Saturday, May 30, 2009

Beauty Fact: Pale Skin Ages Faster than Darker Skin


Darker skin has more melanin which naturally protects it from sun damage. That’s why darker skin won’t show signs of aging as early as fair skin. Another incentive to wear that sunscreen regularly!

However, there are many other factors that determine the rate at which we age. Take a look at my post Age Factors

Photo by musZicluvher at Flickr.com

Friday, May 29, 2009

Beauty Tip: Don’t Wear Mono Fragrance


Different people react to smells differently. One and the same fragrance for two people can mean pleasure or headache. That’s why aroma-psychologists recommend to never use a mono-fragrance, especially if your ultimate goal is to attract and seduce.

The more complicated your fragrance cocktail, the higher is the chance it will turn your date or lover on ;-) Some people prefer to mix several perfumes to create their own unique irresistible fragrance.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Beauty Review: Givenchy Rouge Interdit Shine



I should have called this review a story about my first perfect red lipstick!

Packaging:
Beautiful, elegant and unusual. I am not sure what you’re supposed to do with the little hook at the end… maybe just pull on it… but if you were wondering, I don’t think you can use it as a key chain :-)


Shade:
# 10 – Sun Shine (red with light orange undertones and golden shimmer)

Scent:
Light sweet

Stay-on Power:
It’s not a long lasting lipstick, so you will have to refresh it during the day or after a couple drinks.


Texture and Finish:
It’s like gloss and lipstick in one. It has light creamy texture and glides on like gloss. Givenchy Rouge Interdit in Sun Shine has small sparkling gold particles and adds shiny shimmering finish to the lips.


Experience:
I have to say this lipstick is one of the genius products out there. It’s just perfect for me! I’m not used to bright colors but I’m drawn to new things so I always wanted to start suing a red lipstick. But never could wear one without feeling that it just looks too bright. Givenchy Rouge Interdit in Sun Shine, thanks to its texture, shade and sparkle, leaves on your lips understated yet vibrant juicy red color. So it was perfect for me as my first red lipstick! The Sun Shine color lights up your skin and makes lips look plump and sparkling. You can also play with intensity. Want a glossy transparent look, apply just one layer. Want more intensity and pop, pile on two or three layers.
In addition, Givenchy Rouge Interdit has great emollient and moisturizing formula, so it doesn’t dry my lips.


Bottom Line:
Everybody should try Givenchy Rouge Interdit! I for sure will be buying it again in either the same shade or a new one!

Related Posts:
Beauty Review: Guerlain Kiss Kiss Maxi Shine Beauty Review: Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss

Monday, May 25, 2009

Beauty Inspiration: Giselle Bundchen


Donatella Versace once said about Giselle: “What I love about her is her sensuality and energy”


Agree completely: not only Giselle has gorgeous body but also a vibrant open magnetic personality. I really like Giselle! She inspires me. She is one of the models that makes me pause over a photo and have a closer longer look and then open magazine again and have another look. Giselle has this great talent to express emotions, passion and her intense sexuality through photos. I also like that she is capable of transforming herself, taking on a certain character, getting across a certain feeling.

John Galliano about Giselle Bundchen: “When she walked in the room I felt like my fingers had been put into the electrical socket, like pwoah! Pure electricity”


Giselle, born born July 20, 1980, started her carrier at the age of 13. While this Brazilian beauty was on the way to recognition as a supermodel, she had to endure such criticisms as “No, you could never be on a magazine cover. Your face features don’t work; your eyes are small, you have a small face but a big nose.” Giselle proved those critics wrong. She appeared on more than 500 magazine covers. Has been the face in numerous advertising campaigns of such well-known brands as Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Mervyn's, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Versace, Givenchy, Bvlgari, Lanvin, Guerlain, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Earl Jean, Zara, ChloĆ©, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret. Believe it or not but currently Giselle is the highest-paid model in the world and also the sixteenth richest woman in the entertainment world! She broke the record and was listed on Guinness Book as the world's richest supermodel.

