Thursday, March 31, 2011

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lift and Firm Makeup SPF15

Elizabeth Arden has a new foundation with a long name : Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lift and Firm Makeup SPF15.

This new  foundation smooths and perfects giving you skincare benefits at the same time utilizing Arden's CPT (Ceramide Plumping Technology) to lift and firm skin as well as Ceramide Triple Complex for moisture.

The  foundation  is a very creamy formula, it has an almost whipped feeling and goes on  dewy at first. It needs a few minutes to set and once it does, your skin looks  great-smoothed and softened.   This is not heavy but it is full coverage.   Mica and Alumina give luminizing properties that are not visible but simply give you a little extra glow.

Excellent for more mature  or drier skins.

Shade shown in my image is Cameo.

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lift and Firm Makeup SPF15 is $ 42.00 and available now at http://www.elizabetharden.com/ and all counters.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

MAC Little Girl Type Nail Polish ( from Quite Cute)

 For the lavender lovers there's new Little Girl Type polish from MAC's Quite Cute collection. I am loving the lavender nail look that we've seen this season and put this on right away.

The shade somehow makes your hands look more tan and with a (self) tan would pop even more. It's really pretty  and  I've been looking for a lavender polish.

It took 2 coats to get  an almost opaque finish and really 3 would have been best.  As much as I love this color, the formula isn't thrilling me.   I didn't like the streakiness and after just 3 days I've got some chipping.  I have been hard on my nails but 3 days is still pretty fast. ( Photo is with base coat and top coat).

Do you think you'll grab this shade ? Or do  you have a favorite lavender already?

 MAC Quite Cute hits counters on April 7.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Baby Phat Paula Shoe

As part of Lucky's Alpha Shoppers I get offered the chance to try new  fashion items if I'm interested. When they got in touch on Baby Phat, I have to say my first thought was, no thanks. Then I looked at the shoe image and though well, why not ? Be open. So here I am  surprised by the Baby Phat Paula and how cute it is. It also seems more well made than expected and the faux suede looks real from a distance.

 I think they look best with a pair of your favorite jeans but they can also be part of a casual summer dress look or maybe with a pair of the floaty ,silky shorts that came down the Spring runways.

The heel is very high, so while these can go day to night, it depends on your comfort level with that heel height .

For more posts on this shoe and more head over to the Lucky Alpha Shoppers page, link at left sidebar

Monday, March 28, 2011

Calvin Klein Eternity Summer 2011

It's time for  the yearly release of  the Summer editions of Calvin Klein Eternity and CK One . Each are new scents and in nicely  decorated bottles.  I'll be dishing on CK One Summer over at  Beautystat . Here I'm all about Eternity Summer.

Eternity has not been one of my favorite Calvin fragrances and I wasn't a big fan of last Summer's version, but this year is a different story.  I find myself really liking this  version. It's very different than last summer's which as I recall was very aquatic.

 Summer 2011 brings a bright , warm , mostly floral scent.  You can detect the  muguet ( lily of the valley) and to me there is a sweet pea feel to it as well.  As it dries  down there are some green notes  and  I can  smell the cilantro note in there. It's that cilantro note that makes this something besides a floral. Some people have issue with that note and it's often a reason some can't take one of my all time favs Bond No 9 Little Italy. I get little cilantro from that  one , but no matter to me as I love the smell of cilantro , fresh from the plant.

 The Cilantro meshes  with the florals, so by the drydown  it settles into a slightly powdery floral with the mimosa note becoming very prominent.  Perfect for warm days spent dreaming of being in a field of  wildflowers.


Full note list :
Top: violet leaves, muguet, cilantro
Mid: gardenia, jasmine, lotus lily
Dry: creamy musks, mimosa, fig wood

Calvin Klein Eternity Summer 2011 is LE and is 3.4 oz  for $ 56.00

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Rimmel Celebrates The Royal Wedding on Facebook

Rimmel has got Royal Wedding fever  just like many of us ( I certainly do ). They have set up their facebook page to be  a central spot for  contests, how to's on Kate Middleton's look,  tutorials and they will be doing live photos from the streets of London on the wedding day itself.


