The Life of A Ladybug

Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronze Collection

 

The Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronze Collection is on counters now!  The entire collection is full of bronzers for face and body, designed to add a sunkissed effect to the skin, while also giving you a beautiful glow.

The Shimmer Brick for Body is really big - way larger than a typical Shimmer Brick, as it should be, since it costs $75!  Still, if you're a lover of Bobbi's Shimmer Bricks, you'll want this, too!  The massive size of the compact means you'll get your money's worth and the All Over Body Brush is the perfect accompaniment, with the cushiest bristles I've ever felt!  It's like a luxurious pampering procedure to run across your arms, legs, shoulders, and decolletage.  I've been having way too much fun with it.  Make sure that you blow or tap the excess powder off your brush before applying - otherwise, you wind up with a big spot of shimmer that you'll have to rub in with your hand.  I declare both of these - the Shimmer Brick and the brush - Totally Splurge-worthy!

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.

Favorite Things 2008!

 

It's that time of year again!  I've been invited, once again, to share with you all my Favorite Things from the past year.  Now, not all of these products were released in 2008, however, 2008 is the year I became aware of them and fell in love with them.  I'll be adding a link to my previous review of each pick, so you can see my initial thoughts.

1. MAC See-Thru Colour in Not So Shy.  2008 was the Year of the Lip Stain for me, so you will see several of them on this favorites list.  This particular one is a bright fuschia gel and it is love.

2. MAC Cream Colour Base in Crushed Bougainvillea.  Okay, I just lied.  2008 was the Year of the Lip and Cheek Stain.  This past year, my normally uber-oily skin started having patches of dryness and I've had a great time finding more moisturizing products.  Cheek stains are awesome.  This one matches the above-mentioned See-Thru Colour and I almost always wear them together.

They're here!!! (Lancome Aaron's Red and Piha Black)

 

If you're a regular reader, you'll remember when I was feenin' after Lancome's upcoming releases: Aaron's Red and Piha Black.  Well, they are here, y'all!!!  I haven't had a chance to try them out yet, but just looking at them makes me sweat with fever.  I cannot wait to put them on my lips!   Okay, that sounds dirty, but seriously?  I think I will be in the mood to do dirty things the moment I have them on.  I mean, the fierceness, y'all.  I will be such a total sex kitten, that you won't be able to stand me.

Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes

Y'all.  Y'all!  I have found it!  The mascara to end all mascaras!  It is awesome!  It is Givenchy Phenomen'eyes!  Okay, okay.  I know I'm late to the party.  I know that many of the other beauty bloggers out there have already talked about this mascara.  But I'm not a bandwagon jumper.  I like to wait until some hub-bub has died down before I try something.  But, my Lord.  If I had known how great this stuff was, I would have jumped on that bandwagon faster than you can say "boo."

The little wand thing looks like a prickly pear, admittedly.  It's kind of strange - it's a prickly ball.  But it works!  Because it's so tiny, you can get into all those nooks and crannies, where stray little short, straight lashes reside.  By the time you use this mascara wand on all of your lashes, they are separated, lengthened, darkened and plumped.  They look like those really natural false lashes.  Except ... not false!  Sheer awesomeness, I tell you.  Yes, it costs more than your regular drugstore mascara, but it is worth it, I tell you!  If it'll make you feel better, after you're done with the mascara, wash off the wand and use it with your favorite drugstore mascara - you'll get to keep the wonderfulness of that little bally wand and save a bit of moolah.

Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes is a Sephora exclusive!  So, run off to your local Sephora or get it on Sephora online.

Tweezerman Precision in Pink (Breast Cancer Awareness Month)

Tweezerman introduces the new 2008 limited edition version of their best-selling Slant Tweezer, Precision in Pink.  With a white background and adorned with the Breast Cancer Awareness pink ribbon logo, this tweezer will keep your brows tame and help support the fight against breast cancer.  Tweezerman has committed to raising $75,000 through their BCA program.  $1.00 from the sale of each limited edition Precision in Pink tweezer will go to Cancer Cares, as well as other charities throughout the country.

Tweezerman is the only brand I use to keep my brows their beautiful best.  If you've ever hesitated to pay the $20 for a set of Tweezerman tweezers, know that buying this one will mean that your money goes toward a higher purpose.  Pick it up!

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