Product Review: Lancôme Rénergie Night

Hello!

I've been wanting to do this post for a while, but I wanted to make sure I could give a really precise and accurate review before doing so. So here goes: this is a product review for Lancôme's Rénergie Night. This is a night cream that is meant to make your skin appear to be more youthful and decrease fine lines and wrinkles.

I got this product as part of a gift-with-purchase that Lancôme had a few months ago where you could choose 6 items as part of your gift. I've been using the .5 ounce pot of Rénergie Night since.

I absolutely LOVE this product! Like I said, I've been using it since the gift-with-purchase was available (which I believe was sometime in October). This pot has lasted me since then--I've been using this product for nearly 2 months.

Usually the sample sizes are meant to only last 30 days, but since Rénergie Night has a pretty dense consistency I was able to use it for a longer period of time. What I really love about this product is the smell. Some people don't care how their moisturizers smell, while other people can be really picky about it. I am one of those picky people! So for me to actually really love the smell of this product means something! It has a very fresh and clean smell, almost soapy. I don't know--I really like it.

Also I almost immediately noticed a difference in my skin after using it within the first week. I wouldn't say I noticed a decrease in lines or wrinkles, but my skin did seem to be more vibrant.

After using it for two months, however, I can say that there has been a decrease in the lines. It is a small decrease, but it is there. Above anything my skin does seem more youthful and healthy.

I also loved that this product was moisturizing, but not greasy. Some night creams can be so heavy and thick that in the morning my face feels waxy--even if I use a small amount. That was not the case with this product. Like I said, I was able to use a very small amount and have it last for over a month while still providing me with a lot of moisture. Yet, in the morning my face felt smooth and refreshed rather than greasy.

Overall, I would definitely purchase this product in the full size version. Rénergie Night's only downfall is the price. It only comes in one size--a 2.5oz pot which retails for $95.

Keep in mind, though that Lancôme always has a lot of gift-with-purchase or purchase-with-purchase events where you may be able to get a smaller version of this product for free or at a lesser value.

Favorite Makeup Remover: Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser

Hey guys! I haven't updated in a while because I have been so busy working (you know how it gets around the holidays)! However, I come to you with one of my new favorite products! Dun dun dun . . . Clinique's Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser!

I love this product so much! I started using it because my mom got it as a sample from one of the free gifts from Clinique and I also happen to work right across from the Clinique counter, so I was talking to my co-worker a lot about this product. It's more of a makeup remover than a cleanser, which means that it can be used on clean skin but its main purpose is to remove makeup. It isn't specifically made to repair dry or oily skin, just to remove remove remove.

I like it because it is really dense, you do not need to use a lot of the product. Also, it is SO gentle! It comes off easily, removes the makeup perfectly, and my skin feels so soft afterwards. I love it!

I use this paired with the Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover, where you can see my review here.

Anyway, the cleanser retails for $18.50, but like I said, sometimes you can get items like this as part of the free gift--so look around first!

Would You Rather: Wax or Thread Your Eyebrows?

Hey guys!

So here's a question for you: Would you rather wax your eyebrows or get them threaded, and which one do you typically do? For years I used to get my eyebrows waxed and never had a problem with it. And then a few years ago, out of curiosity, I decided to get them threaded instead.

I decided that I like threading better! It's faster, it's not as uncomfortable (my opinion though, a lot of people think it hurts more), and it doesn't leave redness. I also feel like my eyebrows are more precisely defined with threading.

So I wanted your thoughts--what do you guys typically do for your eyebrows? What do you feel is better and why? Let me know!

Product Review: Aveda's Blue Malva Shampoo and Conditioner

Hello!

So this is a review on Aveda's Blue Malva Shampoo and Conditioner. Have you guys ever tried it? It's my F-A-V-O-R-I-T-E shampoo for sure!

Basically, Aveda is a haircare company that creates all natural products. This is really good for your hair, obviously! By using natural shampoos and conditioners you won't get any build up in your hair (like you often can with Pantene Pro-V). So these products definitely keep your hair healthy.

I am blonde, which is why I love Blue Malva. The shampoo is a purpley blue color and smells AMAZING. I wish you guys could smell my hair right now, SO GOOD. But anyways, the shampoo/conditioner is this color because it counter acts any orangey/rusty tones that blondes sometimes get from coloring their hair. If you like to have ashy blonde hair (this is especially good for girls who like to be platnium blonde), then this is a great product for you.

