H2O Plus – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Beauty Box 5 — August Subscription Box Review

I was so lucky to received this excellent box of goodies from Beauty Box 5 for my honest review!

Beauty Box 5 ($12 per month, free shipping) is a subscription-based, beauty sampling program that delivers a box filled with 4-5 cosmetic samples to your door every month. Aimed at introducing women to new cosmetic products and educating them on best practices, Beauty Box 5 scours the market to find the best products for your lifestyle.

These are the products (the August 2013) box that I received:

Bask Heavenly Silk Daily Skin Lotion ($2.49 for 2 oz, $19.95 for 22 oz) — Packed with vitamins, plant extracts and antioxidants, this “heavenly” moisturizer provides anti-aging and firming benefits all while keeping your skin looking and feeling soft and smooth.

What I think: I like this lotion a lot. It has a fresh scent and is very moisturizing. I am traveling to Oregon tomorrow to see my mom, and it is the perfect size to take with me.

Available at www.beautybrands.com

Be a Bombshell Eye Shadow in Birthday Suit ($14 USD) — These highly pigmented, long-lasting shadows will bring out the Bombshell in you…especially since you can use them wet AND dry!

What I think: This was a full-sized item, very cool! This shade is a nude buff with a matte finish and is great for base color or for highlighting. I have been wearing it under brighter shadows as it evens my skin tone and gives a smooth canvas.

Available at www.beabombshellcosmetics.com. Use code BEAUTY30 before 9/15/13 to get 30% sitewide.

H2O Plus Aquafirm+ Micro-Collagen Moisturizer ($50 1.7 oz) — Apply this nutrient-packed moisturizer day and night after cleansing to promote collagen production and visibly fight fine lines and loss of firmness.

What I think: I haven’t tried this yet, but plan to take it with me to Oregon tomorrow. I have tried a lot of H2O skincare products and have really liked the results I have received from them!

Available at www.h2oplus.com.

Nubar Nail Lacquer in Hot Pink — Fabulousness is just fingernails away with these cruelty free, vegan nail polishes.

What I think: This is not a color I would use, but my 9-year-old loves it! I had never heard of this brand and really love that the polishes are cruelty free!

Available at www.bynubar.com

Swissco Nail File ($1.50) — Who doesn’t need a new nail file? Do you have one for your purse yet? Use this handy nail file to prep your nails for your Nubar nail lacquer.

What I think: This is a fun nail file, but may be a bit large for many purses. I will leave this at home with my nail polish to shape my nails before I polish!

Available at www.swisscollc.com

I really enjoyed this box! For the price of $12, you get 5 deluxe or full-sized products and get to try something new. Visit http://beautybox5.com/ to sign up. Enjoy!

Treat Your Skin, Hair And Smile To New Products This New Year!

It’s time to reverse some of the damages the holidays may have caused — I don’t mean to your body (that’s another blog), but to your beauty regime! The following products can get your skin, hair and smile glowing again — just in time to have a fabulous 2012!

H2O Plus’ NEW Marine Calm Gentle Creamy Cleanser ($18 USD). Give your skin a fresh start and gently wash away impurities, dirt and oil for brighter, healthy skin. This antioxidant rich formulation lusciously lathers on skin for a fresh feel while antioxidant rich spirulina protects skin from adverse environmental exposure. Availability: H2O Plus Stores Nationwide; www.h20plus.com; ULTA stores nationwide.

MyChelle’s Magnolia Fresh Eyes ($38.39 USD) gives you a blend of peptides and plant extracts that shed light on even the darkest under-eye shadows. Green Coffee stimulates and revives while Magnolia Leaf Extract helps strengthen and promote repair for a well-rested look, even when you aren’t! Availability: Whole Foods Nationwide; www.mychelle.com.

Umberto Beverly Hills Repair Treatment Masque ($9.99 USD) With cold, dry weather, your locks will definitely be in need of some T.L.C. This is an intensive therapy formulated for damaged and chemically treated hair. This deep conditioning treatment uses marine derived amino acids to help revive hair’s natural strength for luscious locks in the New Year! Availability: Target Stores Nationwide; www.target.com.

