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Product Reviews

Does Benefit Powderflage Powder Concealer Report for Duty?

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Trapped behind enemy lines, miles from base and cut off from reinforcements, I crawled the distance to the freestanding Benefit store under cover of darkness…

Not really, but I did stop by the Benefit store after work this afternoon to conduct recon on their new Powderflage powder concealer ($28).

It didn’t take night vision goggles to appreciate the cute outer packaging.

What can I say? I got a thing for camo and pink. 🙂

Each cutie pie camo can contains a wee lil’ jar of highlighting powder and a small fan brush.

Benefit claims Powderflage’s pink, shimmery powder (it contains mica) disguises dark circles and fine lines under the eyes. Well, I got some real deal Holyfield dark circles, so Powderflage had its work cut out for it.

First, in the store, I removed all of the makeup under my eyes (trying hard not to scare the store patrons in the process).
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Clean and Clear Soft In-Shower Facial Passes with Flying Colors

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Pimples, meet your match! Clean & Clear’s Soft In-Shower Facial ($7) kicks clogged pores to the curb, quickly, and on the cheap.

I’ve been using this stuff for about two weeks now, and the results have been akin to watching a shirtless Jack Black run around in stained tighty whities — gross, yet awesome at the same time.

The company claims In-Shower Facial does double duty, thoroughly cleaning the skin with exfoliating grains and alpha hydroxy (glycolic) acids while moisturizing at the same time. I call this stuff magic in a bottle because it actually lives up to the claims. All kidding aside, my skin looked clearer and felt softer immediately after using it.

Immediate Results

Over the weekend, a gang of tiny pimples set up shop on my chin. I used In-Shower Facial on Monday, and by this morning the three baddest members of the gang had all but disappeared — and this was without a secondary acne treatment. Purified pores was what I wanted, and that’s exactly what I got.

I’ve had to exercise restraint because I get really tempted to pop my pimples. Yup, gross. So far I’ve resisted the urge.

To treat mild to moderate breakouts, I also like Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment, applied once in the morning and once at night.

Fast and Cheap… But In a Good Way

Not only does In-Shower Facial make quick work of small pimples, it’s quick and easy to use. I followed the simple directions on the back of the tube, using the treatment in place of my regular cleanser while in the shower. I slathered a layer of the powder-scented paste onto my face (avoiding my eyes), waited a minute, massaged my skin gently to exfoliate, and then rinsed. The paste warms a little as it’s rubbed on the skin. I think it feels nice.
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MAC Cult of Cherry On Sale Now: Product Shots, Swatches

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MAC counters nationwide are under constant attack today by crazed MAC fans (like me) dying to get their grubby, makeup stained hands on the new Cult of Cherry and Overrich collections. It’s total mayhem! 🙂

More on MAC Cult of Cherry and Overrich

I’m late for work and have to zip out the door, but here are swatches for now. I’ll post updates later today with more detailed reviews. Enjoy! 🙂

Eye Shadow Palettes ($36)

Shadowy Lady

Spiced Chocolate

Tempting

Lipsticks ($14)

Mattene Lipsticks ($14.50)

Tinted Lipglass ($14)

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Tarte Lash Hugger: Eco-Friendly Lash Lengthener

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Riddle me this: how do lashes go green without actually going green? Answer: by wearing Tarte’s Lash Hugger ($18). Billed as an eco-friendly mascara, Lash Hugger looks like a step in the right direction. Tarte skipped many of the chemicals commonly found in mascaras, like paraben, propylene glycol, and synthetic dyes and fragrances, and, to reduce environmental waste, they used recycled aluminum for the tube. Lash Hugger scores on the environmental front, but how does it perform?

The first thing I noticed about the product was the brush. I hoped the long bristles would give my lashes a nice mix of length, thickness and curl.


Before Lash Hugger
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Suave Professionals Vibrant Shine Shampoo and Conditioner: A Winning $7 Drugstore Combo

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I’ve been getting lucky, ladies! I’ve been finding some great drugstore shampoos and conditioners lately, like Suave Professionals Vibrant Shine Shampoo and Conditioner ($7 for the pair), a drugstore knock-off of a popular salon product, Sebastian Laminates Shampoo and Conditioner. I used Sebastian products back in the mid-90s and loved them but not the $20 price tag per bottle.

