Updated 2-15-2013: BeautyBlender

 UPDATE: ok so I've used my BeautyBlender sponge everyday this week and I must say that the hype is true: this is an amazing beauty product!

First I tried using it dry but that didn't work out very well.

Then I used it wet and was really impressed with the results!  Yes you do a lot of "pat pat pat" but its totally worth it.  I applied foundation that went on near flawless and even.  The results were amazing and impressive.  I added a little blush, setting powder and mascara and boom I'm out the door!  This means I can sleep in another 10 minutes in the morning!

The pictures don't show it very well but there is a bit of foundation on the sponge which I am trying to show that yes I did use the darn thing!

Overall I think this is a great investment if you are having trouble applying your foundation to your satisfaction.  I still like to use my fingers when applying make-up around my eyes but the BeautyBlender works great everywhere else and I especially like how its blends along the hairline and jaw/neck area.

So if you are still not sure if you want to invest in this...I would recommend giving it a try and if you don't like it I'm sure you have a BFF, sister, cousin, mother who might like to try it out.  If you have been watching all the interesting tidbits of fashion week then you know BeautyBlender was used by many make up artists and you don't have to be young and beautiful to have this product make you feel beautiful too.

Sorry I would post before/after picks like many of the wonderful bloggers do...but I have a face that's better for radio than pictures! :D  So go try this because you just may fall in love with it!

I would love to know your thoughts, expectations and experiences with BeautyBlender!

The uber famous BeautyBlender Sponge

Ok, I couldn't stand it any longer and I HAD to purchase this product!  The BeautyBlender sponge is all the rage and the reviews are consistent that this product is a game changer!

Its latex-free with anti microbial foam and can be washed then reused many times over.  It can be used wet or dry and the reviews rave about its flawless make-up application.

After spending months reading reviews, product information and even purchasing other types of make up sponges that have worked ok but not great.  I couldn't stand it any longer (because I do hate to jump on the same bandwagon was everyone else) and finally decided to make a purchase!  I have not been happy with many of the sponges I have used in the past to apply foundation and I hope this product will really blow my socks off.

The positive reviews from the professional make-up artists, customers, and bloggers convinced me to jump on the bandwagon because I may be on only person on the planet who hasn't tried BeautyBlender yet! If you haven't tried this product yet you might want to check out their web site: http://www.beautyblender.net/sponge.html 

Now I am eyeing my mailbox for its arrival and yes I will use it as soon as it gets here!

I know you must love this product so tell me what you think about it! Can't wait to hear from you!

75% off sale: B-Glowing.com

SALE!!

     

I love January.  I love sales.  I love clearance.  I'm not someone who needs the latest and great as soon as it hits the shelves...well not always.

But January is special.  Sales. Lots of them.  It is the right time to purchase what you really want at low low prices.  January is the time when most stores are clearing out the old merchandise at huge discounts to bring in the new spring products.  Right now, http://www.b-glowing.com/ is having a great 75% off sale.  I suggest you check it out because brands, colors and quantities are limited.  I recently purchased several items from their sale including 2 Lift Lab products (Lift Lab HiLove & Beauty Shimmering Eyeshadow (Google Affiliate Ad)gh Potency Solution & Lift and Firm Eye Cream) and a product from Luminaze (brightening and correcting night cream) for less than $80.00.  These products would normally retail at over $300.00!  

I did my research first and scoured the world wide web to see if any other beauty stores were also offering these products at such low prices and they weren't.  So I was overcome with excitement and had to place an order!  When it arrives and I do a little testing I will provide a follow up review.

This site is great at discounts which allows you to try a great product at a huge discount but you do have to keep an eye on the site due to the every changing product line up.  It always feels great when you've snagged a great product at a great deal!


Now quickly go check out their web site and tell me what great deals you found!

After Christmas Beauty Sales

Hello!  Hope you had a great Christmas! Now that all of the pre-Christmas excitement is over it is time to dive into the post-Christmas sales! I hope you are well rested because there's a lot going on you won't want to miss out on.  Here are just a couple of places that are having some awesome year end sales:

copyright belongs to Sephora

Sephora.com always has an ongoing "sale" on their website so take advantage of checking them out often because they add new items everyday, sometimes several times a day.

Right now they are having a HUGE sale on Eshu products.  Eshu is an Australian company that makes amazing shaving products for your man.  However, I have been known to swipe borrow the Eshu Shave Gel which is an excellent alternative to your white creamy shave cream.

