Author: fortyflirtyfabulous

Mother’s Day Fragrance Gift Guide 2012

Hey ladies (and gents??) — I have been testing some great new Spring/Summer scents that would be perfect for the any fab mother in your life — or yourself, why not?  I know I am going to be rocking a few of these sweet-smellers myself!  And there are a lot to choose from:

I’ll start with my favorite one — CK One Summer ($48 USD).  This one has a very cool lime green bottle with orange writing and cap.  I had to pry it out of my teenager’s hands (I gave her Madonna’s new scent, don’t feel bad for her!).  I love this beechy, unisex scent because it is so fresh and light.  I see myself enjoying it all Spring and Summer long!

Top notes:        Blue mint, Cucumber, Lime, Bergamot

Mid notes:        Watery accord, Green Apple, Rosemary, Water lotus

Base notes:        Rum cocktail, Sandalwood, Driftwood, Sea moss

Available at department and specialty stores nationwide beginning March 2012.

Madonna Truth or Dare

It’s difficult to tell by the photo, but this is a very cool white glass bottle.  Truth or Dare by Madonna ($68.00 USD 2.5 oz/75ml)  represents the dual forces that coexist in all of us. Madonna was inspired by her own Mother’s signature scent when she created this sophisticated fragrance. On first sniff, Gardenia is very apparent.  You then get the richer notes such as Amber, Vanilla and Musk.  Very sweetly sexy, but not too strong.

Top: Rich Gardenia, Creamy Tuberose, Dewy Neroli

Mid: Carnal Jasmine, Benzoin Tears, White Lily Petals

Base: Vanilla Absolute, Caramelized Amber, Sensual Musk Aura

Available exclusively at Macys.

Calvin Klein Eternity Summer ($58 USD) is bright and fresh.  It is also light, which is perfect for ever day wear in the Summer time.

Top notes:        Orange blossom, Sparkling Sicilian Bergamot, Japanese Pear Martini Accord

Mid notes:        Hydroponic Gardenia, White Peony Petals, Blue Hyacinth

Base notes:        White Musks, Tonka bean, Heliotrope

Available at department and specialty stores nationwide.

L’Occitane Pivoine Délicate Eau de Toilette ($45 USD 2.5 oz) — The Limited Edition Pivoine Délicate Eau de Toilette celebrates the most tender garden Peony, with its pastel shades and large, luscious petals. This fragrance blends the delicateness of Peony petals with the fresh green scents of rose and Lily of the Valley. Made with a Peony extract from the Drôme region of France, this fragrance has a luminous floral accord with a soft powdery trail.

L’Occitane products can be purchased at L’Occitane boutiques nationwide or at usa.loccitane.com.

 

Glowing by JLO ($65.00 2.5oz/75ml) For the super feminine Mom, this Floral Woody Amber scent embodies the aura of a modern woman. The bottle was inspired by the beauty and the lines of Baccarat crystal, when the atomizer is pressed, the bottle beautifully illuminates for 15 seconds.  This is a soft fruity-floral that is as fun to apply as it is to wear!

Top notes:        Bergamot, Mandarin, Cypress

Mid notes:         Orange Flower, Muguet des Bois, Cassia Flower

Base notes:   Sandalwood, Amber Sultan, Vanilla, Vetiver, Patchouli, Cashmere Musk

Available April 2012 at Kohl’s nationwide.

Elite Models Rio Glam Girl ($9 USD) –  This is a fun, affordable fragrance for Mom or for yourself. Captures the vibrant, celebratory spirit of the home of Carnivale.

Top notes: acai berry and juicy starfruit

Heart notes: princess peony, jasmine and violet flower

Base notes: sandalwood and palisander wood

I did a giveaway that included this scent and 3 others (https://fortyflirtyfabulous.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/giveaway-elite-model-fragrances/), but this is my favorite.  It will be perfect for the warm months of this time of year.

Enjoy!

