fortyflirtyfabulous

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin

Lately, I have been using Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Normal/Dry Duo of Cleansing Lotion and Night Cream. I received samples from Influenster complimentary for testing (check out www.influenster.com to find out how to receive free products and comment on this post if you would like an invite to join).

So what is Boots No7 Beautiful Skin? It’s the newest and easy to use two-step range of everyday skincare cleansers and moisturizers, tailored to your specific skin type eliminating the need for toners. Products are color-coded, making it easy to find just the right products for your skin type: Normal/Oily (Pink), Normal/Dry (Green) and Dry/Very Dry (Lilac).

No7 appreciates that busy lifestyles mean you don’t always have time for a lengthy skincare regimen. That’s why we’ve created Beautiful Skin. Discover radiant skin in 14 days with two simple steps:

Step 1: Cleanse
The first step to beautiful skin is clean skin. All Beautiful Skin cleansers quickly and gently remove all traces of dirt and impurities, leaving you with perfectly clean, healthy skin. Skin is so effectively cleansed that there is no need for a separate toner.

Step 2: Moisturize
Once cleansed, hydrate your skin with our nourishing day and night creams. All our day creams deliver SPF 15 and Broad Spectrum UV Protection, while our night creams work to promote optimum hydration while you sleep.

The products I have been testing are:

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion Normal/Dry
The light, refreshing wipe-off formula feels weightless on the skin, yet it’s very hard working, removing every last trace of make-up and grime. Packed with moisturizing agents like Glycerin, your skin will be left soft and refreshed. The oils are optimized to be the most effective at cleansing away dirt without removing natural and beneficial skin lipids.

I love that this wipe-off cleanser is creamy and moisturizing and no water is required as part of your facial routine. Best applied to dry skin, massage upward and across the skin using cotton or wool, avoiding the eye area, and wipe off.

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream Normal/Dry :
Rest easy throughout the night knowing that your skin is getting the best possible care with this luxuriously rich night cream for all night moisturization, includes Cocoa butter for an additional boost. A nourishing cream with Glycerin and Shea Butter to energize and promote optimum hydration while you sleep. Designed to work in harmony with your skin, replacing lost moisture and leaving you with healthy looking radiant skin.

What I think — the cleanser is one of the best cleansers that I have used in a long time! I takes make up off like a dream without drying out the skin! It is also very mild and does not irritate my extremely sensitive eyes. The night cream give lots of moisture, but it is a bit heavy, so only use if you have very dry skin.

Learn more about these products at www.shopbootsusa.com.

Enjoy!

Influenster 2012 Beauty Bloggers VoxBox

I am so excited to have received the Beauty Bloggers VoxBox from Influenster.com! I received this free for the purpose of testing it and letting all of my fab readers know what I think of the products!

The products included are:

-NYC New York Color® IndividualEyes Custom Compact

-Kiss® Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit

-Bath & Body Works® Mini Candles

-Not Your Mother’s® Kinky Moves™ Curl Defining Hair Cream & Smooth Moves™ Frizz Control Hair Cream

-Goody® Simple Styles Spin Pin

-EBOOST®

Plus there were two bonus items that were given out by demographics. I received the Boots products:

-Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion, Cleansing Balm, & Night Cream

-Vitabath® Fragrance Mist

I have been trying all of the goodies and will be posting reviews in the next few days. Stay tuned!

Plus visit www.influenster.com to learn more. If you would like an invite to join Influenster leave a comment with your email address and I will send you one. I have four left to give out.

Does Your Skin Feel Dry? Change Up Your Bath and Body Products For The Fall and Winter!

I seem to use so much hand and body lotion in the Fall and Winter, I have to make sure that the products I use smell as good as they work!

I’ve chosen the following products to feature for their scents as much as their moisturizing properties. A great scent can make you feel as good as it makes you smell!

Thymes Filigree Body Lotion ($25 USD) — Back by popular demand, this limited-edition moisturizer is luxuriously effective. Restores natural moisture balance to help skin look and feel its best. Enriched with conditioning shea butter, primrose and sweet almond oils and replenishing white willow bark. Leaves the unforgettable fragrance of Filigree: clean, lovely and enchanting. A luxurious gift for your Filigree fan.