Dior: “She is even better in the flesh”


My Sources:
Harper’s Bazar, Giselle 170-180
People
Wiki

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Beauty Talk: Sun Damage in Kids and Young People


This post was inspired by a couple recent articles I read on UV damage and UV protection. One of them talked about sun-bedding and attempts to introduce age restrictions on sun bed use in New Zealand and Australia (nzherald.co.uk). Why age restriction? Because very often due to complete unawareness (or maybe wrong priorities) people under 18 bake themselves to a crisp in sun beds as well as on the beach. They don’t know (or maybe don’t want to know) of the damage UV rays are causing their skin. Using sun beds at such an age, according to a research by WHO increases their chances of developing melanoma by 75%. Shocking, isn’t it?



You will understand my concerns and frustration if you have a younger sister who thinks going to a solarium is a great way "to prepare" your skin for the upcoming beach vacation as well as to keep that sun tan lasting longer after the vacation is over. Why shouldn’t she think so, if up till now sun beds are still advertised to consumers as a “healthy” way to get bronze skin as well as to protect it from sunburns caused by sun exposure. Or maybe you have a friend who thinks that sunbathing is like a contest - prize goes to the darkest one. When back home, she can boast about her dark skin color to everyone and feel that her money was not wasted on an overseas vacation, she made a good use of that time under the sun. Another one of my friends liked how smooth her skin started to look after a couple solarium sessions. So what she did was get a membership and "cook" herself without even using a moisturizer on her skin afterwards. The result was that in a couple months she looked like a chimney-sweeper. And only after constant nagging on my side, this nightmare stopped. (The price factor also helped of course.) One of the friends mentioned above already has a child. What attitude do you think this kid will develop towards sun exposure?

Please, educate yourself and your kids early on about sun damage. Don’t think “bad things never happen to me”. The truth is once in a while they do and then there is little you can do about it but hope and spread your story and ask people not to repeat your mistakes.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Beauty Review: YSL Exfoliating Lip Balm


I have a bad problem with flaky lips. After failing miserably to resolve the problem with moisturizing balms I decided to give exfoliating treatments a try. Here is my review on YSL Exfoliating Lip Balm

Product Tag Line:

This delicious lip balm instantly enhances the natural beauty of your lips

Promise:
- gently exfoliates and moisturizes while providing a light veil of color
- leaves lips soft, supple and nourished
- instant and irresistible sensation of freshness

What’s Inside:

- Strawberry and sugar grains
- Shea butter
- Apricot, macadamia nut oils

Close-up on Active Ingredients:
Sucrose - sugar grains
Hydrogenated Polysobutene - synthetic oil, emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate - emollient and thickening agent
Octyldodecanol -emollient, emulsifier and opacifying agent
Polybutene Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil - emollient
Cera Alba (Beeswax)- occlusive
Butyrospermum Parkii (shea butter) extract - occlusive, skin-conditioning
Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract
Caprylic Tryglyceride - emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer - film forming occlusive
Shorea Stenoptera Butter - skin-conditioning, occlusive
Silica Dimethyl Silylate - emollient, emulsion stabilizing
Stearyl Stearate
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Macadamia Ternifolia Nut Oil - emollient, has soothing properties
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil - occlusive, skin conditioning
Mentha Piperita Extract

Candelilla Wax… Paraffin…
Rosemary Extract… Citric Acid

I did not list all of the ingredients but those at the top are most important and you can form a general picture about the product. There are a lot of emollient ingredients that condition, soften and moisturize lips skin. In addition there are a lot of occlusives like shea butter, apricot kernel oil, beeswax. These ingredients will form a protective film over the skin to prevent loss of moisture.

Experience:
Texture: thick, creamy with about 70% sugar and 30% strawberry particles
Smell: pleasant minty scent
YSL Exfoliating Lip Balm has very thick texture so it is not so easy to massage lips with it in “small circular movements”. I’m not sure what YSL meant by promising it will leave a “veil of color” on your lips. According to the supplied directions you are supposed to “remove the excess exfoliating grains with a tissue”. But I find that I need to remove more than just the excess grains, I need to remove the exfoliated flaking skin as well. Also when I apply the balm it can appear a bit whitish on my lips especially if my lips or fingers are wet. I think this white color is due to the high content of occlusive oils.

My lips are definitely a challenge for any product. I do get results from YSL but not as effective as I need. Often I would apply it twice, leave for 5 minutes each time, remove with a tissue and rub my lips with a towel to achieve more exfoliation. But I have to say that even when I get a bit too aggressive on my lips, due to moisturizing ingredients in the balm, they usually don’t feel sore but appear soft and moisturized. Also this product gets good reviews so it seems to work better for other people.

