beauty in real life...: 3/1/08

Monday, March 31, 2008

n.y.c. color wheel mosaic eye powder

Lately, besides Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, Ulta has proven to be a great resource for makeup.

They pretty much carry all of the drugstore brands and are now carrying some more "high-end" brands...like Stila, Smashbox, and Lorac.

The eye shadow mosaic you see here is by NYC Cosmetics. It cost me all of $3.99.

This particular color set is called Brown Eyed Girl. I loved the color combinations and the fact that...well I am a brown eyed girl. I'm also loving bronze eyes for the warmer months ahead and I figured that this would help with that.

First off, I should mention that this will get everywhere when you apply it. You should definitely take some preventative steps first before application...unlike me who got it everywhere. I would recommend loose powder under the eyes, or even a tissue maybe, to catch some of the pigment that will fall.

Other than that, it's actually a pretty decent product.

The mosaic gives you the option of using each color individually or swirled together. I tried both ways. The colors are pretty on their own, but you will need a smaller brush to get in there and apply them as such. Swirling them together was actually a nice option. It gave my eyelids a pretty sheer wash of color, which was very nice for day.

I decided to give you a chance to see the colors against my skin tone, be forewarned that I'm not the best photographer and I didn't have the best lighting.

I love the lighter bronze color (second from the left), it has a little bit of a peachiness to it that's quite pretty on my skin tone (I'm fair to medium with a warm tone). I liked using this on the eyelid and even used it to lightly line my eyes. I also used the darker coppery color (third) and the matte brown (fourth), both gave a nice pop of color. The sheer creamy color is great as an all over color.

You can't beat the fact that you get a lot of product here for not a lot of money. It's a great way to experiment with the new Spring colors and not break the bank. They also offer four other mosaics that have equally adorable shades. Check them out by clicking here.

Jennifer

photos by me!

search for the ultimate hand creme: nivea smooth indulgance hand cream

This is another great hand cream that I've tried recently.

So far, this one and the Vaseline are my favorite.

I love how this one moisturizes enough, so that I don't have to keep reapplying after washing my hands all the time. It does not contain any AHA's, but it still delivers soft hands.

Also, this is another hand cream that does not contain any sunscreen, but I'd be willing to apply one over it if necessary.

I purchased mine at Target on a recent diaper run, but I also found it on drugstore.com for $5.99. Another inexpensive product that allows you to purchase more than one and stash them all over.

Jennifer

photo courtesy of drugstore.com

P.S. I'm probably going to be making this a monthly posting, instead of weekly. There are only so many hand cremes I can buy without driving Big L over the edge.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

marc jacobs daisy

Lately, I have become very aware of perfumes. I haven't always been too big on them. Most give me a headache.

The first time I smelled Marc Jacobs Daisy, it too gave me a headache, but that could be chalked up to the fact that I had smelled several perfumes that day while I was out trying to find a new one.

Every time I was out hunting for my new scent, I kept coming back to this one. There were several days I would try it on in the store and have my husband smell my arm the rest of the day, asking him if he liked it.

Apparently, he got my subtle hint and gave me a bottle for Valentine's Day. The bottle is too cute, and looks great out on display on the dresser.

I love that the scent is not too overpowering and it's just a really nice fresh, clean scent. This seems to be fairly consistent with most of the reviews I have read about this perfume. Marc Jacobs describes Daisy as "a sparkling floral bouquet...original and playful."

In addition to the Eau de Toilette, which comes in 2 sizes (1.7 fl. oz. for $55 and 3.4 fl. oz. for $70), there is a body lotion ($32), shower gel ($30) and body butter ($35) available in this great scent.

And my favorite little trinket is the Daisy Solid Perfume Ring. It is an adorable gold Daisy ring that twists to reveal solid perfume inside. This is a great accessory for spring. It is available for $30 at Nordstroms, Sephora, Bloomingdale's, and Amazon.com. It is sold out online at Saks.

Christine
photos courtesy of nordstroms.com

Friday, March 28, 2008

let's play tag!

OK....It seems as though the lovely and talented Kitiya, from Mischo Beauty, has tagged me in her Let's Play Tag post. So now, I have to respond to the two top five posts below:

My Five Must-NOT Have Items:

1. Pantene Shampoos and Conditioners....left my hair a mess with major static. Not pretty.

2. Diorshow Mascara...while I love Dior cosmetics, I would not use this one again...too flaky.

3. Any type of hairspray...I cringe when a stylist comes at me with a can of this stuff. I think it has to do with a certain Aqua Net addiction I had in Jr. High.

4. Benetint...I know that there is a list a mile long of people who love this stuff, but I don't. I used it when I was younger to check out the hype and it was a disaster. It did not blend well with my skin tone. I couldn't get the hang of application. And...most importantly...it scared me. Never again.

5. Thinning Shears...there was a time, when my hair was shorter, where I would sit in front of the mirror to just thin out my hair a little. Then I made a small bald patch and threw away the scissors. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Never again.

My Five Biggest Makeup Crimes:

1. Extremely contrasting lip liner and lipstick...what was I thinking? It was as if I took a marker and drew a dark line around my lips...not pretty.

2. Not blending in my foundation...ah, Jr. High again. Boy, was I a mess. This time I didn't blend the foundation past my jaw line...plus it was too dark for my skin tone. Just. Bad.

3. Permed hair...it was the 80's and I lived in New Jersey. I also had stick straight bangs...mmmm...pretty.

4. Not drinking enough water....I know that this isn't necessarily a makeup crime, but it's a crime none-the-less. I should drink more water.

5. Mayonnaise in my hair...I really can't explain why I did this. Again, it was Jr. High and I think some celebrity said that she used this to deep condition her hair. I cannot describe the god-awful smell and the amount of washings my hair had to undergo to get it all out. The worst part? It didn't even condition my hair.

Well there you go. I hope I've provided a little laughter in your day.

Thanks again to Kitiya from Mischo Beauty for tagging me. I think that I have to tag three other bloggers now...so....I'm tagging Daneen from Spoiled Pretty, Beckie from Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog, and Tammy from A Mom in Red High Heels. You can do either or both...I can't wait to read your posts!

Jennifer

photo of ysl eyeshadow duos courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

weekend reads

Hey readers! Here's a round-up of all the wonderful things our Total Beauty blogger friends are up to this week! Take a look...

Lilan from The Daily Cookie has found a new love in MAC Heatherette!

Mischo Beauty shares her best tips on how to prepare for a bikini wax and what to expect!

May is declared National toss your makeup month. What is your tossing habits? Check out Casual Lavish and give your thoughts.

The Beauty of Life finally figures out how to banish undereye circles for good! Check out her two miracle products!

Dealing with those pesky ingrown hairs with Daily Dose of Coffee.