Interested? Then head over  at:

https://www.facebook.com/RimmelLondonUS

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Trish McAvoy-The Love Fragrance Collection

Beginning April 18th , Trish McAvoy will be offering this nicely edited set. Not only does it have cult favorite Blackberry and Vanilla Musk EDP and Body Cream but also a candle in Wild Blueberry Vanilla(  I have never smelled this, but it sounds  good, doesn't it ?) and a  Flawless Lip Color in Seduction.

The set is called The Love Fragrance Collection and it is $ 90.00 and LE. Available from April 18th at http://www.trishmcevoy.com/

Friday, March 25, 2011

MAC Cutie Quad from Quite Cute

Cutie is the quad from MAC's new Quite Cute collection hitting stores April 7. Or as I like to call it, The Easter Egg collection. All the shades in this line are pastel, spring and seriously make me think of a decked out Easter basket. 

The eyeshadow quad, Cutie, has  two purple shades - one light  and sheer( Boycrazy) and one  deeper  and smoky ( Azuki Bean) , one  in light  pink (Goody Goody Gum Drop) and  one in pale ,minty green ( Moshi Moshi!).

With the exception  of Azuki Bean, they all go on sheerer and less bright than they seem in the palette .  Not a lot less, but a little.

I am loving the purple shades here. I don't have a lot of purples  for some odd reason , since they look good on me, and the two together today made a nice look.

I doubt I'll use the pink, I'm just not into pink shadow but I can see using the green as a highlighter. All of these together at once though- no. 

 Will you be snapping up the Cutie quad ?

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Clinique Even Better -Bigger Size ( and it does work)

If you love Clinique's Even Better  Dark Spot Corrector, and you need to if you have any spots you'd like faded, it now comes in an even larger size.

I've had my  1 oz bottle for awhile and used it occasionally. Not enough to see if it really worked. So about a month ago I decided to buckle down and use it daily. These things take long use to work, I know that and needed to put it to the test. I have  a few acne scars and some  minor pigmentation from the sun. I don't sun myself much but I am in the pool a  lot and no matter how  much I re-apply the SPF I still get some sun.

The verdict after 4 weeks- this works. It took 3 weeks to really see a difference but all of a sudden the spots seemed lighter, less and more  brighter was  skin visible.

I use Even Better once daily in the AM with Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM at night. Most days I use Clinique's Even Better foundation to amp up the brightening.  The foundation actually makes your skin glow a little , right from the bottle.

Even Better larger size is 1.7 oz and retails for $ 73.00 and the regular size is 1 oz for $ 49.50 , all at http://www.clinique.com/

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Guerlain Rouge Automatique- Preview

Coming next month is the new lipstick from Guerlain, Rouge Automatique.

Not only  does this lippie have a unique slide mechanism that brings up the lip bullet,  based on an old lipstick from the Guerlain archives circa 1936, but each shade is named after a famous Guerlain fragrance. So now you can wear Mitsouko and Vega on your lips.

The formula is said to be very moisturizing, have second skin texture on your lips and luminous , long lasting pigment. There are 25 new shades.

In stores in April and will retail for $ 35.00

I hope to have swatches soon. Stay tuned.

Dannijo Zwi Cuff

I love Dannijo jewelry. Love it. Usually because it's edgy and rock and roll . The Zwi cuff , made from Stingray, is a little edgy due to the studs, but a little elegant thanks to the  pink color . The shade fits right in with the "it" shade for the year -Honeysuckle  ( although the official shade name here is Raspberry).  It's also a great way to punch up an all neutral ( if you were me that'd mean black) outfit.

 $ 288.00 at http://www.dannijo.com/ ( available in 6 colors)

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit and Corrector

Bobbi Brown's new Concealer Kit brings together concealer and yellow tinted powder.  It's a great concealer but it's also cute. Yes, cute in it's  small, pocket sized compact that will fit right in your bag.

The concealer is creamy with full coverage and doesn't look heavy or  overdone.  The powder is sheer  and light.

