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Scrub Your Cares Away With Soap & Glory

Body scrubs are a luxurious necessity in the winter time. Scrubbing dry skin off (plus drinking lots of water) is a great way to have dewy skin when the weather is dry. And Kansas City is very dry and cold right now!

Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean Shower Gel ($9.99 USD at Target) makes your skin smooth and smells wonderful. My 9 year old daughter helped me identify what the scent reminds me of: peach ice tea. Yum!

This scrub contains peach extract, pineapple extract, grapeseed powder, buffing beads and fruit acid smoothers. Its a gel consistency with the beads for exfoliation so it is not harsh at all. The directions say to use once or twice a week, but I’ve been using it every other day and my skin is very soft!

Don’t forget to exfoliate this winter! And maybe try this great scrub, too.

Eye Poppin’ Cover Girl Exact Eyelights Eye-Brightening Mascara

Reading about Cover Girl Exact Eyelights Eye-brightening Mascara (8.49 USD), I was really intrigued. It claims to make the eyes 4 times brighter than without wearing mascara. It’s available in four shades to match eye color: Black Pearl for brown eyes, Black Sapphire for blue eyes, Black Ruby for greens eyes and Black Gold for hazel eyes.

Each shade has a metallic sheen and a bit of a color to it. I purchased the Black Pearl, hoping to enhance my dark brown eyes. When you swipe this shade on a tissue, it is a metallic black.

On my eyes, you can’t really see the metallic, but it is very dark and really does make my eyes pop. I don’t know if they are brighter, but the thickening and lengthening mascara brings attention to my eyes. This mascara separates my lashes nicely and doesn’t clump. This is a great product.

I kind of wish my eyes were a different color, so I could try the shades that are tinted. Oh well, since the price is reasonable, maybe I will try the others, too !

Lots of Looks in a Little Package — Too Faced Glamour To Go

I treated myself to this wonderful little makeup kit with a gift card I received for Christmas. It is always fun to try out new makeup colors. I have been using this palette all week and have been creating great eyeshadow and lip gloss combinations.

The Too Faced Glamour to Go kit ($19.50 USD) includes 8 eye shadows, four lip colors and a blush. It comes in a little mirrored compact with the eye shadows on top, and the blush and glosses sliding out on the bottom.

The eye shadows contain shimmer, but aren’t too glittery which is perfect for me. Their pigments are okay, but not the most concentrated. I find if I use an eye shadow base or concealer under it, then layer the shadow, it will last me all day. The colors come in cool grays and pinks and warm golds and browns for a variety of looks.

The blush is a lovely peachy-pink with just a hint of shimmer. I only need a little of this because it is a bit bright on my pale winter skin. I really like it, though because the shade matches the cool and warm eye and lip looks.

The lip glosses are almost the consistency of a soft lipstick. They are a little sticky, but not too bad. They are very shiny and shimmery, so it might be more of an evening look if you work in a conservative office. I work in a non-profit, so a little glitz is fine!

The best part of Glamour to Go is that it is so small. I do my face in the morning, then toss it in my purse. I then have it on hand for touch ups at work. It does not come with applicators, so I just use my fingers or bring a brush or two along. Fun!

Revlon Age Defying Spa Collection Foundation and Concealer

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to try out products that are supposed to, well, make me look younger. At forty, now’s the time to truly test-drive the products that are supposed to de-age me. This year I want to delve into the wide world of anti-aging skincare and makeup.

Last week I picked up the Revlon Age Defying Spa Collection Concealer($9.99 USD) and Foundation ($13.99 USD). This week, I have been using these products exclusively as my concealer and foundation.

Revlon’s website claims that these products, “instantly revitalize and brighten for radiant, flawless coverage and protect against fine lines”. They contain, “Stone Therapy minerals that help energize stressed skin and Vitamin C fusion brighteners.”

That sounds very nice, but how does it wear? Well, I like these products okay, but they did settle a little into the lines around my eyes.

The foundation, though, has a couple of great pluses to it. First it contains SPF 18 which is important for our aging skin.

Second, the brush applicator is really cool. I twist the base once, squeeze the tube, and the product comes out. I then twist it back to lock it while I am applying it. It takes about 3 squeezes to do my whole face. Ingenious.

The highlighter is in a slim pen shape and also has a brush applicator. To dispense the concealer, I turn the base until it saturates the brush. I then swipe it on the areas I need it and blend with my finger.

The shades I purchase are the concealer in 001 light and the foundation in 002 fair/light. The concealer color is perfect for my skin, but the foundation is a little dark and a bit orange for me. It would probably be a good shade for the summer, when my skin becomes a little darker (even with sunscreen).