Laurie from Beauty's Spot has a coveted moment's peace with Exhale Massage

Joy from Makeup Junkie gives us the scoop on does a mini review of last year's releases!

Discover how pineapple and papaya reveal more radiant skin at A Mom in Red High Heels! Also, enter for your chance to win the product!

The Jet Set Girls let us in on the glory that is CUSP and its new online boutique.

and...

Daneen, over at Spoiled Pretty, checks out Jo Malone and loves it.

Don't forget to check out our Blogs We Love and our Visit Our Total Beauty Friends blogrolls, as well! We promise you, you'll love what you see!

Happy reading!

Jennifer

lancome bi-facil double-action eye makeup remover

I was on the market for an eye makeup remover, to replace the Bobbi Brown remover that I had been using.

After seeing this product mentioned on several beauty blogs, as well as in many magazines...I decided to take the plunge and buy it.

This is Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover ($26). It's a little on the pricey side, but worth it to a person who is constantly testing different eye shadows and mascaras.

Until I purchased the Lancome, my eyelids and the surface underneath my bottom lashes, had been crying out in pain every time I would take off my eye makeup. I also noticed that the makeup wasn't coming completely off, even after many passes with a cotton ball soaked with remover. Not good.

The Bi-Facil helped to gently remove my eye makeup. Well, the Lancome Bi-Facil and this little fact...

I stopped using cotton balls and started using cotton squares.

What's the difference you ask...they're both cotton after all. Well...yes...they are both cotton, but the cotton squares are noticeably softer than the cotton balls.

At least to my eyes.

You see, I found out that the squares were better after reading a brief piece written in the January issue of Allure (yes...I sometimes stockpile my magazines and then reread them before recycling...I have a serious problem).

Anyway, in about the middle of all issues of Allure, they have a section called the Insiders' Guide. In this particular issue, they had asked Laura Mercier to provide tips on removing your makeup. She suggests using waterproof eye makeup remover and then... this is the part that I took notice of...square cotton pads not cotton balls. She also suggests that you soak the pad with remover and then press it down softly on your lashes for a few seconds so that it has a chance to soak in, before actually removing your eye makeup.

Figuring that she's a woman who knows her stuff, I switched to the square pads and I noticed the difference right away. No irritation.

So I pass this tip on to you, dear readers. Do with it what you will.

If you do decide to switch to the pads, or you already use them, leave a comment below to let me know what you think. Also, if you've tried the Bi-Facil and love it...feel free to comment as well.

Jennifer

photo of bi-facil courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

photo of cotton pads courtesy of drugstore.com

Thursday, March 27, 2008

rimmel london eyeshadow

It took me until about 6 months ago to buy my first Rimmel product. Why I waited so long, I have no idea. I am really impressed with their line of eyeshadows.

I purchased a Colour Rush Duo Eyeshadow that is slightly different than the one pictured here. The eyeshadow I use, apparently was a limited time, special color thing that I just now realized when I read the back to see what the colors are. My Duo features a light shimmer pink and a dark shimmer plum.

They claim to be a crease free eyeshadow that lasts up to 8 hours. I completely agree. Actually, I think it lasts longer than 8 hours, because it is still going pretty strong at the end of the day when I go to wash my face. And it does stay crease free, which surprised me considering some of my higher end eyeshadows don't stay crease free all day.

And the best part is that they only cost $3.99. The Duo Eyeshadow comes in 12 different color combinations. You can also buy them in Colour Rush Mono (a single color), Colour Rush Trio (yup, 3 colors) and Colour Rush Quad (4 colors), which are all around the same price.

Rimmel can be found just about anywhere you want to find it. It is not available online but you can find it at Target, Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens and Ulta.

Rimmel is a great, inexpensive way to play around and experiment with the latest colors and makeup trends.

Christine
photo courtesy of rimmellondon.com

beauty deal of the week

For a limited time only, buy $75 worth of Kiehl's Since 1851 products from Nordstrom online, and receive a deluxe size sample (2 oz each) of their bath and shower gel and their hand and body lotion in the gorgeous Coriander scent...while supplies last.

This is a great time to stock up on their Amino Acid shampoo and Formula 133 conditioner, as well as their rich and creamy Creme de Corps body lotion.

Jennifer
photos courtesy of nordstrom.com

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

real women of beauty...jill scott

Welcome to one of our new features here at Beauty in Real Life. For our Real Women of Beauty, we will be delivering women of all ages, shapes, sizes and colors.

Women whose style we see as inspiration.

Who better to kick off our first-ever Real Women of Beauty, than Jill Scott.

I absolutely adore her.

Her music is phenomenal and her style is sensational.

She is a beautiful woman, who doesn't feel the need to be a size two.

I love that Vogue features an article on her in their new shape issue for April...although I would have liked to see her grace the cover.

In the article A Mind of Her Own, she unveils her philosophy on style and beauty.

Scott also gives readers a few of her favorite frills (check out the Laura Mercier body creme for $55...natch!), as well as the great news that she is debuting some plus-sized underpinnings with Ashley Stewart.

Do yourself a favor and pick up the April issue of Vogue...it should be on newsstands now.

I promise you, she won't disappoint!

Jennifer
photo of Scott courtesy of yahoo.com
photo of Laura Mercier body creme courtesy of neimanmarcus.com.

P.S. If you'd like to see more of Jill Scott, head on over to jillscott.com

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

our first giveaway!

What's that you say?

Feeling left out of our sampling frenzy?

Well...not to worry dahlings... for we are having our first giveaway!

If you read the earlier review on the new Dove Go Fresh line of products...you might have noticed that we said we received three body washes and three deodorants.

We only sampled and reviewed two.

Why?

Because we are giving the other set away!

The products that one lucky reader will win, courtesy of Dove, are pictured to the right. That reader will be receiving one body wash and one deodorant in the Cool Moisture scent...the body wash comes in a generous 12oz size and the deodorant is full size as well.

To enter, here's what you have to do...

Send an email to beautyinreallifecontests@gmail.com with the words "Our First Giveaway" in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name somewhere in the email. The contest ends at 10pm EST on Tuesday, April 1st. One entry per person...duplicate entries will not increase your chances of winning. We're sorry to say that the contest is open to US and Canadian residents only.

From the emails that we receive, one winner will be chosen at random. That winner will be announced on Wednesday, April 2nd.

Good Luck!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

dove go fresh

We were pleasantly surprised when someone from Dove contacted us about trying their new Go Fresh line.

I've been a fan of the Dove beauty bars for years and have used their deodorant in the past...Christine has also used their deodorant and their body wash.

When we heard about their new line of scented products, we looked forward to sampling them. For the record they make body washes, deodorants, beauty bars, hand and body lotions, as well as shampoos and conditioners, in the new scents.

