beauty products – Page 10 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Avon liiv botanicals

Avon has been around a very long time and is continuously coming out with fun new products that are accessible to almost everyone.

Recently, Avon has launched a new line of skincare products called liiv botanicals. This line boasts “Plant Essence Technology which captures active plant extracts to deliver rejuvenating benefits directly to the skin.” These products are fragrance-free, preservative-free and dye-free. This makes them ideal for sensitive skin (like mine).

liiv botanicals Vital Day Cream with SPF 20 ($15.00 1.7 fl. oz). The claim is that this, “nourishing formula with natural plant extracts protects skin from harmful UV rays, stress and the environment. After 1 day of use, skin is noticeably fresher and smoother. In just 3 days, skin reveals a healthier clarity and improved texture and tone.”

In the morning and night, I slather this cream all over my face and it absorbs quickly, leaving my skin very soft. I have noticed that since I have been using it, my skin does look more even and has a nice glow to it. Another plus is that since it does absorb so quickly, you can apply makeup just a few minutes after rubbing in the cream. And, I can’t say enough about the importance of SPF in your day cream!

liiv botanicals Vitalizing Eye Cream with SPF 15 ($12.00 5 fl. oz). Claims that in just 2 weeks the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles will diminish, and it will minimize bags and tighten the under eye area. In 4 weeks it claims to reduce under eye circles and firm up skin.

I have been using these products for about 3 weeks now and my under eye area does look smoother. My dark circles are a bit lighter and my bags are gone! This also has an SPF. I don’t know if it is as vital to have SPF with your eye cream, but it is nice.

All in all, I think this is a very nice line for the price. It is affordable for almost all budgets and the natural ingredients are great for the skin. Check out this line and others at www.avon.com or talk to that awesome Avon Lady that you know…

Smooth Shaving Part 2 — Gillette Venus Spa Breeze and Embrace Razors

Gillette Venus razors are one of the most popular brands for women, and with good reason. They are always introducing new, extremely effective products. When you buy a Venus razor, you know it’s going to give you a close, smooth shave.

I’ve been lucky enough to try some of the new and revamped razors from Venus:

Gillette Venus Embrace — $9.99 — $11.99 USD for the refillable razor, two cartridges, and a shower pod to hold the razor in the shower and $13.49 – $14.99 USD for a four-pack cartridge refills. This razor now comes with a new purple and turquoise handle and has five, yes FIVE, blades for an perfectly smooth and close shave. I love this razor! The head swivels and hugs every curve. This would be perfect for the summer when we wear way less clothes!

Gillette Venus Spa Breeze System — $9.99 USD for the refillable razor, two shave gel bar cartrideges and a shower compact and $11.49 USD for a four-pack of refill cartridges.

Gillette Venus Spa Breeze Disposables — $6.49 – $8.49 USD for a two pack.

What makes the Spa Breeze different than most razors is that it has shave-gel bars on the head of the razor above and below the blades. The shave gel bars are scented with white tea and you do not need separate shaving lotion or soap when shaving.

Both the Spa Breeze Refillable and the Disposables are practically the same. The handle on the refillable is a little bigger and more ornate. The only real difference is if the user enjoys a refillable razor or prefers disposables.

I gave my 13 year old daughter Hannah the refillable and I tried the disposable (the Embrace is all mine!). Hannah reports that the Spa Breeze’s scent is fantastic and it makes her legs smooth, but she had to go over some areas twice. I agree with her. It is such a cool idea to have built in shave gel and would be great to take on trips this summer. But the shave bars do kind of get in the way of the blades, making it necessary to shave twice to make sure you get all of the hair.

My recommendation is for the Venus Embrace — don’t let five blades scare you. They are awesome. If you love great scents and don’t want to buy a separate shaving lotion, try the Venus Spa Breeze. Visit their website at www.gillettevenus.com/en_US to learn more about the products and find a retailer near you.

