Tag: drugstore

Happy Birthday Belle Belle – Drugstore Favorites and a Giveaway

Now, I am three for three. Every single year, I somehow manage to miss my blog birthday! On September 15th, Belle Belle turned three years old! In fact, this is the 836th post. Whoa – that is a lot of chatting about beauty. In honor of the (belated) celebration, I’ve teamed up with CVS for a red-hot giveaway. And I am going to share some of my favorite drugstore buys from the last couple of weeks.

L’Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur is like nothing I’ve tried before. Technically a “finishing cream” this magical stuff actually blurs lines and uneven texture. The gel-like texture finishes skin with a matte finish, prepping it for tinted moisturizer or foundation (of which amazingly I find I need less of). Meanwhile, Rivitalift goes to work smoothing and lifting skin over time.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Pearl Black Cherry was a purchase inspired by my friend and blogging buddy, Opinion Nothing. When we had dinner last week, she was rocking a bold, dark and rich lip. While it wasn’t this exact shade, I love the berry, purplish stain of Black Cherry. It gives my skin a little bit of a fancy Snow White / goth look that I love for fall.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Eyeliner in Violet and Cobalt are both great budget ways to play with color. These liners have a rich and soft pencil with vibrant pigments. I like layering both over darker liquid liner for a little twist on a cat eye look. The smudging tool on the opposite end is perfect if you wish to work the color further up the lid for a bolder look.

Speaking of liquid eyeliner, I am finally trying out Covergirl Line Exact Liquid Liner Pen – I had been hearing rave reviews. At first, I was so mad that I had accidentally bought brown rather than black. But I actually like the softer look it gives. The felt pen feels far more luxurious than the drugstore price point. And the ultra-pigmented liquid dries fast and stays all day.

Revlon Lash Potion Volume & Length Mascara by Grow Luscious in Black just might have been inspired by those gorgeous Emma Stone ads. While the effect isn’t as “false-like” like other formulas, I love that it contains strengthening proteins, amino acids and essential vitamins – which all work to improve the look of lashes. I get tons of product on the soft, classic and large wand. And natural full lashes ensue.

Now for the good part. CVS and I have teamed up together to giveaway! I am a huge fan of CVS Beauty Club and thanks to my (frequent) beauty purchases, I can’t tell you how much I love those loyalty benefits like $5 ExtraBucks for every $50 spent on beauty. I also love shopping there because you can return any beauty product and get a full refund within 60 days of purchase. (sign up here) So now here is your chance to win a $50 CVS Gift Card. Just enter using the widget below. I can’t wait to hear how you’d spend yours if you won! (US Only)

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Five Late Summer Favorites

So, today marks the official back to school here in my city. Time to face the music and start thinking about prep for those cooler months ahead. I’m focusing on stretching out this tan, staying safe in the sun, repairing sun damage and nourishing my dried out hair. Among other things! Here are five favorites that I keep reaching for to do just that:

RéVive ‘Sensitif’ Oil-Free Lotion SPF 15 is the most gentle SPF I have come across and the oil-free formula finishes matte and won’t clog pores. Plus, it works fabulously under makeup.

Kate Somerville ‘Somerville 360°’ Tan Maximizer is helping me milk this summer glow for all that it is worth. I love the smell and how nourishing it is on my skin. Natural oils add so much hydration that this might be my go-to lotion all year long!

Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Shampoo basically transports me back to high school with its fruity scent (how appropriate this time of year!). But what really impressed me was the effect – I use this at night and sleep in a wet braid – the next morning I have full and bouncy waves!

Coola TotalBody Organic Moisturizing Suncare with SPF 30 is keeping me sun safe these last couple of pool days. The scents can’t be beat (my favorite is Plumeria). And I feel even better staying safe in the sun using an organic product.

Essie for the twill of it from their fall collection was high on my wish list. But now that I have it in (or on) my hot little hands I’m swooning so hard I almost fell over. The opaque shade is as nuanced and special as any luxury polish. Fall signature mani sold!

Keeping Summer Feet Beautiful on FOX23’s Great Day Green Country

Feet aren’t the most glamorous subject but let’s be honest… during this flip flop season we need to keep our tootsies look fabulous too. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite ways to keep my feet in order over the warmer months including the hottest nail shade of the season. If you are in the Tulsa area, tune into FOX 23’s Great Day Green Country this morning. I’ll be chatting all my favorites with the lovely Lacey Lett!

