Beauty

Beauty Adventure with Creme de la Mer

June 13, 2011 By Sara Cornell

I have always been curious about the uber expensive Creme de la Mer. While I never knew anyone who actually used the product, I would frequently read celebrity testimonials claiming it was the ONE beauty product that gave them flawless skin and a genuinely better life than we mere mortals. I frequently sampled the product when passing the La Mer kiosk at department stores, but never had the stomach to shell out $135 for one ounce of this miracle potion.

Creme de la Mer, $130 at Bloomingdales

Originally formulated by an aerospace physicist to heal chemical burns, Creme de la Mer is loaded with sea kelp, vitamins, minerals, essential oils and other natural ingredients. Claiming to leave your skin soothed, moisturized and rejuvenated, with consistent use you should expect to see a reduction in fine lines, wrinkles, and redness. It smells wonderful, and my previous department store encounters left me feeling dewey – special somehow – that I too was partaking in this miracle skin serum.

So one afternoon when I was feeling an odd combination of flush with cash and rather wrinkly and under nourished, I splurged on a jar of La Mer and went home, excited to become part of the cult that had flawless skin and a dewey radiance. Imagine my disappointment when a week into my new La Mer regime my skin started breaking out. By the middle of the day my skin would begin to feel dry and in need of another La Mer application. I ended up getting a professional facial less than two weeks after starting to use La Mer (making this a MOST expensive beauty adventure!) and was told that the product was likely too heavy for my skin and that the creme was designed to trap moisture on the surface of the skin and didn’t really provide any long term and deep penetrating benefits to the skin.

I switched back to my regular moisturizer; my blemishes cleared up and my skin returned to a more hydrated state. I will continue to use La Mer on those days when I need a little extra something, but guess that I’ll leave the “I can’t live without it” status to the celebs and the lucky few who don’t mind breaking the bank on beauty products!

Image courtesy of thebeautyglo.blogspot.com

Filed Under: Aging / Wrinkles, Face, Reviews, Skin Care Tagged With: Beauty, Bloomingdales, Creme de la Mer, Skin Care

Save vs. Splurge: Beauty Products to Save On and When to Splurge

April 20, 2011 By Denise Shively

There are some beauty products you can easily pick up at the drugstore for a lot less, but when are they actually worth a heftier investment? This handy guide will help you pick which products you can safely scrimp on, and when you should pony up a little more cash for quality.

Splurge On: Makeup Brushes

When it comes to makeup brushes, you truly do get what you pay for. Drugstores sell inexpensive brushes by the dozens, but you’ll only end up having to replace them time and again. By investing in a high-quality brush set, SEPHORA COLLECTION Perfect Ten Brush Set ($60,) you can rest assured that, with regular cleaning, your brushes will last for years to come.

Save On: Eyeliner

There’s no reason to spend $20 on eyeliner when cheapie drugstore varieties work just as well. I like CoverGirl Perfect Blend Eye Pencil ($5.49.) If you don’t like wax-based eyeliner pencils, look for a kohl or liquid eyeliner instead.

Splurge On: Foundation

When using a product that will be applied to your entire face, it’s definitely worth the splurge for a quality product that works. Drugstore foundations generally don’t have a wide variety of shades, and don’t often allow you to test out a product before committing. By shopping at a department or specialty makeup store, you can test out a foundation before you buy, and even get a beauty expert to help you choose the exact shade for your skin tone. I like NARS Sheer Matte Foundation ($42) for its huge range of shades, making it easy to find the one that’s perfect for you.

Save On: Shampoo and Conditioner

It can be tempting to spend the wad on fancy salon shampoo and conditioner, but the truth is that drugstore brands get the job done just as well – for a lot less cash! Brands like Pantene have millions of dollars to spend on cutting-edge technology and research, meaning their formulas are able to deliver great results for a fraction of the price of more expensive hair care brands. Give a drugstore shampoo/conditioner combo like Pantene Pro-V 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner, Flat to Volume ($4.99) a try, and tell me it doesn’t work just as well as pricier brands!

Splurge On: Tweezers

Drugstore tweezers are a joke, which is why investing in a high-quality pair like Tweezerman Slant Tweezers ($20) is an investment you should definitely make. High quality brands have better gripping power than drugstore cheapies – plus, Tweezerman will sharpen your tweezers for free whenever you need it. What’s a better deal than that?