There is also a Corrector available in it's own small compact. The Corrector is great for dark circles or spots. Meant to be used before concealer , it really gets the job done.

In my image the shade is Warm Ivory. In all there are 14 Concealer shades and 12 Corrector shades.

Bobbi has made this to not only offer ease of use and coverage , but also adding  in good for your skin ingredients.
Here's a partial ingredient list and their benefits according to the brand:

Emollients- help maintain skin’s moisture evels for a smoother, virtually lineless look.

Lecithin -conditions skin.

Vitamins C & E -offer antioxidant benefits.

Silica- creates a soft-focus effect that helps soften the look of fine dry lines.

Kaolin -a natural mineral, helps formula stay in place and prevents it from settling ito lines.


 Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit $ 32.00
 Bobbi Brown Individual Concealer or Corrector  $ 22.00

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Aveda Light The Way Candle

Each year for the past four  Aveda has brought out their Light The Way Candle out for Earth  Month.  Beautifully scented with certified organic lavender and  clary sage , it's scented to lift  you and de-stress.  It's made in the USA and the glass container  is made from recycled wine cooler bottles and the box from 70% post consumer recycled paper.

 It's LE each year and available until it sells out , with 100 % of proceeds going to GlobalGreengrants Fund at http://www.greengrants.org/   which works to bring clean and safe drinking water worldwide.

 It's a great gift option and would make a nice Easter hostess gift as well as buy now and save for Mother's Day  present.

Light The Way retails for $ 12.00 at all Aveda outlets and online at http://www.aveda.com/

Saturday, March 19, 2011

LPLP by Linea Pelle for Target

I usually keep tabs on the upcoming Target collabs but somehow it squeaked by me that Linea Pelle was doing one. Last September during fashion week at Robert Verdi's lounge I got to see much of the original line in person. Gorgeous leather bags , wallets and fun studded bracelets. ( Shown in last image).

Now there is LPLP by Linea Pelle for Target, incorporating a lot of the same design elements. The studded bracelets are there as are similar looking wallets.   These are faux leather but also carry a far lower price tag. The collection is priced between  $ 9.99 and $ 34.99 . 

I haven't gotten over to Target to see these in person yet. Have you ? What did you think ? I have to say from just the images, the white bag looks  nice for summer.


Friday, March 18, 2011

Bath & Body Works " I Love Fragrance" Event March 19th

 Bath & Body Works is having an event  to help you discover your fragrance personality at an exclusive one-day “I Love Fragrance” in-store event nationwide.

The details :

Taking place on Saturday, March 19th from 1-5pm, the I Love Fragrance Event is dedicated to identifying your perfect scent in the Signature Collection from Bath & Body Works. Whether you’re new to the Signature Collection or a long-time devotee, Bath & Body Works associates are trained fragrance experts who can discover your fragrance personality and the right scent to suit your style.

-Take the Bath & Body Works fragrance personality quiz to find your Signature Collection fragrance personality

-Visit the Bath & Body Works Moisture Station to try out assorted Signature Collection moisturizers

-Bath & Body Works fragrance experts will offer insider tips and tricks for new ways to wear Signature Collection

-Enjoy exclusive offers and special gifts

-Vote on the next summer scent launch from Bath & Body Works

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Dove VisibleCare Crème Body Washes

Looking for a great new body wash ? Love moisturizing ones , but maybe  not ones that are too heavy ?  Then take a look at new Dove VisibleCare Crème Body Washes.

 I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of creamy body washes. I use them when it's really cold because they do work but I'm more of a gel or at least creme-gel fan. So when the chance came to try these new Dove washes, I thought  why not ?I love trying new things but at the same time didn't expect them to be anything special.

The thing is- these are different . And really nice. They are not a thick cream, but a  mousse almost.   With the Nutrium Moisture of past Dove offerings, these are very light  and  soft , they add moisture , cleanse and then rinse clean.  I've been using the Softening one ever since I got it. It has a nice scent, a little of the Dove  soap  fragrance along with some florals.


