Category Archives: Product Reviews

Hot Pants! Proskins Slim

Proskins Compression Wear SLIM leggings are being touted as the holy grail in the fight against cellulite and a great way to shape and tone the legs. To see results you need to wear them for eight hours a day for 28 days.

The beauty of them is that they look like a regular pair of leggings but their makeup is vastly different. Advanced technology compression fabric incorporates microscopic capsules containing caffeine, retinol, aloe vera and ceramides that actually improve the overall skin condition leaving legs softer, smoother, tighter. These micro-capsules are released in a controlled way throughout the lifetime of the garment.

Without a change in diet or exercise, independent clinical trials have shown a 76% slimming efficacy, a reduction in the diameter of thighs, and the vast majority of testers saw a reduction in cellulite and felt that their jeans were less tight.

Too good to be true? Not necessarily…but just in case, I think I’ll keep my gym membership! Proskins Slim Full Length Leggings, $120

 

 

I’m Obsessed! 21 Drops

21 Drops is genius! I wish I’d thought of it myself…but then again I’m not an Advanced Clinical Essential Oil Specialist like Cary Caster, the company’s founder, who studied in Europe where Aromatherapy is widely recognized as a medical treatment. It’s based upon the principle that oils, extracted from various parts of plants, can be inhaled or absorbed into the bloodstream where they interact with your body, creating balance and wellness.

Caster has developed 21 unique blends formulated to address different concerns you might have…everything from Moodiness to Lack of Confidence to Grief.

  • #1 “Invigorate” gives you a healthy energy boost.
  • #3 “Strength” boosts your confidence so you can achieve your goals.
  • #10 “Calm” helps you do just that. It banishes the drama so you can deal.
  • #18 “Sleep” soothes and quiets your mind so you can rest.

And check out these colorful rollerball bottles! They’re  gorgeous and sized right to stash in your bag or your pocket for a quick pick-me-up whenever the mood strikes.

 

Great New Skincare Line! POE

Product Review: POE

As a beauty expert, I’m asked to test new products all the time and I can say without a doubt POE (Purity of Elements) is a new skincare company worth writing about! Founded by a mother/daughter duo (Sheri Poe and Danielle Birrittella) looking for a simpler skincare regimen, there are two basic lines, one preventative and one restorative with anti-aging products for radiant skin at any age.

I sampled from the restorative kit:

  1. I applied a generous amount of the Mandarin Marine Moisture Mask to clean skin and left it on for 10 minutes. This gel felt cool as it dried and I could actually feel it working. After 10 minutes, I rinsed with tepid water and saw an immediate improvement. Packed with Vitamin C and Ginger Root Extract, it gave me back my healthy glow!
  2. After patting dry, I followed the mask with the H2Poe Hydrating Serum. It’s formulated with Lactic and Hyaluronic Acids, Peptides, Collagen, Antioxidants and other super-charged ingredients for major rejuvenating effects.
  3. Lastly, I topped off the serum with the Radical Renewal Hydrating Cream, a super-moisturizer that not only hydrates but helps reverse damage thanks to ingredients like Retinol, Avocado Oil and Fatty Acids.

Fantastic results! POE Skin Care Collection, $18 – $84, available at www.purityofelements.com.

 

 

Taste Test: Chapstick Cupcake Creations…

Product Review: ChapStick Cupcake Creations

Cupcakes are kind of special in our home. Ten year old Emma, takes her baking very, very seriously. A few years ago, she begged me to stop using boxed mixes for cakes and brownies and requested I stock the pantry with proper baking staples like self-rising flour and dutch cocoa powder. Everything had to be made from scratch! She has plans to open her own bakery when she’s grown up and she certainly practices enough now, making her scrumptious treats a few times a week. She even sells them around the neighborhood to raise money for animal shelters and other causes.

When ChapStick Cupcake Creations arrived for review I can’t say I was happy to see them…It had been years since I’d used ChapStick and my pre-conceived notion was that it would be waxy and thick with a medicinal-ish taste, the way they used to be when I was a kid. But Emma was excited to give it a shot…after all, it is cupcake themed.

Boy, was I ever wrong! Both flavors (Cake Batter and Velvet Cupcake) glide on smoothly, leaving a light, protective, moisturizing and delicious film behind. No waxy feeling at all…just slick in a very good way and moist. I particularly love Cake Batter which has a warm, almost butterscotch-y flavor. Emma is partial to Velvet Cupcake which tastes sweet and rich like a Red Velvet cupcake and leaves just a hint of color behind.

Check her out wearing ChapStick in Velvet Cupcake and showing off her latest goods!

ChapStick Cupcake Creations, available at Wal-Mart, CVS and Walgreens nationwide for a limited time. Get them now because when they’re gone, they’re gone!

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The Best Body Scrub!

My best body scrub experience ever was at Grand Lido Sans Souci Hotel in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I was led down a winding, flower-filled path to a private cabana on the cliffs where an expert therapist was waiting. It was sense overload in the best way possible. I could hear the sound of the ocean below, smell the tropical blooms and feel the gentle breeze on my skin…all while being massaged and scrubbed from head to toe. Perfection!

Since a flight to Jamaica isn’t on my schedule anytime soon, it looks like I’ll have to do the dirty work myself. After being covered up for most of fall and winter I have extra dry elbows, knees, heels and even my shins look like they could use a good scrubbing. Obviously, I haven’t been exfoliating as religiously as I should be (2-3 times per week is recommended) and I’ve paid the price. But, softer, more radiant skin is just a scrub away. Here, some of my favorite picks:

  1. My absolute favorite is Lamas Botanicals Pumpkin Spice Polish, $17.99. I discovered it over 10 years ago and never plan on switching. I keep it in the shower and use it on my face but it’s great on the body, too.There’s just something so special about the delicious scent and the texture of the grainy buffing beads.
  2. Origins Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub, $28, has an irresistible ginger fragrance that lingers.
  3. Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Scrub, $36, is a spa-strength scrub that smoothes even the roughest elbows and knees.