Bottom Line: I would recommend this balm for those who don’t have toooo flaky lips like me. It will help you to have perfectly moisturized and smooth pout!

Price Time:
It’s pricey! About $20 for 15 ml

But it lasts long.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Beauty Buy: Guerlain Meteorites

If you could see me right now, you would laugh at a little happy dance I’m doing over here! Singing “Finally it has happened to me!” I bought the famous Meteorites powder by Guerlain. It took me such a long time to finally lay my hands on this precious powder. I wanted to get Meteorites a looong time ago. First I had other priorities and then I couldn’t decide on the right shade.

I started by trying all three shades available on various parts of my face at Guerlain counter. Beige Chic and Pink Fresh looked too shimmery to me. I didn’t notice much effect from the original Mythic shade. Puzzled I left the store empty handed. So I searched internet for reviews… and I twittered… and I asked around etc etc. I did notice many people were saying Meteorites Powder is not really shimmery and they are using it as an all over face powder. Which lead me to the thought: Maybe it was the wrong light when I tried it first... I decided to test it again. Also I've made up my mind almost 100% to go for the pink shade. From the reviews I read I got a feeling Beige Chic would be too dark for me and Mythic too translucent. In case Meteorites turned out to be too shimmery I could always use Pink Fresh just on the apples of my cheeks to bring some light and color to the skin.

I'll let you see inside this beautiful box in my upcoming review!

And so I did! I tested Meteorites again at Guerlain’s counter, this time only Pink Fresh, walked into a day light and my skin looked naturally glowing.... not too shimmery. Not to allow any doubts enter my mind I quickly paid and left :-)

My review is coming soon!

Look what I got to test as a thank-you-gift for my purchase! (I had to buy my favorite Happylogy eye cream though to get this. So I feel like I paid for it! ;-))

This little testing package for Success Future wrinkle minimizing, firming program includes:
Success Future Neck and Decolte Serum
Success Future Refining Toner
Success Future Serum (wrinkle minimizer, firming)
Success Future Day Care SPF 15

I have not yet decided if I should test it or give it to somebody who may better appreciate the wrinkle minimizing effects.

I also got quite a big sample of Orchidee Imperiale Complete Care Eye and Lip Cream. I think it will last me a couple weeks and I will be able to review it as well.

Related Posts
Beauty Buzz: Guerlain Terracota Collection Summer 2009
Beauty Review: Guerlain Exotic Paradise Eye Shadow Palette
Beauty Review: Guerlian Issima Secret Divin
Beauty Review: Guerlain Kiss Kiss Maxi Shine

Feel like shopping?
Buy Guerlian Meteorites online

Monday, May 18, 2009

Beauty Review: Caress Evenly Gorgeous


One of my favorite parts of the day is a long hot morning shower. I know showers should be cool and short but this habit of mine is unbeatable. I get so much pleasure from those 20 minutes under the warm relaxing streams of water running down my skin… What can be better? I guess only a shower with a nice smelling bubbly body wash… There is a big choice of washes and shower gels out there and we all have our own favorites but recently I’ve been using someting new - Caress Evenly Gorgeous. It is not just your usual body wash, it is an exfoliating body wash! And we all know how important exfoliation is for smooooth even toned skin to show off on the beach or in a sexy summer dress! Regular but gentle exfoliation will give your skin healthy glow. Don’t forget that exfoliating your body skin is also great to prepare it for application of an anti-cellulite or moisturizing/anti-aging treatment as it facilitates penetration and effectiveness of these products. What I also like is that Evenly Gorgeous doesn’t leave any oily residue on your skin. So it’s perfect to prepare your skin for tanning lotion application. You’ll get good even-toned streak-free effect.


Evenly Gorgeous contains burnt brown sugar and karitte butter, looks just like caramel and smells deliciously sweet. It exfoliates dead cells very nicely leaving skin soft with a light veil of sweet scent over it. Very caressable! :-) The wash also contains exfoliating seeds which look natural but appear to be artificial. As you can see in the photo, concentration of these particles is not very high but you do feel them when you massage the wash on the skin.

Try using Evenly Gorgeous on a puff. This way you will get lots of soft and fluffy suds.


Kim Kardashian and Carson Kressley promote the new Caress collection!

