Beauty Tip of the Day: Eat, Drink, Sleep

Sounds like a no brainer, but a few of the most important things you can do for your body (hair, skin, nails etc) is to eat nutritious food, drink lots of water (kick that soda habit), and get plenty of sleep (which seems impossible but that's what Saturday's are for).

If you have a healthy diet with small, simple splurges (just a spoonful of Ben & Jerry's not the whole pint!) your body will reward you with better hair, nails and skin.  Remember there are basically 3 food groups: salt, fat, and sugar.  Most processed foods (frozen dinners, chips, box meals, cereals etc) have either too much salt, fat or sugar.

I know many women who diet and drink a ton of diet soda all day.  They wonder why their complexion is terrible and why the weight isn't dropping.  Cut out the soda!  If you hate the plain taste of water add lemons or limes.  It sounds silly but it works!

Most of us are in a cycle of fast forward and always stressed out...overloaded!  You could benefit from real rest/sleep.  Turn off the electronics, turn on the radio.  Go outside. Step away from the TV and computer.  Give yourself some real time to unwind by taking a hot bath or shower.  Start out with just 15 minutes of quiet time and move up a little each week and you'll see improvement.  Drive with the radio off and the windows down. Or my favorite...go into the bathroom, lock the door and read your favorite magazine.  If you need a beauty or food magazine just let me know I have plenty!

Tuesday Surprise: Demeter Fragrance thanks to MyGlamBag n/k/a Ispy

Nothing like coming home from work to discover a package just for you!  In this case my fragrances from Demeter arrived which instantly brightened my day!  I received a sample of Clean Skin Roll On perfume oil in my August 2012 MyGam Bag and I really liked it. So I became a fan of Demeter and spent a lot of time going through their amazing selection of fragrances to try and decide what I wanted to try along with the Clean Skin. I finally made my choices and today I came home to a box full of wonderful scents!

 

I chose Amber and Sandlewood because they are they are two of my favorite scents.  At first sniff they appear to be softer than I imagined and didn't make me sneeze like some perfumes.

My free sample was a huge 1.0 oz bottle of Chryanthemum that is very very pleasing to my nose and it may end up being one of my favorites!

I chose Clean Skin and Snow in this great size for keeping in my purse.  The Clean Skin smells fantastic and I having a feeling I'll be ordering more of this soon!

I took a chance on Snow because it sounds cool and reminds me of snowflakes.  I'm not quite sure what to make of this yet...it has a crisp smell to it but reminds me more of rain than snow.  But hey they both are made of water!

All in all I am very happy with my purchase!  I would like to thank MyGlam Bag for providing me with such a unique and wonderful sample.  I'm giving Demeter props for their packaging skills as my purchase was safe and tightly snug in a box of bubble wrap. (who doesn't love bubble wrap?!?)

Never heard of Demeter?  Check out their website at http://www.demeterfragrance.com/http://www.demeterfragrance.com/

Also check out MyGlam Bag now known as Ipsy at www.ipsy.com 

Are you a fan of Demeter?  And if so what are your favorite scents?

Pantene Silky Moisture Whip: WOW!

I have been hoping for a product like this for a long time.  I've always been a big fan of mousse but couldn't really find one that worked well with my hair.  Most products made may hair too stiff and unmanageable whether I let my hair air dry or if I used a blow dryer.

Now this isn't your typical mousse!  This is a rich lather of silky goodness that soaks into my hair leaving it soft and shiny.  It works great with my natural wavy hair and the curls/waves really stand out.  I love it!

On days when I do need to straighten my hair, it works great!  My hair is protected from the heat of the curling iron and still remains soft and shiny.  I don't use hardly any hairspray except for a really light formula.

It took me while to locate this product once I read about it in a magazine.  This was definitely flying off the shelves and finally (about three weeks later) I found the last one on a shelf and snatched it up right away.  I have not been disappointed since.  After all of the styling mousse, leave in conditioners, and hair oils I have found a great product that my hair loves!

A little does go a long way but I usually add a little more since my hair is dry and the curls/waves just can't get enough of it.  Its thick yet light and does not weigh my hair down.  I'm not sure how this product would work if you had oily hair, but I'm sure with enough creativity you could make it work for you too!

Have you tried this product yet?  And if so what type of hair do you have (thick, thin, straight, curly, normal, oily, dry, color treated etc) and how do you like it?

Thanks Pantene! Please do not ever stop making this! I promise to keep you in business!

