Beauty – Page 113 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Summer Survival Products

Summer beauty and health care is unlike that of any other season in that it holds more ways to hinder your looks. There are almost dangerous situations such as sunburns and bug bites (having just got bitten by a brown recluse spider, I have had the worse of that). And, more common but annoying problems of damaged hair, oily skin or dry skin patches from burning.

Here are some of my recent faves to help with some of the summer madness and keep me looking good despite the elements! Lets start with bug spray…

The Skin So Soft Bug Guard collection is the go-to choice for insect repellency, featuring products that are tough on bugs but soft on you. All products are DEET-free. Skin So Soft Bug Guard insect repellents are suitable for the entire family. Avon’s insect repellents have the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval and contain one of two EPA-registered active ingredients, IR3535® or Picaridin. The collection includes:

Bug Guard Plus IR3535® Expedition ™ SPF 30 ($14-$16) – Combined sun and insect protection in one product and available in an Aerosol spray and Pump spray. Strong and long-lasting repellency against mosquitoes, deer ticks, sand flies, gnats, no-seeums and biting midges.

Bug Guard Plus Picaridin ($14-$16) – Protection during dusk & dawn, which is when mosquitoes are more active. Repels deer ticks that may transmit Lyme disease and mosquitoes that may carry West Nile virus. Available as an Aerosol Spray, Pump Spray and travel-friendly Towelettes.

Bug Guard Plus IR3535® SPF 30 Lotions ($14) – Repel mosquitoes, deer ticks, black flies, sand flies, gnats, no-seeums and biting midges. Aloe and Vitamin E-enriched formulas are available as a Gentle Breeze Lotion and Cool ‘n Fabulous Disappearing Color Lotion.

Also available is the fab NEW Anti-Itch Spray– Provides temporary, soothing relief to itchy insect bites. ($10).

Beyond just fighting off the bugs outdoors, Avon’s Skin So Soft Bug collection also helps you swat them away virtually with the first-ever Bug Guard game! Visit Avon Products on Facebook to play, and receive a code for free shipping.

Products available at www.avon.com.

AHAVA Sun Anti-Aging Moisturizing Spray SPF 15 ($26 USD, 8.5 oz) This quick-absorbing SPF 15 spray lotion is enriched with Vitamin E and Pro-Vitamin B5 to neutralize free radicals and fight sun damage. It meets Australian-approved UV protection standards and provides effective anti-aging protection in water.

Available at www.ahavaus.com

Proactiv Oil Blotter Sheets

Summer sweating is inevitable, but Proactiv’s Oil Blotter Sheets ($11 USD) absorb excess oil to leave your skin feeling fresh and clean, with a beautiful matte finish. Made from 100% pure natural-fiber paper, with zero artificial ingredients and no talc, they won’t clog your pores. Tuck them in your purse and your good to go, all day long.

Available at www.DiscoverProactiv.com and 1-888-819-2019

Keep your skin clear and glowing with help from Bye Bye Blackheads ($28 USD) from Joey New York Beauty. This gel masque treatment helps to eliminate blackheads and minimize pores – with visible results in as little as one minute.

When I use a thin layer of this under makeup, it tightens my skin and my pores look less noticeable. Visit www.joeynewyork.com to learn more and purchase.

Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream

Use only the most soothing and gentle lotions on your face after cleansing. Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration collection is infused with Clary Sage to deeply moisturize skin. Lather on the Intense Hydration Day Lotion ($17.99 USD) after cleansing in the morning, and let your skin rest softly by applying the Intense Hydration Night Cream ($17.99 USD) right before bed.

These creams are also perfect after a day in the sun. Hydration helps with very sun drenched skin and peeling. Visit www.burtsbees.com near you to learn more. You can purchase at a mass market retailer near you.

Bed Head by TIGI Ego Boost ($16.50 USD) Harsh summer elements can leave your hair looking less than desirable. This stellar split-end mender and leave-in conditioner will help to repair and protect your hair from the harsh summer elements, leaving you with nothing but endless shine!

