Review - Sally Hansen Vita A Lip Care

This vitamin powered lip treatment is customized to fit your lips' specific need for line-smoothing care.

I am sure most of you have determined I am a certified lunatic when reading my other posts about lip balm/lip products! I have very full lips, so its not an option to have them chapped, ever! I pride myself on taking good care of my lips. I moisturize every night without fail. Sally Hansen has a few of these lip care products. The one I used is the Vita A infused with Vitamin A for line smooting properties. I used this every night before bed for a week and I have to tell you, my lips feel awesome. It has a very faint pink tint and there really isnt much of a taste. It has a hint of sweetness.

I even used this on my two year old son who's lips get chapped all the time and he picks them until they bleed! His lips also were not as dry after using this for a few days.

Another win Sally! Keep em' coming!

Review - MBeze Sweet Sanura Body Mist

- Sanura – a female Egyptian name meaning “kitten” -
Kittens beware! Men will be intoxicated in your presence when you wear this scent! Sweet orange essential oil blended with Egyptian musk gives this scent its very exotic appeal. Give yourself a refreshing spritz anytime throughout the day with this non-drying, lightly scented body mist. Made with natural and organic ingredients. Not tested on animals.

I have never heard of MBeze (pronounced Embeez) before. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this is a eco-friendly company with a lot of variety of product. Sweet Sanura is a very exotic scent. So exotic, that you need to be prepared for people asking what you are wearing constantly! The scent itself is odd, but not odd in a bad way. In the beginning when I first sprayed it on, I didn't think I liked the smell. After a few minutes, the smell changed. It got a little sweeter and I loved it! Sanura is a great name to describe this scent. It will make you want to Purrrrr like a kitten!
A big plus for me about this company is that they make a variety of scents and for each scent they have the matching oil, deodorant and perfume. The price for the mist is $12 which is a little on the high side, but you can use this as an air refresher as well as for linens. So its multi-functional. Also, the company is super green and they don't test on animals. Check out how green they are here
http://www.mbeze.com/content/our-natural-skin-care-philosophy-1000.cfm

I really like this company and I am curious to try their other scents. In addition, they offer trial sizes that you can purchase from their site so you can test the scents out! Super cute idea!

Melissa says: I received Cruizee which is a mix of cucumber, jasmine and mint tea. It's just as refreshing as drinking a cold glass of water with cucumber in it and the mellow feel of jasmine. The scent is refreshing and I can smell all of the ingredients. It's light, and a good pick me up too! In the Summer, I kept in the in the fridge and sprayed away! I used it a couple times a week and can't wait to check out all of the scents. I agree that it can be used as a refresh for linens and clothes because it's a universal warm and inviting scent.

Review - Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss

Our new long-wearing lip gloss gives you nonstop gorgeous color and shine for up to 6 hours, while SPF 15 protects your pout. The luxurious formula with vitamins A, C & E and sea kale revitalizes and nourishes lips for a silky-smooth texture that’s never tacky or dry. Specially contoured velour wand gives you a precise and comfortable one-coat application.
The whole thing with lip gloss, to me, is that you reapply it. That's part of the deal, I think, with lip gloss, especially when it tastes sort of nice and you find yourself licking your lips more often than that 16-year-old who married the 51-year-old and is gross. (They're both gross.)

So the idea of a long-lasting gloss is interesting. Now, as per usual, this one doesn't quite stay on as long as it promises, but it certainly does last several hours, without being sticky or icky. I got it in 24/7, a nice medium raspberry color that could work well on any cool skin tone from pale to dark. It doesn't taste like Dr. Pepper or bubble gum or anything, but it has a bit of flavor to it, just enough to keep you from being like "ew." It's a bit on the pricey side for me at $21, but if you're looking in that price range anyway, they are delightful.

Sultana says: I have this in Enduring which is a pretty shade of nude. Everyone needs to have a shade like this in my opinion. Its classic and timeless. I am going to agree that it doesn't last six hours. However, it lasts much longer than normal glosses do and without feeling too sticky.

I actually love the consistency of this gloss. I know $21 is kind of steep for a gloss. But think about the fact that you won't have to reapply it half as many times as regular glosses. That right there is worth the price. Plus the tube is pretty generously sized and will last a long time.

Trish says: I tried this in For Keeps, a really light pale pink shade. I agree with the above, it didn't last a long time for me, but the texture was rich and shiny for the duration. My only minor and small complaint is the applicator - it leaned on the spongy side and I found this harder to handle than other lip gloss applicators from Smashbox. Overall I think it's a quality gloss still, especially if there's a particular shade you absolutely adore, it's a go, but, otherwise for an average color or typical standard shade, it didn't seem to have any special features compared to other glosses. For this particular gloss, I think color and shade will be what makes it stand out the most from other glosses.