Luster Powerwhite toothpaste ($6.99). The gentle formula relieves tooth sensitivity and whitens teeth for an overall healthy, happy smile. This is perfect for making teeth sparkle after a season of indulgences! Availability: Wal Mart, Target, CVS, Duane Reade, Walgreens and drugstores nationwide.

Enjoy getting your skin, hair and teeth back in to shape for the new year!

Last Minute Bath and Body Gift Sets

Here are some last-minute ideas for bath and body gifts. They all smell fantastic (especially Blue, which is my current favorite fragrance). Enjoy!

Avon Wonder Moon Orchid Collection ($12.99 USD) — Escape to your own exotic paradise with the seductively hypnotic scent of moon orchid, iris and calypso violet. This alluring aromatic blend turns an ordinary bath routine into a sensual luxury. Includes Body Wash (8.4 oz.) $10.99 Body Cream (8.4 oz.). Visit www.avon.com to purchase.

MOR Essentially Delightful Sugar Rose Tiger Lily Gift Set ($22 USD) Treat yourself to everyday indulgence with this two piece Essentials Gift set. Containing a full-sized Sugar Rose Tiger Lily Soap Bar and Hand & Body Lotion, this subtle fragrance combines a subtle blend of sugary Rose, exotic Tiger Lily and ripe Tropical Fruits. The set includes a Vitamin E and Shea Butter soap and a Coconut Oil and Glycerin hand and body lotion. Purchase at www.morcosmetics.com.

Crabtree and Evelyn Heritage Soap Collection ($38 USD) — This richly coloured and distinctively patterned box opens to reveal five luxuriously lathering Triple Milled Soaps. In the tradition of 19th–century soap making, each skin-conditioning tablet is created in 30 steps and remains fragrant to the last sliver.

Contains:

Oatmeal & Wheatgerm Triple Milled Soap (158g)
Vetiver & Juniper Triple Milled Soap (158g)
Crabapple & Mullberry Triple Milled Soap (158g)
Avocado & Olive Oil Triple Milled Soap (158g)
Almond, Milk & Honey Triple Milled Soap (158g)

You can purchase at www.crabtree-evelyn.com or Crabtree & Evelyn stores.

H2O Blue Fragrance Collection Gift Set ($48 USD) — H2O’s latest fragrance set captures the infinite beauty of the sea. A fresh, uplifting fragrance with notes of watery peony, rosewood, nectarine and bergamot subtly scents the skin. The gift set contains Blue Eau de Toilette (1.7 oz) and Blue Body Lotion (6 oz tube) Purchase at www.h2oplus.com.

Give The Gift Of Great Skin For The Holidays

This time of year you can find skincare sets to stock up for yourself or for others who would appreciate such a fab gift! The products below are all anti-aging powerhouses!

Yes to Blueberries Brightening Bundle – Regularly $27.99 24.99 — Let the Yes To Blueberries Brightening Bundle perk up your face and help you fight the signs of aging at the same time. The set includes the Daily Repairing Moisturizer and the Brightening Facial Towelettes. The ‘Brightening Facial Towelettes’ are formulated with Blueberries and Coconuts to gently cleanse, remove makeup, and moisturize skin all in one. With Lemon Peel and Apple to help brighten skin. The Daily Repairing Moisturizer is a powerful, non-greasy, daily moisturizer formulated with organic cotton thistle, clinically proven to hydrate age damaged skin and boost natural collagen production in 7 days along with anti-oxidant rich blueberries which helps fight free radicals that can damage skin’s surface. Purchase at www.yestocarrots.com and mass market retailers.

H2O Aqualibrium Illuminating Bio-Boost System ($55 USD) — Powerfully refreshing waters are the brightening force behind a serum and mist system that revives dull skin with a healthy boost of radiance with watermint-enriched water, Vitamin C, and grapefruit extracts. The mist is refreshing and the serum is silky — plus they both smell fantastic! Purchase at www.h20plus.com and Ulta.