Enjoy!

butter LONDON to Launch on QVC

butter LONDON is thrilled to announce their launch on QVC in July! The first appearance is this Friday, July 13th and butter LONDON will be selling one of their most popular collections, the Nail Essentials Collection Trio! Famous for exceptional, “3 Free” (non-toxic) nail lacquer colours created each season alongside the world’s top fashion designers, butter LONDON is the “go to” brand for high fashion beauty. Please find a high res image of the collection attached and more information on the air date below.

butter LONDON Nail Essentials Collection Trio (QVC Item #A228230, Approximately $29.50)

This pack contains the basic elements of a 3 Free collection — classic basecoat, lacquer and topcoat. It’s everything you need to start fresh the butter LONDON way! Scheduled to launch on Friday, July 13 at 10 PM (ET) during “Friday Night Beauty”.

butter LONDON is also scheduled to appear on QVC Tuesday, July 31 at 9 PM (ET) during “Tuesday Night Beauty”.

These products will be available through QVC.com, the QVC apps or by calling 800.345.1515.

Enjoy!

The Many Uses Of Ivory

I was lucky to receive a bar of Ivory soap complimentary to review from Ivory and Influenster as a participant in the Mom VoxBox campaign.

Have you tried Ivory Soap before? Here is what it is and can do:

Ivory bar soap is 99.44% pure (it floats!). Beyond using it as a body cleanser, many of Ivory’s loyal users – not to mention a few celebrities – swear by Ivory as their beauty secret. In fact, many consumers use Ivory bar soap as a facial cleanser. It provides healthier, smoother and more even-looking skin. Also, its versatility makes it an effective laundry soap (just chip soap flakes into the washer) as well as a spot stain remover on your clothes (including delicate items). Ivory bars can even be used for a fun soap carving project with the family!

This soap is so versatile! I used it to wash my makeup brushes. It got them very clean and it is so important that it is pure since I use the brushes on my face!

I also placed it in the microwave for about a minute and it foamed up. You can then mold it or just use it to wash clothes or makeup brushes. Super fun for the kids.

Of course it is great for washing face and body. My daughter has eczema and it is comforting to know that the Ivory won’t irritate her skin.

You can also purchase Ivory Body Wash. I have not tried it yet, but I am sure it is fabulous!

A 10-pack of Ivory bar soap retails for around $4.49 (bath bar size) and is available at a mass market retailer near you. The body wash is approximately $3.99.

Enjoy!

imPRESS Press On Manicure by Broadway Nails

I was lucky to received a set of Broadway Nails imPress Press-On Manicure complimentary to review from Influenster (www.influenster.com to sign up for their sample program).

What are these nails you ask? Here are the details:

Introducing imPress Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails, the revolutionary way to apply polish! Featuring advanced nail technology, you can get a salon-perfect manicure in seconds – simply peel off, press on, and you’re done. There’s no drying, a killer shine and a manicure that lasts up to a week! And, imPress is so easy to remove, you can change it up to match your mood as often as you want. Check out all 36 colors and patterns, including trendy brights, classic darks and animal prints. With imPress, your nails will always be your best accessory.

What I think: These nails are so much fun to apply and wear! I first took them all out of the cute packaging and found the correct sizes for my nails, I then removed the plastic over the adhesive and applied them, pinky nails first and ending with my thumbs. They looked really pretty on!

I loved these so much, I went out and bought the pattern “Hottie” for my daughter. Her hands are smaller than mine, but she found the right sizes for her nails as well!

I think these are perfect for a special night out. They lasted a couple of days on me and one day on my daughter.

You can learn more about these at www.impressmanicure.com, and use their fun app that lets you try on the different shades of nails.

Enjoy!