One thing I like about Suave Pro Vibrant Shine is the fragrance. A thick head of hair weighted down with a heavy scent can feel downright oppressive. If you don’t like overwhelming scents in your hair, then give this a try. Both the shampoo and conditioner have a very light, vaguely fruity scent that smells clean and not synthetic or plastic-y at all.

The shampoo lathers into a rich, sudsy foam that takes some work to rinse out, but I like products that force me to make sure I’m rinsing thoroughly. Same goes for the conditioner, which also takes some time to rinse out. Just as a comparison, it’s a bit thicker than Aussie’s Opposites Attract Conditioner, so if you have difficult hair that needs to be weighed down, Suave Pro Vibrant Shine Conditioner might be a good option.
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Chanel Precision Creamy Cleansing Milk: Indulge Yourself

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Like Swiss timing, Chanel is all about precision … the new Precision line of facial cleansers and toners, that is. Have you given ’em a sniff yet? With a fresh floral scent, a hefty price tag and minimalist, elegant packaging, they’re a lovely, indulgent way to clean your purty face.

Tulip Tree extract is the star ingredient. The Chanel marketing folks claim it protects skin from air pollution, something those of us living near cities can appreciate. Within the Precision line are products targeting three skin types, ranging from Balance for normal skin, Purity for oily skin and Comfort for dry and sensitive skin types.

I have dry skin, and to deal with it I’ve been using Creamy Cleansing Milk from the Chanel Precision Comfort range ($45). I haven’t yet used any of the other products from the Precision line, but Creamy Cleansing Milk compares favorably to Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple, probably my all around favorite facial cleanser of all time.
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Origins Flower Fusion Lipsticks: Standout Moisture and Shine

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Peony Flower Fusion lipstick

Hey there, nice girl with the hopelessly dry lips. You know I love ya, but that peeling ‘pout … not so cute! My pucker gets crazy dry, too, so when I find pretty, moisturizing lipsticks I feel compelled to share them. You, too, can say buh-bye to Saraha-dry lips with Origins Flower Fusion lipsticks ($16). Yes, girl, Origins!


Peony Flower Fusion lipstick in the tube

Origins isn’t a company I’ve paid a lot of attention to, but products like Flower Fusion are starting to change the way I think about the brand. These lipsticks are all about moisture in a big way. The official marketing claims their secret emollient ingredient is wax derived from plant petals and leaves.


Winter Rose Flower Fusion lipstick

You know how soothing it feels to massage a good lotion into your hands when they’re cracked and dry? Well, Flower Fusion lipstick is like that but for dry lips. The texture feels unusually slick and smooth for a lipstick. If I press my lips together and rub them back and forth, there’s no friction, like my lips are sliding on ice.


Winter Rose Flower Fusion lipstick in the tube

There are 26 shades in the collection, including the two limited edition ones shown here, Winter Rose (shimmery berry) and Peony (violet red). I like how they give my lips shine and color without appearing overly dark or dramatic. These are going to be great colors for work!


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Essie Fall 2008 Nail Polish Collection Keeps in Character for Fall

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Good morning, friends. I hope you’re having a good weekend so far. I’m sitting here at my desk, playing with nail polish and surfing the Net for beauty news.

Check out Essie’s fall polish line ($8 each). Keeping in character for fall, the collection features deep plum, berry and cherry shades that look good enough to eat (I’m always hungry, LOL!).

Sometimes I shy away from uber-dark shades because of how obvious it can be when they chip, so I’m glad Essie decided not to go too vampire dark with these colors.

  • Big Spender: Light purple
  • Forever Young: Vivid orange-red
  • Lacy Not Racy: Deep burgundy
  • No Boundaries: Dark plum
  • Swept Off My Feet: Rose pink
  • Tomboy No More: Deep red

Essie Weekend Giveaway

This should be fun. I’m giving away a full set of all six shades of Essie Fall 2008 this weekend. To qualify, just leave a comment with your favorite nail polish shade of all time and why you like it. I’ll choose the winner at random after I get home from work on Monday afternoon.

UPDATE: Entries are now closed. Congrats to reader Lucky for winning! She chose her nickname well!

Big Spender

Forever Young

Lacy Not Racy


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