Shopping – Page 4 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

New Makeup Shades For Summer

There are so many beautiful, bright and shimmery colors in makeup this summer. I do love to vary my makeup colors, but especially when the seasons change.

This year, I am loving shimmery bronze, purple and gold eyes plus soft cheeks and a bright, sheer lip. The colors below are lovely — try them yourselves!

Smashbox Limitless 15 Hour Wear Cream Shadow ($19 USD) — Developed in their studios to take long-wearing color to the next level! These super luxe, super saturated shadows glide on and stay put, even through the longest photo shoots. The

• 12 super creamy, vibrant shades

• No creasing, no caking, no flaking

• Holds up against water and humidity

Try layering darker shades over lighter ones to build definition and depth for a subtle, yet smoldering stare. Available at www.smashbox.com

e.l.f. Studio Makeup Remover Pen ($3 USD) — Mascara smears? Uneven eyeliner? Quickly remove or correct small makeup smudges, smears and mistakes without having to take off the rest of your makeup! The gentle and non-greasy formula erases even long wearing and waterproof makeup for flawless touch ups, perfect for throwing in your purse or gym bag when you’re on-the-go! Infused with Vitamin E, Cucumber and Chamomile to moisturize and condition skin. Visit www.eyeslipsface.com or a Target store near you.

Fall in love this summer with Paul & Joe’s Limited Edition Face Color G ($24 USD). Inspired by the warm tones of a midsummer sky, the dreamy blushes contour cheeks and provide a natural, enchanting glow. The shades are:

Nubile — A soft, flirty peach to flatter every skin tone.

Nymph — A pop of pink to add a bold burst of color.

Faune — A deep rose to create elegant contours.

Paul & Joe – Limited Edition – Lip Gloss G ($22 USD) — Paul & Joe Beaute introduces a new collection that will send your taste buds dancing. The Lip Gloss G collection consists of three new enchanting shades that instantly melt onto your lips for a punch of sheer shimmering color that coolly completes your sexy, summer style. The shades are:

Dream a Little Dream — An enchanting orange sherbet tint with a creamy cool Orange & Vanilla flavor.

Fairie Kisses –A bright yellow gloss that appears translucent on lips with a light Green Apple & Vanilla flavor to refresh your pucker on a sweltering day.

Love Potion — The perfect pink to swipe on for day or night with a light Strawberry & Vanilla flavor.

All of the Paul & Joe products are available at www.BeautyHabit.com.

Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmers with NEW Shades ($5 USD) Many lips have fallen for this slender tube of lip goodness–vibrant luminescent color and pearlized shine packed with nourishing natural ingredients. Now Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer fans have more to love. The 100% natural formula is enhanced with antioxidant-rich Fruit Seed Oils and moisturizing Shea Butter to optimize color payoff while improving skin smoothness, but the signature refreshing, cool burst of Peppermint Oil remains. The shade range has been updated in keeping with color trends and includes three new shades: Cherry, Plum and Strawberry. The full range includes twelve shades: Radiance, Champagne, Peony, Caramel, Guava, Strawberry, Watermelon, Rhubarb, Cherry, Fig, Raisin, and Plum. Purchase at a mass market retailer near you!

Enjoy!

Yves Rocher Summer Beauty Products

If you haven’t heard of Yves Rocher, it’s a French originated company that created botanical skin care, body care, fragrance and makeup.

I was sent some products from the company to test, and have really been enjoying them. Many of these products are very affordable and are of great quality! Some of my favorite Yves Rocher summer products are:

Yves Rocher Mango Passion Fruit Smoothie Shower Gel ($10 for 13.5 oz) — My daughters LOVED this shower gel (past tense because it was gone in a week). The reason why is becasue this mango and passion fruit concoction smells delicious. It smelled just like real fruit and lathered up nicely so that we could also use it as bubble bath! Yum!

Yves Rocher Eau de toilette Monoï ($32 3.3 oz) — One sniff of this and I was transported back to Hawaii — and I haven’t been there since my honeymoon over 20 years ago! Tiare and Ylang Ylang flowers are combined with a Vanilla base, and it is sweet, light and lovely. Vacation in a bottle! They also sell this scent in a body oil, but my teenage daughter took that for her dry legs, and I haven’t seen it since…

Yves Rocher Pearly Water ($10 1 oz) — Pearly and lightly scented skin all at once! Experience an immediate feeling of freshness with this slightly gelled, pearly water. This can be used on the face and body. Its fine-textured, golden pearly particles subtly add shimmer to your complexion. Perfect for instantly enhancing your tan!