All in all, these are nice products and if you are interested, give them a try!

Cold Weather Defense — Yes To Carrots Skincare

C is For Clean Gentle Expoliating Facial Cleanser — C is For Clean Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser

Kansas City is very dry in the winter. This year especially, since we haven’t had the rain or snow other regions are experiencing. My normally combination skin is so dry. I need help!

That’s where Yes To Carrots skincare comes in. It helps put back moisture in my thirsty skin and has made it glow again.

The C is for clean Exfoliating Facial Cleanser ($9.99 USD) really scrubs the face. I can only use it a couple times a week because any sort of exfoliation can be a little rough, especially when my skin is so dry. When I do use it, it gives me a nice scrubby glow. Formulated with Dead Sea Mud, organic carrot juice and natural apricot scrubbing particles, C is for Clean removes dead skin cells leaving your skin balanced and nourished.

I follow this up with the C Today or C You in the Morning Moisturizing Day Cream ($14.99 USD) .

The spring water based day cream combines the anti-oxidant power of organic carrot and orange juices with 26 purifying Dead Sea Minerals. C Today Moisturizing Day Cream softens, smooths and firms your skin, leaving you with a radiant glow.

I do not recommend this moisturizer if your skin is oily. Even though it is water based and absorbs fairly quickly, you can still feel it on your skin after applying. That is great when your skin is dry, but not great if you tend to break out.

I know I’ve said it before, but check out this organic, paraben-free brand. It is good for your skin and feels great on!

Top 5 Favorite Products of 2008

It’s always fun to look back on the past year.My list of favorite products from 2008 includes not only new products, but items that have been around a while and I discovered them just this year. Here they are:

5. Almay Bright Eyes Eye Base + Concealer ($8.99 USD) — This concealer is fantastic! It not only covers my dark circles and blemishes, it brightens too. It contains white tea and marine extract as brighteners and goes on very smoothly.

4. L’Oreal Skin Genesis SPF 15 Lotion ($20.99 USD) — Once you apply this lotion it soaks right in and makes the skin glow. I find myself applying less concealer and foundation when I have this on.

3. Yes To Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter ($3.69 USD) — This is the best lip balm I have ever tried! Not too hard, not too greasy, it slides on your lips and stays there! It instantly makes the lips soft and feels really natural on. This wonderful product is 95% organic and is paraben free and comes in carrot, berry, citrus, melon and mint.

2. L’Oreal Bare Naturale Mascara ($9.99 USD) — Don’t let the name fool you, there is nothing bare or natural about your lashes once you apply this fantastic lengthening and thickening mascara. L’Oreal does claim that “the innovative formula contains 86% natural-origin ingredients, shine-enhancing minerals and is both paraben- and fiber-free.”

1. Philosophy Amazing Grace ($40.00 USD for 2 oz)– When I first tried this perfume earlier this year, I didn’t care much for it. But the longer I wore it the more I grew to love it. It’s a soft floral with a undertone of musk. I think this would smell lovely on any woman!

What is your favorite product from this year? Leave me a comment. Also, if there are any products you think I should try in 2009, let me know. I am always on the look out for new products!

Have a fun — and safe — New Year’s Eve and a fantastic 2009!

Polish Your Look on New Year’s Eve With a New Lip Plumper

I was skeptical of lip plumpers for a long time. I have decent lips, why would I need to make them fat. Even worse is the fact that many lip plumpers contain irritants and make your lips sting. Ouch!

Now that they are more popular (and much less ouchier), I have been hearing very good things about some plumpers. One of the claims is that they smooth out fine lines in your lips and make your lips appear smoother.

So I began my research with the queen of all lip plumpers — LipFusion Lip Plumper ($38.00 USD). This lip plumping color shine is formulated with marine collagen micro-spheres that are absorbed by lips and then absorb moisture causing mild-swelling which gives lip a full, plump look. They say results can last for up to 48 hours. I don’t know about that but it did instantly plump and smooth my lips and didn’t sting at all. It left me with a little numbness, but it wasn’t unpleasant, and there are many shades to choose from. If you have $38.00 for lip gloss, I’ll be your friend! And try this gloss, it does live up to the hype!

Another great gloss is bareMinerals Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Polish ($18.00 USD). Sephora’s site states, “This mineral-infused polish imparts a luminous high shine with no sticky or tacky feeling. A deep infusion of antioxidant vitamins A and E help keep lips soft, smooth, and protected, while the tingly and cooling sensation reminds you that your lips are getting an immediate increase in fullness.” This does tingle but doesn’t sting (thank goodness). There are about eleven soft shades of this gloss and half the price of the LipFusion, its a pretty good buy.

