beauty in real life...: 5/1/08

Saturday, May 31, 2008

tips to have your mani and pedi survive the beach

On the hunt for the secret to making your manicure and pedicure last during the beach season?

Neri Ortega, nail expert of Butterfly Studio Salon, recommends the following for a long lasting, perfect manicure without chipping:

1. Following a hand massage, it is vital to clean the nail bed twice with acetone or acetone free nail polish remover to make sure that there are no emollients left on the nail- a clean, oil free nail bed is the most important part of a lasting manicure, as it creates a clean surface to begin on.

2. Continue with a protein based base coat- this is key in keeping polish from chipping. A strengthening treatment like OPI's Nail Envy, works wonderfully to keep nails strong, and polish from chipping.

3. Following the application of polish, a good basic top coat is needed. Neri recommends Essie, and prefers classic top coats over "quick dry" as she finds that quick dry top coats tend to peel faster.Pushing back cuticles rather than cutting them will also help a manicure last longer. To keep nail polish looking shiny and new, and cuticles from looking dull and ashy, she recommends a good cuticle moisturizer like Solar Oil- the oil treatment will multi-task to keep your manicure going for extra days.

With tips this easy, the hardest part will be choosing your favorite color!

With love (always),
Jennifer and Christine

essie summer collection

I am totally loving the summer trend for bright, fun nails. I am always willing to try anything out on the toes, but lately I have been trying bolder colors on the hands as well.

When I first saw the Essie Summer Collection, my first thought was uhh, yeah right. But the more I keep seeing the adds and going into Ulta and browsing, the more they keep growing on me.

I even got my mom to buy one of them (she will probably keep it to the toes since this last trip to Florida I got her to venture into the light pink family when we went for manicures - this was a big step for someone who has every shade of neutral known to man). She has My Place or Yours which is a really pretty pinky rose color. I have been eyeing the Secret Stash. But in all honesty I would be willing to try any of the 6 colors.

On essie.com you can buy all 6 colors in a special package for $45 which would save you $3 (it would be $48 if you were to buy them all individually). There is also a 4 piece mini set that includes smaller bottles of Escapades, Risky Business, Secret Stash and Movers and Shakers for $18. I have seen these mini packs at Ulta before so I would assume they would carry this one as well, use one of their coupons and you could get it a little cheaper. This would be a great way to try out most of the colors without breaking the bank.

If anyone has tried out these colors I would love to hear what you think about them!

Christine

photo courtesy of essie.com

weekend reads...from the beauty blog network

Enjoy your weekend and these amazing reads from our friends at The Beauty Blog Network...

The faux tan has never been easier - The Daily Cookie finds a fool-proof self-tanner she loves!

Bionic Beauty found freebies just for you! Including Aveda skincare, Gillette body wash, and TiGi haircare.

A Touch of Blusher presents Lilting Lilac Part 2.

Beauty Anonymous is loving the Foot Relief Cream and Body Exfoliator from Belli!

Christine, from Beauty in Real Life, let's you in on the brilliance that is Max Factor's Colorgenius Pressed Powder...it's amazing.

The Muse gives you the lowdown on Stila Kitten Silk Eyeshadow Wash and Stila Kitten Silk Shimmer Gloss!

Raging Rouge discovers an easy way to shiny hair, and it's chemical-free!

makeup loves me gives you the secrets behind sjp's look in this weekend's most anticipated release, sex & the city: the movie.

Beauty Blogging Junkie gives you the scoop on Denise Richard's fave makeup items she's been rocking on her new show, It's Complicated.

StyleBell shows how you can get fantastic super sexy summer hair . Get ready for the summer!

Makeup Moxie agonizes over her MAC Tendertone Lip Balm.

It's beauty on a budget at Girl Gloss, with skin swatches and a review of two great Sonia Kashuk sheer lipcolor and gloss duos!

Would you like those fine lines to disappear?The Makeup Divas tells you how you can wipe away the years with this new skincare line.

Sci-Fi goddess! Check out our newest member Roselyn from Makeup Makes Me Happy as she does a gorgeous tutorial featuring the latest Neo Sci-Fi collection from M.A.C. that she has been raving about!

Toya at "The Life of A Ladybug" continues in her search for the best "Bronzers for Brown Girls!" In this edition, the Sephora Bronzing Essentials Kit!

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty shares a lesson on serums in her “Mischo Beauty School: Serums 101” post!

It's time to update your summer makeup and Beauty411 shares the details on the new Bobbi Brown Bronzed Pink Collection. You won't be able to resist!

Getting married and looking for your wedding day fragrance? Glossypink found one you'll adore!

How does Fergie keep her tresses in top form while on tour? Here’s a hint…it involves PAM Cooking Spray. Visit Spoiled Pretty for the answer!

Face Candy looks at the new beauty products from Korres.

Pursebuzz.com shows you how to create a super simple French Twist in 6 minutes. All you need are bobby pins and a mirror :P Perfect for everyday, weddings and those special events.

Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog shows you how to create a purple smokey eye using pigments from MAC Cosmetics.

Beauty Banter reveals the very best BRONZERS for summer face!

You could be one of All Lacquered Up's THIRTY winners in the Estee Lauder Pearls of Light Giveaway.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic shows you what to do for your sunburn.

Stay beautiful darlings!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

weekend reads...from total beauty

Here are what some of our favorite women are up to over at Total Beauty this weekend....

The Muse gives you the lowdown on Stila Kitten Silk Eyeshadow Wash and Stila Kitten Silk Shimmer Gloss!

Beauty Anonymous is loving the Foot Relief Cream and Body Exfoliator from Belli!

If you're looking for longer, fuller lashes, Monique at Beauty Girl Musings has the product for you!

Jeanne at Periodic Style needs your help and wants to know: how do you organize your beauty products?

Toya at "The Life of A Ladybug" continues in her search for the best "Bronzers for Brown Girls!" In this edition, the Sephora Bronzing Essentials Kit!

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty shares a lesson on serums in her “Mischo Beauty School: Serums 101” post!

It's time to update your summer makeup and Beauty411 shares the details on the new Bobbi Brown Bronzed Pink Collection. You won't be able to resist!

A Mom in Red High Heels discovers the "Mother of Makeup". Find out the details!

Daily Dose of Coffee figures out what grownups wear to the beach.

With love (always),
Jennifer and Christine

Friday, May 30, 2008

airbrush effects blushwhip by redpoint

I am so seriously in love with this stuff that I can't stand it.

And I know I'm not alone in this.

This product was one of the products we received at the Total Beauty Summit and it's fabulous.

It melts seamlessly into your skin, giving it the most gorgeous natural blush around.

I have a light to medium complexion and Glow (a peachy-pink) suits my skin-tone brilliantly.

Because of its light-as-air texture, you can apply it with your fingers or a foundation brush (my choice).

And...it lasts.

Seriously.

It also contains light diffusing pigments to minimize large pores and give your skin an airbrushed effect. Plus it contains anti-aging ingredients that will make your skin look better over time!

What's not to love?

Jennifer
photo courtesy of redpoint

totalbeauty.com and bbn member

tropical paradise with slatkin and co.

We don't know about you, but the last time either one of us got whisked away to a tropical paradise was...well...never.

Really...it's sad.

Well if you can't get to the tropics, Slatkin & Co. is bringing them to you.

SCENTPORTs are the coolest things ever and the easiest way to deliver yummy scents throughout your house, apartment, or office space.

And now they come in these drool worthy scents, just in time for Summer...

PINEAPPLE MANGO A sunny, tropical blend of sweet pineapple, luscious mango, crisp lotus and a hint of warm vanilla.

VANILLA COCONUT A luscious and exotic blend of Tahitian vanilla and sunny, tropical coconut with the essence of warm ocean breezes.·

PINEAPPLE ORCHID A tropical blend of sun ripened sugared pineapple infused with the essence of White Orchid and Jasmine.

All of them sound phenomenal, but we're loving the floral...anything with Jasmine makes us smile.

Guarantee we'll be scooping up several of these for ourselves.

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

sally hansen - la cross foot smoothing disk

I have tried every tool known to man, to smooth my feet.

I've used pumice stones, rasps, and a callus shaver that left me bleeding from my heel and left our bathroom looking like it was from the set of a horror movie.

And it hurt like crazy.

I would resort to pedis once every few weeks, but nothing could maintain the smooth suppleness that resulted.

It's sad really.

I mean, who wants to hear ow...what the heck did you just rub up against my leg? when your foot brushes up against your hubby's in bed.

No one.

Then I came across this little wonder in a magazine.

This blue disk is probably the coolest gadget I've ever seen.

It looks nice on a bathroom shelf and doesn't shed everywhere.

You don't need to use any special lotions in conjunction with it. And it doesn't tickle my feet...a problem I've had with other gadgets.

All I have to do is use it in the shower, after my feet have been in the water for a while. I take the disk and rub it in circles on the bottom of my feet applying a little bit of pressure as I go.

It's truly amazing.

And a little gross too...your dry skin collects in between the ridges as you work.

Eww.

But, at least you know it's working.

One word of advice, it will probably take a few days until you see results (ie smoother feet). I didn't see any results until the end of week one, but that was when my heels were at their worst and I hadn't had a chance to get a pedicure yet.

All I can say is, whatever you do, don't give up. You should notice a difference in about a week, a huge difference in two.

It also helps if you add a great lotion at night, or during the day if you are planning on wearing socks with your shoes. My fave is Aquaphor. I smear this gunk on my feet and whether I use socks or not, my feet will be smooth in the morning.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of walgreens.com

Thursday, May 29, 2008

got rough feet?

This total beauty editor has a fast and easy solution to your rough feet problem

Read about it, then try it yourself.

Slough on!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of totalbeauty.com

giveaway from beauty chat blog!

Another major giveaway...this time from our friends at Beauty Chat Blog.

All you have to do is share your summer beauty must have. That's it.

The winner will be chosen on June 10th!

1 - Marmalade Pink Tote Bag from Marmalade Pink
1 - Beauty gift set including soap sliver, pillow & linen spray & lip balm from 5th Avenue Bath Company
1 - Fancy Footwear and (1) Swarovski Crystal Anklet from Barefoot Bling
1 - Set of two custom-made cotton napkins from Flying Needle Gallery
1 - Pair of semi-precious gemstone and sterling silver earrings from Broken Teepee Designs
3 - Handmade luxury soap bars and (1) luscious lip gloss from After the Rayne
1 - Tourmaline and gold necklace from Charming Sam Studios

A giveaway worth over $150!

To enter and for complete rules, head on over to Beauty Chat Blog.

Good luck.

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

beauty buy of the week

Head on over to nordstrom.com or get out of the house for a little bit and go to the mall and take advantage of this crazy deal with Clinique. Spend just $25....umm....yes, just $25 and pick from either the Pink or the Bronze set (whichever compliments your skin tone better).

The "All About the Pinks" gift with purchase includes:
Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer in Dry/Combination (.5 oz)
All About Eyes Rich (.21 oz)
Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes & Lips (1.7 oz)
High Impact Mascara in Black (.14 oz)
Different Lipstick in Rose Taffy (.14 oz)
Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Cupid (.06 oz)
Clinique Blush Brush
Pink Cosmetics Bag

And the "All About the Bronze" gift with purchase includes:
Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer in Dry/Combination (.5 oz)
All About Eyes Rich (.21 oz)
Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes & Lips (1.7 oz)
High Impact Mascara in Black (.14 oz)
Different Lipstick in Tenderheart (.14 oz)
True Bronze Pressed Powder Bronzer in Sunkissed (.06 oz)
Clinique Blush Brush
Bronze Cosmetics Bag

This gift with purchase is available online and in the store and one per person while supplies last. If shopping online, enter "pink" for the pink set or "bronze" for the bronze set in the promotional code box during checkout.

With love (always),
Jennifer and Christine
photos courtesy of nordstrom.com

thymes red cherie collection

Thymes Red Cherie Collection is awesome! It smells so yummy. I have been using their AHA Body Lotion (AHA is alpha hydroxy) and I love it. A full size of the body lotion is $32 (8.25 fl. oz and pictured left) which is also the most expensive item in the collection, over half of the line is $20 or less which I think is pretty reasonable. There is also a travel size version of the lotion for $6 (2 oz and pictured right) which is the one that I have.

The Red Cherie fragrance is a combination of pomegranate, ripe red cherries, passion flower and jasmine with a hint of Asian lychee and fruity musk. It's not overly sweet like you would think it would be given the list of ingredients and it's very light and leaves your skin really soft. The scent lasts all day long. I put it on after my shower and I can still smell it when I'm getting ready for bed.

According to thymes.com, since it’s loaded with skin-loving vitamin E and antioxidants, hydrating shea butter and calming passion fruit extract, it leaves you with a healthy glow that’s nothing less than non-stop gorgeous.

Everything in the Red Cherie line is paraben free (I had no idea this was an issue until Jenn pointed it out on something completely unrelated and I was just reading some info on the Thymes line and found this out - kind of like you have never heard of Uggs and then you see a pair and then you can't walk 2 feet without seeing them everywhere - same idea, never heard of paraben-free or knew what it was and now I can't read a magazine or look at a product without seeing the words "paraben-free"). Thought I would share, but I digress.

One thing to note with the AHA Body Lotion, since it has the alpha hydroxy, Thymes recommends wearing a sunscreen while using the lotion and for at least a week afterwards. Something to keep in mind since we are coming into the wonderful, long awaited summertime.

There are 14 different products available in the Red Cherie collection and I will definitely be checking a couple more of them out. Plus the packaging is too cute and looks great out on display. I think any of Thymes products would add a little 'wow' factor to a guest bathroom.

I think I may need to conduct some more "research" for the blog and check out the bath salts in this heavenly scent.

Christine
photos courtesy of thymes.com

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

how cool is this...covergirl queen collection

In January, the CoverGirl Queen Collection along with Queen Latifah held a nationwide, online casting call to find women to represent the Queen Collection in the June issue of Ebony.