While getting this post ready I was looking at www.caressskinwearcollection.com and among other fun content I found this cute widget With a couple clicks you can create and dress a virtual (downloadable) you. Check me out below!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Beauty Buy: La Mer SPF 30 UV Protecting Fluid


With spring and summer comes the time to decide on a product for daily sun protection with a broad spectrum and a higher SPF of at least 30. Just when I was dwelling on what to use this summer... La Mer happened to come out with their new high-tech SPF 30 UV Protecting Fluid. Girl must guard her skin from sun damage, right? She doesn't have to spend so much money on it though... But I went for a luxurious SPF product this year. Well, the name La Mer speaks for itself...

You can't imagine the trouble I had to go through for this tiny bottle of SPF 30. It was not available anywhere online in Europe. I searched high and low. In the end I had to buy it from Bergdorf Goodman in US and ship via my US friend to Europe. I paid customs duties on it so in the end it cost me so much, I'd better not think about it.

I prefer to think it was the money well invested and La Mer SPF 30 UV Protecting Fluid will deliver on all the promises, such as providing sun and anti-oxidant protection, moisturizing and soothing, plus serving as an excellent makeup primer! And one more consolation for paying a high price - La Mer SPF 30 UV Protecting Fluid does contain gemstones! For the price I paid I want to see them on the ingredient list!

Don't miss my review!

Related Posts:
Beauty Buy: Clinique Moisture Glove and Talika Eye Decompressing Masks
Beauty Buy: Shiseido Hydro Powder Eye Shadow
Link text

Friday, May 15, 2009

Beauty Tip: Prevent Eye Wrinkles

* Skin around your eyes is very thin and fragile. Stretching, rubbing, tagging at eye skin can cause it to stretch and subsequently develop lines and crow's feet. It can also lead to breaking delicate blood vessels resulting in dark eye circles, dulling and thickening of the surrounding skin. Be especially careful not to tag or rub when applying makeup; removing makeup; after a long day staring at the computer screen (hands off your tired eyes!) and during allergy seasons (rubbing won't relieve itchiness).


Tip: Never go to bed wearing makeup. When removing eye makeup with cotton balls or pads, soak them well in a gentle eye makeup remover, press to your eye lid and let mascara and eyeshadow dissolve than gently swipe without tagging at the skin. Repeat and be patient!

* Remember to avoid squinting as well. Many people in spite of bad eye sight prefer not to wear contact lenses or glasses. They may not be aware of it but squinting becomes their daily habit. If your eyesight is good, you may want to wear glasses anyway. Sunglasses - that is! A day spent squinting at the sun can very easily result in a couple permanent lines.

Tip: Use sun glasses with UV filter and apply special UV protection lotion on the eye area. I love Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care Ultra Protection SPF 30.


* Do not ignore morning eye puffiness. Skin around the eyes is very thin and vulnerable to stretching. Damage can happen quickly and be irreparable. If you don't take measures to relieve swollen eyes, be prepared to see lines and sagging in a blink of an eye.

Tip: Use moisturizer AM and PM religiously. For tips on how to depuff see this post.

Follow these tips and watch out for those bad habits mentioned above and your eyes will stay wrinkle free longer!

PS: Check out my favorite eye cream Happylogy Eye by Guerlain

Related Posts:

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Beauty Buzz: Givenchy Makeup Collection Summer 2009


Givenchy makes summer brighter and hotter with their Summer Makeup Collection inspired by the sun. Enjoy warm shades of beige, copper, gold and some cool shimmery silver and blue.

Glow to Wear Body Enhancer (Limited)

Prismissime Mat & Glow Powder in Sun Caramel (Limited)

Prisme Again! Compact Powder in Sun Mango and Sun Cinnamon (Limited)

Prisme Again! Eyes in Sun Reflection (Limited)


Pop Gloss Crystal in Sun Rose and Sun Coral(Limited)

Vernis Please! in Silver and Gold

Mister Bright Touch Of Light Pen in Sunlight

I like this this Givenchy collection! The associations I get from these beautiful products are... summer, hot day relaxing at the beach... looking through the sunglasses at silver sparkles on the cool blue sea. I need a vacation!

