLIKES about the product. As a normal-to-dry-skin type, I sometimes find this foundation to be too cakey for my complexion, and would recommend the "original" formula more for oily skin types. It has absolutely no shimmer, glitter or sheen to it -- it's just a matte foundation/powder. This all makes me wonder what happens when you use the "matte" formula that they just came out with! I honestly can't imagine anything being MORE matte than what I already use.

A few more things that I dislike. As with any mineral product, things can get VERY messy, even if you're trying to be meticulous. Since you're dumping product into the lid of the packaging to swirl your brush in, I find it almost inevitable that I pour too much in and then have to maneuver the leftover product back into the pot so I don't waste it. I also inevitably get powder all over the counter as I'm swirling and tapping off the excess.

The final thing that I dislike is the company's claim that this powder feels like a silky-smooth cream. Uh, no, it doesn't. It feels totally like a powder. Granted, I don't MIND powders, so the fact itself doesn't bother me, but I just get really annoyed when companies make claims that are so obviously far from the truth!

Overall, I may or may not re-buy this product once I finish it. There ARE several things that I like about it, and I find it to be particularly good for those on-the-go days when you want to throw something on quickly and easily. However, I'd just be aware that despite what the marketing materials say, this is truly a POWDER and it does what any powder would: mattify.

To Recap:

Pros:

- An affordable price point among higher-end foundations at $25 for a huge pot of product

- Color range is quite wide with 20 shades to choose from (cool, warm and neutral tones)

- The product allows you to achieve multiple levels of coverage, depending on your wants/needs

- If you have oily skin, this would be a great solution for you!

Cons:

- Can be quite drying for any skin type other than oily

- It's messy!

- The company makes claims about the product that are NOT true (i.e. that it feels like a cream or that it provides a luminous finish)

Beauty Break: It's My Birthday!

2010-07-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been a bit MIA from Beauty Babble this week -- I've been busy celebrating my 26th birthday with family and friends! I've been doing lots of hauling for my special day, and have received some great beauty and fashion gifts, so keep your eyes peeled for some new blog posts in the next week. In the meantime, I am off to keep the celebration going for one more day! (And P-S: The beautiful card you see above was hand-painted by my father who is an amazingly talented artist!)

Summer Lovin with Urban Decay (Featuring UD's Summer of Love kit)

2010-07-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

As an eyeshadow junkie, Urban Decay is fast becoming one of my favorite makeup brands. I love, love, love their adorable packaging (they are second only to Benefit in my opinion), I think their eyeshadow colors are gorgeous and I swear by their Primer Potion. This adoration brings me to the subject of this post! Urban Decay's Summer of Love palette has elevated itself to top placement on my makeup counter as my summer go-to shadow box. Although it only comes with four colors, they somehow manage to make for endless looks, whether I'm going for a beachy nude look or a dramatic shimmer at night.

Here's what you get in the kit:

- Four eyeshadows in Flash (a purple with a metallic finish, but no glitter), Maui Wowie (a shimmery taupe/olive green), Chopper (a sparkly peachy nude) and Smog (a metallic, glitter-free bronze).
- A mini UD Primer Potion in Sin
- A mini 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon, which is a dark reddish brown

...All of this is packaged in an adorable, purse-friendly magnetic palette with a mirror!

Flash, Maui Wowie, Chopper and Smog

At this point you might be wondering: What is it that makes me love this palette so much? Firstly, let me say that if you have used any Urban Decay eyeshadows before, you will know what I mean when I say they are heavenly. The colors are so rich and look beautiful whether you choose to pack them on at their full pigmentation, or blend them out for a subtle, natural glow. Plus, the shadows are silky smooth, easy to apply and don't have excess fall out.

The other thing I love about this palette is its portability and color selection. You could easily pair up Chopper and Smog for a natural work look, pop this palette into your purse and add Flash in your crease to brighten the color for a dinner out, or just pop Maui Wowie onto the highlight to wake up your face throughout the day. Each shade is so complementary to the others that you can create looks with any two, three or all four shades at once!

The ONE thing I don't love about this product is the price -- $29 -- but I rationalize (one of my strengths, hehe) by breaking it down and considering that I am getting six products for that price, which makes each around $5 (and then I compare that to the $14.50 that MAC charges for a single shadow and I feel better!). At the end of the day, if you ask me, it feels like you're getting a pretty good bang for your buck!

The Urban Decay Summer of Love palette is just one of many cute sets and kits that Urban Decay sells (I'm itching for their NAKED palette, which is part of the new fall collection!). Check out their Web site for more -- www.urbandecay.com -- or look for their products at Sephora (www.sephora.com) and ULTA (www.ulta.com).

Now it's your turn to spill: What's your favorite Urban Decay product?

Review: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

2010-07-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

If you read my recent mini-NYX haul, you'll know that I have just begun to try products by this brand, and I began my journey in the "eye" section since shadows/liners/mascaras are my favorites among makeup products. Unfortunately, despite the hype surrounding this brand, I wound up disliking a good portion of what I got -- the eyebrow kit was too dark for me, the glitter creams were too chunky and dry, and even the eyeshadows (which I have tried since my haul) failed to impress with their ultra-powdery formulation that makes for a TON of fall out (although to their credit I find this powdery-ness to be true only amongst their trio and palette shadows -- for some reason, I didn't have the same problem with their single shadows!).

Despite my general disappointment with what I've tried so far, there is one series of products that NYX has created that I find to be really original and worth purchasing, and those are the Jumbo Eye Pencils. Why do I like them? First and foremost, I've never seen anything like them from a drugstore brand, and the closest thing I've ever used from a department store is the Clinique Chubby Stick, which was a lipstick from way back when. Where else can you get an eye shadow and eye liner in one that is shaped like a chubby pencil, can be sharpened (so it's ultra sanitary) and is easy to store because it's long and thin?

Then we get to the color range. One word: AWESOME! Whether you prefer neutral or bright shades, NYX has something for you with more than 25 colors (pink, purple, blue, green, red, orange, yellow, brown, bronze, white, silver, gold, gray, cream, and more) to choose from. (P-S: the colors on the NYX site are TOTALLY off, so if you are going to order, I'd use another Web site, or just go see them in person at your local ULTA or drugstore.) On top of it all, the pigmentation is awesome and is easily buildable to an opaque shade. Right now, I own six shades: Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Strawberry Milk, Iced Mocha, Dark Brown and Oyster, and my favorite is Iced Mocha by far.

With and without flash. From L to R: Cottage Cheese, Iced Mocha, Oyster,

Yogurt, Strawberry Milk and Dark Brown

As far as wearability, I've tried the Jumbo Eye Pencils as eyeshadow bases, shadows by themselves, and as liners, and I think each has its pros and cons. As an eyeshadow base, you definitely achieve brighter shadows when you use complimentary shades (for example, I applied Pink Venus by MAC over Oyster and it made the pink shadow really pop!), however, I find them to be too thick to make blending with a brush easy (your shadow brush winds up getting all goopy from the creamy consistency!). As shadows by themselves, I always use an eyeshadow primer, so I haven't noticed any problems with creasing, and I find the colors to be quick and easy to apply because you can just rub them on, blend with your finger and you're good to go! Their third use as an eyeliner definitely makes for a pretty pop of color, but I find that the product fades fast on the waterline and is a bit too thick to make for an efficient upper lash liner.

To Recap:

Pros:

- Wide color range including neutrals and brights means there is something for everyone

- The pencil eyeshadow + eyeliner in one format is unique to NYX and makes for easy storage and a product that stays sanitary for longer than potted cream shadows

- At $4, they are very affordable, which makes it easy to build up your collection of shades

- Pigmentation is great and very buildable

Cons:

- A bit too thick to be used as an eyeshadow base

- Wears off very fast when used as an eyeliner on the water line

- Thick tip makes it tough to apply eyeliner to the top lash line

- Hard to blend with a brush (must use fingertips)

NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils can be purchased online at www.nyxcosmetics.com or at www.ulta.com.

Taking Care of Your Sigma (or other brand!) Makeup Brushes

2010-07-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

After I did my Sigma brush review last week, I got a lot of great feedback via Twitter and this blog, so a thank you to everyone for sharing their thoughts. I'm glad that so many enjoyed the review! Along with the feedback, I also received a request to write a blog post about how I take care of my Sigma brushes, so I thought I'd share my cleansing routine with you. As always, if you have any additional questions, please let me know!

Why should I cleanse my brushes?

There are three primary reasons that cleansing your makeup brushes should become second nature:

1) It allows you to achieve the true pigmentation of the products you are using. If you used a peach blush yesterday and are trying to apply a pink blush today, you're going to wind up with a weird mix of both unless you remove the leftover product from the day before. Even though the brush may appear clean, tiny particles get deep into the bristles and might not even be visible if the fibers are black!

2) You extend the life of your brushes AND your makeup. By always using a sanitary, clean brush with your makeup products, you help keep bacteria from infiltrating it. Although makeup exposed to the air will gather bacteria over time regardless (which is why nearly all products have expiration dates or small symbols to show you how long it is safe to keep a product once opened), by only dipping disinfected brushes into your products, you slow this process down a bit. Furthermore, cleansing your brushes extends their lives too, because dirt particles can seep down into the base of your brush and cause it to shed its bristles faster. With a product like a foundation or concealer specifically, the sticky substance can wrap around individual bristles, changing their texture and making the brush less effective in applying product. Finally, lighter colored bristles can even become permanently stained if left dirty for too long! Since Sigma brushes are an investment, you'll want to make them last you for a while!

3) You help prevent breakouts! Every time you use one of your face brushes, you are dusting skin particles, oils and bits of underlying product onto your brush. Every time you re-use that brush without cleansing it, you are taking those old, dirty particles and putting them BACK onto your clean face! That's certainly one way to clog pores and help acne-causing bacteria burrow into your skin.

What is the proper way to cleanse my brushes?

There are many methods that you can use to cleanse your brushes -- it's all about figuring out what works for you! The most widely used method seems to be alternating between spot cleaning and deep cleaning. Spot cleaning is more of a surface-cleaning method that allows brushes to dry and be reused in a short time period. Deep cleaning is exactly that -- a method that really allows you to get out deep-seated dirt, but this requires more drying time and takes longer to do.

Spot Cleaning: To spot clean you will need a roll of paper towels, your dirty brushes, a brush cleanser of choice (I use MAC's brush cleanser, which is $11 for a big bottle), and a spray bottle (I got mine at CVS for $3). I use a spray bottle to dispense my product because I find that it allows me to use just the right amount without wasting any, which can happen if you just pour the product onto your paper towel.

First, tear off one sheet of paper towel and fold it into quarters. Next, spray the top 2/3 of your brush lightly with brush cleanser, spinning the brush in your hand as you go so that you are coating all sides of the brush. Then lightly rub your brush into the paper towel in a small circular motion, moving your hand around the towel to clean spots as you notice the color coming out of your brush. When swirling your brush results in nothing but clean towel, you know that you are done! With your larger brushes, I sometimes spritz and rub twice to remove all of the color -- as a rule of thumb, if that doesn't get the brush clean, it's probably a sign that your brush is in need of a deep cleaning.

Once your brush is clean, use your fingers to lightly re-shape the bristles and then lay your brush flat to dry. With spot cleaning, the drying process should take only about 5 minutes, and then you are good to put them away or use them again! Generally, I find that I use one side of the quartered paper towel to properly clean my large face brushes, but with smaller eye shadow brushes, I clean several of them on the same side of the towel (just use a clean spot each time). If you want to be more environmentally friendly and prefer not to use paper towels, an old rag or washcloth that is soft can also be used to spot clean. When you're done, you can just toss the rag into your hamper!

Deep Cleaning: To deep clean you will need a roll of paper towels (or an old rag), a gentle shampoo (I use Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo), a sink, and as an option, a clean kitchen sponge. To deep clean, I turn the sink on to lukewarm water and wet the brush, making sure that I don't get any water on the part where the metal meets the wooden handle (if water seeps in here, it can loosen the glue that holds the brush together and cause it to break faster). Once the brush is damp, I place a drop of the shampoo onto the wet kitchen sponge (you can just use the palm of your hand if you prefer) and gently massage the shampoo into the brush until it lathers up. In general, I use an amount proportionate to the brush size, so eye brushes get just a pea-sized dot of shampoo, whereas with larger brushes, I use a quarter-size or half-dollar size. While you are massaging the shampoo into the brush, you should start to notice the color coming to the surface and dripping into the sink. After about 30 seconds, gently rinse your brush under the warm water, squeezing slightly, until the water runs clean. For particularly dense brushes, I generally repeat this process to make sure I've gotten all of the residue out. Once the brush is clean, gently squeeze the water out, reshape the bristles with your fingers and lay the brush flat to dry (again, you want to avoid getting water into the base of the brush!).

Occasionally, air-dried brushes will slightly lose their shape, especially when it comes to larger blush brushes and angled, fluffy brushes. There is a company that sells brush guards that you can use to prevent this (available at http://www.thebrushguard.com/), or you can just watch Dusty Hunter's YouTube video that explains how to solve this issue using the paper towels you already have at home (watch his video here).

How often should I cleanse my brushes?

Generally, I spot clean my eye brushes every day, or every other day at the latest, depending on the use. If I just used my SS224 blending brush to blend out colors (but didn't dip it into any product), I'll wait to clean it until the second day. But other than that, I like to apply different colors every day, so I usually clean off the old product every night so my brushes are ready to go and fresh in the morning. I follow a somewhat similar rule when spot cleaning my face brushes, although here I'm a bit more lenient. I generally clean my blush, bronzer and foundation brushes every 1-2 days, but go a little longer with my powder brush since I use it with the same color every day (I thus clean it about every 3 days).

As for deep cleaning, I do this with my face brushes once a week, because I feel like spot cleaning still leaves a bit of makeup deep inside the brush, whereas I do it about once a month for my eye brushes, as I feel like the spot cleaning does a pretty good job on its own.

I've gotten a few questions as to whether or not cleansing your brushes daily is bad for them, and while I don't know definitively, I think this probably depends on whether you are spot or deep cleaning, and what product you are using. The reason I like MAC's brush cleanser is because it has conditioning treatments as well, so it keeps my brushes soft AND clean. I imagine that daily deep cleaning could dry out your brushes from the sulfates in the shampoo.

After cleansing...

After cleansing, it's up to you how you choose to store your brushes, but I would suggest doing so in some sort of container that is is separate from your makeup, and is in a small space reserved just for your brushes. The reason for the separate storage is so that your clean brushes don't mingle with the small bits of blusher, powder and shadow that inevitably sneak outside of their packaging and can dirty them. The small container reserved just for your brushes (i.e. a brush roll, glass jar, vase, a deep but narrow drawer) will help maintain their shape. For example, if you were to throw your brushes into a drawer with your hairbrush or some other bottles/containers, one of your brushes could wind up getting smushed in a corner or a bottle could get stuck in the bristles, causing them to splay out. Not good! As you'll recall from my initial Sigma brush review, you can purchase a nice faux-leather brush roll from their web site at http://www.sigmamakeup.com/ for $20 (it comes free with the Premium Professional Kit), or you can look for one in Sally Beauty Supply, or any other beauty supply store. Glass jars are obviously easy to find, and can make for a fun crafts project if you have a vanity to display them on!

I hope that you enjoyed this simple tutorial! Until next time, here's to clean, beautiful brushes!

Review: MURAD Acne Body Wash and Clarifying Body Spray

2010-07-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest, I hadn't really heard much about Murad until I wandered into ULTA one fine day looking for a body acne cure-all. As I've mentioned, I've suffered from acne on my back and chest for years, and have tried lots of products without results, but I'm so self-conscious about it that I never cease my searching! After the ULTA ladies recommended the Murad Acne Body Wash and Clarifying Body Spray, I went on to the Web site to do some research and found glowing reviews about how this is the one product that cures even the most stubborn body acne. Naturally, despite the price points ($39.50 and $37 respectively), I was sold.

