Exploring Alternative Methods of Eye Makeup Removal: Neutrogena

For years now I've been a loyal user of Lancome's Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover. While I have tried others in the past, in a vain attempt to find something that worked as well (see Lumene, Clean & Clear, Boots #7, and Almay), I keep coming back to the Lancome. It's the only one that removes 100% of my mascara and eye liner easily the first time, no matter what I'm wearing. But... it's expensive. I try to stock up on it at the outlet mall (love those CCO stores), but I still feel guilty every time I use it.

Do You Need An Eye Cream? Dr. Cynthia Bailey Weighs In

Recently I featured a link list, and in it I asked what everyone thought about eye creams. Phyrra wasn't sure if they were necessary for her. For me, they usually are, but on occasion they aren't (pretty much when I am using a thick night cream I might skip this step). I definitely prefer to use them during the day since the extra hydration helps to apply concealer and I like extra hydration and tightening in this area.

Lucky for me (and us!), one of my favorite readers commented on the post. Her answer was so great, I decided that I couldn't let it just be a comment, it needed to be highlighted for everyone to read!

MAC Cham Pale: The Lip Gelées

I'm in love with most of MAC's newest collection, Cham Pale. Why? Because the colors are perfect for pale girls like me. Little pops of color that aren't too much color, but keep us from looking washed out.

The Lip Gelées have been seen before, though not in these exact versions. In my experience, MAC's lip gelées tend to be a little bit shinier than the lip glasses, have more shimmer or glitter, and they tend to not last as long on the lip. In addition, I do find them to be quite a bit stickier than the lip glasses. For me, they work best layered over other lippies, such as over lipstick to add a little extra pop. In that manner I use less of the sticky gelée but get a great look.


Bubble Lounge is described as "sparkly pink peach" and Straight to the Head as "sparkly bronze brown." You can see that both are insanely full of shimmer, which made photographing them a bit of a challenge (even without using flash)! There is a bit of color to the base, and the glitter is tinted as well. Both work really well over lipstick, though be careful because if you use too much of the gelée it will look like you've dipped your lips into a ton of glitter.

MAC Cham Pale Lip Gelées

Frais Towelettes: A Portable Spa in a Packet

I love the towelettes that are available now, whether they come from the drug store or department store. Unfortunately, not all towelettes are created equal. Some are much too small, some barely clean anything off of my face, leave a strange residue behind or smell gross. These towelettes have none of those issues.

The Frais towelettes are a bit bigger than usual (8x7.5 inches), have a light fresh scent, and clean everything easily and quickly. When I say everything, I mean these towelettes will even take off waterproof mascara! They're perfect for travel (I think leaving one in my 3-1-1 bag is a great idea), my diaper bag, in my purse, or just to use at home.

Frais Towelettes

Estée Lauder's Wild Storm

Part of Estée Lauder's Wild Violet Collection (for Spring 2011, yes, already available, it seems too soon!), this nail polish is a pretty pewter color. The picture above is pretty representative of how it looks about 95% of the time, and while it seems to hint at some shimmer you really have to look really hard to see any at all, it is basically a creme. The color is very well pigmented, I got full coverage with 2 light coats or 1 heavy coat of polish. I usually get about 5 or 6 days of wear from an Estée Lauder, pretty good considering how much I usually put my nails through!

I do think that dark greys will be everywhere on nails this spring, of course spurred on by Black Pearl, which is sure to sell out soon. I bought Black Pearl a few days ago, I'll compare the two soon!

Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Wild Storm

Things to Check Out...

Nancy over at Beauty 411 has the images of MAC's new Cham Pale, which came out on Sunday. This collection is amazing for us pale girls! I recommend the highlight powders, and the lipgeléés, which seem to layer over everything. I'll be posting about the items in a few days, but check out the pics in the meantime.

Beauty Ticket is offering 50% off their entire site until January 1, 2011 with the code NEWYEAR50 go crazy! I bought some polishes, a lip gloss and a new concealer.

Sarah at Beauty Banter has some tips for Holiday Makeup from Sue Devitt, and they are perfect for planning your New Year's Eve look! Run over to check them out.

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings found an amazing eye shadow palette of greys from Revlon that I am now coveting. Run over and check it out!

Tina at Beauty Snob is loving Diorskin Crystal Nude as an alternative to regular powder for keeping her skin matte. Has anyone else tried it out? I'm really curious about it!

