The Life of A Ladybug

Guest blogger Wendi reviews Proactiv

 

This is my friend Wendi, also known as Jahzaal.  When I got the chance to review Proactiv, I gave it a try, but quickly realized it was a mite too harsh for my skin.  Wendi expressed interest in trying it for herself, so I passed on the products to her.  Here's her feedback:

I am not as impressed as I thought I would be with Proactiv.  Maybe because I don't have really acne-prone skin. I have oily skin, but it's pretty clear.   Since I was not suffering as bad as the people they advertise about, I used this every other day or night, I should say, due to the directions warning on the label that read "If going outside use a sunscreen."  Most of the time I forget to apply sunscreen to my face on a daily basis like I should.  It was easier to use this before I went to bed.

 

The most I can say about this is:

• The first day of use my face was completely clear - it worked like a charm.  BUT  this seems to happen the first time I use any new product on my face.
• I used the mask when two pimples popped up on my face during my use of Proactiv. The mask did not get rid of them, but it did bring them down. They weren't as noticeable. They were still there. I like to dry my pimples completely out so that they are gone the next day. When they linger they leave marks on my face. In this case they were chillin' and I am still trying to get rid of the marks.

This is way too time consuming for me. If my face was really bad. I would spend the time. My face isn't that bad for 3 or 4 different applications a night. On top of that, you have to wait for one to naturally dry on your face before you apply the next. I am not saying that this is a bad product. It's just not for me.

So, what say you guys?  Do you agree with Wendi or have you had a different experience?  Let me know in the comments!

Beauty news: Serena Williams announces her new beauty line

Serena Williams has announced her very own beauty line - MISSION Skincare.  On July 23rd and 24th, Serena, a MISSION Skincare co-founder, will appear on HSN to launch the new line, the complete name of which is MISSION Skincare Active-Beauty Line: Featuring Serena Williams. 

The signature product is the Oxygen-Active Daily Facial Cleanser.  It also includes: Honey Sugar Sugar Body Scrub, Honey Sugar Restorative Body Butter, and Lip Balmer SPF 15 in Pomegranate and Pink Lemonade.  The line has been developed with Dr. Bryan Adams, Chairman for the American Academy of Dermatology, which seems to bode well for the product line.

If any of you tune in to HSN and get some of the products, please let me know what you think!

Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant

 

So everything beautiful isn't about makeup, y'all!  It is totally not beautiful to be funky.  LOL!

As a fan of Lavanila scents, I was keen to try Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant.  I am not one of those girls who searches for organic or healthy beauty products, but it can never hurt when you know that you can get the beautification you need without doing any undue damage to your body or the environment, right?

Total Beauty's Luxe vs. Less Skin Care

Luxe vs. Less Skin Care

Find out what products to splurge on and when to save your hard-earned dollars

You don't have to spend half your paycheck on skincare products to stay wrinkle and pimple-free. Dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban and P&G scientist Mary Begovic Johnson helped us compare products with similar ingredients that are very different in cost to see which are really worth the price. Here's what we found. See products

BareEscentuals Purist Collection

 

Okay, so by now, y'all know about my obsession with QVC's Saturday Night Beauty and how I get sucked in almost every week.  Well, it's not just SNB that gets me.  I also pay attention to when my favorite beauty brands will be doing their own show.  A couple weeks ago (or was it last week ... they all run together) it was BareEscentuals' anniversary on QVC.  I spent way too much time that day watching Leslie Blodgett and Lisa go into raptures over BE.  As a BE user myself, I was quite taken with all the pretties and could not keep myself from purchasing the new Purist kit.

Guest blogger Dori offers several product reviews!

My girl, Dori - a dance friend and one of the sweetest people I know has done me the favor of testing several products for me and writing up some reviews for you all.  Enjoy!

Vitamin C Power Brightening Cream SPF 25 WITH VITAMINS E & B5 $32.50

Claims: hydrating cream brightens skin and helps reduce discolorations and uneven skin tone while protecting skin from the sun’s harmful rays, environmental aggressors and damaging pollution, with a triple vitamin cocktail and SPF 25. 

 

I Say:  I’ve been using this cream for 2 weeks each night before bed and I LOVE this stuff.  My skin is clearer, looks fresher and I’ve been getting compliments on how young I look and how clear and bright my face it.  Because it’s a thick, hydrating cream, it has replaced my night cream.  This will indefinitely be a part of my skin care regimen!

 

 

 

 

 

Chanel powder blush $42.00

Claims: Unique powder blusher imparts a flattering radiance to cheeks. Remarkably silky texture for easy application and subtle shading.

  I Say: I have both Enchanteresse and Rose Petale.