What I think: I have this scent in the Home Fragrance Mist ($17 USD). It is a crazy mix of clean and spicy. When you first spray it, you get a warm, spicy scent that morphs into a cleaner fragrance! I want to try the above lotion next! Visit www.thymes.com to learn more and purchase!

Carol's Daugther Ecstasy Shea Soufflé — Carol’s Daughter Ecstasy Shea Soufflé

Carol’s Daughter Ecstasy Shea Soufflé ($13.50 4oz, $20.00 8oz) — A Non-Greasy, Fast-Absorbing, Daily Moisturizer For Dry-To-Extra-Dry Skin

• Shea & Cocoa Butters deeply moisturize your skin so it’s super soft and smooth
• Coconut & Grapeseed Oils soften skin and keep moisture balanced
• Vitamin E is a rich moisturizing antioxidant to protect against aging

“I wanted to create a scent that could make you feel irresistible and for that special someone to notice just how irresistible you are. This sweet and sensuous scent is a combination of tropical fruits and florals with something warm and mysterious mixed in…it’s been known to make a few champagne-and-strawberries kind of moments.” – Lisa Price, Carol’s Daughter Founder

What I think: A tropical scent for the fall, you ask? This lovely scented cream does begin with the sweet scent of fruits — pineapple, peach, mango, and strawberry, but it finishes up with vanilla and a touch of Egyptian musk. Very sexy and fun! Plus the formula melts into your skin and instantly moisturizes it! Purchase at www.carolsdaughter.com.

When hands spend so much time in gloves, they can go a little stir crazy. How can you tell?They start to crack. Give your hands a reason to come out of hibernation with güd HandWash and Hand Cream. In scintillating, lush fragrances with juicy fruit notes and fresh florals, the invigorating formulas might just make you forget how frigid it is. Formulated with güd-for-you-ingredients (not stuff like parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals), güd Hand Wash (8 fl oz for $5.00) and Hand Cream (3 oz for $8.00)give dry hands a welcome respite from the harsh effects of winter.

The available scents are Floral Cherrynova™,Orange Petalooza™, Vanilla Flame™, and Pearanormal Activity™.

What I think: I have these in Pearanormal Activity. The scent is fabulous! I placed the hand wash in the kitchen. My family and I are staying in a residence hotel while our house is fixed following a kitchen fire 6 weeks ago. Having this great hand wash helps the hotel feel like home!

The hand cream is also nice, but it has a bit of a sticky finish so make sure to rub it in. Visit www.gudhappens.com to learn more. You can also purchase at mass market retailers.

Philosophy Amazing Grace Body Butter ($28 5oz) — Embrace your beauty and femininity with amazing grace body butter. this intensely moisturizing body butter leaves skin silky smooth.

features & benefits:

feel amazingly clean and beautifully feminine
a clean floral scent
silky, soft skin from head to toe

What I think: This is the current fragrance I am wearing, so I picked up the body butter for layering purposes. But it is so thick and moisturizing — I love it! You can purchase this at Sephora, Ulta, QVC and www.philosophy.com.

Enjoy!

New Skin Care by Radical Skincare and Algenist

As the weather starts to get cooler, I find myself really wanting to take care of my skin and get it ready for the cold winter. The following products have been brightening my skin and making it looks smooth and gorgeous!

Algenist Triple-Action Micropolish & Peel ($75 USD) — Leveraging the science of biotechnology, this advanced microdermabrasion peel resurfaces the skin with a 10% acid duo (patent-pending Alguronic Acid + Glycolic Acid) in a potent combination with a 10% fruit enzyme complex and micro polishing crystals to immediately transform skin texture & tone.

Micro polishing crystals mechanically lift off larger skin-dulling cells and buff rough skin to reveal a new radiant skin surface. The acid duo and fruit enzyme complex work deep into the epidermis to lift away dull skin cells and to reveal skin that appears regenerated, smoother and more even.

What I think: This is a very effective exfoliant, but it is a little harsh for my sensitive skin. I find that if I leave it on for just a couple of minutes, my skin does not get too irritated, but it does get a little red. It does really remove the dead cells and leave my skin so soft! www.algenist.com, www.qvc.com, www.sephora.com.