My friend Nadine Jolie has done something I'm not sure I can do- she's colored her hair at home and created a guide for coloring your hair at home (the lazy girl's version. A great resource!

Phyrra is wondering if eye creams are really necessary. Personally, they seem to be for me. My skin is combination, and my eye area seems to require a heavier duty moisturizer than my t-zone. I also like to use eye creams that contain special ingredients I may not need elsewhere (specifically caffeine, since I like the little bit of tightening it gives me). But... if I'm using a thick night cream I definitely don't feel guilty about skipping out of the eye cream. What do you think?


I'm a member of Beauty Ticket's Beauty Panel. Which gets me... a picture on their website. It's not a very good one though. I think i need to stockpile some good pics, likely when I am not full term and bloated.

Avril Lavigne's Forbidden Rose

I have to admit that when I first heard about Avril's new fragrance (and saw the image above), my first thoughts were that someone has been watching a bit too much Tim Burton and Disney. The image definitely looks influenced by Burton and this summer's Alice in Wonderland, whereas the fragrance itself is named Forbidden Rose with notes of Red Apple (a little Snow White anyone?)

So, how is the fragrance itself? It is best described as a woody fruity scent with a little bit of floral influence later on. I wouldn't fully call this a floral.

Behind the Scenes with Elizabeth Arden's Red Door Fragrance

Have you seen the new Elizabeth Arden ads for the Red Door Anniversary? I love how the model looks both before and after she passes through the Red Door and I couldn't wait to find out more about her looks.

Here's a quick peek behind the scenes....

Cover Girl's New NatureLuxe, Definitely Worth Checking Out

Remember recently when I shared Taylor Swift's new CoverGirl ad? Well, these are the products that she was advertising. A new line from CoverGirl, so far there is only a foundation and lippie, though I expect more products will be coming.

Beauty Blog Network Weekend Reads

Beauty and Fashion Tech looks at the Verseo eGlide: affordable and permanent home hair removal for under $100.

Phyrra raves about MUFE Aqua Creams. See what she loves about them!

EyeshadowCult.com tried a Cabernet Sugar Body Scrub by Green Visions. Did we like it? Find out here!

The Makeup Divas reviews two holiday palettes from Sephora, Tarte The Jewelry Box and Lorac Box Office Sensation.

Retrodiva's Beauty discovers serum by Votre Vu that has calmed her troubled skin.

Jeweled Thumb recalls childhood smells & scenes while reviewing theHaus of Gloi Snow Wolf scent.

Fun Christmas Links!

Merry Christmas! I hope that everyone is enjoying their holiday and there isn't too much drama amongst your family. If you're looking to escape, here's a few things I found on-line to amuse you!

First, don't forget to enter my contest to win a huge NYX Cosmetics SoHo Glam Makeup Palette!

Diva Debbie is checking out the new dry brushing craze. Once again, she's checking things out so I don't have to. What did she think?

I'm not the only one obsessed with Kiehl's! Over at Pammy Blogs Beauty you can check out what happened when Pammy stole borrowed her hubby's Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser!

Laurie over at Product Girl has a beautiful swatch of OPI's Glitzerland. I'm having to physically restrain myself from running to ULTA to pick it up.

Dr. Benabio at The Dermatology Blog recently posted about The Benefits of Olive Oil for your Skin. Great to hear about these things from a dermatologist, isn't it?

Maricela at Vivid Fusion posted a great tutorial on Applying False Eyelashes. It looks easy! Start practicing now for your New Year's Eve parties.

Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog tried out an amazing Chanel Foundation that is perfect for Combination Skin. Yes, it is pricy as it is Chanel, but Karen loved it so much she ran out to buy more when her 2 week sample ran out. That speaks pretty highly of the product.

Luster is holding a contest on their Facebook Page. Head over to "Like" them and answer a brief survey. At the end of January 25 people will win their dentist-strength at-home teeth whitening kit.

Combating Winter's Effects on Your Hair

As the temperature goes down and we all spend more time in low humidity, cold environments you'll notice that both your hair and skin can really take a beating. While tips abound for taking care of your skin during this time, it isn't quite so obvious what to do about your hair. Luckily, Nicholas Penna, Jr., owner and lead stylist of Salon Capri in Newton & Dedham, Mass has some great tips on surviving the harsh effects of winter! His tips for the winter are below.