Laura Geller and QVC’s Today’s Special Value April 4, 2012 — Glow-n-Beh​old!

Laura Geller + QVC = beauty fun! On Friday May 4, 2012 at midnight EST, QVC will present Laura’s sun-evoking Glow-n-Behold.  This is a four piece collection that is a value of $118 for only $54.48.  It includes:

The Best-Selling Tahitian Glow Body Frosting — A baked bronzer that hydrates skin and is full of antioxidants.  You can use this wet for a more intense color

New Dream Creams Concealer & Highlighter in Porcelain/Fair or Regular/ Tan –Includes 3 blendable and mixable concealers and one highlighter in the compact.

New Baked Blush in Bora Bora – a sateen finish and a pretty pinky-peach color makes this blush wearable for all skin tones.

New Double Dipped Lipstick in Caribbean Kiss — A two-in-one lipstick bullet that can take your look from day-to-night!

I will be reviewing this in a couple of weeks, but tomorrow you can purchase this and tell me what you think when you receive it!

Enjoy!

Paint Your Pout With New Spring Lip Colors

Looking for a new gloss or balm to lighten your Spring look?  That’s a great idea!  Changing your lip color or product type (gloss, balm, lipstick), can update your look without too much fuss.  Here are some fun new products to try:

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Orange Tulip

Laura Mercier Lip Glacé ($24 USD) is a high-shine, perfectly pigmented lip gloss with rich, long-lasting colour and brilliant shine that creates the appearance of fuller lips. Any skin tone is virtually enhanced by creating a subtle contrast in texture.

There are three new limited-edition Lip Glacés for summer. They are Camellia, Orange Tulip, and Lotus Blossom.  I have Orange Tulip and love it.  It isn’t too orange, and is a sheer way to wear the “it” color of the season.

Availability: lauramercier.com, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and select Belk, Blue Mercury, Lord & Taylor, and Macys.

Nuance Salma Hayek Ultra Shine Lip Gloss

One of my favorite new lip glosses is Nuance Salma Hayek Ultra Shine Lip Gloss $7.49 USD).  Silky, smooth formula hydrates and helps protect lips. Mimosa extract and mango seed oil help nourish and moisturize lips through deep hydration. Vitamins A, C, & E condition and help protect lips. Hypoallergenic. Paraben free. Not tested on animals.

I have this in Peony, which is the second from the last color in the photo above. It is a sheer pink that is perfect for the season.

Available at CVS/pharmacy retail locations and on www.cvs.com/nuancesalmahayek

Shiseido Shimmering Rouge in Sorbet

Shiseido Shimmering Rouge in Sorbet ($25 USD) Sheer, brilliant color infuses lips with lasting moisture and fullness. Lips have never looked so all-day sensuous. With photo-smoothing pearl, this moisturizing formula will give a fuller appearance to lips.

Available in 20 shades.  I have this in Sorbet, which is a new shade.  It is a light, creamy pink.  Very pretty on.  It is full color, but feels like a balm.

You can find this at www.shiseido.com.

Mirabella Colour Luxe

Mirabella Colour Luxe ($26 USD) lip gloss creates maximum shine with three-dimensional, light-reflecting shimmer. The combination of iridescent and pearlescent pearls create a star-like effect on the lips, taking Colour Luxe gloss to a new level of color purity, brightness and dimensionality. Vitamin-enriched long-lasting formula moisturizes, conditions, and provides antioxidant protection and anti-aging properties.

These glimmering glosses are not for the shy!  I love Spark, the second color from the left in the photo above.  It is a gorgeous peachy-nude.  The applicator is a flat sponge paddle, which gives even coverage. LOVE!

Available at www.mirabellabeauty.com

Three Custom Color Transformer Duo Champagne

Have you ever had that lip color that was close, but just not “perfect?” Use Three Custom Color’s new Transformer Duo: Champagne ($27.50 USD)  to warm up or cool down your favorite (or not-so-favorite) lip shades!