Smooth Shaving Part 1 — Whish All Natural Shaving Products

I have been known to just use soap or shower gel to shave my legs. So it was a really nice change to use the luxurious Whish shaving products. This line uses natural and mostly organic ingredients. Without the harsh chemicals, my skin is even smoother after shaving than usual!

The Whish Pomegranate Shave Crave Pump Shave Cream ($24.00 USD), is a very moisturizing, thick cream. It has a wonderful pomegranate scent that is tart and sweet all at once! The ingredients includes organic shea butter, organic green tea and organic jojoba seed oil, and they leave your skin soft and smooth. Unlike many store brands of shaving cream, the Whish Shave Crave doesn’t dry the skin or leave it sticky. It’s kind of like a shower gel and body butter all in one.

After shaving, I use the Whish Flawless Ingrown Hair Serum ($22.50 USD) on the little red bumps on my legs. I’ve noticed that even after the first use, the bumps were less noticeable. After a couple weeks of use they seem to almost vanish. Their formula includes wheat germ extract to soothe, yeast extract to regenerate and willow bark extract to fight inflammation. It has a very mild scent and feels cool when you apply it.

The Whish products are “made in the USA with Earth friendly packaging and ingredients. Tested on us, not animals™.” These are a nice splurge, especially with warmer weather (hopefully) in the near future. You can purchase this products along with shower gels, body butters and much more at www.whishbody.com. Enjoy!

Essie’s Spring 2009 Collection

For this spring, Essie has released a fun collection of six colors to suit every mood. The season’s fresh, flowy fashions (I do love alliteration!) were the inspiration for this line and it “captures the femininity of the season with a fresh, hopeful attitude”.

Here is Essie’s description of each color:

One of a Kind — poppy red kiss

Eternal Optimist — spiced tea rose

Mesmerize — royal va-va blue

Status Symbol — feisty hot pink

Flawless — cherry blossom pink

Lacquered Up — red hot crimson

My favorites are the Eternal Optimist which is a very lovely pinky-beige and One of a Kind which is a really bright red-orange. My 13 year-old daughter of course loves Mesmerize, which I wore the other day and she said it was cool on me! Awesome!

These polishes sell for $9.00 USD each. Essie’s website is www.essie.com. You can visit it to find a store that carries the products or purchase online. Have fun!

Kenzo’s Eaux de Fleurs Spring Fragrance Collection

Kenzo is known for their lovely fragrances such as Flower by Kenzo and Kenzo Amour. They have just introduced a new fragrance line for Spring: the Eaux de Fleurs Collection. The Kenzo website describes the collection as; “Kenzo flower waters are picked from Japanese trees. Each eau de toilette in the collection evokes a delicate trail of tree blossom. Three new fragrances made of natural, clear and streamlined floral notes. Every year, Kenzo will enrich this collection by picking another flower.” There are three fragrances in this collection:

Eau de Fleur de Soie Silk (1.7 oz , $55.00) — a silk flower fragrance that is “a crimson floral note with a tender, fruity heart.”

Eau de Fleur de Magnolia (1.7 oz , $55.00) — a magnolia fragrance that is “a radiant floral bouquet, bursting with hesperidian notes.”

Eau de Fleur de The – Tea (1.7 oz , $55.00) — a green tea fragrance that is “a floral concoction with notes of green tea and a hint of musk.”

I have only tried the Eau de Fleur de The – Tea and I think it’s wonderful. It is a very bright, yet soft musk. It’s not too sweet, which is perfect for me. I think the Silk or the Magnolia scents would be wonderful if you’re in the mood for something more flowery or fruity. The tea fragrance is great for every day. I get lots of compliments at work when I wear it.

I think it’s fun that they will be introducing a new addition to the collection each year. I am looking forward to next year’s offering! Visit their website at www.kenzousa.com to purchase or locate as store to try these fabulous scents.

Tarte ReCreate™ Foundation

I love liquid foundation. I know that mineral powder foundations are all the rage these days, but I for me nothing beats the perfect smoothing foundation that is a perfect match to my skin color. It hides my pores and makes the rest of my makeup look flawless.

