Beauty – Page 160 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Try Something New with Vis-à-Vis Cosmetics

Vis-à-Vis Cosmetics was created by Theresa Rivera and Karen Kretschmann to address the needs of today’s modern woman. They have a range of product that include face powder, blush, lip products and combination choose-your-0wn-shade sets.

I tried two Vis-à-Vis blushes, my favorite being the Smooth Wear Blush ($16.00 USD on sale for $5.00). This is a glowy, but not a shimmery blush and is appropriate for day or evening. It goes on smooth and even, but being well pigmented, you only need a little for a beautiful glow. This is available in 5 shades: Ginger Spice, Mirabelle (a deep plum), Naked Truth, Peach Passion and Rose Rapture.

Luminous Blush ($16.00 USD on sale for $5.00) is also a pretty blush, but has a lot of shimmer. This can be used as a blush, but also as an illuminator for eyes, cheeks, shoulders and décolletage. The unique formulation contains micro pearls and it blends evenly. I tried Diva Dust, which is a light golden bronze. It is also available in Golden Dust and Star Dust.

The non-sticky Lip Glaze ($18.00 USD on sale for $5.00) is so pretty! It’s available in 10 shades. I have been using Innocence, a sandy-nude color. It is soft and pretty alone — or use it for a bit of drama over matte lipsticks. This gloss is shimmery and has lots of shine. It doesn’t have a taste (which is fine by me), but smells like yummy vanilla.

Get a flawless finish with the Face Powder ($13.00 USD on sale for $5.00). This claims to provide flawless coverage and even out skin tone with a radiant finish. It contains sunflower seed oil, oat kernel extract, vitamins A&E and chamomile to help soothe and protect skin. I find that this is smooth and silky, and doesn’t cake in my lines and pores. Available in three shades: Light Balance, Medium Balance and Dark Balance. I used the Light Balance, which looks very light in the compact, but is almost translucent on.

You might have noticed that all of these products are on sale for $5.00 each! Very affordable and a good chance to try something new. I am impressed with every thing I tried, so I don’t think you can go wrong with the price. I don’t know how long the sale will last. Visit www.visaviscosmetics.com to purchase these fab products!

New Launches from Neil George Hair Care

The Neil George salon in Beverly Hills was founded in April 2005 by hairstylists Amanda George and Neil Weisberg. Their line of hair care products were created to keep hair healthy and shiny, by using natural ingredients. I recently tried a couple of their new products:

Refresh Dry Shampoo ($21.00 3.2 oz) – Have you tried a dry shampoo yet? They are great if you are unable to wash your hair or if you love your style (or blow-out today) and do want to wash it away. Refresh Dry Shampoo has a unique blend of plants and fruits to absorb oil and sebum from the scalp, restoring health and refreshing hair without having to wash it. The website states, “A powerful complex of Jaborandi, Cherimoya and Gotu Kola combine to stimulate circulation, optimize hair health and provide a dose of niacin and thiamin, improving the strength of the hair root itself. Paraben Free.”

I spray this at the roots of my hair and wait 30 seconds, then rub it in. It has a nice fresh smell and doesn’t leave my hair stiff or dry. My hair remains soft and manageable with this spray and is noticabley less oily at the roots. This is a good product to have around for bad hair days!

Perfect Hold Hairspray ($22.00 8.5 oz) – This flexible hold hairspray includes complex blend of exclusive oils such as Shikekai oil, Eclipta Oil and Indian Gooseberry Oil that claims to create an enriching base while Panthenol and UV protectors fortify and strengthen the hair. Both the scalp and hair are conditioned without buildup and protected from over styling through the spray’s long-lasting moisturization.

I don’t usually use hairspray on my long, blunt cut hair. I do use it if I straighten or curl my hair. But I have been using this ever day, and I really like that it smooths my hair and doesn’t leave it stiff or sticky. The style lasts all day, too! I think this will be great for the Spring and Summer when I am outside more often because of the UV protectors and that the oils will help protect from the frizzies.

Clinique Moisturizers — Even Better and Comfort on Call

When I use Clinique’s fabulous skincare — allergy-tested and 100% fragrance free — I always feel like I am doing something good for my skin. I know that not only will it look better, but it will feel better, too!

I’ve tried a couple new moisturizers from Clinique this past month. One — the Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer — is new, and the other — Comfort on Call Allergy Tested Relief Cream — is perfect for dry, chapped winter skin.

Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer SPF 20 ($42.50 USD) – This is an intriguing product. It claims to erase past skin damage to create a more even skin tone, while providing high-level UVA/UVB defense with an SPF 20 to help prevent future discoloration. At first I thought this only meant fading of darker skin patches and spots (like the sun spots I have on my hands). But, in my research into this product, I have found that many women claim that it helps fade acne scars.