Julep Warming Foot Scrub – Even in the summer, this warming scrub tends to do the best job at gently removing dead skin on my feet. The cucumber mint scented scrub warms up on contact, soothing sore feet. Containing real pumice, the formula works great at exfoliation. Also chili pepper oil stimulates circulation while vitamin E nourishes. $13

St. Ives Triple Butters Nourishing Vanilla Body Wash – St. Ives always does such a great job on body washes. The reason I love this new formula for the feet is its packed with nourishing ingredients like jojoba, shea, and cocoa butters, leaving skin soft. And we all know I am a sucker for calming vanilla scents. $4

Bio-Oil – This multi-use skincare oil is my favorite thing to moisturize cuticles. Not to mention it works great against scars. I have a nasty one on my left foot thanks to a broken bone a couple years ago. I like to apply at night and wear socks for super dose of hydration and soft feet. $12

Coppertone Wet ‘n Clear Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 45 – This SPF is a current beach bag MVP. I love that you can apply on wet skin. The formula cuts through water while also being water resistant. Perfect for applying to feet that just dipped into the ocean. The tops of feet are so easy to burn and so often are missed when applying sun screen. $7

Essie in Marshmallow – White toes are the biggest hottest trend this summer (not to mention one of my favorite nail looks of the season). Check out my manicure here. I love the look on the toes – so clean and fresh – perfect to show off a tan! $8

Check out the clip of the segment here!:

Favorite Summer Finds From The Drugstore

Beauty doesn’t have to be budget busting! Here are some favorite things I’ve found either in the drugstore aisles over the past couple of weeks.

gud, a line of natural products from Burt’s Bees has long been a favorite. I love natural products at such a great price point. One thing they do particularly well is Natural Body Wash in Vanilla Flame and Ruby Red Groovy. I am huge lover of vanilla scents and this one is balanced and not too sweet. I also love rotating in Ruby Red Groovy with its zesty and energizing notes of grapefruit and mandarin. The formulas are packed with hydrating Sunflower Seed Oil, Black Walnut Leaf Extract and Raspberry Leaf extract. Not tested on animals.

I adore spray sunscreens (just remember to heavily cover the area you need to protect). The newest from Coppertone is perfect for those “so hot you can’t get out of the pool for more than two minutes” kind of days. Coppertone Wet ‘n Clear Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 45 has great a great SPF factor and cuts through water while also being water resistant, making it perfect to apply to wet skin. I also love that it doesn’t leave a white cast – it is perfectly clear.

I picked up the CoverGirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers Lip Gloss on a whim and they are literally one of my new most favorite things. Always a sucker for something fruit (a la lip smackers), these guys have a great flavor. I selected up Watermelon Splash and Guave Splash on a recent CVS trip (right now, CVS has CoverGirl buy 1, get one 50% off). But not only is the flavor great… but the actually lip balm is a winner. Not too sticky but packed with shine. It also conditions with botanical ingredients.

Always searching for a multi-tasker, I was smitten with the IMAN Bronzing Powder in Afterglow. This trio can be worn as a bronzer or a blush. I’ve found when I mix all three colors it is a dark and rosy bronzer. It is pretty dramatic on my medium toned skin, but I love it for when I really want to bronze it up. And it would be stunning on those with darker skin tones. It has a sheer and radiant finish.

The Revlon PhotoReady Kajal Intense Eye Liner + Brightener is all over magazines lately and I just had to get my paws on one of em. I always wear black eyeliner, but with the casual summer days and nights, I wanted something a little more playful. I was so tempted to go with Blue Nile, but to bring out my green in my eyes, I selected Purple Reign. The light end works great on my lower water line to brighten eyes. And the regal gives my hazel eyes a sparkle. The pencil is soft and applies easily and I get a day of wear time out of the liner.

L’Oréal Paris Sublime Sun Sheer Protect Sunscreen Oil GIVEAWAY

Ever since I tried out the L’Oréal Paris Sublime Suncreen last summer, I have been singing its praises. I love the scent and sheen it gives my skin while still packing a super powered protection. This summer, they have introduced a new form of sunscreen, the high SPF oil sprays. Gone are the days where a sunscreen oil only provided at max a SPF 4.