Fresh and Light Fragrances For Summer

It has been so hot in Kansas City lately. Yesterday was almost 105 — yikes! Today has cooled (?) down to the 90’s. In this hot weather, I love to wear fresh and light fragrances. Below are the ones I have been using and enjoying.

Thymes Lemon Geranium Petite Cologne ($18 USD, 0.4 fl oz) — Perfumery meets botany in a lush sensory experience. Perfect for travel, this pocket-sized perfume revitalizes your senses with freshly pulped lemon geranium, clippings of dewy muguet, honeysuckle and green armoise, steeped in Tonka bean and tree moss. Take it wherever life takes you. It is a fresh and citrusy scent, perfect for hot days!

Also Available in bath salts, body souffle, bubbling bath elixir, candle, body and bed mist, and shower gel. The Garden Alchemy Collection also include the scents Rosemary Sage and Wild Angelica.

Available at www.thymes.com.

Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Body Oil ($50 USD 100ml) — Intoxicate the senses with an exotic blend of Coconut Coprah Oil and sweet-scented Frangipani flowers. Monoi Oil is traditionally produced in harmony with nature on the beautiful coral shores of the Polynesian Islands by soaking Frangipani flowers in Coconut Oil.This exquisite treatment oil has long-lasting hydration properties to seal in moisture and leave skin silky soft. Can be used as an intensive conditioning treatment for hair and nails.

This is wonderfully scented and moisturizing. This is for days that you want a lovely sheen on your skin with a sweet floral fragrance. Learn more at www.elemis.com.

Caswell-Massey Sea Grass Hand & Body Soap Set ($30 USD) — Three individually wrapped bar soaps are nestled into a gift box – perfect for hostess gift giving. The scent will transport you to the seashore with a warm, breezy air of a relaxing summer day. Made from the freshest ingredients including a combination of citrus bouquet, sparkling notes of crisp greens, calming florals and hints of Cedar and Sandalwood.

This is a perfect fresh soap to place in by every sink in the house. Available at CaswellMassey.com and Beauty.com

Cartier Baiser Vole ($69 USD 1 oz) Cartier Baiser Vole is an Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner. An original creation from Cartier’s in-house perfumer, Baiser Volé, meaning ‘Stolen Kiss,’ is the expression of love according to Cartier. A story of pure passion told through a strikingly feminine and rare flower: the lily. Baiser Volé is a pure floral fragrance, reflecting all its perfection for the first time: fresh, floral and powdery.

I received a small sample of this in a gift with purchase. I have been wearing it and I fear that my sample is almost out! It is such a wonderful clean, light floral scent. I would wear it every day if I could.

Purchase this at fine fragrance stores like Sephora.

Enjoy a new summer scent!
Notes: Lily Petals, Green Lily Leaves. Style: Fresh. Floral. Powdery.

Define Your Curls With White Sands Curl Up in Silk Firm Hold Mousse

: White Sands Curl Up in Silk

My hair is naturally slightly wavy, so I usually like to straighten it. But in the summer, I don’t like to do a lot to it and try to find ways to accentuate my waves.

So the last few weeks I have been using White Sands Curl Up in Silk Firm Hold Mousse. It is formulated to softly hold curls, creating texture, dimension, waves, and volume: the perfect styling product for curl definition and hold. Yet, despite its firm hold, Curl Up in Silk provides a light, flexible feel free of unwanted flaking and product build up, leaving hair silky, shiny and soft.

The claim of this product is that due to the unique chemical molecular structure of the ingredients, Curl Up in Silk Firm Hold Mousse will provide a new type of curl pattern. Once applied to wet or dry locks, the wave created will take on a rope-like effect, causing the hair to group together and turn over each other. Curl up in Silk also resists moisture for long-lasting styles even in the highest levels of humidity. With the additional benefit of thermal protection, it is the perfect complement to your favorite heat styling tools such as curling irons, hot rollers, and flat irons.

As my hair is not curly, just a little wavy, I get soft, slightly ropey waves. But it is a beachy look — like I just came out of the ocean! It also smells fantastic and leaves my hair soft.