Radical Skincare Youth Infusion Serum ($170.00 USD) — This all-in-one youth serum is particularly recommended for thirsty and hungry skin. Potent ingredients proven to reduce wrinkles and sagging skin supercharge this anti-aging formula.

Plant Based stem cells extend the life and protect youthful skin
Boost skin hydration with maximum levels of Hyaluronic Acid
Reduce wrinkles up to 57% and reduce sagging skin by 19%

Clinically Proven High Performance Active Ingredients include:
Sodium Hyaluronate, Malus Domestica, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Uniprosyn, Algae Extract (Pullulan)

What I think — I smooth the serum gently onto face and neck using slow, upward strokes in the morning and evening. I love the light texture and how easily it absorbs into my skin. It brightens my skin immediately!

Radical Skincare Eye Revive Creme ($125 USD) — The unstoppable eye cream that works like 4 products in one treatment for the most sensitive and age- challenged eye area.

Decrease discoloration and dark circles up to 19%
Decrease wrinkle depth by 50% in 4 weeks
Instantly hydrate, detoxify and repair the sensitive skin to reduce puffiness

Clinically Proven High Performance Active Ingredients include:
Green Coffee, Hylasome, Mala’kite, Gatuline

What I think: I gently pat this on my eyes day and night. It smoothes out the under-eye area and really hydrates it. This is so important in the fall and winter when my skin gets so dry. Available at www.radicalskincare.com.

Enjoy!

Pretty Makeup To Brighten Your Fall And Winter

I love deep fall colors, but sometimes I just want a light, classic colors. The products below will be pretty all year long, not just for the fall!

Lip Bliss™ by What’s Your Virtue was founded by a mother of teen and preteen daughters who was shocked at the explicit and suggestive names found on numerous brands of lip gloss. She didn’t feel it was appropriate for her 13-year-old daughter to put such messaging in her pocket, much less on her lips. Now, choose from vibrant colors with names such as Kindness, Generosity, Devotion and Curiosity.

Lip Bliss™ bundles fortifying castor, cranberry, and safflower seed and peppermint oils to smooth and nurture, plus the protecting properties of anti-oxidants, green tea extracts, and moisturizing vitamin E. Lip Bliss™ offers radiant shine and subtle color without stickiness, is gluten-free, not tested on animals, and contains no parabens.

What I think: These pretty glosses have a light, minty taste and lots of shine! I think the names and colors are so sweet. The glosses are a little sticky, but are moisturizing as well. Good glosses! To purchase, visit http://whatsyourvirtue.com.

FLIRT! Big Flirt Lipgloss ($15.50 USD)Turn on super-fabulous shine with this lip gloss. It features a sheer and shiny look that looks great alone or paired with a darker lipstick. Dotted design on tube adds a cute touch.

What I think: These are fun glosses, very sheer and not too sticky. The applicator is big, but it covers my entire lip in one swipe! There is a lot of product in the container as well. Purchase at Kohl’s stores or www.kohls.com.

e.l.f. Studio Baked Eyeshadow Palette ($10 USD) — Each Baked Palette features 10 gorgeous baked eyeshadows so you can achieve a flawless look whenever, wherever. The silky and blendable formula of our Baked Eyeshadow provides smooth and even application with each sweep of color. Baked in an oven, these eyeshadows offer rich pigmentation for a beautiful effect. Infused with active key ingredients Jojoba, Rose, Sunflower, Apricot and Grape to nourish and hydrate the skin. The long-lasting and shimmering color can be worn wet for a vibrant effect or dry for sheer pigmentation, offering a variety of gorgeous eye looks!

What I think: This is available in two different palettes – California soft, bronzey colors and NYC, smoky colors. I have California (in the photo above) and I really like the soft colors. There is a bit of glitter in some them, so I have to be careful how much I use. You can purchase at www.eyeslipsface.com or Target stores.

Essence Multi-Action Blackest Black Mascara

Multi-Action Blackest Black Mascara by Essence ($3.99 USD) offers an innovative brush and unique texture with carbon black pigments for more volume, length and curve. This multi-talented lash lover offers an innovative brush and unique texture with carbon black pigments to ensure more volume, length and curve for the deepest black lashes! A must-have for dramatic eyes!!