The goal of the casting call, was to identify leaders in the community who had gone against the odds and won.

The women’s stories were inspiring and diverse. They ranged from charity involvement to personal struggle and lifelong dreams.

Out of 4,800 entries, 4 winners (seen here) had the honor of appearing in the ad.

Pretty neat huh?

Check out the June issue of Ebony or click here to read their stories.

Stay beautiful darlings.

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of covergirl

sheer color tinted moisturizer with spf 30 by stila

There was a time in our lives, where we would bask in the sun.

One of us would literally smear baby oil all over, trying to get the perfect tan.

Well, those days are over.

Neither of us would even consider leaving our house without a minimum of SPF 15....even just heading out the door to the car.

Add on to this the fact that we are mommies to two beautiful, but majorly active two year olds.

Where do you find the time to add moisturizer, SPF, and foundation...especially when one of our boys likes to try and stick things up his nose?

Seriously.

That's why something like this tinted moisturizer from Stila, is an essential in any busy routine.

We love the fact that it's a moisturizer/sheer color tint/SPF30...and it's oil-free...perfect for Summer's heat and the inevitable oily facial conditions.

As if that's not enough, it will actually make your skin look better with silk amino acids, pomegranate extract, and White Willow Bark.

Thank you Stila!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of stilacosmetics.com

waxing 101 with completely bare

Between the two of us, we probably have enough waxing horror stories to put a chill down your spine.

Both of us have had the pleasure of having our skin removed from too hot wax being applied and then pulled off.

Uh...ow.

One of us has had a waxer leave her in the room to answer a call...with the wax cooling on her leg, that then had to be chiseled off....thank you very much.

And one of us has had a home waxing experiment go horribly awry....basically it involves getting hot wax out of the fibers of a wall-to-wall carpet...not good.

Well Cindy Barshop, the owner of Completely Bare, has come up with the most ingenious idea...live how-to waxing classes.

Called a Waxing Webinar, it is an on-line class where experienced completely bare technicians give you the 411 on how to wax at home and answer all of your questions...instantly, as you have them.

How cool is that?

The first class, will talk about the following:

-Waxing 101 – Prep Yourself
-Not All Wax is Created Equal
-At Home Waxing – by Body Part
-Bikini Waxing – Basic, Brazilian and completely bare

It's great for those of us who can't get to her locations in New York and Palm Beach, but is also great for those who have waxing kits and just don't have the time to head to a salon.

The first Webinar is scheduled for July 17th from 7:00-7:45 p.m. and it's free!

Speaking of waxing kits...if you are looking for a great at home waxing kit, look no further than Completely Bare and their Wax Works Kit ($108). It contains everything you need to get yourself started.

Stay smooth darlings!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of completelybare.com

neutralize, obliterate, and conceal...noc-out cover up compact by redpoint

The genius that is Redpoint cosmetics, is evident in this awesomely named compact.

Neutralize, Obliterate, and Conceal, or NOC-Out ($38), does just that. It knocks out redness, under-eye circles, and other dark spots or unevenness you might want to get rid of...fast.

Have a little redness around the nostrils?

Use Red Guard, the yellow-toned cream,and say bye-bye to that.

Hubby's snoring keeping you up late?

Use the beige-toned Eye Disguise for under-eye circles and discoloration.

Is that time of the month leaving you with a couple of pesky spots on your face?

Use the blush-toned Spot Cover and it's like they never existed.

I had the coolest opportunity in LA, where a makeup artist applied some Redpoint cosmetics for a touch-up before some headshot pics. Among the amazing cosmetics she used, this was one of my faves.

It covered up my imperfections and lasted without looking cakey.

The best part?

Every Redpoint product contains ingredients that work to combat common skin problems and the signs of aging.

It will actually make your skin look better.

I just have one thing to say to that...Redpoint, where have you been all my life?

Jennifer
photo courtesy of redpointcosmetics.com

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

max factor colorgenius pressed powder

For the last few weeks I have been trying out Max Factor's ColorGenius Pressed Powder in Light ($8.50). I don't always use a pressed powder, but on days when I don't feel like going through the whole beauty routine I will put on a moisturizer, mascara and powder and call it a day.

Yesterday was one of those days.

The family and I were headed to a store and I thought I would test out my husband's ability to pay attention to my beauty routine. So while in the car I asked him if my makeup looked any differently than any other day. He said no, he thought it looked about the same.

Which I have yet to decide is a good answer or not. Am I wasting my time fussing with endless beauty products to look about the same as I would if I only had a pressed powder on, OR was my husband not paying attention at all and thought that would be the safe way to respond to me? I think I will stick with it being his safe answer.

Either way, the pressed powder does work really well. I swirl all 3 colors together since I can't figure out how only to get the brush onto a certain ring of color. But you are suppose to be able to use the 3 colors individually or combined to make the right color for you.

According to Max Factor, the powder contains irritation-minimizing minerals that provide sheer, even coverage that camouflages imperfections. It is also oil-absorbing and is oil-free and hypoallergenic and ideal for most skin types.

I like this one more than the MAC one I had before. It does seem to help with the oil control and covers enough, so on days like yesterday, I still feel that I have enough on to venture out of the house and be presentable. It works well over my foundation too and provides a nice finish to my makeup.

Christine
photo courtesy of maxfactor.com

this just in...summer trends for nail color

Skyy Hadley – the queen of nail color – offers her take on this summer's trends:

"This summer, jeweled true-green hues are going to be the trend on fingers, and it's all about confidence when wearing it," says Skyy. "If you feel that this is too dramatic for you try a neutral metallic or light lilac shade instead." To pick the best metallic shade, make sure to match it up against your skin tone, Skyy says. "These should compliment, not compete with one another."

To create the perfect canvas for your nails, make sure to maintain more than just your polish. "Use creams on hands and use a cuticle oil such as Creative Solar Oil to stay moisturized," explains Skyy, "Never cut your cuticles, just push them back – and remember to exfoliate hands to remove dead and dry skin." Keeping nails at a shorter, active length is an ongoing trend so file and cut accordingly.

Skyy Hadley is the bee's knees for manicurists in New York and has worked with Liv Tyler, Uma Thurman, and Faith Evans to name a few. We found the Creative Solar Oil on enailsupply.com for $8.25 and amazon.com has it for $8.95.

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of amazon.com

the beauty of life is having a giveaway

OK...this is major people. Our friend Jamie over at The Beauty of Life is giving away an insane amount of products valued at $824!

Here's what she's giving away darlings...

Vera Wang Princess Flower Princess Eau de Toilette
24.7 Skincare Targeted Wrinkle Treatment
Too Faced Lights, Camera, Glamour
Hard Candy metallic pink pencil case
Essiespa Sea Mineral Glow
Avon Advance Techniques Anti-Frizz Capsules
Calgon Hawaiian Ginger Body Mist
Ralph Lauren Fragrances Ralph Wild Eau de Toilette
Sonia Kashuk Bare Minimum Pressed Powder Bronzer in Golden-48
Sonia Kashuk Golden Summer Spray Bronzer
Sonia Kashuk Sheer Lip Color in Passion Fruit and Hibiscus
Bliss Super Slough Scrub
L'Oreal Skin Genesis Multi-Layer Cell Strengthening Daily Treatment Serum Concentrate
Wellness by Clean Eau de Parfums in Harmony and Purity
Sephora Peach Blossom Body Scrub
St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter Advanced Body Moisturizer
Skin Milk Shaving Milk
e.l.f. Peony Petal Nourishing Body Lotion
Jonathan IB Revitalizer Overnight Oil Treatment Spray
Orly Nail Lacquer in Bon Bon, First Kiss, My Beau and Secret Admirer
Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Soft Shimmer in Lot-A-Lilac
Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Liquid Glitter Eyeliner in Platinumania
Lancome Colour Fever Gloss in Burning Up
Bourjois Effect 3D High Shine Lipgloss in Rose Symphonic
Estee Lauder Lip Shaping Gloss Pencil in Sheer Tawny
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sheer Lip Tint in Fuchsia
CoverGirl WetSlicks Fruit Spritzers Lipgloss in Grape Splash
T3 Narrow Wet-Or-Dry

Yeah...so...you'd better head over there like right now. The winner will be chosen on June 1st. So.....go-go-go!

Stay beautiful darlings!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

Monday, May 26, 2008

we are now proud members of the beauty blog network!

Stop the presses...we have a major announcement to make!

We have just become members of The Beauty Blog Network!

Christine and I are beyond thrilled and honored that we are now a part of this awesome community, in addition to being members of the TotalBeauty network.

Thank you Elke, for making us a part of it and thank you readers for always coming back!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

wow...hey...that's a...wow...uh...nice hairstyle

OK...OK...we are all entitled to a bad hair day...but come on...really?! The beehive just kills us. And the mullet? No offense, but if our hairstylist did this to either one of us....we'd cry.

So on this Memorial Day, take a break from the sun and the barbeques and head on over to TotalBeauty.com to check out some of the most...um...interesting bad hair trends ever.

After you checked them out and posted an opinion on their message boards, come back and vote in our poll. We've selected four of the worst trends and we can't wait to see the results!

more at twiigs.com...

Stay bad-hair-trend free darlings!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo coutesy of totalbeauty.com

recipe for touchably soft skin...bioelements vitalization

Lately, you are looking at the one product that has delivered on its promise for soft, smooth, and touchable skin.

Bioelements Vitalization ($49.50) uses something called Bioelements Vitalization technology to banish dry skin and restore radiance.

It also smells delicious...thanks to ten different botanical oils.

I use it once I get out of the shower and my skin is still a little damp.

The result?

Instant moisturization that lasts and smells like heaven.

I'm hooked.

You can pick this up at any spa that sells Bioelements products, or try DermStore.com or SpaLook.com.

Jennifer

photo courtesy of bioelements

Sunday, May 25, 2008

insider beauty tips from the pros

Who doesn't love a great insider tip? Over at TotalBeauty.com, they have twelve of the best beauty tips from the pros.

And now you can check them out...all while wearing your best Sunday pj's.

So...sit back, relax, drink that great Sunday cup o' joe, and click on over to TotalBeauty.com to check them out.

Stay beautiful darlings.

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of totalbeauty.com

Saturday, May 24, 2008

thymes wild ginger foaming bath powder

So last night something wonderful happened that hasn't happened in a long time....

I was able to take a nice, quiet, hot bath....without interruption.

We put MJ to bed, I told my husband to go play on the computer (one of his most favorite things to hear me say) and I went and disappeared for half an hour into my soaking tub.

I used Thymes Wild Ginger Foaming Bath Powder. At first I was hesitant to use it because the packaging is so pretty and I didn't want to ruin it. Luckily, the powder is inside another sealed packet inside the pretty envelope so, it still looks perfect out on my sink. The envelope is really pretty and matches my bathroom perfectly.

I am not a fan of ginger scented anything but this Wild Ginger scent is amazing. According to thymes.com it contains organic ginger balanced with refreshing cucumber, creamy vanilla and a slice of Tahitian lime and Moro orange, moisturizing honey, soothing organic red clover, and rich vitamin E.

The scent that remained after I was done with the tub was nice and subtle. I had my husband smell it and he said he couldn't figure out what the scent was but he really liked it. I also noticed that my skin still felt nice and soft when I woke up this morning, especially the feet. (I purposely didn't apply any lotion last night so that I could see just how well the bath powder worked.)

I only used a handful of the powder. I wasn't too sure how much to use, plus I wanted to make sure I had enough left for a couple more baths. The envelope contains 2 oz of bath powder and are $6 per envelope. I think I may have enough for a couple more but you could use more or less depending on how bubbly you want it.

You can buy Thymes Wild Ginger online at thymes.com or visit the website to find a store near you. The Wild Ginger collection features the bath powder, body wash and lotion, hand wash and lotion, candles and bar soap. And all with very pretty packaging.

I also have a product from Thymes Red Cherie collection that I will be reviewing soon.

Christine
photo courtesy of thymes.com

Friday, May 23, 2008

the best celebrity short cuts

If the anticipation of Summer's heat, leaves you wanting a shorter do'....Total Beauty has some of the best pics of short cuts around.

Head on over to TotalBeauty.com and check them out. Then come on back and let us know your fave celeb cut in the comments!

Stay beautiful darlings!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of totalbeauty.com

max factor vivid impact highlighting mascara

This mascara does everything a mascara should do.

It goes on smoothly, doesn't clump, and lasts all day with minimal smudging.

I also love the fact that it's dual ended.

I had the chance to check out one of the mascaras called 24 Carat Brown ($11.24 at drugstore.com) and loved it immediately.

The one end contains a gorgeous, but oh-so-not-just-your-basic mascara.

The other end contains your highlighting color...in my case, a beautiful muted gold.

You apply the base mascara first, add the highlight color to the tips, and then...voila...instant pop!

With four other to-die-for colors to choose from, you are guaranteed a break from the ho-hum-and-oh-so-boring mascara doldrums.

Head on over to maxfactor.com for more information and to find out where you can purchase.

Have a fabulous day!

Jennifer
photo courtesy of maxfactor.com

weekend reads

Here are is what is going on with a few of our friends over at Total Beauty....

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty discusses hair texture in her “Mischo Beauty School: Hair Texture 101”post!

Beauty's Spot is giving away a huge swag bag from the LA Beauty Tour!

Beauty Anonymous is very tempted by the Hair Spray from Anna Sui!

Want to win a whopping $824 in products? Then head to The Beauty of Life immediately for a supremely fantastic giveaway!

Joy from Makeup Junkie shares and brings you the latest news on Eyeko's Summer Collection 2008!

A Mom in Red High Heels visits 4 LA Beauty Hot Spots. Find out which is like a piece of Heaven to her!

Beauty411 opens her little black beauty book and reports on her facial at the ARCONA Studio in Santa Monica.

Karen of Periodic Style undergoes a transformation of her own with a Japanese straight perm.