Yves Rocher Duo Kohl Pencil - Tropical — Yves Rocher Duo Kohl Pencil – Tropical

Duo Kohl Pencils ($6 USD) Highlight your eyes with these Duo Kohl Pencils, which combine two trendy colors. Each pair comes with one radiant iridescent color (Pink Gold or Camel) to enlarge and brighten your eyes and one intense, matt color (Purple or Tropical Khaki) to structure your eyes and give them depth. Mix and match the colors to create hot new looks!

I have the Tropical pencil that is Camel — a shimmery gold — on one end and Tropical Khaki — a dark blue-green on the other end. I love this. The camel is great for the corners of my eyes and lining the inner rims to create a wide-awake look. The Tropical Khaki is gorgeous for enhincing the eyes and looks great with summer colors.

Yves Rocher Shimmering Bronzer ($10 USD) A tanned complexion for the summer! This shimmering bronzer is this summer’s must-have for a natural and radiant tan. Apply with a brush to enhance or intensify your bronzed complexion. This is also a lovely highlighter for darker complexions! So pretty!

Yves Rocher Lip Gloss – Sienna Red

Lip Gloss in Sienna Red ($5 USD) Luscious lips for the summer! Irresistible lips with this yummy-scented gloss. And the color? I am not a fan of red for me, but this shimmery red is beautiful and would be great with a neutral or a smoky eye. It also feels great on and is not sticky — AWESOME!

Visit www.yvesrocherusa.com to learn more and purchase.

Enjoy!

Get Ready For Summer!

Happy Memorial Day! This is the unofficial start of Summer. I am writing this at 5 pm in Kansas City and it is 91 degrees. My family and I went to a lake this morning to splash in the water and then my girls went swimming again this afternoon — so it is certainly time to get the hot weather beauty products out! Here are some of my faves:

Lavanila Healthy SPF Collection: Get the complete coverage you need with Lavanila’s Healthy SPF Collection. These 100% natural products are made with a new generation of mineral sunscreens for superior UVA/UVB protection. Free of harsh chemicals, synthetic sunscreens and nano-particles, all formulas are fragrance-fee and infused with a superior complex of skin-saving vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The collection includes The Healthy Sunscreen SPF 30 Body Cream, The Healthy Sunscreen SPF 40 Face Cream and The Healthy Lip Screen SPF 30. Price: $16 to $38 at www.lavanila.com.

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!

tarte Amazon bronze Amazonian clay & annatto body bronzer ($37 USD) — Achieve a faux glow, naturally, with the new Amazonian clay and annatto-infused body bronzer in universally flattering Amazon bronze. This is a lovely light bronzer, but it is a bit sparkly, so I suggest to use it on legs and arms — especially at night! . Directions: Using the included body puff, blend bronzer into skin making sure to pay special attention around knees, ankles and elbows. Add one coat for a subtle bronze, or 2-3 coats for deeper color. Occasionally rinse body puff with a mild antibacterial soap and let dry overnight.

Purchase at www.tartecosmetics.com and Sephora stores.

Burt’s Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit ($3 USD) Give your lips a kiss. This juicy lip balm is made with nutritious, tropical Pink Grapefruit Seed Oil, bursting with powerful vitamins. Refresh your lips with a sweet hint of citrus.

• Nourishes with Vitamin C and E from Pink Grapefruit Seed Oil • Delicious citrus flavor • Softens and conditions lips

Available at www.burtbees.com and at mass market retailers near you.

Skinnygirl Mommy Cool Your Feet Spray ($7.89 USD) — Cool your achingly tired feet by misting them with soothing essential ingredients such as cucumber, aloe and peppermint for a revitalizing burst of freshness. Feet feel instantly refreshed and pampered!

Key Ingredients:

Aloe – Used to moisturize and soften skin
Peppermint Oil – Energizes and cools while helping to sooth common foot irritants
Cucumber Extract – Used to sooth and relieve puffiness

Available at www.skinnygirlfaceandbodystore.com

Pantene Split End Repair Keratin Protection

Pantene Normal-Thick Hair Solutions Keratin Protection Crème ($6.29 USD) is formulated to help keep hair strong to protect hair’s natural keratin structure from damage. The result is strong, healthy hair with fewer split ends.

I can tell that this works. After a few uses, my hair has looked shinier and it does appear that I have less split ends. My teenage daughter uses this on her hair that has been damaged from straighteners and blue hair dye — and it really does make her hair look healthier.

You can purchase this at mass market retailers near you.

Enjoy!

TIGI Bed Head Candy Fixations Collection

TIGI Bead Head has recently released their Candy Fixations collection. This is a group of styling products that have been inspired by sweets.

There are five products in this line. In the photo above from left to right are Sugar Dust, an invisible micro-texture root powder; Glaze Haze, semi-sweet smoothing hair serum, Totally Baked, a volumizing and prepping hair meringue; Sugar Shock hair bodifying sugar spray; Mega Whip, whipped marshmallow hair texture.