What I think: I like this mascara. I get a nice look, but it is pretty natural, not dramatic. My lashes are a little longer and thicker. Perfect for everyday wear! Purchase at Ulta stores www.ulta.com

Pixi Illuminating Tint and Conceal ($30 USD) — This multitasker includes a brightening & flaw-fixing tinted moisturizer on one end, and a perfectly coordinating full-coverage, easy-to-blend concealer on the other – both infused with potent botanical extracts & vitamins to perfect skin from the inside out.

This multipurpose beautifier does triple duty, acting as your moisturizer, sunscreen, and tinted treatment to provide sheer coverage that makes skin appear flawless & lit from within. Super-hydrating ingredients and protective SPF 20 keep your skin pampered. The perfecting tinted moisturizer in the tube goes on feather-light, leaves your skin looking naturally radiant, and can be layered for extra coverage. Take off the clear lid to reveal the full coverage concealer – a creme-to-powder formula that masks imperfections with a skin-loving combination of Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and Vitamin C.

What I Think: I love this! It is so great to have your concealer and foundation in one tube! So convenient! This is just like a BB Cream, but the colors are very natural looking.

**Deal Alert** Pixi is offering my readers 25% off until November 20^th with the code: pixiflirty. Purchase online at www.pixibeauty.com.

ENJOY!

Fun, Halloween-Inspired Products! Are We Scared Yet???

Halloween is just around the corner, and I am NOT ready. With our recent house fire, I’ve got to get on the ball and find some costumes for my kids. But, the following products are really helpful in getting us in the mood for fun!

Bath & Body Works Halloween Foaming Hand Soaps ($5.50 USD, now $2.75 USD): Hand washing takes a turn for the scary with these fright-night soaps:

Vampire Blood – a tempting blend of sweet plum, sugared strawberries and fresh raspberries
BrewBerry Witch – a bewitching brew of juicy blackberries, red raspberries and crisp iced pear
Pumpkin– an enticing blend of fresh pumpkin, spiced clove and cinnamon
Graveyard Scene– a haunting blend of gingered pumpkin, creamy caramel and vanilla

Purchase at www.bathandbodyworks.com.

Have fun with your hair with Streakers ($11.95 USD) — Using an advanced liquid technology, Streekers instantly deposits bold, vibrant color that can be applied over mousse or styling gel. A revolution in temporary hair color, Streekers highlights wash out only when you want them out. The sleek, sponge-tip applicator guarantees flawless coverage and ultimate control for expertly-applied streaks.

To apply, lift dry hair up and away from the scalp in small sections, then apply Streekers from root to tip in long strokes. If you’re going for a multi-toned effect, wait one minute before applying the next color. When you’re ready for a new look, just shampoo as normal to rinse out the highlights.

Available Shades: Pink, Blue, Red, Yellow, Orange, Purple, Green, and Ultra Violet. Available at ULTA stores or online at www.streekers.com.

Topshop Sugar Skull Nail Wrap ($14 USD) Nail Rock collaboration with Topshop. Black and white sugar skull print wraps. These are super cute and a little scary! There are other cute nail wraps at Topshop, too. Purchase at www.us.topshop.com.

Enjoy!

Change Up Your Hair Care With Organix, Nexxus, Yes To, Lee Stafford and Redken

Occasionally changing up your hair care can leave to healthier hair.

Recently, Organix has introduced their 3 Piece Starter Kits. Available in Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil and Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy collections, the kits are a great back-to-school gift and a perfect fit for any gym locker or shower caddy. Organix guarantees sulfate-free strand solutions, while resulting in strong, silky, soft hair that will be the envy of all your peers.

I tried the Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil 3 Piece Starter Kit ($9.99 USD) — Indulge the senses with a nourishing formula that is free of sulfates, phosphates and parabens. Safe for color-treated hair, the Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner will restore moisture to dry hair and stimulate the scalp to create a cleansing and rejuvenating experience. For a radiant shine that will stay with you all day long, the ultra-light Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Penetrating Oil will fight frizz, and moisturize brittle hair.