Once they arrived at my house, Christine and I had a sniffing party to check out the scents. We were given three body washes and three deodorants to review. The ones they gave us to try out were:

* Refresh: a clean waterlily and fresh mint

* Energize: a juicy sparking grapefruit and lemongrass

* Cool Moisture: a crisp cucumber and calming green tea

We both agreed that all of the scents were delicious. They all had a really light scent, not over-powering at all.

I love a great citrus scent, so I called the Energize...Christine was all over the Refresh. We both agreed to use them over the weekend and report back at the beginning of the week.

First off...the body wash.

The information we received on all of the products, described the body wash as being a unique in-shower experience with fresh fragrances and ultra-light 1/4 moisturizing lotion technology for fresh, hydrated skin. We both agreed that we liked the results. Christine commented that her body wash had a minty-menthol scent, again not over-powering, that made the shower fill up with the delicious aroma. Sure enough, it's described as having a touch of menthol for a refreshing, tingly feel. While it was hard for her to judge if she felt tingly, she did comment on how it made her feel moisturized.

I loved the body wash too. Mine was the energized scent and it did deliver. It's described as having invigorating beads and offers the ultra-light 1/4 moisturizing lotion in a NEW first time ever gel formulation to awaken the senses. I definitely noticed how clean and moisturized I felt, after my shower. Which is a fact that might sound funny to some, but I've used body washes in the past that did not wash off well and did not make me feel clean by any means. The scent wasn't over powering...I was able to use perfume with it and it didn't compete with the scent.

We both noted that, while our skin felt moisturized, we would probably still use some moisturizer with it afterwards. It should be noted that Dove does make a body lotion in all of the scents...we did not receive these to sample.

Next we talked about the deodorant.

We both loved the scent of our deodorants. Again, they delivered a great scent that wasn't at all over-powering. They also kept us feeling fresh all day and left the skin on our underarms feeling soft...not that we have a habit of feeling them throughout the day, just something we noticed.

Christine and I both agreed that we would definitely purchase these again. Which...to us...is a great testimony as to how much we liked their products.

Jennifer and Christine

photos courtesy of dove

smith's rosebud salve

For years now I have seen Smith's Rosebud Salve in magazine after magazine. It was never a product I felt I had to have, it was more of a product where if I saw it in a store I would probably buy it.

I have found it once in a store before - I think I was in Urban Outfitter's. I didn't buy it then for various reasons and unfortunately, I have never seen it again,

So, when I recently found it in a Books-A-Million, you can imagine my surprise. I didn't even give a second thought to purchasing it. I added it to my big purchase of a coloring book for my son and was actually pretty happy. I was finally to going to find out what all the excitement was about.

Umm...I don't get what all the excitement was about. It's very goopy for lack of a better description and the smell is a little weird. I did notice a pretty shimmer once I put it on, but I just couldn't get past the smell or texture.

I bought the salve to use as a lip balm, so I don't know how it performs as a cracked skin or diaper rash healer, zit zapper or detergent burn fixer-upper (these are listed on the product for different ways to use it, there are even more on the website).

Speaking of the website, if you are one of the many, many people who uses this product, the website gives instructions on how to use the salve to achieve a “pouty look” or a “dewy effect”, tame an unruly brow line and fly-away or frizzy hair, and how to apply it to get a subtle accent to cheek bones, collar bones, shoulders, or any other body part that you want to moisturize or enhance. Visit http://www.smithsrosebudsalve.net/products.html for more information.

If I wasn't so turned off from my first impression of the product, I would probably try it again. Not as a lip balm, but maybe as a base for eyeshadow or something like that. They have some interesting ideas on their website. For now, I'm going to have to pass and see if I can find it a new home on MakeupAlley.

Christine

photo courtesy of smithsrosebudsalve.net

Monday, March 24, 2008

this just in...bye bye flat iron

According to the new issue of Bazaar, flat irons are so yesterday.

Waves are now.

Grab your large barreled curling iron and make like Manabu Unno at the Garren hair salon.

Unno uses this two-inch Hot Tools Professional Curling iron ($34.95 from folica.com) to deliver the look.

Now...go out and get your wave on.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of folica.com

bobbi brown long-wear cream shadow

If you are a reader of this blog, you are aware of my undying love for Bobbi Brown cosmetics.

I remember when her makeup line just came out... she only sold lipsticks and they were only available at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC.

I found a way to get myself over to Bergdorf's to purchase one and I never looked back.

Now, whenever she comes out with something new, I head on over to my nearest Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom to check it out.

This is her Long-Wear Cream Shadow ($22). It's not a new product...it's actually been on the market for a while now. What's new, is that she is introducing five neutral matte shades to the collection...Cement, Malted, Navajo, Slate and Stone. Currently she only has two, Bone and Suede.

What's great about this, is that a neutral matte shadow is so versatile. It can be used as a base for your existing eyeshadows and also look great on its own for a daytime look. I love a sheer wash of neutral color for daytime...it gives your eyes a nice pop. Combine the neutral color with a matte cream and I'm in heaven.

If you haven't tried her long-wear cream shadows, you should. They stay on well and won't irritate your eyes. You can use them on their own as an all-over color, or layer it with other shadows for more intensity.

As far as I can tell, these are only available at Neiman Marcus for now...click on the link above to take you there. I plan on heading out to Tysons Galleria, by the end of this week, to get the scoop...expect a review soon.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

Saturday, March 22, 2008

smashbox kits

I was recently flipping through the latest Ulta ad that came in the mail and stopped at the Smashbox ad. They have a kit exclusive to Ulta, called Double Take Color Kit .

The next day, I was at my dear friend, Jennifer's house, flipping through her latest catalog from Nordstrom and came across another kit from Smashbox, this time it's a Nordstrom's exclusive, called Smashbox Glambox Vol. 2: The Supernaturals.

What's the difference, you ask. Well, here you go...

The kit from Ulta includes a travel size Photo Finish Primer, DoubleTake Fusion Eye & Cheek Palette, Cream Eye Liner Duo (Espresso/ Deep Plum), Double Ended Lip Gloss (Fresh/ Fabulous), Double Ended Cream Eye Liner Brush #9 & Smudger Brush #20, and a Get The Look Book. Which all comes to to be worth $137. And in addition to all of this, you can receive a free Mini Eye Shadow Trio (Multiflash) with any $25 Smashbox purchase. This kit is $47.

The Supernatural kit at Nordstrom's includes a travel size Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15, Eye Shadow Quad in Supernatural, Fusion Soft Lights Palette in Natural Glow, Half Moon Brush, Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in Bronze, Arced Liner Brush #21, Lip Enhancing Gloss (True Color) in Bare and Lip Enhancing Gloss (Full Color) in Aura and is set at an $184 value.And this one retails for $68.