Review- Rimmel London Glam'Eyes Day 2 Night Mascara

It’s the new standard in dramatic volume and length!Introducing Day-2-Night, Rimmel’s unbeatable new mascara that creates 2 dramatically different lash looks, all with 1 amazing new system. The secret is the magic double cap!1.Choose The Top Cap for Length. Stretches lashes to new distances, exceptionally defined and ultra-lengthened.2.Choose the Bottom Cap for Volume.


Every now and then I'll try a new mascara that surprises me in a very pleasant way and so far this mascara is keeping me all-around satisfied and happy! The formula is nice and rich, super helpful if your lashes are on the weak side like mine and need that fortifying boost. I tried to figure out how they managed to stack two different brushes on top of each other, but gave up, if it works, it works! I'm definitely feeling the lengthening end, it's a skinny wand and manages to really lift and separates the lashes in a very soft and pretty way. At first, I would wonder how did my lashes grow so long so instantly, and look so healthy, but realized it was just the magic of the brush and the mascara. The length stayed true all day too without fail, including getting caught in a few rainstorms lately. I wanted to test and see if this mascara could hold up even in a heavy downpour, and it did! No running, no dark lines under the eyes, just perky pretty lashes that handled extreme weather conditions. On a sad note, the volumizing brush didn't work too well for me. I don't think my fragile lashes can hold that much thickness on their own, but the lengthening (and strengthening) power of the overall mascara makes up for any missteps I may have created with the volumizing brush. I love this Rimmel mascara so much and am definitely more open now to trying their other mascaras as well!

Review - Sally Hansen Crackle Nail Polish

Create a unique crackle effect on your nails.

I love that Sally Hansen is always coming out with new products that are always affordable. One of their newest innovations is called Crackle overcoat. What is crackle exactly? Well, its a layer that goes over your polish that creates a shattered or broken effect.
I have the Cherry Smash which is a bright red. I used it with a metallic gold polish beneath. The gold was beautifully peeking out from underneath the red. Everyone loved my nails and asked me what I was wearing.
I actually love this polish and plan on getting more colors. This is a good way to break up the monotony of regular nail polish colors.
One great thing about this that is a huge plus for me, is that it dries super fast! It dries to a matte finish, so make sure you put a top coat.

Melissa says: I tried Distressed Denim and had a lot of fun with it. I chose a pink base so after applying the Crackle overcoat, I got a nice 1980's feel. The key to using this is practice and patience. Since you have no idea where polish will crack, you just have to experiment. The only thing that was different was that the brush is very thin and the overcoat does not go on a smooth as a regular nail polish. Once you get used to it, you'll love it. I got a lot of compliments and it was a good refresher to my solid nail color. Next up is a neon base, because I'm still going for that 80s feel!

Review- Jao Limited Lip Balm

SPF 15 LipJao™, formulated for lip balm snobs, is made with 34% Shea Butter. Use this superior lip balm often to soften lucky lips. This long lasting petro-chemical free formula contains Lysine, Calendula and Chamomile Oil extracts. $6

I'm not a lip balm snob, but this sure is one remarkable lip balm! It contains 34% Shea Butter and it really does feel like you're rubbing pure silk over your lips without any of the messy greasiness or stickiness on the side. At first there was a slight licorice taste to me, which if you don't like licorice, please beware (because I really don't), but because I love this balm soo soo much, I quickly got over the taste and now fully embrace this incredible balm! It makes my lips feel super smooth for a long time and even though I don't really need to reapply the balm during the day, I just want to because I love the way it feels. I'm becoming strangely addicted. On the good side, it doesn't dry your lips out or leave them feeling chapped either, you just want to re-apply more of that silkiness on! This is definitely for lip balm snobs, addicts, and new initiates for myself. Once you get used to this unique balm, it's hard to imagine wanting anything else!

Melissa says: I agree with Trish, this product goes on like silk. It has such a nice feel on your lips and makes them feel so soft. It also lasts a long time and it does not leave your lips chapped (two of my biggest concerns with lip balms). I love the fact that can be used all over. I've already used it to tame some stray hairs and some dry spots too. The best part is that it does not contain petroleum, dyes or artificial fragrances.

