Thursday, March 30, 2017

Dolce And Gabbana Tropical Spring- Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks




 For Spring Dolce and Gabbana goes to the Tropics.

Tropical Spring is packed with pink and coral  and there are two new Passion Duo/ Gloss Fusion Lipsticks.

Tropical Pink is a  truly blue based pink as it has  a bluish lavender core .  While  it's light it is far from barely there .

Tropical Coral is  a rich , bold reddish coral. The core is bronzey but that doesn't affect the color on the lips too much. The coral overrides any other color .


Both of these are beautiful shades  in a creamy,moisturzing satin formula that happens when the center gloss and outer matte shades blend on your lips ( which you can see somewhat in below pic as I didn't wipe off the core before photographing).

You can check out the coordinating Tropical Coral Eyeshadow Duo on my Instagram here.


Dolce And Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks are $ 38




Wednesday, March 29, 2017

It Cosmetics Confidence In An Eye Cream




It Cosmetics new Confidence In An Eye Cream is all that and more.

Made  to complement their  face cream of the same name this eye cream  hits it out of the park where moisture is concerned. And moisture is what I am most concerned with when it come to my eyes, then anti-aging.

My under eye area is so dry , I try and pamper it it as much as I can. I use  a lot of eye cream but after all Winter experimenting with several,  this  has made the biggest difference. In just a few days of use my eyes feel so much more hydrated, softer and comfortable.


It meets all anti -aging marks too with  ceramides, peptides, collagen , royal jelly extract, panax ginseng,  licorice , caffeine ( green coffee and tea) and more along with and avocado oil, shea butter, squalene  and hyaluronic acid for moisture.

This is thick buttery formula with almost no fragrance that glides on and has a light tint for quick brightening.  It can be used day and night .

It Cosmetics Confidence In An Eye Cream is $ 38 and available now at at www.itcosmetics.com and in April at Ulta.





Monday, March 27, 2017

MAC Metallic Lips




I love a metallic lip and suddenly after so much  matte ( not my fav but I try) metallic is in again. Happy , happy beauty blogger here.

MAC's new lippie line Metallic Lips is chock full of every color you could want including a beautiful looking emerald green called Zerocool.  I'm not game to wear that on my lips, but if you are it's a looker.


There are eighteen new shades in all and the formula is of course sparkly but also more a  semi matte or satin finish. No high gloss, super shiny look. So you get the shimmer but it's not as in your face as another formula might have been. I've been wearing mine all day this past week.  These are creamy but I do notice that they will settle into drier spots just a  bit. My lips are still chapped at times since it's still cool off and on  so I apply a little balm during the day  and  a good dab of Scrubtious in the evenings.



Shown in swatch pic are : Metal Head, Act So Cool, Disobedient, Modern Midas, Jupiter, Digging for Gold and  Pale Rose.

MAC Metallic Lips are available now through May 4.








Saturday, March 25, 2017

MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish & Blush- Spring 2017


Back and in the permanent line beginning April 7 are three MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish ( one of my fav MAC products) along with six new Extta Dimension blush shades.

I should have a more in depth look at the blushes soon but for now here's the whole line up.

EXTRA DIMENSION SKINFINISH
Oh, Darling -metallic gold
Glow With It -soft peachy nude with multi-dimensional shimmer
Superb -patina bronze

SRP $33.00 US/$38.00 CAD

Faux Sure Blush

EXTRA DIMENSION BLUSH
Into the Pink -soft pastel pink / Sweets for My Sweet -mid-tone yellow pink
Rosy Cheeks- mid-tone muted blue fuchsia / Hushed Tone- neutralized pink peach
Just a Pinch -apricot / Cheeky Bits- mid-tone pinky coral
Wrapped Candy- plum / Fairly Precious- light pinky champagne
Telling Glow -bright coral / Hard to Get- warm burgundy brown
Faux Sure! -warm pinky mauve /

SRP $28.00 US/$33.00 CAD

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

It Cosmetics Twitter Party- March 23rd



It's time to have a Twitter party with It Cosmetics. To celebrate Spring and the launch of their  fabulous new eye cream Confidence In An Eye Cream , I am co -hosting a Twitter party Mar. 23rd at 6PM EST.

Join me @BeautyAlchemist  and @itcosmetics using #partywithIT to chat, get your questions answered and win prizes.




Monday, March 20, 2017

Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair Repair




Schwarzkopfs' entry into mass market was the Essence Ultime line exclusive to Wal Mart. It's Omega Repair has been a favorite since . It's as good as many high end products I love.

Now the brand brings Gliss Hair Repair into more mass market stores . This new line has five haircare duos along with several leave in options  to get your hair in great shape.


I went with Ultra Moisture shampoo and conditioner.  This gives great hydration  as well as having liquid keratin ( all the various combos do) for strengthening.