1.) Stock up on leave-in conditioners and protective oils! These act as a cozy coat between your hair and the heat. During, the cold dryness of the winter months, damage from a curling or straightening iron can be worse than usual. If you’re straightening out or curling up, Nick suggests coating your hair with a leave-in oil such as Shu Uemura’s “Essence Absolue”. This product contains Camellia oil, so it really works to protect your locks. Camellia or tea seed oil is often used as a rust protectant for woodworking tools…so it means business!

2.) Air dry! If you’re not freezing post-shower, try to let your hair air dry before blowing it completely dry. The less hot air you infuse into your locks with the drier, the more moisture you’ll seal in from your shampoo & conditioning products. If you can avoid blow-drying altogether, Nick says, “go for it”!

3.) Stay moisturized! Nick suggests go into your salon for a professional deep conditioning treatment at least once a month. This is a great way to keep your hair healthy and shiny in the winter months. If this isn’t in your budget, Nick recommends using Shu Uemura’s Art of Hair Moisture Velvet Nourishing Treatment. This product can be used daily on thick hair or once a week as a deep treatment on fine hair. Apply the product to clean, damp hair. Leave on for 5-10 minutes and rinse out.

4.) Keep frizz away. Frizzy hair is one of the worst things about the winter’s dryness (think static cling, hat hair…ew!). Nick suggests attempting to stop the problem before it can begin. Nick loves anti-frizz products and swears by them during the winter. His favorite is L’Oreal Professionnel’s Gelee Riche, an anti-frizz styling gelee that is applied to towel-dried, damp hair. Still frizz-tastic? Nick’s quick tip is to spray a small amount of L’Oreal Professionnel’s Freezing Mist or another strong hold finishing spray on a hairbrush and lightly brush it through your hair from top to bottom. Voila!

5.) Be dirty! Ok…not dirty, but Nick recommends washing your less frequently during the winter. Frizz is a result of dry, broken strands of hair aka lack of moisture. Washing your hair everyday does more damage than good. Nick suggests washing your hair every third day or every other day. If you’re suffering from dry locks and split ends, Nick suggests washing your coif with Shu Uemura’s Silk Bloom, a shampoo that helps to restore moisture to dry, damaged hair.

Salon Capri
Snow Image

Prevention Magazine's Go-To List of Skin Moisturizers

In January's issue of Prevention they have a great skin care feature. Their editors have sorted through creams, lotions and serums to come up with a list of great options for whatever your skin care needs are.

Read on to see the list!

LuLu Beauty: Fragrance Oils that Don't Seem like Oils

I have a new fragrance love. The fact that it is from a small company makes me feel even better! Once again, this company is out of Seattle, the LuLu cosmetics and fragrances have grown out of the shop Show Pony, a women's clothing store. Each fragrance is hand blended and there are between 15-20 different scents in each perfume! I feel like most perfume oils I experience are 1 or 2 note wonders, making them often fall flat. That is certainly not the case here!

The fragrances are currently available as either a roll on perfume oil or a solid perfume. I tried the perfume oil, which came in a small glass vial with a roller ball applicator. It was perfect for applying the perfume oil, and the entire thing would be great for travel since it was so small.

LuLu currently offers 5 different scents:
• Starlet: White gardenias with a base note of clean, sensual musk
• Lulamae: Italian bergamot, middle notes of freesia, African lily and gardenia. The base note are a clean musk with a touch of soft vanilla
• Marlena: Top note of Italian Bergamot, middle notes of jasmine and Moroccan red rose, and base notes of musk, French vanilla, and patchouli
• Gigi: Top notes of pear, papaya and bergamot, middle notes of ylang ylang, gardenia and green tea. The base notes are green musk, Parvati sandalwood, and essential vanilla.
• Dame: Gardenias, night blooming jasmine and a full, lush blend of rich and sweet vanillas

The scents are subtle, requiring someone to be pretty near you to smell them. They are definitely more nuanced and sophisticated than the typical perfume oil. The scents all last most of the day with out much change in the scent on me.

My favorite of the scents was definitely Starlet. The white gardenias weren't too heavy and the clean musk grounded them very well. It was a pretty floral, quiet and subdued and not at all overwhelming. I can definitely see myself wearing it frequently in the future.


LuLu Beauty is available on-line either through Olivine or through the LuLu Etsy Page.

