Author: Lindsay

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo

As I’ve come to know Hourglass Cosmetics, the brand more and more just screams sexy to me. Their packaging, products and luxury send me directly to a sultry place. So I wasn’t surprised to see their newest launch “Notorious Nudes” Femme Nude Lip Stylo is particularly seductive.

This set of six nude lip crayons have a creamy, medium to full-coverage formula and satin finish. The texture is close to lipstick and not unlike the NARS Velvet Lip Pencils. Like other Hourglass products, the packaging is nothing less than ultimate luxury. The heavy metal tube is modern and robust. There is no sharpening this guy – the actual product is retractable making precise application a breeze. Even on my dry lips, the vitamin E packed formula doesn’t cake or flake. It is also paraben, phthalates, fragrance and sulfate free and not tested on animals.

The six shades span quite a range, ensuring all skin tones can find their perfect match. I’ve been wearing Nude No 4, a pink beige nude with a touch of deep rose. It looks like a very slightly lighter shade than my natural skin tone with more pink. Other available shades:

Nude No 1 – A pale pink nude, the lightest of the collection.
Nude No 2 – A honey beige nude with a warm tint.
Nude No 3 – A medium rose nude with a hint of pink.
Nude No 5 – A golden peach nude with luminosity.
Nude No 6 – A mauve nude, the deepest nude of the collection.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Late Summer Pool Prep

I know I just came back from the beach, but this party just doesn’t stop. In honor of a birthday celebration, we’ve planned a day at the pool this weekend. And while I should be fairly pool ready, I’ve come across a couple gems that are perfect for late summer grooming.

First up, my skin can get really dry and itchy. Not to mention, I tend to have a very unpleasant (even violent) reaction to bug bites. I managed to avoid a burn at the beach, but the extra sun dehydrated my skin. So I’ve been soothing and cooling with Sarna Original lotion. The menthol and camphor cool on contact, easing itching calming inflamed skin. While it does have a strong fragrance, I actually find it medicinally pleasant. For those who aren’t wild about menthol, try the Sarna Sensitive lotion – super hydrating, fragrance-free, steroid-free and powered with an analgesic to ease an painful dryness.

And of course we all know the battle against hair during the summer months. A little tidbit about me – I’ve lasered most of my body. But I skipped the top half of my legs. In the winter, I just let it run wild – I got lucky with blond, fine hair. But in the summer, I can’t resist getting rid of that stuff. Because I don’t want to be bothered shaving all the time, I have turned to the Philips Satin Perfect epilator. While it does pull hair out at the root (with a tiny bit of sting), my easily irritated skin manages to stay calm and no redness to be seen. Not to mention, the results last loads longer than regular shaving. And you don’t have to grow your hair out to use it – it removes even the shortest of hair. I’m just about ready to ditch my razor for good!

Newness From Kate Somerville

By now, most of you know I am a certified Kate Somerville fan. Her skin care is technologically savvy, her formulas work without irritating and her approach to great skin resonates. That’s why I am so glad to see consistently fabulous new launches from her. Most recently, she’s made a foray into makeup with a killer CC Cream. And a new anti-aging moisturizer that my skin just drinks up.

First up is Age Arrest Anti-Wrinkle Cream. Right off the bat, I notice that unlike other anti-aging creams, this formula feels rich but not greasy or heavy. Kate uses ingredients like Extract of Laminaria Kelp to work with skin’s natural ability to hydrate so your don’t get a goopy feel. The thrust of this new moisturizer is new telomere research with a Telo-5™ Technology. Telomeres help keep us looking young and this technology can prolong the life of these skin cell worker bees. In addition, peptides help reduce degradation of collagen. Lastly, Sea Whip Extract and Algae Plasma sooth sensitive skin.

I’m so glad that Kate jumped on this bandwagon because I was dying to know how she’d embrace this BB/CC Cream craze. Again, she marries the science of skin care with naturally occurring ingredients for a balanced and non-irritating formula. Like my cherished Kiehl’s BB Cream, the version from Kate Somerville IllumiKate™ CC Cream has a whopping 50 SPF. Arbutin, Licorice Extract and Natural Amino Acids work to brighten skin. And I get a good dose of hydration thanks to Sodium Hyaluronate. I still wear this over a moisturizer but those would oilier skin could skip it. The coverage is on the sheer side – which is what I prefer. But those who want more coverage will be happy to know it is buildable. I’ve can get away with the light shade, so I am happy to report the four shades cover a fairly wide spectrum of complexions. I haven’t tried the medium but I am guessing it runs darker than other lines.

Rite Aid’s Eye Extravaganza GIVEAWAY

Rite Aid has recently launched one of the coolest beauty events I’ve seen in a while! Rite Aid’s Eye Extravaganza began July 27th and will run through September 28th with tons of contests and discounts. Here are some details on your chances to win!:

First up, let’s get creative. Enter your best eye design and vote for three winners. Lucky victors will receive a $250, $150, or $100 Rite Aid gift card and beauty bag!

Contest 1: Special Event Eyes (July 27 – August 9)
Contest 2: Eyes That Get Noticed (August 19 – August 30)
Contest 3: Smokey Eyes (September 9 – September 20)

Then, head over to Rite Aid’s Facebook page for L’Oreal’s Sweepstakes and a chance to win $50 Rite Aid gift card and beauty bag! There will be three chances to win so make sure to enter during each contest period listed above.