Intraceuticals Holiday Hydration Special ($89 USD) Rejuvenate Hydration Gel Instantly hydrates, providing a reservoir of nutrients to the skin which visibly address the signs of ageing. Works synergistically with Rejuvenate Daily Serum, dramatically enhancing skin appearance.

Holiday Hydration Special includes

1 Rejuvenate Hydration Gel $89 BONUS
1 Hydrating Spritz $25
1 Moisture Binding Cream 15mL $49
1 Holiday Gift Bag

Total Retail Value – $163 You Save $75! Visit www.intraceuticals.com to learn more and purchase.

Avon Anew Ultimate Gift Set ($69)- Includes Night Cream (1.7 oz.), Day Cream (1.7 oz.), Body Cream (6.7 oz.), Day Cream (.5 oz.), and Night Cream (.5 oz.). The perfect gift for the Skin Care enthusiast who wants healthy, younger looking skin. Purchase at www.avon.com. Enjoy!

New Body Care Releases For Fall 2011 From H2O, Burt’s Bees and Little Green

As the air turns cooler, don’t forget to take care of your skin. Cool air equals dry skin! I have recently tried two new bath and body collections from brands that I love — H2O Plus and Burt’s Bees — plus a new children’s bath and body care line called Little Green. Here are some of the products that I love:

H2O Plus, leaders in marine-based skincare, introduces the Sea Moss Collection, a compilation of three replenishing products to perfect and protect skin from head-to-toe! Bringing ground-breaking formulas to a higher level, the Sea Moss collection
incorporates micro-fine volcanic black sand, mineral-rich red and brown algae and Irish moss ingredients that further propel H2O Plus to the forefront of sea-derived skincare innovation.

Reveal remarkably smooth and invigorated skin with the Sea Moss Black Sand Body Scrub ($18.50 USD). This volcanic scrub is powered by micro-fine black sand derived from cooled lava to gently exfoliate and soften dry, rough skin. Rare Irish moss mixes with sea salt, aloe vera and provitamin B for flawless, healthy hydration.

What I think: This black scrub is cool to use and leaves skin so soft afterwards — it’s baby smooth! The scent is light and fresh. The collection also includes a body wash and body lotion. You can purchase these at www.h2oplus.com.

Burt’s Bees® Honey & Shea Collection wraps the body in the warm, sweet scent of Honey, Almond and Shea. Indulge your skin and senses with these antioxidant‐rich products for total body conditioning. With nourishing ingredients that provide essential moisture, they’ll leave your skin feeling smooth and smelling great, naturally.

Honey & Shea Conditioning Bar ($5.00 USD) Happy, nourished skin is the result of every good thing it touches. And our conditioning, French-milled bar soap starts things off right. A blend of Honey and Shea Butter creates a rich lather that gently cleans away dirt and oil to leave your skin feeling soft and silky. The rest? Smooth sailing all the way.

What I think: This collection has such a soothing, homey scent. The conditioning bar lathers well and smells divine! The collection includes a body butter and a sugar scrub. Learn more at www.burtsbees.com.

Something new has sprouted! Little Green, the new safe, gentle and pure hair and skin care collection for babies and kids, is a truly hypoallergenic collection of products. The paraben, sulfate and allergen free formulas are each clinically and dermatologist tested. Geared to those with sensitive skin, or for those who simply want to treat their skin sensitively, Little Green will surely become a staple in your family’s skincare routine!

This collection includes two lines — Little Green Baby and Little Green Kids. My kids have been loving the Shampoo & Body Wash. This refreshing tear-free hair and body wash gently cleans and nourishes all in one. Key ingredients including Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E cleanse hair and skin without over drying. (Retails for $15).

What I think: The mild fragrance is perfect for kids, plus I feel great that the products are so natural and good for my daughters. The line includes a face and body lotion and a detangler for kids and a shampoo & body wash and a lotion for babies. Little Green is available online at www.littlegreencares.com or at a salon near you. Enjoy!

Give a Little Bath and Shower Luxury This Christmas

Bath and body sets make fabulous Christmas gifts! The following are some of my favorites, but keep in mind that each company — The Body Shop, H2O Plus and Bodycology — have other fragrances and sets in various price ranges.