Looking for a new flat iron? Monique at Beauty Girl Musings has tried a new one and thinks you will love it!

Meet Victoria Rowe Talking Makeup's Expert contributor!

Toya's started a new series: "Bronzers for Brown Girls" where she'll be discussing the best bronzers for those of us who have deeper skintones. First up: Stila Sun Bronzer SPF 15 !

Meredith at Daily Dose of Coffee returns to a long-forgotten makeup line, and reviews two of their newest products.

Enjoy the articles and have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!!!

with love (always),
Jennifer and Christine

real life beauty scoops...fekkai to launch home haircolor kits

The phenomenally-talented-incredibly-French-accented-and-uber-sexy hairstylist to the stars, Frederic Fekkai, plans on launching an at-home hair color kit.

We here at Beauty in Real Life are extremely excited about this.

Really.

Just imagine this scenario...

You're doing some shopping at the local grocery store. Someone spies your gorgeous color from across the aisle and runs up to you, demanding to know who does it.

You could totally just say why-frederic-fekkai-darling, in that offhandedly cool way.

And you're not really lying. ...right?

We mean it...no one has to know that your color came from an at-home kit.

They'll just think you hit the lottery or something.

Look for the kits to hit shelves soon...we'll keep you posted.

If you're dying for some Frederic and can't wait until then, check out his Salon Glaze ($28). It's a buildable glaze that you can use in the shower. Be on the lookout for a review of that soon.

Stay beautiful darlings.

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of fekkai.com

info courtesy of wwd

physhion bags

Anyone who has ever tried to schlep themselves, a screaming toddler, their handbag, and a gym bag knows that it's just an accident waiting to happen.

I mean...really, one false move and that's all she wrote.

True, you could try and pare down to just the essentials, but the time it would take to sort through all your stuff is insane. And who wants to stuff their sneakers into their ridiculously expensive handbag?

Anyone?

That's where these bags come in.

Physhion bags are the brainchild of a (you guessed it) full-time mom to four (!) boys.

She has always maintained a very fit and healthy lifestyle, enabling her to be able to keep up with her brood.

But she was always on the quest for the perfect bag. One that would carry all of the necessities of her life and still look good at the same time.

After finding nothing that fit the bill, she decided to create the perfect bag herself.

She designed four different styled bags, based on four different lifestyles...The Siren (seen above), The Vixen, The Hipster, and The Fashionista.

All are 100% waterproof coated twill canvas and trimmed in Italian patent leather.

They also contain the following:

-waterproof liner
-interior shoe sleeves
-removable wet/dry pouch
-detachable waterproof toiletries pouch
-pockets for cell phone, PDA, and iPod
-interior zippered pocket
-key chain holder

Each bag even has it's own little functioning lock that is pretty enough to hang from the front as decoration.

Genius!

My advice?

Get your gorgeous, multi-tasking self over to physhion.com to check out all four styles. They come in great colors that are bound to impress.

I mean...really...for us to talk about them...you know they're just to-die.

Later darlings!

Jennifer
photo courtesy of physhion.com

Thursday, May 22, 2008

lifebooker

As if Lifebooker.com hasn't done enough to make our lives easier, we can now search for the best spa, beauty, and fitness deals in the New York area with just a few clicks of our mouse!

How?

Just this week, they've introduced their search by best deals tool. This enables you to search their site by discount offers.

In addition, Lifebooker.com also allows their customers to compare services, prices, availability, search by exclusive discounts, earn rewards, read real reviews and book even last minute appointments!

It's like having your own personal assistant!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of lifebooker.com

real women of beauty...reese witherspoon

Since Jenn picked the first person (Jill Scott) for our Real Women of Beauty segment, I got the second installment. It took me all of a second to pick Reese Witherspoon.

I have always liked her and her style and it just seems to be getting better and better. Whether she is all glammed up for the Oscars or is out and about with her kids, she always looks great.

Reese has recently signed with Avon to be a spokeswoman and the first-ever Global Ambassador. She will also serve as the Honorary Chairman of the Avon Foundation, focusing on breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief initiatives.

When I saw that Reese signed on with Avon, my first thought was that I needed to take another look at Avon. My only memories of Avon are of a lady coming to my grandmother's house and me going through her basket of beauty goodies while the 2 of them talked shop, and that was about 15 years ago.

Any woman who can work, raise 2 kids, and do a considerable amount of charity work, all while not resorting to sweats and tennis shoes and bags under the eyes (which is probably what would happen to me - who am I kidding, that happens to me now every once in a while and I only have 1 kid and stay at home) gets my vote for a real woman of beauty.

Christine
photo courtesy of people.com

Manolos and Mimosas

Here is something I would give my left arm to be able to do. I am so excited that the Sex and the City movie is coming out this month. Here is a chance to be your own Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha....

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples is gearing up to provide the most die hard fans with a very warm welcome at the beachfront property with the "Manolos and Mimosas" package. Ladies should grab their best girlfriends and take advantage of this fabulous weekend escape, which includes accommodations for four in a two-bedroom Gulfview Suite, four tickets to opening night, a pre-show dinner with limo transportation (cosmos included!) a number of treatments and services from The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Naples, a $200 shopping spree at the resort's Signature Shop (per person) and much more.

Please see complete package details below

· Welcome mimosas upon arrival
· Two nights/three days luxury accommodations in a Two-bedroom Gulfview Suite
· One 1-hour beauty consultation (professional analysis for cut, style, hair color and make-up) per person
· One (1) manicure, pedicure and Anastasia eyebrows service per person
· One (1) 50-minute Ritz-Carlton, Naples Massage per person
· $200 shopping spree at The Signature Shop per person
· Four (4) tickets to see Sex and the City at Regal Hollywood 20 in trendy Naples
· Pre-show dinner for four (4) at The Grill ($500 dining credit)
· Limo transportation (complete with cosmos!) to and from the screening
· In-room DVD collection of the final season of Sex and the City
· Special Sex and the City-themed turndown

Rates starting from $4,999 for two nights/three days and the package is based on double occupancy and is valid May 30 – July 31, 2008 and of course is subject to availability.

For reservations and more information, please visit www.ritzcarlton.com or call 1-800-241-3333.

It may be $5000 but this would be one heck of a girls weekend complete with manis, pedis and eyebrows, massages, shopping, limos and drinks and more for all four of you!

Cosmos for everyone!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of movies.aol.com

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

this just in...tips to de-fry your hair

I may not be a blond, but I am not a stranger to overprocessed hair.

Once upon a time...a stylist convinced me to try highlights in my medium brown hair. He suggested two shades he called caramel and honey.

Sounds gorgeous, right?

That's what I thought too, so I let him have at it.

One hour later, I was sitting there with thick chunky highlights, in two shades of yellow and yellower blond, intermingled with my brown hair.

Hideous.

I cried when I left that shop.

It was so damaged and so hard to style, that I decided to start from scratch and go short.

You won't have to do that now...because it's Rita Hazan to the rescue!

Self magazine recently gave a lucky woman the chance to have her fried hair resuscitated by the Hazan-ator herself.

Lucky for us...she provided tips everyone can use.

- Deep-condition strands...before Hazan touched her locks, she applied two conditioning treatments to repair the bleach damage and bring back the moisture. Our tip: A great deep conditioner to try at home is Kerastase Masquintense ($53) for fine or thick hair.

-Highlight sparingly...once she brought back the color to a nice golden-brown, Hazan only applied highlights to the crown. Thus giving her the brightness of a blond without more damage. Our tip: Always, always, always, leave the color correction to the pros...do not attempt this at home!

-Turn off the blow dryer...The color guru suggested cutting back on hair washing to every other night and letting it air dry instead of drying with tools. Our tip: Use a leave in conditioner to really maintain softness sans frizz. One to try...Pureology Instant Repair Leave-In Conditioner ($7 folica.com)

No go and de-fry darlings.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of stockvault.net
info courtesy of self

stila spf 20 shine lip color

We love the idea of a product that multi-tasks with ease and looks great besides...even though we can't always say the same about ourselves.

Anyone who says that taking care of a toddler is easy work...has clearly never had the pleasure of hanging out with us.

One day and they would be toast.

We love our kids, but come on...we barely have enough time to brush our hair sometimes, let alone apply a million different products to our face.

So we're all about this little wonder.

Stila's SPF 20 Shine Lip Color ($22) combines gorgeous color with ingredients that can protect your luscious pout from the sun's rays and the environment.

It comes in eight different sheer shades and is scented with vanilla...can you say bonus?

Pucker up darlings!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of stila

P.S. If you order from stilacosmetics.com now, you can receive free shipping with any purchase of $50 or more. Plus you can get a free sample with every order.

Better hurry though, the free shipping offer won't last long.

total beauty...first annual beauty blog summit...the highlights

Breaking down this weekend is going to be hard. We covered so many topics, learned about so many new products, and did so many things, that it's going to be hard to talk about it at once. So I'm just going to give you the highlights and talk about the rest here and there...

Dr. Alan Hirsch introduced his new diet plan called Sensa, which involves sprinkling some crystal-y/powder-y stuff on your food before you eat it. It's apparently supposed to make you want to eat less each time you sit down at the table. You don't even have to change what you eat. You can literally sprinkle it on cake. We were the first people (besides his study group) to get a chance to try it...so you can guarantee I'm going to be sprinkling this on everything that goes into my mouth.

We were introduced to Redpoint cosmetics (that's a pic of makeup artist Fatima Olive, as she applies a Redpoint product to a model) and RawMinerals, both of which had products that I was able to try out at a couple of different events. They both have exciting things to offer and we can't wait to share them with you.

IQ Derma is a skincare line that left me speechless with their presentation. If you've been a reader of this blog since it's inception, you know that we are all about the skincare. I can't wait to test these products and present them to you.

And so many other products that I'll have to surprise you with later.

I also did the following:

-Attended an LA cocktail party and dinner...complete with tiny finger foods and shadow box dancers...yes...shadow box dancers.

-Met phenomenal bloggers like...Amber, Daneen, Denice and Leeann, Monique, Christine, Marina, Julia, Tammy, Annie, Lilan, Kia, and many more.

-Had my makeup touched up by a freelance makeup artist...twice.

-Went to an official LA night club for the first time in my life and was so tired I yawned from exhaustion the entire time I was there.

-Got dropped off at the wrong airline at LAX and had to travel just around the corner to the actual airline I was flying home with. Actual distance for my just around the corner journey? Oh...about half a mile.

Seriously.

Jennifer

no brainer sexy eyes...global goddess mascara and eyeliner

I am not the kind of person to spend an hour on her makeup.

Not that there is anything wrong with that mind you, it's just me stating a fact.

The truth is...I just don't have the time.

I mean, really, you try doing picture perfect makeup in less than five minutes and with a 2 1/2 year old clinging to your leg, begging you to pick him up.

I've just grown accustomed to applying the basics and running out the door.

Eyeliner never seems to be one of those basics.

Until now...

This is the Global Goddess I-Define Eyeliner ($16). It's described as a smooth eyeliner that will just glide on.

My first reaction was shyeah sure.

I've applied liners before and normally it's a drag...literally. They go on decently, but blend poorly.

This is the first eyeliner I've used that blends with very little fuss. I even used a Q-Tip and it still looked gorgeous!

My tip for instant sexy eyes...apply the liner on your top lid near the lash line, get as close as you can to your lashes and make the line a little thicker near your outer corners. Then smudge it with a Q-Tip to your liking. You can repeat on your bottom lid for extra va-va-voom.

For an extra pow...add a coat or two of Global Goddess Exotic Eyes Lash Building Mascara ($23).

One or two coats are all you need for instant sexiness.

The brush is thick, but still enables you to work it through your lashes without causing massive smudging.

Like the liner, it goes on smoothly and comes off easily at the end of the night.

Guess who's got some new basics?

Jennifer
photos courtesy of globalgoddessbeauty.com

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

primers take 1 - laura mercier

For the last few months I have been trying out several primers. Well, three to be exact.

I think today I will talk about the first one I bought, Laura Mericer's Oil Free Foundation Primer ($30).

According to lauramercier.com, the primer is a "lightweight, creamy gel - used prior to foundation - that acts as an invisible barrier between skin and makeup, it is specifically created for oily, sensitive and acne-prone skin types"

And here are a couple more facts from the website that I did not know...
the primer contains high water content and addresses surface dehydration around active blemishes and has oil controlling ingredients ensure long-wear and flawless application. And vitamins A, C, & E act as antioxidants & protect the skin from harmful, aging effects of the environment.

And this final one, I never would have thought of in a million years, but now I'm curious so I will probably try it out this week...cooling the primer in the refrigerator is refreshing for the skin & reduces puffiness. Really?!

Here's my take on the primer, the first week I used it under my foundation and I absolutely hated it. It was really heavy - more like sunscreen than a thin layer to hold my foundation (and it smells a little like sunscreen as well). And then I realized I was using waayyy too much, I mean way too much. Once I cut back the amount I applied, I noticed a drastic improvement. However, it still felt a little heavy after I applied my moisturizer and foundation. But it did keep the oiliness away longer.

It does help keep the makeup looking fresher longer. I recently went to a wedding that lasted most of the day and was out on the deck of a boat for a portion of it and my makeup still looked pretty good when we got home late that evening.

If I hadn't discovered the other 2 primers that I will discuss next week, I would probably be still using this one on a regular basis. And it looks like I will be trying it again after I go stick it in the fridge tonight to test out the whole reducing puffiness and refreshing on the skin comment.

I checked out the reviews on totalbeauty.com for this product (and there were only 2 but there were a ton on the regular foundation primer which is really similar except for not being oil-free). All the reviews seem to be pretty mixed. I always check the reviews there when I'm on the fence about a product. I will probably try it again later in the year when the weather gets colder and you need heavier products, it might work better since it's heavier than the other 2.