The split-pan compact contains two high-quality gloss pigments to be your own mix master with a smooth, softly shimmering formula that’s never gummy or sticky.

This is so cool!  I do try a lot of lip colors and many are too pink, or two brown.  This works to even out the color perfectly.  Now all of the lip colors that you have can work for you.

You can purchase this at www.threecustom.com.

Enjoy your luscious lips!

Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Moisture Milk Cleanser

Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Moisture Milk Cleanser

My skin is becoming more of a problem as I age.  I can get dry, so I hydrate it.  But if I use a cream that it too heavy, I will breakout and my pores will look huge.  A catch 22, huh.

So I have found that if I use a creamy cleanser (with my Clarisonic), and a lighter moisturizer, my face becomes clear and smooth!

I have been trying Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Moisture Milk Cleanser ($58 USD) –This rich, creamy blend of antioxidants and fruit extracts is designed to clean, hydrate, and brighten the look of the complexion. KateCeuticals™ Moisture Milk Cleanser delivers comfort to skin with a soothing blend of powerful Vitamins, Orange Blossom, and Orange Peel Extracts that leave skin feeling moisturized and fresh. This sulfate-free cleanser is so gentle that it can be rinsed or simply tissued off.

It’s main ingredients are:

  • Soybean Extracts help to enhance the skin’s natural barrier function in order to improve the look of firmness.
  • Kukui, Macadamia, and Coconut Oils are combined with a cutting-edge Lipid Blend in an effort to moisturize instantly and continue to hydrate throughout the day.
  • Orange Blossom and Orange Peel Extracts are combined with a special Brightening Complex in an effort to create instant illumination and radiance.

Kate Somerville’s products are so wonderful for the skin.  I really love how mild this cleanser is.  It doesn’t irritate at all.  It is also a fab eye makeup remover.  Dab it on a tissue or cotton pad and wipe off.  It doesn’t irritate.

Gentle for everyday use, this cleanser has become a staple of my skincare routine.

Available exclusively at www.katesomerville.com, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.  Enjoy! 

Giveaway — Elite Model Fragrances!

I have another giveaway for you, dear readers!  One lucky reader will receive her choice of TWO of the four fragrances below from Elite Models — a fun treat for Spring!

The fragrances are:

London Queen — Experience the dynamic essence of the cool capital.  Top notes: mandarin, bergamot, raspberry; heart notes: plum, jasmine and exotic tiare tahiti; base notes: warm vanilla, benzoin and musk.

New York Muse — A flavor of fast-moving life in the Big Apple.  Top notes: lotus flower, gardenia leaves and blood orange; heart notes: red peony, creamy violet and exotic velvet orchid; base notes: Black vanilla, patchouli and sensual musks

Paris Baby — Inspired by the city of lovers.  Top notes: apple, freesia and accord bellini; heart notes: osmathus, jasmine and orange blossom; base notes: musk, vanilla, patchouli and sandalwood.

Rio Glam Girl —  Captures the vibrant, celebratory spirit of the home of Carnivale.  Top notes: acai berry and juicy starfruit; heart notes: princess peony, jasmine and violet flower; base notes: sandalwood and palisander wood.

To win your choice of two of these fun fragrances, just comment on my blog and let me know which ones sound good to you (it doesn’t matter what they are to win — I’m just curious).

I will randomly choose a winner on Sunday April 29th.  Good luck!

(Please only open to residents of the US and Canada)

For Earth Day, Take Care Of Yourself And The Environment With Eco-Refills From L’Occitane

Earth Day is in a couple of days and as we are thinking about big and little things that we can do for the environment, L’Occitane has come up with a great idea for your favorite beauty products.

Their Eco-Refills are large sizes of some of L’Occitane’s best-selling products that can be used to refill your original containers.  Some of these products are:

Lavender Liquid Soap Eco-Refill ($12 USD) — Reduce, reuse and refill!  Both economical and ecological, the Lavender Liquid Soap Eco-Refill keeps hands clean, fresh and lightly scented.  With nourishing Shea Butter and soothing aloe-vera extract, this detergent-free cleanser is gentle enough for dry, sensitive or damaged skin. Refill is 13.5 fl. oz. while Liquid Soap is 16.9 fl. oz.