For a limited time you can receive an additional 20% off on their sale items!  Hurry!

copyright belongs to Beauty Bridge

http://www.beautybridge.com/ 

Beauty Bridge is a great online retailer of cosmetics, skin care, hair care, nail polish etc.  BB offers a wide range of products, brands, and they have some great sales!  Right now Peter Thomas Roth, L'Occitane, ModelCo, Sula and Joey New York products (along w/so many more) are on SALE and don't forget to check out all of the new arrivals too.

This web site will make you giddy with all of the good stuff you can purchase at great prices and check out their rewards program!

Do you know of a great online sale? If so share, share, share!

Beauty Products Galore: what do you have too much of?

I've been participating in several beauty box subscriptions for about a year now and at times I've been up to my eyeballs in sample beauty products!  Which ones do I subscribe to?  It seems just about all of them and they are all a little different and provide a variety of beauty samples.  My biggest gripe in the surprise of a monthly beauty box is that I'm not sure any of the samples are "specially curated just for me" which is fine because most of them do a great job at providing sample products that I have really enjoyed.  Others make me believe that I'm going to receive a great box then I feel like I end up with the leftovers.  I know this by reading the posts of bloggers who

One of my favorite things: Acrona Cranberry Toner

I've never been a big fan of toners.  They always seem to have a overpowering scent, super drying out your skin powers and in the end seem to irritate the skin more than it helps.

Then I received a sample and everything changed. According to the package this is a 3 in 1 toner which cleanses, hydrates and tones.  It removes oil, dirt and make up.  In my opinion this toner is suited for all skin types and should not cause any irritation but be safe and test a small patch of skin first.

The scent is fresh and does not linger, there is a milky swirl mixed in with the light pink color, and as you can see I'm on my 2nd full size purchase.  This is a large bottle with almost 4 ounces and it retails for about $32.00.  I ration mine out in the sample bottle b/c it fits better in my make-up basket.  It fits easily in my purse and is perfect for travel.

Have you tried this yet?  What is your favorite toner?  Let me know what you like and don't like about today's (gentler) toners!

boscia: luminizing black mask

This is one of best facial masks I've tried in a long time.  I must admit it took a few tries to get the hang of it, but once I did: WOW!

This black mask is a peel off that is suitable for all skin types.  However, if you have a hairy face or get the product into your hair, the pulling off part is a little painful. Luckily you can wash your face with warm water to remove the mask if needed.

It takes about 20 minutes or so to fully dry and allow you to peel the mask off.  The product is great at removing make up, dirt, grim and clears out those ever-so-clogged pores.  The instructions indicate that it should only be use one or twice a week and I fully agree with that.  If you skin is sensitive try this out in small doses.  My skin is rather oily and I only use it once a week and only in the places where I need it which is usually my chin and forehead. I would not recommend using this every day, but if your skin is up to the task I'd like to hear about your experience.

You can find this product on their web site http://www.bosciaskincare.com and at several other online beauty stores for about $34.00 at 2.8 ounces.  It is a good size for the money and a little can go along way.  I have found that I am using this more in the cooler months that I did during the summer.

I would recommend this product.  If you have been using this product or others in the boscia product line, let me know what your favorite is!

Discover Great Steals & Deals: Hautelook.com

http://www.hautelook.com

If you are looking for that special item, the unique gift at an insanely affordable price then you've got to check out Hautelook.com.  You've got to sign up, but once you do (and yes sign up for their daily emails) you'll be the first to know about awesome brands and fabulous sales.  They have high end shoes, purses, clothing, jewelry, furniture, make-up, skin care and more all with huge discounts but limited quantities.  The merchandise is always changing so first come, first serve here.

Goop/Birchbox October 2012

Ok, so after all of the hype my BB finally arrived in the mail.  There were so many possibilities of what could be inside that I just couldn't wait to tear the box open.

I got the Goop box!  This is a little different from the pink tissue paper but its still cool.

Here is the first look:

Ohhh a Luna fiber bar and is that a chocolate bar too?

Once everything is unwrapped you can see this is a fairly well thought out box of samples!

Let me tell you- if you are not a fan of the sticky super glue uber thick hyper color pigment lip glosses then you have found your savor in Naked Princess products!  Here's there web site: http://www.nakedprincess.com which is a sexy yet informative site full of naughty/nice products including a wide selection of their lip glosses!  These are lightly scented, creamy, long lasting, sheer lip glosses that last for hours!  Your lips will not want anything less once you try this!  I've used this product for a couple of years now and I always speak very highly of NP. Yes its $$ but you are worth it! And there is an article on their site explaining how much nasty chemical women ingest from their lipstick/lip glosses- its a MUST read.