Next week....primer take 2

Christine
photo courtsey of lauramercier.com

the daily obsession giveaway

The phenomenal team over at The Daily Obsession is having a giveaway. It's running from May 19th thru May 25th. The winner will be announced May 26th.

That winner will receive some fabulous prizes...

- Touch of Bronze Moisturizing Body Lotion
- Quick Eyes Cream Shadow in all 9 shades!
- Brush-On Cream Liner in True Black
- Lash Power Mascara in Black Onyx
- Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Knockout Nude and Air Kiss
- UV-Response Body SPF 50

Total Value: approximately $230!!!

All you have to do is head on over to their blog and leave a comment talking about your first Clinique experience...that's it!

So what are you waiting for?

Stay beautiful darlings.

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of thedailyobsession.com

skin cancer takes friends by olay

Here is a little something that is important to me. I have had some scares in the skin cancer area and now get regular skin checks from my doctor. This is a great opportunity to go get checked out by a doctor and it's free!! And you get to go with a friend...everything is better when you go with friends. Treat yourselves to a little Starbucks afterwards...

In recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month this May, Olay and theAmerican Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) have joined forces for the fourth year for "Skin Cancer Takes Friends," a nationwide free skin cancer screening program that encourages Americans to bring their friends to a participating dermatologic surgeon's office for a free skin cancer screening. Together with "Desperate Housewives" star Marcia Cross, Olay and the ASDS are working to raise awareness about the importance of prevention and detection in the fight against skin cancer.

• One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer over the course of their lives, and over one million new skin cancers will be detected each year.
• During last year's Skin Cancer Takes Friends program, more than 300 dermatologic surgeons in 200 cities across 45 states performed over 9,000 free screenings
• People can log on to SkinCancerTakesFriends.org or ASDS.net to find a participating dermatologic surgeon in their area.

Skin Cancer Facts
• Someone dies of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, nearly every hour. Yet when detected and treated early, it is almost 100 percent curable.
•Women ages 20-29 are particularly vulnerable, with melanoma ranking as the second most common form of cancer in the age group.
•Dermatologic surgeons agree that the most important step in skin cancer prevention is applying a daily moisturizer with broad spectrum sun protection. Despite the knowledge that most skin cancers are caused from excessive sun exposure, many adults still do not use daily sun protection.

So grab a buddy and go get checked!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

skinn cosmetics webisode 3

We love a great how-to video, especially one that breaks it down like this...

Love the eye shadows?

We do too.

The Patina Eye Shadows ($22.50) palette comes with 6 different colors and two different choices...Winter and Summer.

Click on over to skinncosmetics.com for all the details.

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of skinncosmetics.com
video courtesy of itsaglamthing.com

Monday, May 19, 2008

help us get to paris...please?

Ok...we are just going to put this out there...we need your help...now.

You see...we really want to go to Paris.

Who doesn't right?

Just imagine for a second...the Beauty in Real Life girls in Paris.

Got an image?

Great.

Now imagine us reporting from Paris.

Seriously...I mean it.

That would so be like your best friends chillin out in the 'ris....or 'aris...or whatever cool way they say Paris now-a-days.

Could you imagine?

Us in a country where French is the main language? And neither one of us can speak it to save our lives?

Hilarity will be sure to ensue.

So we're not just doing this for ourselves....oh no madames...or dames...or mon amie...or...oh forget it.

Head on over to the right side column and click away on the picture of the Saturn Vue to your little heart's content. The more clicks we get, the closer we get to Paris...and the closer you get to winning a Saturn Vue stuffed to the gills with beauty products and a chance to enter daily give-aways!

By the way, if we do go, it's guaranteed that Jennifer will get a photo of Christine in a beret...holding a croissant...or something funnier that's only made in France.

That little picture will be worth it.

Trust us.

So what cha' waitin for? Head on over there right now darlings!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of freefoto.com

max factor color genius blush

Next to lip gloss, blush is the second thing I reach for. It's the fastest way to make me appear awake and alive, even though I normally get awakened at the butt-crack of dawn.

This blush is ridiculously inexpensive ($8.49) and comes in a ginormous compact.

You can use all three colors at once, or use one at a time for more impact and to highlight and contour.

I tried The Roses and couldn't have been happier. The natural looking tones really looked gorgeous on my light-medium complexion. Christine tried The Peaches on her fair skin and it provided a nice subtle color as well.

Gotta love a product that lives up to its hype.

To find out more information, try maxfactor.com. There you can find some great tips from the phenominal Pat McGrath, learn about their other products, and find out where to purchase.

Jennifer

photos courtesy of maxfactor.com

jake bailey

The last time we've gazed into the eyes of a gorgeous man was....well...what year is it exactly?

Not that we don't love our hubbies.

But...seriously...the only gazing we do now is the would-it-kill-you-to-pick-your-laundry-up-off-of-the-floor-because-we-actually-have-something-called-a-laundry-basket gaze.

Well ladies, now is your chance to look into another man's eyes and not get in trouble for it.

Max Factor’s Celebrity Makeup Artist extraordinaire, Jake Bailey, is going on the road!

Who is he?

Well, he's that delicious specimen to the right.

He's worked with countless celebs and now...you!

Bailey is hitting the road and heading to cities around the country.

Here's a listing of dates and places:

LAS VEGAS

Friday, June 6th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Ulta (sign up in advance at store location)

543 N. Stephanie Street

Henderson, NV

PHOENIX

Saturday, June 7th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Wal-Mart

14200 West Indian School Road

Goodyear, AZ

DALLAS

Saturday, June 14th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Wal-Mart

1700 Dallas Parkway

Plano, TX

CHICAGO

Saturday, June 21st 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Ulta (sign up in advance at store location)

9635 Skokie Blvd.

Skokie, IL

CHICAGO

Sunday, June 22nd 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

K-Mart

3443 West Addison St

Chicago, IL

HOUSTON

Saturday, June 28th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Ulta (sign up in advance at store location)

1600 Lake Woodlands Drive

Woodlands, TX

Have fun and stay beautiful!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

hello my lovlies!

Ok...I'm back!

Did you miss me?

I am so incredibly tired, but so excited to bring you the news from the past three beauty stuffed days.

I have so much to share, so I'll be bringing you information and stories over the next few days.

Stay tuned and chat with ya later.

Jennifer

Sunday, May 18, 2008

weekend reads

Sorry this took so long to post. An apology is in order for our fellow beauty bloggers. Here's what's been going on with our Total Beauty friends!

The Daily Cookie loves the Urban Decay Ammo Eye Palette to help her travel light!

reviews Stila Kitten Eye Shadow Wash and gives some tips on how to use it.

Jeanne from Periodic Style tells you how to get full salon service at little to no cost -- be a hair model!

Marta from Talking Makeup introduces the Global
Chic Collection by IMAN.

Beauty Anonymous shares with you her first impressions of Chanel Summer 2008 Makeup Collection!

Want a review of one of the newest self-tan products out there? Look no further, Canadian Beauty delivers!

The Muse shares a review on Shimmer Shine Liquid Eye Shadow from Bourjois Paris!

A Mom in Red High Heels discusses a busy woman's concern with her morning routine. Find out the time saving, confidence- boosting tips!

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings finds a real organic line worth trying.

The girls at Beauty in Real Life, score their first ever interview with celeb makeup artist and Passport to Beauty author, Shalini Vadhera.

Nars takes Joy from Makeup Junkie to South Beach thanks to The Multiple in South Beach!

Toya does her Mother's Day FOTD with products from the Sally Hansen Natural Beauty line (inspired by Carmindy)!

Meredith at Daily Dose of Coffee continues her self-tanning addiction by reviewing Neutrogena's MicroMist Tanning Spray.

Love you bunches...mean it!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

Friday, May 16, 2008

covergirl trublend foundation

Christine and I, have been ever so curious to try this foundation.

If you've seen the commercials with Drew Barrymore and/or the print ads, you might have been too.

I should first explain, what exactly separates the TruBlend foundations from others.

It's a product that features an exclusive "skin affinity" pigment system created with brighter chroma color spheres that actually merge with skin upon application to imitate your precise color.

Translation, it's supposed to blend seamlessly into your skin and actually create a color that matches your own.

There is also the clever number system, that helps to take the guesswork out of what other products you can use from the range.

We both picked up the foundation to give it a test run. Christine checked out the whipped foundation and I tried the liquid.

How did they do?

Well, for starters, the pump container (for the liquid) is fantastic. You can just pump out what you need and don't worry about getting germs all over the place.

I immediately liked the light coverage and thought it went on smoothly. It took care of some minor redness around my nose and looked natural on.

It had decent longevity and kept it's color pretty well. I didn't have any problems with it causing breakouts, although I do not have sensitive skin.

Christine also liked the foundation. She had a little problem with a minor breakout, but she mentioned that her skin is really sensitive and can break out at the drop of a hat*. She thought it went on smoothly, covered well, and felt light on. She did say that she wouldn't hesitate to check out the liquid version.

We both agreed that it's a good buy for the money. I mean...it's definitely a decent foundation for under $10. I felt that it did as good a job, as some other higher priced brands. It provided a light coverage that didn't feel like a mask and blended in well.

Isn't that what all good foundations should do?

You can find CoverGirl products at Target, Walmart, Ulta, CVS, and other mass market retailers. You can also find them online at drugstore.com.

Jennifer

*We really can't hold this against Cover Girl, because everybody has different skin issues. What suits some, may not suit you. As with any product you apply to your skin, always test it out first. You never know how your skin is going to react.

this just in...how to apply bronzer like a pro

We think we've heard this a million times...women asking how and where to apply bronzer in order to get that great sun kissed glow.

Well here's a video we found that gives you the how-to.

It's from Beau Nelson and it's literally about a minute and a half long.

Looking for a great duo that will help you achieve this look? Then look no further than Laura Mercier and her new Gold Digger collection.

The Laura Mercier Bronzing Powder ($32 neimanmarcus.com) comes in two new colors, pink bronze and coral bronze. Use one for bronzing and the other one for a great pop of color on the cheeks.

Gorgeous.

With love (always),
Jennifer and Christine

i'm leaving for la

This is too exciting...yours truly is heading to LA this morning!

I'm traveling to LA for a beauty summit for Total Beauty and can't wait to get there.

Basically, I'll be representin' one half of the Beauty in Real Life team...as Christine is still in sunny Florida visiting with the rents.

I'm definitely going to miss her, as she can always make me laugh in the craziest situations.

But, on the bright side...

I'll be meeting some other phenom beauty bloggers that have been in the business since it's inception. Essentially, they are the blogging equivalent of rock stars.

I'll be rooming with the fantastically-chic Monique from Beauty Girl Musings. We've been emailing each other for the last two weeks and it's a given that we're going to get along.

I'll be busy pretty much the entire time I am there, but I am hoping that I might catch a glimpse of a celeb here and there.

Unfortunately, I don't have a laptop...so I can't do any live streaming beauty blogging. But, I will be taking lots of pics, maybe some short vids, and lots of notes.

And I'll bring all of the news back to you my darlings.

Until I can bring LA to you next week...here's the song I've been singing in my head this past week.

Enjoy.

Jennifer

Thursday, May 15, 2008

who's got the best buns in hollywood?

OK...get your mind out of the gutter people.

Not those kind of buns silly.

Head on over to TotalBeauty.com to check out 19 of the most gorge updos seen on the celeb circuit.

After you check them out, why don't you come back and leave a comment on which one was your fave? Personally, we're kind of loving the Reese Witherspoon do above.

Stay beautiful darlings.

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

max factor vivid impact eye shadow

Hello once again from (almost) sunny Florida, a little overcast today but it's still nice out. And there is your weather report from Florida.

Jenn and I were recently given an opportunity to try out several products from Max Factor's new Vivid Impact line. And since I love all things eye related I got most of the Vivid Impact Eye Shadows, which I was a little hesitant about at first.

I am not one to go too crazy with the colors and as you can see in the picture there are some very vivid colors in there. I venture out of neutrals every once in a while, but it's not a very far trip. If I was going out for a night of fun these would probably be great to try in the more colorful options but for daytime looks I think the 2 I tried work perfectly.

I tried Peach Basket (a light pinky peach and a brown) and Smokin' Rose (pink and grey). Which are double-ended loose powder eye shadows. They are about the size of tube mascara. My first thought was that these were going to be a huge mess since the soft-tip applicator is sitting in loose powder until you pull it out to apply it. Surprisingly, there was very little eyeshadow that strayed beyond the eyelid area. It was very easy to apply. I used the lighter color on the eyelids and the darker color as eyeliner. Again, I thought the eyeliner was going to be a mess as well but it was very easy and very little mess.

The colors are very vivid and pretty much stay throughout the day. I did notice a little bit of creasing but it was minimal and at the very end of the day. These are very easy to mix and match as well and blend very well together.

I also like that Max Factor has joined the mineral makeup gang. These eye shadows are mineral based so they work well for people like me who are a little sensitive in the eye area or for any of those contact wearers out there.

There are 10 different color combinations to choose from and are around $5.50. Which a pretty good deal considering you are getting 2 different colors.

Christine
photo courtesy of maxfactor.com

vip light-expert foundation

Chances are, you have never heard of Terry de Gunzburg before.

But, I guarantee most of you have used a product that she basically created...

YSL's legendary Touche Eclat.

Well, after leaving YSL, she went on to create her own makeup line.

It's incredibly chic, by-the-way.

Included in her gorgeous range of products, is this little number...VIP Light-Expert ($48 sephora.com).

Look familiar?

See the clicker? See the brush?

It's basically the foundation version of Touche Eclat

Genius!

With every brush stroke, say goodbye to imperfections, dull skin, and shadows.

Instead, say hello to a gorgeous and flawless complexion.

We've always wanted to be a VIP.

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of sephora.com

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

beauty deal of the week...lorac hollywood heat set

Something new from Lorac and only at Sephora...

Called the Hollywood Heat set, it's guaranteed to get you ready for Summer.

