Tag: Beauty

EcoTools — Fabulous Earth-Friendly Beauty Tools

EcoTools is one of my new favorite brands. This is because the are incredibly earth-friendly and they work fantastically well! And bonus — they are very affordable.

The brushes are made with cruelty free synthetic taklon bristles, recycled aluminum ferules (the piece that connects the bristles to the handle), and highly sustainable bamboo handles.  

Some of my top picks are:

 Bamboo 6 Piece Brush Set ($12.99 USD) : Are you kidding me with this price?  Wow! This fab set includes a blush brush, an eyeshading brush, an eyeliner brush, a concealer brush and a lash and brow groomer. The  brushes are SO soft and apply products very evenly. The set also includes a natural cotton & hemp brush roll.   

 Recycled Aluminum Retractable Kabuki Brush ($7.99 USD) : This is a great brush for applying powders. I use it to either apply mineral makeup or powder over my foundation. Just swirl in powder, tap off access and apply. It gives you a very smooth canvas for your bronzer and/or blush.

Eco-Foam Cleasing Sponges ($2.99 USD for 12) : Made with natural soybean oil and 100% cotton, which are sustainable materials. I LOVE these sponges! You apply your cleanser to the soft side and it removes every trace of make-up and gunk from the face.

There are other great brushes and tools available as well such as a Recycled Brow Grooming Kit ($9.99 USD), Foundation Brush ($5.99 USD) and Bamboo Mini Brushes ($3.99 USD for a set of 6).  I highly recommend these fabulous beauty tools! Visit the site at http://www.parispresents.com/EcoTools_s/36.htm.

Crabtree & Evelyn’s Aromatherapy Distillations

 

Crabtree & Evelyn is a classic brand that makes great bath and body products. Their Aromatherapy Distillations are as wonderful for the senses as they are for the body.

The Aromatherapy Distillations are available in three different collections; Relaxing, Revitalizing and Purify. The scents are:

Relaxing:  Calming essential oil blend of lavender and rosewood, tonka, chamomile, vanilla and violet leaf.

Revitalizing: Essential oil blend of lemon, coriander, spearmint, mandarin and star anise. 

Purifying:  Essential oil blend of eucalyptus, lime, peppermint, grapefruit, mandarin and rosemary. 

These ranges come in many different products such as Body Lotion, Body Wash, Body Scrub and  Body Salts. Visit their website at www.store.crabtree-evelyn.com for the full collections and prices.

Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Collection

Jurlique Purely Age-Defying
Jurlique Purely Age-Defying
 

I love organic and natural skincare; plus I love anti-aging products (a little help doesn’t hurt anyone!). Jurlique’s Purely Age-Defying Collection (Formerly the Biodynamic Beauty Collection) is both! It is comprised of herbs and flowers from certified organic and biodynamic farms in South Australia. These unique blends are as follows:

Serum ($75.00 USD) and Night Lotion ($55.00 USD): This blend includes Rose Gallica, Licorice Root, Black Elder, Chamomile, Pansy and Violet extracts, which work together to combat the appearance of redness and fade discolorations to brighten the skin. The Serum renews the skin while the Night Lotion restores. 

Refining Treatment ($35.00 USD) :This blend includes Calendula, Witch Hazel, Echinacea, Spilanthes, Horse Chestnut, Pansy, Sweet Violet, Daisy, Dandelion, Chickweed, Self Heal and Soapbark Tree extracts, which work together to soothe, cleanse and refine the skin to reveal a glowing complexion. This is a natural skin polisher that exfoliates the skin.

Eye Cream ($45.00 USD) :  This blend includes Arnica, Euphrasia, Daisy and Spilanthes, which work together to help combat puffiness and help fade discolorations to brighten the skin.

These products have a light, herbal scent and are very gentle on the skin. I have been using them for a few weeks and my skin is very smooth. I have broken out just a little bit, but my skin looks good!

