Sunday, February 13, 2011

Best Budget Beauty Buy: Pacifica Roll-On Perfume

Roll-on perfume. We happen to adore it! Great for the girl-on-the-go. Convenient. No spillage. Easy to travel with. And not over-powering.

Discreet, too. Oh yeah, you can apply one in the office without anyone noticing. But what they will notice, is the irresistible fragrance around you.

And we have found some gorgeous exotic blends like Tuscan Blood Orange. Indian Coconut Nectar. And Tahitian Gardenia (so popular, it's sold-out at the moment).

Yummy tropical scents by Pacifica Perfume.

And you gotta love the price---just $12 per roll-on perfume. That earns our Best Budget Beauty Buy award.

More great news----The perfumes are made from all-natural, pure grain alcohol plus essential and natural oils. And Pacifica perfumes are gluten-free and 100% vegan.

You can also purchase these tropical scented roll-ons at Sephora.com.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

LashDip: Latest Long Lash Trend Lasts Up To 6 Weeks























Long, thick, curled lashes
. It takes a lot of work just to achieve a beautiful frame for your eyes. And yet we women go through the mascara, eyeliner, and sometimes faux lashes routine every day, before we head out the door.

Look at sexy Kim Kardashian. She always has a professional makeup artist creating her red carpet entrance with those over-the-top luscious false lashes. But the process wastes many moments of precious time.

The latest beauty trend is called LashDip, and you can find the treatment at your favorite spa and salon.

So, what exactly is it?

We'd say, probably one of the best new beauty breakthroughs for 2011. And here's what the LashDip website says:

The Future of EYELASH ENHANCEMENT.
LashDip is an innovative cosmetic application that is poised to revolutionize the mascara industry. "Dipping" your lashes just once allows you to maintain gorgeous, beautifully sculpted, semi-permanent painted lashes for up to 6 weeks!
♦ Low Maintenance, High Style.
♦ Wake Up Beautiful.
♦ Cut Your Makeup Routine In Half.
♦ No Hassling With Mascara.
♦ Shower, Swim, Sweat.


This sounds like a super beauty treatment. It takes about an hour, and costs about $200. A professional makeup artist peforms the procedure, coating each, individual lash with the LashDip formula. Each lash is lengthened, thickened, and curled, just like traditional mascara. The results are stunning. Just look at the before and after photos above.

You cannot perform the LashDip treatment by yourself at home. You need a pro. But the stuff is very safe----no aniline or formaldehyde. "LashDip is pharmaceutical grade, hypoallergenic, and is composed of the purest ingredients available."

Just think.....you wake up to long, thick, curled lashes every day for up to 6 weeks. And you can rush out the door without mascara, and look glam 24/7. Gotta love LashDip.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Lindsay Lohan OD's On Large Lips Look Once Again



We've written several times before, about celebrities and their beauty obsession with the large lips look. And as we learned before, there are only 2 methods for achieving larger lips----by injecting or surgically implanting materials into the lips.

And we hate to pick on actress Lindsay Lohan who has recently finished her stint in rehab. But, we couldn't help notice her larger-than-life lips in the California courtroom a few days ago. She was there to plead not guilty for allegedly stealing an expensive necklace. There she sat in a skin-tight white dress, with her on again-off again inflated lips.

This time, the lips looked a bit different from having possible injections of dermal filler, like collagen, juvederm, or restylane.

It appeared as though a lip implant had been placed in surgically. The shape of her upper lip jutted out considerably. Some people call that duck lips. But since Lindsay's lips go up and down in fullness several times a year, we are assuming that she is playing around with temporary fillers.

Maybe that's an artecoll injection Lindsay is sporting? Artecoll is made up mainly of tiny synthetic beads (polymethyl methacrylate) that remain in the lips, and raise them. This technique lasts longer than collagen or fat injections.

We're not sure what's going on there with the troubled starlet. But at the young age of 24, why would Lindsay want to mess with her good looks?! She looks so pretty sans dermal filler back in 2003.

What do you think?

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Celebrities Love Shearling And You Can Get The Faux Look Too




With the cold 'n crazy winter most of the country's been seeing lately, we could all use a toasty, cozy, stylish jacket.

Say hello to the shearling! This is the hot trend that celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Halle Berry, and Blake Lively have been wearing as they hit the winter artic blast. Check out this year's new Oscar host Anne departing from the airport in her cropped Burberry Prorsum aviator. She's been photographed in that shearling all over the place.

And while a real leather and shearling jacket could cost you close to $2,000 or more, we do have some lovely fauxs that are vegan-friendly and would make PETA proud.

Here are just 2 we found. And trust us....there are tons of great-looking, faux shearling jackets on sale now:

1. Victoria's Secret Faux Shearling Drapey Jacket in camel and black ($148, now on sale for $79.99).

2. Jou Jou Faux Leather and Shearling Belted Jacket by dELIAs.com ($89.50, now on sale for $79.50).

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Vertical Fingernail Ridges? Don't Worry---Quite Normal


Vertical fingernail ridges. Let's be frank here, the ridges aren't pretty. And no, you can't file them down and make them disappear, unfortunately. We've already tried.