The instructions tell you to begin with the body wash in the shower, rubbing it lightly into acne-prone areas and then rinsing well. The body wash feels like a typical exfoliating product with tiny beads that are supposed to cleanse and tone the skin. The smell is nothing special -- if anything it just smells clean -- and the product rinses without leaving a residue or dry, stripped feeling on the skin. Next, you're supposed to apply the clarifying body spray, which is the "treat and repair" step, 1 to 3 times daily, working with the level of dryness that occurs (both products have Salicylic Acid as their active ingredient, so it does warn that dryness can occur). Interestingly, despite having normal/combination-dry skin, I didn't suffer from intense dryness with this product and was able to use it 3 times a day without flaking or itching. That is certainly a plus! The other plus is that the body spray is designed such that it can be sprayed at angles or upside down, a feature that is supposed to help you reach areas like your back. I was advised that I should start seeing results within a week.

At first, I thought that I was starting to see results on my chest -- several of the large red pimples seemed to dry up and it looked as though there were generally fewer red spots. Unfortunately though, I wound up having trouble applying the products to my back, despite the specially designed bottle. Even though it sprays upside down, you wind up having to hold the bottle fairly close to your body, unless you want to douse your hair, sides and butt with the product too (!!), which means that you wind up getting a fairly concentrated application of the product (i.e. liquidy instead of a true mist), which then runs down your back! I don't mean to get too graphic here, but I certainly don't want the feeling of acne spray running down into my butt, which means that I have to stand there with a towel to catch the run off until the product dries. Very awkward!

Ater a few days, I ceased even trying to apply the product to my back, so I can't really talk to how it affected my acne there. Instead, I just continued applying the product to my chest daily for three weeks. And now comes the negative part. This stuff just did not work. After the initial signs of improvement, everything stalled or reverted! Yes, it did initially cause a few of my spots to go away, but it certainly did nothing to prevent new ones from forming! And even though I do think it helped to a degree, my chest was NEVER ONCE completely free of acne -- I always had at least 10 pimples/spots on my chest, so I still felt just as self-conscious as before, yet now I was $80 poorer. The one other positive thing that I can mention is that for the money, you really do get quite large sizes of the products -- 8.5 fl oz of the body wash and 4.3 fl oz of the spray.

At the end of the day, I wound up bringing the products back to ULTA for an exchange because I felt that for $80 my skin should have been COMPLETELY CLEAR, not just marginally improved. Now, I honestly think I am the first person to write a negative review about this product -- either that or they remove the negative reviews from the Murad web site because I couldn't find a one! It is quite possible that my skin is just extra stubborn and that this would work great on someone else. With that caveat in mind, I continue to suggest, as always, that with expensive products like these, you ask for samples and try them out before indulging in the full size.

And of course, if you have used this product and would like to share your experience (good or bad!) please leave a comment below!

To Recap:

Pros:

- Products have Salicylic Acid as their active ingredients, which is a proven acne-fighter

- The products are large sizes that will last you a long time

- I, personally, didn't notice that this product made my skin excessively dry or irritated

- The spray bottle is designed such that you can spray it while holding it sideways or upside down

Cons:

- It helped my acne marginally, but never completely cleared it up or made a noticeable difference! This is the BIGGEST con.

- The products are VERY expensive at $39.50 and $37 each

- The spray is actually very liquidy, unless you hold it at a far distance from you body, which creates run off

- Salicylic Acid can cause excessive dryness or irritation on some skin types

Murad products are sold online at the company Web site, www.murad.com, or at ULTA stores or online at www.ulta.com.

Review: NEW! Neutrogena Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover Lotion

2010-07-08T15:04:00.000-07:00

I have a love-hate relationship with makeup removers. I love what they do, but I hate the way they feel on my skin! First, there are those oily ones that make your whole face feel greasy as a slab of bacon. Then there are the non-oily ones that, despite being labeled as EYE makeup removers, somehow still manage to burn the crap out of your peepers if the product accidentally seeps in. And of course, I can't leave out the makeup remover wipes that cost more, run out faster, and if you're anything like me, cause your skin to be dry and itchy afterward. Yes, folks, I have tried many-a-makeup remover in my time, and the only one I ever discovered and liked (it was by Nivea) was discontinued several years ago. Alas, to Nivea's detriment, and my benefit, I've found a dupe in Neutrogena's New Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover LOTION. That's no mistake, this product does indeed have the consistency of a lotion, and after using it for about a week now, I can proudly say it has me in product heaven.

According to the packaging:

"This light, residue-free lotion gently dissolves your hard to remove eye makeup while conditioning your eye area. The unique formula quickly removes makeup -- even waterproof mascara -- yet is gentle enough to use daily. Plus, a replenishing blend of cucumber and aloe extracts helps smooth the look of dry lines and puffiness. Your skin will look clean and refreshed, feel soothed and hydrated."

The packaging also notes that while the product is called an eye makeup remover, it can also be used to remove your facial makeup.

Here's What I Think...

I haven't used this product with waterproof mascara yet, so I can't talk to that claim, AND it's hard to tell if it really affects the puffiness and fine lines since I'm using other products to battle that. BUT, those things aside, I really love everything about this product. Firstly, the product really does have the same consistency of a light, non-greasy lotion -- I just rubbed a dot into my hands and it had absorbed within about 20 seconds and left my skin feeling smooth and residue free. Secondly, you need SO LITTLE of this makeup remover to get the job done, meaning that the 3 oz bottle will last you a LONG time. As a point of reference, I used to need both sides of a cotton ball coated in makeup remover to totally get all the shadow, liner and mascara off one eye. Now I need just one cotton ball for BOTH eyes (one side for each) and I'm using only the tiniest dot of product (about 1/2 of a pea size). Thirdly, this product does NOT sting your eyes, which is always a plus, and the "hydrating" part is subtle enough that I'd even recommend this product for oily skin types. The only downside I can think to mention is that is doesn't have the nicest smell. It's certainly nothing pungent or repulsive, it just doesn't smell particularly great. By no means a reason not to try this product.

I purchased my tube at my local supermarket, so I'd venture to say you could probably find it at a nearby grocer or drugstore. Or, the Neutrogena store online is selling it for $6.99 (which I believe is what I paid, so it's good to know they aren't charging a markup!): http://tinyurl.com/27wm9nt. If you've tried this product, I'd love to hear what you thought of it in the comments section below!

To Recap:

Pros:

- Light, non-greasy formula absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling smooth without a residue

- Very little product is required to remove eye and face makeup easily and completely

- The product does not burn eyes!

- It's cheap! Just $6.99 for 3 oz of product.

- LOVE the lotion formula!

Cons:

- Smell isn't particularly appealing

NYX Eye Products Haul and Mini Review!

2010-07-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

When it comes to lower-end drugstore brands, I've always been a bit of a loyalist to the "big" brands -- you know, the L'Oreal's, Cover Girl's and Maybelline's of the world -- but the more I watch YT beauty videos, the more I realize how much I am missing out! In the last few months, I've started trying several other "drugstore brands" including Rimmel, NYC, Palladio, E.L.F. and of course, the extraordinarily popular, NYX. If you took a peak at my "Massive ULTA Haul" post, you might have seen that I recently tried NYX's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils, and although I haven't yet done a formal review on them, I'll tell you that I was really impressed with the quality, pigmentation and the PRICE!

A second thing you've probably learned about me thus far is that I am a complete bargain junkie. If you offer me a discount or a free product, I can almost never pass it up, and thus when ULTA began running a 30% off all NYX products sale last Sunday, I knew I wanted to go back and try more of their line. This time I focused on eye products, but the next time I have some extra bucks, I'm going to give their lip and blusher products a try (if you have any products you recommend, let me know!).

Let's start with the products that I really like:

NYX Single Eyeshadows

My only disappointment here was in ULTA's VERY limited selection of NYX single eyeshadows. If you go onto the NYX Web site (www.nyxcosmetics.com) you'll see that they have a huge variety of single shadows in their line, but ULTA carries only about 1/4 of the products (I gather for space reasons?). Needless to say I was really sad that they didn't have the one shade that I was most excited about purchasing: burgundy pearl! Instead, I opted for #15 Rust, which was the closest shade I could find to the burgundy pearl. It's a very pretty color and not entirely true to it's name (it's less orange than a true rust color and a little more pink, which I think is more flattering anyway). The other shade that I picked up was #154 volcano, which is a mid-tone brown with gold reflects -- a great crease color! Both are shimmer shades and were less than $5 each with the promotion!

NYX Eyeshadow Trios

Sometimes I like to pick up small palettes that I can use as a whole to create a look and then throw into my purse for mid-day touch ups. For this reason, I picked out #03, which comes with the neutral shades Nude, Taupe and Dark Brown. The nude color has more of a peach, rather than pink, base; the taupe color is honestly more of a camel shade to my eye, and the dark brown is a pretty true dupe for the Dark Brown Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil (and therefore a great choice to set with!).

Then I decided to be a bit daring and go with a palette that had some unusual nighttime shades. For this reason, I picked up #33, which comes with three ultra dark shimmery shades -- unfortunately, NYX doesn't give the individual shade names for these colors and just refers to the palette as a whole as Lake Moss. From left to right, you'll find a very dark plummy purple, a navy blue and a deep olive-toned green. All have a slight shimmer, but the green is the most glitter-packed of the three (although it's still very fine, not at all chunky).

NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette from The Runway Collection

I really loved several of these palettes, because they come with a number of coordinated shades that allow versatile, but matching looks. For starters, I decided to go with the most neutral of the palettes, which is #03 Champagne & Caviar. This palette contains 7 brown shades (I haven't swatched them all, but 3 appear to be matte, while the other 4 have some degree of shimmer), one pink shade, one white shade and one black shade. This palette is also the only one to come with a nice big mirror. :)

Now the sad part, the products that I didn't like!

NYX Glitter Cream Palettes

According to the NYX Web site, these palettes are gel-based and can be used on eyes, lips or face, so I was expecting a consistency similar to a cream shadow or glitter liner and boy was I wrong! Firstly, these are one of the only products that NYX sells entirely sealed, so there's no way to test out the consistency or pigmentation prior to purchasing. I picked up the #05 palette in Bronze Goddess and the #07 palette in Royal Violets. Once I got home and opened the Royal Violets palette, I was shocked to find that this is more like glitter with a little bit of cream instead of a cream shadow with some glitter. Literally, while brushing my finger across the product to swatch it, I got a fingertip FULL of CHUNKY, GRITTY glitter and absolutely no cream whatsoever.

When I tried applying this to my eye, there was RIDICLOUS FALL OUT and it got all over my eye, eyebrow, lower lid, cheek, etc. Not only that, but I cannot see how this product is eye safe, especially for contact-lens wearers. If a piece of that chunky glitter got into my eye, I would have no doubt that my cornea could get scratched! I was highly disappointed in these palettes and promptly brought them back to the store.

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder

The final NYX product that I tried was the eyebrow cake powder in their lightest shade, which is #06 Blonde, and unfortunately, even this was too dark for my eyebrows, and I have light brown brows! When I applied the lighter shade in the palette, I already noticed that it made my brows much too dark -- when I looked in the mirror all you could see was brows! Even when I tried using just the brow gel without the powder, it deepened the color rather than just making it look clean and uniform. What I did like about this product was that you were given both a little spooli and a small brush, plus two eyebrow shades AND an eyebrow gel. Truth be told, if I had darker hair or skin, I probably would have liked this product, but their shade range just doesn't work for my skintone, and therefore probably wouldn't work for most blondes, despite the name!

And that concludes my very first NYX eye product haul. I hope you enjoyed and look forward to hearing what your favorite NYX products are!

Benefit Tri-Product Review: That Gal, High Beam and Dr. Feelgood!

2010-07-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

Since buying and enjoying Benefit's Erase Paste concealer about five weeks ago, I've been itching to do a bit more exploring within the line, but have hesitated because of the high-end price points and small product sizes. Over the last two weeks, however, ULTA (my retailer of choice!) held promotions where Benefit purchases came with free samples, so I figured this would be the perfect time to try a whole range of products for a lower price (the three full-size items that I purchased -- That Gal, High Beam and Dr. Feelgood -- are the focus of this review; the four samples that I received -- Stay Don't Stray, Benetint, Bad Gal Lash and a cream shadow in RSVP -- will be reviewed soon!).

That Gal

According to the Benefit Web site, That Gal is a brightening face primer that creates the look of smoother skin. The product is supposed to be so versatile that you can use it alone, under foundation or throughout the day as a pick-me-up.

I'll start by saying that the packaging is adorable, but that seems to be one of Benefit's strengths as a whole! The tube comes in a beautiful hexagonal box with a New York City Central Park design, so coupled with the cutesy name "That Gal" it automatically reminds me of chic city style. The tube itself is a bit bigger than a lipstick tube (I'd compare it to the NYC Blushable Creamsticks) and has a windy bottom that you turn to bring the product to the top. The cream comes out almost like a gel deodorant and you're then supposed to use your fingers to swipe the product off the top and apply it in upward motions onto your face.

The first thing I noticed about the product is that it is pink (!!) and smells like candy. It's also very lightweight to the touch and absorbs quickly into the skin. The first day I tried this, I wanted to see what the product would do for my skin without the benefit of foundation or powder, since it is mentioned that it can be used alone. Here is where my disappointment began. After applying a decent amount all over my face, I stared at myself for a minute, waiting for the brightening, smoothing effects to begin. NOTHING HAPPENED! My skin looked EXACTLY the same -- no smoother, no brighter, and with absolutely no coverage at all.

The second day, I decided to try this as a primer since Benefit does refer to it as such, so I applied it underneath my foundation and periodically checked my face throughout the day to see if my makeup had more staying power. Zilch. Not only did I (again) not see a brightening or smoothing effect, but my makeup also wore off at the exact same rate as normal.

By now, I was getting disgusted. What does this product actually DO for $28? When I got home from work, I decided I would give it one last shot and apply it over my day's makeup to see if that had an effect. Lo and behold, it worked! That Gal did indeed restore a glow to my somewhat tired-looking face AND made my skin appear smoother. I found the magic to using this product! For a moment, I was excited, but then I got to thinking. Why is this product called a PRIMER if it doesn't PRIME anything? And do I really need a $28 product that only works AFTER I apply all of my makeup? Probably not. That same glowy look could easily be accomplished with any cream highlighter or tinted moisturizer. FAIL (and a swift return to ULTA)!

Dr. Feelgood

(My apologies for using a stock photo -- I returned this one before I had a chance to photograph it. So thanks to the Benefit web site for this pic!) I blame this fail on myself, because I should have spent more time looking at the sample before exchanging my That Gal for the Dr. Feelgood, but I was in a rush and I am so desperate to find a GOOD foundation primer/smoothing product (please share your recommendations if you have any!). According to Benefit, Dr. Feelgood is a velvety complexion balm that smooths the appearance of fine lines and mattifies shine. Now, I'll give Benefit the credit on this one because it did indeed make my skin feel and look smoother, but seriously guys, this stuff is glorified Vaseline minus a bit of the goop. It smells sorta like Vaseline, it looks exactly like Vaseline (a pale jelly) and feels almost exactly the same (as I said, just a little smoother and less goopy). Now, we all know how BAD it is to put Vaseline on your skin, despite the smoothing effects (it's known to close off and clog pores, plus some argue that the petroleum has cancer-causing effects [I don't have proof for or against this latter claim]), and for me Dr. Feelgood had similar stifling effects on my skin (I swiftly broke out on my cheeks where I placed the product)! This item, like That Gal, is also $28, and if I really wanted a smoothing effect and didn't mind the pore-clogging bit, I could head to my local drugstore and get the same benefits with a $3 jar of Vaseline.