The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Shower Scrub & Soften Gift Set ($29.00 USD) — Description: Conjure up memories of Christmas past and treat someone special with this indulgent gift set with moisturizing Community Trade ingredients and fragrant vanilla extract.

Includes:

8.4 fl oz Spiced Vanilla Shower Gel
1.7 oz Spiced Vanilla Body Butter
1.7 oz Spiced Vanilla Body Scrub
3.5 oz Spiced Vanilla Soap
Octagonal card box with PET window and red ribbon

The Body Shop also has a lovely cranberry and a zesty orange fragrances for the holiday, but my favorite is the Spiced Vanilla set. This would be an affordable and very welcome gift for anyone on your list

Available at The Body Shop stores and www.thebodyshop-usa.com

Sea Salt Spa Collection ($45.00 USD) — This mineral-rich gift set features our best-selling Sea Salt spa luxuries to gently polish, purify and restore skin’s natural glow. The set features:

European sea salts draw out impurities and replenish essential nutrients, leaving skin healthy and luminous
Rich shea butter, jojoba and coconut oils rapidly absorb into the skin, leaving it luxuriously soft
Moisture-rich marine botanicals, including provide deep hydration for visibly smooth, radiant skin
Imparts an invigorating oceanside fragrance, infused with notes of green tea
Presented in custom designed gift box

Gift Includes: Sea Salt Body Wash (12.5 fl oz / 370mL), Sea Salt Skin Smoother (12 fl oz / 340g), Spa Hydrating Body Gloss (1.9 fl oz / 56mL), Sea Salt Hydrating Body Butter (6 fl oz / 180mL), and hand-held wood bath brush with strap.

This scent is so fantastically addicting! It is soft and neutral so it would be good for men or women. H2O has a ton of other gift sets to choose from, too. Visit www.h2oplus.com to purchase.

Bodycology 6-Piece Gift Set(15.00 USD) : Available in classic scents, Sweet Petals and Brown Sugar Vanilla, this deluxe gift set boats a mixture of full-size and trail size products including Bath Gel, Body Lotion, Body Cream, Body Butter, Body Mist and Hand Soap. You can purchase these at Walmart.

Enjoy!

Refresh Your Skin With A Cooling Toner or Face Mist

Toners and Face Mists are fantastic ways to get your skin a little extra clean and refreshed. Place any one of the following fab products in your fridge for a bit of summer cooling! All of them offer different benefits, so be sure to find the tonic that is perfect for you!

Arctic Face Mist with Multivitamin Complex ($29.00 USD 3.99 fl. oz) — Refreshing, toning mist with a multivitamin for skin to instantly soothe and protect stressed, irritable skin. Has your frantic lifestyle led to a surge in stress-related hormones and histamines? If so, your skin may be irritated, exhausted and depleted of vital hydration and nutrients. You need relief and protection against future damage — and you need it fast.

The newly reformulated, dye-free Arctic Face Mist instantly helps calm and stabilize irritable, depleted skin with a cooling burst of natural mineral water, while fortifying it against the aging effects of free radicals and environmental stress. Powerful antioxidants and a daily dose of multivitamins for skin help energize and replenish for a radiant, healthy glow.

What I think: I always feel pampered with Skyn Iceland products, and the Arctic Face Mist is no exception. It not only feels great going on, it leaves the skin glowing, and smells lovely. Learn more at www.skyniceland.com.

H2O Plus Oasis Mist ($16.50 USD 6 fl. oz.) — An energizing mist of nutritive hydration enriched with natural vitamins and minerals to replenish skin instantly.

Sea Mineral Complex™ delivers hydrating extracts of wakame, sea lettuce and sea fennel plus anti-aging extracts of himanthalia, spirulina and nori to help restore skin’s natural balance. Enriched with vitamins A, C, E and Provitamin.

What I think: This is the only mist in a can of the bunch. It sprays on pretty hard, so it’s like a blast of hydration. You’re face will be instantly moisturized and freshened! Purchase at www.h2oplus.com.