If you add up the number of products in each kit, they both have 8 items (9 from Ulta if you count the free mini eyeshadow). The Ulta kit is more compact with double ended brushes and lip gloss, as well as the eye palette and cheek palette in the same compact. The Nordstrom kit, on the other hand, is supposed to give you a "supernatural" glow. Either way, both kits are a great deal and a cheaper way to try out a new brand.

Christine
first photo courtesy of ulta.com
second photo courtesy of nordstrom.com

Friday, March 21, 2008

weekend reads

Here is a list of some great weekend reads, from our Total Beauty friends...

A Mom in Red High Heels makes the LA Daily news, along with some other Total Beauty bloggers...take a look.

Beauty411 gives us the 411 about MAC's new offerings for Spring.

Makeup2Beauty talks about Linda Mason's new makeup book.

Pampered & Primped Up does a great mani with China Glaze's Turned Up Turquoise.

The Daily Cookie takes us through her first Vichy encounter.

The Jet Set Girls give us the scoop on the Girls Gone Glam Event in DC.

Beauty Blogging Junkie talks about two great products that contain Oxygen in their ingredient lists.

The Beauty of Life interviews makeup artist Jenna Menard.

Blogdorf Goodman delivers us another Cult Classic...Chanel's Vamp nail polish.

and...

Talking Makeup goes backstage at Octavio Carlin, for LA's Fashion Week, and gives us all the details.

Happy Reading!

Jennifer

search for the ultimate hand creme: burt's bees almond milk beeswax hand creme

For this week's hand creme, I decided to go with a natural one...Burt's Bee's Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme($8).

The great thing about the Burt's Bees product line, is that they are widely accessible. I picked up mine at my local grocery store.

The other great thing is that they, of course, use only natural ingredients. This one boasts sweet almond oil, beeswax, aloe, and vitamin E, just to name a few.

Before writing this review, I tried the product for about a week....more on this later. I also checked out other reviews on the Total Beauty product reviews page and the MUA boards...just to see what others thought.

On those review pages, I found that people either loved or hated this product, there didn't seem to be any middle ground...until now.

I really didn't like it...but, I didn't hate it either.

Let me explain...

First of all...the scent. It takes a little getting used to. When I saw the words almond milk, I immediately thought of Toasted Almond Bars from Good Humor..I loved those when I was a kid...and I assumed that it would smell like creamy almonds. It did smell like almonds, but it was a little too strong for my liking. I can't really describe the smell, all I can say is that it has a very sharp almond smell. You'll either love this fact or hate it.

Second of all, the texture...it's a thick creme. Depending on how much you use, it'll take a while to melt into your skin. I used about two pea sized dabs and it still took a while to sink in. Until it did, my hands felt really greasy. Because of this fact, I started using this only at night. I noticed one person on the Total Beauty product review page, would apply this at night and put gloves on. I did not try this, but it's something you could try.

Third...it is all natural...and relatively inexpensive at that. I love this about the line. I also love the story behind the brand...they started out selling their homemade lip balm at craft fairs. You also can't deny that Burt's Bees products are all natural, they don't use anything harmful in their ingredients. Their goods are also available almost everywhere and pretty affordable, as far as all-natural products go.

I guess I should stop hemming and hawing and get to the review...

Did this product do a good job of softening my hands?

At first...yes...it did. But after about two hand washings, I would have had to apply the product again. It also didn't do a good job at softening the tips of my fingers...for some reason (maybe my frequent hand washing...I don't know) my fingertips get crazy dry.

Would I use this product again?

Hmmm...because I really can't say either way, the answer is probably no. Because I could only use it at night, I even cheated a little and used my Creme de Corps creme during the day once in a while.

Would I recommend this?

Hmmm...another hard question to answer. On the one hand, as far as all-natural products go, this one is under $10 and contains ingredients that you can pronounce. On the other hand...as far as hand cremes go...and I'm comparing hand cremes here people...this is merely an average creme to me. I'll put it this way...if you were my friend, I would tell you to save your money and try one of the other products out there.

Bottom line is this...while I didn't hate this product, I didn't love it either. Because I'm stuck in the middle here...I'd have to say that I wouldn't purchase this product again.

Sorry Burt's Bees.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of burtsbees.com

Thursday, March 20, 2008

makeupalley

Under what rock have I been living for the past few years? Why has no one told me about makeupalley.com until just a couple days ago?

If you are one of the ones who doesn't know about this genius website, let me give you a little more information...if you have beauty products that you wish you didn't - you can trade them for something else.

Okay, so my first thought when I heard about this website was, well for lack of a better word, "gross" and I'm pretty sure I had a look of disgust. Isn't the #1 rule in makeup, whatever you do never ever share your makeup or bad things will happen to you? But then I went onto the website to check it out and see what crazy things people were swapping. And that is when I changed my tune and decided whoever created this is pure genius.

If you are like me, you have half of a linen closet and most of the space under your bathroom sink full of stuff you bought, used a handful of times and either hated it or found something better. And off to the closet it went. Most of my products in the closet stay there until I move and then I usually end up tossing them. Now, I have an opportunity to try out other products and give my closet rejects a new home.

There is more to the site than just the swap section. There are beauty product reviews, message boards, newsletters, etc. To have access to most of the site you have to be a registered user, but it's free and just requires an email address and password.

For the swap section, you create your "wish list" (what you want to get) and your "swap items list" (what you want to give away). You are responsible for mailing your product to the other person and vice versa - and it's suppose to be cleaned and in good condition. You can find just about anything on this website.

My weekend project is to clean out my closet and bathroom, create my wish list and swap list and see what happens...maybe I'll find a new moisturizer (we all know how I feel about moisturizers)or some blush, maybe some eyeshadow, or a nail polish I can't seem to find anywhere else. I just hope to find my closet full of goodies a great, new home.

Christine
photo courtesy of makeupalley.com

lancome gift with purchase

You would think that, as a person who writes about beauty, I would be on top of these things...right?

Wrong?

After purchasing...oh...$40 worth of Lancome products, from Neiman Marcus online, I get this in the mail yesterday.

In case you can't read the writing...sorry it's a little blurry...it says that you get all of this with any Lancome purchase of $39.50 or more.

Thanks.

Oh well...don't miss the boat like me. To get this great gift with purchase, head on over to a Lancome counter at a Nordstrom near you...or try nordstrom.com.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of my nordstrom mailer

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

eyeshadow 101

So you saw that gorgeous Allure cover, with the even-more gorgeous Rihanna, and you rushed to your nearest makeup counter to get the smokey eye look she rocks in the shot.

The makeup artist hooked you up and you left smokey-eyed and happy.

You got whistles and compliments galore.

You are loving your new look.

Then you woke up the next morning, realized that you have to try and do it yourself...and you're lost.