Third time's the charm with High Beam

So by now I was starting to doubt my affections for Benefit, but because I received free samples with my original purchase, I was forced to continue trading for new Benefit products (lest I wanted to return my free samples, which I was still itching to try). This time, I was determined to find something I liked because I think the ULTA staff were starting to recognize me as the girl who buys and promptly returns Benefit products. After spending some time playing with the samples, I was down to swapping for either the Hoola bronzer, Coralista blush or High Beam highlighter and I settled on the latter as I already have quite a few bronzers and blushers, but don't have any highlighting creams yet.

Finally, I've found a product that I like! The packaging on this one is quite a bit less creative than with That Gal or Dr. Feelgood -- as a matter of fact it looks almost exactly like a nail polish and I'd probably mistake it for one if I didn't know better. The top screws off and you even have a polish-like applicator -- what I like about this is it makes for very precise application. This morning I used this product on my cheekbones and down the middle of my nose, but you can also use it as a brow bone highlight, on your temples, or under your eyes to brighten up those spots. The tiny point of the wand makes it easy to dot either a teensy tiny amount or give a good swipe across your face, depending on how much product you want to use. My only suggestion is to start slow, because although it may not look like much in the bottle, this baby packs a LOT of shimmer once blended. You can always layer it on, but it's a bit of a hassle to wipe off since you are generally applying it over other makeup products. The full-size High Beam is only marginally cheaper than the other two products at $24, but will last you a long time since you use only a tiny bit each day. The other plus is that the Benefit Web site (www.benefitcosmetics.com) sells a sample size of this product for $10, so you can try before you buy!

Before and After Blending

I hope that you've enjoyed my Benefit Review-a-Thon! What is your favorite product from the Benefit line and why? I always love suggestions for new things to try!

RAVE Review: Sigma Makeup Premium Professional and Complete Kits (27 brushes in all!)

2010-07-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

**BE FOREWARNED: I wanted to be thorough, so this is a VERY LONG BLOG POST. Please feel free to skip around a bit and read only the bits that are most applicable to your queries, or if you'd like more detail on a particular brush, just leave your question in the comments section. Thanks!**

If you've read any of my other reviews on Beauty Babble, you'll know that I'm an incredibly honest blogger. I'm not one of those women who blog only when I love a product, because I personally find both positive and negative reviews to be helpful when I'm teetering over whether or not to buy a product (sometimes the odd negative review among a sea of positive reviews is actually more helpful!). Thus, I hope you'll take my word for it when I do write the odd "Rave" review, because it means I really, truly love the product and would highly recommend it. This is how I feel about my Sigma Makeup brushes.

Now, although I've been a beauty addict for years, I never spent a lot of money on brushes in the past, mostly because I didn't realize what a difference professional-grade brushes could make. I often settled for the "Gift With Purchase" brushes that I'd haphazardly receive every once in a while, or I'd "splurge" for a cheapy set and kick myself when the rough bristles scratched my skin or when the handle quickly fell off. It wasn't until last summer that I started looking at more expensive brushes -- I purchased two from Laura Mercier with a gift card I had been given and was wowed by the difference in softness and application. Only problem? Each brush was $30-$50 and at that rate, I'd have a collection of brushes but no money to buy makeup to use with them!

Then I was introduced to Sigma through the YouTube beauty community and after watching countless reviews, I was convinced that I had to try them. Today I want to add to those fantastic reviews because I am an incredibly satisfied customer and would recommend Sigma brushes to anyone who asked (I already convinced one of my friends, who is a fellow beauty blogger, to buy the face kit!). In summary, Sigma Brushes are professional quality, luxury makeup brushes at bargain prices.

The Review

One of the only negative things about Sigma is that they don't sell all of their brushes individually -- I mention this only because it was the caveat that pushed me to purchase BOTH their Premium and Complete kits (there were specific brushes in each that caught my eye). In reality, I think it's exactly what Sigma wants to hear, although, it is worth it to note that they are beginning to sell their most popular brushes separately. In total, my order consisted of 27 eye and face brushes, plus their amazingly soft, leather-like brush roll. With shipping, I paid roughly $225, which seems like a lot, but when you consider that it breaks down to less than $10 a brush, it feels much more reasonable -- even more so if you imagine the cost of purchasing 27 MAC brushes, which these brushes are comparable to (over $800!). (Also please note that I know you probably aren't supposed to cram all 27 brushes into the one brush roll, but I don't have an alternate set-up at the moment and this worked because the faux-leather stretches!)

Face Brushes

Since I have 27 brushes to review, I'm not going to go into immense detail for each specific brush. Rather, I've categorized them by use and will share my general thoughts on which I find to be the best in the bunch. In this first image moving from left to right, you'll find your standard blush brush (SS129), the angled blush brush (SS168), small rounded stippling brush (SS131), large round blush/face brush (SS150) and your large paddle-shaped face brush (SS134). The left two come in the Complete Kit, whereas the right three are part of the Premium Kit and the SS150 is one of the brushes that can be purchased separately. Overall, I find that I reach for the left three more than the right two. The two largest brushes tend to shed the most in the whole kit, plus I find them too large for precise application of blush or bronzer -- in my opinion, they are best suited to a light all-over dusting of powder, but in that case you certainly don't need two brushes for that purpose. The blush and contouring/tapered brushes are fairly standard, which leaves the stippling brush as my favorite from this group. The white synthetic bristles are the ULTIMATE in soft, which makes this brush perfect for blending out creme blush or a slightly heavy handed bronzer application. Love it!

In this group, you have your standard stippling brush (SS187, also sold separately), a small tapered brush (SS165), a large tapered brush (SS138) and your standard foundation brush (SS190). Of these four, I find little use for the two tapered brushes in the middle. Apparently, they are best used for highlighting or contouring, but I've found the big brush to be too big and the little brush too small to do this appropriately (I have a case of Goldilocks here). The stippling brush is just as soft as its tapered twin, and although it's a fine brush for foundation application, I find the bristles slightly too sparsely packed, which leads me to believe I waste a good deal of product because it doesn't all sit on the top of the brush (the good news here is that Sigma is now selling two alternatives to this brush, the SS188 small duo fibre brush and the SS197 flat top synthetic kabuki, either of which I believe would make for a better foundation brush). The stippling brush is also a nice alternative for blushes and bronzers if you want a lighter application. From this group, I use the far right foundation brush the most and find it to be good for blending; however, I have two complaints about this brush. Firstly, it's really hard to deep clean, so I always feel like there is a bit of residue left on the brush (to be honest, this happens with most brushes of this shape and texture, so it's probably not fair to blame Sigma for this). Secondly, it is my only brush that has started to show a loosened handle. This could perhaps be due to using the brush every single day, but I am a little disappointed to see it showing wear already. From this lot, your outer two brushes come in the Complete Kit and the inner two come in the Premium Kit..

The three brushes shown here are all varieties of concealer brushes. From left you have the medium sized SS195, the large SS192 and the small SS194. From this lot, only the smallest concealer brush comes in the Complete Kit. It is also the one that I reach for the most because I find it to be the perfect size for getting right under the eyelashes to cover up dark circles and bags. It's also perfect for dotting concealer on top of blemishes that you don't want to enrage by distributing extra oils from the touch of your fingers. I find the medium size brush useful for covering up slightly larger areas, but probably would have left the largest brush aside if I were buying these individually.

Eye Brushes

More so even than the face brushes, I love, love, love Sigma's collection of Eye brushes! From left in this photo you have the small liquid eye liner brush (SS210), the medium liquid eye liner brush (SS209), the angled eye liner/brow brush (SS266), the lip brush (SS316) and the flat-top liner brush (SS212). The medium liner brush and angled brush come in the Complete Kit, while the other three come in the Premium Kit. Of this lot, I reach most for the angled and flat top liner brushes, but because I don't use gel eyeliners, I find them better for shading in my brows, blending eye liner or applying wet/cream shadows as liners. Due to the nature of the brushes and their purposes, these are a little more stiff to the touch.

This next group contains two of my favorite brushes in the whole kit (the middle two!). From left to right you have the tapered shadow brush (SS226), the large blending brush (SS224), the small shader brush (SS214) and the large shader brush (SS227). Only the blending brush comes in the Complete Kit from this group. While I like the tapered brush as a crease brush, I don't find that it does anything so different from the SS217 or SS222 (which are coming up), and all three come in the Premium Kit so it seems a little superfluous. The 224 Blending Brush is BY FAR the best brush in the kit. It is incredibly soft and requires almost no pressure to effortlessly blend away harsh lines. The small shader brush is my favorite for packing on a lid color or applying a subtle highlight. The large shader brush I could probably do without, as I find it to be TOO big unless you are applying one shade ALL OVER the lid and brow bone.

My apologies for the poor picture quality on this one as the goat hair brushes are nearly the exact same color as my background. From left to right we have a tapered blending brush (SS222), and then the full- and travel-sized SS217 blending brushes (the travel sized 217 came as a free gift with purchase). Honestly, these three brushes are SO similar that you certainly don't need tham all, yet these are all included in the Premium Kit. I do find them to be excellent crease brushes, but as mentioned earlier, don't really see the need for these PLUS the black tapered crease brush.

This final lot of brushes contains four brushes that I use almost every single day. From left to right we have the angled shadow brush (SS275), the pencil brush (SS219), the medium shader brush (SS239) and the large shadow brush (SS252). From this set, all four come with the Complete Kit. The right two brushes are wonderful for packing shadow onto the lid, although the SS252 is actually made out of more concealer-brush like fibers. This also makes it a good choice for loose and/or creme shadows. The pencil brush is a great alternative for precise crease application or for applying shadow to your lower lash line. Finally, the angled shader brush is yet another alternative for blending shadows into the crease or applying highlight colors.

A word about the brush roll...

If you are ordering the Premium Kit, the brush roll is included; however if you are ordering just the Complete Kit, you'll have to pay an extra $20 for it. The question then becomes: is it worth it? Firstly, I want to mention that it is certainly of a VERY nice quality -- the faux-leather is incredibly soft and very easy to clean. The roll also has a magnetized snap closure, which keeps your brush roll from falling open if you pick it up from the wrong side. This can also come in handy if you want to take your brushes on frequent travels or if you don't plan to buy any additional individual Sigma brushes. HOWEVER -- if you plan to buy multiple Sigma kits, generally store your brushes on a vanity or have a myriad of brushes from other brands, I would not pay the extra $20 just for the brush roll. There are only enough spaces (technically) for 15 brushes and if you stuff more than that into it (as I did), the faux-leather will stretch such that you will never be able to store just 15 brushes in there any longer because the spaces become too big to hold just one brush (this can also happen if you accidentally put the brushes back in the wrong places). Furthermore, it personally frustrates me to have to dig through a brush roll AND pull brushes from separate containers (since I have several brands) every morning. Just a thought to ponder!

My final musings

In the end, as I said, I absolutely LOVE my Sigma brushes and would buy both kits again in a heartbeat. Even when I go back and force myself to eliminate the brushes that I care less for, I find that I'm left with a good mix of brushes from each kit (9 from the Complete Kit, 7 from the Premium Kit), which allows me to rationalize my purchase decision. ;) Sigma Brushes can be purchased online directly from their Web site at http://www.sigmamakeup.com/. If you own Sigma Brushes, please leave a comment letting me know which are your favorite brushes. And if you're just contemplating a purchase, please leave your questions below! Until next time...

Book Review: My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

2010-07-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to this book through a review in Marie Claire magazine (I think! It might have been Glamour) a couple of months ago and I immediately knew that I wanted to read it. The story is about reincarnation at its soul (no pun intended), but rest assured it's neither religious nor preachy, so I wouldn't let that be an impediment unless you're staunchly against the idea of people having multiple lives. The basic plot revolves around Daniel Grey and his love for Lucy Broward, only this is no typical love story. You see, Daniel and Lucy first fell in love thousands of years ago in their first lives, and have just reconnected in the present day. How is this possible, you ask? Well, Daniel possesses the special ability to remember all of his past lives and can even recognize souls in their new bodies. He's thus been chasing Lucy throughout time, and acting ast the catalyst for their love to endure. The problem is that Lucy does not have the same memory that Daniel does, so with each new life it becomes his quest to find her soul and remind her of their everlasting love.

The story takes the reader through multiple geographies, cultures and periods in time, most notably the Byzantine Empire, World War I, and 60s/70s, as Daniel chronicles his many lives, families, joys and even deaths. The chapters alternate between Daniel and Lucy's past and present, allowing Lucy's awakening to evolve slowly as the reader comes to understand the pleasures and consequences brought on by Daniel's "gift." The best part is perhaps the cliff hanger ending, which, although it's a bit frustrating as you develop an innate desire to wrap up all of the loose ends, is also a plus because it means Ann Brashares is out there penning an equally beautifully written sequel. I know I will be first in line to read it! (Keep in mind, I have no confirmation that there is in fact a sequel planned; rather I just assume there is given the way the book ended.) You also might be interested to know that this book was optioned to become a film, so there's a chance that we could be seeing a big-screen version sometime soon!

In my opinion, you'll like this book if:

- You are fascinated by historical fiction

- You like science-fiction "lite" (this is not as "out there" as Twilight, but it certainly has a sci-fi bend)

- You enjoy writing that "shows" rather than "tells": Brashares writes very fluidly, with lots of descriptors

- You like love stories, but don't care for the gaudy and cheesy sex scenes in romance novels
- You're a fan of The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants -- this is the same author!

Naturally, My Name is Memory is sold wherever books are sold; however, because it's new, it's only in hardcover right now and retails for nearly $25. If possible, see if your local library has received a copy yet -- mine had!

Bath & Body Works, Fragrance and Skincare Haul!

2010-07-03T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is another collective haul from the month of June, but this time I've lumped together all of the skincare and fragrance products that I've purchased. Some of these products I'll do a review on over the next few days, so stay tuned if you're interested in learning more!

Bath and Body Works

If you haven't already noticed, Bath & Body Works is currently holding a HUGE "Hello, Yellow" sale online and in stores where all of their products are drastically reduced or on promotion. As I mentioned in my June Favorites blog, the last time I went I was taken in by their "Buy 3, Get 3 Free" promotion on their signature collection items. I am a huge lotion junkie because of my dry skin, so I love to stock up on sweet smelling creams when they're on sale (I find it great to keep one at work, one in the car, one at home and a travel size in my purse!). Right away, I grabbed a bottle of my favorite Bath & Body Works scent, Sweet Pea, and then picked up Midnight Pomegranate, which I've also liked for some time. Then I decided to try two new scents, I Love You and Deep Aqua, both of which, I think I saw were being discontinued. So I guess even if I love them, I'm out of luck! In general, I find B&BW lotions to be great "spot" treatments if you will, i.e. for dry hands after washing them or for rough spots on elbows and knees, but I still generally supplement with a fragrance free "deep" moisturizer after showering (like Lubriderm). In addition to the four lotions shown here, I also got the Summer Vanillas Coconut lotion and body spray, as mentioned in my June Favorites.

Fragrances

I picked up this Michael Kors Very Hollywood fragrance set way back when during my first CCO haul at the beginning of June, but I've been waiting for the right occasion to blog about it! Overall, I love the fragrance for the summer, but definitely think it's one of those perfumes where a single spritz held a few inches away from the body is enough (I accidentally sprayed it too close to my face the first time and inhaled some of it and was then sneezing for the next hour!). Also, although I'm happy with the Eau de Toilette, I actually don't like the body lotion from the set at all because it's a HIGHLY concentrated version of the fragrance, which makes it almost unbearably heavy smelling on my skin. I'm thinking of selling it on eBay and making back some of my money, because even though this was at a CCO, the set still cost $52!

