Beauty Review: LypSyl Lip Balm LypMoisturizer (Original Formula)

As you know I am always on the look out for a product to heal my dry flaking lips. This time I was testing LypSyl Balm . I’ve heard some good stuff about their products and how natural and moisturizing they were and how some celebs were using LypSyl, so I was curious to try it. LypSyl is available in several variations: for example LypMoisturizerHoney Berry and SPF 15, LypMedicationwith Eucalyptus, LypRadiance Honey Rose etc. I was trying out LypMoisturizerOriginal Formula.

Promise:
Moisturizes, heals, softens, protects, refreshes.

Close-Up on Ingredients:
Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Paraffin, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Ceresin, Beeswax, Flavor, Certified, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate), Bixa Orellana Seed Extract

My Experience and Impressions
First of all I really liked the packaging. It is not a usual Chap Stick tube. It’s an oval case that feels pleasant in the hand. I like attention to detail and a sliding little bee tab to push the balm up or down.

The first time I tried LypSyl balm I picked up the packaging again to read if it mentions anything about lip plumping. No kidding! My lips just looked smoother and more plump in a matter of seconds. I also felt some light tingling sensation characteristic of lip plumping glosses. But there was no mention of plumping on the box so I guess the effect is due to the intense moisturizing and mint! LypSyl Original Formula has no shine and I found that the texture of LypSyl is softer than the usual Chap Stick. It’s a pleasure to apply - I like the minty flavor and the cooling tingling sensation. I really like the immediate moisturizing and soothing effect. I was hoping that in time with regular my lips will become healthier: less dry and will stop flaking completely. However even though there was an improvement some flaking still remained after 2 weeks of use.

Price Tag:
3$

Bottom Line:
Even though my lips didn't become 100% flake-free, I like the product and would recommend trying it. In the end, I did enjoy using it but my lips are quite a challenge!

LypSyl Original Formula is available on Amazon.com

Beauty Talk: Flipside of Retinoids

Image: www.marieclaire.com
After the post I made on Retinoids’ use in skin treatments some time ago I came across an article in Marie Claire Magazine covering pros and cons of this well-known anti-aging treatment. I had to make a follow up post and talk about the flipside to Retinoids.

According to some skin experts, Retinoids can actually be damaging to the skin. First of all Retinoids can cause inflammation which in the long run can result in more damage as compared to the beneficial effect on wrinkles. As we all well know, inflammation actually accelerates aging.

Retinoids are also believed to thin the skin and make it “lose it’s cushion”.

Finally, overuse or misuse of retinoids can lead to chronic skin irritation, dryness and other problems, leaving your skin in a worse state than before the treatment.

However, the experts quoted in this article didn’t give clear explanations supporting their anti-retinoids statements. For example, I am not sure why using retinoids leads to skin “losing its cushion”. So, in the end, we all should just keep in mind that though there is a negative opinion about retinoids, the jury is still out on this popular anti-aging treatment till we get more information.

Beauty Shopping: Avene Cleanance and Collistar Super-Concentrated Anticellulite Night Treatment

Shopping again!

Rather than being loyal to my usual Estee Lauder Verite Cleanser I decided to try Avene’s Cleanance soapless gel cleanser. The fact that it was for oily, blemish-prone sensitive skin got my attention. I was not 100% sure as my skin is not that oily but in the recent months I had some annoying break outs. So I decided to give it a try.

I have been dreaming of trying Dior’s Svelte for a long time already… Asked for it but did not get it as a Christmas present :-( Actually was planning to buy it this or next month but my plans (as often happens to me) were disrupted… by a sale! 40% off Collistar cellulite products. Collistar is a Italian brand that I have never tried before. Sale is always a great chance to try out a new brand!

My choice fell on Collistar Super-Concentrated Anticellulite Night Treatment as it was promising fast results. I know I know we all want fast results but it just doesn’t work like this… Well I was also impressed with a red sign "Best Seller" on on the box. And of course I checked the ingredient list and liked what I saw with caffeine being almost at the very top of the list. Let’s see how it will work for me!

Avene Cleanance on Amazon:

Make Up Tip: Fix Mistakes Fast

Photo from www.flickr.com by jan1993
Your hand slipped while working on a smoky eye? Fix your mistake fast: dip a cotton swab in an oil-free moisturizer, dab the soft tip on the back of your hand until it feels almost dry. Now you can wipe away your mistakes and not ruin the rest of your makeup.

My Dramatic Hair Transformation

I am the type of a girl who doesn’t usually like to experiment with her hair… so I have been long haired blond for over a decade… till I got pregnant.

This is how my hair looked in summer 2008
Originally I have dark hair and had to do the roots every month at least. However after doing some research online about dying hair while pregnant I wondered if this was safe for the fetus… My husband insisted I give up on being a blond :-) So I let my roots grow a bit and got a very short haircut. That was a huge step to cut my decade long hair… A young sweet hairdresser could not believe I was actually going to do it. She did her best to talk me out of it. Funny but I always get a reaction like this from hairdressers… But I was determined. I actually was happy I had a reason to finally make a dramatic change! Even though I “chose” a hairdresser without any recommendation, she did a brilliant job. My husband still doesn’t believe that I didn’t do highlights then, so stylish my cut looked!
My dramatic hair cut!

I actually liked how I looked with short hair a lot. I liked it so much that when my friends would see me short-haired for the first time and their eyes would go HUGE and mouth drop, I couldn’t understand why- I would turn around to see what got them so shocked and then realize it was ME! I got used to my new look from the very first minute, it just felt so right, that I sort of forgot how big of a change that was for me.
Another bonus of my newly acquired hairstyle was much lower maintenance requirements. I was amazed at how fast I was in and out of a shower – washing and drying it took almost not time! Oh and if I forgot my brush at home, no problem, just fluff it up and straighten with my hands :-) As for my husband… he at first seemed to genuinely like my hair but then one day I got suspicious: What do you think about growing your hair back again? - He said looking at our photo together on holiday in Greece. Hmmmm… that will take another decade, Darling!

That's me "inbetween" hairstyles :-)
Slowly slowly my hair took a shape of a bob… and then I added lots of highlights…

That's how I look now
Highlights are better seen in this photo
So now I have a dilemma – should I grow my hair again or keep changing short hairstyles?? I did like the glamour and femininity of the long hair. But I do like how the short hair shows off my neck and makes me look younger. ;-) If you know what I mean!