Now, many department store makeup-artists will supply you with a cheat sheet, for when you are home and have to try to replicate the look yourself. But sometimes they accidentally get thrown out, get smudged up, or lost in translation...she wants me to put the what, where?

Well never fear.

A few makeup companies heard the cries of frustration and came running.

I've given you a few of the best.

One of my favorites, is by Stila. Makeup-artist extraordinaire Jeanine Lobell, came up with an ingenious product that actually TALKS you through the process of obtaining a great smokey eye! It's remarkable. The original Smokey Eye Palette ($40) is pictured here, but it also comes in emeralds and bronzes...both of which I'm loving right now. Get yours at stila.com or sephora.com.

Another ingenious product comes with the instructions and the coolest brush I've ever seen. It's by Bare Escentuals and it's their Smokey "V" Eye Tutorial ($32 sephora.com). It comes with everything you need to complete the look...even a detachable tip-card. Genius.

Last, but not least, is this eyeshadow trio from Vincent Longo. It's his One, Two, Three Trio Eyeshadow pallette ($30 sephora.com) and it's another great product. Each of the colors are labeled One, Two, and Three, so that you know where to put them. One is applied as a wash over the entire eyelid, from lash to brow. Two is used in the crease and Three is used to define the lash line and shade the outer corners of your eyes. Fantastic.

Grab one, or all three and have fun!

Jennifer

photo of stila compact courtesy of stila.com

other photos courtesy of sephora.com

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

dvf contest

This is the chance of a lifetime!

In honor of International Women's Day, Diane von Furstenberg is sponsoring a contest. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $5,000 DVF Shopping Spree, a trip to NYC, and two tickets to a DVF fashion show!

To enter, all you have to do is write about that one fabulous woman who has nurtured or inspired you. You could create a blog, or an essay...just make sure you complete it by April 19, 2008.

The essay or blog with the most votes wins!

Click here for more information on how to enter and all the other technical stuff!

Good Luck!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

P.S. The dress you see above is the Justin Wrap Dress in Graphic Palm Green from DVF. It retails for $325. Head on over to dvf.com for more details.

clinique high impact mascara

I know I pledged my undying devotion to the Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara and it still has it.

But, this Clinique mascara was my #1 before I decided I couldn't be without the Lash Blast. This is Clinique's High Impact Mascara ($14).

I actually still use this one just to change things up once in a while. It creates a little bit of a different look that is good for days when I want a little softer look.

This is a great mascara. It goes on easily, without clumping. By the end of the day, I don't have any smudges or flakes under my eyes. And, it does come off very easily when I wash my face, so much so, I don't even need makeup remover if I'm just too tired to mess with the extra step.

It's available in Black or Black/Brown. You can find it at clinique.com or any department store that carries Clinique.

Christine
photo courtsey of clinique.com

Monday, March 17, 2008

jo malone

Spring is right around the corner and I can't wait!

This is the time of year, I love to break out my favorite Jo Malone fragrance...Lime Basil and Mandarin ($50-$95 depending on size).

I don't know why, but this scent screams Spring to me.

I also love to layer this fragrance with her Grapefruit cologne as well. They are such a delicious combination on my skin.

I love her scented moisturizers as well, especially her body creme. It comes in a glass jar that looks great on a vanity or on a shelf in your bathroom. It's definitely quite a splurge at $75, but it's very rich and moisturizing.

Her body lotion comes in a much more user-friendly, plastic container. It has more product than the body creme...8.5 oz for the lotion, 5.9 for the creme...but, is still a splurge at $60.

I lost count as to how many different colognes Jo Malone offers. With so many to choose from, you are bound to find one you like.

Jennifer

photos courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

Sunday, March 16, 2008

total beauty

Christine and I are proud to announce, that Beauty in Real Life has just been accepted into the Total Beauty Blog Community!

If you have never been to Total Beauty...get over there this instant!

They have product reviews, how-tos and quick tips, contests, and more! Click the link in the left column to take you there. While you're there, check out Beauty in Real Life under the Blogs We Love tab...as well as the other amazing beauty blogs Total Beauty has to offer!

Thank you for visiting our site and keep coming back! We love having you here!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

bobbi brown on qvc

What a dreary day, here in the DC area. It has been raining non-stop since late last night. Yuck!

To make matters worse, Big L found out he had to work today...so Little L and I are on our own.

On a day like this, I don't feel like doing anything. I'd stay in bed for most of the day if I could, but my active two year old would never comply.

Rainy days with Little L call for two things....snuggling with my son (when he let's me!) and shopping online (while he's napping!).

I found out the other day, my beloved Bobbi Brown was going to be featured on QVC for the first time. Not being an avid viewer, I found this out after Bobbi Brown's time on-air had already begun...so I missed a good amount.

Not to worry though, for qvc.com has many of the products from the show still available.

One product that caught my eye, was the B.B. Tawny Shimmer Brick and Lip Kit ($55 - seen above). It comes with the gorgeous shimmer brick in the skin-tone flattering Tawny, two lip sheers, and two lip glosses. Fabulous!

The other product is her Face Touch-Up Palette with Mini Concealer Brush ($58). This product is genius to me. It comes with a concealer, a corrector, a pressed powder, and a foundation stick all in one convenient compact. It also comes with a handy double sided concealer brush.

Great for travelling, or last minute touch-ups before going out after work...you don't get anymore practical than this. It comes in six different colors, ranging from porcelain to almond (hurry though, as the count was down to only four color choices this morning).

Head on over to qvc.com , to see the other items being offered from the Bobbi Brown Collection. Don't forget that QVC comes with an awesome return policy, if you aren't completely satisfied.

Jennifer

photos courtesy of qvc.com

Saturday, March 15, 2008

vaseline intensive care healthy hand and nail lotion

I purchased this product on my most recent trip to Target.

It's by Vaseline and it's their Healthy Hand and Nail hand lotion. It's available in a larger size, that comes with a pump as well. For the sake of the testing (and my wallet... because I bought this myself) I chose the size you see here. Retail price is $3.99 (try drugstore.com)

I didn't have much hope for this lotion. I have tried out other Vaseline lotions before and they turned out to be a waste of money for me. The plus side is that their lotions aren't expensive, so if you hate it...you're not out a lot of cash.

Now, I'm not a scientist or a doctor, but they do mention Keratin and Vitamin E on the label,as well as Alpha Hydroxy Acid...which, from my understanding, is supposed to be good for dryness. The lotion is also supposed to make your nails stronger after 10 days.