Related Posts
Related Posts

Beauty Buzz: Guerlain Terracota Collection Summer 2009
Beauty Buzz: Estee Lauder Collection Bronze Goddess Summer 2009
Beauty Buzz: Chanel Collection Cote D'Azur Summer 2009
Beauty Buzz: Givenchy Makeup Collection Spring 2009

Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Beauty Review: Talika Eye Decompress


Product Tag Line:
...the miracle solution to soothe it all in one go!

Promise:
Talika Eye Decompress refreshes, soothes, relieves congestion and revitalizes tired eyes

Close-up on Active Ingredients:
Water
Sodium Laureth Sulfate – detergent/surfactant
FD&C Blue N I/CI 42090 – die
Phenoxyethanol – preservative, antiseptic, bactericide, solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Nonoxynol-9 – surfactant (Classified as irritant)
PEG-15 Cocamine
Rose Extract – has soothing properties
Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben
Centaurea Cyanus Flower extract – Cornflower extract has soothing, hydrating, softening properties
Propylene Glycol – humectant, skin conditioning
Isobutylparaben
Sorbitol

Not so impressed with the ingredients. The most active ingredients appear to be water, detergent, die and a preservative. The latter, Phenoxyethanol, is actually classified as irritant by European Union Classification & Labeling according to Skin Deep (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com). The good part is that there are two natural soothing and conditioning extracts (Rose and Cornflower) and a humectant (Propylene Glycol).

Experience:
Texture: just light blue water
Smell: pleasant rose scent

Since I’m always on the look out for products to treat eye puffiness, I noticed Talika’s Eye Decompress Masks a while ago. But this mask just didn’t look like a product I would even try. I mean it is artificially colored blue which for me is already a turn off and the first active ingredient is sodium laureth sulfate which is a detergent/surfactant. Just for the sake of experiment I got one mask to try out. To my greatest amazement it worked against puffy eyes like magic.

The mask comes in blisters. Each has 2 capsules. One with a compressed tissue mask and the other with blue liquid. Here is how it works. You soak the tissue mask in blue liquid and spread it over your closed eyes. Upon application I feel light tingling and cooling sensation. Since I’m not patient enough to spend whole 10 minutes lying with closed eyes, in 3-5 minutes I fold Talika mask in two and apply it just under the eyes for 5-10 more minutes or till it’s completely dry. Talika Decompress Mask reduces puffiness by 50 to 90% depending on how persistent the swelling is. I’ve been trying out so many products and it is rare to find something so effective.

Note! When I bought a full box of Talika Eye Decompress Masks, I discovered that liquid in one blister was completely gone. I took it back and they replaced it without any problems. However my advice to you is to look into the box and double check before buying.

Bottom Line:
I’m a bit concerned about the top active ingredients in this product but it works so I will be using it. With the eye puffiness if you don’t take regular and timely measures you can get noticeable lines and sagging in a matter of months. This is due to the fact that skin around eyes is so tender and thin.

Price Time:
$28-30

Related Posts:
Beauty Talk: Eye Puffiness - Causes
Beauty Talk: How To Relieve Eye Puffiness

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Makeup Tip: No More Cakey Powder!


Foundation and powder are meant to conspicuously hide imperfections and not bring them out. That’s why cakey uneven looking powder or foundation is such an annoyance!

If powder or liquid foundation looks cakey on your skin, it may not be just the fault of a product you are using. One of the most common reasons for cakey looking powder is dry skin. When skin is dry, dehydrated or you have not exfoliated recently and there is a layer of dead skin cells on top, skin has rough uneven surface. This causes foundation to catch on dry dead cells and look cakey. First of, exfoliate your skin and then apply a moisturizer selected according to your skin type. Let moisturizer absorb. Now try applying foundation or powder again! You may also want to set your powder with a spritz of water. It will look more natural.
Try it and you’ll see the difference!

Related Posts:
Beauty Review: Double Wear Makeup by Estee Lauder
Makeup Tip: Defining Eye Brows

Other Makeup Articles:
Anti-Aging Makeup
Bare Escentuals Makeup

Saturday, May 9, 2009

I Won My First Ever Contest

I can hardly wait to share my joy! I won my first ever contest and got a wonderful prize from Lumene. I never win such things, you know. I belong to the type of people who never get the lucky lottery ticket. So I am very happy the rule is broken! The contest in question was held by Lumene on their Face Book page. You may want to connect with Lumene on Face Book as they promise more fun contests, infos and activities to follow.