It features everything you see here...
-shimmering 0.35 oz Bronze Bombshell Eye Shadow Trio
-mini 0.12 oz Hot & Spicy Blush/Bronzer Duo
-travel-size 1.52 oz TANtalizer Body Bronzing Luminizer
-mini 0.185 oz Mocktail Flavored Lip Gloss in Tropical Dream
-and an adorable metallic makeup bag

We don't think that they could have come up with an easier way, to get that gorgeous Summertime glow.

It's a $100 value, all for only $35 at sephora.com.

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of sephora.com

olay definity

Christine and I recently had the chance to try out products from the Olay Definity line.

Being a person who is (ahem) coming ever so close to her 40's, I am all about a line that uses the words anti-aging.

Especially one that is priced under $30.

We were given three to try:

Olay Definity Deep Penetrating Foaming Moisturizer: Called an aerated serum that is said to have more than 15 times the volume of an ordinary moisturizer and covers more area than a creme, but feels absolutely weightless. It's is suggested that you use this morning and night underneath your regular moisturizer.

Olay Definity Correcting Protective Lotion with SPF 15: A favorite of Christine and myself. Feels weightless on and instantly makes my face appear rested and brightened. Works to even out skin-tone. Contains Olay's exclusive Essential Glucosamine Complex to fight the appearance of discolorations and helps to prevent future damage from the sun. Contains an SPF 15 which makes it easy to apply in the morning, when you're still half asleep.

Olay Definity Intense Hydrating Cream: Used at night, as a treat for my skin. Contains the highest levels of glycerin to provide intense hydration that penetrate deep into the skin layers. Immediately makes your skin appear brighter and works over-time to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and discolorations.

Christine and I both love this line.

The lotion with SPF 15 has become our go-to product as of late. I apply mine every morning, before I set one step outside. I've even worn it without makeup and loved how my skin looks.

I also love the fact that it hydrates my skin without making it feel greasy...not an easy task, I might add. And this hydration will last throughout the day.

I know that they have some other products in the Definity line as well and I can't wait to check them out as well. When we do, you'll be the first to know!

Olay products can be purchased at any Target, CVS, Ulta, and many more mass market retailers. They can also be bought online at drugstore.com.

Also, head on over to olay.com to play around on their great interactive site and to find out more information about their products.

Jennifer

photo courtesy of drugstore.com

this just in...hartnett says "yes giorgio"

According to WWD, the majorly gorge Josh Hartnett is slated to be the new face of Giorgio Armani's new fragrance for men.

Called Emporio Armani Diamonds for Men, it is being touted as the manly version to their Diamonds women's scent...which Beyonce has done brilliant ads for.

The fragrance is due to be released this Summer.

Here's to gratuitous shirtless pics of Josh!

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

more great deals from lifebooker.com

Great news for those who are going to be in the New York City area this month.

Now, through May, Soho's Red & White Spa is offering 50% off all Massage and Waxing services exclusively through Lifebooker.com.

Their facials are 45% off, and all other services, such as manicures, pedicures, microdermabrasion and eyebrow shaping, are discounted up to 30%.

Check out just some of the great Lifebooker Red & White Spa deals below:

Bikini Wax - Regular Price: $22...Exclusive LB Price: $11
Brazilian Bikini Wax - Regular Price: $50...Exclusive LB Price: $25
Aroma Relaxation Treatment - Regular Price: $100...Exclusive LB Price: $50
Hot Stone Massage - Regular Price: $120...Exclusive LB Price: $60
Deep Pore Cleansing Facial - Regular Price: $120...Exclusive LB Price: $66

If we lived in the area, or were planning on visiting this month, we would definitely take advantage of these phenomenal discounts!

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

5 minutes, 5 questions with shalini vadhera

Christine and I had the awesome chance to ask the amazingly talented and phenomenally-gorgeous Shalini Vadhera a few questions.

In case your not familiar with her, here's a quick briefing...she's a celeb makeup artist, she's the author of the beauty book Passport to Beauty, and did we mention...she's insanely gorgeous?!

So now you know why we jumped at the chance to ask her a few questions.

Here they are...

What's the one product from your line that every woman should have in their makeup bag?

Our mascara, it's too fabulous!

In your opinion, what is the best way to apply foundation...brush, sponge, or fingers?

I like to apply with my fingers. It's cleaner than a sponge and it allows you to control the coverage and makeup.

Can you give our readers an easy five minute look for daytime?

Absolutely!

Complexion Perfection Duo all over the face.
South Pacific Shimmer on your lids as a triple eyeshadow and on your cheeks for sky hi cheekbones.
Cardamom Lip Veil on your lips and just a dab on the apple of your cheeks.
Two coats of our Blackest Black Mascara.

Off you go!

What's a quick tip for smoldering eyes at night?

I love our Kohl/Kajal Pencils because they smudge in a very sexy way. Apply the pencil in a thick line across the top and use your finger to blend it into a sexy, smokey eye. Do the same on the bottom for extra glam.

What are the top three beauty products that you can't live without?

Our Blackest Black Mascara, MAC Chicory Lip Pencil, and our Cairo Eyes Liquid Liner in Dynasty.

Can you tell us the best piece of beauty advice you've ever received?

Yes...the cheapest ones...sleep and water!

Thanks to Shalini for taking the time to answer our questions. If you haven't checked the site out yet, go to globalgoddessbeauty.com to view the rest of the collection* and find out where to purchase. Shalini's amazing book, Passport to Beauty, can be purchased online at amazon.com.

Stay beautiful darlings!

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

*stay tuned, we have some upcoming reviews on some divine products from the collection

this just in...meet a beauty insider

Girls...have you ever wanted the chance to meet a real beauty insider?

One who learns about the trends way before anyone else does?

Well, here's your chance...

Thanks to Allure, Nordstrom and Dior cosmetics, there is an upcoming event in San Francisco at the Dior beauty counter at Nordstrom San Francisco Centre.

AllureAccess.com is now booking appointments for Allure readers and beauty mavens at the Nordstrom San Francisco Centre for their chance to meet Joelle Russo, Nordstrom's Beauty Director and receive a Dior cosmetics makeover!

Head on over to allureaccess.com for the details and to book your appointment now!

While you're at the Dior counter, why don't you try one of their majorly glam Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflect ($24.50)? It comes in many gorge colors and looks phenomenal on.

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

elizabeth grant caviar eye pads

Hello from sunny Florida. I totally left DC at the right time, right now it is cold and raining there and here it's sunny and 85. I love that my parents live here.

While my mom is out with MJ (my new nickname for my son), I thought I would take a minute to review yet another wonderful product from the Elizabeth Grant line. I introduce Caviar Rejuvenating Eye Pads.

Jenn and I split these since you get 6 packs in a box. We each took 3. I have to admit it took us a couple weeks before we started using them. I would ask her if she had tried them yet and she would laugh and say no and my response would be the same.

Finally one night, my hubby was out of town (I think I need to come up with a nickname for him....I'll think of something). So back to the story, he was out of town and MJ was asleep and I thought I would give the eye pads a try. I asked Jenn again if she had tried them yet and she said she had tried them over the weekend.

I washed my face and then got one of the packets. I wasn't too sure what I was going to find when I opened the little package but inside were 2, fairly good sized, comma shaped pads that were drenched. So I popped one under each eye and kept myself busy for 15 minutes by reading the latest US Weekly. After the 15 minutes had passed i took them off. According to the directions you then have to gently tap in with your ring finger whatever excess product is still under your eye into the eye area.

I then returned to bed and every so often would touch the under eye area to see if anything was different. I noticed almost immediately that the area was very hydrated and smooth. I asked Jenn to provide some feedback with her experience with the pads and she said "I love them and loved how the skin under my eyes felt hydrated even late the next day. They are a great product and very easy to use." I agree, these pads are really easy to use. Just put on under your eye with the smaller end towards the inside corner of the eye. And pat it until it's smooth on your skin.

I just tried the 2nd of the 3 packets this past Saturday night. After a VERY long day of flying with MJ that started around 6am, I decided I should do the eye pads again considering the next morning the whole family was going to a Mother's Day brunch and I did not want to look like I hadn't slept in a long, long time which is the normal result after a day of traveling. In the morning I noticed I looked pretty well rested even though MJ woke up insanely early (he hasn't been clued into the whole time change yet). I also agree with Jenn, my eyes did still feel hydrated late into the next day.

I'm saving the 3rd packet for next weekend after I have to fly back to DC with MJ. But I'm sure I will wake up the next morning looking far more refreshed than if I didn't use them.

Here's the details...they are $49.99 for a pack of 6 (which is about $8 per packet). So, these would last you 6 weeks if you did them once a week as the directions imply you should. You can buy them at elizabethgrant.com.

Alright, MJ will be back soon with his Grandma and then we are off to the beach.

Christine
photo courtesy of elizabethgrant.com

Monday, May 12, 2008

this just in...the swag t-shirts

We are not even going to lie to you.

Christine and I are the t-shirt and jeans kind of stay-at-home-mom.

We both have relegated ourselves to the fact that, high heels and skirts will never be our friend...unless we are heading out on a date night with the hubbies.

Our favorite kind of tees, are the ones that have that lived in quality, without the hey-look-at-my-holey-nasty-multiple-stained shirt.

There really is no excuse for that...our college days are over.

We're also pretty particular about what is on the tees masquerading as decoration.

I mean...really...can a thirty year old ever get away with a tee that says One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila, Floor?

Funny? Yes.

Acceptable for drop off at preschool? Uh...no.

Enter The Swag T-Shirt Collection.

The line has been noted as a favorite for "cool moms" by Cookie Magazine.

They're all limited-edition shirts made from soft pre-washed cotton. It gives it that lived in feel, without having to wait around for 20 years.

As for cool designs...the collection now includes Led Zeppelin, The Ramones, The Clash, and more. The t-shirt company exclusively licenses vintage tour tees, album covers, and historic concert posters directly from the bands.

Contemporary graphic artists remix these original designs using a rich variety of processes-vintage distressing, screen printing, embroidery, and mixed media applique-to create a unique look that captures the spirit of the era.

They retail for $74-$95 each at Saks 5th Ave, Lisa Kline, and other fine retailers.

Rock on!

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

trees

I recently had the opportunity to try out two products from Trees.

In case you aren't familiar with the name, it's a new unisex bath + body line from Carisa Janes...creator of the uber chic Hourglass Cosmetics.

Let's just get this out there right now, I love this line.

I adore the packaging.

It manages to be both simple and chic at the same time...always maintaining it's unisex vibe.

I also love the way it smells.

Both the Ritual Bath + Shower Gel ($26) and the Ritual Body Lotion ($32) come in three scents:

Light- grapefruit, mandarin, and neroli
Magnet-vanilla, cedarwood, and sandalwood
Stairways-bergamont, bois de rose, lavender

I was given the Body Lotion and Bath + Shower Gel in Magnet to test run.

Due to the warmth of the scent, I have to say that I always feel very bohemian whenever I wear them....like I should don one of my peasant shirts and a pair of my worn-in jeans, channeling Kate Hudson in Almost Famous.

Although, I am not blond.

And I will never be cool enough to travel on a bus with a band, singing Tiny Dancer at the top of my lungs.

But I digress...

The Bath + Shower Gel had a rich lather, but rinsed clean. It has a water base, but is still able to moisturize...due to the fact that it contains concentrated blends of plant-based extracts. Chamomile and Aloe help to soothe irritated skin, while Soybean targets your uneven skin tone. The Oat extracts it also contains, help to protect your skin from dryness and itchiness.

All I know is that my skin felt at once clean and soft. A balance that is hard to acquire using regular bar soap. The fragrance didn't wash away either, the faint warm scent still clung to my body after I dried off.

The Body Lotion was phenom as well. I've been a avid Creme de Corps user since I tried it ages ago. This is one of the few lotions I've tried that left me feeling satisfyingly moisturized.

It contains vitamins, antioxidants, and essential oils to help rehydrate your skin. Olive and Coconut Oils, combine to add moisture to insanely dry skin. Rosemary extract and Vitamins A and E, help to protect your lovely outsides from free radicals and other damaging environmental factors. Finally, Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Orange, and Lavender extracts, all work together to make your skin look...well..better.

In addition to a body scrub and an intensive moisturizing creme called Recover, Janes also created candles in the six delicious aromas.

For more information on these products, or to see which stores carry the line, head on over to treesritual.com.

Jennifer

bioelements vitalization

We don't know about you, but with Summer right around the corner, we are rushing to shed the leftover dry skin of Winter.

It's bad people.

I mean, for it to hang in there through Spring...it's really bad.

We both seem to suffer from dryness in the same areas...heels, elbows, and some other patches here and there.

As if hearing our cries of frustration, enter this new rich body creme from Bioelements called Vitalization* ($49.50).

It's everything our still parched skin needs.

Using no less than 10 botanical oils, antioxidants, shea butter, and something called Bioelements Vitalization Technology, it helps to get rid of the icky dryness and replace it with more radiant and firmer skin.

It also smells insanely yummy and begs to be slathered all over.

Hello gorgeous.

Available for purchase at Bioelements spas, or online at DermStore.com or SpaLook.com.

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine

*Look for a review soon.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

beautiful weekend updates

Hello everyone!

Christine and I hope you've all had a great start to your weekend!

We're just doing a little update for all of our readers.

Christine is out of town for the week, visiting her rents. She'll still be bringing you her regular postings, cause she's just maj phenom that way.

We're doing some renovations to the blog, courtesy of Christine's awesome hubby. So, you might notice some changes each time you return. All should be back in order very soon.

Finally, here is a great posting about the controversy surrounding the Dove Real Beauty Campaign. It's from the blog of the divine Nadine Haobsh...enjoy.

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine.

Update: Sorry for the earlier gibberish in the posting. That's what happens when you try and type with a 2 year old clinging to your leg. - Jenn

vogue eyewear and allure.com

When either one of us needs a new pair of sunnies, we will definitely bring the other along to give their opinion.