Kiehl's aromatic blends are intoxicating!  Luckily they come in several scents so you surely will be able to find the one you like best or like them all!  As usual your skin is clean without over drying.  I received Orange Flower & Lychee which is a orange-floral scent (I love it) .  I highly recommend this-so far I've had no skin reactions and the scent lingers for a while but not too long; however you'll feel refreshed all day!

Well, who doesn't like Essie?  Probably one of the most respected and highest quality nail polish that's also very affordable.  My disappoint was the color :(  I mean its October - Breast Cancer Awareness month- and they couldn't give everyone at least one shade of Essie pink polish?  Yes yes I know I can buy my own, but this gray slate color was just a waste. And the collection is out of stock on the BB web site.

Sing it with me Ladies:
Luna, Luna, Luna, get your protein here!
Luna, Luna, Luna, get your protein here!
However, BB is out of stock and the ingredients (a little too much sugar).
Ok so that doesn't make any sense, just like this fiber bar being in my sample box and BB being out of stock too. (no complaints against Luna tho')

This....is a daily serum that looks like an airplane.  Its small, not quite sure what it does, and its $85 for full size bottle!  Wow that's expensive!  It has a nice smell but is a bit runny, but I'm sure it works really well for someone.






This was another BB with so much potential but fizzled in the end.  The NP product line is fab!  Kielh's, Essie, Luna and even Joanna Vargus are great brands but this box just wasn't as fantastic as BB was leading me to believe.  No, I don't hate BB, but I am truthful about their samples b/c of my level of cosmetic expertise is more than s/one just rolling out of college.  I believe BB will be great someday, especially with the acquisition of Jolie Box!

Ponds Luminous Clean Facial Cleanser

This is not your mother's (or grandmother's) cold cream.  This is the one of the best facial cleansers I have ever used: Ponds Luminous Clean Cream Cleanser.  It is a thick, silky white cleanser with white kaolin clay that gently removes make-up and leaves your skin feeling fabulous!

I've been using this for over a month now and I have had no problems with it over drying, irritating, or under performing.  My face feels soft, clean and refreshed.  It does have a slight fragrance to it but isn't noticeable once you are finished washing and drying your skin.


I occasionally wear water proof/water resistance mascara and this does a really good job of removing mascara and/or eye make up without having to "scrub" your eyes.   It can be used daily and each time feels like a nice "treat" due to the lavish consistency of the cleanser.  The best part is that you can find it at your local retail stores (probably drug stores too) for about $5-$6 which is much cheaper than most facial cleansers.

Ponds Luminous Exfoliating Cleanser (which I haven't used yet) has also been featured in Allure's Best of Beauty.  And there are also Ponds cleansing towelettes!

This is a top notch product line! The packaging is great and it is very affordable.  The next time you are in the skin care aisle pick some up and treat yourself to some affordable luxury!

Beauty Bar: August 2012

While this wasn't my favorite Beauty Bar/Sample Society box, it does contain some awesome products!

At first glance I didn't know what to think because nothing super duper really jumped out at me.  But after taking a closer look I started to realize how cool most of the items are.

I love the Deborah Lipmann purple but wasn't sure if it was a color I could pull off, but I received so many complements on it that I don't think I'll be shy wearing it.  I do have to go shopping to find some blouses that match the color (yeah shopping)!

When you begin to enter your 40's all moisturizers are good, even for oily skin.  I have combination skin that leans toward more dry than oily.  This product goes into the skin and lasts all day without any skin irritations.

I have wanted to try this brand for a while now.  Its a great treatment you soak into the hair about 15 minutes and wash  it out.  I shower at night and allow my hair to air dry.  In the morning my hair is super soft and shiny!  Love this!

At first I wasn't sure what this was, but its a toner (Arcona) and a very good one with a soft cranberry scent.  It smells incredible and doesn't over dry my skin. I usually skip the toner due to my dry skin but this just may change my mind.  I also Love this one!

This is another product I had not heard of and its another moisturizer (when you are my age, no you cannot have too many) and I use it at night before bedtime.  Its a little runny and a little goes a long way.  I use it on my face and neck and I am very pleased with it.

Jane Iredale is a product I am becoming more and more familiar with and this thickening mascara is a little too thick for me.  I wear contacts and this sometimes gets into my eyes so I gave it to my teenager who sports with uber long lashes.  She loves it and doesn't leave the house with out it.