Lastly, don’t miss Eye University and coupons at Eyes.RiteAid.com. Eye University offers expert tips and tricks from L’Oreal, Rimmel, Almay and many others.

That’s not all… make sure to stay tuned on Twitter and Instagram for more chances to win.

Hashtag: #EyeExtravaganza
Twitter: Beauty bag giveaways! @RiteAid
Instagram: Share your eye looks on Instagram for more chances to win! @riteaidbeauty

And now for my favorite part! I get to giveaway one of these awesome beauty bags (contents pictured at the top of this post) with you, readers! Enter using the widget below. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meaningful Beauty – Meaningful in the Mirror

I’m baaaack! What an amazing vacation. I have to say… the beaches in the Dominican Republic are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. My week was filled with fun, laughter (so much) and festivities. While I can’t say I am totally rested, I did come home feeling revived. Not to mention sun kissed.

I’ve also come home a bit contemplative. My summer has been full of great times and friends. But as the calendar page turns and talk of back to school is starting, I feel like turning a new leaf myself. Don’t get me wrong – the good times are not stopping. But I do want to add a little depth and discipline into my life. I’ve come back with a verve and devotion to my Nutrisystem journey – I am about to start my final month on the program. And I want to make sure that the time I spend with family and friends is thoughtful and personal. Feeling good about my skin, body and relationships is when I am most happy and I want to keep it that way!

On that same note, diving into Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty skincare line is all about empowering women to look and feel their best. The word “Meaningful” hits home and plays well with my new tagline “depth and discipline”. I’d like to think it is great to find meaning in even the smaller parts and moments of our life. To spread the word about this mission, Cindy has launched a new app on her Meaningful Beauty’s Facebook page, Meaningful in the Mirror. Through this app, Cindy’s mission is to allow women to affirm their inner-beauty & self-confidence in just a few simple steps.

Facebook users can simply (1)“like” the Meaningful Beauty Facebook page for access to the app, (2) select a template, (3) type their custom message and (4) share it with friends or on their own page. It only takes a few minutes, but the message is theirs to keep – it can even be used as a cover photo.

I’ve been using Meaningful Beauty over the last couple of months and am completely impressed with the system. The line is all about nutrition for the skin, aiming to protect and renew. Her step by step collection is easy to follow and leads to radiant skin. It is powerful but not irritating, packed with antioxidants and vitamins.

The system is composed of 5 simple steps plus 2 bonuses:

Crème de Serum
Advanced Formula Lifting Eye Crème
Skin Brightening Décolleté and Neck Treatment SPF 15
Antioxidant Day Crème SPF 20 UVA/UVB
Skin Softening Cleanser
Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules (Bonus)
Glowing Serum (Bonus)

Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford Crème de Serum is probably my favorite item from the system. I haven’t encountered a richer serum and the effect is fresh and dewy skin. It has almost enough hydration to act as a moisturizer too on my dry skin this summer. The packaging and orange swirl keeps active ingredients suspended until used. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) from rare French melon (orange) and anti-aging peptides (white) work with the Hyaluronic Acid (clear) to hydrate and plump the skin.

Meaningful Beauty Glowing Serum by Cindy Crawford is for those, like me, who are all about the glow. I like to use it as a primer to smooth or even to throw on your purse to add a glow/highlight throughout the day. It contains soy protein, marine botanicals and antioxidants including pumpkin extract to encourage cell renewal.

Meaningful Beauty Skin Softening Cleanser by Cindy Crawford is milky and ultra gentle. While it doesn’t quite get all my makeup off, it does contain a unique apple extract to work against aging. My skin doesn’t feel tight or stripped.

Meaningful Beauty Antioxidant Day Crème SPF 20 Broad Spectrum has become a favorite facial SPF for the days I know I’ll be in the office. I get plenty of moisture and still decent protection. I also love that Vitamin C helps brighten and even my discoloration.

Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford Advanced Formula Lifting Eye Crème contains botanicals to lighten and firm that stubborn under eye area. After a late night, I really can tell this helps brighten and lift, plus it works well under makeup.

Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford Skin Brightening Décolleté and Neck Treatment Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is a genius product that has definitely earned its spot in my permanent rotation. I have started to realize this often neglected area of skin is the first to betray age. The formula works against age spots, brightens and revitalizes, not to mention, provides that crucial SPF protection.

Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules are my new favorite on-the-go skin care item. This little capsules are so fun to use and provide a portable does of the Exclusive Microencapsulated Melon Complex and dual action Vitamin C.

I think the 5-piece New Advanced System is the best deal. It is great for those times when you want to commit to a routine to do a kind of “reset” on your skin. Not to mention, it is totally affordable at $39.95 plus s/h for 30-day supply or $119.85 with free shipping for 90-day supply. Available at MeaningfulBeauty.com or by calling 1-877-383-1212

July Favorites

I know I am a little past due for July Favorites, but better late than never! Hope you enjoy some of these gems from my online shopping addiction (be sure to click through if you are viewing in a reader or email for the full experience)!