Borghese Crema Saponetta Cleansing Bar

The full name is: Borghese Crema Saponetta Cleansing Bar for Face and Body.

Whew!

I've been using this cleansing bar (it is so much more than soap) for over a month now and I have been very pleased with the results.  

Number 1: first of all it is actually a very LARGE cleansing bar.

Number 2: it is perfectly balanced not to be too moisturizing or too drying.

Number 3: it is great for washing my face without irritation and works just as well as some leading foaming/gel cleansers.

Number 4: it has a very subtle scent, almost none at all which I really like and so the smell does not linger on the skin. For those who are very sensitive to fragrances will love this cleansing bar. 

Number 5: I even shaved my legs with it one night and its did not leave my legs feeling tight or dry.

Although I think this is a little on the expensive side ($$)-for me it is absolutely worth it and I would recommend it for everyone.  Due to the high price you might want to get a small sample first just to make sure you like it.  This is more of an investment than an impulse buy!

I am really starting to fall in love with this cosmetics line due to how skin friendly their products are but the price tends to keep me from purchasing full size.  Its one reason why I really like samples and have the opportunity to try it first.  I guess you would call this a nice splurge.

What products do you "splurge" on?

Birchbox Man: September 2012 : The Basics

The box for September was all about the basics and/or fundamentals.  This is actually a very important skill that once mastered can lead you directly to STYLE!  You already understand the importance of grooming: shower, shave, smelling good and looking great.  Now lets focus on what is noticed but not necessarily seen.

Inside the jammed packed box is a step in the right direction which includes comfort, conditioner, softness, and dryness.  Doesn't sound so appealing? Well then, let's look a little deeper and you may want to take some notes!

Step 1: comfortable underwear.  Sounds like a no-brainer (insert your pun here) ha ha. But you and the "boys" must be comfortable as not to worry, wobble, scratch or shake while trying to look cool! You never want to seem like you've got ants in your pants!

Step 2: dryness. Men sweat a LOT from just about every pore in the body and the Bala Powder is your secret weapon.  It can be applied everywhere or just in certain areas leaving you perfectly dry and odor free which will certainly boost the confidence factor!

Step 3: (If you are a strikingly handsome Bruce Willis or smooth Sam Jackson (ahem: bald) then you can skip this portion of the lesson).  For everyone else your hair is important whether you keep it long, short, curly, straight or whatever! Oribe allows you to condition your hair to achieve the look that gets the girl and girls love to run their fingers through your hair (without feeling sticky, oily or grimy).



Step 4: Maybe you don't want to think about your lips being soft, but I can tell you she does.  No one wants to be kissed or nibbled on with chapped/scratchy lips and CO Bigelow not only has you covered for that (and it slips nicely into a pocket) but the smell of mint is irresistible.



Now you have all the basic elements and it's your turn to use them to your advantage.  Birchbox Man has included additional handy information just in case you need a review. And Gentlemen, please don't hesitate to ask a girl for an additional lesson (wink wink) to help you achieve your own personal style!



PS: my hubby really like this month's BB! However, if  he wrote this review it would have been a lot shorter (Yea, its all good stuff says my hubby) and not nearly as entertaining.  Overall I think the undies and Balla powder were the big winners!

Monday: Busy Week Ahead!!

Good morning Ladies! Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend.  This is gearing up to be a busy week! Here are a few things to look forward to:

1. Almost done with the latest review of Birchbox Man products;
2. Beauty Army's box should be in today;
3. I'm getting a boat load of product samples either today or tomorrow (more on that later);
4. Another GlossyBox is being shipped; and
5. Another BirchBox is being shipped!

I'm taking many of the unsued samples and beginning to do my Christmas shopping that way none of the products will expire or go bad.  With everyone's attention on Fashion Week I feel like I can take a little breather. Ahh warm days and cooler nights signal that fall is approaching.

Does your routine change with the seasons or is it rather the same all year?

What are some thing you are looking forward to this fall?

GLOSSYBOX: FRANCE

GlossyBox France.  

I was one of two winners of the French GlossyBox during the Olympics.  This box is white with a people cartoon design around the outside.  The packaging was much like like you'd expect except with less shredded paper.

I was very excited to be selected as a winner (Thank you Glossybox USA) and to see what products I would receive.  As you can imaging they are fabulous and most have instructions in English as well as other languages. I included the products web sites in as well in my reviews.

