Product Reviews

Prescriptives LipShine: Lipstick Coverage with Lipgloss Shine

October 13th, 2008 by Karen 43 Comments

Prescriptives gave me deja vu today. I was playing with a couple of the colors from their new LipShine lipstick collection ($17.50 each) and realized I’d seen this movie before.

The lipgloss-in-lipstick’s clothing thing — the easy application of a lipstick with the high shine of a lipgloss — has been done before, even a couple times earlier this year. MAC, with their Slimshines ($14.50), and Avon, with their Glazewear ($8), both released lipgloss-lipstick hybrids in 2008.

Which makes sense, right? What’s not to like about getting the best of both worlds?

What Sets Prescriptives LipShines Apart?

Prescriptives may cost a little more than either the MAC Slimshines or Avon’s Glazewear, and the LipShines come in fewer colors (12, versus Avon’s 15 and MAC’s 24), but they deliver a lusciously thick formula more moisturizing than the hybrids by Avon and MAC. All three offer plenty of shine and non-stick, sheer-to-medium coverage that lasts an average of three hours, but the LipShines outshine the others when it comes to moisture, and that’s no small thing.

12 Prescriptives LipShine Shades

Vanilla Latte: golden nude with pink shimmer

Mocha Chill: warm caramel brown

Iced Coffee: tawny nude with shimmer

Sunkissed: tawny reddish brown with shimmer

Bellini Fizz: coral with golden pearl

Strawberry Twist: rose with bronze pearl

Pink Smoothie: pop pink with shimmer

Raspberry Ice: berry pink with shimmer

Passionfruit: coral with pink golden shimmer

Black Cherry: deep plum burgundy

Pinkberry: soft rose

Boysenberry: plum with golden shimmer

See them here…

Both of the two shades I tested, Strawberry Twist and Boysenberry, have lots of shine and very subtle, pretty shimmer.

Strawberry Twist

Boysenberry

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Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara: Super Size Me!

October 9th, 2008 by Karen 21 Comments

Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara ($7) lured me with its bold claim to boost lash volume by 400%.

400%!

I expected some beasty Snuffleupagus lashes and drooled all over myself daydreaming about ’em.

Super Size Me

According to the product marketing (when is that not a red flag?), Neutrogena’s patent-pending formula contains a touch of olive oil to penetrate and plump each lash core. When used with the included uber brush, the company claims it takes lashes from normal to super-sized.

Exaggerate Much?

I was achin’ for some of that 400%, let me tell you, so I applied three layers of Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara and pulled out my measuring tape, LOL!
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Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Shower Cream: See Ya Later, Ashy Alligator Skin

October 8th, 2008 by Karen 36 Comments

Where my dry skinned girls at??

If your skin is like mine and enters ashy overdrive in fall, you probably need all the moisturizing help you can get. When Mother Nature chills out, and your skin dries out, grab a tube of Bath and Body Works’ new True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Shower Cream ($15), stat!

New to Bath and Body Works

Part of the new True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere body care line, Shea Cashmere Shower Cream softens and soothes through a combination of moisture-rich shea butter, cashmere extract (think goat hair), and other ingredients. The six-piece collection includes the Shower Cream ($15), as well as a Body Cream ($17.50), Body Lotion ($16.50), Bubble Bath ($18), Hand Cream ($14.50) and Foot Cream ($15).

Weird Consistency but Smells Fab!

The cream’s consistency freaked me out when I first squeezed the tube because it looks just like curdled milk. Eeeew… Good thing it smells better than it looks. In fact, the warm caramel scent reminds me of dulce de leche ice cream.

Immediate Results

Shea Shower Cream forms a very fine foam in the shower rather than lots of big bubbles. It feels kind of like washing your skin with lotion. Immediately after rinsing I felt a difference in the softness of my skin. I toweled off and, after letting my skin dry out for a bit, saw that my skin didn’t look as ashy as before.

Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Shower Cream

Price: $15
Use: A body shower cream to clean, soften and moisturize skin
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

I’m not abandoning my go-to body wash, Neutrogena Rainbath Shower and Shave, but for the time being Shea Shower Cream rules my shower roost (it’s actually a small ledge above the tub, lol!).

Puppy Love

I’ve been missing Shauna a lot lately. She’s the family’s dog and lives with my folks in the East Bay, so I don’t get to see her very often. I guess that missing her is why I’ve been compelled to snap pictures of every random dog in my ‘hood.

I ran into these two cuties in front of the Safeway across the street as they waited for their person. I love how the one in front looks so serious, like he’s thinking about calculus.

It looks like it’s going to be a crisp and sunny fall day today. I’m going to see if I can squeeze in a quick run before I head to work. Gotta take advantage of the clear weather before it disappears for a while.

Have a fab Wednesday! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Redken Real Control Overnight Hair Conditioner: Sleep Well

October 7th, 2008 by Karen 21 Comments

If your permed, damaged or color-treated hair hates hard work and refuses to behave, mark your calendar for next month’s release of Real Control Overnight Treat ($20), a new nighttime conditioning hair treatment from Redken.