I gave my prize to my dear friend in California who has just recently become a US citizen. She received a Lumene package the other day in her mail as a total suprise. Of course she was thrilled! Congratulations once again, Helen! (btw, it's her in the photo above!)

Here are the Lumene goodies, check them out:


- Lumene Vitamin C Age Defying Energy Cocktail
- Lumene Blueberry Curl Mascara
- Lumene Time Freeze Cooling Eye Stick
Plus a couple samples

I hope to get some feedback from Helen on how she likes these products later on! She has already told me that she likes how conveninet it is to apply the soothing and moisturizing stick and that her eyes didn't feel irritated upon application as it happens with other eye products. She doesn't have as much of a problem as I do with eye pufiness but Helen promised to get back to me on how it works for her when she has that extra cup of tea before going to bed.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Beauty Talk: Summer Skin Care Tips for Skin of Color

In the past I was asked several times for recommendations on skin care and makeup for brown skin. Unfortunately I don't have the knowledge needed to advise on this particular issue. But experts at Rx For Brown Skin , a brand of skin care specially developed for darker skins, do and they kindly agreed to make a guest post to share their knowledge with readers of Skin Care and Beauty Blog. If you have particular skin concerns you are welcome to ask questions in the comments to this post or send them to my email (beautyhealthinfo at yahoo.com) and I will forward them for you. And now enjoy these useful tips from Anne Thomas, CMO, Rx For Brown Skin.

Photo by Its Jo Jo at flickr.com

Skin of color is quite different from white skin in many respects. The most notable differences include more melanin, or brown skin pigment, resulting in a warmer skin shade. Brown Skin women also tend to have fewer visible signs of aging, such as deep wrinkles, fine lines and sun-spots. However, a disadvantage to having more melanin is that it makes brown skin more “reactive.” That means almost any stimulus – a rash, a scratch, pimple, or inflammation – may trigger the production of excess melanin, resulting in hyper-pigmentation, dark marks or patches on the skin. That’s why handling brown skin gently, wearing sunscreen and preventing pigmentation problems are keys to brown skin care.
Listed below are a handful of skin-care tips to keep your brown skin healthy and beautiful this summer:

Photo by Rx For Brown Skin

Treat- Acne often flares when the seasons changes. It is important to realize that acne is not caused by dirt or dirty skin but rather bacteria, oil, plugged pores and elevated hormone levels each contributes to acne. Rubbing and scrubbing your skin will actually worsen your acne. Instead, simply washing acne prone skin very gently twice a day will improve the acne by 20 to 30 percent. For an example of a gentle cleanser, take a look at Rx For Brown Skin Bright and Healthy Ultra-Gentle Cleanser . This product was specially developed to mildly cleanse, hydrate and protect brown skin.

Photo by Its Jo Jo at flickr.com

Prevent- With the active lives women lead we should all be taking a supplement however, woman of color needs to pay particular attention to certain deficiencies. A, B, C or D. Which vitamins are many women of color deficient in? Scientific studies have demonstrated that many African American, Latina and some Asian women are deficient in Vitamin D. This vitamin is produced by your skin in conjunction with sunlight but the increased melanin pigment in skin of color hampers its production. A vitamin supplement with calcium and vitamin D will ensure bone health and boost your immune system.

Photo by Rx For Brown Skin

Protect- Sunscreen is a summer time must have for brown skin. You may not have realized it but skin of color often sunburns, it can develop deadly skin cancer and dark marks and discolorations will worsen all because of exposure to the sun’s rays. An ounce of prevention (using sunscreen daily) is worth a pound of cure. Choose wide spectrum sunscreen, that will protect you from both ultraviolet UVA and UVB rays, like Protect and Defend Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15
Ask us any question you have related to brown skin-care and we will answer them in our next Guest post on the blog :-)

- Anne Thomas, CMO, Rx For Brown Skin

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Beauty Buy: Clinique Moisture Glove and Talika Eye Decompress Masks

Was shopping again and here is what I bought yesterday!