But don't freak out----the condition is quite normal, according to the experts at the famous Mayo Clinic:

"Vertical nail ridges, which extend from your cuticle to the tip of your nail, are fairly common and often become more numerous or prominent as you age. Vertical ridges in your nails are not a health concern. Although the exact cause of such ridging isn't known, heredity likely plays a role."

Hmmm. We don't like these vertical ridges, but then again, it's the horizontal ridges we should be concerned about, says the Mayo Clinic:

"If your fingernails change color or develop horizontal ridges, see your doctor. These changes may indicate underlying health problems, such as respiratory disease, malnutrition or even heart attack."

Our best nail advice: Don't worry about the ridges. But do worry about having strong, healthy nails. There's nothing worse than splits and cracks, and weak nail beds.

There are some super nail strengtheners out there, like this cult favorite:

Mavala Scientifique Nail Hardener ($16.99, follica). This little bottle has a huge following of fans. Hard to find, but we located a stash at folica.com. One woman says she's been using Mavala for some 30 years. Now, that's an opinion we can trust.

Mavala describes their little nail hardener this way:
The tip of nail is the most fragile part which breaks easily. Logic and experience have proven that it is the tip of nail which needs to be strengthened. This Scientifique is a special treatment for the nail tip. It helps prevent splitting or flaking, strengthens soft nails. It features fast result, ease to apply and economical. And one little bottle lasts an entire year.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Exuviance's New Peel Off Mask Gets You Red Carpet Ready

Gotta love the peel-off mask. It wakes up a tired, dull complexion in sheer minutes. And let's be honest-----isn't it kind of fun to peel away the dirt, debris, and dead skin cells with it?

We've just tried a new peel-off mask full of anti-aging ingredients by Exuviance:
Rejuvenating Treatment Masque ($30, neostrata.com. And this refreshing, cool mask gets you red carpet ready in just a few minutes.

First....the mask will give you clearer skin. And secondly, Exuviance's Rejuvenating Peel-Off mask does what great anti-aging products do, and that is---stimulate cell renewal and exfoliate for brighter, healthier skin.

The Rejuvenating Treatment Masque is different from other peel-offs. It's concentrated and very powerful. This is what the folks at NeoStrata say:

"...Alpha and Polyhydroxy acids (AHA/PHA) that offer full-strength anti-aging benefits without irritation. Gluconolactone, a potent Polyhydroxy Acid decreases lines and wrinkles by strengthening the skin and building the dermal matrix so skin appears fuller and plumper. This gentle exfoliant and natural antioxidant also improves the skin's clarity, luminosity and refines pore size, leaving skin truly refreshed and rejuvenated. The addition of Mandelic Acid (AHA) helps to visibly reduce wrinkled areas, while Vitamins A, C, E and a Pro Vitamin B Complex provide superior moisturization.".

It's smart to use a mask once a week or every other week, to wake up a tired, dull complexion. And trust us, this one makes you feel alive and alert. And after you peel away the mask, say hello to a more radiant face and neck.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Are You Willing To Pay $150 For 6 Fl. Oz. Of Conditioner?!

At $150 for a 6 fluid ounce tube of hair conditioner, well, this beauty product better give us Gisele Bundchen locks and Tom Brady as a bonus accessory, ha ha.

So, the question begs----Are you willing to pay $150 for 6 fl. oz. of conditioner?!

Celebrities like Penelope Cruz are willing to pay, but then again, her beauty budget probably has no limits. And girlfriend does have a glossy, gorgeous mane.

Maybe it is the Philip B. Russian Amber Imperial Conditioning Creme. The hair expert who developed the expensive conditioner, Philip B., himself, has boasted that Russian Amber Imperial is "10 times more effective than any other formula."

Let's take a look inside this tony tube of hair magic:
Amber Oil, Eleven L-Amino Acids, & Pure Plant Extracts---
Nettle, Chamomile, Rosemary, Sage, Burdock & Grape Seed
.

And according to the website, your mane will look and feel pretty darned good after one use:

"Philip B® Russian Amber Imperial Conditioning Crème restores hair's pH balance for superior detangling and shine. It makes fine hair feel thick and lush. It softens coarse, difficult hair, turning it silky and manageable. And on damaged hair, the luxuriant, rejuvenating formula sinks right in, restoring precious moisture and elasticity to dry, parched strands."

By the way, there is a Philip B. Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo that has won numerous beauty awards, Lucky and Vogue magazines, just to name a couple. And you can get a hefty 12 fl. oz. jar of the shampoo for $140.

As Philip B. says, "Treat your hair like royalty — the Imperial way!"

Now, if only our pocketbook felt the same way.