Category — Lotions

Every night before bed, women around the world have a nightly routine. It may be just as simple as washing your face or it may be as elaborate as a strict 5 step process.

Here’s mine:

1. Remove eye makeup with Lancome’s Bi-facil or plain Safflower oil.
2. Wash face with very soft wash cloth and warm water (no soap).
3. Apply benzoyl peroxide (2.5%) cream to cheeks and chin (due to my unfortunate breakouts… grrrr!)
4. Apply Boots Restore & Renew or YBF’s Correct serum to eye area.
5. Apply pea-size dollop of face lotion to entire face (minus eye area). Currently I’m using Lancome’s Aqua Fusion or YBF’s Restore if I am extra-dry.
6. Then on with the jammies and it’s off to bed!

Now, it’s your turn to *shine*. What do you do to keep your skin happy and healthy each night before bed?

And don’t forget to tune in each Wednesday for the next Bionic Asks segment!

You’ve heard me talk about de-luxe skincare items before. They are a “lesser known” brand but have recently started selling their products at a few online sites. This excites me… What can I say, I’m pretty darn easy to please in life. (wink)

Anyhow, I found this trial size gift set of all my favorites, *and* it’s on a whopping discount currently. Had to share it with my Bionic Beauty gals.

In the kit, you’ll get:

• 2 - SaVon de-luxe French Milled Bar Soaps (Vanilla Citrus & Loofah)
• 3 - Bain de-luxe Travel Size Body Washes (Verbena, Lavender and Vanilla Citrus)
• 2 - Creme de-luxe Travel Size Luxury Body Lotions (Rosemary Mint and Verbena)
• 3 - Bain de-luxe Travel Size Body Scrubs (Lavender, Vanilla Citrus and Rosemary Mint)

Why do I love de-luxe? Let’s see… they smell yummy, their products are affordable, cute & simple packaging, no animal testing, no harsh detergents or chemicals, and did I mention cruelty-free.
Drugstore.com has the de-luxe gift set for $9.00 (that’s on sale for 40% off!).

Dear Bionic Beauty,
So many liquid foundations and face lotions claim to be oil free these days. Yet, when I’m shopping and read the ingredients it seems like there *are* oils in there. Is there a way to really tell if I’m getting something that is oil free?
I appreciate your help.
Sincerely,
Olive Oil

Well, Olive Oil, you are smart to pick up on the labeling that has become such a fad in the cosmetics industry. See, the real problem is that the labeling on cosmetics (makeup, hair care, skincare, etc) is not regulated. Companies can spin all sorts of misinformation on their labels and containers. You really have to be an educated consumer in order to know what is a good buy and what isn’t.

In regards to the “oil-free” claims specifically… there’s a pretty simple test to check if something you have in your stash is truly oil-free. Place a pea-size dollop of the product on a sheet of plain white copy, typing or writing paper (medium to light weight is perfect). Then wait. Let it sit overnight preferably, but you should start to see a change within a few hours.
If a ring forms around the product, it most definitely contains oil.

Here are some experiments I did with a few of my fave makeup and skincare products. Read on for the SHOCKING results…
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• Walmart wants to know if you can guess the TOP SECRET shampoo and conditioner they are promoting. Get your free sample, and they’ll announce the brand on November 24th. Hurry, supplies are very limited on this sample. Any ideas on what the brand is? Share your thoughts below… (I think I know what it is, but I’ll stay quiet for now. hee hee!)
• More haircare freebies! Ladies, you’re set on shampoo & conditioner this week. Head over to Head & Shoulders to request a free sample of their hair care line. You even get to choose which version you’d like to try.
• Get rid of your dry winter hands by carrying this free sample (from Costco) of Vaseline Intensive Rescue lotion in your purse.
• For the Aussie Bionic readers, Waxaway is offering samples of the mini hair waxing strips. Give ‘em a shot!
• And another for the Australian ladies, get a sample of Mariah Carey’s new fragrance “Luscious Pink”.

Start requesting ladies. A few minutes to request samples, really does save you money. I have SO many samples of shampoo and conditioner around the house, I stocked my visiting relatives for a few weeks. Enjoy!

And don’t forget to email me if you find some samples ’round the internet. I’ll credit the freebie finding skills to you and we can share it with all the Bionic Beauty readers.