Ohh la la! Everything about the box says I'm from France! There were 5 different products: 1 for hair, 3 for skin, and 1 make up.  I decided to take a little extra time trying out each product and researching the companies. Most of the information I found was in French (duh) but pictures from the web sites do a lot of self explaining.

All of the products were what I consider full size samples! (Super Yeah!) No packets, no one time use only, no mini uber small containers.  This was a sample set done RIGHT! It would be great to be able to get a box like this from the other countries (Germany, China, England etc) just to see what is available to women around the world.  So here we go:

http://www.schwarzkopf.com/sk/en/home.html
BC Hair Therapy After Sun Treatment
The USA portion of this company was unavailable so I used the link above which has a lot of hair care/hair color information.  I could not find this particular product on their web site.  This product is a conditioner that you spray into your hair, wait about 10 minutes and wash out. It is suppose to protect hair from UV rays. I really like this product (so does my teenager) and would buy it if available Stateside.

La Sultane de Saba http://www.lasultanedesaba.com
The website is in both French and English with a HUGE selection of lotions, candles, exfoliants, body oils and much more.  The lotion I received is difficult to get out of the bottle but once you do it absorbs quickly leaving the skin soft but it does have a strong scent that lingers so I use it sparingly.

http://www.arnaud-institut.com/ This site is in French but from what I can tell they have skin care products for men, women and children. I received the "masque gommant fondant" which is a melt in exfoliation mask. I really like this product and it jsut a great job of exfoliating the skin without over drying or leaving any irritation.  It leaves your face feeling clean and refreshed! I would buy this if it was available in the States.

http://www.sampar.com/en
Sampar Skin Quenching Mist. The spray nozzle cannot be removed so I use it as a toner with a cotton ball instead of spraying my face with it.  It is also moisturizing and a barely there scent.  The company web site is in English and provides a lot of information about their skin care products. I like this but I prefer a cream to a mist-just a personal preference.

http://www.3fees.com/ 3 Fees is a mineral based cosmetic company with a large assortment of products.  I received a mineral blush called Gourmandise. I think that is French for Pinkish Orange with lots of Glitter. It goes onto the skin easily but the light really reflects the glitter so this appears to be better suited for going out at night than wearing it during the day.

GlossyBox August 2012: PURE LUXURY

This month's GlossyBox did not disappoint!  The theme this time is Pure Luxury and contains products for your hair, nails, lips and two for your face.  Near perfection! Great job GlossyBox!

As you can see there is something from Ellis Faas, Ole Henriksen, Touch in Sol, Biolage, and Illamsqua.

Touch in Sol: Feel Like Honey Moon Skin Base.  I had not heard of this product before and the packaging was intriguing. "All in one moisturizer and make up base." I thought it was going to be a type of primer, but it was more like a gel. Once it soaks into the skin, my face feels like new canvas and it does not leave any noticeable residue. Clean almost citrus scent and with tiny gold particles.  I have been using this and am very pleased.  Check out the website for more products!

This must be the most anticipated nail collection in quite some time! Illamasqua is not a nail polish or gel its a VARNISH! Beware it dries super fast and two coats will provide amazing color that doesn't chip and it comes in over 50 different shades! If you add a clear top coat you can go a week without seeing a chip.
I also had some difficulty removing the varnish too. Otherwise, its a great product line!

I was thrilled to see this since I've heard so much about Vit.C being so good for your skin, especially to diminish fine lines around the eyes. It has a nice citrus scent and quickly soaks into the skin.  The best part is a little goes a long way, but I can see myself buying more in the future.

Hair oils are being a dime a dozen now, but I was excited to see a sample of the Biolage Exquisite Oil Replenishing Treatment.  It tames frizz and fly aways while making my hair soft and shiny without weighing it down.  I use about 3 drops, rub it in my hands, and then my hair.  If you have fine hair 1 drop may be all you need!

I wasn't sure that to make of this!  I had not heard of this product before and it looks like a powerful silver bullet. Amazingly enough this is one of the best (if not the best) lip moisturizer out there. Its not thick and sticky, it is surprisingly light weight and the color can last for HOURS! Now, I wasn't thrilled with the color I received which is L209 that resembles well, light colored mud. However, my lips felt great, soft and velvety. 

 If I can find a more suitable color, like a soft pink then I will definitely purchase!

Oh! And don't forget to read this months mag with lots of insightful information and gorgeous photographs!

Let me know what you thought of the August box and what your favorite item is!