Tarte’s ReCreate™ Foundation ($37.00 USD) is a natural anti-aging foundation with Wrinkle Rewind™ Technology. What’s that, you ask? Tarte’s website explains it as, “proprietary re-hydrating complex restores moisture, tone, and elasticity to the skin, effectively reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles”. They also claim the micronized minerals in the formula help brighten the skin and provide an SPF 15.

Other ingredients also include goji berry extract, peat extract, and wheat extract and its paraben, sulfate, and phthalate free. To find out all of the ingredients, visit Tarte’s website at www.tartecosmetics.com.

I think that the price of this foundation is good for the great coverage and glow it gives you. I have noticed that it doesn’t settle in my fine lines and makes my pores (a big problem) less noticeable. I am yet to get a lot of lines (yay sunscreen!), but it seems to make the ones I have less noticeable. All in all, a great liquid foundation!

Dry Flyaway Hair? KMS California Products Can Put the Moisture Back!

Kansas City weather is rough on the hair. It is so dry in the winter that my hair is dull and flyaway. In the summer it is so humid that my hair looks like a big frizzy puff ball! But for right now, these KMS California products — Moistrepair Revival Creme, Silksheen Gloss Spray, and Moistrepair Overnight Mask — really help my hair stay soft and silky.

I apply KMS Moistrepair Revival Creme ($13.95 USD) to clean, wet hair like a leave in conditioner. It is infused with aloe and vanilla and makes my hair very soft once I dry it.

KMS Silksheen Gloss Spray ($16.95 USD) gives a nice shine to my dull hair. I spray this on my dry hair before I leave the house in the morning. This spray contains almond and basil, and is not sticky at all and gives great shine.

KMS moistrepair overnight mask ($29.95 USD) is best used on clean, dry hair at night. Like the Revival Creme, this is infused with aloe and vanilla. I slather a half a tube to a tube (for really dry or long hair) of this on my hair, sleep, then I wake up to soft hair in the morning. Don’t worry if your hair is a little wet with the product at night because it drys by morning and does not leave any residue on your pillow!

KMS California has different collections for every hair situation, such as colored hair, flat hair, curly hair, etc. I am looking forward to trying (and reviewing) their Anti-Humidity Seal in the summer. Their website. www.kmscalifornia.com can direct you to a salon near you that sells the products.

Sea Results Line Menders from H2O+

The Sea Results Collection from H2O+ claims to, “visibly rewind signs of aging with firming phospholipids and restorative sea nutrients.” The Sea Resulsts Line Mender cream and Sea Results Eye Mender Plus also claim to improve the quality of aging skin in 28 days.

The H2O+ website, http://www.h20plus.com, also touts these statistics concerning the Sea Results Line Mender cream ($54.00 USD), “Over 28 days of continued daily use, 97% of those participating in a consumer panel test reported their skin to be more richly hydrated and 95% noticed smoother, more even skin texture. There was a 22% decrease in wrinkle depth and 19% increase in firmness over that same period of time. In addition to softening dermal creases and refining skin texture, this multi-tasking formula also provides antioxidant protection to help reduce the effects of free radical induced damage. ”

People who participated in a consumer panel test of the Sea Results Eye Mender Plus ($36.00 USD) reported that after a period of 28 days of continued daily use, a 47% decrease in wrinkle depth, a 24% reduction in puffiness and 19% increase in firmness was observed.

I have been using these products for approximately 28 days and I have to say that my skin looks clearer, it is softer and firmer and my eyes look less puffy. My lines on my forehead are a little less noticeable. I think that if I use it a month or two longer, they will be even smoother.

I really do love this cream. It absorbs quickly and can be worn under makeup. That is a big plus for me as I have little time in the morning to get ready for work. The eye cream is thicker, but also absorbs fairly fast. Also, they both smell really great. They have a lighter version of the H2O Spa scent.

My verdict? The price is a bit high, but the quality is excellent. I definitely recommend this line!