Overall this really is a great box with a nice variety of products to try and I can't wait to see what they come up with next month!

Glossy Box July Edition: Summer Nights

Its always a great surprise to receive Glossybox and see the wonderful items inside!  The glossy mag is full of wonderful products to try.  I just try to look at all of the pics before my teenager comes along and "borrows" the mag and will return it "in a minute" and I never see it again.  At least I can get the box to the bathroom, lock the door and enjoy the samples!!

This month's box does not disappoint!  It has everything you need to keep that summer loving going strong while looking fantastic! Goodies include Sebastian shampoo/conditioner, a wonderful hand and body lotion, a little something to help out with that pedicure, sexy summer lip gloss, and an eyebrow pencil to create those dramatic eyes like a Hollywood starlite!

Here you have fab basics to keep your glowing good looks including a great shampoo/conditioner to keep those locks healthy,

This luscious lather for your hands and body will keep the dry skin far away and out of mind.

Every girl should have pretty feet and if you don't have time for all of the fab nail art (would stick people look good on toes anyway?) then you can at least exfoliate and moisturize.  Strappy sandals or flip flops you'll look like you've just stepped out of the salon. I use this at night and love the non greasy feel!

Loose lips sink ships but not with this double whammy of sexy glittter sand colored lips gloss and sexy beachy sunset colored lip gloss. Each gloss can be used together or separately and the gloss lasts forever!

I've been reading a lot into eyebrows.  Why?  Well, normally its something I just do not put a lot of thought or work into.  Mine are somewhat thin, not much of an arch, and darker than my hair color.  To me they are easy to maintain and I think that's the way it should be!  However, they could use a little definition to become a bit bolder.  I was thinking of using an eye brow stencil.

Have you used one and what was the experience like?

Garnier Fructis Fall Fight Sample Shampoo/Conditioner

Over the weekend I received the following sample from Garnier for their new product: Fall Fight.  This product is suppose to strength your hair and prevent breakage so that you don't feel like all of your hair is falling out. The sample sizes are impressive (10ml each) for shampoo and conditioner.  As a bonus there is a $1.00 off coupon good on ANY shampoo, conditioner or treatment which does not EXPIRE until March 1, 2013.  Sweeet!  I've noticed I have a lot of Garnier hair products in my cabinet.

Do you have anxiety by seeing your hair in the brush, sink, drain etc?


When I had long hair, my hair fell out all the time! I swore I would be bald by 35!  My hair is in every car, store, house, sweater, office chairs, restaurant etc that I've ever been in...every drain, vacuum cleaner brush, dryer went etc... you name it! I shed more hair than the cat!  Now that I'm over 40 and I've cut my hair short (above the shoulders) I've noticed that my hair doesn't fall out as much.  Its probably due to hormonal changes but I know my hubby is very happy that he doesn't have to clean the drains as often.

The Sephora Store, sales and samples

Ahh.  I love Sephora.  Not only can I spend an hour or two in the retail store just browsing, trying stuff on, make a list of what I want vs what I can afford etc etc but I can also spend an hour or two browsing online.  Either way I can earn VIB points for freebies, shipping is fast (and normally free) and you get to chose 3 samples.  Nice.

This delivery was loaded with goodies I already knew about and was excited to see. Right now I am on a boscia kick which is feeding my lasted obsession with beauty masks.  I've been trying out a charcoal mask by Origins and will review that in full a little later.  This shippment contains a set of boscia must haves including an oil free moisturizer (great size for carrying in the purse), a purifying cleansing gel (sulfur free), and a full size liminatizing black mask treatment (peel off).

This is great because one of the VIB promos was a deluxe sample of the bright white mask that is suppose to help with hyperpigmentation (another obsession due to my sun spots from tanning). So I can try both the white and black masks this weekend! yeah!

Another product I had wanted to try was a pore minimizer which I was able to get with my VIB points.  I got Dermadoctor Picture Porefect and I will also let you know how it works after I've tried it for about a week.  Look for a follow up post next Friday or Saturday.

I also got my teenager some Kate Somerville Acne Treatment which is 10% sulfur and should dry up those pesky teenage face pimples quite nicely!