LuLu Beauty

Kiehl's Holiday Lip Balm #1 Flavor Set

I'm a huge Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 freak (go check out my friend Jamie's blog, The Beauty of Life if you don't believe me). While the classic unflavored version is still my favorite, even I need to switch it up every now and then. This pack of flavored Lip Balm #1 is perfect for stocking stuffers! You can keep it together or break it up, put one in your sister's stocking or add a few to a gift for a close friend. If they haven't tried it yet, I guarantee that they will love it!

Included in the set:
• Cranberry
• Vanilla
• Coconut
• Mango

$29 ($36 value) at Kiehls.com and Kiehls.com

I've bought a huge amount of Kiehl's #1 lip balm, though I admit my first Cranberry Lip Balm #1 was a gift from Kiehl's. I've repurchased that flavor since, but in the interest of full disclosure, I once got a free Cranberry Lip Balm #1.

Fresh Sugar Rush Set

How cute is this little set from Fresh? It looks like it is the perfect way to add a little bit of pampering to anyone's day. Perfect for keeping in your gym bag or desk at work!

• Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15
• Brown Sugar Body Cream
• Brown Sugar Eau de Parfum (features sheer caramel notes sprinkled with sparkling citruses)

Fresh Sugar Rush Set

Last Minute Gift: Flirt's Amazing Eye Shadow Quads

If you're still on the look out for a holiday gift, or need a stocking stuffer for a loved one, you might want to run to your nearest Kohl's. Yes, really. Kohl's. I really think that Flirt is an under appreciated line, likely because it is only available at the discount giant. This makeup line is owned by Estée Lauder, and I have to say that the quality of everything I've tried has been consistent with that. The mascaras bring great volume and length without flaking or smudging off halfway through the day. The lip glosses are shiny without being too sticky. The eye shadows (featured here) are all well pigmented, easily blended and last all day.

Read on to check out 2 of Flirt's Holiday Eye Shadow Quads. You can click on the images below to enlarge if you want a closer look!

Win It! NYX's SoHo Glam Palette

I love the shades in this SoHo Glam Palette. Look at all of the pretty and highly wearable greys and browns off to the left. Check out the fun but versatile shadows on the right. There's even an array of flattering blushes to pick from.

Included in the palette:
• 52 Eyeshadows
• 4 Blushes
• 4 Face Colors
• 8 Lip Colors
• 1 Lip Liner
• 2 Lip Glosses

Want to have one of your own? Enter below. Open to US residents only, you have until 12/27/2010 at 9 pm to enter!



NYX Cosmetics

Beauty Blog Network Weekend Reads

Phyrra is giving away 5 colors from the Aromaleigh Wonderstruck Collection!

Beauty and Fashion Tech looks at the Best Makeup Brushes in both affordable and professional brushes.

The Pink Sith Blog has Joeybunny reviewing Calvin Klein's new fragrance called Beauty Even her biased nose enjoys this feminine scent.

Jeweled Thumb reveals the contents of her mystery package and does a brief initial review of her thoughts on Haus of Gloi.

Julep Nail Polish: Wear Test Results!

A few days ago I posted about Julep Nail Polishes, and started a contest (there are still a few hours to enter- go check it out!) I promised a fifth color swatch and the results of a wear test.

As usual, it's very difficult to get the exact shade of red, though the pictures here are a pretty accurate representation of how it looks in slightly different lights. Marilyn is a deep red, jelly finish (this is 3 coats to opacity) with amazing glitter. It just shines like crazy- I honestly lost count of how many compliments this color received when I was wearing it.

One note: This shade (as well as Cyndi, which I featured the other day) do come out a little bit bumpy which cuts down on the shine and shimmer of the glitter. You'll need a thick top coat like Seche Vite to take advantage of the color.

Read on to see how it wore.

Sephora Glitter Cream Eyeshadow Set

Those aren't little lippies, they are in fact creamy eye shadows. They apply very easily. The consistency is pretty much identical to an eye shadow primer, so they are easiest to apply with your finger tips. The shadows are well pigmented but the coverage builds easily with layering, which I love. They work alone or under powder shadows equally well. I had no creasing or pigment loss issues.

I've been mostly using the Taupe shadow (it's a quick smokey look without the effort), though I'm looking for an excuse to break into the Silver!