For the sake of testing, I allotted this lotion (and subsequent cremes and lotions) a week. I had four requirements that I felt a good hand creme/lotion should have. Those four are:

- be able to withstand multiple hand washings
- absorb into my skin quickly
- make my hands feel moisturized and soft
- contain a sunscreen

As far as the requirements go, the Vaseline lotion is great. It held up to my frequent hand washing, many times I forgot to reapply it after washing them several times and they still felt soft. The lotion also absorbed into my skin very quickly, allowing me to move around and do things without worrying about my greasy fingers. They also were left soft and moisturized...so much so that my husband commented on how soft they felt.

For the money, this is definitely a great buy. You could by two or three tubes and stash one in your car, or your purse, or at your desk.

One thing should be noted, is that this does not contain a sunscreen. If it did, this would be the perfect product .

Next week....Burt's Bees!

Jennifer

photo courtesy of drugstore.com

Friday, March 14, 2008

great weekend reads

Here is a random sampling of some great weekend beauty reads, from the Total Beauty blogging community:

Mischo Beauty features another reader favorite...this time it's Origins Precipitation Moisturizer.

All Lacquered Up reviews the Ecollection for Spring 2008 by China Glaze.

Fifty-Cent Head, shows you what MAC Strawbaby looks like on her lips.

Spoiled Pretty talks about the Hanae Mori: Butterfly Eau Fraiche fragrance.

and...

The Daily Obsession shows you the perfect top to wear for the weekend!

Jennifer

P.S. If you'd like to see more Total Beauty Blogs, head on over to TotalBeauty.com...or click on the icon to the left! We are constantly adding blogs to our beauty blog listings, so check them out each day!

laura mercier tinted moisturizer

I have an issue with moisturizers. I can't seem to find one that doesn't make me look like an oil slick around lunchtime. Especially now that we are coming into spring and I hate to pile on all the moisturizer and foundation and whatever else I feel the need to put on, only to feel like I am melting. Every moisturizer that I try seems to work the first week or two and then it goes downhill from there.

That got me doing a little research today to see exactly what's out there in the land of moisturizers and which ones are the bestselling or highly rated. And of course just about everything over $60 seems to be just the best thing on the planet, but I'm pretty sure my husband's head would pop off like a cork if I said "honey look at this new moisturizer I got - it was only $117 but it's supposed to be fantastic." And then I followed that up with, "umm, I don't really like it anymore, the oil slick is back."

As much as I would like to get Kinerase moisturizer for $117 (which I tried out at Sephora today and the back of my hand feels wonderful by the way). I just can't bring myself to fork out that kind of money.

So, that got me thinking again, now that it's getting warmer, maybe I don't need a moisturizer AND foundation. Maybe I should give tinted moisturizers a whirl. I did little more research and found out that Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer is the must have product in this category. Most of the reviews are raving about how wonderful this stuff is. It seems like the "dewy" and "glowy" were used in almost every review.

And at $42, my husband's head is much more likely to stay in place. It comes in 7 different colors and has SPF 20. There is also an Oil Free version, but not everyone seemed as in love with it as the original.

I think this is going to be my next beauty purchase. As soon as it gets a little warmer I'm going to head over to my nearest Laura Mercier and give this a try. I will let you know how this turns out. Wish me luck!

If anyone has any other suggestions for a good moisturizer for combination skin, I would love to hear about them!

Christine
photo courtesy of lauramercier.com

Thursday, March 13, 2008

shu uemura mini eyelash curler

It's insane how many magazine subscriptions I get.

Every time a new one comes in the mail, I feel like a kid at Christmas time. I can't wait to have some quiet time to sit down and peer through my latest issue of Lucky, Elle, Vogue, and the other magazines that I get.

My favorite time of the year is Spring. Partly because of the gorgeous weather, but mainly because of the Spring beauty issues that the magazines put out.

After getting my April Marie Claire in the mail, I flipped to the section that was titled 25 New Products that Will Change Your Life.

I, of course, figured that these would be some amazing products because they are supposed to change my life...right?

Many of the products listed, were products that we were planning on reviewing in the weeks ahead, so it was interesting to see their take on them.

One in particular, caught my eye (no pun intended).

The product is the newest eyelash curler being offered by Shu Uemura. It's basically a petite version of their famous curler. It's mini design allows you to reach the smallest eyelashes on the inner and outer corners of your eyes.

The Shu Uemura Mini Eyelash Curler is available from Sephora for $17. It's temporally out of stock on Sephora's website, but I found it online at Nordstrom.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of sephora.com

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

dior beauty diorshow mascara

A few posts ago, I had tested out a Neurogena mascara. In that posting, I mentioned that I would soon be talking about a more expensive mascara that just didn't live up to its hype.

This is that mascara.

I really wanted to like it...especially after hearing the rave reviews from a makeup artist at a local department store. She swore that if you asked any of the sales girls on staff, they would admit that this was their favorite mascara. I was on the lookout for other products then so I didn't bother to try it.

But...later...what she said piqued my curiosity...so off to Sephora I went to try it out.

My plan was to try the Diorshow and do a quick compliment filled review. I wanted to love it...really I did...but, each time I got the same result...massive under eye smudging and flaking.

If you have never seen this product before, you should know that the brush is ginormous. Because of this, it picks up a lot of product. The size of the brush and the extra mascara it picks up, really makes it hard to not get it everywhere. I kept having to wipe up extra mascara that made it onto my upper eyelids constantly. That was annoying.

Once I did get it on, I will admit that my lashes did look nice. They lengthened them and separated them with minimal clumping.

Unfortunately, this was short lived.

Within a couple of hours of application, the mascara decided to migrate to the area beneath my bottom lashes. Flakes of mascara were everywhere, it was a mess.

I didn't feel that this was worth the $24, for the brief period of time that my lashes looked great. There are plenty of mascaras out there that do a better job for the money.

Jennifer

photo courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

beauty buys under $10 - olay body thermal pedicure

I have a dark, little secret...last June was the first time in my 30 years that I had a professional pedicure. I know, I know...you are asking yourself, but Christine what have you done with yourself all these years?

Ummm, I did it myself. I didn't really worry about my feet to be honest with you. I am quite good at painting them myself and I am not too big on other people touching my feet.

Last summer I realized I wear flip-flops way too much and I couldn't ignore my feet anymore. So, when my parents came up for a visit. I took my mom for a girl's day and we got pedicures and lunch. For the rest of the day I marveled at how soft my feet were. And, yes, I got hooked and now I try to go at least once a month.

Shortly after the first pedicure, I was doing my weekly stroll through Target and came across Olay Body Thermal Pedicure for $8. Still marveling at the soft feet, I threw this in the cart to get the same feeling at home for the times in between pedicures.

I decided to try it that night after my son went to bed, and my husband was out of town, so it was the perfect chance for some quality pampering. I put some warm water in the tub, sat on the edge and soaked the feet and then applied the product. The first thing I noticed was that it definitely heats upon contact with water - a good tip here is to make sure your hands aren't too wet or the effect will be wasted before you reach your feet or just apply it directly onto your feet, since it is suppose to heat up to relax the feet.