Peace of Mind On-the-spot relief draws on Origins natural heritage by obtaining inspiration from Mother Nature and validation from science. This icon product, launched in 1990, is still a best-seller thanks to the powerful de-stressing properties in the key ingredients of Basil, Eucalyptus and Peppermint that are proven to produce calm feelings. This trio of nature’s peace-keeping oils initiate a rapid relaxation response to help your brain switch off and shut out worry for a while. A special pink box has been created especially for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Origins will donate $35,000 in connection with the North American sales of Peace of Mind® to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

A half ounce bottle is 10 bucks at www.origins.com.

I’ve tried the “imitators” of this original product, and I can honestly say, they don’t hold up. If you’re a high-strung type (like me) or just have trouble relaxing occasionally, Peace of Mind will rock for you! I dab behind my ears, pulse points, and even temples when I have a migraine. Like they say… relief!

BBNBCA

Want to thoroughly quench your skin’s thirst this winter? I do, I do! Turn your sights to independent brand Y-Y Skincare. I’m in love with their body lotions.

There’s Quench Hand Cream, Quench Foot Cream and 1000 Cranes for Nicole Body Massage Cream.

The 1000 Cranes Cream is my absolute favorite, although the others aren’t far behind. But 1000 Cranes strikes a certain cord with me. Partly it’s the fact that 50% off all proceeds from the sale of it is donated to organizations supporting victims of spinal stroke, a disorder leading to partial or complete paralysis. A definite plus in my mind. Then there’s the scent. It’s subtle, slightly herbal and gets endless compliments from guys and gals alike. It’s thick and rich (see the dab in the photo below and how well it “stands up” on its own), yet sinks in quickly and doesn’t leave a sticky layer on your skin. This lotion is just amazing. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I can’t think of a bad thing to say.

The Quench Hand and Foot Creams are just as wondrous. The Hand Cream is a little less thick than 1000 Cranes and has a teensy tang of Lavender to it. This cream solved my hangnails, brittle nails, and dry hand skin from the lowered humidity (anything below 80% humidity makes me start slathering on lotion… my skin is SO dry!).

The thickest of the bunch is Quench Foot Cream. It’s a perfect cream to apply after buffing your callouses or after a long day on your feet. This cream locks in moisture. I usually put it on after my evening shower and then some socks over top. By morning my feet are as soft as if I had an hour long professional pedicure. Worth it’s weight in gold! Quench Foot Cream is scented with herbals similar to the other two creams with the addition of peppermint to help your tootsies.

Y-Y really impressed me with these lotions and creams. I’m anxious to try the rest of their products! Reviews to come soon. In the meantime… Bionic Beauty readers get an exclusive discount! You’ll get $1 shipping on all orders if you type in the word “bionic” in the Coupon Code field at checkout.  Valid until November 1st, 2008.

Check out all the Y-Y products at their online store (each cream is $24.97 for a 7.5 ounce tube). These tubes will last you months. Seriously… I use a thumbnail size dab for each leg and it’s the perfect amount. Even smaller amounts are needed for your hands and feet.

Y-Y isn’t just limited to lotions- they have shampoos, conditioners, facial toners, bath soaks and candles. Everything you need for a little “ME” time at home. This line is definitely a Bionic Buy! Have any of you tried Y-Y? If you have, or plan to, I would *love* to hear your thoughts as well. Chime in!

DDF is famed for their high-end and effective skincare offerings. Total Beauty gave me the chance to test out the new DDF Protect and Correct UV Moisturizer SPF 15 face lotion. Personally, I have never shelled out the cash for a DDF product before but have heard wonderful reviews from friends, family members and fellow bloggers.

This face lotion packs a fantastic range of UVA and UVB sun protection making it a very wise choice for daily use. And it promises to prevent future hyperpigmentation (sun damage is a common cause of skin discoloration), even your skin tone and correct the look of current discolorations.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed. I didn’t notice any improvement in my melasma or skin tone issues on my face. (Darn it… I was really hopeful this would help.) It did protect my skin very well, applied easily, and stayed in place through the day without any extra greasiness or slipperiness. The scent is minimal and pleasant. Sadly, I broke out in tiny red pimples/bumps across my face. I believe this is due to the strong concentrations of alcohol, glycerin and other oils.

If you have breakout prone skin, oily or combination skin, this certainly isn’t the best choice for you due to it already containing oils. I would also caution you in the claims of it’s ability to correct pigmentation issues.

A 1.7 ounce bottle will run you a whopping $58. You can snag yourself one at DDFskincare.com. If you’d like to get some second opinion reviews, check out the DDF Protect and Correct reviews over at Total Beauty.

Read on for a full list of ingredients…

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