Almay – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

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!

Want a Fun New Look? Try Purple Mascara!

This summer I tried purple mascara for the first time. I had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for Almay Cosmetics at Walgreens. I decided to try some new eye products, so I chose a new mascara and eye palette. I have brown eyes, and Almay’s Intense Eye Color line claimed that purples are the color for me.

The mascara I tried is called Almay Intense I-Color Play Up Thickening Mascara in Purple Amethyst ($7.49 USD). The brush has hard plastic bristles that separate and the formula is very thickening. The color is hard to discern on my black lashes, and the effect it gives is a soft black color. I really like this mascara, but it is more of a day look than an evening look. The best feature? It does not smudge at all!

This weekend I decided to see if Sephora and Ulta had any other purple mascaras that were a little more noticeable for going out. The first one I tried was Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Colored Mascara in Purple Haze ($17.00 USD). This is a brighter purple than the Almay shade. This was more noticeable on my lashes, but my lashes themselves did not appear much thicker or longer. I would not buy this mascara.

The second new mascara I tried was Benefit’s BADgal Plum ($19.00 USD). The color on this is a lot different than the other two, since it is a true plum and not a purple. I really like the formula. It made my lashes look huge. The color is fun, too, but it might be better on someone with fairer lashes.

I LOVE mascara, so it is always fun to try new colors and formulations. Go out and test drive some new lashes today!

Well Hello, Bright Eyes…Almay’s New Line

: Almay Bright Eyes Liner/Highlighter Duo

With my kids and husband back in school, I am getting less sleep doing more work. So my eyes are looking kind of tired. At forty, I do not want to look tired. That’s why I was drawn to Almay’s new Bright Eyes line.

The claim for this line is that it, “instantly refreshes and enhances your eyes. Now, you can always have the natural radiance that comes with a great night’s sleep.” The main brightening ingredients in the line are white tea and marine extract, whatever that is.
There are three products in the line, the Liner/Highlighter Duo, the Eye Base + Concealer and the Eye Shadow. I purchased the Liner/Highlighter Duo in Dark Chocolate/Shell and the Eye Base + Concealer in Light.

I usually wear black, purple or navy eyeliner and I usually wear eye shadow as liner. I haven’t purchased a dark brown eyeliner in years. It’s nice, though. The eye liner is a little hard and tugs at my eye lids a bit, but I like the color, it’s a rich dark brown.

The highlighter on the other end is very soft. On my first use, I didn’t see any color when I used it. Then I looked at myself in natural light and noticed a soft, light pink shimmer. Very nice. I use the highlighter below my browbones, in the inner corners of my eyes and on my cheekbones. Can we say youthful glow?!

The concealer is wonderful. You sqeeze the tube and the product comes out through the brush on top. I dab it on then rub it in gently with my finger. It instantly brightens up my eyes. I also use it as an eye shadow base and I have to say, my shadow seems to stay on longer.

If you are looking for a youthful eye look at a reasonable price (both were $8.99 at Walgreens), check this line out.

Hey All! Enter my 100th Blog Post Giveaways! I will be giving away products from It Cosmetics, Yes to Carrots and EcoTools! To enter, just leave a comment on ANY of my posts between 4/26 – 5/2. I will draw 3 names on Sunday 5/3/09 and notify the winners! To see exactly what I am giving away, check out my post http://tinyurl.com/dgnxda. Good Luck!