This set contains:
• Butter Cream
• Taupe
• Violet
• Teal
• Silver


Sephora Glitter Cream Eyeshadow Set

Weblinks to Check Out

Don't forget to enter my Julep Nail Polish contest!

My friend Michelle over at All Lacquered Up checked out a few of the colors in China Glaze's Anchors Away collection coming out in February. I loved all 3 colors, and for once I can honestly say I'm craving a gray polish! I'll be checking them all out, what about you?

Miss Jessie's is holding a BOGO sale on-line, so it might be a good time to stock up...

With my baby arriving sometime in the next month, I've been thinking a lot about cutting corners in my routine. I am likely being overly optimistic, but I would love to be fully dressed each morning. With a newborn. I might skip other parts of my routine in order to achieve this, which is why I'm so glad that Diva Debbie has been looking into which dry shampoos really work. She's saving me a ton of leg work! I'm adding her fave to my next Sephora shopping list.

Remington recently donated some of their Cool Style hair tools to Today’s 17th Annual Holiday Toy and Gift Drive. To continue with the giving and good cheer with a “12 Days of Giveaways” promotion on their Facebook page. Those that "like" the page and share how they are getting ready for the season are eligible to win in the 12 day long giveaway!

Are you heading somewhere warm and sunny to escape the winter chill? Dr. Cynthia Bailey shares what a dermatologist brings with her to the tropics!

Get 20% off at Spoil Me Fashion, where they carry jewelry from designers like Alex and Ani, Anna Beck, Citrine By The Stones, Samantha House, Robindira and Zara Terez. Use the code HAUTEDEAL20 at checkout.

Erth Minerals is offering 25% off any purchase over $30 between now & December 31, 2010. Use the code XMAS186 at checkout.

JoeyBunny from Pink Sith has once again made me upset by sharing a Taupe Eye Shadow I can't have! Go check it out. You will start checking every NARS display near you as well, just like I am.

How to Color Your Hair at Home

Hair color is not usually something that I write about. Why not? Because I'm pretty clueless about it. I don't color my hair at home (I've always left it up to the experts), and the whole idea really, really scares me. Because I know I'd somehow come out spotted or orange.

Well, if this describes you as well, Clairol has come to the rescue. They've released a super simple, how to color your hair at home video. If you're about to do this for the first time (or even if you've been coloring your hair at home for a while), I strongly recommend watching anyways. I bet you'll learn some new tips!

Make Up For Ever's Rock For Ever Eye Shadow Quad

Make Up For Ever (affectionately called MUFE by the cult brand's followers) is somewhat new to me. Somehow for a long time I managed to hear amazing things about the brand, but was so busy with other things that I managed to avoid them. Well, no longer. In the next few months you're going to see a lot more MUFE, because I've started using their products and I'm in love! Seriously. Amazing.

Kiehl's Men's Refueling Kit

While the Ultimate Men's Collection is better for the guy who needs an upgrade in his products, the Refueling Kit is for the guy that travels often. TSA approved sizes of great men's products are always welcome upgrades over the 99 cent options from the local big box store!

Contains:
• Ultimate Man Scrub Soap
• Facial Fuel Moisturizer, 2.5 oz
• Eye Alert Packet (perfect for a single strip)
• White Eagle Shave Cream- a deluxe sample in a mini tube that fits in the 3-1-1 bag without an issue

$29.50 ($44 value) at Kiehls.com and Kiehl's Stores.

I've bought similar sets in the past for my hubby!

Winter Skin Care

I'm sitting here as huge amounts of snow fall from the sky, and I'm dreading the upcoming winter's dry, itchy skin! Dr. Neil Shultz from Derm TV has some great tips to keep your skin as happy as possible.

Advanced Techniques in Hair Styling: Using the Flat Iron

This great video from the ladies over at Marie Claire makes me realize that I am very unskilled with my flat iron, since I pretty much only use it to straighten and on occasion make a few waves. I'll be doing the curls and trying out the volumizing trick really soon. Have you done this? Did it work? I'm wondering what product would be needed in my hair...

Coach Signature C Stacked Rings

I love stacking rings, and these bands are a little different than the typical rings with stones. The C's are present but subtle. Pretty much a crowd pleasing present.

Coach Signature C Stacked Rings

Kenzo Friends and Family

FYI, starting today you can get 25% off everything over at Kenzo, one of my favorite brands! Hurry, the offer only lasts for 2 days. Use the code FFAM2010 at checkout.

Kenzo