The second fragrance that I got this month is the Dark Amber and Ginger Lily Cologne by English retailer Jo Malone (although primarily a UK brand, I noticed that my local Bloomingdale's had a new Jo Malone boutique in the store, and they also have a US-based site with currencies in dollars, so it's certainly not difficult to get over in the states). I was first introduced to this fragrance by Ingrid (MissGlamorazzi) and Fleur (FleurdeForce) on YouTube, both of whom raved about the "sunscreen" scent. Now, some may find wearing a sunscreen-like fragrance a bit odd, but I have actually always loved the coconut scent of tanning oils (which I don't dare actually use on my fair skin), so I absolutely love this scent. I spray it on and it immediately reminds me of the beach and vacations! The only downside is that this makes it a clearly summer fragrance that would probably smell funny if you wore it in the winter (and I guess the other downside is that it's VERY expensive...$55 for 30ml).

Murad

It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I've been suffering from chest and back acne for years now, despite washing my body with fragrance free soaps and switching up my routine so I wash my hair before I wash my body (I was told that the residues from shampoos/conditioners can cause acne if you are washing your hair just before getting out of the shower). A few weeks ago, I was browsing around ULTA (on one of my many trips!) and I asked if there were any products that were recommended to treat this type of body acne. The woman recommended two products by Murad, an acne clearing body wash and a spray. I don't want to go into much detail here, because I plan to do a full review of these products soon, so for now just remember that I've bought them, tried them over the last three weeks and am excited to share my experience. Together, the products are ~$80 so definitely not cheap!

Other Random Products

I've talked about my fair skin many-a-time, but have never talked about sunscreens, which I truly believe are SO important to wear when you plan to be out in the sun for any length of time. In general, I'm not very brand loyal when it comes to sunscreens (I usually buy whatever is cheap, high SPF and smells good!), so last time I was in Wal-Mart I picked up this Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Lotion Sunscreen in SPF 30. I decided to try it because in addition to sunscreen it also contains skin-nourishing antioxidants , so it will make your skin feel smooth instead of the typical greasy, sticky sunscreen feeling. It also has that amazing coconut smell that I love and was less than $8!

As a complement to the sunscreen and my very pale skin that I don't like to tan (I don't want premature sagging or wrinkles!), I also picked up the Jergens Natural Glow daily moisturizer with Firming in the fair to medium skin tones range. As I'm sure you all know, this stuff is supposed to gradually build a tan over a week. I'm a little skeptical, but willing to give this a try. Usually, I'm terrified of tanning products because I'm bad at applying them and a streaky orange look is almost worse than uniform pale legs! I will use this over the next few days and let you know how it goes.

The final product that I recently picked up that I am SO excited to try is the new Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Lotion in the hydrating formula. In addition to removing even waterproof mascara, this product is supposed to soothe and condition the eye area, helping reduce puffiness and fine lines (which by now you know is a definite concern of mine!). In general, I really love lotion formulas for makeup removal -- I used to be obsessed with one made by Nivea until they sadly discontinued it, and since then I've been stuck with the oily fluid kinds that either make my whole face greasy or burn my eyes like crazy! This is another product that I will be reporting on shortly!

That's it for now! Stay tuned for more reviews and hauls coming up soon! :)

Nail (and toe!) of the Day: Essie's Cute As a Button and Tangerine

2010-07-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

Today I indulged in a rare treat: a manicure and pedicure at the spa! Since my birthday is in a couple of weeks, my mom treated me and I decided to go for a coral look on both my nails and toes. I used Essie polishes on both: Cute as a Button on the fingers (pictured above and in the bottle below) and Tangerine on the toes (just pictured in the bottle below as it's quite awkward to take a close-up picture of your feet!) since I never like to have the same exact color on my nails and toes. Instead, I do try to choose shades in the same family. Cute as a Button is a much truer, bright peachy coral, whereas Tangerine is a much deeper, richer almost orange coral. What are your favorite polishes for the summer season?

Cute as a Button Tangerine

Both polishes can be purchased online at Essie.com or at your local beauty supply store. (Thanks to Essie.com for the photos!)

MASSIVE ULTA Haul!

2010-07-02T13:30:00.000-07:00

I've decided that ULTA is my worst enemy and my best friend at the same time. Every single time I walk in there, I am tempted by some amazing "Sale of the Week" and I wind up buying more products than I intended. Case in point: I was randomly browsing the ULTA site and saw that NYX Jumbo Eye Shadow pencils were Buy 1, Get One 50% off. Of course then I couldn't decide which colors to get, so I bought six. And then there was last week's sale where you got three free Benefit samples with any $25 purchase, so of course I had to buy the "That Gal" brightening face primer so that I could get the samples (which probably cost the company $2 to make!). Let's face it, I'm an ULTA (and cosmetics) addict.

Of course, now comes the fun part: sharing all of my purchases with you! Keep in mind that I did NOT purchase all of this in one trip, rather it's compiled from all of my ULTA visits in the month of June (and truth be told, I know it probably doesn't justify getting this much product anyway, although I will throw it out there that I used a lot of coupons and bought most of this when it was on sale or came with a freebie!). Ok, let's get on with it!

Benefit

I'm a fairly new consumer of the Benefit line, so there are a lot of products from the brand that I haven't yet tried. I did try the Erase Paste at the end of May, so this month (as mentioned above), I decided to try the "That Gal" brightening face primer for $28 which, according to the Benefit site, is supposed to "take your complexion from dull to darling!" and make your skin look brighter and smoother whether applied with or without foundation. I tried this for the first time today in place of my foundation, and honestly didn't feel like my skin looked much smoother or brighter, although the candy smell was delicious and the silky consistency felt nice on my dry skin. I'm going to try this tomorrow under my foundation and see if it makes a difference.

Since I bought the primer, I also got a pretty pink sachet filled with samples of Benefit's "Bad Gal Lash" mascara (retails for $19 full size, which feels pretty expensive for a black mascara), "Stay Don't Stray" primer for concealors and eyeshadows (retails for $24 at full size, so unless this is better than Urban Decay's Primer Potion, which sells for $18, I doubt I'll repurchase) and a creasless cream shadow/liner in the color R.S.V.P. (which is a sparkling champagne color according to the Benefit site and retails for $19). I haven't tried any of these free products yet, but will do a big Benefit review once I have!

Bourjois

Bourjois has actually been a favorite line of mine for a long time -- they used to have a counter in Macy's and were my preferred brand for bronzers, but then the counter closed and I had been told the line was being discontinued altogether (a lie!). You can imagine my fervor, then, when I saw that the line was carried at my local ULTA! Alas, this love affair was just not meant to be -- during my last ULTA trip, I saw that all Bourjous cosmetics were 75% off and the shelves had been cleared out, apparently to make way for a new brand. Naturally, I was sad, but my sadness quickly turned to happiness when I realized I could indulge my Bourjois fetish for 25% of the retail price due to the sale! I wound up picking up three Little Round Pot eye shadows in 16 Ambre Nude, a shimmery peachy nude that is great for a highlight or lid color, 08 Beige Rose, which is a matte champagne color and 72 Violet Absolu, which is a really pretty pearly purple (these retail for $17 each and I got them for $3.50!). Then I also got a Little Round Pot blush in 33 Lilas D'Or, which is a deep shimmery rose shade with gold reflects (retails for $19 and I got it for $3.50!) and I picked up my very first liquid eyeliner EVER (hard to believe, I know), called Liner Clubbing in 81 Absolute Black (retails for $20, I got it for $4).

NYX

I feel like NYX is getting a TON of buzz lately for being a high-end-like, low-end brand, so of course I had to give it a try. I decided to pick up some Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils first, since they are a popular product and were Buy 1, Get One 50% off at ULTA.com last week (I wound up getting 6 pencils for $20!). The shades I got were 608 Cottage Cheese, a very shimmery highlight shade, 605 Strawberry Milk, a very pretty pearly pink, 610 Oyster, a purple-pink with silver metallic reflects, 611 Yogurt, a bronze-gold brown, 617 Iced Mocha, a mid-tone deep gold brown and 602 Dark Brown, which really is just a matte dark brown as the name says. I tried a couple of these on my eyes this morning, and found that I really liked the texture, but they didn't show up very well in daylight (I did my makeup in the bathroom this morning, so dull lighting may have been the culprit). I'm going to continue using them over the next few days, both alone and as bases, and will report out my findings soon!

Random Brands

Four more to go! As I've made obvious throughout my ramblings on this blog, I'm a sucker for a good deal, so I was really excited to pick up this 3-color "It Girl" Stila eyeshadow palette for just $10! ULTA claims that this is a $54 value (and actually, the same is reiterated on the Stila site), but I don't quite believe that now that I have browsed the Stila site and see that they actually sell many three and four-color eyeshadow palettes for $10-$15 at $50+ "values." Regardless, the colors are really pretty for a daytime look: Lame (there is supposed to be an accent on the "e," it's not that they named an eyeshadow "lame") is a shimmery pink, Chloe is a light bronze/brown and Kitten is a shimmery yellow/gold.

Next, I picked up the Too Faced "The Bronzed and The Beautiful" bronzing kit (and used my $4 ULTAmate rewards coupon to ease the hefty price tag of $35). It comes with each of Too Faced's "best selling" bronzers in Snow Bunny, Sun Bunny and Pink Leopard. You also get a flat-topped kabuki brush, which is SUPER soft. What I liked about this kit was the chance to try three different bronzer shades without the hefty cost of buying a full-size of each (sold separately they are $28 each, so to buy three would be $84!), and truth be told, even though the pans are clearly smaller than full-size products, they are still big enough to last you a REALLY long time!

Last, but not least, I picked up two mascaras. I had never actually tried a Lash Blast mascara by Cover Girl, so I decided to pick up the Lash Blast Fusion in Black/Brown since it was 30% off. Apparently this is supposed to help you achieve volume PLUS length (I guess I don't understand why anyone would want volume without length or vice versa). Then I also got the Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous in Brownish Black. I had previously tried the regular Lash Stiletto and liked it, but this one has a new curvy kind of wand that I thought might make for interesting application (this was also 30% off!).

And that's the end (for now!) :) Have you gotten any great ULTA products lately? Let me know in the comments section!

June Favorites!

2010-07-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to my very first favorites post! Of all the beauty videos I watch on YouTube (and I watch more than I probably should), monthly "Favorites" vlogs are, well, my favorites! In my opinion, it's so much fun to see what other products my fellow makeup fanatics are loving each month, and it gives me ideas for things I'd like to try. For length purposes (since this is a blog and not a video), I've restricted my favorites to seven items in haircare, skincare, makeup, perfume and more! Enjoy and leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite products are this month!

Hair Care Favorite: Coloresse Rescue Treatment Masque

If you'd like to see my full review on the Coloresse line of haircare products, go here. I've been using this system for about 7 months now and have really loved what the products have done for my hair, but it wasn't until June that I decided to try the deep conditioner, which is called the "Rescue Treatment Masque" (according to the bottle it "revives dry, weak color-treated hair with sunflower seed extract, vitamin E and vegetable protein plus natural oils and silicones"). I use the blue bottles, which are supposedly for "severely dry and damaged hair," so I'm not sure if a similar deep conditioner is sold in the other colors/hair types. As I said in my overall review of the brand, my hair is certainly a bit dry and damaged from coloring it, but I wouldn't go so far as to say the damage is severe and yet I find these products to be perfect for me. I've been using the deep conditioner every other time I wash my hair instead of my traditional conditioner. I usually smooth the product all over my hair, comb through it with a wide-toothed shower comb and then let it sit for another 2-3 minutes before rinsing it out. The results are immediate and amazing! In the shower, my hair feels SO soft and silky, and when I blow dry it, I notice that my hair is much smoother and shinier than the days I don't use it. I also haven't noticed any additional greasiness in conjunction with this product, which is good because sometimes overconditioning can do that. I'm actually tempted to use it EVERY time I shower because of how much I love it!

Skincare Favorite: Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream

I purchased this product about a month ago and wanted to make sure I used it for a good long time before posting a review. Now, since the timing worked out, I decided I'd just include it in my monthly favorites! Although not a miracle worker, I am really enjoying this product, especially given the pricepoint compared to most eye creams (it's usually around $12, but I just found one in the clearance rack at my local supermarket for $6). After about four weeks of use, I've definitely noticed a clear change in my undereye circles and bags. The most obvious result is a lessening in the puffiness of the bags under my eyes, although my dark circles are noticeably lighter as well. The one thing I can't say I've noticed any change in is the fine lines under my eyes. Somehow I think I'd need a much more dramatic procedure to help that! What I've been doing is applying a pea sized amount under my eye and all over my eyelid every morning and night after applying my moisturizer (it doesn't say whether to apply it under or over your moisturizer, so I just do it last). The tube is just .5 fl oz, but because you're using such a small amount, it should last a long time. Makes me curious as to whether or not some of the other Garnier skincare products are as good! If you've tried any (and have liked or disliked them), please let me know in the comments section!

Fragrance Favorite: Bath & Body Works Summer Vanillas "Coconut" Fragrance Mist

If you didn't know already, Bath & Body Works has been having a HUGE sale the last few weeks with almost all of their products on some sort of promotion (discontinued fragrances/lotions are more than 50% off, all soaps were $3-$4 each and they had an amazing offer on their signature collection items where if you bought any three you got three free!). I prefer B&BW products over Lush products, so this sale drew me in and I immediately gravitated to the Summer Vanillas products because I love sweet, light scents. When I saw that they had Coconut/Vanilla, I was sold! I think coconut is the perfect summer scent because it automatically brings up vacation/beach/sun imagery and totally relaxes me! I'm not really sure how this product is any different from their permanent line of body sprays, except perhaps that it's a seasonal product. The overall lightness of the scent is the same that you would expect from a body splash. The bottle comes with 8 fl oz of product for $12.50 (but I got mine free because of the sale!). I also bought the matching body lotion and love that too!

Lipstick and Lipgloss Favorites: MAC's Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick and MAC's Elle lipglass

I've recently become sort of obsessed with lipsticks -- for summer it just feels so fun and daring to do a bright, bold lip. Unfortunately, I already have several bright pink lipsticks, so I didn't want to spend money for Viva Glam Gaga (which I actually think is too light for my very fair skin), so the last time I went to MAC I opted for the Viva Glam Cyndi instead and I LOVE IT! It's the perfect shade of red for my skintone -- not too vampy, but still bold. I especially love that it's so versatile and can be layered on for night or toned down for day. When I want to wear this to work, I find that Elle lipglass is a perfect complement as it's more white/clear, so it doesn't really add much color, just softens up the red a bit and makes it super shimmery (not glittery). A great combo!

Random Favorite: MAC's 181SE brush

I got this brush last month as part of a kit from my local CCO, so I'm honestly not sure if this is even available for sale through regular MAC stores any more, but I just had to rave about it, because it's probably my favorite kabuki brush ever! What I like about it, is that it's very soft, very densely packed and small. I had been previously using a Laura Mercier angled kabuki brush to buff in powders, but found that the big size made me apply the product unevenly because I couldn't effectively concentrate on a small area at a time. This brush size, on the other hand, really makes for precise application!

Eyeshadow Favorite: MAC's Mineralize Eyeshadow in Love Connection

Guys, this is seriously one of my FAVORITE summer shadows and I have been reaching for it almost every day as an all-over-my-eyelid color and/or highlight. It may not look like much in the pan, but when the two sides are blended together, it makes for a perfectly sparkly champagne color that gives your eye an effortless glow. It's also incredibly versatile and blends with almost any brown, coral, purple or even blue shade. I also love that, in general, the Mineralize eyeshadows from MAC are sold in bigger pans than the standard shadows because it means this one will last me that much longer!

So there you have it, my short but sweet June favorites! I can't wait to read your's!