Suggested Retail Price: 7oz, $19.50 via fine salons & www.whitesandsproducts.com.

Enjoy!

Pureology Supreme Control Maximum Hold Zero Dulling Hairspray

It’s time to take control of your hair! No longer must you hide your limp locks or frizzy flyaways with hats and scarves, because Pureology is introducing Supreme Control maximum hold zero dulling hairspray ($26, 11oz)!

Supreme Control fortifies your sometimes unpredictable hair with maximum hold and extra shine to keep your ponytails smooth, your braids tight, and your curls bouncy… all while keeping your hair sleek, shiny, and frizz-free. Join us in discovering the newest addition to the Pureology Colour Stylist line of styling products, which will deliver the hold you want, and the protection and color fade prevention you deserve!

Like other Colour Stylist products, Supreme Control features Pureology’s exclusive Strengthening Anti Fade Complex® enhanced with Keravis protein to provide strength and protect colour from UV and free radical damage. Vegetable-based polymers provide caring hold that lasts. Unique reflective lipid extracts deliver maximum radiance and olive oil replenishes and nourishes to infuse hair with suppleness, while camelina extract forms a humidity-resistant barrier to help lock in the style. Finally, coriander oil creates mirror surface shine for enhanced colour vibrancy.

What I think: First of all, this hairspray smells amazing. Which is unusual for hair spray as it usually has a chemical scent.

I have found that it has a fairly stiff hold, but it does not dull the hair. This is perfect for every day use, and special occasions.

Visit www.pureology.com for a retail location near you!

Enjoy!

Sexy Summer Makeup From LORAC, BECCA Cosmetics and the New Simply Vera Vera Wang Collection

LORAC Wild For TANtalizer® Collection ($39 USD) — This limited-edition set contains all the warm-weather must-haves including an eye shadow quad with shimmering gold and bronze eye shadows, a limited-edition animal-print face bronzer, TANtalizer Lips With Benefits Gloss in a super sexy peach-bronze shade, and an exotic canvas bag with animal-print details.

I love the colors in this set. The eye shadow palette give a sexy, smoky eye and the bronzer and lip gloss are light and glowy. Perfect for hot summer nights! Available at www.loraccosmetics.com.

I have been lucky to try some fab products from the new Simply Vera Vera Wang COSMETICS collections, including the ones below. The shades and formulas are shimmery and so summery! I love:

Simply Vera Vera Wang COSMETICS Illuminating Powder Blush ($19.50 USD) — Give cheeks a soft, radiant glow with sheer yet buildable color. Included brush helps you create the perfect illuminating color on your cheeks. Powder blush is perfect for summer because it is longer wearing than cream blush — great for summer!

Simply Vera Vera Wang COSMETICS Smoothing Lipcolor ($18.50 USD) — Glide on for rich color that reduces the appearance of fine, dry lines. This lipstick is almost like a balm because it is so moisturizing, but the colors are well pigmented.

Simply Vera Vera Wang COSMETICS Transforming Shadow Duo ($19.50 USD) — A new approach to shadow duos – the sophisticated pairs define, shape and enhance eyes. Wear individually or together. Matte and shimmering finishes provide you with options.

The only thing that I don’t care for about this collection are that the many shades are numbered and do not have actual names. It’s kind of confusing that way! Available at Kohl’s store and www.kohls.com.

BECCA Cosmetics Balearic Love Collection — BECCA invites you to dream of distant shores and unguarded temptation with the Balearic Love Collection.

BECCA Cosmetics Mineral Blush ($32 USD) is a luxury powder for cheeks, imparting natural, luminous colour that is ultra-kind to skin. This longwearing mineral contains a hint of highlight to lift the complexion, with a delicate formula that never appears cakey or chalky. I love the Bolero color which is a demi-matte bronze. This will help enhance a tan — like the fake one I am sporting!

