Category Archives: beauty

Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil

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So many of us are looking for an easy way to create an intense and dramatic eye for night time.  Celebrity Makeup Artist (Celeb fans include Kiera Nightly, SJP and Cameron Diaz), Sue Devitt and her number one product the Eye Intensifier Pencil might be just the thing.

Water resistant, velvety in texture and coming in rich shades the Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil ($22) will glide onto your skin and allow for an almost fool-proof application. I tested the bronze shade, Tanzania. There are 13 shades to choose from with something for everyone’s eye color and style.  I found that the Tanzania was not a good color for me as it brought out the red in my already allergy prone inflamed eyes but it did go on very smooth and easy.  I had no trouble swiping a thick swash of it across my lash line and then blending it out. The blending nub at the bottom is soft and works perfectly for this task.  The eye color works nicely and comes off easy at the end of the day.  The color swatches online are pretty accurate to the color in the actual pencil too. I love that the pencil is somewhat chubby which makes it ideal for creating a dramatic, smokey or bold eye easily.

Sue Devitt’s Eye Intensifier Pencil is available online, at Birchbox and at QVC.com

 

butter LONDON Spring/Summer 2012

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Fun Find- As a self-proclaimed nail addict, my mother calls it a fetish, but I’m not overly concerned, I get really excited when a new season approaches. What glossy, glittery, fantastic new colors will be rolling out?

butter LONDON has revealed an eye-popping collection of colors for Spring/Summer 2012 that has me swooning!  Neon colour is everywhere this year and butter LONDON is no exception.  Using the neon’s and balancing them with sherbet pastels and neutrals the collection is a mix of gorgeous shades in pistachio, cantaloupe, hot pink and more. With names like Bossy Boots (pale pistachio), Trout Pout (cantaloupe) and Knackered (oyster color with micro glitter) you will be making your mark.

My favorites are Disco Biscuit, a hot pink infused with tiny particles of glitter, named after the British term for Ecstasy. I also adore Slapper, meaning ‘slut’ in Brit slang, which is an intense turquoise that goes on glossy and smooth.

You can buy your own favorite at Ulta stores and online at butter LONDON.

 

 

Cures by Avance Hydrating Body Buffer

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It’s winter.  Your skin is dry and in need of some renewal.  It’s time to get scrubbing and what better way to remove dead, dull skin cells and improve your skins texture and smoothness than with Cures by Avance Hydrating Body Buffer 6 fl oz.

The gentle formula made with seaweed extracts polishes your skin easily while tightening the skin too.  I applied this body buffer ($29) while showering a few times and found it to be soft and grainy but not rough.  It didn’t irritate my skin with its buffing grains like some exfoliates can do.  It was light and buffed my skin nicely.  I was surpised by the light blue color but found that the product worked well without causing redness. It rinsed off moderately well and my skin was left feeling softer.

MPR Rating: Three Stars.

Disclaimer: MPR was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only. Opinions are MPR’s only.

Limited Edition LAVANILA Passion Fruit Perfume

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Just in time for Valentines day comes Lavanila’s newest Healthy Fragrance, Passion Fruit.  I received a rollerball version ($19) of the perfume and love it.

Infused with passion fruit, guava and peach nectar this perfume has a warm base derived from sandalwood and Madagascar vanilla.  Loaded with aphrodisiacs it is a sweeter perfume than I would typically wear but it is one that plays lightly on your skin all day long and it cheers me each time I smell it. I love using a product that has no parabens, sulfates, synthetic perfumes or dyes or contains any mineral oil.

There is an entire Limited Edition Passion Fruit line which features all the classic products from a Healthy Fragrance set including the 2-in-1 wash/shave, body butter, large fragrance and body butter/fragrance set ($60).  The rollerball perfume or any of the Passion Fruit items makes a great Valentines Day gift this year.

Lavanila products can be purchased online, at Sephora, Sephora at JCPenny, QVC and Beauty.com.

L’Occitane Limited Edition Cherry Princess Hand Cream

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Perfect for Valentine’s Day and when you want to invoke the upcoming spring grab a tube of L’Occitane’s Limited Edition Cherry Princess hand cream ($10). Part of the Cherry Princess collection, which includes perfume, silky body gel and more.

The 1 ounce tube fits nicely on my dresser top, in a purse or even my car.  It smells divine and the scent lasts for hours.  I have used it for more than a hand cream too.  Some days I apply it to my inner arms and neck to use as a perfume and find that in the evening the fragrance is still there.  It’s fantastic! It’s also pretty to look at as is the entire line.

Read more about the Limited Edition Cherry Princess set here.  It’s getting rave reviews!

Yes to Blueberries & Cucumbers

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I haven’t tried a lot of the Yes to Carrots products or other items from this company.  I was excited to try out the Yes to Blueberries Brightening Eye Rollerball ($19.99), Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment ($19.99) and Yes to Cucumber Soothing Eye Gel ($14.99).  The week I tested all these eye products could not have been more perfect as I was up late all week, woken up by small children multiple times a night.  I look haggard, puffy-eyed and loaded with dark circles each day.