According to olay.com it also has a Bora Bora white sand, pumice, and micro-crystal formula to polish away dry skin cells and a shea butter and moisturizer enhanced formula which leaves the skin looking soft, smooth, and moisturized. And according to me it does all of the above. It was a nice 10-15 minutes to myself to relax at the end of the day. It also recommends that you do it daily to achieve soft and smooth feet within a week. I did not and do not do it daily, but I do try to indulge a couple times a week and I make sure to follow up with a really good moisturizer. I use Kiehl's Creme de Corps.

It also says you can use it in the shower or bath. The shower is a bit of mess, you can't really massage it into your feet before it's washed away and the heating aspect is less noticeable, And then there is the whole balancing on one foot to massage the other one - not very relaxing.

I slacked off during the winter but now that flip-flop season is just around the corner, it's time to get the feet back into shape. And now that I am back to my normal pedicure schedule, I will still continue to use the Thermal Pedicure a couple times a week just to get all the help I can. It would also be good to use if you don't have time to get a pedicure, it would at least make the feet soft and smooth.

Happy Almost Flip-Flop Season!
Christine
photo courtesy of olay.com

Monday, March 10, 2008

diorskin shimmer star

This is one of the new offerings from Dior Beauty.

It's concept is similar to that of Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Bricks. Basically varying colors, in the same color family, that can be applied one at a time, or swiped across with a big brush and be applied all at once.

I've been in a pink mood lately, so I tried the Shimmer Star in Rose Diamond (pictured right).

Playing around at the Dior counter at my local Nordstrom on a Saturday was no small feat. It was packed, and I mean PACKED! Some of the counters were two deep with individuals clamoring for a sales associate or makeup artist's attention.

I was actually hoping for the opposite, no attention. I just wanted to have a chance to play and test the new colors being offered for Spring 2008.

No such luck.

I was literally bombarded with sales associates left and right. Once I (politely)deflected one, another came out of nowhere and asked me for help as well.

Now, I know that this is how they make their money. I also know that the sales help at Nordstrom is known for their phenomenal service. I just knew I wasn't going to be needing any one's help and didn't want to take up their time if I wasn't going to be purchasing anything.

But I digress...

I applied the Shimmer Star ($42) with a big makeup brush and used it as a highlighter. The results weren't bad, I just thought that it was a tad frosty instead of glowy. I also thought that, as a highlighter, it was a little too bright for day use. I think that it could work for nighttime use...but, be warned...a little goes a long way.

That said, if you are a fan of Bobbi Brown (as I am) and you already have one of her shimmer bricks...you would probably skip this. I actually like the BB Shimmer Bricks better than the Shimmer Stars. I think that they blend in better with my complexion and give a great glow to the skin. It's also a little cheaper.

Basically...if you are a fan of Dior, they do have great lippies and plenty of other fun little goodies, by all means try it. If you are looking for something a tad better, try Bobbi Brown...I think you'll like the results.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

Saturday, March 8, 2008

matrix amplify shampoo and conditioner

As I have mentioned before, I have been blessed with stick straight, fine, blonde hair, that completely lacks any sort of volume or thickness. I only recently started highlighting for a little extra oomph.

For the last 6 or 7 years, I have been on a never-ending search for a good shampoo and conditioner. I have searched for combos that will add volume, without making it volumized by causing static...or a shampoo and conditioner that says it's for fine/thin hair, but end up weighing your hair down so much you look like you haven't showered in weeks. In my search I have tried everything from Pantene to Herbal Essence to Aveda to Paul Mitchell. I do have a limit on how much I'm willing to spend, but I also realize how important a good hair day is to me.

About a year ago, I started going to a new hairstylist and I thought I would see what sort of shampoo and conditioner she would recommend...since the salon wasn't run by any one specific haircare company. The salon carried just about every shampoo you could think of. She mentioned a couple that she used, but were now discontinued - good info, but not very helpful. She then said I should try Matrix Amplify Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner. I then asked if I should be more concerned about color (highlights) or volume and she said to focus on the volume.

The shampoo claims to have a "thickening formula" that generates volume. Which sounds perfect for me since I have a lot of hair for being blonde, but I am nowhere near having thick hair. They also have Matrix Amplify Color XL Shampoo and Conditioner which is the same shampoo but also has an UV filter for color protection-I haven't tried this version yet.

The regular Matrix Amplify works really well - all winter, I have had very few static hair days. It also works well in humidity - even Florida humidity. The conditioner is great too. It can be used daily, without risk of weighing your hair down or adding build up.

I think I paid somewhere around $20 for both - they had the shampoo and conditioner bundled together. Soon after I started using it, I found it in Target's fancy shampoo aisle for $12 for a 13.5 oz. bottle. I recently ran out of the shampoo and could not for the life of me find it anywhere. I ended up finding the big 33 oz. bottle for $21 at Ulta. I had my husband with me that day, who quickly did the math, and said buying the bigger bottle was the better deal because you get 3 regular sized bottles for the price of 2. He comes in handy every once in a while. I have seen this shampoo in just about every salon - even Amazon sells it, and at a really good price - $9.95.

Christine

photo courtesy of matrix.com

Friday, March 7, 2008

bobbi brown stick foundation

I can't believe that I have never talked about this product before.

This is Bobbi Brown's famous stick foundation.

I say this because, if you purchase department store cosmetics and love Bobbi Brown, you probably already own this foundation.

It's such a great item to have in your makeup bag. When I'm in a hurry, a couple of quick swipes under the eyes and around the nose are all I really need.

The other great thing about this foundation stick, is the wide array of colors it comes in...from porcelain to espresso. I have even heard of people buying two different colors and blending them together to get a "custom" foundation, especially for those transitional times of the year (for when you go from pale to tan and back again). You could also purchase an additional one a shade lighter than your skin tone, to use as an under-eye concealer.

If, for some reason, you can't find your shade with the Bobbi Brown stick foundation...look no further than your local Target or Walmart. The gorgeous and multi-talented Iman, has recently added her ever famous cosmetic line to both of those stores.

Her stick foundation, fairly new to the line, comes in a great range of colors for Latina, Asian, and African-American skin tones.

Although I have never actually tried her stick foundation, I have heard some good reviews. It's also inexpensive enough ($13.99) to buy more than one color, if you find yourself between two different shades.

If you have tried either of these foundation sticks, please feel free to leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you and hear about your experiences with these products.

Jennifer

photo of bobbi brown foundation stick courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

other photo courtesy of imancosmetics.com

Thursday, March 6, 2008

kiehl's gentle foaming facial cleanser

Let me give you a little background info real quick...my brother and I were both blessed with insanely sensitive skin and acne like you wouldn't believe, especially in those wonderful teenage years. We both still battled with it into our twenties. It's very hard to find the right combination of face stuff when you have acne AND sensitive skin. Most acne-targeted products are way to harsh for me and result in severe drying and/or redness.