The duo worked really well although I would have liked a little bit more moisture from the conditioner.  It's a thin formula that is  good but slightly lighter than those I normally use. I do need a leave in though, no matter what I use, so I just amped that up a bit.   Hair gets soft, conditioned but isn't super weighed down.

Two favorites in this line are the Gliss Oil Nutritive Weightless Spray Oil and Ultra Moisture Anti Breakage Treatment. Here again, are products very similar to higher end ones.  I always need a touch of oil on my driest ends and I hate using  one that I have to pour or pump out. The spray with 8 oils and keratin makes it so much easier to apply and less mess. It  gets the job done with a light oil mist that's just enough to smooth and add a little extra moisture to certain areas.



Ultra Moisture Anti Breakage Treatment is a tub full of deep conditioning that the brand says cane reduce breakage by up to 95%. It gets hair very soft, very condfitioned while keeping it smooth but full.


The line is listed as color safe but the shampoo does have sodium laureth sulfate.

ALL products in the Schwarzkopf Gliss line retail for $ 4.99 each at Target.








Thursday, March 16, 2017

Biore Charcoal Acne Clearing Cleanser and Acne Scrub


Biore is expanding their charcoal skin cleansers with two new skin helpers. I love charcoal for it's clarifying and pore cleansing capabilities . It's great for oily and acne skins as well as combo , large pored people like me. Both also have 1% salicylic acid .

The new Charcoal Acne Clearing Cleanser is  gentle on skin and lightly fragranced despite charcoal formulas sometimes being strong. This isn't too strong and for this time of year it's been perfect. My skin is normal to slightly dry in some areas but my T- zone with the advent of spring like temps this Winter has gone into major oil mode.  This has gotten my skin clean and removed makeup without my skin feeling tight or dry after use .


Charcoal Acne Scrub is as you would expect much stronger than the cleanser and is best for those who have more issues or want a  more powerful cleanse.  It really exfoliates skin and will work to get debris and gunk out .   For me this was too much right now, but come Summer when I am really oily, this will be spot on. The scent here is  much stronger than the cleanser , very menthol and medicinal.

Both  are available now  for 6.49 each




Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Now



Just in time for Spring comes the tropical scented and pretty floral bottle of new Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Now.


Notes including Guava, Mariposa Flower and Soroa Coconut  make this sound like a right from the island fragrance.  It  comes in the full complement of products - EDP, rollerball, lotion and fragrance mist.


Eau De Parfum is  1.7 oz $ 52 , 3.4 oz $ 68
Eau De Parfum Rollerball is .23 oz is $ 18
Fragrance Lotion is 8.4 oz $ 25
Fragrance Mist is 8.4 oz $ 25


Available now in stores and www.victoriasecret.com



Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Herbal Essences Argan Oil of Morocco Haircare




Herbal Essences has completely revamped their hair line with nine new shampoo/conditioner combos along with two leave in products. All have what they call bio-renew , comprised of antioxidants , aloe and sea kelp.

I've been trying the Argan Oil of Morocco since it seemed to be the duo with the most moisture packed in.


Argan Spinosa Kernal oil is listed as an ingredient and the shamp/cond combo does a good job of keeping  hair well moisturized. It also doesn't weigh hair down at all, but seemed to even add some volume along with a lot of softness. Hair feels and looks really good.

There is also an Oil Infused Creme leave in. I found this to be medium hydration. I needed a little more on my ends than this provided, but I also , no matter what I use, spray some oil on the extra dry end areas.


The brand does call this color safe but it is not sulfate free. It is paraben, gluten and colorant free.

I'm giving this new duo high marks. I don't know about the other eight but there should be something there for all hair types and worth checking out.






Monday, March 13, 2017

Chanel Blue Serum



It seems like it's been awhile since I tried any Chanel skincare and I'm jumping back in with their new Blue Serum. Let's face it, if it's from Chanel, I'm on board.
This new serum focuses on ingredients from what are called Blue Zones, areas of the world where people live longer due to lifestyle, environment and diet.  The formula uses three local ingredients - green coffee from Costa Rica ( high in antioxidants), Bosana Olives from Italy ( fatty acids and polyphenols) and lentisk/mastic  from Greece ( oleanolic acid).


The serum is lightweight and  feels good on skin while adding light to medium moisture. For me with my combo skin it's enough on it's own. If you are drier you'll want a  cream after it.  After use I do feel  some firming/tightening along with the moisture and smoothing that a serum gives you.

As serums go, I like this. It's a basic inasmuch as anything Chanel can be called basic. Also, in general I am serum fan as I don't normally need something heavy. I also like that Chanel doesn't promise the world with Blue Serum. Yes it will add good things to skin , make it look healthier, smoother , firmer per what the box says and it does do much of that but it's not telling you to expect skin miracles.