What I think: I have tried these products before and love them. Used together, hair is softer and so much smoother. At good tip is to use just a little of the oil on damp hair, then a little more on dry hair if needed to control the frizzies. A little goes a long way! The Organix^®3 Piece Starter Kits are available for $9.99 each at ULTA and Target.

Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Collection

Just because the warm weather is ending we have to pack our their favorite hairstyles with their shorts and sandals. Loose, tousled waves are a favorite effortless look that works perfectly with fall fashion trends like patterned pants and simple sweaters.

Step One:

Preventing frizz starts in the shower. The Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Shampoo ($9.99) and Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Conditioner ($14.99) work together to prime damaged areas and evenly coat hair for effective hydration and a sleek style.

Step Two:

Now that hair is set up for frizz-free success, work the Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Styling Crème ($11.99) through damp hair. Twist hair into a low bun and secure loosely. Try sleeping on the damp bun for a low maintenance morning

Step Three:

In the morning undo the bun and run fingers through your hair to create loose, natural waves. If hair is still damp, finish drying it with a blow dryer. Set the style and help lock moisture out with Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Hair Spray ($11.99). The natural hold spray instantly controls flyaways and static, reducing frizz by up to 87% all day long.

What I think: That is a fun look. This is also a great collection to use with your normal styling process. I have been using it and I do have less frizz than usual! You can purchase this at mass market beauty retailers like ulta.com and drugstore.com. Visit www.nexxus.com to learn more.

Introducing the NEW Yes To Blueberries Healthy Hair Repair Shampoo and Conditioner ($15.99 USD). This is the perfect gentle, natural solution for users of heat styling and chemical processing treatments, which can be damaging to hair. Formulated with Blueberries to protect hair with anti-oxidant superpower, Clover Flower with its healing properties to mend damaged locks and Sunflower which is packed with fatty acids to restore shine and protect against breakage. Clinically proven to make hair look healthier in 7 days!

98% natural
Free of Parabens, Petroleum and SLS, naturally!
No Animal Testing

What I think — This is a very gentle cleansing and conditioning set. I think it is perfect for colored treated hair as harsh ingredients can strip the hair — these natural products are awesome! My hair is shining and very healthy! Available at www.yestocarrots.com.

Lee Stafford Messed Up Wax Spray ($8.99 USD) — Lee Stafford has always been a little afraid of wax products, they conjure up nightmares of sticky, gunky, heavy hair. Well with Messed Up Spray Wax he thinks he’s banished those nightmares into a distant memory. Lee Stafford loves the hold and texture you get with a great wax like Messed Up…

What I think: I gave this to my teenage daughter who has short, layered hair this product to test. She loves that she can get cool, messy looks with it and that her hair still moves after using it. Purchase at www.ulta.com

Redkin Curvaceous Collection — Redken Curvaceous Collection

All curls are not created equal so give them the customized care they crave! Curvaceous is a complete collection of hair care and styling products specially formulated to bring out the best in every curl. Redken’s exclusive Curl Memory Complex and the Interlock Protein Network (IPN) strengthen, moisturize and reactivate shape for increased manageability, frizz control and amazing shine. Curls and waves never looked so good!

What I think: I have slightly wavy hair, but by just using the shampoo, conditioner, the Full Swirl Serum and the Wind Up Spray, my hair had beautiful waves! I usually straighten my hair because it is usually in between wavy and straight, so this system has given me a new way to style my hair. Available at salons near you and learn more at www.redken.com.

Enjoy trying something new!

Thermal-Aid Bears: Natural Heating and Cooling Packs for Kids

3351_PC_TA_BEAR_PKG_R3a_SC — Thermal-Aid Bears: Natural Heating and Cooling Packs for Kids

Thermal-Aid Bears: Natural Heating and Cooling Packs for Kids ($19.99 USD) — is a 100% Natural Heating and Cooling Pack +Reduces Fever +Relieves Pain + Washable

Heating- Place Tumble on a clean surface in the center of the microwave for approximately 45-60 seconds. Cooling- Place Tumble in the freezer for approximately five hours.

Ingredients- Natural cotton and a heating and cooling element composed of a specially engineered corn.