Nail of the Day: Yes, We Can Pink! By Essie

2010-06-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days, I've been giving my nails a break from nail polish because they were in REALLY bad shape after polishing them continuously a few too many times (I read somewhere that it's important to give your bare nails a chance to breathe every once in a while). After three days though, I couldn't take the no nail polish look any longer and just had to do something! I chose Essie's "Yes We Can, Pink" (a shade created for the organization Living Beyond Breast Cancer) because I wanted a fairly neutral polish that would be easy to remove once I was ready so I could avoid having to douse my fingernails in the harsh chemicals of polish remover (it also doesn't hurt that I got it on sale at ULTA for $2.99!). But then it took FOUR COATS to get the opaque look seen in the picture above! Normally I use just two coats of polish, but with this shade, it's SO sheer that two coats still looks like bare nails. By three, you start to achieve coverage, but you can still see the line between your nail bed's pink/white portions. After four coats I finally achieved the opaqueness I was going for, but of course then it becomes a lot easier to smudge your nails because of the thickness of the layers. I just can't win! ;) Needless to say, I like the color, but wish there was a faster way to achieve it.

Feature: BeautyTicket.com!

2010-06-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

Although they carry brand-name products at steep discounts, BeautyTicket.com is NOT just another online cosmetics boutique. First and foremost, what immediately sets them apart is the inventory: they carry amazing high-end brands like YSL, Urban Decay, Too Faced and Smashbox at prices that are 50% or more off of retail (the site claims that the discounts can go up to 85% off). In my extensive online beauty shopping experience I've found that many e-commerce cosmetics sites carry only lower-end products or provide such a limited selection that you can never find a color that suits your skin tone. While BeautyTicket's variety still isn't as vast as if you were to visit ULTA or Sephora, the selection does provide options for light and dark skin tones, as well as neutral and/or colorful tastes.

In addition to their everday inventory, BeautyTicket also holds 3-day Private Sales each Wednesday-Friday featuring a new brand (or two!) every week (in June, they featured NARS, Josie Maran, Twilight, DuWop, Hourglass and next week it's one of my favorites: Urban Decay). Just in case the name seems confusing, Private Sales are actually free to view and open to anyone, as long as you register with the site! Once you're a BeautyTicket.com "Member", you'll receive an e-mail when the sale begins, and from there it's first-come, first-serve until the merchandise is gone (and I've noticed that the most sought after items go really fast, so it's smart to be near a computer when the sale begins!). Although I haven't done an item-by-item comparison, the discounts seems to be just as good on flash sale items as they are on regular inventory.

Of course, any reasonable consumer will start to wonder: "What's the catch? High-end, new cosmetics for 85% off retail?" and thankfully, BeautyTicket.com seems to make this fairly transparent through their F.A.Q, About Me, and Checkout pages. First and foremost, the site warns you that products may come without the original outer packaging (like the box around a tube of lipstick), or the packaging might be slightly dented, scratched or marked. Secondly, the products may be packaged differently from how they are currently sold in retail stores, or they may "appear" to be colors from last season's collection (they caveat this by noting that sometimes manufacturers sell a collection at a different time overseas -- they guarantee that products are new, unopened and not expired). What this basically breaks down to is that BeautyTicket.com purchases surpluses from manufacturers when they are changing packaging or have just produced too much of a particular item. They also purchase items that, while 100% fully functional, somehow ended up with damaged packaging in the manufacturing process, and therefore can no longer feasibly be sold to distributors for full price. Since the site is able to purchase these products at such low prices (when there are major surpluses, manufacturers will do almost anything to make money off of a product since they already spent the money to produce it, even if that means selling at or below cost), they are passing the savings onto you.

Now, after lingering for about a week, I decided to test out the company's ordering and shipping processes, and I wanted to see if the products I received were of high quality. So I placed an order for a Rusk "Being Smooth" Hair Smoothing Creme for $7.99 (retail price: $25) and an MD Skincare Antioxidant Firming Face Serum for $39.99 (retail price: $80). Shipping is a flat rate of $6.95 to the US (no size or weight limits). I did find a coupon code online for 10% off my purchase, so my total with shipping came to just $50. I placed my order on a Wednesday and by Saturday (today!) I had my package in hand. Keep in mind that I ordered a package from ULTA.com not minutes after I placed my BeautyTicket.com order, and I have still not received that one!

When I opened the box, I saw that my items were well packaged and were cushioned with pretty pink shredded paper. Furthermore, the company took the care to place my hair product into a sealed plastic ziploc bag in case it spilled (a special touch that I loved!). Once I took everything out of the box, I started examining, and right away noticed that the packaging is, indeed, not perfect. My hair creme tube is a bit marked up -- it looks like light black scuff marks on the side -- and the MD Skincare serum box is a bit dented on the side and has marks/scratches on the front. Other than that, my items seem to be in PERFECT condition -- the serum is still sealed and the hair creme nozzle was clean and unopened. I have not yet actually tried the products out, but I have no doubt that they are of brand new, high quality (and I will actually do a review on each of them once I've had time to try them out).

Want to know the one thing that I don't like about BeautyTicket.com? They don't accept returns (although they do ask for you to contact them if you are dissatisfied with a product, which perhaps indicates that they might offer a site credit or attempt some other form of compensation to resolve the problem). Now, I totally understand why they CAN'T accept returns -- a normal retailer like ULTA would "damage out" a product and send it back to the manufacturer, but because BeautyTicket.com is buying surplus inventory, they have no recourse to get their money back if you return a product. Despite this, the policy does inhibit impulse/experimental purchases to a degree, because I'm less keen to try a new shade or product if I know I can go to ULTA, buy something similar and bring it back for a full refund if it doesn't suit me.

For me, the no returns issue is especially problematic with their "Mystery Bags," which I'd honestly love to try! For $15-$20, you can get a "lot" of products (usually 4-6 items) that BeautyTicket.com chooses for you. Sometimes the brand name of the products is listed (i.e. they had Stila mystery bags recently) and sometimes it's just listed as being appropriate for a certain skin tone or complexion. Despite the super cheap price, I'd be wary to spend my money on something like this without knowing if I was receiving five high-quality items that I could put to use (i.e. colors that would look good on me). If returns were allowed, or if at the very least there were reviews of these mystery bags on the site, I'd be more apt to give it a try.

All in all, I'm really a big fan of BeautyTicket.com and had a good first experience ordering products from the site. I encourage you all to check it out (http://www.beautyticket.com/) and hopefully find some steals and deals that work for you!!

FTC Disclaimer: BeautyTicket.com is in no way affiliated with, or sponsoring, this post. I paid for these items on my own and these are my true and honest opinions about the experience! In general, any time a post is sponsored, or a product is complimentary, on the Beauty Babble site, it will be clearly indicated!

Review: Clinique Acne Solutions Foundation

2010-06-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I recently tried Clinique's Even Better foundation after reading rave reviews online, but was sorely disappointed when it totally made my face break out (despite the excellent coverage and smooth, moisturizing formula; you can read my review of that product here). When I went to bring the foundation back to the counter, the Clinique representative suggested that I try their Acne Solutions formula instead, since it would also help treat my skincare concerns.

The most important thing to know is that this formula contains Salicylic Acid as its active ingredient, so if you are already using other skincare treatments with this ingredient, doubling up with the Acne Solutions foundation could cause your skin to become overly dry. As it is, Clinique only recommends this formula for Skin Types 2, 3 and 4, which are their Combination-Dry, Combination-Oily and Oily types.

Here's what the Clinique Web site says about this product:

Feels so fresh, looks so natural. Non-irritating, oil-free makeup helps blend away blemishes, neutralize redness. Medicated ingredients help treat existing breakouts and keep them from coming back.

Skin Types: 2 - Dry Combination, 3 - Oily, 4 - Very Oily

Formula: Liquid

Coverage: Moderate

Benefits: Covers and treats acne

Here's what I think:

Unfortunately, the coverage in this product is not as good as that of the Even Better formulation -- it's definitely a sheer-to-moderate finish rather than a moderate-to-full finish, and I found that it doesn't actually build very well to a full coverage, even with repeated application (because of the salicylic acid in this product, I found that it dried VERY quickly, which made layering the foundation look cakey if you didn't do it immediately). Also, since I am a number 2 (Combination-Dry), I definitely found this formula to be too drying for my skin. Although for the most part, it went on smoothly, it was difficult to blend around the hairline and in the corners of my nose, and when it dried it made my skin feel too taut and uncomfortable.

The second bad thing? The first time I used this foundation, I used my Sigma stippling brush to apply it and didn't wash the foundation off until several hours later. When I did this, I noticed that it turned all of the synthetic bristles a nasty shade of neon green! The next day, I tried using my foundation brush instead, thinking that maybe the white bristles were just particularly sensitive, but it also left a green tint to that brush! In the end, it meant that I had to apply this foundation with my fingers, which with acne prone skin, isn't something I like to do because I think the oils in my hands lead to a higher frequency of breakouts. Furthermore, Clinique should issue some sort of warning that the salicylic acid (or whatever ingredient it is!) can ruin your brushes as I think this is a BIG concern, especially if you have spent a lot of money buying professional grade brushes.

The third and final bad thing? Instead of clearing up my acne, this product made it TEN TIMES WORSE! If I thought the Even Better formula didn't agree with my skin, then that was the understatement of the year! By day 2 of using this product, I started to notice an uneveness in my cheeks. By day 3, I had full-on acne on my cheeks, including pistules (those red pimples with puss sitting on the top). By day 4, I had pistules on my cheeks, nose, chin and jawline. Now, I do have acne-prone skin, but normally I ONLY break out on my chin, and almost never see pimples on my cheeks or nose. I confirmed that the foundation was causing the breakout by not using any other new products on my face while trying it, and by seeing that my skin immediately began to heal the day after switching back to my regular Lancome foundation.

I need to make sure I'm clear in stating that this product will probably not make everyone who tries it break out. Since this is the second Clinique foundation that has irritated my skin, I am starting to think that there is just some ingredient that they use in their formula that my body is allergic to. Therefore, I don't necessarily recommend that you avoid trying this product purely because I had a bad experience. Rather, I'd suggest you just take it with a grain of salt, and perhaps ask the lady at the Clinique counter to provide you with a sample that you can take home and try for a few days before you go out and buy the full size.

To Recap:

Pros:

- Relatively inexpensive for high-end brands at $24.50

- Contains Salicylic Acid as an active ingredient, which is helpful in clearing up acne (for some!)

- Quick-drying formula could be good for oily skin types

Cons:

- Turned my makeup brushes neon green

- Quick-drying formula made blending/layering difficult on Combination-Dry skin

- Made my skin break out worse than ever before

Clinique's Acne Solutions Foundation can be purchased on their Web site at www.clinique.com, or through stand-alone makeup counters in your local department store.

40 Beauty Questions Tag! Part Two!

2010-06-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

Go here for Part One of this tag!

Makeup, continued...

21) How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?

Haha, I love this question, because it totally seems like the writer is looking to find fellow comrades that continually poke themselves. Unfortunately, I do not. I rarely put eyeliner on my water line though, so I guess I don't have as many chances to poke myself as the average gal. Although, truth be told, I am a contact lense wearer, so I'm probably more used to having things close to/in my eyes, which might also help.

22) What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?

I don't actually own any, for the same reason that I don't like mineral/crushed eyeshadows -- too messy! Whenever I use my Bare Minerals foundation (I'm Fairly Light, in case you were curious), it gets everywhere. Knowing me, I'd knock the pigment over and poof, I'd have a blue countertop and ruined outfit or something!

23) Do you use mineral makeup?

I feel like I just answered this question. I do have a Bare Minerals foundation and a MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural , but I think that's it...

24) What is your favorite lipstick?

Lancome's Color Design lipstick in Camisole, which is a shimmer shade. It's like a mauve pink with gold sparkles and when you put it on, it's just a hair darker than my natural lip color. I wear it all the time, which is why mine is almost completely finished! (Swatch from Lancome.com)

25) What is your favorite lipgloss?

Victoria Secret's Beauty Rush lipgloss in I Want Candy. It's a salmon pink in the tube, but is totally sheer on. The best part is the scent and taste!

26) What is your favorite blush to use?

I'm not actually a huge blush fan since I'm really fair and I find that I tend to look like a clown when I wear blush. Instead, I use bronzers and my favorite is MAC's bronzer in Refined Golden -- just enough sparkle to give you a glow without looking too crazy for daytime.

27) Do you buy makeup on eBay?

Sometimes. I'm an eBay seller myself, and I usually know a lot about the product I am buying, so I think I'd be a pretty good detective when it comes to weeding out the fakes. I stay away from buying MAC on eBay because of all the horrible things I've heard, but I have definitely purchased Lancome, Clinique and Benefit items from sellers with really good feedback ratings and haven't had any problems.

28) Do you like drugstore makeup?

Across the board? Not necessarily. Certain items? Yes. I'm a big fan of drugstore mascaras, and I really like L'Oreal's True Match powders (I'm N1). I've purchased a few of L'Oreals HIP eyeshadows, which aren't bad, but I generally shy away from super cheap makeup because I question what it's made of. Again, I have super sensitive skin, so I have to be really careful of what I purchase.

29) Do you go to CCOs?

I hadn't until recently, when I found out that there were two in my area. I love them, but find them to be a bit hit or miss when you have something very specific in mind for purchase. If you're just going to browse, though, you can sometimes find some great gems and save yourself a ton of cash!

30) Did you ever consider taking makeup classes?

Not really. For me, makeup is a hobby, not a career, although I have definitely hosted Mary Kay/Avon parties before and those are fun! I also feel like watching YouTube beauty videos is sort of like taking makeup class because of all the awesome tutorials. I have learned a ton of new techniques just from that!

31) Are you clumsy putting on your makeup?

Hmm...well, I'm certainly clumsy in real life, so if this question is referring to whether or not I drop things, that's a definitely yes. I try to apply my makeup neatly, though.

32) Name a makeup crime that you hate.

Cakey foundation. Blech. I understand that some of us (including me) need a more full-coverage finish, but c'mon, you certainly don't want to look like you're wearing a flour mask do you?

33) Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutral ones?

Both! It all depends on the outfit and occasion. I own all four Coastal Scents palettes, so I certainly have a wide range of colors to choose from.

34) Which celebrity always has great makeup?

Well, if we're talking awards shows here, I'll go with Natalie Portman. She seems to be a fan of the smoky, smoldering eye, keeping the rest of her face pretty neutral. I just think she looks gorgeous all the time.

35) If you could leave the house using just one makeup item, what would you use?

Lipgloss, and not really because of the way it looks, but more because of the way it feels. I absolutely hate that dry, chapped feeling on my lips.

36) Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?

Sure, but I wouldn't feel too good about myself, quite honestly. At minimum, I like to wear concealer, a bit of matte powder, mascara, lipgloss and some bronzer. I don't always do a full face with foundation and tons of eye makeup, but my skin is so uneven that I feel pretty self-conscious with a completely clean face.

37) Do you think you look good without any makeup on?

No, not really. Like I said, my skin is fairly uneven, with a number of blemishes and red spots, plus I have really dark circles under my eyes. And I'm also quite pasty pale, so I need some color added artificially. I certainly don't look like a monster, but I don't feel pretty either.

38) In your opinion, what is the best makeup line?

To be totally honest, I don't think any one brand has got it completely right across their product line. I like Clinique best for skin care, MAC best for eyeshadows and lipsticks, Victoria's Secret for lipglosses, L'Oreal for mascara, and perhaps Lancome for foundation.

39) What do you think of makeup?

If I didn't like makeup, would I be filling out this survey?

Where's question 40? Haha, I missed one somewhere, so I'm adding one of my own:

40) What are your favorite hair care products?

I'm in love with the Coloresse line that you can only get at Sally's Beauty Supply stores. I use the shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and smoothing balm for "severely dry, damaged hair." My hair certainly isn't severely dry or damaged, although the bleach that I get my hair highlighted with definitely strips out some moisture, but I like that these products are particularly moisturizing and hydrating without leaving your hair heavy or greasy. They are also all sulfate free and formulated for colored hair, which is perfect for me. And they're only like $6 a bottle! Perfect :)

Tag, you're it!