Save On: Lipstick/Lip Gloss

There’s no reason to pay $25 for a lipstick or lip gloss; for one thing, moisturizing and long wearing lipstick is available at the drugstore for $10 or less. For another, lip glosses aren’t designed to last long anyway, so why pay a premium price for a product you just have to reapply continuously? For inexpensive alternatives, try CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick ($6.99) or e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 ($1.49)

Which beauty products do you save or splurge on? Do you agree with my list? Leave your comments below; I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Filed Under: Beauty, Makeup, Personal Care, Shopping, Skin Care Tagged With: Beauty, Conditioner, CoverGirl, department store makeup, drugstore makeup, e.l.f., Eyeliner, Foundation, Lip Gloss, Lipstick, Makeup brushes, Pantene, save vs splurge, Shampoo, Tweezers

Review: Luxor Pro Style Stix

April 5, 2011 By Lucie Amberg

We are all looking to streamline and shorten our beauty routines, right? The trick is managing that without looking like you’re cutting corners. I recently tried a set of Luxor Pro Style Stix by J&D Beauty. hoping it would trim some minutes from my daily hair regimen.

Basically, Style Stix are long, bendy, foam rods without pins or clasps. You just twist them in your hair and secure them by folding one end over the other. The real draw is that you can even put them in wet hair before blow drying, which combines blow drying and styling into one, easy step. But do they work?

Well, I’d call my results mixed. J&D Beauty claims that with Style Stix, you can “skip the curling iron… and use (them) like rollers to create curls, waves, and lots of volume.” From my experience, that’s a big overstatement. I can’t foresee achieving the smooth volume I get with hot rollers or the defined curl that’s easy with a curling iron. If there’s a shortcut to those kinds of polished results, I haven’t found it.

However, I give Style Stix a big thumbs-up for their ease of use. Seriously, you could probably do it one-handed. And by twisting them into my wet hair before blow drying, I achieved a good bit of volume (certainly more than blow drying alone) and some pretty wave. One warning, though: unlike heated rollers or curling irons, Style Stix aren’t great at smoothing out hair. So if you’re prone to frizz, you should definitely use a good anti-frizz product before rolling and drying.

I might particularly recommend Style Stix for (non-business) travel, ie. a vacation. After all, who wants to spend valuable pool or beach time slaving over her hair? Since Style Stix are incredibly lightweight and don’t require any pins or other hardware, they would travel very well, and because they only cost a few bucks, you can happily toss them into your suitcase along with that extra dental floss. Plus, they can realistically achieve the soft, wavy results that work well during a holiday.

Luxor Pro Style Stix are available in packs of six and in seven different diameters– everything from 1/4 inch for tighter curls to 7/8 inch for loose volume. You can find them at numerous retailers, including Amazon.com.

Fashionable Media Review Policy: The featured product was provided to me, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing and review. Opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by compensation, monetary or otherwise.

Filed Under: Beauty, Hair, Moms On The Go, Personal Care, Reviews, Styling Products Tagged With: Beauty, Beauty, Hair, hair styling, lucie, Reviews, Style Stix, travel, Vacation

Have You Tried Black Shatter Nail Polish?

March 5, 2011 By Sara Cornell

If you are looking for a quick and inexpensive pick me up, try the new Shatter nail polish by OPI. Part of the Katy Perry Collection, it is in fact a teenage dream, and even fun for the mother of the teen! A black polish that “shatters” when applied over a dry colored coat, the final effect is two-tone nails that look like a spider web close up and a leopard print at a distance.

OPI Black Shatter Nail Polish

You can try different color base coats to mix it up. My daughter chose a bright gold base coat, and I went with the bubble gum pink. (I like her look better!)

OPI Black Shatter is offered as a selection at most nail salons, or you can purchase a bottle to try at home at Amazon.com.

Filed Under: Accessories, Affordable Fashion, Beauty, Makeup, Nail Polish Tagged With: Beauty, Katy Perry for OPI, Makeup, Nail Polish, OPI Black Shatter Nail Polish, Trends

Have You Tried Gel Nails?

January 27, 2011 By Sara Cornell

I’ve always been slightly obsessed with my fingernails and have spent a king’s ransom in manicures over the years. I love how clean and – well, polished – my hands look after a professional manicure. I recently tried the new Gel Manicures that are becoming all rage.