  Rose Petale provides a soft blush for day and I use Enchanteresse

  For shows and for night.  They both have a shimmer finish and go on

  very silky.  The colors are controllable and do not overwhelm when applied properly.

  The best blush I’ve ever tried.

 

Lippman Collection "Did I Shave My Legs For This"?

 Lippman Collection Did I Shave My Legs For This is marketed as an "ayurvedic" shave cream.  It supposedly offers "decadently smooth legs."  I decided to give this a try, as I am hairy enough to star in Wolverine.  (Thanks for the hirsute genes, Mom and Dad!)  According to the PR, this cream was specially formulated for use on any body part and with any skin type and has "soothing, toning and moisturizing properties."  The Ayurvedic Complex is supposed to work as a skin smoothing barrier that lubricates with clogging the razor.

Eve Lom Cleanser (Totally splurge-worthy!)

 Eve Lom Cleanser has been noted as "maybe the best cleanser ever."  It contains a great blend of four aromatic oils designed to cleanse, decongest and soothe the skin.  Included in the package is a white muslin cloth to be used along with the cleanser to promote circulation, open the pores, cleanse, exfoliate, and tone the skin - all in minutes!

I love this cleanser and I think I might agree that it's quite possibly the best cleanser ever!  The herbal scent of the cleanser is refreshing and soothing and the formulation of the cleanser is phenomenal.  It comes out of the jar in a thick, but creamy consistency which, once rubbed gently into the skin melts into it, leaving your face moisturized and silky smooth.  It contains tiny little grains that help to exfoliate, as well as dissolve all dirt, oil, and makeup.  Once you've rubbed the cleanser into the skin, you are instructed to dip the muslin cloth into hot water and press onto your face for five seconds - you repeat this step three times.  Then, rinsing in lukewarm water, you rub the muslin in circles over your skin, using it to remove all makeup.  You finish up by dipping the cloth in cold water and then pressing onto the face for five seconds.

As a woman with oilier skin, I was nervous that the Eve Lom cleanser's thick consistency would add oiliness to my skin.  Not so!  It seemed as if it actually helped to dissolve the oiliness while also providing necessary moisture during this colder winter months.  Now, keep in mind that this is an expensive product - a 6.8 fl.oz. jar is $160!  But, if you have the money to spend, Eve Lom Cleanser is totally splurge-worthy!  I never thought I would spend such money on a skincare product, but the whole step-by-step process, as well as the feel and scent of the product feels so luxurious, that I think I deserve that extra bit of pampering.

Eve Lom Cleanser - Toya has deemed it totally splurge-worthy!

You can get Eve Lom Cleanser at www.beauty.com.

Amarté Aqua Veil

  As a part of the BeautyFix program, I received Amarté Aqua Veil, a hydrating serum suitable for all skin types.  If you don't know about BeautyFix, you need to run right on over the site and find out all about it ... long story short, it's a sampling program wherein you get to try new, high-end, awesome products handpicked by a panel of beauty bloggers, celebrity aestheticians, hairstylists, and makeup artists.  You get a new set every quarter and it's only $50!

Okay, back to the Aqua Veil.  If you look at the picture above, you can see what the serum looks like when you squeeze it from the tube - it's a light green gel that smells wonderfully - it's a really refreshing cucumber scent, which I love.  When you apply the serum to your face, it "bursts" into little bubbles of moisture - you can actually see it turn to water and then sink into your face!  That, alone, was enough to have me intrigued with product, but what kept me in love with it is that it works!  I have been using this serum twice daily all winter and I have found that it has kept my skin from getting those dry, scaly patches around my nose and mouth that usually come during the winter months.

For the luxurious texture, the light refreshing scent, the moisturization ... I am deeming Amarté Aqua Veil totally splurge-worthy!

You can find Amarté Aqua Veil at www.dermstore.com for $42.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Cancer Vixen Kit, etc.

Last year, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I entered a contest to win a copy of Marisa Acocella Marchetto's book Cancer Vixen and won!  It is a wonderful book, full of honesty, strength and humor as you follow Marisa's battle and ultimate victory over cancer.

This year, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, C.O. Bigelow has partnered with Marisa to create a special Cancer Vixen Kit that contains several of the brand's most popular products.  C.O. Bigelow has agreed to donate $250,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  The Cancer Vixen Kit includes: Lemon Cream Body Wash, Dr. Hiosus Quince Hand Lotion, Mentha Tingling Foot Cream, Lemon Body Cream, and Mentha Lip Tint in Pink Mint.  The collection costs $29.50, which is a steal for those several products.  C.O. Bigelow has other products in the Cancer Vixen line, as well, including Cancer Vixen Village Perfumer Wild Berry Body Lotion, for $14.

The Cancer Vixen Kit, the Wild Berry Body Lotion and other products can be found at www.bbw.com.

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