I tried the following two products from the collection:

TIGI Bed Head Candy Fixations Glaze Haze ($15.95, 2oz) – Semi-Sweet Smoothing Hair Serum. This sweet treat candy coats each strand to fight humidity, add shine, and help speed up drying time. Delicious Crème Brule scent.

What I think: I have been using this every day — on wet and dry hair. It instantly smooths flyaways and adds shine. Just one or two drops is all I need for my long hair. I live in Kansas City and in the summer I am hoping that this will help with the frizzies that come with humid heat. It smells nice but the scent is not too strong.

TIGI Bed Head Candy Fixations Totally Baked ($15.95 USD) – Volumizing and Prepping Hair Meringue. Apply to wet hair for long-lasting weightless movement and enhanced performance of other styling products. Delicious Lemon Meringue Pie scent.

What I think: I have used this on wet hair. It is has a creamy texture and is not too sticky. It does add a bit of volume and helps with the hold of my style. I really like the lemony scent, as well. A good primer product.

Visit www.bedhead.com for a store locator.

Enjoy!

New Beauty.Com Gift With Purchase May 2012

This limited edition offering arrives complete with more than a dozen deluxe and full-size samples from some of the leading brands at the Beauty.com® web store* including:

1. Smashbox® Camera Ready BB Cream, SPF 35

2. Arcona® White Tea Purifying Cleanser

3. NUXE™ Fondant Body Scrub

4. Stila® Prime Pot Waterproof Eye Shadow Primer, Taffy

5. Fekkai® Brilliant Glossing Cream

6. tarte® rise & shine natural lip stain & lip-enhancing lipgloss – FULL SIZE

7. DDF® Amplifying Elixir

8. Nick Chavez® Volumizing Shampoo

9. ~H2O+™ Spa Hand and Nail Cream

10. Boscia® Green Tea Blotting Linens

11. bareMinerals® Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combination Skin

12. IT Cosmetics® Bye Bye Under Eye – Full Coverage Waterproof Concealer

13. Murad® Time Release Retinol Concentrate for Deep Wrinkles

14. Card for $5 off any future Beauty.com purchase

About Beauty.com – The World of Beauty Online®

Beauty.com, Inc. is a leading online destination for prestige beauty products. The web store provides a highly personalized shopping experience and offers more than 350 brands from widely recognized to niche, hard-to-find products.

The bag is a Lela Rose creation. Lela Rose’s aesthetic of adding whimsy to elegance through brilliant color and hand crafted details has brought a fresh view to modern American fashion. Lela was raised in Texas and went to school in Colorado where nature, its surrounding landscapes, and the sublime colors it offers have long been an inspiration. Today, Lela continues to draw from these early influences as she designs clothes for the modern sophisticated woman who embodies a spirit of effortless elegance.

I think that this is a great collection of samples (and a really cool makeup bag). I have been dying to try Smashbox’s BB Cream. I may review this once I receive the sample. Also, the Stila eye primer looks promising — I haven’t tried an eye primer in a pot before. And a full-sized tarte lip stain — awesome!

Visit www.beauty.com to purchase. Enjoy!

Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Moisture Milk Cleanser

My skin is becoming more of a problem as I age. I can get dry, so I hydrate it. But if I use a cream that it too heavy, I will breakout and my pores will look huge. A catch 22, huh.

So I have found that if I use a creamy cleanser (with my Clarisonic), and a lighter moisturizer, my face becomes clear and smooth!

I have been trying Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Moisture Milk Cleanser ($58 USD) –This rich, creamy blend of antioxidants and fruit extracts is designed to clean, hydrate, and brighten the look of the complexion. KateCeuticals™ Moisture Milk Cleanser delivers comfort to skin with a soothing blend of powerful Vitamins, Orange Blossom, and Orange Peel Extracts that leave skin feeling moisturized and fresh. This sulfate-free cleanser is so gentle that it can be rinsed or simply tissued off.

It’s main ingredients are:

Soybean Extracts help to enhance the skin’s natural barrier function in order to improve the look of firmness.
Kukui, Macadamia, and Coconut Oils are combined with a cutting-edge Lipid Blend in an effort to moisturize instantly and continue to hydrate throughout the day.
Orange Blossom and Orange Peel Extracts are combined with a special Brightening Complex in an effort to create instant illumination and radiance.

Kate Somerville’s products are so wonderful for the skin. I really love how mild this cleanser is. It doesn’t irritate at all. It is also a fab eye makeup remover. Dab it on a tissue or cotton pad and wipe off. It doesn’t irritate.

Gentle for everyday use, this cleanser has become a staple of my skincare routine.

Available exclusively at www.katesomerville.com, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Enjoy!