BECCA Cosmetics Eye Tint ($24 USD) — An ingenious eye crème with a unique formulation that glides on as a crème and sets to a powder. This long-lasting, water-resistant, crease-resistant tint is easy to apply, offering adjustable levels of sheer to high pigment colour.

This is so pretty, but it is more of a thick liquid than a cream and collects in the crease of my eye. I have to blend it out of the crease with a brush or my fingers. But it does last a fairly long time.

BECCA Cosmetics Line and Define Pencil ($23 USD) — A combination liner and brightener in one, this convenient dual-ended pencil has a soft, smooth texture that glides on easily to line, define and brighten the eyes, while blending easily. The dark side of BECCA’s Line & Define Pencil lavishly lines while the light side helps brighten and awaken tired eyes for a vibrant and youthful effect.

I have this in Cabrera — metallic bronze on one side and deep violet on the other. The colors are gorgeous and very smooth in application. I love using the Violet for the top lash and the bronze for the bottom. But, they do not last and smear under my eyes only an hour or two after wear. I tried to wear it at work one day and had to remove it shortly after arriving, because it was running down my face. So sad, because it is so pretty!

BECCA Cosmetics Nail Color ($15 USD) — This high-performance enamel coats nails with an immediate glossy shine that has superior lasting-power. With smooth, self-leveling colour that brushes evenly onto nails, BECCA Nail Colour delivers intense, fast-drying pigment for imminently wearable nails in 9 must-have colours. I love Cala Blanca (a sandy nude) for summer fingernails and Tempranillo (Plum Red) for my toes.

Purchase at www.beccacosmetics.com. Enjoy!

China Glaze Summer Neons 2012

There are some fantastic new bright fingernail polishes available now to brighten up your summer!

China Glaze has recently released their Summer 2012 collection called Summer Neons. The shades are:

Love’s A Beach: Sizzling hot pink

Hang-Ten Toes: Bubblegum neon with iridescent purple shimmer

Under the Boardwalk: Fluorescent raspberry

Beach Cruise-r: Glimmering fuchsia grape

Ride the Waves: Dark ocean blue

Splish Splash: Bright sky blue shimmer

I’m With the Lifeguard: Glimmering lime green

Sun-Kissed: Hot highlighter yellow

Orange You Hot?: Bright orange with attention-grabbing gold glimmer

Surfin’ For Boys: Glistening bright coral

Flirty Tankini: Shimmery strawberry smoothie pink

Pink Plumeria: Light pink with gold shimmer

All the shades are so pretty and will be fun on finger or toe nails!

Available now at salons and beauty supply stores near you!

Enjoy!

I Just Received My FREE Mom VoxBox 2012

I was lucky to be chosen to receive a Mom VoxBox from influenster.com. Influenster is a website that you can take little surveys about your lifestyle and interests, and you may receive boxes of samples to review.

How do you get a VoxBox? The website states:

Influensters are selected for themed shipments based on the badges they have unlocked and individual demographics, ensuring members receive products that match their lifestyles and interests. Members with high ‘Influenster scores’ – within the specific consumer groups we are targeting for that program – are prioritized, so make sure to connect and unlock as many Influence Badges as you can!

Being a mom, I recently received the Mom Box. It contained the items in the photo above:

Ivory Bar Soap ($4.27 for 10 pack)

DenTek Comfort Clean & Fun Flossers ($1.99 – $2.99 for full packs)

Stash Tea Superfruits Tea Sampler ($3.50)

Nektar Sweetener ($6.99 box of 40 packets)

Quaker Soft Baked Cookies ($2.69 Box of 6)

inPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails ($5.99 – $7.99)

Bonus Gift — The Original Dish Drying Mat ($4.99)

This was a wonderful box to receive — free stuff is awesome! I will be doing more in-depth reviews of some of these products soon, so stay tuned!

I definitely recommend for you to go to www.influenster.com to sign up!