While using this product, I have noticed that my dark spots on my hands are fading, which is fantastic! I don’t have many, but they do bother me. My face looks clearer and has a pretty glow to it. I enjoy that the cream is light and non-greasy. It soaks right into my skin, allowing me to almost immediately apply makeup after application. It does smell like sunscreen, but that doesn’t bother me. I highly recommend this cream.

Is your skin dry, red and flaky? Comfort on Call Allergy Tested Relief Cream ($39.50 USD) might be the cream for you. This was tested by a leading dermatologist who specializes in skin allergies on dry, sensitive and reactive skins. It is great for people sensitive skin and even people with eczema (like my teenage daughter) because it protects the skin without irritating it. It can be greasy, since it is so thick. I can’t use it on my face, but I have on the back of my hands and they feel very smooth afterwards.

Visit www.clinique.com to learn more about these moisturizers and other that might be perfect for you!

White Sands ER Fusion

White Sands, a professional hair care manufacturer infusing cutting edge science with natural botanicals, has created a hair reconstructive treatment called ER Fusion ($26.00 USD). This product’s goal is to revitalize lifeless, dull hair restoring it back to a youthful appearance.

The claim for this is:

ER Fusion is the perfect complement to your favorite shampoo. Effortlessly repair hair from roots to ends by applying the product through wet locks. The crème’s unique ingredients create a clear micro-shield to seal in hair color and enhance each strand’s integrity. Utilizing a skin care delivery system, this shield serves as a second breathable skin for hair, delivering moisture from the inside out to eliminate frizz. As nature’s most sophisticated moisturizers, ER Fusion’s weightless quaternaries balance and adjust color. A complex set of amino cystines, the smallest proteins available with strengthening properties, repair damage by absorbing directly into the inside of each strand, while lemon grass further enhances color with a high gloss.

The ideal use of this product is to apply to clean, wet hair and leave on under heat for 20 minutes. Instead I kept it in my hair for 20 minutes (without the heat). I then applied my normal styling products and blew my hair dry. I don’t think it sealed my hair cuticle, but I do like how soft and manageable my hair is after use. Also, my hair color does seem brighter and my hair is fairly shiny. For me this is a great treatment for dry, winter hair. I think if I did have a hair dryer that I could stick my head under, it would have worked even better.

To purchase this product, visit www.whitesandproducts.com. Enjoy!

Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller and DNA Superstructure UV Cream SPF 25

Olay has changed so much since my mother began using it years ago. I believe her Oil of Olay first came in a jar and had a very distinct scent to it. She, and many other women swore by it (my mom still looks super young and still uses it). At the time, it was one of the only accessible drugstore brands of anti-aging skincare.

Now there are so many brands of skincare, and Olay has kept right up with them. One of their popular lines is the Regenerist line. This collection claims to regenerate the skin’s appearance once cell at a time.

I tried the following new Regenerist products:

Regenerist DNA Superstructure UV Cream SPF 25 ($24.99 USD) This new anti-aging moisturizer is touted to help rebuild cellular surface structure and restore firmness, regenerating a more youthful appearance. It contains SPF 25 and anti-oxidants to protect the skin.

This moisturizer is a perfect light day cream, and the SPF is so important. I don’t know if it is rebuilding my cellular structure, but my skin looks very smooth since I began using it. It also has a nice, light floral scent that is not overpowering.

The Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller ($22.99 USD) “features precision micro-rollers that gently massage in a concentrated, hydrating anti-aging treatment to not only help reduce eye puffiness, but also regenerate skin’s appearance to diminish fine lines and wrinkles.” This formula is Dermatologically Tested and Non-Comedogenic (Won’t Clog Pores).

This is a fun product to use. You click the button on the bottom to release the serum, and then massage it under (and all around) the eye. It feels cooling on and seems to decrease puffiness. I don’t have many eye wrinkles, but the skin under my eye seems smoother.

I plan on trying more Regenerist products in the future. Learn more at www.olay.com.

Soap and Paper Factory Creates Beautiful Bath Products

The Soap and Paper Company combines natural, handmade products with earth-friendly, beautifully designed packaging. What’s cool is that each pattern and fragrance are created together. The website states that, “each fragrance is designed to stimulate the mind, body and spirit. Each pattern starts as a hand drawing often inspired by nature and finished with a modern flare.”

I sampled the fragrances and they are very natural and fresh smelling. Some of my favorites are Fig, it is deep and sexy, Orange Blossom, because it is so fresh and bright, the Green Tea, which is clean and citrusy and the spicy and sultry Geranium.