The shampoo itself only deposits a tiny bit of color, whereas the conditioner is much stronger and should not be used every day. You can use the shampoo every day, however, the conditioner will give your hair a blue tint if used too much. It's best to use the conditioner every other wash.

The shampoo is $26.50 (33.8 fl oz/ 1 litre) and the conditioner is $17.00 (8.5 oz/250ml)

If you have ashy blonde hair or just don't like orange tones, DEFINITELY purchase this product. Like I said, it also smells great :)

Product Review: MAC Eye Shadow TRAX

Hey guys!

So yesterday I went out and did some MAC shopping! I got a few things, so I will be posting some more reviews later. But I was really excited because I got some cute eyeshadow! It's in the shade Trax and I love love love it!

It's a shimmery shadow, somewhat iridescent ashy purple. I really like it, it made my green eyes pop like crazy. It has a good consistency and I've worn it now for about 7 hours and it hasn't moved at all. The shadow looks kind of warm in my picture, due to the lighting. However, it looks more like the swatch in person.

This shadow cost $14.50 or $10.15 with a MAC Pro Card.

Also--did anyone know you can't use your Pro Card at MAC stores in department stores? I didn't know that.

Anyways, if anyone has tried this let me know how you like it! What are some of your favorite shades? Also, sorry the image is kind of blurry--I don't know what was going on with my camera.

Product Review: L'Oreal HiP Studio Secrets Professional Matte Shadow Duos (Animated)

Hey guys!

So this is a product review for L'Oreal HiP Studio Secrets Professional Matte Shadow duo in Animated. I initially bought this product because I was in a pinch and needed a matte white shadow. I know a lot of people are in love with the HiP shadows so I thought, why not? This would be a good time to try!

I never bought it in the past because I was hesitant to buy this since the price is between $8-10. I think that's a lot for drug-store makeup, especially when its only two shadows.

Either way, I purchased the product and immediately went home to try it. I have to say--I was very disappointed. First, the eyeshadow wasn't nearly as pigmented as I thought it would be. I mean it says in the title, "HIGHLY pigmented", but it wasn't at all. I mean, it wasn't as sheer as usual drug store makeup, but it wasn't exceptionally pigmented either. I had to layer it on a few times for it to look as vibrant as I wanted it to.

The blue was the same, just as sheer. I don't like blue eyeshadow on me, but I tried it just so I could give a fair review. Both colors weren't as pigmented as I'd hoped. And they both faded easily throughout the day (one day with a mixing medium and the next with a primer--both days the shades faded).

Overall, I would not buy this product again, but it was nice to try it out. Have you guys used HiP? What is your impression of it?

Product Review: Sephora's Maniac Mat Long Wearing Matte Lipstick

Hey everyone! So here is a product review for Sephora's Maniac Mat Long Wearing Matte Lipstick! I have been using this lipstick probably for about a year or so now and I love love love it!

It's a long wearing lipstick, like actual LIPSTICK. Not similar Covergirl's Outlast All Day Lipcolor (more like a stain) or MAC's Pro Longwear Lipcolor (more like a weird gloss--which I plan to do a review on later). The consistency of this product is just like a normal lipstick, really smooth and somewhat moisturizing.

Since it is long lasting it does tend to dry out a little more than a normal lipstick, however, for the most part it stays pretty silky throughout the day. Since it isn't a stain it doesn't last as long as something LIKE Covergirl's Outlast, however, it does last pretty long--I'd say 6-8 hours (including eating and drinking).

This product is also highly pigmented and matte, which I like. I love this color--the color I have is Mat 02 (or Matte Natural Pink). Love love love! It's like a better version of my natural lip color! Its a really good lipstick to wear on a daily basis for natural, every day makeup.

You get the product in Sephora stores or online (however, I think it's currently out of stock on the website!) And it retails for around $12.

If you are looking for a nice matte long wearing lipstick, I HIGHLY recommend this! I love it!

Have any of you guys tried it? Let me know what you think if you have!

Product Review: Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

Hey everyone!

So one of my least favorite activities of the day is removing my makeup! I am SO lazy and I hate doing it, however, I know how important it is to remove makeup from your face if you want healthy, beautiful skin! So what's your makeup routine?

