Posts from — March 2008

I was taking a stroll through my local Target last night, and right there on the endcap of the health and beauty section were three different starter packs of Bare Escentuals (BE) mineral makeup! At Target! There is one called “Beyond Basics”, another starter kit, and another with some colors, eyeshadows and blushes.

They were priced between $35 and $50 depending on the kit.

I did not pick one up, since I have been using Ferro and Everyday Minerals for my mineral makeup; but I know there are quite a few BE fans out there.

Personally, I love how Target continues to add new and exciting brand names to their makeup and skin care offerings. It’s like a mini-Sephora!

Benefit Cosmetics is offering free shipping when you purchase any of the following skincare items. Just enter code FRESHNUP at checkout. The offer is good from March 4th through March 11th, 2008.

The skincare items that will qualify you for free shipping on your entire Benefit order include:

• Gee That Was Quick makeup remover.
• You Clean Up Nice! facial cleanser.
• Do It Daily face day moisturizer with SPF 10 and vitamins A, C, and E.
• Dear John evening/night facial cream.
• Firmology firming and toning serum.
• Eyecon - helps rid your eyes of dark circles and wrinkles.
• Depuffing Action Eye Gel (well, you can figure out what this one is for…)
• and Boo Boo Zap with salicylic acid and camphor to heal blemishes quickly.

Shop on!

California Baby was founded by Los Angeles resident Jessica Iclisoy out of her desire to provide “cleaner” and more organic skin care items for babies, kids, and adults. All the products are geared to those with sensitive skin (or those of us who want to treat our skin sensitively). The products range from SPF sunscreens, bug repellents, bath washes and shampoos, to lotions and creams. There really is something for all of us! None of the products are tested on animals (woo hoo!) and contain organic and/or sustainable ingredients. I tested out the Calming Everyday Lotion and Calming Botanical Moisturizing Cream.

Yummy!

But to expand on the yumminess… both products really delivered in the moisture department. The lotion is a bit thinner (of course) than the cream. I found the cream handy on my hands (hee), my elbows, knees, feet and lips (wow!). It settled into my skin quickly, did not leave me greasy and moisturized immediately. The lotion was outstanding on my arms, hands, and even my face! Both products are from California Baby’s aromatherapy line and contain french lavender (you can also get unscented products).

As a bonus, neither product contains nut oils, gluten, soy, oat or dairy products. They are also thankfully lacking in parabens, sodium benzoate, benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol (incredibly drying) or phenoxyethanols. With all these baddies out, these lotions and creams can be used safely by pregnant women and would be beneficial for those suffering from eczema.

The packaging is cutesy, yet subtle and very sturdy. I dropped both products on my floor to test them (since I am a self-confessed klutz) and neither broke. Pricing is actually affordable for this line (which is often where organic or natural-type skin care falls out of most of our ranges).

The scents are perfect for me- the smell very natural and the french lavender comes through. These products were beyond great when layered with my Herbaria Soaps. I didn’t have to use perfume, and yet I didn’t smell like a walking bouquet.
Overall, I highly recommend these Bionic products!

You can purchase online at California Baby (and have a look at their specials and the entire product roundup; at Drugstore.com or californiababy.com):
California Baby Calming Everyday Lotion, get a 6.5 oz pump bottle for $10.00 .

California Baby Calming Botanical Moisturizing Cream, $13.50 for a 4 oz tub.

If you are lucky, some Target and Publix stores carry the California Baby line, so have a look next time you’re in the store.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, e.l.f. Cosmetics is offering FREE Duo EyeShadow Cream in Olive (one shade is an olive green and the other is a lovely bronze) with any purchase before March 15, 2008. Simply enter code EGLUCDO at checkout.

I’ve got the Duo Cream shadows in Blueberry and Black Licorice and so far I’m loving them. They wear nicely. Stay tuned for my full review!

Walmart.com is offering a new sample of Garnier Nutritioniste’s Deep Wrinkle Treatment!

Here’s some information for you ladies on this skincare product:

Ultra-Lift daily targeted deep wrinkle treatment contains “skin-nutrients,” that plump and help fill wrinkles. With exclusive “skin-nutrients,” Ultra-Lift targets even deep wrinkles. It’s specially formulated with a patented Glyco-Nutrient Complex, a naturally derived raw sugar extract, to strengthen the structure of skin’s layers and target deep wrinkles, plumping and filling
them in from the inside out.

Have any readers tried this product, or do you plan to? I’m off to request my sample now. I’ll report back once I have a chance to try it.

Offered by Noodle and Boo, the Glowology collection consists of eight products ranging from lotions to shower gels, scrubs and soap bars. All the products are created for use on sensitive skin: whether it is for women, children, or during pregnancy.

I tested the Heavenly Honey body wash (retails for $22) and the Balm for hands and feet (sells for $24).

Both skincare products contain certified organic ingredients and the scents are incredible! I have got to admit that the packaging on these products impressed me. The pink and white floral art seems young, happy, and artistic. It is more creative than the majority of product packaging and I’m happy to leave these products sitting on my countertop. The boxes have short inspirational quotes which are great pick-me-uppers and a unique definition of Glowology “the art of celebrating the beauty in every woman” (which falls right in line with Bionic Beauty’s “Achieve Powerful Beauty!”).

The Heavenly Honey body wash is a creamy product that lathers quickly into those teeny, soft bubbles. The wash left my skin feeling soft, not stripped, and rinsed easily. The scent lingered as a soft accent on my skin for a few hours after the shower.

As for the Balm, I started applying this to my hands and feet as soon as it came in the mail. I had been using a rotation of Vaseline and Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Balm to try to soften and moisturize my feet. However, the Glowology Balm did the trick immediately. The scent is sweet, but not overwhelming. I loved how thick this lotion was, but was worried that it would lay on top and act as more of a barrier on my skin. Not to fear, once I applied it, it sunk right into my skin. I noticed my feet were much softer after only two applications.

If you are looking for a gentle, relaxing body wash and/or a moisturizing body balm, I would highly recommend checking out Noodle and Boo’s offerings. These products are absolutely perfect for sensitive skin! Plus, don’t you just love that name?

The Apricot facial scrub by St. Ives has many fans, however I cannot count myself as one of them. I have tried this scrub three times over the past six years. Every time I hope to like this drugstore find but end up pitching it (any suggestions for left over facial scrub?) or using it on my hands or winter feet.

The apricot seeds are large and excessively rough on my skin. Something in the formula causes my semi-sensitive skin to breakout massively. Even after a thorough rinse with water, I end up with large scabs in my eyebrows (ick) that develop within two days and then the hair in my eyebrows falls out in those patches (double ICK!) (reference my earlier post about Ferro’s mineral makeup to help even out my skin).

Hopefully this time, I have finally learned my lesson not to try this face scrub again. Are there any readers with similar experience, or do you love this product?

St. Ives Apricot Scrub, Gentle For Sensitive Skin is available at Drugstore.com for $3.99.