That mainly involves the following conversation while trying them on:

Christine: What about these?
Jenn: Uh no.
Christine: These?
Jenn: (laughing) Oh...you're serious. No.

An hour later...

Christine: These?
Jenn: (snoring)
Christine: JENN!!!
Jenn: What? Did you say something?
Christine: These?
Jenn: OMG seriously? They are fine let's go.

All kidding aside, Allure and Vogue have come up with a genius idea.

They've taken the guess work out of buying sunglasses.

What they did, is take four basic face shapes (round, square, heart, and oval) and come up the with best frame shape for each.

How cool is that?

Just head on over to http://allureaccess.com/vogue_eyewear/ . Once there, you'll be able to choose your face shape and learn which Vogue Eyewear styles suit you best.

While there, you can also get hair, makeup, and fashion tips for your face shape.

And...you can enter an exciting sweepstakes for the chance to win a trip to the Allure Headquarters in NYC!

So head on over and good luck!

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine

we have been tagged one more time....

One of our favorite beauty bloggers Kitaya of Mischo Beauty, tagged us!

We are always on the lookout for new products to try and love trying just about anything. But here is a list of our fave beauty secrets (at the moment):

My Foundation:
Jenn: Chanel Teint Innocence in Soft Bisque
Christine: Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturizing Foundation in Warm Ivory and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain (review coming soon)

My Mascara:
Jenn: Chanel's Inimitable and Bobbi Brown's Everything Mascara
Christine: CoverGirl LashBlast and Estee Lauder Double Wear

My Blush:
Jenn: Chanel's Powder Blush in Orchid Rose, any of the Bobbi Brown Cream or Powder blushes in varying shades of pink, my Tarte Cheek Stain in Flushed, and a Max Factor blush I'll be reviewing soon.
Christine: Bobbi Brown Powder Blush in Desert Rose, Tarte Cheek Stain

My Eye Shadow:
Jenn: loving the eyeshadow dual ended sticks from Max Factor (review to come soon) and any Bobbi Brown Cream or Powder shadows.
Christine: powder and creme shadows from Bobbi Brown and Rimmel eyeshadows

My Day Cream:
Jenn: Kiehl's Ultra Moisturizer with SPF 15 or Olay Definity SPF 15
Christine: Neutrogena's Anti-Oxidant Age Reverse SPF 20 and Olay Definity SPF 15

My Lipstick:
Jenn: Hourglass Lipstick, Bobbi Brown Lipsticks or Lipglosses (too many to list here) and my Chanel Glossimers.
Christine: Hourglass Lip Gloss, MAC Viva Glam, Clinique Almost Lipstick, Burt's Bees Lip Balm

My Beauty Product Brand:
Jenn: there are too many to mention here as I seem to have faves from each line...but three of my fave brands are Chanel, Bobbi Brown, and Kerastase.
Christine: Bobbi Brown, Kiehl's....but I too have a favorite for almost every line that I have tried

My Essential Beauty Product:
Jenn: anything hair related...if the hair ain't right, nothing else matters.
Christine: mascara and lip gloss

My Favorite Makeup Product:
Jenn: I seriously have too many to mention. But if I had to narrow it down, I would say my Chanel Base Lumiere primer.
Christine: same as Jenn, I have too many to mention but I am sort of lovin' the Tarte Cheek Stain lately and Benefit's Brightening Primer.

My Perfume:
Jenn: I switch around a lot. I like Bobbi Brown's Beach, almost any of the Jo Malone scents, I'm liking this new Lise Watier scent too, Daisy, and Juicy by Juicy Couture
Christine: Marc Jacobs Daisy, Clinique's Happy and Banana Republic's W

My Nails:
Jenn: OPI, Chanel and Essie
Christine: OPI, Essie, Sally Hanson, Chanel, Revlon

My Feet:
Jenn: I agree with Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie...Aquaphor is phenom on my heels. And a pedi at least once a month in the warmer months.
Christine: Olay Thermal Pedicure, Kiehl's Creme de Corps and a good pedi as often as I can go

My Hands:
Jenn: so far my fave is the cheapest...Vaseline Hand and Nail Cream (Pink Tube)
Christine: Kiehl's Creme de Corps, Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme

Three Products To Bring On A Deserted Island:
Jenn: does Shia LaBeouf count? No? OK then...sunscreen, tooth brush, and toothpaste.
Christine: Jenn, Jenn, Jenn....are you really admitting this to the world? you are braver than me....(sigh....George Clooney) sunscreen, lip gloss, and toothbrush/toothpaste and a mile high pile of good gossip magazines
Jenn: oh..second that on the gossip mags and lip gloss...even thought that's way more than three.

Woman I Adore For Their Beauty:
Jenn: Michelle Pfieffer is GORGEOUS and doesn't seem to have had a lick of surgery or botox...amazing.
Christine: I think Jennifer Garner and Reese Witherspoon are my favorite at the moment.

Woman With The Best Sense Of Style:
Jenn: I know these ladies are younger and waaaayyyy too skinny sometimes, but I love Nicole Richie's style and Rachel Bilson's style as of late. Jennifer Aniston is one I always admire- a little more my age (she's actually older by a couple of years- ha!)
Christine: Again, I have to go with Reese Witherspoon and I think I would add Jennifer Aniston and Sophia Bush. I agree that Rachel Bilson has been quite cute lately too.

My Ultimate Dream (but I do not believe in selling my soul to the devil for it):
Jenn: I have three 1. to be able to walk into a car dealer and buy Big L (my hubby) the car of his dreams, 2. to tell my husband he never has to work again, and 3. that Little L grows up healthy, happy, and wise.
Christine: is it wrong my first thought wasn't doing something great for my husband....I have a couple...live in ultimate bliss in a fantastic house on the beach with my husband, maintain a happy family with my husband and son and cat and dog and goldfish. and selfishly...there is a Chloe bag out there with my name on it.

How Do I Define Womanhood:
Jenn: I'm going to say that it is so hard to define that term. I think that Maya Angelou's poem Phenomenal Woman says it best. Here's an excerpt:
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a model's fashion size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips
The stride of my steps
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman Phenomenally Phenomenal woman
That's me.

Christine....wow, not too sure how to follow that up. so I'll just say ditto.

My Favorite Fashion Publication:
Jenn: Vogue, Teen Vogue, Lucky, Allure, Glamour, Elle, Bazaar, and People StyleWatch. I'm probably leaving some out here, but I'm sure Christine can fill them in.
Christine...can I just say Jenn gets every magazine known to man so yeah, she left some out. OK, back to me: Lucky, Allure, People StyleWatch, Marie Claire, InStyle

I guess now, it's our turn to tag a couple people. We are tagging Tink of Casual Lavish and Monique of Beauty Girl Musings. Have fun ladies!!!

With love (always),
Jennifer and Christine

Friday, May 9, 2008

weekend reads

We hope your week flew by darlings. Now sit back and click away at some of the great reads our Total Beauty friends have in-store for you...

Beauty's Spot goes back to her college days to give you her oldest beauty secret,Givenchy Summer 2008 Makeup Collection!

Beauty411 reviews Soaptopia, a bath line that promised to be "100% junk free"! Check it out!

Meredith at Daily Dose of Coffee actually posts a "Face of the Day" (yikes!) and reviews the new LORAC Croc Palette.

The Beauty of Life brings you the highs and lows from the celebs' beauty looks at the Costume Institute Gala.

What makes you feel your most beautiful? Toya at The Life of A Ladybug wants to know!

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty helps you determine if you’re a candidate for microdermabrasion!

Monique from Beauty Girl Musings finds a great natural deep conditioner is cheek stain and has a link to swatches!.

Jeanne at Periodic Style goes platinum -- is it really true about blondes having more fun?

Henna, from CanadianBeauty.com, tells you about a fabulous new scent inspired by Andy Warhol!

The divine Fabulista over at Beauty Blogging Junkie, talks about two great products for sensitive eyes.

The Jet Set Girls, introduce us to Dior Addict High Shine Lipstick.

Finally...

Daneen, over at Spoiled Pretty, gives us the lowdown on a new eye makeup remover that's simply to-die.

Have a great weekend!

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

hourglass veil mineral primer

New this month, to the Hourglass collection of phenom beauty products, is their Veil Mineral Primer with SPF 15 ($52 barneys.com).

Having just discovered the wondrous world of primers, we're loving the fact that it has a clean, satin finish formula...that will keep your makeup in check.

It contains earth-derived minerals, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which help to shield your gorgeous face from harmful UVA/UVB rays.

As if that's not enough, it also fills in wrinkles and imperfections while creating a soft focus effect to improve skin’s overall appearance.

Soft focus effect?

We're there.

And...it also creates a moisturized and waterproof finish that's fragrance, oil, and paraben free.

So sensitive and dry skin should drink this up.

The question that remains is...

What's stopping you from buying this right now?

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

lise watier desirable

When it comes to fragrances, I'm pretty simple.

I like floral and fruity ones.

If there is a little warmth thrown in there, that's fine too.

Just as long as it's not over-powering and doesn't make my husband say, what the heck are you wearing?!

If stinky breath can kill a discussion, over-whelming perfume can kill a mood in an instant.

Trust me.

My idea of a great perfume, is one that is light, sweet, and doesn't linger in a room for five minutes after you leave it.

This is that scent.

Let me introduce you to Desirable by Lise Watier.

It's a light and fruity floral, that doesn't kill you with its sweetness.

And it's the scent that I've been reaching for a lot lately.

It's described as having a top note of sweet apple, honeyed osmanthus, and tart wild berries. The middle note is freesia, lily of the valley, and magnolia. The final note leaves a velvety, refined impression of musk and sandalwood.

While I still don't quite get those note things and I have no clue what a honeyed osmanthus is...

I do know this...it's superb.

The added bonus, is the gorgeous bottle with the lilac colored fragrance inside. It looks beautiful on a vanity or in your bathroom on display.

Prices are as follows...$60 for the 50ml eau de toilette spray, $82 for the 100ml, $72 for the 50ml eau de parfum spray, and $95 for the 100ml. I tried out the eau de toillette spray.

For more information, head on over to areyoudesirable.com. It's a really cute interactive website. I also love the way the guy says Desirable in a darling French accent.

Jennifer

bioelements

Have you ever wondered how the contestants on American Idol maintain their gorgeous complexions?

Even though they are probably majorly stressed out?

Enter makeup artist Tifanie White.

Now, being a makeup artist on such a popular show, I'm sure she has many products at her disposal.

Plus the fact that she counts Carrie Underwood (see photo), Kellie Pickler, and Martie McGuire of The Dixie Chicks on her client roster, she wants only the best to keep their skin in top shape.

So, what products does she choose to give them that idol glow?

Here are her faves...

Bioelements Moisture Positive Cleaner, a rich lotion cleanser with a mild foaming action that contains aromatherapist oils “It’s the best-smelling cleanser I have ever smelled” says White.

Bioelements Recovery Serum, a silky serum that gives an exceptional smooth-as-glass finish. “What a beautiful product,” says White, “it always gives a glow.”

And because all eyes are on the mouths of her singing clients, White recommends Bioelements Instant Emollient, an ultra-rich moisture stick for lips which instantly relives dryness and prevents chapping. “It does moisturize and heal the lips,” she says, “While other lip treatments seem to only temporarily soothe the lips, this makes their lips noticeably less chapped.”

All products are available at Bioelements spas nationwide ( bioelements.com for locations) or online at SpaLook.com or DermStore.com.

Stay beautiful darlings!

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine
photo of carrie underwood courtesy of the web

beauty scoops...estee lauder to relaunch a best seller

Estee Lauder plans on relaunching its best selling anti-aging serum Perfectionist this Fall.

It'll be interesting to see how they can improve upon a great product.

Guess we'll all find out soon.

With love(always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of neimanmarcus.com

info courtesy of wwd

Thursday, May 8, 2008

hourglass extreme sheen lip gloss

As Jennifer mentioned in a previous post about Hourglass lipstick, I was the one to get to try the lip gloss, Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss to be exact. There are 9 different shades available at Sephora.

I have it in Reflect, which is a really light pink. It actually goes on as a pretty clear color with subtle flecks of glitter. It sort of enhances the natural color of my lips rather than covering them in a color. This is one of the prettiest lip glosses I have used.

It is very shiny, hence the 'Extreme Sheen High Shine' name, but it doesn't look like you have a ton of goopiness on your lips. Some lip glosses I have tried with a "high shine" feature have looked like I applied the whole tube in one fell swoop.

I have been using it over a lip balm and it stays around a while, as long as I don't eat or drink anything. But this can be said for just about any gloss. I imagine this would work really well over lipstick or layered with other glosses and would help make them more shiny.

And the size of the lip gloss is great, especially since it's $28. My favorite go-to gloss is maybe half the size of this one and it took me almost a year to use it all, so I can only imagine how long this one would last. Plus, the applicator is not a sponge like so many of them are, it's more like a brush for nail polish.

Hourglass lip gloss is available at sephora.com (which features a couple different shades that are only available at sephora).

Christine
photo courtesy of sephora.com
I believe the color of gloss in the picture is Imagine, which is one of the colors exclusive to sephora.

smokey eye 101

Jennifer and I found a great video on youtube.com on how to get a great smokey eye. And with great timing too since we just had our Smokey Eye Giveaway.

I like this video because they tell you exactly which brushes to use and how to use them to achieve the look.

After watching the video I feel a little bit more confident about giving this look a try. Of course it will be on a Sunday or a day when I'm home doing laundry in case unforeseen problems arise and I end up looking insane (and not the good kind of insane).

Christine

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

lancome absolue hand

I just realized the other day, that I have not talked about hand cremes in a while.

I am ashamed.

Really.

How could I do this to you, dear readers?

I decided to make it up, by talking a little about one of my favorite hand cremes....Lancome Absolue Hand.