For me, personally, I use Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover to remove my eyeshadow/liner/mascara or basically anything I put on my eyes. This makeup remover doesn't irritate my eyes, which is hard for me to find. I tried using L'Oreal's eye makeup remover, but always left my eyes feeling like they were burning and really irritated. With Neutrogena, even if I accidentally get it in my eye, there is no irritation and it only takes seconds to remove the makeup with a cotton ball.

Sometimes I use the product to remove lip-stains or long-lasting lipsticks as well, it has always worked and I've never had a problem!

This product is comparable to Mary Kay's Eye Makeup remover, but easier to access since you can purchase it at any drugstore (rather than through a rep) and it retails between $5-7.

I've used this product for a while and will continue to do so. What do you guys use?

Product Review: Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil

Hey guys!

So this is a product review on the Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil. I never used to be a fan of penciling my eyebrows (I know, what was wrong with me?) But decided that I wanted their shape to be more defined. I had tried a lot of eyeshadows to fill in my eyebrows and I tried some brow powders, but really nothing was working out quite how I wanted it to.

So I went out on a limb and tried the Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil, I have really light blonde hair and I have been using 002 Hazel. It's working out really well! I like it because with this pencil you can get a really defined line, but it also has the brush on the end that softens as well. I like to make my arch defined and then soften towards the beginning part of my brow. This color is good if you have dark blonde to light blonde hair. Sometimes I think it's a little dark for me personally, so I just put some of my powder over my brows and it blends in nicely.

This product retails for between $2-4, you can get it at any drugstore like a Walgreens or a CVS. You also need to sharpen this pencil, as it does not do it on its own--but I actually think that is better since sometimes the self-sharpening pencils don't get as "pointy" as I like!

Overall, love love love this product. Have any of you guys tried it? Let me know what you think!

Curly or Straight?

Hey everyone! So today I was thinking: how do you do your hair when you're going on a date? A long time ago I read Become Your Own Matchmaker by Patti Stanger, who you may know from Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker. Anyway, I read the book because I loved her show and she always made me laugh, so I thought "why not".

Anyway, her book has some funny stories along with some good (and bad?) advice. I remember one chapter in the book goes into detail about what a woman should and should not do when going on a date with a guy. One of the things you should NOT do is wear your hair curly. Apparently Patti believes that men are more attracted to straight hair.

I think this is bullshit, but whatever, I wanted to know your opinion--when you go on a date do you style your hair a specific way? Do you think its better to go straight rather than curly? If so, why?

Honestly, if I am ever going out I just do whatever my hair wants that day. I am pretty lazy--what you see is what you get!

Nail Art: Cute or Tacky?

Hey everyone! So lately I've seen an increase in popularity with nail art. Initially when I think of nail art I picture obscenely long nails with flamboyant design. However, I found these nails while stumbling upon Deviantart and I thought they were ABSOLUTELY adorable!

To me this is what nail art should be: cute, simple, and wearable. I really like these a lot! The artist is sworndestiny and you can view the rest of her work here. She is a super talented artist and I hope you all take a look at her gallery.

So yay or nay? Do you think nail art is tacky or cute? Let me know what you think!

Love Games? OMGpop!

Hey guys! So I just wanted to share with you one of my favorite websites! I know this isn't really fashion or beauty related, but I really really love this site and it has provided me with endless entertainment!

The website is OMGpop.com. Basically it is a website where you can play games with other individuals. There are also contests and little things you can do around the site to gain coins. With the coins you receive you can buy cute little frames to go around your avatar or items that you can use in the games you play.

I personally like puzzle games so there are a few of those around. I also play Booya! which is an interactive card game and Draw My Thing which is basically an internet version of Pictionary.

There are more games on the site and I always have a lot of fun! There are also chatrooms, but I have yet to explore those . . .

Visit this website and I guarantee you will have some fun. Honestly, it's just really adorable--how can you not love it?

Product Review: Batiste Dry Shampoo

Hey guys!

So one of my all time favorite hair products to use is Batiste. Batiste is a dry-shampoo that comes in a can that is similar to hairspray. Whenever I tell people that I use a dry-shampoo they first laugh and then ask why.

Basically, I use a dry shampoo for a few reasons. First, I do not like to wash my hair every day. It's healthy to let the natural oils soak in your hair--BELIEVE ME! Also, I have colored blonde hair and using Batiste on my roots lightens the hair so I can go longer between colorings. My hair grows exceptionally fast so I usually need it colored every 3 weeks instead of 4, so Batiste helps me stretch that a little longer. Finally, Batiste revives the hair so its not oily and also gives some added volume.