I also tried the following products:

Solid Perfume ($18.00 USD) — Solid perfumes are so great because they contain soft scent in a great, travel-sized container. You can take it anywhere. This solid perfume contains pure jojoba and beeswax blended with fragrance and does not contain parabens, phthalates, or petrochemicals. Available in Rosewood, Verbena, Orange Blossom, Green Tea, Jasmine, Gardenia and Geranium

Shea Butter Soaps ($9.00 USD) — This bar soap contains shea butter to soften the skin. This is great for the bath or the sink. It is available in Roland Pine, Geranium, Jasmine and Gardenia.

Check out and purchase these product and more at www.soapandpaperfactory.com. Enjoy!

Weleda Pomegranate Travel Kit

Weleda creates all natural products from plants which are grown in Biodynamic gardens. A great way to try them is with the Pomegranate Body Care Travel Kit ($9.99 USD). This fun little kit includes body care products that are made with organic pomegranate seed oil which contains potent antioxidants that help promote skin renewal and enhance the skin’s vitality and natural radiance.

It includes three products from Weleda’s Pomegranate Regenerating Body Care line to help with aging skin. It claims to have everything that aging skin needs to be completely renewed, revitalized and protected.

CONTENTS:
Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil 0.32 fl OZ (10ml) — helps to protect your skin from free radicals, regulates moisture balance and supports skin renewal.
Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream 0.3 fl OZ (10g) — helps to prevent the formation of age spots, protects your hands from free radicals and helps promote skin renewal.
Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash 0.72 OZ (20g) — invigorates your shower routine with gentle cleansing agents and antioxidant-loaded organic pomegranate seed oil that helps renew your skin.

I love the fresh scent of these products. I always need a hand cream and it is great to have one that I can stick in my purse! And although I don’t have age spots yet, I like to know that there is a natural hand cream that can help prevent them. I also love the creamy body wash and body oil. They are fantastic for my dry, winter skin. Plus, after using the kit for a few days, I have noticed how soft and smooth my skin is!

Visit www.usa.weleda.com to learn more and to purchase the great, natural products!

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque

Need a little help with your skin this Winter? Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque ($43.00 USD) is touted to help environmentally damaged, irritated and hypersensitive skin.

This effects from this mask are described as “Super-concentrated antioxidant vitamins and botanicals dramatically reduce the inflammation and redness associated with stressed, prematurely aging skin. Antioxidant Vitamins A and C help promote collagen and elastin production for increased suppleness.”

I have used this mask 3 times in as many weeks. I smooth it on my skin and leave it on for 15 or 20 minutes then rinse it off. Afterwards, my skin is SO soft, dewy and the redness on my cheeks and around my nose is lessened. Plus, the more I have used it, the better my skin looks.

I highly recommend this anti-aging treatment, it’s quite a help in the cold, dry winter!

Visit www.dermalogica.com/us

Estee Lauder Signature Eye Shadow Quad in Black Smoke Gives a Dramatic Eye for New Year’s Eve!

The Estee Lauder Signature Eyeshadow Quad in Black Smoke is a part of the new Blacker Than Black collection that includes six of their most popular mascaras in the deepest jet black.

To compliment the mascaras, the eye shadow quad is equally as dramatic. These shadows not only look great but are made of microfine powder which is touted not to crease and to blend seamlessly.

I know what you’re thinking, there are tons of smoky eye palettes on the market, why purchase this one? Well, besides the quality of an Estee Lauder product — the shadows are silky and well-pigmented — the shades of the palette are very pretty. It includes a sparkly black with pink sparkles, a medium matte gray, a lighter, shimmery gray and a stark white with a touch of shimmer.

The traditional smoky eye — darker on the lid and lighter going towards the eyebrow — is fun, but I like to mix it up a little. A really fun look is to put the black on the lid and line the eyes in the shimmery gray. The grays are great lid colors as well and mixing the white in will lighten them up.

Visit www.esteelauder.com to learn more about this palette and to purchase. Enjoy!

Try A New Look in 2010 with beautyADDICTS

beautyADDICTS has the right idea. They have four makeup collections: Glow (icy pinks and lavenders), Express (buff, cream and bronze), Motivate (berry, plum and pink) and Seduce (silver, black and ruby). Each collection includes eye shadow and lip gloss quads, blush and shimmer duos and an eye pencil, lip pencils and lipsticks.

I think the Express Collection ($169.00 USD for whole collection shown above) is especially nice for a polished, every day look. I love the eye shadow quad ($35.00 USD). These silky, luxurious shadows go on smooth and stay on all day. It includes a matte off-white for highlighting, a shimmery rose gold for the lid, a shimmery bronze for contour and a matte espresso for lining.

I also love the lip gloss quads ($28.00) in shades ranging from buff to deep bronze. The glosses are smooth, not sticky and you can blend them together for the perfect shade.

So if you are looking for a new quality makeup look for 2010, try beautyADDICTS. Visit www.beautyaddicts.com to purchase these fantastic products. Enjoy!