Immortelle Refill Brightening Cleansing Foam ($38 USD) — An economical and ecological Brightening Cleansing Foam refill for the beauty of your skin and the preservation of the environment. Lighten the complexion with this gentle face cleanser, enriched with organic Immortelle floral water and citrus fruit peel.

Almond Shower Oil Eco-Refill ($36 USD) — The economical and ecological Almond Shower Oil Eco-Refill is perfect for both the beauty of your skin and the preservation of the environment.  When in contact with water, this shower oil transforms into a delicate foam that gently cleanses the body. Enriched with Almond oil, it respects the hydrolipidic film and leaves a subtle and mouthewatering scent of fresh Almond, for delightful skin!

Aromachologie Soothing Shampoo Eco-Refill ($25 USD) — Formulated with a natural origin vegetable complex of 5 essential oils and wheat proteins, the Aromachologie Soothing Shampoo helps soothe the sensitive or irritated scalp. It also adds a genuine softness to hair, delicately cleanses and purifies the scalp and immediately eases irritations and aggressions. The scalp returns to a healthy and comfortable state, for stronger, beautiful hair. Pair with the Aromachologie Soothing Conditioner.

These can be purchased at usa.loccitane.com.  Enjoy!

Glitz Up Your Nails With New Spring Polishes

I love changing my polish each week to reflect my moods and the seasons.

Julep polish has just become available for purchase.  Which I think is great — now more people can be introduced to this innovative polish line.  I love the colors and the smaller bottles since nail polish tends to dry out before it runs out at my house.

Founded by beauty expert Jane Park, Julep celebrates friendship, expression, and connection through color. Applying her professional beauty advice—often featured in leading fashion magazines—Park developed a nail polish collection with colors named after inspirational, vibrant women. Julep’s fast-drying, long-lasting, non-toxic formula is paired with a high-performance, professional brush. Additionally, the brand donates a portion of their proceeds to organizations that support and empower women.

My favorite shade right now is Heather ($14 USD), a platinum greige with a metallic glow.  It is neutral so goes with everything and the metallic color is so cool — I get lots of compliments when I wear it.  I only need 2 coats and applies smoothly.

Visit www.sephora.com or www.julep.com where you can sign up for their Maven program.  You can purchase monthly mystery boxes that contain polishes and nail care products for $19.99.  Get your first box for 1 penny with the code color2012.

Sparkle all summer long with China Glaze®’s new Crackle Glitters ($9.00 USD)collection.  Once again taking crackle technology to the next level, this third-generation polish pairs the edgy innovation of crackling nail lacquer with glamorous glitters.  The China Glaze® Crackle Glitters features four shimmering shades including:

·         Luminous Lavender: Luscious light purple
·         Jade-d: Radiant bright green
·         Glam-More: Bold fuchsia
·         Gleam Me Up: Bright sky blue
Create glamorously different looks with just one sweep of China Glaze® Crackle Glitters.  Layer over different base colors to create bold styles.  Use a lighter coat to create a fine crackle, a thicker coat for a deep shatter effect.  Brush sideways or on an angle to create different looks.  As versatile and edgy as China Glaze®’s biggest celebrity fans (Lady Gaga, Rihanna,Nicole Ritchie and Kelly Osbourne, to name a few), China Glaze® Crackle Glitters add a spark(le) to one of the hottest nail art trends!
China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde and available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in May 2012.  For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook and Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze
Next is a new brand to me.  It is called Salon Perfect and it is affordable ($2.98 USD) and is available at Wal-Mart.  In fact, this collection called Blooming with Color, will be in stores May.  The 14 colors are:
  • Perfectly Peach — Delicate peach
  • Lemon Zing — Sunny Yellow
  • Kiwi Lime — Vibrant green
  • Blue Mint — Cheerful mint
  • Berry Blue — Classic periwinkle
  • Purple Sorbet — Dark lilac
  • Lavender Icing — Soft lilac
  • Spicy Tomato — Juicy red
  • Tangy Tangerine — Tart orange
  • Sour Apples — True blue-green
  • Blue Raspberry — Vivid azure
  • Plum Sorbet — Magenta with purple shimmer
  • Berry Pink — Bold flamingo pink
  • Bubblegum — Honeysuckle pink