Available in Renewing and Softening  at all mass market outlets . Retail is $ 7.99

 Don't forget the Dove Close Up Challenge- info here

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

New Dior Addict Lipsticks

The original Dior Addict lipstick was very much a favorite. I still have one in Lunar Brown and it's still a color I love. Dior just gets lipsticks so right. Last years Rouge Dior Haute Couleur is still at the very top of my favorite lipstick list.

For 2011 they have redone the Addict line. It's more moisturizing and more sheer than the original formula. These are not quite a gloss lipstick but they have that quality to them. Shiny,  semi sheer,  with soft shimmer and they keep lips moist. They also have good coverage.  The case is now clear  instead of the signature blue, with a silver tube.


Dior Addict comes in 56 shades  ranging from pale pink to bold red. I lean towards the lighter shades so that's mostly what I  have here. Favorites  are New York- a brown tinged  plum, Beige Casual- a  nude , your lips but better shade, and Beige Perfection-  a peach tinted nude beige.  Many shades are similar  especially in the light pink range . With the  number of shades there will truly be something for everyone and  they are perfect for the lighter , warmer days ahead.

 Shades shown left to right:

Diorissime 249 , Beige Casual 222, New York 714, Nude 333, Smoky 811, Tulle 214.

The full line is up now at Sephora and at Dior counters. (Some shades are exclusive to Sephora ). Retail is $ 28.00

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Douglas Hannant by Robert Piguet Perfume

It seems we can't mention Robert Piguet without talking about Fracas. With good reason, not only is it a classic but it's a stunning classic. Not for everyone  in it's big , powerful white floral-ness , but it's been one of my all time favorites since the day I smelled it for the first time.

In recent years   Piguet has re-released other classics from the archives. Now with Douglas Hannant we get the first new fragrance in decades. It's also a white floral and also stunning. Created by top perfumer Aurélien Guichard ,  I'm going to go out on a sturdy limb and say right now this will be, if not the best perfume of the year , one of the top ones. It's that good.

(Douglas Hannant in case you are unfamilar is a fashion designer. His designs are beautiful and elegant and tend to cater to the high society  types. )

His perfume could be called Fracas lite or Fracas for a new generation.   It's a white floral but clean and still fully floral to my nose. I only get a fleeting bit of the pear note in the beginning.    To me it goes right to being about the orange blossom, gardenia and tuberose with a non indolic , creamy  jasmine coming in at the drydown along with a soapy note and  the lightest bit of woods, mainly the  sandalwood note. It's fresh and light , a modern tuberose . Extremely wearable  and well crafted, this has jumped to the top of my full bottle wish list.

Full note list:
Top: Orange Blossom, Pear Granita, Gardenia
Mid: Tuberose
Base: Sandalwood, Jasmine abs., White Musk

Available at Saks and Neimans  ( though currently not showing up online) and at http://www.robertpiguetparfums.com/

EDP 50ml $85 or 100ml  $120




Fashion image: Douglas Hannant Fall 2011 - style.com

Monday, March 14, 2011

Bite Beauty

Bite Beauty is a new line that just hit Sephora that with a line of lip products from color to balms . The line is based on   lip products good enough to eat  with natural and food grade ingredients. They use  Reservatrol  from red wine to load each lip product with antioxidants. Each lipstick is said to have the equivalent of 5 glasses of red wine's antioxidant benefit.

I decided to try out the two balm products - Superfruit Butter and Vitamin Gels. I have Blueberry in the Butter and Grapefruit in the Gel.


Superfruit Butters-  Called a multi use product that can be used on lips, nails etc. and containing whole superfruits like blueberry  or acai for antioxidant power. Shea and Palm butters along with Jojoba provide the moisture. 

The butter leaves a bit of an opaque cover on the lips. It's   thick and creamy and has only a light blueberry scent and taste. The little flecks in the pot are said to be actual fruit pieces and you can feel them a tiny bit but really barely at all. These come in a pot very reminiscent of MAC's original screw top pots. Brought back memories.