I happened to stumble upon it when I got a GWP at a Lancome counter, a while back. They supplied a smaller, travel-sized version of this divine creme and I used up every last droplet.

I even cut the tube.

You know how desperate a woman has to be to cut the tube?

Because I loved it so much, I headed over to my nearest Lancome counter to purchase it in the full sized version.

Then I realized why I never bought it before...it's $42 (nordstrom.com).

At that price, it's definitely a splurge.

But it compensates by being a great hand creme. It immediately makes your hands feel soft and smooth, without making them feel greasy. I also fell in love with it's gorgeous light scent. Every time I would apply it, I would breathe it in and smile.

Absolue Hand also has an SPF 15, great to protect your hands from the glaring sun.

And if all that isn't enough, it's said to help clear age spots over time and create skin that is more uniform, firmer, and younger looking.

What's not to love?

Thank you Lancome.

Jennifer

photo courtesy of nordstrom.com

dentaburst

We are just going to be upfront and to the point here...nothing kills a discussion faster than stinky breath.

Nothing.

While we love garlic-y foods, and believe me Christine and I can put away our share of them, we don't like smelling it on our breath afterwards.

Sure, you have the option of mints.

But, mints just cover it up.

And then you have a great garlic/mint combination going on...and that's quite gross.

Really.

So what do you use?

Enter DentaBurst.

It's like having your own disposable toothbrush with you at all times...how genius is that?

Inside each box, you have 12 packets that contain one DentaBurst freshening teeth cleanser. You open up the pack, slip the teeth cleanser on your finger and brush your teeth with it. When you're done, you throw it away!

Plus (bonus) not only does it give you fresh breath, it also helps to remove plaque...seriously!

They are available in two flavors, mint and cinnamon, and are sold at Target, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid.

They are really inexpensive at $2.99 a pack. So you can throw one in your purse, car, backpack, your kid's locker at school...the list is endless.

For more information, head on over to dentaburst.com.

Go out and get yours today!

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of dentaburst

drumroll please.....

First of all, we would like to thank everyone who took the time to enter our giveaway!

We were both surprised at the number of entries we received, as well as the kind comments many of you made.

Well, we randomly selected a winner...and her name is...Casey B.!

Congratulations Casey, you are the winner of the Smokey Eye Giveaway pictured here.

For those of you who didn't win...don't worry. We have so much fun doing this, we are going to try to make this regular event. So stay tuned and keep coming back! We love having you here.

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

cew awards...can we pick em or what?

OK...we didn't pick them all.

We actually only got two.

But, you have to admit, that's a pretty good feat for a couple of gals who just started doing the beauty blog thing.

Two products that have been reviewed here at Beauty in Real Life (and loved by Christine we might add) have won CEW awards!

In the Mass Market Bath and Body category, the winner was Olay Thermal Pedicure! You might have remembered Christine's review and enormous pedi love she had for this product. Click here to take you there.

The next product that Christine reviewed as well (boy, can she call them or what?) is CoverGirl Lash Blast Mascara...which won the award for Best Eye Product Mass Market category. Check out Christine's review on Lash Blast here.

Congratulations to the winners and congratulations to Christine for knowing how to pick em!

For more on the other awards, check out the Amazing Annie over at Blogdorf Goodman , or this awesome review from the divine Advice Sisters.

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine
photo courtesy of drugstore.com

kate somerville at nordstrom.com

Not a new product, but new to Nordstrom.com, is Kate Somerville ExfoliKate ($85).

It's touted as the next best thing to having a facial done by Kate herself. Look it up in any magazine and you'll see the raves.

It boasts instant results, which I'm all for by the way, and promises healthy skin and glow.

No wonder it's her #1 selling product.

Nordstrom is also carrying other products from the line as well. I haven't seen it in stores yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

I'm incredibly psyched because I'm a Nordies girl and I have been wanting to try out the Kate Somerville line for quite some time now.

Another good thing, Nordstrom online is also offering free shipping with purchases of $200 or more.

Believe me, it won't take long to rack up that amount at Nordies...especially when you take into account their phenomenal sales.

Jennifer

photo courtesy of nordstrom.com

this just in...50 tips for healthier skin at any age

This just popped into our inbox and we wanted to share it with all of our readers.

It's a really nice article that gives you 50 Tips for Healthier Skin at Any Age.

Some of the tips you may know already...some you may not. But, it's an interesting and quick read, none-the-less.

Click away and enjoy darlings!

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

spring/summer look from global goddess

While we can't speak for everyone, we would love to have a makeup artist on hand for events and...well...day-to-day life.

Imagine, you wake up, get a shower, and have a famous celebrity makeup artist beautify you for the day.

Well, while we all can't get a makeup artist to make a housecall...we can get them to break down the gorgeous looks they give their clients in Hollywood.

Then you can take their advice and apply it to yourself, for any event or activity you may find yourself attending.

Take this look here.

This is Emmanuelle Chriqui, you may recognize her from HBO"s hit show Entourage.

Well, before she walked the carpet at a glam event in Beverly Hills, she had her stunning look created by Shalini Vadhera.

Shalini Vadhera is a celebrity makeup artist and author of the beauty book Passport to Beauty.

Vadhera calls this look "a chic, natural but sexy look," which hello don't we all want to have?

To get this look...

Shalini prepped and brightened Emmanuelle’s skin with Global Goddess Beauty Upgrade Complexion Face Primer and then applied Complexion Perfection Foundation to give her skin a flawless finish.

South Pacific Shimmer Bronzer served a dual purpose as an eyeshadow base and to warm up her cheeks. It’s one of Emmanuelle’s personal faves!

The Sizzling Serengeti Tribal Quad Eyeshadows in Mombasa helped to make her eyes pop. A layer of black and shimmery brown Cairo Eyes Liquid Liner and Exotic Eyes Blackest Mascara set the look.

Lastly, Shalini applied Sandstorm Lip Veil to gloss up Emmanuelle’s lips and Floating Diamonds Face & Body Shimmer for an all-over glow.

Just follow the steps above and you too can achieve Emmanuelle’s gorgeous Global Goddess look!

Yay!

For more information on the Global Goddess collection and to check out more helpful tips from Shalini, go to www.globalgoddessbeauty.com.

Also the beauty maven herself, Shalini, will be on HSN the last week of May. Do yourself a favor and check your local listings for times and channels.

with love...always,

Jennifer and Christine

photo and info courtesy of global goddess beauty

spring looks under $25

I was flipping through one of my US Weekly (yes I subscribe to this and I love it). It seems to have more and more beauty/fashion related articles lately crammed in and around all the celebrity gossip. But anywho, I came across an article on Spring Looks Under $25. There were 3 different looks and to be honest I don't really remember what the other 2 were but the first one is what caught my eye. It was on Flirty Cheeks for $18. Since I have just started using blush more than once every 5 years, I'm on the lookout for anything blush related.

I think I was drawn to this look because of the blush it featured. The Revoln Floral Affair Sheer Powder Blush in Pinking of You ($11). I have seen this blush in almost every magazine I have looked at lately. And every single time I see it, I think how pretty it is and how I really need to go out and get one. Revlon is sold just about everywhere and someone is bound to have it on sale.

The article mentioned pairing this blush with a pearly white shadow. They picked Milani Runway Eyes Single in Lily White. Apparently you can buy this at CVS. I have never heard of it before, but I also don't shop at CVS unless someone in the house has a cold and needs some medicine and ice cream. I think any white eyeshadow or light color that has some sparkle to it will work. I don't think I would use anything with too much color since the focus is suppose to be on the cheeks.

And they finished it off with a glossy lip. Their pick was E.L.F. Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 in Watermelon, which will set you back $1, so, you can splurge and get 2 if you want.

When all is said and done, this seems like a fairly easy and cheap look to try out. I am going to get the blush and a light eyeshadow. I already have more than enough lip gloss, but it's hard to argue with something that is only a dollar.

Happy Spring!!
Christine
blush photo courtesy of revlon.com
lip gloss photo courtesy of eyeslipsface.com

skinn cosmetics webisode 2

Another great webisode from the fabulous Dimitri James of SKINN Cosmetics and It's a Glam Thing.

In this second webisode, he's teaching us how to use that AMAZING palette of his to work some more magic.

As always, all of the products he uses in the video are available for purchase. They come in a handy little (well priced) kit...making it easy on your wallet. It includes:

-Highlight, Blush, Bronze & Sculpt Compact
-Professional bronzing brush
-Professional contour powder brush
-Professional fan brush
and
-Comprehensive instructional brochure

All for only $42.50!

For more information, head on over to www.skinn.com.

Stay beautiful darlings!

with love...always,
Jennifer and Christine

photos and info courtesy of skinn cosmetics and itsaglamthing.com

last day to enter our giveaway

One last reminder that you have until 10:00 PM EST today to enter for our Smokey Eye Giveaway.

Here is the info one more time.....

We are having another giveaway! We had so much fun with the first one that we have decided to do another one

This time we have decided to put together a Smokey Eye Kit featuring some of our favorite products. One lucky reader will win Rimmel London Colour Rush Quad Eye Shadow in Smokey Noir, CoverGirl Perfect Blend Eye Pencil in Basic Black, CoverGirl LashBlast in Black, and to take this look off at the end of the day Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. And you can put it all into an adorable cosmetics case. Everything in the picture is included and are all the full sized products.

To enter, here's what you have to do...Send an email to beautyinreallifecontests@gmail.com with the words "Smokey Eye Giveaway" in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name somewhere in the email. The contest ends at 10pm EST on Tuesday, May 6th. 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, May 7th.

Good Luck!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

Monday, May 5, 2008

this just in...keep your hands gorgeous

One tip that can keep your hands from looking older than their years, is to apply a hand creme with at least SPF 15 every day.

Also, look for products that contain hydroquinone or vitamin C...they will help lighten spots caused by the sun over time.

A good idea is to use a lightweight serum, like Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector ($40 nordstrom) which has the vitamin C derivative.

Use the serum during the day under your sun screen, or at night on clean hands. For extra oomph, use the serum under your hand creme at night too.

Another tip...

Reduce medicine cabinet clutter by using a face creme on your hands too. Look for ones that contain retinols, peptides, and alpha hydroxy acids.

Basically, the school of thought is...if it'll work on your face, it'll work on your hands.

A good one to try is Roc Retinol Active Pur ($16.99 drugstore.com).

Just make sure to apply a sunscreen to your hands if you go out during the day, especially if your cream does not contain it..use of these products may increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun.

Jennifer

photo courtesy of drugstore.com

info courtesy of instyle magazine

last minute mother's day gifts

Lancome online is running a great promotion.

Today until Midnight tonight EST, you can receive free priority shipping for Mother's Day, with any purchase of $50 or more.

Just be sure to use the code LOVEMOM at checkout.

They still have some great gift sets, such as this makeup set called the Cabana Bronze Summer Survival Essentials Gift Set #2 ($69.50).

It come with all of the items you see here:

-Star Bronzer Poudre Sôleil in Bronze
-SolaireDéfinicils Waterproof in Black
-Juicy Tubes Smoothie in Simmer
-Bronzer Brush # 5
-Gold Cosmetic Bag

Also, with your $50 purchase, you can also pick up a free sample for yourself.

But you better hurry...you only have until Midnight tonight Cinderella.

with love, always...
Jennifer and Christine

hourglass hydrating lipstick

I recently had the opportunity to try Hourglass' Adorn Hydrating Lipstick in Fresco ($24), a pretty muted rose color.

The color is gorgeous.

The color of my lips only better.

Lanolin, sunflower seed oils, and vitamin E assist in providing moisturizing benefits, without that I-have-an-oil-slick-on-my-lips feel.

Basically, it's extremely hydrating, but not so much so that it slips off easily.

While the color is great on its own, I actually loved wearing this shade with my Chanel Glossimer in Equinoxe. I really thought that they combined to create a beautiful glossy rose color. Lovely.

(I should mention that we were also given the chance to try one of their Extreme Sheen Lip Glosses ($28) and while I did love it and would have gladly talked about that too, Christine got first dibs and will be reviewing that soon.)

Being this was my first venture into the line...I want to try more.

One product that I am dying to try, is their new Illume Creme to Powder Bronzer Duo($40 only at sephora.com).

I love a creme to powder formula, because it allows you to use your fingers, a brush, or a sponge to apply.

This fantastically genius product, contains both a highlighter and a bronzer in one gorgeous compact.

It's an oil free and wax free formula, that also contains vitamins A & E...both of which provide moisturizing and antioxidant benefits that protect the skin from free radicals.

It's fragrance and paraben free, which makes it great for sensitive skin and it has the coolest compact that comes with a rotating mirror.

Now do you see why I'm dying to try this?

Get your gorgeous selves right on over to Sephora.com , or HourglassCosmetics.com to purchase.

Also, don't forget about the divine promotion being held this Saturday, May 10th, at the Hourglass Counter inside the Beverly Hills Barney's. Click here for more information.

Jennifer

photos courtesy of hourglass cosmetics

Saturday, May 3, 2008

beauty deal of the week

I know I just put up a Beauty Deal of the Week up a couple days ago, but this is a great deal I discovered today while I was out at Tyson's Corner looking for some self tanning products for my upcoming trip to Florida. When your family lives 10 minutes from the beach and you don't - you tend to stick out like a ghost amongst really naturally tan people. I bought a kit from Clarins and I am more than positive that I will be sharing that experience with you in the next few weeks. Or as soon as I work up the nerve to try it out.

But digress...

Lancôme has an awesome free gift with purchase. It's called On the Riviera Gift Set. It's all yours with any Lancôme purchase of $35 or more at Bloomingdales and you can get it in the store or online at bloomingdales.com.

Set includes:
DÉFINICILS High Definition Mascara in Black
COLOR DESIGN Sensational Effects Lipcolor
Smooth Hold (Full-Size) in All Done Up
COLOR DESIGN Sensational Effects Eye Shadow Quartet in Positive, Chic, Kitten Heel and Guest List
ABSOLUE PREMIUM BX Absolute Replenishing Cream SPF 15
ABSOLUE ULTIMATE BX SERUM Replenishing & Restructuring Serum
TRÉSOR EAU DE PARFUM liquatouch sample
Lancôme Signature Tote and Matching Cosmetics Case

And of course it is while supplies last.