I love this for my kids and for myself. It can be placed anywhere on the body, and it fits to the space. It is also so cute and cuddly — my kids love it!

Available at thermal-aid.com or Amazon.com.

Enjoy!

Paint Your Nails With The Colors Of Fall!

There are so many beautiful and rich nail polish colors that are coming out for the fall season.

Below are a few that I really like, plus a wonderful base and top coat set from Butter London which I love. It really helps polish look smoother and stay on longer!

Butter London Tops and Tails Set ($25 USD) — Dress your nails from top to tails with this ‘Top & Tails Set’. The ‘Top & Tails’ set will ensure that your manicure is long lasting, high shine, and best of all, 3 Free (no formaldehyde, no toluene, no DBP). Contains Nail Foundation Flawless Basecoat and Hardwear P.D. Quick Topcoat. A $36.00 value.

Butter London Shag Nail Lacquer ($14 USD) — A London Fashion Week favourite, this high-shine metallic nail lacquer is a warm orange-burgundy hue. Reminiscent of fallen Autumn leaves. Sigh. Visit www.butterlondon.com to learn more.

LCN Paris Chic ($7.50 USD) is a sophisticated stoney grey – think Champs de Lise. Very hip. Very French. Perfect for the Fall season.

Tokyo Expression ($7.50 USD) is a saturated smokey grey shade. A very cosmopolitan colour that is striking day to night.

MORE THAN JUST 3 FREE! LCN professional polishes are high-performance lacquers that incorporate innovative nanotechnology to maximize and create unbeatable durability, strength and shine. And not only do our polishes perform – they’re free of the “Big 3”: DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde – and Cetyl Alcohol! Purchase at www.lcnboutique.com.

Enjoy!

New Beauty Book: HOW TO LOOK EXPENSIVE: A Beauty Editor’s Secrets to Getting Gorgeous Without Breaking the Bank

I have recently read a fabulous and helpful new beauty book by beauty industry insider, Andrea Pomerantz Lustig called HOW TO LOOK EXPENSIVE: A Beauty Editor’s Secrets to Getting Gorgeous Without Breaking the Bank (List Price $25, Gotham Books).

The New York Post did a three-page spread of the book, featuring makeovers Andrea did on 4 women. The results were amazing. The Wall Street Journalhas praised the book: “There are too many beauty books on the shelves, so the bar for actually buying one is high. This one leaps it, with room to spare.”Allure, Glamour, Shape, Self, USA Weekend, Family Circle, Brides, Today’s Black Woman, andIn Style have all jumped on this must-have book.

Andrea is Glamour magazine’s “Beauty Sleuth,” known for her wildly popular beauty advice column and her contact list bursting with the hottest beauty pros. Prior to becoming a contributing editor atGlamour, she was pioneer Editor-in-Chief at Sephora.com, and before that she spent nine years as Beauty and Fitness Director atCosmopolitan.

In the book, Andrea, shares her career’s worth of beauty advice and her beauty BFF contact list to reveal the exclusive tricks of the trade women need to boost their beauty confidence and look fabulously high-end—in any economy. Andrea shows women how to bridge the gap between what they want to look like and what they can afford to look like, how to upgrade their look to upgrade their life.

In the book, Andrea shares:

The four NEW luxe looks and how you can achieve them.
The top beauty tips and tricks that will upgrade any look.
What it means to “look expensive” now (it’s not necessarily what you think!)
The four rules of modern makeup and how to shop smart for beauty purchases.
Cheap cosmetic secrets of expensive makeup artists.
The makeup (or beauty) mistakes women make that cheapen their look
How to makeover your makeup bag—for half the price
The seven qualities of expensive looking hair color
Princess-perfect skin on a pauper’s budget
Affordable DIY versions of the celebrity manicure, facial, self-tan, blow-dry, red carpet makeup application stars pay gazillions for

Celebrity status is about to get a lot more affordable, as Andrea shares her “wealth” of beauty knowledge; the tips, tricks, and techniques culled from both her beauty insiders and the twenty-plus years she’s spent collecting, testing, seeing, and hearing the world’s best beauty advice.

Purchase at book stores and Amazon.com.