Review- B. Shampoo Perfected

What’s not in it: Sulfates, Parabens, Sodium Chloride.
What’s in it: Argan Oil- Adds shine and softens the hair. UV Absorber- Helps prevent color from fading. Pro-Vitamin B5- Conditions and adds volume. This shampoo is ideal for those who desire a soft, smooth and finished look. It’s perfect for the Brazilian Blow Out. $26.00

I don't want to say this is the best shampoo I've ever used, but... this is the best shampoo I've ever used. Celebrity stylist Brandon Martinez's B. Shampoo Perfected really is complete and high performing. No doubt the shampoo is on the pricey side, but the shine and health of your hair is so gorgeous, everyone deserves to have a least one guilty pleasure and this shampoo is it, in my humble opinion. Knowing it's hard to justify paying a lot for shampoo, rest assured it is made with Argan Oil and I found that I didn't need to wear any other hair-care product when using this shampoo. It is volumizing, silkening and my usually thin and frizzy, fly-away hair had such a very natural clean, full and healthy glow and bounce to it, I didn't want to add anything else to mess it up. As a true story, I went to get my hair cut recently and the salon shampoo didn't look as nice as B. Shampoo Perfected. It was the one and few times that the condition of my hair actually looked healthier walking in than out. So, if this is something up your alley, please do consider, as this shampoo is on my favorite hair product list.

Review - Honeycat Rub My Tummy Hand & Body Cream

What gal doesn't like to have her tummy rubbed? I know I sure do. Have I got a cream for you! This stuff is chock-full-of skin softening ingredients like, Shea Butter, Kukui Oil, Honey, and of course Butter Milk. No silly, it's not just for tummies, it's for anywhere youu want to feel soft, and smooth...Hey, you never know when youu're gonna get rubbed! net wt. 6oz/170 gms
Price:	$12.00

I can honestly say I've never heard of HoneyCat, but I am liking what I see so far! Honeycat offers "A fresh, sexy spin on bath and body products"; and they definitely deliver! I absolutely love the clever names of the products as well as the variety.
The product I got to try is called Rub my tummy hand and body cream. The brand boasts: What girl doesn't want their tummy rubbed?? I know I do!! I used this right after I showered all over my body. The scent is so sweet and the consistency is creamy. It costs about $12 but because its so rich and smooth, you don't need a lot.
I think this brand is going to go far because its trendy, yet classic. I can definitely see myself purchasing other products from them in the future.

Review- NYC Skin Matching Foundation

It has a breakthrough tone-to-tone shade adjusting technology that adapts shades to skin's color and texture, blending seamlessly for a natural, flawless and radiant looking complexion. Its formula, enriched with moisturizers, essential minerals and vitamins A, C and E, nourishes and hydrates skin all day long. $3.99

When it comes to foundation, I admit, I can be super picky about quality, consistency and coverage. I'm willing to spend a little more on foundation even if the price is a little steep and outside my range. Luckily, however, you don't have to go that far as this foundation is very affordable and performs just as well as some of the more expensive ones I've used. I tried the foundation in #687- which is Light/Medium- and it matched my skin tone so perfectly and so well, I could barely tell where I had it on! The coverage is medium to nice, I still needed a light dusting of powder to achieve truly flawless looking skin, but the overall softness and natural appearance of smooth and sheer looking skin really does come through. I'm amazed that a foundation this affordable can look and feel this soft. On a side note, as the foundation is silky and somewhat liquid-y, do be careful not to dispense too much as I've learned to use a very light touch in handling this tube. Otherwise, I'd highly recommend this foundation to anyone who doesn't want to spend a fortune on makeup, yet still want a lovely and pretty foundation that outperforms some of the best of them!

NYC City Mono Eyeshadow in 5th Avenue

The N.Y.C City Mono Eye Shadow is a range of single coloured eye shadows that provide a matte like finish on the eye lid resulting in a long lasting, smooth and vibrant colouring.

First of all: why can't I find anywhere in America to buy this online? I keep getting Lloyd's Pharmacy (or is it chemist) and amazon.co.uk. In any event, this is another surprisingly great product from the inexpensive New York Color (NYC) line. The single version of the City Duet, the City Mono is one color-packed little shadow with a matte finish. Like its doubled-up sister shadow, the Mono provides great pigment and staying power for a low price - it's a great option for trying out a color you're not sure about. This chartreuse is called "5th Avenue" for some reason, probably because...green is the color of money? And people who live on 5th Avenue are rich? Or maybe because all of the rest of us are green with envy that they live on 5th Avenue? In any event, the color is a bright key lime green (the picture above does it no justice) and would be great as a lid color with a deep green crease on a night out on the town. Well worth trying!

Trish says: Oh NYC Color, I do love you and root for you always...but this Mono Eyeshadow didn't quite do it for me...I tried the shade in a light/medium brown #906 and could barely see it on..I love all kinds of brown eye-shadows and am rarely let down by any of them, but maybe for my medium skin tone, this particular shade wasn't dark enough. From what I could see, it seemed light and silky with little glimmers of sparkle to it, but not much more pigment was there to detect. If you like brown eye-shadows, but need or want a richer and deeper pigment, this one may not show up as it happened for me. However, because of the softness, I'd possibly try a different shade next time!