Vitamin Gel- The gels comes in great flavors with essential  oils and fruit juices in there as well as Vitamin C.   It's a  thick clear gel that imparts shine  and is  highly moisturizing.  This one has more flavor than the butter and while not strong definitely smells like grapefruit. I like that it goes on thickly and seems to last long on lips. My favorite of the two balms.

I like the idea that these have antioxidants built in and are ok to be ingested. After all we basically "eat" most of our lip products so the better the ingredients, one would assume the better for us.

Are you planning to try any of the new Bite Beauty line? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Bite Beauty Superfruit Lip Butter $ 18.00
Bite Beauty Vitamin Gel $ 18.00

The full line is at Sephora.com

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Bath & Body Works Royal Collection Pocket Bacs & Liplicious

Are you ready for the Royal Wedding? I am. I have been a royal watcher since childhood and eagerly await William's big day. Sadly despite my decades of support , it appears my invite has been lost in the mail

The fever  has even  caught on at Bath and Body Works who have tweaked  both the Pocket Bac and  Liplicious lines with a funny royal/ brit bent.  Personally I think Ms. Kate needs to give these out at her Hen  do (  what we call a bachelorette party ) .

 In stores this month.

Bath and Body Works The Royal Collection Pocketbacs $1.50


•Princess in Training: Candy Apple

•Royal Pucker: Grape Glam

•If the Tiara Fits: Berry

Bath and Body Works The Royal Collection Liplicious Lipglosses $8

•Royal Pucker: Dusky rhodes ( I think this is supposed to be "rose" ) with a spicy vanilla flavor.

•If the Tiara Fits: Sparkling gold with pineapple flavor.

•Kissed by a Prince: Pink shade with melon flavor.

•Princess in Training: Peachy pink shade with creamy orange flavoring.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Estee Lauder New Wicked Green Nail Lacquer

Eatee Lauder has revamped the Pure Color line of lipsticks and nail lacquers.  Within the nail shades are some fun and edgy shades for the brand, created with help from Creative Director Tom  Pecheux.  One of these is Wicked Green.

Wicked Green is a creme but has high shine.  The other flat shade I tried  True Red also has major shine . Personally I love that. The picture, while not the best shot, is without top or base coat. I have on 3 coats of the polish.  It applied a little streaky on first coat and second was good but still not quite as opaque as I prefer. For contrast, the True Red went on full opaque color in one coat. The color is a medium deep green. Think the British Racing Green of a Jaguar.

The new Pure Color line is in stores now. The new formula is said to be long lasting and uses True Vision patented technology for rich color.

There are 8 shades in the permanent line and 8 shades that are LE and exclusive to Nordstrom. Wicked Green is an LE.
  
Retail is $ 19.00

Friday, March 11, 2011

Contests from Conair and Scunci

The brands  behind Conair and Scunci both have Facebook contests currently going.

Conair “Sneak Peek” Sweepstakes

 During the month of March, Conair is offering a “Sneak Peek” giveaway for a chance to win a choice of three new Conair hair styling tools. One winner each Friday! Give your hair some love with Conair and “LIKE” the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/conairhair ) for more details.

scünci "Bendini Blitz" Daily Giveaway  

Just “Bend and Snap!” Starting March 7 - March 25, 2011, each day, one lucky Facebook fan will have the chance to win scünci’s newest hair accessory -- the Bendini Clip!  Show your hair some love and “LIKE” the scünci Facebook page (www.facebook.com/scuncihair ) for more details.




Thursday, March 10, 2011

Most Wanted- Balenciaga German Shepherd Sweater

Balenciaga pre -fall 2011 included this German Shepherd sweater. I only  saw it this week. How did I miss this? And how do I get one? I know the answer- buy it. But not only isn't in store yet but Balenciaga  doesn't  quite run in my budget. 

However, fall might be  going to the dogs. Givenchy pre -fall had tops with Rottweilers and TopShop Fall had dalmations and greyhounds.   If it does, I'll be right there.