So about 2 years ago my brother and his wife came up for a visit. And I was looking at him and and couldn't believe what I was seeing...clear skin. I asked what secret he had discovered. His wife had been using Kiehl's Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser and he started using it. They let me try it out while they were here and I have been using it ever since.

I only use it once a day, usually in the morning. Twice a day is still a bit too much for my face to handle. But between using this once a day and cutting out all salicylic acid products, my face has never looked better. An 8.4 oz. bottle is $17.50 on kielhs.com (ordering from the website gets you 3 free samples) and you can find it in most Nordstroms and Bloomingdales for the same price. I have this size bottle and it lasts me 7 months, which makes the cost a little bit more justified.

Christine

photo courtesy of kiehls.com

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

cosmetics for men?

While leafing through the March issue of Cosmo, I came across a little blurb about men's cosmetics.

Apparently, there has been an increase of men wearing makeup and new cosmetics companies are producing lines just for them.

Men wearing makeup, isn't really a new concept...remember the Hair Bands of the 80's?

But, that was for entertainment...not daily life.

Today, you can leaf through Us Magazine and see pictures of male celebs sporting the trend while going about their daily routines. I guess it was only a matter of time before the general public followed.

Companies like Jean Paul Gaultier have been producing cosmetics for men, for a few years now. This is his Tout Beau - Better than Tan - Bronzing Powder ($42). It's just one of a few different complexion enhancers being offered on the Sephora website.

Maybe it shows my age, because I really wouldn't want my husband wearing bronzer, eyeliner, or mascara. I mean...it just wouldn't be him...and he would look ridiculous. While I find nothing wrong with a man wanting to enhance their complexion with makeup, I prefer my husband to sport the natural look.

But that's just me. What do you think?

more at twiigs.com...

Jennifer

photo courtesy of sephora.com

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

estee lauder advanced night repair

You are looking at the one product that I have grown incredibly attached to.

It's Estee Lauder's famous Advanced Night Repair.

This little brown bottle is probably one of the most recognised products in her inventory...and for good reason.

It's such a great product.

It's a serum, first of all...meaning, it's not a lotion that you would use and then call it a day...you apply this magic potion to a clean face and then follow it up with your moisturizer.

That's it.

There is a lot of scientific mumbo-jumbo about free radicals and other stuff...but, the bottom line is this...I definitely saw an improvement in my skin, within the first two weeks of using this product.

Depending on the size bottle you get, you can expect to pay from $46.50 for a 1 oz bottle to $120 for a 3.4 oz bottle. I actually get the 1 oz and only apply it at night. I find that this works best for me and it takes me a while to go through a bottle this way.

Head on over to your nearest department store and check with an Estee Lauder representative, to see if this is a product that would be good for you to try. If you are a little apprehensive about putting out the money for this, try and get a sample. Don't be too shy to ask...I've done this many times. Make sure you get their card, so that you can give them the business if you decide to purchase it.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

P.S. If you'd like a little more advice on other serums, head on over to http://mischobeauty.blogspot.com . She has a lot of great advice to give on the subject.

Monday, March 3, 2008

the ultimate hand cream

It started a few years back...I was looking for
a new hand cream. I had tried a few brands before, but I wasn't happy with the results. None could soften my hands and keep them that way through repeated washings.

Until I found this.

This hand cream is the holy grail of hand creams. As soon as I used it, I felt the results. Immediately upon application, my hands felt smoother and softer. Within a week, even more so. It would even last through repeated washings.

My only downside was, it was easy to finish off a container quickly...it's only 1.7 oz...hardly enough product for a hand cream.

But, I dealt with the small size and bought it repeatedly.

And then?

They stopped making it.

Really...just stopped making it.

I emailed the company a short time ago, asking if they were going to bring it back reformulated or something. They said no, suggesting a couple of their other hand creams instead. I tried them, but neither one gave me the same result.

So what's a girl to do?

Well...I tried ebay and amazon.com...and they had them...they were charging a good amount more...but, they had them. I thought about getting them...then I thought...isn't that just prolonging the inevitable?

I mean, really, why tease myself? Eventually, I'd have to buy up every container they had...at about $20 bucks a pop (give or take - I'm including tax and shipping expenses here). Realistically, I think that would just push Big L over the edge. Could you imagine that conversation? Honey...I know I spent $200...but, it's my favorite hand cream!

No thank you.

I came up with a much better solution...one that will help me and you at the same time.

I'm going on a quest for the ultimate hand cream.

Once a week, for the next few weeks, I'm going to be reviewing a different cream. For this, I'll be selecting from a wide range of brands. Some of these will be cheap...some will be expensive. Some will be good...some bad...some smelly...some not...some...okay...I ran out of antonyms here...you get the picture.
Stay tuned!

Jennifer
photo courtesy of amazon.com

Saturday, March 1, 2008

beauty buys under $10 - covergirl lashblast volume blasting mascara

Mascara is my number one thing I refuse to leave the house without...actually I wear it even when I am not leaving the house. I tend to be pretty loyal if I find something that works really well.

However, within the last few months I have had the urge to venture out and see what else is out there in the vast world of mascaras. There have been some that I thought I seriously just wasted my money on. But when I read about Drew Barrymore joining the CoverGirl team for this LashBlast mascara, I added this one as the next one on my list to try. Not that she has some weird mind control over me - but you got to admit her style is quite fashionable these days.

Anywho...I have been using LashBlast ever since. I love this stuff!! This is my everyday mascara - I have a couple other mascaras for varying occasions (waterproof for when I visit my parents in Florida, fancy mascara for date nights with the hubby, weddings, etc.). But, for LashBlast to qualify as my day-to-day mascara, it has to meet some tough standards. It has to go on with minimal effort, it has to have zero clumps, it has to stay on all day, it has to come off easily and most important, it has to do what it says and volumize and create fullness.

Four out of five isn't too bad, it goes on like dream and hardly clumps, if at all, it stays on all day and the volume and fullness it adds is fantastic. My only complaint is it's a bit tough to take off at night, even with makeup remover. And this is the regular mascara not waterproof. It does come off it just takes a little bit more effort than other brands I have tried.

I purchased mine at Target for $7.99 but I was just on drugstore.com and found it for $7.65. I am using the mascara in Black and I am fair with blonde hair. I prefer for my eyes to standout more than anything else. For days around the house or for a more subtle look I use Blackbrown. I believe it also comes in Brown and Very Black. I highly recommend this mascara and CoverGirl is always on sale somewhere so I am sure you could find it for even less than I did.

Christine

photo courtesy of covergirl.com