Redken wants to help you to be as efficient as a Swiss watch, so they made Real Control work while you sleep, absorbing fast (limiting the amount of product that transfers to pillows and sheets) to condition and repair dry, chemically treated hair. Since I’m a fiend for multi-tasking, I had to give it a try. If I can get my beauty sleep on and condition my dry crow’s nest o’ hair while dreams of C. Bale flutter through my head, I am *so there.*

Why Overnight?

Overnight Treat contains Shea butter to smooth and control frizz along with proteins and ceramides to moisturize and repair. Redken claims that leaving it in while you sleep gives the product time to work and amplifies its conditioning powers by cutting down on exposure to environmental pollutants.

How to Use It

I’ve been a regular user of leave-in conditioners for years and often use them before bed, but this was the first of the products I’ve used that was specifically billed as an overnight treatment.

The bottle states that it should be applied to damp or dry hair before settling down to sleep and may be left in or rinsed out the following morning.

Texture and Scent

I’ve been applying it right after showers. In my hand, the product feels more like Lubriderm lotion than leave-in conditioner.

An amount the size of a silver dollar thoroughly coats my long-ish (past my shoulders), thick hair. The company claims it absorbs quickly, and I have to agree with them there. I only had to spend a minute or two to massage it into my hair.

Despite how thick the product feels in the palm of my hand, it doesn’t feel heavy once it has been worked into my hair, and I like the fragrance, too — like a light version of Bath and Body Works’ Sweet Pea lotion.

Visible Results

In the mornings after using Real Control my hair feels softer, looks smoother and seems more alive than the day before, and my hair does not look weighed down at all. Untreated, my hair tends to look and feel dry and rough, not smooth at all, and I tend to get split ends, but using Overnight Treat for a little more than a week has improved the condition of my hair in each of those areas.

Long Hair? Make a Bottle Last Three Months

To get as much bang for my buck from the product, I’ve been using it just once or twice a week, even though Redken says it’s safe to use every night. A couple treatments per week still keeps my hair soft without burning through the small 3.4 oz bottle too quickly. If your hair is shorter than mine, you can make your bottle last even longer.

Redken Real Control Overnight Treat

Price: $20
Use: Overnight conditioning and repair for dry, chemically treated hair
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

These Boots Were Made For Walking

My late night BOOT LUST has kicked in to coincide with the end of summer, and I found these brown cuties by Gabriella Rocha on Zappos last night!

Yeah, they’re a bit Robin Hood, but I like the round toe and criss cross design. I didn’t get them, but I was hella tempted.

Whatcha wearing on your feet today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Bobbi Brown Holiday 2008 Limited Edition Palettes

October 6th, 2008 by Karen 46 Comments

I know it’s early October, and you probably haven’t even picked out a pumpkin to carve, but all the makeup lines are unveiling their new palettes and sets for the holidays. They want you festive, dammit, whether you’re ready or not! 🙂

Yup, Bobbi Brown is starting early this year, releasing a string of limited edition palettes this month.

Lip and Eye Palette, $60: A double decker palette with four lipsticks and four eye shadows

Lip Gloss Trio, $45: A copper case with Spun Gold, Pink Glitter and Sandy Beige lipglosses

Moon Rock Long-Wear Eye Palette, $55: Two long-wearing cream shadows and liners in shades of gold, silver, black and chestnut

Night Sky Long-Wear Eye Palette, $55: Two long-wearing cream shadows and liners in silver, blue, black and gray.

Velvet Plum Eye Palette, $45: Four coordinating powder eye shadows in plums and neutral tones

Tube Tints Set, $30: Four mini-lipgloss tubes, each with SPF 15, in sheer pinks and browns

Last weekend I played with the Tube Tints Set, Night Sky Long-Wear Eye Palette and Velvet Plum Eye Palette. I think each would make a nice gift for any makeup lovin’ ladies in your life.

Velvet Plum Eye Palette

A few years ago, when I worked a 9-to-5 gig in downtown San Francisco, I’d bring my makeup and brushes with me to work and apply makeup in the bathroom on my breaks. I’ve always had issues packing light, even for work, so streamlined I was not. I’d walk around looking like I had a turkey stuffed in my bag. If I could turn back time, I’d totally give myself this palette along with a note that read, “Streamline, girl!”

From left to right: Bone, Naked, Velvet Plum, Espresso

This gorgeous palette contains four versatile powder eye shadows suitable for business meetings or drinks after work.

Bone Eye Shadow: off white
Naked Eye Shadow: medium neutral pink
Velvet Plum Eye Shadow: shimmery black plum
Espresso Eye Shadow: dark chocolate brown

Neutral work eye:
Apply Bone all over the lid and Naked into the crease. Wet an angled brush and then line the upper and lower lash lines with Espresso.