Did the cold winter months keep your fingers and toes under wraps?  A fresh manicure with a bright, energetic polish is the perfect pick-me-up to bring your tips and toes out of hibernation.  Salon Perfect’s NEW Blooming with Color nail color collection is bursting with vibrant brights and sweet pastels.

So how fun will it be to do your nails with one (or more) of these polishes from one (or more) of these collections? Enjoy!

 

Bethany Frankel’s Skinnygirl Tinted Daily Moisturizer

Skinnygirl Tinted Daily Moisturizer SPF 15

I don’t watch the Real Housewives TV shows, but of course I know who the main housewives are from the media.  Before I tried the new Skinnygirl Tinted Daily Moisturizer SPF 15 ($10.99 USD), I knew that Bethenny Frankel was a reality TV star, but I didn’t know much about her brand, Skinnygirl.

Bethenny started her line with lo-cal alcoholic beverages and is branching out to a face and body line.

The claim is:

Even out your skin tone without using heavy makeup products. This formula is rich in Vitamin E and has Broad Spectrum SPF 15 to help prevent the visible signs of aging from the sun. Choose a light, medium, or dark shade to reduce redness and smooth out skin for an even-toned, gorgeous glow.

Key Ingredients:

SPF 15 – Protects skin from sun damage
Vitamin E – An antioxidant that has anti-aging properties to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles
Jojoba Esters – A deep moisturizer

What I think:  I like the formula of this.  It feels like a moisturizer, but can look a little heavy if not blended correctly.  This has a built-in application brush — you unlock it, then squeeze up the amount you want and it comes out through the brush.  I don’t care for the brush because it leaves streaks on the skin when applied and you really need to blend it in.  I like squeezing the amount I need onto my hand, then applying with a good foundation brush.

The coverage is medium — not light like most tinted moisturizers, so I think it would work for a lot of women’s needs.  I also like the SPF 15.  I don’t know if I would purchase this again, but it a good price for what you get.& Body for any upcoming summer beauty stories you might have in the works.

Available at Walmart and http://skinnygirlfaceandbodystore.com/.  Enjoy!

Clarisonic Acne Clarifying Collection

My aging skin is so erratic.  Sometimes I break out, sometimes my skin is very dry.  I alway have large pores.  Yuck! But I have been lucky to try the new Clarisonic Acne Clarifying Collection ($169 USD).

So whats the claim?

Clarisonic brings you closer to clear skin—in just one step! The inventor of the professional-caliber, dermatologist-recommended Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System, has paired its patented sonic cleansing technology, including an innovative new brush head, with a gentle yet powerful salicylic acid-based cleanser to form the Clarisonic Acne Clarifying Collection. In one easy step, that’s safe and gentle enough for use twice daily, you can remove dirt, oil and impurities more thoroughly—and begin to treat acne blemishes.

What I think:  Don’t be afraid of this collection, because not only does it clean deep, it is gentle on the skin.  And my skin is a little sensitive.  This Mia 2 (which is the model of the Clarisonic) has two speeds.  I use the lower speed and only used the salicylic cleanser in the morning.  I use a gentler cleanser in the evening.  With this combination, my skin is looking gorgeous lately.  The brush leaves my skin SO soft and smooth and my pores are less noticeable.  I also haven’t had a breakout since I have used it.  Fab!

Availability: www.sephora.com and www.clarisonic.com.  This is worth the investment.  Enjoy!