I hope that you enjoyed this tag. I'm going to tag my friend at the blog Glamour Sage to do this as well! If anyone else wants to do this tag, leave a link to your blog in the comments section so I can check your post out as well.

This Week in TV: 6/21-6/25

2010-06-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

The Bachelorette

Was anyone else incredibly bored by this week's episode? (Preface: My apologies for the lame photo -- this was the only one ABC.com had up from the whole episode - a boring photo for a boring two hours.) I don't know if it was just me, but I seriously thought the two hours dragged without any exciting new revelations, except perhaps Kasey showing Ali that G-d awful tattoo! I was happy to see her let him go this week, but I also don't think that Justin deserved to stay, considering Ali doesn't seem to have much romantic chemistry with him either. And what was with the Icelandic love poem contest just a week after the Lion King serenading contest? Seems repetitive and a bit stupid if you ask me!

So what to say about this episode? I still love Frank and am rooting for him to go far, even though it's obvious that the competition is getting really, really hard for him. Kirk seems like a really nice guy, and I actually thought it was incredibly snobby and judgmental for Ali to say she was " so concerned" to hear that Kirk hadn't dated anyone in the last year. I was glad to see Ty get the spotlight a little bit, although I don't think he's a good fit for Ali. And Chris? The poor guy never had a chance, and somehow I think he was edited to look dumb and speechless during that last rose ceremony.

Overall, I'm excited to see that next week the "scandal" is going to be revealed -- thank goodness, we need some firecrackers to shake this show up a bit! (P-S: ABC.com is currently airing a "first look" at next week's episode, so if you want to watch the first 11 minutes of the show, head on over!).

So You Think You Can Dance

I am actually really happy that they sent Cristina home, because sweet as she was, she certainly was not up to par with the other dancers. You could tell, though, that the producers were trying to save her by blessing her with a ballroom routine after she was in the bottom three last week (yes, I believe that part of the competition is fixed to give some dancers the advantage). It was even more obvious when Nigel praised the heck out of a so-so Paso Doble that probably looked better purely because the fantastic Pasha was her partner. Goes to show you that the voting audience wasn't fooled though, and I think that Mia and Adam made the right choice in letting her go, even though I think Melinda's time on the show is up, too, and I predict she'll be gone next week.

As for the routines I did like, I thought Kent's Jazz with Courtney was lots of fun (and sexy, although did anyone notice they left him until last, indicating he's an obvious favorite that will keep viewers watching until the end of the broadcast?). I thought Lauren's hip-hop was SO emotion-packed and very well executed, and I even liked Alex Wong's Fosse routine, although I'm definitely biased because he's just an incredible dancer overall. Ashley, for some reason, I'm not connecting to, so I don't find her dances enjoyable to watch and she just fades into oblivion for me. Adechike is another one I'm not connecting to, and Billy Bell's crump was just awkward this week. Robert is one I didn't think deserved to be in the bottom three, but I think in some ways ballroom is the kiss of death because the audience isn't as wowed as they are by a superb contemporary or hip-hop routine.

So, yeah, this week was kind of boring in the land of television, so my entry is more abbreviated than usual (What? Gabby doesn't have something to say? Ludicrous!). Hopefully next week will up the ante and we'll have more to discuss! See you then for another This Week in TV.

Collective Review: Coastal Scents 88 Palettes

2010-06-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Coastal Scents palettes get a LOT of buzz on YouTube, and I think it's because the products are reasonably priced and offer a wide variety of shadow colors with generally good pigmentation/color payoff. Naturally, I gave into the hype and ordered all four Coastal Scents 88 Palettes about 3 months ago (the company offers free shipping on orders over $75 to the continental U.S., and the four palettes just hit around $80). I've now had plenty of time to use each palette and thought I'd share my opinions with you all because I think many of the YouTube beauty gurus are a bit biased and (without malice) are overhyping the products (this makes sense when you consider that Coastal Scents sends many of these gurus palettes for free, and I truly believe that it's a human tendency to like something more when you didn't have to spend your own money on it!). I'm going to review each of the palettes separately, as my opinions differ among them, and then at the end I'll talk about my general thoughts on the company as a whole.

Metal Mania Palette ($24.95)

The Metal Mania palette contains very wearable shades, most of which have a metallic finish. The colors range from "sunset" type warmer colors on the right (peaches, pinks, mauves, golds) to slightly cooler colors in the middle (purples, periwinkles) and then your more typical "metal" shades on the left (silvers, slates, bronzes). There's a great variety of lid colors, crease colors and a few highlight colors in the upper left hand corner. Overall, I think this palette is best used for night looks when the metallics can be applied to their full color payoff. Right now I find that many of the colors are a little too "out there" for a working professional. Also, I think this variety will be more appealing to those who like warmer colors, as there are very few blues, greens and yellows, while there are many pinks, oranges, corals, and reds. This is also the most expensive palette that Coastal Scents sells (same price as the Warm palette), and is my favorite for evening looks.

Warm Palette ($24.95)

The 88 Warm Palette has a mix of 42 matte shades and 46 shimmer/pearl shades, all with more muted, neutral tones. The most predominant color is definitely brown, with the right half of the palette done almost exclusively in different brown shades. The left side of the palette has many more color options, with lots of silvers, blues and grays, and the middle of the palette has a really nice variety of tan, sand, white and light pink shades for highlights. The palette also comes with a matte black and a shimmer black (well, it's a dark, dark gray). This is by far my favorite of the four palettes and definitely the best for daytime looks or for people who don't enjoy experimenting with crazy colors.

Ultra Shimmer Palette ($19.95)

This palette is absolutely stunning to look at -- I felt like a kid in a candy store when I opened this one -- so many fun shades to try! Unfortunately, I've found many of the colors to be simply unwearable on my very fair skin, and even though I'm more neutral toned than warm/cool toned, I simply can't pull off many of the ultra bright colors. And that perhaps is what has disappointed me most in this palette. Yes, you get 88 shades of eyeshadow, but many of the 88 are more clown makeup than anything else! For example, I am a strong purple eyeshadow lover, yet I couldn't find a nice purple shade in this whole kit! Same goes for the greens and pinks -- in their quest to make the palette LOOK pretty, they chose shades that actually aren't pretty on a face. I have enjoyed the corals/peaches in this palette, as well as the brown/neutral/highlight shades, but truth be told, I think these are mostly replicated in either the Warm or Metal Mania palettes.

Matte Palette ($18.95)

The final palette that Coastal Scents sells is also the cheapest at $18.95, and I assume this lower price is due to the fact that people tend to find matte shades harder to wear than shimmer shades. Personally, I don't really understand or agree with this mentality, as I find matte shades more professional looking if you are in your 20s like me, or at least for work/day time. Although my dislike of shade colors in the Ultra Shimmer palette still holds to a degree with the matte palette (I don't touch the blue or green rows), I actually find more of the pinks and purples wearable without the shimmer for some reason. I also really love the matte black shade that comes in this palette, and since I like matte highlighting shades over shimmer shades, I find myself reaching for the highlight colors in this palette more than the shimmer version.

Generally speaking...

The best part about Coastal Scents palettes is certainly the price (although I believe they have driven their prices up lately, at least on the Metal Mania and Warm palettes, probably as a result of the YouTube hype) -- for just $88.80 you get 352 eye shadow shades, minus some obviously overlap between the palettes. I've found the quality of the makeup to be pretty standard -- there is quite a bit of fall out on the brighter shades, but the makeup hasn't made my eyes itch or turn red or anything.

What I like...

The products were shipped promptly and were packaged very securely. Each palette comes in a plastic box, which is then wrapped in bubble wrap and surrounded by packing paper. The palettes themselves are also thin, which makes them easy to store on a vanity or in a drawer. I also like that each palette comes with a mirror.

What I dislike...

Firstly, Coastal Scents does not accept returns, so if you get the product and don't like it for whatever reason, you're stuck with it. And although I understand fully that once they mail a palette out, it can't be resold if returned, their policy discourages experimentation if customers are unsure of the product quality or usability of the given shades.

Secondly, although I haven't had a problem with the quality of the shadows ON MY EYES, you can tell that this product is obviously very cheaply made. I notice that many times when I open the palette, the mirror is very dirty, which means that the eyeshadows are crumbling with normal use, and if the palette is flipped on its side or upside down, the crumbles are falling out onto the other shades in the palette (which can affect the color). Also, two of my palettes have pans that aren't well glued and constantly pop out of place or fall out entirely. The foam tip applicators are also very cheaply secured and also pop out of place, or are difficult to pop back into place.

The third and final thing that I dislike was brought to my attention by Camille of TalkinMakeup on YouTube. She recently did a video called "Who Sells What to Who" that essentially exposed Coastal Scents as the DISTRIBUTOR but not the MANUFACTURER of these palettes (Camille uses side by side comparisons to show that the CS palettes are identical to those sold by BH Cosmetics and another e-retailer on eBay. Watch her video on this subject here.). What is most concerning about this is that depending on the distributor, you can be paying drastically different prices for the same product, so do your research first and understand that other Coastal Scents products may or may not be created by the same manufacturer as the 88 Palettes and therefore could vary in quality/performance.

Do you really need all four palettes?

Probably not. The Metal Mania and Warm palettes are most usuable for day-to-day looks, and if you want to experiment with color without breaking the bank, it might be good to order either the Ultra Shimmer OR Matte palette. I'll admit I was silly in purchasing all four just to get the free shipping as I doubt I'll ever use up all 352 shades. ;/

Would you buy them again?

At the end of the day, I probably would do some more research before buying these palettes again to see if there are other companies that sell similarly diverse palettes for better prices or quality. Even with the annoying quality issues, I would probably be more apt to re-purchase the Warm or Metal Mania palettes, and would probably forgo purchasing the Ultra Shimmer or Matte palettes, purely because I don't like many of the shades and would rather pick and choose at MAC where I can experiment beforehand.

I hope that you have found this review to be honest and helpful! If you have any additional questions, would like to see close up pictures of the shades, or would like me to provide some swatches, please let me know! :)

Coastal Scents palettes can be purchased on their Web site (PayPal transactions only) at http://www.coastalscents.com/.

Majorly Discounted Drugstore Haul!

2010-06-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure many of you know, CVS has recently been holding a HUGE promotion on all makeup brands -- 50-75% off on select items! When I asked the store manager why there was such a major sale, she told me that they refresh their makeup stock every February and July, so to make room for all the new, they have to get rid of the old (and if you think about it, the "old" is really only five months on the shelves!). To be honest, I've been trying to resist this sale for a few weeks now, but yesterday I received $12 in CVS coupons for various products and when I got in there to spend it, unsurprisingly, I got overwhelmed by the amazing selection and came home with more than I bargained for! Now, it seems like I got a LOT here, but my total spend was just $33.57, which is less than I pay for ONE Lancome foundation (why do I compare everything to my Lancome foundation?). It felt good to walk away with some steals and deals, so I wanted to share my finds with all of you. If you have a chance, head to your local CVS and see what gems you can uncover for drastically reduced prices!

Lipsticks

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipsticks were 50% off, so each was just $2.75! I picked up three: a coral (right, D160 Cool Watermelon), a sparkly pink (middle, A55 Orchid Frost) and a peachy nude (left, A12 Sugar Plum Ice).

Then I also picked up a Rimmel lipstick in a peach color (right, 202 Crush) for $1.32 (reduced from $5.29). Unfortunately, after trying the color on once I got home, I realized that the Rimmel lipstick actually doesn't suit me at all -- it's much too orange for my skin tone. That's the one bad thing about this sale: no returns are allowed! At least it was only $1.32! ;)

Last for lips was a Cover Girl Infallible Never Fail Lipstick Duo in 30 Rose (left, it's lipstick plus conditioning topcoat) for $2.99 (reduced from $11.99!).

Here are all the colors swatched (except the Infallible because I didn't want red marks on my hand all day!) both with and without a flash:

With flash No flash

Eyes

Eye products are always my favorite, but unfortunately there wasn't a huge selection left to choose from. I still managed to pick up a few items, but in mostly boring shades (although really, the boring shades are usually the most wearable!).

The first thing I picked up was the Maybelline ExpertWear Eyeshadow in Seashell (left, a light pink with a shimmer finish) for $1.99 (reduced from $3.99).

I also picked up the NYC City Duet Eyeshadow in 811A Tribecca Toast (right), which has a pretty shimmery off-white color for a highlight and a dark chocolate brown matte color for contouring. This was .75 cents reduced from $3.00.

Finally, for eye shadows, I picked up the NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Eye Powder in 824B Purple Rain (left, purples are my favorite eye shades) for $1.25, reduced from $5.00. Unfortunately, I noticed when I got home that this one was a bit broken, but thankfully, still usable!

Rounding out the eye products, I picked up a L'Oreal Pencil Perfect Self-Advancing Eyeliner in 140 Sage for $2.12 reduced from $8.49 and a Maybelline Define-A-Lash Waterproof Volume mascara in 832 Brownish Black for $4.15 reduced from $8.29.

Face

Most of the clearance face products weren't available in pasty pale, so I was only able to get one item, the L'Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder in 408 Soft Ivory. Of all the products I purchased, this is the only one I haven't tried yet, but if it's anything like their True Match line, which I like a lot, I'm sure this will be a nice addition to my collection. The best part about this product is that it actually comes with a really nice, soft bristled brush to apply it with. I'm not actually sure that I'll wind up using the brush with powder, as it seems better suited to blush/highlighter, but it's a nice addition nonetheless. And this was probably the best steal in the whole lot: I got the powder for $3.75, reduced from $15 (I'm not sure how they get away with charging $15 for a drugstore powder in the first place)!

And there you have it! Eleven drugstore beauty products for less than $35 -- a savings of $50.92 -- unbelievable! If any of you all are able to head to CVS for a discounted haul of your own, please let me know what steals you were able to find in the comments section. Also stay tuned because I'll be doing reviews on some of these products in the near future. :)

Nail of the Day: Funky Dunkey by OPI

2010-06-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

Although I certainly don't change my nail polish every day (I wait until it chips), I thought it would be fun to share my Nail of the Day when I do put on a fun, new color. Today's polish is Funky Dunkey by OPI from the Shrek collection. It's a really bold, deep purple and totally fun for summer! I bought this polish at ULTA, where they're currently having a really great sale: If you buy two OPI polishes you get a Spring sample kit free that contains three mini-polishes (one is a top coat). The offer isn't available on the Web site, so be sure to check out your local store if you're interested -- I believe they're also offering an Essie sale right now if that's your brand of choice. :)

Review: Clinique Even Better Foundation

2010-06-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure by now you realize that I don't have perfect skin and am thus continuously searching for products that will help remedy this. I first heard about Clinique's Even Better makeup in a magazine and had been wanting to try it for several months, since I've use the Even Better serum before and have liked it (although I didn't see dramatic results, really). After reading several reviews and watching some YouTube reviews, I decided to go ahead and try it. The foundation is very affordable compared to other high-end brands at $24.50 for 1 oz. (compare to ~$35 for Estee Lauder Double Wear and ~$42 for Lancome Photogenic Lumessence) and comes packaged in an easy-to-dispense, yet mess-free, bottle (it has a small spout that dispenses a tiny blob of product when squeezed).

According to the Clinique website:

Wear oil-free, dermatologist-developed Even Better Makeup SPF 15 and something amazing happens: Without any makeup, see improved clarity, a more even skin tone, visibly diminished age spots. For all ethnicities. In just 4 to 6 weeks.