My favorite products from the line are the Refining Treatment and the Eye Cream. The Refining treatment is a really great scrub that gets rid of all of the dead skin and impurities. And the Eye Cream! Wow, my eyes look smooth and very young right now! I definitely recommend the Eye Cream because its a really effective natural product!

To purchase these items, visit the Jurlique website at www.jurlique.com. Enjoy! 

    

It Cosmetics My Sculpted Face

My Sculpted Face
My Sculpted Face

 

It Cosmetics My Sculpted Face ($38.00 USD)  is a compact with 6 powder shades created to contour and highlight your face. The website claims it, “takes you step by step on how to contour features of your face for the appearance of a slimmer look, a straighter nose, slender cheeks, more prominent cheekbones and even the appearance of a reduced double chin!”

I have tried all 2 highlighting shades and 4 contour shades — even the darkest one —  and have to say that they are extremely blendable and wearable for every day. I like to contour my jawline and my nose, and those area look slimmer. The highlighters are great on the cheekbones, brow bones and middle of the nose and forehead.

“My Sculpted Face comes with a full color chart you can put on your mirror, in your makeup bag or keep by your sink so you always have your own personal reference chart that teaches you where to apply the highlighting and contour shades to bring out the features you want more prominent, and hide or minimize the features you want to draw attention away from!”, states the website. The guide is very useful, but I say just play with it to figure out what looks the best for you!

Visit www.itcosmetics.com to check out “My Sculpted Face” and other great collections for legs, lips, eyes, bust and more!

Korres Cherry Full Color Gloss

Korres Cherry Full Color Gloss
Korres Cherry Full Color Gloss

 

Looking for a lip gloss made with natural ingredients? Korres Cherry Full Color Gloss ($16.00 USD) is a great choice! Korres is a Greek company that makes all natural products ranging from skincare, haircare, body products and cosmetics.

This moisturizing gloss comes in 10 different shades. I have Nude which is a sheer pinky beige. It is a great every day color, but this gloss also has dramatics shades such as Red and Fuchsia.

The gloss is infused with Vitamins A & C, cherry and jojoba oil. It is not made with parabens, sulfates, petro-chemicals or GMO.

To see all that Korres offers, check out their website at www.korres.com or to purchase in the US, go to www.sephora.com.

CrazySticks by Crazylibellule and the Poppies

crazysticks-poule-de-luxe-collection

 

Forty, Flirty and Fabulous is going international! Well, at least for today. Crazylibellule and the Poppies is a funky fragrance line from France.  Their most popular product is their CrazySticks ($18.00 USD), a solid scent in a tube that is completely portable.   

These are great since you can keep them in your purse and apply them whenever you need a little boost! Two I really like are:

Blue Orchidée from the Shanghaïjava collection — the notes are Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Jasmine, Tangerine, Sandalwood, Rose, Orange, Musk and Vanilla.

Vanilla Sucre Glace from the Poule de Luxe collection — the notes are Caramel, Neroli, Vanilla, Jasmine, Musk, Bergamot and Tangerine. 

For all of you natural product lovers like myself, Crazylibellule and the Poppies’ products are alcohol free, paraben free and have no artificial coloring.

CrazySticks can be purchased at Sephora. Also visit the website at www.crazylibellule.com to see all that the company has to offer.

Cool Company — Sula Beauty

 

Sula Paint & Peel Trend Collection
Sula Paint & Peel Trend Collection

 

I love coming across cool companies while searching the Internet or looking through magazines. Sula recently caught my eye with the fresh look of their website  (www.sulabeauty.com) and the interesting products they offer.  

A really unusual product that Sula has introduced is Paint and Peel Nail Polish ($10.00 USD) This polish is water-based and does not contain formaldehyde, toluene or phthalates. It is very fun to use, but does start peeling soon after applying. Using the top coat helps a bit. My problem is, I will start picking at a nail at work and in a few minutes, I will not have a bit of polish left! What’s great about these polishes is that they actually smell nice and that they peel off in one strip.

I also really love Sula’s fragrances. They are very fresh smelling, not a strong perfume scent in the bunch!   