*Always follow with a rich body cream.

Something to Hide…

I need to give a shout-out to my favorite beauty product of all time! Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage can’t be beat–it completely covers dark circles, blemishes, neutralizes redness and lasts all day. Two shades per compact lets you customize your color for a perfect match every time.

Even when I’m having a “makeup-free” day, I use this to even out my skin-tone–a little under the eyes (always layered on top of eye cream) and around the nose area (where I’m prone to a bit of redness) and I can face the day. When wearing foundation, apply the concealer afterwards to see where you really need it. A little goes a long way and one compact will last you a very long time. Mine lasts 6 – 9 months and I wear it every day!

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, $30 at www.lauramericer.com.

A Clean Sweep!

I’m too tired tonight. I’m just not in the mood.

I’m talking makeup and the excuses women give on why they don’t always remove it before bedtime. If clogged pores, blackheads and pimples aren’t on your beauty must-have list, I highly recommend you cleanse nightly…and, when you’re too exhausted to bother with the whole nine yards, a facial cleansing cloth is good in a pinch.

My favorite? Mustela Facial Cleansing Cloths, $8.00 at sephora.com. I’ve been known to use them before bed but I really love them post-workout. They’re formulated for newborns and babies’ delicate skin so they never irritate my sensitive complexion and I love, love, love the fresh, light scent!

Great New Makeup Line!

Product Review: MAKE Cosmetics

This new line comes with a very nice pedigree–Mana Products is the world’s leading private label manufacturer of beauty products. Ever heard of a little company called NARS? That’s from Mana…along with many, many other great brands.

Their latest is MAKE Cosmetics…with a philosophy I can definitely get on board with! MAKE donates one-third of all sales to women-led, worker-owned, start-up co-ops in the U.S. and they pair artists from different backgrounds to create their seasonal color collections. Their first collaboration is with London-based interior/furniture designer, Faye Toogood and makeup artist Ayami Nishimura.

Their Medieval Palette, $25, (photo above) contains 4 very wearable matte shadows in shades of moody grays (nice for a smoky eye) plus a cool blue (if you’d prefer a pop of color) and 4 matte lipsticks, in everyday neutrals (love these shades!) and a bright coral. The eyeshadows are soft, powdery and blend well. I like them as a sheer wash of color but you can also layer them or use them to line your eyes. Also,the lipsticks are creamy, go on smoothly and wear well.

When testing this line, I went straight for their gold eyeshadow–my go-to color for eyes (it’s a shade that works for all skin tones and all eye colors). MAKE’s Satin Finish Eyeshadow in Gilded, $18,  doesn’t disappoint! It applies evenly, looks luminous and stays put. Apply dry for a sheer wash of color or wet to amp up the drama.

MAKE is available at www.weseebeauty.com. Besides makeup, I highly recommend you also check out the unique products for sale in their design gallery.

 

Tarte Glamazon Lipstick

 

Product Review: Tarte Glamazon 12-Hour Lipstick

I was at a beauty event recently when I bumped into a friend of mine whom I hadn’t seen in a while. She’s always been pretty, but, she looked better than ever…it was her smile! She was wearing Tarte Glamazon Lipstick in Playful. She said she’d applied it that morning and still…it lingered. Her plummy-pink lips were the perfect shade for her Zooey Deschanel coloring–they actually look a lot alike!–so I didn’t know if it would quite work for my warmer-toned skin and hair but I had to give it a try!

I ran right to Sephora and tested it in the store. Since I don’t normally wear lipstick–clear or tinted balms are usually my thing–I used my fingertip to rub it in and create a stain, a look I prefer on myself. It goes on as a wonderful plum shade, not too dark, not too light, not too bright. After six hours which included a cup of tea, an apple and even dinner,  it was still on!  The color had changed a bit, going from that original plum to a raspberry-ish tone, one I loved just as much.

This is one lipstick destined to have a cult following!

Tarte Glamazon 12-Hour Lipstick in Playful, $26 at www.sephora.com

Lemon Love!

Product Review: Korres Basil Lemon Showergel and Body Butter

I’ve always had a thing for lemons! It might have started when I was little and given the big responsibility of being allowed to dust with lemon fresh Pledge. As a tween, when my friends were all over Love’s Baby Soft I was taken with Love’s Fresh Lemon fragrance, which morphed into Annick Goutal’s Eau de Hadrien as I got older. But, without a doubt, my lemon-love was cemented on my honeymoon when my husband and I traveled throughout Italy. While on the island of Capri we discovered Ristorante Paolino (www.paolinocapri.com) where we got drunk on limoncello and dined under a thick canopy of lemon trees, the air filled with their citrusy scent. Pure magic!

Fast forward to this week when I received a package of products to review. Inside was Korres Shower Gel in Basil Lemon along with its’ complementary Basil Lemon Body Butter. Chances were high that the scent alone would have me at hello, but these products proved to be so much more than that! Both the shower gel and the body butter contain healing aloe vera, protective shea butter and anti-inflammatory quince extract, along with other natural ingredients.

In the shower I was enveloped in a fresh, lemony scent and my skin felt silky soft after toweling off. It was hydrated enough that I didn’t need to use a body cream afterwards but because I love the light, fresh scent so much I did use the butter on my extra-dry areas, knees, elbows, heels and hands.

True, it’s not Italy…but if I close my eyes and breathe deeply, it could be!

Korres Basil Lemon Showergel, $19.50

Korres Basil Lemon Body Butter, $29.00

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