Zensation Deep Purifying Toner ($35.00 USD 4.2 fl. oz) — A detoxifying and revitalizing toner with tea tree oil to control misbehaving skin and for occasional spot prevention, this toner is dedicated to soothe and refresh the skin as it removes any excess of dirt, debris or cleaners residue, the mixture of essential oils of thyme, sage, lavender and mint to produce a calming, yet mildly astringent effect.

What I think: This luxury line is new to me, and I was happy to try a product from Zensation. Not a face mist, dab a bit of this toner on a cotton pad and wipe away all of the crud. I like that this is alcohol free, but will help with blemishes. Visit www.zensationbeaute.com to learn more.

Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic with Botanical Blast ($19.00 USD 4.06 fl. oz.) — This soothing, preservative-free tonic gently clarifies and refreshes skin that needs pampering and deep cleaning.

Preservatives have been shown to over-dry and cause further irritations to the skin. Our preservative-free, botanically rich proprietary formula offers a gentle and effective means to ensure your skin stays clear and healthful.

Botanical Blast technology is a pure, highly effective problem skin treatment using a select blend of the finest botanicals available to improve skin clarity, tone and texture. This product contains Willow Herb, a unique anti-irritant, and Jojoba Leaf, a strong and effective antioxidant.

What I think: I can really tell that this mist cleans the skin, it is so refreshing! It is a soft spray that soothes as it cleans. Visit www.bosciaskincare.com to purchase.

H2O+ Face Oasis Ultra Hydrator

H2O+ is a company that successfully marries skincare with a spa experience that you can enjoy in your own home.

To commemorate their 20th Anniversary, H2O+ is introducing an ultra-hydrating version of their best-selling Face Oasis. The new Face Oasis Ultra Hydrator ($40.00 1.7 oz) is a lightweight, water-based gel. This can be used morning or night, for refreshing, non-greasy hydration. The formula includes bio-marine extracts that are touted to moisturize, leave skin firmer, plumper and more youthful. It also contains Nutri-spheres, small little white beads that are doses of Polyvitamin Profusion, a synthesis of antioxidants that help diffuse free radical damage.

I have been using this as my moisturizer day and night for a couple of weeks now. What I love about this product is that it goes on silky smooth and gives my skin an instant cooling sensation. Then it soaks in quickly, leaving my skin soft and not at all greasy. It is a wonderful before-makeup hydrator. And it smells great. It has the H2O spa-like scent that is so nice.

I am still trying to decide if I like the Polyvitamin Profusion beads. I love that I get an extra shot of antioxidants, but they are hard to dissolve on the skin, and they need to be rubbed in quite a bit.

Still, my skin is soft and glowy using this product and I highly recommend it.

Visit the webiste at www.h20plus.com to purchase this product or for more details.

Moisturize Your Winter Skin With H2O Plus

Being that it is so dry in Missouri in the Winter, I am always looking for good moisturizer to quench my parched skin.

H2O Plus has a wide range of spa-quality products that have natural ingredients and are great for your skin. One of my favorites is the Spa Hand and Nail Cream (6oz $15.00 USD). The H2O Plus website, www.h2oplus.com, states these benefits of the cream, “Specially formulated for hands and cuticles. Vitamins, marine extracts, aloe vera and panthenol help restore moisture leaving hands soft, smooth and conditioned”.

This product more than delivers. It instantly smooths my hand and cuticles and has the most addictive scent. The ingredients include sea fennel, wakame, sea lettuce, spirulina, nori, aloe vera gel, apricot kernel oil, seaweed extract, allantoin, provitamin B and vitamin E. I don’t know what half of those ingredients are, but together they smell fantastic!

Another great H2O Plus moisturizer is the Hydrating Body Butter ($19.50 USD). This thick and creamy moisturizer is very effective on flaky, dry winter skin. H2O Plus touts, “Natural coconut and vegetable oils penetrate deeply while green tea and Paraguay Tea combine with vitamin C and E for nourishing protection. Leaves skin conditioned and restored.”

The scent in the body butter is good, but not the same as the Hand and Nail cream. It has a very soft, creamy scent.

I have been using both products for a couple of weeks and my skin is much smoother and softer. H2O Plus is definately a line worth checking out!