Spring Roses from The Body Shop Part 2 — The Moroccan Rose Bath & Body Collection

Happy Valentine’s Day! So he didn’t get you roses? Go get yourself some by indulging in the Body Shop’s Moroccan Rose Bath and Body Collection!

Notes:

Top notes: Rose, floral, spice
Middle notes: Rose, mimosa, orange
Base notes:Rose, cedarwood, vanilla, musk

Moroccan Rose Eau de Toilette (25.00 USD) — “A fresh, sophisticated and feminine rose fragrance that captures the beauty and romance of Valentine’s Day. ” This fragrance is very interesting. It goes on very rosy smelling and dries sweet and spicy! It is quite an unusual rose fragrance that took a little bit of wearing to get used to, but I really like it. Maybe if I wear it today, my husband will get the hint!

Moroccan Rose Body Butter ($20.00 USD) – This creamy moisturizer is infused with Moroccan Rose extracts that smooth the skin. It also contains Community Trade shea butter and Community Trade babassu oil; both ingredients that leave the skin soft and supple. I find that this is great in the winter when I needs thick body cream to moisturize my very dry skin.

Moroccan Rose Body Milk ($16.00 USD) – This is a lightweight “12-hour moisturizer” that comes in a pump. It is nice for a lighter moisturizer and will probably be fantastic when the weather turns warmer. This product is also imbued with Moroccan Rose and also includes Community Trade sesame, organic olive oil, and organic babassu oil.

Moroccan Rose Bath & Massage Oil ($18300 USD) – This lovely body oil is perfect for colder and warmer weather. It is very moisturizing and gives the skin a soft sheen after use (it will look great with skirts and shorts! Boy, I can’t wait for warmer weather) It contains Moroccan Rose extracts and Community Trade organically grown soya oil which is rich in essential fatty acids, helps to restore the skin’s natural moisture barrier.

Moroccan Rose Shower Gel ($13.00 USD) – This shower gel is free of harsh soaps so it leaves the skin very soft after washing. It has Moroccan Rose extract and Community Trade organic honey which moisturizes and conditions skin.

The Body Shop’s website at www.thebodyshop-usa.com to purchase products, find a store and learn more about the Community Trade ingredients that are used to create these wonderful products.

Spring Roses from The Body Shop Part 1 — Roseflower Makeup Collection

The Body Shop has released a beautiful Spring Roses Collection that includes The Roseflower Spring Makeup Collection and the Morrocan Rose Bath and Body Collection. I am going to review these collections in two parts, since there are so many fun products included.

Roseflower eyes ($14.00 USD) comes in two colors Sunshine Gold and Mint Green. These colors go on as a wash of color leaving you with a lovely watercolor look. Don’t be afraid of the Mint Green, it is a very subtle color. I have worn it to work and received compliments on my “pretty makeup”! The shadows also have an embossed shimmery rose in the middle of it, so not for the shimmer-shy, but also not too glittery.

Roseflower Lips $(16.00 USD) are available in Soft Pink, True Pink and Deep Pink. I have the Soft Pink shade which looks very pretty with the eye shadows and Fuscia blush. It goes on shiny and soft, and looks almost like a lip gloss. It is VERY moisturizing and contains, “Community Trade organic beeswax and marula oil from Namibia helps to repair skin’s moisture barrier.” Very good for a spring-y day look!

Roseflower Blush ($20.00 USD) in Fuscia and Pink is a very soft, blendable cheek color. I have the Fuchsia, which really brightens the face and gives you a little flush. As with the eye shadow, there is an embossed rose in the middle that adds a hint of shimmer.

There is also a Roseflower Radiance Stick ($22.00 USD), which is a highlighter. I have not tried this product, but the claim is, “The soft, velvety texture instantly transforms from cream to powder formulation on contact and delivers a sensational luminescent effect.”

All of the products from this collection is imbued with a very slight rose scent. And, these colors are perfect to bewitch your Valentine!

You can purchase these products or find a The Body Shop location at www.thebodyshop-usa.com.