*Clinique Water Therapy Moisture Glove Hand Cream
I have to confess, I don't pay due attention to my hands. No matter how hard I try to develop a habit to apply hand cream at least 2 times a day I manage only once. I also can’t develop a habit of applying sunscreen on my hands before I go out (any suggestions?!). So it comes as no surprise that it took me a couple weeks to get around to buying a new hand cream after I ran out. As usual, I planned on one product and ended up buying another. Instead of Sally Hansen 18 Hour Protective Hand CrĆØme at the last moment I got a hand cream by Clinique. I’ve heard good things about Water Therapy line from Clinique so I got Clinique Water Therapy Moisture Glove Hand Cream. I will be reviewing it in a couple of weeks.


*Talika Eye Decompress Masks
My next purchase was Talika Eye Decompress Masks. I have discovered this mask just about a month ago. It is excellent against eye puffiness! I have already posted on the ways to fight eye puffiness. The fight is never over and I'm looking for new effective products all the time. Seldom do I find something that works but (hurray!) Talika Eye Decompress Masks do! Stay tuned for my full review with details on ingredients and more photos.


I also got a sample of Talika Vital Oil that promises to calm and sooth sensitive skin. I’m always interested in trying out sensitive skin products even though my skin has been on really good behavior for quite some time now. What I can say now about Talika Vital Oil is that the smell is quite strng and a bit unusual… More details coming later!

Related Posts:
Beauty Buy: Shiseido Hydro-Powder Eye Shadow
Beauty Talk: How to Relieve Eye Puffiness
Beauty Talk: Eye Puffiness


Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog

Monday, May 4, 2009

Beauty Review: Shiseido Perfect Rouge


Packaging:
Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to enjoy Shiseido Perfect Rouge sleek modern case - I’ve been trying out Shiseido Perfect Rouge samples that I got when I bought Shiseido Hydro-Powder. You can see it on the photo above. If you look from the top, you will recognize the shape of Shiseido logo.

Shade:
RD514 – Dragon – dramatic blood red
BE208 – Baby – warm beige
PK417 – Bubblegum – Bright warm pink
PK307 – Tourmaline – Clear, soft grey pink
It’s very nicely pigmented!

Scent:
No scent

Stay-on Power:
It’s not super lasting but it stays on for several hours. After having a drink it’s gone or almost gone and you obviously need to reapply it. But the red shade is especially durable, it was there even after I had a desert.

Texture and finish:
Has nice light and creamy texture. Shiseido Perfect Rouge contains some moisturizing ingredients like Macadamia Seed oil, so it feels comfortable and not at all drying on the lips.
Gives satiny finish with no sparkle or shimmer just a touch of gloss.

Experience:
Let me go shade by shade


PK307: Out of the 4 shades I tried I liked Tourmaline the most. Funny, but if I saw PK307 at Shiseido counter, it would not be my first choice to even swatch. It doesn’t look anything special, just subtle soft pink. But thanks to the sample I had a chance to try and appreciate this shade. PK307 without being too bright, makes lips stand out on your face. It’s such a complementing shade, my skin seems to get some kind of glow when I’m wearing it. It makes lips look plumper and more luscious. Perfect!!

PK417: I did not like this pink shade of Bubblegum PK417. It looked too bright neon pink on me.

BE208: When I posted about Shiseido Makeup Collection Spring 2009 , I thought this will be my color of choice if I buy Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick. But susprise surprise! This slightly pink beige nude doesn’t look good. The color is just dull and it looks strange on the lips.
RD415: When I put Perfect Rouge in Dragon on, my husband said I looked as if I have just eaten a piece of raw meat… and that he actually liked how this lipstick looks on me. Men know how to make compliments, don’t they!?
The color of RD415 is truly dramatic blood red. It will draw everybody's attention to your lips. You cannot do much with the eyes if you are wearing RD415, just wear a mascara. I gravitate toward more subtle colors but do sometimes enjoy a different look. This lipstick would be perfect for a sophisticated sexy red lip look. But maybe it is too bright for me? What do you think?

It looks darker on this photo becuase I'm not in the light. But you can really see how intense it is.

Bottom Line:
What I liked most about Shiseido Perfect Rouge is the texture and finish. I liked very much Tourmaline PK 307 but am not sure I'm ready to buy another pink lipstick :-) Am still thinking about it! I'm very attracted to Dragon RD415 so I am considering buying it for my blood red lipstick look.

Related Posts:
Beauty Review: Shiseido Hydro-Powder Eye Shadow
Beauty Buzz: Shiseido Makeup Collection Spring 2009

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