 Chanel Blue Serum is $ 110 for 1oz pump bottle.




Sunday, March 12, 2017

Colgate Radiant Toothpaste & Advanced Health Mouthwash


Our smile is part of our beauty  routine not to mention health so once in awhile I take a look at new options for keeping our pearly whites, white.

Colgate's Optic White toothpaste has  been a staple for years and now they've upped their game with Radiant by Optic White .

Radiant is a thick paste formula that the brand says whitens inside and out.  Ingredients include hydrogen peroxide to boost whitening.  It has a sweet taste and also a cool sensation.  I have used it just for a few days so we'll see how well it works. As a  toothpaste, so far so good.


Also  new from Colgate is Total Advanced Health Mouthwash. This is a dual phase liquid that looks pretty neat in the bottle . It's green and blue. You've got to give it a good shake to mix it before use.  This , once shaken, they says removes 24x more bacteria than  compared to a more basic mouthwash.

The taste is pleasant, sweet, fresh but not strong or medicinal.


Colgate Radiant Toothpaste  is 6.99 for 3.0 tube

Colgate Total Advanced Health Mouthwash is $ 4.99 for 200 ml, $ 5.99 for 400 ml and $ 7.99 for 800 ml.





Thursday, March 9, 2017

Softsoap Hand Wash Plus Lotion

 
Soap plus lotion ? Yes, please. Especially when the wind chills are dropping to the teens again this weekend. My hands need all the help they can get.

Softsoap's new  hand wash plus lotion incorporates a small amount of lotion into the  creamy soap.  I realize it isn't going to pack the same moisture as lotion on it's own but some soaps  , especially anti-bacs can be drying. This eliminates that while still getting hands clean with a thicker soap that feels softening on skin.  and comes in great fragrances .


There are three scents available-  Shea and Cocoa Butter,  Aloe and Lime, Orchid and Coconut Milk .




Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Caress Hypnotic Aura


Caress has revamped the look of their bottle and I like it. These look a bit more posh , shall we say?

Along with the new look, which by the way they say will reduce the amount of plastic used per bottle by 10%,   comes a new fragrance- Hypnotic Aura.


The striking  turquoise color of the gel along with the gold trim gives it a very nice look  and the fragrance is a blend of tuberose and patchouli with amber  and sandalwood  noticeable too.  The fragrance is heavier on the patchouli than the florals and if you were categorizing  it, it would be an oriental.

It is a stronger scent than many body washes I've tried  but it's also meant to be a longer lasting one.  The scent is developed by Firmenich master perfumers Gil Clavien and Harry Frémont.  Firmenich also creates many perfumes you see in the stores as well.



Caress  Body Wash is $ 3.97





Monday, March 6, 2017

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils- New Shades




NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils  now come in nine new shades.  These are super popular and for good reason, they have rich pigment , are easy to use, last long and feel good on the lips. This is a matte that isn't drying or heavy but creamy with a little moisture built in. 


There are some great new colors here with Do Me Baby coming in as my favorite . 

The new shades ( not in this order on the swatch) are:

  • Get Off – pink beige
  • Intriguing – rose pink
  • Do Me Baby – chestnut rose
  • Famous Red – bright pink coral
  • Let’s Go Crazy – vivid pink
  • Pussy Control – lilac
  • Dirty Mind – deep lilac
  • Endangered Red – oxblood burgundy
  • Unspoken – midnight blue
  • Lonely Heart – chocolate brown


Available now for $ 27 at NARS.com , Sephora and more. 





Thursday, March 2, 2017

MAC Crystal Glaze Gloss- Work It Out Collection



Part of MAC's '80s vibe Work It Out collection are new Crystal Glaze glosses. It's A Great Feeling from the Kabuki collab back in January was my top pick from that collection, and now we have six new shades.

Crystal Glaze Gloss is a lightweight , moisturizing gloss that isn't sticky or tacky and imparts sheer color. These look like jelly in the pots, almost too pretty to use but  I got over that, trying three of the shades.


Oh My Lunge! is the sheerest of the three. It's a pale peachy pink that adds  a barely there tint. Nice Cheeks is a nude wash of color , adding a little warmth and tint but no overall pigment.  Love Your Body , my favorite of these, is a warm  pinkish coral . It adds slightly more tint than the others with a light coral sheen.

While these may not have a lot of color to them , I really like them. I have been using mine over matte lipcolors to add just enough shine, slip and moisture to them. They are nice on their own for a barer look or as a top coat over lipstick.

Where  Crystal Glaze Gloss really succeeds is in the moisture. These really hydrate and the effect lasts for a couple hours .

MAC Crystal Glaze Gloss is $ 22 and available March 2nd thru April 17th.