- Recommended for Skin Types: 2 - Dry Combination, 3 - Oily

- Coverage: Moderate to Full

- Benefits: De-aging, Covers or treats uneven skin tone, Long wearing, Natural skin-perfecting look, Mineral enriched

What I think:

From an overall perspective, I liked almost everything about this product. The makeup itself is very creamy, but not too thick. My skin is dry-combination, and it went on very smoothly without caking and dried to a very dewy, luminous finish, which I also like, because I enjoy setting foundations with powder and if they are too dry on their own, I turn my face into a powder puff instead of a smooth, even surface. The coverage was also amazing and hid nearly all imperfections with one coat -- I didn't even feel like I really needed concealer on blemishes or under my eyes with this makeup on!

The color I was matched with was their lightest shade, Alabaster, and I'll admit it wasn't a perfect match to my skin tone, but actually a shade or two darker/peachier. It was a bit striking when I first put it on, but once the whole face was blended (and this product was super easy to blend into the hairline/neckline), it matched wonderfully and gave my face just a tiny bit of a glow. If you are very fair skinned; however, and prefer that your foundation matches your skin tone exactly, you may have a difficult time finding the proper color with this product.

I also definitely would not recommend this to women with oily skin, as it's certainly quite moisturizing and would exacerbate oily areas instead of mattefying them. Secondly, if you have dry skin, but still prefer a more matte finish, this might not be the best line for you, unless you are okay with using a separate setting powder.

Now for the only truly bad news: after several uses, the product totally and completely broke me out. Instead of the "Even Better" ingredients creating a more regular surface, I got lots of small red pimples on my cheeks where things had been clear before. Now, I had also used a new MAC MSF with my Even Better, so I discontinued both for a few days and let my skin clear up. Then, I tried using my MSF with my regular foundation (Lancome) and was fine, so a few days later I re-tried the Even Better without the MSF and the same thing happened -- lots of new blemishes and pimples by the end of the day. So obviously, something in this formula didn't work for my skin, and very sadly, I had to return the product (I feel like I am doing a LOT of returning lately, but I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't keep a product that you're not satisfied with, especially if the company has a good return policy and will help you find something else that you will like.).

The woman at the Clinique counter mentioned that I wasn't the first person to return the foundation with that particular complaint, so I wonder if there truly is something in the product that makes certain skin types break out. Instead, she recommended that I try another one of their foundations (the Acne Solutions) line and see if that was a better fit (it has Salicylic Acid in it, so I was worried about using it with my dry skin, but she said it should be fine). I'm going to give this a try next and give you a report in a few weeks about how this is working for me. In the meantime, if there are any foundations that you particularly like (or dislike!), please share your thoughts in the comments section!

To recap:

Pros:

- Very creamy, smooth formula is moisturizing for dry skin and gives a very dewy finish

- Coverage is excellent and hides most imperfections with a single coat

- Package design makes it easy to dispense just the right amount of product without a huge mess

- Among high-end brands, is fairly affordable at $24.50

Cons:
- Color range might be somewhat limited for those with very fair skin tones who want an exact match

- Not appropriate for women with oily skin

- Broke me out after several uses!

Mario Badescu Skin Care? Thoughts wanted!

2010-06-18T13:37:00.001-07:00

There's been some buzz in the YouTube community around Mario Badescu skin care products recently, and just yesterday Lisasz09 talked about a batch that she was sent by the company in a recent haul (see her video here). In the video, Lisa mentioned that if you go onto their Web site, register and then fill out a questionnaire about your skin type, the company would send you samples of all the products they recommend that you buy. Of course, I love free samples, I so immediately went onto the site, found the Skin Analysis and took the quiz (very short, just a few questions). The results recommended NINE products (wow, seems like a lot to use on your skin!), and while I'm excited to receive the samples and see if I like the line, I'd love to know if any of you have tried them and have an opinion to share!

Here's what was suggested for my skin (combination, very fair, weekly breakouts, some fine lines/wrinkles):

If I were to buy this whole system, it would cost me $150 plus shipping, so I only want to make the purchase if some/all of these products are truly worth it!

This Week in TV: 6/14-6/18

2010-06-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

The Bachelorette

This picture reminds me of my first kiss: It was in Kindergarten after I taunted this little boy Anthony with a "missed me, missed me, now you've got to kiss me" during a game of tag, and lo and behold, he did. And I was just as stiff as Ali is above, waiting for the moment to be over before it had even started.

In the beginning, I liked Kasey -- Kermit the frog voice and all -- but now I just think he's sort of recently-released-from-the-funny-farm psycho. Who in their right mind gets a tattoo after knowing a girl for about a month? And what was with all the ridiculous singing? If you're going to serenade a girl, you should at least prepare in advance, have a clear melody in mind and continue the whole song without awkward starting and stopping (Example: although he didn't quite sing, an appropriate mentor for Kasey should be Ryan Sutter from the first bachelorette when he wrote Trista that amazing poem and read it to her at SeaWorld. Loved it). The funniest part was Ali's reaction to the whole thing -- you could tell she was trying to be polite by smiling and giggling, but it was SO FAKE and you could see that she was incredibly turned off by the whole thing....which leads me to believe that she kept him another week purely because she HAD to give out 9 roses.

Does it feel like she's eliminating guys so slowly or is that just me? I think it's already obvious who she has a connection with (Roberto, Chris L., Frank, Kirk, maybe Ty and Justin), so she should have been able to just give out six roses and send those other guys on their way. Which brings me to the topic of Chris N.? Why the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is he still on this show and where has he been for the last four weeks? I think I heard him speak for the very first time this week and he only uttered one sentence. Why does the guy get zero screen time? And the same could be said about Craig R. Ali keeps giving him roses, but when do they ever spend time together? I just don't get it!

Regardless, I am looking forward to the Iceland episode next week -- it's a destination that I'd actually like to go to someday. A friend of mine (Hi Tanya!) recently went and said the blue lagoon was awesome -- I think Ali and the boys are headed there in the episode, so keep your eyes peeled!

So You Think You Can Dance

I am SO sad that Alexie was the first to go on SYTYCD and I think the judges made a HUGE mistake. In my opinion, Lexie was one of the most talented girls picked for this season (aside from Lauren, I don't care for any of the other female dancers) -- truth be told, I think they only eliminated her because she's a contemporary dancer, and to their own fault, they picked too many in that style for this season. Now, I agree that her performance with Twitch was subpar, but she wasn't given much to work with. I thought the choreography was SO bland and not hip-hop at all -- they hardly moved and the routine was so slow! -- so I thought it was particularly unfair to put the blame on Alexie for that number. Personally, I thought Cristina should have gone. I couldn't believe that Nigel said she was the only one who "danced for her life" in the solo. She's quite clearly the least talented of the top 11, and if the competition was truly about performance ability and not producer favorites, either she or Melinda (who did a horrible jive -- I've seen non-dancers on DWTS do a better jive than she did), one of the two of them would be gone and Alexie would be performing with the Top 10.

On the other end of the spectrum we have the absolutely amazingly talented Alex Wong, who is my second favorite this season (behind Kent Boyd who is just so darn cute!). I thought Alex's routine with Allison was flawlessly executed and performed with such emotion. Overall, I actually think the boys this season are particularly strong -- Billy, Kent, Robert and Jose all performed really well. The only one I'm not crazy about is Adechike. Perhaps I'm still jaded that they picked him over Anthony (who I thought was a much better dancer and had a more interesting personality/story), but I just don't think he's up to par. His performance with Kathryn was SO stale even though she was selling it like crazy. I hope he goes next week.

One final commentary: did anyone else think the judges were WAY too harsh on Lauren for her jazz routine with Ade? Personally, I thought she gave a very fun, sexy performance, and was very on point technically. Sure, she looked at the audience a few too many times instead of 100% connecting with Ade, but was it really necessary for Adam Shankman to jump down her throat like that? With Alexie gone, I think she's the only true talent + personality left on the girls side, so I hope she's able to please the judges more next week.

That's all for this week's edition -- if anyone has any recommendations for other summer shows I should be watching, please let me know. With Glee over, I'm out on a Tuesday night TV show, and I also haven't found any truly captivating series for Friday-Sun. Let me know and have a great weekend everyone!

Beauty Break: Meet my Dogs!

2010-06-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I'll take a beauty break to tell you a little bit more about me and what I do outside of the blogosphere. Today, I want to introduce you to my babies aka my chihuahuas Bella and Bailey!

Meet Bella

Bella is a four-year old long coat chihuahua (born April 17, 2006) who loves to give kisses and have her belly rubbed. Sweet as she is, she's not the brightest crayon in the box and doesn't know how to fetch, so if you want to play with her, be prepared to be the one doing the fetching! Bella also loves cuddling and curling up in blankets. If you're not careful, you'll often find her curling up smack in the middle of your pillow, looking like the Princess she is. :) Her cutest attribute? She kicks her hind legs when she gets excited!

Meet Bailey

Bailey is also a four-year-old long coat chihuahua (born February 22, 2006), and he is in love with Bella. He's also a shy boy, and it takes him a while to warm up to strangers, but once he feels comfortable with you, he'll give you the most gentle kisses in the world and be your best friend...and protector! Watch out criminals, if you make even the tiniest peep outside our home, Bailey unleashes his most fearsome bark (and then subsequently runs and hides as soon as you open the door!). Bailey is also the most well mannered and easy going chihuahua you'll ever meet. :) His cutest attribute? He sticks his tongue out when he gets excited or nervous.

Meet Chanel

Technically, Chanel is my mom's dog, but I love her so much that I just couldn't leave her out of this entry. Chanel is a 3-year-old smooth coat chihuahua with a HUGE personality that goes way beyond her mere 6 pounds. A playful, spunky girl, she loves to cuddle, especially under the covers, and wags her tail upon just hearing your voice. She's also an athlete and jumps, climbs and crawls wherever she can force her little body to go. Her cutest attribute? When she wags her tail, her whole butt wags with it. :)

And there you have it, snapshots of my lovelies! I'll be back soon with a new beauty entry!

Three Step Facial Care Systems Comparison: Proactiv versus Clinique

2010-06-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, my skin is nowhere near perfect, and because of that, I'm particularly attuned to skin care products, magazine articles, reviews, etc. I've tried nearly everything in the book -- from eye creams to facial moisturizers to acne products -- and thought it would be fun to share what I've learned in a skin care series. In each entry, I'll share some do's and dont's from my personal experiences, plus some ideas from magazine articles that I've recently pulled (with credit where it's due!). If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments section!

3-Step Facial Care Systems Comparison:
Proactiv versus Clinique

When I was in high school, I literally did nothing for my skin. I washed it with soap in the shower, never toned or moisturized, or purchased any fancy products. And truth be told, my skin was absolutely perfect throughout all of my teenage years save for a pimple here or there around that time of the month. It wasn't until I was well into my college years that my skin decided to "freak out" on me, and around then I started getting really bad dark undereye circles; discoloration around my nose and cheeks; and big, ugly zits on my chin. When my mom noticed that my skin was no longer as flawless as it had been, she ordered Proactiv for me -- it almost feels like a "rite of passage" to try Proactiv what with all of these celebrities endorsing it and the constant push from TV commercials.

According to the Proactiv site, you start with the Renewing Cleanser, which contains Benzoyl Peroxide and exfoliating beads. The Revitalizing Toner is supposed to exfoliate dead skin cells, while soothing and hydrating acne-prone skin. Finally, the Repairing Treatment, is supposed to kill bacteria -- it also contains Benzoyl Peroxide.

To be honest, I was REALLY excited to try Proactiv and had high hopes for the products. Instead, I found that my skin was MUCH too sensitive for it -- the cleanser's "little exfoliating beads" ripped my skin raw, causing the toner to burn and make my face turn bright red. The "Repairing Treament" aka moisturizer smelled bad and stained all of my sheets and clothing (mind you, this was due to the acne treating ingredient in the product, which bleaches fabrics, but there should have been some sort of warning regarding this!). I used the product for 60 days as recommended, despite not liking what it was doing to my skin, because I've heard that with acne treatments, the condition usually gets worse before it gets better. In the end; however, I saw only minimal differences in the severity or number of pimples on my face, and the products never became more comfortable to use, so I promptly discontinued use and canceled my "subscription." Now, I understand that they've since changed their formula a bit and have started a "sensitive skin" line (they even called me at home to ask if I'd be interested in ordering the new sensitive line!), so there's a chance that the product has since improved, but overall, I think you could get better products for the same money without the harsh side effects.

After getting disgusted with Proactiv, I went to the Clinique counter and figured it couldn't hurt to give their 3-Step System a try. I had used the products once when I was really young, but at the time, they were only selling the bar soap cleanser, and I hated how messy it was, so I had stopped without really giving the products a chance to do their job. This time I was much more committed, and the Clinique representatives assured me that this system would also be an effective, albeit much more gentle, way to treat my acne.

What I like about Clinique is that they are professional and more "scientific" from start to finish. If you've never used 3-Step, they take you through a quiz at the very beginning of the consultation that diagnoses your skin type. They ask pretty simple questions like your natural skin shade, natural hair color/eye color, how severe your acne is and whether or not you tan. Depending on your answers, you are categorized by number (1-4), each which corresponds to a skin type (dry, oily, combination-dry and comination-oily). I wound up being number 2, which is combination-dry, and means I'm supposed to use the Mild Cleanser, "purple" toner and lotion moisturizer.

I've been using these products for nearly four years now, and are they miracle workers? Not by any means. Do I love them nonetheless? Yes and here's why. The mild cleanser is perhaps the best on the market for sensitive skin. I believe that it's fragrance free (or if it is perfumed, it's so light I can't smell it at all) and the consistency builds up to a soft, foaming lather that rinses off clean without giving your face a "stripped" feeling. The toner gives my face a very subtle tingle without turning it an angry red, and I've definitely noticed a HUGE reduction in the amount of flakiness, especially around my nose. The moisturizer? Well, I honestly don't care for the lotion because I find it very greasy, so I use the gel, which is actually formulated for more oily skin. On occasion, I supplement with Clinique's Moisture Surge, which is super expensive if you buy it full price (about $35), but is much more affordable if you purchase the sample sizes on eBay (and they last a long time because you only need to use a little -- just make sure you are buying from a reputable seller!). At the end of the day, I think the moisturizer is where I'm most flexible because I've found that they all tend to do the same thing for my skin. The most important thing is to find something that works for your individual skin type, i.e. use a moisturizer that controls for oils if you have oily skin, use a more intense formula in the winter when skin is dryer, etc.

What I don't like about this system is that I don't find it to have any affect on the discoloration of my skin, or the acne (although keeping your face clean is always the first step, so I guess it helps in that sense). In the end, I pretty much have to buy acne treatment products on top of my 3-step, instead of having the convenience of it being all in one. I know that Clinique sells a 3-step specifically designed for acne-prone skin, but I once tried a sample of it and my face swelled up so badly that I had to go to the hospital! It struck me funny that I'd have an allergic reaction to a product from a brand that is supposedly hypoallergenic! Regardless, I've heard pretty poor things across the board about this line, so I'd personally stay away.

To recap:

- Proactiv did not work for my sensitive skin and had little affect on my acne.

- Clinique's 3 Step System is a wonderful cleansing system that can be custom-tailored to your skin type, but it's not formulated to treat acne, so you'll still need additional products.

Proactiv can be purchased at http://www.proactiv.com/ for $29.95.

Clinique's 3-Step can be purchased at http://www.clinique.com/ for ~$39 (price depends on the size toner and moisturizer that you purchase)

Products I'm Eyeing

2010-06-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

If it were up to me, I'd probably buy new makeup, clothing and skincare products every week, just because I'm always fascinated with what's new and what's next with cosmetics companies. Unfortunately, I've got a car payment, cell phone and other expenses that keep me from funneling too much money into products, so instead I tear pages out of magazines and print pictures off the Internet, creating a personal "Wish List" of products to buy in the future. Then, one by one as I get the cash, I check items off my list, which keeps me from buying too many extraneous products that I don't need when I do hit the stores (and sometimes, for the good of my wallet, my interest in the product actually wanes in the time it takes for me to save up for it)! This methodology also helps me time my department store purchases to coincide with free gift offerings, so I feel like my patience is rewarded with some extra free products to try out.