After all what fashionable German Shepherd servant, oops, I mean owner, wouldn't want French high fashion and their favorite dog motif all in one? Not to mention that dog bears a striking resemblance to my very own girl.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Chanel NEW Fall 2011 Makeup incl. Graphite Nails

At last the full breakdown of the look at the Chanel Fall 2011 RTW show. There's a lot of new products .  I want them all , do you ?

The Eyes:


-Illusion D'Ombre in Epatant – (available July 2011)

-Illusion D'Ombre in Mirifique– (available July 2011)

-Illusion D'Ombre in Fantasme– (available July 2011)

-Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer in Khaki Platine - (available July 2011)

-Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in Ebène

-Crayons Sourcils(available July 2011)

-Inimitable Mascara in Noir
The Cheeks (No blush)

The Lips :
-Le Crayons Levres Precision Lip Definer in Natural

-Rouge Allure Velvet in La Furtive- (available November 2011)

 
The Nails:
- Le Vernis Nail Colour in Graphite – (available July 2011)

 
 
Photos: Vincent Lappartient

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Chanel Graphite Nails from Fall 2011 RTW

Thanks to the folks at Style.com we have a look at the new fall nail lacquer from Chanel. I'd been admiring in the show shots as it flashed green but also grey metallic. In other words, it looked hot. There's a matching , amazing eyeshadow look on the models as well. I've got the full breakdown and more images here.






Original images from Style.com

Jo Malone Tea Fragrance Blends

Ready for a spot of  tea ?  Jo Malone tea , that is, and tea scents to be exact.

Tea consists of 5  new tea inspired colognes to be worn on their own or to layer as the brand likes to encourage with all it's fragrances.  

As a tea drinker/fan as well as perfume enthusiast , naturally I was drawn to these.  They are all light , fresh and a bit reviving, like a good spot of tea should be.  Personal favorites are Fresh Mint Leaf Cologne and Earl Grey and Cucumber . The exact opposite of what I assumed my favorites would be by simply reading the descriptions. ( I tried all but the Sweet Milk. )


Assam & Grapefruit-  Reminds me more of white tea than black ,but it veers back and forth between more tea smelling and the sweeter grapefruit note.   As it dries down the cool cardamom comes in mixing with the citrus and adding some spice. 

Sweet Lemon- Is  the deceiving one as it's not very lemon at all but very vetiver and cypress. It's green and probably the strongest of the group. I tried layering this over Assam but the power of the vetiver was what came through.  Very unisex and one for the green note lovers out there.

Fresh Mint Leaf- Bracing, a wakeup  or eye-opener of a scent.  Strong notes of spearmint with a hint of sweetness and very mint tea like. I liked this far more then I expected. I don't find myself drawn to mint notes , but when I tried this, I  loved  it's fresh prettiness. I seriously couldn't stop sniffing my hand.  So if you like mint, then this will be a winner.

Earl Grey & Cucumber- Starts off with  beautiful bergamot as would be expected. Earl Grey, the tea, is deliciously fragrant and this is very reminding of a soft  version of that in the beginning. It's dry scent  which then gets a hit of vanilla  as well as the cucumber which I only detected a little.

So are you ready for some tea? What blend sounds like your favorite?

Jo Malone Tea Fragrance Blends are LE and 
available on http://www.jomalone.com/ , Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Neimans and more.

Each 30ml cologne spray  is $ 55.00 ( Notice the great 1 oz size bottle )

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Dial NutriSkin Body Lotions

The Dial NutriSkin Body Washes were a nice addition to the mass market scene. Now to complement them, Dial has  NutriSkin Body Lotions .

I think of these as a solid, basic body lotion.  Ones not fancy looking but  that work and ones you can put out for the whole family ( if you have one). The kids and men can use it , no girly pink bottle here and there  is even a Men's version.

Where the body washes had nice scents, these have   just a slight lotion smell .They moisturize well ( I tried Extra Dry Skin and Soothing), are not sticky but yet are heavy enought to get the  job done.You can easily apply and get dressed without waiting. There are 4 types and all have Dial's patent pending formula with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

-Dry Skin- Aloe, Vitamins C,E. F and amino acids, and Omega 3 and 6.
-Extra Dry Skin-Shea butter , Omega 3 and 6, Vitamins A,C,E and F.
-Soothing-  Chamomile, Beta Glucan, Vitamins A,C, and E and Zinc.
-Men's- Magnesium, Niacinimide, Amino acids and Vitamins A,C,E.