This oil version features the same photostable UV filter system and powerful antioxidants as the original Sublime Sun lotions. But contains nourishing argan oil, shea oil, grapeseed oil and sunflower oil. It comes in SPF 15, 30 and a whopping 50+. I’ve been wearing the 50+ at the pool lately and love the beachy scent and hydration it provides for my skin. The formulas also offer a patent-pending polymer technology for improved water resistance.

I’m not the only one bonkers over Sublime. Ashley Tisdale was spotted using L’Oréal Paris Sublime Sun Sheer Protect Sunscreen Oil while laying out by the pool this week in Laguna Beach, CA.

And a note… a look good/feel good moment: L’Oréal Paris has partnered with the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) on a three year research grant and will also be donating $1 for every SPF product sold to the MRA throughout the summer.

Now for the juicy part! I’ve teamed up with L’Oreal to give away Sublime Sun Sheer Protect Sunscreen Oil to three lucky winners. Enter using the widget below. (US Only) Sublime Sun Sheer Protect Sunscreen Oil SPF 15 ($9.99), SPF 30 & 50+ ($10.99) is available here.

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Neutrogena Suncare Tips & a GIVEAWAY

There are loads of sunscreen tips and tricks floating around this time of year. But with the rise of skin cancers, particularly among younger women, I believe this is such a great message to be echoing. The fun part for me is so many of these sunscreens have become a pleasure to use. And you can’t go wrong with drugstore budget standout, Neutrogena.

Of particular interest for Neutrogena, the FDA now requires stipulation for a new test to be run in order to claim broad-spectrum protection on sunscreen products. Cathy Salerno, Vice President of R&D, Global Skin Care Product Development at Johnson & Johnson highlights that “Neutrogena spent years researching and developing and patenting a technology that provides photo stable protection over time.” Takeaway number one, you can count on Neutrogena for broad-specturm UVA and UVB thanks to their Helioplex technology.

So, what else do we need to know to play safe in the sun? Dr. Doris Day addresses three myths that I am embarrassed to hear repeated all too frequently:

Myth #1: 50 minutes a day of sunlight a day is necessary for vitamin D

“This is one of the biggest myths I have heard. Incidental sun exposure is plenty for most people. If you think you are vitamin D deficient, get a blood test. There are fat-soluble vitamins available, which you do not need to take every day. Thus, vitamin D is not an excuse to get a tan and certainly not an excuse to go to a tanning bed.”

Myth #2: A base tan is necessary before vacation, or spending a lot of time in the sun.

“Does anybody still believe this? There’s no such thing as a base tan, it’s just one more excuse to have a tan. If you don’t want to get sunburn on vacation, use your sun protection and be sun smart.”

Myth #3: Most of your sun damage has occurred by the age of 18.

“No matter your age or how much exposure you’ve had, every exposure you get at any age is cumulative and damaging to the skin. Your skin has the ability to repair no matter how old you are. If you start today just by using sunscreen alone, all of those other expensive products that we are spending so much money on will work so much better. It is never too late to start protecting your skin.”

I’ve been testing out the Neutrogena suncare line for a couple weeks… here are some thoughts:

Neutrogena Beach Defense™ Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 70 has everything that you could ask for in a “at the beach all day” sunscreen. Not to mention it smells like pina coladas – yum!
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer® Body Mist Sunscreen is a pleasure to use. The spray dries clear and without a hint of greasiness. I particularly love this for getting hard to reach areas. Just remember with sprays to totally coat the area you are protecting.
Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45+ might be designed with kids in mind, but I love this when you are in for a marathon swim session. It gets so hot here in the summer, we often spend the whole day in the lake or pool. Love this for quick reapplication even if you are wet.
Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 is perfect for those with acne-prone skin. Dr. Doris Day points out “sun exposure can actually make inflammation worse in people who are prone to acne. Thus, it is important to protect your sensitive skin with sunscreen.”
Neutrogena Age Shield™ Face Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum is for those of us chasing the dream of youthful skin. This formula works beautifully under makeup and provides extreme protection.
Neutrogena MicroMist® Airbrush Sunless Tan dries fast, gives great color and is a breeze to apply. I love the continuous spray for hard to reach areas and even application.

Also, take note: for any Neutrogena product with SPF purchased from May through July, the company will donate one to a family in need. More info here!

Want a chance to enter to win your own gift basket full of Neutrogena suncare products? Talk about stocking up for summer! Enter using the widget below. Good luck! (US Only)

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