Plum night eye:
Wet a shadow brush, and apply Velvet Plum onto the lid and just barely into the crease. Then, with an angled eye brush, line the bottom lash line with Espresso.

Brown-plum smokey eye:
Line upper and lower lashlines with a creamy eye liner like MAC Smolder. Smudge Espresso on top of the liner on both lash lines. Then, apply Plum on the lid and just into the crease.

Out of the three palettes I tried, this one is my favorite. It’s just so flexible, and the colors pop without taking things too far. Gotta give Bobbi much lurve for this one. Go girl!

Tube Tints Set

From left to right: Brown Sugar Shimmer, Posey Shimmer, Bare Shimmer and Tea Rose

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Cargo Blu Ray Pressed Powder: Ready for My Close Up, Mr. Deville

October 5th, 2008 by Karen 28 Comments

High definition TV (HD TV) has totally changed the entertainment makeup industry — no more hiding behind the camera, relying on low resolution TV to smooth out fine lines and blur away imperfections. Now, thanks to HD TV, the difference between good and bad TV makeup has become more apparent than ever before.

Earlier this year, to meet the demands of HD TV and to take advantage of the move to high definition, cosmetics company Cargo released the Blu Ray collection (as in Sony’s Blu-Ray HD disc format). The five-piece collection was specifically designed to conceal skin imperfections while maintaining a natural look both on and off camera.

Why Powder?

Worn on top of foundation, pressed powder evens skin tone and reduces the look of fine lines while restoring skin’s natural appearance.

Why Blu Ray?

Cargo infused Blu Ray with softening agents, like optical blurring and photochromatic pigments, which, according to the company, reduce the look of fine lines, minimize flaws and cover imperfections in a variety of lighting conditions.

And photography — particularly good photography — is all about lighting. According to Cargo, Blu Ray works particularly well when you think you might be photographed, like at a prom or wedding, or even if you don’t expect to have your picture taken but want that same soft, natural look.

I’ve been using Blu Ray Pressed Powder for about a week now, and while I haven’t found myself being photographed or filmed for any TV shows yet (LOL!), I’ve been pleased with the results.

Texture

The first thing I noticed about the Pressed Powder was how soft and fine the texture felt when I swiped my finger across the pan. It’s a little softer than usual for a pressed powder.

Color

It comes in just a single shade, the color of which varies depending on application. When applied lightly with a fluffy powder blush, it appears colorless and translucent (diffuses light; semi-transparent) on my skin; however, when I apply a heavier coat with a kabuki brush, the powder takes on a slightly yellow tone.

Other off-yellow powders have tended to make my skin look sallow, but Pressed Powder doesn’t. Cargo seems to have found the right amount of yellow to balance out the pink areas around my chin and nose.
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L’Occitane Lavender Hand Cream: A Bedtime Treat

October 4th, 2008 by Karen 27 Comments

My skin gets progressively drier as the temperature drops, and I’ve officially entered seasonal hand cream overdrive. My new favorite, L’Occitane’s Lavender Hand Cream ($28), smells divine.

Fast Absorbing, No SPF

It contains moisturizing shea butter, lavender essential oil, rosemary extract and vitamin E, but, unlike Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream, my go-to daytime hand cream, L’Occitane Lavender does not contain SPF.

Despite the lack of sun protection, I dig how quickly it absorbs (and doesn’t leave my hands feeling greasy), despite its thick consistency, and feel that it’s fantastic for use at night.

Relaxing Lavender Scent

I’ve made Lavender Hand Cream part of my nightly ritual. Sometimes I have trubs getting restful sleep, so I try to do things to signal to my body when it’s time to go to bed, like turning off the computer an hour before bedtime (LOL, this one is so hard!) and sipping chamomile tea.

L’Occitane’s subtle lavender and powder fragrance definitely helps me unwind. In bed I massage a bead the size of a jelly bean into my hands and wrists and let the scent soothe me to sleep.

Pricey, but a Little Goes a Long Way

L’Occitane’s Lavender Hand Cream might not be as budget-friendly as many drugstore hand creams like $6 Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream, but the 5.2-oz tube should last a while. It’s a luxurious nighttime indulgence, and in today’s busy world we need all the help we can get.

L’Occitane Lavender Hand Cream

Price: $28 for a large 5.2-oz tube
Use: A moisturizing hand cream with a soothing lavender scent; contains no SPF
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

I wanted to make this a productive weekend, but so far I’ve just fooled around, gahhh! I better get on the ball here before it’s too late. That laundry ain’t gonna do itself! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Clarins Wonder Plum, Where’s the Plum?

September 29th, 2008 by Karen 39 Comments

Clarins Wonder Plum stars as the shy Ms. Little Plum in this highly anticipated sequel to the smash hit, The Attack of the Plum Mascaras! On counters now, it’s the latest long, natural lash product release from the people who brought us the rest of the Wonder Length Mascara family.

Okay, enough with the movie hype…
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