Have a great weekend!
Christine
photo courtesy of bloomingdales.com

Friday, May 2, 2008

beauty splurge...sonya dakar

If money and time would allow it, I would have a facial at least once a month.

If money were no object, I would fly out to the West coast and have said monthly facials at one of two places...either Kate Somerville or Sonya Dakar.

If you've ever caught a glimpse of a celeb sporting an insanely glowing complexion, chances are she frequents one of those places.

I have yet to try Kate Somerville...although I am totally psyched that Neiman Marcus now carries the line...but, I have tried Sonya Dakar's products in the past and loved them.

Truth be told, they are a little on the high-end price wise.

But, the way I look at it, everyone deserves a little luxury in their life...so why not splurge in the skin care realm. After all, you wear your skin everyday...right?

In addition to her renowned facial care, Sonya Dakar has now added body care to her line.

Called simply Body by Sonya Dakar, she has taken her famous formula for glowing skin to the areas south of the face.

One intriguing product is seen above.

The Omega Hydrator ($78), in a yummy Verbena Cyprus Scent, is sure to make every inch of your body appear lit from within.

It's described an an anti-aging hydrator that contains an Organic Omega-3 Complex, which is said to help promote healthy skin.

Other ingredients on the list include papaya, shea butter, vitamin E, apricot kernel, sunflower, and sweet almond extract...all to make your skin look more supple and gorgeous.

Another product I'd love to try, is her Nourishing Body Oil ($60). It's a product that one of our hilariously-fave blogs, Beauty Blogging Junkie, raved about in a recent posting.

Jennifer
photo courtesy of sonyadakar.com

beauty deal of the week

Sephora has a Sun Safety Kit ($87 Value) available for $25. 100 percent of the net profits (that's $21.55 from every kit sold!) will benefit The Skin Cancer Foundation.

This kit is a collection of eleven travel-ready sizes of the best and brightest summer skincare products. It's packed with a travel-size sunscreen and skincare for the face and body

The kit contains:
0.05 oz Korres Natural Products Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30,
0.25 oz Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Moisture Lotion SPF 30,
1 oz DDF Daily Protective Moisturizer SPF 15,
0.35 oz Cosmedicine Medi-Matte Oil Control Lotion SPF 20,
0.17 oz Juice Beauty Green Apple Moisturizer SPF 15,
1 oz Murad Firming Bronzer SPF 15,
0.08 oz Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55 PA + + +,
six single-use packs of MD Skincare Powerful Sun Protection Pads SPF 30,
0.17 oz Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Cream Ultra Protection SPF 30,
0.25 oz Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15,
and a 0.098 oz Tarte 24/7 Lip Sheer SPF 15,
plus a UV indicator card, all in a limited-edition Sephora pouch.

Sephora will make a total donation of up to $430,000.00 before 12/31/08. There a limited number of these kits but should be available from April through June 2008, but this offer is a "while supplies last" deal.

This is a great chance to try out a huge number of products for an outstanding price and help a great cause.

With Love (always),
Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of sephora.com

weekend reads

Here is what is going on with some of our Total Beauty friends this weekend. Enjoy!!

The Muse shares her review of Etude House's Dior Black Lash Kit.

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings has a new favorite lipgloss.

Beauty Anonymous reviews on giving away a package of limited edition goodies...

Toya from The Life of A Ladybug got sucked in by Darac Beauty's Sifted Blur Powder and TorQuam brush! She doesn't want you to get sucked in, too!

Looking for a new pressed powder? Find out which brand debuted it's pressed mineral powder at the Spring/Summer 2008 New York Fashion Week. A Mom in Red High Heels takes it with her to cut the shine!

Don't know why you should be rocking the sunscreen every day? Beauty411 reminds us that May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month!

Beauty's Spot loves the Blueberry Soy Sugar Scrub by Eminence Organics.

Meredith at Daily Dose of Coffee remembers why she loved Benefit's 10 for her summer look last year.

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty loves REN’s Mayblossom and Konjac Balancing Moisturiser and tells you why!

Blogdorf Goodman gives us the low down on MAC's new Dazzleglass.

Christine from 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic, does an awesome review of Roc's Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30.

The Jet Set Girls talk about a to-die-for spa... the Lake Austin Spa in Austin, TX.

With love (always),
Jennifer and Christine

don't forget...enter our smokey eye giveaway!

Here's the info again....

We are having another giveaway! We had so much fun with the first one that we have decided to do another one.

This time we have decided to put together a Smokey Eye Kit featuring some of our favorite products. One lucky reader will win Rimmel London Colour Rush Quad Eye Shadow in Smokey Noir, CoverGirl Perfect Blend Eye Pencil in Basic Black, CoverGirl LashBlast in Black, and to take this look off at the end of the day Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. And you can put it all into an adorable cosmetics case. Everything in the picture is included and are all the full sized products.

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

Send an email to beautyinreallifecontests@gmail.com with the words "Smokey Eye Giveaway" in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name somewhere in the email. The contest ends at 10pm EST on Tuesday, May 6th. 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, May 7th.

Good Luck!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

this just in...estee lauder to launch line for hsn

Estee Lauder's Beauty Bank is branching out to HSN.

According to WWD, the cosmetics giant...who owns a bazillion other brands by the way...has created Eyes by Design, a high end cosmetics and skincare line specifically for the shopping channel.

Eyes by Design launches in July and is being marketed for women 25 and older.

Like its name implies, it is an edited line of only 17 items concentrating on one gorgeous feature...eyes.

I guess all eyes will be on Estee Lauder, come July.

Ba dum bum.

Get it?

Eyes?

Come on...that's funny.

I mean...it's called...Eyes by Design...and ...we said...all eyes will be on...OK...never mind.

You try and come up with witty sayings at 8 am.

With love...always,
Jennifer and Christine
photo and info courtesy of wwd

makeup brushes the final chapter...drugstore finds

Yes, yes, I know.

I promised that I would run this last week...and didn't.

You see, one thing led to another...I ended up doing postings ahead of this one and...well here it is.

A week late.

So here goes...

Let me start off by saying, it's not easy finding some of these brushes online.

Some of them can only be found in stores and some of them may only be found in certain areas.

That said, here are my top two favorites...

EcoTools: I actually found these online at walgreens.com. I also found them at my local Ulta (not online), which is great because they normally have coupons for $5 off a $10 purchase in pretty much any magazine. Anyway, I have not personally tried these...but have heard the raves from other bloggers and celebs in magazines. The best thing about these is that they are environmentally friendly and free of animal products (they use synthetic hair). They would look adorable on a vanity and they also look like they cost a lot more than they actually do...this kit above is $10.99 at walgreens.com. They also sell individual brushes, that all appear to be under $10.

Studio Basics: I've actually used this line in the past. Oddly enough, they are produced by the same company that makes the EcoTool line of brushes. I have not been able to find these online, but you can definitely find them at Ulta stores. They also produce pretty decent quality brushes for under $10...but use natural hair instead of synthetic.

Other brands that make pretty decent brushes are CoverGirl, L'Oreal, and Max Factor...but, good luck finding those in store. I found a CoverGirl blush brush online at drugstore.com. From what I could tell, CG only makes a blush brush. The other brands are a little harder to find, but they seem to be of decent quality for less than $10.

I should add this before I go...when buying inexpensive brushes, you sometimes get what you pay for. If you are only paying $5 or $6 for a brush, don't be surprised to see some shedding here and there. I think that these inexpensive brushes would be great for travel, or for a second set of brushes (maybe to keep at work for quick touch-ups).

Jennifer
photo courtesy of walgreens.com

Update: I almost forgot to add Essence of Beauty brushes from CVS. I have heard stories of their larger brushes shedding a good amount, but haven't heard anything about their eyeshadow brushes...which I love btw. They are insanely inexpensive and go on sale quite often. Check them out next time you are there.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

when to say goodbye to your makeup

I have spent the last few weeks researching how long to keep makeup. This all started a few weeks ago when I saw an article in the May issue of Shape magazine. And I was talking to my husband on how this is one of those topics where everywhere you look there is a different answer to the question....how long should you keep your makeup?

So, after countless google searches and several differently worded searches on ask.com, I have been able to come up with good idea of when to keep and when to throw away the products.

Keep in mind, these are just guidelines. And to be honest, I don't follow most of them myself. There is no way I am going to pay $40 for a foundation and throw it away because I have had it a certain number of months. Although I recently came across a concealer that had made it's way to the bottom of my bag. I went to try it again and it had a funky smell. I know enough to know if it smells weird or the consistency has changed it needs to be thrown away.

Most of the "expiration dates" are fairly reasonable and if you wear makeup everyday, you probably go through the products fast enough that you don't need to have the tearful goodbye. I took the most reasonable date ranges and listed them below.

So here we go...

Mascaras and liquid eyeliners - 3-6 months. If it starts to dry out or smell, toss it.

Liquid foundations, tinted moisturizers, concealers - 1-2 years. Yes, years!! I was surprised by this one. But if you use your fingers to apply, it may go faster, and again, if it smells or dries out, it's time to go.

Lipstick, glosses - 1-2 years. Again, if it starts to smell or dry out, toss it. Or if the color changes.

Nail polish - 18 months. I am so guilty of not throwing out nail polish. I have had some way longer than 18 months. Longer than I am willing to admit to. I did just go through my stash and throw out the ones that had gotten thick and gunky, but there are still some around, that were here before the husband (we got married almost 5 years ago).

Powders (eyeshadow, blush, pressed, bronzer) - 2-3 years. I saw a couple sites that said 18 months for this group. Cream shadows - probably less than a year or when they start to dry out.
Lip and eye pencils - 2-3 years. If they are the kind you can sharpen, they will last longer since you can get rid of the old stuff and keep them clean by using the sharpener.

Skin care (serums, moisturizers, eye creams) - 1-2 years. So there is hope for the stash of moisturizers I have in my closet! Just know that any active ingredients become less active as they get older.

Fragrances - 1-7 years. Wait, what? That doesn't really help with anything. If your perfume bottles sit in direct sunlight, like mine, they will go faster than those kept in cooler, darker places. I also saw something that said the more air in the bottle the quicker it goes, as well. I saw a couple sites that said 2 years, but if kept dark and cool they could last a little longer.

Shampoos and conditioners - 3 years. So there is still hope for my insane collection sitting next to my moisturizer stash out in the closet.

I hope this helps somebody out there!

I complied all of my information from numerous google searches, but this is where most of the tips came from: RealSimple.com, May '08 Shape magazine, May '08 Town & Country magazine and about.com.

Christine
photo courtesy of sephora.com, picture is of Stila's Best of Stila Gift of Glamour Set, limited edition, sephora exclusive, $60 with free shipping.

gift ideas for mother's day...misikko.com

With Mother's Day on the 11th, now is the time to act on your gift...if you haven't done so already.

Our friends at Misikko.com are having a great Mother's Day promotion.

Right now, they're running a Mother's Day Sale through May 11 (Mother's Day).

Expect big savings on brand names like Murad and Freeze 24/7, as well as ionic hair dryers & more.

Every sale item comes with a free Mother's Day gift, and while supplies last they're adding free Murad samples to any Murad purchase!

How cool is that?

Misikko has also revamped their gift certificates, in case you'd like to go that route...which is many times the best choice with picky moms.

One thing we should note, because they use UPS to ship and they don't deliver on weekends, you'll have to order by 4PM EST on Wednesday, May 7 to get the order by Mother's Day.

So what cha waiting for dolls...click away!

With Love (Always),
Jennifer and Christine

allure + smashbox = seriously cool gwp

From our friends at Allure and Smashbox....get your FREE GIFT courtesy of Smashbox Cosmetics and Allure magazine!

Now for a limited time, get a free Soft Lights Quad in Allure and an uber chic makeup bag with any online purchase of $75 or more.

The gorgeous four shade cheek powder will give you that divine lit-from-within glow. You can use each on their own, or combine them for added punch.

You also get this to-die-for pouch to store all of your essentials from Smashbox.

This is a $40 value people!

Simply head over to Smashbox.com, buy $75 or more in products, and enter code ALLURE75 at checkout.

It's that simple!

Plus, with every US order, you can enjoy free shipping and samples!

It's a no-brainer.

Also, if you checkout between the hours of 9am-2pm PST on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can enjoy the benefit of Smashbox's Let's Do Lunch promotion...meaning you'll receive a FREE GIFT with purchase automatically added to your order.

Head on over to smashbox.com right this minute darlings!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo and info courtesy of allure

mac cosmetics...naughty nauticals

MAC Cosmetics has just released it's newest color collection, Naughty Nauticals.

We don't know about you, but throw the word naughty in front of anything and it instantly makes it cooler...don't you think?

Staying true to the nautical theme, the collection is awash with blues and reds. Some pinks and corals have also been thrown in for good measure.

Here's the description from the MAC online store...

Sailors, ahoy! In her fleet of pinks, corals, reds, and the deepest navy Nail Lacquer seen this side of Marseilles, she's uniformly chic, and cruising for romance. In style and desire, she's poised for perfection. Go overboard!

As with any MAC product, the prices are on the low side...starting at $10 for a nail lacquer and going up to $19.50 for their concentrated loose powder pigments.

With color names like Bell-Bottom Blue and Meet the Fleet...it's a collection you don't want to miss.

Ahoy!

With Love (Always),

Jennifer and Christine

photo courtesy of maccosmetics.com

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Friday, May 30, 2008

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Monday, May 26, 2008

Sunday, May 25, 2008

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Thursday, May 22, 2008

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Friday, May 16, 2008

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Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Monday, May 5, 2008

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Friday, May 2, 2008

Thursday, May 1, 2008

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