CND Shellac - one of the many brands of gel polishes

A gel manicure is a type of manicure that uses gel to bind the synthetic fingernails to the natural nails. Unlike acrylic nails, another option for manicures, gel nails are stronger and less likely to chip. Gel can also be applied over natural nails. A gel manicure is often preferred over an acrylic one because gel nails are odorless. Gel nails do not consist of the same acid as acrylic nails. Additionally, a gel manicure tends to look more realistic, as the gel nails are more flexible and bond naturally to the real nail. Gel nails do not need lift, polish or backfills. These fingernails stay shiny and last longer than acrylic nails.

OPI's Axxium Gel Color Selection

What is great about Gel Manicures is A) The polish lasts for about 2 weeks and looks fresh the entire time, B) Your nails are like kryptonite, with no chips or tears or splits, and C) Because the polish is dried with UV lights you are totally dry after the last bake under the UV. No dry time, no smudges, just beautiful, rock hard nails as you exit the salon. Gel Nails hold up to any household chore you can throw at them: laundry, dishes, cleaning, manual labor… The problem with gel manicures is A) They are expensive, B) You can only get the gel off in a salon after drowning your nails in chemicals for about 20+ minutes, and C) After 2 weeks and a long chemical soak, your nails look weak and unhealthy, almost compelling you to get another Gel Manicure to cover up nasty ragged mess left behind.

I liked my experience with Gel Nails, and will probably get another one in a few weeks before I go on my ski vacation (because I always trash my nails when I’m skiing – go figure!), but all in all I think I’ll stick to natural nails and traditional manicures. They just seem healthier, and better for your nails in the long run.

Have you tried Gel Manicures? How was your experience? Leave us a comment and tell us about it…

Filed Under: Hands & Feet, Makeup, Nail Polish Tagged With: Axxium, Beauty, Gel Nails, Manicures, Nail Polish, opi, Shellac, Trends

The Lip Slip Luxe Lip Balm

January 25, 2011 By Sara Cornell

I stumbled across The Lip Slip one day with my daughter. There were samples at the register and I tried it on without really thinking about it. A few hours later (truly – a few hours!) I noticed that my lips were still moist and glossy and that The Lip Slip was still going strong – even after a cup of coffee, a snack and a lot of talking! It’s pricey ($24 for .5 oz) but totally worth the investment. If you love the feel of a gloss but don’t want a lot of color or sticky residue, The Lip Slip is for you. You can purchase The Lip Slip at SaraHapp.com or at selected retailers. Here’s the scoop on the slip from the web site:

The Lip Slip By Sara Happ: One Luxe Balm

Name:
The Lip Slip

Description:
A balm like no other, The Lip Slip leaves no color, just the richest, glossiest hydration imaginable. Wear it all day. Wear it overnight. Results are immediate. We’d have it no other way.

Features:
Infused with Sweet Almond, Jojoba and Macadamia nut oils, with a polymer blend that took 2 years to perfect, we’ve acheived a texture and wear unlike anything you’ve seen.

Directions:
After exfoliating with The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ, smooth a small amount of this luxe balm onto lips. Wear alone for universally appealing shine that brings out your lips’ natural color, wear over color for shine like you wouldn’t believe, put it on before bedtime and wake up to a plump, baby smooth pout. Let the hydration begin.

Inspiration:
The supple feel of a shimmery gold YSL calfskin bag. A bottle of Coco Chanel Mademoiselle. Your favorite camisole; soft, sweet, nude, girly and grand. The world doesn’t need another lip balm. It needs the right one. Slip into this.

Size:
.5 oz

Price:
$24.00

Filed Under: Beauty, Lip Balm / Treatment, Lip Gloss, Makeup, Recommended, Shopping, Skin Care Tagged With: Beauty, Lib Balm, Lip Gloss, Makeup, Sara happ, The Lip Slip

MAC Tartan Tale Collection Make Up

November 15, 2010 By Sara Cornell

Those folks at MAC Cosmetics have done it again. Just when I thought I was free from lusting after yet another a fabulous make up collection, they have come out with Tartan Tales. According to MAC: ” We’re telling a slightly twisted Tartan Tale to celebrate holiday, in all its posh, punk, ancestral, anarchic, noble and naughty glory. Royal and raunchy, colours and patterns collide, fantasies come true, punk fairies take flight with enchanted new looks. Be transformed!”

Tartan Tale Collection Available at Maccosmetics.com

As one would expect from MAC, the colors are wonderful; some bold, some subtle, always flattering, the the packaging, as usual, is artistry in itself. Stop by your local MAC store today to get your plaid on, or log on to www.maccosmetics.com to see how to scotch up your holiday look.