Retail is $ 2.49 for 3 oz,  $ 4.99 for 12 oz and $6.99 for 21 oz.

http://dialnutriskin.com/



*I received this product for review from the company, however the review is completely my own opinion. 

Friday, March 4, 2011

Redken Nature's Rescue

Redken has been a staple in my house for almost as long as I can remember . The Mom has been a Redken user since I was a kid. While many great brands are in the rotation here now, years ago when salon brands weren't as easy to come by Redken was the main one she used and eventually so did I.  Some of the hairsprays ( for me) and the Extreme line ( for her) are still part of our beauty closet staples.

Last month a new line hit the shelves, Nature's Rescue.  Meant to be super cleansing for your hair and to remove all the impurities that can build up,  it's paraben, sulfate and silicone free.

Whats in it are aloe vera, sea algae and soy proteins. 

 The  Refreshing Detox Shampoo and  Cooling Deep Conditioner both have a cooling feel, especially the conditioner, hence the name, as well as a light ocean breeze scent.

After using , my hair  does feel very clean with plenty of body. The shampoo is low lather but works fine without it. The conditioner is a lighter one , good for normal to oily hair but very dry may need something heavier. I have to say, when I use this, I can't help think of summer. It reminds me of pools and blue skys.

In addition to the  shampoo and conditioner, the line also includes a hair polish, which is a scrub for your hair, and really helps remove any build up,  and a Sea Spray for texture.

Full line:

Nature's Rescue  Refreshing Detox Shampoo $ 16.00
Nature's Rescue Refining Sea  Polish $ 19.00
Nature's Rescue Cooling Deep Conditioner $ 17.00
Nature's Rescue Radiant Sea Spray $ 17.00

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Paws and Listen from LUSH and The Vancouver Humane Society

I am happy to support LUSH's new campaign to help end sled dog races and tours in British Columbia , Canada. The new initiative is called Paws and Listen and came about after the story hit the news of the slaughtering of 100 sled dogs near Whistler, Canada last April.

Many people may not know about the cruel conditions that can happen in the dog sledding sport. Whenever in the past I have mentioned it to someone, they invariably say, those dogs are worth so much money and the handlers love them and take great care of them. Well some do, and many don't and we can't possibly always know  what goes on in the  places where racing is prevalant. It's like horse racing. Just because it's an expensive animal doesn't mean it's worth something if it doesn't perform or that people feel the need to treat an animal well to get results.  This is certainly not true in all cases , but it's good to be aware that cruelty and mistreatment are far more common than you may know.  Among other things, this is an unregulated industry, where it’s legal to shoot sled dogs without reason.

Paws and Listen encourages you to be aware and also to sign a petition on the LUSH site if you want. There are also these very cute LE Paw soaps from LUSH ( and I adore anyhting with the Paw motif). The soaps are $ 5.95 and 100% of proceeds will  go to the Vancouver Humane Society's campaign to stop sledding. The soaps are fragranced with sandalwood and citrus. They are in store only in BC, but available everywhere online.


Links for more info:

www.lush.ca/pawsandlisten
 www.vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/lush-sled-dog/

For more places to support this and many other animal welfare issues I can also recommend http://www.aspca.com/

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Dove Close- Up Challenge /Contest

To celebrate the launch of new Visible Care Creme Body Washes ( review coming soon) , Dove wants to send one lucky person to have a real Dancing With The Stars experience in LA.  You may have  seen the commercial with new spokesperson  Jennie Garth during the Oscars this week.

Here's what Dove wants  you to know to enter and where to go for all the info:

The contest is now open for entries through March 26. Women can enter by visiting http://www.dovecloseup.com/  and submitting a 60-second video sharing why they are ready for this close-up opportunity.

If you missed the commercial and want to check it out, hit it up here :