The Yes to Blueberries Brightening Eye Rollerball was by far my favorite.  The results were quick to reveal and I loved applying this cold metal rollerball under my eyes when I woke up each morning.  My eyes felt soothed and relieved right away and within about thirty minutes I looked more awake.  Typically, that doesn’t happen until after I shower.  This product is my new best friend.  (Four Stars)

Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment received mixed reviews on the trusted website, Make-up Alley, but I liked the product.  I loved that it was in pump form as it keeps things clean and sanitary.  So many eye products come in jars and you get too much product and end up germing up the jar.  Yuck!  I liked that it is paraben free, 99% natural and it can be used morning and night.  My eyes felt refreshed when I used this product and smooth.  Beeswax makes your skin soft while the paracress flower helps to remove fine lines and wrinkles.  I saw a tiny difference over a week and will continue to use it to see if the results are more dramatic.  (Four Stars)

Finally the Yes to Cucumber Soothing Eye Gel.  Again, I like the pump bottle and how my under-eye skin felt calmed.  I have bad allergies and my eyes are affected the most. Many products make the itchiness I feel worse but not this one.  It calmed the area and cooled it. I need that when my peepers feel red, dry and itchy.  However, I found that the product rolled off my skin later.  Why do some eye gels and creams do that?  I was disappointed and it made me not want to use the product again despite loving the calm, soothing feeling. (Three Stars)

MPR Rating:  Four & Three Stars

Disclaimer:  MPR was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only.  Opinions are MPR’s only.

Breath Slim Weight Loss

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Fun Find-  Now here is a product that I need to devote more time to.  My efforts to lose the last of my baby weight from my third child are going well.  I’ve been running three times a week for a month now.  However, the addition of the Breath Slim device to this month’s weight loss regime should be interesting.

What is Breath Slim?

Breath Slim is a technology for weight loss.  By using breathing techniques with the device you are supposed to lose weight and gain energy.  More energy to work out and gain strength!

Breath Slim technology is based on direct action on fatty tissue using just the inner workings of your respiratory system. Breath slim technology allows you to use the energy released as a result of burning fatty tissue, increasing the activity of the whole body. Breath slim technology is based on changing of breathing pattern. As a result, the amount of oxygen getting from the inhaled air into blood vessels increases drastically. This leads to complete fat burning.

 

Breath Slim is supposed to suppress your appetite and improve metabolism, recharge your nervous system and immune system too.  Now the premise seems possible since yoga and pilates use breathing techniques to restore you and help you become and stay fit.  So I am willing to test this product out.  My issue with it right now is just finding the time.  The time to watch the DVD and sit down each day for 20 minutes and breathe into a tube.

I’ll let you know how it all works out.

Breathe Slim is available online at the BreathSlim website.

 

White Sands Gel-Us

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Gel-Us by White Sands is a gel that provides shine and hydration while improving the texture of your hair and adding volume to it.  I tested it out for a few weeks and here is what I found.

What Worked:  My fine hair does not hold volume as well as I would like.  Any product that promises it I want to try out instantly.  I used Gel-Us right after my shower and styled my hair as normal.  I have medium length hair and used a dime-sized amount.  As my hair dried I immediately noticed how much thicker the texture was while not being sticky or hard to run my fingers through.  It stayed that way all day.  My style held longer and I had no frizz too. I actually laughed out loud with glee when I realized this half-way through the day.  I was incredibly happy.  My hair had more shine each time I used Gel-Us and it washed out easily.  There was no heavy scent either. Always a plus!

What Didn’t Work:  I can’t use this product all the time because after a few days of use it just doesn’t create the volume I want or like.  If I use it a few times a week it works but that is it.  My hair remains shinier each time I use it regardless of how many times I use it and it still eliminates frizz.

I’m not in love with the name.  Why do we have to create beauty and hair care products that sound catty? It doesn’t make me want to buy the product. I get the play on words but I become annoyed when I see names like this for products.

I would purchase White Sands Gel-Us again.  It’s a 7.5 ounce bottle that will last so the $15 price tag doesn’t hurt so much.  I think it works well and when I use it a few times a week it really performs.  On a different hair type and texture it probably works even better.

MPR Rating:  Three Stars.

Disclaimer:  MPR was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only.  Opinions are MPR’s only.

 

 

 

 

Gel-Us allows 100% of the entire product to work synergistically in styling and conditioning to provide hydration and shine unlike any gel out there. With hair now in a perfect moisture balance after using Gel-Us, each cuticle layer is closed to eliminate frizz, improve texture, repel moisture and provide volume.

 

Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo

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I love dry shampoo. I’m a person with fine hair that gets oily at the roots by the end of the day. I love that I can spray in a dry shampoo and look a little bit better at the gym or on early morning errands. Not all dry shampoos are made up of the same ingredients and not all of them work that well. Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo ($2.87-3.49) has luckily made the cut.

The Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo is different from Suave’s other dry shampoo with its mineral clay base. This one is set to compete with salon brands (like Bumble & Bumble) and is infused with Keralock Technology that enables hair to be smooth and manageable as well as fresh.

I used it a few times last week and like most dry shampoos you shake it and spray it 8-10 inches from your hair. I concentrated on my roots and immediately noticed the fine spray. A cloud of white powder DID NOT envelop me! A pleasant, non-powdery or overly perfumed scent surrounded me and then dissipated. I waited a few moments and there were no clumps of white-ish hair. I combed my hair easily and that was it. It was done and this dry shampoo worked. The oil was absorbed and my hair had a smooth, non-greasy, fresh finish. In fact, I think it worked just as well or better than Bumble & Bumble. The volume increased in my hair and as always it extends the life of a blowout.  Perfect!

I highly recommend checking the Sauve Professionals Keratin Infused Dry Shampoo out. It is affordable, works well on all hair colors and smells great too! There is a whole line of Keratin Infused products,including a 30 Day Smoothing kit, coming out this January and February. I think they are worth a test drive if you ask me.

MPR Rating: Four Stars (out of five).

Disclaimer: MPR was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only. Opinions are MPR’s only.