The can is usually between $6-8 and can be purchased at most beauty stores like Sally's. If you have darker hair you can still use Batiste, you may just have to spray it farther away and brush it more to blend the product in better. I generally use this product after not washing for two days, if my new growth is really dark however I use it every day (even on days when I wash). This is the original product and is unscented, however there are two other Batiste cans that come with different scents. I personally would prefer unscented, but I have never tried the scented ones.

Kat Von D Inspired Rock Glam Look

This look was inspired by Kat Von D's new makeup collection. I don't actually own any of Kat Von D's products, so this look was completed by using the Sephora's Crystallized Palette (for eyeshadow) and Sephora's Colorbox for the lip.

1 Prime your eyes. I use Laura Geller Eye Spackle, but you can use any kind of primer or even concealer.

2 Fill lid with base color 1 (Refer to figure 1 for color swatches)

3 Use a blending brush, with color 2, in a sweeping motion to define crease

4 Using color 3, dab blending brush along edge of crease to darken fold

5 Using a smudger brush in a sweeping motion apply color 4 to under eye area

6 Using a smudger brush again, blend color 3 with 4 under the eye

7 Line top lid with a black liquid liner, I used Clinique Eye Defining Liner in black

8 Line top and bottom waterline, I used MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved

9 Line lash line with a liquid eyeliner, I used MAC Penultimate Eye Liner (comes in one shade which is black)

10 Apply mascara to top and bottom lashes, I used Covergirl Lash Blast in Very Black

11 Use a light shadow or cream color base to highlight inner eye and brow bone. I used MAC Cream Color Base in Luna.

Figure 1














12 I filled my lip using a lip brush and this color from the Sephora colorbox:















If you want to see a video tutorial on this look, let me know.

Chandelier Shoes?

Hey guys!

Remember around this time last year when Prada released their SS 2010 Ready to Wear line? I totally fell in love with that line. I don't even know why, even the promo video repeats in my head frequently. Anyway, when I first saw the Chandelier shoes on the runway I wasn't sure. They looked good on the models and with the look, but I wasn't sure how they would translate into every day wear for normal women.

However, I still fantasized about these shoes! I started to think: I COULD MAKE THOSE. Obsessing about buying a pair of clear plastic stripper platforms and gluing some crystals on them. Thank God I stopped myself. Anyway--recently the Emmy's aired and I watched as Rita Wilson wore one of the dresses from the Prada SS 2010 line with my beloved Chandelier shoes. Let me tell you--girl did NOT rock this outfit. She looked like a hot-mess grandma. I don't even know, but it was bad.

It made me start to second guess my love for these shoes. So I wanted your opinion--do you think these shoes just didn't work for Rita because . . . why? Her body shape, age, just the whole look in general? Did ANYONE think they worked?

I'm still in love with these shoes and this line, but maybe I'm just crazy.

Also, here is a link to the promo video, lovelovelove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm0oYjZi9Hs

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color Review (Uptempo Plum)

Hey guys!

I am doing a review on a nail polish that I've been using pretty frequently lately, it's Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri nail color. I started using this because I am super lazy and impatient! I hate waiting for my nails to dry and I always end up bumping them on something and smudging up the whole job. So I started using this polish a while ago and I have found out that it works really well. Here are my findings:

The polish dries in a few seconds, I usually paint my right hand first and by the time I finish the left it is dry. It's easy to clean up and usually only needs one coat.

It can look somewhat chalky, but if you put a top coat over it, it's glossy and shiny.

Uptempo Plum is a very dark, sparkly purple and does not look like the swatch in the link below. It's such a deep purple that it resembles black from far away, which I really like. But if you want a more vibrant purple than I would suggest looking at another color.

I am a frequent OPI user and I feel like this is a less expensive solution to OPI. I don't know if anyone would agree with me there, but that's how I feel! Granted, OPI is made for artificial nails and I have never tried this product on artificial nails, only natural. I feel that it actually is comparable, if not better, on the natural nail than OPI. It lasts longer, stays on better, and obviously is fast drying.

I would repurchase (and have repurchased) this item again. They also carry a variety of colors and finishes and seem to keep pretty up to date on trends, which is a plus.

Generally retails between $5-6 and you can get it at any beauty supply store or drug store like CVS.

You can see a full list of colors or information on the product here:

www.sallyhansen.com