With this in mind, I thought I'd share some items that I've been eyeing...if you have tried any of these products and have an opinion, please don't hesitate to give me a shout in the comments section!

NYX Cosmetics Bronze Smokey Eye Look

I first heard about this new palette from a review on YouTube by Blair (JuicyStar07) -- she used the products to create a pretty Bronze Sultry Date Night Look. Honestly, I was a bit weary about listening to anything she said in this video because I saw that she was being compensated by NYX Cosmetics to create the look (and money very quickly changes people's opinions on a product!). Regardless, I was interested in seeing the look that she'd create, and despite myself, I sort of fell in love with the palette. Plus, it's only $11 for nine perfectly coordinated shades! It doesn't appear that this product has made it to stores yet (I took a peek at the NYX rack at ULTA last weekend), but someday soon, I may have to add this to my collection.

Sex and the City Iridescent Satin Etched Character Martini Glasses

So, these aren't beauty products, and I don't even drink martinis, but I still want these glasses, only because I am a HUGE Sex and the City fan and I think they're adorable (and who said sipping a soda out of one of these babies was a crime?). At $14.99 each, they're not cheap (they are only available online at the HBO store, so then you're paying for shipping too), but they very preciously have each of the character's names etched into the glass, with the Sex and the City logo underneath. The colors are as follows: Carrie - Purple, Samantha - Blue, Charlotte - Pink, Miranda - Yellow. The glasses are also available for purchase individually.

Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Face Serum and Eye Complex

It seems that I'm getting more and more expensive as I travel down my list. I'll be honest, these products are RIDICULOUSLY pricey for what you get -- just 1 oz. of the face serum and .5 oz. for the eye complex...for $97 (yes, they can be purchased separately for $47.50 and $49.50 as well)! Thankfully, Estee Lauder throws in free shipping if you buy them as a pair, but for those prices, these products better be plastic surgery in a bottle! Regardless, I'm dying to give them a try, as they have gotten some good reviews on YouTube and the marketing materials that they handed me at the Estee Lauder counter really make them seem like dream creams (although as I marketer myself, I should know that these materials sometimes stretch and/or elaborate on the truth). According to Estee Lauder, "This revolutionary anti-aging formula is the core of every Beautiful Skin Solutions system. Based on solid, scientific findings and over 25 years of proven success, it's the one formula your skin shouldn't live without." Ahhh, I want it (and can't afford it!)!

OPI Nail Polishes from the Alice in Wonderland Collection

One of my newest obsessions is nail polishes -- especially in the summer months because when it's so hot out, bare nails just feel so plain! In all likelihood, I've probably missed out on this collection since the film came out months ago, and that's right about when these items were added to my wish list, but I just think these four shades (Thanks so Muchness, Absolutely Alice, Mad as a Hatter and Off With Her Red) are so pretty for spring/summer, especially the two with sparkles in them. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled and see if I can find these on any of the online beauty discount sites in the meanwhile!

MAC Eyeshadows

To be honest, I definitely own a million eyeshadows already and probably never need another one. But then I get so tempted with all of these pretty shades, especially with the million beauty videos that I watch on YouTube every day. The current colors on my "hit list" are Carbon (matte black), Swish (purple/pink), Paradisco (peach), Satin Taupe (taupe), Expensive Pink (pink), and pretty much every blue color (Aquadisiac, Freshwater, Shimmermoss). Ahhh, I'm insane! ;)

That's all for now, more wish list items coming soon!

Review: Clinique High Lengths Mascara

2010-06-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

In the past, I have tried numerous Clinique mascaras, including their popular "High Impact" brand and haven't liked one of them. I've found them to be clumpy upon application and have also noticed that they tend to dry out faster than other brands. A few months ago, I received a sample of their newest mascara, the "High Lengths" version, and to be honest, I almost threw it right into the trash because I knew how negatively I feel about Clinique mascaras. But then something stopped me and I opened the tube on a whim and quickly saw that this was nothing like what I had tried before.

Here's what the Clinique Web site says about this product:

"Stretch limp, lifeless lashes to lengths beyond your wildest expectations. And wow - eyes look noticeably wider, fully energized. Our curved, fine-toothed comb finds the tiniest lashes and brings them out of hiding. Ophthalmologist tested and appropriate for sensitive eyes."

Here's what I think:

First and foremost, the wand truly is dramatically different from typical mascara wands and is very thin with just three ultra tiny rows of plastic (to give you some perspective, I had to use the digital macro feature on my camera to get a zoomed-in enough view of the wand to where the detail was visible). The plus to this feature is that it's virtually impossible for your mascara to clump, and the comb also separates lashes very easily because there are only a few rows of plastic for your lashes to adhere to. This "plastic" is another differentiator, as the wand doesn't have any of that fluffy spooli material that you might be used to.

Another interesting point is that unlike most wands, the comb is only on one side with the other side made of a smooth plastic. The downside to this is that you're not really able to use this wand in the much-loved "rolling" motion that helps curl lashes and provide extra coats with just one swipe. One final thing I noticed is that the wand is a bit bendy on the end, although I honestly haven't yet figured out how this aids in the application.

After several uses, I've decided that in many ways, I really like this brush -- as I said, it allows for excellent lengthening without clumps, which is always my first requirement in my mascaras. There are a few things, though, that I don't like. Firstly, the design of the brush has the little plastic combs ending slightly before the smooth plastic part ends (if that makes sense), which means that it's very hard to reach the tiny little lashes that are close to your tear ducts without poking the side of your face with the end of the brush (this has resulted in me getting mascara on the inside corner of my eye a couple of times, which can make for messy fix-ups, especially if you've already spent time perfecting an eye shadow look). For this reason, it's also a bit more difficult to use this mascara on your lower lashes without making a mess under your eyes.

All in all, for $14, this mascara really isn't that much more expensive than some drugstore brands, so I'd say it's worth a purchase, if only to check out the super cool wand, which in the end makes the product what it is. Truth be told, I'm not sure that the actual mascara does anything different or better than any other product I've used. I certainly didn't notice that my eyes looked more energized, as Clinique claims.

To recap:

Pros:

- The wand is really cool and different from anything I've seen or used before.

- Three rows of small plastic prongs on the wand make for smooth, lengthening application without clumps

- The mascara is only $14, which isn't much more than drugstore brands.

- All Clinique products are hypoallergenic and opthamologist tested, so if you have sensitive eyes, this is a plus.

Cons:

- The design of the brush makes it difficult to reach the tiny inner lashes near your tear ducts

- Because the comb is only on one side of the brush, you can't roll the mascara on to achieve a curling effect

- The shape of the brush makes applying mascara to your lower lashes more difficult

Review: Coloresse Hair Care

2010-06-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

I've been highlighting my naturally light brown/dark blonde hair since I was 16 years old, and all that bleach over 10 years has definitely damaged and dried it out. Thankfully, it hasn't gotten SO bad that I've had hair falling out or anything horrible like that, but I've certainly noticed that it has less lustre, shine and smoothness since I started highlighting it.

About a year ago, I went to a new colorist and when we got to talking about hair products, she mentioned the word "sulfates." Now, sulfates are starting to pop up in the beauty community with L'Oreal's launch of a sulfate-free line, but at the time I had no idea what she was talking about. She explained to me that most hair-care companies use sulfates as filler product to make their shampoos lather and thicken (there are several varieties of it, just look at the back of your shampoo bottle and you should find it as one of the first few ingredients). And since we're so conditioned by commercials and what-not to think that a LATHERING shampoo is a GOOD shampoo, we don't blink or think twice about it. In reality, these sulfates are incredibly DRYING for hair because they strip away the natural moisture of the hair folicle (and for this reason they are extra damaging for color-treated hair). Why then, I asked, do companies use these products? Although I don't know this for sure, my stylist said that it makes the product fill up the bottle with less of the actual good ingredients, so it's a cheaper way to produce.

Once I learned this, I decided that if I ever wanted to repair the damage from years of bleaching my hair while still being able to stay blonde, I'd have to stop using shampoos with these drying agents. I also knew that I didn't want to spend more money than I was currently spending on haircare. Shortly thereafter, during a random trip to my local Sally Beauty Supply store, I discovered the Coloresse line of hair products, and actually tried them completely on a whim. It took less than a week for me to fall in love...and see a difference.

Since then I religiously use the "rescue" line (in the blue bottles), which say they are for severely dry and damaged hair. Honestly, I wouldn't say my hair is SEVERELY dry or damaged, but I still like what this line does and personally prefer it over the "moisture" line which is for normal hair (and which I've also tried). I currently use the Rescue Shampoo, Rescue Conditioner, and Rescue Leave-in Moisturizer with every shampoo/blowdry. I also own the Rescue Smoothing Balm (which compares to Biosilk), but only use that on occasion, and just today I purchased the Rescue Treatment Masque to try, which is their deep conditioner (I'll review it after I've given it a spin). The best part is that these products are less than $10 each, so for the entire Rescue line, it's less than $50. The Coloresse line also comes in varieties for curly hair (green bottles), normal hair (pink bottles) and fine hair (purple bottles). Each of the other varieties has a shampoo and conditioner, and then some different specific products for that hair type (such as a curl creme for curly hair or volume luster creme for fine hair).

If you're going to try a sulfate-free shampoo for the first time, there's a few things you should be aware of in advance. Firstly, the consistency is going to be very different -- because it lacks the thickening agent, it's quite watery, but that just means you'll need to transfer it to the top of your head a little quicker than usual. Secondly, be prepared for less of a lather than you're used to. It will definitely be a bit strange at first, but remind yourself that it's for the benefit of your hair!

Overall, I am so incredibly happy with the entire range of products. I find that the shampoo cleanses my hair thoroughly without it feeling stripped or dry, and the rescue conditioner is like infusing your hair with silk (I leave mine on for about 3 minutes and comb through it in the shower with a wide-tooth comb before rinsing). The leave-in moisturizer prepares your hair for styling (although I do use a separate heat protectant on it as well before blow-drying) and the smoothing lotion is a great finishing product to make hair sleek and shiny (just keep this away from roots to avoid a greasy look, and remember, just 1-2 pumps goes a long way!). Each bottle lasts me between 3-6 months with washing my hair every other day, so if you can stretch it even longer (or if you have really short hair), it'll go even further.

As far as I know, these products are only sold in Sally Beauty Supply stores, but if you don't have one near you, they do sell most of the line on their web site at http://www.sallybeautysupply.com/. Check it out! :)

To recap:

Pros:

- All products are sulfate-free, so they are less drying and damaging for hair, especially if it's color treated

- Products are affordable at less than $10 each!

- The line caters to multiple hair types including fine hair, curly hair, damaged hair and normal hair

Cons:

- Products are only available at Sally Beauty Supply stores, so they may be difficult to find for some

- Shampoos don't lather like you're used to, and the consistency is a bit runny

This Week in TV: 6/7-6/11

2010-06-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

Hi gals and welcome back to week two of This Week in TV! This was a particularly great week in the world of television, in my humble opinion, so without further ado, let's get started!

The Bachelorette

I feel dorky admitting it, but I am really enjoying The Bachelorette this season and think each week is getting better than the last! A few things I want to discuss from this, the third episode:

- Jonathan's extreme awkwardness: Ummm, how old is this guy again? (For the record, he's 30.) Seriously, even I felt embarrassed for the weatherman during that incredibly terrible "first kiss" moment with Ali. Ok, so I understand that it is probably a bit weird to kiss a girl with a whole bunch of guys watching, especially when several of those guys had taunted you in the previous weeks. But even when Ali did the work and kissed him he acted like he didn't know what to do, like he had never kissed a girl before. Now, maybe that was actually the case and he was just too embarrassed to mention it? Maybe the producers knew this and set him up on purpose? I'm not sure, but regardless, I was really surprised to see Ali keep him around at the end of the episode considering the weirdness showed that they lack romantic chemistry!

- One-on-one daredevil date with Roberto: So, I'll admit that I definitely have a "thing" for Latin guys, but even I wouldn't walk across a tightrope above a 20-story building to win Roberto's heart. In reality, I'd probably have a heart attack halfway across -- either that or a nervous breakdown. For a girl who is supposedly terrified of flying/heights, Ali seems to be handling helicopter rides and insane tightrope walking pretty well...I'm just saying.

- Friends and Enemies: I am still completely in love with Frank, and am rooting for him to go the distance, despite the fact that he was acting a little jealous/weird this week, and will need to get over that pronto if he doesn't want to freak Ali out. Frank aside, though, Chris L. moved up to second place for me this week, and I really like him! He seems like such a sweet, gentle kind of guy who loves his family -- the kind of man that would open doors and always be there to hold your hand. I hope that Ali gives him more time to open up and show his personality one-on-one. And then there's Justin. I'll be honest, I felt really bad for him this episode what with all the guys telling Ali he's there for the wrong reasons. When they showed him off crying in the dark by himself, I couldn't help but thinking, "Poor Justin, I'll date you!" (I even tweeted this in case he was looking for a date on Twitter). But then, I broke the number one rule of reality TV: I read Bachelorette spoilers on Reality Steve (I couldn't help it, a friend's Facebook status tempted me!). And thus I saw that our dear Justin will be the center of a scandalous plot to-come in the next few episodes. I don't want to spoil it for other watchers, but let's just say, he has quickly moved to my enemies list and I hereby rescind all offers of a Twitter date.

So You Think You Can Dance

Is anyone else SO excited for this season's Top 11 on So You Think You Can Dance? I'll admit I was totally bummed that they picked Adechike over Anthony (who I thought was a superior dancer and less of a crybaby), and I really liked that girl Ryan Ramirez (over Ashley who I don't even remember from Vegas week), but other than that, I'm stoked that Alexie, Alex, Billy and Lauren (plus my absolute favorite, who I will mention in a bit) made it.

And then I thought that Thursday's performance show was AMAZING, even though I still don't like this "All Stars" bit. What's the motivation for the "All Star" to do well if they're not even competing? It would have been more fun if they picked all past winners, or if they picked all of the 2nd place girls/boys and gave them a second chance to win the title. The way they positioned it is just boring. Regardless, I thought the Travis Wall routine (pictured above, thank you to fox.com) was SPECTACULAR. I want to watch it again and again just to see how many of the intricate movements I can catch.

The other routines were cool, but didn't blow me away quite as much. I liked Tyce Diorio's Broadway routine and Mia Michael's "time" routine. I thought the Tabitha and Napoleon hip hop was just fair, and the latin routine, sort of blah. Which leads me to my prediction for the first to go: Latin dancer Cristina Santana (above in pink). She's a good dancer, no question, but in this competition good only gets you so far. Next to Anya and Pasha (who might I add looks completely hot without his shirt on), she looked so amateur. As a matter of fact, I thought she was the only Top 11 competitor that seemed to be completely bettered by her "All Star" partners. I guess we'll see how she fares next week and who her first partner is (I think the only way she stays is if one of the other pairs gets the dreaded quickstep.).

And this leads me to my final commentary on this week's SYTYCD. I am 100% totally IN LOVE with Kent Boyd. Seriously, how adorable is he? Not to mention an INCREDIBLE dancer. I totally think he held his own next to Alex and Anthony in Vegas, and in Thursday's Travis Wall routine. He's my (early) pick to win, simply because he's so charming, bright eyed and bushy-tailed.

Normally, I'd toss a third show in here (like this week's season finale of Glee, which I actually found disappointing, or last Sunday's widely promoted premiere of Kate Plus Eight [I love Aaden and Alexis!]), but I rambled a bit more than I thought I would with the first two shows and don't want to completely bore you all to death. So that's it for this week's TV recap. See you next Friday!