MATRIX Total Results Amplify Proforma Hairspray Review

I have long, straight hair, but I have recently got a trim and added layers. Even though I usually don’t use hairspray, I have been using MATRIX Total Results Amplify Proforma Hairspray ($15 USD) and I am seeing a difference in hold and volume.

The claim is that the spray will, “Attack fine hair with thinner diameter and lack of inner structure and give it totally voluminous results that last 24 hours. Performa Hairspray with 24HR Full Boost Technology boasts thermal protectants and gives a firm hold finish, with lasting lift and volume.”

What I think: This spray does as it claims by giving volume. I spray at the roots and flip my hair over and spray again and my hair is full and swingy. It also last for hours.

I also love how my hair is shiny after using this product. It doesn’t dull my hair.

For a salon locator please log onto www.MATRIX.com. Enjoy!

Spring Giveaway #2

Announcing my second Spring Giveaway — a collection of products from Mirabella, Smashbox, Aveda and Julep. These are vibrant cooler shades that will brighten your spring!

The products are:

Mirabella Colour Luxe Lip Gloss in Wink (Bright Shimmery Pink) creates maximum shine with three-dimensional, light-reflecting shimmer. The combination of iridescent and pearlescent pearls create a star-like effect on the lips, taking Colour Luxe gloss to a new level of color purity, brightness and dimensionality. Vitamin-enriched long-lasting formula moisturizes, conditions, and provides antioxidant protection and anti-aging properties.

Smashbox Soft Lights in Shimmer (Shimmery Nude Bronze) — Get a gorgeous lit-from-within glow with this silk-like shimmering powder. The illuminating formula softens the way light reflects on your skin and wakes up your complexion for a radiant look.

Aveda Petal Essence™ Eye Color Trio in Violet Coast (lavender, gray and purple) Long-lasting, petal-smooth powder eye shadows offer crease-resistant, stay-true colors. Wear a single shade or blend several—complementary colors make it easy.

Julep Nail Color in Megan a playful and sultry Mediterranean aquamarine shimmer.

To win, leave a comment on my blog. I will choose the winner on Friday, April 20th. Please only residents of the United States and Canada.

Good Luck!

Beyonce Pulse Summer Edition

The weather is warming up, so it’s time to lighten up your fragrance for the gorgeous months ahead. Get ready to send pulses racing with the sizzling new addition to the bestselling Beyoncé Parfums collection. Fresh, airy and optimistic, Beyoncé Pulse Summer Edition captures the essence of a playful, sun-drenched summer day.

Inspired by Beyoncé’s infectious positive energy, this limited edition fragrance seduces the senses with the same invigorating sensuality as the original Pulse Eau de Parfum. A lighter and fresher rendition, Pulse Summer Edition’s orchestra of fruity and floral notes makes it the perfect scent for the warm, joyful, flirty summer months. Beyoncé Pulse Summer Edition retails for $49/50ml and $59/100ml and will be available at select perfumery chains and fine department stores.

The notes are:

Top: icy mandarin, pear and pink pepper

Heart: ginger orchid, jasmine and orange blossom

Base: sapphire woods, musk and benzoin.

What I think: This is a very light, fresh scent. I haven’t tried the original Pulse, but I do like this one and think that it is perfect for ladies who like fruity scents with a woodsy base.

The price is decent for the quality. I say, go try it to see if it is the summer fragrance for you!

Spring Giveaway Time Part 1 — tarte Cosmetics!

Happy first day of Spring! In celebration of Winter being over — thank goodness — I have put together 2 giveaways of fab Spring makeup. If you win Giveaway #1, you get a Tarte package of:

tarte amazonian clay waterproof cream shadow in moss — an olive-green cream eye shadow

tarte maracuja divine shine lip gloss in blissful — a creamy peach gloss

tarte maracuja blush & glow in sunlight — a bronzey-peach cream stick blush and liquid highlighter.

tarte amazonian clay 12-hour shimmering blush in frisky — a shimmery coral blush

The colors are warm, bright and perfect for Spring and Summer! I have tried all of these products and have to say that I love them! The fact that tarte has natural, good for you cosmetics doesn’t negate the fact that their products are long-lasting and gorgeous!

The powder blush is shimmery, but not in a too-young way. I think it is subtle enough for forty-somethings (and above) like myself to rock! The duo of cream blush and liquid highlighter is perfect for face and body (shimmery shoulders, anyone?). The lip gloss is my new favorite. It might look bright in the tube, but it is subtly shiny on. And the cream eye shadow in the lovely green moss would be pretty on all eye colors.

To win, please leave a comment on my blog. I will choose a winner soon — on Friday March 30th — then I will announce a new giveaway! If warm colors are not for you, the next group of Spring cosmetics will have some cooler tones in it.

This giveaway is open for residents of the United States and Canada only. Good Luck!