Finally I got to look at the free samples I picked out including mascara, oil control, and my favorite Kat Von D Tattoo Foundation which I couldn't wait and had to open immediately.  The description was a powerful long lasting foundation that could be used to cover tattoos which I thought if it does that it should be able to even out the sun spots on my forehead.  Well, I've just gotten home from work and my face isn't clean, but I went ahead and put some on (yes I know always start w/a clean face unless you are insanely impatient and I am).  It blended very well but I used too much (can't get used to this use just a little bit goes a long way) so I ended up using it on my entire face.  Not bad I say. Then I applied some loose powder and it looks pretty good except its a tiny bit too dark for me a little too yellow/orange just barely.  Thank goodness this comes in 14 different shades and I will try the lighter ones and update later.

That's all for today, thanks for reading the ENTIRE post, and my hubby is on his way to pick me up and take me to dinner so until next time Ladies!

Beauty Balms: Glorified Tinted Moisturizers w/SPF?

Now that BB Creams are the hottest trend on the market every cosmetic company has come out with their own.  I think Garnier was one of the first to enter the American market.  I tried it, I like it, but even the fair/medium was just too dark for this light skinned girl.  That's when I began to research how this BB cream was becoming so popular and discovered its HUGE in Asia, developed by a German physician to help patients with scars and skin imperfections.  That's when I started using 2 brands from South Korea which you can see in BB Creams Part 1.

Because I cannot help myself, I purchased two more with high expectations and no results. Since my pocket book will not allow me to keep doing this and I am running out of space in my bathroom with all of my "research and development" projects I have decided not to buy any more!

Before this declaration I purchased L'Oreal BB Cream Youth Code and Maybelline BB Cream.  By reading the label it really appears to be no more than a glorified tinted moisturizer with SPF added in which does not make these products true BB creams nor are they even close.  Both went on well, but after applying a little powder it appeared cakey. I tried it w/powder and without, with primer and without, moisturize first and then didn't etc etc.

 I have been tempted to purchase Dr Jart and the like but until I get a sample that really lives up to its promises...I will not purchase any more b/c they are too expensive and the advertising is very misleading.

Neither evened out my sunspots (like the Korean BB creams do very well) and now I have two (or is it three) products I'll never use.  Although these products do seem to work very well for some women (according to the multitude of online reviews) it just doesn't work for me. What do you think about the BB Creams and what are your experiences?

Beauty Army: July Box

 I was very excited to receive my first Beauty Army box and to discover all of the goodies inside!  Its always nice to open up a box that says "Hello Gorgeous" (And that's what my hubby calls me-Gorgeous!) and shows a pic of a woman gazing out at the city and ocean!  Ahhh!

Overall, very happy with this box of 6 samples that I can use!  I'm skeptical of the dry shampoo but very happy with everything else.

This was not something I wanted but it kept coming up in my choices.  The list of ingredients is scary (Butane, Propane, SD Alcohol 40-B, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isobutane, Cyclomethicone, Fragrance) and I saw this in a local drugstore for about $3.00. Dry Shampoos are becoming popular so I will give it a try. I am notorious for not washing my hair on the weekends to give my strands a break and this may be perfect if suddenly I need to assist a pal in retail therapy!

This is a great moisturizer what quickly absorbs into the skin and does not leave a greasy residue!  Within seconds you can apply your make up over it and remember a little goes a long way.  I don't like the scent and thankfully it does not linger.

I was thrilled to receive this and I have wanted to try a product from Cover FX for some time now. This is the "prep clear" primer that also fights acne!  It has a nice light scent, absorbs quickly and leaves a matte finish to apply your foundation or tinted moisturizer. I also want to try Cover FX's concealer to see if it will help even out my skin tone.

This tiny sample contains an emulsion cream that can do wonders for your complexion.  Not only does it reduce puffiness, hydrates, and exfoliates...it claims that sun damage will "virtually" disappear over time.  Since I have sun damage but not quite hyper-pigmentation I may purchase the full size to see if those claims are true! But it also depends on the definition of "disappear over time" is because my pocket book may not be able to afford 2 purchases since it is rather expensive.

I'm not a big fan of placing oil on my face since I am always trying to keep oil OFF my face.  It smells good and comes with a tiny dropper. I'm thinking this would be great with a facial while soaking in a deep, hot bath. (and maybe add a few drops to the water!)

Last but not least, this is actually my favorite item in the box. I don't usually wear mascara due to my contacts and allergies, but I've seen the NYX brand in stores and magazines and decided to give it a try. I have "La Amoureax" which is suppose to lengthen and curl my lashes.  I love the curved brush, no clumping or smearing and my lashed look great all day!

So what do you think of your July Beauty Army box and what goodies did you receive?