Sula Discovery Set
Sula Discovery Set

A convenient way to try all six of their fragrances is with the Discovery Set ($18.00 USD) This is a box that contains roll-ons of each fragrance; Butterfly Kiss, Stiletto Musk, Vanilla Blossom,  Blackberry Blush, Sun-Kissed Citrus, and Champagne Sugar.

My favorites are are Sun-Kissed Citrus which has notes of tangerine, lemon, orange, grapefruit and bergamot; and Blackberry Blush with notes of ripe blackberry and cassis blended with osmanthus, rose and a hints of soft musk and vanilla. 

Here is a description of the kit from the website:

Packaged in a chic magnetic snap-shut box for safekeeping, these mini versions of the Sula Pulse Point Perfumes are 5ml of ultimate on the-go portability.  Adorned with eye-catching motifs and patterns that are distinctly Sula, the undeniably feminine fragrances were expertly designed to be complete when worn solo…heavenly blended with one another.

Sula also has lip glosses, body wash and body lotion. Visit their gorgeous website to discover a store near you to purchase these unique products!

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper

2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper
2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper

 

Max Factor has recently released the 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper ($9.99 USD). This product has been touted as being more than a mascara . It consists of  a, “A patented fat-inject formula and extreme Double-D brush plump every single lash so perfectly, so voluptuously, they may ask, “are they real?”

My, that is quite an enticing claim!  So does it plump up the lashes? Yes, but since my lashes are short as well as sparse, it took me some playing around to get the full long and thick look I enjoy. One way to get great lashes is by trying a trick given on the Max Factor site (www.maxfactor.com). You blink onto the brush while sweeping up with it, and I swear it lengthens the lashes. Also by applying a lash base like the ones in two step mascara gives very long as well as thick lashes.

You can find Max Factor products at stores such as Ulta and Walmart. I recommend this fun mascara with the instructions to play with it to get the look that you like! 

Pur Minerals Pur Perfection Starter Kit

Pur Perfection Starter Kit
Pur Perfection Starter Kit

Looking for to try quality mineral make-up for a reasonable price? Pick up the Pur Minerals Pur Perfection Starter Kit (35.00 USD).

This kit includes all you need for a flawless face:

Application of the 4-in-1 makeup is easy; you take the chisel brush, swirl it in the makeup then draw circles in the makeup lid. This ensures that there isn’t loose powder on the tip of the brush and that the application yields smooth skin. I brush it all over my face, and use a little extra under my eyes for concealer. Don’t forget to blend, because if not, mineral makeup can look a little powdery on and set into the pores.

After I apply the 4-in-1, I take a powder brush and dust the Mineral Glow bronzer on my temples, forehead, nose and chin. I then brush the Universal Marble Powder on the apples of my cheeks and my face looks glowing and pretty.

So if you’re looking for a new foundation, give this kit a try. You can find it at Ulta or visit the website at www.purminerals.com.

Big Bang Illusion Gloss by Lipstick Queen

Lipstick Queen Big Bang Illusion Gloss
Lipstick Queen Big Bang Illusion Gloss

 

I love discovering new lip products. There is nothing better than a new lipstick or gloss. That’s why the company Lipstick Queen was such an irresistible find. A company solely invested in creating quality and innovative lip products? I am so in!
 
The creator of Lipstick Queen, Poppy, is a chemist who loves inventing new formulas of lip products. And she is the responsible one for making my new favorite lip gloss, Big Bang – Illusion Gloss ($20.00 USD). This is a gloss created to give the illusion of fuller lips. Unlike sometimes painful plumpers, irritants aren’t responsible for the fullness of your lips after you apply this wonderful gloss, the perfect ratio of shine to shimmer is.
 
This gloss is extremely moisturizing and not sticky at all; it feels almost like wearing a balm . I have a beautiful light pink called Infinate and it is perfect for day or evening. But since there are eight lovely colors, I’m sure you can find something you like, too!
 
You can purchase these glosses plus fabulous lipsticks and more at www.lipstickqueen.com. I really recommend these quality products.