But if you aren’t quite convinced about this lip plumping craze, try a drugstore brand. A really good one is the Maybelline Volume XL Seduction Lip Plumper ($8.99 USD). This one touts, “Make your lips up to 30% bigger with Maybelline Volume Seduction Lip Plumper. Feel a tingling effect as active amplifiers instantly plump lips for a visibly fuller pout. Available in 10 seductive shades. Not recommended for sensitive lips.” I guess my lips aren’t too sensitive, because it does tingle, but doesn’t sting me. Definitely a good gloss for plumping beginners.

So have fun with your gloss on New Year’s Eve! Go ahead and try something new.

Eye Stand Out on New Years Eve! — Flashy Eye Looks to Try

New Year’s Eve is a great time to try out a sparkly look that we wouldn’t wear everyday. As a 40 year old (yes, I own it) I usually don’t wear glitter, I leave that to my 13 year old daughter. But I am drawn to the sparkly around party time!

There are a lot of fun products to try at stores like Sephora and Ulta. The Sephora brand itself has a lot of party options that are fairly affordable. I really like the sparkly Sephora Glitter Eyeliner ($12.00 USD). The eyeliner is just the right amount of glam. Applied to the upper lid over a neutral shadow, you can get away with almost any of the seven shades if comes in; Gold, Silver, Opal, Black, Teal, Purple and Blue.

Make Up For ever is another fun brand found at Sephora. Their false eyelashes ($14.00 USD) come in many varieties. From different textures and colors to the one above with glitter at the base, you can find the look you want to achieve. Talk about instant glamour!

Another bold choice is Max Factor’s Vivid Impact Highlighting Mascara ($9.99 USD). This is a dual color mascara that combines a traditional solid color base coat with an iridescent highlighting top coat to add a hint of color to lashes.

Remember if you do decide to go glitzy on the eyes, keep the rest of your look neutral. Maybe a nice nude or pink plumping lip gloss? Have fun!

Ready For Your New Year’s Kiss? — Try a New Red Lipstick

The perfect red lipstick is extremely difficult to find. The reason being is there are so many shades of the color. Warm reds, cherry reds, blue reds, fire engine reds. The mind boggles.

I’ve decided to begin my search for the perfect red lipstick, which is a wonderful item to have for a New Year Eve Party. I started my search at Sephora and have found a few good ones. Brands like Urban Decay, Stila, Dior, Nars, and Cargo all have various shades of red to choose from.

Surprisingly to me, the one that looked the best was by Urban Decay ($22.00 USD). The shade is Revolution, a warm classic red. My coloring is light olive skin with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. I alway thought that cooler colors looked better on me ( I like purples and maroon’s), but Revolution looked very pretty on.

PlantLove Botanical Lipstick - Cherry Bliss - The shade in the center

I also realized what doesn’t look nice on me. That is a cherry red. I tried on Cargo’s PlantLove Botanical Lipstick ($20.00) in Cherry Bliss. This is a very pretty color, but is too bright for my face. I also tried on other cherry and blue red’s but they made me look like a little girl trying on my mother’s lipstick!

I recommend both Urban Decay and Cargo’s lipsticks if you are looking for quality. They both feel great and are good for you. The Urban Decay Lipstick has vitamins A, C, and E and is infused with a crème-caramel scent and flavor. Hyaluronic spheres (found naturally in the body) are added to stimulate cellular function, prevent dehydration, and fill in lines and wrinkles.
PlantLoves’s packaging is biodegradable and the lipstick is Paraben and Sulfate free. What’s even better is that CARGO is donating two dollars from the sale of every shade to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

If you are looking for a red lipstick you are a bold lady! I recommend that you take your time and search for the perfect shade for you. I am not done looking yet. Maybe I will continue my search around Valentine’s Day…

L’Oreal Double Extend Lash Extention Mascara — Longer Lashes, Little Price

L'Oreak Double Extend Lash Estension Effect Mascare — L'Oreal Double Extend Lash Extension Effect Mascara

I hope every one is enjoying a fabulous holiday season. I know I am. And I know the parties aren’t over yet…New Year’s Eve is just around the corner.

Are you looking for lush lashes but are all tapped out? A good choice is L’Oreal’s Double Extend Lash Extension Effect Mascara ($9.49 US).

This intriguing little product is a two step process. First you apply the white primer that conditions your lashes. Next, apply the mascara which forms tubes around your lashes, making them much longer.

This is definitely a lengthening mascara; it does not thicken much. The cool thing about it is the tubes are very easy to remove. Splash lots of water on your lashes then gently pull the tubes off. If you are too rough, your lashes will come out, too. Be careful!

I think this mascara is fascinating and fun to use. Try it for your New Year’s Eve soiree!